RTHK: UN Security Council to meet on Ukraine

The UN Security Council will convene on Sunday afternoon to vote on a resolution calling for a special session of the General Assembly over the Russian attack on Ukraine, diplomats said.

Only nine of the 15 Security Council member states would need to vote in favor of the resolution for it to be adopted at the meeting, which was requested by the United States and Albania.

Under a rarely used procedure, none of the five permanent members  one of which is Russia  would be allowed to veto the convening of the special session on Monday.

The goal of the "General Assembly special session" will be to "force the 193 members of the UN to take a position" on the conflict and Russia's "violation of the UN Charter", as well as to formally condemn the war, a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP.

If the proposed resolution is approved by the Council, rules would require the special General Assembly session to be held within 24 hours.

A resolution written by the United States and Albania condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine failed in the Security Council on Friday, due to Russia applying its permanent member veto power.

The General Assembly is expected to vote on a similar resolution at some point following the special session.

Multiple diplomats told AFP they expect a majority, with over 100 UN members to vote in favour of the resolution.

In General Assembly voting, none of the 193 UN members hold a veto, but resolutions are non-binding.

Due to the situation in Ukraine, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has scrapped a trip to Geneva to address the Human Rights Council on Monday and will instead remain in New York, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-02-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A shopper wearing a mask as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus selects fruit at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke/AP)

For much of the winter, Heather Strandholt was on self-imposed virtual lockdown.

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Strandholt went to work and to doctors appointments but otherwise self-isolated as much as possible for fear of catching COVID-19. Even now, with Connecticuts latest coronavirus surge having eased, Strandholt still isnt comfortable in high-risk settings.

Im still extremely cautious with going out, said Strandholt, a 29-year-old Middletown resident with health issues that leave them particularly vulnerable to the virus. Ive kind of stuck to being as restricted as possible, just wanting to protect myself and people I care about.

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This remains true even as Connecticuts COVID-19 numbers have improved sharply over the past six weeks, leading most towns and cities to repeal their masking requirements and many residents to resume activities they put off during parts of the pandemic.

[ Weekly coronavirus updates: COVID-19 metrics leveling off in Connecticut, expert says; state reports 119 additional deaths ]

But for many people most vulnerable to COVID-19  whether due to age, chronic illness or other underlying conditions  returning to pre-pandemic life is more complicated. While others have returned to crowded bars and concerts, those at the highest risk have taken more modest steps toward normalcy.

The current numbers for me and my lifestyle mean Im comfortable scheduling my doctors appointments again, said Kayle Hill, a disability-rights advocate and Waterbury resident who has rheumatoid arthritis and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. So you can see how the gauge is a little different.

Hill said she may let her guard down this summer if the numbers continue to improve. But for now, with the states positivity rate above 3% and more than 100 people dying each week, shes not ready yet.

Ive pretty much resigned myself to living my life seasonally, Hill said. Getting all of my appointments done when its warmer out, not flu season.

Still at risk

Throughout the pandemic, many immunocompromised and otherwise high-risk residents have lobbied for stricter control measures, arguing for a statewide and society-wide approach that centers the most vulnerable. Others, including top elected officials, have countered with talk about personal responsibility, urging residents to decide for themselves their level of caution.

We should always take [high-risk] people into account, but the larger question is, do we reformat society to protect them? said Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare.

In Connecticut and elsewhere, the personal responsibility approach has largely won out, with few restrictions remaining in place.

We should always take [high-risk] people into account, but the larger question is, do we reformat society to protect them? Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare said

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But amid a general loosening of restrictions and attitudes, some wonder what will happen to those at the highest risk of COVID-19. Immunocompromised people  i.e. those whose immune system defenses are low, leaving them less able to fight off disease  are believed to make up about 3% of the national population, equating to more than 100,000 Connecticut residents.

Dr. Jaime Imitola, director of UConn Healths Multiple Sclerosis Center, said he worries that as many residents seek to put COVID-19 behind them, at least for now, his vulnerable patients may be forgotten.

After almost two years of pandemic, people in many places are thinking about a future post-pandemic, and thats all well and good, but in reality there are segments of the population who are still at risk, Imitola said. For my patients, the pandemic is still raging, and it will remain like that for a little bit of time.

Doris Maldonado, a 46-year-old West Hartford resident with several medical conditions that leave her at high risk, said she and her family have returned to eating at restaurants as long as theyre not full but still arent going to large events.

Doris Maldonado of West Hartford, who has several medical conditions that leave her at high risk, said she and her family have returned to eating at restaurants as long as theyre not full but still arent going to large events. (Photo courtesy of Doris Maldonado)

Were maintaining every [precaution], said Maldonado, who has lost several family members to COVID-19. We go everywhere with masks. We wash our hands, and we have our sanitizer when we go anywhere.

Maldonado and her family are vaccinated and boosted, but that alone isnt enough to make her feel safe, she said.

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Its great that we have boosters and vaccines, but for the immunocompromised, its not a cure, she said.

Breaking News As it happens Get the latest updates on Coronavirus and other breaking news events happening across Connecticut >

Maldonado said her family has occasionally gotten nasty looks or comments from people who dont understand why theyre still wearing masks so diligently. Hill, meanwhile, said she frequently sees comments online that leave her wondering whether anyone cares about high-risk people at all.

Sick and disabled people have been screaming for two years to be listened to, and some people do [listen], but a lot of people arent, Hill said.

For anyone at particularly high risk from COVID-19, the future can seem murky. Experts say the disease is unlikely to go away entirely and could become a seasonal illness like the flu, resulting in a significant number of deaths each year.

And so Strandholt plans to keep wearing their mask and hoping COVID-19 wont find them.

I would love to be able to relax a little bit and be able to go out and do things I used to enjoy, Strandholt said. But at the same time, I dont see a future where at the very least, something as simple as masking will not be a thing.

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Alex Putterman can be reached at aputterman@courant.com.
This 2017 photo by Holland Haverkamp shows a browntail moth caterpillar in Maine. The caterpillars can cause an itchy rash in humans, and a new study by University of Maine scientists states that their spread appears aided by climate change. Credit: Holland Haverkamp/ University of Maine via AP

A forest pest that bedevils Maine residents and tourists with hairs that cause an itchy rash appears to be spreading due to warming temperatures, a group of scientists has found.

The browntail moth is a scourge in America's most forested state, where it defoliates trees and causes a rash in humans that resembles poison ivy. The hairs of the caterpillars, which have been the subject of an outbreak in the state for about seven years, can also cause respiratory trouble.

The growth and spread of the moth is tied to increasingly warm weather, especially in the fall, the scientists wrote recently in the journal Environmental Entomology. And, unfortunately, climate trends suggest upcoming years could be even worse, they wrote.

Warmer fall temperatures are especially beneficial to the pesky bugs because that allows them to get fatter before they hibernate for the winter, said Eleanor Groden, professor emerita of entomology at University of Maine and the principal investigator on the study.

"If they come out of those webs as hearty individuals, older individuals maturity wise, then they are better able to withstand that period and you get higher populations," Groden said. "And you get defoliation that spring, and populations are raising havoc for anyone who has them in their yards."

The browntail moth is native to Europe and neighboring countries in Asia and Africa. It was accidentally introduced in Massachusetts in the late 19th century and is now found in coastal Maine and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The caterpillars become active from April to June and have been identified as "an insect of both forest and human health concern" by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

The population of the moths has ebbed and flowed in the decades since it first arrived in Maine in 1904. But the outbreak has been steadily worsening in Maine in recent years, and entomologists said last year was the worst year for browntail moth infestations in state history. The bugs have been growing in both number and territory, as the Maine Forest Service said they've spread into northern and western areas of the state in the last two years.

The study found early fall temperatures are a key determinant of population levels the following year, and that climate trends "indicate continued increases in fall temperatures" since the moth's resurgence in the state.

It's another example of how climate change can aggravate pest problems and jeopardize human health, said David Wagner, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut who was not involved in the study. Climate change has already exacerbated problems with disease-causing pests such as mosquitoes and ticks, he said.

"Climate change appears to be an important driver in this system," Wagner said. "So this outbreak can continue to increase, and it could come at great expense to land owners and great nuisance for landowners."

Maine communities have tried numerous strategies to try to slow the spread of the moth, including informing residents about how to safely remove their nests. The Maine Legislature is considering creating a special grant fund to pay for mitigation measures.

They're a tough species to manage because they're spreading fast and not native to the ecosystem, Groden said.

"What we are left with is how can we mitigate the localized problem in our yards and public spaces," she said.

Explore further Nothing funny about bad year for Maine's clownish puffins

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Democratic congressional candidate Matt Putortis campaign alleged that party leaders have an anti-gay bias after the Saratoga County Democratic Committee recommended that he drop out of the congressional race and instead run for state Senate against incumbent Republican Dan Stec of Queensbury.

This is the most recent example of a months-long effort by a small group of out-of-touch party bosses desperately trying to sideline a gay man and a woman for their preferred straight guy, the campaign said in a statement on Saturday.

The campaign said Putorti will stay in the congressional race.

The woman is a reference to Bridie Farrell, who dropped out the 21st Congressional District race on Friday.

In December, Farrell said Saratoga County Democratic Chairman Todd Kerner was misogynistic because he refused to meet with her without another county chair present.

Putorti, at the time, called on Kerner to resign.

The preferred straight guy is a reference to Matt Castelli, who a majority of county Democratic committees in the district have endorsed for the partys nomination to challenge Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville.

Three county Democratic chairs contacted Saturday said their support for Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official, was because of his expertise on foreign affairs, not because of his sexual orientation.

The story here is that Matt Castelli is a great candidate, said Kerner, the Saratoga County Democratic chairman.

Thats (foreign policy) what is resonating, specifically, said Warren County Democratic Lynne Boecher.

Boecher said she, too, had recommended that Putorti run for state Senate instead of Congress, because his experience rebuilding housing after natural disasters in New Orleans and Haiti seems to fit more with state infrastructure challenges and, so far, no Democrat has expressed interest in running against Stec.

It was totally based on what he (Putorti) brings to the table, she said.

Washington County Democratic Chairman Alan Stern said he and his wife invited Putorti to their home for dinner on Feb. 20 and discussed that he might consider running for state Senate instead of Congress.

We talked about running for (Senate District) 47 and all the smart moves that would make. In the end, it was his decision, Stern said.

Kerner said it is common practice for party leaders to suggest that a candidate switch races to avoid a primary.

The Putorti campaign, however, insisted that party leaders are biased against him because he is gay.

Multiple party leaders have told Matt that he is perceived as not macho enough to run, the campaign said in the statement. Thankfully, voters decide the outcome of elections  not unelected party bosses.

Party chairs, actually, are elected by committee members, and not by registered voters.

Putorti did not return a Post-Star request to comment directly for this report.

Boecher, the Warren County chairwoman, said she is not aware of anyone saying Putorti is not macho enough, and that it is an insult that Putorti alleged that of party leaders.

Im troubled that this is an extemporaneous discussion that is not wanted in the climate that we have today, she said.

Matt Putorti is just grasping at straws, Kerner said. Hes losing and hes looking for excuses.

The Washington County Democratic Committee conducted a rigorous process before endorsing Castelli, said Stern, the county chairman.

I am confident that Matt Putortis being gay had nothing to do with that, he said.

Stillwater Democratic Chairman Patrick Nelson said there is some tacit anti-gay bias among arm-chair strategists in the party, but it was not a determining factor in the Saratoga County committees endorsement.

There is some truth (to what Putorti is saying), from along the lines of, It doesnt bother me, but it might bother my neighbor, Nelson said. Its that second order of prejudice when youre thinking about competitive districts.

Nelson, who made the motion for the committee to endorse Putorti for Senate, instead of Congress, said it was merely a technical move so that committee members would be authorized to carry Putortis Senate nominating petitions, if he decided to switch campaigns.

It was just making sure that option was open, he said.

The Castelli campaign had no comment on Putortis allegations, said Isabel Sheperd of Castellis campaign staff.

Ezra Watson, a technician from Wilton, also is seeking the Democratic nomination in the new 21st Congressional District.

Stefaniks campaign announced Saturday that she has now received unanimous endorsements of Republican committees in 17 of the 18 counties in the new 21st District.

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State Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, said her reelection campaign will focus on a pledge to continue to be tuned in on a daily basis to the needs of constituents.

This is what I will continue to do, should I be fortunate to be re-elected, Woerner said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

The four-term incumbent is running for reelection in the new 113th Assembly District, which includes Glens Falls.

Michael York, a real estate agent from Saratoga Springs, and David Catafamo, an economic development official and novelist from Wilton, are seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Woerner.

The Warren County Republican Committee has endorsed York, and the Republican committees in Saratoga County and Washington County have endorsed Catalfamo.

The Washington County Democratic Committee, in a recent endorsement, said Woerner is a longtime friend of Washington County.

Woerner said she has been attentive to constituent service.

We continue to work on unemployment issues and people who are impacted by the pandemic.

Woerner said she wants to continue a focus on workforce pipeline and agriculture issues.

As chairwoman of Legislative Commission on Skills Development and Career Education, she has been evaluating local workforce development initiatives throughout the state.

Find the ones that are working, and expand those across the state, she said.

In one instance, she has identified a computer database system that Monroe County Community College uses to track employer needs so that the college is offering training in fields that students will be able to find immediate employment.

Im looking to try to get that funded so that we can go statewide (with the system), she said.

She is working with SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury to identify funding for the colleges career certificate programs, Woerner said.

And she is exploring ways to make sure there is adequate staffing in health care.

I talk on a pretty regular basis with the CEOs of our nursing home in the region, she said.

On the agriculture front, she is brainstorming ideas to connect area sheep, alpaca and goat raisers and hemp and flax farmers, along with area weavers and knitters, with the fashion design industry in New York City to increase the demand for local fiber.

She expects to soon introduce state legislation to assist the initiative.

This is a real opportunity for us, she said.

Woerner said she has urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to reject the Farm Wage Boards recommendation to reduce the threshold of farm overtime wages from 60 to 40 hours over 10 years.

I continue to push back at some of the policies that are coming out of state government that are not practical for our farmers, she said.

Woerner has consistently won in a Republican-leaning district, drawing support from the agriculture, small business and horse-racing industries.

Woerners closest race was in 2014, when she received 52.3% of the vote.

She received 60% of the vote in 2016, 56.3% in 2018 and 55.2% in 2020, according to the state Board of Elections.

Woerner had $95,544 in her reelection campaign fund as of Jan. 16, according to the state Board of Elections.

Catalfamo had $880 in his campaign fund, left over from the 2020 election.

York had not yet opened a campaign fund as of the most recent reporting date.

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ALBANY  New Yorks statewide masking requirement in schools will be lifted by March 2, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday, citing a dramatic drop in COVID-19 infections and new federal guidelines.

Hours later, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said hes considering lifting vaccine mandates on restaurants, bars and theaters by early next week if infections and hospitalizations continue their downward trend.

A mask mandate on the citys approximately 1 million schoolchildren could also be lifted, Adams said in a statement. The decision wont come until Friday, following a full week of classes after students in the countrys largest school system return from a weeklong vacation, he said.

The pair of announcements signaled an important turning point for the city and state, once an epicenter of the global pandemic.

The day has come, Hochul said at a press conference in Albany.

New guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most Americans can now safely take a break from wearing masks, including students in schools.

That is why I feel very confident that this is the time to lift the mask requirements, Hochul said.

As of Saturday, state officials said the 7-day average for new cases was fewer than 1,671 for the first time since late July. Other metrics have also fallen rapidly, including hospitalizations and deaths.

The CDC guidelines for other indoor spaces arent binding, meaning cities and institutions even in areas of low risk may set their own rules. Hochul said counties and cities could keep their own mandates in place, and parents could still choose to send their kids to school in masks.

The new rules also apply to children 2 years and older in childcare facilities.

Hochul said Adams was consulted before her announcement, including a conversation earlier Sunday.

Despite criticism over the states pandemic measures, Hochul said she remained resolute in sticking with experts and health data as her guide and not let criticism and politics intervene in this decision-making.

Earlier this month, Hochul let a broad mask mandate for most indoor settings expire, but said the schools requirement would remain in place. She had promised to revisit the schools question by the first week of March.

The broad mask mandate was implemented during a COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant in December.

Masks are still required in some places, including public transit, homeless shelters, jails and prisons, adult care facilities and healthcare settings.

Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, said lifting the vaccine requirements would be be positive step for restaurants, bars and theaters.

We need to continue to be smart and safe, and also modify mandates as COVID risks are reduced. So this will be welcome news to many restaurants and bars, although I wouldnt be surprised if some businesses want to voluntarily keep it in place. Andrew Rigie, executive director, NYC Hospitality Alliance, said in a text message to The Associate Press.

The mayor has been hoping to begin lifting restrictions, but said his decisions, like those of the governor, would be influenced by key metrics.

New York Citys numbers continue to go down day after day, Adams said. So as long as COVID indicators show a low level of risk and we see no surprises this week, on Monday, March 7 we will also lift Key2NYC requirements, he said.

The Key2NYC program was put in place last August to put pressure on New Yorkers to get vaccinated  or risk losing their access to many of the citys attractions like museums and theaters, as well as being shut out of restaurants and bars.

Hochuls action elicited a quick response from state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury.

For too long, our officials have been making COVID-related decisions based on political science, instead of the actual science. Repeated studies have shown that long-term mask wearing has had a detrimental impact on our students, stunting their educational, emotional and social development and making it that much harder for them to overcome the pandemic, Stec said in a statement. Its for those reasons that Ive repeatedly joined our local school districts in urging the governor and state Department of Health to provide clear guidance and an off-ramp to the end of the mask mandate. Im glad that Gov. Hochul finally listened to our voices and ended it. This is a big win for our educators and our children, who can finally get back to normal after the chaos and disruption of the past two years.

Stec continued: This mandate was yet another example of the executive overreach that has marred our states ability to address the pandemic and chart the best path forward. Instead of unilateral decisions that need to be rescinded after widespread public outcry, the Legislature must assert itself as an equal partner in government.

The states teachers union welcomed the step toward normalcy.

The governor is striking the right balance by empowering local officials to use data to determine if and when the mitigation strategies need to change in their areas. As the guidance changes, one thing must remain constant: Its essential that districts work closely with educators to ensure there is confidence in their health and safety plans, said New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta in a statement.

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We all know something about the beautiful balancing acts between some life forms. For instance, bees and apple trees both prosper mightily from their interactions. Apple flowers get to spread their pollen on bees knees to fertilize another trees flowers. Apples magically appear, drop to the ground and maybe grow a new tree. Bees put the flowers nectar into their food sacs and bring it home to their kin so that hive life can flourish. Bilateral co-evolution. At the heart of the interaction, each species uses the other to propagate its genetic material, the goal of all life.

Actually, there can be another actor in that balance  a beekeeper. I am one. I also have apple trees. And I have my own kindred, with whom I share honey and apples. Because I use, and I am being used by, bees and apple trees, we delight and prosper. I even imagine that all three life forms will survive better the hardships of what is coming our way because of how successfully we have trilaterally co-evolved.

Humans and SARS-CoV-2 are also co-evolving. Hmm. That is working wonderfully well for the virus, propagating its kind so well. But awfully poorly for us. Quite an imbalance.

Interesting to think that there is also a third actor in this interplay: Mother Earth. What is she up to?

Before addressing that question, lets look at what COVID-19 is doing now. Around here, we are happily seeing nice drops in both the documented count of new cases and in the numbers of hospitalized patients. Omicron appears to be burning out. It is thought that over 75% of us are now relatively immune to at least severe disease. For two reasons: vaccination levels are good, and the omicron variant has been causing lots of infections. Not so fast, though. U.S. deaths from COVID-19 remain high at more than 2,000 per day, mostly among those unvaccinated and not previously infected, or among those with weakened immune systems. And the global view is more threatening: the average number of cases across the world remains more than double what it was at any point in either 2020 or 2021.

What's next

Looking out further, lets consider what will happen next in the pandemic, and what may ultimately happen to SARS-CoV-2. There are piles of speculations out there, and, of course, nobody knows. The infectious disease worlds consensus is that as long as the virus is proliferating somewhere in the world, a new variant is quite likely to crop up suddenly and spread like delta or omicron. Maybe more than one. I know, no one wants to hear that.

It is thought that we will ultimately settle into a waxing and waning endemic relationship with this novel coronavirus. What will endemicity look like? Again, nobody knows. It could be that variants will cause recurring bouts of nothing more than seasonal colds, as do some of its coronavirus relatives. Or, depending on how it further mutates, we could have to endure recurring epidemics of more serious illness and deaths, analogous to what we experience every year with influenza viruses. Whatever shapes the virus takes, it is now pretty certain that we will not develop the herd immunity we had so hoped for when the pandemic first hit us, a herd immunity that we wishfully thought would wipe it entirely from our lives. Having now studied the viruss genetics and behavior patterns these past two years, our researchers think that it will likely be co-evolving with us for years. Maybe forever.

Acknowledging how damn tired we are of life with SARS-CoV-2, here is the thing: We must minimize its proliferation among us, among all of us, so that there will be less chance of new mutations breeding those nasty variants we fear. That is such a tall order! Because it necessitates dealing with the vast inequalities in social and economic opportunities in the world. On the other hand, if we dont do it, there will remain fertile ground among the underprivileged where the virus will continue to sprout. Remember polio? It caused a terrible pandemic in the 1950s, but it has been banished by vaccination from most everywhere. Except in Pakistan and Afghanistan where it still maims and kills children  because of such inequalities. If we let our guard down, polio could spread back into the world. In fact, a new case just struck down a child in Malawi, the first infection in Africa for years. Bad news.

Something similar will likely be true for COVID-19. No one will be really safe until we all are.

You know what the best tool is: vaccinations are the key. However, it is imperative that they must be spread across the whole world. As SARS-CoV-2 tries to evolve new clever variants, the vaccines we have must be tweaked, and they must then be deployed rapidly to wherever they are needed. Maybe our researchers can develop an even better vaccine which will protect us from all potential variants.

Other tools are coming along: drugs to blunt the force of an established infection have already been licensed. However, they must be made much less expensive. If cheap and then made widely available, they might even be used preventatively in the event of a localized outbreak of the virus, as we use Tamiflu to prevent influenza.

Then there are those tools we now all so dislike: masking and social distancing. But they work, and if we want to protect our vulnerable family and neighbors  our youngsters, our aged and our immunocompromised  we must use masks and distancing to create a bubble of safety around them whenever a wave of the virus hits us. Omicron, as contagious as it is, has certainly taught us that. How will we decide when to use these tools? I sure hope we can look to the CDC to provide us with that guidance in both a timely and a convincing fashion.

Now to a wider consideration of how the virus and we humans and our Mother Earth are co-evolving.

SARS-CoV-2 is part of the large family of coronaviruses, a family that has been around for eons. It has successfully coevolved mainly with bats, and there are hundreds of subspecies reproducing in bat populations across the world. Four subspecies have crossed over to humans at some time in the past, probably a very long time ago. We dont know when, but we do know what must have occurred whenever they did. A single coronavirus developed a slight mutation that allowed it to infect not only a bat, but also a human respiratory cell. Then along came one of us, maybe exploring a bat cave for food. He breathed in the mutant virus, became infected and then spread it through his village. Now these four types cause around 20% of common colds across the world.

Another coronavirus, SARS-CoV-1, emerged from bats to people in China in 2004. Similarly, MERS-CoV crossed over from bats to camels at some point, then to humans in 2012. These two were much more nasty coronaviruses than the previous four, and they killed lots of people. But the originating events must have been similar: a clever viral mutation occurred, and humans got in its way. The research we have on the origin of our current SARS-CoV-2 points most convincingly to this same likelihood: a spillover from bats, perhaps through an intermediary mammal host and then into humans occurred somewhere in central China sometime in 2019. It was first found in a marketplace in Wuhan City in December of that year, you no doubt remember.

An important pattern

There is an important pattern to be understood. With the rapid increase in the population of human beings worldwide, we have expanded into areas that were previously relatively wild. Naturally, a consequence has been more contact between folks and wild animals, either when brushing by each other or when one of us or one of them becomes food for the other. In whatever process, we share our microbial life forms. This same pattern has been repeated over and over again through millennia. Tuberculosis and smallpox came from cattle. Bubonic plague came from fleas and rats. Rabies from any biting mammal. HIV from chimpanzees. Ebola from bats. Influenza from birds. Lyme disease from ticks, mice and deer. There are loads of others. We call a microbial disease that crosses from one species to another a zoonosis. Zoonoses have killed untold billions of us. They prosper beautifully, spreading their life forms at the expense of ours. We become more and more vulnerable as we proliferate on the planet, as we pack ourselves together in huge communities, as we push out and take down the wilderness, as we degrade our planet.

You see where I am going. In a few short centuries our race has overwhelmed a huge percentage of our land spaces. Some would say it is our manifest destiny to use our world this way, a given right. Others would say we are destroying the planet, and our children and grandchildren will say: How could you? Regardless, our proliferation has changed balances among life forms that had co-evolved with each other over millennia. With some pretty terrible consequences to the human family.

What is Mother Earth up to? Here is a view, a dark one I am afraid. She is so much more powerful than we are, and so much more powerful than we, in our arrogance, even think she is. She will cope in her own ways with our abuses. Think of hurricane winds blasting through forests, pruning out weak wood. Zoonotic epidemics are such winds. They have quite successfully reduced especially the weaker branches in the forests of people. You can bet she will unleash more of them on us.

Carbon dioxide increasingly blanketing us can be thought of as another coming storm. Resulting global warming is causing tornadoes, typhoons, deluges and droughts, which are making it so much more difficult for us to live in some places on Earth. And with melting glaciers and ice caps, sea levels are rising. Because of these climate catastrophes, huge hoards of us will have to move to where too many of us already live, in cooler climates or on higher ground. Those who already live there will resent the invasion of immigrants. Resentment will morph into hate, and conflicts will further prune our branches. I could go on building the gathering storm clouds of our devastation, but it is too depressing.

Is there any hope of our coming to a new balance? Yes, of course. However  a big however  we will have to make some really major changes in ourselves. Because we will have to cut out our self-centrism, the heart of the damage we are doing. We could start by thinking of ourselves not as masters of this place, but as members of a great planet-wide community whose balance must be our most important concern. That sounds pretty grand. It is, however, not just the right way to think; ironically, it is also in our very best self-interest.

At this point, I am asking myself: what can I do? I am re-reading: I have my own kindred, with whom I share honey and apples. Because I use, and I am being used by, bees and apple trees, we delight and prosper. I even imagine that all three life forms will survive better the hardships of what is coming our way because of how successfully we have trilaterally co-evolved.

The bees and apple trees can be thought of as all of our world, and my family as all of us.

So, what can I do? No question about my first steps. They will be down the icy slope, to my bare apple trees and quiet bees and silent forest in the snow and mostly frozen Halfway Brook where there is a beaver hut  to be soothed and to think about our great Mother Earth, to think about how she can use me, small as I am.

Asking you to ask the same  what can you do? And wishing you the best we can make of the future, I will stop now and wait for answers.

***

Oh, heavens  in the evening of Feb. 21, 2022, just as I finished this writing, the awful news came in that Paul Farmer has died in Rwanda at age 62. A profoundly inspirational infectious disease physician, anthropologist humanitarian and global health advocate, he co-founded Partners in Health, which delivers health services among the poorest of the worlds poor in the spirit of caring for all our neighbors.

In announcing his death, PIH wrote in part: Dr. Farmer and his colleagues pioneered novel, community-based treatment strategies that demonstrate the delivery of high-quality health care in resource-poor settings. He wrote extensively on health, human rights and the consequences of social inequality.  Paul taught all those around him the power of accomplishment, love for one another, and solidarity.

By their works shall ye know them.

Richard P. Leach, M.D., of Queensbury, is an internist, infectious disease consultant and travel and tropical medicine specialist. He practiced in Glens Falls for 35 years, also serving as Glens Falls Hospitals infection control officer and hospital epidemiologist. Retiring from private practice in 2011, he continued to provide travel medicine counseling at the Warren County Clinic until COVID-19 forced its cancellation. Warren County keeps him on as a medical director and consultant to the Tuberculosis Program. Dr. Leach is known for his role as co-founder and president of the Adirondack AIDS Task Force in the 1980s and 1990s, as the founder and president of the Glens Falls Medical Mission and its Project Guatemala in the 1990s, as the husband of Dr. Loren Baim, as the father of Christina Johnston, Timothy Leach, Molly Leach and Marta Leach, and as the grandfather of Rhone and Thatcher James.
At a 3rd Ward public safety meeting Thursday night, Councilman Kaleem Shabazz said as recently as Wednesday night he was getting complaints of people having sex and taking drugs openly around Renaissance Plaza between New York and Kentucky avenues.

Starting March 1, there will be more officers in the area, interim Officer-in-Charge James Sarkos said.

Were going to make it a priority, Sarkos said. There will be officers on bikes as the weather warms.

Cameras (there) are back up and running. We are going to start property checks around Renaissance Plaza, the parking lot and overhangs of buildings several times a day.

The area is near City Hall, the Atlantic City Free Public Library, the Atlantic County building and the William J. Gormley AtlantiCare Health Plex.

Shabazz said he has gotten continual complaints about aggressive panhandling, public urination and more in the area.

To report non-emergency problems, Sarkos asked residents to call 609-347-5780, which goes directly to the citys police communication center.

Only emergencies should be reported to 911, he stressed.

The city is recruiting more special law enforcement officers, Sarkos said, which can be a route to becoming a full-time Atlantic City police officer.

Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, a U.S. citizen and have a valid New Jersey drivers license and a high school diploma or the equivalent, Sarkos said.

To apply, visit the careers section of the city website.

Those accepted will be sent to the State Police Academy in July, Sarkos said.

After one year as a Class II officer, you could be full time, Sarkos said. Its a pathway to becoming full time with the Atlantic City Police Department.

We are looking for community-oriented, dedicated individuals with honor and integrity who want to serve the community to come out, Sarkos said. Well consider Atlantic City residents first.

Prior convictions for simple marijuana possession should be expunged and will not prevent an applicant from being hired, Sarkos said.

The Fire Department is also starting a new emergency notification system that will go live next week, fire Chief Scott Evans said.

Its a good system for weather alerts, special messages to neighborhoods such as snow removal routes, Evans said. We will be able to geotag areas.

That means he can draw a circle around a particular area and notifications will go out to all phones and emails within the circle, Evans said.

Text messages, phone calls and emails will go out to all residents and employees asking them whether they want to opt out, Evans said.

We are coming to the table with 20,000 numbers already, Evans said.

The system also allows serious emergency notifications to be sent to all phones in the city, so visitors will be included should there be a life-or-death situation they need to know about.

The Fire Department will also be recruiting new firefighters, with applications and Civil Service tests beginning again soon.

Applicant requirements are the same as for the Police Department. Evans said military veterans can be a bit older than 35. They are allowed one year over the limit for every year they served in the military up to six years, he said.

REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com

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Tensions were high as plans were made and changed to hold a protest on June 1, 2020, in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township, at the intersection of Routes 9 and 47. As protests erupted around the country, sparked by the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, several community members braced for the worst as wild rumors flew across social media.

Instead, the event remained a peaceful and emotional moment, finished with a prayer circle in the intersection in which township police officers joined hands with the protesters.

For Middle Township resident Anthony Anderson, that moment seemed to change everything.

I feel like the local officers that did show up, they were there not only to make sure that nothing went wrong but to show their support, Anderson said. He was not there at the protest, but he saw the video and images afterward and saw it as pointing to a way forward.

Floyd died May 25, 2020. Angry protests quickly spread across the country, reacting not only to a single death but calling for a new effort against racism and bigotry. Some locals interviewed for this story see reasons for hope that things will continue to improve.

In the summer of 2020, Anderson helped found the Progressive Black Initiative of Whitesboro, which sponsored weekly events at the Martin Luther King Center in that section of Middle Township. It continues to work on community service projects. Next up is a family fun night at the MLK center, planned with the township Recreation Department and sponsored by local businesses.

One of the strongest legacies of 2020, Anderson said, was the connections forged with police and local government officials. That may seem counterintuitive for a time seen as one of the most contentious since the 1960s.

They were all humanized and made more approachable, Anderson said. He said law enforcement officers and elected officials used the moment to build new bridges and find new ways to support community members.

In September of that year, Middle Township formed the Law Enforcement Community Engagement Committee, which grew out of the summer protests, as a way to deepen connections in the community. Anderson was among the appointed members.

Another township resident, Crystal Hutchinson, helped organize several marches that summer, including in Wildwood and Cape May.

Like Anderson, she spoke highly of Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland and Middle Township police Chief Christopher Leusner, saying they were willing to listen. She also mentioned Dekon Fashaw in Cape May. He was not yet chief when he was at the Cape May march in 2020, but later became the resort citys first Black police chief.

Contacted later, Leusner sought to spread the credit throughout the department. That included citing Capt. William Adams, the incident commander in Rio Grande.

I think our officers did a very good job. They were fair and respectful and sought to keep everyone safe, he said. When people are willing to listen and are trying to make things better, I think youre always going to find a partner in the Middle Township Police Department.

He said the police officers and the protesters are all part of the same community. Leusner said his department was criticized for closing the busy intersection for the protest, but he stands by the decision.

Were all in this together, he said.

Not everyone welcomed the marches and protests in 2020.

As protesters marched down the Wildwood Boardwalk, several people yelled their disapproval or displayed it in hand gestures, and there were incidents in Cape May in which business owners shouted at the marchers.

But others joined the march as it made its way along that citys Promenade.

In 2021, Hutchinson helped organize another march in Cape May, this one for gay rights. She said the gay community came out strongly for the Black Lives Matter events, and she wanted to show support as well. She sees the movements as fundamentally connected.

Theres an intersectionality between the struggle for Black and brown people and the struggle for the queer community as well, she said.

Kaleem Shabazz, an Atlantic City councilman who was involved in the Civil Rights Movement as a teenager, sees the marches of 2020 as part of the continuum of civil rights efforts. He said they reinvigorated the civil rights and social justice movements in the United States.

He believes those efforts today are wider than they were in years past, involving a greater percentage of people from different ethnicities and backgrounds. That includes people who did not march or otherwise get involved, but began thinking about questions of race and justice more deeply.

For us to move past the problems that we have, it has to be a multiracial and multigenerational effort, Shabazz said. Something has happened that is not going to go back to the way it was.

He said the murder of Floyd while other officers watched has galvanized people in a way that has not happened for decades.

In South Jersey, the movement created some clashes, and even destruction. During a march in Wildwood, passersby yelled out support for police, even as local officers sought to keep the two groups separate, and some used rude language to taunt the crowd.

In Atlantic City, after a protest on May 31, 2020, rioters destroyed storefronts and stole items from businesses. Seventeen people were arrested.

In cities across the country, police and protesters clashed, sometimes for nights on end, with stabbings and other violence reported. There were also cases where police shot protesters, and incidents of violence against protesters were seen as well.

An independent report found that in 93% of demonstrations connected to the Black Lives Matter movement, there was no violence or destructive activity. Still, many see the demonstrations as violent and the movement dangerous. In comments made at a Homeland Security Committee hearing and emailed to district residents, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, questioned why Black Lives Matter and Antifa were not included by name in a report on domestic terrorism.

Hutchinson decried the violence and destruction that took place around the country. She said the work continues.

In separate interviews, Hutchinson and Shabazz said the next steps include continuing to work toward justice, which they said includes making it easier to vote.

I am very optimistic. We have to realize that we are not perfect, that we have ideals we have to strive for and to realize that we can do better, Shabazz said. I see things changing. Its not overnight like it is on television.

Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill

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On March 7, New Jersey school districts will be free to adopt their own mask policies, with most schools in South Jersey taking the opportunity to do away with the breathing shields.

That means New Jersey students, who have either been forced to learn remotely or attend school under a state mask mandate since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, will take another step toward what was considered normal before the virus spread across the world.

On Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy told reporters that school district's can also drop mask mandates on school buses, if they feel comfortable doing so, according to reports.

The reaction from many has been a gasp of relief.

Unmask the kids! said one commenter on a Press of Atlantic City Facebook post.

School districts retain the right to impose local mask mandates for their students, staff and faculty if they so choose. Schools that do not implement such mandates are being asked by the state to revise their pandemic policies to use masking or other interventions to reduce spread in certain conditions.

The Press reached out to several schools throughout South Jersey to ask whether they would adopt masking policies in light of the end of the state mandate. All said they would dispense with their own mandates and make masks optional.

The Barnegat School District will lift the mask mandate for all students, staff and faculty March 7, Stephen Nichol, district director of personnel and operations, said in an email.

A memo was sent out alerting parents and guardians to the coming change in policy, and that families had the opportunity to express any concerns to district administrators. Students and staff will still be required to wear masks on buses, and all of its other pandemic protection measures remain in place.

Atlantic Christian School in Egg Harbor Township made the decision to drop its mask mandate based on a decision from its Board of Directors, who in turn made its decision based on feedback from administrators, faculty and parents. According to Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen in an email sent to The Press, the school will still keep in place regular checks on staff and students and weekly coronavirus screenings for school employees.

Egg Harbor Township schools are not requiring masks either, according to a Feb. 17 letter from Superintendent Kimberly Gruccio posted on the district website. Desk shields will also be removed from classrooms and cafeterias, although students and staff can ask to continue to have theirs.

The district came to the decision after its School Pandemic Teams deliberated for two weeks. Gruccio urged parents to teach their children not to harass students for their choice of whether to wear a mask. (A Feb. 7 news release from the state says districts are expected to discipline students who are bullied for choosing to wear a mask.)

Hamilton Township Superintendent Jeffery Zito, in a letter to parents, came to a similar conclusion. The district is dropping the mask mandate but promising to continue monitoring updated state guidance, as well as guidance and mandates from other local and federal agencies.

Overwhelming feedback from students, staff and parents also led the Buena Regional School District to drop its mask mandate, Superintendent David Cappuccio Jr. said.

In Cape May County, 93% of staff and 83% of families at the Avalon-Stone Harbor Schools supported ending the mandate. Superintendent Kathleen Fox said the school would continue to practice social distancing and circulate fresh air whenever possible.

Other districts are still soliciting community feedback, including Pleasantville Public Schools, which still has a link to a parent mask survey on its website.

The Ocean City School District was committed from the outset to ending its mask mandate as soon as the state permitted it to do so, according to interim Superintendent Thomas Baruffi. Cases of COVID-19 will still be monitored, and the district will follow the precautionary quarantine measures.

Commercial Township Superintendent Kristin Schell said the district has consulted with its Pandemic Response Team and as a result is dropping its mask mandate. Other preventive measures in the schools Safe Return to In-Person plan remain in place. Schell added that the district will not tolerate bullying on the basis of mask use.

The district, on the advice of its Pandemic Response Team, stopped contact tracing in its schools.

Hamilton Township schools to remove mask mandate March 7 HAMILTON TOWNSHIP  Township schools will go mask optional March 7, when Gov. Phil Murphys 

Katherine Hart, of Medford Lakes, Burlington County, who teaches special education classes for English and language arts, told The Press she was concerned that masks inhibited students ability to learn. She said her son is nonverbal, and he has not been in school because the district will not grant him a dispensation to not wear a mask. She also was skeptical of the efficacy of masks in general.

Other readers commenting online also reveled in the end of the mandate. Some emphasized the importance of individual choice, as well as the use of other prevention measures.

I personally think its up to each parent to decide. It seems difficult for children to be masked up for hours while trying to study, Valeria Jean Marcus said on Facebook. However, maybe distancing and smaller classrooms might help. Lets hope the pandemic will end very very soon!

Still some, while happy to see the masks go, said they appreciated the role they played in preventing coronavirus spread.

My grandson lives with me and my husband. We are all vaccinated and boosted. However, my best and long time friend in home hospice is immunocompromised. If I get sick I will not be able to care for her and support her husband, one commenter said.

Murphy reaffirmed in his pandemic news conference Wednesday his commitment to ending the mask mandate March 7. He is, however, encouraging schools to pay attention to the regional COVID-19 Activity Level Index, which may imply the need for a district to return to masking amid a COVID outbreak.

Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com

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A Davenport man on parole and awaiting trial for charges filed in August was arrested Friday on drug and weapons charges, Davenport Police said.

Jayvontae Dayshawn Bland-Robertson, 28, is charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-fentanyl. The charge is a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 10 years.

Bland-Robertson also is charged with one count of possession with the intent to deliver marijuana, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of violating Iowas drug tax stamp law. Each charge is a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years.

Bland-Robertson is on parole until 2023 on a first-degree robbery conviction. He also is awaiting trial on drug and weapons charges from the August arrest.

According to the arrest affidavits filed by Davenport Police Cpl. Seth Farley, at 1 p.m. Friday, detectives with the Davenport Police Departments Narcotics Unit and Gun Investigations Unit saw Bland-Robertson driving a white Ford Fusion with no license plates. Bland-Robertson had warrants for his arrest.

Detectives kept an eye on Bland-Robertson, who drove to the 3831 Bridge Ave. and parked on the north side of an apartment building. After he parked, officers used their squads to block Bland-Robertsons vehicle. He was then taken into custody without incident.

During a search of the vehicle, officers seized pills that were suspected of containing fentanyl. The pills had a total weight of 22 grams.

Officers also seized a total of 875 grams, or 1.9 pounds, of marijuana.

Also seized was a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol.

During a first appearance Saturday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Jay Sommers set bond for Bland-Robertson at $10,000, cash only, and scheduled a preliminary hearing date for March 7.

Bland-Robertson already is awaiting trial on drug and gun charges from an arrest Aug. 10.

According to the arrest warrants in that case, also filed by Farley, at 10:26 a.m. on Aug. 10 officers served a search warrant at 416 Hickory Grove Road, Apt. 11, which was Bland-Robertsons address. The search warrant was obtained in connection with a narcotics investigation.

Before the search warrant was served at his residence, Bland-Robertson was taken into custody at 5216 Sheridan St., the address of Power Wash, where he and his Toyota Highlander were located.

When he was taken into custody, officers seized from Bland-Robertson about 50 blue pills on which were stamped M-30. The pills came to a total weight of 15.8 grams and were suspected to be fentanyl.

In Bland-Robertsons truck, officers found and seized a loaded P80 Ghost 9mm pistol with no serial numbers. Also seized from the truck was 95.20 grams, or about two-tenths of a pound, of marijuana, along with packaging material and a digital scale.

At Bland-Robertsons residence, officers seized several hundred suspected fentanyl pills totaling in weight 168 grams, or just more than one-third of a pound.

Officers also seized 11.8 pounds of marijuana from the apartment.

In that case, Bland-Robertson is charged with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, a Class C felony.

He also is charged with one count each of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as two counts each of violating Iowas drug tax stamp law. Each of those charges is a Class D felony.

An arrest warrant was issued for Bland-Robertson in that case on Dec. 3 when he failed to appear in Scott County District Court for a scheduled pre-trial conference. His bond in that case is now $10,000, cash-only.

Sommers has scheduled a pre-trial conference in that case for March 24 in district court.

On March 31, 2010, a Scott County jury found Bland-Robertson guilty of first-degree robbery in connection with a Sept. 7, 2009, carjacking, after which he led Davenport police officers on a chase that ended in a high-speed collision at the intersection of Welcome Way and Kimberly Road.

Bland-Robertson was 16 at the time of the crime.

During a sentencing hearing May 7, 2010, Scott County District Judge Mark Cleve sentenced Bland-Robertson to 30 years in prison, 25 years for the first-degree robbery charge and a consecutive five years in prison on a conviction of injury by vehicle for the crash he caused that severely injured a 21-year-old Eldridge, Iowa, woman.

The first-degree theft conviction normally carries a mandatory 17 1/2  year prison term before parole can be granted. However, Bland-Robertson was released from prison on Oct. 18, 2017, and placed on work release after the Iowa Supreme Court struck down mandatory minimum sentences for those convicted of crimes as minors.

Bland-Robertson was taken off work release and placed on parole on Jan. 19, 2018, according to the Iowa Department of Corrections electronic records. His parole is scheduled to end July 4, 2023.

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Enlisting the help of contractors and his former boss at the state Department of Administrative Services, Konstantinos Diamantis mounted a fast and furious defense in the summer of 2020 against an accusatory memo produced by the building trade unions ahead of a meeting with Gov. Ned Lamont.

The unsigned memo accused Diamantis of using fear mongering and threats to engineer an emergency declaration that fast-tracked the replacement of a structurally unsound school in Tolland without competitive bidding  then provided the town with bid specs, a contract and a suggested construction manager.

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None of those things were true, Diamantis replied in a four-page rebuttal that, along with a letter solicited from the main contractor on the Tolland project, were delivered to the governors office. What happened next, however, is unclear.

Lamont said Friday he never saw the initial building trades memo or the letters responding to it.

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Gov. Ned Lamont says he never saw a letter from Konstantinos Diamantis defending himself against allegations of steering school construction contracts. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) (Jessica Hill/AP)

Today, the question of who saw the building trades memo or took its claims seriously is relevant to the broader question of when the administration had reason to examine the school construction grants office, which Diamantis directed until his dismissal on Oct. 28, 2021.

But at the time, the conflict between Diamantis and the union was a dispute confined to the small world of construction in Connecticut. A subtext to the unions complaints was the suspicion that Diamantis, then the state official in charge of school construction grants, was disparaging the use of project-labor agreements that guarantee, among other things, the use of union labor.

Union officials have declined to comment on the accusations laid out in the memo. In addition to Diamantis, they have been forcefully rebutted by Melody Currey, the former DAS commissioner who made the emergency declaration for Tolland, and the contractor that rebuilt the school, DAmato Construction.

I was very shocked by the July letter, which is probably why my response was so vehement, Diamantis said.

Seventeen months later, Diamantis still is offering a vociferous defense against allegations that he steered contracts, only now the stakes are higher. Hes been fired, the FBI is investigating, audits are underway, and Diamantis complains the media is confusing details and making him a villain.

Diamantis, 65, is a lawyer and former Democratic state representative from Bristol. He is the father of five daughters, one a central figure in the troubles that has reached far beyond his family: Anastasia Diamantis.

It is a tangle that has contributed to the forced retirement of Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo Jr. over his hiring of Anastasia Diamantis and the decision by Melissa McCaw to resign last week as the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. She is leaving a job overseeing Connecticuts budget for a job as finance director in East Hartford.

Diamantis was fired in October over questions pertaining to Colaneglos hiring of Anastasia Diamantis to a $99,000-a-year executive assistant job while the chief prosecutor was lobbying Diamantis and McCaw for their help in securing raises for top prosecutors. The FBI investigation became public on Feb. 2.

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Diamantis was McCaws deputy secretary at OPM as well as the director of the Office of School Construction Grants & Review. When McCaw named him to the politically appointed job of OPM deputy in 2019, she consented to one of his conditions: that he retain his civil-service school construction job and move it from DAS to OPM.

Melissa McCaw, then the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, allowed Konstantinos Diamantis to retain his civil-service school construction job and move it from DAS to OPM when she appointed him OPM deputy in 2019. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File) (Jessica Hill/AP)

Lamont held a press conference Friday to announce McCaws departure and address efforts underway to examine how the OSCGR was run under Diamantis and reforms already made to increase oversight. The office was returned to DAS after Diamantis was fired.

Never saw it

The controversy over the school construction program binds Diamantis to the governor who authorized his firing.

Diamantis is defending himself against allegations of dishonesty. Lamont, engaged in a reelection campaign, is defending himself against the suggestion his administration was negligent in overseeing school construction grants.

The governor said he never saw the trades accusatory memo or the point-by-point rebuttal produced by Diamantis on July 22, 2020, after Lamont met with the unions for a clear-the-air talk about a variety of construction issues. Lamont and union officials say the complaints about Diamantis didnt come up during that meeting.

Lamont is resolute on the question of the memo produced under the letterhead of the Connecticut State Building Trades Council, an association of construction unions that endorsed his reelection in December.

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Never saw it. Never came up. Never distributed, Lamont said.

He said the same of the letter from Diamantis.

No, sir, Lamont said, when asked Friday if he saw the rebuttal. Thats why I have an OPM secretary.

Diamantis does not know who in the administration saw the building trades memo or his rebuttal, other than the gubernatorial adviser who he says accepted it: Jonathan Harris, who had accompanied Lamont to the meeting.

Harris, who left the administration in December, was vacationing out of the country last week and could not be reached. But Diamantis said he assumed his rebuttal was persuasive; no one in the administration followed up with him.

I cant tell you what happened with my documents that I gave. All I know is nothing negative happened, he said.

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Months earlier, a warning

Two months before the July 2020 meeting, a demolition contractor, Stamford Wrecking Company, complained to McCaw and Josh Geballe, then the commissioner of DAS, that OPM had interfered with competitive bidding on hazardous materials abatement on school projects in Groton.

The complaint centered on whether municipalities could hire from a state emergency bidder list of four companies under a state contract that set some parameters on price, though the final cost was up to bidding or negotiations by the towns. Stamford Wrecking was not among them.

Diamantis said the list, as well as an expert in his office, helped municipalities guard against the cost overruns common to hazardous abatement projects.

We were not interfering with contracts at all, Diamantis said. All that was happening was letting the towns know that you can use state contracts for hazmat abatement.

Stamford Wreckings complaint initiated nearly a yearlong review by lawyers at OPM and DAS over the propriety of using the list, which had been compiled by the procurement office at DAS, not the school construction unit overseen by Diamantis.

It only had four contractors, and Diamantis said he had argued that it should be broadened.

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Noel Petra, the deputy commissioner of DAS assigned to review school construction practices, said the list was intended for small, emergency jobs, but DAS slowly had allowed wider use over the years.

Separate from the hazardous abatement issue are the broader complaints from municipal officials since Diamantis dismissal. They say that he urged them to hire certain contractors, including one that employed his daughter Anastasia Diamantis: Construction Advocacy Professionals.

Diamantis declined to respond to those allegations or talk about how his daughter came to moonlight for a construction management company while she also was a state employee. For now, he said, his focus is on rebutting claims that he ever undermined competitive bidding.

The only overall school construction project exempted from competitive bidding on his watch was the reconstruction of Birch Grove Elementary in Tolland, which was abruptly closed after the failure of its foundation due to contamination by pyrrhotite, a mineral that expands and causes uncontrollable cracking when present in concrete.

Currey said the emergency declaration was made by her in consultation with DAS legal staff. Its initial impact was to allow Tolland to skip bidding and hire DAmato Construction of Bristol to immediately begin work constructing a temporary modular school complex.

The union memo suggested that DAmato was an odd choice since it had no history of school construction. Edward DAmato Jr., the vice president of the multigenerational family business, immediately sent a letter to Lamont saying the union had misrepresented his companys 60-year history and how it was hired in Tolland.

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His son, Tony DAmato, the operations manager and third generation of DAmatos in the business, said the union claim was insulting.

I just personally take a little bit of offense in the fact that they paint school construction as a specialty, he said. Theres nothing specialized about it. Were a builder. Weve built every different type of building from the ground up. The school is no different than that.

DAmato Construction was hired by Tolland for demolition, then kept to the install the modular units and, ultimately, the new school in record time.

I was happy to be part of it, DAmato sad. For the folks who work here, it was the project of a lifetime.

DAmato is currently building a school in Bristol, a joint project with Downes Construction of New Britain that was awarded by competitive bidding. The use of the emergency bid list for demolition was an issue, due to what Diamantis insisted was a misunderstanding. The demolition work eventually went to bid.

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DAmato said his company has not been approached by the FBI. The federal subpoena demanded documents of DAmato and a dozen other companies that did school construction or worked on the reconstruction of the State Pier in New London, a project supervised by Diamantis.

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Diamantis was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992, the same year as Currey, the commissioner who would hire him in 2015 during the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to oversee the school construction grants program at the Department of Administrative Services. Diamantis left the legislature after losing a Democratic primary in 2006.

By reimbursing a portion of the costs, the state plays an influential role in the construction and remodeling of local schools, offering guidance about standards and costs. Currey said she thought his predecessor overseeing school construction grants had been arbitrary in dealing with municipalities.

Diamantis had co-chaired an Appropriations subcommittee overseeing school construction grants, and he had been a town attorney, Currey said.

I wanted somebody who followed the rules and somebody who would adhere to the proper procedures and protocols, and as an attorney would know what those proper protocols and procedures were in relation to all aspects of doing construction, Currey said.

And that somebody, she said, was Kosta Diamantis.

Mark Pazniokas is a reporter for The Connecticut Mirror (ctmirror.org). Copyright 2022  The Connecticut Mirror.
CHICAGO - Friday closed out one of the last chapters of a nearly 10-month process to finalize the Chicago Police Departments foot-pursuit policy after multiple public comment sessions, coming the same week the family of a man killed by police during one such chase last spring filed suit.

The first draft of the policy was launched in May  about two months after the police chases that ended in the controversial fatal shootings of 13-year-old Adam Toledo and 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez.

Officers have been following that temporary policy since then. But previously the department operated without such a policy, a major point that was made in a lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of Alvarezs family.

The most recent 10-page draft of the policy was released for public viewing Feb. 10, and the department allowed for 15 days of public comment before officials start to analyze the feedback and finalize the new rules.

Whatever the final policy is, it will provide the first official, completed guidelines for Chicago police officers who engage in foot pursuits.

There are two main changes from the first draft to the current version, Robert Boik, CPDs executive director of constitutional policing and reform, told the Tribune on Friday. The first is overall language clarification and the second is supervisory responsibilities, Boik said.

Clarifying the language was part of the feedback the department received from the first round of public comment, Boik said. And defining the responsibilities of the supervisor, such as having to complete an after-action review of the foot chase, is in line with a broader goal of the consent decree the department now finds itself under.

While the document includes specific directives and prohibitions, it also underscores a broader philosophy shift: that chasing a suspect should no longer be considered an automatic response and there will be times where a circumstance dictates officers stop a chase.

Focusing on professionalization, it means that our officers are asking certain questions before they act. And again, sometimes, that process happens in an instant. But thats where training comes in, Boik said.  I think this was new for officers to think about.  This is a new concept we are getting comfortable with.

The department originally planned to produce a final draft last September but then pushed back the self-imposed deadline, saying it needed more time to analyze a proposal. The department at the time said in a statement that U.S. District Judge Robert Dow, who is overseeing the consent decree the department is under, also thought it was necessary for CPD to continue gathering and reviewing data.

Language in the policy reflects recommendations from experts and rules that other departments have already implemented, including, for example, that officers weigh factors such as whether there are other means that could achieve the apprehension of a suspect, whether the officer is alone and whether there are other supports available, such as a helicopter, to assist. It also instructs officers to consider if the subject could be arrested at a later time.

Chases should only be initiated, per the draft policy, if the need to detain the person outweighs the risk to the public and the officer.

It was not immediately fully clear how the new policy might have affected decisions to chase Toledo and Alvarez. The officer who ran down a Little Village alley after Toledo was largely alone when he did so. Both Toledo and Alvarez, who was shot in the yard of a home after trying to outrun an officer, were holding weapons at points during their pursuits.

While the policy prohibits officers from chasing someone simply because they run away, it allows officers to chase if they have a reasonable articulable suspicion that criminal activity has or will occur, a standard that is too low, said civil rights attorney Sheila Bedi.

This policy (is) far short of providing the necessary protections and in many ways just reinforces the dangerous practice of using foot pursuits, Bedi said, adding that a higher probable cause standard should be used.

The tactic is so dangerous at the very least it should be probable cause, she said. Officers should not be chasing someone unless they are absolutely sure they are going to arrest someone.

The Toledo case, Bedi said, made clear that officers need to consider when they are chasing someone in unfamiliar or confined territory. But the policy doesnt say it must stop, only hints at it, she said.

Boik, when asked about the idea that officers would stop chasing an armed suspect, acknowledged this will be part of a shift for officers, but that the directive aimed to increase safety for all involved. And ending a chase does not mean the law enforcement action is over.

When they terminate the pursuit there are other things they have to do (such as) attempt to set up a perimeter, he said. Terminating a pursuit does not absolve that person from taking law enforcement action. This is not a mechanism to stop pursuing people. It is a mechanism to make sure we are doing it safely.

The policy also states that running away alone is not a reason to chase a person. And it offers specific examples for officers on when chases are either prohibited or allowed. Officers can chase someone if they were believed to have committed certain misdemeanors such as aggravated assault and battery but cannot chase someone believed to have committed lower-level misdemeanors such as simple assault or criminal trespassing to land.

Boik said he hopes to issue the final policy in the next 30 days. Once its released, then the policy will go through the departments required two-year review cycle.

Other experts in Chicago, while acknowledging the formulation of a policy is overdue, said the directive still fell short by not having a strong enough legal standard to justify a chase.

While CPD finally recognizes the perilous nature of foot chases by armed officers, it lacks other critical protections, Michelle Garcia, deputy legal director at the ACLU of Illinois, said in an emailed statement, pointing to the language that allows officers to chase people suspected of misdemeanors like shoplifting and some traffic offenses.

In a statement, the ALCU of Illinois also noted that the policy allows officers to consider the criminal activity in a neighborhood when they are weighing a chase, calling it one of the biggest concerns about the policy.

 Perhaps most important, the new policy encourages  encourages  foot chases in neighborhoods that are known for certain criminal activity, the statement reads. That language invites chases in Black and Brown neighborhoods across the City, raising the danger of violence from police in areas that have suffered too much violence already.

Boik defended the reasonable suspicion standard, saying that this is the same standard officers are taught to use in making stops. He said it was important for the training around constitutional issues to be consistent. He also said officers cannot initiate a chase based on a neighborhood alone; they must have a valid law enforcement reason to detain a person.

Officers will go through a 30-minute e-learning course on the policy that will include a test afterward, and then the foot-pursuit policy will be included in the eight-hour constitutional policing course that is a part of officers required 40-hour training curriculum.

Boik said its difficult to talk about things in hindsight, especially when no policy was in place at the time.

There are a different set of circumstances and thoughts that run through the officers head prior to the policy existing than what we would hope would be, so I think its unfair to do that comparison or characterization of prior events, he said.

Oscar Martinez, Alvarezs father, said that while nothing will bring his son back, he hopes his death will bring change to the departments policies and prevent others from becoming victims of police shootings.

I miss my son a lot. Its been almost a year, Martinez said. We wont stop until there is justice. We wont stop fighting and protesting in his name to bring justice.

Chicago Tribunes Stephanie Casanova contributed to this story.

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John Marx Follow John Marx 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

Go to Kennys (tire service) and ask Burnie to put four new tires on your car, my late father said to me, a cash-strapped teenager who did not have the funds needed to put new rubber on his ride.

Note: This is not the proper setting to reveal why I was in need of four new tires.

Ill be down later today (to pay), my father continued, too busy to be angry. Make sure you ask for Burnie.

He was specific in his orders for me to deal with Burnie Sutter.

Following orders, I asked for Burnie upon arriving at the Moline-based auto shop. The man who assisted me was in fact the trusted Burnie my father spoke of. I told him my name, who my dad was and  without batting an eyelash  he took care of my car.

And me?

I had no idea a World War II hero was making sure I had new tires, and he  this kind soul of a man who did not ask why all four of my tires were flat and the car arrived by flatbed wrecker  never gave it a second thought I would not be paying at the time of service. My dads word was good enough for him, something lost on many in todays world.

Burnie passed recently at age 101, just two months shy of his 102nd birthday. A memorial gathering is set for Monday, Feb. 28, at Molines Elim Covenant Church beginning with a noon reception. A service honoring Burnie begins at 1 p.m. Military honors will be accorded at 2:30 p.m. at National Cemetery on the grounds of the Rock Island Arsenal.

After our first meeting, it would be decades until I would come to learn that Burnie from Kennys Tire was Burnette Burnie Sutter, a machine gunner with the 90th Infantry Division, 358th M Company under General George S. Patton during World War II and that Sutters division earned the nickname "Tough Hombres.''

I would also learn the kind man at the tire shop, ever-dedicated to his faith and his church and who was everyones favorite neighbor for his 60 years in Moline, was part of the American D-Day landing on Utah Beach, at Normandy, and who fought many of the major battles across France and Germany, including the battle at Seves Island, Falaise Gap, Operation Cobra and the Moselle River Crossing.

Burnie, I would learn, was known for manning his machine gun in the middle of the road in the battle to close the Falaise Pocket as German troops and panzer units tried to escape. He was, I would find in my research, one of first 50 men to liberate the Flossenburg concentration camp along the Czechoslovakia/Germany border.

Burnie Sutter, after chatting with those close to him, I learned, was humble to a fault and deferred anytime someone wanted to talk about his contribution to saving our nation. I also learned the only reason Burnie left Moline for McKinney, Texas, was so he could better care for his amazing wife, Rozetta, the longtime face of Rock Islands Hauberg Center, who was struggling with her health. Rozetta and Burnie were married for 63 years before her passing in 2006.

Our paths, Burnies and mine, would cross a few years back. Alexis Andres, the French general consul based in Houston, Texas, presented Burnie with the French Legion of Honor for his bravery during World War II.

The French Legion of Honor was the brainchild of Napoleon Bonaparte. It was established in 1802 to recognize soldiers in service to France. American veterans who fought in one of the four main campaigns of the liberation of France  Normandy, Provence, Ardennes and northern France  are eligible to be decorated as knights of the Legion of Honor.

Burnie Sutter checked those boxes, yet downplayed his efforts. When people asked him about his service to his country, he simply said: I was doing my job.

Other recipients of the French Legion of Honor Medal include Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur, Admiral Michael Mullen, and the institution of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Not bad company to keep.

For his 100th birthday, while a nation and his Texas community were battling a pandemic, Burnie received a 100-car (there were many more than 100) birthday tribute, was honored by the city of Frisco, Texas, and was recognized statewide with the flag that flew over the Texas state capitol on that day. Burnie also received articles of recognition from the Texas House and Senate. There were, according to published reports, hundreds in attendance that day to honor the 100-year-old war hero.

Today, friends and family will gather to pay tribute to a life lived through faith, done with love for family and a deep passion for his country.

That you, Burnie Sutter. From a community, a nation and a dumb kid you didnt embarrass.

Columnist John Marx can be reached at newsroom@qctimes.com.

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LySanias Broyles was 14 years old when he first made the journey from Kentucky to Iowa.

"I'll never forget it," Broyles said one day before his 88th birthday. "I came across Centennial Bridge with my cousin. We started to come down into Davenport off that bridge and I thought I finally found the land of the free and the home of the brave.

"It looked like a beautiful place. But I was going to learn some things."

As his birthday drew near, Broyles looked back on his history. And he talked about Black History in a time when lawmakers across Iowa and throughout the country seek to remove uncomfortable subject matter from classrooms.

Born Feb. 24, 1934, in a place called Hickman, Ky., Broyles has a unique perspective. He experienced sharecropping, served in a still-segregated United States Navy during the Korean War, migrated north with the post-World War II economic boom and raised a family in a city that had unwritten  but strict  rules about where people of color could live and work.

Broyles moved to Davenport in the late 1950s and went on to serve the NAACP and the Davenport Civil Rights Commission. He worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help mitigate racial discrimination in workplaces all over the Quad-Cities.

Broyles made friends. And he willingly played the role of middle man  or, maybe, fixer  if it meant Black men and women got a fair shake at jobs and homes and raising families.

"You make it to 88 with the help of the man upstairs," Broyles said. "I think you have to have some form of faith to make it very long. You need faith and your family and a few good friends."

Broyles' family lived in in Hickman, Ky., until he was 9. Some of the memories of that time are as clear as yesterday.

"My dad's name was Gip and my mom was Dora and my sister, I called her Mags, but her full name was Magdalena," Broyles explained. "My dad was a kind of sharecropper, and Mags and I picked cotton with him. It's a hard memory. Mags was just 6 years old out there working.

"There were still big plantations. Maybe not as big as the ones in Alabama or Mississippi, but they were the old plantations with plantation owners. And the owners figured out that if they had housing and a store, they could keep their workers forever working for them. They'd pay people just enough to extend the worker's credit for housing and credit at the store."

Broyles said his father saw the futility of a life indebted to a landowner. He moved his family to Paducah, Ky., and worked with the railroad. He also found work as a handyman to supplement his income.

Broyles started visiting relatives in Davenport at the age of 14 because his father wanted him to see more of the world. What Broyles saw in 1948 shocked him.

"I told you Davenport looked beautiful to a kid like me," Broyles said. "This must be the America of the anthem. I got my eyes opened.

"My aunt was living in a six-room apartment with five other families. My aunt and my cousin lived in one room. She ran a line across the room and had a big curtain between her and us. That's how they lived."

Broyles explained that there was little, if any, housing for Black people in Davenport.

"It was crazy," Broyles said. "Black people were making good money in this town. There were good jobs. But there weren't any homes for Black people to buy. And there weren't many landlords who would rent to Black families.

"I remember, the guys with money, they bought big cars. That was something you could buy, a big car."

Broyles wanted to quit school in Paducah and work at the Rock Island Arsenal when he turned 18. Gip had other plans. He made his son finish high school, citing the importance of formal, structured education.

Drafted in 1952, Broyles made two decisions before he formally joined the Navy. He attended barber school from 1953 to 1954, and he married his high school sweetheart, Connie.

By 1958 the couple had a daughter, Sandra Johnson, and a son, Dawayne.

"You got a year between being drafted and starting your service," Broyles explained. "You had to get some kind of education or training. So in 1953 until 1954, I went for my barber's license because it was the cheapest  $10."

Broyles went on to maintain a barbershop in Davenport until 2004.

"It really  especially in the beginning  never could be a full-thing," Broyles said. "There just weren't enough Black people in Davenport back in the 1960s. You had to have another job."

Broyles worked at the Arsenal for decades  but almost wasn't hired.

"There was a lot of what I call 'quiet racism' back then  at the Arsenal, too," Broyles said. "But I kept going back and finally, I wrote a letter. I'll never forget his name  Col. C.J. Williams. Col. Williams stood up for me and hired me."

Broyles dedicated himself to learning and advancing. There were foremen who refused to work with him. But the man who started as a mechanic rose through the ranks to work with Army Management Material Readiness Command.

Perhaps Williams showed Broyles the need for underrepresented people to have at least one voice speaking for them. Maybe Broyles always looked for ways to help others.

"When I was 12 I started helping people get their birth certificates. Honestly. People may not realize this, but a lot of Black people  especially those in the rural south  were never issued birth certificates," Broyles said.

"I started helping people with that. I've done that my entire life. I did it out of my barbershop. People need help. You can't even start without proof that you were born."

Broyles passed on his determination to help others. His children drew upon his strength and willingness to speak out. Sandra Johnson said she learned a no-fear ethos from her dad.

"I was an afro-wearing activist with my fist in the air," she said. "I didn't apologize for it then, and I don't today."

Dawayne Broyles grew up quieter. He said his father showed him the importance of telling the truth.

"Truth puts you in the majority," he said. "That's what I carry with me today. My dad showed me that it doesn't matter how many people are lined up against you, if you have the truth you are the majority."

Broyles said it's important for his children  and all the children of the Civil Rights era  to remember history. Increasingly, he said, they are the ones who will have to pass it on.

"We ask ourselves if things are better today," Broyles said. "And then you look at Iowa and what they are doing in the school systems  the Critical Race Theory stuff.

"What some people are doing is trying to do away with history. They are taking out all the parts of history that make them uncomfortable. Can I be blunt? Don't tell me white men didn't do the things to Black men like slavery and sharecropping and chain gangs and redlining.

"And let's be honest  a lot of people got generational wealth off the backs of Black people. That's history. That's the truth. So I'm concerned about our classrooms. Education was everything to me. Because my father never had any, and he knew his son had to be educated. Are we not going to teach the parts of Black history that people don't care to remember?"

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CHICAGO - Zoryana Smozhanyk and her parents stood outside their cars across from the Buckingham Fountain late Saturday morning talking as they waited for a truck convoy in support of Ukraine to arrive.

Close to noon, trucks began to pull up along Columbus Drive, lining up from Jackson Drive to Roosevelt Road and parked as the Smozhanyks and hundreds of other Ukrainians and their supporters who gathered to welcome them looked on.

The event, Trucker Convoy for Ukraine, began about 8:30 a.m. in northwest suburban East Dundee. Dozens of semis rolled out about an hour later, ending up at the fountain.

Downtown, demonstrators spread out on all corners of Columbus Drive and Ida B. Wells Drive holding yellow and blue flags and signs asking for support and condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin for his actions, some with harsher language than others.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, igniting the largest attack on European soil since World War II. Putin has ignored widespread condemnation of his actions and threatened any interfering country with consequences you have never seen.

Stepan Nozhak, who has been a truck driver more than six years, organized the convoy as a way to support Ukraines efforts to keep control of their country as Russia invades, said Nozhaks wife, Mariia Salii.

This is how we can let (the) world know what is happening in our country, Salii said. That our families are dying.

Salii rode in her husbands truck, watching as more than 300 vehicles, including trucks, vans and cars, drove about 40 miles into Chicago and supporters around them honked in support of their cause.

Protesters also marched Thursday and Friday in the Loop drawing attention to whats happening to their country.

Nozhak moved to the U.S. almost nine years ago and Salii seven years ago.

Nozhaks mother and his 16-year-old sister live in Ukraine. So does Saliis dad, she said.

Salii said shes scared when she gets a phone call from home or a text message, or when she opens a news story.

Late Wednesday night, Salii got a text from a friend saying, There is war in Ukraine, she said.

She said it was unreal and she didnt believe it would actually happen.

I was shocked. I couldnt sleep, she said. I had panic attacks and this anxiety.

Salii worried her dad will be asked to join the front lines.

Iryna Ostafiichuks parents are in Western Ukraine where theyre not on the line of fire but they have still heard sirens and hidden in their basement.

It is definitely scary because the person who started the war, no one knows what to expect from him, said Ostafiichuk, who held a Ukrainian flag. Its just devastating to hear all the news. That our spirit, Ukraninans spirit just irritates someones demons so bad that theyre just starting a war.

Smozhanyk was working out when she saw that her country was being attacked.

I was on a StairMaster at a gym and I saw it on the TV, and I almost fell off the StairMaster, she said. So it was not a good feeling. I had slept three hours that day. And I had a very long workday afterward. I was very shaky physically, emotionally.

Smozhanyk and her parents moved to the U.S. in 2010 after getting approved for a green card, she said. They wanted a better life for their daughter.

She has a sister and two brothers with their own families in Ukraine, along with extended cousins.

My cousin told me he was in bomb shelter and he saw smoke coming out from the shelling, Smozhanyk said.

Their family is trying to move away from the line of fire but plans to stay in Ukraine for now, she said.

As they waited Saturday, Smozhanyk and her parents chatted with a friend theyd just met, Aleksei Kobernik, who is from Russia and was at Saturdays rally to speak up against Russias recent attacks on Ukraine.

Kobernik said he sees it as his duty to show support and to say not all Russians are supportive of their president.

Kobernik, who moved to U.S. two years ago, spoke in Russian, Smozhanyk translating for him.

I wish for this to end as soon as it possibly can, Kobernik said. So as few as possible Ukrainians have to die for this.

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In a legislative session that is full of contentious issues, Iowa Republicans and Democrats found common ground on at least one thing recently: They love ethanol.

By an overwhelming margin, the Legislature passed a bill to force most retailers in the state to offer more E-15, a higher blend of ethanol than the usual E-10. Gov. Kim Reynolds has been pushing for such a requirement.

Since then, a few commentators in the state have questioned Iowas joined-at-the-hip ethanol policies, a tack taken by politicians in both parties. And some have suggested federal support for ethanol wont last forever; that perhaps its time to prepare for the growth of electric vehicles.

Sitting here on the border of Iowa and Illinois, we have a unique vantage point on this question. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has gone all-in on electric vehicles, pushing through a package of state incentives last year and cheering on the Biden administrations efforts in this area.

Pritzker has proudly proclaimed that he wants the state to be the "Silicon Valley" of the EV industry.

In Iowa, you wont hear that from the top echelons of government.

Iowa continues to maintain policies that are barriers to EV expansion. In a column for the Des Moines Register last year, analysts for the Consumer Choice Center said Iowa was tied for last on an index for electric vehicle accessibility.

Wed urge caution when looking at any ranking, but theres no doubt Iowa has policies on the books that make it harder to grow the EV market, whether theyre related to direct vehicle sales or added costs assessed to people who buy electric vehicles. Those added fees are often justified by saying EVs dont contribute to the road use tax fund, but we would ask: What credit are EVs given for the benefits they clearly provide? (Unfortunately, Illinois also maintains an extra fee for EVs, but it also has approved generous tax credits for people who buy them. It also approved significant financial incentives to try to grow EV manufacturing in the state.)

Six months ago, we praised Pritzkers approach and warned that states like Iowa that dont diversify in order to prepare themselves for swiftly evolving energy and transportation trends are only hurting themselves.

A bit over a week ago, we saw the first deadline for viable bills in the Iowa Legislature pass. We didnt see a single survivor that was encouraging for EVs. Maybe nobody told the governor and Legislature the Big Three have all committed to making electric vehicles up to 50% of their sales by 2030. It was instructive that Reynolds reacted to the Biden administrations announcement about the availability of $50 million for new charging stations by complaining that he is "pouring taxpayer dollars into EV charging stations while ignoring a readily-available renewable energy source grown right here in IA."

Biden is not ignoring ethanol. He is preparing for the future, even as hes doing what all presidents do  walking a tightrope between the oil industry and renewable interests, when it comes to ethanol. The administration has made the renewable industry happy by rejecting the kind of small refinery exemptions approved by the Trump administration but unhappy with reductions in some volume levels. And all this as progressives in his party are calling for an abandonment of ethanol altogether, as doubts are raised about its effect on the climate.

Our own sense is that ethanol will be around for a while. The Renewable Fuel Standard has broad bipartisan support in Congress and there is no sign that the White House is relegating it to the waste bin, no matter what political rhetoric you may hear.

What the administration is doing is wisely looking to the future. Car companies are shifting production to EVs, and the federal government is acting in concert. Smart states  those that want to grow and diversify their economies  will adjust. Or not. The longer Iowa politicians ignore or try to stand in the way of the spread of electric vehicles, they endanger the states economic future.

Illinois is not doing that. It was no accident that U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg went to the Land of Lincoln to tout new federal investments in charging stations.

Iowa learned the hard way decades ago about the dangers of failing to diversify. Wed hate to see it repeat the mistake.

Our belief is that ethanol isnt going away anytime soon, but the market is changing. States like Illinois, which also has a strong agricultural base, recognize the need to prepare for what is on the horizon. If Iowa is smart, it will do the same.

This editorial is the opinion of the Quad-City Times Editorial Board.

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The 2022 Ravalli County Spelling Bee took place on Monday with 15 determined contestants in the Hamilton Middle School Auditorium and continued for 19 rounds before a winner could be confirmed.

The deciding word was sedentary and it determined the 2022 champion as Ty Ellis in eighth grade at Corvallis Middle School and the runner-up as Zane Svaren in seventh grade at Stevensville Middle School.

Contestants included Ty Ellis and Owen Savage in eighth grade at Corvallis Middle School; Owen Neff in fourth grade from Darby; Wilson Mc Laughlin and Jackson Tait in eighth grade at Florence Carlton; Oliver Pound in fifth grade, Eva Wymer in eighth grade at Hamilton Middle School; Gracie Berical in seventh grade and Eleanor Bundy in sixth grade at Lone Rock School; Marcie Jessop in fifth grade and Aspyn Weidow in sixth grade at Pines Academy; Zane Svaren and Everett Lehnen in seventh grade at Stevensville Middle School and Jordan Wilkes in seventh grade and William Herrera in fourth grade at Victor. Payton Sturm in eighth grade in Darby qualified but was unable to attend at the last minute.

The bee was hosted by Regina Plettenberg the Ravalli County Superintendent of Schools, honorary judges were Dan Whitesitt, Carianna Newton and Jana Exner (also the pronouncer).

The Ravalli County Spelling Bee is part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee program. This year an estimated eleven million students, grades 4-8, will participate in the spelling bee process.

First place and runner-up winners are eligible to advance to the 57th annual Treasure State Spelling Bee in Bozeman on Saturday, March 12, sponsored this year by the Montana Television Network. It will also be available for viewing on a live feed. Contact superintendent@rc.mt.gov to receive the information when it is available.

The winner of the Montana Treasure State Spelling Bee will compete at the 2022 National Spelling Bee competition. Also known as Bee Week 2022, the National Spelling Bee semi-finals will take place June 1 and the finals on June 2, in National Harbor, Maryland.

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QUESTION: I am a relative newcomer to the Richmond area and do not have many contacts here. I need guidance in selecting the right insurance for my small business. Any suggestions you can offer will be appreciated.

ANSWER: The first step is to select a qualified insurance agent that specializes in commercial insurance. Compile a list of agents and then interview each.

If you are new to an area, you should solicit recommendations from other business owners. Local trade associations and business groups are good sources for references.

What you are looking for is an agent who has experience with businesses similar to yours. Ask the agents for the names of other clients and call them to determine their level of satisfaction.

True insurance professionals take advantage of continuing education programs and can be identified with such designations as certified insurance counselors, chartered property and casualty underwriters and chartered life underwriters.

Insurance is broadly grouped in two categories  property and casualty, and life and health. Both are specialties and it is uncommon that one agent is an expert in both.

***

Property and casualty insurance that you may need includes:

Commercial auto: to protect your business from both liability and physical damage losses resulting from your use of an automobile.

Commercial general liability: to protect against certain other lawsuits arising out of the conduct of your business.

Product liability: to protect you from claims for damages sustained by customers use of your products, either sold or installed.

Workers compensation: to protect you from claims by employees who are injured on the job.

Commercial property: to cover loss to your building and contents from fire, wind, lightning, theft and vandalism.

Flood insurance: to protect your business property from flood damage.

Business interruption and extra expense: to pay for lost revenue and additional expenses resulting from covered damages to your building and contents.

Inland marine: to cover property in transit or away from your premises. Also, replacement of damaged computer hardware and software, including restoring lost data.

***

Life and health insurance to be considered includes:

Life and health insurance: to protect you, your employees and their families from the financial consequences of death, sickness or non-job related accidents.

Disability insurance: to cover lost wages due to prolonged sickness or disability.

Life insurance: for funding buyout agreements between business partners, securing business loans and the loss of key people.

There may be other exposures to consider, and each situation may be different. This is why you need the advice and guidance of a professional insurance agent.
Gathering in front of the charred husk of William Fox Elementary School in Richmonds Fan District, a group stretching the length of a city block marched to Monroe Park to demand more equitable state funding for school construction.

The marchers held placards and chanted When schools burn, kids cant learn, Wythe cant wait and What do we want? Safe schools! When do we want them? Now! The subsequent rally at the park featured speakers calling for changes in school building funding that they say place urban and rural school districts at a disadvantage.

The march was mobilized by Fox parent Becca DuVal and Tisha Erby, an alumna of George Wythe High School. Fox, which opened in 1911, has been closed since a catastrophic blaze on the night of Feb. 11. Wythe, opened in 1960, has been trapped in a limbo of decay and obsolescence amid political squabbling over a replacement building.

DuVal said Saturday that the Fox fire motivated her to build an urban and rural coalition to push for equitable funding for school buildings in Virginia.

I am first and foremost a mom. And my heart went out on Monday morning after Fox burned for all the moms who were sending their kids to school in buildings that also didnt have sprinkler systems and also hadnt been invested in, she said in an interview.

She was also troubled knowing that the place that we entrust to keep our babies safe is not itself a safe place, and that we have not done enough to take care of those. And so I want Fox built  every Fox parent does  but I want every one of these schools to be safe so that no kid is ever in a building that has this kind of crisis again, and no kid has to watch their home-away-from-home burn to the ground.

On hand at the rally to represent the plight of rural school districts was the Rev. Josh Blakely of Prince Edward County.

For too long, they have had to learn with leaks over their heads and buckets in the hallway, he said of the countys students. For too long, they have had to learn by having to navigate bathrooms with broken stalls and crumbling ceilings.

To such schoolchildren, including his own, he said: The schools are not a reflection of who you are. The schools are not a reflection of how special you are. The schools in their current condition are a reflection of our community. If we are not taking care of you, who are we?

The march was attended by Richmond City Council members Katherine Jordan and Stephanie Lynch, and Richmond School Board members Cheryl Burke and Mariah White. A featured speaker was state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, a Fox parent who chairs the states Commission on School Construction and Modernization.

According to McClellan, more than half of the schools across Virginia are over 50 years old; many are over a century old. The total cost to replace those schools exceeds $20 billion. Traditionally, the House of Delegates has taken the position that school construction and maintenance is a local issue, but the legislature has given those localities few tools to raise money for those schools. On Friday, a subcommittee killed a bill that would have given all localities the same ability that nine jurisdictions currently possess to use up to a 1% sales tax to fund school construction.

The good news, McClellan said, is that several school funding bills remain alive because this is an area where urban Democrats and rural Republicans agree. We have deferred maintenance, construction and renovation too long, and the longer we do it, the more weve got to pay. We cannot wait anymore.

The House budget cut funding for K-12 education to pay for a wide variety of tax cuts, she said, but my constituents and a majority of constituents in Virginia say they would rather pay to fully fund our education system than for tax relief.

South Richmond civic leader Charles Willis said he had told DuVal that in the South Side of Richmond there are schools burning, just like Fox did. We may not be on fire, but were burning. George Wythe is burning, and Wythe cant wait.

Schools are burning in Prince Edward, Willis said. They might not be on fire, but theyre burning. Theyre burning for better resources.

At the end of the rally, DuVal urged participants to grab a Sharpie marker and sign a FUND SAFE SCHOOLS banner that will be hung on the fence in front of Fox as a sign of hope.
The bus stop was a long way from Sandra Howards childhood home on Hanover Countys Mount Herman Road, and sometimes on days when the school bus was late, she and some of her seven siblings would get invited into a neighbors home  a white lady who wore a bonnet  for hot chocolate.

Howard recalled recently how she and her brothers and sisters would sit by the womans front window watching for the bus, sipping their beverages. As young Black children, they were oblivious to the notion that many in the world beyond their immediate view thought less of them than their hostess, she noted.

Howard is one of six participants in this years Untold Stories, an oral history series that began in 2014 when Hanover and Ashland residents associated with the Hanover Arts & Activities Center were looking for ways to celebrate Black History Month.

The annual event involves six people  three Black and three white  who agree to share their experiences from growing up in Ashland and throughout Hanover during the 1950s, 60s and beyond, and how segregation and integration impacted their lives.

This years line-up includes Howard, as well as five other current and former Hanover and Ashland residents: Terry Alexander, Leon Brooks, James Davis, Rives Priddy and Rob Stiles.

While the program started out as a live event at the Ashland Theatre, the pandemic forced it into a virtual format. The stories are compiled into a recorded program, which can be viewed on YouTube at youtu.be/j3uneGTi1Xk.

In addition to the speakers stories, there are also recorded songs performed by a community gospel choir. This years program is narrated by the events planning chairman, Anthony Keitt. Former Hanover School Superintendent Jamelle Wilson provides comments and perspective at the end that tie the stories together.

Untold Stories is a collaboration among the Hanover Arts & Activities Center, the Hanover County Black Heritage Society, the Ashland Museum and the Downtown Ashland Association, and is produced by local videographer Tom Wulf.

During a recording session earlier this month, speakers gathered to share their stories, and organizers talked about the origins of what they call a unique collaboration.

Organizer Barry Green said other than prompts about subject matters like schools and education, or social life and work life, speakers werent asked to spell out how things were different between now and then.

Rather, you tell how it was, and it becomes really obvious what the differences were, he said.

Those experiences presented ways to connect strangers and friends alike, said Mary Waddy and John Gordon, Untold Stories speakers from previous years.

I felt very comfortable in telling my story as I lived it, Waddy said. A lot of times we dont understand each other because we dont talk to each other  but there are common realities we all share.

Gordon, a former Hanover School Board member and supervisor, said one thing hes observed in working with Untold Stories is the unwavering focus of audience members  Black and white. The in-person events drew upward of 300 attendees.

They really seem to appreciate the willingness of the speakers to share their stories, he said. Through the program, even his own grandchildren heard, sometimes for the first time, what it was like growing up during segregated times, Gordon said.

Ironically, he couldnt attend the Ashland Theatre as a child because it was for whites only, and he didnt go to the same schools as white children.

Theyre listening, Gordon said of his family members, and they couldnt believe some of the things I said. Its an opportunity for growth, not just for the speakers, but all of the audience.

Howard, who still lives in Hanover, recalled during her recording session that she didnt remember problems among Blacks and whites during her childhood, namely because we just didnt mingle  we left each other alone.

She did remember loving school and playing outside at John M. Gandy  then a Black school in Hanover  even though there was no playground equipment like there was at other schools. And she also recalled visiting a local drugstore  through the side entrance for Black patrons.

After high school, while serving in the U.S. Air Force in China during the early 1970s, Howard said her mother was killed by a drunken driver  a white man  who never served a day.

Thats how it was back then, she said. Despite living through segregation as a child, she wouldnt fully understand its impact on her life until she reached high school and beyond.

We learned through TV the world felt that we were not considered equal, Howard said. But my mother made us know we were equal  we had plenty of love in our house.
Connecticut Childrens Medical Center in Hartford has seen a dramatic increase in the number of children seeking urgent behavioral health care, as well as the severity of the illnesses, according to Howard Sovronsky, the hospitals chief behavioral health officer. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

State Rep. Tammy Exum has had conversations with parents whose children needed urgent mental health support but could not obtain it.

Exum is a West Hartford Democrat and deputy majority leader in Connecticut, which, by any data you might choose to use, is always listed as among the richest of states.

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Connecticut is a state with $3.1 billion in its rainy-day fund, and we are expecting a $2.5 billion surplus. (Latest projections are that the states budget surplus will be $1.48 billion in the current fiscal year and more than $1 billion next year.) And according to Gov. Ned Lamont, its the third consecutive year of budget surpluses.

Yet, according to Exum, parents seeking to meet with a mental health provider for their child might be faced with a wait of three months or more.

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We have to do better than that.

That kind of wait for families in crisis is unacceptable in a state that has enough in the bank to be considering tax cuts and is aiming to increase spending in a number of areas in the coming year.

Many lawmakers recognize this, and there have been proposals to address mental health, even in this short legislative session, from both sides of the political aisle.

For example, House lawmakers proposed a bill to address workforce development; it would provide licensure reciprocity for out-of-state mental health professionals, offer loan forgiveness and invest in further efforts to increase staffing, recruitment and retention, according to state Rep. Liz Linehan, D-Cheshire, who also is House chair of the Committee on Children.

This comes as behavioral health care providers, child advocates and representatives of state agencies have for many months noted there is a surge in demand for urgent pediatric behavioral health care in Connecticut, a crisis worsened by lack of staffing, as Courant staffer Eliza Fawcett has reported.

Right here in Hartford, Connecticut Childrens Medical Center has seen a dramatic increase in the number of children seeking urgent behavioral health care, as well as the severity of the illnesses, according to Howard Sovronsky, the hospitals chief behavioral health officer.

The bill Linehan described also would fund staffing of mental health clinicians and create evidence-based peer support programs in schools, and would address insurance issues, including eliminating prior authorization for in-patient care, among other measures.

Mental health is not a partisan issue, and GOP lawmakers also have pledged to address mental health care in the state, including for youths.

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State Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, has noted there is a mental health crisis in the state and it was here before COVID reared its ugly head. But she also has said the system of care is disjointed, disconnected and without a continuum. Like Exum she has said that the search for care is not easy and can be lengthy.

State Rep. William Petit, R-Plainville, who is a doctor, has said that more psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric APRNs, PAs and social workers are needed in Connecticut. Petit noted this need is a long-term one.

Opinion Weekly Perspective on the week's biggest stories from the Courant's Opinion page >

Connecticut is not an outlier in any of this.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in an advisory he issued in December, Mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, with up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 in the US with a reported mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh/AP)

As U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy pointed out in an advisory he issued in December, Mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, with up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 in the US with a reported mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder, and this was prior to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Further, according to Murthys advisory, of the 7.7 million children with treatable mental health disorder, about half did not receive adequate treatment in 2016.

Thats a staggering number of kids who did not get enough help, and Murthys advisory also notes that between 2011 and 2015, youth psychiatric visits to emergency departments for depression, anxiety, and behavioral challenges increased by 28% and between 2007 and 2018, suicide rates among youth ages 10-24 in the US increased by 57%.

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But since the pandemic began, rates of psychological distress among young people, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders, have increased, according to Murthys advisory.

The cost is not known yet, but there is strong support for real change from lawmakers, practitioners and parents. The data is there across the country and in Connecticut, and the time for lawmakers to act on it is now.

As Exum notes: Three months is a really long time when your child is in crisis and your family is in crisis, and you dont know how youll get through three days.
Bill Hackworth got the robocall last week. The message said it was from his electric utility, Appalachian Power. The company had been trying to contact him, the voice on the line said.

His payment was late, and Apco was going to shut off his electricity, the robocaller added. Press 2 to learn more, the recorded voice said.

It sounded very professional, said Hackworth, the retired Roanoke city attorney. But he didnt press 2 on his phone. Instead, he hung up.

Hackworth, was one of two Raleigh Court residents I heard from last week who didnt fall for the scam I first wrote about in 2020. Since then it seems to have only grown, and were talking about not only in Virginia.

Recent news reports from California, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, West Virginia and elsewhere suggest the same scam is happening in those places and in others.

The scams are constant, but I would say there has been an uptick in activity over the past week, said Teresa Hall, a spokeswoman for Appalachian Power. She welcomed another article warning readers to beware of any robocalls from your electric provider.

The other customer who called me was a guy who asked that his name be kept out of the paper. I agreed, but learned when talking to Hackworth that he and other man, also a retired lawyer, attended law school together at the University of Virginia. (That guy hung up on the scam caller, too.)

Weirdly, I first heard about this one in the summer of 2020, from Roanoke attorney Jeff Krasnow  hes a UVa law grad, too. Its doubtful the scammers have figured out a way to target UVa-minted lawyers, right? Thats likely a odd coincidence, rather than anything meaningful.

The scam was the subject of a recent region-wide warning from the Better Business Bureau of Western Virginia in January.

Since January 1, 386 Appalachian Power customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee have contacted us to report receiving a scam call. Of those 386 reports, 250 of the scam calls were reported by Virginia customers in February (and the month isnt over yet!), Hall said.

And those are merely the scams calls the company received reports about. Its impossible to say how many scam calls occurred that nobody bothered to report.

A spokesman for the State Corporation Commission, which regulates Virginia electric utilities, said the agency hasnt yet fielded electric-utility scammer complaints this year, but is aware of a number that go back to 2021 and earlier.

Those have occurred to Dominion Power customers in urban areas such as Richmond  and also in rural areas like New Kent and Louisa counties, said the SCCs Andy Farmer.

The most recent was one in December for which the scammers faked, or spoofed, Dominion Powers toll-free number, Farmer said. If you suspect is a scam, you should hang up and call the electric utilitys yourself, at the number listed on your most recent bill.

The scams also play out in various ways to get electric customers money.

In a tip sheet about how to identify scams, Apco noted that sometimes the callers say theyre in your neighborhood and will stop by your house momentarily to collect.

Others try to sell you a new electric meter, or claim they want to sign you up for automatic billing and request a deposit. Or, they may direct customers to a grocery or a retail store for the purchase of gift cards, to cover purportedly overdue bills.

We never ask customers to use prepaid debit cards for payment, the companys website said.

The scammers arent necessarily targeting customers of large utilities, either. Some customers of smaller electric co-pops in rural areas have been hit, too.

Earlier this month, at least 30 customers of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative in Bastrop Texas got hit by the scam. In some cases the confidence tricksters were going door-to-door, according to news reports.

In West Virginia, the scammers added a new wrinkle in January, when trying to trick Appalachian Power customers out of money.

Somehow, the callers knew the exact amount of the customers most recently paid electric bill. And they used that information to make themselves sound like credible Apco representatives.

While there are instances when Appalachian Power will contact customers by telephone, we do not demand immediate payment over the phone or in forms that are difficult to trace, such as Western Union, Vanilla or Green Dot cash cards, Hall said.

If customers receive suspicious, urgent, demanding phone calls from someone claiming to be with Appalachian Power, hang up and contact us at the toll-free number found on your electric bill. We will be able to confirm by looking at your account whether weve tried to contact you.

Contact metro columnist Dan Casey at 981-3423 or dan.casey@roanoke.com . Follow him on Twitter: @dancaseysblog .

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FLOYD  Floyd County Supervisors discussed Tuesday evening possible options to continue the county ACCE program at New River Community College for the spring 2022 semester, as funding was cut by the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.

County Administrator Linda Millsaps told the board Feb. 22 the Tobacco Commission decided it will no longer fund tuition for students enrolled in general studies programs, leaving a deficit of more than $10,000 from Floyd County tuition for the fall 2021 semester, half of which falls to the county to satisfy.

We know this is important to you, so we wanted to bring it to you outside of regular budget conversations, Millsaps said.

Chairman Joe Turman voiced adamant support for the Access to Community College Education program, which allows eligible students in New River Valley communities to attend two years of public college for free.

Turman recalled Floyd County was the second in the region, behind Giles, to join the initiative when it was first brought to the board several years ago.

He said hed like to see the board continue funding the program, which has changed lives for several Floyd County students.

Its up to us to keep this thing going if at all possible, Turman said.

Kalind Bechtold of Indian Valley said, I want to, of course, pay for the fall students, but for the future  maybe put it out to the community to ask and see if theyre willing to help.

Turman said at one point there were several private donors to the program and asked Millsaps to inquire with them about future support.

Little Rivers Linda DeVito Kuchenbuch echoed Turmans sentiments, saying there are graduates who have returned to work at Floyd businesses.

Some have been first-generation college graduates, DeVito Kuchenbuch said. This is a very important program that I think the tobacco commission is being very short-sighted on.

Interim Locust Grove Supervisor Levi Cox said he didnt know much about the ACCE program before joining the board, but its one of the things hes heard a lot about.

Cox asked about how much a semester of general studies costs, and Director of Economic and Community Development Lydeana Martin roughly estimated about $1,500.

Turman and DeVito Kuchenbuch emphasized the importance of students having the opportunity to enter college under general studies before they decide on a more narrow path.

Its almost prejudicial  if youre going into a design class, youre eligible, if youre going for engineering, youre not, DeVito Kuchenbuch said, adding the board could start a community endowment to fund the ACCE tuition.

The board unanimously voted to approve $5,401 from the countys contingency funds to satisfy the debt of the fall semester Feb. 22, and will continue discussion on the future of the program in coming meetings.

To learn more about the ACCE program at NRCC, visit www.nr.edu/foundation.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has called for Roanoke and Norfolk to end sister city partnerships with Russian cities as part of his call for decisive action in support of Ukraine.

Youngkin also called for the immediate review of state procurement of any and all goods and services involving Russian companies, and urged the Virginia Retirement System and university endowments to divest any Russian holdings immediately, according to the release sent out late Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, called on Youngkin to order the immediate removal of all Russian vodka and any other Russian products from Virginias state-run ABC stores.

Roanoke Valley Sister Cities, Inc., which has partnerships with seven cities in seven countries, including Pskov, Russia, responded to the governors offices request Saturday evening with a letter signed by the groups President, Mary Jo Fassie.

The letter states while the group may not agree with the politics in Russia, which invaded Ukraine Thursday and has occupied parts of the country since 2014, its not the time to tell our friends in Pskov that we want to sever our ties with them.

We do not get involved with politics nor take a political stand on any issue, the letter reads. Our people-to-people relationships are the best way for us to demonstrate to the people of Pskov and Russia at large that the citizens of the Roanoke Valley and the American people are not their enemies, nor do we consider them to be ours.

Roanoke City Councilman Bill Bestpitch, treasurer of the Roanoke Valley Sister Cities organization, said that while the governor called for mayors in each city to end the partnerships, it would have to be a joint decision between the city council and the RVSCI.

When asked if he sees the matter being taken up at the next council meeting, Bestpitch responded, Doubtful. Its more of a tempest in a teacup that will be over.

According to the sister cities website, the partnership was established 1992, and the Roanoke side of the partnership has furnished medical supplies and equipment for hospitals, orphanages and hospice in Pskov.

It also states that an agreement between Ferrum College and the Pskov Pedagogical Institute, now Pskov State University, was established in 1993, with numerous Russian students having received full scholarships for a semester of study at Ferrum College, while Ferrum students have worked, studied and interned in Pskov.

During the years of our partnership groups from Roanoke have visited Pskov, and the Roanoke side has been delighted to receive visitors from Pskov to the Star City, the website reads.

Norfolk has a sister city relationship with Kaliningrad, Russia.

The U.S., along with its NATO allies, has imposed numerous sanctions on Russia in the last few days, and has pledged to support Ukraine with supplies, including military equipment to help combat Russian forces invading the sovereign nation.

The letter states the RVSCI hopes to continue the mission of citizen diplomacy envisioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

We are committed to promoting mutual understanding, friendship, and peace as President Eisenhower envisioned in his 1956 White House Summit on Citizen Diplomacy. Through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation, we can advance our mission  one individual, one community at a time.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch contributed to this report.

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Local museums are unveiling exhibits and scheduling events as COVIDs grip loosens.

Montgomery Museum of Art & History is planning a move to spacious new digs in downtown Christiansburg, Wilderness Road Museum interpreters are plotting true historical drama, and Smithfield blacksmiths will show how to make new implements in old ways.

All the New River Valleys museums are pulling out cool artifacts and quirky treasures worthy of a visit.

Heres a look:

Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation | 204 Draper Road, Blacksburg

Administered by new director Kate Skelly, the house museum showcases Women Make Their Mark on Blacksburg, a celebration of the impact of women on local history, culture and way of life. A historic fashion exhibit will showcase the change in womens clothing styles for the new, more active woman after WWI.

Thomas J. Boyd Museum | 295 Tazewell St., Wytheville

Iron, lead, zinc, iron and manganese  Wythe County was once pocked with 206 mines. A new exhibit at Wythevilles Boyd Museum shares the story of the lead that helped Patriots win the Revolutionary War. A replica of a stone metallurgy furnace fascinates children. The museum also houses a telephone switchboard, general store, mill works and coffin-like iron lungs from the 1950 Wytheville polio epidemic. Visitors can walk through a Smithsonian traveling exhibit, Journey Stories exploring American immigration, migration and travel, in the adjacent Heritage Preservation Center.

Glencoe Museum | 600 Unruh Dr., Radford

The Glencoe, home of Virginia legislator and Confederate Gen. Gabriel Wharton, houses many Civil War artifacts, including a Federal Parrott shell found still live on the site of the Battle of Cloyds Mountain near Dublin. One of the newest additions is the Captured Chair, a platform rocker Wharton commandeered from a hastily abandoned Union camp in New Market. It was gifted by a Wharton descendant. Although the 1870 house came with few Wharton items, it was recently furnished with two rockers, a carved Austrian sideboard and two beds, all original pieces the Whartons used at Glencoe.

For Womens History Month, Glencoe is installing a photographic collection of portraits of women of the region by Alex Moral Duenas.

Montgomery Museum of Art & History | 300 S. Pepper St., Christiansburg; 4 E. Main St. in June

Montgomery Museum has always displayed art, but soon artwork of all sizes will be showcased in the cavernous, marble-tiled lobby downtown, sharing space with a cafe and gift shop. Historical display space will double. Until April, the Pepper Street museum exhibits significant county artifacts. Included are: bricks made by enslaved Christiansburg craftsman Henry Langhorne, a 1923 Merrimac mines map, and an 1827 cross-stitched sampler by early Christiansburg resident Emeline Miller, as well as hand-traced silhouettes of her husband John Craig and his brother in the days before photos.

Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Museum | 51 Commerce St., Pulaski

At Ratcliffe, emphasis is on World War I with the acquisition of WWI veteran J.C. Doc Harmans army trumpet, military orders and photos. The site highlights the service of the towns nearly two dozen Black WWI veterans, including Cpl. David Payton of the famed 369th Infantry Harlem Hell-fighters. The museum has developed a walking tour of the veterans graves in Pulaskis Pinehurst Cemetery. Ratcliffe is collaborating with Pulaski Library and Wilderness Road Museum on a timeline of Pulaskis history through hats, starting with the French and Indian War.

Smithfield Plantation | 1000 Smithfield Plantation Road, Blacksburg

While Colonial Smithfield Plantation is chock full of historical objects, such as Americas earliest porcelain pitchers, artifacts connected to George Washington particularly stand out. A carved snuff box was gifted to patriarch Col. William Preston by Washington after family lore says Preston saved Washingtons life from a Shawnee sniper. Another prized possession is Washingtons invitation to son Francis Preston to dine at the executive mansion in Philadelphia. Smithfield is also offering classes in blacksmithing, leatherworking and basket weaving as well as the African American side of Smithfields history, all through the Blacksburg Department of Parks and Recreation.

Wilderness Road Regional Museum | 5240 Wilderness Road, Newbern

The museum is gearing up to explore the Loyalist/Patriot conflict, with interpreters preparing to re-enact actual Newbern citizens secretly or not-so-secretly undermining each others causes. Spoiler alert for skirmishes and jail. The museum is also showcasing Pulaski Countys rich agricultural history, especially the Pulaski Percheron horses, polled Angus, Suffolk sheep and Pulaski Shorthorn beef famous for quality, even in England. Appalachian folklore surrounding the museums feather crowns adds an element of eeriness. These clumps of feathers inside deathbed pillows indicate the deceaseds ascent to heaven.

Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum | 145 E. Main St., Wytheville (re-opens April 1)

The Wytheville native was more than President Woodrow Wilsons first lady; she issued decisions on her husbands behalf after his 1919 stroke. Her birthplace museum exhibits such items as the franking stamp with Ediths bold signature, her childhood cradle  verified by local historian John Johnson  and her permit to operate an electric car in 1904, the first issued to a woman in Washington, D.C. A current exhibit focuses on Ediths leadership during World War I, including her herd of White House sheep that contributed wool to the war effort.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine cannot be encapsulated in a sound bite. Its a topic as complex as they come.

Well begin with the rising death toll.

As of Thursday afternoon, Eastern Standard Time, Ukrainian officials reported 40 soldiers and about 10 civilians dead by Russian military strikes, and also claimed that Ukraines forces had killed 50 Russian soldiers. By the evening, after 24 hours of war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 137 of his countrys civilians and military personnel had been killed and 316 more had been wounded.

To put it plain, this is a horrific tragedy, a completely unjustified atrocity. Many more deaths will follow, every loss of life a cruel waste.

Far from the minor incursion that President Joe Biden seemed to speak of as allowable shenanigans on Jan. 20, the attack launched on Ukraine at the command of Russian President Vladimir Putin has consumed the entire Texas-sized country, advancing from east, north and south, with Russian troops moving into the separatist-held territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, and missile strikes reaching almost as far as the Polish border.

Even with the months of Russian troop buildup and ample warnings of imminent attack, many expressed shock. As Bloomberg News journalist Leonid Bershidsky put it in a Twitter post, I must admit I didnt believe Putin would launch a full invasion. As a Russian, everything in me resisted the thought. War on Ukraine is the absolute worst thing Russia can engage in. Its unforgivable, a Cains mark.

Biden has ordered the deployment of 7,000 troops to Europe to shore up the defenses of our allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, aka NATO. The U.S. already has about 70,000 U.S. troops permanently stationed in Europe, with about half of those located in Germany.

Those countries receiving our troops include Estonia and Latvia, which share a border with Russia, and quite a few that were once in one form or another part of the Eastern Bloc allied with the former Soviet Union: Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Germany. In Poland, our troops will run camps for the expected refugees.

Questions certainly arise as to how much danger U.S. military personnel face as this conflagration proceeds. Earlier this month, about 200 American soldiers joined Ukrainian forces in military training exercises. Biden has said Americans will not be sent to fight in Ukraine, but it doesnt take a long search to find families posting their worries on social media over the fate of a loved one quartered there.

What Putin is doing to the Ukrainians is monstrous, but so soon after the chaotic and disastrous withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan  during which an ISIS suicide bomber at Kabuls airport murdered 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians, and an American drone strike three days later killed 10 more innocent Afghans, and which in final sum saw 20 years of progress on Afghan education and womens rights erased practically overnight  Americas appetite for military intervention is surely at a low ebb.

In fact, despite the discussions of Ukraine joining NATO that began in earnest in 2014, Ukraine will get no troop reinforcements from NATO countries, which is exactly what Putin wants the Ukrainian and Russian people and the world to see.

Gut-wrenching as that is, putting American soldiers on the ground, exchanging fire with Russian soldiers, could lead literally to nuclear holocaust, the threat Putin brandished when he proclaimed to any country that dares to take up arms for Ukraine, the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history.

As Putin announced the invasion on Thursday, he continued his propagation of fake news, accusing Ukraine of carrying out genocides against Russian-speaking separatists and claiming that Ukraine has ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons.

When the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics collapsed, Ukraine did in fact have nuclear weapons within its borders, which the newly independent country agreed to give up in return for security assurances from the members of the United Nations Security Council (U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China).

Even after Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014, under pretenses akin to Putins current justifications for aggression, Ukraine did not try to re-arm. (That invasion and annexation followed the overthrow and exile of Russian-sympathetic Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.)

We do not intend to impose anything on anyone by force, Putin said Thursday without irony.

To many Americans, the attack seems to come from nowhere, the evil, unprovoked whim of a corrupt, egomaniacal despot. In fact, when not spouting revisionist history, Putin articulated his decades-old grievances quite clearly.

On Dec. 3, 1989, President George H.W. Bush and U.S.S.R. General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev declared the frightening nuclear escalations of the Cold War at an end  but in years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. officials would speak of winning the Cold War, a boast that Russians in general and former KGB agent Putin in particular considered a demeaning insult.

In 1989 and 1990, officials representing the west made statements to the U.S.S.R. assuring that NATO would not expand east of Germany. Though no treaty was ever signed to that effect, Russia has interpreted every admission of an Eastern Bloc nation to NATO as a betrayal of trust and a threatening military encroachment.

Theres no need to find sympathy for Putin, but there is a need to comprehend his point of view, and theres an argument to be made that his resentments should have been taken much more seriously before now. His framing of Russias intentions can be characterized as not just revisionist but revanchist  defined as fighting for the recovery of lost territory or status.

With the cunning he is known for, Putin highlighted another unjustified invasion as evidence of the need to secure Russias border, citing as a supreme example of American subterfuge the pretext of allegedly reliable information available in the United States about the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq  It later turned out that all of that was a fake and a sham  We witnessed lies made at the highest state level.

Multiple ironies abound here. A much younger Putin provided advice and accommodations for the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, and generally cooperated with American military aims. He objected to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and rejected the U.S. goal of regime change  which appears to be his precise goal in Ukraine. The horrendous consequences of his choice, we are fated to learn in real time.

U.S. officials exhibited some strange behavior in the weeks before the attack, announcing in the media via anonymous statements that the invasion would come on Feb. 16, arguably putting pressure on the Putin to act  to the point that Zelenskyy, who surely knew that Ukraine would face the fight alone, made repeated statements that the media reports were not helping the situation.

A cold calculus suggests that whatever happens to Ukraine, the U.S. stands to benefit from the pause in construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany and the increased demand from NATO members for American-made weapons.

Whatever ephemeral gains any government manages to harvest from this travesty will never be worth the death and suffering.

Theres so much more that can be said. For now, well end with a link to a page where you can find organizations trying to help the Ukrainian people: https://n.pr/3hf0f8i
Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley libraries are requesting input from members of the community on new book titles to be purchased as an increased book budget is anticipated for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1.
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Mia Kirsten Santos is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Davis. She is the winner of the inaugural UC Davis Center for Poverty and Inequality Research Black History Month Student Essay Contest, from which this commentary was adapted.
" " There's some unexpected physics at work in the solar atmosphere. Universal History Archive/UIG/Getty Images

One of the weird things about space is that things don't always conform to what would seem like common sense. Take the sun, for example. You'd think that the sun's surface would be hotter than its outer atmosphere, since, the surface is closer to the nuclear furnace at the sun's core. After all, when you're sitting in front of a fireplace, it feels hotter when you get closer to it, right?

The problem is that the sun doesn't work that way. The photosphere, as the solar surface is called, is indeed pretty hot, between 6,700 and 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit (3,700 to 6,200 degrees Celsius). But the further you get from the sun's surface, the hotter the atmosphere seems to get. At the corona  the outermost atmospheric layer about 1,200 miles (2,100 kilometers) from the surface  the temperature soars to an astonishing 900,000 degrees Fahrenheit (500,000 degrees Celsius).

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Besides the sun, some other stars exhibit this curious pattern as well, and for a long time, scientists struggled to figure out why. They developed a hypothesis, in which magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves distribute energy from below the photosphere directly up to the corona, almost like an express train with no local stops.

In 2013, British researchers used advances in imaging technology to examine the chromosphere, the layer between the photosphere and the corona, and actually examined the MHD waves. Their calculations confirmed that the waves could be responsible for transporting energy to the corona and heating that layer.

"Our observations have permitted us to estimate the amount of energy transported by the magnetic waves, and these estimates reveal that the waves' energy meets the energy requirement for the unexplained temperature increase in the corona," Richard Morton, a scientist for the U.K.'s Northumbria University, explained when announcing the discovery.

Now That's Interesting The sun has tornadoes, and they're even hotter than the rest of the atmosphere; one observed by NASA in 2015 had a temperature of 5 million degrees Fahrenheit (2.78 million degrees Celsius).
A legislative committee on Friday endorsed a proposal to enshrine the right to abortion in the Connecticut Constitution.

The concept is in its earliest stages  the language of the proposed constitutional amendment has yet to be drafted  but it has already drawn support from Democrats and criticism from Republicans.

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Reproductive rights are under attack and disappearing across the country, said Sen. Mae Flexer, a Democrat from Killingly. It is a scary time.

Flexer said she got the idea from Vermont, where lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment to guarantee access to legal abortion and contraception. The Vermont measure will come before voters at a referendum in November and is expected to pass: 70% of all Vermonters support abortion access, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

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The amendments under consideration in Vermont and Connecticut are part of a movement to strengthen abortion access in blue states. The measures come as lawmakers in conservative states such as Arizona, Florida and West Virginia seek to place new limits on abortion.

Meanwhile the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this summer on a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks, a case that could weaken or overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that has guaranteed legal abortion since 1973.

Connecticut proudly has some of the strongest laws in the country to protect womens reproductive rights, said Flexer, co-chairwoman of the legislatures government administration and elections committee, which approved moving forward with the proposed amendment on a party-line vote.

But, she added, we have seen in other states how quickly laws can change.

Opponents of legalized abortion vowed to fight the measure.

The extreme abortionist lobby realizes they are losing public support for their arguments that the taking of innocent life is acceptable and must be enshrined in a sacred document, said Christopher C. Healy of the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, which lobbies on behalf of the Roman Catholic bishops.

A vigorous, long-overdue debate on what preserving every second of life will finally provide all people the chance to be heard on an issue of unparalleled moral importance.

Amending the state Constitution is, by design, a cumbersome process. It requires the legislature to pass a proposed amendment by either a three-quarters majority of both chambers or by a simple majority in both chambers over the course of two successive legislative terms. Then the measure must be ratified by voters at a referendum.

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I think amending the constitution is a big deal, said Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco of Wolcott, the ranking Republican on the committee.

Im not a fan of making changes to the constitution for policy decisions unless theyre of great magnitude, said Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott. I do believe the legislature has historically determined what our policy for medical procedures and abortions is.

Despite a no vote from every Republican, the committee voted to move forward with the proposed amendment. A public hearing will likely be held within the next month.

Advocates for legalized abortion praised the proposal.

We are seeing abortion come under constant attack across the country, and we know the legal right to abortion alone doesnt guarantee access, said Gretchen Raffa, vice president of public policy, advocacy and organizing for Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut. The fight continues until every person can access abortion in our state.

Even though the states abortion laws are among the nations strongest, there are barriers to abortion access for poor women, undocumented immigrants and women who are incarcerated, said Liz Gustafson, director of Pro-Choice Connecticut.

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Its critical that we have the right to abortion, but as weve seen the legal right doesnt guarantee our communities have real access to it, she said.

Daneila Altimari can be reached at daltimari@courant.com
FLORENCE, S.C.  The League of Women Voters of the Florence Area is offering the community a chance to learn about the effects of climate change on water.

The league will host a virtual program with Zach Bjur at 5:30 p.m. Monday on its Facebook page which can be found by search League of Women Voters Florence, S.C. on Facebook.

Board member Judy Kern recently answered three questions about the program.

1. What is the League of Women Voters?

The League of Women Voters was founded in Chicago in 1920, six months before the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote was ratified. The suffragists of the National American Woman Suffrage Association began a mighty political experiment supporting 20 million American women to carry out their new responsibilities as voters. The vision since the League was founded is that women voters can help to create a more perfect democracy. For over 100 years, it has been a nonpartisan, activist, grassroots organization that believes that voters should play a critical role in democracy.

2. Why is climate change an important issue for the league?

In addition to voting rights, the League focuses its time and finances on many basic issues, including the environment/natural resources, supportive , child welfare, education, social/juvenile justice among them. Its position on the environment/natural resources is to promote an environment beneficial to life through the protection of natural resources in the public interest by recognizing the interrelationships of air quality, energy, land use, waste management, and water resources. The League has lobbyists who support its positions in both in both state and federal government.

3. Who is Zach Bjur?

Zach Bjur, is a land, water and ocean project manager [for the Conservation Voters of America], Zach grew up in the South Carolina Low Country, and his passion for conservation was born in South Carolinas salt marshes and maritime forests. He graduated from the College of Charleston with degrees in biology and political science. He has worked for Organizing for America and the SC Department of Natural Resources. Zachs latest project, Apparent Winds, was a global sailing journey documenting responses to climate change around the world. He is now back in Charleston with a newfound appreciation for our states wealth of natural beauty.

Matthew Christian
(HealthDay News)  Mass cullings have been implemented as a highly contagious form of avian flu has swept across the eastern half of the United States in recent weeks, killing both farmed poultry and wild birds.

Its very concerning, given how quickly this thing is accelerating, Henry Niman, a biochemist in Pittsburgh who studies the genetic evolution of viruses, told The New York Times.

I think we could see historic levels of infections," added Niman, who has been tracking the outbreak's spread across the United States.

It's likely the virus is being spread by wild birds returning from winter feeding grounds, according to experts, and many fear the worst will come when spring migration peaks in a few weeks, the Times reported.

Poultry growers are being urged by federal officials to report sick or dying birds and to take preventive measures such as preventing contact between their farmed flocks and wild birds.

Its important to note that avian influenza is not considered to be a risk to public health and its not a food-safety risk, Mike Stepien, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, told the Times.

The virus, called Eurasian H5N1, has not jumped to humans but is being closely watched by scientists because it's closely related to an Asian strain that has infected hundreds of people since 2003.

That strain doesn't spread efficiently among humans, but when it does it has a death rate of 60%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And it can decimate a country's poultry industry.

Right now, turkey farmers in Indiana and Kentucky are the most worried. Several farms in those states have been shuttered in the past two weeks after officials discovered the virus among birds that spend their entire lives crammed into massive containment sheds. Farmers say they have been stunned by how efficiently the virus kills, with animals dying hours after the initial infection, the Times reported.

Everyone is on super-high alert and trying to be as prepared as possible because we all remember the devastation of 2014 and 2015, Dr. Denise Heard, a veterinarian with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, told the Times.

The 2014-15 outbreak sent poultry and egg prices soaring and cost the industry more than $3 billion  though the federal government compensated farmers for lost flocks. In the end, nearly 50 million birds were killed by the virus or destroyed to prevent its spread, a vast majority of them in Iowa and Minnesota.
Its still easy to visualize Paul Farmer walking across the quad at Duke University on a blustery day. He wore a navy wool coat pulled tight against his wiry frame. He leaned forward, energetically pushing into the cold.

I remember how Farmers intense blue eyes shone with a piercing intellect. Looking back, I wish we had become more than casual acquaintances  guys who nodded to each other at a party or had fleeting conversations.

He became what more than one person described as THE Paul Farmer  the internationally acclaimed doctor of social medicine who treated the poor in faraway impoverished places like Haiti and Rwanda. That Paul Farmer was a rock star in the world of global health  a guy that 81-year-old Dr. Anthony Fauci described as a mentor, even though Fauci was 19 years older.

Farmer, a Harvard-trained doctor on the faculty of the same school, died earlier this week in Africa doing what he did, providing compassionate care for those with nothing. Author of a dozen books, he pushed, nudged, cajoled, pontificated and engaged with world and medical leaders to get them to do the right thing to curb suffering. He once said, So I cant show you how, exactly, health care is a basic human right. But what I can argue is that no one should have to die of a disease that is treatable.

Across South Carolina and the nation are thousands of health care professionals who are crestfallen at his death, apparently from a heart condition.

I think this compassionate approach to getting health care to those who needed it most (but usually were not in a position to pay for it) made him a beloved and inspirational global health leader, said University of South Carolina anthropology and public health professor David Simmons. Additionally, he created structures (clinics, hospitals, teaching hospitals, and even a university in Rwanda) that helped facilitate this mission as well as train local generations of health care professionals to continue the work.

Simmons, 55, was surprised when Farmer accepted an invitation in 1999 to join his dissertation review committee at Michigan State University. He still has the notes Farmer made on his work.

His ability to walk in the shoes of the people he was working with and ministering to was something that he communicated with countless students and the lay public who read his work.

Simmons said Farmers books have been used widely in South Carolinas colleges to teach lessons of compassion in public health, medicine, global health and anthropology. As a medical student, Farmer co-founded Partners in Health, a nonprofit that started to help alleviate suffering in Haiti that grew into a global leader.

Greg Elmore, a fourth-year medical student at the Medical University of South Carolina, was reading Farmers latest book on the day he died.

Many medical schools, including MUSC, are moving towards a focus on health equity and understanding the social determinants of health, said Elmore, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia. I think Pauls work has played a large focus on this shift. Thanks to his work and the work of others like him, there will be a whole generation of medical students graduating who will work to reduce health care disparities in our state which, needless to say, has some of the worst health care outcomes for non-white patients in the country.

Kathleen Ellis, executive director of MUSCs Center for Global Health, recalled a brief meeting with Farmer after a Boston panel discussion a few years ago in which they talked about Ebola virus in West Africa. Within minutes, hundreds of students crowded around him as if this was a backstage session with John Lennon after a Beatles concert. What struck me was that he did not try to walk away or cut the students short, but started an open dialogue. He patiently answered questions and gave advice on how to prepare for a career in global public health.

Farmer was a true educator who drove relentlessly to improve others lives and health outcomes. We need more like him.

Angels are all around us. Look around to make sure you dont miss them.

Paul Edward Farmer Jr. (1959-2022). Rest in peace.

Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
Russian forces are reportedly becoming demoralised, disoriented and hungry on the third day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A senior United States official told ABC News that Russian soldiers had been overheard complaining that Ukrainian resistance was much stiffer than they had anticipated.

On one radio call, the official said they heard a soldier saying: We dont know who to shoot  they all look like us.

Follow live coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

A resident in the western city of Lviv told inews.co.uk that Russian soldiers dont know why they are on our land.

Constantine Yevtushenko told the news site soldiers were hungry, were running low on supplies, and were confused about the purpose of their mission.

They are just following the orders that they have, Mr Yevtushenko said. They are kids.

Russian efforts to take the capital city of Kyiv have successfully been repelled for the past two nights by Ukrainian armed forces, although there were reports of an offensive being planned for Saturday night.

(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Thousands of citizens have also taken up arms and been encouraged to make home-made molotov cocktails.

There have been reports of more than 1,000 Russian soldiers being killed, and several hundred more captured.

On Saturday Ukrainian officials said 198 citizens  including three children  had been killed since the invasion began.

Health minister Viktor Liashko said that 1,115 people were injured including 33 children.
Photograph: David Levene/The Observer

A Latvian double agent is getting death threats after British authorities inadvertently disclosed his alias

 Russia-Ukraine crisis: latest updates





In April 1997, Vechernyaya Moskva, one of the most popular newspapers in Moscow, published an article on a former Russian intelligence agent, Boris Karpichkov.

The article was illustrated with a picture of Karpichkovs KGB identity papers, with the crosshairs of a snipers rifle superimposed. It warned that the ex-KGB major was wanted by Interpol, faced interrogation by the Russian authorities and was being hunted by organised crime groups.

It was reported that his location was unknown, but the stark conclusion was that in the near future Karpichkov was likely to be liquidated.

More than two decades later, the veteran Latvian-born agent is alive and living in a two-bedroom flat in London. He is a vociferous critic of the Russian regime. Having fled to Britain in 1998, he remains fearful for his life.

While Putin faces international condemnation over the invasion of Ukraine, Karpichkov, 63, says the police and security services have failed to provide the required protection for Russias dissidents, critics and defectors.

There is no way that anyone would consider defecting to the UK from Russia, he said. The British authorities have proved they are not able to protect anyone who needs and deserves to be protected.

I expect to be killed and I cant protect myself. My fate can only be described as a dead man walking.

A British court found in September 2020 that Karpichkov was likely to be a threat to the Russian intelligence services after working in Russia and Latvia as a double agent. It concluded that he had received death threats that were considered credible, and which experts concluded were likely to be from Russian interests.

Karpichkovs KGB ID card showing his rank as captain. Photograph: David Levene/The Observer

Karpichkov is particularly angered because the assumed name he has been living under and his address were disclosed by the National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Latvian authorities in unsuccessful extradition proceedings. He believes Russia now knows where he and his wife live.

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A death threat in Russian, which he says was sent to his London flat last month, is now under police investigation. It warned: No matter how much you change your residence, you cannot avoid your punishment. Traitors like you have no place on earth. Wait, death is on the way for you.

It has been shown that Russian death squads can reach into the UK. British law enforcement agencies found Russian agents killed the former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, who died from poisoning at a London hospital in November 2006. Two men from the Russian military intelligence service, also known as the GRU, were accused by the UK of attempting to murder former KGB agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia by poisoning them with the novichok in Salisbury in March 2018.

Karpichkov at the KGB academy in Minsk. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

Other Putin critics have died in the UK in mysterious circumstances. A London coroner ruled in April last year that businessman Nikolai Glushkov was strangled in his London home in March 2018. A dog lead was wrapped around his neck to simulate the appearance of a suicide. In March 2014, a coroner recorded an open verdict on Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who died in March 2013. He was found in the bathroom of his Berkshire mansion with a ligature around his neck.

Karpichkov was born in Latvia in February 1959, when it was part of the Soviet Union. After training as an engineer, he was recruited to the KGB in July 1984, training at its academy in Minsk, Belarus. He was taught the skills of a Soviet agent, including weapons training and unarmed combat.

He worked as a senior operative, targeting the activities of American and Canadian intelligence officers. After Latvia gained independence in August 1991, Karpichkov continued working for Russia. He was tasked by the new domestic security agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB), with infiltrating Latvias new security services with informers.

Karpichkov also investigated the links between Latvian officials and organised crime. He says documents were transported secretly across the Russian-Latvian border in suitcases to be given to his Russian handlers.

He refused to keep working with the FSB in early 1995 and says he was threatened by his superiors and put under surveillance. Then he was arrested by the Latvian authorities in March 1996 on claims that he was involved in the embezzlement of funds from the collapsed bank Olympia. He denied any involvement and fled the country after being placed under house arrest.

Initially seeking refuge in Russia, he considered that he was at risk from both the Russian and Latvian intelligence agencies, as well as from organised crime groups. He arrived with his wife and family in the UK on 21 June 1998 and was granted indefinite leave to remain, becoming a British citizen in July 2010. He says he was not debriefed by the British security services because he is from Latvia, which is considered a friendly state.

In July 2019, the Latvian authorities issued a European arrest warrant for his extradition over the embezzlement case. The court was told that during the legal exchanges between the UK authorities and Latvia, Karpichkovs home address and alias were provided to the Latvian authorities.

There is evidence to support Mr Karpichkovs claims that he has dangerous enemies in Russia who would wish for his silence District judge

Karpichkov said the Russian state still had significant contacts in Latvia, which he believes it has exploited to obtain his details.

In September 2020, district judge Vanessa Baraitser at Westminster magistrates court concluded there was support for his claim that the Olympia bank prosecution was initiated to force him to hand over valuable information. She said in the judgment: There is evidence to support Mr Karpichkovs claims that he has dangerous enemies in Russia who would wish for his silence  I am satisfied that he has received recent death threats likely to have emanated from Russia. The application for extradition was rejected.

A police assessment of his security in May 2021 found there was a possible risk to his life and the consequences would be catastrophic and fatal. He has since moved home, but the death threat he received in January was sent to his new London address.

Karpichkov lives in social housing and has been unsuccessful in his attempts to be rehomed with his wife in a new location. He said: I feel betrayed because there has been a total failure to protect me. I am now left devastated and desperate.

An NCA spokesperson said: The NCA shares intelligence with trusted law enforcement agencies in line with the processes and legislation that govern information sharing. The NCA is unable to comment on individual cases where there are ongoing legal discussions.
Companion animals are a core part of family life in the United States, with 90 million American households having at least one pet. Many of us view pets as beloved family members who provide nonjudgmental emotional support and companionship during times of stress.

Thats not all. Research shows our pets can also strengthen our relationships and trust with other people. In addition, pets contribute positively to trust in our broader social communities.

Companion animals as social facilitators

As many of us know, animals provide an avenue for approaching another person socially, serving as a conversational starting point for connection. Pet ownership alone could be a source of shared interest and knowledge, even among people who may not have similar interests otherwise.

Simply walking down the street with a dog can lead to significantly more social interactions than walking without a dog. Assistance dogs can also facilitate these interactions. One study found that individuals using a wheelchair were more likely to be approached when their assistance animal was present.

The presence of an animal can also enhance perceptions of trustworthiness and responsibility, which in turn fosters positive social interactions. Researchers found that people were more likely to help a stranger with a dog than one without a dog, suggesting that the presence of an animal conferred perceptions of trust.

Pets and social capital

Pets have also been shown to foster social capital in communities. Social capital is a concept that encompasses the broader community and neighborhood networks of social relationships, and the degree to which the community has a culture of helping others. The trust inherent in these connections can lead to better health and well-being.

Interestingly, pet owners have consistently reported higher levels of social capital in their communities than people without pets, both in the United States and internationally.

In addition to social facilitation, pets can contribute to social capital by strengthening social trust within communities. Neighbors may rely on one another to assist with animal care, which builds reciprocal trust. Pet owners use of shared spaces, such as dog parks or green spaces, can lead to better social relationships.

In spite of it, during the COVID-19 pandemic dog owners were more likely than those without dogs to go for regular walks outdoors, providing an opportunity for community engagement during a period of extreme social isolation. The presence of an animal has even been found to increase positive social interactions in the workplace.

While evidence continues to support the idea that pets foster positive interactions between people, animals are not a universal solution for creating trust. There is still a lot we need to learn about the interrelated relationships between pets and people.

[Get fascinating science, health and technology news. Sign up for The Conversations weekly science newsletter.]

Megan K Mueller receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, and the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not represent the official views of the funders.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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When the pandemic hit two years ago, millions of people started working from home because they had to. As the pandemic starts to ease, millions are still working from home  this time because they prefer to.

Such flexible arrangements vary widely by industry. But where jobs can be handled remotely, employers are having to adjust, both to accommodate an emboldened workforce and to create reasons to actually get together in person.

The pandemic is the biggest shock to American working life since World War II, Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom wrote in a recent op-ed. And we are never going back to the workplace of 2019.

According to surveys by Bloom and colleagues, almost 8 in 10 employees able to work from home want to continue doing so in some form. On average, they prefer remote work for 2.5 days a week.

After the pandemic ends, nearly 28% of full-paid work hours are expected to be remote, up from 20% in the past year, Bloom said. And many businesses will choose a hybrid arrangement.

Research by Ladders, a careers website, found almost 19% of high-paying jobs were available for remote work in December. Thats projected to rise to a quarter of high-paying jobs  those paying over $80,000 annually  by the end of the year, the site said.

Working from home has become so popular that over 40% of employees said theyd look for a new job or simply quit if required to go to the worksite five days a week.

Among women and people of color, an even higher share of workers said theyd depart if they lost the remote option. Women with young children especially value flexibility.

Employers that ban working from home will risk driving these employees out the door, Bloom wrote, and that undermines corporate goals to improve workplace diversity.

Of course, many jobs cannot be done remotely because front-line workers must be where theyre needed. Nationwide, just over a third of private companies increased remote work since the pandemic, according to a 2021 business survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But in accommodations and food services, fewer than 4% of employers boosted remote work. In retail trade, 15% increased that option.

At the other end of the spectrum, remote work grew at over half the companies in educational services, information, financial activities and professional and business services. In total, nearly 60 million U.S. workers had the option to work from home in the past two years, the government estimated.

Remote workers also believe theyre more productive and efficient, and some bosses agree.

New York Life Insurance Co. has over 500 employees in seven offices in North Texas. Before the pandemic, about 80% of them came to the office regularly; now about 20% come in and usually for no more than three days a week, said Michael Scovel, managing partner of the Dallas-Fort Worth office.

People love the opportunity to improve their work-life balance, he said. And Zoom calls make it easier to meet with clients and each other. That speeds up training for new hires and eliminates travel time for advisers who used to fly to clients in New York and elsewhere.

Its created a far more efficient business model, and we just had our greatest growth year ever, Scovel said about remote work. Its basically made the world so much smaller.

Whats at risk, he said, is a corporate culture created over many years. Hes trying other approaches to engage people, including a recent trip to Las Vegas for Dallas employees.

Were doing things we could have done in Dallas, he said in a phone call from Vegas. We just thought this would be more enjoyable  and it is.

Scovel said companies should find a way to accommodate employees who want to work from home and those who prefer the office: The key to the future is providing both  and allowing people to determine whats best for them.

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Lee Enterprises publishes the Richmond Times-Dispatch along with the Charlottesville Daily Progress, Roanoke Times and dozens of other newspapers. (Google Street View)

OMAHA, Neb.  A judge has cleared the way for newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises to use a voting system that will ensure two longtime directors are reelected at next months annual meeting despite the objections of a hedge fund that is trying to buy the company.

The Davenport, Iowa-based publisher said the Delaware judge threw out Alden Global Capitals latest lawsuit Friday. Earlier this month, a judge also blocked Aldens effort to nominate its own directors at Lees March 10 annual meeting.

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This is now the second court ruling in less than two weeks rejecting Aldens desperate efforts to destabilize Lee and push its grossly undervalued proposal to purchase the company, Lee said in a statement.

Alden didnt immediately comment on the ruling.

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The publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Charlottesville Daily Progress, Roanoke Times and dozens of other newspapers rejected Aldens $141 million takeover offer in December. The New York-based hedge fund is already one of the nations largest newspaper owners, but it has a reputation for imposing severe cuts and layoffs at the publications it owns. Last year Alden all of the Chicago Tribunes papers, including The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press.

Alden objected to Lees decision to use a plurality standard for the director vote because it will essentially guarantee the reelection of Lees chairman and its lead independent director. 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. Alden wanted the directors to have to win the majority of the votes cast to keep their seats.

Alden, which owns 6.3% of Lees stock, says change is needed because the company has delivered disappointing results since buying all of Berkshire Hathaways newspapers in 2020. But Lee has said it is making good progress in growing online ad revenue and digital subscriptions.

Lees board has received support from two other hedge funds that hold stakes in the publisher because they have said Lee is worth significantly more than the $24 per share Alden has offered.
Here's some of your COVID-19 news for Feb. 27.

Many Americans, including parents of school children, have been clamoring for an end to masking while others remain wary that the pandemic could throw a new curveball. Now, states, cities and school districts are assessing Friday's guidance to determine whether its safe to stop mask-wearing  long after others threw out such mandates and many Americans ignored them.

Under the new guidance, the CDC says people can stop wearing masks if they live in counties where the coronavirus poses a low or medium threat to hospitals  accounting for more than 70% of the U.S. population.

Two preprint studies posted Saturday offer further evidence that the coronavirus originated in animals and spread to humans in late 2019 at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China.

One of the studies -- neither of which has been peer-reviewed or published in a professional journal -- used spatial analysis to show that the earliest known Covid-19 cases, diagnosed in December 2019, were centered on the market. The researchers also report that environmental samples that tested positive for the virus, SARS-CoV-2, were strongly associated with live-animal vendors.

Nearly half of the 500 million free COVID-19 tests the Biden administration recently made available to the public still have not been claimed as virus cases plummet and people feel less urgency to test.

Wild demand swings have been a subplot in the pandemic, from vaccines to hand sanitizer, along with tests. On the first day of the White House test giveaway in January, COVIDtests.gov received over 45 million orders. Now officials say fewer than 100,000 orders a day are coming in for the packages of four free rapid tests per household, delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday revised the emergency use authorization for Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody against Covid-19 for immunocompromised people and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, to double the initial dose. People who've already received the drug should go back for an additional dose as soon as possible, the agency said.

"Based on the most recent information and data available, Evusheld may be less active against certain Omicron subvariants. The dosing regimen was revised because available data indicate that a higher dose of Evusheld may be more likely to prevent infection by the COVID-19 Omicron subvariants BA.1 and BA.1.1 than the originally authorized Evusheld dose," the FDA said in a news release.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday that a dramatic drop in coronavirus infections could lead to the lifting of vaccine mandates on restaurants, bars and theaters as soon as March 7.

His announcement came shortly after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her own plans Sunday to lift the states mask mandate on schools, effective Wednesday.

Adams said the city would also lift the mask mandate on about 1 million of the citys schoolchildren in the countrys largest school system.
CARROLL, Iowa  Kristine Tidgren is precise about her job.

We dont give advice. We call it education, she says when talking about her work as executive director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University.

Tidgren and her co-workers look at some of the major legal issues facing farmers and then do extensive research into the most important of those issues.

We do deep dives into those areas, she says.

Once they do that research, they talk to farmers and tax attorneys and accountants and lawmakers, explaining what the law says and what it means and what the possible consequences might be of taking various courses of action. Sometimes that means telling farmers or tax professionals about a new form to fill out or a new court ruling. Other times it may mean telling lawmakers about possible unintended consequences of proposed legislation.

As is often the case, none of this is what Tidgren set out to do in life. In retrospect, however, it seems like it was always what she was working toward.

I grew up on a farm in west central Iowa, she says.

After graduating from high school she went to Iowa State, where she majored in journalism and psychology.

I really had no idea what I wanted to major in, she says now. She loved math but didnt want to major in it.

When she graduated she got a job with Electronic Data Systems in Texas, where she worked in the data world. Eventually she decided on law school at the University of Texas. After law school she worked for a law firm in Kansas City but by then she and her husband were starting a family and litigation didnt fit into a stable family life. They moved back to Iowa, settling in Carroll, and she worked for Lexus-Nexus, a legal data company. In 2013 she came to ISU to work at CALT and eventually became director.

There were, of course, challenges. She and her husband have six children, so family and school activities became a priority. And she also suffered a major medical trauma along the way.

I was at church, she says of the day she began experiencing problems. She started to have a severe pain in her side and suspected appendicitis. But then she noticed a feeling of numbness down one leg and that feeling began to spread.

Soon she was in the hospital and fighting to regain control of her body. The doctors called it a stroke. It was really a herniated disk that cut off blood flow and caused other problems. The bottom line was that it left her dealing with extensive therapy and some physical limitations.

I was thankful for the type of job I had because I could keep working, she says. And the fact that I am a person of faith helped.

And so she recovered. She continued to work. Eventually she became the go-to source of information about taxation and agricultural law that she is today.

That work hasnt always been easy. The last few years brought a new federal tax law in 2017 that changed the way many farmers and tax professionals worked. The Des Moines Waterworks lawsuit raised all kinds of legal issues. The COVID-19 pandemic and aid packages passed in response raised other tax questions. The idea of building carbon pipelines across the state raises more issues.

And today the debate over federal and state tax policy is fluid, giving Tidgren and her staff plenty to review and research. Even proposals such as Iowa not taxing rental income raises a host of legal questions and issues regarding how to help young farmers.

There are so many different things happening, she says. We are trying to help people understand what their legal rights are.

In many cases that effort is aimed at educating the professionals so they can then help farmers. Those ideas often are included in the many tax schools and seminars CALT holds in Iowa and in Wisconsin.

But at the end of a long day dealing with incredibly complex tax issues Tidgren knows she can unwind on the drive home to Carroll and spend a little time with her family in rural Iowa, only a short distance away from the farm where she grew up dreaming about what was happening outside her little town.

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Our advice columnists have heard it all over the years. Each Sunday, we dive into the Dear Prudie archives and share a selection of classic letters with our readers. Join Slate Plus for even more advice columnsyour first month is only $1.

Dear Prudence,

My husband and I are in our early 40s and have been together about 15 years. We have two kids and a good life. After my father-in-law passed away a couple of years ago, my husband mentioned that we needed to be more diligent about getting our affairs in orderwills, guardianships, etc. I agreed, and weve had some discussions about it. I found out today that he bought and paid for a single plot next to his father, and apparently his mother and siblings did the same. I was not consulted and had no idea.

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Understandably, I am hurt and confused. I assumed we would make this sort of decision together, and I thought we would purchase plots together. I feel blindsided that he did this without my knowledge. Worse, his parents live in a different city than we do, one that I have no connection to or ever thought I would want to be buried in. When I confronted my husband about his actionsgently, I might addhe was totally dismissive and defensive. He said the plot could be sold and didnt apologize.

Am I way off base here? Isnt this the sort of decision couples should make together? Or is this not a big deal since well be dead anyway and wont care where we are buried?

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You are not wrong to be upset. It is very difficult for a person to be wrong to be upset, although it is possible to act badly as a result of feeling upset. You feel upset and want to talk to your partner about your feelingsthats a perfectly legitimate position. Its not a sign that you need to care less simply because your husband does not agree with you. Thats what respectful fighting is for, when two people who love one another feel differently about a fraught, mutually significant decision.

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I dont think you should get especially hung up on whether this is the sort of decision couples should make together. Whats important is that this is a decision you want to make together. While hes right that you can sell the plot, youre also right to want to have a conversation together about when and where to make burial arrangements for yourselves. Revisit the conversation, not in the interest of convincing him that he was objectively right and owes you an apology, but in the interest of letting him know that you felt left out and that you want to make decisions like this together. Danny M. Lavery

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From: Help! My Husband Bought a Gravesite Without Telling Me, and He Didnt Save Me a Spot. (June 11, 2018)

Dear Prudence,

I am the proud mother of a beautiful 22-year-old daughter. Shes been a stellar studentshe graduated from an Ivy League schooland a terrific kid, and we have a great relationship. Shes living back at home after completing college and working part-time as she prepares to apply to law school. Recently, I forgot something I needed and hurriedly ran into the house. As I went by her room I saw her naked and performing sexually on camera. When we spoke about it later she didnt seem embarrassed and explained that while it was not any of my business, it was something that she and her boyfriend do frequently when they cannot be together physically. Im not proud of this, but the next day while she was out I sneaked a peek at her computer. I found literally hundreds of explicit pictures of my daughter with men and women, and I do mean explicit. Knowing that I violated her privacy, Im a little apprehensive to come clean and tell her what I found while snooping on her personal computer. But I want to find out more about her extracurricular activities and express my concerns that theses types of things could have a way of coming back to haunt her later in life.

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I share your concern about your daughters judgment given that she has neglected to put password protection on a computer loaded with explicit images. I understand your shock, but its also true that her sex life is none of your business. Philip Larkin wrote in Annus Mirabilis: Sexual intercourse began/ In nineteen sixty-three/ (which was rather late for me). You are of proper vintage, Mom, to have experienced sexual liberation. Whats different for your generation from your daughters is that once the deed was done, it remained only as a memory (or a baby, or an STD). But today there can be an electronic file that can follow someone the rest of his or her days. I know some young people will argue that recording and sharing such intimate moments is going to be so much the norm that if these images get loose, all they will rate is a shrug. (Experimenting with drugs was once thought to disqualify someone for the presidency, and then Barack Obama wrote a memoir in which he portrayed his youthful reliance on marijuana.) You just dont know what shes done with this sex file, whether its private and for her own pleasure, or whether she is engaging in some sort of pornographic activity. So there is the possibility that these images are already out of her control. If the latter, I agree her having allowed this would be foolish in the extreme, but given that you violated her privacy to snoop, and that your daughter is an adult, you could permanently damage your relationship with her by revealing what you found. At the least you know she exchanges explicit images with her boyfriend. She is in love with him and thus certain he would never betray her. But I bet many of the women victimized by revenge porn felt the same way. Lets hope that when your daughter goes to law school, a class about this area of jurisprudence will cause her to take her own privacy more seriously. But since you did stumble upon her during a highly personal moment you both wish you hadnt seen, its fair for you to bring it up with her once more. Say you know shes an adult and you are sorry about intruding, but your concern is not about her relationship with her boyfriend, but the nature of the internet. Tell her you want to emphasize the importance to her future of making sure any recording of intimate activity has the highest possible security protection from prying eyes. Emily Yoffe

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From: Help! I Found Hundreds of Explicit Pictures of My Daughter. (Dec. 24, 2014)

Dear Prudence,

I know I want kids, and Ive used the idea of having kids with someone to help me gauge how comfortable I am with a partner. Two years ago I met someone with whom I was certain I would want to start a family. Its a totally new and very amazing feeling.

The thing is that Im in my mid-30s, and my partner is 10 years older. Were rounding the corner to where getting pregnant becomes more challenging. My real concern is I dont feel any more emotionally ready for the total life change that is having kids. I still feel as I did in my 20s, that Ill want them in 10 years.

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Im scared Im watching our window close as I wait for the moment I feel ready to take on total responsibility for brand new human. Or is no one ever really prepared for the changes of having a child?

I have no idea. I dont have children. Ive seen a lot of movies where someone has said, Youre never really prepared to have children, and then the protagonist decides to have children as a result, but thats about the extent of it.

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The fact that youve wanted children for a long time suggests to me that these are standard-issue nerves, rather than a genuine shift in desire, but you should still pay attention to these fears. Everyone is entitled to change his or her mind. Be honest about what youre afraid of (the same should go for your partner). What does it feel like when you picture yourself at 50 with no children? What does it feel like when you picture yourself with a newborn? A teenager? An adult child who might make choices you cant stand? What do you stand to lose in both scenarios? What do you stand to gain? I dont think youll feel complete acceptance and fearlessness about either prospect, since thats not really how life works, but I imagine youll find yourself leaning more toward one future than the other.

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And if you really cant make up your mind after all thatif its an absolutely even 50/50 spliterr on the side of not having any. Better to not have children and regret it (one can still foster, or mentor, or find other ways to nurture children in a nonparental capacity), than to have actual children you regret.

From: Help! I Dont Know If Im Ready to Be a Mom. (Sept. 26, 2016)

Dear Prudence,

My fiance and I have been ridiculously happy for three years. But now that the wedding is being planned something has come up that I find ridiculous. Hes American, and I grew up in Europe, where I went to an orthodontist as a child. I now have perfectly healthy set of teeth. However they are not Hollywood-style teethperfect, snow white, and identical. My fiance is pressuring me to get them fixed before the wedding. In Europe, its just not part of the culture to get what I see as plastic surgery on healthy teeth. If he asked me to get a boob job to fit in, Id be horribly insulted. I see this request as something similar, he doesnt. How do I convince him that theres beauty in idiosyncrasy?

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I agree about the beauty of the imperfect, and I wish Hollywood would show us more real noses, snaggleteeth, and baggy eyes. But Hollywood standards aside, suggesting physical improvements to your partner is as tricky and dangerous as snake handling. If you contemplate your intended and see the need for a major overhaul ahead, you should move on. But I disagree with those who say an intimate should never give advice on enhancements. I struck an aesthetic blow for mankind when I convinced more than one balding boyfriend to embrace his hair loss and snip the comb-over. Several boyfriends in turn justifiably critiqued my wardrobe. So, to teeth. Youre not someone who is missing a front tooth, which I think does require fixing because that can be a personal turn-off and a professional handicap. But its one thing if your boyfriend says, We both drink a lot of coffee and red wine. Lets do white strips together. Its another to try to get your betrothed to have her life savings chewed up by unnecessary porcelain veneers. If you conclude whitening your teeth could make you even more dazzling, then go ahead. But hold firm on your unique smile. If your fiance wont back off, you can always break it off and marry a Brit.

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From: Help! My Husband Has Fallen in Love With Our 16-Year-Old Exchange Student. (March 13, 2014)

More Advice From Dear Prudence

I dated my first girlfriend, Rebecca, from 19 till we were almost 30; our families were close friends and I had known her since elementary school. I kissed her for the first time behind the baseball stands when I was 10 and she was 8. But I wanted a family and she didnt. We made a commitment to stay best friends, which we upheld. I married a wonderful woman and had three children. She was in my wedding and good friends with my wife, but stayed single, eventually having a daughter by a sperm donor after a long-term relationship ended. But then my wife died in a car accident. It was awful, but my best friend, along with my family, got us through it. Its been three years, and recently, the two of us started dating again.
Joint statement of Slovak journalists.

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Vladimir Putin started a war. Now, he wants to silence journalists writing the truth about his war crime. His censors launched an attack against the remaining free media in the country; Putin has branded them enemies of Russia and agents of foreign powers for a decade.

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The Russian police are arresting journalists who want people to learn about the protests against Putin's war taking place in Russian cities.

The Russian censorship office wants to ban free media and journalists from using words like invasion, attack, shelling or war. He wants them to refer to what's happening as a peace mission and only publish information coming from governmental sources.

But the truth cannot be silenced, neither in Russia nor in Ukraine.

We stand by all our colleagues who defend what remains of their freedom of speech in Russia. Ukrainian journalists are defending not only their country but also the right to freedom for all of us.

Our colleagues in Ukraine are in danger now, but so are all Ukrainians. This once again shows how important independent and courageous journalists are for our free society.

We hope our colleagues will soon return home safe and sound. But our Russian and Ukrainian colleagues will stay there, and they deserve our support and admiration.

Beata Balogova, editor-in-chief, SME

Peter Bardy, editor-in-chief, Aktuality.sk

Matus Kostolny, editor-in-chief, Dennik N

Lukas Diko, editor-in-chief, Investigative Centre of Jan Kuciak

Henrich Krejca, editor-in-chief of the news service, Markiza

Attila Lovasz, editor-in-chief of the news service, RTVS

Roland Kubina, editor-in-chief of the news service, TV JOJ

Stefan Hrib, editor-in-chief, .tyzden

Julia Kovacova, editor-in-chief, Novy Cas

Jakub Prokes, editor-in-chief, Pravda

Jaroslav Vrabel, editor-in-chief, Korzar

Peter Palovic, head of news desk, Radio Expres

Brano Zavodsky, deputy heaf of news desk, Radio Expres

Marcela Simkova, editor-in-chief, Hospodarske Noviny

Michaela Terenzani, editor-in-chief, The Slovak Spectator

Ivana Mandakova, editor-in-chief, Plus1Den

Csaba Nyerges, editor-in-chief, Uj Szo

Cs. Liszka Gyorgyi, editor-in-chief, Vasarnap

Michal Pobeha, editor-in-chief, SITA

Marian Kolar, editor-in-chief, TASR

Martin Hanus, editor-in-chief, Postoj

Alexej Fulmek, chairman, Association of Print and Digital Media

Marian Zima, chairman, Association for the Protection of Journalistic Ethics Alena Panikova, president of the Print-Digital Council of the Slovak Republic

Lucia Yar, managing editor, EURACTIV Slovensko

Radovan Geist, publisher, EURACTIV Slovensko

Lukas Fila, publisher, N-Press

Ivan Brozik, editor-in-chief, REGIONPRESS

Branislav Karvas, editor-in-chief, topky.sk

Peter Halasz, publisher, JAGA Group

Radek Pozdena, publisher, REAL PRESS

Matus Banovic, editor-in-chief, Refresher.sk

Martina Ballekova, editor-in-chief, TA3

David Barak, editor-in-chief, Parameter.sk

Ronald Izip, editor-in-chief, Trend

Maria Mikova, editor-in-chief, Slovenka

Felicia Boronkayova, editor-in-chief, Netky.sk

Vladimir Micuda, editor-in-chief, Startitup

Petra Sevcikova, editor-in-chief, Strategie
Hundreds gathered in the capital to support Ukraine.

Protest against the war and in support of Ukraine in Bratislava. (Source: Sme)

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People in Slovakia joined the anti-war protest movement around the world this evening.

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Russian Embassy in Bratislava on Saturday, February 26, and on Bratislava's Main Square, to protest against the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

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Protest gatherings were held in other Slovak towns, too - in Poprad and in Povazska Bystrica.

The protests were organised by: Ukrainian-Slovak Initiative, Not in Our Town initiative, Who Will Help Ukraine? initiative, the Bratislava Old Town municipality, the Conservative Institute, the Human Rights League and the Peace to Ukraine civic platform.

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Related article Want to help Ukrainians? Here's how you can do it Read more

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Related article People show solidarity with refugees from Ukraine by donating money and supplies Read more

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PM Heger confirms the offer was extended to both Ukraine and Russia.

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Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger said he offered that peace talks are held in the Slovak capital.

"We want peace. We want peace for Ukraine, for this whole region. We want this aggression to stop. That is why we offered both the Ukrainian and the Russian side to hold the peace talks in Bratislava," Heger told journalists as he arrived to the cabinet's session this Sunday.

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The cabinet sits to discuss further aid to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok informed previously.

Heger reiterated yesterday that the Slovak government will support Ukraine's EU accession.
Elizabeth King and Richard Kizu-Blair, "What Happened," 1991. Remastered for high-definition video. 2008; silent stop-motion animation, two minutes. (Courtesy of Elizabeth King)

Theres something eerie at the Barry Art Museum.

Tucked away on the second floor are machines that, when wound up, come to life. These automatons are designed to follow specific instructions; as spectators walk through, eyes follow their every move, including those of a jockey smoking a pipe, a banjo player and a child.

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Chilling music plays from a 19th-century jewelry box, and one automaton carries flowers, coaxing passersby to purchase a few.

The pieces are part of Motion/Emotion: Exploring Affect from Automata to Robots, an exhibition that focuses on the emotional qualities of those machines and how they evoke emotion in people. Automatons and robots differ in that robots can perform multiple tasks, while automatons are designed to perform just one.

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Other parts of the exhibition include an educational area for children, as well as scenes looped on display from robot films, including the 2004 movie I, Robot, starring Will Smith.

Also included are robots used in military training and a robotic prototype that is intended to help children confined to hospital rooms. The machines could allow children to visit friends in other rooms, using cameras, and potentially other parts of the hospital to pick out lunch, or toys from the playroom.

The show will run until December and will include a lecture series on the first Thursday of each month, including a virtual one on April 7 featuring artist Elizabeth King with Jeremie Ryder, Guinness Collection conservator at New Jerseys Morris Museum.

The show includes pieces dating to the 1800s as well as present-day machines.

Joseph Morris, Immanence, 2012/16.5 mil plastic film, spring steel, electronic and mechanical parts, custom software. (Courtesy of Joseph Morris)

Sara Woodbury, a doctoral candidate in American studies at William & Mary, curated the show. She was invited because shed worked on a collection featuring historical automatons at Vermonts Shelburne Museum.

I think this smoking jockey guy is terrifying, she said. The Jockey Smoker, made in 1880 by French mechanical toymaker Jean Roullet, gives her the creeps because he has no music box.

When he is wound up using a crank on his side, his left arm moves up and down, bringing the pipe to his mouth. His jaw opens and closes, as do his eyes. Real tobacco can be inserted into the piece and a bellows in his arm pumps air to his mouth, making it appear as if hes inhaling and exhaling smoke. He also opens and closes his eyes, turns his head from side to side, and taps a riding crop against his leg, Woodbury said.

Automatons normally have music boxes, but not the jockey and others that emit smoke. There isnt enough space for a music box when they are constructed this way, Woodbury said.

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The show was put together using some pieces from the museums collection. The museum has pieces that span multiple genres, such as the automatons, which are related to dolls. The exhibition examines them as historical objects and products of their time  many were made in 19th-century Paris. As a result, some contain problematic or inaccurate representations of foreign cultures, said Charlotte Potter Kasic, executive director of the Barry Art Museum, which is housed at Old Dominion University.

One piece, Chinese Tea Server, incorporates three cultures. The automaton pours tea using a European tea service, while her hair is styled like that of a traditional Japanese hostess and her costume is Chinese, Kasic said.

Woodbury said the show has given them the chance to look at the pieces as complex, aesthetically interesting objects, but also to recognize that they are colonial pieces.

They need to be understood as products of their climate and the museum itself doesnt condone those beliefs, Woodbury said.

The pieces dont move during the show, but a video montage is looped in the exhibition so visitors can watch them move. On Tuesdays, people can stop by and watch as staff put them in motion. One automaton scurries across the floor.

Theyre really weird and wonderful, Kasic said.

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Also included are works from contemporary artists, including King and Joseph Morris. His pieces are made of plastic, steel and other materials; the pieces expand and collapse, mimicking lungs.

Morris uses everyday objects from hardware stores such as Home Depot. Even the concept of time plays a role in his work: The pieces will eventually disintegrate.

They will go until they can no longer, just like our own bodies, Kasic said.

King is based in Richmond. In 1991, she made a wooden jointed sculpture. She worked with director Richard Kizu-Blair, photographing the piece in different positions and merging the images into a stop-motion film. Viewers will see the specimen peer at its own hands in self-discovery.

King is the daughter of a physician and taught at Virginia Commonwealth University for about 20 years. Her pieces are laced with a deep consciousness, allowing spectators to see inanimate objects coming to life, exploring, Kasic said.

Woodbury likes the shows variety.

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Elizabeth King and Richard Kizu-Blair, "What Happened," 1991. Remastered for high-definition video. 2008; silent stop-motion animation, two minutes. (Courtesy of Elizabeth King)

Over the course of this show, Ive read about robotic artworks, robots making art, artists collaborating with robots to make art, artists becoming cyborgs to further their artistic practice and more, she said. The hardest part about this exhibition was figuring out how to narrow it down to something we could coherently discuss within a single gallery. There is so much interesting, exciting and important work happening out there. It was hard because any single one of these topics would have made for a great show.

Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news >

_____

If you go

When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Through Dec. 31.

Where: Barry Art Museum, 1075 W. 43rd St., Norfolk

Tickets and parking: Free; parking available in the Constant Center Garage on West 43rd Street; follow signs for Barry Art Museum parking.

Details: tinyurl.com/ODURobots, barryartmuseum@odu.edu or 757-683-6200

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Saleen Martin, 757-446-2027, saleen.martin@pilotonline.com
The assistance is worth around 4.5 million.

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Slovakia will send air defence systems and anti-tank missiles to help Ukraine in the ongoing conflict with Russia. The aid is worth around 4.5 million, Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad and Prime Minister Eduard Heger (both OLaNO) confirmed after an extraordinary cabinet session held on Sunday, February 27.

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They need this help and we are happy to provide it if it helps bring stability and peace to Ukraine, Heger told journalists before the session, who summoned it following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Slovak government offers Bratislava for peace talks Read more

The material will be sent to Ukraine as soon as possible, Nad said, adding that if Ukraine needs more aid, Slovakia will be ready to provide it.

Responding to the decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to put Russian nuclear deterrent forces on high alert, Nad said he expected this step, but added that he hopes Putin has enough common sense not to think about using them.

Airspace remains open to Russian planes for now

While several European countries have decided to close their airspace to Russian aeroplanes, Slovakia has not yet done so.

Transport Minister Andrej Dolezal (Sme Rodina) said Slovakia wants to coordinate such a step with the EU. The transport ministers of EU member states are expected to meet on Sunday evening to discuss the option.

The final decision on closing Slovak airspace might thus be made within the following 24 hours, Dolezal added.
The president visited the Slovak-Ukrainian border. 44 people have asked for asylum so far. Slovak journalists support their colleagues in Ukraine and Russia.

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Good evening. Welcome to this special edition of Today in Slovakia, where we cover recent developments in Slovakia concerning the conflict in Ukraine.

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Slovakias help to Ukraine

PM Eduard Heger summoned an extraordinary cabinet session on Sunday. (Source: TASR)

Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) has offered Slovakia's capital as a potential venue for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. We want peace. We want peace for Ukraine, for this whole region. We want this aggression to stop. That is why we offered to both the Ukrainian and the Russian side to hold peace talks in Bratislava, Heger told journalists as he arrived at an extraordinary cabinet session on Sunday, February 27.

Both Heger and President Zuzana Caputova said they will support Ukraines EU accession. Ukraine opted to take a European direction long ago, and we finally have to respond: its time to give Ukraine the prospect of EU membership, Caputova said.

Slovakia will send air defence systems and anti-tank missiles worth about 4.5 million to help Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, the cabinet agreed at its Sunday session. Meanwhile, Slovakia's airspace remains open to Russian aeroplanes. Transport Minister Andrej Dolezal (Sme Rodina) said that EU transport ministers will discuss the issue tonight, and a final decision on whether to close Slovakia's airspace could be implemented within 24 hours.

President Caputova visited the eastern Slovak border, where she applauded the cooperation of the state administration, municipalities and volunteers who are helping refugees. She said the country is ready for refugees, adding Slovak officials are doing everything to be able to help them. She went on to say the waiting times at the border should be shortened.

President Zuzana Caputova visited the border with Ukraine on Sunday. (Source: TASR)

The government has set up two special websites to help people from Ukraine. The Ua.gov.sk website provides more detailed information, in Ukrainian, about what awaits people directly at the border, and about living in Slovakia. The Pomocpreukrajinu.sk website, run by the Transport Ministry, provides more information on the available accommodation for Ukrainian refugees in state and private facilities (in Slovak and Ukrainian).

Four hotspots for refugees from Ukraine will be available near Slovakias eastern border in the municipalities of Ulic, Ubla, Vysne Nemecke and Velke Slemence. They will not serve as border crossings, but will provide aid to refugees from Ukraine, partly by speeding up administrative processes. The first two opened in Ubla and Ulic on Sunday afternoon.

If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you.

Picture of the day

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Russian Embassy in Bratislava on Saturday, February 26, and on Bratislava's Main Square, to protest against Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

More security-related news

Altogether, 27,679 people from Ukraine crossed official border crossings with Slovakia between February 24 and the morning of February 27 (of them 25,935 Ukrainian citizens); most came through the crossings at Vysne Nemecke (13,645 people) and Ubla (10,715). Of these, 44 people asked for asylum (43 Ukrainians and one Russian), the Interior Ministry said.

with Slovakia between February 24 and the morning of February 27 (of them 25,935 Ukrainian citizens); most came through the crossings at Vysne Nemecke (13,645 people) and Ubla (10,715). Of these, 44 people asked for asylum (43 Ukrainians and one Russian), the Interior Ministry said. Six out of ten Slovaks blame Russia for the war in Ukraine , according to an AKO poll conducted for the Hospodarske Noviny daily on Friday, one day after Russia invaded Slovakias neighbour. More than 62 percent of respondents said Russia was responsible for the war. Meanwhile, 25 percent of those polled believe the US is to blame for the conflict.

, according to an AKO poll conducted for the Hospodarske Noviny daily on Friday, one day after Russia invaded Slovakias neighbour. More than 62 percent of respondents said Russia was responsible for the war. Meanwhile, is to blame for the conflict. Editors-in-chief of Slovak media outlets and representatives of several press organisations have issued a joint statement, expressing their support for independent journalists in Ukraine and Russia . We stand by all our colleagues who defend what remains of their freedom of speech in Russia. Ukrainian journalists are defending not only their country but also the right to freedom for all of us, they said.

. We stand by all our colleagues who defend what remains of their freedom of speech in Russia. Ukrainian journalists are defending not only their country but also the right to freedom for all of us, they said. Non-governmental organisations have collected more than 1 million to help Ukraine through the Darujme.sk website since Thursday. The solidarity of Slovaks is huge, we havent seen anything like this before, the organisers have said.

since Thursday. The solidarity of Slovaks is huge, we havent seen anything like this before, the organisers have said. Bratislava is ready to prepare accommodation for Ukrainians , if needed. The city, in cooperation with its boroughs, can offer thousands of places for temporary overnight stays and catering, mostly at schools and houses of culture.

, if needed. The city, in cooperation with its boroughs, can offer thousands of places for temporary overnight stays and catering, mostly at schools and houses of culture. The municipal authority building in Kosices Old Town borough will house an information contact spot where they will collect information about accommodation for refugees and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

For more details about the situation in Slovakia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, follow Spectator.sk.
JUPITER, Fla.  The deadline set by Major League Baseball to ensure a 162-game season and save the scheduled March 31 opening day is now close enough you could measure the time left to get a deal in hours, not days. If there is no deal by Monday, the league has said that it will start canceling regular season games, and has publicly avowed that those games will not be rescheduled and players will not be paid for them.

So to say it was a bad sign that bargaining ended Saturday with the players contingent still discussing among themselves whether to even bother returning Sunday would be an understatement. Later in the evening, the union told the league that they would, in fact, be back to bargain again, for a seventh straight day, on Sunday.

But the takeaway is still loud and clear: With two days left, they are not close.

On Friday, it had looked like the two sides were approaching a mutually agreeable draft lottery, designed to disincentivize tanking, with multiple counters made on the subject over the course of a long day of bargaining. But as evening approached, the league countered with a proposal that explicitly tied the draft to the players sign-off on a 14-team playoff field. An expanded postseason is among the most lucrative items on the owners wishlist  worth an estimated $100 million annually, making it a major chip the players would obviously like to trade for something more significant than a rejiggering of the draft.

Negotiations to end the MLB lockout as the owners' deadline to save opening day approaches went poorly on Saturday. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The sixth straight day of negotiations here began with a lengthy Zoom meeting among all the union player representatives to approve a comprehensive package. The league, which made an expansive proposal earlier in the month, has taken to criticizing the union lately for presenting only piecemeal proposals.

As part of the package, the union moved on several high-profile items.

They began these talks asking for all players with two-plus years of service time to be arbitration-eligible. Their latest proposal had that at the top 75% of two-plus players. On Saturday, they reduced that request to 35%. Currently, 22% of two-plus players are awarded arbitration, and MLB has consistently maintained that it wont go even a single percent higher in these negotiations.

On revenue sharing, another item the league has called a non-starter, the union withdrew the portion of the proposal that would reduce the net transfer between teams. Theyre still proposing the introduction of an incentive program under which small-market teams could earn additional revenue if they show growth in their local revenue. The players had been proposing that the program be funded by other small-market teams that fail to grow their local revenue  so the system would work as both a punishment and a reward  but changed that to be centrally funded. Teams could still be penalized for failing to grow their local revenue, but the union estimated that no team would lose more than $1 million.

The players had previously not made a new competitive balance tax proposal since the lockout began, and the issue has become an increasingly sore subject as it remains unresolved. The league is proposing not only a threshold that the union feels is far too long, but also harsher penalties on any overages, making it essentially more cap-like. On Saturday, the players offered a new CBT proposal, coming down on their thresholds by $2 million in years two, three and four of the CBA. That would put the luxury tax at $245 million in 2022, $250 million in 2023, $257 million in 2024, $264 million in 2025, and $273 million in 2026.

Story continues

Believing they were making a proposal that represented major movement, the union expected a counter of similarly significant concessions.

The league, however, characterized its own counter  on the CBT, at least  as seeing a lousy proposal and responding in kind.

In practice, that meant raising their threshold by just $1 million in just one of the CBAs five years and cutting the taxes on overages by 5% per threshold (the CBT includes an initial threshold, and then two additional thresholds that trigger surcharges). That puts the tax at 45% over the first threshold, 62% over the second, and 95% over the third. After previously removing the draft penalty on the first threshold, the league maintained the draft penalties on the higher thresholds.

The league made an ideological concession on service time, agreeing to award a year of service  regardless of time spent in the majors  to the top two Rookie of the Year finishers in each league. That reflects the unions desire to combat service time manipulation by allowing rookies to earn service through certain achievements. The league maintained its proposal to reward teams that put top prospects on the opening day roster with draft picks if the player goes on to win awards in his first three seasons. The owners concession, however, was tied to a new proposal that would allow MLB to implement rule changes after 45 days  previous CBAs have required the commissioner to give the union a full year of notice on any on-field changes  subject to the approval of a committee that would be overwhelmingly staffed with league representatives.

After exchanging proposals on the draft all week, the two sides have met in the middle with the top six picks determined by a lottery. But on Saturday, the league doubled down on tying the draft to a 14-team postseason.

As part of the package, the league agreed to limit the number of times a player can be optioned to the minors in a single season to five  a part of the players earlier proposal.

The league presented this package in a meeting that a source described as very hostile, prompting the players to consider walking away from the table for the time being. Instead, they will bargain again on Sunday in an effort to bridge a canyon-like gap that seems to shrink only inches at a time.

As the players dispersed for the night, executive subcommittee members Max Scherzer and Marcus Semien stopped to sign autographs for a gaggle of particularly dedicated fans.

Long day, Scherzer told them.
https://sputniknews.com/20220226/kiev-aims-to-create-ballistic-missiles-capable-of-reaching-urals-roscosmos-head-says-1093405479.html

Kiev Aims to Create Ballistic Missiles Capable of Reaching Urals, Roscosmos Head Says

Kiev Aims to Create Ballistic Missiles Capable of Reaching Urals, Roscosmos Head Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Kiev wants to create ballistic missile systems that have the ability to strike deep into Russian territory and Ukraine has the potential for... 26.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-26T22:10+0000

2022-02-26T22:10+0000

2022-02-26T22:10+0000

situation in ukraine

russia

ukraine

ukraine crisis

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roscosmos

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"They [Ukraine] have legendary factories in Dnepropetrovsk, Yuzhnoye Design Bureau and Yuzhmashzavod. There is enormous potential there. Now their goal is to create their own ballistic systems, which will have a real ability to strike our territory," Rogozin told the Soloviev Live YouTube show.He noted that it would not be difficult for any team of engineers to increase the range of the Grom complex already operating in Ukraine.Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on Ukrainian statements about the possibility of reconsidering its renunciation of nuclear weapons. On Thursday in a televised address, Putin said that Russia will not allow Ukraine to acquire nuclear weapons. The development of even tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine would mean a strategic threat to the Russian Federation, according to the president.He noted that the radical nationalist forces in the country aspire to produce and stockpile nuclear weapons. Moreover, Putin added that Ukraine still has a fairly wide range of know-how in the field of nuclear weapons development left over from the Soviet era.Prior to that, during a speech at the Munich Conference on February 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev could reconsider the renunciation of nuclear weapons provided for in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220226/north-korea-fires-unidentified-projectile-south-korean-media-report-1093406218.html

North Korea Fires Unidentified Projectile, South Korean Media Report

North Korea Fires Unidentified Projectile, South Korean Media Report

North Korea confirmed last month that it had tested the Hwasong-12 intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM), which is the country's biggest missile test in... 26.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-26T23:02+0000

2022-02-26T23:02+0000

2022-02-27T00:10+0000

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asia & pacific

ballistic missile

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North Korea launched early on Sunday an unidentified projectile eastward after a month of silence, Yonhap reported, citing the South Korean military.According to the publication, detailed characteristics such as flight range, altitude and speed are still being analyzed by the South Korean military, who allow for the possibility that it might be a ballistic missile.The projectile fell beyond Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, according to Kyodo.If the information about the launch is confirmed, this will be Pyongyang's eighth missile test since the beginning of the year.On 31 January, North Korea confirmed that it had successfully tested the day before a medium-range ballistic missile that traveled about 800 kilometers at a maximum height of 2000 meters. The rocket, fired towards the Sea of Japan, was said to be 16 times faster than the speed of sound.On 5 and 11 January, North Korea tested missiles that Pyongyang claimed were hypersonic. On 14 January, two short-range ballistic missiles were launched from a rail-based missile system and three days later, North Korea tested two short-range tactical guided missiles. Cruise missiles and a tactical surface-to-surface guided missile were tested on 25 and 27 January respectively.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/analyst-russia-seeks-to-neutralise-ukraines-geopolitical-status-to-solve-dangerous-security-crisis-1093360198.html

Analyst: Russia Seeks to Neutralise Ukraine's Geopolitical Status to Solve Dangerous Security Crisis

Analyst: Russia Seeks to Neutralise Ukraine's Geopolitical Status to Solve Dangerous Security Crisis

As Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in order to protect the Donbass republics and demilitarise the country, which seeks to join NATO... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T10:05+0000

2022-02-27T10:05+0000

2022-02-27T10:05+0000

russia-nato row on european security

ukraine

russia

us

india

china

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kiev

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Dr. Zorawar Daulet Singh, a Delhi-based historian, strategist, and author of a recently released book 'Powershift: IndiaChina Relations in a multi-polar World' has deliberated about NATO's future and the ripple effect of the Russia-NATO row over the Indo-Pacific while talking to Sputnik during an interview.Sputnik: In a broader context, how do you assess the developments in Ukraine, which Russia says is an attempt to prevent a global war?Dr. Zorawar Daulet Singh: This point has been raised by President [Vladimir] Putin on several occasions recently, when he said the possibility of a major confrontation between Russia and US-NATO would have taken on a very different meaning had Ukraine already been a member state of NATO. Putin even raised the spectre of a nuclear crisis in the hypothetical scenario of Ukraine inside NATO's tent.Therefore, Russia is seeking to neutralise Ukraine's geopolitical status to solve the dangerous security crisis in Europe. This worrying development since 2014 led to a counter-reaction by Russia. Firstly, that counter-reaction led to the integration of Crimea after the referendum of its predominantly ethnic Russian population to join mainland Russia. What Russia has now done through its ongoing military operations is it has preempted the very possibility of Ukraine ever becoming a member state of NATO - by not only carving out territories that will now become independent states but also by positioning formidable military capabilities on Ukraines frontiers that can impose extraordinary pressure on the US-NATO should they choose to subsequently respond to this particular military operation in a way that attempts to resuscitate the rump state in Kiev. In the next few weeks, if not days, the ball will eventually go back into the US court, and Washington will need to make a call on what to do. Are they going to negotiate with Russia for a new security order, or will they continue the old game of Russian containment? The latter has proven to be a self-defeating policy because it only produced insecurity in the European continent and also led to an erosion of US hegemony in the international system. The past decade makes it clear.If the US cuts its losses and stabilises the great power competition with Russia, I think everyone will be better-off: in Europe, Washington, Moscow and elsewhere in the world.Sputnik: The US and its allies like Japan and Australia have imposed sanctions targeting the military and economic sectors. Do you think sanctions are the correct way to deal with the crisis, as Russia has faced multiple sanctions in the past too?Dr. Zorawar Daulet Singh: Unilateral sanctions are not seen as legitimate by most non-Western states. We often hear the argument that imposing economic costs on Russia will persuade it to take a different course. Yet, what we have seen is that the containment of Russia, including economic containment, has actually been going on for a lot longer and far before this crisis in Eastern Europe had started playing out.From Russian perspective, the Western policy is not actually aimed at changing Russian behaviour in a particular case but it's part of a more radical containment geo-strategy to keep Russia weak, isolated, and separate from its traditional economic partners in Western Europe like Germany and France. For example, in the case of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russia with Germany, there have been recurring attempts much before the Ukraine crisis to try and block out Russian gas to Germany and replace that with US LNG exports to Europe. On the whole, since 2014-2015, Russian policymakers have come to accept that economic sanctions are an acceptable cost to bear when it comes to core security and geopolitical interests. I think they are going to ride it out and they have ridden it out.Indeed, sections of the Russian elite see sanctions as an opportunity to reorient the Russian economy towards more domestic innovation and rebuilding parts of the industrial economy that has enormous potential given Russia's human capital in science and technology. Over time, sanctions could actually have the opposite effect. It leads to a stronger Russia that is more self-reliant, and we hear that specific sectors have already acquired that level.Even Germany and other economies in Western Europe will not sever all their connections with the Russian economy.Sputnik: How do you view the responses of China and India? Will western countries buy into the arguments made by the two countries?Dr. Zorawar Daulet Singh: Ironically, China and India do have similar opinions on the Ukraine crisis. These Asian powers have their own reasons for cultivating and maintaining a deep partnership with Moscow. Both India and China value the strategic partnership with Russia. For China, it provides strategic depth and stability to counterbalance the US in the Western Pacific and, more broadly, in the international system. For India, Russia has always played a critical role as a reliable great power friend in an uncertain world - whether to manage China's rise, offset the old US-Pakistan alliance, insurance against US-China duopoly, and developing India's military strength. So it is natural that India and China are going to respond to the Ukraine conflict in a measured and restrained way. Of course, both Delhi and Beijing strongly believe in the concept of sovereignty and territorial integrity but both also see the lead up to this crisis as very much part of a complex history where it was a relentless encroachment by NATO after the end of the Cold War deeper and deeper into Eastern Europe and up to a point where it was poised to acquire a member state literally at Russias doorstep.There does seem to be a degree of empathy and geopolitical understanding that Russia has legitimate security interests, with both Delhi and Beijing recognising the deeper causes and provocations that preceded Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.India has a different level of relationship with the US and the West than China does. I do not see the US succeeding in using the Ukrainian crisis to diminish Indo-Russian relations or alter them in any significant way. That simply won't happen.More broadly, India's strategic establishment - driven today largely by pragmatic and realistic precepts - understands that great powers will intervene in their peripheries. Indians have also seen interventions by the US in far-flung regions of the globe that went beyond any normal definition of security and threats. This idea of getting India to bind by certain principles and adopting an anti-Russia stance will not have much of an impact in New Delhi.Sputnik: How will this crisis impact the Indo-Pacific region as we see the US forming new alliances such as Quad and AUKUS in this region?Dr. Zorawar Daulet Singh: What will be the ripple effects and repercussions of the Ukraine crisis in the rest of Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific? This is a significant question and should occupy policymakers in Washington today. The notion that the US could pursue a policy of containment towards Russia at the same time pivot towards Asia and the Indo-Pacific to manage a rising China and to ensure that Asia does not fall under the sway of a new rising power has been the great delusion. Such a level of ambition was becoming simply unsustainable because the power gap between the US and the rest has been narrowing over the past decade.The US should now ask itself whether further confrontation with Russia undermines its broader strategic goals in Asia - the managing of China's rise. Given the ideological proclivities of policymakers in Washington, in London, in Brussels, it does appear there is a deeper reluctance to change course. In recent years, the US has been trying to strengthen old alliances and develop new partnerships in the Indo-Pacific that are very much centred on managing China's rise. That strategy will certainly face an uphill task if the US-Russia crisis leads Moscow to deepen ties with China further and take positions in the Indo-Pacific that are far more antagonistic to the US. Russia, so far, has not extended the level of military strategic activities to truly impact US security or the security of US allies in the Indo-Pacific. They have been far more measured, including in their military exercises with China. But should that become an important part of Russian security policies, it would obviously undermine the US' grand strategy in the Indo-pacific.

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ukraine, russia, us, india, china, nato, kiev, military, europe
https://sputniknews.com/20220227/as-west-slaps-another-package-of-sanctions-on-russia-analyst-mulls-over-their-effectiveness-1093412045.html

As West Slaps Another Package of Sanctions on Russia, Analyst Mulls Over Their Effectiveness

As West Slaps Another Package of Sanctions on Russia, Analyst Mulls Over Their Effectiveness

Although Western sanctions did harm the Iranian economy, they failed to curb Tehran's nuclear drive. They also failed to result in the overthrow of the current... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T06:40+0000

2022-02-27T06:40+0000

2022-02-27T06:40+0000

world

sanctions

swift

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It didn't take the West long to slap major sanctions against Russia, following its military operation in Ukraine that kicked off last Thursday.Leading Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have been targeted, as well as several major banks and leading companies.In addition, the West has also agreed to cut off two major Russian banks from access to the SWIFT global interbank payments system. Reports suggest that more sanctions are still underway, one of which could be the disconnection of the country from the internet.Powerful Tool?Dr. Raz Zimmt, a research fellow at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, is not an expert on Russia. His career has revolved around Iran and its nuclear programme, and he knows well why such measures are applied on a state.Over the years, the US Department of the Treasury has applied its economic pressure on a number of states including Cuba, Venezuela, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and many others.Russia has been on that list several times. Initially it appeared there in 2009, following the death in a prison cell of a Russian lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, who exposed a corruption scandal allegedly involving his country's officials.Then, it was because of Crimea's reunification with Russia, an act that was branded in the West as annexation, the punishment for which was economic pressure on Moscow.More recently, it was because of an alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, who is currently imprisoned in Russia as the result of a fraud case.How much effect did these punitive measures have on Moscow? Not much. Crimea has become an integrated part of the Russian Federation and it shows no signs of backtracking from that path. Navalny remains imprisoned.How Effective Are Sanctions?The West has probably learned from the past. This time around, the sanctions will be more severe and their scope is larger, but Zimmt says they won't necessarily reach their goal."The latter, however, are less effective, especially if they aim at unrealistic or wide goals. If the idea of the measures applied is to force a country to act against its national interests or desert its policy, it simply won't work."In Iran, where the sanctions were meant to curb the country's atomic drive, it didn't. Despite multiple economic sanctions, imposed by the US and its Western allies, the Islamic Republic didn't give up on its strive for nuclear independence. Nor did they lead to the overthrow of the current government.Even economically, it managed to evade some sanctions partially by finding clients in Asia, who were willing to purchase its crude despite the ban, and partially by developing its domestic industry.Will that happen in Russia as well? In his televised speech, where he recognised the independence of the two self-proclaimed Donbass republics, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was prepared for all possible scenarios.In past years, Russia has prepared itself for the possibility it would be cut off from the internet. It has been readying itself to replace the SWIFT system with a Chinese or a Russian equivalent. And it has been focusing on the development of ties with the East, on the accumulation of gold and foreign currencies.Now the only thing that's left to be seen is whether it will be enough to keep the Russian economy afloat.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/beijing-blasts-us-over-ukraine-crisis-tells-washington-to-ask-itself-whos-to-blame-for-disaster-1093418510.html

Beijing Blasts US Over Ukraine Crisis, Tells Washington to Ask Itself Whos to Blame for Disaster

Beijing Blasts US Over Ukraine Crisis, Tells Washington to Ask Itself Whos to Blame for Disaster

US President Joe Biden warned Thursday that any nation that doesnt condemn Moscows military operation in Ukraine would be stained by association. On... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T10:48+0000

2022-02-27T10:48+0000

2022-02-27T11:02+0000

ukraine

united states

russia

china

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The United States should ask itself who is to blame for the Ukraine crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has suggested.Never forget whos the real threat to the world, the Chinese Embassy in Russia wrote in a separate tweet accompanied by a USA Bombing List: The Democracy World Tour graphic showing over 30 countries bombed by the US from the 1950s to the present.The graphic, first posted by Zhao, was shared and reposted by multiple Chinese missions and officials.The Embassy blamed the US for the current tensions around Ukraine, suggesting that if someone continues to pour oil on the flame while accusing others of not doing their best to put out the fire, that type of behaviour is clearly irresponsible and immoral.On Saturday, a US official told reporters that Washington expects Beijing to respect the new restrictions put in place against Russia by the US and its allies.The latest time suggests that Chinas not coming to the rescue, the official said in a conference call. I think it was reportedthat China was actually restricting some of its banks from providing credit to facilitate energy purchases from Russia, which suggests that much like has been the pattern for years and years, China has tended to respect the force of US sanctions.The US officials comments followed a report by Bloomberg that at least two major Chinese state-owned banks had restricted financing for purchases of Russian commodities, presumably due to the danger of facing secondary US restrictions.In a press conference Thursday, President Biden warned China and others that countries that failed to condemn Russias military operation in Ukraine would be stained by association.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin responded Friday, telling reporters that it was countries which have interfered in the domestic affairs others that would see their reputations stained.Russia launched what President Vladimir Putin referred to as a special military operation in Ukraine on Thursday aimed at demilitarizing and denazifying the country and protecting Russias Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republic allies. The operation, which the US and NATO blasted as an act of unprovoked aggression, was put on hold Friday afternoon after Kiev announced readiness to talk, but resumed Saturday after Kiev suggested that it would dictate the course of the negotiations. A Russian delegation arrived in Gomel, Belarus on Sunday and will be waiting for the Ukrainians until 3 pm local time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.The dramatic escalation of the situation in Ukraine this week is the culmination of a years-old security crisis that enveloped the region after a violent, US and EU-backed coup in Kiev in February 2014, which festered in the form of a long-running civil war in the countrys east.

https://sputniknews.com/20220225/china-fends-off-australias-criticism-of-beijings-decision-to-continue-normal-trade-with-russia-1093358506.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/kremlin-russian-delegation-arrives-in-belarus-for-talks-with-ukrainians-ready-to-start-in-gomel-1093413983.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/bidens-supreme-court-pick-will-push-woke-agenda-leader-of-conservative-latino-group-says-1093408988.html

Biden's Supreme Court Pick Will Push 'Woke Agenda', Leader of Conservative Latino Group Says

Biden's Supreme Court Pick Will Push 'Woke Agenda', Leader of Conservative Latino Group Says

Biden named Jackson to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court on Friday, thus fulfilling a campaign promise to appoint a Black woman to the... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T01:41+0000

2022-02-27T01:41+0000

2022-02-27T01:41+0000

us

us supreme court

justice

racism

woke

society

black

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US Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's Supreme Court nominee, has relentlessly promoted a "woke agenda," the leader of the political group Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles said on Saturday.In an interview with Fox News, the president of the organization, Alfonso Aguilar, said that although he admits to not having doubts regarding Jackson's intelligence or legal knowledge, "she has shown that shes willing to put her radical leftist views before the letter of the law and the constitution."Aguilar, who served in the Bush administration and now promotes conservative views among Latinos, claimed that Hispanics in the US would be repelled by Biden's choice.Jackson, 51, currently serves on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, where Biden nominated her to replace Attorney General Merrick Garland less than a year ago. She is a Harvard Law School graduate who clerked for Breyer. Jackson has reportedly long been mentioned in progressive circles as a possible Supreme Court nominee, and the left-wing, such as members of the Congressional group known as "the Squad", applauded her selection on Friday.Meanwhile, left-leaning Latino organizations also expressed support for Jackson. They praised both her qualifications and the opportunity to increase the diversity of representation on the court.Kumar added that she felt "proud" when former President Barak Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor, making her "the first Latina to become a Supreme Court Justice."Jackson's nomination will now be vetted and subjected to public hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee. To be confirmed to the Supreme Court, Jackson will require 51 votes in the Senate.

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Kirill Kurevlev

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/covid-hit-queen-elizabeth-ii-postpones-key-diplomatic-reception-1093411550.html

COVID-Hit Queen Elizabeth II Postpones Key Diplomatic Reception

COVID-Hit Queen Elizabeth II Postpones Key Diplomatic Reception

On 20 February, Buckingham Palace announced that UK Queen Elizabeth II had tested positive for coronavirus, but that she would continue performing some duties... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T05:11+0000

2022-02-27T05:11+0000

2022-02-27T05:11+0000

uk

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Queen Elizabeth II has postponed a traditional diplomatic reception, which was to be held on 2 March at Windsor Castle. According to a statement released on Saturday evening by Buckingham Palace, this decision was taken on the advice of UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss.The annual diplomatic reception with the participation of Elizabeth II is usually attended by more than 500 members of the diplomatic corps from all countries that have diplomatic missions in the UK.On 20 February, Buckingham Palace announced that after testing positive for COVID-19, Her Majesty is experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms, but hopes to continue her easy duties.Prior to that, it was reported that the Queen's son, heir to the throne, Prince Charles of Wales, was infected with the coronavirus for the second time.

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uk, queen elizabeth ii
Virginias Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority announced Sunday morning that it was removing seven Russian-sourced vodka brands from its shelves.

The state-run liquor store system attributed the decision to Gov. Glenn Youngkins call on Saturday for the state to take decisive action in support of Ukraine.

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Sen. Louise Lucas also tweeted Saturday morning, calling on Youngkin to order the removal of all Russian products from the ABC stores.

The vodka brands to be removed include Beluga, Hammer & Sickle, Imperia, Mamont, Organika, Russian Standard and ZYR.

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The stores will not be removing products such as Stolichnaya and Smirnoff, which are Russian-themed but not produced in Russia. Smirnoff is owned by Diageo, which is based in London, and is manufactured in Illinois.

Virginia ABC said in a Facebook post it would be reviewing its other products to determine whether they have origins in Russia.

Leaders in Ohio, Utah and New Hampshire have made similar calls for liquor stores to remove the products, according to a report from CNN.

The report said the move is largely symbolic since less than 1% of vodka consumed in the United States is produced in Russia.

Youngkin has also ordered the states Department of General Services to review state procurement of goods and services involving Russian companies.

The governor also called for Norfolk and Roanoke to end their sister city partnerships with Russian cities.

Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com
https://sputniknews.com/20220227/google-bans-download-of-rt-mobile-app-in-ukraine-on-kievs-request-1093415675.html

Google Bans Download of RT Mobile App in Ukraine on Kiev's Request

Google Bans Download of RT Mobile App in Ukraine on Kiev's Request

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Google has banned the download of the mobile application of the Russian RT channel in Ukraine at the request of Kiev, the broadcaster said... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T08:34+0000

2022-02-27T08:34+0000

2022-02-27T08:34+0000

europe

rt

google

ukraine

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"Google, at the request of Kiev, has banned the download of the RT mobile application on the territory of Ukraine," the broadcaster said in a statement published on its official Telegram channel.Earlier in the day, Google announced its decision to pause the ability of Russian state-owned media to monetize content with ads on all of its platforms amid Russia's military operation in Ukraine.On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces. Moscow has repeatedly said that it has no plans to occupy the Ukrainian territory. The Russian Defence Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/how-eu-turns-its-peace-budget-into-war-chest-to-provide-lethal-arms-to-ukraine-1093428643.html

How EU Turns Its Peace Budget Into War Chest to Provide Lethal Arms to Ukraine

How EU Turns Its Peace Budget Into War Chest to Provide Lethal Arms to Ukraine

While urging Russia to halt its special operation aimed at the de-militarisation and de-nazification of Ukraine, EU officials are due to unveil a programme... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T19:24+0000

2022-02-27T19:24+0000

2022-02-28T09:14+0000

situation in ukraine

europe

russia

eu

world

opinion

military aid

us

yugoslavia

nato expansion

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"On the one hand, talking about peace and condemning the aggression of Russia and on the other hand weaponising the conflict even more, is, to say the least, bad judgement. But sending medical supplies is one thing, prolonging the war is another, especially after provoking it," says Frank Creyelman, a Belgian honorary senator and honorary member of the Flemish Parliament.Germany on 26 February reversed its policy of never sending weapons to conflict zones, claiming that Russia's special operation "imperiled the entire post-World War II order" in Europe, according to Politico. Earlier, Germany had resisted the pressure from its EU and NATO allies, refusing to send lethal military aid to Ukraine.Berlin's change of heart "could mean a rapid increase in European military assistance for Ukraine," writes Politico. Large portions of Europe's weapons and ammunition are German-manufactured, which gives Berlin legal control over their transfer.Meanwhile, EU officials are working on a programme to arm Ukraine, even though the bloc's treaties prohibit it from using its normal budget to fund military operations. However, Brussels decided to use an off-budget financing vehicle, called the "European Peace Facility," to provide weapons to Kiev.No Longer a 'Peaceful' Alliance of DemocraciesGermany's change of heart could be explained by growing pressure from Washington, according to the observers. Still, it is not the first time that Berlin has reversed its rules of not sending its weapons to conflict zones, according to Dr Srdja Trifkovic, a Serbian-American publicist, historian, and foreign affairs editor for Chronicles magazine.In addition to Germany, the Netherlands, Estonia and Belgium have signaled their willingness to send arms to Kiev, according to Frank Creyelman.While it requires unanimous consent from all EU member states to authorise the use of the European Peace Facility, EU officials have found a loophole to proceed with their plan. According to Politico, the bloc's rules allow the countries that want to maintain neutrality to opt for a "constructive abstention" that wouldn't prevent the union from moving ahead.Proxy War Against Russia in UkraineSending lethal aid to Ukraine by the EU amounts to declaring a proxy war on Russia, according to Trifkovic. However, he insists that it has been the intention all along.What's worse, this proxy war against Russia comes at the expense of the Ukrainian people, says Dan Kovalik. "The United States and the UK clearly wound Ukraine up, clearly provoked Russia, clearly wanted this conflict and then once it started, they just backed off and watched it happen," he says."I would very clearly say that I don't think the United States supports Ukraine or the Ukrainian people. Obviously, if it did, it would have done much, much more to prevent the tragedy in the Donbass that's been going on for the last eight years," the academic notes.Instead, the Biden administration slapped sanctions on the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, cutting them off from economic trade, after they had suffered a lot of damage from the Ukrainian government forces, according to Kovalik. "Why are they being punished?" the professor asks.However, the US and European elites don't care about their own people either, according to Trifkovic: "[the West] doesn't give a hoot what will be the price that the people in German cities and the employers in German industries will pay for their natural gas, whether it will be more than twice what they're paying Gazprom."West's Media Machine is FalteringThe mainstream press is lashing out at Russia as "the biggest bogeyman" in the world, despite decades of US-NATO aggression in Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, according to the observers."When you see the Eiffel Tower and other iconic buildings being lit up as the Ukrainian flag, you do think, well, why not the Yemeni flag or the Palestinian flag or the Afghan flag or the Iraqi flag?" asks Dan Kovalik. "You can go down the line, I mean, all the countries that the West has invaded and destroyed. And there's very little hand-wringing about that."However, it's not that nobody has questioned the Western countries' actions, notes Trifkovic. Furthermore, over the years, the US' "democracy expansion" project has repeatedly failed in different parts of the world, according to him. The publicist notes that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is still at the helm in Syria; Egyptian President Sisi had managed to remove the Muslim Brotherhood following the US-hailed Arab Spring; and US troops chaotically withdrew from Afghanistan.

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Ekaterina Blinova

europe, russia, eu, world, opinion, military aid, us, yugoslavia, nato expansion, nato, donbass, germany, lethal weapons
https://sputniknews.com/20220227/how-western-press-has-kept-silent-for-years-on-war-in-donbass--neo-nazism-in-ukraine-1093401313.html

How Western Press Has Kept Silent For Years on War in Donbass & Neo-Nazism in Ukraine

How Western Press Has Kept Silent For Years on War in Donbass & Neo-Nazism in Ukraine

Russia on 24 February launched a "special operation" in Donbass aimed at protecting Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), which were recognised... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T04:31+0000

2022-02-27T04:31+0000

2022-02-27T04:31+0000

us

world

opinion

russia

europe

ukraine

donbass

minsk agreements

azov battalion

aidar battalion

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The "Russia invasion" narrative wasn't the West's "prophecy" but rather a cover-up for a new attempt to return the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk republics by force to Ukraine, according to George Eliason, an American investigative journalist who lives and works in Donbass. Bringing back Donbass would have paved the way for Ukraine's NATO membership: in accordance with the alliance's rules, a country having territorial disputes cannot be admitted to the bloc.By December 2021, the Kiev government had amassed up to 125,000 troops along the contact line with the Donbass republics. At the same time, OSCE reported more frequent use of heavy weapons, prohibited under the Minsk Agreements, by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against the breakaway regions.The Western smoke-and-mirrors media campaign speculating about Russia's "imminent invasion" began in spring 2021, according to the investigative journalist. The mainstream press claimed that Russia was about to invade Ukraine.In November 2021, the "Russian invasion narrative" caught its second breath with the mainstream press and prominent social media influencers publishing maps and "false flag" scenarios of the supposed assault.Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul launched nothing short of a tweet storm claiming that Ukrainian civilians will fight to the bitter end against Russian "occupiers". For his part, Hollywood star Sean Penn arrived in Ukraine to film a documentary about "Russian aggression."It was a coordinated infowar operation aimed at presenting Russia's possible reaction to Ukraine's offensive against Donbass as a full-fledged invasion, according to Eliason. Ukrainian President Volodymur Zelensky was also pushing the Information Operation narrative worked out for him by US infowar consultants, says the investigative journalist.Invisible War in DonbassAt the same time, the Western mainstream media have kept silence for years about the shelling of the Donetsk and Lugansk Republics by the Ukrainian government forces and neo-Nazi battalions.Just a limited number of independent American and European journalists and freelance photographers have been working in the Donbass region, chronicling the invisible war of the Ukrainian government against its own people. According to the UN, over 13,000 have been killed in the region since the Maidan coup d'etat of February 2014.Over the past several weeks the Ukrainian military had intensified bombardment of the Donbass region, prompting the leadership of the DPR and LPR to launch an evacuation of children and elderly people to Russia. However, "Ukrainian spec ops groups have been targeting evacuees leaving to Russia with mines and shells," says Eliason.The US openly dismissed Russia's warnings about the ongoing genocide of Russian-speakers and crimes against humanity in Eastern Ukraine. For his part, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz claimed at the annual Munich Security Conference on 19 February that it is "really ridiculous" to say that "there is something like genocide" in Donbass. Coming this from the German chancellor is "scandalous but expected," says Eliason. By turning a blind eye to crimes committed by Ukrainian military and neo-Nazi militias in Eastern Ukraine, the Scholz-led coalition is indirectly supporting "what amounts to second generation 1930s-40s political Nazi thought" in Ukraine, according to the investigative journalist.De-NazificationKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Thursday that Russia started a military operation to protect Donbass in order to clear the country of Nazis. "Ideally, it is necessary to liberate Ukraine, clear it of Nazis, as well as pro-Nazi people and ideology," Peskov told reporters.In the wake of the 2014 Maidan coup, a number of corporate media sources questioned the role of Ukraine neo-Nazi groups in the nation's political life but very then it was largely scratched from the Western mainstream narrative.In May 2018, Stephen F. Cohen, an influential American historian on Russia, warned in his op-ed for The Nation that "neo-fascists play an important official or tolerated role in the US-backed Ukraine." He bemoaned the fact that many Americans are unaware of 2 May 2014 "pogrom" in Odessa where roughly 50 people were burnt alive in the Trade Unions House by Ukrainian radical nationalists and neo-Nazis.The professor continued that the mainstream media has similarly overlooked the fact that the Azov Battalion, which is an official component of Kievs armed forces, has a pro-Nazi ideology. Back in 2017, the Hill quoted Azov's commander, Andriy Biletsky, as saying that the mission of Ukraine is to "lead the White Races of the world in a final crusade for their survival  against the Semite-led Untermenschen."What's more, the rehabilitation of neo-Nazism in Ukraine has been tolerated by successive American administrations since the time of the 2005 "Orange Revolution" and continued to thrive, under George Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, according to Cohen.The administration of Joseph Biden, who used to be Obama's appointee in Ukraine, went even further, by providing tonnes of weapons and training to the Ukrainian military as the latter concentrated along the line of contact with Donbass. On 16 December 2021, the UN General Assembly discussed a resolution that called for combating the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices fuelling racism and xenophobia. The only two countries that voted against it were the US and Ukraine.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/iranian-fm-tehran-ready-to-immediately-conclude-a-good-deal-should-west-show-real-will-1093410213.html

Iranian FM: Tehran Ready to Immediately Conclude a Good Deal, Should West Show Real Will

Iranian FM: Tehran Ready to Immediately Conclude a Good Deal, Should West Show Real Will

Nuclear Talks: Iranian FM Says Tehran Ready to Immediately Conclude Good Deal  Reports

2022-02-27T02:36+0000

2022-02-27T02:36+0000

2022-02-27T02:36+0000

middle east

vienna talks

joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa)

iranian nuclear program

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Iran is ready to immediately conclude a deal upon completion of the negotiations in Vienna, Austria, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Saturday.The negotiations, which started in April last year, include Iran, Germany, France, Great Britain, China and Russia with the US only indirectly participating. Both sides, Tehran and Washington, have been accusing each other of holding up the process, saying there is little time left before attempts to restore the agreement would be meaningless.In recent days, European and Russian representatives in Vienna stated that the talks to bring the US back to the agreement after its withdrawal in 2018 are nearing completion.On 20 February, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said he has no doubts that the agreement will be fully restored in its original form.One anonymous European Union negotiator expressed confidence last week that the JCPOA is expected to be ready in the next two weeks or so, saying most of the issues are already agreed.Iran has repeatedly stressed that its nuclear program is developed for peaceful purposes and it has never had plans to construct nuclear weapons. Tehran previously announced that its nuclear violations would be quickly reversed when sanctions are lifted. Meanwhile, Washington has demanded that Iran should first comply with the JCPOA provisions.

https://sputniknews.com/20220223/observers-europe-us--nato-should-feel-distraught-by-ukrainian-presidents-nuclear-blackmail-1093302743.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/kanye-west-rejects-as-hearsay-estranged-wife-kim-kardashians-criticism-of-his-misinformation-1093417586.html

Kanye West Rejects as 'Hearsay Estranged Wife Kim Kardashian's Criticism of His 'Misinformation'

Kanye West Rejects as 'Hearsay Estranged Wife Kim Kardashian's Criticism of His 'Misinformation'

Former reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, Kim Kardashian, previously filed court documents claiming that her estranged husband... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T10:48+0000

2022-02-27T10:48+0000

2022-02-27T10:48+0000

kanye west

kim kardashian

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Rapper Kanye West has filed an objection to his estranged wife's latest court filing, in which she accused him of "created emotional distress" by spreading "misinformation" on social media regarding their "private family matters and co-parenting." The musician, who officially and legally changed his name to "Ye" (his nickname) in 2021, on Friday slammed Kardashian's statement as "hearsay" in legal documents cited by PEOPLE. There has not yet been any official statement in response from Kardashian's representative and lawyer. A hearing in the legal tussle between the two celebrities has been scheduled for March 2.The reportedly highest-paid reality television personality of 2015 filed for divorce from rapper West in February 2021, after nearly seven years of marriage. Things turned sour between the pair, who co-parent their four children, North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 2,5, as Kardashian became involved in a new romance with American comedian and actor Pete Davidson. Rumours of a romance had originally sparked after the duo shared an on-screen kiss during a Saturday Night Live sketch in early October 2021, gathering steam since then. As the celebrity duo became one of social media's hottest items, the Yeezy designer lobbed several attacks on social media and in the press against Kardashian. The founder of shapewear company Skims eventually spoke out against her ex-husband, after he accused her of allowing daughter North to have a TikTok account "against [his] will." Ye, formerly Kanye West, 44, had previously expressed disapproval of his eldest childs presence on the app, telling the host of Hollywood Unlocked that he didnt want any of his four children using it. Kardashian added she was saddened by the manner in which Kanye West's obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation so negatively and publicly was causing pain for all. The American media personality, socialite, model, and businesswoman declared she wants to "handle all matters regarding our children privately and hopefully he can finally respond to the third attorney he has had in the last year to resolve any issues amicably." In her filing on Wednesday, Kardashian also said West's efforts to impede her divorce request "should be rejected." Scattered among his numerous Instagram posts, since-deleted, about Pete Davidson, whom Kanye West referred to as garbage and trash, were his hopes of getting back together with Kim Kardashian. It contained an attached personal declaration from Kardashian, expressing her "desire" to have the marriage terminated. I believe that the court terminating our marital status will help Kanye to accept that our marital relationship is over and to move forward on a better path which will assist us in peacefully co-parenting our children," said the voluptuous celebrity. West, widely regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop musicians of all time, later issued a public apology to Kardashian and Davidson for "sharing on social media screen shots that came off as harassing." The "Stronger" rapper also took "accountability" for his actions, yet by all accounts appeared to continue publicly post about Kim Kardashian on his Instagram.

https://sputniknews.com/20220225/kim-kardashian-calls-out-kanye-west-for-causing-emotional-distress-1093354784.html

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Svetlana Ekimenko

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/kremlin-russian-delegation-arrives-in-belarus-for-talks-with-ukrainians-ready-to-start-in-gomel-1093413983.html

Kiev Backtracks on Peace Talks in Gomel After Russian Delegation Arrives in Belarus

Kiev Backtracks on Peace Talks in Gomel After Russian Delegation Arrives in Belarus

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited Vladimir Putin to sit down for talks earlier this week, but as soon as Russia agreed, Kiev broke off contact... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T07:15+0000

2022-02-27T07:15+0000

2022-02-27T09:07+0000

world

situation in ukraine

ukraine

russia

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Kiev has rejected talks in the Belarusian city of Gomel after the Russian delegation arrived at the venue for negotiations with the Ukrainians on Sunday.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed that it was Kiev that proposed Gomel as a place for negotiations with Russia. Nonetheless, Russia is ready for talks and is "waiting for the Ukrainians," the Kremlin spokesman added.Peskov had announced that the Russian delegation, consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and other departments, including the presidential administration, arrived in Belarus for negotiations with the Ukrainians. "We will be ready to start these negotiations in Gomel," he told reporters.However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published a video address on his Telegram channel, saying that Kiev was rejecting Belarus as a platform for talks, claiming that missiles are being launched from the territory of the republic into Ukraine. He also suggested a number of other cities where the Ukrainian side would be ready to meet, including Warsaw, Istanbul and Baku, among others.The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said that Minsk has prepared everything necessary for the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Gomel.Shortly thereafter, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stressed that no missiles are being launched towards Ukraine, and there are no Belarusian soldiers, armaments or ammunition in Ukraine, because Russia doesn't need such help. He previously said that Minsk was not going to get involved in the war, but was ready to render all the necessary support to Russia as its ally.Volodymyr Zelensky called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table earlier this week. Peskov said that Russia was ready to send its delegation to Minsk for negotiations with Ukraine, with President Putin halting the special military operation in Ukraine in anticipation of talks. However, the Ukrainian side later refused to hold talks.On 21 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognising the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and early on the morning of 24 February, Russia launched a military operation to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine. In a televised address to fellow citizens, Putin said that circumstances require decisive and immediate action, as the Donbass republics asked for help. In turn, the Russian Defence Ministry stressed that the Russian Armed Forces haven't launched any strikes on the cities of Ukraine: military infrastructure was disabled by high-precision means. The civilian population, as the ministry has repeatedly emphasised, was not in danger.

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world, ukraine, russia
Russian Foreign Ministry: Germany's Decision to Supply Lethal Weapons to Ukraine Calls on Ghosts of Not Cold, But Hot War

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on Berlin's decision to supply lethal weapons to the Ukrainian authorities, saying that German weapons will again be directed against the Russians.

On Sunday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany had approved the supply of weapons to Ukraine. At the same time, on the same day, the chancellor noted that the post-war reconciliation of Germany and Russia remained an important chapter in the common history, and a new rejection between the countries cannot be allowed.

"Nothing is new under the Sun. Again, as many times in history, the weapons that came from German soil will be directed against Russian soldiers," Zakharova said in a statement.

Zakharova said that the weapons supplied by Germany to Ukraine could become the prey of neo-Nazis, terrorists and marauders.

"In recent days, we have witnessed repeated statements by the German side about the start of deliveries of military weapons to Ukraine [in particular, we are talking about 1,000 portable anti-tank missiles, 500 portable anti-aircraft missile systems Stinger, permission for a number of third countries to transfer German-made weapons to Kiev], which runs counter to the balanced line previously pursued by Berlin on this issue," Zakharova said.

"By this decision, Germany is calling on the ghosts of not a cold war, but the most 'hot' war," she said.

"Too many sad associations are caused by the prospect of further 'military' pumping of Kiev from Berlin, which, moreover, apparently does not realize that in the current situation, the weapons supplied on Ukrainian territory can easily become the prey of neo-Nazis, terrorists and marauders," she said.
https://sputniknews.com/20220227/lukashenko-says-harassment-of-belarusians-in-ukraine-could-push-minsk-toward-a-special-op-1093415399.html

Lukashenko Says 'Harassment of Belarusians' in Ukraine Could Push Minsk Toward a Special Op

Lukashenko Says 'Harassment of Belarusians' in Ukraine Could Push Minsk Toward a Special Op

Earlier, a Russian delegation had arrived in Belarus for negotiations with the Ukrainians, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, after the Belarusian Foreign... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T08:23+0000

2022-02-27T08:23+0000

2022-02-27T11:03+0000

world

belarus

alexander lukashenko

russia

ukraine

situation in ukraine

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President Alexander Lukashenko has said that the "harassment of Belarusians" in Ukraine could prompt Minsk towards undertaking a "special operation".Lukashenko, who emphasised that there were no Belarusian soldiers or armaments in Ukraine, as Russia did not require such assistance for its special operation there, aimed at "protecting the people" of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics from the "genocide" waged by the Ukrainian authorities, said that Belarusians were being caught on the territory of that country and subjected to beatings.Such incidents trigger outrage and may prompt Minsk to launch a special operation to release its citizens, said Alexander Lukashenko.The Belarusian president stressed that rockets are not flying from the territory of his country towards Ukraine. Instead, weapons were smuggled into Belarus from Ukraine as gangs had geared up for provocations in the republic. Lukashenko stated that a defence plan for his country had already been developed, and necessary weaponry would shortly be transferred to the republic from Russia.The Belarusian president urged Kiev to sit down at the negotiating table with Russia unless it wanted to lose its statehood. Lukashenko said that so far he would characterise what was taking place in Ukraine as a conflict.In a day or two, there will be a war raging, and in three days  a bloodbath, he told journalists on Sunday.The role of Minsk in Moscow's ongoing special operation in Ukraine is to prevent Russian troops from being stabbed in the back, President Alexander Lukashenko said on Sunday. The Americans, having drawn Ukraine into the war against Russia, want to solve the Belarusian issue at the same time. It wont work. We are not that stupid. And in this operation our role is - I said this already on the second day of the conflict  to ensure that Russians would not be stabbed in the back from the north and west. This is our task, and we will not allow this," Lukashenka told reporters.He denounced the sanctions slapped on the Russian Federation in connection with events in Ukraine, saying that by doing so the West was pushing Russia towards a Third World War. Leading Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, have been targeted by the sanctions, as well as several major banks and companies.Russia and its allies from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (LPR, DPR) launched a special military operation in Ukraine on Thursday aimed at "demilitarising and denazifying" the country following the escalation of attacks on the two breakaway regions and after they asked for protection from "genocide" waged by Kiev.Ahead of that, on 21 February, Moscow recognised the independence of LPR and DPR. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised that Moscow has no intention of occupying Ukraine, while the Russian Defence Ministry said that there is no threat to the civilian population, as it is conducting precision strikes on military infrastructure - air defence facilities, military airfields, and air forces.Kiev rejected talks in the Belarusian city of Gomel after the Russian delegation arrived at the venue for negotiations with the Ukrainians on Sunday.According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, it was Kiev that proposed Gomel as a place for negotiations with Russia. As Peskov announced that the Russian delegation, consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and other departments, including the presidential administration, had arrived in Belarus for negotiations with the Ukrainians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published a video address on his Telegram channel. Zelensky stated that Kiev was rejecting Belarus as a platform for talks, claiming that missiles are being launched from the territory of the republic into Ukraine. He also suggested a number of other cities where the Ukrainian side would be ready to meet, including Warsaw, Istanbul and Baku, among others.

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/putin-thanks-russian-special-op-forces-for-heroically-performing-their-military-duty-in-ukraine-1093413085.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/kremlin-russian-delegation-arrives-in-belarus-for-talks-with-ukrainians-ready-to-start-in-gomel-1093413983.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220226/lavrov-tells-turkey-russia-ready-to-work-with-all-constructive-forces-to-resolve-ukraine-crisis-1093397865.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/odd-jobber-says-he-was-forced-by-mob-to-shoulder-blame-for-pamela-anderson-x-rated-sex-tape-theft-1093420270.html

Odd-Jobber Says He Was Forced by Mob to Shoulder Blame for Pamela Anderson 'Sex Tape' Theft

Odd-Jobber Says He Was Forced by Mob to Shoulder Blame for Pamela Anderson 'Sex Tape' Theft

Disney+ streaming platform premiered the series, Pam & Tommy, on 2 February in the UK, with the biographical drama depicting the 1995 marriage between Baywatch... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T13:00+0000

2022-02-27T13:00+0000

2022-02-27T13:00+0000

pamela anderson

sex tape

us

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Rand Gauthier, the electrician portrayed stealing Pamela Anderson and her then-husband Tommy Lees sex tape in a new Disney+ series, Pam & Tommy, has claimed he was forced by mobsters to take the fall for the 1995 theft. The much-feared American-Italian criminal Gambino clan were purportedly behind the X-rated footage going viral, according to Rands interview in The Sun.Back in 2014, in an interview for Rolling Stone, on which the series is based, Rand, who did a stint as a male porn star, revealed that he had sneaked into the mansion where the celebrity couple lived and stole a Browning safe in revenge for unpaid work on the property. The tape showing the then-newlyweds Baywatch star Anderson and Motley Crue drummer Lee having sex was inside. However, The Sun cited Rand as saying:The ex-handyman, 63, insists that after being made an offer he could not refuse, he was forced to lie for years by the Gambino family, involved in racketeering, extortion, drug trafficking, prostitution and pornography. Disgruntled Odd-JobberRand, according to the 2014 Rolling Stone story, had been a porn star of sorts, also working as an electrician, and was hired to work on Tommy Lees home renovation in 1995.He was fired months later by Lee, who purportedly complained about shoddy work and refused to pay them. The disgruntled handyman claimed during the interview that when he returned to the property to collect his tools, Tommy Lee pointed a gun at him.He added that the reason they had all been fired was that the drummer had bought a new Ferrari, a new speedboat and this expensive house and he ran out of money. According to Gauthier's 2014 account of events, he stole up to the couples bedroom, stole the safe and sawed it open. Then he took it to a porn studio in North Hollywood, making copies with the help of his partner, before destroying the original. They tried to find a distributor, but only got funding from a man with connections to a New York mob family, wrote the outlet. After the tapes got out, Gauthier claimed he was accosted by a biker gang, purportedly enlisted by Lee to hunt down the distributors. Rand Gauthier insisted he spent over a year in hiding, and in 1997 he and his partner were forced to close down their operation without yet paying their mob-linked backer. Gauthier was forced to working as a collector for the mob to pay back his part of the debt, stated the story. The ex-handyman, cited by The Sun, says he apologised to Pamela Anderson for his role in the tape being distributed. Anderson, 54, who divorced Lee in 1998 and is now a mother-of-two, is said to have been devastated when the highly personal footage first went viral on the internet. According to cited friends, she has refused to watch the trailer for Pam & Tommy or advise 32-year-old London-based actress Lily James on the role. Rand Gauthier never faced jail time for his actions at a time when internet crime was still a novel concept.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/putin-assures-israels-bennett-russia-ready-to-talk-to-ukraine-says-kiev-showing-inconsistency-1093419609.html

Putin Assures Israel's Bennett Russia Ready to Talk to Ukraine, Says Kiev Showing 'Inconsistency'

Putin Assures Israel's Bennett Russia Ready to Talk to Ukraine, Says Kiev Showing 'Inconsistency'

Russia summoned Israel's ambassador to Moscow on Friday to ask why Tel Aviv "supports neo-Nazis" in Kiev after Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid blasted the... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T11:59+0000

2022-02-27T11:59+0000

2022-02-27T13:44+0000

ukraine

situation in ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that Moscow remains open to talks with Kiev, but informed him that Ukraine's leaders have shown "inconsistency" on the matter."In turn, Naftali Bennett offered Israel's services as an intermediary in order to suspend hostilities," the Kremlin said.Sunday's call took place on the initiative of the Israeli side, and "bilateral contacts" at various levels were said to have been agreed.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Bennett on Friday, asking Tel Aviv to help mediate the crisis. Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk said Kiev felt "that Israel is the only democratic state in the world that has great relations with both Ukraine and Russia"."They didn't say no. They are trying to figure out where they are in this chess play," Korniychuk said.Moscow summoned Israeli ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi on Friday and asked him to clarify Tel Aviv's position on Russia's operation to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine, with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov reportedly asking the envoy to explain why Israel was expressing support for "neo-Nazis" in Kiev.Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid blasted the Russian military operation on Thursday, calling it an "attack on Ukraine" and "a serious violation of the international order.""Israel condemns that attack and is ready and prepared to offer humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian citizens," Lapid said. The minister also said that Israel has "deep, long-lasting and good relations" with both Kiev and Moscow, and noted that Tel Aviv's top priority was the safety and security of the thousands of Israelis and hundreds of thousands of Jews living in both countries.A Russian delegation arrived in Gomel, southeastern Belarus on Sunday for talks with Kiev representatives. Vladimir Medinsky, the former Russian minister of culture heading up the talks on the Russian side, said Sunday afternoon that a Ukrainian delegation is on route to Belarus for negotiations.Russia and its Donbass allies - the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, launched a major military operation in Ukraine on Thursday after an effort to deescalate tensions and halt Ukrainian artillery and mortar attacks on the republics failed.The US and its allies in Europe and Asia condemned the Russian operation as an unprovoked "invasion" and an act of "military aggression" and slapped Moscow with new sanctions, with NATO beefing up its military presence in Eastern Europe and ramping up military aid to Kiev.The current crisis is the culmination of eight years of escalating tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine following a pro-Western coup in Kiev in February 2014, which ousted the country's neutrality-seeking government and replaced it with forces seeking to integrate the country into the European Union and NATO.

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced decisive action by Virginia in support of Ukraine Saturday. (SCOTT P. YATES, The Roanoke Times/AP)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin called for decisive action by Virginia in support of Ukraine on Saturday  including an appeal to Norfolk to end its sister city partnership with a Russian city.

In a statement, Youngkin also called on President Joe Biden to take a tougher stance.

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Today, we are acting to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people as they defend their country, Youngkin said. And while these are important steps, it is incumbent upon President Biden to take a stronger, more decisive leadership position to end this war.

Youngkin ordered the states Department of General Services to review state procurement of goods and services involving Russian companies. He urged the Virginia Retirement System board of trustees, as well as university endowment funds, to divest in a prudent and orderly fashion of all holdings of the Russian Ruble and securities of Russian companies.

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Youngkin is also calling on Norfolk and Roanoke to end their sister city partnerships with Russian cities Kaliningrad  which is located in a Russian semi-exclave of the same name  and Pskov, respectively.

The announcement comes as Russias invasion into Ukraine enters its third day and as governors across the country announce actions in support of Ukraine.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu ordered state-run liquor and wine outlets to remove Russian liquor from their shelves. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott asked Texas retailers to remove all Russian products.

Ali Sullivan, 757-677-1974, ali.sullivan@virginiamedia.com
https://sputniknews.com/20220227/putin-slams-western-permissiveness-of-aggressive-speeches-in-russias-direction-by-nato-officials-1093422175.html

Putin Puts Russian Nuclear Deterrence Forces on High Alert Over Aggressive Statements by NATO

Putin Puts Russian Nuclear Deterrence Forces on High Alert Over Aggressive Statements by NATO

The Western alliance promised to "hold Russia" and Belarus "accountable" for the "brutal and wholly unprovoked and unjustified" "invasion" of Ukraine on... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T13:10+0000

2022-02-27T13:10+0000

2022-02-27T17:59+0000

russia

situation in ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military to put the nation's nuclear deterrence forces on high alert Sunday following "aggressive statements" from NATO.Putin's order follows remarks by UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss earlier in the day warning that if Russia's military operation in Ukraine was not "stopped," it could lead to a conflict with NATO. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki condemned the Russian president's decision later Sunday, suggesting it was part of a "pattern" of "manufacturing threats that don't exist to justify further aggression." Psaki did not comment on Truss's remarks.Russia 'Will Be Held Accountable', NATO SaysThe leaders of the Western alliance held an emergency virtual summit on Friday to "condemn in the strongest possible terms" what they called "Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, enabled by Belarus." In a joint statement, the alliance called on Moscow to "immediately cease its military assault, to withdraw all its forces from Ukraine and to turn back from the path of aggression it has chosen."The alliance promised to "take all measures and decisions required to ensure the security and defence of all Allies," including through the deployment of additional land and air units in Eastern Europe and maritime assets "across the NATO area." This has included the deployment of the NATO combat-ready response force 'as a precautionary measure', for the first time in the bloc's history.US media have also warned in recent days that a Russian cyberattack on Ukraine could trigger Article 5 -the NATO Treaty measure committing allies to joint defence in the event of an attack on one member, if such a cyber action impacts eastern Poland.NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday that the alliance would protect "every inch" of the bloc's territory, but noted that NATO does not have "any plans" to deploy troops in Ukraine."There must be no space for miscalculation or misunderstanding. We will do what it takes to protect and defend every ally, and every inch of NATO territory," Stoltenberg said.The NATO chief and others, including US President Joe Biden, have indicated that the alliance's assistance to Kiev would continue include weapons and other support.Ukraine Crisis: Decades in the MakingThe current security crisis in Ukraine is at least in part a calamity of NATO's own creation. Russian officials have spent years condemning the bloc for its decades-long eastward push toward Russia's borders, and Washington's unilateral moves to break security agreements with Moscow aimed at ensuring peace and strategic stability - such as the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and the Open Skies Treaty.At each step, whether in incorporating new members into the alliance or ripping up a post-Cold War security treaty, the US and its allies continued to assure Moscow of their readiness to "talk" to address Russian security concerns. In 2014, Ukraine's bloc-neutrality-seeking government was overthrown in a violent, Western-backed coup d'etat, setting Kiev on a course for membership in the European Union and NATO. The coup led Crimea to break off from Ukraine and rejoin Russia, and sparked a civil war in eastern Ukraine between Kiev forces and local militias refusing to recognize the new regime. The bleeding wound in eastern Ukraine would continue to remain unhealed for nearly eight years, with Kiev ducking promises made to Germany, France and Russia to end the war by providing the self-proclaimed Donbass republics with constitutionally-guaranteed autonomy, in accordance with the 2015 Minsk Agreements.In December, the Russian Foreign Ministry proposed two security treaties to NATO and the US aimed at easing tensions and restoring strategic stability to Europe. The draft agreements called on both sides to limit the deployment of troops, missile systems, aircraft and warships in areas where they could be considered a threat by the other side. Crucially, they also included a demand that NATO end its eastward expansion into the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine, and limit the deployment of forces in countries which joined the bloc after the end of the Cold War. Washington and the alliance openly and publicly rejected the Russian proposals, expressing hopes for continued talks.Russia recognized the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republic as sovereign states last Monday. On Thursday, amid continued Ukrainian mortar and artillery attacks on Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republic territories, Moscow launched a military operation in Ukraine which Putin said is aimed at "demilitarising and denazifying" the country.

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/uks-truss-claims-unless-russian-op-in-ukraine-is-stopped-it-may-result-in-conflict-with-nato-1093416235.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220128/us-systematically-removed-trust-transparency-safeguards-preventing-nuclear-war-ignores-remainder-1092595388.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/russian-journalists-come-under-fire-from-ukrainian-forces-in-donbass-1093419335.html

Russian Journalists Come Under Fire From Ukrainian Forces in Donbass

Russian Journalists Come Under Fire From Ukrainian Forces in Donbass

On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarise Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for help in... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T11:39+0000

2022-02-27T11:39+0000

2022-02-27T13:36+0000

world

donbass

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RIA Novosti, Zvezda and TVC journalists came under fire from Ukrainian forces in the south of the DPR in the village of Pishchevik (about 20 kilometres from Mariupol); nobody was injured, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported. The fire raid occurred at 14:32. At least 10 missiles were fired. The journalists managed to leave the territory and get out of the impact zone.A Ukrainian UAV was spotted in the sky after Russian journalists were shelled in the DPR, the correspondent added.On 21 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), which had declared their independence from Kiev back in 2014, and early on the morning of 24 February, Russia launched a military operation to demilitarise Ukraine. In a televised address to citizens, Vladimir Putin said that circumstances require decisive and immediate action, as the Donbass republics had asked for help. In turn, the Russian Defence Ministry said that the Russian Armed Forces hadn't launched any strikes on the cities of Ukraine: the military infrastructure was disabled by high-precision means. The civilian population was not in danger, the ministry added. Moscow has repeatedly said that it has no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory. At the same time, DPR and LPR forces launched a counteroffensive against the Ukrainian troops in Donbass. In the past weeks, the situation along the line of contact has significantly deteriorated as Ukrainian forces have intensified the shelling of Donbass.

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world, donbass
https://sputniknews.com/20220227/russian-media-watchdog-demands-google-restore-access-to-its-youtube-channels-in-ukraine-1093423208.html

Russian Media Watchdog Demands Google Restore Access to its YouTube Channels in Ukraine

Russian Media Watchdog Demands Google Restore Access to its YouTube Channels in Ukraine

Earlier in the day, Google announced its decision to pause the ability of Russian state-owned media to monetize content with ads on all of its platforms in... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T13:59+0000

2022-02-27T13:59+0000

2022-03-01T10:24+0000

russia

ukraine

google

youtube

facebook

donetsk people's republic

lugansk peoples republic

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Russia's state communications regulator Roskomnadzor has demanded that Google restore access to Russian medias YouTube channels in Ukraine. The Russian media watchdogs press service said on Sunday that it had written to Alphabet Inc's Google with a demand to remove in the shortest time possible all restrictions imposed on the Russian-language YouTube channels of media outlets such as RBC, TV Zvezda and Sputnik. It demanded that explanations be provided for such restrictions in the first place. Roskomnadzor pointed out that it had earlier received information from the editorial offices of these outlets about restrictions imposed by the administration of YouTube video hosting platform on Russian-language channels on the territory of Ukraine."In its letter to the YouTube administration, the Russian media regulator noted that "such actions violate the key principles of the free distribution of information and unimpeded access of citizens to it." Earlier, YouTube announced that it was joining Meta in banning state-funded Russian media organizations from running ads or profiting on its platform. YouTube channels earn money via ads that appear when users watch their videos. Google also banned the download of the mobile application of the Russian RT channel in Ukraine at the request of Kiev, the broadcaster said on Sunday in a statement published on its official Telegram channel.The developments follow Meta similarly restricting Russian state-owned media from monetizing content on Facebook  a decision announced by Nathaniel Gleicher, the platforms head of security policy, on Twitter on Friday. In response, Moscow on Friday said it was partially limiting access to Meta Platforms Inc's Facebook, accusing it of "censoring" Russian media. The above-mentioned moves came in response to Moscow launching a special operation on Thursday to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces. The Kremlin had repeatedly said that it harboured no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory, while the Russian Defence Ministry said the special operation targeted only Ukrainian military infrastructure, and the civilian population was not in danger.

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/google-bans-download-of-rt-mobile-app-in-ukraine-on-kievs-request-1093415675.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220225/russian-media-watchdog-to-limit-access-to-facebook-1093373427.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/putin-assures-israels-bennett-russia-ready-to-talk-to-ukraine-says-kiev-showing-inconsistency-1093419609.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/taiwanese-semiconductor-producer-reportedly-suspends-supplies-to-russia-due-to-sanctions-1093426167.html

Taiwanese Semiconductor Producer Reportedly Suspends Supplies to Russia Due to Sanctions

Taiwanese Semiconductor Producer Reportedly Suspends Supplies to Russia Due to Sanctions

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has ceased supplies to Russia due to sanctions over its military operation in Ukraine... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T16:04+0000

2022-02-27T16:04+0000

2022-02-27T16:07+0000

situation in ukraine

taiwan

taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company (tsmc)

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TSMC has fully ceased supplies to Russia and to its suppliers after scrutinizing the sanctions in order to comply with them, according to Taiwanese media agency CNAs sources.TSMC also suspended production of Russia-designed semiconductors Elbrus, CNA reported, citing its sources.On 25 February, the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry announced that it would join the international economic sanctions imposed on Russia in order to compel Russia to halt its military aggression against Ukraine.The new round of sanctions will prohibit Russian firms from purchasing an array of high-tech products, including semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, information security equipment, lasers, and sensors.In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk requested assistance to defend themselves from attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defence Ministry said the operation was targeting the military infrastructure of Ukraine and the civilian population was not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/three-bayraktar-drones-shot-down-ukrainian-s-300-complex-destroyed-during-sunday-ops-russian-mod-1093426833.html

Three Bayraktar Drones Shot Down, Ukrainian S-300 Complex Destroyed During Sunday Ops: Russian MoD

Three Bayraktar Drones Shot Down, Ukrainian S-300 Complex Destroyed During Sunday Ops: Russian MoD

Russia began a military operation to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine on Thursday after a formal request for assistance from the Donetsk and Lugansk... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T17:03+0000

2022-02-27T17:03+0000

2022-02-27T18:11+0000

ukraine

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Three Turkish-sourced Ukrainian Bayraktar TB-2 strike drones were shot down in the suburbs of Chernigov, and an S-300 air defence complex was rendered inoperable in the area of the city of Kramatorsk during Russia's ongoing military operation in Ukraine, Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Sunday.Six other air defence systems, including Buk M1 and Osa missile systems, as well as 56 radar stations, were also destroyed during Sunday's operations, Konashenkov said.Some 1,067 objects of Ukrainian military infrastructure have been destroyed during the operation to date, including 254 tanks and other armoured vehicles, 31 grounded aircraft, 46 heavy multiple launch rocket artillery systems, and 103 artillery guns and mortars, the MoD spokesman said.Russian troops have suffered casualties, including dead and wounded, Konashenkov said. These are "many times" below those of among Ukrainian nationalist formations, and those of the regular Ukrainian army, he said. The spokesman did not elaborate on specific casualty figures, however.According to the MoD, Donetsk People's Republic forces have advanced six kilometers, freeing the settlements of Nizhneye, Granitnoe and Gnutovo, while Lugansk People's Republic forces pushed forward four kilometers with Russian fire support.The Ukrainian military inherited 6,500 tanks, 7,000 armoured vehicles, over 1,500 combat aircraft and more 350 ships after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, becoming one of the largest and most powerful armies in Europe overnight. In the decades since, many of these systems have been scrapped or sold to other countries, with the remainder upgraded. Following the 2014 western-backed coup d'etat in Kiev, Ukraine began receiving military equipment and training from NATO. US deliveries were initially limited to "non-lethal" supplies, including hundreds of Humvees, during the Obama administration, but under Donald Trump and Joe Biden grew to include lethal weapons including Javelin anti-tank systems and man-portable air defence equipment. President Biden signed off on an additional $350 million in military aid to Ukraine on Saturday, bringing the NATO total to nearly $3 billion.The Kiev government has been at war with breakaway forces in the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk since the spring of 2014, when the new authorities in the Ukrainian capital sent troops to try to crush the Donbass uprisings by force. At least 13,000 people were killed in the conflict and over 33,000 people were wounded, with 2.5 million civilians forced to flee their homes, one million of them to neighbouring Russia. In February 2015, Ukraine's president met with the leaders of Russia, Germany and France in Minsk, Belarus to hammer out the Minsk Agreements - aimed at ending the civil war by reintegrating the Donbass into Ukraine in exchange for constitutionally-guaranteed autonomy. In the years that followed, Kiev refused to implement the Minsk peace deal, with an attempt to do so by President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019 scuttled after tens of thousands of ultranationalists and veterans of the war in the Donbass took to the streets of Kiev and threatened to overthrow him. Since then, the conflict continued, with the shaky ceasefire punctuated by artillery and mortar fire or sniper attacks on almost a daily basis.On 21 February, amid a Ukrainian military buildup near Donbass and reports of hundreds of violations of the ceasefire by OSCE observers, Russia took the unprecedented step of recognising the Donbass breakaways as independent republics. Days later, on the night of 23 February, amid continued Ukrainian attacks, the states formally asked Russia for military assistance. On the morning of 24 February, Moscow launched what President Putin referred to as a "special military operation" in Ukraine to "demilitarise and denazify" the country.

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/russian-mod-ukraines-forces-use-banned-phosphorous-munitions-outside-kiev-1093422868.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/uk-to-keep-secret-names-of-thousands-of-firms-after-billions-in-covid-19-loans-lost---report-1093410433.html

UK to Keep Secret Names of Thousands of Firms After Billions in COVID-19 Loans Lost - Report

UK to Keep Secret Names of Thousands of Firms After Billions in COVID-19 Loans Lost - Report

The UK government estimated recently that the bounce-back scheme, which granted loans up to 50,000 pounds ($67,000) to small firms during the COVID-19... 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T03:18+0000

2022-02-27T03:18+0000

2022-02-27T03:44+0000

uk

covid-19

government

financial aid

aid

transparency

corruption

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Thousands of British enterprises that profited from COVID-19 financing schemes worth billions of pounds will remain anonymous under new government rules to only publish state subsidies worth 500,000 ($670,000) or more, The Guardian reported on Saturday.The increased threshold was reportedly implemented after Brexit, despite concerns that it might impede the fight against fraudsters who are suspected of stealing billions from the schemes. All pandemic business loans over 100,000 ($112,000) had to be published with details of the receivers under EU requirements in effect until the end of 2020, when Britain formally left the union. The new 500,000 level for public disclosure of state aid, including pandemic loans, is set out in the government's subsidy control bill, which is currently being debated in parliament, according to the outlet.Because of the disclosure rules, most enterprises that apply for loans will reportedly remain undisclosed. According to the estimates quoted in the report from the British Business Bank, the government-owned bank that provided the funding, only 3% of businesses who applied for help under the bounce back loan scheme are expected to be named.In light of this, late last month, treasury minister Lord Theodore Agnew resigned, citing a series of "schoolboy errors" in the fight against fraud. Because of a combination of "arrogance, indolence, and ignorance," he added, the loans regime was more open to fraud.Estimated fraud losses for two other schemes, the coronavirus large business interruption loan scheme and the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme, have reportedly not been released by ministers. Between March 23, 2020, and March 31, 2021, almost 80 billion ($107 billion) in loans were granted to businesses across the UK. According to reports, the British government is being sued under freedom of information laws to provide information on all of the loan recipients.The kingdom's Information Commissioners Office refused to do so in December 2021, stating under a temporary EU framework, only UK loans provided in 2020 that were over 100,000 (or 10,000 for farming or fisheries) were to be published. As of now, companies in England, Wales, and Scotland will only be required to report loans of 500,000 or more from January 1, 2021, under the UK's post-Brexit framework. Moreover, under Article 10 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, loans in Northern Ireland are still subject to EU reporting requirements. Normally, EU state aid is reported at a threshold of 500,000 ($560,000), however, this threshold was lowered for the pandemic loans.

https://sputniknews.com/20220131/uk-treasury-pledges-to-pursue-anyone-involved-in-theft-of-5-billion-in-covid-support-money-1092634368.html

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Kirill Kurevlev

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https://sputniknews.com/20220227/us-condemns-pyongyangs-latest-missile-launch-us-indo-pacific-command-says-1093411722.html

US Condemns Pyongyangs Latest Missile Launch

US Condemns Pyongyangs Latest Missile Launch

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States condemns North Koreas ballistic missile test carried out on Sunday, the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) said. 27.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-27T05:16+0000

2022-02-27T05:16+0000

2022-02-27T05:18+0000

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us

democratic republic of north korea (dprk)

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"We are aware of the DPRKs ballistic missile launch this morning and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns this launch and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further destabilising acts," INDOPACOM said in a statement.The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said as cited by Yonhap on Sunday that it detected the launch from in and around the Sunan area in Pyongyang at 7:52 a.m. local time (22:52 GMT on Saturday).The unidentified projectile, likely a ballistic missile, was fired toward the Sea of Japan, the JCS said.Japan has expressed protest to Pyongyang via diplomatic channels over this latest missile test, according to Japanese Defence Minister Kishi Nobuo, who told reporters on Sunday that the suspected missile flew around 300 kilometres (186 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 600 kilometres, according to Tokyos estimates. It fell outside of Japans exclusive economic zone.

us

democratic republic of north korea (dprk)

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After spending five years in Omaha as house parents and family teachers for Boys Town, Zane Kaehr and his wife Staci decided God was calling them to serve in a new fashion, leading them to WestWay Church in Scottsbluff.

During that five years, we had 39 boys come through our house that we helped raise in one way or another, teaching them life skills, social skills. All of them were at risk, troubled, youth, Kaehr said. And so, we were doing that, and then we just felt like God was calling us just to do something else  I graduated college from Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, Kansas; they have postings, and I found this posting, and so I emailed John (Mulholland).

Mulholland, lead pastor of WestWay Church, had posted a job for pastor of family ministries, which Kaehr applied for in May 2021, ultimately taking the position and beginning work in September that year.

Kaehr said that with his experience at Boys Town, as well as having been a pastor right out of college, he felt he was in the right place.

Thats what Jesus commanded us to do  go out into the world and make disciples of all nations. And so, I felt like this was the way he wanted me to do that, And so thats why Im doing ministry, he said. My time at Boys Town, I realize just how important families are. (The) vast majority of the 39 kids that we worked with came from broken families.  I saw how important families are, and I know how important parents discipling their kids are, so I figured, well hey, if I can hit both of those at the same time, then thats where I want to be.

Thats exactly what Kaehr is doing at WestWay, working in ministries for newborns all the way up to grandparents and everything in between. The idea is to help bring an individuals faith full circle as it relates to other members of their families who are at different stages in life.

Each level is giving them a foundation that they can build upon when they  move on to the next level.  I like working with each level because each level has a different need.

Kaehr said he particularly likes working with parents and grandparents, because he wants to help them on their journey of instilling the faith in their own children.

With the parenting aspect, I really want to work with the parents, so they can work with their kids at home, and so since the first day Ive gotten here, Ive said its the parents responsibility to disciple their own kids, and Im just here to help encourage and equip them with that.

Now having been in the area for several months, Kaehr said that he and his family is enjoying the community.

We really love it here. Im pretty sure at least once or twice a week, either myself or my wife say, We love it out here. Im glad we came out here, he said. The church has been super awesome. Theyre super welcoming. I feel like weve been going here for years  just the community that this church has, that WestWay has, we fit right in and any new people that show up here, they just welcome with open arms and make them feel like that theyve been a part of this culture forever, and thats how my wife and I feel.

WestWays Sunday service begins at 10:15 a.m. with a childrens program beginning at the same time. Youth group is on Wednesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. and a childrens program will be at the same time beginning in March.

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OMAHA - United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced on Thursday that Scottsbluff resident Dillon Morgan, 24, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. District judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Morgan to 120 months imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Morgan will begin a five-year term of supervised release.

Law enforcement, with the WING (Western Nebraska Intelligence Narcotics Group) Task Force, utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Morgan. On Feb. 25, 2020, the informant purchased 29 grams of methamphetamine from Morgan. On March 2, 2020, the informant purchased an additional 30 grams of methamphetamine from Morgan. The following day, law enforcement arrested Morgan with two grams of meth. Morgan had been distributing it to other individuals in the Alliance and Scottsbluff areas.

The case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the WING Task Force.

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Students in Nebraska Panhandle High Schools who are planning to attend college/tech school the fall after graduating from high school or students in their 2nd year of continuing ed. will be eligible for consideration for a scholarship from the High Plains Auto Club. The student must be pursuing a degree in automotive related fields (including welding). Scholarships will be for $1,000. Over a one year period, $500 will be awarded each semester upon the HPAC Treasurer receiving a copy of the students college enrollment information. Winners may re-apply for a second year.
A tear rolls down through the colors of the Ukrainian flag on the cheek of Ukranian Oleksandra Yashan of Arlington, Va., as she becomes emotional during a vigil to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Lafayette Park in front of the White House in Washington on Thursday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (Andrew Harnik/AP)

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is an act of villainy conducted in full view of the world. There was no reason for this invasion beyond the twisted logic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who seeks to turn back time by expanding his sphere of influence over a nation eager to embrace the west.

The people of Ukraine will suffer and die in this action. They, and the people of Russia, will bear the cost. But the war also promises to test this nation, some 5,000 miles away, and Americans willingness to stand up for democratic values when they are under fire.

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Already the fractures are evident, chasms between left and right, when what matters most is declaring with one voice that an assault on the world order will not stand without consequence and that an innocent population in harms way should be given aid and comfort.

This is not an event that unfolded by surprise but rather one that escalated over decades. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian and Ukraine have moved in opposite directions in fits and starts.

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Todays Russia is a kleptocratic oligarchy that arrests political opponents, murders journalists and crushes dissent. In contrast, Ukraine has moved to embrace western values and closer toward Europe. Its people desire democracy and freedom and have taken to the streets to fight when those principles come under threat.

The United States has supported Ukraines aspirations, up to a point. It has not backed membership in NATO and, with the rest of the world, allowed Putin to march into Crimea without stern repercussions. Following a democratic uprising in 2013-14, Russian-backed forces instigated a conflict in the eastern regions of Ukraine that served as a pretext for this larger conflict.

Now, with Ukrainian cities under fire, the international community has no choice but to act, though it may be too late to prevent unimaginable bloodshed throughout the country.

What it can do  what it is doing  is impose the harshest possible economic sanctions to punish Putin and his oligarch backers. The Russian people, many of whom oppose this unnecessary war, will suffer for their leaders folly and hubris.

We will feel that pain as well, across the country and here in Hampton Roads.

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A global conflict that involves the nations allies always puts focus on the U.S. armed forces, which will play some role in how things unfold. That is unlikely to mean American troops in combat, but it could land our young men and women in harms way, even peripherally.

Such a scenario has more meaning here, home to some of the countrys most important military installations. Hampton Roads knows all too well the costs of war and that decisions to deploy troops abroad, even outside the fighting, should be taken after exhausting every available alternative and only when the nations vital interests are in danger.

But this wont be a burden those in uniform shoulder alone. There is a near certainty of economic turmoil, including higher gas prices, market fluctuations and supply-chain distributions, which Americans are unlikely to escape. The timing could not be worse.

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While citizens may not accept these happily or eagerly, we should understand they are a byproduct of foreign aggression that must be checked. And if they help to protect the sovereignty and independence of a democratic Ukraine, they are worth the cost.

The United States did not invite this war and, contrary to his critics, the fault is not President Joe Bidens alone. Numerous choices affected the global landscape since Ukraine declared independence in 1991 and helped set the stage for this attack.

But now the United States must act forcefully in concert with the international community to halt this war, to provide relief to those harmed and displaced, and to punish Russia for its unacceptable aggression.

That may make for hardship here at home, but it is hardship we should accept in defense of our values and an ally that shares them.
All she wanted, at first, was her great-grandfathers birth date.

Nobody in Lilla Pearl Asmunds family knew, and shes been trying to teach her nieces and nephews more about their history.

A few months ago at her kitchen counter in Naples, Florida, she entered his name in her laptop, hoping to find a census record. But when she scrolled through the search results, she saw photos of sacred and ceremonial Oglala objects, heirlooms that had been separated from her family for more than a century.

And they were in downtown Lincoln.

I thought, What is this? she said. I looked at the pictures, and I thought, Thats him. I was sort of shocked. And when I kept scrolling through, I saw these items. It was like, Wow.

Her mothers grandfather was a cousin to Crazy Horse. Joseph High Eagle was a warrior in his youth; as a teenager, he had fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Later in life, he was considered a holy man on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, she said.

And sometime during the turn of the last century, a country doctor in northern Nebraska returned from his travels and unloaded his latest harvest  High Eagles eagle feather hand fan, two-piece clay pipe and beaded leggings.

Dr. Charles F. Zimmerman added them to his growing collection, which filled every room in his Boyd County drugstore.

Three decades later, the 300-piece Zimmerman Collection  war bonnets, beaded bags, bows and arrows, hide scrapers, saddles and a skull  were carried across the state to Lincoln, displayed at the Historical Societys museum on the first floor of the Capitol.

High Eagles items ultimately ended up at the museums new home at 15th and P streets, and then on History Nebraskas website, and then  in October  on a computer screen in Florida.

And soon, theyll be in his great-granddaughters hands.

The warrior

High Eagles death in 1952 put him on the front page of newspapers around the country.

The Arizona Republic: High Eagle was a brave of 19 in the camp of Chief Crazy Horse June 25, 1876, when the Sioux swooped down on General Custer.

The Los Angeles Times: High Eagle, who had survived the Indian Wars, died in a white mans invention. He was riding in a car which overturned last night.

The Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal: The old Indian lived in a cabin near Red Shirt village where the sorrowful notes of the (women) keening could be heard today.

At the time, he was one of three remaining Native survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, a distinction that brought him a measure of fame.

He was invited to reunions and anniversaries at the battlefield. He met movie stars when they vacationed in the Black Hills. He had roles in several Westerns, including Custers Last Stand and Tomahawk.

Before that, hed served as an interpreter, on the reservation and at an annual Wild West show near St. Louis.

The newspapers reported High Eagle was 94 when he died, but even he didnt know when he was born, the Gordon Journal reported in 1953.

The writer of that story  the son of a government interpreter whod been stationed on the Pine Ridge Reservation  described meeting High Eagle and another Bighorn warrior in 1900 as a boy, when the two would visit his parents, trading conversation for coffee.

I used to sit up into late hours just listening to their hair-raising, flesh-creeping stories of the two weather-beaten warriors, he wrote.

In Florida, Asmund is trying to learn those stories, too.

She knows what shes been told about her great-grandfather. That he was nearly blind toward the end of his life. That he was funny. That he spoke French. That he was married to Nellie. That he was a holy man, and gave the blessing at the dedication of the Crazy Horse Memorial.

And that he was a good man. My grandmother loved him, she said.

The doctor

Dr. Charles F. Zimmermans death in 1931 put him on the front page of the newspaper in Butte.

Dr. Zimmermans main hobby was collecting Indian relics and curios, and as a result of his endeavors along this line for many years, he has collected one of the greatest collections of Indian goods not only in this section, but probably in the United States.

The Indiana native had moved to Boyd County as a teenager with his parents in 1883, went to medical school and returned to set up a practice in Naper.

The young doctor was well-respected in the area. After a tornado ripped through Boyd County in 1901, the Nebraska State Journal reported: He was the only physician present in all the trouble, and for two days and two nights he devoted his entire life to alleviating the distress of the injured.

But he almost abandoned medicine a couple of years later, when he couldnt save his own two toddler daughters, Fern and Marie, from illness.

He stayed, became a pharmacist, too, and opened a drugstore he ran with his wife, Mary. He also spent nearly 30 years working for the government, doctoring on nearby reservations  and adding to the collection that filled the building where he and Mary lived and worked.

His obituary in the Butte Gazette described it in detail. The entrance, stuffed with mounted animals, petrified bones and buffalo skulls. The living quarters, home to a large macaw captured in the jungles of Africa and brought to northern Nebraska.

He is given the freedom of the house and struts around displaying his beautiful plumage.

And the consultation room, with some 300 Native pieces gathered by the couple. The collection is composed of dresses, skulls, beads and headwear of early Indian chiefs.

One newspaper valued the collection at $10,000. Another described the doctors rarest piece  a medicine mans regalia. According to superstition, the paper said, simply possessing it could bring dire results.

The wife of the medicine man smuggled the outfit away from the tribe and hid it in the weeds, where the Zimmermans had arranged to pick it up after night had fallen.

Its not clear how, or when, the doctor acquired Joseph High Eagles fan, pipe and leggings. Asmund can picture her great-grandfather bartering for medical care, but she cant be sure.

Charles Zimmerman died in 1931, and his services drew a crowd. That he had been a true friend of the Indians is shown by the many Indians who attended the funeral, the Butte paper reported.

Mary Zimmerman became a registered pharmacist to keep the store open. In 1934, she loaned the collection to the state Historical Society, which took permanent possession when she died five years later.

The law

Rob Bozell had been an archaeologist with the state Historical Society  now History Nebraska  for six years when Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which established a process for the return of human remains, burial objects and cultural items.

The 1990 law applied to museums and federal agencies that received federal funds.

Bozells office took stock. Over the decades, it had collected the remains of 1,400 individuals, from full skeletons to single bones.

Repatriating the first 800 individuals was relatively easy; his office knew their tribal affiliations  almost all were Pawnee, though there were some Omaha, Ponca, Lakota, Cheyenne and members of other tribes.

It made an inventory, sent it to tribes and published it in the Federal Register, and began the process of returning the remains for reburial.

But it was still left with the remains of more than 600 individuals, and no idea where they should go.

We knew they were Native American, but we couldnt tell what tribe they belonged to. They were too old, there were no affiliated artifacts, no way of knowing which tribe.

He came up with a plan. He consulted with 37 tribes that have, or had, some connection to what is now Nebraska. The tribes proposed the remaining unidentified remains be affiliated with all of them.

The federal government and History Nebraska agreed, and on behalf of all the tribes, the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska have since reburied the next 600 sets of remains, including a skull from the Zimmerman collection.

Bozell retired as state archaeologist late last year, but hes helping repatriate the remains of the last 30 individuals, many of which were uncovered during the floods of 2019.

His former office could be free of Native remains by this summer, he said.

The law also applied to sacred and cultural items, so the agency also sent summaries of the Native items in its collection to federally recognized tribes.

Since 1990, it has been asked to return only a handful of items to tribes and lineal descendants, said Trish Nelson, collections team leader, though the rate of requests has increased as the agency makes more of its collection searchable online.

It recently returned a medicine bundle to the Winnebago Tribe, for instance, and a trunk with medicine bundles to a descendant of its former owner.

After Asmund saw her great-grandfathers items online and emailed History Nebraska in October, the agency followed procedure.

It removed the objects online. It asked for proof of her lineage, to see if she had a legitimate claim. It began filing paperwork with the National Park Service, which oversees the act. And it also contacted the Oglala Sioux Tribe, in part to check Asmunds enrollment status, and in part to see if the tribe objected.

We give them the story and ask what they think. Do they have any questions? Would they agree with this lineal descendant? The idea here is to talk to people who care the most about these objects in order to be informed about the decision that needs to be made.

The tribe confirmed Asmunds enrollment and information and had no objection to her claim, so History Nebraska published in the Federal Register last month its intent to return the objects, giving other descendants or tribes 30 days to make their own claims.

A month passed and no one came forward, so History Nebraska is now in the process of arranging the return of High Eagles items to his great-granddaughter.

The law worked as intended, Nelson said. Were proud to be part of the process. Its the right thing to do.

The legacy

The shock Asmund felt, staring at her great-grandfathers items on her laptop in Florida, turned to anger. Her great-grandmother likely made the beaded leggings. Her great-grandfather used the pipe and hand fan in ceremonies.

The eagle feathers are so sacred. It made me sick to my stomach to think somebody was touching them.

And then to action. The email she sent to History Nebraska in October started something.

She kept searching. She found High Eagle's beaded, eagle feather headdress at the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indian, and her efforts to get that returned made her realize how helpful and accommodating History Nebraska has been through the repatriation process, she said.

Shes found photos of her great-grandfather with movie stars and on movie sets. Shes found painted portraits of him, looking stern and serious. Shes collecting old newspaper stories.

This family history  these family items  are important to her. The 53-year-old property manager and bookkeeper didnt grow up on the Pine Ridge; her father is Icelandic, and she was raised in New Jersey.

But Asmund is close to her Oglala and Southern Cheyenne roots. And before, she only had stories about Joseph High Eagle. Soon, shell hold in her hands tangible pieces of her great-grandfather's life that survived the past century.

Just as his family has.

Its a really important part of our legacy. Were still here.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter

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The pictures out of Ukraine are scary and heartbreaking. Families sleeping in subway stations, a Kyiv apartment complex in ruins and a look of uncertainty and fear in the peoples eyes. The big bad bear, Russia, is no longer roaring hes ruthlessly attacking innocent Ukrainian citizens.

The big bad bear is showing its true colors and they are not attractive.

Using the same misguided logic Adolf Hitler used, Russian president Vladimir Putin, claims the land was once a part of Russia, so hes taking it back. Thats not justification, its a poor excuse to play the bully, destroy lives and enlarge ones greed.

Using Putins logic will the big bad bear turn its attention toward Alaska? Why not? From 1744 to 1867 Alaska was a Russian colony. In 1867 America paid $7,200,000 for Alaska.

Mexico could march north to reclaim Texas.

Hitler claimed a part of Poland was unjustly taken from Germany. He made a deal with Russia, who claimed the other portion of Poland belonged to them. So Hitler marched his troops into Poland from one side, while Russia marched in from the other.

Reclaiming Poland wasnt enough for Hitler, will Putin be satisfied with Ukraine or is this the start of a much bigger evil plan?

How many innocent men, women and children will be destroyed before the big bad bears appetite is satisfied?

While I have a life to live, then I have no life to give, Stuart Adamson of the band Big Country use to sing. Give us peace in our time.

Peace will not come and lives will be stolen as the big bad bear expands its territory.

Russian troops attacked the capital of Ukraine Saturday. America offered to help the countrys president escape to safety, but he refused.

The fight is here, Ukraine President Volodymr Zelenskyy said as he urged the country to stand firm.

While the big bad bear invades the rest of the world, including the U.S, slapped sanctions. Russias actions may not cost American lives but it will impact the worlds economy and energy supplies. The impact will hit every household.

The United States has had little, if any, influence in stopping the invasion. The big bad bear continues to advance while the eagle seems to have had its claws clipped. With Russian troops marching through Ukraine it looks as if there is now little we can do to stop the killing.

Here in America politicians will use the Russian invasion to attack one another in the usual blame game. However, it is not their loved ones on the frontlines. It is not their loved ones whose lives are being turned upside down.

We watch in shock. We want to do something, but what? We do not want our soldiers fighting in another war. It is not our war, but we also felt that way about World War I and World War II. That was until we found ourselves drug into the fight.

While I have a life to live, Adamson sang. I have no life to give.

Life is precious; it is fragile and should not be taken lightly by politicians. With a new war raging we most pray Lord, be with the people of Ukraine. Bring peace and freedom back to that country.

NOTE: The role out of our newly designed website has not gone as smoothly as planned. Sorry about the problems we will work out the bugs.
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Kris Hauschildt has the same question today she had nine years ago when her parents died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a North Carolina hotel: Why were there no laws to protect her loved ones from a lethal gas leak in a commercial building?

Since the tragedy, Hauschildt of Longview has dedicated her life to ensuring other people dont unknowingly enter a public building without the ability to detect a carbon monoxide leak.

In the fall, Hauschildt helped update the International Fire Code to include requirements for carbon monoxide detectors in new and existing public buildings with equipment that uses the colorless, odorless gas  places Hauschildt said detectors should have been required all along.

Our awareness to the fact that theyre not there is missing, she said. You think the system is watching out for us. I mean were talking about death.

Changes

The 2024 International Fire Code changes require detectors in new and existing buildings like hotels, motels and apartment buildings with equipment like fireplaces or gas stoves that can leak carbon monoxide, said Longview Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway.

Hauschildt wrote one draft of the code herself, then worked with industry experts to create the final version.

The changes Hauschildt petitioned for will have to be adopted by each individualized states Legislature, which could take years, Dunaway added.

Each state has individualized statutes based on the International Fire Code  a set of minimum requirements that are updated every three years to protect people from hazards like fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

As of 2018, 14 states require carbon monoxide detectors in hotels and motels, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Five states requires them in schools.

Annual CO poisoning in the U.S. 430 people die. 50,000 people visit the emergency room. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dunaway said he cant remember a time when Washington state hadnt adopted updated International Fire Codes and called the changes an obvious need.

If the hazard exists, there should be some way to protect people from that hazard, Dunaway said.

Looking for solutions

Hauschildt formed a 501(C)(3) called the Jenkins Foundation in honor of her parents with the mission to prevent further deaths and injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Daryl Jenkins, 73, and Shirley Jenkins, 72, of Longview were visiting relatives in Boone, North Carolina in the spring of 2013 when they were found unresponsive in an independently owned Best Western hotel, Hauschildt said.

A probe into the cause of the Jenkins death was slow moving, she added, and about seven weeks later an 11-year-old died in the same hotel room and his mother suffered permanent brain injury.

Investigators found a corroded pool heater located beneath the room was leaking carbon monoxide and no detector was installed, reports The Seattle Times.

The findings were another blow to Hauschildt: The deaths could have been prevented, if they had known of the lack of regulations, she said. Her mother had worked at a natural gas company for 30 years and knew how to protect herself in her home with a detector, Hauschildt added. Now, Hauschildt said she carries a portable alarm.

If you want to be safe, make sure you have an alarm with you, she said.

Hauschildt said she works fulltime at her foundation to ensure her loss isnt repeated. Earlier this month, a grant from the Jenkins Foundation supplied 50 carbon monoxide detectors for Cowlitz County fire departments to disseminate to the public. Dunaway said Longviews share of 30 detectors was handed out in two hours.

To Dunaway, the demand signifies more people need protection from and education about the lethal gas. Hauschildt said she also believes people dont understand how quickly carbon monoxide can kill.

The Daily News reported in 2018 that Hauschildt settled with the North Carolina hotel owner for $4.5 million, but Hauschildt said solutions to the broken system would be more valuable.

Its very difficult to walk away from this issue and not try to fix it, she said. Its not a fair system to a family. We want to hear hey, we fixed it and its not going to happen to the next person.

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Capitol Dispatch is a weekly politics feature focusing on the actions of our local representatives during the 2022 legislative session. It will run every Sunday during the session.

Sen. Jeff Wilson is a member of the Senate Transportation Committee. Rep. Jim Walsh is part of the House Transportation Committee. Between the two chambers, they have seen the two major transportation spending packages.

The House committee met five days in a row to get through the two major funding measures and a set of smaller proposed bills. The big spending issues are the normal supplemental changes to add projects to the current 2021-2023 biennial budget and the new Move Ahead Washington transportation package.

Walsh said the budget supplements were good but not great and had some amount of bipartisan conversation. Move Ahead WA, however, has become a much more polarized bill, especially in terms of the proposed ways to build revenue for the $16 billion slate of improvements.

The state is doing something that any first year student in poli-sci could tell you is a mistake, Walsh said.

The transportation package would install a tax of 6 cents per gallon on oil that Washington provides other states, namely Alaska, Idaho and Oregon, that is projected to raise around $2 billion. The idea immediately criticized by all three state governments over fairness and concerns that it violated the U.S. Constitutions interstate commerce clause.

Gov. Kate Brown and the top-ranking Democrats and Republicans in the Oregon legislature sent out a joint letter Friday afternoon urging Washington to drop the export fuel tax. The letter warned that the likely legal battles over the tax could jeopardize the work being done by both states on the Interstate 5 bridge.

We could have avoided this trouble had the Democrats shared some communication and left the door open for any others to shape this package before it was printed, Wilson said.

Walsh said he and Rep. Andrew Barkis, the ranking minority member on the transportation committee, had floated the idea of replacing the gas tax with the state sales tax on cars and trucks, which currently goes into the general operating budget. Walsh pointed out that a one-time transfer of similar funds was already included in the proposed supplements to the transportation budget.

Walsh introduces

last-minute

property tax billsWalsh filed two bills Wednesday attempting to keep the conversation about tax relief alive in the Legislature and through the rest of the year.

House Bill 2125 would require that state property taxes are calculated based on 75% of the lands value, instead of the full valuation.

House Bill 2126 would be a less permanent change but a more dramatic shift. The bill seeks to fully eliminate the state property tax levy during the year 2023, after which the taxes would revert to their current rates.

With the short legislative session scheduled to end March 10 and no public hearings announced, neither bill has a real chance of being passed this year. Walsh said that he hoped the two measures would play more of a role in shaping future discussions about tax rates and tax reform.

A miracle could happen and something could give them traction this session, but really theyre meant to set the frame of conversation in the interim and for next session, Walsh said.

Walshs bills were not the only attempt at late-breaking tax reform by the 19th district. Wilson attempted to use Fridays Senate debate about the supplemental operating budget to bring back a rejected bill that would eliminate the business and occupation tax for manufacturers. The amendment was rejected.

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As COVID-19 case rates are falling, health officials recommend people get the vaccine or booster shot, even if they recently were infected with the virus.

The strength and length of immunity from infection is unclear, and data shows subsequent vaccination helps prevent re-infection, hospitalization and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lower case rates mean lower risk, but COVID-19 is not going away, said Dr. Steve Krager, county deputy health officer.

Maybe there is a little less ... urgency to vaccinate people as quickly as possible but its still a really important public health message to get vaccinated, get up to date on boosters, he said.

Cowlitz Countys COVID-19 vaccination rate has remained below the state average, with 56.1% of county residents fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, compared to 66.8% statewide.

Thousands of county and state residents were infected during the two most recent surges, building up immunity, but hospitalization data shows unvaccinated people still are at risk, Krager said.

From mid-January to mid-February in Washington, unvaccinated 12- to 34-year-olds were three times more likely to get COVID-19 compared to vaccinated people in the same age group and six times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a state Department of Health report.

The differences go up in older age groups, with unvaccinated 35- to 64-year-olds four times more likely to get COVID-19 and seven times more likely to be hospitalized. Unvaccinated residents 65 years old and older were five times more likely to get COVID-19, nine times more likely to be hospitalized and seven times more likely to die from COVID-19, according to the state report.

If so many people were protected from previous infection we would expect that difference between hospitalizations ... would narrow but that hasnt happened, Krager said. The higher rates of hospitalization in unvaccinated people tells me theres still a huge benefit in getting vaccinated even if you have a prior infection.

Varying vaccination rates

After initial vaccine demand dropped off in late spring 2021, vaccination rates seem to go up when cases are higher, when a new variant is identified and when new age groups become eligible for the vaccine or booster, Krager said.

Cowlitz County recorded an increase in residents getting vaccinated in August and September and a smaller bump in January that has leveled off.

Vaccines have been available for a long time and there is a little concern that maybe some people have made up their mind, Krager said. Its certainly going to be slower going than what weve seen in the past.

Some groups within the county have higher vaccination rates than others.

Hispanic people have the lowest vaccination rate in Cowlitz County, with 38% fully vaccinated as of Tuesday. American Indian and white residents also have below-average rates, with 52% of each group fully vaccinated.

The age difference between populations accounts for some of the disparity in rates, but not all of it, Krager said. With limited data, its hard to draw conclusions as to why some populations have above or below average rates, he said.

Krager said the department will get more information because it is partnering with the nonprofit Village Reach to interview residents, especially in populations with lower vaccination rates.

The Ethnic Support Council has worked to increase vaccination rates among underserved groups in Cowlitz County and has partnered with organizations holding outreach clinics.

Sally Hembree, outreach coordinator, said some Hispanic people are hesitant to get vaccinated because they are afraid theyll have to show identification. Smaller outreach clinics are a good way to reach people because they are less intimidating, she said.

Youth and Family Link has held six outreach clinics over the last four months after receiving a grant from Kaiser Permanente and the Cascade Pacific Action Alliance. Emiley Siters, community program coordinator, said attendance has slowed down after a bump in demand for boosters.

I feel like everyone who wanted to get the vaccine has, she said. There are still a couple people that might be changing their mind and wanting to get it after so many people have got it and not had a lot of major issues.

Most recent attendees have gotten booster shots, but a few adults and children have received their first doses at the clinics, Siters said. Link will continue to hold clinics through June when its funding ends. Siters said the organization is partnering with trusted messengers in the community, such as churches and school districts, to help encourage participation.

Krager said the health department encouraged health-care providers to offer the vaccines as part of routine checkups.

People are still getting vaccinated, not a lot, but some are still making that choice, he said. I still think thats the right thing to do.

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Cutting-edge technology means even the most skeptical, scrupulous targets can be spied on

As a journalist working for the Arab news network Alaraby, Rania Dridi said shes taken precautions to avoid being targeted by hackers, keeping an eye out for suspicious messages and avoiding clicking on links or opening attachments from people she doesnt know. Dridis phone got compromised anyway with whats called a zero-click attack, which allows a hacker to break into a phone or computer even if its user doesnt open a malicious link or attachment. Hackers instead exploit a series of security flaws in operating systems  such as Apple Inc.s iOS or Googles Android  to breach a device without having to dupe their victim into taking any action. Once inside, they can install spyware capable of stealing data, listening in on calls and tracking the users location.

With people more wary than ever about clicking on suspicious links in emails and text messages, zero-click hacks are being used more frequently by government agencies to spy on activists, journalists and others, according to more than a dozen surveillance company employees, security researchers and hackers interviewed by Bloomberg News.

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Once the preserve of a few intelligence agencies, the technology needed for zero-click hacks is now being sold to governments by a small number of companies, the most prominent of which is Israels NSO Group. Bloomberg News has learned that at least three other Israeli companies  Paragon, Candiru and Cognyte Software Ltd.  have developed zero-click hacking tools or offered them to clients, according to former employees and partners of those companies, demonstrating that the technology is becoming more widespread in the surveillance industry.

There are certain steps that a potential victim can take that might reduce the chances of a successful zero-click attack, including keeping a device updated. But some of the more effective methods  including uninstalling certain messaging apps that hackers can use as gateways to breach a device  arent practical because people rely on them for communication, said Bill Marczak, a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto that focuses on abuses of surveillance technology.

Dridi, who is based in London, said the hack forced her to shut down some of her social media accounts and left her isolated and fearful for her safety.

They ruined my life, said Dridi, who suspects she was targeted because of her reporting on womens rights in the Arab world or her connection to other journalists who are high-profile critics of Middle Eastern governments. I tried to just go back to normal. But after that I suffered from depression, and I didnt find any support.

Its not known how many people have been targeted with zero-click hacks, because they are done in secret and the victims are often unaware.

Human rights groups have tied zero-click technology from NSO Group to attacks by governments on individuals or small groups of activists. A 2019 lawsuit filed by Facebook accused NSO Group of using a zero-click hacking method to implant spyware on the devices of 1,400 people who used its WhatsApp service. NSO Group has disputed the allegations. The attacks can be difficult for security experts to detect and pose new challenges for technology giants such as Apple and Google as they seek to plug the security holes that hackers exploit.

With zero clicks, its possible for a phone to be hacked and no traces left behind whatsoever, Marczak said. You can break into phones belonging to people who have good security awareness. The target is out of the loop. You dont have to convince them to do anything. It means even the most skeptical, scrupulous targets can be spied on.

Sometimes a zero-click hack doesn't go as planned and leaves traces that investigators can use to identify that a device has been compromised. In Dridis case, administrators at Alaraby noticed suspicious activity on their computer networks and followed a digital trail that led them to her phone, she said in an interview.

Attackers use zero-click hacks to gain access to a device and then can install spyware  such as NSO Groups Pegasus  to secretly monitor the user. Pegasus can covertly record emails, phone calls and text messages, track location and record video and audio using the phones inbuilt camera and microphone.

Marczak and his colleagues at Citizen Lab analyzed Dridis iPhone XS Max and found evidence that it had been infected at least six times between October 2019 and July 2020 with NSO Groups Pegasus. On two occasions in July 2020, Dridis phone was targeted in zero-click attacks, Citizen Lab concluded in a report, which attributed the hacks to the United Arab Emirates government.

Dridi is now pursuing a lawsuit against the UAE government. Her solicitor, Ida Aduwa, said she will be seeking permission from a High Court judge in London in the next few weeks to proceed with the case. We want an acknowledgement that this is something that states cannot get away with, Aduwa said.

A representative for the UAE Embassy in Washington didnt respond to messages seeking comment.

Marczak, from Citizen Lab, said most of the documented cases of zero-click hacks have been traced back to NSO Group. The company began deploying the method more frequently around 2017, he said.

NSO Group, which was blacklisted by the U.S. in November for supplying spyware to governments that used it to maliciously target government officials, journalists, business people, activists and others to silence dissent, has said it sells its technology exclusively to governments and law enforcement agencies as a tool to track down terrorists and criminals.

The cyber intelligence field continues to grow and is much bigger than the NSO Group, a spokesperson for the company said in a statement to Bloomberg News. Yet an increasing number of experts who claim to be familiar with NSO Group are making allegations that are contractually and technologically impossible, straining their credibility. The spokesperson said that NSO Group has terminated customer relationships due to human rights issues and wont sell cyber intelligence products to approximately 90 countries. The misuse of cyber intelligence tools is a serious matter, the spokesperson said.

In December, security researchers at Google analyzed a zero-click exploit they said was developed by NSO Group, which could be used to break into an iPhone by sending someone a fake GIF image through iMessage. The researchers described the zero-click as one of the most technically sophisticated exploits we've ever seen, and added that it showed NSO Group sold spy tools that rival those previously thought to be accessible to only a handful of nation states.

The attacker doesn't need to send phishing messages; the exploit just works silently in the background, the Google researchers wrote.

While NSO Group has attracted the most media attention, several competing companies in Israel are offering similar tools to help governments spy on mobile phones. At least four other Israeli companies have obtained or developed zero-click hacking technology, according to employees of those companies, surveillance industry professionals and other media reports.

Tel Aviv-based Candiru, a surveillance company that employs more than 120 people, partnered with another Israeli firm, Cognyte, to offer governments zero-click spyware that can be installed on Android and iOS mobile devices, according to two former Candiru employees.

Paragon, a firm founded by former members of Israelis Unit 8200 surveillance agency, has developed its own zero-click hacking technology that it has marketed to governments in Europe and North America as a means to gain access to encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal, according to two former Paragon employees.

A fourth Israeli company, QuaDream, also has the ability to compromise Apple iPhones using zero-click hacks, Reuters reported earlier this month.

Hila Vazan, a spokeswoman for Candiru, said the company hadnt developed or sold any zero-click hacking technology, though she acknowledged that Candiru had explored a collaboration with Cognyte to offer it to customers. The U.S. also blacklisted Candiru in November for supplying spyware to governments that used its technology maliciously.

Paragon declined to comment. Representatives for Cognyte and QuaDream didnt return messages seeking comment.

There is a thriving marketplace in which hackers and brokers sell the latest zero-click vulnerabilities direct to government agencies, sometimes for seven-figure sums, according to surveillance industry professionals.

One of the leading brokers is Zerodium, an exploit acquisition platform that offers to pay up to $2 million for a zero-click exploit that can break into the latest versions of Apples iOS software, according to its website. Zerodium also offers up to $2.5 million for a zero-click that can be used to hack Android phones, and up to $1 million for a zero-click that can be used to compromise Microsofts Windows computers.

Zerodiums website says it has worked with more than 1,500 security researchers and paid out more than $50 million in bounties  fees paid to security researchers who discover software security vulnerabilities that can be used to hack into computers or phones. Once Zerodium has acquired the latest zero-click exploits from security researchers, it then sells them to governments, mainly in Europe and North America, according to its website.

A representative for Zerodium didnt respond to requests for comment. The company was incorporated in Delaware in 2015, but its not clear where its offices are currently located.

In an interview with Bloomberg, one Asia-based security researcher said he had made several million dollars selling a series of zero-click exploits that could be used to hack iOS, Android and BlackBerry phones, in addition to Windows computers. The researcher, who requested anonymity due to confidentiality agreements, said he had sold some of his zero-click exploits to Zerodium. He identified one European country whose government or law enforcement agencies hacked phones using an exploit he sold.

Other suppliers of zero-click exploits include Arity Business Inc., an operator based in Latvia and Estonia. Alex Prokopenko, an executive at Arity, said in an email that the company was founded in 2015 and works to identify a variety of software security vulnerabilities, including zero-clicks. Arity then sells the security vulnerabilities to government agencies and to companies that work with intelligence and law enforcement agencies so they can be used to hack Windows computers, in addition to iOS and Android phones, he said.

Now exploits are much more popular with governments, intelligence and private military companies, since earlier this tool was not as accessible as it is now, Prokopenko said. The exploit is a digital weapon, and its use must be regulated.

The spread of encryption technology, which protects the privacy of conversations sent through chat apps such as WhatsApp or Apples iMessage, has made it harder for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to snoop on peoples conversations, said Prokopenko. One of the only ways investigators can get access to encrypted communications is to hack into a device, he said.

That is why there are all these companies popping up  because theres a market for it, said Fionnbharr Davies, a security researcher who formerly worked for U.S. and Australia-based Azimuth Security, another company that he said develops zero-click exploits and sells them to governments. It only costs a couple million dollars to hack any iPhone  that is so cheap from the perspective of a nation state. A representative for Azimuth Security didnt return a message seeking comment.

Carine Kanimbas experience shows how difficult it can be to prevent a zero-click hack. For the last two years, she has been campaigning for the release of her father, Paul Rusesabagina, a critic of the Rwandan government who was forcibly disappeared in August 2020, according to Human Rights Watch. Last year, Rusesabagina, who was the subject of the movie Hotel Rwanda, was convicted of terrorism charges in a Rwandan court, a proceeding his supporters say was politically motivated.

Kanimba, a joint U.S.-Belgian citizen, said she knew there was a possibility that she might be under surveillance. In October 2020, her security advisers were so concerned that they destroyed her mobile phone. She purchased a new iPhone, but last spring, researchers at Amnesty International informed Kanimba that it had been breached in a zero-click hack and infected with NSO Groups Pegasus.

A forensic analysis of her device, reviewed by Bloomberg, found that an attacker had used iMessage to send malicious push notifications.

I never saw any message, Kanimba said. The message arrives and disappears straight away, or it arrives and you cannot see it. So there are no clicks, no action from you. It just infects.

A representative for the Rwandan government didnt respond to a message seeking comment.

Nedal Al-Salman, the acting president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, spoke of a similar experience. Al-Salman said that she and four of her colleagues were informed last year that their phones had been compromised, some of them in apparent zero-click attacks.

According to Al-Salman, two of her mobile phones  an iPhone 11 and a Samsung Galaxy Note  were hacked. Citizen Labs Marczak said he had not forensically analyzed Al-Salmans devices, but said he had confirmed three of Al-Salmans colleagues had their phones infected with NSO Groups spyware.

Al-Salman said she and her colleagues have faced repression in Bahrain, where the government has cracked down on human rights and pro-democracy activism. Al-Salman said she has in the past been blocked from traveling outside of Bahrain, and other current and former members of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights have been jailed or forced to live in exile. According to a Citizen Lab report published last year, Bahrains government has deployed NSO Groups spyware to target activists and opposition political figures.A representative for the Embassy of Bahrain in Washington didnt respond to a request for comment.

Everyone has personal information on their phones, Al-Salman said, whether it be messages that show arguments with a family member or videos of dancing with friends. But normally, she said, its only you who knows about it.
The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society has recognized Blinn College District Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Marcelo Bussiki with its Distinguished College Administrator Award in recognition of his work to support high-achieving Blinn students.

Bussiki and 27 other college leaders were selected from thousands of eligible administrators across the nation and will be recognized during the societys annual convention held April 7-9 in Denver.

On behalf of everyone at Blinn College, I am excited to congratulate Dr. Bussiki on this tremendous accolade, Blinn College Chancellor Mary Hensley said in a release. Dr. Bussikis exceptional leadership and dedication to student success have played a vital role in making Blinn the No. 1 academic transfer institution in the State of Texas.

Bussiki oversees the Blinn College Districts divisions of business and mathematics; engineering, computer technology and innovation; health sciences; humanities; natural and physical sciences; social sciences; and arts, kinesiology and agriculture; and the colleges Academic Success and Blinn Online programs. He joined Blinn as a music instructor in 2001, and as vice chancellor, Bussiki has placed an emphasis on growing Blinns online course offerings and developing new transfer pathways for students.

Dr. Bussikis consistent engagement with the members of Phi Theta Kappa this past year made an enormous impact on us as students and we are so grateful for the opportunity we had, said Kaylee McClintock, 2020-2021 president of the Brenham Campus PTK chapter. We are so thankful to have such a tremendous amount of support and look forward to having Dr. Bussiki join us at PTK Catalyst this year to recognize all that he has done for us.

In addition to his role at Blinn, Bussiki is music director/conductor of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra. A native of Brazil, he studied at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro Federal University and the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. He earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of Houston in 1998.

PTK is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievements of students at associate degree-granting colleges. The society is comprised of more than 3.8 million members, with almost 1,300 chapters in 11 countries.
Lubbock, TX (79409)

Today

More clouds than sun. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 15 to 25 mph.
Members of Alpha Sigma, Chapter No. 3812, Epsilon Sigma Alpha International met Feb. 7 in the home of Phyl Kostbahn for lunch and their monthly meeting.

Joyce Cantrell, the president of Alpha Sigma, passed away last fall and Willa Lemburg, vice president, assuming the position of president, presided over the meeting. Kathy Gorecki was nominated as vice president and she accepted.

January and February business was discussed. The main question was, would the group hold the Holiday Tour of Homes this year because of COVID and it was decided not to have the tour.

A motion passed to give $100 to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in memory of former member Gloria Maish.

Betty Ziska, Nebraska state president from Atkinson, met with the group. Ziska provided information from a leadership seminar in Colorado she had returned from. ESA has been providing support to St. Jude and this year is the 50th anniversary of their partnership. There are several challenges ESA members can participate in to celebrate. The members tabled some suggestions of projects that could be done to help organizations in the community.

Th next meeting will be Monday, March 7, and includes a lunch at 11:30 a.m. at Hunans. Kathy Gorecki will check on the availability of the restaurant.
CENTRAL CITY  Kappa Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International met Jan. 20 at the Venture Center in Central City.

Melissa Gragg, Central City physical therapist, was scheduled to present the program, Aging and the Importance of Exercise. Gragg first spoke on the health condition of her mother, Judy Marco, a beloved Kappa member and chapter president. Marco had been battling cancer for some time and had asked to be relieved of her presidency.

Nonetheless, she was concerned that her membership be maintained. Gragg promised to pass on the Chapters very best wishes to her mother, then gave the informative program with suggestions for curbing arthritis and promoting healthy by the use of frequent movement. Each Kappa member was given an exercise band and a copy of the book, Walking with Ease.

Past president Mary Helen Fuchs conducted the meeting. Nola Oberhelman lead singing of the Delta Kappa Gamma song. Members were reminded that dues for next year will again be $68, but are due July 1 with no exceptions.

Legislative Day, again this year, will be a Zoom meeting. The Nebraska DKG State Convention will be April 1-3 at the Ramada Inn in Grand Island. The conventions theme is Reconnect, Remember and Share - Past and Present.

Each chapter is asked to provide a $50 basket for the fundraising raffle. Kappa members decided to use a wine presentation for their basket, and Lois Wegner will purchase wine from Prairie Creek Winery in Central City. The meeting adjourned with the hosting committee serving dessert.

The news of President Judy Marcos passing came within the next few days of the meeting. She will be missed by her Kappa sisters.

Group 1 will host Kappas next meeting, planned for 2 p.m. Thursday, March 17, at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Palmer. Linda Saunders will present the program, Music of the Dulcimer.
Irrigators in the Central Platte Natural Resources District are reminded to contact NRD staff if they are planning any changes this irrigation season.

Irrigators are required to inform the CPNRD of any development work that concerns newly irrigated acres. Any land that is not certified as irrigated with the NRD cannot be irrigated unless the newly irrigated area is offset by applying for and completing a transfer request with CPNRD, prior to new acres being irrigated.

Transfer requests for the 2022 growing season will be accepted through March. All transfers must be completed before irrigating. Producers who fail to obtain an approved transfer from the NRD are subject to penalties.

Purchasing Land Individuals looking to purchase new land should check the certified irrigated acres of a property before making any buying decisions. Visit CPNRDs Interactive Map at: cpnrd.gisworkshop.com to check all certified irrigated acres.

Crop reporting form: Producers in Phases II/III of the Groundwater Quality Management Program must submit their online crop reporting form by March 31 at http://cpnrd.gisworkshop.com. The management program is showing a beneficial impact on the nitrate levels in groundwater by undertaking a long-term solution for the Districts widespread high groundwater nitrate-nitrogen problems. When completing your form, be sure to check the location and owner name of each well to be sure theyre registered correctly. You may check well registrations at: https://nednr.nebraska.gov/dynamic/Wells/Wells

Chemigation permits due: Current renewal permits expire June 1. Renewel permits cost $20 and can be issued without an inspection, however, the NRD is required to reinspect systems in operation on a spot-check basis. Renewal applications received after June 1 must comply with provisions for new permits, including a $60 permit fee and a required inspection before the permit can be issued.

To learn more call 308-385-6282, visit cpnrd.org, or stop in the Central Platte NRD office at 215 Kaufman Ave. in Grand Island.

State ag officials list priorities for 2023 Farm Bill

ARLINGTON, Va.  As discussions for writing the 2023 Farm Bill begin, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture will direct its policy advocacy efforts regarding the bill towards 10 specific policy areas. At the hybrid 2022 NASDA Winter Policy Conference this past week, members charged the organization to participate in Farm Bill conversations involving: agriculture research, animal disease, conservation and climate resiliency, cyber security, food safety, hemp, invasive species, local food systems, specialty crop block grants and trade promotion.

NASDA CEO Ted McKinney remarked on the importance of the Farm Bill and NASDA members ability to provide unique perspective.

The next Farm Bill must remain unified, securing a commitment to American agriculture and the critical food and nutritional assistance programs for those who need it most, he said. Often the officials closest to farmers themselves and as co-regulators with the federal government, NASDA members are uniquely positioned to lead impact and direct policymaking solutions for the 2023 Farm Bill.

NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances American agriculture through policy, partnerships and public engagement. To learn more about NASDA, visit nasda.org.

USDA to survey farmers planting intentions for 2022

LINCOLN  As the 2022 crop production season begins, the U.S. Department of Agricultures National Agricultural Statistics Service will contact producers nationwide to determine their plans for the upcoming growing season.

Each year, the agriculture industry eagerly awaits USDAs Prospective Plantings report, which provides the first survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers planting intentions for the year, said Nicholas Streff, NASS northern plains regional director. The March Agricultural Survey provides the factual data that underpins these projections, making it one of the most important surveys we conduct each year.

NASS will mail the survey questionnaire in this month, asking producers to provide information about the types of crops they intend to plant in 2022, how many acres they intend to plant, and the amounts of grain and oilseed stored on their farms. NASS encourages producers to respond online or by mail.

Those producers who do not respond by the deadline may be contacted for a telephone interview. NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.

Survey results will be published in the Prospective Plantings and quarterly Grain Stocks reports to be released on March 31. These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications.

For more information call the NASS Nebraska Field Office at 800-582-6443.

Ag leaders address methods for cultivating industry employment opportunities on and off the farm

ARLINGTON, Va.  Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture voted to promote agricultural workforce reform and establish more pathways to careers in the industry during the hybrid 2022 Winter Policy Conference

First, NASDA members adopted policy to support the ability of H-2A and H-2B workers in good standing to apply for permanent visa residence or citizenship, creating opportunities for non-seasonal agricultural employment. Additionally, members acted to deliberately foster the growth and development of a new generation of U.S. agricultural professionals.

NASDA President, New York Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball praised members actions saying, Systems that retain our skilled workers and support a dependable workforce for the agricultural and food industries are necessary to a strong food supply. Supporting a pathway for current H-2A and H-2B workers in good standing to apply for permanent visa residence or citizenship and for our workers in non-seasonal sectors of the industry will help alleviate labor shortages and create a more resilient food system.

NASDAs policy supports the authorization of contract-related visas to enable workers to remain at their place of work through the duration of the contract, rather than the end of a season.

Understanding the need of farmworkers and their families and the demand for labor across the U.S. food system, NASDA will continue to advocate for flexible, efficient visa programs that permit year-round employment for agricultural workers, along with other programs that address workforce challenges on a broader scale, Ball said.

Acting to support all careers in agriculture and introduce the next generation to all the industry has to offer, NASDA members recommended the establishment of funding streams from the United States Departments of Education, Agriculture and Labor. Funding would be used to support agricultural education programs, create apprenticeships and establish partnerships to promote industry job openings off the farm and address regional employment needs.

Using this multi-layered approach, will allow children at all levels the opportunity to be exposed to the agricultural industry and be excited about a future career in agriculture.

For more information about NASDAs efforts to advance the U.S. agricultural workforce, visit NASDA.org/WorkforceDevelopment.

Nebraska farm numbers lower

LINCOLN  Nebraskas number of farms and ranches declined during 2021, according to USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The number of farms and ranches in the state, at 44,800, was down 700 farms from 2020. Numbers of farms and ranches in Nebraska with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales decreased 400 farms from a year earlier while operations with agricultural sales of $100,000 or more decreased 300 farms.

Land in farms and ranches in Nebraska totaled 44.8 million acres, down 100,000 acres from 2020. The average size of operation, at 1,000 acres, was up 13 acres from a year earlier.

Access the National publication for this release at: https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/5712m6524
KEARNEY  Dr. Charles Rowling was up until 3 a.m. Thursday watching Russias invasion of Ukraine unfold.

This is a historic event. This has a chance ... to change the world, said Rowling, a political science professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Rowlings background of study is in international relations and U.S. foreign policy.

The effect of Russias actions will have a ripple effect on the world, including the U.S. economy, Rowling said.

Vladimir Putin has stated the invasion is based off Ukrainian aggression and acts of genocide by the Ukrainian government, but both are blatantly false, Rowling said.

The Russian president has personal motivations for the attack. One of those reasons is to reestablish a version of the former Soviet Empire.

Ukraine is symbolically important. It is strategically important, Rowling said.

As Putin approaches his 70th birthday this year, Rowling believes the Russian president is thinking of his legacy.

The great czars  I use that term loosely  they are remembered for their expansion of the Soviet Empire, he explained. It has been in his crosshairs for the last decade. I think he always intended to do this and needed to lay the groundwork to do it.

Rowling believes Russia attacked now because Putin was under the assumption that the West is not unified and would not have a strong response to the invasion.

I think he is trying to reshape the world order, Rowling said. Basically what he is trying to do is change all of what was established after World War II.

A conflict of this nature happening after World War II is anomalous, Rowling said.

We havent seen states invade other states very often, he added. When it does happen there is usually a strong response.

President Joe Bidens and other European leaders approach to Russias actions have been targeted sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs. The West could continue to ratchet up these sanctions by cutting off Russian exports of oil and gas, one of the biggest assets Russia has to offer.

Russia doesnt a have a lot of other things to offer. They have some metals and wheat. Their primary export is oil and gas, Rowling said. If the West would cut them off, it would have a massive effect on Russia.

Another option would be to cut Russia off from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, a system that links all financial institutions throughout the world. If Russia is cut off from SWIFT, they cant access capital and cannot do business.

Russia has yet to be removed from SWIFT, and sanctions have not been imposed to limit the export of oil and gas at this time. However, the invasion has caused a disruption in the oil and gas industry.

About 50% of the natural gas in Germany comes from Russia. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was constructed to connect Russia to Germany, and it was built to replace the pipeline exporting natural gas from Ukraine to Germany, which has refused to certify the Nord Stream 2 due to Putins actions against Ukraine.

You dont have the Nord Stream 2. The pipeline going through Ukraine has been disrupted so you can see what that will do in terms of energy supply, Rowling said.

About 45 million people live in Ukraine, and millions are fleeing the country.

They are going to be refugees and spill into Poland and Romania. That is going to destabilize those places as well, Rowling said.

Western leaders likely are considering that while more severe actions would hurt Russia, it would hurt countries around the world. Prices for natural gas and oil are likely to increase.

There are a number of things I think will be affected. The most notable is energy. The U.S. is going to feel the effects less than Europe, Rowling said.

Russia and Ukraine are important providers of wheat, rye and barley, and while there may not be sanctions on these materials, the conflict will limit the exports of those items, Rowling added. Russia produces a high level of platinum, nickel and semi-conductors that are important for industry in the U.S.

It doesnt help an already hurting economy. How long that will last is unclear. The sanctions that Biden announced are calibrated. They are designed to try to limit economic impact on Americans. I think he is being smart politically but maybe they arent as strong as they should be to send Putin a stronger message, Rowling said.

Rowling does not see an obvious threat to U.S. national security, but he does wonder if Russia will continue to invade other countries that were once part of the Soviet Empire, such as Moldova or Estonia.

To what extent do we need to stand up for what is right versus thinking about the economic impacts it will have on us? Rowling questioned.
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Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Cloudy this morning with thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Arien Hermann has lived and worked all over the world.

He is currently regional hospital coordinating center manager of Illinois Department of Public Health Region 5 and administrator for Shawnee Preparedness and Response Coalition. He is also leading a new Wellness on Wheels project.

But his path to these positions and projects included lots of traveling.

Hermann and his family moved to Southern Illinois when his brother was starting as a freshman at SIU, and his mom was pursuing a doctoral degree at the university. His sister was in high school.

Hermann, a veteran of the Marine Corps, enrolled in a paramedic class. He worked for Union County Housing and Ambulance Service. He became active in wilderness emergency medical services.

In 2003, Hermann was sent to Iraq to set up field medical services and create a medical training program.

He said he received an email on a Monday, opened it and decided it was legit. He got a call at 9 a.m. Tuesday explaining everything, and he was off to Iraq.

It ended up being seven months before my first vacation. I never regretted it, Hermann said.

That launched the next 16 years of work as he traveled around the world as a contractual worker. Some of the highlights of those years include working in Antarctica, as a medic for ABC News and a medic for Pirates of the Caribbean  the second and third movies.

Hermann lived in the Caribbean for five months while working on the movies. He took a lot of sick calls but also had a dislocated elbow and shoulder and necrotizing fasciitis (a flesh-eating type of bacterial infection).

It was a busy five months, he said, adding that it also was interesting.

Other stops included Somalia and Darfur.

Thats where my heart always was  on more military types of jobs, Hermann said.

In 2019, Hermann was employed as a medical instructor at Camp Humphrey in South Korea. He started shopping for his next assignment, then he was contacted by Woody Thorne at SIH offering him the position of RHCC.

I came here on Friday and started on a Monday in October 2019. Three months later we were in a pandemic, Hermann said. By March, we were waist deep in it.

As regional hospital coordinating center manager of Region 5, part of the job is to plan for disasters.

Each state administers its own disaster planning program. Each region in Illinois has an RHCC from the largest healthcare provider in the region. It becomes a hub for the regions health care coordination.

Region 5, one of 11 IDPH regions in the state, includes the 23 southernmost counties in Illinois, which is most of Southern Illinois except the metro-east St. Louis area.

Region 5 has 22 hospitals, 35 EMS providers and 12 health departments, along with a 157 member organizations in its coalition.

Hermann says they help administer and decipher federal legislation and draft local and regional plans related to healthcare. They are also a hub for resources and tools, such as a fleet of disaster blaster trailers, a 330-bed mobile hospital, a decontamination unit, and training for first responders.

We are the hub for healthcare organizations, Herman said.

The coronavirus pandemic, which is a type of disaster, has Hermann doing a lot of other things. The region has stored COVID vaccines in its super-cold freezers and helped distribute antiviral medication and ventilators. Some of these things the state has distributed to the IDPH regions, which then passed them onto hospitals and other healthcare organizations. They sent three ventilators out in a week in January.

The region also provides a lot of training to its coalition. They also set up drills and exercises. A full-scale exercise is planned for March 8.

We learn more and have more fun from our failures than our successes, Hermann said.

Shawnee Preparedness and Response Coalition (SPARC) started as a healthcare coalition and developed into an all-community organization that includes small businesses, day cares, churches and a solar provider, as well as healthcare organizations.

SPARC has a mission to develop and maintain an integrated, diverse network of organizations in Southern Illinois in order to increase planning, mitigation, response, recovery and overall resiliency in the event of a natural or man-made disaster, according to its website, www.sparccoalition.com.

The group also sponsored Weathering the Storm, a conference that focuses on all aspects of planning for weather.

The group also has assisted with things needed during the pandemic, such as acting as a liaison with the state and health departments to get COVID vaccines, providing rapid tests to organizations that are required to test employees, and helping with the needs of hospitals.

Wellness on Wheels is a new program that will bring healthcare to areas that currently have no healthcare. Herman said the office is a 47-foot mobile home that includes a reception area, exam room, a restroom and hand washing station.

We are hiring a full-time outreach worker to staff the trailer. We will partner with Federally Qualified Health Centers, regional hospitals and clinics to provide services. We are hoping to reach communities that dont have a hospital or healthcare, Hermann said.

He continued, saying the idea is to overcome barriers to healthcare by taking the trailer to serve residents near their homes. In addition to medical needs, residents may not have transportation or have communication issues.

When WOW is ready, a portal will be on the SPARC website and Facebook page.

Although Hermann has spent a lot of time traveling all over the world, he has no plans to leave Southern Illinois.

I am pretty happy where I am now. But, I cant stay in one place forever, he said.

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Paint splatters the sidewalks in Marion after two generations partnered together to honor those who risk their lives to public safety.

A retired Marine veteran who lost people in the Vietnam war has partnered with descendants of a long line of military folks to produce a mural memorializing the military and first responders.

Whenever I got out of the Marine Corps in 1972 there was an entirely different attitude toward warriors then, toward the military, attorney Ronald Osman said. In fact, we were spit on, on occasion, and it's always bothered me. They deserve to be remembered. All of the first responders and the people that keep us safe day in and day out deserve to be remembered and deserve to be honored.

Ronald Osman and his son, Blane Osman, were approached by Tim Barnett, the Marion Fire Department chief, earlier in the year about putting something on the building across from the fire station that honored the fireman.

Especially those that died on 9/11.

It hit home, because a lot of the guys were working that day, and we sent some guys there, Barnett said. Four-hundred and fifteen emergency responders died that day, and 343 of those 415 were firefighters.

Ronald Osman, a former lieutenant in the Marine Corps, also wanted to do a project honoring those he lost in the Vietnam war.

I did not go to Vietnam, but I had a lot of friends (who) did and people that I served with did, Ronald Osman said. Two in particular, one that was killed in Vietnam and the other is still (missing in action) in Vietnam. Theyre fine young men and they deserve to be remembered.

Ronald Osman said he and Sgt. David Haake had studied together at the University of Illinois from 1965 to 1968.

Captain Larry Fletcher Potts was shot down in the second OV-10 in the Easter Offensive of 1972, Ronald Osman said.

It was his 25th birthday the day he was shot down and went MIA, said Ronald Osman.

They served two years together. Ronald Osman was Potts' commanding officer throughout numerous positions, and this caused them grow very close, Ronald Osman said.

The two ideas, born out of loss together, ultimately inspired the multipanel mural that spreads three building walls on North Court Street in Marion.

The panels display Marines, firemen, police officers and EMS. However, in the next year, Ronald Osman hopes more branches of the military can be added to the remaining space, he said.

As time and perceptions of the military and first responders have changed, Ronald Osman hopes people will keep a positive view of the people in those roles.

First responders, whether you're a fireman, a paramedic, police officer, Army, Marine Corps, or the Navy, every day that they go to work on that job, there's a real potential for harm. They all do it willingly.

Ronald Osman partnered with Maddie Deiters to make this mural possible.

Deiters, 14 of Marion, comes from a line of military members. Her father was in the National Guard and his father was a veteran, Deiters said.

Having grown up in a military family, Deiters had a special appreciation for the project.

It's really important to support those who risked their lives for us, Maddie Deiters said. Even the first responders have to face danger every day. They go by this building all the time, saving other people. I would gladly spend eight weeks of my life painting this for them because they risked their life for ours.

Nowadays I feel like some people have forgotten the other side of America, how we found this nation through the strength and courage of those who wanted this to happen, Maddie Deiters said. It was the first one of its kind and I think, memorializing those people who stood up for our rights, and why America is so different from any other country, was a great honor.

This is only the second mural Deiters has ever done. It took her and her family roughly seven weeks to complete the mural, Deiters said.

She was the sole design artist on the project.

While most of the piece came from Deiters mind, she used real images in the mural. She colorized different photos from the Vietnam war for the Marines panel, Deiters said.

While signing the mural, a retired Army veteran, Tony Kindrick, stopped by to tell Deiters what he thought of the mural.

Not only does this beautify the city of Marion ... it also gives it hope, Kindrick said. It gives them the transparency that people care about the community, and they want to brighten their community up.

As the holidays approach and many families get time off, Barnett said he would like to remind people that first responders and the military dont get that luxury.

Thank them for their service, Barnett said. These people don't stop working on Christmas. They don't stop working on Thanksgiving. We have fires on Thanksgiving, the police have so many calls on Thanksgiving and Christmas. These people never stop. When we get to take off for the weekend there's always someone here, there's always somebody riding that rig of that ambulance, in that police squad car, or in that fire truck.

You can check out Deiters art here.

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Nearly US$11 billion pledged for cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore firms

Vietnamese and Singaporean businesses exchanged co-operation documents with a total capital amounting to US$11 billion at the Vietnam-Singapore Business Forum held on February 25 as part of President Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit to Singapore.









President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the forum





The forum featured the participation of an array of firms from the two countries in the fields of seaports, smart cities, clean and renewable energy, green and sustainable development, and the digital economy.





As part of his address at the event, President Phuc underlined the important role of businesses in carrying out co-operation strategies between both sides, especially in implementing new forms of co-operation. He called on enterprises from the two nations to make specific and practical contributions to the relationship in the lead up to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership ahead in 2023.









Vietnamese delegates attend the event.





Shifting from attraction to co-operation through FDI



The question raised by Singaporean businesses at the forum was the Vietnamese development vision over the next 10 years, the country's role as a regional and world production hub, along with a roadmap for implementing its commitments on climate change.



Singaporean investors believed that, with Vietnamese efforts to implement commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), it will be an opportunity for Singaporean investors because developing clean and renewable energy, along with developing a green and sustainable economy, are the strengths of Singapore businesses.



The message given by President Phuc is that the nation always creates the most favourable conditions for firms of the two countries to do business successfully. Efforts include continuing to improve the business investment environment, increasing publicity and transparency, along with dealing with problems such as high logistics service costs, administrative procedures, premises, and human resources.



Vietnam will also strive to maintain high economic growth, averaging 6.5% to 7% annually by 2025, thereby bringing the digital economy to over 20% of GDP. This represents a good opportunity for Singaporean businesses to invest more strongly in the nation.



"Vietnam has changed from merely FDI attraction to co-operation with foreign investors in the spirit of equality, mutual development, mutual benefit, mutual responsibility to society and employees, environmental protection and sustainable development.



In line with this Vietnam prioritises co-operation with FDI projects with high technology and innovation, thus creating optimal conditions for domestic enterprises to become involved in the value chain, promoting the development of the nation's digital economy and sustainable development, the Vietnamese State leader stated.



President Phuc added that on the basis that the mutual relationship is at its best for development, the leaders of both nations encourage the connection of the two economies on a digital platform. As a result, a memorandum of understanding on co-operation in this field was signed by the two countries' ministries and sectors during this visit.



With dozens of co-operation documents between enterprises from the two countries signed, President Phuc suggested that the agreements be concretised in practice, with a number of co-operation orientations outlined in the near future.



That aims to ramp up investment co-operation in priority areas such as high technology, digital transformation, and innovation, as well as promoting economic connectivity in ASEAN and the region. This will serve to effectively bringing into play the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and effectively carrying out the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).



Along with these efforts, the implementation of the vision of the agreement will connect the two economies via digital platforms, thereby opening investment opportunities and enhancing business connectivity overall.



According to Singapore's Minister of Human Resources Tan See Leng, with such great potential for co-operation between the two countries, Singaporean firms will continue to expand investment in the Vietnamese market. The strong participation of businesses therefore serves a strong demonstration of the business commitment of both sides, he added.



At the event, companies from both countries signed and exchanged co-operation documents worth approximately US$11 billion in many fields. In particular, SOVICO Group and related partners reached a series of agreements with a total value of up to US$5.2 billion.



Also on this occasion, the Ho Chi Minh City Development Bank (HD Bank) and the Thought Machine Company (UK) exchanged an agreement on integrating advanced technology solutions for digital banking services in Vietnam.
JACKSONVILLE  A $26 billion opioid settlement involving more than 4,000 state and local governments' claims against the nation's three major pharmaceutical distributors and one manufacturer has received final approval and is nearing the distribution of funds, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

The companies will start releasing funds to a national administrator on April 2, and state and local governments will start receiving funds soon after.

The agreement marks three years of negotiations to resolve more than 4,000 claims nationwide. It is the second largest multi-state agreement in U.S. history, second only to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Illinois is one of 52 states and territories that are part of the agreement, alongside thousands of local governments. In Illinois, 94 of the state's 102 counties have signed onto the agreement.

Another 104 of 113 eligible Illinois municipalities also are part of the agreement. All together, Illinois is expected to receive its full share of the settlement, or approximately $760 million.

"This historic agreement is the result of years of tireless work by attorneys in my office, and I am pleased that Illinois will soon receive hundreds of millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers that funneled high volumes of addictive opioids into our communities," Raoul said.

The majority of Illinois' money will go to the Illinois Remediation Fund to be used for abatement programs throughout the state. An advisory board will be established as a subcommittee of the state's Opioid Overdose Prevention and Recovery Steering Committee to make recommendations that prioritize the equitable distribution of the money, factoring in population, opioid usage rates, overdose deaths and the amount of opioids shipped into a region.

Under terms of the settlement, pharmaceutical manufacturer Johnson & Johnson is required to:

* stop selling opioids

* not fund or provide grants to third parties to promote opioids

* not lobby on activities related to opioids

* share clinical trial data under the Yale University Open Data Access Project

Pharmaceutical distributors Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen will:

* establish a centralized independent clearinghouse to provide all three distributors and state regulators with aggregated data and analytics about where drugs are going and how often, eliminating deficiencies in the current systems used by distributors

* use data-driven systems to detect suspicious opioid orders from customer pharmacies

* terminate customer pharmacies' abilities to receive shipments, and report those companies to state regulators, when they show certain signs of diversion

* prohibit shipping of and report suspicious opioid orders

* prohibit sales staff from influencing decisions related to identifying suspicious opioid orders

* require senior corporate officials to engage in regular oversight of anti-diversion efforts

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NILES  A man is facing theft charges after police say he robbed a Niles convenience store with a toy gun and a bag over his head.

Nicholas Amato, 26, of the 7700 block of North Oconto Avenue in Niles is accused of stealing $40 from a 7-Eleven store at 7450 W. Oakton St. on the night of Feb. 24, police said.

According to police, witnesses reported that a man entered the store around 8:30 p.m. with a plastic bag over his head and took out a gun from his pants.

The man stole $40 from the store, though it is unclear how he obtained the cash or if it came from the store's register. Niles Police Sgt. Kelly Eckardt said an employee was inside the store at the time of the incident, but that "7-Eleven did not cooperate fully with the investigation."

The incident was captured on store surveillance video, Eckardt said.

The robber fled prior to the arrival of police and a suspect, identified as Amato, was located on the 7800 block of North Odell Avenue, about a block south of the convenience store, police said. According to police, Amato disregarded the officers' commands and refused to be handcuffed. He was eventually taken to the ground where he was placed into custody and handcuffed, police said.

A toy air-soft pistol, believed to be the one used in the robbery, was found tossed in a trash can on the 7900 block of North Oketo Avenue along with the bag that the robber had covered his face with, police said.

Amato was found in possession of $40 in cash, according to police.

Niles police said 7-Eleven declined to pursue charges in the incident, but the Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved a charge of theft and two counts of resisting arrest against Amato.

During a Feb. 25 bond hearing on Zoom, Assistant State's Attorney Rowland Edwards said Amato admitted to bringing a soft-air gun into the store and a store employee identified Amato as the person who brandished a gun in the store.

"The defendant is seen on 7-Eleven surveillance video brandishing the firearm and taking $40 from the clerk," Edwards said.

One of the officers that attempted to take Amato into custody sustained minor injuries in the scuffle, Edwards said.

A judge set Amato's bond at $10,000, requiring $1,000 to be posted in order for him to be released.

Attorney Paul Burnson, representing Amato, said Amato was "not in his right mind" during the alleged Feb. 24 incident and suggested there may have been an issue with medication he was taking at the time. He asked the judge to set a low bond so that his client could be released and admitted to an in-patient behavioral treatment center.

Amato is currently on probation for a 2020 battery conviction, Edwards said.

Niles police reported that Amato was arrested in April 2020 after he was accused of pushing and punching a 60-year-old man outside the Walgreens that is located next to the 7-Eleven on Oakton Street.

Amato was sentenced to 24 months probation in the case, Edwards said.

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GURNEE  State police said a 28-year-old Harvey man has been charged in connection with a carjacking Wednesday in Chicago while two 16-year-old girls have been charged separately in a carjacking that occurred Tuesday in Alsip.

Police said Jordan Henry is charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated fleeing and eluding following a chase that ended up near the interchange of Interstates 55 and 80.

He is being held at the Will County Jail on $1 million bail and would have to post 10%, or $100,000, to be released, police said. His next court date is March 17, according to jail records.

Police said they received an alert at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to a carjacking and spotted the vehicle traveling south on Interstate 94 at 75th Street and tried to stop the driver.

Police pursued and the chase ended near I-55 and I-80 when the vehicle crashed into a ditch, and Henry attempted to run off, according to police. A police K-9 unit was involved in the foot pursuit, according to police.

Separately, state police that two girls were arrested and charged following a carjacking in Alsip which resulted in a chase that ended at I-55 and I-94.

Police said they received notification shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday of a Chevrolet Cruze taken in a carjacking in Alsip.

A state trooper spotted the vehicle at 11:18 p.m. near 93rd Street and Stony Island Avenue in Chicago and attempted to pull the vehicle over, according to police.

A pursuit ended when the car crashed on the ramp from I-55 north to I-94 north, police said.

The teens were taken to a hospital as a precaution, police said.

One of the girls was charged with aggravated fleeing and aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle, while the other charged with trespassing to a vehicle, police said.

No other information regarding the pair was available and it was not immediately clear where in Alsip the carjacking had taken place.

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Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service in Calhoun and Orangeburg counties will offer an area crop-production meeting on Friday, March 11.

Registration for the meeting will be held at 9 a.m., with welcome and introductions at 9:30.

The event will be held at the Tri-County Electric Cooperative on 6473 Old State Road in St. Matthews.

Speakers and schedule include:

9:35 a.m.: Dr. John Mueller: Nematode Resistance in Cotton Varieties Results of Field Trials in Calhoun County

10 a.m.: Charles Davis: Research on Cotton Seed Quality Issues

10:20 a.m.: Charly Greenthaler: Clemson Center Pivot Testing Program

10:45 a.m.: Dr. Michael Plumblee: Managing Irrigation for Maximum Efficiency

11:05 a.m.: Dr. Dan Anco: Peanut Fungicide Programs for 2022

11:30 a.m.: Dr. Mike Marshall: Weed Management Options with Tight Herbicide Supplies

Noon: Dr. Bhupinder Singh Farmaha: Cotton Fertility Management

12:30 p.m.: Adjourn

1:30 p.m.: Jonathan Croft and Charles Davis: Paraquat and Dicamba Training. Certified Crop Advisor and Pesticide Credits have been applied for.

For more information contact: Charles Davis 803-874-2354 at cdvs@clemson.edu or Jonathan Croft 803-516-4207 at croft@clemson.edu

Livestock & Forage Systems Field Day

Livestock and Forage Systems Field Day is scheduled for Saturday, March 12, at the Blackville Edisto Research and Education Center.

The registration for the field day is at 9:30 a.m.

Tour stops will begin at 10 a.m. and will include:

Forage establishment and management

Weed control

Nutrient management on forage systems

Overview of the Edisto Bull Test and Heifer Development Project

At noon there will be a wrap-up and surveys before adjourning.

For more information contact:

Dr. Liliane da Silva - lseveri@clemson.edu or Scott Sell - gsell@clemson.edu

Farm Safety Day for Women

The South Carolina Womens Agricultural Network (SC WAgN) is hosting their first Farm Safety Day for Women at the Sandhill Research Education Center in Columbia March 18.

The REC is located at 900 Clemson Road.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice safety skills at multiple supervised stations.

Stations will include chainsaws, electric fences, pesticides, tractors and trailers.

Registration will open at 9 a.m. and the first session will begin at 10 a.m. The event will end around 4 p.m.

Most of the sessions will be outdoors. Dress accordingly for the weather and wear closed-toed shoes.

Registration is limited to 50 participants and lunch will be provided. It is $10 a person.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/farm-safety-day-for-women-tickets-265206067487?utm_source=eventbrite

Youth 12 to 18 are welcome to attend if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Questions should be directed to Charley at chmaxwe@clemson.edu or 843-234-7719.

4 named to NCC leadership posts

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Four South Carolina cotton industry members have been elected to leadership positions in the National Cotton Council for 2022.

Jordan Lea, a Greenville merchant, was re-elected as a NCC vice president and William Bowen Jr., an Inman textile manufacturer, was re-elected as a NCC director.

Cotton producers James Johnson of Mayesville and Daniel Baxley of Dillon will serve as state co-chairmen for the NCCs American Cotton Producers.

The leaders were named at the recent 2022 NCC Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas.

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Richland School District 2 recently announced its fifth annual Black History Month honorees. Established in 2018 as a part of their Black History Month celebrations, the recognitions identify and highlight those who are connected to the school district and who have shown significant contributions to Black history and culture.

The district recognized Orangeburg native Dr. Walter B. Curry Jr. as a 2022 Black History Month honoree. Curry has contributed to Black history and culture through the establishment of Renaissance Publications LLC. He has published two books that chronicle the reflections and experiences of his relatives and that shed light on the experiences of African Americans in Aiken, Orangeburg and Richland counties. In 2019, he received the African American Historical and Genealogy Society Book Award and in 2021, he received the Literary Titan Awards.

Curry, the author-in-residence for the Aiken Center for the Arts, has also been recognized by his alma mater, South Carolina State University, as a member of the inaugural 40 Under 40 class of persons who have made significant strides in their careers, contributions to their communities and who have had an impact at the university. Both of his books, The Thompson Family: Untold Stories From The Past (1830-1960) and The Awakening: The Seawright-Ellison Family Saga, Vol.1, A Narrative History are curriculum resources in three schools in the Aiken County public school district.

According to the district website, Each year we will highlight individuals from the Richland Two community with unique and significant contributions to Black history and culture. Individuals will be recognized in the areas of art, education, engineering, music, health, science, technology, and the military.

"Often when we think of historical figures who have shaped our history and culture we think of global or national leaders. We are excited to recognize people from our own Richland Two community who have made significant contributions to Black history and culture. We want all of our Richland Two partners (our students, parents, staff and community members) to know about the good work done by our own community members and we especially hope that our students will see something of themselves in the people recognized to reaffirm that they too have what it takes to be premier," said Dr. Helen Nelson Grant, chief diversity and multicultural inclusion officer.

The honorees will be celebrated at the districts Black History Month program on Monday, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. The event is at the conference center at Richland Two Institute of Innovation, 763 Fashion Drive, Columbia.

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Orangeburg County Council Tuesday unanimously approved continuing to extend its broadband infrastructure throughout the county.

The council voted to spend $3,333,865 for the first phase of the broadband extension. The company doing the work will be Columbia-based Utility Service Contractors Inc.

The county also approved engaging with Missouri-based Graybar for $1,482,146 for the second phase of the broadband project.

The monies are a part of a $13.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture ReConnect Program grant the county received that covers Cope, Felderville, portions of Santee, Neeses and North.

Phase 1 is eastern Orangeburg with a targeted completion by the end of the year, though there could be delays due to supply-chain issues.

Phase 2 is in western Orangeburg. Phase 2 should be completed by mid-year 2023.

Council also unanimously approved engaging St. Matthews-based Porth Construction for $3,496,190 to build the SC Gateway pump station and make sanitary sewer improvements.

The project, which is expected to be complete by year's end, will help connect the 1,322-acre South Carolina Gateway Industrial Park (formerly JAFZA Magna Park in Santee) to the county's wastewater system.

In other matters, council gave unanimous first reading to provide a fee-in-lieu-of-tax incentive to a company publicly being identified under the name Project Stallion. Typically, projects are not publicly identified until deals are finalized.

The company is planning to invest $17.6 million and create 30 new jobs in Orangeburg County. The investment includes $6.5 million in buildings and $11.1 million in machinery and equipment.

The company is planning to locate in the former Mayer Industries building at 3777 Industrial Boulevard. Industrial Boulevard is near Interstate 26s Exit 145.

The company will also request the project be placed in a multicounty industrial park with Dorchester County. A joint multicounty industrial park is not a physical park but an incentive mechanism for a company.

Council also unanimously approved a resolution accepting a grant to help fund Orangeburg County sheriff's officers to serve as school resource officers for the Orangeburg County School District.

In January, the OCSD received a six-month school resource officer grant from the S.C. Department of Public Safety. Under the $568,692 grant, six school resource officers will be funded through June 30 of this year.

The grant will bring SROs to Holly Hill-Roberts Middle School, Elloree K-8, Marshall Elementary School, the Cope Area Career Center, the Orangeburg Technology Center and the Lake Marion High School Technology Center.

The SROs could be placed in other schools if needed.

The grant will pay for salaries, equipment, training and vehicles.

It is renewable for five years and would total about $3.5 million over five years, if desired.

The district plans to apply for a renewal for an additional year running from July 1 through June 30, 2023.

The district currently has 10 SROs.

Council also gave unanimous first reading to an exchange of property with the county school district for possible future needs.

Young explained the county has a piece of property off Red Bank Road near U.S. 601 that could be advantageous to the school district and the school district has property near Interstate 95 on U.S. 15 -- the site of the former Dantzler Middle School which closed about 14 to 19 years ago.

"We are just swapping properties between the two," Young said. "Because the value of our property is a little higher, they are allowing us to harvest the timber off of that property that they have to balance it out."

Following the agenda portion of the meeting, Councilman Johnny Ravenell asked about the status of the county's plans to expand the wastewater-treatment capacity at its Goodby's Creek Wastewater treatment plant on U.S. 176.

The tank is designed to treat about 500,000 gallons of wastewater a day. Currently, the plant is permitted to treat about 250,000 gallons a day. The plant will primarily serve the Matthews Industrial Park on U.S. 301 and U.S. 176 but will eventually look to serve the town of Elloree.

Young said the county is working with the USDA and has requested from the federal and state delegation to receive funding to expand the facility's capacity.

Ravenell said expanding the facility will be important for economic development.

Ravenell also expressed his hopes that broadband projects ongoing in the county would help provide increased competition to existing providers such as Frontier. Ravenell said he has heard from some individuals about their difficulty in getting out of their broadband contract due to the lack of competition.

In other business:

Council agreed to approve a resolution providing tax incentives to Orangeburg solar farm Brewer Renewables LLC.

Brewer Renewables, a subsidiary of Seahorse Capital, is building a solar farm on Cannon Bridge Road near Riley Road. The project is expected to be operational in 2023. There are no new jobs associated with the solar project.

The resolution was needed to transfer the original fee-in-lieu agreement approved two years ago to a new entity.

Council gave unanimous second reading to an ordinance adding provisions to its public services code to ensure commercial driveways in the county are in line with state codes in order to better ensure the integrity of pipes and culverts. No one commented during a public hearing on the ordinance.

Council read a proclamation naming the third Saturday in February as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, South Carolina Zeta Youth Affiliates Day in the county.

Council gave unanimous first reading to an emergency ordinance allowing electronic meetings of council to continue. The extension was approved for 60 days and is in place to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Councilwoman Janie Cooper-Smith, who has often been outspoken on the importance of not littering, reminded all that April is a countywide cleanup month and said there will be a number of group cleanup events planned.

She also noted April is zero-tolerance-for-litter month and noted law enforcement will aim to double down on littering crimes.

Council went into closed session to discuss contractual matters related to the Orangeburg County School District.

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The Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Orangeburg-Morning recently celebrated the educators of the year for Orangeburg County

Representing the chamber, James McQuilla remembered the teachers who shaped him.

Teaching is everything, he said. I was fortunate to spend a few months as a substitute teacher. You are shaping the future every day.

Speaking for the Rotary Club of Orangeburg-Morning, Club President Thomas Cassidy noted his pleasure at bringing the annual celebration back.

Weve missed a few years during the pandemic of celebrating the wonderful work that happens in these schools. Its great that we can come together to celebrate the best of Orangeburgs schools this way.

The honorees were chosen by the Orangeburg County School District and by Orangeburg Preparatory Schools. Representing the district were Ruby Marie-Hallman, social studies teacher at Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High School, and Briana Berry, teacher assistant at Edisto Elementary School. Representing Orangeburg Prep were middle school teacher Ruby Marie Hallman, high school teacher Rebecca Felsher and elementary school teacher Stephanie Knight.

Each honoree was invited to address the assembly. Briana Berry, who was being honored as the Orangeburg County School District support staff of the year, spoke not only of her excitement at greeting students every morning but also at her forthcoming teacher accreditation.

By this time next year. I will be greeting students as their teacher.

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South Carolina State University is planning on conducting its first curriculum review since 2007.

I think a thorough curriculum review is really necessary at this time to make sure that we have the right majors to attract students and to make sure that our students have a pathway to their future, Academic Affairs Committee Chairperson Dr. Doris Helms said during a Feb. 3 meeting of the board of trustees.

Provost Dr. Frederick Evans is scheduled to update trustees at their next meeting on how the university is going to go about the general education review and curriculum review.

Helms reported that Dr. Evelyn Fields, acting dean of the College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, informed the committee that an educational leadership self-study has been completed in preparation for reaccreditation through the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, or CATE.

We have to have our education programs accredited by CATE. ... According to Dr. Fields, were in good shape, Helms said.

Helms noted the general education class review is needed.

The requirements for SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) are only 30 hours. Many of our programs have more than 40 hours of gen ed associated with them. One way to strengthen our majors is to remove some of the gen ed requirements so that we can put in additional courses within the major that will strengthen those majors, she said.

Helms said Dr. Harriet Roland, dean of the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College, spoke with the committee about starting an honors-by-contract course option. It would be a mechanism for honors students to explore a specialized area of interest, and to do so at an honors level, even if an honors course is not being offered in that particular subject.

Weve suggested that she take that back to the education policy committee to see whether they would allow us to move forward with that kind of innovative work. She also talked about looking at a capstone course for honors in addition to the capstones that you typically find in the major that would consist of an honors thesis," she said.

Helms reported that the university has been reaccredited through SACS and is now required to submit a monitoring report, which is being prepared.

That reports looks primarily at an assessment of the ability of students to report what theyre actually doing in their classes. ... It has to be put in by September, she said.

Helms also reported that Dr. Diane Bruce, the university's retention manager, will be putting more focus on sophomores.

Most of the work weve been doing so far has been concentrated on looking at freshmen, but her data indicates that we need to pay some attention to what is going on with our sophomores. ... If we are to increase enrollment, we have to increase retention, she said.

Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate President Alexander Thierry reported that new officers include himself as president, Dr. Reginald Williams as vice president and Dr. Audrey McCrary-Quarles as parliamentarian.

He said raising faculty concerns will be among the duties of the Faculty Senate.

Some of that includes COVID and the communication on protocols and guidance, availability of class resources and materials, technology upgrades occurring and those that are still needed, he said.

Thierry continued, We will always continue to push for shared governance. We will push for faculty and student safety; enhancing faculty morale, which also does include continuing the salary study, and working with administration on improving the salary of the professors.

For far too long, the faculty have been left out of decisions made about appointments and even allowed input on the hiring of the president of the university. We hope that as the process for selecting the next president of South Carolina State University occurs, the facultys voice is heard and that we are included in that process, he said.

Thierry continued, This is the same request that we have in all facets of administration of the university. The voice of the faculty needs to be heard, and we must be used not only as a voice, but also as a resource to move the university forward.

Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD

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Maheema was staying in a hostel on the campus since she joined the course in October 2021. (Image by Arrangement)

Hyderabad: The woman trainee pilot, Maheema Gajraj, who died in an air crash on Saturday, had joined Flytech Aviation at Macherla in Andhra Pradesh four months ago, and had flown solo for about 70 hours, the sourcs in the flying school said.

Sources said the ill-fated Cessna 152 aircraft took off from the Macherla airfield in Guntur district after the examiner issued permission on the fitness of the aircraft.

Flytech Aviation official Monika Laxmi told that Maheema was staying in a hostel on the campus since she joined the course in October 2021.

"The Flytech management and its experts teams are on the way to the site where the aircraft crashed in Nalgonda district to analyse the mishap. An internal probe is on and will analyse the caus of the mishap. After conducting a proper probe, we will provide details," she said.

Sources said that the technical glitches might have been caused the aircraft crash. "Maheema had operated the same aircraft alone earlier. Minutes after the aircraft left Macherla, the signal system was cut off and there was no proper communication between the pilot and Flytech base camp," sources said.

Meanwhile, the Nalgonda police said they would speed up the investigation in connection with the aircraft mishap. The police officials said that they would coordinate with the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in probing the mishap.

Danger in the air

The city has seen several trainee aircraft crashes, both belonging to the Indian Air Force and to flying schools in the last five years.

September 28, 2017: A Kiran trainer aircraft crashed near Ankireddypalli in Keesara mandal in Medchal district.

October 6, 2019: Two pilots were killed after a trainer aircraft crashed in Sultanpur of Vikarabad district.

November 21, 2018: A trainee aircraft crashed in Shankarpalli in Ranga Reddy district due to a technical glitch. 25-year-old pilot Bhaskar Bhushan escaped unhurt.

November 28, 2018: Trainer aircraft crashed in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district.
(TBTCO) - Thi truong ket thuc thang 4 voi muc giam 8,4%, tro thanh thang giam sau nhat trong vong 2 nam. Hang loat co phieu chiet khau gia cuc sau tuy gay thiet hai rat lon cho nhieu nha au tu, nhung cung se tao co hoi cho cac nha au tu khac.
(TBTCO) - Tai le cong bo bao cao Chi so nang luc canh tranh cap tinh (PCI) nam 2021 uoc to chuc ngay 27/4 tai Ha Noi, ong au Anh Tuan - Truong ban Phap che, Lien oan Thuong mai va Cong nghiep Viet Nam (VCCI) phat bieu, du dich Covid-19 dien bien rat phuc tap nhung dong chay cai cach tu ia phuong tai Viet Nam van uoc duy tri voi nhung cai thien manh me cua thu tuc hanh chinh, thu tuc thue, hai quan, chi phi khong chinh thuc giam an tuong...
Advocates say a bill targeting drug use in pregnancy could help protect children and connect women with the treatment they need. But opponents say that if House Bill 85 becomes law, it could deter those same women from seeking health care or carrying their baby to term.

The bill made it out of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, and passed its first vote Friday on the House floor.

Bills restricting abortion advance in the Wyoming Legislature 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 total ban in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Michelle Foust, whose criminal case has been used as an example regarding holes in Wyomings child endangerment statute that the bill seeks to rectify, testified to the committee on Thursday, saying that the bill would create more barriers for women to get treatment.

Foust told the Star-Tribune prior to her testimony that she was unaware that the bills sponsor, Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, was using her 2005 case to argue for the proposed legislation.

Oakleys bill would add a new subsection to Wyomings child endangerment statute to make the consumption of methamphetamine or narcotics during pregnancy punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000 or both.

Marijuana is not a narcotic and is not included in the bill. An amendment by Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, to limit the law only to methamphetamine use failed.

A similar bill brought by Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, was voted down in the Senates labor and health committee last week. Hutchings proposal would have created a child abuse charge for those who use controlled substances while pregnant if the child is born with a bodily injury, disability or disfigurement.

Bill targeting substance use during pregnancy fails in the Senate Critics of the bill worried it would deter women from seeking prenatal care and addiction treatment.

Oakley has been using Fousts case as an example of situations she hopes to prevent with her proposed legislation.

Foust was charged with child endangering in 2005, after her son was found with methamphetamine metabolites in his system at birth. The Wyoming child endangerment law states that no person shall knowingly and willfully cause or permit a child to ingest methamphetamine or remain in or enter an enclosure with the presence of methamphetamine.

In Fousts case, however, a Fremont County judge ruled that a fetus is not considered a child under the child endangerment statute.

This statutory language contains the word child, but not the words fetus or unborn child, the judges decision reads. To allow the broad definition of child, which the State seeks, would go against the intent of the legislature.

Another judge reaffirmed this interpretation of the statute in a separate case.

Oakley said that her bill is meant to fill a hole in the law in relation to the statute, adding that the use of drugs while pregnant fits squarely in with behavior that is already prohibited and illegal.

This is arguably the most dangerous behavior of all of those, she said.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, research shows that the use of drugs while pregnant can have severe negative health impacts on a fetus, sometimes resulting in infants going through withdrawal, or neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), upon birth. Substances that can have such impacts on infants range from tobacco, alcohol and marijuana to opioids and methamphetamines.

But some legislators and many of those testifying expressed concerns that the bill would unintentionally worsen the problem it seeks to address by deterring mothers from seeking addiction treatment and prenatal care.

I did not seek prenatal care, mostly out of fear of prosecution, Foust said, noting that she continued to use methamphetamine throughout her pregnancy. I did not speak to a doctor, or anyone in a position of authority, out of fear.

The literature echoes Fousts experience.

A 2015 study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that mothers who used drugs during their pregnancy employed strategies to avoid detection including isolating themselves from others, skipping treatment appointments, or avoiding treatment altogether.

On a policy level, a 2019 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association that analyzed over 4 million births across eight states found greater rates of newborns with NAS in states with punitive policies toward substance use during pregnancy compared to states without such policies.

Although they both said their departments dont hold an official stance on the bill, Wyoming Department of Health Interim Director Stefan Johansson and Wyoming Department of Family Services Director Korin Schmidt also referred to other research to underline their concerns about potentially deterring women from seeking care.

Foust also said she felt the proposed legislation would unfairly target women, given that fathers could also abuse substances but wouldnt be punished for doing so under the circumstances that the bill outlines.

There doesnt appear to be much research showing instances where similar legislation has been successful. Oakley didnt responded to the Star-Tribune by press time regarding examples she may have come across in her research.

But despite the punitive measures outlined in the bill, Oakley has said her primary intent is not meant to criminalize mothers for using drugs while pregnant.

It is not an attempt to incarcerate these mothers, but it is an insistence that they get it right, she said.

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Were now halfway through the Wyoming Legislatures budget session, the 20 days every other year when lawmakers gather in Cheyenne to decide on the states two-year fiscal plan. This year is more complicated than normal. Typically, lawmakers have two focuses: pass a budget and adopt legislation that cant wait until the next general session. This time around, theyre also tasked with redrawing the states legislative maps as part of the once-a-decade redistricting process. And they must decide how to spend half of the more than $1 billion in federal relief aid that Wyomings set to receive.

Its not an understatement to say the decisions made during this legislative session could be felt for years to come. Wyoming leaders have long acknowledged that the state needs to make changes so that were less dependent on fossil fuels, which, as the invasion of Ukraine shows, can rise and fall quickly and dramatically. Doing so wont be easy or cheap. But now, Wyoming has an infusion of federal cash that can be used to better position the state for future success.

For a potentially critical moment, this years session has felt decidedly average. There are a group of lawmakers who are diligently trying to finalize redistricting while working through the states finances. But weve seen plenty of distractions along the way, from an attempt to fund the Border Wall to a litany of unserious bills that are more about fighting a broader culture war than addressing the very real problems facing the Equality State.

What the state needs is transformational thinking. At this point, wed settle for a few forward-looking ideas. Were not talking about platitudes pertaining to economic development. Were seeking real ideas that could move the needle for our state. Weve seen lawmakers focus heavily on protecting the industries that already exist in Wyoming. But we havent observed that same focus and determination when it comes to attracting new businesses and industries here. And theres been next to no conversation about how the state could change its revenue structure so that it would actually reap the benefits of new industries that locate in Wyoming.

With so much at stake, the communication between lawmakers and the public on fiscal matters is critical. Wyomingites have plenty on their plates right now, so its essential that legislative leaders explain how they are planning to use the ARPA windfall and better-than-expected revenues to put the state on solid footing over the long-term. Transparency is essential. Share the plan not just in a three-hour committee meeting, but in a way that the average Wyomingite has time to digest.

Finally, its critical that we stay on track. The session is relatively short, so time spent on distractions and drama is time wasted. Were at a unique point in the states history, with money to solve a problem thats long vexed us. But money alone isnt enough. We need the diligence to concentrate on what really matters  setting up Wyoming for long-term future success  and the discipline to ignore what doesnt.

Lets not miss out on this opportunity. Theres still time in this session to think big. Theres time to put the state on a better footing. It would be a shame to lose focus, especially for issues that might play well on television, but dont actually play out in our state.

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The Point is to Change the World, a collection of writings by Guyanese political activist Andaiye, was in the spotlight on Thursday, the first day of the 2022 Bocas Lit Fest, which kicked off with a series of virtual events.

Thursdays conversation centred on Andaiyes writings and legacy.

Journalist Sunity Maharaj said while Andaiye left a legacy through her work, she also used her platform to be open and honest about every aspect of her life, including her battle with cancer.
A POINT Fortin man and his teenage son were among four people detained yesterday by residents of Beach Road, Fullerton Village, Cedros, who fought back against cable theft on their street.

The suspects, of Techier Village, Mahaica, were blocked by villagers from leaving the street and nabbed in the bushes as they attempted an escape.
New Delhi: Multiple tweets were posted from BJP president J P Nadda's account on the Ukraine crisis and also on crypto currency issues on Sunday, in another case of hacking of a prominent public figure's Twitter account.

Electronics and Technology Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar told PTI that the matter has been reported to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), and an investigation is on.

BJP sources said Nadaa's account was compromised briefly.

"It is now under control. We are speaking with Twitter to ascertain the exact reason," a party leader said.

One tweet from Nadda's account solicited donations to help Ukraine and another sought to help Russia.

"Now accepting crypto currency donations," it added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter account was also hacked briefly in December last year, and message related to Bitcoin was posted.

Some other handles, including those of government departments, were recently hacked as well.
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.
The months-long delay in passing the fiscal 2022 federal budget is posing challenges for government contractors, including the University of Arizona and local defense firms, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema was told at a roundtable discussion at the UA last week.

Sinema, who took a tour of the UAs recently expanded and upgraded wind-tunnel facility, said she expects Congress to pass the budget for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 within the next couple of weeks, before the latest in a series of stopgap funding resolutions expires March 11.

Were going to get it done, Sinema said at a discussion focused on defense and aerospace issues. Theyve been jerking around with it for months and months and months, but I actually think this next time is the real one  only six months late.

That couldnt come soon enough for folks like Roberto Furfaro, professor in the UA Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering and a UA team leader for NASAs NEO Surveyor project to map hazardous objects across the solar system.

Furfaro said his UA team is still on track, but the lack of a budget makes it very difficult to forecast costs and could potentially delay the mission now set for 2026.

It costs taxpayers money, and we risk losing people on the team, he said.

Shai Patel of Sargent Aerospace & Defense in Marana said that as a parts subcontractor to major defense contractors, the company often gets last-minute orders for complex, engineered parts because of uncertainty over program funding.

Founded locally in 1980, Sargent makes precision components like hydraulic parts and valves for programs including Lockheed Martins F-35 stealth fighter jet and employs about 400 workers.

In order for us to get in tooled up, get people in place, there are a lot of moving parts and pieces, and in many cases we struggle and we cant do it, Patel said. So were trying to talk with people we know in government and in different industries to understand, hey, what are the priorities, what do the funding profiles look like? Because if we have a good feeling that things will get funded, or move forward, oftentimes were willing to take the risk ourselves.

Sinema said she would ask her staff to look into the issue and help develop ideas on how contractors could get a better sense of the funding picture for specific programs without violating current rules.

Backing hypersonics

The senator said she was proud to support the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2022 including keeping the A-10 ground-attack jet flying at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and lots of money for hypersonic capabilities.

The Pentagon and defense contractors including Tucson-based Raytheon Missiles & Defense are scrambling to catch up with China and Russia on development of a new generation of hypersonic missiles, which can fly at speeds topping Mach 5 and maneuver at low altitudes to evade interception.

The UA is working with Raytheon and the Defense Department on accelerating hypersonics research with the help of federal and state funding of more than $10 million to expand its hypersonic and subsonic wind tunnel facilities on campus.

UA associate professor Jesse Little, director of the UA Turbulence and Flow Control Laboratory, said the wind-tunnel expansion and upgrades have vaulted the UA to among the top schools for hypersonics research.

We have plans continue to expand  we want to do more things were doing well now and enhance those capabilities to do more, said Little, who with colleague Alex Craig has led projects to upgrade new wind tunnels while expanding the capabilities of its existing equipment.

Misty Holmes, who leads Raytheons advanced technology business-development effort including hypersonics, thanked Sinema for her support of hypersonic missile research.

Were moving very aggressively to develop hypersonics, unfortunately, I think its well-known that were not moving quite as fast nationally as our adversaries, so we want to really increase those university and industrial-base partnerships, Holmes said.

Sinema, a Tucson native whose father is a Raytheon/Hughes Aircraft retiree, said hypersonics is one of her funding priorities.

Many of our adversaries have pretty advanced technologies and I want to make sure were catching up, she said.

Finding workers

Several roundtable participants said they face ongoing challenges in attracting talented employees including skilled blue-collar workers like machinists.

Sargents Patel said the company works with a local industrial partnership with high schools to train and certify students in machinist and related skilled jobs, but despite stepped-up efforts thats still a challenge and the company typically has 40 to 60 open positions.

In addition to that, young kids that are coming out of college that want to go to big cities, that kind of thing, Patel said, wondering if a national-level approach might help.

Sinema said improving infrastructure in Tucson and across Arizona could help the city and state compete for business and workers nationally, citing her co-sponsorship with Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman on an amendment that became the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act.

The infrastructure bill, signed into law in November, includes $550 million in new federal spending on transportation, bridges, water systems, broadband internet and electric-vehicle charging networks.

Its my goal to make sure that were investing in the future and whether its broadband or roads or bridges, that were continuing to build the infrastructure that will be attractive to the kind of talent we need, Sinema said.

Sinema noted that Tucson International Airport is getting more than $30 million from the infrastructure funding bill, under a formula that applies to all airports based on their size.

But TIA can also apply for additional, competitive funds under the infrastructure act, and Sinema said her office is already working with the Tucson Airport Authority to identify those funding opportunities and provide technical assistance.

As the chair of the aviation subcommittee in Congress, this is a top priority for me, and I know its a priority for Arizona, and were a hub for tourism down in Southern Arizona, not only for recreation and for incredible science, but also for things like birding, she said.

We know that weve got to be competitive in our infrastructure, both on ground infrastructure as well as our ports of entry in our airports, so that people want to continue to come to Arizona.

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

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On Feb. 2, a corrections officer at the Pima County jail went to deliver Sylvestre Miguel Inzunzas breakfast, but found the inmate unresponsive in his bed.

The officer noticed he was cold to the touch, according to an incident report from the Pima County Sheriffs Department, which runs the jail.

Corrections officers and medical staffers attempted lifesaving measures until the Tucson Fire Department arrived. Inzunza, 18, was beyond savable, the report said, and was declared dead at 5:26 a.m.

Inzunza was the second inmate to die at the jail in 2022, after last years 10 reported deaths that marked a decade-high number of annual deaths at the facility.

Including the two deaths this year, five of the deaths were attributed to drug overdoses, with the most recent four caused by fentanyl, according to the Pima County Medical Examiner. Fentanyl is a highly addictive drug thats nearly 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the DEA.

Three of the deaths resulted from medical complications, three from COVID-19, and one from suicide, according to the medical examiners findings. Of the 12 inmates, eight were people of color.

In 2021, the average daily inmate population at the jail was 1,621. Last week, it was 1,678, according to the Sheriffs Department.

The deaths have drawn scrutiny on the jail and its policies from local advocates and family members of the deceased demanding answers.

Frances Guzman, whose son Cruz Patino Jr. III died at the jail in August, has attended three protests in front of the facility since November with other family members of those whove died at the jail. They are trying to bring wider attention to the deaths.

Im doing these steps to have a little bit of peace because Im never going to get closure, Guzman said. Im climbing the steps, and when I see another death, Im right back to step one. I see these families crying, these friends crying for the same thing that my familys crying for. Its an ongoing thing.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors is set to discuss fentanyl-related overdoses at the jail with Sheriff Chris Nanos at its March 1 meeting, particularly, The status of any internal or external investigations into how fentanyl is making it into the inmate population, the agenda says.

One death is bad, right? We know that. One death is horrible. But my goodness, to sit there and say the sheriff is doing nothing about it is wrong, Nanos said. Everything we have done is done for a purpose to try to keep that horrific drug out of our facility.

Overdoses

From January 2021 to Feb. 2, 2022, the jail had 26 emergency-room send-outs for possible overdoses, according to a memo from Paula Perrera, the countys behavioral health director. Narcan was administered in 22 of those cases, and 19 cases required multiple doses of the drug designed to reverse opioid overdoses.

Nanos said every corrections officer overseeing a pod has been given access to Narcan in the last month.

Inzunzas death, which was ruled a fatal overdose, was the latest to happen at the jail, less than three weeks after another fentanyl-induced death.

Its unclear from records why Inzunza was in jail. He appeared in court  out of custody  one week before at a case management conference for 2021 charges of resisting arrest and a minor carrying a firearm, according to court records. He was also facing charges of armed and aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a 2020 incident.

On Jan. 10, Pedro Xavier Martinez Palacios Jr. was transferred to St. Marys Hospital, according to records from the Sheriffs Department. Four days later, he was declared brain-dead.

The incident report details a conversation with Palacios cellmate, who told jail personnel that Palacios had taken eight Mexican blue pills  which are counterfeit oxycodone pills containing varying amounts of fentanyl  over the course of three days.

The cellmate said a third inmate who left the jail before Palacios death brought in fentanyl pills by hiding them in his body and supplied the drugs to him and Palacios.

After running out of the fentanyl supply the third inmate had left behind, the cellmate told investigators Palacios suffered from severe withdrawal symptoms, including throwing up to the point of dry heaving and that he couldnt unclench his hands.

Im like, just  drink some water, and youll be, like, youll be all right, Palacios cellmate told investigators, according to the report. And then uh, the COs told him the same thing, just drink some water, and youll be fine.

The cellmate told investigators Palacios took a shower the morning of Jan. 10, and the cellmate proceeded to do the same. Before he undressed, the cellmate said, he saw Palacios being placed on a gurney.

Palacios, who was previously convicted of felony aggravated assault, had been booked into the jail at the time of his death in connection with felony charges of auto theft, burglary and fleeing from law enforcement, according to court records.

Visitations not allowed

From July 2020 to July 2021, fentanyl-related deaths have increased by 59% in Pima County, according to a report from the county Health Department, which also says fentanyl is the leading cause of death for youth in Pima County.

The countys behavioral health unit is charged with overseeing the contracts for privatized correctional health care companies that provide medical services to inmates in the jail.

Perrera, who has headed the behavioral health department since 2018, says the deaths at the jail are reflective of those in the community.

Fentanyl is a serious problem nationwide, but particularly here in Tucson, were just so close to the border, she said. People in the community are, you know, addicted to fentanyl and they use fentanyl and theyre bringing it with them inside the jail.

Nanos said every inmate undergoes a body scan when booked into the jail, which detects anomalies and potential contraband hidden on or within a body. The jail uses a canine specialized in sniffing out fentanyl, he said, and doesnt allow in-person visitations or physical mail, with inmates attending most court hearings virtually.

Some inmates swallow bags of pills to excrete them once theyre inside the jail in attempts to evade security procedures.

But it is a tiny pill and sometimes people are going to get that by us, Nanos said. We are doing everything we can to keep that nasty drug out of there. But it is tough. It is not an easy thing to stop from coming into your jails.

Despite the departments efforts, fentanyl is finding its way into the jail.

In Palacios case, sheriffs personnel reviewed the body scan of the cellmate who allegedly provided him with fentanyl and found a circular anomaly  in (the inmates) abdomen, but it was unclear what it was.

Nanos said the body scanning machine detects anomalies inside a persons body and provides a percentage as a threshold for when the further inspection is needed. He said the scan detected the abnormality, but it didnt reach the threshold needed to issue a warrant for further inspection.

We will go through that machine and see the ones weve missed and say, could we lower that standard to say, OK, we need to wake up when they hit 70%? Not 80%? I dont know. Its a guessing game, Nanos said.

The sheriff said the corrections workers who conduct the body scans are adjusting to that technology.

So we have COs who are trained to be corrections officers, looking at a machines X-ray vision, doing the best they can to say, I think theres something here, Nanos said.

The jail is also short-staffed, leaving corrections workers to take on longer shifts and experience burnout faster. As of last week, the jail was short-staffed by 104 corrections officers, five corrections sergeants and two corrections lieutenants.

Nanos said increasing staffing could have an impact on decreasing the number of deaths in the jail.

Ive got staff, for example, doing rounds every 20 minutes. What if I have enough that can do rounds every 10 minutes? Maybe theyd catch some of this, he said. I think your morale kind of picks up a little bit, because youre not feeling like youre stuck there for so many hours in the day. And once morales up youre giving a better effort.

Nanos said his department is in discussions to build a 30-bed unit for inmates detoxing from drugs and is considering buying a hand scanner that could detect drug residue on inmates hands when theyre booked into the jail. For now, however, those are just ideas.

In reality, Nanos said the jail he oversees isnt a place for those struggling with addiction.

I know there are some really, really bad people who exist, and they belong in that jail, Nanos said. But there are a lot of people who are in that jail because they do drugs. I dont like you doing drugs. But I dont know that is the place for you.

Pima County Public Defender Joel Feinman, who represents many of the inmates in the jail, is joining family members of the deceased in attempts to bring attention to the facilitys deaths.

His office, however, lacks the power to keep people out of the jail, he said. Thats an authority granted to the judges who put them there.

All we can do is represent our clients to the best of our ability and bring attention to issues and demand that society pay attention to how our clients are marginalized and mistreated, Feinman said.

Many inmates  including Palacios, according to sheriffs reports  enter the facility detoxing from drugs they took on the outside and lack access to proper care for the often dangerous withdrawal process.

The idea that if you are unlucky enough to have a substance abuse problem, and you get arrested for a low-level offense, then you have to roll the dice with your life and potentially die in the Pima County jail as a result of substandard medical care. I mean, I find that just deeply offensive, Feinman said.

Methadone shipments

In Perreras memo addressed to acting County Administrator Jan Lesher, the behavioral health department director wrote: We speculate that the lack of methadone as a treatment option may be a contributing factor for some of the overdoses within the jail population.

According to Perrera, inmates with opioid use disorder  where withdrawal can be life-threatening and cause symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea and insomnia  used to be able to access methadone if they had taken it outside the facility. Methadone is commonly used to treat opioid use disorder by reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

But on Dec. 1, the county stopped working with its former methadone provider, Community Medical Services. Perrera said the change came after officials found the company was starting people on methadone even if they werent provided it on the outside, going against the jails policy and causing some adverse events.

The jail also ended its contract with its former medical provider Centurion in August, switching to another privatized correctional health care company, NaphCare. Perrera said the Centurion contract ended because the company was violating its contract by refusing to engage and provide court-ordered evaluation and treatment services, on an involuntary basis.

Now, after nearly three months without methadone treatment in the jail, Pima County has obtained a preliminary license from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, to continue providing methadone to inmates.

Perrera expects the first shipments of methadone to arrive next week. The preliminary license wont become permanent, however, until SAMHSA conducts a survey at the jail to ensure compliance with rules and regulations.

But even with the return of the opioid withdrawal medication, only those who were already receiving methadone outside the facility can participate in the program.

In the current contract with NaphCare, I dont have the staffing in there that it would take to have a full-blown MAT (medically assisted treatment) services program, Perrera said.

In her memo to Lesher, Perrera said the countys long-standing policy is that individuals in our detention facilities should have the same or better access to quality care as they would outside.

I think we are certainly much closer today than we were when I took over this position, Perrera said when asked if the jail is living up to that policy.

Do we have everything that we could ever want? No, but we are way closer and we are continuing to move forward to having the right staff and the right staffing mix, she said. So its hard to say that today things are exactly the way that I want them to be. They arent.

Contact reporter Nicole Ludden at nludden@tucson.com

Deaths at the Pima County Jail The total count of deaths reported at the Pima County jail for the last 10 years: 2011: 4 2012: 4 2013: 3 2014: 1 2015: 6 2016: 4 2017: 5 2018: 9 2019: 5 2020: 9 2021: 10

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks in a meeting of ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang. (Korea News Service via AP)

SEOUL: North Korea has accused the United States of being the "root cause of the Ukraine crisis" while defending Russia, in Pyongyang's first official response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia ordered troops into neighbouring Ukraine this week, prompting global outcry and punishing sanctions from the West, some directed against Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

But North Korea, in a muted response issued in the form of a commentary posted on the Foreign Ministry's website, said the United States was to blame for the unfolding disaster.

Washington has pursued "military supremacy in disregard of the legitimate demand of Russia for its security" according to the commentary, attributed to Ri Ji Song, a researcher at the North's Society for International Politics Study.

"The root cause of the Ukrainian crisis also lies in the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the US," said the post uploaded on the North's foreign ministry website on Saturday.

Ri slammed the US for holding a "double standard" -- saying it meddled in the internal affairs of other countries in the name of "peace and stability" but "but it denounces for no good reason self-defensive measures taken by other countries to ensure their own national security."

"Gone are the days when the U.S. used to reign supreme," the post said.

The response is a "low-key" official reaction as it was published under an individual name, said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University.

"The conclusion is that it's all because of the US. The main point is that you will suffer if you don't have power," he told AFP.

Along with Beijing, Russia is one of the North's few international friends and has previously come to the regime's aid.

Moscow has long held the line against increasing pressure on nuclear-armed North Korea, even asking for relief from international sanctions for humanitarian reasons.

China, North Korea's most important ally, has also blamed the United States and its Western allies in recent weeks for "hyping up" the Ukraine crisis.

South Korea, a close security ally of Washington, said last week it will join international economic sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Some bars and liquor stores think they've found a potent way to punish Russia for invading Ukraine: They're pulling Russian vodka off their shelves and promoting Ukrainian brands instead.

"I woke up yesterday morning, and I saw that Russia had invaded Ukraine. You wonder what you can do,'' said Bob Quay, owner of Bob's Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "The U.S. obviously is putting on sanctions. I thought I would put on sanctions as well.''

So he rid his shelves of the old Soviet brand Stolichnaya and started promoting Ukraine's Vektor. "We have a sign above it that says: Support Ukraine.''

Keep scrolling for a photo gallery of protests against Russia's invasion

Quay announced the move on Facebook, and "it blew up. We've got people coming in who've never been in the bar before.''

Stoli, owned by the Russian-born tycoon Yuri Shefler, is actually made in Latvia. On its website, Stoli Group says it "stands for peace in Europe and in solidarity with the Ukrainian people."

The Southern Spirits liquor store in Indian Land, South Carolina, is doing a booming business in the Ukrainian vodka Kozak after pulling Russian brands off its shelves.

"It's selling out a lot faster than we thought,'' said general manager Drew Podrebarac. "It's been awesome.''

The Magic Mountain ski resort in Londonderry, Vermont, posted a video on Twitter showing an employee pouring Stolichnaya down the drain and saying: "Sorry, we don't serve Russian products here.''

Governors entered the fray, too. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine directed the state's Commerce Department to cease the purchase and sale of Russian Standard, the only Russian vodka sold in Ohio (under the brand names Green Mark and Russian Standard). New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed an executive order requiring state liquor outlets to remove Russian-made and branded alcohol.

In Canada, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario on Friday announced that "all products produced in Russia will be removed from LCBO channels,'' including 679 of its stores across the province. It also promised to accept the return of any Russian products and declared that it "stands with Ukraine, its people, and the Ukrainian Canadian community here in Ontario."

In Grand Rapids, Quay said he may never sell Russian products again. And he's taken another step: "I've ordered a Ukrainian flag, and that will be going up next week.''

***

Photos: Protests around the world decry Russia's invasion of Ukraine

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The week before Russia attacked, a Ukrainian soldier peered through a periscope from the bottom of his trench. Mud seeped into his boots, his clothes and every crack in his gear as he walked the narrow space where he had spent his days for the past 10 months.

Zakhar Leshchyshyn was just 23. He had no memory of Ukraine as anything but a fully independent country. But now he was charged with helping to keep it that way, posted at Ukraine's eastern front line since early last spring, when 100,000 Russian land and naval forces first encircled most of his country.

"These wars for territory are madness," he said, "but probably this is human nature."

Within days, Ukraine was engulfed by what the soldier in the trench saw as humanity's dark impulse. The largest invasion Europe has seen since World War II has imperiled a young democracy while risking geopolitical instability far beyond the flashpoints of the new war.

In the conflict's earliest days, each side has managed to surprise the other. Russia unleashed a broader, larger invasion than almost anyone had predicted. And Ukraine, at least by U.S. and other Western accounts, has put up a more tenacious fight than many thought possible against the neighboring superpower. Fortunes can turn at any moment.

"It's not apparent to us that the Russians over the last 24 hours have been able to execute their plans as they deemed that they would. But it's a dynamic, fluid situation," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Friday.

And so it has been for much of the past year. Russia alternately added and subtracted troops along the border, diplomacy seemed to make progress until it didn't, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed restrained, then not, then maybe, then not.

The path to war was convoluted  but also inexorable.

* * *

AN EARLY MARKER

It was back on March 31 of last year when the U.S. military raised an alert of a "potential imminent crisis" arising from Russian drills near the Ukrainian border. Not long after, Russian troops were ordered back to their permanent bases and the sense of alarm eased.

But those orders also required Russian troops to leave their heavy weaponry in Crimea and the Voronezh region bordering Ukraine, where it would already be in place if the forces returned  which they did. The reprieve was brief for Leshchyshyn's unit and for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had tweeted that the redeployment "proportionally reduces tension."

Soon afterward, U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, a summit widely seen as a reward for suspending the drills. But by the end of summer, it was clear that Putin's military plans were just getting started  even if they hadn't quite taken shape yet.

When Zelenskyy visited Washington on Sept. 1, he came away with a pledge of $60 million in military aid.

* * *

IN THE TRENCH

Leshchyshyn's life in the deserted front-line village of Zolote continued as before, circumscribed by the labyrinth of trenches he commanded. The monotony of four-hour shifts on guard was broken by periodic exchanges of fire with Russia-backed separatists, and by the news he caught on his mobile phone.

Roots poked out along the walls of the trench, but they were never enough to hold up the mud when a shell exploded nearby. Those not on guard duty shored up the sides with hand shovels.

When they returned to their basement barracks in a house with no roof, the same shovels scraped the congealed mud from their boots. When night fell, the village was dark and quiet enough that Leshchyshyn's men and the separatists sometimes shouted curses at each other from their respective trenches.

By early November, the mud was back, thick enough to weigh down the soldiers' boots. So were the Russian troops  90,000 of them again near the border, with more on the way from all corners of the world's largest country.

* * * ALARM IN WASHINGTON

The warnings from the Biden administration grew more pointed, and for the first time, U.S. intelligence officials started sharing specifics with Zelenskyy, European officials and eventually the public.

The White House realized that it was looking at the beginnings of what would probably turn into an enormous crisis by October. Officials were seeing a cascade of worrying intelligence strains, including troop movements, that suggested that Putin was looking to move on Ukraine.

Biden wanted Putin to know what he knew. He sent CIA Director Bill Burns to Moscow to warn Kremlin officials that the U.S. was fully aware of their troop movements. The White House made the calculation that the CIA chief's travels, normally closely held, needed to be advertised far and wide.

"We wanted it to be known that he was there and understood by the Russians that we were starting to put them on notice and that we were going to do so publicly as well as privately," said a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Soon after that trip, administration officials decided they needed to accelerate intelligence sharing. They also began discussions with allies about sanctions should Russia invade.

In early December, national security officials shared information from an intelligence document with the press showing at least 70,000 Russian troops had massed near the Ukraine border. Much of the information could be gleaned independently but White House officials thought it was crucial to get the information out in the open "with U.S. government branding."

So began a name-and-shame campaign in which the White House national security officials widely distributed a series of plots they contend Putin was weighing to set a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

Critics of U.S. intelligence  Russian officials among them  recalled past failures like the infamously false identification of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq nearly 20 years ago and the unexpectedly swift fall of Kabul last year.

In mid-November, a senior European diplomat spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential briefings. The diplomat was unconvinced by U.S. intelligence findings.

"We see the military build-up, at the same time, we don't have any intelligence that there's something like military action, or that Russians would be trying to become militarily active, so we don't share this opinion, even though the Americans have said so," the diplomat said. "We don't see that there is intention on Putin's part so far."

At NATO, Germany blocked efforts to help Ukraine acquire military equipment. France and Germany objected to launching NATO's crisis management system, but eventually relented at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Latvia on Dec. 1. The move was essentially symbolic. The system is used to identify whether there is a crisis and launch preliminary planning to respond.

* * *

PUTIN'S GUESSING GAME

With some satisfaction, Putin said the military buildup has caused a "certain stress" in the West. "It's necessary to keep them in that condition for as long as possible" to secure long-term security guarantees for Russia, he added.

He laid down his demands on Dec. 15: a ban on NATO membership for Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations, a halt to the deployment of NATO weapons in those countries and a rollback of NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Meanwhile Russian troops kept arriving in Belarus to Ukraine's north and on its eastern frontiers where heavy weaponry had been stockpiled since the spring.

Zelenskyy continued to play down the troop movements, noting that Ukraine had been facing threats from Russia and the separatists since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. On Jan. 10, Russia's deputy foreign minister insisted there were "no plans, intentions or reasons to attack Ukraine."

The U.S. did not believe it.

Two days later, the United States and NATO rejected Russia's demands, and the movement of troops and weapons accelerated. Ukrainian government websites went down en masse, many displaying a warning from the suspected Russian-linked hackers: "Be afraid and expect worse."

On Jan. 20, Russia announced sweeping naval drills off the coast of Ukraine and Biden said publicly he believed Russia planned an invasion.

On Feb. 4, Putin flew to Beijing, ostensibly for the Olympic Games although Russian athletes were banned from competing under their nation's flag because of years of doping scandals. He and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their support for each other's foreign policy, including Russia's backing of China's claim to Taiwan.

The unspoken message: These two world powers were on the same page or a similar page, and China would not stand with most of the rest of the world against Putin's designs on Ukraine.

* * *

MACRON TRIES

By then, 150,000 Russian troops had all but surrounded Ukraine and the United States had all but abandoned hope for a diplomatic solution. French President Emmanuel Macron attempted a last-ditch intervention. Flying first to Moscow to meet Putin, where the men sat across an absurdly long marble table, then to Kyiv, Macron tried fruitlessly to stave off war.

Publicly Macron said Putin assured him that Russia would not escalate the crisis. But privately he described the Russian leader as "more rigid, more isolated and fundamentally lost in a sort of ideological and security drift," according to a senior French official.

The American warnings grew increasingly frantic, but life in Kyiv  Ukraine's capital and its largest population center  continued as usual because, Zelenskyy insisted, Ukrainians would not yield to panic.

On Feb. 16, a Wednesday, Ukraine held a "day of national unity" after a date floated as the potential Russian attack failed to materialize. Russia's ambassador to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, accused Westerners of "slander" for alleging an invasion was afoot and joined other Russian officials in ridiculing Biden's prediction that it could start as soon as that Wednesday. "Wars in Europe rarely start on a Wednesday," Chizhov said sarcastically.

But Zelenskyy ordered Ukrainian soldiers to be restrained and give Russia no excuses to attack. Shelling and gunfire at the front lines with the separatists increased exponentially, according to international monitors, but Ukrainian troops were told not to return fire.

* * *

BLINKEN: 'IT'S UNFOLDING'

On Feb. 17, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken laid out "what the world can expect to see unfold. In fact, it's unfolding right now."

First, he said, there would be a staged provocation. Then would come a theatrical high-level meeting of the Russian government, followed by a proclamation that Russia must defend ethnic Russians in Ukraine. Then, he said, the attack would begin, with Kyiv a main target. Events would largely, perhaps fully, prove him right.

"We've been warning the Ukrainian government of all that is coming," Blinken said, looking directly at the camera. "And here today, we are laying it out in great detail, with the hope that by sharing what we know with the world, we can influence Russia to abandon the path of war and choose a different path while there's still time."

On the night of Feb. 19, the separatist leaders released near-simultaneous videos announcing a general evacuation of women, children and the elderly. One of those pro-Russia separatists showed video of what he said was a car bomb exploding his personal vehicle  ostensibly, proof that Ukrainian troops were provoking a war.

The destroyed 4X4, however, was a suspiciously older model and metadata showed the videos were actually filmed three days earlier.

Putin summoned his top security officials and, in a dramatic pre-recorded meeting televised nationwide, asked them to explain one by one whether Russia should recognize the separatists and help them. One by one they agreed; there was little prospect that they would not.

Hours later, the Kremlin released yet another pre-recorded video, this time of Putin alone, cataloging Russian grievances against Ukraine, NATO, the United States and Europe. An independent Ukrainian nation, he said, was a fiction. Without evidence, he accused Ukraine of genocide and of seeking nuclear weapons. Russia, he insisted, had every right to attack such a country.

"I would now like to say something very important for those who may be tempted to interfere in these developments from the outside," he added. "They must know that Russia will respond immediately, and the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history."

* * *

GLOBAL SUPPORT BUT NO TROOPS

The attack began before dawn on Feb. 24  Thursday in Ukraine but, as it happens, still Wednesday in Washington.

It opened with the firing of more than 100 land- and sea-based missiles in the first hours, said a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to be identified and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said the main targets of the air assault were barracks, ammunition warehouses, and 10 airfields. Russian ground forces began moving in from Belarus around noon.

Sanctions from the U.S. and Europe came down with hours, but Zelenskyy, in hiding in the besieged capital on Friday, pleaded for more.

He spoke by phone with many foreign leaders. They expressed solidarity and offered help. None offered what he most wanted  troops to come to his country's aid and a no-fly zone to protect Ukraine's skies.

He told several of them these phone calls might be his last.

"The Ukrainian president started by saying he's reporting from a country where he doesn't know how long it's going to exist," Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer related from his call. "And he's reporting as president without knowing how long he's going to be alive."

In an impassioned speech, Zelenskyy implored his people to be firm in their resistance.

"This morning we are defending our state alone, as we did yesterday," he said. "The world's most powerful forces are watching from afar. Did yesterday's sanctions convince Russia? We hear in our sky and see on our earth that this is not enough."

Did Leshchyshyn, the young soldier, hear Zelenskyy's cry? Did he survive the first days of the war? It cannot be determined. He spoke to the AP in the trenches a week ago; he has not responded to messages since.

***

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos: The latest scenes from fighting in Ukraine

Chernov reported from Zolote, Ukraine, Hinnant from Paris, and Madhani and Woodward from Washington. Contributors included Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels; Nomaan Merchant and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine.

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WARSAW, Poland (AP)  When Volodymyr Zelenskyy was growing up in southeastern Ukraine, his Jewish family spoke Russian and his father once forbade the younger Zelenskyy from going abroad to study in Israel. Instead, Zelenskyy studied law at home. Upon graduation, he found a new home in movie acting and comedy  rocketing in the 2010s to become one of Ukraine's top entertainers with the TV series "Servant of the People."

In it, he portrayed a lovable high school teacher fed up with corrupt politicians who accidentally becomes president.

Fast forward just a few years, and Zelenskyy is the president of Ukraine for real. At times in the runup to the Russian invasion, the comedian-turned-statesman had seemed inconsistent, berating the West for fearmongering one day, and for not doing enough the next. But his bravery and refusal to leave as rockets have rained down on the capital have also made him an unlikely hero to many around the world.

With courage, good humor and grace under fire that has rallied his people and impressed his Western counterparts, the compact, dark-haired, 44-year-old former actor has stayed even though he says he has a target on his back from the Russian invaders.

After an offer from the United States to transport him to safety, Zelenskyy shot back on Saturday: "I need ammunition, not a ride," he said in Ukrainian, according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation.

Russian forces on Saturday were encircling Kyiv in the third day of the war. The chief objective, say military observers, is to reach the capital to depose Zelenskyy and his government and install someone more compliant to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The boldness of Zelenskyy's stand for Ukraine's sovereignty might not have been expected from a man whose biggest political liability for many years was the feeling that he was too apt to seek compromise with Moscow. He ran for office in part on a platform that he could negotiate peace with Russia, which had seized Crimea from Ukraine and propped up two pro-Russian separatist regions in 2014, leading to a frozen conflict that had killed an estimated 15,000.

Although Zelenskyy managed a prisoner exchange, the efforts for reconciliation faltered as Putin's insistence that Ukraine back away from the West became ever more intense, painting the Kyiv government as a nest of extremism run by Washington.

Zelenskyy has used his own history to demonstrate that his is a country of possibility, not the hate-filled polity of Putin's imagination.

In spite of Ukraine's dark history of antisemitism, reaching back centuries to Cossack pogroms and the collaboration of some anti-Soviet nationalists with Nazi genocide during World War II, Ukraine after Zelenskyy's election in 2019 became the only country outside of Israel with both a president and prime minister who were Jewish. (Zelenskyy's grandfather fought in the Soviet Army against the Nazis, while other family died in the Holocaust.)

Like his TV character, Zelenskyy came to office in a landslide democratic election, defeating a billionaire businessman. He promised to break the power of corrupt oligarchs who haphazardly controlled Ukraine since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

That this fresh-faced upstart, campaigning primarily on social media, could come out of nowhere to claim the country's top office likely was disturbing to Putin, who has slowly tamed and corralled his own political opposition in Russia.

Putin's leading political rival, Alexei Navalny, also a comedic, anti-corruption crusader, was poisoned by Russian secret services in 2020 with a nerve agent applied to his underwear. He was fighting for his life when he was allowed under international diplomatic pressure to leave for Germany for medical treatment, and when doctors there saved him, he chose to go back to Russia despite certain risk.

Navalny, now in a Russian prison, has denounced Putin's military operation in Ukraine.

Both Zelenskyy and Navalny seem to share a perspective that they must face the consequences of their beliefs, no matter what.

"It's a frightening experience when you come to visit the president of a neighboring country, your colleague, to support him in a difficult situation, (and) you hear from him that you may never meet him again because he is staying there and will defend his country to the last," Polish President Andrzej Duda said Friday.

He spent time with Zelenskyy on Wednesday just before the fighting started, one of many political leaders who have met with the Ukrainian president over the past month, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

Zelenskyy first came to the attention of many Americans during the administration of President Donald Trump, who in a phone call with Zelenskyy in 2019 leaned on him to dig up dirt on then presidential candidate Biden and his son Hunter that could aid Trump's re-election campaign. That "perfect" phone call, as Trump later called it, resulted in Trump's impeachment by the House of Representatives on charges of using his office, and the threat of withholding $400 million in authorized military support for Ukraine, for personal political gain.

Zelenskyy refused to criticize Trump's call, saying he did not want to get involved in another country's politics.

Putin's attack, which the Russian president has termed a "special military operation," began early Thursday. Putin denied for months that he had any intent to invade, and accused Biden of stirring up war hysteria when Biden revealed the numbers of Russian troops and weapons that had been deployed along Ukraine's borders with Russia and Belarus  surrounding Ukraine on three sides.

Putin justified the attack by saying it was to defend two breakaway districts in eastern Ukraine from "genocide."

With Russian media presenting such a picture of his country, Zelenskyy recorded a message to Russians to refute the notion that Ukraine is the aggressor and that he is any kind of warmonger: "They told you I ordered an offensive on the Donbas, to shoot, to bomb, that there's no question about it. But there are questions, and very simple ones. To shoot whom, to bomb what? Donetsk?"

Recounting his many visits and friends in the region  "I've seen the faces, the eyes"  he said, "It's our land, it's our history. What are we going to fight over, and with whom?"

Unshaven and in olive green khaki shirts, he has taped other messages to his compatriots on the internet in the last few days to bolster morale and to emphasize that he is going nowhere, but will stay to defend Ukraine. "We are here. Honor to Ukraine," he declares.

In the runup to the Russian invasion, Zelenskyy was critical of President Joe Biden's open and detailed warnings about Putin's intentions, saying they were premature and could cause panic. Then after the war began, he has criticized Washington for not doing more to protect Ukraine, including defending it militarily or accelerating its bid to join NATO.

Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena, an architect, have a 17-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. He said this week that they remained in Ukraine, not joining the exodus of mainly women and children refugees seeking safety abroad.

"The war has transformed the former comedian from a provincial politician with delusions of grandeur into a bona fide statesman," wrote Melinda Haring of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center for Foreign Affairs on Friday.

Though he can be faulted for not carrying out political reforms quickly enough and for dragging his feet on hardening Ukraine's long border with Russia over the last year, Haring said, Zelenskyy "has shown a stiff upper lip. He has demonstrated enormous physical courage, refusing to sit in a bunker but instead traveling openly with soldiers, and an unwavering patriotism that few expected from a Russian speaker from eastern Ukraine."

"To his great credit, he has been unmovable."

Associated Press writer Monika Scislowska contributed to this report from Warsaw.

***

Photos: Protests around the world decry Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Associated Press writer Monika Scislowska contributed to this report from Warsaw.

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Make education a priority

As a retired Arizona educator, serving 35 years, I am appalled by the demolition of our public schools.

Voters time and again have voted to fund our public schools. Now a group of anti-education legislators think they know more about education than parents and professionals. Arizona continues to expand vouchers, turning over our tax money, hundreds of millions of dollars a year, to private schools and for-profit charter schools that have no oversight in how they spend our tax dollars.

A study by Scholaroo.com, a research group, ranked Arizona at the very bottom  50 for student/teacher ratio, 49 for teachers salary, 49 for graduation rate and 48 for spending per pupil.

What company would move to a state with the worst public school system in the nation?

Tell your legislators "vote no" to more vouchers or Arizona will be number one in the country for uneducated populace.

Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D., Retired Educator

Oro Valley

Ban cat declawing

Re: the Feb. 10 article "House committee votes to ban declawing of cats."

Recently Rep. Amish Shah, M.D., authored bill HB2224 to ban declawing cats (other than for medical needs) in Arizona. Some people are unaware of the harm this barbaric practice does to cats, so unfortunately this bill is desperately needed. Many dont realize that declawing is amputation of the knuckles of cats paws which often causes residual pain, resulting in litter box issues. Declawed cats are also more likely to bite, as their other form of defense is removed. I volunteer at Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson and know there is huge support for this bill among staff and volunteers there. Animal welfare is an issue that transcends political divides. Please encourage your representatives, and subsequently (I hope) state senators, to support this legislation.

Carol Garr

Southwest side

Do not let history repeat

In the 20th century, we had Hitler, who kept invading and occupying European countries. He was defeated with cooperation with European countries and the United States. Today, we have another dictator invading neighboring countries, without any obstruction. Today, we have Ukraine, tomorrow it may be Poland. We have sent troops in Europe, with their hands tied.

Putin needs a severe opposition so that history does not repeat itself again.

Anant Pathak

Foothills

Putins invasion

In 1939, Adolf Hitler brutally invaded Poland. In 2022, Vladimir Putin brutally invaded Ukraine. Putin aspires to be the new Hitler; is it surprising that Donald Trump and his Fox acolytes praise him? Perhaps Trump aspires to be the new Mussolini not a very noble ambition. We can only remember what eventually happened to their role models and hope the world does not have to pay the same price.

Andrew Browning

Foothills

Tax reform should benefit all

Re: the Feb. 23 article "AZ a blueprint for state tax reform."

I read Mr. Ruiz's self-serving opinion on tax reduction with great interest. He lauds the idea of a tax reduction for the rich, stating that it will bring in $300 a year to the average family. If he is accurate, which is in doubt, that amounts to a whopping $6 a week. However, he doesn't share how he would benefit. A lot more, I'm sure!

To be fair, tax reduction might be appropriate if our state government was living up to its obligations. The billion dollars mentioned would be better used to help the homeless, improve state roads, appropriately fund education, fund police and fire fighters. A tax reduction for the rich is amongst the last things Arizonans need. What is needed, is to use the tax money collected to benefit the entire citizenry of Arizona, not just the wealthy.

Ken Freed

East side

Make your thoughts known

Re: the Jan. 29 article "AF seeks to change flight rules in AZ zones."

A letter writer expressed concern about the impact these changes would have on local wildlife and rural communities.

Please do more than just being concerned and writing to the paper. The original article included information on how, where, and when to comment on the proposals. Please take advantage of this to let the Air Force know your thoughts. Comments are due by March 4.

Peaceful Chiricahua Skies is a coalition that is actively opposing these changes. They have a website and a Facebook page; I recommend you check them out for updates and actions you can take.

Dave Peterson

Midtown

Republican war on women

Re: the Feb. 24 letter "This elephant has critical legs."

The letter writer states what the Republican Party stands for. He includes, "equal opportunity and the free pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Maybe so, unless you happen to be a woman. It seems to me the Republican War on Women goes on unabated, especially in Arizona.

Nancy Martin

Midtown

Protect democracy in Ukraine and Moldova

Putinism and Stalinism are threatening places I hold dear to my heart. Im weeping for my family and friends in Moldova and Ukraine. I served in Moldova as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2018-2020. I worked right across the Dnister River from Ukraine and lived with a host family who ethnically identify as Ukrainian. Tragically, crisis in Ukraine now means crisis everywhere throughout the surrounding region. Moldova will certainly have a crisis on its hands with Ukrainian refugees they cannot support alone. They need our support now more than ever before, militarily, philanthropically and economically. Im hopeful there will be an end to the ravaging of Russian despots and dictators on Moldova and Ukraine. Their relief must start today.

Bailey Hollingsworth

East side

Republicans' wake-up call

As a lifelong independent voter, I am fearful for our country. Our system depends on two viable political parties to bring balance to our government. At the ballot box we resolve issues that are developed, debated and analyzed in campaigns. Say what you will about either ideology, injection of bogus issues and distraction from real ones is bad for us. Independent voters want and need the real issues of today developed, debated and solutions offered. And independent voters make the decisions because neither party has a majority themselves.

Republicans have a great supply of competent, knowledgeable and principled potential candidates, but they face attack by Trump and thus a hard uphill battle in their own party.

Arizona Republicans need to remember that independent voters decide elections. Voting in a party primary needs to be based on electability and principles not "venting your spleen," or worse yet Trump. Arizona Republicans need to concentrate on our many real issues, and they desperately need to see the backside of this loser.

Richard Eaton

West side

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer. Scott is a Pima County supervisor:

One of my duties is to serve as Pima Countys representative to the Legislative Policy Committee of the County Supervisors Association. My 14 colleagues each represent one of the other counties in Arizona. There are an almost equal number of Democrats and Republicans in our group.

As we have reviewed and discussed many of the so-called election integrity bills that have been introduced in the Arizona Legislature this year, we have decided, usually with a unanimous vote, to oppose them. Why? For the most part, they have been radical solutions in search of problems that simply do not exist.

Despite the false claims made by some of our state legislators and the self-interested rants that emanate from Mar-a-Lago, elections in Arizona and Pima County have been conducted fairly and securely. The divisions and resentments that linger after the 2020 election continue to distort and taint any discussion of elections in our state. The discredited and ridiculous audit of the two 2020 contests for president and U.S. Senate in Maricopa County backed by the Republican leadership of the Arizona Senate caused many of our citizens to mistakenly wonder if their ballots are safe and secure.

The four Republicans who serve on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the Republican who currently serves as the Maricopa County Recorder and the Republican speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives have all sought to reassure the public that the 2020 election was conducted fairly and securely. Our states election results were certified by our Republican governor and attorney general, as well as our Democratic secretary of state. Nevertheless, without offering any credible evidence, certain legislators and 2022 candidates, goaded and supported by the former president, continue to propagate The Big Lie that the 2020 election for president was stolen.

Back on Feb. 15, the Board of Supervisors voted to move forward with a well-conceived plan developed by the Pima County Recorder and our Elections Division to make use of vote centers instead of precinct-based polling places for those who wish to vote in person in primary or general elections. Arizona counties are subdivisions of the state and the Legislature granted counties the authority to make use of the vote center model over 10 years ago, in a vote that only one legislator opposed at the time. The legislation was supported by the Republicans who then served as our governor and secretary of state.

Eleven counties have made use of vote centers since the Legislature gave them permission to do so. Pima County will become the twelfth this year. The Elections Division will present a list showing the number and location of vote centers to the Board of Supervisors for our review and approval in April. Every voter in Pima County can count on a vote center being close to them. As has been the case in other counties, voter identification, verification and ballot counting will be conducted fairly and securely.

Some of the outlandish rhetoric in our community about the vote center model has been consistent with the nonsensical claims made by some of our legislators and 2022 candidates about the conduct of our elections. The professionalism of both our county recorder and the staff in the Elections Division has been falsely impugned. As they have been in past years, elections in Pima County this year and in future years will be conducted with competence and care.

There have been voices of reason at the state and local level in both parties who know that the public needs and deserves reassurance that their elections have been conducted fairly and securely. There is no more sacred trust then assuring the integrity and security of our elections.

The voters of Pima County can be assured that those of us entrusted with these responsibilities approach them with the utmost seriousness.

Rex Scott is the Pima County Supervisor representing District One.

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer. Schaller is a professor of history at the University of Arizona:

Since the outbreak of World War II in 1939, nearly all defenders of democracy have recoiled at the memory of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlains decision in October 1938 to abandon Czechoslovakia to Nazi control.

Disowning his earlier pledge to defend the Czechs, Chamberlain bowed to Adolf Hitlers demand to seize the vital Sudetenland province, key to Czech security. The Fuhrer dismissed Czechoslovakia as a phony country created by the victorious powers after World War I. He proclaimed himself protector of all German-speaking peoples, many of whom lived in the Sudetenland and elsewhere in Eastern Europe.

In words that still echo painfully, Chamberlain insisted it would have been a grievous mistake to go to war because of a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing. The Munich Agreement, he explained, marked the end of Germanys territorial claims in Europe, had secured a happier future for the Czechs, and, best of all, achieved peace in our time. A few months later, Nazi troops seized all Czechoslovakia and in September attacked Poland  ostensibly to defend German speakers. Thus began the bloodiest war in human history.

The bitter legacy of Munich and western appeasement of Hitler became a form of shorthand in American political rhetoric.

In 1950, President Harry Truman invoked it to justify resisting the North Korean invasion of the south. President Lyndon Johnson told aides in 1964 he risked becoming another Chamberlain if he failed to stand up to North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush compared Saddam Hussein to Hitler and likened the Iraqi seizure of Kuwait to what befell Czechoslovakia.

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, President George W. Bush expanded on his fathers warning by labeling Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as an axis of evil, invoking the image of the Axis enemies (Germany-Italy-Japan) the U.S. fought in what was often described as the good war.

History, as Mark Twain observed, may not repeat itself but often rhymes. Echoes of Munich appeared in the run up to war in Ukraine. For example, Vladimir Putin proclaimed his duty to defend all Russian speakers scattered throughout the lands of the former Soviet Union who faced cultural genocide. He called Ukraine the illegitimate spawn of Western victory in the Cold War, humiliatingly imposed on a weakened Russia. With unintended irony, Putin described his mission in Ukraine as de-Nazification, ignoring Ukrainian president Volodmyr Zelenskys Jewish heritage.

But the Russian leader was not the only one to find meaning in the legacy of Munich. While Putins words had echoes of Hitlers, some leading American conservatives channeled the much maligned Chamberlain. Speaking at the convention of the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) in Florida, Charlie Kirk, a rising star on the right, ridiculed those concerned with the fate of Ukraine, a country 5,000 miles away whose cities we cant pronounce and which most Americans cant find on a map.

J.D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy and a GOP senate candidate in Ohio, declared I dont really care about what happens to Ukraine, one way or the other. Trump-whisperer Steve Bannon urged Congress to impeach President Joseph Biden for instigating this war in Ukraine. The former president himself praised Vladimir Putin as a savvy genius for having taken over a country (Ukraine) and paying only $2 worth of sanctions. Sounding as if the gravest threat to peace in Europe since 1945 was a potential real estate deal, Trump described Ukraine as a great piece of land. Tucker Carlson, the highest-rated personality on Fox News, piled on. He saw no fault in Russias aggression and condemned Americans defending Ukraine as Putin haters. For Carlson, Putin-hating had become the central theme of Joseph Bidens foreign policy because Biden and his son Hunter allegedly profited from Ukraines corruption.

Historians hesitate to reason by or advocate policies based on superficial analogies. Not every dictator is Adolf Hitler. Not every aggressive act is as consequential as the aftermath of Munich. Not every diplomatic compromise has the moral stench of appeasement. Invoking Munich is often a lazy and self-serving tactic by political leaders and others who prefer to avoid complexity.

Gauging the impact of the attack on Ukraine is difficult. As Soviet-era academics wryly observed, history is the art of predicting the past. Is Putins aggression a one off or an extension of recent Russian land seizures in Georgia and Crimea? With nominally independent Belarus now a de facto Russian satellite, are the neighboring Baltic states and Poland  all NATO members  next on Putins to do list? Was it wise for the U.S. to expand NATO eastwards during the 1990s, or was that needlessly provocative? These are but a few of the unknowables we face in coming weeks and months.

Michael Schaller is regents professor emeritus of history at the University of Arizona. He has written several books on U.S. history, focusing on international relations.

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Some bars and liquor stores think they've found a potent way to punish Russia for invading Ukraine: They're pulling Russian vodka off their shelves and promoting Ukrainian brands instead.

"I woke up yesterday morning, and I saw that Russia had invaded Ukraine. You wonder what you can do,'' said Bob Quay, owner of Bob's Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "The U.S. obviously is putting on sanctions. I thought I would put on sanctions as well.''

So he rid his shelves of the old Soviet brand Stolichnaya and started promoting Ukraine's Vektor. "We have a sign above it that says: Support Ukraine.''

Keep scrolling for a photo gallery of protests against Russia's invasion

Quay announced the move on Facebook, and "it blew up. We've got people coming in who've never been in the bar before.''

Stoli, owned by the Russian-born tycoon Yuri Shefler, is actually made in Latvia. On its website, Stoli Group says it "stands for peace in Europe and in solidarity with the Ukrainian people."

The Southern Spirits liquor store in Indian Land, South Carolina, is doing a booming business in the Ukrainian vodka Kozak after pulling Russian brands off its shelves.

"It's selling out a lot faster than we thought,'' said general manager Drew Podrebarac. "It's been awesome.''

The Magic Mountain ski resort in Londonderry, Vermont, posted a video on Twitter showing an employee pouring Stolichnaya down the drain and saying: "Sorry, we don't serve Russian products here.''

Governors entered the fray, too. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine directed the state's Commerce Department to cease the purchase and sale of Russian Standard, the only Russian vodka sold in Ohio (under the brand names Green Mark and Russian Standard). New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed an executive order requiring state liquor outlets to remove Russian-made and branded alcohol.

In Canada, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario on Friday announced that "all products produced in Russia will be removed from LCBO channels,'' including 679 of its stores across the province. It also promised to accept the return of any Russian products and declared that it "stands with Ukraine, its people, and the Ukrainian Canadian community here in Ontario."

In Grand Rapids, Quay said he may never sell Russian products again. And he's taken another step: "I've ordered a Ukrainian flag, and that will be going up next week.''

***
The touring production of one of the most acclaimed and beloved musicals of all time, Fiddler on the Roof, will make two stops in northeast Oklahoma this week, in Broken Arrow and Bartlesville.

The musical will be performed 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at the Broken Arrow PAC, 701 S. Main St. in Broken Arrow. It then travels north for a performance 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 4, at the Bartlesville Community Center, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd. in Bartlesville.

Based on the recent Broadway revival directed by Bartlett Sher, this production came through Tulsa in June 2019. In its review, the Tulsa World wrote: It doesnt matter how many times you may have seen this musical, which has been a part of the culture since its original debut in 1964  this version has a freshness, an urgency, that makes it almost seem new.

Written by Joseph Stein, composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick, Fiddler on the Roof is the story of Tevye, the milkman of a small predominantly Jewish town in Czarist Russia, where he and his fellow citizens go about their daily lives  eking out a living, trying to find suitable mates for their children, relishing the simplest of joys.

But even an out-of-the-way place such as Tevyes hometown is not immune to the often brutal grind of progress. And soon a place built on centuries of Tradition is threatened to be wiped away.

The touring production features much of the cast that performed in Tulsa, including Yehezkel Lazarov as Tevye and Maite Uzal as Golde.

Tickets for the Broken Arrow production are $35-$75. To purchase: 918-259-5778, brokenarrowpac.com.

Tickets for the Bartlesville performance are $29-$69. To purchase: 918-337-2797, bartlesvillecommunitycenter.com.

TSO has Unfinished business

No one knows for certain why Franz Schubert never completed his eighth symphony. He completed two movements of what is officially known as the Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759, and sketched out a fair portion of what would have been the third movement.

Some have suggested that Schubert became engrossed in other projects, such as his song cycle Winterreise. Others believe that, because Schubert learned he had contracted the syphilis that would ultimately kill him while he was in the midst of writing the symphony, that he put it aside because the musics somber mood was too true a reflection of his own state of mind.

When the work was finally performed, nearly 50 years after Schuberts death, it was declared a masterpiece. And it earned the name by which it is most familiarly known: the Unfinished Symphony.

The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra will perform Schuberts Symphony No. 8, the Unfinished, as part of its upcoming concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Tulsa PAC, 101 E. Third St.

Principal guest conductor Daniel Hege will also lead the orchestra in the Overture to Borodins opera Prince Igor, and pianist Orion Weiss will be the soloist for the Piano Concerto No. 3 by Bela Bartok.

Tickets are $20-$75. 918-584-3645, tulsasymphony.org.

Tuskegee Heirs artists at TASM

The Tulsa Air and Space Museum will celebrate the launch of its new Tuskegee Airmen exhibition with special guests Marcus Williams and Greg Burnham, the creative forces behind the hit comic book series Tuskegee Heirs.

Tuskegee Heirs is a science-fiction adventure series, set near the end of the 21st century, as a squadron of young, gifted aviators are forced to become Earths strongest line of defense against a menacing race of artificially intelligent villains bent on destroying civilization.

Williams and Burnham will host two sessions in the museums planetarium, where audience members will watch a live artistic drawing session, and take part in a question-and-answer session.

Sessions will be at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the museum, 3624 N. 74th East Ave. Admission is $7. To purchase and more information: tulsamuseum.org.

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Dig deep: U.S. Sen. James Lankford panned the Biden administrations conditional support of new mining for rare minerals as long as it doesnt perpetuate the historical injustices that too many mining operations have left behind.

While there is broad acknowledgement that the U.S. is too reliant on other countries, particularly China, for some rare earth materials necessary for new technologies, there is disagreement on how best to develop those resources closer to home.

Biden is forcing us to be mineral- and energy-dependent on nations like Russia and China because he and the progressive wing of his party put their climate-change and environmental activism ahead of common sense and U.S. national interests, Lankford said in a written statement. Biden is obsessed with getting us to electric-only vehicles and renewables, both of which are dependent on minerals we currently dont produce or refine in the quantities needed.

Meat money: USDA Rural Development said it is making available $215 million in grants to fund startup and expansion activities in the meat and poultry processing sector, workforce development and technical assistance.

Dots and dashes: On Newsmax, Lankford called for restarting the Keystone XL pipeline, even though the company building it has declared the project dead, as a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ... Second District Congressman Markwayne Mullin also banged on the Biden administrations energy policies to end his anti-fossil fuel rhetoric. ... Lankford and wife Cindy held a prayer conference call for Ukraine Friday morning.

 Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World

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Kyiv: Ukraine's president says Russia should be thrown out of the United Nations Security Council following its invasion of his country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message Sunday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine amounts to an act of genocide, saying that Russia has taken the path of evil and the world should come to depriving it of its U.N. Security Council seat. Russia is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, giving it veto power over resolutions.

Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and denounced the Russian invasion as state terrorism. He dismissed as lies Russia's claims that it wasn't targeting civilian areas.

Ukraine rejects Belarus as location for talks

Ukraine's president says his country is ready for peace talks with Russia but not in Belarus, which was a staging ground for Moscow's 3-day-old invasion. Speaking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues. He said other locations are also possible but made clear that Ukraine doesn't accept Russia's selection of Belarus.

The Kremlin said Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' Peskov said.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, with troops moving from Moscow's ally Belarus in the north, and also from the east and south. Earlier, the Kremlin said a Russian delegation has arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' Peskov said. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who previously expressed their own readiness for peace talks with Russia but haven't mentioned any specific details on their location and timing.

Zelensky says Russia striking residential areas in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Moscow was bombarding residential areas in Ukraine as its invading forces sought to push deeper into the pro-Western country.

"The past night in Ukraine was brutal, again shooting, again bombardments of residential areas, civilian infrastructure," Zelensky said in an address posted online. "Today, there is not a single thing in the country that the occupiers do not consider an acceptable target. They fight against everyone. They fight against all living things -- against kindergartens, against residential buildings and even against ambulances."

He said Russian forces were "firing rockets and missiles at entire city districts in which there isn't and never has been any military infrastructure". "Vasylkiv, Kyiv, Chernigiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and many other towns in Ukraine are living in conditions that were last experienced on our lands during World War II."

Finland to close airspace to Russian planes: minister

Finland will close its airspace to Russian planes, joining other European countries in ramping up sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, the government announced early Sunday.

Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia, "is preparing to close its airspace to Russian air traffic," Transport Minister Timo Harakka wrote in an overnight tweet. He did not state when the measure would take effect.

Finland's flag carrier, Finnair, specialises in flights between Europe and Asia that fly over Russia, but its services are currently limited because of Asian entry restrictions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Finland is also scheduled to approve the dispatch of a consignment of bullet-proof vests, helmets and a mobile hospital to Ukraine. Helsinki has also approved the shipment of around 40 artillery guns to Ukraine.

Russian troops enter Ukraine's 2nd largest city of Kharkiv

Street fighting broke out early Sunday in Kharkiv as Russian troops pushed into Ukraine's second-largest city, according to a regional official, following a wave of attacks elsewhere targeting airfields and fuel facilities that appeared to mark a new phase of an invasion that has been slowed by fierce resistance.

Russian troops approached Kharkiv, about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. But until Sunday, they remained on the outskirts of the city of 1.4 million without trying to enter while other forces rolled past, pressing their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Early Sunday, Russian troops moved in and were engaged by Ukrainian forces, said Oleh Sinehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, who told civilians not to leave their homes. He gave no further details. Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

Elsewhere, huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, and its troops are closing in on the capital, Kyiv, and making significant gains along the country's coast.
In north Tulsa, President Clinton said Hillary Clinton would build an inclusive economy that helped small businesses, young people burdened by student loans and minorities "rise up" as well as keep the country safe and secure.

Photo Gallery: Former President Bill Clinton Stumps For Hillary in Tulsa
A rally in support of the people of Ukraine will be held Sunday evening in Tulsa.

In cooperation with Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, the rally will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday in the churchs north parking lot, at 1301 S. Boston Ave., according to organizer Crystal LaGrone of Coweta.

LaGrone said in a press release that the event will be a prayer vigil and rally to show support for the people of Ukraine currently embroiled in a war with Russia. The event hopes to bring together all parts of the community who are supporting the Ukrainian people, government, and Ukrainian sovereignty.

LaGrone attended graduate school at Tallinn University of Technology in Tallinn, Estonia, from 2014 to 2016 and worked in the country, which is a Baltic state in the same region as Ukraine, for three years after earning her masters degree.

She became friends with fellow students from Ukraine and still visits Estonia a couple times a year, she said.

Its very dear to my heart, and so all thats going in in that region is quite scary, she said.

As to why she organized Sundays rally, I just wanted to give people here in Tulsa an outlet, because I think a lot of people are feeling this tug that here in 2022 were still dealing with nefarious actors or countries that want to occupy sovereign nations, she said.

This event is open to the public, and LaGrone asks for peace and unity at the event.

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Without widespread mitigation measures in place, the focus in fighting COVID-19 must shift toward protecting the most vulnerable in society, the University of Oklahomas chief COVID officer said.

Dr. Dale Bratzler wants the public to know that multiple options are available to prevent or treat COVID-19  and that the therapies all work best when administered early. But some proven COVID-19 treatments are not being utilized to their full potential, he said.

Its important for people to understand the risk factors for developing severe COVID complications, Bratzler said, so that as public health strategies relax on the backside of the latest wave, high-risk individuals can take personal precautions and know their treatment options.

Were in a very different place now; we have good treatments, Bratzler said. We just need to make sure that people  particularly those who are at risk of complications  seek out those treatments as early as they can if they get infected.

First and foremost, vaccination remains the best prevention tool. But Bratzler said the toolbox now also contains antiviral pills, convalescent plasma, remdesivir antiviral medication, monoclonal antibodies and a specific monoclonal antibody for people who are highly immunosuppressed to protect them from infection for six months.

Bratzler, who also is interim dean of OUs Hudson College of Public Health, recommends that people contact their primary-care physicians for information on the range of therapies. However, he expressed frustration about how underutilized some treatments are because many doctors arent pointing their patients in those directions.

Some COVID hospitalizations might have been prevented if the patients had received treatment early, he said.

Frankly, I blame doctors to a certain extent, Bratzler said. Theyre not recommending them; theyre not giving them to the patients who are at risk for the complications of the disease.

Bratzler expressed optimism about the pandemic for the spring but offered his usual reminder that COVID-19 isnt going away.

About 56% of Oklahoma residents are fully vaccinated  65% of the U.S. as a whole is  and Bratzler said so many people became infected by omicron that there are many fewer people for it now to infect.

He said there is increasing evidence that natural immunity from an omicron infection might provide better protection against reinfection than prior variants did.

If we dont see another variant that pops up, I feel pretty good about the spring, Bratzler said. The cases will continue to come down, and we can get back to more pre-COVID type of activities.

Oklahomas recent three-day average of COVID-19 hospitalizations was at 804 as of Friday  plateauing this week from Mondays 807. The number is down 25% from seven days earlier, when it was 1,067, and down 64% from the record 2,243, set on Jan. 28.

Of the 804 COVID hospitalizations, 187 were of patients requiring intensive care.

The marked reduction in hospitalizations has really freed up resources and personnel in our hospitals, Bratzler said. ERs are under less pressure. Theres still a lot of people in the hospital, but theyre under less pressure.

The number of Oklahomans dying from COVID remains elevated, though that metric is coming down, too.

The seven-day average of COVID deaths in Oklahoma was at 45 per day on Friday, which is down 32% from the peak of 66 per day only 11 days earlier.

The number of deaths that weve been recording in the state has actually been pretty substantial, Bratzler said, noting that patients who develop severe COVID often stay in the hospital for weeks before succumbing to the disease.

The most dramatic drop has been in COVID case counts.

The seven-day average for new daily cases in the state was 886 on Friday, which is down 21% from 1,128 a week ago and down 93% from the record 11,908 just more than a month ago.

Bratzler said Oklahoma was down to 23 new daily cases per 100,000 residents, with the highest state  Maine  at 81. For context, he said in mid-January the highest states were at 500 during omicrons peak.

He said doctors will have to watch stealth omicron  a subvariant of omicron  to see what it does. In some countries, he said, stealth omicron makes up about a third of cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found stealth omicron to make up 3.8% of new cases in the U.S. for the week ending Feb. 19. That share of new cases was 2% the prior week, 1% the week before that and 0.3% for the week ending Jan. 22  about a month ago.

Other omicron subvariants have been identified, Bratzler said, as happened with the delta variant. He said that isnt uncommon, but the public just didnt hear as much about subvariants previously.

I think we just need to watch and see what happens, he said.

Bratzler said he thinks the focus should shift toward solving how to protect the vulnerable as more of society re-engages in normal or near-normal activities.

Its just the reality of how do we protect those that are vulnerable while at the same time not having these broad-brush mitigation strategies that hold everybody accountable for things like wearing masks, he said.

For example, Bratzler said, a vaccinated person who is young and healthy likely will experience at most a bad cold from the virus.

But that person might be around someone who is immunocompromised or elderly or has underlying conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, who might face grave consequences if infected.

That is a challenge confronting Bratzler on OUs Norman campus  a predominantly healthy and young population intermixed with some vulnerable individuals.

We need to make sure that we really get the word out about what those risk factors are, and then really make sure that we teach those who are at greater risk some of the things that they can do to protect themselves, he said. So it might be that theyre wearing the medical-grade mask or N-95 if theyre out in public.

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Oklahomas purchasing director has decided that almost $12 billion in applications for federal money under last years COVID-19 funding package for states should stay secret as the Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitts administration consider projects for approval.

Included in the blanket exemption to the states Open Records Act are state agencies applying for funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. Oklahoma has $1.87 billion in funding to dole out, with another $1.32 billion going to counties, cities and other local governments.

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services purchasing director, Dan Sivard, made the latest secrecy determination in a Jan. 7 memo. That was one day after the federal government finalized rules for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program.

The State Purchasing Director has determined that information received in connection with the receipt and/or distribution of federal stimulus fund is similar to an offer and therefore such information is determined to be confidential and not subject to release from an open record request, the memo said.

Oklahoma Watch earlier this month requested a funding application from the Oklahoma State Department of Health for its relocated public health lab and a new pandemic research center. The agency said the information was in an online portal set up by OMES to take applications and therefore inaccessible to the health department. When pressed for details, the health department sent the purchasing memo and referred further questions to OMES.

The memo refers to an exemption in the Open Records Act that allows public bodies to withhold personal financial information, credit information or other financial data submitted to them to be a qualified contractor. It also referred to a section of the states purchasing law that gives the state purchasing director authority to decide what information in a bid is confidential.

Caden Cleveland, director of legislative and public affairs for OMES, said none of the project requests are available for release. Almost $12 billion in funding requests have been received across 788 projects.

These records have been deemed temporarily confidential as they are being considered as going through a procurement process, Cleveland said in an emailed response to questions.

Typically, agency requests for appropriations or supplemental appropriations from the Legislature would be disclosed in budget hearings or during the legislative session. Cleveland said the requests for federal funds are hewing to a new process.

The key differentiation is that this is a first-of-its-kind joint executive and legislative procurement process where the private sector and public sector are competing for a limited amount of federal funds, Cleveland said. In addition, the sheer number of requests is a big differentiator.

He said the latest memo updates an earlier, less detailed memo from November.

The state worked with outside consulting groups Guidehouse and 929 Strategies to come up with a scoring process for awarding the American Rescue Plan funds. The money has to be allocated by the end of 2024 and used by the end of 2026. The Legislature created a joint committee and several working groups to evaluate applications for funding to address the health and economic fallout from the pandemic. Infrastructure projects like broadband improvements and water and sewer improvements are also eligible for funding.

Theres a little over $10 billion in requests at the moment in terms of projects that have been submitted through the portal, House Speaker Charles McCall said earlier this month at a legislative forum. Those will filter down and the governor will ultimately have the say on those funds.

Hes asked the Legislature to be involved, which were appreciative of. Were not going to try to push out $1.8 billion in the next 12 months. Youll see us take a very methodical look. Whats a priority to me is that projects are considered in all four corners of the state and throughout the state of Oklahoma.

The process for the latest round of federal COVID-19 relief for states stands in contrast to the Coronavirus Relief Funds under the 2020 CARES Act. The early months of the pandemic featured states scrambling to secure tests, ventilators and personal protective equipment. Both the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency and the state auditor and inspector found irregularities with some of Oklahomas CARES Act spending.

Cleveland said the American Rescue Plan details would become public as the legislative working groups approve certain projects to be considered by the full joint committee.

When approved projects are awarded for the contract, the information is at that point no longer confidential, he said. This is similar to any procurement selection process where all submitted information by potential contract award recipients are kept as confidential until an award has been made.

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Freeze out: Last weeks winter weather cost the Oklahoma Legislature two working days  days that will have to be made up this week ahead of Thursdays first committee deadline.

According to House and Senate rules, bills not passed from a committee in the chamber of origin by Friday are dormant for the remainder of the session. Losing two days in the heart of committee work means some long hours for lawmakers this week.

The House is in a particular bind because it was also out Tuesday due to the funeral of a members father. The House and Senate both missed Wednesday and Thursday because of weather, and the Legislature customarily does not meet on Friday.

Committee agendas published for next week show several have grown to 20 or more items  more than twice the usual number.

Its unclear whether committee chairs might jettison a few measures to lighten the load, but one thing thats certain to be heard is House Speaker Charles McCalls House Bill 3363, which he says would bring reliable broadband service to 95% of the state, largely by utilizing federal recovery funds designated for that purpose.

HB 3363 would create a state broadband office for the distribution of federal broadband funds.

With all the funds now available for broadband expansion, a dedicated office is needed to maximize their benefit for all Oklahomans, McCall said. House Republicans support broadband expansion because it is critical infrastructure that creates jobs and is as essential as phones or roads to modern life.

This office will be self-funded and exist only until the job is done, McCall concluded.

Legislative notes: Among the legislation that has already met the deadline is Senate Bill 1447, by Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, which would essentially eliminate training requirements for school board members.  The Senate passed legislation requiring district attorneys to report the few cases of voting irregularity they receive every election to the attorney general for final decisions on prosecution. 

Campaigns and elections: Third District Congressman Frank Lucas told the Enid News & Eagle he would expect to be on the ballot this year, although he has not officially launched a reelection campaign.

Lucas, whose district includes northwestern Tulsa, entered Congress through a 1994 special election and is the states longest-serving House member.

Appointed: Former state Sen. Kenneth Corn is the Biden administrations new state director of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The position is one of very few in the state over which the president has complete discretion.

Corn served in the Legislature from 1998 to 2010, when he was term-limited. He has been Anadarko city manager since 2015.

Meetings and events: A half-dozen candidates in area school board elections will speak at the Republican Womens Club of Tulsa County at 11:30 a.m. March 8 at the Tulsa Country Club, 701 N. Union Ave. RSVP to rwctulsa@gmail.com.

Bottom lines: Oklahoma received 40% of its revenue from state taxes and 37% from the federal government in fiscal year 2020, which ended June 30 of that year.  Oklahoma Attorney General John OConnor called for the resignation of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

 Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World

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WARSAW, Poland (AP)  When Volodymyr Zelenskyy was growing up in southeastern Ukraine, his Jewish family spoke Russian and his father once forbade the younger Zelenskyy from going abroad to study in Israel. Instead, Zelenskyy studied law at home. Upon graduation, he found a new home in movie acting and comedy  rocketing in the 2010s to become one of Ukraine's top entertainers with the TV series "Servant of the People."

In it, he portrayed a lovable high school teacher fed up with corrupt politicians who accidentally becomes president.

Fast forward just a few years, and Zelenskyy is the president of Ukraine for real. At times in the runup to the Russian invasion, the comedian-turned-statesman had seemed inconsistent, berating the West for fearmongering one day, and for not doing enough the next. But his bravery and refusal to leave as rockets have rained down on the capital have also made him an unlikely hero to many around the world.

With courage, good humor and grace under fire that has rallied his people and impressed his Western counterparts, the compact, dark-haired, 44-year-old former actor has stayed even though he says he has a target on his back from the Russian invaders.

After an offer from the United States to transport him to safety, Zelenskyy shot back on Saturday: "I need ammunition, not a ride," he said in Ukrainian, according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation.

Russian forces on Saturday were encircling Kyiv in the third day of the war. The chief objective, say military observers, is to reach the capital to depose Zelenskyy and his government and install someone more compliant to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The boldness of Zelenskyy's stand for Ukraine's sovereignty might not have been expected from a man whose biggest political liability for many years was the feeling that he was too apt to seek compromise with Moscow. He ran for office in part on a platform that he could negotiate peace with Russia, which had seized Crimea from Ukraine and propped up two pro-Russian separatist regions in 2014, leading to a frozen conflict that had killed an estimated 15,000.

Although Zelenskyy managed a prisoner exchange, the efforts for reconciliation faltered as Putin's insistence that Ukraine back away from the West became ever more intense, painting the Kyiv government as a nest of extremism run by Washington.

Zelenskyy has used his own history to demonstrate that his is a country of possibility, not the hate-filled polity of Putin's imagination.

In spite of Ukraine's dark history of antisemitism, reaching back centuries to Cossack pogroms and the collaboration of some anti-Soviet nationalists with Nazi genocide during World War II, Ukraine after Zelenskyy's election in 2019 became the only country outside of Israel with both a president and prime minister who were Jewish. (Zelenskyy's grandfather fought in the Soviet Army against the Nazis, while other family died in the Holocaust.)

Like his TV character, Zelenskyy came to office in a landslide democratic election, defeating a billionaire businessman. He promised to break the power of corrupt oligarchs who haphazardly controlled Ukraine since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

That this fresh-faced upstart, campaigning primarily on social media, could come out of nowhere to claim the country's top office likely was disturbing to Putin, who has slowly tamed and corralled his own political opposition in Russia.

Putin's leading political rival, Alexei Navalny, also a comedic, anti-corruption crusader, was poisoned by Russian secret services in 2020 with a nerve agent applied to his underwear. He was fighting for his life when he was allowed under international diplomatic pressure to leave for Germany for medical treatment, and when doctors there saved him, he chose to go back to Russia despite certain risk.

Navalny, now in a Russian prison, has denounced Putin's military operation in Ukraine.

Both Zelenskyy and Navalny seem to share a perspective that they must face the consequences of their beliefs, no matter what.

"It's a frightening experience when you come to visit the president of a neighboring country, your colleague, to support him in a difficult situation, (and) you hear from him that you may never meet him again because he is staying there and will defend his country to the last," Polish President Andrzej Duda said Friday.

He spent time with Zelenskyy on Wednesday just before the fighting started, one of many political leaders who have met with the Ukrainian president over the past month, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

Zelenskyy first came to the attention of many Americans during the administration of President Donald Trump, who in a phone call with Zelenskyy in 2019 leaned on him to dig up dirt on then presidential candidate Biden and his son Hunter that could aid Trump's re-election campaign. That "perfect" phone call, as Trump later called it, resulted in Trump's impeachment by the House of Representatives on charges of using his office, and the threat of withholding $400 million in authorized military support for Ukraine, for personal political gain.

Zelenskyy refused to criticize Trump's call, saying he did not want to get involved in another country's politics.

Putin's attack, which the Russian president has termed a "special military operation," began early Thursday. Putin denied for months that he had any intent to invade, and accused Biden of stirring up war hysteria when Biden revealed the numbers of Russian troops and weapons that had been deployed along Ukraine's borders with Russia and Belarus  surrounding Ukraine on three sides.

Putin justified the attack by saying it was to defend two breakaway districts in eastern Ukraine from "genocide."

With Russian media presenting such a picture of his country, Zelenskyy recorded a message to Russians to refute the notion that Ukraine is the aggressor and that he is any kind of warmonger: "They told you I ordered an offensive on the Donbas, to shoot, to bomb, that there's no question about it. But there are questions, and very simple ones. To shoot whom, to bomb what? Donetsk?"

Recounting his many visits and friends in the region  "I've seen the faces, the eyes"  he said, "It's our land, it's our history. What are we going to fight over, and with whom?"

Unshaven and in olive green khaki shirts, he has taped other messages to his compatriots on the internet in the last few days to bolster morale and to emphasize that he is going nowhere, but will stay to defend Ukraine. "We are here. Honor to Ukraine," he declares.

In the runup to the Russian invasion, Zelenskyy was critical of President Joe Biden's open and detailed warnings about Putin's intentions, saying they were premature and could cause panic. Then after the war began, he has criticized Washington for not doing more to protect Ukraine, including defending it militarily or accelerating its bid to join NATO.

Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena, an architect, have a 17-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. He said this week that they remained in Ukraine, not joining the exodus of mainly women and children refugees seeking safety abroad.

"The war has transformed the former comedian from a provincial politician with delusions of grandeur into a bona fide statesman," wrote Melinda Haring of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center for Foreign Affairs on Friday.

Though he can be faulted for not carrying out political reforms quickly enough and for dragging his feet on hardening Ukraine's long border with Russia over the last year, Haring said, Zelenskyy "has shown a stiff upper lip. He has demonstrated enormous physical courage, refusing to sit in a bunker but instead traveling openly with soldiers, and an unwavering patriotism that few expected from a Russian speaker from eastern Ukraine."

"To his great credit, he has been unmovable."

Associated Press writer Monika Scislowska contributed to this report from Warsaw.

***

Associated Press writer Monika Scislowska contributed to this report from Warsaw.
Broken. The hospitality and restaurant industries are broken. They are broken in so many ways that its just exhausting to think about.

The supply chain is in shambles; manufacturing cant keep up with demand; and we on the receiving end are forever calling audibles like Peyton Manning on the 10-yard line.

All of this has driven up prices on goods and services. We are doing everything we can to try to survive, but sometimes its just not good enough.

I still remember the day we had to shutter our doors. It was March 17, the day we usually have a St. Patricks Day blowout at our downtown McNellies Pub. That never happened.

What happened was we had to furlough hundreds of employees and go home that evening to wonder if we were going to have jobs the next day. Even worse, if we were going to have an industry to come back to.

Our owner was in tears. We were in tears. Everyone was in tears.

The unknowns of what was to come swept our emotions in so many different ways. Sadness and frustration were the two I endured most.

The most frightening parts were so many unknowns, from the unknown severity of the virus to the economic outcomes we might have to incur. Everything that restaurant operators rely on, like consistencies, had been ripped out of our hands.

That feeling alone crushed a lot of restaurateurs, and then inevitably they had to close their doors permanently. Some of my closest friends and restaurant confidants battled hard to keep their heads above water. We would have some late-night bourbon Zoom calls trying to figure this all out, but, more importantly, to keep an eye on each others mental state.

Some nights were better than others.

Not only did the pandemic affect us at work, but it hit us like a sack of bricks on the home front.

My wife and I have three kids, all unique in their own crazy ways.

Our middle son has four congenital heart defects. When the pandemic hit, we essentially turned him into Bubble Boy, shedding clothes in the laundry room and running straight to the shower to de-COVID ourselves. We were in constant contact with our medical team from Mayo Clinic and St. Francis Health System trying to figure out what to do.

Meanwhile, we all know the strain of distance learning for the home, the schools, and everything else that entails. Trying to explain partial quotients to a 9-year-old is next to impossible, mainly because I havent heard that word since I was in fourth grade.

Thankfully, Google was there to help me tutor. Our two oldest sons have definitely shown some regression from having to learn things at home from two of Oklahomas finest educators. We tried our best, but sometimes your best is just not good enough.

Compassion: The pandemic has disrupted all of our lives. Not just our restaurant community, but every single human on the face of this Earth.

As our prices rise from our vendors, we have to make an educated guess as to whether or not we can/need/want to raise our prices to the consumer.

We do not want to raise prices on guests coming through our doors. We hate it and are trying everything to not out-price our guests, but sometimes our hands are tied to the surrounding circus we are living in.

A little compassion and understanding goes a long way these days.

I cant imagine what every educator is going through right now, but I understand it is out of their control. The medical community is suffering, and I will continue to be compassionate toward them in any way I can.

Our restaurant community is broken, just trying to survive and not take losses with rising prices and staffing shortage. I understand, and we are here for each other.

Lets be a little more understanding and compassionate toward everyone this year. Let us make 2022 our year, Tulsa.

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Ben Alexander is vice president of culinary operations for the McNellies Group and a member of the Tulsa World Community Advisory Board.

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Several bills filed in the Oklahoma Legislature this session call into question the integrity of Oklahoma elections. One such bill calls for a full audit of the 2020 election results in Oklahoma even though the results were certified more than a year ago. Others seek to restrict access to the polls in various ways.

Voting is a fundamental principle of democracy and one of the foundational precepts of the League of Women Voters. All Americans deserve equal access to the polls  a foundational component of free, fair and secure elections.

The League of Women Voters of Oklahoma conducted an analytical study of the 2020 election results to find the facts behind the integrity of Oklahoma elections.

Heres what it found:

In the general election of November 2020, more than 1.5 million votes were cast in Oklahoma. Of those, 275,000 were cast by mail-in absentee ballot. Only 59 potential cases of voter irregularities were reported to district attorneys across the state. The investigations resulted in one criminal charge.

One charge out of 1.5 million.

The charge involved a mail-in absentee ballot for a man who died before his ballot reached him. His wife and daughter chose to mail in his ballot after his death. The daughter was charged with a crime.

Most of the other cases involved voters voting by absentee ballot and then mistakenly voting again at their polling place on Election Day. Authorities declined to file charges in these cases after determining there was no criminal intent to commit voter fraud.

Nevertheless, some Oklahoma lawmakers have proposed legislation that would make it more difficult for some Oklahomans to vote and would cost more for taxpayers. This proposed legislation assumes our election system is broken and needs to be fixed.

One example is a proposed bill that would eliminate no excuse absentee voting. Oklahoma has some of the best practices to prevent fraud and assure reliability of its absentee ballot process.

The bottom line is Oklahomas elections are among the most secure and accurate in the world. Voting statutes are faithfully executed by county election boards and by poll workers who represent the communities in which they live.

Poll workers are well-trained. Voting equipment is not connected to the internet and therefore is less vulnerable to tampering. Each polling place has representatives of both major parties present on voting day.

After the Oklahoma City bombing, the Oklahoma Standard was used in Federal Emergency Management Agency literature to describe how Oklahomans came together to help one another. People in Oklahoma look out for one another.

Fear and suspicion are powerful instincts when danger is present but can be destructive when wielded where there is no danger.

In the case of election security and integrity in Oklahoma, these perceived threats are not warranted and will undermine the franchise of voting if not recognized for what they are  fabrications.

Can the system be strengthened? Always, but attacking the current integrity of the system only weakens voters confidence in a system that demands respect and trust.

As the League of Women Voters of the United States celebrates its 102nd birthday, we extend our sincere thanks to the thousands of Oklahomans who work tirelessly at the polls and to the Tulsa County Election Board for its dedication to a strong democracy through secure and open elections.

The League recommits itself to our fundamental mission to promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive while protecting the right of all citizens to vote. Free, fair and accessible elections are the cornerstone of American democracy.

Lynn Staggs is president of the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa, and Mary Jane Lindaman is a board trustee of the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma.

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Earlier this month, when Georgias Senate approved expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage from six months to a year, reproductive health advocates hoped the vote signaled a shift in the public perception of one of the most stereotyped groups in America: low-income pregnant and new mothers.

Thats because the growing body of research evidence surrounding maternal mental health and postpartum depression points to one inescapable conclusion: the public image of who is vulnerable to these mental health threats is largely based on socio-economic status.

In commercials, movies and public service announcements, the middle class or wealthy mother who cant shake the feelings of overwhelm or despair deserves our acknowledgment, empathy, and support.

The poor mother who misses doctors appointments or doesnt bond with her baby is either lazy or neglectful. God forbid she harms a child while in crisis, which usually leads to criminal charges instead of mental health treatment.

Is this argument merely another case of over-indulgent, touchy-feely posturing? No, its the reality for millions of new mothers on pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage in America.

Postpartum depression has been termed the most underdiagnosed obstetrical complication in the U.S. When left untreated, it can result in important activities like feeding, sleeping and adhering to doctors appointments being compromised or completely ignored.

But for women with pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage in Oklahoma, their health insurance evaporates two months after the birth of their child.

On July 1, 2021, about 200,000 Oklahomans became newly eligible for health coverage, thanks to Medicaid expansion made possible by the Affordable Care Act. It was a massive victory for Oklahoma for bringing health coverage to many Oklahomans.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said, Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of people in this country and a step in the long road to achieving health equity by providing access to essential health care.

If Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Americans, isnt it just as much of a lifeline for moms who recently gave birth and who qualified for Medicaid only because of their pregnancy? Is it only important for the baby to have the necessary resources to maintain health and seek medical support?

Twenty-six states have enacted or are planning to seek federal approval for extension of Medicaid postpartum coverage, but some have coverage limited to six months after delivery or only for certain populations. Oklahoma is not among those 26 states, and there is currently no pending state action to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage.

According to the CDC, about 1 in 3 pregnancy-related deaths occur one week to one year after delivery. A pregnancy-related death can happen during pregnancy, at delivery, and even up to one year postpartum.

Pregnant women on Medicaid will lose their health insurance coverage 60 days after delivering a child. But they are still at risk for maternal mental health and pregnancy-related deaths.

I have spoken with doulas and midwives who provide services to expectant mothers and their families. They have seen family structures and relationships dissolve as families attempt to navigate mental health challenges without even realizing they are dealing with issues like depression, mania or anxiety.

Many times, moms who need support do not access services due to lack of ability to pay or lack of postpartum mental health service providers. And because many of these women dont have insurance of any kind, the doorway to help becomes permanently sealed.

What if there was more to be done to support maternal mental health? What if Oklahoma followed the lead of Georgia and extended coverage for postpartum moms?

What if a Medicaid extension could allow moms to seek treatment for mental illness without worrying about how to pay for it? What if Medicaid mothers in Oklahoma had the information to identify their mental health challenges and a pathway to resolving them?

As a society, we must not only radically adjust our response to mental health challenges; we must broaden the lens to include those who are inarguably the most vulnerable to psychological crises  those for whom the term health equity is no more than words in a social construct.

LaBrisa Williams is executive director of the Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative and a 2021 Aspen Institute Healthy Communities Fellow.

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State Rep. Justin Humphrey's brag about the amount of money that can be made by shipping fighting birds to other countries and/or U.S. territories for fighting purposes may not pan out.

Has Humphrey failed to take into account a 2019 federal law that deals with shipping fighting birds and cockfighting in U.S. territories?

Federal law has made cockfighting in U.S. territories illegal and also made the international shipment of birds for fighting purposes illegal.

Some humane organizations are calling on the U.S. Postal Service to stop the illegal shipment of birds for fighting purposes. And public sentiment against illegal cockfighting in Guam is rising, too.

Humphreys has taken all of the ramifications of the 2019 federal law into account and sees trouble ahead for illegal shipments of fighting birds. Maybe that is why he is seeking to open Oklahoma back up to cockfighting with House Bill 3283, which would gut the states felony cockfight ban. The Oklahoma felony cockfight ban was put on the books by a vote of the people in 2002.

People should ask their own state representatives to respect the will of the people of Oklahoma by voting no on Humphrey's HB 3283.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to tulsaworld.com/opinion/submitletter.

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Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has concluded his official visit to Singapore, providing a new impetus for the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung said.

President Phuc and his spouse, along with their entourage, returned to Hanoi on Saturday evening after their three-day visit to the city-state, which Deputy Minister Dung said was extremely fruitful.

The visit took place in the context that the two countries are approaching the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership in 2023.

It will give an impetus to the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership, bring practical benefits to the people and business communities of the two countries, and help build a united and strong ASEAN Community, Dung told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday.

The two sides issued a joint statement on Strengthening Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Relationship for Post-Pandemic Recovery.

They signed five bilateral agreements on innovation, digital transformation, digital economy, green and sustainable development, with a view to connecting two economies on a digital basis.

The two countries have agreed to continue their effective coordination in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, in which they have reached an agreement on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates, facilitating travel and trade between the two peoples.

During President Phucs visit, businesses of the two sides signed 29 memoranda of understanding and cooperation contracts worth over US$11 billion.

In the coming time, relevant ministries of the two countries will coordinate the implementation of the signed deals on connecting the two economies on a digital platform, while further boosting the cooperation in other important fields including defense, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, Deputy Minister Dung said.

All Vietnamese localities will offer favorable conditions for Singaporean investors to realize their investment commitments in order to attract more investment and trade from the city-state.

In meetings with Singaporean leaders, President Phuc suggested that Singapore keep paying attention to and create favorable conditions for Vietnamese citizens to live, work, and study legally in Singapore, the deputy minister stated.

At a meeting with her Vietnamese counterpart on Friday, Singaporean President Halimah Yacob expressed her belief that the visit would raise the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership to a new high, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

President Phuc responded that he always wishes to beef up the bilateral strategic partnership.

Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (second left) and his spouse (first left) are seen presenting a souvenir to a representative of the Vietnamese community in Singapore on February 26, 2022. Photo: Vien Su / Tuoi Tre

The leaders were delighted at the rapid and robust development of the bilateral ties, especially after the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2013.

They agreed that the two countries will concentrate on strengthening economic links and pay attention to cooperation in such areas as digital economy, digital transformation, innovation, high-quality human resource development, and sustainable growth.

President Phuc invited Yacob and her spouse to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time, and the host accepted the invitation with pleasure.

He had talks with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the same day, during which the two sides expressed their delight at the increasingly substantive and effective partnership across all spheres.

Despite the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral trade still reached US$8.3 billion in 2021, up 23.3 percent from a year earlier.

Singapore now ranks first among the ASEAN countries and second among the 140 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with registered FDI worth $66 billion.

The Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) model has become a symbol of successful cooperation between the two countries, the two sides agreed.

The two leaders affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Vietnam Sea in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

President Phuc also met former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean during his three-day visit, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

As part of his visit, the Vietnamese head of state chaired a meeting with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese communitys representatives in Singapore on Saturday.

The same day saw him and the Vietnamese delegation lay flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh statue at the Asian Civilizations Museum.

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Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie spoke with Tuoi Tre News about the critical role of Vietnam in her country's strategy in the Indo-Pacific region.

Before taking on the ambassadorship in 2019, Mudie had previously served overseas as High Commissioner of the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka; Deputy Permanent Representative of United Nations (UN) in Geneva; First Secretary and UN Permanent Mission in New York; and Second Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Hanoi.

She is also a Vietnamese speaker who studied Vietnamese at the RAAF School of Languages (1992), the Foreign Languages School in Hanoi (1993), and the Diplomatic Academy (2019), according to the Australian Embassy in Vietnam.

Ambassador Mudie sat down for an exclusive interview with Tuoi Tre News this week to discuss Vietnams part in Australia's strategy in the Indo-Pacific region.

What does Vietnam represent in Australia's Indo-Pacific strategic interests?

We see Vietnam as an increasingly important regional strategic partner, as well as an economic and political partner in the region. We have a range of converging interests, which are based foremost on preserving the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

We worked very hard to talk to Vietnam and other regional partners on the importance of basic Indo-Pacific engagement under international law. We also have a very strong converging range of interests across all aspects of the relationship, including politics, economics, defense, security, agriculture, and education.

This is a very broad-ranging relationship, and that says a lot about the importance of Vietnam to Australia as our regional partner.

Could you elaborate on how a prosperous and strong Vietnam will benefit Australia's foreign policy?

So our interest is in having a strong, prosperous Vietnam as an element of a set secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. And to that end, we are working very hard to build our economic ties with Vietnam.

We work very closely regionally and internationally to pursue shared interests. For example, just recently, Australia and Vietnam co-hosted the second dialogue, the ASEAN dialogue on women's peace and security.

An employee of May Cosmetics shows Ambassador Robyn Mudie and her group a box of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine vials, part of the last shipment of doses Australia donated to facilitate Vietnam's vaccination drive. Photo: Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

We have paid a lot of attention to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Vietnam. We want to see it recover fast and strongly from the pandemic, again, to support its own development, but also to support the security and prosperity of the region.

And for that reason, we've offered strong support to Vietnam's vaccine rollout. We have been very proud to commit 7.8 million doses of vaccine to Vietnam, as well as AUD$60 million [US$43.4 million] worth of support for the vaccine rollout.

What do you think about the bilateral economic cooperation between Vietnam and Australia in 2022?

We certainly see economic recovery as central to the state of the bilateral relationship going forward. We are working closely with Vietnam to build our trade and commercial interests.

To help achieve this, we have signed a new Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, which is specifically designed to strengthen our economic and commercial ties. And it focuses on a number of key sectors, which will help us move the relationship forward.

We do see the prospects for the growth of our commercial relationship as bright for the future. There is so much potential in Vietnam and in Australia to strengthen our engagement in many sectors of commercial engagement, from manufacturing to agribusiness, to services, to education. We have a lot to work with.

Vietnam and Australia have set the goal to double two-way investment and to become among the top ten trading partners of each other. Do you think this is a challenging goal?

I guess the first thing to say is that any goals are challenging, and we set goals so that we can work hard to achieve them to become the top 10 trade partners and double investment. They are ambitious goals, but we feel confident that we can head steadily towards them.

And so to that end, we have the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, which is a very practical document and is underpinned by a number of initiatives. The strategy will help Australian and Vietnamese companies work together much more closely, and help to address challenges and to highlight opportunities to strengthen our economic engagement.

The sectors that we are focusing on are very varied, but we seem to have great potential in all of them. So, as I mentioned earlier, they are agriculture, education, services, including financial services, manufacturing, and the digital economy.

These are all very forward-looking areas in the economic relationship. Because we see Vietnam's development as very forward leaning, very global, and very modern, we want to work with Vietnam in those areas to make sure that Vietnam's development continues towards the future as strongly as possible.

As the relationship will continue to become stronger and deeper economically, I feel very confident that those goals will drive us forward to an even better relationship.

Vietnam and Australia are both partners and members of different free trade agreements (FTAs), such as the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Do you think it can impact bilateral trade?

Our FTAs are really important planks of economic engagement with Vietnam because they identify challenges and they also provide a clear structure for the way that our economies can engage. They bring tangible benefits as they are implemented, opening up market access, clarifying our opportunities, and helping to drive our economic engagement forward.

Importantly, for businesses engaging in the relationship, FTAs provide a clear pathway for how these businesses can enter a market and operate within it.

A Tuoi Tre News reporter (left) and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie perform a fist bump during an exclusive interview in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, February 21, 2022. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

So, as a complement to our bilateral engagement, they are very, very important. And the fact that we have so many of them is also important because the FTAs intersect, address different parts of our economic engagement, and then mutually reinforce.

So we see this being part of the regional economic architecture is a very important element of our engagement with Vietnam. And, of course, having a series of FTAs helps to strengthen the rules-based trading system in the region.

We can only have strong sustainable economic engagement and development and prosperity in the region if it is based on strong rules which are based on trading order. We see this as a very important underpinning to our strong, healthy economic engagement with Vietnam.

How can we enhance these FTAs' effectiveness in promoting our bilateral trade?

Well, I think that the key thing about any trade agreement is making sure that businesses on both sides of the relationship are fully aware of what these agreements mean, what benefits they bring, and that they know how to access these agreements and apply them to their own business.

So I guess one of the challenges that we have seen in the past is Australian businesses, and Vietnamese businesses, not being fully aware of some of the regulations in the regulatory environment that govern trade.

We have to make sure that they have that visibility. Creating that understanding is a very important role that the Australian government and the Vietnamese government can play. We need to make sure that we fully educate our businesses so that they understand the benefits and can apply them.

I think perhaps one of the challenges that we have faced and we'll continue to address is a lack of clear understanding.

Ho Chi Minh City is a central part of Australian strategy According to Ambassador Mudie, Ho Chi Minh City plays a central role as an engine room of growth in the country. We know that we have to work very closely with Ho Chi Minh City and with the private sector here as well as government agencies," she told Tuoi Tre News. "And that's one of the reasons that I am so pleased to be down here for another visit to continue to build those business engagements, and also to talk to the government and other bodies about how we see the relationship going forward."

Vietnam-Australia trade hits record high Vietnams trade with Australia hit a record high of $12.4 billion for the first time in 2021, marking a rise of nearly 50 percent compared to 2020, according to the Vietnam News Agency. The Southeast Asian countrys exports to Australia reached $4.45 billion, up 23 percent, while its imports stood at around $7.95 billion, a 70-percent spike. With this trade volume, Vietnam duly became Australias 12th-largest trading partner, whilst Australia was the countrys 10th biggest.

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Here are todays leading news stories:

Politics

-- State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives from the Vietnamese community in Singapore on Saturday before concluding his three-day state visit later the same day.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed on Saturday an official dispatch on the protection of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities in Ukraine.

COVID-19 Updates

-- The Ministry of Health recorded 77,982 COVID-19 cases in 61 provinces and cities on Saturday, raising the national tally to 3,219,177, with 2,376,046 recoveries and 40,050 deaths.

Society

-- Rescuers had been able to find the bodies of two missing victims and were looking for the remaining two as of Sunday morning, after a tourist boat capsized off central Quang Nam Province on Saturday.

-- An elementary school teacher from southern Binh Duong Province has been temporarily suspended after a family accused him of molesting a second grader during a lunch break earlier this week.

-- Police in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province confirmed on Saturday they were hunting for a man who attacked three random people, including a young boy, with a knife as he rode a motorbike along local streets on Thursday night.

-- Firefighting police in Hanoi were able to rescue a married couple and their three-year-old son after they were trapped in a fire at their apartment early on Saturday morning.

Sports

-- Vietnams U23 men's football team have been granted cash rewards totaling VND4.2 billion (US$184,000) after winning the 2022 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U23 Championship finale in Cambodia on Saturday evening.

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A man from Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam has been captured for arbitrarily attacking people with a knife as he rode his motorbike along local streets earlier this week.

Police in Vung Tau City, the provincial capital, announced on Sunday they had apprehended Pham Thanh Long, 23, as well as confiscated his motorbike and knife.

Preliminary information showed that Long was the one who attacked T.V., 15, as the victim was standing in front of his house in an alley in Ward 7 on Thursday night.

CCTV footage showed that Long, dressed in a black jacket and a pair of jeans, was wielding a knife and riding a motorcycle.

The incident resulted in a 12-centimeter-long wound on V.s forehead.

The boy is now in stable conditions, according to his father.

Aside from V., Long also attacked two other people that night.

Pham Thanh Long attacks T.V. with a knife on February 24, 2022 in this still photo taken from CCTV footage.

At the police station, the suspect showed signs of mental problems.

Officers stated that Long had dropped out of high school, and his parents got divorced a long time ago.

The man does not like talking to strangers and spends most of his time online.

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Make a date with 6 part drama The Responder starring Martin Freeman as a Police officer in Liverpool.

This was a runaway hit in the UK when it screened in January.

The series also stars Adelayo Adedayo, Ian Hart and MyAnna Buring. Its also written by former Liverpool police officer Tony Schumacher.

This gripping new drama follows an urgent response police officer at rock bottom as he searches for redemption in the darkest of places.

Inspired by the real-life experiences of former police officer and writer Tony Schumacher, The Responder gives us a rare glimpse into the heart of our societies dark and gritty underbelly, as we follow an officer whose own life hangs in the balance tries to save himself by saving others.

In one of the most deprived areas of the UK, Chris (Martin Freeman) drives a front line response vehicle. Night after night, he faces crime, violence and addiction on the streets he patrols, while also battling against personal demons that trouble his work life, his marriage and his mental health.

9:30pm /Wednesday, 16 March on SBS.
This week BBC Studios holds its annual Showcase in London, as it presents a suite of upcoming titles to its global customers.

Drama, documentary, natural history, comedy and gameshows will be on show, with creatives and producers highlighting titles including Life After Life, Happy Valley S3, The Birth of Daniel F. Harris (w/t), Chivalry, MOOD, The Outlaws S2, Avoidance, I Hate You, Louis Therouxs Forbidden America, Frida, Spectacular Earth, landmark natural history series Dynasties II and Frozen Planet II and more.

More than ever we are trying to cater for everyone  not just a British audience, but audiences around the world, Caroline Stone, Director of Independent Drama tells TV Tonight.

Were always looking for a big iconic lead drama like Sherlock. Its great to have something that stands out in that way. I think you can never have too many.

BBC Studios are famous for handsomely-produced period epics, next with Life After Life, adding a touch of fantasy.

Audiences now are so used to seeing cinematic qualities on television, she agrees.

Its based on a book by Kate Atkinson set between 1911 through to the Second World War. Its about a young girl called Ursula, who basically dies but comes back to life again and again and again, she can restart her life. It asks that question, What would you do?

So its quite a high concept, but its also a beautiful period drama.

The cast features NZ actress Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace, Jojo Rabbit), Sian Clifford (Fleabag), James McArdle (Man In An Orange Shirt), and Jessica Hynes (Years And Years).

Were always going to have an awful lot of brilliant crime dramas. Happy Valley 3, were so excited about. Sally Wainwright is writing again, its currently in production. Its great to see Sarah Lancashire and James Norton back.

It will premiere in Australia on BBC First.

Also from BBC Studios is Blue Lights (pictured above), a new crime drama set in Belfast written by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson (The Salisbury Poisonings).

Theyve written a six part drama, centered around three rookie cops in Belfast where the policing system is different. You work as a police officer for a few months before you can qualify. Many dont qualify, and they go back to their jobs. So its a really different system, she explains.

Theres so much truth to it, with brilliant storylines.

Also to screen on BBC First is six-part series Sherwood by James Graham (Brexit: The Uncivil War, Quiz). Inspired in part by real events and set in the Nottinghamshire mining village where Graham grew up it centres around two shocking and unexpected killings that shatter an already fractured community and spark a massive manhunt.

Sherwood is a really big ensemble cast led by David Morrissey, Lesley Manville and Joanne Froggatt -great British acting talents. Thats an ensemble rather than one big lead.



There are also several dramas Stone describes as authored pieces which focus on new talent.

Weve got a show called MOOD, starring and created by Nicole Lecky (pictured above). Shes going to be a superstar, I think, Stone tips.

It explores many themes, but particularly around sex-cam work for young girls. Shes spoken to lots of people whove been through this and its a brilliant drama. Theres also a musical element to it. Thats a co-production with AMC and BBC Three.

The Birth of Daniel F. Harris (working title), written by Pete Jackson is a totally original idea and its so different to anything Ive seen before, she continues.

Its about young boy whose mum is killed in a car accident when hes very young, and his dad takes him away from the world. They live kind of remotely and its only when he turns 18 he realises theres a whole world out there. I was blown away by the scripts on this one.

Also coming is Chivalry starring its creators, Steve Coogan and Sarah Solemani.

It touches on the MeToo movement. Its about a failing film that Steve Coogan is producing and Sarah Soleimani comes in as the saviour to the film. Its about their relationship and the people around them. I would class that as a dramedy  really fun but theres serious tones to it as well. They tackle some big themes in that show.

Guests stars included Wanda Sykes, Sienna Miller, Paul Rudd and Peter Mullan.

Caroline Stone

The length of UK drama projects is also becoming more variable.

The norm is six episodes, but we are seeing Life After Life as four episodes, but sometimes seeing longer runs. Gentleman Jack is eight episodes. But whats interesting, I think, is also the duration of episodes, Stone observes.

BBC Three looks at 45 minute episodes more, not always an hour. So its constantly changing to what the creative wants the show to be, and the length of what they want to write.

While New Zealands Thomasin McKenzie stars in Life After Life, Stone notes there is no reason Australians cant feature in upcoming titles.

The world has gotten smaller. I always look at how well Australian actors have done in America. You see them headlining so many dramas there, that definitely can happen in the UK, particularly now its easier to travel. Its been a really difficult two years with the pandemic.

We see that in Europe as well, coming over to star in British shows being filmed here. So absolutely, I can see no reason why.
A group gathered in Tyler on Saturday morning to stand together in unity after a Democratic committee member resigned the previous day after drawing criticism for a racially insensitive comment.

The Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, based out of Houston, held a press conference in Tyler to condemn a statement made by now-former State Executive Democratic Committee Senate District 1 Committeewoman Nancy Nichols.

Nichols resigned on Friday after a group of Democratic leaders called for her to voluntarily leave her post. The efforts for Nichols to step down followed a statement she made during a virtual Texas County Chairs Association meeting on Feb. 8.

We had the Trumpers at our Beto event today in Tyler. We had all kinds of quiet security, but basically the event was held on the chocolate side of town ... Nichols wrote in a chat during the virtual Zoom meeting.

Those in attendance of the emergency call to action conference at the Glass Recreation Center included a variety of Democratic Party members who took a stand and emphasized the lack of tolerance toward comments they said were racist.

For someone to refer to north Tyler as the chocolate side of town, its not acceptable. Were sick and tired of accepting the unacceptable. We will not do it anymore, its time we stop sweeping stuff under the rug and sweeping it out the door. We will not put up with racism, said Delia Gray, local Black Lives Matter advocate.

The Texas Coalition of Black Democrats stand as a sword and shield when it comes to the rights of African Americans inside and outside the Democratic Party.

We shouldnt have to deal with racism among our party. When you dont say anything, it makes you complicit. Were not complicit to applaud or normalize any form of racism, said Dr. Candice Matthews, vice chair of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats. What Dr. Nichols did was a miscarriage of leadership, but guess what? Were not going to stand for that and were not going to have it again.

In a statement provided to the Tyler Morning Telegraph on Saturday, Nichols said her heart is with the party and preserving and promoting its values, which she believes are centered around love, compassion, service and inclusivity.

As a leader in my state and community, I have actively worked to stand firmly in support of our sisters and brothers of color, Nichols said.

Nichols, who said she is a lifelong Democrat, was elected to represent the local senate district in 2020 and has been active in the local community by taking part in and organizing peaceful protests, advocating for voter education and registration, standing against social injustice, supporting Black Lives Matter and other initiatives.

She submitted her resignation just before 2 p.m. Friday after more than half the Democratic county chairs in Senate District 1 signed a petition on Thursday demanding her resignation. Her fellow Senate District 1 Committeeman Ben Dickson also supported the petition. Other party leaders who sought Nichols resignation include Texas Democratic Party Chairman Hinojosa and Chairman of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats Carroll G. Robinson.

More important than titles and positions is the coming together of people, and with that sincere and heartfelt desire, I am stepping down from my position with the State Democratic Executive Committee, Nichols said.

During Saturdays conference, Tyler natives who were raised in the northside of the city had several things to say in regards to Nichols comment.

North Tyler has made me into the woman I am today. I didnt think that my ancestors who registered in 1867 after being a slave that we were still going to be dealing with racism, said Kerrigan Sanders, chair member of the Texas Young Democrats Black Caucus.

Hank Gilbert said he was raised in north Tyler and has observed racial injustice. Gilbert said its hard to believe this is still occurring within the local party.

I grew up in a highly African American part of this county, back before integration of schools. When schools integrated, I saw all my friends and the way they were treated, what they were called and what was said and I had grown up my entire life watching this community define itself, trying to educate the rest of the populous on who they are, what they are and where they came from, Gilbert said. It is still hard for me to believe that we can still have the type of remarks being made particularly from people within our own party toward this community.

The group wanted to emphasize even though each of them dont share the same skin color as those impacted by the comment, they stand behind the Black community.

It would be naive of me to not realize that my upbringing experience in the same part of Texas may be different as some of you in this room. I have not been called derogatory names regarding the color of my skin, nor have I been followed in the store or felt the same fear as being pulled over by the police, Dickson said. Each of us in regards of race, color, religion or anything else should be treated with respect. We live together, we work together and this is the time we come together as Democrats.

Gilbert added that diversity is what makes the Democratic Party what is is today.

Carroll G. Robinson, chairman of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, said even though the press conference occurred because of Nichols comment, the main mission of the event was to show unity among the Democratic Party in Texas.

The Texas Democratic Party has to be the cavalry, the buffalo soldiers of this state. We have to win Texas back to save the lives of Texans, Robinson said. Today is about the people of Texas and what the people of Texas need is a unified and strong Texas Democratic Party.

Robinson also emphasized the local partys growth, stating local Democrats are not defined by Nichols comment.

The best of us know we have to do this together, and what we have to do is take this state back to the path it belongs on, where well be making progress for all Texans, he said. East Texas is better, bigger, bolder and braver, and more united than its ever been.
Gregor Townsend laments Scotland's failure to take opportunities after France defeat

TEXTBOOK improvisation. It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but that was what France produced at BT Murrayfield on Saturday as they beat Scotland 36-17, in the process enhancing their status as firm favourites for the Six Nations Championship and ending the home teams hopes of a tilt at the title.

At their best, Scotland can conjure up moments of brilliance, but nothing like the sustained excellence that the French achieved in this six-try triumph. And, while it is legitimate to accept that this France team are simply superior to their rivals at least in some respects, the concerning thing from a Scots point of view is that Gregor Townsends side have not been anywhere near their best in their three games so far. Indeed, judging by the score in this game, they are further away from it than they have been at any point this season.

The head coach accepted afterwards that the margin of defeat had been galling, but suggested it had been partly caused by the need to chase the game in a second half which had barely begun when France scored their fourth try to take a 16-point lead. Townsends overall conclusion, however, was that the scale of the loss was at most a secondary concern.

Over the last couple of years weve won games or lost them by close margins, he said. Its disappointing to lose it by more. To be honest, whether we lost by a point or by 20 points, it doesnt change things too much.

Our goal is to win the game, and to win the game we must take our opportunities when you get them and when you do it becomes a different game - the opposition have to do something different. We didnt get our opportunities and France got tries either side of half-time. That made it a very hard game to win.

The scoreline is probably extended as we were chasing things in that second half, chasing it from too deep at times. Im not too worried about how the scoreline got away from us. Its more making sure we can work our way towards winning games.

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Scotland did precisely that against England, but failed agonisingly to do the same against Wales. And although they might well have scored a couple more tries on Saturday to add to the two that did count, their opponents always looked capable of scoring again when it mattered.

If Paul Willemses opening try was the product of individual brilliance from Antoine Dupont, Yoram Moefanas second was the perfect summation of the whole teams approach, as loosehead prop Cyril Baille displayed the artistry not often associated with his position in offloading cutely to the try-scorer.

Finn Russell got Scotland off the mark with a penalty between those two scores, and converted debutant Rory Darges try after half an hour to close the gap to 10-12. But Gael Fickous try in time added on and then Jonathan Dantys two minutes after the restart reaffirmed French dominance. A Damien Penaud double then followed as Scotland appeared increasingly bereft of ideas, and while Duhan van der Merwe had the last word after an excellent break by substitute Blair Kinghorn, it was far too little far too late.

Scotland can still emulate their achievements of the last two seasons and end up with three victories from five matches, but to do that they will have to win first in Rome and then in Dublin. If they manage the first match in style, they will head for Ireland with realistic hopes of ending their campaign with back-to-back victories. But the priority before they play again will surely be how to handle the despondency provoked by this defeat, which is threatening to turn yet another Six Nations into one which began with great promise only to end in an all-too-familiar feeling of deflation.

We go into every championship with aspirations of winning each game we play and being in the mix going into the last two weeks, Townsend added. Despite the result in Cardiff we still had an opportunity against France to be in the mix if we had won but we didnt. Its over to other teams to challenge for that title now.

We know its a huge tournament, the Six Nations, and we have two important games to improve and show what were capable of. But it is disappointing that we wont be involved in any title race as the tournament goes into the last fortnight.

We know we have to put our best team out and put on our best performance to win in Italy. They will be hugely motivated by our scoreline and France getting tries from our errors. Well have to play a lot better next week to win that game.
Stephen Varney, left, and Jamison Gibson-Park each made international debuts in autumn 2020 (PA)

Pembrokeshire's Stephen Varney, a former pupil at Ysgol y Preseli in Crymych, will wear the number nine shirt for Italy in their Guinness Six Nations showdown in Dublin today (Sunday).

Ireland will be bidding to get their title challenge back on track when Italy visit the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, whilst the Azzurri are seeking their first win of this year's tournament.

Irish Grand Slam hopes were ended by a 30-24 loss away to France in round two of the championship, while the Italians suffered a 34th successive tournament defeat at home to England.

Here, the PA news agency examines an intriguing scrum-half battle between Pembrokeshire's Stephen Varney and Jamison Gibson-Park.

Jamison Gibson-Park  Leinster

Position: Scrum-half

Age: 30

Caps: 14

Debut: versus Italy, 2020

Height: 5 9

Weight: 12st 7lbs

Points: 10 (two tries)

New Zealand-born Gibson-Park first emerged as a serious threat to Conor Murrays decade-long dominance of Irelands number nine jersey during the Autumn Nations Cup in 2020.

Having qualified for his adopted nation on residency grounds, he now looks to have firmly dislodged the British and Irish Lion.

The playmaker, who this week turned 30, has started eight of the past 11 Tests. He is a master of quick ball, possesses fine footwork, and has the ability to break the line and carve open defences with off-the-cuff manoeuvres.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell declared this time last year that Gibson-Park was on his way to becoming a top-class international scrum-half and the Leinster man has certainly taken strides forward since then.

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Stephen Varney  Gloucester

Thankyou everyone for the support and messages over the last few weeks, I really appreciate it. Im excited for the future this young team has  Grazie a tutti per il supporto e i messaggi nelle ultime settimane, lo apprezziamo davvero  pic.twitter.com/IyTgP3XfTq  Stephen Varney (@Stephen9Varney) December 7, 2020

Position: Scrum-half

Age: 20

Caps: 11

Debut: versus Scotland, 2020

Height: 5 9

Weight: 12st 8lbs

Points: 5 (one try)

Despite being almost 10 years younger, Varney made his Test debut just three weeks after Gibson-Park.

He has gone on to become a mainstay for the Azzurri. Born and raised in Pembrokeshire, Wales, his father Adrian enjoyed an impressive club rugby career as a flanker with Neath and Aberavon.

Yet Varney, whose middle name is Lorenzo, has strong Italian connections.

His great-grandfather served in the Italian army and was a prisoner of war at a camp in west Wales, while his maternal grandparents are also from Italy.

The 20-year-old is preparing to face Ireland for the first time after a finger injury led to his late withdrawal last year in Rome  the only Six Nations match he has missed since his maiden international outing.
Ukraine war: Protesters take to streets around the world to oppose Putins bloody conflict

Protesters took to the streets in countries across the world on Sunday to show their opposition to Russian president Vladimir Putin's war with Ukraine, as the bloody conflict entered its fourth day.

Demonstrators held placards saying Hands off Ukraine and No war! in cities including Moscow, St Petersburg, London, Berlin and Bangkok.

Police detained more than 900 people at anti-war protests that took place in 44 Russian cities on Sunday, raising the total since the start of Russia's invasion to more than 5,000, independent monitoring group OVD-Info said.

Sundays protests in Russia coincided with the seventh anniversary of the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov. Some of the days arrests took place at an improvised memorial outside the Kremlin at the site of Nemtsovs fatal shooting, a witness said.

Human rights advocates reported that more than 170 people had been arrested in Belarusian protests. In Minsk, a large pile of flowers kept growing as people added to it at Ukraines embassy there.

Tens of thousands of people also gathered in front of Berlins Brandenburg Gate, with some carrying posters with slogans like Hands off Ukraine and Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.

Police said large crowds filled the area planned for the demonstration and that they were allocating additional space to accommodate the protesters.

People take part in a demonstration outside the the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine (PA)

About 80,000 protesters thronged Pragues central square on Sunday to support Ukraine. The Czech prime minister told the crowd the country still remembered the terror of Russian tanks rolling into the capital more than five decades ago.

Protesters filled the 750-metre-long Wenceslas Square, making it one of the biggest demonstrations in the countrys history, chanting and waving Ukrainian flags and signs with messages such as Putin war criminal.

People wearing masks with the slogan

In central Madrid, thousands of protesters waved Ukrainian flags. They held signs reading Peace, Stop Putin, and Putin, you should be scared: my grandmother is really angry.

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And in Denmark, roughly 400 demonstrators gathered in front of the Ukrainian embassy in Copenhagen where many lit candles and laid flowers to show their support for the Ukrainian people.

People gather at Brandenburg Gate to protest against the ongoing war in Ukraine on February 27, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. (Getty Images)

The protests took place as intense fighting continued in several cities across Ukraine on Sunday.

Russian troops entered Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, overnight on Saturday but the areas governor, Oleh Synehubovm, said it was now rid of Russian troops following street gun battles.

People take part in an anti-war protest, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Bangkok (REUTERS)

Ukraine claims 4,300 Russians have died in the whole invasion, although this has not been independently verified.

In a dramatic escalation of east-west tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Mr Putin later on Sunday ordered his nuclear forces to be put on high alert in response to what he called "aggressive statements" by leading Nato powers.

Lidiya Zhuravlyova, a Ukraine-born performance artist, looks on as she takes part in an anti-war protest, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Bangkok, Thailand February 27, 2022 (REUTERS)

Amid the mounting tensions, Ukraine announced that a delegation would meet with Russian officials for talks.

But the Kremlin's ultimate intentions towards Ukraine, and what steps might be enough to satisfy Moscow, remained unclear.

A demonstrator is detained by police officers during a protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, after President Vladimir Putin authorised a massive military operation, in Saint Petersburg, Russia February 27, 2022. (REUTERS)

The fast-moving developments came as Russian troops drew closer to Kyiv, a city of almost 3 million, street fighting broke out in Kharkiv, and strategic ports in the country's south came under pressure from the invading forces.

Ukrainian defenders put up stiff resistance that appeared to slow the invasion.

Protesters demonstrate in support of Ukraine in Trafalgar Square on February 27, 2022 in London, England. (Getty Images)

Mr Putin, in giving the nuclear alert directive, cited not only statements by Nato members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the west against Russia, including the Russian leader himself.

Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Mr Putin told his defence minister and the chief of the military's general staff to put nuclear forces in a "special regime of combat duty".

A person holds a sign during a protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine, after President Vladimir Putin authorised a massive military operation, in Moscow, Russia February 27, 2022 (REUTERS)

"Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading Nato members made aggressive statements regarding our country," the Russian president said in televised comments.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Mr Putin is resorting to a pattern he used in the weeks before launching the invasion, "which is to manufacture threats that don't exist in order to justify further aggression".
People from Donbass rest in an accommodation site for refugees in Rostov Region, Russia, on Saturday.  XINHUA/VNA Photo

KYIV  Moscow ordered its troops to advance in Ukraine "from all directions" while the West responded late on Saturday with sanctions that sought to cripple Russia's banking sector.

Ukrainian officials said 198 civilians, including three children, had been killed since on Thursday, and warned Russian saboteurs were active in Kyiv where explosions forced residents to flee underground.

Moscow said it fired cruise missiles at military targets, continuing the offensive after accusing Ukraine of having "rejected" talks.

Ukraine's army said it held back an assault on the capital  but was fighting Russian "sabotage groups" that had infiltrated the city.

"We will fight until we have liberated our country," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message.

He earlier said Ukraine had "derailed" Moscow's plan to overthrow him and urged Russians to pressure President Vladimir Putin into stopping the conflict.

The United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United States, France and the European Commission agreed to impose new "tough financial sanctions" on Russia, including disconnecting some of its banks from the SWIFT system, German government spokesman Steffen Hebenstreit told reporters on Saturday.

"All Russian banks, who are already under international sanctions, as well as other Russian banks if necessary, will be disconnected from SWIFT," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories. Its objectives are demilitarisation and denasification of the country.

After the announcement, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and some other countries announced they were imposing sanctions on Russian officials and individuals.

The European Union is set to disconnect several Russian banks from the international SWIFT system, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday.

"We commit to ensuring that a certain number of Russian banks are removed from SWIFT," she said.

In her words, the move would efficiently block Russian imports and exports.

The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, France and the European Commission have agreed to disconnect several Russian banks from the SWIFT international interbank system, the countries said in a joint statement.

"As Russian forces unleash their assault on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, we are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies. We will implement these measures within the coming days," the statement says.

"Specifically, we commit to undertake the following measures: first, we commit to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," the document says.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon estimates that roughly half of the more than 150,000-strong force built up by Moscow on Ukraine's borders in recent months is now inside the country.

But there had been a "lack of momentum over the last 24 hours", and the Russian military had still not gained air superiority over the country, a US official said.

Tens of thousands more are estimated to be displaced within Ukraine.

In neighbouring Romania, Olga, 36, was among hundreds to have crossed the Danube river with her three young children to safety.

"My husband came with us as far as the border, before returning to Kyiv to fight," she said.

Thousands have made their way to Poland by train.

"Attacks were everywhere," said Diana, 37, who fled the Ukrainian capital.

"My mother is still in Kyiv."

As air raid sirens rang out in the capital, residents sought sanctuary in subway stations and cellars, while Zelensky announced a baby girl had been born on the metro.

The city said anyone outside after 5:00pm (1500 GMT) would be considered "members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups".

The curfew will last until 8:00am on Monday.

Yulia Snitko, a pregnant 32-year-old, said she had sheltered in the basement of her Kyiv apartment block on Friday night, fearing premature labour.

"It was more than one hour of huge explosions. I was trembling," she said.

Participants of the peaceful manifestation 'in solidarity with Ukraine' at Freedom Square in Poznan, Poland, on Saturday. The demonstration is an expression of protest against Russia's military actions and of solidarity with the fighting Ukrainian nation.  PAP/VNA Photo

Thousands around the world demonstrated their solidarity with Ukraine on Saturday.

Washington announced $350 million of new military assistance.

Berlin said it would send Kyiv 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles, in a major U-turn from its longstanding policy of not exporting weapons to war zones.

Paris said it would deliver more arms to Ukraine.

The European Union member states will close their airspace for Russian planes, the ARD television reported on Saturday citing own sources.

The channel did not specify when the ban will be imposed. The following countries have already closed their airspace for Russian aircraft: the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Latvia, Lilthuania and Estonia.

Earlier, Germanys largest air carrier Lufthansa said it was cancelling flights to Russia and will refrain from using its airspace for transit during the next seven-day period.

The UN Security Council will convene on Sunday afternoon to vote on a resolution calling for a special session of the General Assembly over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, diplomats have said.

NATO said it will deploy its 40,000-strong rapid response force to Eastern Europe for the first time, but stressed it will not send forces to Ukraine.

On the ground on Saturday, AFP reporters in Kyiv heard occasional blasts of what soldiers said were artillery and Grad missiles being fired, with loud explosions reported.

Emergency services said a high-rise apartment block was hit on Saturday night, with a hole five floors high blown out of the building.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the building had been hit by a missile, and that Russian forces were battling to advance from the northwest and west of the city.

An oil depot near Vasylkiv town (18 miles southwest of Kyiv) was targeted overnight causing a huge fire, according to the Special Communications Service on Sunday, which added a gas pipeline in eastern Kharkiv had also been hit.  AFP/TASS
CenTex Bunco Tournament

Merak No. 104 Daughters of the Nile is sponsoring the Central Texas Bunco Tournament from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Lee Lockwood Library, 2801 W. Waco Drive. Entry fee is $35.

Doors open at 11:30, and the dice roll at 1. For more information, contact Genie ONeal at 254-855-5806 or cgo73557@gmail.com.

Spring break camps

Registration is underway for spring break camps at the Bledsoe-Miller, Dewey and South Waco community centers. Camps will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 7-11 and include recreational activities, arts and crafts, games, field trips and more. The camps are available to kids ages 5-13 at a rate of $70 per child.

To sign up, call Bledsoe-Miller at 254-750-8684, Dewey at 254-750-8677 or South Waco at 254-750-8650.

Mobile food pantry times

The Central Texas Food Bank mobile food pantry will distribute food to people in need Wednesday and Friday. Distribution locations and times:

Wednesday: VA clinic, 4800 Memorial Drive, 10-11 a.m.; Word of Life Family Worship Center, 193 LCR 412, Groesbeck, 10-11 a.m.

Friday: First United Methodist Church, 701 E. Texas Ave., Mart, 10-11 a.m.; Kosse Community Center, 200 W. Adams St., Kosse, 10-11 a.m.

For more information, call 512-684-2509.

COVID-19 vaccination clinics

The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District is hosting free COVID-19 vaccination clinics Monday. All vaccines will be available. Parents or a consenting adult must accompany their minor children to receive the vaccine. Walk-ins are welcome.

Monday schedule: Goodwill Industries, 1700 S. New Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Lake Air Montessori Magnet School, 4601 Cobbs Drive, 4 to 7 p.m.

Submit printed or typed items to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco, 76702-2588; or email goingson@wacotrib.com.
If the no-holds-barred Republican battle between District Attorney Barry Johnson and challenger Josh Tetens has eclipsed all others this primary election season, the climax arrived at a Feb. 8 candidate forum hosted by McLennan County Republican Women at the Baylor Club. While Johnson from the lectern blasted what he claimed was Sheriff Parnell McNamaras power grab in supporting Tetens for DA and ridiculed ego-stroking titles of veneration and adoration such as Americas sheriff, McNamara twice stood, tipping his hat to the crowd and spurring laughter.

Clearly, the colorful sheriff of McLennan County has eclipsed the candidates vying to be the countys top law enforcement officer.

Indeed, the vigor with which Sheriff McNamara, 75, has supported defense attorney Tetens has sparked questions as to whether the popular lawman has not only crossed an ethical line by further politicizing the rough-and-tumble Johnson-Tetens contest but compromised his own reputation as a proud law enforcement official. After all, in the final analysis a law enforcement officials stature must always, or should always, rise above politics with the possible exception of his or her own election. And though you might have assumed otherwise from the spectacle outside the First Assembly of God early voting site on busy Bosque Boulevard the past two weeks, McNamara is not up for election this year.

This site has long been a carnival at voting time. Politicians mark the holy grounds with countless signs, then set up tents and wave more signs beyond the 100-foot perimeter of the church annex where voting takes place. The easy-talking sheriff, outfitted in Stetson, gracious to a fault and deferential to the ladies, is often a key player. One year during his own campaign, he and supporters handed out free hot dogs. This year, in touting Tetens and Precinct 4 Constable Charlie Guerrero, the sheriff brought out a 1930 Model A Ford and a black 1957 Chevy, complete with striking red interior, for voters to gawk at when not trading pleasantries and twice-told tales with him in the parking lot. Retired Texas Ranger and Precinct 4 constable candidate Matt Cawthon, once upon a time a McNamara pal before parting ways over professional differences regarding operation of the sheriffs office, could only shake his head at the scene.

This whole race has kind of turned into a circus if that makes any sense to you, Cawthon told me. I mean, just look at this place. Its littered with signs. The fact there are other county officials out here actively campaigning for my opponent  well, Im not going to say anything against that, I have no comment on it. Thats for somebody else to think about. Thats for the voters to decide if thats right or wrong.

A day after early voting began, the Texas Civil Rights Project tweeted an alert regarding multiple reports that voters in McLennan County are facing intimidation from sheriffs officials campaigning at early voting locations. It warned that sheriffs personnel cannot campaign while in uniform, and they should be respecting the 100-foot line. County elections administrator Jared Goldsmith said his office found no evidence of improper electioneering.

That never happened, Sheriff McNamara told me. Im the sheriff here. If I see any infractions, its my duty to stop it and I will get with the elections people here. Im not allowing any of our people out here in uniform. I have the right to come in here with a badge and gun showing because Im the sheriff, but I dont. Ive got my badge covered up, I have my gun covered up. None of our officers who are out here are showing badges and guns. This officer [Sheriffs Capt. Chris Eubank] here now has taken vacation time, hes not on the clock, hes in plain clothes and he feels very strongly about what hes doing for certain reasons.

During several drop-in visits at First Assembly of God, I didnt see McNamara or any deputies wearing uniforms or carrying firearms openly. Yet around 7 p.m., Feb. 19, several witnesses (including some not with the Johnson campaign) said a female Tetens supporter well known in law enforcement and Republican circles  and arguably inebriated or high  harassed and threatened two female Barry Johnson supporters to the point they fled to their vehicle, even as county law enforcement officials in campaign mode stood nearby and did nothing. At one point, a male supporter of former Texas Ranger Matt Cawthon  again, Cawthon is running against the sheriffs constable candidate, Charlie Guerrero  interceded sufficiently to allow the pro-Johnson women to escape to their vehicle.

While one of the two women, Mindy Wren, the district attorneys sister, then reportedly sought help (without success) from an election judge in the church annex, Barry Johnson campaign manager Mary Pirelo Howard, still in the vehicle and under attack, contacted Waco police for help while the Tetens supporter challenged her from outside the vehicle. Police stayed on the line till the situation was finally defused by Capt. Eubank.

McNamara assured me that he and others were not initially aware of the dustup. By the time he did become aware, his deputy was attempting to quell the matter. In the end, no one got hurt, though nerves were frayed. Yet no matter which camp youre in, the flare-up perfectly illustrates how law enforcement officers can lose credibility and respect when seen as actively picking sides in a political dispute.

Anything like this is uncalled for at the polls, McNamara said. We want to keep the temperature down the best we can. I mean, I dont want any of our supporters  Im talking about supporters of the people Im supporting  and I dont want any on the other side (creating a disturbance). So far as what happened between those two, they can tell you what happened. I didnt see the girl drive up, I didnt see her leave, I looked back and I saw Chris talking to her and everything was quiet. Chris is good at calming something down if they were mad. Thats the only thing I can tell you.

Johnson campaign manager Mary Pirelo Howards reaction was different: Yeah, the sheriff, you know, who is all about fighting crime and really known for helping a damsel in distress went dark on us. Thats OK, though. I can understand why he wouldnt do that, but he should have done something, especially since he was out there with his camp.

Criticisms hurled

One wonders if the sheriff is prudent or precipitous in hurling himself into the Republican slugfest for district attorney. Granted, the race legitimately invites a law enforcement perspective, given that law enforcement provides the charges, the evidence and the witnesses necessary to prosecute cases in courts of law. And two key law enforcement unions  the Sheriffs Law Enforcement Association of McLennan County and the Waco Police Association  have endorsed Tetens, 42, the son of a law enforcement officer, over Johnson, 65, the son of a state district judge in Waco. The groups allege Johnson dismisses too many cases, allows too many defendants to languish in jail without trial and doesnt communicate with law enforcement. Yet the involvement of the sheriff and more recently locally based rocker and maniacal Second Amendment advocate Ted Nugent has arguably left articulate, ever-civil, mild-mannered Tetens a supporting player in his own campaign. I would disagree, Tetens told me Saturday. I would say that the supporters who have jumped on board have done so after many, many months of campaigning. And bringing new supporters on board has always been a goal, just like getting campaign donations. And those higher-profile supporters come on naturally when they see a winning campaign.

DA Johnson bristles at the criticism leveled at him, insisting jury trials were shelved for months statewide by the pandemic. He insists dismissal of the controversial Albert Love case involving ambush-style slayings in East Waco was precipitated by circumstances well before he was elected DA in 2018, including the all-Republican Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ordering a new trial for Love in 2016 after ruling Waco police violated Loves Fourth Amendment right by seizing contents of his text messages without a warrant  and that prosecutors under then-District Attorney Abel Reyna improperly used those messages at trial. And Johnson says the sheriffs animus against him stems partially from the embarrassing outcome of the sheriffs big labor-trafficking bust of the popular Vegas Buffet in summer 2018  including allegations some workers were trafficked in from Guatemala or China and made to work 13 hours a day for below minimum wage. The bust went bust under closer scrutiny from prosecutors and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Parnell and I dont get along for some obvious reasons, Johnson told me in his raspy, sometimes sputtering, volcanic manner. Hes still pissed off about [the defeat of Reyna]. And hes mad because we dismissed the Vegas Buffet cases  that werent cases, by the way. Cant believe the county didnt get sued on those. I shouldnt say that, but theyre horrible. Its also typical: Lets run out with a SWAT team  call KWTX real quick first  but lets get the SWAT vehicle and were going to go out and were going to close down Vegas Buffet. First Assistant District Attorney Nelson Barnes and I get in here looking at the Vegas deal  the sheriffs saying, We got a labor trafficking deal  and we look at video after video and not one person that worked at Vegas Buffet said they were being held there against their will. They were being paid minimum wage, they got days off, they got a place to live, and there they indicted [under Reyna] the owners and managers of that place for a labor trafficking felony. We dismissed that and that really tore Parnell up because he sure loved the publicity out of that one.

Its unfortunate dynamics spurred by the sheriff have muddied the election contest. I like both candidates. Ive viewed Tetens as an individual of enormous potential ever since interviewing him during his unsuccessful run for state representative 10 years ago. His 15 years in criminal law would address a significant gap in the current DAs resume. Then again, I give enormous credit to Johnson for stepping forward in 2018 to run against a powerful district attorney beleaguered and arguably compromised by allegations of corruption and incompetence  and when no other Republican in our legal community dared do so.

Campaign arguing points boil down to Tetens charge of dereliction of duty by Johnsons office versus Johnsons pledge against the good-old-boy cronyism he associates with McNamara. Any nuances about the twists and turns of law and order, including the whims of judges or the folly of poorly prepared cases (by whomever) or a deadly pandemic making a muddle of criminal justice, are lost in back-and-forth campaign rhetoric amid the long shadow of the sheriff.

Nor is McNamara shy about his politics. In conversation, he condemns the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol but only after being reminded of it while lambasting extremism in the Democratic Party. He expresses disdain at the death of former Texan George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers but seems more outraged at the indictment of 19 Austin police officers for allegedly using excessive force during unrest over police brutality in 2020. He says he cannot remember if he is a member of the anti-government Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association but reaffirms his 2013 refusal to enforce new gun restrictions he deems unconstitutional  a rallying point of the nationwide constitutional sheriffs movement. He suggests all this explains his participation in the DA campaign. When I lament the trend of those politicizing everything and anything, he concurs but from a distinctly political perspective: I think theyve politicized everything. I really do, and its a shame. It shouldnt happen. We live in a great state and we live in a great county here and whats happening in other places like Dallas and Austin and Houston is not happening here in McLennan County and we want to keep it that way. These liberal people, these liberal DAs, have taken over  liberal DAs in Austin, Houston  it is wreaking havoc on law enforcement. We dont need that here. We want to keep law and order. We dont want riots and people tearing up our buildings and burning them like they did in Austin, like they did in Dallas.

Our conversation is interrupted by a graying man who asks if the sheriff will ever consider selling his vintage autos. Later a hefty constituent, pausing in a pickup truck, calls out to the lawman. The motorist chuckles as he recalls the sheriffs recent TV gig and description of the criminal element:

Hello, sheriff. How ya doing? You staying busy rounding up all those gutter punks? Man, I love seeing you on TV. You tell it like it is.

Well, sometimes I get carried away, the sheriff says. Im glad you like that phrase.

Oh, man, I love it.

Is it intimidation?

District Attorney Johnson contends an element of intimidation accompanies any well-known law enforcement officer engaged in political passions. I think its incredibly unethical, especially if its the sheriff getting involved in the DA race, he told me. My goodness, its not only unethical but when youre going out to a restaurant where theres a Barry Johnson sign, and he walks in with his badge and gun on, with his wife at his side, and he says, What are yall doing with that Barry Johnson sign out there? Would you put our Josh Tetens sign up there? Because Josh Tetens is the one you need to be voting for. Well, what are you as the proprietor going to do if the man with the badge and the gun and the big cowboy hat comes in and tells you that? Well, for some its, Uh, well, Id sure love to have one of those Josh Tetens signs!

Former Texas Ranger and former deputy U.S. marshal Cawthon voices similar concerns: I was disappointed to see that Sheriff McNamara has decided to cross a line and get involved in Republican primary races that are not his own and that dont involve him because what hes doing is not only unethical and unprofessional but very likely a violation of the national Hatch Act. The 1939 law seeks to ensure all government functions are nonpartisan.

Not helping matters: Johnsons vehement attack on Tetens for spending 15 years as a criminal defense attorney to put child molesters, wife beaters, perverts and violent criminals back on the streets of Waco and McLennan County where they can continue to prey on you and your families  a charge so backward that one outraged attorney in a letter to the Tribune-Herald branded it a Neanderthal view of our criminal justice system. And in an equally cringe-worthy, compromising campaign video, gun-happy rocker Ted Nugent endorsed Tetens by pressing him with a question: You have promised that you will make sure my wife will never have to go shopping with parole-released, plea-bargained violent people. What are you going to do different so we dont turn into San Antonio and Houston and Dallas? Because those Texas cities are not real Texas anymore. Im in Waco and McLennan County because I love real Texas. And the friction between Congressman Pete Sessions and his predecessor, Bill Flores, remains alive and well: Sessions has endorsed Johnson, Flores has endorsed Tetens.

McNamaras persona dominates, however. Of Old West lawmen, he says he most closely identifies with Wyatt Earp  bouncer, police officer, gambler, Wells Fargo guard and deputy U.S. marshal associated with the famous 1881 gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Outwardly, the sheriff appears to have stepped into modern times from old Tombstone, to the extent his cousin, screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, modeled aging Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton in the 2016 film Hell or High Water after McNamara. And when retired deputy U.S. marshal Parnell McNamara, dogged pursuer of serial killer Kenneth McDuff, met with the Tribune-Herald editorial board during his first run for sheriff in 2012, a female colleague of mine not ordinarily impressed by displays of macho swagger and cowboy pretense practically swooned at the strapping lawmans gallantry. During an interview with McNamaras election opponent, Randy Plemons, a 24-year veteran of the sheriffs office who served 12 years as chief deputy, Plemons acknowledged the impossibility of pitting his 21st-century law-enforcement managerial experience in an increasingly populated and diverse county against a retired marshal who probably has more of a Hollywood feel to him. I joked that Plemons didnt even have a cowboy hat. I dont, Plemons admitted. And you wouldnt want to see me in one.

Yet politics yield unforeseen consequences. In 2014, several current and former McLennan County sheriffs deputies were awarded $2 million in a lawsuit settlement over allegations McNamara violated their First Amendment rights in retaliation for their supporting Plemons. And given the competing cheers and jeers at recent McLennan County Republican Club and McLennan County Republican Women candidate forums, one question looming beyond the March 1 showdown is not only whether the sheriffs star loses luster but whether hell lose political capital in the bargain. I probably will, just because Im on the other side, he told me. I know people who are on the other side from me. Whether they will be against me next time I run, I dont know, but I feel strongly enough that Im going to stand on my decision to support both of those men [Tetens and Guerrero]. The safety of our citizens is at stake.

Then he paused.

Ive never gone out on a limb like this, he said. I told [wife] Charlotte, I just hope they dont saw it off between me and the tree.

Bill Whitaker retired as Waco Tribune-Herald opinion editor in 2020 after a career of nearly 45 years as a reporter, editor and columnist in Texas journalism.

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The race for McLennan County District Attorney is heating up  in fact, it seems to be getting a little too hot, and common sense is being lost in the process. Both incumbent Barry Johnson and Republican primary challenger Josh Tetens bring some positives to the table, but their negative campaigning may lead people astray. Before you vote on Tuesday, I hope you will consider each candidate beyond the rhetoric they have employed. [Full disclosure: I have never met Johnson, and Tetens was my student at Baylor Law School.]

First off, District Attorney Johnson launched into Tetens based on who he has represented as a defense attorney, saying Tetens is on the side of perverts and other undesirables. Johnsons attack is reprehensible, and reflects a lack of appreciation for nothing less than the Constitution, the basis for the right to counsel. Im a former prosecutor, and I know many people of principle who fight hard to enforce the laws as law enforcement officers and prosecutors. They respect their adversaries on the defense side, and understand the importance of their work. Any decent prosecutor would much prefer to try a case against a skilled defense attorney rather than a weak one; among other things, the poor defense attorney makes mistakes that end up leading to an appeal, possibly undoing all the work of the prosecution.

The Constitution sets out specific rights for criminal defendants, and it is defense attorneys who defend those rights, usually for low pay and sometimes at great risk to themselves. Of the students I taught at Baylor, two of those I most admire are on opposite sides: one, Gordon Davenport, is a federal prosecutor in Arizona. The other, Joy Tull, is a public defender in Chicago. Both are paid less than their classmates at big firms (or even small firms). Gordon takes on criminals at the border, including crooked law enforcement officers. Joy fiercely represents those accused of crimes, going regularly into the notorious Cook County Jail to sit down alone with them. Thats brave.

To put it another way, if you or one of your children were accused of a crime, would you want DA Johnsons view to have prevailed, and for all the good and principled attorneys to have left the field of criminal defense? Of course not  you would want someone who believed in the Constitution and would fight hard.

Tetens, in turn, has perhaps gone too far in trumpeting his closeness to law enforcement, telling this newspaper that his father taught him that he would never go wrong if he backed the blue. Tetens is right that a good working relationship is necessary between those who investigate crime and those who prosecute it. But his campaign rhetoric distracts from the healthy tension that should exist within that relationship; a key part of the prosecutors job is to discern between a case that should be brought and those which should be declined, and the police are often bothered by those decisions. Some have the impression that a prosecutors job is to take on whatever they are given by the police, but that is not the way the criminal justice system works or should work  prosecutorial discretion is built into the process, and for good reason. Resources often allow for only so many cases to be tried, and wisdom is needed in choosing well. At other times, the evidence may just not be enough. Think of the repercussions of taking a bad case: a citizen is jailed, their indictment is published in the newspaper, and their life disrupted, even if the case is later dismissed or leads to an acquittal. Its not the prosecutors job to make the police happy; the job is to keep the public safe while not violating rights and liberties.

So what does matter?

First, and most importantly, it matters who the district attorney hires. Ive seen some great and some terrible hires at the McLennan County DAs office, and those have played out how I hoped and feared, respectively. The DA is the boss, and that means that most decisions are delegated to others down the line. Attracting and keeping good people is crucial.

Second, collaboration is essential. As Tetens points out, that includes collaboration with other parts of law enforcement. It also means collaborating with the public, to effectively project the goals of the office. For example, long sentences are often justified by the idea that they deter others from committing similar crimes. That goal cant be achieved if the DA doesnt communicate well with the public, including the press. Too often district attorneys in this county have failed terribly at this part of the job.

Finally, a focus on problem solving has to be at the center of any prosecutors work. Too often, the metric of success is the number of convictions or the length of prison terms, rather than if a prosecutors actions are improving the lives of the people he or she serves. Convicting people is not enough. The trick is to convict the right people. Firm metrics need to be established, and data made public on how those goals are being accomplished.

Who serves as the district attorney is probably more important for criminal justice than who is elected to Congress or governor. Its unfortunate that this election cycle has been riven by divisive rhetoric, but Im hopeful that such rhetoric wont guide voters when they go to the polls Tuesday.

Mark Osler is an American legal scholar, Robert and Marion Short Professor of Law at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis and a former federal prosecutor. He taught at Baylor Law School from 2000 through 2010.
Power grab

Immediately after Barry Johnson took office as our Mclennan County District Attorney, Sheriff Parnell McNamara stated that he would not allow Johnson a second term. His opponent has commented on numerous occasions that the reason he decided to run for office was because law enforcement came to him. Sheriff McNamara came to him. And that is how Josh Tetens came into the picture. A very unfamiliar name, few knew him. Apparently he came to Waco to attend Baylor and stayed, and is still a court-appointed attorney.

He was hand-picked by our sheriff, who has been working behind the scenes since 2019 to remove Johnson from office. Yes, 2019, the same year Johnson took office  so there was zero history, good or bad, to cause the sheriff any concern. As usual, he used the power given to him by the people of McLennan County and began a whisper campaign that Johnson is soft on crime with absolutely no facts to support the accusation  a catch phrase from Fox News and totally out of context.

He and Tetens tried to scare the citizens of Mclennan County with a TV commercial lying about the facts of a 10-year-old murder case. Omission of facts that tell the whole story is basically lying. Why is the sheriff working so hard to get rid of him? Johnson cannot be bought, not by an elected official or any amount of money waved in front of him. Most people from Waco have known Johnson personally as well as his family for most of their lives. So when a campaign phone call or visits were made to many of these longtime Wacoans, from the sheriff, it should have been viewed as a deliberate attack on the person and character of a man they have known for years (some as far back as elementary school), for no reason other than the sheriff doesnt want to work with anyone that will not allow him to have all the power.

McNamara wants so badly to run this county. He has openly shown that he will stop at nothing to achieve that dream. He is the mastermind behind certain candidates placing their signs in groupings all over the county and urging each candidate in that grouping to have their voters also vote for Tetens. This group campaigning is disturbing and just plain wrong.

I believe McNamara's master plan is to take the district attorneys office, and possibly the courthouse. We will no longer have our democratic system of checks and balances.

May God bless McLennan County and re-elect Barry Johnson for district attorney, the man who stands for justice and fairness for all. Please remember to vote and let your voice be heard.

M.G. Thomas, Lorena

No apology

Terry Arp wrote a rebuttal [Letters, Jan. 30] to a letter I wrote and I would like to as him ask a question: Who did you have help you write the letter in rebuttal to my statements? The reason I am asking is because I received a text from someone saying about the very same thing you did, almost word for word. Did this someone share his text with you? What is going on? Are you all doing damage control for some reason?

As for as me apologizing for what I said, that isnt going to happen, so dont hold your breath. I stand by what I said about your friend Charlie Guerrero, the person running for constable in Precinct 4. It is in the newspaper after Guerrero was appointed that he was not expected to run again.

Another thought: If Guerrero is so knowledgeable about the law, please tell me why is there a campaign sign on church property? I have a picture of the sign, so dont deny it. And again, no apology.

Ann Dickenson, Moody

He cares

I saw recent questions as to why the sheriff would be involved in the district attorney race. They went on to ask why the sheriff would be involved, which is particularly unusual. I agree. Thats wild that the elected sheriff would interject himself in a DA race. I can by no means speak for our sheriff, nor would I try.

I can tell you this, based on my experience, and my personal observations: Our sheriff actually cares. He cares about protecting our citizens. Over the years under him, Ive not only worked human trafficking, but homicides, child sexual abuse, sexual assaults against women, domestic violence and all of the other crimes no one wants to see. Ive been in meetings where the question directed at me was what is right? or how do we find the person who did this?

I have literally seen cases taken by our district attorney from the attorney generals office for the sole purpose of dismissal. I have seen people having sex with minors being given dismissals because they went to it, or given deferred probation. Ive seen, as we all have, people walk off of death row back on to our streets. The same streets my child walks on.

When you ask why the sheriff would be involved in a DA race, the answer is clear in this situation. Why wouldnt he? If he wasnt, I would wonder why. The fact that he is should tell you why. As he has told us since day one: Your safety comes first.

Joseph Scaramucci, Waco
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OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  A judge has cleared the way for newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises to use a voting system that will ensure two longtime directors are reelected at next months annual meeting despite the objections of a hedge fund that is trying to buy the company.

The Davenport, Iowa-based publisher  and The Couriers corporate patent  said the Delaware judge threw out Alden Global Capitals latest lawsuit Friday. Earlier this month, a judge also blocked Aldens effort to nominate its own directors at Lees March 10 annual meeting.

This is now the second court ruling in less than two weeks rejecting Aldens desperate efforts to destabilize Lee and push its grossly undervalued proposal to purchase the company, Lee said in a statement.

Alden didnt immediately comment on the ruling.

The publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Buffalo News, Lincoln Journal Star and dozens of other newspapers rejected Aldens $141 million takeover offer in December. The New York-based hedge fund is already one of the nations largest newspaper owners, but it has a reputation for imposing severe cuts and layoffs at the publications it owns.

Alden objected to Lees decision to use a plurality standard for the director vote because it will essentially guarantee the reelection of Lees chairman and its lead independent director. 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. Alden wanted the directors to have to win the majority of the votes cast to keep their seats.

Alden, which owns 6.3% of Lees stock, says change is needed because the company has delivered disappointing results since buying all of Berkshire Hathaways newspapers in 2020. But Lee has said it is making good progress in growing online ad revenue and digital subscriptions.

Lees board has received support from two other hedge funds that hold stakes in the publisher because they have said Lee is worth significantly more than the $24 per share Alden has offered.

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Lincoln Savings Bank continues to grow at an unprecedented rate despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its workforce is expected to reach close to 500 employees by the start of next year, said Cathy Schuler, executive vice president of human resources. That milestone comes after three years of record hiring, approximately 100 new employees per year.

Some new employees replaced people who left. But a sizable chunk are new positions created to support sides of the business not typically offered by your average community bank.

That includes the expansion of its government-guaranteed lending programs, but also its financial technology fintech division.

But LSB views itself as a community bank first, with the highest quality services for its clients. It has more than 15 branches, mostly in Northeast Iowa but also in and around Des Moines.

LSB has always strived to be innovative, said Schuler, and it found the right partners and clients to help build its fintech brand, including Square Cash App, Qapital, M1 Finance and Acorns, as well as leaders whom helped guide it through the years.

Schuler said when the pandemic became the new reality, LSB was able to offer commercial borrowers Paycheck Protection Program loans from the Small Business Administration right off the bat.

Hiring

The Great Resignation is a term coined to describe the unexpected number of people who quit their jobs after the pandemic lent an opportunity for them to re-evaluate their lives and seek more fulfilling careers.

Schuler said LSB hasnt directly fallen victim to the supposed phenomenon. But the bank has seen challenges in its candidate pool.

I used to put out an ad for a teller and get 20 applications without even trying, Schuler said. Now, Im getting like 10.

One way LSB has responded is by turning every one of its employees into a recruiter, with the help of financial incentives through its referral program. LSB also leans on recruiting platforms like LinkedIn, and makes sure candidates are aware of its flexible schedules and opportunities to work remotely.

Schuler insists there are no secrets to hiring.

We just try to find the good, solid, hardworking people, and we dont settle until we find them, she said. We talk about our culture. And once youre on board, we take the time to check on them and ourselves to ensure everyone still feels and exhibits our core values.

However, Schuler does have one secret weapon.

LSB moved into the Cedar Valley TechWorks building to bring new jobs to Waterloo, and in part expand LSBX, its fintech division, as well as other sectors of its business.

I love it, Schuler said about what is now called Lincoln Savings Bank Techworks Central Campus. Its probably one of my best recruiting tools, because it really promotes collaboration.

In many cases, LSB doesnt have to hire because of the pride it takes in transferring talent and training people internally, and having a real knack for retaining its employees.

You have to remember there are a lot of stakeholders, and the community we serve, but with the employees, we do our best to remember that we need to take care of them too, Schuler said.

One way to do that is by being upfront and communicating with them, and offering them the opportunity to be employee owners through an employee stock ownership plan.

Fintech

LSB introduced fintech as part of business model back in 2015. Its a big reason for LSBs continued growth.

Ive been in banking a long time, and fintech really is something new, Schuler said. It requires a different skillset. It involves a different customer segment, and youre dealing with different rules and processes.

Fintech compliance is a whole other animal, she added.

Brett Olsen, associate professor of finance at the University of Northern Iowa, said a lot of upstart technology companies are competing with the banks, who, as a result, are being forced to ramp up their own innovation.

Sometimes they make deals with fintech companies, because they dont want to lose that side of the business. But the larger banks have another option: acquisition.

UBS, a Swiss firm, is in agreement to acquire California-based Wealthfront, an online investment fintech company.

Larger companies will be more likely to swoop up these fintech innovators, while smaller companies and banks (e.g., LSB) are more likely to partner with or develop their own in-house fintech operations, Olsen said. Skipping this movement  for example, not offering these high tech solutions to customers  is not an option for the smaller banks as it is getting easier and easier for customers to change banks.

Fintech is where the banking industry is quickly headed, says Olsen. Recent graduates will need coding or data analyzing experience to land a job in the field.

The Great Resignation could really hamstring them with the loss of a lot of experience and knowledge if people decide they dont want to do this anymore or be in an office anymore, said Olsen. That lends opportunities to these young folks out of college. And there might be a little period when the banks struggle with that transitionary period of losing a lot of experience and then trying to bring these new graduates up to speed.

I think the banking industry is going to continue to hire and to hire and to hire, and the challenge is going to be to keep them at the bank without overworking them and meeting the most recent demands.

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CEDAR FALLS  In any year, attracting and retaining staff can be challenging for school districts.

But those difficulties seem to be magnified now for myriad reasons, from COVID-19 concerns to critics claims about what is being taught in classrooms.

Cedar Valley districts have redoubled efforts to fill open spots and secure substitutes who can cover absences, creating new programs in some cases.

Staffing shortages are a challenge for some  but not all  employee groups in Cedar Falls Community Schools.

It depends on the week and sometimes the specific hour within the day, said Superintendent Andy Pattee of the need to fill openings. He said the district is in good shape with its teaching staff, although from time to time schools dont have the teachers to cover classes because of factors like taking personal time. Still, he added, weve been pretty lucky.

The districts concern is more around other non-teaching staff challenges, said Pattee. Officials targeted such education support roles before the start of the school year in an attempt to make sure they found the needed people.

As we started this year we  especially for our support staff areas (of) paraeducators, custodians, food service  did a lot of job fairs, he said, noting the effort helped. Now Cedar Falls Schools is working to ensure more support staff can step in when a teacher is absent.

We are really focused on how do we continue to grow our own, said Pattee. The district is doing that by encouraging paraeducators to pursue substitute teacher authorization.

We started that at the beginning of the school year, kind of as a pilot program, he explained. Two or three paraeducators are targeted per building to get the authorization.

Shari Ophus has gotten the training. She was recruited to be a special education paraeducator at Orchard Hill Elementary School in the fall after her child started kindergarten there. And last month she went through the training to earn her substitute authorization.

It was a three-day class online, said Ophus, with four-hour sessions that she took in the evening. The authorization was a good opportunity to learn more about what teachers doing in the classroom. Still, she decided to go through the training primarily for the need in the school.

As of early February, she had served as a substitute teacher one time and said the day went well.

The pilot program has been an important step for the district.

I would say just in the environment of COVID that we have fewer sub pools, noted Pattee, or people willing to work in the district as substitutes. Cedar Falls Schools draws a lot on retired educators for those needs, and some have decided not to sub actively because of pandemic concerns.

Waterloo

Waterloo Community Schools has taken a number of steps to improve staffing when there are shortages in its buildings. Since the start of the year, the district has hired at least nine building substitutes.

We send them to different places based on the numbers, based on the unfilled rate, Kingsley Botchway, chief officer for human resources and equity, told the Board of Education in August when the first positions were hired. And so we are currently trying to get to, again, 20 building substitutes across the district. Its a little slow of a process.

A related effort put into place in August is an attendance bonus, incentivizing those who substitute in Waterloo Schools to pick up more assignments throughout the year. Those who work 80% or more during the current school year will receive bonuses of $2,000 to $6,000, depending on the number of days worked.

The idea is to provide more consistency in the classroom and reward those who agree to work for the district most or all of the year.

Substitutes are paid daily amounts based on short- or long-term assignments. Those who qualify for a bonus, likely paid with federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief funds, will receive it at the end of the school year.

Hudson

Hudson Community Schools also has had fewer substitutes available this year. Superintendent Tony Voss said during this second year the district has been contending with COVID-19 more people have been out because they got the virus or were exposed to it.

During the five to 10 days they are out of school finding subs for them is a challenge, he noted. Weve had situations where principals have had to step in and be teachers or other staff members have been pulled into those roles.

Hudson Schools officials learned that substitutes were able to make more money in other districts, so a pay increase was implemented in December. The folks that find subs for us, they said that has helped, said Voss.

The district has had two unfilled paraeducator openings all year and is chronically understaffed in our hot lunch program, he said, although that service is contracted with a private provider.

Voss said the district posted teacher openings for next year in early February.

We have three positions that well be looking for, he said. Were lucky right now, because were getting out in front of the hiring season. ... Were trying to be really competitive with wages, because we know there are a lot fewer teachers coming into the field even than there were five to six years ago.

The Waterloo and Cedar Falls school districts have initiatives underway that take a longer-term approach to boost teacher ranks by attempting to develop talent among current students or existing staff.

Teach Waterloo offers a streamlined path to earning teacher licensure to paraeducators and other support staff who are racial minorities through a partnership with the University of Northern Iowa. The program is part of the effort to diversify the teacher workforce to better reflect the racial and ethnic makeup of Waterloo Schools students.

Both the Waterloo and Cedar Falls districts have programs for their students focused on education careers. Pattee said students enrolled in the education strand of Cedar Falls Center for Advanced Professional Studies hear a lot about opportunities within the district if they choose to earn a teaching degree. Contacts are being maintained with such students who have graduated and are now in college.

Cedar Falls Schools has also developed a program specifically for CAPS education students who are racial minorities, with the aim of attracting them to work in the district once theyve earned a teaching degree. Pattee said its more structured than the informal contacts maintained with other CAPS education graduates. Its very focused with some professional development along the way, he explained, and some possibilities for the students to be mentored.

The program is called MIRAE, or Multicultural Individuals Revered Among Educators. Scholarship are available to help those students fund their college education.

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CEDAR FALLS  Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage is excited about her public fireside chat at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa at 7 p.m. March 8.

It feels like its been years since I sat in front of an audience and been able to chat with folks, Nottage said. In the wake of the pandemic, she found herself with three overlapping productions  the opera adaptation of her play Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center, MJ, a musical premiere featuring Michael Jacksons music, and the comedy Clydes, both on Broadway.

In an ideal world, everything would have been scheduled with breathing time in between shows. Because of COVID, everything was rescheduled to fall 2021, and I found myself with all of my shows on top of each other. It was an anomaly, but also exhilarating  I feel immensely grateful and blessed, the New York City-based Nottage explained.

Her appearance is hosted by UNIs department of theatre as part of the UNI College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences Hearst Lecture Series.

We wanted to bring a speaker who could passionately illustrate the connection between arts and education, and who can provide insights into the power of theater as a vehicle to enhance our culture, said Eric Lange, head of the department of theatre.

We are hopeful that Ms. Nottage will share her experiences and talk about how she has used her voice to effect change so as to inspire our students to think about how to use theirs, especially in light of our current political climate.

An associate theater professor at Columbia School of Arts, Nottage sees her role as as an invisible curator, to help students organize thoughts and ideas and lean into saying what they want to say.

She is recipient of a MacArthur genius grant fellowship, the Helen Hayes Award, a Guggenheim grant and the National Black Theatre Fests August Wilson Playwriting Award, among many other awards and honors.

In the 1990s, Nottage took a leap of faith and quit her job after four years as national press officer for Amnesty International to pursue her lifelong creative urge to write plays. She received her master of fine arts in playwriting degree from Yale School of Drama in 1989. She won awards with her first short play in 1993, Poof! That was followed three years later by Crumbs from the Table of Joy for Chicagos Steppenwolf Theatre.

The celebrated playwright and screenwriter admitted its hard to say what kinds of stories she gravitates towards because Im very interested in everything. The stories I am drawn to tend to be one that surprise me, move me and inspire me.

Nottages work is described as compelling and humane. Whether she is writing a drama or comedy, she delves deeply into research and through her words, explores such topics as endangered elephants, women survivors of civil war in the Congo, the lives and struggles of blue collar workers and the formerly incarcerated. Along the way, she has created a range of complex characters, and in particular, iconic roles for Black actresses.

As successful as she is, Nottage still feels an occasional twinge of fear that a play is not going to connect with audiences. When it does, it feels great, but theres always a nagging feeling at the back of your head that says, This might be the one, she said.

Nottage continues to be an activist for more inclusive productions and equity within the theater industry. Her goal, she said, to make the world a better and more inclusive place. I dont think as a problem solver. Thats really left up to the community, organizations and politicians, but what I can do is raise questions and reflect what I see and open dialogue that can lead to action.

She was the first (and still, only) woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for drama twice for her plays Ruined and Sweat. Her other work includes Floyds (retitled Clydes), the musical adaptation of Sue Monk Kidds novel The Secret Life of Bees, By The Way, Meet Vera Stark and Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine.

Nottage is co-founder of Market Road Films, a production company whose recent projects include the documentary Takeover, The Notorious Mr. Bout, directed by Tony Gerber, Nottages husband, and Maxim Pozdorovkin. She was a writer and producer on the Netflix series, Shes Gotta Have It, directed by Spike Lee, and has developed original projects for Amazon, HBO, Showtime and Harpo, and a consulting producer on the third season of Dickinson for Apple+.

The UNI event is free, but tickets are required. For ticket information go to unitix.uni.edu. For more information, contact Eric Lange, department head, theatre at (319) 273-6833 or eric.lange@uni.edu.

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Waterloos Family YMCA of Black Hawk County is familiar with the worker shortage impacting child care centers across Iowa and the nation. Their Early Learning Center is licensed to care for 40 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. The Y also provides before-and-after school-age child care on-site at seven schools in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.

We have not been at full capacity because of staffing, said CEO Angela Widner. Fully-staffed, we have 40 to 45 full-time and part-time people  teachers, assistant teachers and support staff. We need to fill those slots to raise the number of kids we can serve in a room.

State standards require child care facilities to meet specific child-to-teacher ratios. If a center lacks staff, it cant provide the care required or welcome more children into programs.

It was particularly tough at the YMCA last fall when child care was chronically short at least 10 employees. Our pool of applicants dried up. Out of five prospective applicants, we got two to respond to us. The Early Learning Center wasnt as difficult to staff as school-age care. The lack of staffing meant directors of various departments were pulled in to meet our ratios  the director of youth sports, program directors, our chief operating officer  so we didnt have to reduce services.

Widner rolled up her sleeves and pitched in to help. Shes proud of how her staff stepped up. Some directors were taking two or three shifts a week helping us in child care, she recalled. We hit pause on key initiatives. There was added stress for people who felt crunched getting their own work done, which had a domino effect on other departments.

Hiring difficult

Child care providers throughout the Cedar Valley are struggling to find workers. Low wages and difficulty in retaining qualified staff has long been an issue in the industry, but problems have been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic and the Great Resignation.

Not only is it hard finding qualified applicants, some potential employees request wages that child care centers cant afford to pay. Applicants may fill out applications and schedule an interview but never show up. Or a candidate makes it through the interview process and background checks and accepts the job, but doesnt show for their first day on the job. Some employees may work a week or two and leave without notice.

Widner said the Y has offered signing bonuses up to $3 per hour and retention bonuses from 75 cents to $2 per hour, which are paid for by increasing membership and program fees and with grant funding. We cant compete with retail businesses for employees. We focus on college students who need to gain experiences and target individuals who arent just about making money, she explained.

Mary Janssen, regional director of Child Care Resources & Referral of Northeast Iowa, said the staffing crisis was developing for several years prior to COVID-19. Home day-care providers began leaving the field and centers lost long-time staff due to retirements and workers leaving for better pay and benefits.

With the pandemic, we just held on with a lets see what happens, and now every child care center I talk to is talking about the lack of workforce coming in, and the need has definitely grown. Child-care providers are direct support to families  folks out there right in the midst of it  and their world never changed during COVID. They kept taking care of kids, and its hard work, so theres burn-out, too, Janssen said.

She serves on the state Child Care Task Force created by Gov. Kim Reynolds to develop strategies to address the child care shortages and barriers to work in Iowa. In November, Reynolds announced several initiatives, such as best place for working parents designations to help job seekers identify family-friendly employers and encourage businesses to invest in child care. There are child care challenge grants to fund new child care projects and support expansion of existing child care facilities or construction of new centers.

If those initiatives are going to succeed, confronting workforce challenges is key. Theres not one magic answer, Janssen said. Increased pay and benefits for workers, recruitment and retention bonuses are important, also gaining real-life experience to move forward in their careers. We need to professionalize the child care field and make it attractive and improve the overall morale and mood in the field.

Head Start woes

Head Start programs in Black Hawk, Buchanan and Grundy counties have been short-staffed across the board for quite some time, said Robert Welch, executive director of the Tri-County Child & Development Council. What were trying to do is basically like everyone else, we just cover to keep moving. That doesnt diminish that we are short-staffed, and its impact on other things like enrollment and how we want to go about serving families.

There have been times in the last two years that weve had to literally shut down a center due to being short staffed. We arent just here to serve the children, we serve the entire family holistically. Part of what we do is to help families enter, re-enter or remain in the workforce or in school. Child care access is hard to come by for some families, and these are things we continuously sit down and have conversations about  trying to figure out how we can continue to operate short staffed.

Hes seen long-tenured staff choose to retire, or decide to work closer to home in the face of family decisions, a family member losing a job or higher prices at the gas pump. Head Start hasnt lost any employees to COVID vaccine mandates.

Welch contends that child care in general is a two-generation workforce issue. Child care is essential to support todays workforce, and it is absolutely vital to our workforce and families of tomorrow. The type of staff Im looking for are people who are passionate about people, building relationships with families, preparing children for the near future of kindergarten, he explained.

To find those people, Head Start has hosted its own job fairs, participated in job fairs in the region, partnered with other organizations to host or participate in community events  any way we can get out in the community and put the word out about what positions we have, what we offer for wages, sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses, vaccination bonuses.

And like other Head Start and child care agencies, we dont pay the most money. We are competitive within our area and the surrounding area, however, I think a lot of times we get caught up in the salary and that gets the better of someones passion for education, Welch said.

Pilot project

In February, the Child Care Resources & Referral of Northeast Iowa launched a pilot project with Waterloo Career Center, EPI Child Care Center and Hawkeye Community College to provide 80 hours of paid field experience to students exploring early childhood education.

They get real-life child care experience and get paid for an experience that could translate into a real-life career. Its an exciting opportunity to engage students and get them interested in working in child care, Janssen said.

The Family YMCAs Early Learning Center regularly participates in hiring events throughout the Cedar Valley and speaks to education and other classes at area colleges and universities. Were working to shorten the hiring process and make it as concise as possible, said Widner. Were also trying to attract moms who are paying for child care to work with us. They get one free child in our program and discounts for additional kids. As an organization, we have to become good at targeting potential employees and offering benefits that are meaningful for them, said Widner, a message she heard loud and clear at a fall conference on workforce shortages.

Tri-Countys Welch said the pandemic has forced organizations and service providers out of their complacency and forced us to think outside the box, to think and operate differently, and some good has come out of that. It has made us more flexible and able to adapt and at the end of the day, I think well be OK as an industry. We rode the wave this far, and were going to come out on shore.

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Necessity is the mother of invention, and that is certainly the response weve seen from businesses and organizations across the Cedar Valley dealing with the current workforce shortage. Employers are offering remote working options, providing more flexible working hours and shifts, investing in expanding child care availability to support their employees raising young families, and investing in reducing barriers for those in the community who have historically been overlooked as part of the workforce.

Restaurants and retail stores are figuring out ways to balance serving their customers while also being more attentive to their employees health and well-being to avoid burning them out, changing up their hours of operation and even closing temporarily when necessary to provide much-needed time off for their employees. Many businesses have found ways to adopt new technologies and processes to help address the shortage and streamline how they continue to serve their customers.

While not all effects been positive  some businesses have had to close down out of necessity  weve seen others open anew or grow through the pandemic, everything from restaurants and retail to software and manufacturing companies.

Looking at the data, some of this shortage is certainly attributable to the pandemic. There are nearly 3.3 million more retirees as of October 2021 than there were in January 2020, according to estimates at the St. Louis Fed, a number that exceeded pre-pandemic expectations. Additionally, there are about 1.5 million fewer mothers of school-age kids actively working compared with pre-pandemic levels according to the Census Bureau  a complex result of both a shortage of and the rising cost of child care in addition to caring for other family members due to the pandemic.

The current workforce issues are more than a short-term result of the pandemic. They also represent the complexities of public policy, demographic shifts, and trends in national population growth. For instance, the workforce grew by 30.2% in the 1970s as the baby boomers began working, and continued to grow at a healthy rate in the 2000s and 2010s as the millennials joined the workforce (9.2% and 7.5% respectively). In contrast, the Congressional Budget Office forecast in July last year that the workforce will only grow by 0.2% a year from 2024 to 2031 as the baby boomers continue to retire, millennials approach middle age, and the Gen Z that follows is comparatively small.

Add to that a national decline in immigration to the U.S. over the last several years, due both to public policy changes as well as restrictions on immigration and travel due to the pandemic. You also have an additional 2 million fewer working-age immigrants who would have joined the workforce had the pre-pandemic trend continued  an estimated 1 million of which would have been college educated according to research at the University of California, Davis.

In short, employers cant count on larger numbers of people entering the workforce to fill jobs.

What does all of this mean for businesses in the Cedar Valley? The dynamics of our workforce issues are complex, but were far from powerless. Employers are already flexing their creative muscles in finding ways to address their individual business needs, and at Grow Cedar Valley, were doing the same to help address our collective needs.

At Grow Cedar Valley we break down the workforce conversation into three major areas: 1. attracting and retaining talent in the Cedar Valley 2. educating and developing the future workforce; 3. breaking down barriers to employment to better allow all people to participate in the economy and the workforce.

GCV is focusing more than ever on addressing these three areas, and you can expect to see several new initiatives this year, ranging from newcomer events to connect new residents with the clubs, associations, community organizations as they settle into the Cedar Valley as their new home, to public-private partnerships to address several major barriers to employment, including access to affordable child care and shared transportation van or bus routes to open up employment opportunities for those who lack reliable transportation.

Were also partnering with our K-12 schools and higher educational partners like Hawkeye Community College and the University of Northern Iowa on several new training initiatives, working to provide students with the best educational and training opportunities available and finding creative ways to connect our youths with quickly growing career opportunities in the Cedar Valley.

Theres plenty of work to be done, and Grow Cedar Valley certainly isnt alone in doing this work. As the adage goes, it takes a village, and these next few years will without a doubt be a testament to how much we can accomplish when we invest together as a community in the future of the Cedar Valley.

Interested in getting more involved with Grow Cedar Valleys business and community initiatives? Reach out to us at info@growcedarvalley.com.

Danny Laudick is senior program director, economic development, at Grow Cedar Valley.

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Its no secret to anyone who knows me how much I love the Cedar Valley. I grew up here, went to school here and raised my family here. And Ive spent most of my adult life working here (most of it at The Courier, in fact), so I feel good about vouching for living, working and playing here in the Cedar Valley.

Our Progress Edition this year, themed Working: Punching the Clock in Northeast Iowa, touches on those things, particularly examining the workforce and working conditions in a variety of industries across our community.

We talk about the challenges of worker shortages, wage issues, burnout and more in health care, education, manufacturing, public safety, restaurant and retail, and how businesses and workers are rising to meet those challenges. We also touch on the Great Resignation and unions, as well as what its like to work in human resources right now.

One of my assignments for this project was to put together fact boxes for 10 towns in our area  Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Janesville, Hudson, Jesup, La Porte City, Independence, Denver and Waverly. Using Census Bureau data, I looked at employment rates, population, median income and other facts in the graphics youll find in the pages that follow. But my favorite fact for each town was its bragging rights.

Theres a lot to brag about in the Cedar Valley:

One of the most diverse areas in Iowa.

Phenomenal growth of Cedar Falls Industrial Park and surrounding areas.

Home to several John Deere facilities, including Tractor Cab & Assembly Operations, Product Engineering Center, Foundry Operations and Drivetrain Operations.

Vibrant downtown areas filled with locally owned businesses and eateries.

Great schools and top educators.

Home to the University of Northern Iowa.

The Cedar Valley Nature Trails system connects the Cedar Valley and beyond.

Low cost of living.

Many family-friendly attractions, including a 150-acre theme park set to open this year in Waterloo.

But what Im most impressed by in our great community are its talented and hard-working people. Collectively, we put our heads and down and go to work, in good times and bad. Its something we should all be proud of.

On that note, Id be remiss if I didnt take this opportunity to brag about the talented folks who put The Courier together, day in and day out. Theres a lot that goes into producing a multimedia news product, from the stories you read online to the newspaper you hold in your hands. Multiple departments  advertising, circulation, classified, finance and news  work in concert to bring you the news you need to know about in our community. Here are the people at The Courier  some here for two and three decades  who are committed to that effort.

News

Melody Parker  35 years

Meta Hemenway-Forbes  25 years

Doug Hines  25 years

Jeff Reinitz  22 years

Andrew Wind  22 years

Amie Rivers  13 years

Chris Zoeller  1 year (7 years with Lee Enterprises)

Andy Milone  6 months

Hart Pisani  3 months

Don Promnitz  2 months

Ethan Petrik  1 month

Advertising/Classified

Lisa Boleyn, 30 years

Sheila Kerns, 27 years

Christopher Koop, 20 years

Kelly Balvanz, 9 years

Carmen Stephens, 8 years

Ronda Jans, 4 years

David Adams, 2 years

Jacob Van Besien, 1.5 years

Jenna Unash, 1.5 years

Circulation

David Adelmund, 23 years

Tammy McCally, 23 years

Sarah Straube, 19 years

Erica Moore, 18 years

Kevin Grieme, 13 years

Mark Spaulding, 13 years

Doug Boleyn, 8 years

John Rockwood, 8 years

Greg Wilderman: 2 years (30 years with Lee Enterprises)

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WATERLOO  Using photographs, police Friday walked jurors through a virtual tour of the downtown apartment where Grant Saul died.

Saul was shot and killed when three people burst into the Main Street apartment where he was staying Dec. 4, 2019, and tried to rob him and his friends.

Prosecutors said the Keyon Christian Roby, 20, was the first robber through the door and was the gunman who shot Saul when Saul drew his own gun.

The apartment was one of four located up a narrow staircase over a Mexican restaurant. Neighbors said foot traffic on the stairs easily echoed into the apartments, and one resident described hearing a burst of commotion, three gunshots and then people hurrying down the stairs.

Police officers who responded found Saul unresponsive on a couch with gunshot wounds to his chest, pelvis area and a foot.

Officer Matt Belz with the Cedar Falls Police Department said they located bullets and bullet fragments inside the sweater and T-shirt Saul was wearing. Three spent shell casings and a live round where also found in the apartment.

Witnesses had earlier described Saul as reaching for his own pistol  a purple-framed semi-automatic  while he was on the living room couch during the robbery. But police said they found the weapon on the other side of the room, tucked between a recliner and the wall, next to a Champion brand slipper and a framed drawing of a car.

The purple pistol had four rounds in the magazine and a round in the chamber.

Officers said they also found a pump-action shotgun inside a bag in a bedroom at the apartment. The weapons buttstock had been removed.

Inside the clothes dryer, investigators found a gallon-sized plastic bag of marijuana.

Jurors also got a glimpse of the possible getaway vehicle in a video from a surveillance camera mounted inside another building near the Main Street address. The camera focused on an interior hallway in the East Second Street building, but the view included a window that looked out over the parking lot behind Main Street.

And the video showed a vehicle pull up and park in one of the few parking spaces visible through the window. Three people appeared to exit the vehicle, which waited for a bit and then pulled out and drove off before the passengers returned.

Also on Friday, Officer Javier Mercado testified that one of Sauls friends who was in the apartment picked a photo of Roby from a lineup and identified him as the shooter.

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CEDAR FALLS  The Board of Regents has initiated a transfer of assets to Iowa Public Radio that are owned by its universities but dedicated to the networks use.

The KUNI radio group, based at the University of Northern Iowa, is part of the network along with the WOI and WSUI radio groups at Iowa State in Ames and the University of Iowa in Iowa City, respectively.

Last week, the board approved a series of actions to begin the process during its meeting in Urbandale. Board attorney Aimee Claeys said the transfer is really the next logical step after the radio groups formed IPR 15 years ago.

In one instance, property and equipment dedicated to IPRs use was transferred by the board last week. Claeys said that included a relatively small parcel of property  14.65 acres located in Hills  which had been owned by the University of Iowa.

This parcel of property is solely dedicated to the radio groups, she said. Theres a couple of towers on the property that the university has no use for or need for. So it just makes sense to transfer the property over.

Other transfers to the network are also anticipated, at a total cost of $1. Those include university owned Federal Communications Commission licenses and related call signs; three towers owned by each Iowa State and Northern Iowa along with related support structures and underlying ground leases; and all dedicated equipment and related items necessary to the continued operation of the radio groups.

Transferred upon condition of third-party consent will be Iowa States one-third interest in a tower, building and property in Alleman; all tower and lease agreements where a university is currently tenant; and various procurement and other types of agreements solely dedicated to radio group operations.

The board authorized Mark Braun, regents executive director, to finalize the asset purchase agreement and file necessary documents with the FCC for the station license transfers. He is also authorized to approve leases with IPR for univesity-owned facilities and towers after the license transfers are complete.

Claeys told the regents that a year and a half ago, board staff began conversations with IPR about a possible transfer of substantially all of the assets associated with the radio groups to IPR. ... For Iowa Public Radio, it will permit them to consolidate the radio groups into a single community license, which will generate opportunities for increased operational effeciencies and enable them to further leverage their already successful fundraising capabilities.

For the universities, she said, it would free up staff and other resources that assist in radio operations.

This proposal is not unique, Claeys noted. This is something thats happening across the country with consolidation of previously owned university radio stations into a new and better model.

IPRs board of directors will meet Monday to consider approval of the license transfers and the asset purchase agreement.

Our goal is to have the FCC process done and be ready to close at the end of this fiscal year, so June 30, said Claeys.

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Xi stresses firm adherence to China's path of human rights development

People's Daily Online) 09:09, February 27, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed unswerving adherence to China's path of human rights development.

Xi made the remarks while presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Friday.

Xi called for more efforts to pay attention to, respect and safeguard human rights and better advance the development of China's human rights cause as the country has embarked on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist China.

To respect and protect human rights is a persistent pursuit of the CPC, Xi stressed.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC has continued to make the respect for and protection of human rights an important agenda of national governance, and has prompted historic achievements in China's human rights cause, Xi said.

The problem of absolute poverty has been solved, whole-process people's democracy further developed, social equity and justice firmly safeguarded, and the world's largest education, social security and healthcare systems established, Xi said, highlighting some of the progress in human rights development.

China has effectively combated COVID-19 to protect the health and safety of the people to the greatest extent possible. China maintains that all ethnic groups are equal, respects people's religious beliefs, and safeguards the lawful rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups, Xi said.

China has ensured long-term social stability. It is the only major country in the world that has consecutively formulated and enforced four national human rights action plans. It also actively participates in global governance on human rights, Xi added.

In the practice of advancing the cause of human rights, China has blazed a path of human rights development that is consistent with the trend of the times and suits the nation's conditions, Xi stressed.

Xi noted six main features of China's development of human rights: upholding the Party's leadership, respecting the people's principal position, proceeding from national realities, upholding the rights to subsistence and development as the primary and basic human rights, safeguarding human rights in accordance with the law, and participating in global governance on human rights.

The features are also experience that should be further upheld and developed in the context of new practices, Xi said.

Xi urged further efforts to fulfill the people's expectation for high-quality and better lives, and meet their growing needs to exercise lawful rights in various aspects.

The legal protection for human rights should be strengthened to fully cover the whole process of legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, Xi stressed, adding that the miscarriage of justice, which hurts people's sentiments and interests, must be completely eradicated.

Xi urged extensive publicity and dissemination of human rights knowledge, so as to create a positive environment for respecting and protecting human rights.

Xi stressed actively promoting global governance on human rights, upholding the common values of humanity, and advancing the global governance on human rights in a fairer, more equitable, rational and inclusive direction.

Human rights cannot be detached from the context of different social, political conditions as well as history and cultural traditions in different countries, Xi said.

Whether human rights are upheld in a country cannot be judged by the criteria from others, Xi said, adding that the practices of applying double standards or using human rights issues as political tools to interfere in others' internal affairs must be opposed.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
CEDAR FALLS  Building on a major renovation and the strength of its business college, the University of Northern Iowa is offering two new programs this fall, including one that will be the first of its kind in the state.

The bachelor of science in automation engineering technology will be unique in Iowa. The degree is offered through the department of applied engineering & technical management and housed in the Industrial Technology Center, which will soon undergo a $44 million renovation. The bachelor of arts in business analytics will be part of the department of management in UNIs top-ranked College of Business.

Both programs were approved Wednesday by the Board of Regents.

Through a combination of industry-relevant training and hands-on experience, automation engineering technology students will learn about process control and system review in manufacturing.

Automation is one of the fastest-growing areas of technology, especially with the Industry 4.0 revolution taking place, Patrick Pease, UNIs associate provost for academic affairs, told the regents academic affair committee. The need for technologists has grown, particularly in fields of mechanical and electrical systems.

He noted that the program combines elements of the existing electrical and manufacturing engineering technology programs. Currently, only two-year programs in automation engineering technology exist in Iowa. Some of the greatest areas of demand for these skills is in the automotive, metal casting and energy industries.

Even at a national level, UNIs degree will be unique since most programs offered by other universities are heavily theoretical with a large emphasis on engineering, according to a news release. UNIs program will be more focused on hands-on learning.

The business analytics degree is an expansion from an area of emphasis to a major. Demand for professionals in this industry is growing, according to the news release. Between 2020 and 2030, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates business analytics jobs will experience 14% growth.

UNIs program is more than looking at numbers. Business analysts actually see trends, stories, predictions, opportunities when they interpret data. Its about seeing meaning in the data and recommending business decisions.

We are excited to build on the strong reputation UNI has established offering business analytics as an emphasis, Atul Mitra, head of the Department of Management, said in the news release. UNI knows how to craft successful business programs and theres no doubt in my mind that our new business analytics program will follow suit.

Part of what makes UNIs program unique is how interdisciplinary it is, drawing on coursework in both management and economics, he said. This partnership provides graduates an understanding of economics to analyze historical trends to predict what would likely happen in the future, and the management skills to recommend and implement those decisions.

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WATERLOO  The Board of Education will consider technology purchases Monday to replace computers and ActivBoards that have reached the end of their life cycle.

The board meets at 5 p.m. in the Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St.

Officials recommend replacing Promethean ActivBoard interactive displays first installed in Waterloo Community Schools classrooms in 2008 with ActivPanels, the next-generation product, in six schools. There would be 231 of the devices, 186 height adjustable stands and 29 mobile stands.

Becker, Kingsley, Kittrell, Orange and Poyner elementary schools  which have the oldest ActivBoards, according to a memo  were chosen for the upgrades. In addition, devices would be purchased for Central Middle School as it temporarily occupies the Waterloo Career Center expansion building.

Total cost for the items, purchased from Illinois-based CDW-G, would be $889,525. Installation by Communications Engineering Company of Hiawatha would cost another $98,362. Seven district schools previously had ActivPanels installed.

Board members will also consider the purchase of 300 staff laptop computers, 1,750 secondary student Chromebooks for sixth- and ninth-graders, 475 Chromebooks for Lou Henry Elementary School and 2,225 management licenses. The technology would be purchased from Dell at a cost of $744,573. In addition, 1,750 notebook computer carrying cases would be purchased from CDW-G at a cost of $29,133.

In other business, the board will:

Approve publishing the 2022-23 budget estimate and tax levy rate and set a public hearing. Specifics will be revealed at the meeting.

Consider a supplemental pay proposal for all staff represented by the Waterloo Educational Support Personnel and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2749.

Consider approving elementary music curriculum GamePlan and Purposeful Pathways along with necessary supporting instruments and materials at a cost of $539,252.

Approve the notice to bidders for the West High School gym floor replacement project.

Accept a $5,800 emergency fund donation for six schools from the R.J. McElroy Trust.

Accept the resignation of Bunger Middle School Principal Larry Martin at the end of the year.

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Tara Pickering liked her job in customer service  a business that thrived when the pandemic hit. But her companys decisions to go completely remote, while seemingly fine at first, suddenly meant she was working without much direction at the same time that her workload became unmanageable.

We got no reprieve, no bonuses and no support, Pickering said. My mental and physical health had hit some unseen lows.

She quit once she found her new job at Gravitate Coworking in Cedar Falls. Shes not getting paid more, but her health was the deciding factor.

It was still better than that job, she said.

From a low quit rate of 1.6% across all non-farm jobs in the U.S. in April 2020, quit rates  the number of people quitting their jobs without retiring or being fired  were at 3% and rising as of November 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which noted 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs as of November. In the Midwest, that quit rate is even higher, at 3.1%.

Experts dont agree on whats driving the continually high rate, especially now that pandemic-related assistance such as higher unemployment and child tax credit payments have ended. But concerns about adequate child care and COVID-19, particularly the omicron variant, are thought to be drivers.

Whats puzzling, relative to the historical data, is the slow movement of people who have been unemployed for a while back into employment, given how many job openings there are, said Lawrence Katz, an economics professor at Harvard, in an October interview with the Harvard Gazette. I think weve really met a once-in-a-generation take this job and shove it moment.

Thats exactly what happened to Daniel Corbett in 2020, who worked at a local steakhouse in Waterloo and grew disillusioned with the way he was treated by management.

It wasnt actually a bad job. It just got to be a lot during the pandemic, he said. They expected more and more, then laid everybody off and all the managers worked open to close every day.

That got Corbett thinking about his options, and when he found a food truck for sale, his wife Katy  also a longtime restaurant employee  said she was on board.

Within a week, I decided I was going to buy a food truck, I bought a food truck and turned in my notice, Daniel said. We figured, were not getting any younger  we might as well do it.

Restaurants are one area that continues to see the greatest turnover and number of quits, though retail and health care arent far behind. The industries where people are quitting the most as of November include accommodation and food services (6.9%), retail (4.4%), professional and business services (3.7%) and health care and social assistance (3.0%), according to the BLS.

The mass exodus of burned-out health care workers has also opened up better opportunities for people like Karen Ruth of Waterloo.

Ruth was working in long-term care, which saw its residents hard hit by the pandemic, particularly in 2020. She said she faced major burnout and felt overworked and underappreciated as the months wore on.

It was horrible, she said.

She found better work-life balance at a MercyOne hospital locally, where she now works as a nurse.

I needed to take care of my mental health and be present for my family more, she said.

Others realized their reaction to COVID-19 seemed to be far different than that of their supervisor, a health and value consideration.

John Toenjes left his Waterloo-based job after he said he was ridiculed for being the only one in his building wearing a mask, along with seeing official company policies that included misinformation about breath-holding.

My breaking point was overhearing the owner of the company talking with other directors about how COVID was a liberal media ploy to win the election, he said. I decided I didnt want to do anything that would further produce money for this person.

He left in July 2020 after finding new employment with Cedar Falls Utilities, and said he hasnt looked back.

I did not second guess the decision at any point. Unlike other job transitions, I never worried if this was the right decision, Toenjes said.

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Eric Grove has some background in construction and industrial maintenance. But for 3-1/2 years, he worked a menial job with limited pay building pallets.

I wasnt using my skills, and the skills I had were rusty. My self confidence wasnt there to apply for a job, said Grove.

That changed through his involvement in Pathways to Education and Employment for Reentry, a new program of Waterloos Hawkeye Community College and the First Judicial District.

Grove, a 37-year-old Evansdale native, learned about education and career services available to him after PEER Coordinator Belle Fleischhacker visited the Junkman/Knoebel Center, where he has lived for nearly a year. The center is a transitional housing unit for people recovering from alcohol or drug addiction.

Belle reached out and made it sound like something I was capable of doing, he said of the programs services, focused on short-term training for high-demand jobs. Grove ended up enrolling in a two-month advanced manufacturing course operated by the college. He received hands-on training in a lab at TechWorks through IGNITE: Introduction to Advanced Manufacturing, finishing the course Dec. 10.

When I completed the program, it definitely felt like Id accomplished something, he said. Interview opportunities came up quickly at two companies.

Going into the interviews for both places, I felt like I knew what I was talking about, Grove said of his new-found confidence. I had two job offers within that week.

Early this year, he started a job driving a forklift at Viking Pump. The new position has meant greatly improved pay, benefits and work environment.

PEER assists people involved with Black Hawk County Correctional Services in a variety of ways, depending on their need. Educational counseling, career exploration, job readiness and hands-on training, and resource referrals are available. Participants are in the Black Hawk County Jail, the First Judicial Districts Waterloo Residential Correctional Facility or the Waterloo Womens Center for Change, or involved in the parole system living in the community.

Since starting in May, Fleischhacker said the program has connected with 59 people in jail, providing resume workshops as well as training to earn a certification in forklift driving and a commercial vehicle learners permit. They can continue with training through the program upon release or go into the workforce.

Overall, theres close to 90 or 100 individuals that weve worked with so far, she noted, both in and out jail. Twenty people have enrolled in or completed training programs. Participants receive services and training at no cost to them, thanks to available grants and scholarships.

Like Grove, a lot of the individuals, they have a job, said Michele Clark, a career pathway navigator at Hawkeye. Were helping them acquire a job that is sustainable, a job they want to do versus a job they have to do.

Program organizers contend PEER could have a big impact on crime while developing a new workforce pipeline for business and industry in the Cedar Valley.

You can cut the recidivism in half, statistically, said Chris Hannan, Hawkeyes director of workforce training and community development. According to a study by the Vera Institute of Justice, people in prison who participate in job training programs are 48% less likely to reoffend than those who dont.

Thats why the First District is going to put all of its support around this, said Ken Kolthoff, director of the First Judicial District. Hawkeye Community Colleges investment and interest in wanting to work with these people is just tremendous.

Ken and I have been working on this for about five years, and we finally were able to implement it in May, said Hannan. They had support from Hawkeye President Todd Holcomb for the endeavor, as well as the right people at the right time to get the program off the ground. Everything just came together at the right time.

Now program staff are working hard to get the word out about the services they provide.

Jesse Rousch, jail diversion social worker, noted that quite a bit of our population does not have a high school diploma or any post-high school education. Still, for a big portion of our population, they dont realize these opportunities are there and theyre eligible for it.

In IGNITE, Grove went through manufacturing modules such as robotics, computer-aided design, hydraulics, pneumatics, programmable logic control, computer numerical control machining and electrical.

You get a certificate for completing the program and then a certificate for mathematics, he said. The robotics and CNC was completely new to me.

My current employer said me going through that course was a factor in bringing me on, added Grove. Driving a forklift is going well, but after I get out of my probationary period (at Viking) I plan on bidding on CNC or some type of machine.

While there is some on-the-job training, he expects more Hawkeye career courses to be in his future. Ill be going back and doing more with CNC, kind of get a better understanding of that, he said.

Fleischhacker said not everybody who has been involved with the program has moved on to a job yet, like Grove. But plenty of people are in the pipeline. We will serve over 120 in the first year, she noted.

For more information about PEER, call (319) 296-4296, extension 3103, or email peer@hawkeyecollege.edu.

This story has been updated to reflect corrected spellings for the names Belle Fleischhacker, Michele Clark and Chris Hannan.

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, since April 2021 nearly 33 million people have left their jobs, more than a fifth of the total U.S. workforce.

While the situation has been good for workers, driving up wages and creating new opportunities, the competition to attract and retain employees has been a challenge for one group in particular  human resource professionals.

Hiring is a struggle for companies of all sizes right now, said Lauren Mork, HR consultant with PDCM Insurance and president of the Cedar Valley Society for Human Resource Management.

More than 40% of U.S. workers were actively searching for a new job or planning to do so when the Society for Human Resource Management conducted a survey released in September. The most common reasons employees gave for leaving include:

Better compensation (53% of respondents).

Better work/life balance (42%).

Better benefits (36%).

Career advancement opportunities (33%).

Desire to make a career change (33%).

But a recent article by Ben Casselman at The New York Times reported low-wage workers in the leisure and hospitality sectors are quitting at the highest rate. In November alone, a record-breaking 1 million such workers left their jobs. And that was before omicron started surging.

The story is much the same in the Cedar Valley.

Lots of companies are having trouble finding employees right now, especially in customer service jobs  retail, restaurants, call centers, said Mork.

The pandemic definitely has played a role.

People who who were maybe on the front lines, in those essential positions, dont want to be in those positions anymore, and theyre looking for work elsewhere, Mork said.

Those jobs are lower paying  $15 and hour or less  which makes them harder to fill.

Tight job market

One reason for that struggle is Iowas low unemployment rate.

Iowas jobless rate fell to 3.5% in December, according to Iowa Workforce Development. That was down from Novembers 3.7% rate, meaning 5,200 more people found jobs. The percentage of Iowans in the labor force also increased slightly.

With employers competing for workers, workers are able to negotiate more favorable terms when looking for a job.

There are a lot of workers looking to capitalize on higher wages, Mork said.

That means working harder to find employees. Local companies are paying sign-on and retention bonuses, many as high as $7,000 for skilled labor positions. Dalton Plumbing and Heating in Cedar Falls has a sign outside its Nordic Drive facility touting a $15,000 sign-on bonus for journeymen plumbers and electricians.

At this point anything goes. You have to try anything you can to get people in the door, Mork said.

Parents and pandemic

The virus has affected parents greatly, and often its mothers bearing the brunt. With children home from school due to COVID precautions, many families struggle to find child care.

Many moms have had to leave the workforce entirely, Mork said.

Some people are staying home to take care of parents too. Workers are seeking more flexibility, whether that means working from home or arranging more adaptable work schedules.

If it has to be done in person, they have to figure out what benefits and what salary work to get people to come there and work in person the whole time, Mork said.

What does the Great Resignation bode for the future? For the time being, workers find themselves with the upper hand.

Were going to see it until companies figure out how to be competitive, Mork said.

All the angles

For Steve Sesterhenn, vice president of human resources at UnityPoint-Health Allen Hospital, its a challenge that must be tackled from several angles and in all departments.

I think were more worried about overall retention. We have a real good philosophy here about well-being for our employees, so were worried about burnout and things like that.

The big deal here is were hearing from employees that theyve been working lots of hours. We know that.  We need to figure out our overall game plan for the well-being for our employees. So its more than just money. Its knowing how many patients were gonna have and how we can give people some time away. We want to make sure we have a good work-life balance as best we can in this situation.

Compensation is definitely a key component. UnityPoint conducts a study every year of market values of all jobs in the company, from housekeeping to the emergency room. We make adjustments based on market values of those jobs.

UnityPoint has increased referral bonuses, especially for nurses. It used to be $1,000 and now its $3,000 if they can find us a nurse that stays here for a year. And thats for any employee in any department who makes a referral.

Sign-on bonuses are not just for nurses, but for radiology, cooks. There are retention payments, so they get so much in the beginning, so much after a certain amount of time, and they get another part if they stay, say, a year or two years, the larger portion is the retention at the end.

So were trying to work on both getting them here and keeping them here, Sesterhenn said.

The company also perused the list of recent retirees.

Weve kind of went into the bowels of some of our old numbers. Weve pulled up a list of people who left the company over the last couple of years and go back and recall those people to see if they have any interest to come back, even part-time.

A number of those former employees were happy to help.

There are other bonuses as well. Theres a regular bonus paid out in March if the company is doing well. COVID bonuses for employees who worked directly with patients to compensate for the extra hours worked. A delta retention for nurses, patient care techs and therapists who work directly bedside based on hours worked.

We have a number of programs out there that also give people the chance to make a little more cash, Sesterhenn said.

A program called Point for Health awards points for completing various challenges. One challenge might be participating in Journey to Wellness, which encourages workers to voluntarily get counseling for themselves and their spouses. Those sessions are worth 250 points, and after 1,500 points we give them $150 in their paycheck for those things and other things that they do to stay healthy and help the community.

There are several initiatives to encourage employees to stay healthy  mentally, physically, even financially. Well Beats is an online app featuring 20 exercise programs. Its just like any exercise class but you can do it at home. There are online relaxation videos for use at home or at work. There are gym discounts, and in March a company gym will open across the street from the hospital in the North Crossing area for employees. UnityPoint also worked with Fidelity Investments to create a portal that offers financial planning and counseling.

The Soft Side of Hard Stuff is a program primarily aimed at managers. Every two weeks or so, any manager who wants can join a Zoom-type meeting to talk about issues in their department and get advice from peers.

Recognition

And there are several recognition programs at UnityPoint to let employees know their work is appreciated.

Honoring You is an app that allows any employee to thank another employee, and that individuals manager gets a copy. Managers can actually give money as thank yous to employees, anywhere from $10 to $100.

Focus Star Award is for employees who go above and beyond. Pre-pandemic they would be honored at a luncheon, but now the praise is virtual, and honorees receive a certificate and a special badge. One winner helped out with a young teen who wouldnt go to sleep without his mother in the hospital room. She hadnt slept in days. It was late at night, we had an employee who heard about the situation.  They were ready to go home but offered to stay the night. With the mothers permission, the employee sat the night with the boy, allowing the grateful mom to go home and get some much-needed sleep. The mother felt confident to go home and get some rest.  That employee, instead of going home stayed the night, and ended up allowing that young teenager to get some sleep too.

The Daisy Award honors one nurse per quarter who has done a most outstanding job for patients.

The Luminary Award is a four-year-old companywide honor dispensed annually. UnityPoint has 34,000 employees in three states, and the award honors the top three. Each affiliate nominates two employees. Out of 34,000 people, in the last four years, Allen Hospital is the only affiliate that has had an award winner every year. No other affiliate has had more than one.

From a culture standpoint, were doing some things right here, Sesterhenn said.

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Local law enforcement agencies continue to struggle to keep their ranks filled.

As of late January, the Waterloo Police Department had nine open officer positions and a civil service list of only eight approved applicants that might be able to fill them. That is if the candidates havent already moved on and found work elsewhere.

Either way, the department has asked to compile a new civil service list  a process that takes months  to round out the remaining vacancy, or vacancies, and prepare for future openings.

It takes us a good three months between the time that we advertise, collect applications, do the physical testing, the medical testing, and get an actual certified list, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department.

Police leaders across the county have experienced a shortage of people interested in entering their ranks, in part because of the George Floyd effect, a backlash against law enforcement in the wake of the racial justice movement.

Unlike most career fields, hiring for law enforcement is a long, involved process. Candidates have to pass a physical fitness test, written tests, a background check and interviews before they are placed on a list with other applicants.

When an agency has an opening, the department has to hire from that list, which is good for a year.

After hiring, the applicant has to attend a 16-week state law enforcement academy. Following the academy, they begin a field training program and are paired with an experienced officer for another 16 weeks and gradually begin taking on responsibilities until they are able to work alone.

The Waterloo Police Department used to compile a civil service list about once a year. The most recent list was burned through in about four months.

With fewer people applying for the job, the Waterloo Police Department has added a $5,000 signing bonus.

We are talking about increasing that because other agencies are paying up to $15,000, Mohlis said.

The Black Hawk County Sheriffs Office has had a similar issue retaining staff. But Sheriff Tony Thompson said he isnt interested in offering bonuses for people who join.

That seems a little counterintuitive. What were focusing on is the incentivizing of our staff, so we make it more appealing to work here, Thompson said.

The Sheriffs Office staffing had been about down about 10% for a period in 2021 but made strides in recent months. It is now down about 10 spots for a 140-person agency.

We are doing a little bit better, and we have one in the hopper whos going to be hired, so we will be nine down. We are slowly gaining back, but were not out of the woods yet, Thompson said in January.

The Sheriffs Office has less of an issue hiring staff. A few years ago, the agency began hiring civilian corrections workers to replace full, sworn deputies to staff the county jail, the largest part of the offices operations.

Civilian jailers dont need to be drawn from a civil service list or graduate from the law enforcement academy, so the onboarding process is faster  around just under a month.

We have an open, revolving applicant window, so they can apply anytime, Thompson said. The civilians tend to be a little bit easier to hire.

When a patrol, investigations or civil process deputy leaves, its only a matter of replacing them with a jail deputy and rolling a civilian into the resulting jail vacancy.

At some point, the number of deputies and civilian jailers will even out, and replacing a deputy will meaning hiring a new deputy, Thompson said.

On the other side of public safety in Waterloo, the fire department isnt seeing staff reconsidering their careers in the way some police officers have. When firefighters leave, its usually to join another department, said Pat Treloar, chief of Waterloo Fire Rescue.

The newer millennials, they tend to move around a little more than, say, my generation. We have had younger people who left to go to other departments. Theyre not leaving the fire service. Theyve gone out of state or theyve gone to Des Moines or a larger department, Treloar said.

The department is currently down one firefighter, and it has a decent chance of filling the vacancy with its current civil service list.

Even so, the department  much like law enforcement  is seeing a shrinking interest in people choosing fire service as a career.

When we do a recruitment, we are seeing less applicants, Treloar said.

In the past, Waterloo Fire Rescue would easily draw 300 applicants vying for a chance to get on the civil service list. Now it is lucky if 100 people apply, Treloar said.

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WATERLOO  The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent labor shortages have put more power in the hands of workers, but its a challenge organizing employees, local labor leader say.

Several members of the Black Hawk Labor Assembly AFL-CIO agree that the so-called great resignation of workers during the coronavirus shutdown has created greater opportunity for workplace gains for those still employed  if they choose to take advantage of the situation and unionize.

You have a perfect storm going right now, said Rich Kurtenbach, an organizer with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 288. You have a high demand for workers. And then you have a situation with COVID, where people got used to working from home. And they dont want to risk their lives for some of the jobs they had.

So finally, workers are standing up and saying, Enough. Kurtenbach said. Now if theyd just do that more together, and form unions where theyre working instead of just quitting, we would see probably a greater rise of unions than we saw back in the 1940s. But were still having that disconnect (between) workers standing up for their rights as workers and putting that into concerted activity with other workers.

So theres potential for a large gain in unions, Kurtenbach said.

But there are other challenges.

Theres also legislation against us too, said Chuck Kacher of Waverly, business manager with IBEW Local 288. People are still scared of concerted activity, losing their jobs over it. He advocated adoption of the federal Protect the Right to Organize, or PRO, Act of 2021. He and Kurtenbach say some court and administrative law rulings, as well as some legislation, have slowly eroded workers ability to organize.

Additionally, the state of Iowa restricted collective bargaining rights for public sector employees about five years ago, limiting the scope of collective bargaining to wages only, unless both parties agree to negotiate some benefit and workplace items deemed mutually permissible for negotiation. Because of worker shortages, some employers are opening up the scope of talks in order to be able to attract employees, said Steve Abbott, president of Communications Workers of America Local 7108.

Ill give you a for instance  health care, said Abbott, whose union includes health care and nursing employees. They know theres a shortage of health care workers. Twenty percent of the health care workers have left the profession since February 2020. Thirty percent more are going to leave before the end of 2022. Theres already a shortage of nurses of 1.1 million. So its becoming a little bit easier. One of the things thats holding them back is if nurses would stick together a little more.

You hear about the great resignation. I call it the great realignment, Abbott said. Workers are thinking about new priorities. Family. Safety. Appreciation from the employers. That all goes a long way on this so-called resignation. People are sick and tired of it. And once they start standing together, there will be a resurgence of labor unions. And have kind of an even playing field then.

This demand for workers isnt going to be over overnight, Kurtenbach said. Im at the end of the baby boomers. And if you look back in the 80s, people werent having kids like they did before that. So we see were going to have bigger gains in membership, not because were gaining a whole lot more people, but were going to have less people retiring, leaving a whole lot more demand for unionization.

Were actually seeing groups organizing we would never have thought of before, Abbott said. The internet has made some places, call centers, a little harder to organize because of the work-from-home aspect. But theres organizing efforts among gaming company employees, comic book workers and contract technicians at large data centers.

Everybodys life is busy right now,  Abbott said. Once people realize what they want and how to collectively get it, therell be a resurgence. The differentiation between the haves and have-nots has never been greater than it is right now. And I think were going to see some things that are going to make it easier on everybody.

This pandemic has thrown everything into a turmoil, he said. But once the sit down and realize what their priorities are, and what its going take to get there, I think youre going to see concerted collective (unionization) actions.

Were still overcoming all the negative thats happened in the last 40 years against unions, Kurtenbach said. The erosion of the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and Iowa public employee collective bargaining law, which Kacher cited, are prime examples.

Why would someone want to take a job plowing snow in the winter when they can go to another company, work in construction, making a whole lot more and they have a voice in their workplace, where they cant working for the state? Kurtenbach said. Its no different working for a municipal utility or a city public works (department). These are things that have hampered the ability of workers to stand up and say, I deserve more in the workplace. Until we overcome some of these negatives, theres still a lot of limits on what employees can do in joining or creating a union where they work.

Municipalities and local government entities are hurting as a result, and its mutually beneficial to negotiate a full wage and benefit package, Kacher said. If were stripping their rights to negotiate their benefits, were stripping their (public employers) rights to recruit good people.

And theyre having problems finding people to even apply for openings, Kurtenbach said.

Youre seeing employers give bigger raises, Kurtenbach said. They probably more than deserve it, he said, but theyre also trying to get people to stay.

Kacher added federal legislation to protect defined benefit pensions would go a long way toward keeping people working.

He also noted some employers tried to portray themselves as magnanimous giving out federal Payroll Protection Plan money from the government. Its the biggest BS thing, he said, since its coming from the taxpayers.

People are learning their worth. Were not just expendable tools anymore, Kacher said. Youve had a lot of boomers leave the work force that were working, thought they had to work, and quit working, and realized, I dont need to work anymore. They realized they could afford to be retired, and probably cost themselves by going to work. Since Reagan theyd all been convinced, youre no good unless you work until you die. Now they realize they dont have to do that anymore.

He was referring to President Ronald Reagan terminating striking federal air traffic controllers in 1981.

Jerry Hageman, president of the Black Hawk Labor Assembly, noted teachers are also feeling COVID stress, as evidence by a walkout move by Chicago teachers to reinstate virtual learning and more rigorous COVID safety protocols.

The recent month-long strike by the United Auto Workers at Deere & Co. facilities in Waterloo and elsewhere had to happen, Abbott said, to get the new collective bargaining agreement, ratified after two previous tentative agreements were rejected by the membership.

Here you had one of the most profitable companies making record profits and not willing to share, Abbott said.

And, Hageman said, those wages and benefits have a ripple effect in the pay and benefits paid locally to union and nonunion workers alike

Unions lift everyone up, he said.

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IOWA CITY (AP)  Iowa City schools are planting the seed in students who might be interested in becoming teachers and promising them a job with the district  if one is available  after graduation from the University of Iowa.

The program, which is launching this spring, aims to support students interested in teaching careers, especially students of color. Its the next step in the districts Grow Our Own program, a part of its diversity, equity and inclusion plan.

This past fall, the district launched a two-year fellowship for educators interested in leadership positions in an effort to retain more underrepresented teachers, administrators and staff.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that district officials hope a similar program for students will help attract them back to the district, where they could help diversify the teaching staff. About 7 percent of teachers in the Iowa City Community School District are people of color, while 43 percent of the students are young people of color.

Carmen Gwenigale, district leadership fellow with the Grow Our Own program and former Spanish teacher at Liberty High School, said she hopes the program will guide students to their passion, whether thats being a teacher, school counselor or school administrator.

A student who loves cooking, she said, might be interested in being a culinary arts teacher and someday pass along that skill to future generations.

A career interest survey of the districts high school students showed more than 100 were interested in becoming teachers. Students with that interest began meeting with program leaders this week.

Amira Nash, associate director of partnerships and programs at the University of Iowa College of Education, and Alexei Lalagos, leadership fellow with the Grow Our Own program at Liberty High School, are hoping at least half of those students get invested in the program this spring.

Next year, the program will expand to all high school students. Those who are interested in pursuing a career in education can meet weekly with a teacher sponsor at their school.

If students decide teaching isnt for them, they still gain skills that can help them in whatever career they choose, Gwenigale said.

Many students  especially first-generation college students  arent sure how to pursue higher education, Gwenigale said.

If youve never had someone in your family go through the process of applying to college, it can seem really overwhelming, said Nash, who will work with the students once they are at the University of Iowa.

The students will be helped with their college application and given advice on financial aid and grant opportunities. Once on campus, theyll be informed about resources that provide academic help and mental health support.

The district is working with Educators Rising, a curriculum for students to learn about the profession and explore career opportunities, develop skills they need and make informed decisions about pathways to becoming a teacher.

Students will be encouraged to enroll in Kirkwood Community Colleges Education Academy to earn free college credit while theyre in high school and to explore their career interest.

Upon graduating from the UI, students are guaranteed a position in the Iowa City Community School District if there is an opening.

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The week before Russia attacked, a Ukrainian soldier peered through a periscope from the bottom of his trench. Mud seeped into his boots, his clothes and every crack in his gear as he walked the narrow space where he had spent his days for the past 10 months.

Zakhar Leshchyshyn was just 23. He had no memory of Ukraine as anything but a fully independent country. But now he was charged with helping to keep it that way, posted at Ukraine's eastern front line since early last spring, when 100,000 Russian land and naval forces first encircled most of his country.

"These wars for territory are madness," he said, "but probably this is human nature."

Within days, Ukraine was engulfed by what the soldier in the trench saw as humanity's dark impulse. The largest invasion Europe has seen since World War II has imperiled a young democracy while risking geopolitical instability far beyond the flashpoints of the new war.

In the conflict's earliest days, each side has managed to surprise the other. Russia unleashed a broader, larger invasion than almost anyone had predicted. And Ukraine, at least by U.S. and other Western accounts, has put up a more tenacious fight than many thought possible against the neighboring superpower. Fortunes can turn at any moment.

"It's not apparent to us that the Russians over the last 24 hours have been able to execute their plans as they deemed that they would. But it's a dynamic, fluid situation," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Friday.

And so it has been for much of the past year. Russia alternately added and subtracted troops along the border, diplomacy seemed to make progress until it didn't, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed restrained, then not, then maybe, then not.

The path to war was convoluted  but also inexorable.

* * *

AN EARLY MARKER

It was back on March 31 of last year when the U.S. military raised an alert of a "potential imminent crisis" arising from Russian drills near the Ukrainian border. Not long after, Russian troops were ordered back to their permanent bases and the sense of alarm eased.

But those orders also required Russian troops to leave their heavy weaponry in Crimea and the Voronezh region bordering Ukraine, where it would already be in place if the forces returned  which they did. The reprieve was brief for Leshchyshyn's unit and for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had tweeted that the redeployment "proportionally reduces tension."

Soon afterward, U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, a summit widely seen as a reward for suspending the drills. But by the end of summer, it was clear that Putin's military plans were just getting started  even if they hadn't quite taken shape yet.

When Zelenskyy visited Washington on Sept. 1, he came away with a pledge of $60 million in military aid.

* * *

IN THE TRENCH

Leshchyshyn's life in the deserted front-line village of Zolote continued as before, circumscribed by the labyrinth of trenches he commanded. The monotony of four-hour shifts on guard was broken by periodic exchanges of fire with Russia-backed separatists, and by the news he caught on his mobile phone.

Roots poked out along the walls of the trench, but they were never enough to hold up the mud when a shell exploded nearby. Those not on guard duty shored up the sides with hand shovels.

When they returned to their basement barracks in a house with no roof, the same shovels scraped the congealed mud from their boots. When night fell, the village was dark and quiet enough that Leshchyshyn's men and the separatists sometimes shouted curses at each other from their respective trenches.

By early November, the mud was back, thick enough to weigh down the soldiers' boots. So were the Russian troops  90,000 of them again near the border, with more on the way from all corners of the world's largest country.

* * * ALARM IN WASHINGTON

The warnings from the Biden administration grew more pointed, and for the first time, U.S. intelligence officials started sharing specifics with Zelenskyy, European officials and eventually the public.

The White House realized that it was looking at the beginnings of what would probably turn into an enormous crisis by October. Officials were seeing a cascade of worrying intelligence strains, including troop movements, that suggested that Putin was looking to move on Ukraine.

Biden wanted Putin to know what he knew. He sent CIA Director Bill Burns to Moscow to warn Kremlin officials that the U.S. was fully aware of their troop movements. The White House made the calculation that the CIA chief's travels, normally closely held, needed to be advertised far and wide.

"We wanted it to be known that he was there and understood by the Russians that we were starting to put them on notice and that we were going to do so publicly as well as privately," said a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Soon after that trip, administration officials decided they needed to accelerate intelligence sharing. They also began discussions with allies about sanctions should Russia invade.

In early December, national security officials shared information from an intelligence document with the press showing at least 70,000 Russian troops had massed near the Ukraine border. Much of the information could be gleaned independently but White House officials thought it was crucial to get the information out in the open "with U.S. government branding."

So began a name-and-shame campaign in which the White House national security officials widely distributed a series of plots they contend Putin was weighing to set a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

Critics of U.S. intelligence  Russian officials among them  recalled past failures like the infamously false identification of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq nearly 20 years ago and the unexpectedly swift fall of Kabul last year.

In mid-November, a senior European diplomat spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential briefings. The diplomat was unconvinced by U.S. intelligence findings.

"We see the military build-up, at the same time, we don't have any intelligence that there's something like military action, or that Russians would be trying to become militarily active, so we don't share this opinion, even though the Americans have said so," the diplomat said. "We don't see that there is intention on Putin's part so far."

At NATO, Germany blocked efforts to help Ukraine acquire military equipment. France and Germany objected to launching NATO's crisis management system, but eventually relented at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Latvia on Dec. 1. The move was essentially symbolic. The system is used to identify whether there is a crisis and launch preliminary planning to respond.

* * *

PUTIN'S GUESSING GAME

With some satisfaction, Putin said the military buildup has caused a "certain stress" in the West. "It's necessary to keep them in that condition for as long as possible" to secure long-term security guarantees for Russia, he added.

He laid down his demands on Dec. 15: a ban on NATO membership for Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations, a halt to the deployment of NATO weapons in those countries and a rollback of NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Meanwhile Russian troops kept arriving in Belarus to Ukraine's north and on its eastern frontiers where heavy weaponry had been stockpiled since the spring.

Zelenskyy continued to play down the troop movements, noting that Ukraine had been facing threats from Russia and the separatists since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. On Jan. 10, Russia's deputy foreign minister insisted there were "no plans, intentions or reasons to attack Ukraine."

The U.S. did not believe it.

Two days later, the United States and NATO rejected Russia's demands, and the movement of troops and weapons accelerated. Ukrainian government websites went down en masse, many displaying a warning from the suspected Russian-linked hackers: "Be afraid and expect worse."

On Jan. 20, Russia announced sweeping naval drills off the coast of Ukraine and Biden said publicly he believed Russia planned an invasion.

On Feb. 4, Putin flew to Beijing, ostensibly for the Olympic Games although Russian athletes were banned from competing under their nation's flag because of years of doping scandals. He and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their support for each other's foreign policy, including Russia's backing of China's claim to Taiwan.

The unspoken message: These two world powers were on the same page or a similar page, and China would not stand with most of the rest of the world against Putin's designs on Ukraine.

* * *

MACRON TRIES

By then, 150,000 Russian troops had all but surrounded Ukraine and the United States had all but abandoned hope for a diplomatic solution. French President Emmanuel Macron attempted a last-ditch intervention. Flying first to Moscow to meet Putin, where the men sat across an absurdly long marble table, then to Kyiv, Macron tried fruitlessly to stave off war.

Publicly Macron said Putin assured him that Russia would not escalate the crisis. But privately he described the Russian leader as "more rigid, more isolated and fundamentally lost in a sort of ideological and security drift," according to a senior French official.

The American warnings grew increasingly frantic, but life in Kyiv  Ukraine's capital and its largest population center  continued as usual because, Zelenskyy insisted, Ukrainians would not yield to panic.

On Feb. 16, a Wednesday, Ukraine held a "day of national unity" after a date floated as the potential Russian attack failed to materialize. Russia's ambassador to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, accused Westerners of "slander" for alleging an invasion was afoot and joined other Russian officials in ridiculing Biden's prediction that it could start as soon as that Wednesday. "Wars in Europe rarely start on a Wednesday," Chizhov said sarcastically.

But Zelenskyy ordered Ukrainian soldiers to be restrained and give Russia no excuses to attack. Shelling and gunfire at the front lines with the separatists increased exponentially, according to international monitors, but Ukrainian troops were told not to return fire.

* * *

BLINKEN: 'IT'S UNFOLDING'

On Feb. 17, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken laid out "what the world can expect to see unfold. In fact, it's unfolding right now."

First, he said, there would be a staged provocation. Then would come a theatrical high-level meeting of the Russian government, followed by a proclamation that Russia must defend ethnic Russians in Ukraine. Then, he said, the attack would begin, with Kyiv a main target. Events would largely, perhaps fully, prove him right.

"We've been warning the Ukrainian government of all that is coming," Blinken said, looking directly at the camera. "And here today, we are laying it out in great detail, with the hope that by sharing what we know with the world, we can influence Russia to abandon the path of war and choose a different path while there's still time."

On the night of Feb. 19, the separatist leaders released near-simultaneous videos announcing a general evacuation of women, children and the elderly. One of those pro-Russia separatists showed video of what he said was a car bomb exploding his personal vehicle  ostensibly, proof that Ukrainian troops were provoking a war.

The destroyed 4X4, however, was a suspiciously older model and metadata showed the videos were actually filmed three days earlier.

Putin summoned his top security officials and, in a dramatic pre-recorded meeting televised nationwide, asked them to explain one by one whether Russia should recognize the separatists and help them. One by one they agreed; there was little prospect that they would not.

Hours later, the Kremlin released yet another pre-recorded video, this time of Putin alone, cataloging Russian grievances against Ukraine, NATO, the United States and Europe. An independent Ukrainian nation, he said, was a fiction. Without evidence, he accused Ukraine of genocide and of seeking nuclear weapons. Russia, he insisted, had every right to attack such a country.

"I would now like to say something very important for those who may be tempted to interfere in these developments from the outside," he added. "They must know that Russia will respond immediately, and the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history."

* * *

GLOBAL SUPPORT BUT NO TROOPS

The attack began before dawn on Feb. 24  Thursday in Ukraine but, as it happens, still Wednesday in Washington.

It opened with the firing of more than 100 land- and sea-based missiles in the first hours, said a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to be identified and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said the main targets of the air assault were barracks, ammunition warehouses, and 10 airfields. Russian ground forces began moving in from Belarus around noon.

Sanctions from the U.S. and Europe came down with hours, but Zelenskyy, in hiding in the besieged capital on Friday, pleaded for more.

He spoke by phone with many foreign leaders. They expressed solidarity and offered help. None offered what he most wanted  troops to come to his country's aid and a no-fly zone to protect Ukraine's skies.

He told several of them these phone calls might be his last.

"The Ukrainian president started by saying he's reporting from a country where he doesn't know how long it's going to exist," Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer related from his call. "And he's reporting as president without knowing how long he's going to be alive."

In an impassioned speech, Zelenskyy implored his people to be firm in their resistance.

"This morning we are defending our state alone, as we did yesterday," he said. "The world's most powerful forces are watching from afar. Did yesterday's sanctions convince Russia? We hear in our sky and see on our earth that this is not enough."

Did Leshchyshyn, the young soldier, hear Zelenskyy's cry? Did he survive the first days of the war? It cannot be determined. He spoke to the AP in the trenches a week ago; he has not responded to messages since.

***

PHOTO GALLERY

Chernov reported from Zolote, Ukraine, Hinnant from Paris, and Madhani and Woodward from Washington. Contributors included Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels; Nomaan Merchant and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine.

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UTEP is one of seven University of Texas System schools that will benefit from a new $300 million endowment to help system schools expand their free tuition assistance programs.
WATERLOO  John Deere will begin producing a self-propelled, driverless autonomous tractor in Waterloo before the end of 2022, company officials here have confirmed.

Deere officials unveiled the tractor at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. The vehicle will be part of the companys 8R tractor series, which is made in Waterloo.

We can confirm that the tractor will be made in Waterloo with limited availability this year, said Kelly Henderson, a spokesperson at Deeres Waterloo operations.

The head of a local economic development organization welcomed the news.

We couldnt be more thrilled, said Cary Darrah, executive director of Grow Cedar Valley. And its not surprising, since Deeres always been on the cutting edge. We will work with Deere and other manufacturers to help prepare a workforce to help with these visions, and these successes. She also said the new product should benefit Deeres local suppliers.

Deere officials at the Las Vegas show indicated the development is as historically significant to the company and the industry as when company namesake John Deere himself inventing the self-cleaning steelcast plow 165 years ago in 1837; and when Deere entered the tractor business in 1918 with its acquisition of the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Co. in Waterloo, manufacturers of the famous Waterloo Boy two-cylinder tractor.

The company has been adding automated improvements to its machinery for 20 years, including its GreenStar global positioning system technology and its AutoTrac assisted steering system. In August, Deere announced it had acquired the four-year-old Silicon Valley company Bear Flag Robotics, a software firm based in Newark, Calif., for $250 million.

At the time of that acquisition, Bear Flag Robotics hailed itself as being committed to developing the most advanced autonomous tractors possible. The firm said it became involved with Deere in 2019 in Deeres startup collaborator program, enabling Deere to deepen its connection with startup companies whose technology has the potential to add value for their customers.

Since the completion of the program, we have successfully deployed autonomous tractors solutions at multiple farms across the United States, Bear Flag Robotics officials said. Pilot experiments with autonomous tractors could be seen in some farm fields in Northeast Iowa in recent years.

The autonomous tractor serves a specific purpose: feeding the world, Deere officials said at the Las Vegas unveiling. The global population is expected to grow from about 8 billion to nearly 10 billion people by 2050, increasing the global food demand by 50 percent. Furthermore, farmers must feed this growing population with less available land and skilled labor, in addition to perennial challenges like climate changes and pest control.

To use the autonomous tractor, farmers only need to transport the machine to a field and configure it for autonomous operation, Deere officials said. Using John Deere Operations Center Mobile, a computer application downloaded to a phone, tablet or other computerized mobile device, they can swipe from left to right to start the machine.

The autonomous tractor has six pairs of stereo cameras, which enables 360-degree obstacle detection and the calculation of distance  ensuring it is operating where it is supposed to, and is within less than an inch of accuracy, the Deere announcement explained. Camera images are projected through a neural network, a computer system that operates similar to the human brain and its nervous system.

While the machine is working, the farmer can leave the field to focus on other tasks, while monitoring the machines status from their mobile device, company officials said.

The several facilities making up Deeres Waterloo operations constitute the Moline, Ill., companys largest manufacturing complex in North America. The companys large row-crop tractors are made here. Additionally, Deeres Product Engineering Center in Cedar Falls is the hub of the companys new product research and development efforts. Deere employs about 5,000 people in Waterloo and has been hiring since late 2020, advertising for manufacturing and other positions and conducting a series of job fairs. It is the Cedar Valleys and Iowas largest manufacturing employer.

Over the past couple of years, Deere reconfigured its assembly operations and was able to roll out a new 8R tractor product line here in 2020  with extensive precautions in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic  to strong product acceptance and ongoing heightened market demand. The company is coming off a record earnings year and is predicting another for 2022.

Grow Cedar Valley works closely with local schools and postsecondary institutions on workforce development. Darrah indicated the new autonomous tractor should generate interest for prospective workers to get the training they need to produce such products.

Were committed to helping relay this information and these opportunities to the workforce that we will need to get it done, she said.

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Q: I believe that actor David Soul was in Mod Squad. Is he still alive?

A: Soul wasnt in Mod Squad; his best know role was as Detective Kenneth Hutch Hutchinson in Starsky and Hutch. Born Aug. 28, 1943, he is still alive at age 78.

Q: Is it true of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada that his father is Fidel Castro?

A: Justin Trudeau was born Dec. 25, 1971, the son of then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his wife, Margaret.

Q: Is Jerry OConnell, co-host of The Talk, married to actress Rebecca Romijn?

A: Yes. They have been married since 2007 and had twin girls in 2008.

Q: Does the city have any plans for the vacant buildings along University Avenue: the former Hy-Vee store, the former Kmart, the former mattress store?

A: Responds Noel Anderson, community planning and development director: The city has put in place the Tax Increment Finance District over the University Avenue corridor to give us the ability to assist in redevelopment of some of these sites. Now that the traffic improvements along the corridor are finishing up, we are hopeful the private investment interest will increase. There is some interest being shown in some of the buildings, and we hope to have some good news to bring to City Council soon on the sites.

Q: How old are Alec and Kaleb from the Shriners Hospital commercials?

A: Born on May 8, 2002, Alec is 19 years old. Kaleb is 13 years old.

Q: What year did McKinstry School open, what year did it turn into an elementary school and when did it close?

A: It opened in 1953, named in honor of Charles McKinstry, a former president of the Board of Education, according to the Waterloo Community Schools. It was converted from a junior high into an elementary school in 1981, and it closed in December 2009.

Q: How can I write to Ask Amy?

A: Write to askamy@tribune.com or Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.

Q: Can you print the starter recipe for sourdough bread?

A: Here are instructions from King Arthur flour:

Ingredients

2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon of sugar or honey (optional)

1 tablespoon or packet active dry yeast

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Pour the water into a 3- to 4-quart glass or ceramic container or bowl, and add the sugar or honey and the yeast in that order. Stir in the flour gradually. Cover the jar or bowl with a clean dishcloth and place it somewhere warm.

The mixture will begin to bubble and brew almost immediately. Let it work anywhere from two to five days, stirring it about once a day as it will separate. When the bubbling has subsided and a yeasty, sour aroma has developed, stir your starter once more and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it. The starter should have the consistency of pancake batter.

Q: What is pulled pork?

A: Its pork thats been cooked slowly for a long time until its so tender that it can be easily pulled apart or shredded.

Q: How often should you change the batteries in a carbon monoxide detector?

A: They should be changed at least every 6 months.

Calls are taken on a special Courier phone line at 234-3566. Questions are answered by Courier staff.

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It will be a cold day in Waterloo, with temperatures in the 30s. The forecast calls for it to be a nippy 39 degrees. We'll see a low temperature of 20 degrees today. Expect clear skies today. The Waterloo area should see a light breeze, with forecast showing winds from the West, clocking in at 8 mph. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Keep an eye on wcfcourier.com for forecast information and severe weather updates.
Weather Alert

...MORE WINDY DAYS ON THE WAY, WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES AND RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS FOR MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND... --Thursday and Friday-- * A pair of systems brushing through the region will bring gusty winds both days, with Friday looking to have the strongest peak winds. Anticipate wind gusts of 35-45 mph Thursday, and 35-55 mph Friday, locally stronger in wind prone locations. Winds will bring travel difficulties both in the air and on the ground. Travel restrictions for high profile vehicles are possible. Check with CalTrans/NDOT for the current road information. * Area of blowing dust are possible both afternoons downwind of the Carson Sink, possibly affecting portions of I-80, US 50, and Highway 95. In addition, backcountry and ski recreation could be impacted along with choppy conditions on area lakes. * A few light showers with minimal liquid totals are possible in far northern Nevada and northeast California. --Mother's Day Weekend into Early Next Week-- * It will remain breezy throughout the weekend, with a secondary max in wind speeds on Sunday due to a strong cold front. This front will usher in a much colder air mass and high temperatures on Mother's Day will be 15-20 degrees below normal. * There will be rain and snow showers with the front, but again, liquid amounts will be minimal. There are solid chances for snow levels to fall to all valley floors by Sunday evening, which may catch many off guard, though it is hard to get snow to stick to roadways in lower elevation valleys this late in the spring. * Well below normal temperatures and chances for light showers will continue into Monday and Tuesday next week. While still some uncertainty due to winds and cloud cover, it's possible we could have frost and freeze concerns Sunday and Monday nights.


Providence Drilling Uncovers Further Significant Gold Result

Perth, Feb 28, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Monger Gold Limited ( ASX:MMG ) is pleased to announce the success of its drilling campaign at the Providence prospect. A total of 14 drill holes for 1,614 metres were drilled by reverse circulation (RC) on four traverses spaced between 25m and 40m apart testing a total strike length of around 90 metres.Highlights:- RC drilling at the Providence prospect, Mt Monger North returns significant gold results, includingo 12m at 2.13 g/t from 88mo 3m at 11.19 g/t from 106m; includingo 1m at 31.76 g/t from 106mo 1m at 6.49 g/t from 104mo 4m at 2.06 g/t from 114mo 1m at 5.65 g/t from 97mo 2m at 4.90 g/t from 121m; includingo 1m at 9.26 g/t from 121m- 14 holes were drilled for a total of 1,614m, amounting to just over 50% of the planned program- The program was designed to follow up on October 2021 successful drilling campaign which intercepted gold up to:o 8m @ 16.15 g/t from 60m; including 1m @ 111.4 g/t from 61mo 8m @ 31.84 g/t from 66m; including 1m @190.06 g/t from 70m- The Gold System at Providence remains open in two directions- RC drilling as well as some diamond drilling is scheduled to resume in coming weeks to complete the program and target further extensions to the system.The program completed to date makes up only 53% of the previously announced program. Drilling will recommence in coming weeks as the company will look to target further extensions to the system.Commenting on the drilling campaign, Monger Gold's Chairman Mr Peretz Schapiro said "The drill results from our second drill program at the Providence Prospect continues to discover substantial gold mineralisation. Drilling has not closed off the extents of the gold deposit with intercepts still open in two directions. A planned pause in drilling will allow a full assessment of the results and geological structure to ensure that follow up drilling remains well targeted.We are very much looking forward to completing more work on this prospect to construct a sound geological model and scope out both the potential strike and depth extents of this highgrade orogenic gold system".The geology at Providence is structurally complex with an antiform fold and axial planar parallel cross-cutting faults, which is complicated by challenging protolith identification in amphibolite facies metamorphic lithologies. More detailed work is being undertaken on the geological model. MMG is looking at collecting more quantitative data including Hy-logging of RC drill chips and re-logging the entire collection of drill chips along with select multi-element assays, including the gold assays to fully assess and understand the deposit.Providence Drill SectionsFour sections were drilled from the northeast to the southwest at the Providence Prospect with sections running towards the southeast (130deg true north). Drill collars are listed in table 1*.Section One (southwest)Gold mineralisation is open towards the southwest due to the intercepts found in drill holes 22MNRC022 and 22MNRC023. This is inferred to be a central vein found in 21MNRC004, 22MNRC017 and 21MNRC007. The intervals though do not align as expected in a steeply dipping manner. Diamond drill hole core will determine the orientation of these intercepts.Section Two (southwest central)Contains drill hole 21MNRC007. This is the most drill-tested section. Drill holes to the NW encountered host rock lithologies high in the hole so were terminated early by the site Geologist. 22MNRC037 drilled closer to 21MNRC007 to attempt to obtain intercepts close enough to obtain an apparent dip of the veins. A scissor hole was drilled to completely test the section. 22MNRC017 deviated and swung into the section at depth.Section Three (northeast central)The intermediate section contains a drill intercept in 22MNRC017 that is open towards the northwest. It is the first large interval containing quartz veining compared to the narrow veins found everywhere else. This section illustrates the pinch and swell nature of the quartz veins.Section Four (furthest northeast)Contains drill hole 21MNRC004. Two drill holes deviated significantly dropping and intersected the target zone deeper than anticipated. One drill hole 22MNRC0014 was moved closer to 22MNRC004 but still deviated significantly. A stabiliser was put onto the drill string behind the hammer to reduce deviation.The stage one RC drill program drilled the first two drill holes deeper into the western area and tested fresh rock mineralisation beneath previous explorer's systematic shallow drill holes.The first MMG drill holes suggested one single high-grade vein was present. The stage two drill program has discovered multiple veins sets that pinch and swell in width. Concave surfaces between host rock and quartz vein contacts were found in drill chips which suggests potentially boudinage type veins. This vein form makes the deposit more complex, but as it is a multiple vein system, there more potential for this exploration target to be open pittable rather than utilising underground extraction methods that are usually more economic for a single vein.On the section containing drill hole 21MNRC007, the highest gold grade intercept found in the stage one drill program (see photo 1 of a one metre interval of sample concentrate), has the current geological interpretation with the highest confidence because a scissor hole, 22MNRC038, was drilled. The new geological interpretation infers that there is an antiformal fold parallel with the drill section. This is interpreted to be an F1 fold. The geological model before stage two drilling commenced recognised the presence of two folds perpendicular to one another with an F2 fold having an axial plane striking towards the southeast and an F1 fold with an axial plane striking towards the southwest. The F1 fold is tight, not open as previously interpreted from structural mapping at the Divine Prospect, 500m southwest of Providence.Bedding and layering in the NW limb of the F1 fold dip towards the NW, as anticipated. On the southeast limb of the fold the beds dip towards the SE.The stage two drill program encountered significant geological complexity and discontinuous gold grades but substantial gold mineralisation is present in many quartz veins. Once a reworking and review of all data is completed, the next step proposed is to target a number of diamond core drill holes to gain a better understanding of the lithology, alteration, veining, minerals and structural geology. A first assessment is optimistic and there is certainly enough support from this stage two drill program to justify more work at the Providence Prospect because of the following features:1. A structurally fold/fault controlled multiple high-grade quartz vein coarse gold deposit with tight antiformal folding and cross-cutting steeply dipping NW faults2. Significant gold grades intersected in both stage one and two drill programs3. Graphitic shales present in the sedimentary sequence, while not significantly mineralised, if fluid sources have come into contact with these beds will produce a reduced fluid type which when fluid mixing occurred with a more neutral or slightly oxidised fluid will allow for significant gold precipitation from solution and therefore gold concentration in the many structures. The shales are not significantly altered in a way that makes them brittle so have deformed in a ductile manner4. Host rocks form competent units including dolerite and porphyry that deform more readily in a brittle manner compared to surrounding felsic volcanics, volcaniclastics, siltstones and shales that will tend to deform in a ductile manner when strained.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Monger Gold Ltd

With an enterprise value AUD $1m and AUD $5m in funding, Monger Gold Limited's (ASX:MMG) intention is to generate value for shareholders by directing funds raised by the Offer into targeted and systematic exploration of our Projects, resulting in the definition of one or more JORC compliant gold and nickel resources.
Although New Mexico was the site of several relatively minor Civil War battles, the Battle of Glorieta Pass was still a key one.

Its position in the overall framework of the Civil War will be part of an upcoming program at the Pecos National Historical Park.

In our case, the importance of Glorieta Pass and the annual commemoration continues to expand awareness of the role of the West in the Civil War, said Becky Latanich, chief of interpretation and education for the park. So many people find it a surprise that the war extended this far in the West, so this is part of awareness about it.

Stymieing the rebel forces at the pass, just outside the town of Pecos, cut off a drive north aimed at securing Colorados gold fields for the Confederates, Latanich said.

And the defeat that included the destruction of the Southern forces provisions, sent them scurrying back to Texas, preventing a hoped-for western push to the Pacific Ocean to secure a western port.

It was a two-pronged emphasis that they had, she said of the South. The Union troops were dead set on making sure neither one of those opportunities occurred.

The first two days of the event will feature online presentations.

At 7 p.m. on March 24, Fort Union National Monument Park Ranger Mike Weinstein will discuss how the fort  regarded as the most important post for the U.S. Army in the Southwest  during the Civil War years acted as both a defender within the state, but also a Confederate target.

The following night, Palace of the Governors Photo Archivist Hannah Abelbeck will examine the life of Samuel Adams through historical, glass-plate negatives. A member of the Colorado Volunteers, it is not known if Adams was at Glorieta Pass, but he was a well-regarded African American war veteran.

It will also touch on his later biography, his life in New Mexico, she said. Im not a military historian, so while Ive skimmed the surface of records about him, as well as talked with members of one branch of the family tree, there might be more traces out there or more details to discover.

Free registration is required for both of the virtual discussions.

The event concludes March 26 with a live encampment at the park, with numerous period-true activities, Latanich said.

From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the childrens tent will be alive with the creation of 19th century optical illusion toys called thaumatropes, which involves a disk with a picture on each side that is attached to two pieces of string. When the strings are twirled quickly between the fingers the two pictures appear to blend into one due to the persistence of vision. Lincoln Logs will be used to recreate the Pecos Valley during the battle, as well as the playing of a popular Civil War-era game of trap ball.

From 10-10:45 a.m., soldiers will show the might of period weapons through black powder demonstrations, followed by living history and drilling. Visitors will be encouraged to join in on the latter with wooden muskets, while encampment participants will be available to connect with visitors for questions.

At noon, the valley will echo with bellowing fire from Civil War-era cannons.

We do the encampment as living history, Latanich said. We focus on the camp so people can see the tents and the fires and all the different things you would find in camp life. Visitors can interact with people in character and people in period gear and they can watch it.
BOOK OF THE WEEK

New Mexico seems like an unlikely subject in a conversation about the planet Mars.

But it is quite relevant as Larry Crumpler explains in his book Missions to Mars: A New Era of Rover and Spacecraft Discovery on the Red Planet.

It is packed with meaningful information and photographs, and deftly written in down-to-earth prose.

One point of relevance between New Mexico and Mars are geological and climactic similarities  bare, reddish rocks; sparse vegetation; volcanoes; dust devils; and dry air.

The book reveals what its like to explore not only a new world, but a new way of working on a new world  coping on a daily basis with a new weather, a new lighting, and an alien untracked (Martian) landscape, Crumpler wrote in an email.

Some of these are not so alien  to New Mexicans. In New Mexico, every time I go into the field and map the geology of a previously unmapped area, I have the sense that I am exploring a new world.  Many illustrations of geologic features from New Mexico throughout the book that are similar to something, some lighting, or some weather events on Mars reinforces that similarity, he added.

Another point of relevance is the author himself. The book is a fascinating personal story of his career path as a planetary and field geologist as well as a narrative history of Mars exploration.

At the University of New Mexico, Crumpler was able to work with the Viking Mission to Mars as a graduate student intern, thanks to his geology professor/mentor, Wolfgang Elston.

Since then, hes participated in many of the important NASA missions, including as a science team member of the current Perseverance rover on Mars.

Crumpler easily wears several hats. He is also the research curator of volcanology and space science at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science and hes an associate professor at UNM.

A third point of New Mexico-Mars linkage is the NASA Spirit/Opportunity mission. In 2004, students Mark Vallejos and Jay Herrera, and teacher Joe Aragon of Laguna-Acoma Junior-Senior High School, were in a NASA student intern program. They were picked to work under Crumpler on the mission for two weeks at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The trio had a leg up on other intern groups in that their backyards were essentially analogs for Mars, Crumpler writes in the book.

Another link was in the Curiosity missions search to understand the potential for past life on Mars. Colleagues at the Los Alamos National Laboratory developed ChemCam, an instrument analyzing rocks remotely, and a co-investigator at UNM has been involved in ChemCams day-to-day operation, Crumpler writes.

An instrument that analyzed the elemental chemistry of Martian rocks used as a calibration standard a small cut from an outcrop near Socorro.

The New Mexico rock was mounted on the front of the Curiosity rover. So, he notes, it could be said theres a small piece of New Mexico on Mars.

Crumpler uses the phrase Coyote Mars as a theme of the book. He said hed always felt Mars was a big tease. Like the coyote, Mars pulls scientists in one direction, but shows something very different, he wrote in the email.

The book is an insider point-of-view for non-scientists about Mars.

Crumpler said how we have started to unravel its secrets with the advent of the Space Age, and some of the stories behind that journey. We know so much about Mars now that it is difficult to understand the state of current knowledge from the available books.

Crumpler said hes tried to distill the story of Mars exploration so the nonscientist can appreciate when, how and in which missions NASA scientists knew what. At the same time, there are some exciting personal stories behind the missions.

 so many books about Mars are written as fact books that omit some of the inside stories of the exploration process and some of the personalties involved in the exploration of Mars over the decades since we first began seriously studying it with spacecraft, Crumpler wrote.

For some inquiring minds the question remains: When will humans land on Mars? The epilogue dramatically peers 50-some years into the future, showing humans exploring the forbidden planet from an established base.

In the acknowledgements section, the author says he wrote the book during the global pandemic, which frankly provided long hours of isolated, hermit-like enjoyment in the writing process, interrupted only by pleasant hikes up a nearby canyon to reflect on the Mars-like geology of New Mexico.
Emporia, KS (66801)

Today

Rain, heavy at times early. High around 55F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers with perhaps a rumble of thunder developing overnight. Low 53F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Fe has agreed in a settlement to pay $1.4 million after it was awarded federal special project grants for a facility that was never built, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Albuquerque has announced.

The organization was awarded grants from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to purchase land in 2005 at 1107 Ocate Road in Santa Fe and to build a facility there, according to a news release.

The government asserted that the Club failed to build a new facility and then did not return the funds as prescribed by HUD, federal law, and the grant agreements, the release states.

Lawsuits going back several decades involving alleged sexual improprieties affected the organizations finances, Santa Fe attorney Dan Cron, who represented the group, said Thursday.

Although they intended to build the facility they didnt have the money to do it, Cron said. Its been repaid, the settlement has happened, Cron said. We cooperated fully.

He said there was no deliberate fraud or anything like that.

Under the settlement, the organization paid a little more than $1.4 million to the United States government in exchange for being released from any civil or administrative monetary claim for the Clubs conduct in this matter under the False Claims Act.

The organization also failed to pay the government proceeds from the sale of portions of the land in violation of federal law, the grant agreements and the False Claims Act, the news release said.

A total of $750,986.51 was distributed to the group in two grants: $268,245 in 2003 and $497,050 in 2004.

The settlement amount exceeded the value of the grants because the land had increased in value, Cron said.

When the land was sold before any current board members were involved, the organization did not have an attorney, and they were unaware they were not permitted to sell it, Cron said.

The United States relies on grant recipients to use taxpayer-funded grants appropriately, U.S. Attorney Fred Federici said in a statement. Failure to do so violates the law and the public trust and will be vigorously pursued by the Department of Justice.

Cron said the organization is glad to have this matter behind it.

The Boys and Girls Clubs provides a very valuable service to the families of Santa Fe and northern New Mexico, he said.
As time winds down on the municipal election in Rio Rancho, controversy is rising in the race for mayor.

Seven campaign signs for one of the candidates, Barbara Jordan, have disappeared or been defaced.

Jordan said she was stunned when friends and supporters told her that campaign signs were missing. One was in a neighbors yard.

It had a black X spray painted across the front.

Jordan, a 20-year Air Force veteran, is the first African American mayoral candidate in Rio Rancho history. She and political newcomer Jaclyn Wilhite are challenging two-term incumbent Gregg Hull in Tuesdays municipal election.

Hull, who did not return calls about the campaign signs, said in an earlier interview his campaign is fully ramped up in the final days before the election.

Weve got a lot of people out knocking on doors, he said. Were talking to a lot of people about what they want to see over the next four years.

Hull said the most common desires expressed are for the city to continue to fix roads, recruit more businesses to bring in more jobs and maintain the current level of public safety in Rio Rancho.

Just go vote, he said, adding that he endorses all of the bonds and charter amendments that are also on the ballot. Those are critical to the future success of the community.

Jordan also urged residents to get out and vote.

Our citizens are tired of being ignored and ready for transparency and integrity, she said. I am so proud and humbled at all of the support our campaign has received.

Jordan said that she is locally, state and nationally endorsed, which includes congresswoman Melanie Stansbury. We are finishing strong and running to the finish line. If you have not done so already, please vote.

Wilhite has notified the Observer that she will not speak to the city-government reporter and was not contacted for comment.

Jordan believes the color of her skin contributed to the destruction of her signs.

It stung, she said. When I first saw it, it stung. Its 2022, so I would think were better than that, but apparently not. It leads me to say this is why I do what I do. And this is why we need change in Rio Rancho.

She has no idea who took her signs or painted the X on one of them, and she has no plans to report the losses or vandalism to police.

I dont want that to take away from the momentum that we have built up, she said. I want to focus on getting people to the polls. Instead of going to the police, we can use our voice.

Alexandria Piland, chair of the Democratic Party of Sandoval County, said it is disappointing that any candidates political signs would be defaced, especially those of a disabled veteran and mother.

The majority of Rio Rancho residents are much better than this, and the Democratic Party of Sandoval County encourages everyone to vote, she said.

Cate Stetson, president of the Rio Rancho NAACP, had a more emotional take.

The destruction of the signs, Stetson said, is a criminal violation of the law and offensive to the basic constitutional principle of free speech.

The incident is yet another shameful indication of the hatred, racism and unacceptable ignorance that remains, even in New Mexico, a (majority-minority) state. While I am very proud in so many ways of the way our state votes and legislates as a whole, individuals and pockets of racists continue to raise their ugly heads and remind us that the fight continues.

During election seasons, stolen or damaged political signs is nothing new, said Lt. Richard Koschade with the Rio Rancho Police Department.

Unfortunately, during local and federal elections, it is typical for the police department to take some reports of political signs being either damaged or stolen, he said.

But the police department has not received any reports in the last 30 days of incidents.

City elections are non-partisan. If no candidate in any given race receives more than 50% of the vote, the city must hold a runoff election between the top two candidates April 12.

What else is on the ballot?

Incumbent City Councilor Jeremy Lenentine is running unopposed in District 2 for the second time.

In the three-way District 3 City Council race, challengers Joshua Jones and Clyde Ward are running against incumbent Bob Tyler, whos aiming for a second term.

In Council District 5, appointed incumbent Karissa Culbreath is facing challenger William Edward Dunn.

Finally, three-term incumbent Municipal Judge G. Robert Cook is running against challenger Jonathan Muniz.

Three general obligation bond questions are also on the ballot. If approved, theyll raise $10.61 million for roads, $3.6 million for public safety vehicles and equipment, and $1 million for quality-of-life facilities and materials.

Six proposed charter amendments are also before voters.

Two-term incumbent faces two challengers
One person was killed and others were injured when gunfire erupted Saturday night at a park in Southwest Albuquerque.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said police responded to reports of multiple people shot near Westgate Community Park, west of Gibson and Blake.

Multiple people were reportedly shot during an exchange of gunfire, he said.

Gallegos said one person was found dead at the scene and others were possibly injured. He gave no other details.

Homicide detectives are starting an investigation into the incident, he said.
SANTA FE  A federal appeals court has rejected a lawsuit that accused county commissioner and Cowboys for Trump co-founder Couy Griffin of free speech violations for blocking a local resident from discussions on the commissioners personal Facebook page, in a judgement published Friday.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver sided with Griffin in the dispute over his social media account and whether it functioned as a public forum concerning county affairs, with implied guarantees to public access and free speech.

Griffin, an elected commissioner in southern New Mexicos Otero County, was suspended indefinitely from Facebook in the aftermath of his arrest in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, where he appeared on an outdoor terrace and tried to lead the crowd in prayer. But the legal dispute over his social media account has persisted.

Three judges from the appeals court ruled unanimously that plaintiff Jeff Swanson, chairman of the Otero County Democratic Party, failed to show that the law has determined when a personal social media profile becomes a public forum, with 1st Amendment protections.

Griffin on Friday applauded the appeals court order and highlighted that he used his Facebook page to express personal opinions as just one member of a three-member county commission.

We have the right now to block people on our own private platforms, Griffin said Friday of the appeals court order. Its a great verdict and will be excellent case law towards the mark of freedom of speech and expression.

A. Blair Dunn, an attorney for Swanson, said he plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

Swanson, a Marine veteran and church chaplain, said Friday that elected leaders should not be able to shut out the electorate from political conversations on social media. Swanson said he was cut off from Griffins Facebook profile after criticizing the commissioner for neglecting county obligations such as upkeep of a courthouse and urging Griffin to not mix politics and religion.

When the leaders or the representatives block other people from dialogue on common social media, that shuts off the political input of the citizens, Swanson said. Im very direct, but I didnt swear at him on social media.

The case follows in the footsteps of litigation that challenged former President Donald Trumps efforts to block critics from his personal Twitter account  in a case that was vacated by the U.S. Supreme Court after Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter and ended his presidential term in January 2021.

Griffin is facing misdemeanor criminal charges for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection..

Griffin denies allegations that he knowingly entered barricaded areas of the Capitol grounds with the intent of disrupting government as Congress considered the 2020 Electoral College results, though he has openly ascribed to unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the 2020 election.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  A New Mexico Republican Party convention intended to bring a key election cycle into clearer focus turned instead into what one candidate described as chaos and dysfunction on Saturday due to lengthy delays in voting and vote-counting.

Nearly eight hours after candidates finished giving speeches to delegates in Ruidoso, the state GOP announced it would delay releasing vote results in the interest of election integrity.

The party issued a news release just before 11 p.m. announcing that Jay Block received the most votes in the race for governor, 29%, and will top the ballot. Rebecca Dow and financial adviser Greg Zanetti also received enough votes to be on the ballot, garnering 28% and 23%, respectively, the release said.

The handling of the pre-primary convention prompted criticism  from both within and outside the Republican Party  and references to lawsuits possibly being filed by candidates.

Mark Ronchetti, a former KRQE-TV meteorologist who is one of the five Republicans running for governor, described the GOP convention that drew 748 delegates from around New Mexico as just another example of a flawed process.

He said he already has submitted enough voter signatures to ensure he also ends up on the primary election ballot and urged delegates Saturday to get as many people on that ballot as possible.

When you have the party elite trying to go in and decide whos going to be on the ballot  that doesnt serve anybody well, Ronchetti said in an interview, referring to party rule changes that limited who could cast votes at the convention.

Dow acknowledged the voting delays, but described the GOP convention as a high-energy event and said many Republicans waited in Ruidoso for hours in hopes of finding out results.

My message was that its time for a course correction and smaller government, said Dow, a three-term state representative from Truth or Consequences.

The protracted delay in voting  and vote tabulating  was caused by glitches with the electronic voting system used by the state Republican Party that prompted a switch to paper ballots, a state GOP spokesman said.

While Republican Party spokesman Mike Curtis described the switch as smooth, several candidates described the process as choppy and said many delegates left the convention before it was announced.

The state Democratic Party, which will hold its own convention next weekend, blasted Republicans in a news release for their stunning incompetence.

GOP feeling optimistic

The convention drama came as Republicans are feeling optimistic about this years election cycle, banking that a new crop of candidates and voter discontent with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and other Democratic elected officials will translate to favorable results come November.

Several GOP candidates took aim at Lujan Grisham during their Saturday remarks, with Block, a Sandoval County Commissioner, reportedly calling the governor an evil witch and vowing to undo some of her policies through executive order if elected.

Also vying for the Republican nomination is anti-abortion advocate Ethel Maharg.

However, Democrats have posted big wins in recent election years and entered this year holding all statewide elected offices and significant majorities in both chambers of the Legislature.

Whoever wins the Republican Partys nomination for governor on June 7 would square off against Lujan Grisham, who is running unopposed, in the general election. Two Libertarian candidates have also filed to run for governor.

The Saturday pre-primary convention was a first step in the nominating process, and it also sets the ballot order for the primary election.

Candidates who fail to win 20% of the delegate vote are required to submit a larger number of voter petition signatures if they still want to qualify for the ballot.

Ronchetti said he submitted more than 7,000 voter signatures to the Secretary of States Office when he filed to run for governor this month  or more than twice the amount necessary to ensure he would appear on the primary ballot.

Other races in contention

In addition to governor, delegates also voted Saturday on contested GOP primary races for lieutenant governor and two of New Mexicos three congressional districts.

The candidates for the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District seat are Michelle Garcia Holmes, Louie Sanchez and Jacquelyn Reeve. Sanchez and Garcia Holmes both received enough delegate votes to appear on the ballot

In addition, several Republicans are running unopposed for the primary election.

That list includes U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, the lone Republican member of New Mexicos congressional delegation.

It also includes secretary of state candidate Audrey Trujillo of Corrales, attorney general candidate Jeremy Gay of Gallup, state treasurer candidate Harry Montoya of Santa Fe and land commissioner candidate Jefferson Byrd of Tucumcari.
KYIV, Ukraine  Belarusians cast ballots Sunday in a constitutional referendum that the countrys authoritarian leader called to cement his 27-year old grip on power, even as he offers the countrys territory to his ally Russia to invade Ukraine.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has edged even closer to Russia amid crippling Western sanctions over his crackdown on domestic protests, said he was confident that Belarusians will support a set of constitutional amendments that would allow him to stay in power until 2035.

The revised main law also sheds Belarus neutral status, opening the way for stronger military cooperation with Russia, which deployed forces to Belarusian territory under the pretext of military drills and then sent them rolling into Ukraine as part of the invasion that began Thursday.

Some of those forces quickly closed in on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, located just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the border.

In a video message Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rebuked Belarusians for allowing their country to be used as a staging ground for the Russian invasion, adding that Ukrainian cities are facing an attack on a scale unseen since World War II when Belarus and Ukraine faced a Nazi invasion as parts of the Soviet Union.

But you arent on the same side with us in the war that is going on now, Zelenskyy said in Russian, which is widely spoken in Belarus. The Russian military is launching missiles at Ukraine from your territory. From your territory they are kiling our children, they are destroying our homes and trying to blow up everything that has been built for decades.

In an emotional speech, the Ukrainian leader questioned how Belarusians will be able to look into the eyes of your children, into the eyes of each other.

We are your neighbors. Be Belarus, not Russia! he said.

The Belarusian leader quickly shot back, denigrating the Ukrainian president as an American puppet and charging that the Russian attack resulted from Zelenskyys failure to accept Russian President Vladimir Putins demand for Ukraine to renounce its bid to join NATO.

The West responded to Belarus hosting Russian troops for the invasion by slamming it with new tough sanctions along with Russia.

Lukashenko ominously warned Sunday that more sanctions from the West are pushing the world to the brink of World War III.

The Belarusian leader, who said previously that his country could host Russian nuclear weapons, said that he warned French President Emmanuel Macron in a call Saturday that he was ready to make the move if the U.S. and its allies deploy nuclear weapons to NATO members Poland and Lithuania, which border Belarus.

We have developed plans to protect Belarus and agreed with Putin to deploy such weapons here that will make Poles and Lithuanians lose any desire to go to war, he said.

The constitutional amendments bring back limits on presidential terms that had been abolished during Lukashenkos tenure, allowing a president only two five-year terms in office. However, the restriction will only take effect once a newly elected president assumes office, which gives Lukashenko an opportunity to run for two more terms after his current one expires in 2025.

This pseudo referendum is being held under the Russian gun barrels and under effective control of the Russian military which has come to stay in Belarus for a long time, Belarus first post-Soviet leader, Stanislav Sushkevich, told The Associated Press.

The absurdity that is going on now directly contradicts the existing main law that envisages Belarus neutral status.

Shushkevich warned that Lukashenko is depriving Belarus of its future and turning the country into a staging ground for Putins mad games, adding that the Belarusian leader has no choice, he also is a pariah.

In 2020, Lukashenko relied on Moscows support to survive the largest and the most sustained wave of mass protests in the countrys history. Demonstrations, the biggest of which drew up to 200,000 people, were triggered by him winning a sixth term in office in a presidential election in August 2020 that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged.

Protesters demanding a new election and Lukashenkos ouster faced a brutal crackdown from the authorities, with more than 35,000 arrested and thousands brutally beaten. Key opposition figures, including Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenkos main contender in the election, left the country amid the clampdown, along with thousands of ordinary Belarusians.

The opposition denounced the vote as farce and said it wouldnt recognize its results.

The Belarusians are again being offered a choice between Lukashenko and Lukashenko, Tsikhanouskaya told the AP. Belarusians want change, but harsh large-scale repressions forced many to remain silent.

She said that Belarusians widely oppose the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Belarusians hearts hurt as its not just the fate of Ukraine but also our fate that is decided now, Tsilhanouskaya told The Associated Press. We realize that Belarus independence is closely connected with Ukraines independence.

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Vladimir Isachenkov contributed to this report from Moscow.
Ukraines tangled political history with Russia has its counterpart in the religious landscape, with Ukraines majority Orthodox Christian population divided between an independent-minded group based in Kyiv and another loyal to its patriarch in Moscow.

But while there have been appeals to religious nationalism in both Russia and Ukraine, religious loyalty doesnt mirror political fealty amid Ukraines fight for survival.

Even though Russian President Vladimir Putin justified his invasion of Ukraine in part as a defense of the Moscow-oriented Orthodox church, leaders of both Ukrainian Orthodox factions are fiercely denouncing the Russian invasion, as is Ukraines significant Catholic minority.

With prayer on our lips, with love for God, for Ukraine, for our neighbors, we fight against evil  and we will see victory, vowed Metropolitan Epifany, head of the Kyiv-based Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Forget mutual quarrels and misunderstandings and  unite with love for God and our Motherland, said Metropolitan Onufry, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is under the Orthodox patriarch of Moscow but has broad autonomy.

Even that seemingly united front is complicated. A day after posting Onufrys message on Thursday, his churchs website began publishing reports claiming its churches and people are being attacked, blaming one attack on the representatives of the rival church.

The division between Ukraines Orthodox bodies has reverberated worldwide in recent years as Orthodox churches have struggled with how and whether to take sides. Some U.S. Orthodox hope they can put such conflicts aside and unite to try to end the war, while also fearing the war could exacerbate the split.

WHAT IS THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE OF UKRAINE?

Surveys estimate a large majority of Ukraines population is Orthodox, with a significant minority of Ukrainian Catholics who worship with a Byzantine liturgy similar to that of the Orthodox but are loyal to the pope. The population includes smaller percentages of Protestants, Jews and Muslims.

Ukraine and Russia are divided by a common history, both religiously and politically.

They trace their ancestry to the medieval kingdom of Kievan Rus, whose 10th century Prince Vladimir (Volodymyr in Ukrainian) rejected paganism, was baptized in Crimea and adopted Orthodoxy as the official religion.

In 2014, Putin cited that history in justifying his seizure of Crimea, a land he called sacred to Russia.

While Putin says Russia is the true heir to Rus, Ukrainians say their modern state has a distinct pedigree and that Moscow didnt emerge as a power until centuries later.

That tension persists in Orthodox relations.

Orthodox churches have historically been organized along national lines, with patriarchs having autonomy in their territories while bound by a common faith. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is considered first among equals but, unlike a Catholic pope, doesnt have universal jurisdiction.

WHO GOVERNS UKRAINES ORTHODOX CHURCHES TODAY?

That depends how to interpret events of more than 300 years ago.

With Russia growing in strength and the Constantinople church weakened under Ottoman rule, the Ecumenical Patriarch in 1686 delegated to the Patriarch of Moscow the authority to ordain the metropolitan (top bishop) of Kyiv.

The Russian Orthodox Church says that was a permanent transfer. The Ecumenical Patriarch says it was temporary.

For the past century, independent-minded Ukrainian Orthodox have formed separate churches which lacked formal recognition until 2019, when current Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew recognized the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as independent of the Moscow patriarch  who fiercely protested the move as illegitimate.

The situation in Ukraine was murkier on the ground.

Many monasteries and parishes remain under Moscows patriarch, though exact statistics are difficult to find, said John Burgess, author of Holy Rus: The Rebirth of Orthodoxy in the New Russia. On the village level, many people may not even know about their parishs alignment, Burgess said.

DOES THIS SCHISM REFLECT THE POLITICAL SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES?

Yes, though its complicated.

Ukraines former president, Petro Poroshenko, drew a direct link: The independence of our church is part of our pro-European and pro-Ukrainian policies, he said in 2018.

But current President Vladimir Zelinskyy, who is Jewish, has not put the same emphasis on religious nationalism. On Saturday, he said he had spoken to both Orthodox leaders as well as top Catholic, Muslim and Jewish representatives. All leaders pray for the souls of the defenders who gave their lives for Ukraine and for our unity and victory. And thats very important, he said.

Putin has tried to capitalize on the issue.

In his Feb. 21 speech seeking to justify the imminent invasion of Ukraine with a distorted historical narrative, Putin claimed without proof that Kyiv was preparing for the destruction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

But the reaction of the Metropolitan Onufry, who compared the war to the sin of Cain, the biblical character who murdered his brother, indicates that even the Moscow-oriented church has a strong sense of Ukrainian national identity.

By comparison, Moscow Patriarch Kirill has called for peace but has not laid blame for the invasion.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate has long had extensive autonomy. Plus, its increasingly Ukrainian in character.

Regardless of church affiliation  you have a lot of new clergy who grew up in independent Ukraine, said Alexei Krindatch, national coordinator of the U.S. Census of Orthodox Christian Churches. Their political preferences are not necessarily correlated with the formal jurisdictions of their parishes, said Krindatch, who grew up in the former Soviet Union.

WHERE DO THE CATHOLICS FIT IN?

Ukrainian Catholics are based mainly in western Ukraine.

They emerged in 1596 when some Orthodox Ukrainians, then under the rule of the Catholic-dominated Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, submitted to the authority of the pope under an agreement that allowed them to keep distinctive practices such as their Byzantine liturgy and married priests.

Orthodox leaders have long denounced such agreements as Catholic and foreign encroachment on their flocks.

Ukrainian Catholics have an especially strong history of resistance to persecution under czars and communists.

Every time Russia takes over Ukraine, (the) Ukrainian Catholic Church is destroyed, said Mariana Karapinka, head of communications for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

Ukrainian Catholics were severely repressed by the Soviets, with several leaders martyred. Many Ukrainian Catholics continued to worship underground, and the church has rebounded strongly since the end of communism.

With that kind of history, Ukrainian Catholics may have a strong reason to resist another takeover by Moscow. But theyre not alone, Karapinka said. Ukrainian Catholics were not the only group persecuted by the Soviets, she said. So many groups have reason to resist.

Recent popes have tried to thaw relations with the Russian Orthodox Church even while defending the rights of Ukrainian and other Eastern Rite Catholics.

But after the Russian invasion, Pope Francis visited the Russian Embassy on Friday to personally express his concern about the war, the Vatican said, in an extraordinary papal gesture that has no recent precedent.

HOW HAS THE ORTHODOX SCHISM REVERBERATED BEYOND UKRAINE?

The Russian Orthodox Church decided to break the Eucharistic communion with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 2018 as he moved to recognize an independent church in Ukraine. That means members of Moscow- and Constantinople-affiliated churches cant take communion at the others churches.

The disputes have spread to Eastern Orthodox churches in Africa, where the Russian Orthodox have recognized a separate set of churches after Africas patriarch recognized the Ukraine churchs independence.

But many other churches have sought to avoid the fray. In the U.S., with multiple Orthodox jurisdictions, most groups still cooperate and worship with each other.

The war may provide a point of unity among U.S. churches but may further test relations, said the Very Rev. Alexander Rentel, chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, which has Russian roots but is now independent of Moscow.

This split that took place in world Orthodoxy was a difficult event for the Orthodox Church to process, he said. Now its only going to become more difficult because of this war.

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Associated Press reporters Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv and Luis Andres Henao in Princeton, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
BRUSSELS  The European Union agreed Sunday to close its airspace to Russian airlines, spend hundreds of millions of euros on buying weapons for Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets in its latest response to Russias invasion, EU officials said.

That and Germanys announcement earlier in the day that it would almost triple its defense budget this year underscored how Russias invasion of Ukraine was rewriting Europes post-World War II security and defense policy in ways that were unthinkable only a few weeks ago.

In what he described as a defining moment for European history, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the blocs 27 foreign ministers had greenlighted the unprecedented support for Ukraine and that those actions would take effect within hours.

We have decided to use our capacities to provide lethal arms, lethal assistance, to the Ukrainian army by a value of 450 million (euros) ($502 million)  and 50 more million ($56 million) for non-lethal supplies, fuel, protective equipment, Borrell told reporters.

Borrell said EU defense ministers will discuss Monday how to convert the funds into useful military materiel and ensure that it reaches the Ukrainian armed forces. He said Poland has agreed to act as a hub to distribute the arms and equipment.

The EU ministers also agreed to add several more people and organizations to a growing list of sanctions. Those included Russian oligarchs whose money, Borrell said, is important for the Russian economy, as well as other key officials, notably those spreading disinformation. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have already seen their assets in Europe frozen.

In a separate announcement, Germanys leader said the country would commit 100 billion euros ($113 billion) to a special armed forces fund and keep its defense spending above NATOs target of 2% of GDP.

Anti-war protesters, meanwhile, took to the streets in Berlin, Rome, Prague, Istanbul and elsewhere  even Russian cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg and in a dozen Belarusian cities  to demand an end to the war, the largest ground offensive on the continent since WWII.

According to the OVD-Info rights group, Russian police detained at least 2,063 Russians in 48 cities over anti-war demonstrations on Sunday alone.Human rights advocates reported that more than 170 people had been arrested in the Belarusian protests. In Minsk, a large pile of flowers kept growing in front of Ukraines embassy.

Tens of thousands of people massed Sunday in front of Berlins Brandenburg Gate, with some carrying posters with slogans such as Hands off Ukraine, Tanks to Windmills and Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.

The EUs plan to fund weapons would help to buy air defense systems, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and other military equipment to Ukraines armed forces. It would also supply things like fuel, protective gear, helmets and first aid kits.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said beyond the weapons purchases, EU nations would shut down European airspace for Russians.

We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft. These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU, she said.

She said the EU will also ban the Kremlins media machine. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putins war and to sow division in our union.

Von der Leyen added that the EU will also target Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko for supporting Russias military campaign in Ukraine.

We will hit Lukashenkos regime with a new package of sanctions, she said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs announcement of new defense funding is hugely significant for Germany, which has come under criticism from the United States and other NATO allies for not investing adequately in its defense budget.

Its clear we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy, Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag in Berlin.

Scholz said the 100 billion euro fund ($113 billion) was currently a one-time measure for 2022. Still, Scholz indicated Germany will exceed the 2% of GDP threshold going forward, signaling an overall future increase in defense spending.

A day earlier, Germany announced another major policy shift, saying it will send weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine, including 500 Stinger missiles, which are used to shoot down helicopters and warplanes, and 1,000 anti-tank weapons.

Israel announced it was sending 100 tons of humanitarian aid  medical equipment and medicine, tents, sleeping bags and blankets  to help civilians in Ukraine. Israel also offered itself as a potential mediator during a phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Putin, the Kremlin and Israel said. Bennett spoke also Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish.

As Greece sent more military aid, Turkish officials termed Russias invasion a war, a categorization that could lead Ankara to close down the Turkish straits to Russian warships, which Ukraine requested earlier this week. The 1936 Montreux Convention gives Turkey the right to bar belligerent states from using the Dardanelles and the Bosporus during wartime but provides an exception for Black Sea vessels to return to port.

On the sanctions front, Japan joined the United States and European nations in cutting key Russian banks from the SWIFT international financial banking system. Japan will also freeze assets of Putin and other top Russian officials, while sending $100 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

Catholic and Orthodox religious leaders, meanwhile, prayed Sunday for peace, voiced solidarity with Ukrainians and denounced the Russian invasion.

At the Vatican, Ukrainian flags fluttered in St. Peters Square as Pope Francis delivered his weekly Sunday blessing and appealed for global solidarity for the suffering people of Ukraine.

Those who make war forget humanity, Francis said. He refrained from citing Russia by name, in apparent deference to his hopes of keeping dialogue open with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Also Sunday, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople described Russias invasion as beyond every sense of law and morality and pleaded for an end to the war.

Patriarch Bartholomew is considered the spiritual leader and first among equals of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide. He granted the independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which severed it in 2019 from the Russian church to which it had been tied since 1686. The Russian Orthodox Church severed relations with him as result.

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Schultheis contributed from Vienna, Austria. Nicole Winfield in Rome, Josef Federman in Kyiv, Ukraine contributed.

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Follow all AP stories on Russias invasion of Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
The secretary-general of the United Nations opened the most recent annual meeting of Earths leaders with a bleak assessment of the planets state of affairs. Humanity, he said, faced a moment of truth.

Peace. Human rights. Dignity for all. Equality. Justice. Solidarity. Like never before, core values are in the crosshairs, Antonio Guterres said. A sense of impunity is taking hold.

Guterres message to the U.N. General Assembly takes on even more relevance with the Russian militarys invasion of Ukraine. Those things he outlined? They are bedrock principles of democracy  a once-on-the-upswing method of human governance that in recent years has been taking body blows across the world.

Vladimir Putins invasion advances the anti-democratic trend  one that has seen strongmen, some elected, prod their nations toward dictatorship and ignore once-solid democratic norms. In doing so, they are collectively pounding at the door of democracys always-delicate house.

The invasion is surely a watershed moment for the future of global democracy, says Stephen E. Hanson, a professor of government at William & Mary in Virginia and author of Post-Imperial Democracies, which in part examines Russia after the Soviet Union dissolved.

In recent years, the ascent of a group of what some consider dictators within democracies  Putin, Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, Narendra Modi of India, Viktor Orban of Hungary  has gradually chipped away at the outer boundaries of democratic systems while still talking the talk of democratic principles. Appearing democratic, it seems, is the new democracy.

In the United States, Donald Trump has produced similar concerns, stoked by his ongoing claims of a stolen election. That has helped inspire efforts to change state laws to limit access to polls, and to stock election administration roles with allies, stoking fears that a free and fair vote may be overturned in a nation that was, until recently, a beacon for the worlds democracies.

The rub: Each of these leaders has been chosen by their people  or, at least, by democratic-style systems. Globally, populists that undermine democratic norms have gained more traction in elections over the past 20 years, says Douglas Page, a political scientist at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.

This gradual rebranding of democracy for the 21st century has been exacerbated by leaders of more traditionally authoritarian governments who call their systems democratic, too. Even Chinas Xi Jinping, never a democrat, has maneuvered his nations hybrid of communist tenets and market economy into a personality-driven rule that is presented as a form of democracy.

So when Putin orders the invasion of Ukraine in a manner that tacitly invokes democratic principles even as he circumvents them, he offers up a face of democracy as viewed through a glass, darkly. Experts say this is designed to give him cover as a democratic leader at home while allowing him to do pretty much what he wants elsewhere.

The space he holds on the democratic scale, he is not a full-blown authoritarian leader. He doesnt have the same means available to oppress his people. He still has democratic elements, even though theyre vanishing, says Stefanie Kasparek, an assistant professor of government at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania who studies international political institutions.

Not that Putin has worried excessively about appearing democratic. At home, he has spent years harshly stamping out both public dissent and political opposition, targeting rivals and jailing opposition party leader Alexei Navalny, whom the Kremlin declared a terrorist last month. Nevertheless, says Kasparek, There are democratic elements that he cant fully ignore.

That was illustrated Tuesday when Russias upper legislative house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country. Yet the ask  largely pro forma, given Putins level of authority  gave him cover to say that his actions were endorsed by democratic systems within his own nation.

Democracy led to Putin being in power in the first place and has served him considerably as a tool to keep power, Crystal Brown, a political and social scientist at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts who studies the effect of institutions on global political systems, said in an email.

Why is the appearance of democracy  or, at least, the surface reliance on it even when a leaders actions seem undemocratic  so important? Its a complex question.

In Putins case, while his through-line may be a glorious re-aggregation of the Soviet Union, he is playing to a domestic audience that includes many who turned their back on that same communist-era collection of republics  and in some cases did so using democracy as a North Star. To them, the principle is important.

So Putin deploys raw power externally, in everything from his approach in Crimea to the online attacks on U.S. elections  and thus is able to flout the West, which holds itself up as democracys standard-bearer. Internally, he is constrained by the support he needs from those inside Russia wary of dictatorial authority being used against them.

This two-pronged approach to democracy  making a show of upholding the very tenets one is violating  is hardly limited to Putin. It has played out in other nations, with sometimes chaotic outcomes.

In the United States, for example, Trumps baseless allegations of fraud in the 2020 election won by Joe Biden  an attempt to wipe away a democratic process  helped fuel the rage that produced the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters trying to overturn the outcome. Through it, Trump insisted he was the champion of democracy, not the one getting in its way.

Everywhere these men make the same basic argument: The `neoliberal order merely pretends to be democratic, when in fact it is run by representatives of the `deep state who conspire to steal from ordinary people and undermine social order through the destruction of traditional moral values, Hanson says.

They portray themselves as the unique saviors of the traditional nation, and demand unconditional personal loyalty from all who serve them, he said in an email. That such a recipe for the destruction of democratic institutions has proven to be so potent around the world is one of the most remarkable developments of the early 21st century.

What, then, might the unfolding of the Ukraine saga mean for democracy writ large? Biden insists the outcome is certain: In the contest between democracy and autocracy, between sovereignty and subjugation, make no mistake: Freedom will prevail, Biden said in an address Thursday.

He made it sound obvious. But given recent years events  including those leading up to his inauguration  reality is less definitive. Democracy doesnt always prevail. And even when it does take hold, its permanence isnt guaranteed  a lesson that, just like during the Cold War, goes far beyond whats happening in eastern Europe right now.

The world does not want to enter into a large-scale conflict. That gives a lot of leeway for leaders to push those boundaries of democratic appearance without actually being democratic, Kasparek says. Its effectively a game of chicken.

In that metaphor, democracy itself is the car. But the problem with a game of chicken quickly becomes obvious: Eventually, inevitably, you crash.

___

Ted Anthony, director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation for The Associated Press, has written about international affairs since 1995. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted
MADISON, Wis.  On a June night in 2018, 17-year-old Chrystul Kizer put a .38-caliber pistol in her book bag and took an Uber from Milwaukee to Kenosha.

She walked into Randall Volars home. She had met Volar on a sex trafficking website and for the past year he had been molesting her and selling her as a prostitute, according to court documents.

Kizer would tell detectives later that Volar, 34, tried to touch her. She pulled out her gun, told him to sit in a chair and shot him in the head. She then burned his house down and stole his BMW, according to court documents.

What looks like a clear-cut case of criminal homicide could actually be legal under a Wisconsin law that absolves sex trafficking victims of crimes related to being trafficked. The state Supreme Court is poised to decide whether Kizer can argue that immunity extends to murder in a case that could help define the scope of sex trafficking victims immunity in dozens of states across the country.

Kizer, now 21, wants to argue at trial that her actions were justified under a law then-Gov. Jim Doyle signed in 2008 that absolves sex trafficking victims of any offense committed as a direct result of being trafficked. But a Kenosha County judge ruled Kizer cant raise that argument, saying that extending the law to cover homicide would be absurd.

Anti-violence groups have flocked to Kizers defense, arguing in legal briefs that trafficking victims feel trapped and may feel they have to take matters into their own hands.

Oral arguments are scheduled for Tuesday. The high court isnt being asked to decide whether Kizer is guilty, only if she can argue at trial that the law protects her from criminal liability. The decision wont legally bind other states with similar immunity laws for trafficking victims. But it could create a baseline for prosecutorial and defense strategies in similar cases and affect how victims respond to abuse, legal experts said.

If were living in a civilized society, it begs the question, are we going to give immunity to people who are sexually abused to kill their abusers? said Julius Kim, a defense attorney and former Milwaukee County assistant district attorney. The implications can be devastating. Attorneys general across the country are going to pay attention to see how this plays out.

Nearly 40 states have passed laws over the last decade that provide sex trafficking victims some level of criminal immunity, according to Legal Action of Wisconsin, which provides legal assistance for low-income people. The laws came as legislators began to understand that traffickers exploit their victims and that states should prioritize rehabilitation and help rather than punishment.

The extent of immunity varies among states. California, Kentucky, Montana and North Dakota, for example, extend immunity to non-prostitution-related crimes, according to a court brief the Harvard Law School Gender Justice Clinic and 12 other anti-violence groups filed supporting Kizer.

Other states limit immunity to prostitution-related offenses, according to the coalition. Wisconsin, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wyoming place no limits on immunity but defendants must show the crimes were related to being trafficked.

Kizers attorneys allege in court filings that Kenosha police suspected Volar was trafficking children for sex several months before he was killed. The attorneys allege he filmed himself sexually assaulting numerous children. Police arrested Volar in February 2018 and seized evidence of sexual assault and child pornography from his home but later released him and no charges were filed, according to the filings.

Her attorneys went on to say she was 16 when she met Volar. Kizer told the Washington Post in a 2019 interview from jail that she met Volar on Backpage.com, a website known to facilitate sex trafficking that the federal government has since shut down. She said she needed money for snacks and school. Volar sexually molested her and trafficked her through the website to others, she told the Post.

According to the criminal complaint, Volar paid for an Uber to bring Kizer from Milwaukee to his home in Kenosha in June 2018. The house caught fire that night. Police discovered Volars body slumped in a chair in the house. He had been shot and his BMW was missing.

Kizer told detectives that she got a gun to protect herself. She said she was tired of Volar touching her and shot him because a tote blocked the door and she was afraid she couldnt leave, the complaint said. Asked about the fire, Kizer said she watched the television show Criminal Minds and decided to start the fire. She told detectives she jumped out a window and drove off in the BMW.

Prosecutors charged her with first-degree intentional homicide, arson, car theft and illegal possession of a firearm. She would face a mandatory life sentence if convicted on the homicide count.

Kizer spent two years in jail before she was released in June 2020 after community groups raised her $400,000 bail.

Her attorneys planned to invoke the sex trafficking immunity law at trial but Kenosha County Circuit Judge David Wilk refused to allow it, finding immunity extends only to trafficking-related charges, such as restraining someone, extortion, sex acts or slave labor.

Kizers attorney, public defender Katie York, persuaded a state appellate court to overturn Wilks ruling this past June. That court found that immunity applies to any offense that is a direct result of being trafficked.

The state Department of Justice appealed to the state Supreme Court. Assistant Attorney General Timothy Barber argued in briefs that the shooting wasnt a direct result of trafficking because it was premeditated. The day before Volar was killed Kizer texted a friend saying Im going to get a BMW and told her boyfriend she intended to shoot Volar, the prosecutor argued. Kizers argument that she shot Volar to escape a sexual assault holds no water since she shot him while he was sitting in a chair, Barber added.

Kizer is asking this Court to interpret (the immunity law) in a manner that creates a broader defense based on trafficking status than someone could assert in any other self-defense context, Barber wrote.

York declined to comment for this story. But she argued in briefs that Wilks interpretation of the immunity statutes undermines the purpose of the law and Kizer should be allowed to make her case at trial.

Kate Mogulescu, an associate professor of clinical law at Brooklyn Law School who specializes in sex trafficking laws and consulted with one of the parties that filed briefs supporting Kizer, said in a telephone interview that it should be an easy call for the Supreme Court to let a jury consider the context surrounding Volars death.

Somehow when its a trafficking victim thats trying to provide additional information and context to what happened in their case, that shouldnt be allowed? That doesnt make any sense, Mogulescu said.
SIRET, Romania  Sitting with her teenage daughter in a hotel foyer in northern Romania, 38-year-old Viktoriya Smishchkyk breaks down in tears as she recounts her departure from Ukraine.

I could hear the sound of the fighting outside, it was very scary, Smishchkyk, who is from Vinnitsya in central Ukraine, told The Associated Press from a hotel that is offering free accommodation to refugees.

We left all our belongings behind, but they are material things  less important than the lives of our children, she said.

Smishchkyk and her daughter are among hundreds of thousands of people who have fled Ukraine since Russian launched its attack on Thursday. The U.N. refugee agency said Sunday about 368,000 people have fled the country, many into bordering nations like Romania, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, and Slovakia.

Amid the horrors and chaos, volunteers from far and wide are showing support by extending help to those whose lives are being shattered by war.

At Romanias Siret border crossing, where thousands of Ukrainians have entered, government workers race to distribute basic amenities donated from all across the country. Meanwhile, people and businesses are pooling resources to provide the refugees with everything they need.

Stefan Mandachi, a businessman who lives in Suceava, a city about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the Siret border, has converted a large ballroom at the hotel he owns into a refugee reception center and is offering private hotel rooms for free to the displaced.

Scores of mattresses are laid out on the ballrooms floor, donated clothes are piled high and young children run around.

I feel the need to help, its my duty to help, said Mandachi, who is also offering free food for Ukrainian refugees from his fast food chain. I have locals who speak Ukrainian  we are united to help them.

For Vasiliu Radu, a 34-year-old emergency service worker at the Siret border, the outpouring of support from volunteers has made him proud of his fellow citizens. Its more important these days, in these situations of war and instability  that people must help each other, Radu said.

But not everyone trying to flee Ukraine is receiving the help they need.

Some Indian citizens seeking to flee into Poland were stuck at the border Sunday and were unable to cross, according to Ruchir Kataria, an Indian volunteer in Poland who is trying to help them.

Kataria, who has been in cell phone contact with Indians stuck at the border crossing into Medyka, and a smaller group at Polands Krakowiec border, told the AP that the Indians trying to cross at Medyka were told in broken English: Go to Romania.

But the group had already made long journeys on foot to the border, not eating for three days, and had no way to reach the border with Romania which is hundreds of kilometers away.

In Polands southeast city of Przemysl, just a few kilometers from a border crossing with Ukraine, hundreds of people waited in a parking lot to help refugees who were being bussed in from the border by authorities.

I am very happy that I have come and I want to thank all the people who are organizing this, a young Ukrainian girl, who had just arrived, said. This feels really nice that people are waiting for us in your country.

Moldova, which shares a long border with Ukraine, is also seeing a massive influx of refugees. Authorities said that since Thursday, 70,080 Ukrainian citizens have entered the small nation of about 3.5 million.

Moldovas President Maia Sandu, who visited a northern border crossing Sunday, urged people to remain calm and vigilant and thanked volunteers for their work.

In these difficult days, I am proud of the citizens of our country, who have shown solidarity and humanity and have offered our neighbors a helping hand when needed, Sandu said.

Jacob Sontea, a Nigerian student who was based in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, arrived by train at Hungarys border Sunday with his family. Border authorities escorted them into the European Union country, which had until now been notorious for strongly opposing any type of immigration from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

It was becoming chaotic in the city of Kharkiv  It was dangerous, so we had to leave because this is the only choice we had, he said.

Back at the hotel in Suceava, Smishchkyk tries to catch her breath as she glances tearfully at the ceiling. They are still there, she said. Our relatives, brothers, sisters, cousins. It is just very difficult to process.



Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary; Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland; Rafal Niedzielski in Przemysl, Poland, contributed to this report.
KYIV, Ukraine  Associated Press journalists around Ukraine and beyond are documenting military activity during Russias invasion. With disinformation rife and social media amplifying military claims and counterclaims, determining exactly what is happening is difficult. Heres a look at what could be confirmed Sunday.

WHAT ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS?

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the air before dawn from an oil depot near an air base in Vasylkiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the towns mayor. President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said another explosion came from the civilian Zhuliany airport.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

ANNOUNCED BY RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES:

 President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces put on high alert in response to what he called aggressive statements by leading NATO powers. The directive to put Russias nuclear weapons in an increased state of readiness for launch raised fears that the crisis could boil over into nuclear warfare, whether by design or mistake.

 The Russian military said it blocked strategic cities along Ukraines coast as it pushed its offensive in the south. They said Russian troops fully blocked the city of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea and that Russian forces also took control of an air base near Kherson and the city of Henichesk on the Azov Sea.

ANNOUNCED BY UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES:

 Ukraine says about 3,500 Russian troops have been killed during the invasion of Ukraine. Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

 Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city. Ukrainian authorities warned the explosion could cause an environmental catastrophe and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

 Ukraines top prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, said Russian forces were unable to take Kharkiv, where a fierce battle was underway. The city of 1.5 million is located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border.

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said Ukrainian and Russian officials sides would meet for talks at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border.

ANNOUNCED BY OFFICIALS ELSEWHERE:

 Laetitia Courtois, ICRCs permanent observer to the U.N., told The Associated Press that it could not confirm the Ukrainian claim that 3,500 Russian troops were killed because the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground.

 The United Nations refugee agency said about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Poland, Moldova and other neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday.

___

Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MEDYKA, Poland  While hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians flee their country, some Ukrainian men and women are returning home from across Europe to help defend their homeland in the face of Russias invasion.

Polands Border Guard said Sunday that some 22,000 people have crossed into Ukraine since Thursday, when Russia invaded the country.

At the checkpoint in Medyka, in southeastern Poland, many stood in a line early Sunday to cross into Ukraine.

We have to defend our homeland. Who else if not us? said a moustachioed man in front of a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers walking to the checkpoint to enter Ukraine. They came from across Europe to return to Ukraine.

Another man in the group said: The Russians should be afraid. We are not afraid.

Members of the group declined to give their names, or only gave only their first names, citing their security and that of their families.

Denis, 28, who has spent six months working at construction sites in Poland, said he was returning to Ukraine where his everything is.

Im on my own here in Poland. Why should I be here? So I go, for the homeland, said Denis, with a small Ukrainian blue-and-yellow national flag on his winter jacket.

I want to go back to join the army, to fight. We will see, we hope we will win, he said.

In the nearby city of Przemysl, Janiel, 27, was also preparing to return. An engineer by education, he has been working in construction in Wroclaw, Poland, but could not remain knowing his homeland was being attacked.

I talked to my parents and I cried. And I just decided to myself that I cant watch that and I cant just stay in Poland as Russians destroy our independence, destroy our cities, kill our citizens, kill our children, kill our elderly people, he told the AP in English.

Before the recent exodus, there were at least 1 million Ukrainians in Poland, working or studying. The women often work as nannies and caretakers for the elderly across the European Union, and in many cases leave their children back in Ukraine with grandparents or other relatives.

Lesa, 36, from Lviv, spoke to the AP just before entering the checkpoint building, following her brother into Ukraine.

I am afraid, but I am a mother and want to be with my children. What can you do? Its scary but I have to, she said.

Another young woman, Alina, said she was returning to get her children and take them out of Ukraine.

We have to, we Ukrainians have to take our children away  to allow our boys to fight, she said.

On Ukraines side of the border, a man was directing those arriving to a place where cars and buses were waiting to take them onward.

The Czech Republic, which borders Poland to the southwest, is planning to support Ukrainian families living in the country whose men decide to return home to fight.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is preparing bonuses to families who would lose income if the men need to join the (Ukrainian) army, Minister Marian Jurecka said.

There are about 200,000 Ukrainian workers in the Czech Republic, the majority of them men.

Czech railways said Ukrainian men traveling back to Ukraine can take any train free of charge. They need to travel through Poland or Slovakia to reach Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stayed in the capital, Kyiv, boosting the morale of Ukrainian fighters as Russian troops were closing in on the city and huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday. Zelenskyy has banned men of military age, 18 to 60, from leaving the country. Ukrainian authorities have also called on foreign volunteers to come and fight in Ukraines defense.

In Israel, the media reported that the Ukrainian Embassy there had posted a call for anyone willing to join the fight against Russia to travel to Ukraine. The invitation, marked Urgent on embassy Facebook page, was later removed, the reports said.

Israeli leaders are cautious in how they speak of Russias aggression against Ukraine. The country is home to hundreds of thousands of people with roots in Ukraine or Russia, or in both countries, and has sought good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv.

At least 368,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighboring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion, the U.N. refugee agency, the UNHCR, said Sunday.

Polands border Guard said some 156,000 people have entered from Ukraine since Thursday, when the invasion started, while some 22,000 have gone in the opposite direction.

___

Adam Pemble in Przemysl, Poland, Karel Janicek in Prague and Laurie Kellman in Jerusalem contributed. Scislowska reported from Warsaw, Poland.
ORLANDO, Fla.  Leading Republicans spent much of three days avoiding Donald Trumps chief grievances or ignoring him altogether as they unified behind a midterm message designed to win back the voters the polarizing former president alienated while in office.

But by the end of the four-day Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump had reminded those who want to move on that he remains the most powerful voice in Republican politics

In his keynote address Saturday night, Trump indicated he planned to run for president a third time, in 2024. He falsely blamed his 2020 election loss on widespread voter fraud, for which there is no evidence. And on Sunday, he was the overwhelming winner of a presidential preference straw poll of conference attendees.

We did it twice, and well do it again, Trump said of running in 2024. Even so, he has teased about a 2024 campaign before and his vow this time was not necessarily ironclad.

As invading Russian troops battled with Ukrainian forces, Trump also described Russian President Vladimir Putin as smart.

Of course hes smart, Trump said in his remarks Saturday, doubling down on praise of the Russian leader that many other Republicans have avoided after the invasion. But the real problem is our leaders are dumb. Dumb. So dumb.

While Trump expressed support for the Ukrainian people and called the countrys president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a brave man, he also noted his ties with other leading autocrats. He specifically pointed to his friendly relationships with Xi Jinping of China and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Up until Trumps appearance, lies about election fraud, the focus of last years conference, had been an afterthought among the top speakers. No one parroted Trumps approving rhetoric toward Putin. And some leading Republicans didnt even mention Trumps name.

Instead, those most likely to seek the GOPs 2024 presidential nomination not named Trump united behind an agenda that includes more parental control of schools, opposition to pandemic-related mandates and a fierce rejection of woke culture. The message from more than a half-dozen elected officials, delivered to thousands of mostly white activists at an event that usually celebrates far-right rhetoric, does not mean the party has turned its back on Trumpism.

Far from it. The former president was a frequent topic among some of the conferences lower-profile speakers. T-shirts proclaiming Trump won were being sold in the hallways.

And in the straw poll of 2,574 conference attendees, Trump earned 59%, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 28%. No one else had more than 2%.

When asked for their preference should Trump not run in 2024, DeSantis earned 61% with no one else earning more than 6% of the vote. The straw poll only measured the opinion of those at the conference, not broader Republican sentiment.

Aside from Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was a crowd favorite throughout the four-day conference. Audience members applauded almost every time his name was mentioned or his picture appeared on big screens.

Conference organizer Matt Schlapp said Trump remains a dominant force, but he does not have a lock on the partys base.

No. 1 is, Does he run again? And its overwhelming that people want him to, Schlapp said. But theres a diversity of opinion.

And while Trumps most controversial supporters were generally given lower-profile speaking slots over the four-day program, they were not excluded. Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., appeared on a Saturday morning panel hours after being featured at a conference of pro-Trump white nationalists.

Trump offered Taylor Greene a particularly warm shoutout during his speech as he ticked down the Republican officials in attendance.

I refuse to shut up, Taylor Greene said earlier in the day during a brief appearance as she railed against Democrat communists.

Despite Trumps dominant place at the head of the Republican Party, other party leaders are increasingly optimistic they have found a forward-looking strategy to overcome pro-Trump extremism and expand the partys appeal with control of Congress at stake in November.

Its essentially the same playbook that Virginias Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin used last fall when he won in the swing state by avoiding Trump and his biggest grievances, including the false notion that the 2020 presidential election was plagued by mass voter fraud.

There are people that perhaps have never voted the same way any of you have in a presidential race and theyre really angry, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said Friday. And thats why I believe that for all the negative weve heard, the pendulum is swinging.

Democrats are clinging to paper-thin majorities in the House and Senate, and voter sentiment has swung in an ominous direction for them since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. In an AP-NORC poll conducted Feb. 18-21, 70% of Americans said the country was headed in the wrong direction. As few as 44% said the same in April 2021.

Some leading Republicans seemed intent at CPAC on not helping Democrats by embracing Trump.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, who tried to block the certification of Bidens electoral victory after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, sidestepped a question about whether he would challenge Trump in a 2024 prospective matchup.

Ive said Im not planning to run for president, Hawley said. He also declined to say whether he wants Trump to run again in 2024: I never give him advice, including on this.

Hawley also said it was a mistake for Republicans like Trump to offer soft praise for Putin: Putin is our enemy. Lets be clear about that.

DeSantis, who has also refused to rule out a 2024 presidential bid should Trump run, did not mention the former president in his 20-minute address, focusing instead on his resistance to mask and vaccine mandates.

Trumps former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, spoke about his work in the Trump administration, but he did not repeat his own recent flattering comments about Putin, in which he called the Russian leader very capable and said he has enormous respect for him.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, considered a potential running mate for Trump in 2024, talked about the 2016 presidential election and the unsubstantiated allegations that Democrats in power spied on the Trump campaign. But she pivoted quickly to the future.

We have some fantastic fighters, like President Donald Trump. But hes not alone. The American people are on our side, Noem said.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York, Nick Riccardi in Denver and Emily Swanson in Washington contributed to this report.
VIENNA  Germanys stunning decision to send anti-tank weapons and surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine  abandoning its long-held refusal to export weapons to conflict zones  is nothing less than a historic break with its post-World War II foreign policy.

A new reality, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it in an uncharacteristically rousing speech Sunday to a special session of parliament. The typically low-key Chancellor Scholz said Russias invasion of Ukraine required a dramatically different response from Germany than in the past.

With his invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, President Putin created a new reality, Scholz told the Bundestag, his speech repeatedly greeted by applause, particularly his condemnations of the Russian leader. This reality demands a clear answer. Weve given one.

Scholz said Germany is sending anti-tank weapons and surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine. He also said the country is committing 100 billion euros ($113 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces and will raise its defense spending above 2 percent of GDP, a measure on which it had long lagged.

Germanys about-face served as a potent example of just how fundamentally Russias war in Ukraine is reshaping Europes post-World War II security policy.

Germanys foreign policy has long been characterized by a strong aversion to the use of military force, an approach German politicians explain as rooted in its history of military aggression against its neighbors during the 20th century.

While a strong U.S. ally and NATO member, post-war Germany has attempted to maintain good ties with Moscow, a policy also driven by business interests and Germanys energy needs.

Many of the things that Olaf Scholz said would have been unthinkable even months ago, said Marcel Dirsus, a nonresident fellow at the University of Kiels Institute for Security Policy. Its become very clear that Russia has simply gone too far, and as a result, Germany is now waking up.

Still, until this weekend, the German government had balked at sending weapons to Ukraine, even as it faced growing international criticism for its hesitation.

But then, a series of announcements starting Saturday evening rocked traditional notions of German policy.

It began with word from the government that it would allow the shipment of 400 German-made anti-tank weapons from the Netherlands to Ukraine, something it had thus far refused to do.

Shortly afterwards, the chancellors office went further and said it would send its own weapons, including 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles, directly to Ukraine. It also committed to targeted bans on Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial system, which German leaders had expressed reluctance to do.

On Sunday, the breaks with the past continued, with Scholz committing to greater defense spending.

The developments were all the more notable considering they followed another historic decision last week, when Germany took steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

Germanys reluctance to send German-made weapons to Ukraine had earned the country criticism from NATO allies in recent weeks. Although Germany is one of the worlds top weapons exporters  it exported arms worth 9.35 billion euros in 2021  it has long had a policy of not sending lethal weapons to conflict zones. Until Saturday, German leaders had refused to send anything other than 5,000 helmets to aid Ukraine.

Scholzs Sunday announcement about defense spending will, at least for the time being, put to rest the oft-repeated criticism that Germany is not adequately contributing to its own and NATOs defense.

The country was a favorite target of former U.S. President Donald Trump for its failure to spend 2 percent of its GDP on defense, a target for NATO members. According to NATO figures, Berlin spent around 1.53 percent of GDP in 2021, or almost $65 billion. Its budget has grown annually for several years.

In balking at new spending, Berlin always insisted that Germany was investing enough to fulfill any NATO military requirements. Officials also noted that by spending that kind of money, Berlins defense budget would surpass that of Russia, and possibly make its own European neighbors nervous.

NATO countries slashed their military budgets in the 1990s after the Cold War, but they were spurred back into action when Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014. That year, the allies pledged to halt the cuts and move toward spending 2 percent of GDP by 2024.

German officials backed up their policy U-turn by calling it a necessary adjustment to a new normal.

We cannot leave Ukraine defenseless against the aggressor who is bringing death and devastation to this country, Annalena Baerbock, Germanys foreign minister, said Sunday. If our world is different, then our politics must be different as well.

The decisions were met with praise by many of the Ukrainian leaders and European allies that had been most critical of Germany in recent weeks.

Keep it up, Chancellor @OlafScholz! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted Saturday night after the news of weapons shipments. Anti-war coalition in action!

___

Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels. Geir Moulson contributed from Berlin.
Instagram Celebrity

The 36-year-old emcee, whose real name is LePreston Porter, was reportedly found laying in a ditch next to an SUV after being shot in the neck on Friday, February 25.

Feb 27, 2022

AceShowbiz - Another rapper has fallen victim to gun violence. The hip-hop community is mourning the death of Memphis emcee Snootie Wild, who was killed after being shot in Houston.

The 36-year-old's death was announced on his Instagram account on Saturday, February 26. "Gone in body, but your NAME & LEGACY will live forever! #TeamYayo4Life," so read the caption.

Snootie was allegedly shot in the neck on Friday. He was later found by authorities laying in a ditch next to an SUV. "It looks like he backed in there accidentally. Then the other vehicle pulled up, and folks got out of the car," officer R. Willkens told ABC 13.

"They were talking for a little bit, and then all of a sudden, gunfire went off," the cop further explained. "Only one shot, actually."

Snootie, who was best known for his hit song "Yayo" featuring Yo Gotti, was then rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. While doctors initially said it was a 50/50 chance he would be okay, unfortunately they couldn't save him.

Snootie's death arrived more than three months after fellow Memphis rapper Young Dolph was gunned down in the city. Dolph was gunned down in the city. He was killed on November 17, 2021 while he was shopping in a cookie store for his annual Thanksgiving giveaway.

In January, it was reported that a third man believed to be involved in the fatal shooting of Young Dolph has been arrested. During a press conference, U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller said that Shundale Barnett has been charged with being an after-the-fact accessory to first-degree murder. He is also facing charges for criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder and theft of property between $10,000 and $60,000.

The first suspect was Justin Johnson, who has been charged with first-degree murder and violation of federal supervised release out of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. The second one was Cornelius Smith who was taken into custody on December 9 in Southaven.
The City Civil Court of Hyderabad has issued an ad-interim injunction on releasing the upcoming show Lock Upp hosted by Kangana Ranaut. The order is awarded after a hearing and checking the documents of the petitioner Sanober Baig  who happens to be the sole right holder of the story and the script of the concept The Jail. The court also took on record the video clip of the trailer of Lock Upp and concluded that it appears similar. Since the show was to be released on 27th February 2022; the court has passed the order with an urgent notice prohibiting the exhibition of the show on any electronic media, social media, etc.

The concept is owned by Pride Media through its proprietor Sanober Baig and was written by Shaantanu Ray and Sheershak Anand and registered under the copyright act on 7th March 2018. It was registered at the Film Writers Association. In his petition, the plaintiff Mr. Baig has described how the concept was developed and also explained the concept in detail, giving the details of the money invested by him at various stages of concept development. Commenting on the situation Sanober said When I saw the promo of the said show I was in shock. I have been in touch with Abhishek Rege from Endemol Shine for a long time and had several meetings about the subject in Hyderabad. He had promised that once the market gets better, we will get going. The show is not only similar to our concept but an absolute copy of the same. I could not believe that somebody could plagiarise the concept to such an extent. We have prayed to the court for infringement of the copyright and have got a stay order.

If the infringement is proved, the defendant production houses will be liable for consequences under sections 51 and 52 of the Copyright Act. I connected with the respective companies and requested them not to go ahead with the concept. But they turned a deaf ear and challenged that they have every right to stream as per the schedule. I had no option but to seek redressal from the judiciary. The notice has been served to all the parties involved and we have the acknowledgment of the same. If the show gets aired itll be a contempt of the court. I have full faith in the judiciary and am sure that justice will be served said Baig as he signed off at the moment.
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This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
President Joe Biden's weakness caused Russia to invade Ukraine after a lengthy standoff at the border when the allies blinked.

Despite offers to de-escalate if NATO would not admit Kyiv and stop eastward expansion of the west, Washington and NATO allies ignored him.

The long-drawn diplomacy caved after Russian leader Vladimir Putin ordered the special operation to free Donbas and Luhansk.

Poll Shows Biden's Mistakes

In the poll, many respondents think that the mistakes of the Biden administration and weakness drove Putin's rollout of a Russian blitzkrieg that overran Ukrainian forces. About two-thirds of Americans noted that in the Friday poll, reported the Daily Mail.

Carried out by the Harvard Center for American Political Studies-Harris Poll survey pointing to 62 percent saying that if it were anyone else than the democrat president, the invasion would not happen.

Former President Donald Trump is a more decisive leader who would have prevented the Kremlin from daring to attack while he was in office.

Poll percentages pared-down would reveal that 39 percent of Democrats with 85 percent of Republicans were confident that if Trump won, there would be no Ukraine standoff compared to what is happening now.

Numbers show how low Biden has sunk as a leader in America's eyes, and his indecision has caused the fall of another country after Afghanistan, in a published survey by The Hill.

But a segment of 38 percent thought it would happen, neither GOP nor Dem. They weren't surprised at how it happened and is used as an alleged justification, laying the fault on Biden's weakness pushing to invade Ukraine.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin Issues Chilling Warning That the EU, US Is Next After Kyiv Was Left Defenseless, Begging for Assistance

About 41 percent stressed that it would not matter who the president is on whether the Kremlin decides to invade Ukraine.

As the Ukraine invasion unfolded, the White House gave its support and unconditionally called Putin's move to move in and assist two provinces as a relentless attack.

Kyiv is begging for military assistance that did not come, but only strong sanctions on several Russian banks, Oligarchs, and family members. It did not faze the Russian leader, who mocked the US leader instead.

The White House ordered an arms package for Ukraine, which included extracting the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since he is the top hit for Russian kill squads, but he stayed to rally civilian support.

Weakness of the Biden Administration

The US sanctioned the Russian leader, as confirmed last Friday, by the White House.

Despite begging by some US lawmakers and Ukraine VIPs noted Vanity Fair, Biden failed to convince allies to remove Moscow from the SWIFT international banking system.

Many fear that it would have adverse effects that the US administration does not consider, despite the damage it could do.

The crashing poll numbers of the president compared to the rise of Trump courtesy of shooting himself in the foot. Several alleged failures include getting beaten by the Taliban army in Afghanistan.

Another is how the pandemic has worsened under him despite the tool left by Trump that Biden squandered.

A total of 2,026 registered voters took part from February 23 to 24 to offset claims that it is rigged, it has a wide demographic.

It's evident the poll targets Joe Biden's weakness that prompted Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine, but if Trump were there, that would not have happened. That is getting ironic due to the alleged irregularities in the 2020 US elections.

Related Article: Ukraine Provinces Experience Power, Internet Blackouts After Germany Announces Sanctions on Russia

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Darran Scott, project manager with Kimley-Horn of Oklahoma City, attended Tuesday's Alva City Council meeting to talk about the services his company can provide. The Kimley-Horn proposal for planning and design services is for an amount not to exceed $395,000.

In September the council approved a request for proposals for a master plan for an aquatics facility at Hatfield Park. These requests were received on Nov. 30. The Pool Finance Committee reviewed the proposals, interviewed the top three firms and selected Kimley-Horn as the firm to create the master plan. The council's Parks and Buildings Committee reviewed and approved the recommendation before it was submitted for city council approval Tuesday.

Mayor Kelly Parker explained the first draft of the proposal included master plans for Hatfield Park and Bud Rose Park. However, those were removed from this version to be addressed at a future date. Parker said the Kimley-Horn price represents 8.7 to 8.8 percent of the projected expenditure for the swimming pool, a fairly standard percentage for this type of service.

Scott was asked to provide information on each section of the proposal. He said the aquatic center is planned as a $4.5 million project and all services are based on that. His company is also working with grant-writing to apply for partial funding. Actual construction is expected to take about a year.

The first step is coordination and design management, basically gathering previous studies and information. Next will be a topographic survey which will be done by someone the City of Alva is already using in another project.

That will be followed by a geotechnical report which involves a company boring holes in the swimming pool area to determine soil makeup and stability.

Kimley-Horn will begin the schematic design with a two-day meeting with the pool committee and possibly a public meeting to determine the pool components and operations. In this phase the final design will be developed and cost alternates determined.

Next will be design development to add more detail such as finishes, equipment, lighting, outlets, pool water supply and waste, structural design and site utilities.

After that the final construction plans will be completed. Then the project will be submitted for bids followed by the contract award. Kimley-Horn will also provide construction phase services as requested.

Scott said the city can expect in person meetings from Kimley-Horn at least once a month with telephone follow-up. He said if bids come in higher than expected, some things like parking and outside lighting could be delayed to a later phase.

Daniel Winters asked if the full Kimley-Horn fee had to be paid up front. Scott said the city would be billed monthly for the work done to that point.

Mayor Parker said master plans for the two parks were separated from the pool contract but the city will be looking at those later. The costs for those are $49,500 for Hatfield Park and $26,500 for Bud Rose Park for a total of $68,000. He said the city is also looking at combining the Alva Recreation Complex (ARC) with the two parks and the swimming pool under a new parks and recreation commission. This would allow the other entities to use the funding stream from the one-half cent sales tax that currently goes just to the ARC.

It's hoped that developing master plans for the parks would allow the city to apply for other grants for improvements like the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Kimley-Horn is willing to assist in finding and applying for such grants.

City Business Manager Angelica Brady said Alva is working with an experienced grant writer to prepare an application for a Land Use and Water Conservation grant for the aquatic center. For a report on donations and funding so far, see the article by Dr. Kay Decker in this issue of the newspaper.

Winters made a motion, seconded by Sadie Bier, to authorize the city manager to sign the agreement with Kimley-Horn. The motion passed by a 7-1 vote with Troy Brooks casting the dissenting vote.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University will play host to the 2022 Red Carpet Honor Band on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5, where nearly 300 middle and high school musicians will be on the Alva campus.

Following a number of rehearsals, these students from across northwest Oklahoma will perform in a free concert open to the public Saturday, March 5, at 1:30 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium.

These students will form three bands: Junior High A Band, Junior High B Band and High School Band. The students will rehearse all day Friday and Saturday morning before Saturdays concert. The students will demonstrate what they learned over the course of two days in their performance.

Schools with participants include Blackwell, Chisholm, Cimarron, Covington-Douglas, Drummond, Enid High School, Enid Emerson Junior High, Enid Longfellow Junior High, Enid Walter Junior High, Fairview, Garber, Hennessey, Kingfisher, Laverne, Medford, Mooreland, Newkirk, Okarche, Okeene, Perry, Pioneer-Pleasant Vale, Ponca City East, Ponca City West, Ponca City High School, Pond Creek-Hunter, Ringwood, Seiling, Tonkawa, Waukomis, Waynoka and Woodward.

Dr. Michael Black, assistant professor of music and director of bands at Northwestern, said it is a wonderful opportunity for students to make a connection with the Ranger and Alva community.

This event will bring out the most outstanding band students in the Red Carpet area of Oklahoma, Black said. We hope to build bridges that will bring these wonderful students back to our campus as undergraduate students.

Later in the day on March 5, university students in Northwesterns wind and jazz ensembles will present their spring concert Sounds of Nature at 7 p.m. This concert also is free and open to the public.

For more information on Northwesterns instrumental music program, contact Black at580-327-8191 or [email protected]; or go to http://www.nwosu.edu/school-of-arts-and-sciences/fine-arts/bands-and-instrumental-music.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University freshman agriculture business major Reese Grigsby of Ashland, Kansas, recently completed an internship with Seaboard Foods in Guymon.

Twenty-two students from 16 different universities explored Seaboard Foods' integrated business to learn about careers in agriculture during the annual Winternship. The Winternship provides an opportunity for students to explore the inner workings of a connected pork production company, network with subject matter experts, better define career paths and gain exposure and education about how pork is produced.

This oppor...
Friends! Patriots! Arise! Come to the aid of your country, for it is past time that we closely examine the priceless gift of Freedom handed down to us, a gift that is now in need of our most earnest and fruitful defense.

Even a passing glance at what the free countries of the world have done in response to the COVID-19 pandemic should be cause for concern. Australia, New Zealand and, now, Canada (as well as an increasing number of European governments) have enforced their COVID mandates with threats, or the actual acts, of a police state. Some have wondered (myself included) if such a thing could happen in America.

It is time for every American to understand clearly that our Constitution was inspired, designed, and written to prevent this type of police state response. The people who first ratified it were just emerging from their own rebellion and fight for Freedom. We had better be sure we never accept an attempted police state strategy or tactics by our elected government.

This past weekend, Derek Hall wrote a superb article that is the obvious inspiration for my effort. Here are a few pull-quotes:

Canada is not the United States.

That may seem obvious (snip) But the way that matters most (is) probably not that clear.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms grants Canadians various rights that (snip) are similar (snip) to the rights we enjoy here. But theres a major difference.

Our Constitution grants exactly zero rights to anyone, it acknowledges the rights with which we were born and denies the federal government the ability to infringe upon them.

(Emphasis added, and please read that last quotation again and let it hit you right between the eyes.)

Derek Hunter draws to a superb conclusion when he states:

There is no place in the world like the United States, where you are born with your rights and the government is prevented from infringing upon them.

(Again, emphasis most enthusiastically added)

Hats off to Derek Hunter! This is so important! Not for conservatives only but for every American because, for America to work and for those God-given rights to be understood fully and held in the highest reverence, every American must treasure and fiercely defend those rights.

The timing for all this hullaballoo and strife seems divine because, if Rush Limbaugh were still alive to comment on what has happened he would tell us, This is such a teachable moment, folks!

Yea, verily. We bear witness to what should be a self-evident truth: it is not the natural inclination of the fallen human beings who strive to govern to reject their own quest for power so that they may serve us as our Constitution intendedas our equals. Given the opportunity, they will anoint themselves our betters, and claim the entitlement to rule over us.

Image: We the People by Navyatha123. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Much has been spoken and written of the terrible flaws of Americas founding. Was it 1619 or 1776? What about the fact that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were both signed by wealthy, patriarchal white men, some of whom were slave owners? What about their promises of created equal and their so-called ideals of equality?

I believe that one need only reflect on a few simple truths to answer those objections. First, we are all fallen human beings; every race of every nation, we are each part of the same fallen humanity. That the institution of slavery existed from the dawn of recorded history, and to varying degrees in every civilization across the globe, is a testament to our fallen nature and not unique to Americas founding.

Secondly, those rich white men still made sure that every mechanism needed for our society to identify and remove the imperfections and inequalities in our founding was enshrined in the Constitution. Many of the Declarations signatories were alive for and participated in writing and ratifying the Constitution. As the ancient proverb states, The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so the Founders first secured our foundation, then provided the inspiration and means for us to aspire to and strive for a more perfect union.

Americas founding, which was unlike that of any other nation before or since and which everyone must honestly recognize was wholly flawed, saw those rich white men ensure that all Americans would have their unalienable rights. By their act of defiance to a tyrannical English monarch, they pledged to him, to all the world, and to us as their posterity, their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.

Those rich, wealthy, white men laid it all on the line, and some did pay with their lives and fortunes so that we would have the same opportunities for success and wealth as they did, and to allow each of us to determine for ourselves our happiness. It must be considered a fault of fallen humanity and not our founding that our journey to claim those blessings of liberty for every citizen has been so tumultuous and costly, in lives and in dreams and fortunes denied, and has caused an enduring dishonor for our sins for which we must continually repent.

As asserted previously, it is not the natural inclination of fallen human beings to serve one another; those with power and advantage will cling to them, will not relinquish them willingly, and will always seek to acquire more. That is why we have spilled so much of our blood and spent so much of our treasuries in the fight for Freedom.

Let it be said again without shame, but with a solemn and purposeful humility, that America is indeed exceptional. We must assert that America is unique among the nations of the world, specifically because it is written into our founding, and each law must be written and enacted such that the God-given rights of every citizen must not be infringed. Furthermore, lets affirm that, in the pursuit of Freedom for every people of every nation, America has brought more freedom and more prosperity to more people than any other country in the history of mankind.

The folks now holding the levers of power are of the same political persuasion as Barack Obama, who made this ignominious proclamation as Illinois state senator:

Generally, the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties, says what the states cant do to you. Says what the federal government cant do to you. But it doesnt say what the state or federal government cant do must do on your behalf.

Exactly! The government which we empower to confer rights upon us will have the power to take those rights away.

Those who seek to rule over us seek to overthrow our representative republic, the Constitution that governs its path, and our exceptional American way of life. They believe America is bad but they have no workable alternatives to ensure we will equally benefit. Instead, they have only those alternatives that have repeatedly failed and will ensure we are all equally miserable.

This cannot be allowed to happen. For the past 14 years we have (so far) stood up to face our pivotal place in history. Will America, and its founding ideals of God-given, unalienable rights and individual Freedom continue to be a beacon of hope to a fallen humanity?

I pray to Almighty God that He will permit it always to be so.

Jeff M. Lewis is a Christian, a husband and father, a Veteran, and a small business owner who resides with his family in South Texas.
For years, local journalism has been collapsing. Between 2018 and 2020, nearly 6,000 journalism jobs and 300 newspapers vanished, a longstanding trend which accelerated with the COVID pandemic. But, not to worry, help is on the way.

Enter Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project, a nonprofit organization. They are a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. They will pay half of the salaries of the talented journalists they propose to place in your communities. Plus, they assist local news organizations to raise the other half of the salaries through local donors. They have reporters now in 49 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam. They had 300 reporters placed in 2021 and plan on increasing that number to 1000 in 2024. Hundreds of foundations and donors support this initiative including Facebook, Google, and the Ford Foundation among others.

Not to be outdone, especially since Democrats are now in charge, the feds jumped in as well.

The Local Journalism Sustainability Act was passed in 2021 to provide a pathway to financial viability for local newspapers around the nation through payroll tax credits. In essence, journalists would have Uncle Sam picking up half the tab for their salaries to the tune of over a billion dollars. Keep in mind, the majority of these local newspapers overwhelmingly support Democrats.

It takes no stretch of the imagination to perceive the financial lifeline that local newspapers require comes with strings attached, namely, left-leaning journalists. And just in time for the next presidential election in 2024!

According to Thomas Lifson, co-founder and publisher of American Thinker:

In my experience, local newspapers, which mostly employ younger and cheaper journalists than bigger papers, are even more biased than the New York Times or WaPo. Their heads filled with propaganda in J-schools, the youngsters seek attention and maybe even a job offer from the industry's bigger fish by supporting what they (correctly) perceive as the norms of the industry: make conservatives look evil and stupid, and make progressives and Democrats look heroic.

States Newsroom is another leftist nonprofit organization that jumped in to fill the void of a dire shortage of reporters covering state government.

States Newsroom Network states that their goal is to provide local communities with free hard hitting reporting and commentary to shine a spotlight on state government decision-making and to ensure elected officials are being held accountable for the impacts that their decisions have on communities. They do not disclose the identity of their grassroots donors or philanthropic supporters. They called on NewsGuard ratings agency not to endorse the work of outlets that promote conspiracy theories and white nationalism such as Breitbart, the Daily Caller, TheBlaze and Fox News.

In response, CEO Steven Brill of NewsGuard said the following:

We love local journalism, especially hard hitting journalism. We love philanthropic journalism. What we dont love is politically-funded organizations with an undisclosed agenda and undisclosed funders posing as journalism. I know that your reporters are well-credentialed and well-meaning. But their journalism is not free. It has been bought by people with a political agenda. At the least, your journalistic pedigrees should make you insist on disclosing who they are and what that agenda is -- i.e., that you are hard hitting as long as the hard hits dont come at the expense of your funders political goals. Meantime, your lofty, deceptive pronouncements on your about pages are the kinds of claims that undermine the similar mission statements of real local newsrooms that have not been rented out to one political side or the other. Youve urged NewsGuard to stand up for real journalism. By identifying politically-funded, non-transparent organizations that use deceptive mission statements to pose as real journalism, thats what were doing. You expect those you write about to come clean. So should you.

At least there is someone in the corporate world who sees fake news for what it is.

The prevailing mainstream news media promote the notion of advocacy journalism. Since the notion of objectivity has been trashed in the moral arena by relativism, it has likewise taken a nose dive in the realm of journalism. Conservatives have long held grievances against the biased mainstream media. So, the MSM has responded with -- yes, we are biased. And proud of it! All in support of noble social and political purposes. The ends justifies the means.

Thus, leftist nonprofit organizations train cadres of young journalists to do their bidding. They learn to spin narratives faster than a figure skater. They are primed to go after what they term the pink slime journalism of local news. This is their label for right-wing propaganda. Since they determined that there was just too much pink slime in the wake of the 2020 election, it is their job to be modern day muckrakers and clean it out.

What they dont seem to understand is that millions of Americans are not buying their deceptive tactics. Their version of truth is to cherry pick news that suits their political agendas and ignore those that dont. What ever happened to the Hunter Biden laptop story and the China connection? It wasnt pink slime that buried that one! The blatant fraud and illegality witnessed at the TCF Center in Detroit in the election of 2020 was steamrollered by mainstream media. But groups such as Michigan Citizens for Election Integrity just wont buy the notion that the 2020 election was the most secure in history. Their assertion is that it was, in fact, the least secure election in history.

Leftists are notorious for mission creep. They have been chipping away at the foundations of America for years. They have gaslighted the public by coming in the back doors a little at a time with tons of money, savvy strategists, teams of technocrats, and professional know-how.

This reminds one of the statement by Jean-Baptiste Colbert as it applies to taxes but could equally apply to political indoctrination:

The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers, with the smallest possible amount of hissing.

Leftist journalists may think that they can keep the hissing of conservative Americans under the radar. Those days are gone. A roar is about to be unleashed in 2024. Stay tuned!

Rebecca Behrends, M.D. is a retired ED physician and vice president of research for Michigan Citizens for Election Integrity (MC4EI.com).

Image: Public Domain Images
As Ukraine battles a Russian invasion, US President Joe Biden has approved $350 million in military help for the country.

Biden requested that $350 million from the Foreign Assistance Act be targeted for Ukraine's defense in a memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. After a stubborn President, Volodymyr Zelensky, declared Moscow would not humble his pro-Western country, Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian onslaught in the capital, the military said Saturday.

Biden Commits Additional Military Assistance to Ukraine

A missile struck a high-rise apartment building in the city's southwestern outskirts near one of Kyiv's two passenger airports, Mayor Vitali Klitchsko said, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors, WION reported. Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed solely at military targets, but civilians have been killed and injured during Europe's largest ground war since World War II. Six individuals were hurt, according to a rescue worker.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have already fled their homes as a result of the violence, as per Business Today. More than 120,000 Ukrainians have fled to Poland, Moldova, and other neighboring countries, according to UN authorities.

According to Kyiv, 137 individuals were killed, including military and civilians. Meanwhile, near the separatist zone in the east, the Defense Ministry reported "two hostile targets were shot down," describing them as a Russian SU-25 helicopter and a military bomber.

In the fall of 2021 and again in December, the US pulled from its military stockpiles to assist Ukraine. According to Blinken, the US has contributed more than $1 billion in security support to Ukraine over the last year.

As Ukraine's military faces an invading Russian force, several nations have committed military aid to Kyiv. According to the Kremlin, Russian forces resumed their advance into Ukraine on Saturday after President Vladimir Putin suspended the attack a day earlier, expecting discussions with Kyiv that never materialized. The Dutch government stated in a letter to parliament on Saturday that it will provide 200 Stinger air defense missiles to Ukraine as soon as feasible.

Read Also: China Accuses US of Disrespecting Countries' Sovereignty, Creating Panic Over Ukraine Crisis; Beijing Supports Russia For New World Order

US Deploys 7,000 Troops in Germany

Belgium has committed 2,000 machine guns and 3,800 tons of gasoline to the war effort. A French army spokesperson said on Saturday that France has agreed to deploy defensive military weapons to Ukraine to help the nation fight Russia's incursion, but that offensive armaments were still being considered.

President Joe Biden launched a fresh round of sanctions on Russia and said the US is sending more troops to Germany to boost NATO in the face of President Vladimir Putin's "naked aggression." After Putin selected this conflict, US President remarked during a press conference at the White House that "freedom will prevail."

Per Sky News, Biden stated that the sanctions imposed today are designed to have the "most long-term impact" on Russia while having the least impact on allies. He made it plain that US troops would not fight in Ukraine but that the US would assist in defense of every inch of NATO territory, as he ordered the deployment of extra US military to Germany.

A US defense official confirmed that the US would send 7,000 troops to Germany to reassure NATO allies who are part of a bigger contingent that was put on alert earlier this year. According to the official, the forces would be formed up of an armored brigade combat unit and would travel for Germany in the following days.

Biden stated that a NATO meeting with the presidents of 20 allied countries and key partners would take place tomorrow. This will "confirm our solidarity and lay out the next actions we'll take to further enhance all facets of our NATO alliance," according to the statement.

Related Article: Joe Biden, Top World Leaders Slam Vladimir Putin, Russia for Ukraine Invasion: "There's No Justification"

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The reason I'm not a libertarian is because I'd like to be free. The libertarian says he does, too, but is living proof that wanting something and getting it are two completely different matters  and his theory stands directly in the way of his practice.

His first problem is his dislike of government, which he shares many times with other "conservatives." This means he's the least likely to actually go into it (and who wants to hire a man who doesn't believe in his job?), and since he forfeits the position, all kinds of important bureaucratic and so-called "oppressive" jobs get filled by his enemies. A quick look at the policies of the FBI, the CIA, the FDA, the CDC, and OSHA proves it. He says he'd like to downsize or even get rid of them, but he can't, so instead many times he does nothing  not a fight, but a forfeiture.

Second is his tendency, also general among the right wing, to say public schooling and other cultural and state organs can be "neutral": that you can cater to everybody and nobody at the same time, somehow, and still churn out solid people, and that we don't have to clean house of obvious heretics  a job nobody securely on top ever forfeits, and which most people who love truth usually enjoy. The leftists don't believe that any power can be entirely neutral, and that's why they own the institutions and will continue to own them even when we win elections.

Third is his belief many times that taxation is "theft" and that a government that taxes (and does) least is the best  a joke philosophy that if taken seriously would lead to his immediate domination by a foreign power, and leaves him underfunded, impotent, and incapable of being believed in. But more importantly than this, I would add that his love of business, and the "right" of every man to do whatever he wants "with his own property," nearly without exception, leaves international corporations free to sell us out at home and abroad, and to dictate what their employees (and many times even their customers) can and can't say and do. These days, it means bosses can tell employees what to put in their bodies. The libertarian believes that the only kind of slavery is to government and ignores that the rich man who pays you, especially in a world dominated by large and left-wing corporations, to some degree owns you.

(Am I saying I'm totally against libertarianism  that it has nothing good to offer, that it isn't tailored in any way to reality, and that its adherents are what the critics say  a bunch of selfish monsters, stoners, autists, and oglers of underage women? Not at all, and in fact I agree largely with the spirit of Ayn Rand, which believes deeply in inequality through ability and character, that the universe belongs to the strong of mind and heart, that American society was a miracle but that it's become a sewer, that philosophy and worldview are the life-blood of all civilization, that a stance of "neutrality" is a forfeiture of your power, that the universe can largely be understood and to some degree conquered, that alcohol and drugs are a bad fit for a thinking man, that people who value the wrong things will be slaves, that altruism as a political stance is a slippery slope toward slavery and murder, and that we shouldn't be giving rights to countries who don't give their citizens rights  the manliest philosophy to ever come out of a woman, brilliantly stated, free of all turgidity and ivory-tower obfuscation, and lacking mainly in its throwaway attitude towards God and religion, its absolute failure to value compromise and a piecemeal victory, its refusal to take any tyranny other than government seriously, its inability to see that big money plus human nature equals corruption, and its belief that a productive morality is the main thrust of morality.)

Even if libertarians held a clear majority, there are instances where numbers and a "principled cause" were beaten by better organizers anyway  for instance, when Spain, in 1936, blew up in a civil war between fascists and leftists. That year, revolution was happening in the big cities. Churches were ransacked by the left wing, and around 7,000 clergy were murdered in cold blood. They threw prisons open, and the criminals ran amok.

The factories were taken over by radicals, too, and workers' communes were set up to spread the wealth around, and rich men and right-wingers went into hiding so they wouldn't be shot. Farmers and bakers brought in food by the truckloads in exchange for manufactured goods, and good wine flowed from the cellars of the "liberated" estates. The mood in leftist Barcelona and Madrid for a while was high, and from the majority's perspective, Spain was heading for the New Millennium.

They weren't, of course, because the fascists wouldn't have it, and they staged a counter-revolution; but during all this, the biggest and most hopeful sect of revolutionaries, by far, was the anarchists. Their flags flew over all the cafes and barber shops and every factory they took over. Anarchist pamphlets flooded the streets, and they held an overwhelming and energetic majority, and from every vantage point it looked as if Spain was going their way.

But there was something standing in the anarchists' way, and it was their belief in anarchy. According to Adam Hochschild, author of Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, the CNT, a federation of anarchist unions, had two million members and only a single officer. It turns out that anarchists hated bureaucracy. They ran no candidates for parliament. They had some sort of a national committee  but nobody could serve more than a year, and a recall could happen any time by a vote. They won union strikes but were 100% against union contracts. All forms of government were disgusting to them, and they believed that Soviet Russia was a slaughterhouse not because Stalin was an ass, or because of one-party rule, or because they had no freedom of speech or assembly or religion, but because Russia had a government at all. These were the people who took over Catalonia and the surrounding regions.

But the anarchists couldn't hold them. Their "allies," the vastly outnumbered communists, believed deeply in government, and thus were experts in top-down organization. They were also experts in silencing opposition, in disarming their opponents, and in getting foreign funding. While the anarchists were honest and trumpeted the revolution, the Communists were practical, and tried to pretend it wasn't happening. To the communists, the war could be won only by keeping the West neutral  in other words, with an appeal to foreign investors and the liberal bourgeois. To the anarchists, there was no point in a war without a revolution. The commies aimed for less so they could win it. The anarchists didn't want it if they couldn't have the whole thing.

Little more needs to be said here. The anarchists were suppressed by the communists. The communists were bulldozed by the fascists. I'm not saying Spain would have done better under anarchists. I'm saying that even if you have the vast majority of the country on your side, if you won't or don't know how to play politics, if your ideals are too libertarian and cat-like, or too idealistic to be practical, or too stupid, or even just out of step with the times, you're going to get wrecked. And if it was because of your pride, you deserve it.

Jeremy Egerer is the author of the troublesome essays on Letters to Hannah, and he welcomes followers on Twitter and Facebook.

Image: Tom Hilton via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
Now that Russia has invaded Ukraine  forcing over 50,000 Ukrainians to flee their country or seek shelter underground amid the shelling of major cities  the Green New Deal can now officially be renamed the Red New Deal. At the writing of this, 198 Ukrainians have been killed in Russia's attacks, with three victims identified as children. Over 1,000 people have been wounded.

Vitaly Skakun, a Ukrainian Marine battalion engineer, gave his life fighting the Russian invasion by helping destroy the Henichesk bridge in the Kherson region to help stop the advancement of Russian tanks.

On Snake Island in the Black Sea, 30 miles off the coast of Ukraine, thirteen Ukrainian border guards told an invading Russian warship to "go f--- yourself" when ordered to stand down and surrender. All thirteen soldiers were killed.

None of this had to happen. Although Hillary Clinton and the Democrat media complex are doing all they can to distract the issue by projecting things on Trump  insisting he's siding with Putin and giving him aid and comfort  the reality is that the majority of Americans believe that Putin wouldn't be invading Ukraine if Trump were still president. As reported in the National Review:

A new Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey released Friday found that 62 percent of those polled believed Putin would not be moving against Ukraine if Trump had been president. When looking strictly at the answers of Democrats and Republicans, 85 percent of Republicans and 38 percent of Democrats answered this way. ... A majority of Americans polled  59 percent  also said they believed that the Russian president moved on Ukraine because Putin saw weakness in President Biden.

It's President Biden's feeble presence and support of a dangerous green energy policy that has opened the door for Putin to invade Ukraine. Time Magazine used nonsensical cover art last June to suggest that Joe Biden had Vladimir Putin in his sights, running a story by Brian Bennett titled "How Biden Plans to Get Tough on Putin during Their Geneva Summit." But as it turns out, it was Kyle Smith's recent article for the National Review  "No One Fears This Pathetic Old Geezer"  that was much more accurate:

Biden and whoever is giving him orders about what he's allowed to do are running the administration like a woke blog. After gathering half a century of experience, supposedly mastering the intricacies of Washington, D.C., and using that expertise to be wrong on more or less every big foreign-policy question over that period, Biden's focus is primarily on issuing dumb young-adult taunts to his detractors by, for instance, appointing Merrick Garland attorney general (then watching Garland treat angry parents at school-board meetings like al-Qaeda), nominating for comptroller of the currency a woman who expressly argued for driving fossil-fuel companies out of business, and nominating to the Fed another woman who said much the same thing. Biden tried to use executive action to hamstring fossil fuels by imposing a "social cost" calculation on their actions, then, when a court struck this down, froze (again) new drilling on federal lands. Imagine what all of this self-sabotaging looks like to Vladimir Putin.

Ironically, Smith's article was published the day before Putin invaded Ukraine, so we now have a better picture of what this self-sabotaging looks like.

"It is Biden's anti-fossil-fuel policies, his strangulation of American energy production, that not only are causing surging prices but, in so doing, are underwriting Putin's aggression in Ukraine," wrote Andrew McCarthy after listening to Biden's initial Russia-sanctions presser.

Exactly.

Not so long ago under President Trump, America was energy independent. We now depend on Russia for 7 percent of our oil imports  about 595,000 barrels per day. Incredibly, instead of ramping up America's own production of oil as energy prices have soared, Biden urged Putin to turn up his oil production. Likewise, Europe is dependent on Russia for 40 percent of its gas and 25 percent of its crude oil. Even more mind-boggling, while Putin was amassing troops around Ukraine, Democrats nixed Ted Cruz's Nord Stream 2 sanctions bill, which would have put a crimp in Putin's ability to control the West's energy. Now retaliating against Russia could cause Putin to turn off the taps  sending oil prices even higher and leaving Europe without power.

Not that you'll hear Hillary Clinton, or AOC, or any other delusional green energy Democrat admitting as much. Better to push the idiotic narrative that Trump and Mike Pompeo are Putin-praising stooges, and that Trump-loving Republicans are cowards compared with Ukrainians and anti-Putin Russians.

Leftist propaganda is especially nauseating during times of war, and the inability of Democrats and the mainstream media to self-reflect in such a dire situation speaks volumes about what they actually stand for. Can anyone see the irony in Putin insisting his main reason for invading Ukraine is to root out bogeyman Nazis and white supremacists? Where might he have heard this before, and why might he have thought the West would buy in to it? Perhaps it might help his cause to alter his mission to include rooting out Ukrainian Trump-supporters and MAGA hatwearers?

Victor Davis Hansen said it best on a recent episode of Watters World. "We're going to look back on AOC's insane efforts and people in 'The Squad' and the hard left to shut down voluntarily almost 3 million barrels a day of oil production. That's not just a green pipedream; that results in deaths. Real deaths. People die when you do that."

Image: Dimitri Rodriguez via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
You know, I used to listen to Biden, even though I knew he was lying. I got real tired of researching everything he said only to find that it was misleading or an outright lie.

Now I put all the government information we receive in that category. I'm done wasting my time researching what they say or do. I am done being disrespected, insulted, threatened, and abused.

Now he is talking about a war we all knew was going to happen, and I'm not listening. It's been going on since before the Afghanistan debacle, since the open border. All they had to do was continue our energy independence, keep the Russian pipeline on freeze, and continue our foreign policy, and Putin would never have considered invading Ukraine. That decision would be illogical, and Putin isn't stupid. He is KGB. He knows that if he doesn't invade Ukraine now, he may never have the opportunity to do it in the future. He knows that America will not stop him, as does China when it comes to Taiwan, or Iran when it comes to Israel, not to mention what North Korea is thinking of. We are in a critical situation here, and the government put us there.

It's amazing to realize, after all that, that we have many critical situations here in America. As dire as the world stage is, a lot of dire things are happening here in America, to Americans. If you don't believe we are living through a critical point in our history as a free republic, it is critical that you open your eyes.

Back in Lincoln's day, there were thousands of Americans in the streets across the nation, known as "Wide Awakes." They were a beacon of the concept "all men are created equal" when it came to enslaved people. They loved Lincoln because they didn't see him as a part of the corrupt government; he was one of them and what America needed.

The point is, America is now at that point again, for the opposite reasons. Those who are Wide Awake should express how this government, with these policies, is not what is best for America or Americans.

The other guys have "Woke"; we have "Wide Awake." I like our odds.

Once again, I am compelled to go back to our Founders, to those men who created the Republic we all live in. If you haven't read about the Founders  their debates, their letters (the Federalist Papers)  and don't fully understand how this nation was created, you are depriving yourself of a great experience. Once you see their intent, fears, vision, all the safeguards created against an abusive government, you see their wisdom. Think about this: who else in the history of civilization created a nation where all the rights of citizens were given them by a God? When it comes to protecting your freedoms, it doesn't get more secure than that.

Believe me: it's a lot of reading. But it's not only our history; it's our ancestry. Get some coffee, a beer, wine, sit back, and have some fun. Check out your roots, check out America, and love her even more than you do today.

Don't ever doubt this: American patriots are the majority, and we always win.

Image via Pixy.
With all the bad things going on in the world right now, its heartening to see a piece of good news, particularly when it means that children will have a better educational experience and parents will have more control over what the school is teaching. I refer to the passage of HB1557, a bill in Florida that was introduced for the dual purpose of keeping parents informed about whats happening in the classroom and ensuring that topics related to gender and sexuality are taught at an appropriate age.

Briefly, the bill designates children in kindergarten through third grade as being too young for gender or sexual orientation studies, recognizing that such studies at that age are simply not appropriate. The bill also allows parents access to their childs education and health records and obligates schools to notify parents about changes in their childs services.

Currently, there are thirteen school districts in Florida with educational programs that urge teachers not to engage with parents over questions about sexual orientation or gender identification. Children who bring up such questions may have those questions answered by school staff without their parents even knowing the topic has been raised. HB1557 would change that.

Image: Young children by rawpixel. Freepik license.

The gay and transgender communities are bitterly opposed to the notion that very young children should not be taught about sex, nor do these communities want parents in the loop about what schools are teaching when the topics are homosexuality and/or transgenderism. HB1557 was quickly dubbed the Dont Say Gay bill.

Activist groups, as well as the media, have accused the sponsor of the bill, Florida state representative Joe Harding, of trying to erase LGBTQ children from the classrooms. President Biden has gone on the record to call HB1557 a hateful bill. Despite the histrionics, the bill passed the house with a vote of 69-47. Governor DeSantis has shown support for the bill and, once it passes in the Senate, is expected to sign it.

HB1557, rather than being an attempt to erase gay people from society, is a step in the direction of getting society back on a healthy footing, one in which very young children are not indoctrinated into sexual behaviors that they do not understand. Kids deserve to have a childhood unpolluted by the agendas of adults who are more interested in furthering their own special interests than the well-being of children. Parents deserve a school that is a safe space for their children, secure in the knowledge that they are not being kept in the dark about what goes on in the classroom.

Pandra Selivanov is the author of Future Slave, a story about a 21st century black teenager who goes back in time and becomes a slave in the old south.
A February 25 tweet from National Public Radio purported to address how Americans should deal with traumatizing headlines about the ongoing war in Ukraine. NPR noted, "Russias attack on Ukraine means theres a stressful news cycle ahead of us. The reality of conflict is always a shock to the system. Patriotic Ukrainian citizens are dying in the streets defending their families and their nation against an overwhelming Russian invasion of their land and we have to deal with a stressful news cycle?!

Embarrassing.

Sickeningly, there was more. The article, from NPR's so-called "Life Kit," offered several helpful suggestions for the self-care of those sitting at home reading about the dangers brave Ukrainians were facing.

Rattled by reading? Have a heartache after a headline? Panicking after a post? Going to wet your pants after watching a cable news report? Not to worry. NPR says, "Maybe this is the time that you finally recreate a family recipe, or maybe you learn how to make a prettier pie, or maybe you just lose yourself to a kitsch reorganization.

Learn how to make a prettier pie?! A prettier pie?! Really? Who says our media is demented?

This is just another example of the softness, feminization and infantilization of our culture. Even in an aging population, finding an actual mature adult is an increasingly difficult task. NPR listeners overwhelmingly come from ultra-privileged backgrounds and our ruling elites are nothing if not narcissistic. We are no longer a serious nation. Which is why we are no longer being taken seriously by the likes of Russia and China.

NPR should have taken a page from colleges and universities and suggested that readers of current events eat warm cookies, pet a puppy, spend some time in a bouncy house, doodle with crayons, or play with Play-Doh to lessen the emotional impact of exposing themselves to bad news.

But what should those of us who have been exposed to reports like this from NPR do? Vomit?

It appears the Biden administration might be reorganizing its kitsch  or its sock drawer  as it hasnt really done much to aid Ukraine or thwart the Russians.

So, Ukrainians face the bombs raining down on them and the bullets whizzing past, as NPR readers/listeners try to somehow summon the courage to read about it. Or just go bake a pie.
A few years back in 2018 (which seems like the age of innocence considering what the world has devolved into currently), President Donald Trump had a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

Unlike most meetings where polite banter occurs before TV cameras, and core dealings occur behind closed doors, the cameras were allowed to remain for the entire duration of the meeting.

After the customary pleasantries, Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of NATO for the EU, he thanked Trump for compelling others to contribute more to NATO, and said he looked forward to Trumps meeting with President Putin.

It was at this moment President Trump launched into a powerful three-minute oration that explains why Putin felt empowered to invade Ukraine.

The following is a gist of Trumps remarks and the inferences that can be drawn from them.

Trump observed that decades of cowardice in challenging the status quo and probably self-interest have prevented past US Presidents from addressing and dealing with the stark disparity in contributions to NATO.

Trump noted that wealthy nations such as Germany pay merely over 1 percent of their GDP to NATO, while the US, pays 4.2 percent of a much larger GDP.

He said this is greatly unfair to US taxpayers. This is probably the first time any leader referred to his country's taxpayers at NATO. Usually, during their high-level meets, all personnel involved conveniently forget the citizens who pay for their pomposity.

Trump said it was time that nations such as Germany and France pay their fair share to NATO.

Then Trump pointed out that Germany shut down their coal plants and then struck multi-billion-dollar pipeline deals with Russia, making it dependent for its energy on Russia. Hence Germany has become captive and subservient to Russia.

This explains why most leaders claim to be fanatical about issues such as climate change and the Environment. It enables them to cause major changes that are not beneficial to citizens without public outrage. Via their education systems and the dominant media, they have managed to indoctrinate and scare the public, especially the young, into believing that the world will be destroyed in a matter of years because of climate change. Hence the only way to avert the inferno is to shut down coal plants. Similar thinking is behind Covid-19 restrictions.

Trump said that Germany, France, and other NATO countries are enriching Russia due to the gas pipeline deals yet the US is compelled to protect these countries via NATO from Russia. Trump called the situation of countries enriching and empowering their 'tormentor' unacceptable.

Trump pointed out that the former Chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroder, is the chairman of the board of Russias state-owned energy company supplying the gas to Germany. Trump called this a major conflict of interest.

We see proof of that yesterday, following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Schroder insists that the EU must not cut all ties with Russia.

Perhaps other EU Leaders and NATO leaders profit personally from these deals. Quite often the conflict of interest isnt always apparent. A leader may receive a generous book deal or speaking fees or perhaps relatives receive gifts or employment for acting against their country's interests.

Stoltenberg had no answers; he just said that dealing with Russia makes NATO stronger, and even during the Cold War, NATO had trade relations with Russia.

Following Russias Invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he begged NATO leaders and other EU leaders for assistance but to no avail.

Recently, a dismayed Zelensky said, "Today I asked the 27 leaders of Europe whether Ukraine will be in NATO. I asked directly. Everyone is afraid, does not answer."

The fact is they are probably guarding their personal interests which are perhaps not always national interests. Some may have struck deals with Putin that enable them to earn millions. Their respective nations are dependent on Russia for energy. Russia is almost their master; how can they be expected to challenge their master? Among Putin's enablers is Biden, who shut down the Keystone Pipeline and lifted sanctions from Nord Stream 2 in May 2021.

Back to NATO: it was founded following World War II in 1949 with 12 members from North America and Europe. Currently, NATO is a 30-member military alliance. The purpose of NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union hasnt been entirely clear.

Over the decades, the likes of NATO (and even UN and EU) officials have mastered the diplomat ways of talking a great deal but saying very little and doing a lot but achieving almost nothing. The content of their utterances and deals are purposefully complicated to make them incomprehensible to regular people who are paying for all of this via their taxes. Quite often people mistake the abstruse for the profound.

President Trumps words showed how clearly he understood the functioning of global organizations such as NATO and the EU. Despite their relentless virtue signaling, upon digging deeper, it is about the personal enrichment and power grab of a few while getting very little accomplished.

The powerful in Ukraine are no saints either. Ukraine is where shady business dealings were struck that enriched Joe and Hunter Biden. Ukraine's record on democracy isn't exactly stellar either.

The end of the Cold War saw Ukraine emerge as the third-largest nuclear power owing to the huge stockpile it inherited from the Soviet Union. However, in 1994, Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum which caused them to totally denuclearize; in exchange, the U.S., the U.K., and Russia would guarantee Ukraine's security. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that the treaty enriched those who signed it personally.

Sadly, despite all treaties and pledges of the past, it is regular Ukrainians who are in inexplicable peril and have lost lives, loved ones, and their homes. Today they have to fend for themselves while living through extreme hardships and the peril of losing near and dear ones. President Zelensky has risen to the occasion and is leading the fight, even rejecting a US offer of a safe haven.

For the likes of NATO and EU elites, they have harsh words for Putin and sanctions on Russia. The US has also slapped sanctions on Russia and even Putin personally. The impact of these sanctions on the ground is questionable. So far, the sanctions have not targeted Russias energy sector and Russia is still part of SWIFT the global interbank payments system.

George Orwell observed that in a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

It was these revolutionary acts that greatly offended global elites. President Trump was the only one who understood the facade of these pompous but pointless global organizations who had the guts to plainly state the obvious that the Emperor had no clothes on.

Photo credit: YouTube screengrab
Bill Maher, late night talk show host, in former times an unrepentant lefty, apparently has been red-pilled. In commenting on the pathology of mask wearers, and usefulness of masks per se, he says a mask is merely an amulet.

Amulet, a pithy descriptor of a CCP Covid mask, is akin to a fashion piece of neckwear or bracelet, sometimes associated with warding off evil or unclean spirits, otherwise bringing good fortune.

A mask also operates as a talisman, conveying some special powers, enhanced by the mystery of how the spirit occupies the soul behind the mask.

Roman Catholic rituals for centuries have sanctified the wearing of medalsblessed by a priest-- invoking patron saints, notably the Saint Benedict medal worn as a necklace. Rings with inscriptions of the fish symbol, a dove, or the Cross, were once seriously sacred, but now profane standard-issue accessories adorning the glitterati and folks who have never seen the sanctuary of a church, let alone kneeled at the altar.

Now, the dominant CCP Covid mask culture, relying on zero medical efficacy, nor having any religious import, instead has dumbed down the enrapturing secular renaissance and baroque mask wearing from women seeking hygienic protection from atmosphericsnamely sunshine, wind, and fly ash.

The look for Winter by Wenceslaus Hollar (1643). Rijksmuseum

The most provocative, flamboyant, and seductive mask wearing, outside of medico della peste, was on display in the 17th and 18th centuries at the Venice Carnival, and at masked balls and games at court all over Europe. A rundown of mask wearing from the Middle Ages to the Age of Jazz can be found here.

The psychology of mask wearing has fascinated playwrights and librettists for centuries, as The Conversation references a line from Shakespeares Macbeth: And make our faces vizards to our hearts/Disguising what they are. We then have the confrontation in Much Ado About Nothing; and the murderers flight from Verdis Un Ballo In Maschera.

Mask wearing has always been comic, farcical, dark, and teasing sexual theater. Yet for many, imprisoned by the age of anxiety, mask wearing is an obsession designed to conceal a body dysmorphic disorder accompanied by diffidence requiring a screen to provide safe space and refuge from imagined uncomfortable judgments and rejections based solely on cosmetics.

Of course, we are still conditioned to revisit, indeed resurrect, medieval superstitions that masks could ward off deadly plagues. Ditto warding off micro-aggressions.

Further from The Conversation: A mask tells us more than a face, wrote Oscar Wilde in his 1891 dialogue Intentions, yet by the 19th century the mask as fashion accessory was demode. Masks were generally only mentioned in newspapers and fashion magazines when referring to fancy dress and masked balls, which still took place in the homes of the wealthy. Society is a masked ball, wrote one American columnist in 1861 mirroring Wildes famous quote, where everyone hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding.

Thus mask wearing has been enduring; both as a largely innocuous voguish exhibition, and as a psycho-socio prosthesis. Normalizing masks to cover-up aberrant psychology, acutely toxic if mandated or coerced, has enabled the imposition of someone elses misguided fashion horror, or worse, encumbered the rest of us with medieval humbug.

And now mask wearing carries not a tincture, but a torrent of moral imperatives. Even while defenders and enforcers admit mask wearing is impotent and irrational, they demand compliant dishonesty, empty altruism, and phony communitarianism, a malignant affection. The Atlantics Mask Mandates Are Illogical. So What? They Only Need to Align With Communities Goals is an absurd, but apparently sincere take on why CCP Covid mask wearing is noble.

What suffices, and matters most, is the gallant gesture where a hollow exhortation triumphs over underlying truth.

The Enlightenment from Bacon to Kant to Newton to Harvey ushered in the era of logic, reasoning, mathematics, physics, human anatomy and the philosophy of science. Coerced and mandated, CCP Covid mask wearing has abandoned all of that, forsaken truth, and sadly, trivialized beauty, and brutalized whimsy.
Today, we are watching history repeat itself.

Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and immediately set about building a German state according to his wishes. This meant starting to implement his foreign policy. Each development moved the world closer to war.

Putin, from day one in power, has had as his goal the re-establishment of the USSR.

One of Hitlers first acts in the step to war was to leave the League of Nations and increase the production of weapons and recruitment of soldiers. Other nations did not stop Hitler in his actions.

Last week in the U.N., Russia was allowed the privilege to exercise its right to veto the condemnation of its actions. Other nations did not stop Putin in his actions.

In 1934, Hitler attempted to unite Austria and Germany in an Anschluss but was ultimately stopped after pressure from Italy.

With Putin, it is Donetsk and Luhansk.

After several years of rearmament, Hitler held a rearmament rally at which he announced that in 1936, conscription would be introduced in Germany, which would increase the size of the German Army. Later in 1936, Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland but was cautious and instructed his forces to stop if they were challenged by France.

Biden pusillanimously threatened "sanctions."

In 1937, the Spanish Civil War started, and Hitler used this as an opportunity to test out Germanys military might. Hitler sent the Luftwaffe to bomb areas of Spain to test out the Blitzkrieg tactic. This was done with great success.

Putin is doing this in Syria.

The following year in 1938, Hitler attempted Anschluss again with Austria and this time was successful. Shortly afterward, Hitler demanded and was successful in gaining the German-speaking Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia. This was followed by the full invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939. Hitler invaded Poland on the 1st of September 1939, and it was at this point that Britain and France declared war on Germany.

Using Donetsk and Luhansk as justification to cross the border, Putin has initiated a full invasion of Ukraine unopposed except by Ukrainian resistance...and is today on his way to Kyiv.

Image: RV1864 via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
As Ukraine shows the world what heroes look like, and every civilized nation in the world gathers to offer some kind of support -- from prayers, to lit buildings, to demonstrations, to Internet, to arms -- Joe Biden isn't looking too good in this matter.

That's the word of Ukrainian officials who repeatedly signal that Biden doesn't know what he's doing, is slow on the uptake, and not to be trusted.

What a sorry picture from the same country that once seated the great Ronald Reagan and the great Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Ordinarily, people under attack praise America's president to the high heavens.

In Ukraine, though, Biden draws sidelong comments and significant contempt.

Exhibit A is one we heard about yesterday -- that the United States offered Ukraine's embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a safe flight out of the country as Russian missiles rained down. "I need ammunition, not a ride," the Ukrainian president reportedly replied. It had the heroic ring of the Alamo. And no, that offer for an easy way out to the Hero of Kyiv didn't make the U.S. look good. After all, the last embattled leader in a nation being taken over by monsters, the wretched president of Afghanistan -- did take the ride, baggage stuffed with money. Biden, as the father of the Afghanistan disaster, is just reading from his playbook and doesn't seem to realize that not everyone can be bought off. The Ukraine warrior-president had to have known that, too -- and chose the barricades.

Zelenskyy obviously has to be cautious with Biden, of course, because his nation is literally under fire and he needs the U.S. to keep its signed-on-the-dotted-line treaty obligation to Ukraine signed during the Clinton years -- that if Ukraine would give up its nuclear weapons, the U.S. would defend its territorial integrity. Biden, of course, considers that a suggestion, not a contract, and is paying minimal lip service to the idea, deploying some kinds of military aid and money (which could easily land in the pockets of consultants instead of Ukrainians) instead of shutting Russia down and cutting off its oil cash. Slow Joe is now just belatedly jumping onto the European bandwagon and agreeing to some SWIFT restrictions on Russia, which make intra-bank transfers impossible. Bank runs at ATMs are reportedly starting in Russia as a result of that news. About time, and glad it happened.

But for Ukraine, more is better. They needed that a week ago. They have to keep nudging Joe, and it's pretty obvious they don't like it

Cautious as Zelenskyy is, it hasn't stopped him from some veiled digs at the White House, whose occupant is on vacation again.

Yesterday, via Kyiv Independent, RedState and Fox News reported Zelenskyy saying this:

In a statement, Zelenskyy seemed to swipe U.S. President Biden and others who imposed sanctions against Russia, which he claims did little to deter Russian aggression. This morning we are defending our state alone. Like yesterday, the worlds most powerful forces are watching from afar, he said, the Kyiv Independent reported. He added: Did yesterdays sanctions convince Russia? We hear in our sky and see on our earth that this was not enough.

I can't find the exact link to the Kyiv Independent report cited by both Fox and RedState, but I have no doubt Zelenskyy made the statement.

A search of Biden and Zelenskyy at the site, though, did turn up some ugly-looking headlines in the run-up to the war:

It's pretty obvious there's not a lot of trust there with the dotard in D.C. There are repeated examples.

In addition to Zelenskyy, there are leaks from anonymous Ukraine officials worth looking at.

The Daily Wire says they have someone talking to them and he's not subtle:

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official in the Ukrainian government blasted Joe Biden and Democrats, telling The Daily Wire, If Democrats werent such pussies in foreign policy, this might not have happened. Even as the Russian invasion of their neighbor to the west moved into its third day, Ukraine has continued to put up a fight. But according to our source, not only is more support needed, but it should have been forthcoming already. The Obama-Biden administration has refused lethal aid to Ukraine for a long time, the official told The Daily Wire. It was Trump who was the first to provide some Javelins to Ukraine, then Biden started sending Javelins in mass just before invasion. But too little, too late. Bidens first step in office was to lift sanctions on Nord Stream 2. Now he applies them heavily. Now its too late, he continued. If Democrats did not play into the weak policy of not sending weapons to Ukraine and lifting sanctions on Nord Stream 2, Putin would probably think twice or three times. Also, we never understood why would Biden say that no U.S. troops would be involved, he added. Even if he did not intend to, why say it when no one asked? At least [he] could have speculated on the possibility to deter an attack.

What a huge string of errors. This guy, even if he's low-ranking, has to be reflecting the sentiment inside the embattled Ukrainian government. While Ukraine fights alone, Biden dithers and spills battle plans. That's incompetence. There also was a recent report that he's been outright duplicitous and destructive, having slipped information to China about what Americans knew about Russia's state of readiness as its troops amassed on the Ukraine border, and China handing it over to the Russians. No sense of whom to trust whatsoever -- incompetence stacked on top of active harm.

It says a lot that this much information at this stage is leaching out about the idiocy and blunders of Joe Biden and the heroes of Ukraine aren't happy about it. For ordinary Americans, it's an embarassment: Which side is this clown on. Barack Obama's words about never underestimating Joe Biden's capacity to f--- things up, is remarkably prescient.

When you're on the front lines, these things get obvious. No wonder Ukrainians can't stand this guy. He's one problem after another for them. He's the opposite of what they are. He shouldn't be allowed in a room with them, given his obvious absence of heroism.

Image: Twitter screen shot
How have mainstream media (MSM) harmed our society?

I intended to focus on the question at CPAC 2022 in Florida and started addressing it to people there. No one seemed interested in answering. Some looked at me as if they wanted to say, "Duh."

However, my thought was that answering the question would be like tapping on a rock you think is a diamond; once you started, many facets (answers) would appear. That did happen, but mostly through speakers on stage. Here is some of what they have said so far.

We know that the MSM promotes cancel culture with social media. Kaelen Dorr of GETTR said cancel culture is something that exists primarily on the internet, but it doesn't exist only on the Internet. "At the end of the day, it's not complicated ... when you feel alone, the left wins."

Dorr added that leftists think so little of conservatives that they'll cancel people out in the open. They'll cancel your mother; they'll cancel anyone. He said gaslighting, making people believe that what they're seeing is not happening, is their entire policy. Again, it's about making people feel alone. Dorr continued, "Think about how life would have been so different if they [MSM and SM] hadn't hidden the truth from us."

We know that the MSM inhibit the flow of information in America. Author Julie Kelly talked about an example of media keeping the truth from Americans: media knew who the officer was that shot Ashli Babbitt on January 6 in the U.S. Capitol and covered it up.

She talked about how the Biden administration is persecuting other people who were associated with the riot even to this day. "Media helps out the regime by smearing these people and ruining their lives."

Senator John Kennedy (R-La.), while laying out many things he believes, said, "I believe that cancel culture, the military wing of wokeism, is strangling free people."

Kelly Tshibaka put her finger on another consequence of mainstream media and social media control: "The radical progressives want to wipe out diversity of thought."

Vivek Ramiswamy, businessman and author of Woke, Inc., said he stepped down from his biotech company to work on another matter: the secular religion that tells you the color of your skin dictates what ideas and thoughts you are allowed to have. This is a narrative that the left has been pushing in the mainstream media and on social media, and it has created fear in the American public.

What about the MSM pushing narratives instead of reporting facts? Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said, "Inference can create a narrative. That used to be what we called framing someone."

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said we find ourselves in an existential moment for our country; the threats have never been greater. One would think that includes mainstream media and social media control.

"Fight power. Fight big, fight centralization of power, break it up into a million little pieces. Decentralize."

He advised that Americans break up the means of controlling the citizenry. "Respond with joy. Laugh at them. Speak out; use your voice."

Pat Rick is now executive producer with Project Veritas. He had worked at CNN for 25 years, as he said, investing blood, sweat, and tears. He connected with James O'Keefe as he was walking away from journalism. It sounded as though he was walking away disillusioned.

At Project Veritas, Rick said, he has a seat at the table with others and can talk about real journalism. "It's time for us to get back to the basics of journalism."

"We can do better as journalists, the entire lot of us. ... Our country needs that right now. Be brave. Do something. I did."

C.S. Boddie writes at Meadowlark Press, LLC.

Image via Pixabay.
Abigail Hernandez was abducted and held hostage for nine months by Nathaniel Kibby, but she was able to persuade him to release her.

Abby Hernandez persuaded her captor that they were friends, which saved her life. Hernandez was 14 years old when Nathaniel Kibby abducted her while walking home from school in North Conway, New Hampshire, in October of 2013, according to ABC News.

Kidnapping Survivor Abby Hernandez Produces Her Story

He then kept the high school student hidden in a storage container on his property, roughly 30 miles from her hometown, for nine months. She was sexually assaulted and tortured on a near-daily basis. Hernandez, on the other hand, never gave up hope. Despite the dire circumstances, she managed to persuade her captor that they were friends.

She told ABC News that her instincts instructed her to gain Kibby's confidence as soon as she was kidnapped. Although her initial attempts to contact Kibby were unsuccessful, she did not give up.

Kibby grew to trust her as she gradually chipped away at him. He even had her make fake money for him in his house, allowing her to leave the shed on occasion. She eventually persuaded him to release her. She told him that she would never reveal his identity.

Kibby transported the teen back to North Conway and released her in July of 2014. Hernandez's vow was a deception. Kibby was captured a week later. He ultimately pled guilty to seven felony counts, including kidnapping and sexual assault, and is currently serving a sentence of 45 to 90 years in prison.

'Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez,' starring Lindsay Navarro, Ben Savage, and Erica Durance, is based on the true story of a kidnapping survivor.

Navarro, who portrays an abduction victim, told Oxygen.com that Hernandez's capacity to battle for survival astounds her. Abby Hernandez's faith was also important in her survival, according to the actor.

Read Also: Kanye West Spotted With New Girlfriend Chaney Jones Who Looks Identical to Kim Kardashian

Where Is Abby Hernandez's mother?

Meanwhile, her mother, Zenya Hernandez, fought tooth and nail to find her and bring her back to the United States. Abby arrived home nine months later, in July 2014, and her prayers were answered, as per Cinemaholic.

Zenya assumed Abby was seeing a friend, but she became concerned when her daughter didn't answer her texts. The worried mother asked at the school and hospital when she did not return till evening. Zenya went to the police station at 7 pm due to a lack of information and filed a missing person report. Abby had apparently run away from home, according to hearsay. Zenya vehemently defended her daughter's dignity, emphasizing that the young girl had a pleasant connection with everyone.

Within 48 hours, the FBI intervened and began looking into all conceivable explanations for what had happened to Abby. The FBI couldn't figure out where Abby was after visiting every town residence and looking into bank accounts and text conversations. Furthermore, Zenya's role in her disappearance was immediately ruled out, as was her boyfriend at the time, Jimmy Campbell. Abby's heartbroken mother quickly sent a message to the media, hoping that she would see it and return.

How To Watch 'Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez'?

Girl in the Shed: Abby Hernandez's Kidnapping starts tonight at 8/7c on Lifetime. With a Philo subscription, you can watch the actual tale of New Hampshire's state-wide hunt for Abby Hernandez for free.

Per MLive, when you sign up for Philo, you may watch the premiere of Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez for free (start a free trial). Ditch cable for $25 a month and gain access to 60+ channels of hit series, new movies, breaking news, and more.

Lifetime, for example, shows movies that you may relate to, frequently dramatizing true stories. This film is based on a real story of abduction. The film will depict the victim's efforts to stay alive in order to reconcile with her mother and relatives. If you like the plot of the film, you might enjoy other Lifetime films like 'Single Black Female' and 'Line Sisters.'

Related Article: Where Is Harmony Montgomery? Here Are Chilling Details About Missing New Hampshire Girl and Her Parents

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
I once respected Vladimir Putin for his effectiveness, although I emphatically did not like what he did to neighboring countries, and also Russians with whom he disagreed. One can similarly respect the effectiveness of other despots such as Peter the Great and Catherine the Great without liking how they treated other countries or even their own people. When Peter the Great built Saint Petersburg, for example, tens of thousands of workers died from disease and privation, and some were eaten by wolves in the streets.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine, however, demonstrates a colossal lack of judgment that reveals him to be more like Nicholas II than Peter the Great. Nicholas II was the Tsar whose mismanagement of the Russo-Japanese War lost the entire Baltic Fleet at Tsushima, whose blunders led to the revolution of 1905, and who sent soldiers who lacked rifles to fight Germany in 1914. This is exactly why he was Russia's last Tsar; as stated by General Patton, "[People] love a winner and will not tolerate a loser."

Recent news reports show that the supposedly mighty Russian Army, including its massive helicopters and state-of-the-art tanks, are making limited headway against Ukraine's numerically inferior forces. The Russian Air Force has failed to gain absolute control of the air despite its numerical superiority and possession of fifth-generation stealth fighters. Even if Russian numbers eventually prevail, this fiasco has already told the world that the supposedly mighty Russian Bear is far weaker than he wants the world to know. If Russia's army and air force cannot subdue a weaker country like Ukraine, they would probably be torn to pieces very quickly by NATO's far more advanced and numerous weapons and combatants. It's as if Tsar Vladimir posed shirtless holding an enormous barbell over his head while flexing his muscles, only to have somebody discover that the weights were hollow and the entire assembly is perhaps a quarter of its apparent weight.

We can also imagine a big and supposedly tough bully who picks on somebody half his size. Maybe he wins the fight, but it takes him a lot of effort, and he goes away from the fight with some lumps and bruises of his own. This tells everybody who was previously terrified of the bully that he isn't so tough after all, and a bigger and stronger man might take him easily. Jim Croce's You Don't Mess Around with Jim is about how one such bully picked a fight with the wrong man, and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown is another. If we paraphrase Croce, "And you better believe they sung a different kind of story when Big Vlad hit the floor."

Sun Tzu 1, Big Vlad 0

There are also apparently morale issues in the Russian Army, as its soldiers are not quite sure why they are fighting the Ukrainians at all. Putin therefore either didn't read Sun Tzu's Art of War or he forgot what it said, because Sun Tzu said to ensure that you have the Moral Law or Mandate of Heaven on your side before you go to war. This means that your people must believe in the righteousness of your cause and are willing to sacrifice for it. The Second World War was a perfect example in which Americans who were enraged by the Pearl Harbor attack accepted rationing, saved leftover grease from cooking to make explosives, and bought war bonds. Ukrainians who are similarly enraged over the unjustified attack on their country are fighting very hard, and their efforts are now being crowdfunded by decent people around the world who line up with free people against despots.

We did not, however, enjoy the Moral Law in Vietnam where, even though we were again fighting very evil people, our own population did not understand this. Country Joe and the Fish put it very clearly: "And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for? Don't ask me I don't give a damn, The next stop is Vietnam Be the first one on your block, To have your boy come home in a box." Tsar Vladimir should have remembered that his country's experience in Afghanistan was similar.

Even if Vlad Wins, He Loses

Winston Churchill said accurately, "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." History has proven repeatedly that you cannot hold together a multiethnic empire whose identity groups do not wish to belong to it. The United States is in fact among the world's few successful multiethnic societies because of our history as a melting pot that took in people from every conceivable part of the world. Even our early Anglo-Saxon history is mixed because though we were then under British rule, we got immigrants from Germany (e.g. Germantown and King of Prussia in Pennsylvania), and French Canadians and Spanish Floridians were right next door. Detroit MI, Saint Louis, MO, and New Orleans, LA all reflect our French heritage and the Louisiana Purchase. French and English Canadians have coexisted for so long that they take a unified nation for granted, and Belgium's Walloons and Flemish have similarly managed to accept one another. History is, on the other hand, against any efforts to rebuild the former Russian Empire.

The multiethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire broke up in 1918, and there had been a previous Hungarian revolt in the 19 th century. Bohemia meanwhile tried to secede in 1618 which started a war that killed about a third of Central Europe's population.

century. Bohemia meanwhile tried to secede in 1618 which started a war that killed about a third of Central Europe's population. The Russian Empire also broke up in 1918. The Poles, who never wanted to be part of it, lost no time in leaving and neither did the Finns.

Yugoslavia broke up when its people decided they would rather be Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, and so on than Yugoslavs.

The USSR broke up at the end of the Cold War because the Ukrainians and others were never Russians, and had never wanted to be Russians.

There has even been talk in the United Kingdom about Scottish and Welsh secession despite their long history of amicable relations. Most of Ireland meanwhile got out of the UK as soon as it could.

Catalonia is talking about seceding from Spain, and there have been similar noises from Bavaria about leaving Germany even though the people are linguistically and culturally German.

Even if Tsar Vladimir succeeds in conquering Ukraine, he is unlikely to be able to keep it because the people do not want to be part of his empire. All he has done is to alienate the entire world, or at least the portions in which the people have a say in how they are governed, to fight a war with no prospect of long-term victory in sight.

You Can Help

There are a lot of organizations that are crowdfunding money to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia. Some are 501(c)(3) tax exempt which means they have been vetted by the Internal Revenue Service, and their Form 990s are public records so you can see how much they spend on expenses and salaries rather than donations. Here is a list from Time, and another from USA Today.

Photo credit: The Kremlin

Civis Americanus is the pen name of a contributor who remembers the lessons of history, and wants to ensure that our country never needs to learn those lessons again the hard way. He or she is remaining anonymous due to the likely prospect of being subjected to "cancel culture" for exposing the Big Lie behind Black Lives Matter.
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There are fears that the worlds largest plane by length, the Antonov AN-225, has been damaged amid intense fighting in Ukraine.

Only a single aircraft was ever completed, making its first flight in December 1988.

Since then, it has set a variety of records for its cargo capabilities.

The Antonov AN-225 has a wingspan of 88 metres and a length of 84 metres, making it the longest aircraft in existence(Simon Cooper/PA)

Ukraines parliament said on Sunday that the aircraft has been destroyed by Russian forces.

It said in a tweet: In 2020, the worlds largest transport aircraft AN-225 Mriya began to perform humanitarian flights and deliver medical supplies to combat the coronavirus in the EU.

Then Ukraine defended Europe from the pandemic.

Today, Russian troops have destroyed the worlds aviation legend.

This was the worlds largest aircraft, AN-225 Mriya (Dream in Ukrainian). Russia may have destroyed our Mriya. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail! pic.twitter.com/TdnBFlj3N8  Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba also commented on the news, saying: Russia may have destroyed our Mriya.

But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state.

We shall prevail!

Amid fears for the aircrafts status, the Ukrainian company Antonov said: Currently, until the AN-225 has been inspected by experts, we cannot report on the technical condition of the aircraft.

Stay tuned for (a) further official announcement.

It has a wingspan of 88 metres (289ft) and a length of 84 metres (276ft) , making it the longest aircraft in existence.

Its cargo hold, at 43 metres long (141ft), is longer than the distance of the worlds first powered plane flight, completed by the Wright Brothers in 1903, at 37 metres (121ft).

According to flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, the aircraft arrived at Hostomel Airport on February 5, and has not left since.
A gay, non-binary Afghan has told of how they were left injured and alone after suffering severe injuries in a knife attack by the Taliban, as thousands in the queer community continue to face persecution in a society that has turned against them.

Sara, who did not want their last name included, was left with 18 wounds after the attack in Kabul, including gashes along their legs, stomach, and back.

Having been rescued and relocated away from the capital, they told the PA news agency they feel hopeless after finding their life in the hands of the Taliban last week.

The 23-year-old said: (The attackers) said, Shame on you, it is our time to finish people like you.

I wanted to escape but, unfortunately, I couldnt. I lay down, then lost consciousness when I opened my eyes I was in hospital.

They didnt take my things because they were not thieves, they were the Taliban.

Sara added they have not celebrated LGBT+ History Month, which takes place across the entire month of February, due to their injuries.

Im not celebrating this month, Im injured, they said.

They wanted to kill me I thought they wanted to get my cell phone and money but they refused to take it.

Im really hopeless.

Sara was rescued thanks to the help of Nemat Sadat, a gay Afghan-American activist who has aided in the escape of more than 200 LGBTQ+ Afghans.

Mr Sadat, 42, is from San Diego, California and said he was surprised Sara is alive.

Sara told me they lost a lot of blood, the author said.

They have now been rescued Im paying for their hostel stay, Im paying for their food, for everything.

Nemat Sadat said he was surprised Sara was still alive after an attack left them with 18 knife wounds (Nemat Sadat/PA)

Mr Sadat said he believes people like Sara would have celebrated LGBT+ History Month in Afghanistan had the Taliban not risen to power.

It would definitely have been celebrated, he said.

Before the Taliban came to power, you had so many people that were transgender and non-binary. They were working as contemporary wedding dancers  not just in private homes but also in huge wedding halls in Kabul.

They were working as celebrity make-up artists on Afghan television; people had fashion shows, concerts  it was so visible.

But Mr Sadat maintained the month will look different this year  as it has not been celebrated at all when many live in a society that has turned against them.

Theres ISIS and the Taliban, and society has turned against them theyre dying, and theyre still trying to live their truth, he said.

I think LGBT History Month (would be) so empowering for LGBT people right now in Afghanistan because they feel that theyre so defeated, they cant do anything because even their allies have abandoned them and turned their back.

(But) it hasnt been celebrated at all.

Mr Sadat has raised $21,080 (15,760) via GoFundMe to evacuate LGBTQ+ Afghans, contributing $8,000 (5,990) of his own savings.

He described how he has been working as a one-man army for the past six months and has now launched a new organisation to evacuate LGBTQ+ Afghans, called Roshaniya, which is what he was able to help Sara through.

Roshaniyas official Twitter account took to the platform to share photos of Saras injuries, which featured invasive stitches across their legs and showed a stab wound on their lower back.

Mr Sadat hopes the organisational structure will allow him to delegate responsibility, as well as help his team secure grants and funding for evacuation, relocation, and resettlement for people like Sara.

Our primary purpose is really to help with the relocation and resettlement of LGBT people from African origin and nationality, he added.

What Im really doing is trying to directly empower the LGBT community, guiding them and telling them this is what we think is best, but really getting them to fund their evacuation.

We have to keep the drum beats rolling.

To donate to Mr Sedats GoFundMe and aid in the evacuation of LGBTQ+ Afghans, go to: www.gofundme.com/f/help-lgbtq-afghan-refugees-rebuild-their-lives
BP will sell its 14 billion dollar (10.4 billion) stake in oil producer Rosneft, which it co-owns with the Kremlin, after facing pressure from the Government.

The oil firms chief executive Bernard Looney is also resigning from the Rosneft board with immediate effect, it said in a statement.

The move happened after Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine last week in what BPs chairman called an act of aggression with tragic consequences.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng held a virtual call with Mr Looney for around 20 minutes on Friday to discuss the companys position.

Bernard Looney (Aaron Chown/PA)

BP chairman Helge Lund said: Russias attack on Ukraine is an act of aggression which is having tragic consequences across the region.

BP has operated in Russia for over 30 years, working with brilliant Russian colleagues.

However, this military action represents a fundamental change.

It has led the BP board to conclude, after a thorough process, that our involvement with Rosneft, a state-owned enterprise, simply cannot continue.

We can no longer support BP representatives holding a role on the Rosneft board.

The Rosneft holding is no longer aligned with BPs business and strategy and it is now the boards decision to exit BPs shareholding in Rosneft.

The BP board believes these decisions are in the best long-term interests of all our shareholders.

Mr Looney said: Like so many, I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine and my heart goes out to everyone affected.

It has caused us to fundamentally rethink BPs position with Rosneft.

I am convinced that the decisions we have taken as a board are not only the right thing to do, but are also in the long-term interests of BP.

BP admitted last year that sanctions on Russia could be problematic for its business, as global leaders are lining up to impose an even more stringent economic retaliation against the Kremlin.

The company said in its annual report that events in or relating to Russia, including trade restrictions and other sanctions, could adversely impact our income and investment in or relating to Russia.

Mr Kwarteng said: I welcome BPs decision to exit its shareholding in Rosneft oil company.

Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine must be a wake-up call for British businesses with commercial interests in Putins Russia.

I welcome BPs decision to exit its shareholding in Rosneft oil company. Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine must be a wake up call for British businesses with commercial interests in Putins Russia.  Kwasi Kwarteng (@KwasiKwarteng) February 27, 2022

BP owns a 19.75% stake in the Russian oil company, while the Russian government owns around 40% of the business.

The stake was worth around 14 billion dollars on BPs books at the end of 2021.

The business said it would reassess the value of the stake and then take that off its results when it presents figures for the first quarter of this year.

It could then try to find a buyer for the shares, or even write them off completely.

AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said BP might be getting ahead of events, avoiding a seizure by the Russian government, and calming public anger at home.

Well obviously have to find out what price they get. I guess given that theyre keen to sell, they might not necessarily get top dollar for it, he told the PA news agency.

But equally, proactively looking to sell is probably better than waiting for the asset to be taken off them by the Russian government in a worst case if they decide to retaliate to sanctions, or coming under public or political pressure to hold a fire sale.

Im sure their shareholders will be relieved and pleased perhaps to extricate themselves from a situation that could cause them some considerable reputational difficulty, even if Rosneft accounted for around a sixth of (BPs) underlying profits last year.

It is unclear who might want and be able to afford to buy the stake.

Qatars sovereign wealth fund already owns a nearly 19% stake in the company.

Mr Mould added: Given that Bernard Looneys antennae are clearly very finely attuned to the E part of ESG (environmental, social, and governance), I guess we probably shouldnt be that surprised hes equally attuned and responsive to the S and G issues as well.

BPs former chief executive Bob Dudley will also step down from Rosnefts board, and BP will exit three joint ventures with Rosneft within Russia, which had a book value of around 1.4 billion dollars (1 billion).

Mr Looney will give up his position on the board of the trustees of the Russian Geographical Society.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: I welcome BPs decision to pull out of Rosneft because of Putins horrifying war in Ukraine. We now need all other British companies to follow suit, with immediate effect, and the Government to step up with stronger sanctions.
Unsurprisingly, Bitcoin and Ethereum prices plummeted after Russia invaded Ukraine. Fortunately, the two biggest cryptocurrencies are now showing signs of life once again despite the economy being widely affected by the crisis.

Cryptocurrency Markets Crash

In recent weeks, the values of major cryptocurrencies have plummeted as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensified.

As CBS News reported, some analysts said the "declines show that cryptocurrencies are a poor choice for investors seeking stability in periods of market turmoil, in contrast to traditional hedges against risk like gold and U.S. Treasury securities."

Naturally, the biggest coins affected were Bitcoin and Ethereum, being the major players in the industry. According to CNN, Bitcoin price fell below $35,000 in early morning of Thursday as Russia's attack of Ukraine continued. BTC value was over $40,000 a week ago.

The same goes for Ethereum, which fell to around $2,300 on Thursday.

Another crypto coin that has experienced a quick dip in prices is Solana. The cryptocurrency coin that competes with Ethereum and is popular among NFT creators fell 10 percent to $83 as well.

Even Shiba Inu, a meme coin that experienced a logic-defying 49,000,000 percent growth last year, saw its value plummet by ten percent.

In the past 24 hours, the total cryptocurrency market has lost $160 billion in value, representing a 10 percent decline since the beginning of the Ukraine invasion, according to market tracker CoinMarketCap.

At present, there is still a military and economic threat of Russian hegemony to Ukraine.

Fortunately, the widespread wave of chaos has left the market allowing Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins to stabilize back to their prices.

Read Also: Upcoming Crypto Airdrops 2022: Terra, Ripple and More Airdrops Coming!

Bitcoin, Ethereum Prices Going Up Again, Showing Signs of Life

As of time of writing, Bitcoin price is at $38,707, which signifies a 9.28 percent increase in the last 24 hours, per CoinDesk. Obviously, that is a way bigger jump compared to its value during the start of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Meanwhile, Ethereum prices have also recovered, now at 2,631.99. That's an even better increase compared to Bitcoin, signifying a 10.76 percent bounce-back for the second-largest crypto coin in the world.

It remains to be seen if Bitcoin and Ethereum prices will continue to go up or remain stable given the current crisis. World stucks have plunged because of the issue, with oil prices increasing as well.

The issue certainly has huge economic implications, and given the volatile nature of cryptoccurency markets, it won't be surprising to see some major dips in the upcoming days.

With that said, interested fans are advised to invest with caution amid these problematic times.Like it has always been, there are no assurances that crypto coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum will keep increasing in value, so it is always better to invest money that one can afford to lose. Despite its promising opportunity for profits, it might be difficult to gain as much as people used to from these speculative assets.

Read Also: Bitcoin 2022 Price Prediction: Slowly Crashing This 2022 Under $40,000; Jack Dorsey Building Own Mining in Block
Street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city on Sunday and Russian troops put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the countrys south following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere which appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion.

Following its gains on the ground, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested other locations, saying his country is unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city with a population of 1.4 million about 12.4 miles (20km) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups.

One video showed Ukrainian soldiers inspecting Russian light utility vehicles damaged by shelling and abandoned by Russian troops on a street.

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, told civilians not to leave their homes.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early on Sunday near the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the sky before dawn from an oil depot near an air base in Vasylkiv, where there has been intense fighting, according to the towns mayor.

President Zelenskys office said another explosion hit the civilian Zhuliany airport.

It also said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke by covering their windows with damp cloth or gauze.

We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, the president said.

Terrified men, women and children sought safety inside and underground, and the government maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets.

More than 150,000 Ukrainians fled for Poland, Moldova and other neighbouring countries, and the United Nations warned the number could grow to four million if fighting escalates.

Russias military also put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine, blocking the strategic cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General. Igor Konashenkov said.

He said Russian forces have also taken control of an air base near Kherson and the city of Henichesk on the Azov Sea. Ukrainian authorities have previously reported fighting in various areas along the coast.

As Russia has closed in on the Ukrainian capital, it has also focused on pressing its offensive in the countrys south in an apparent bid to take control of its coast stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east.

The Ukrainian authorities have reported fighting going on near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Russias advances along Ukraines coast mark an attempt to cut the countrys access to its sea ports that would deal a major blow to its economy.

The offensive in the south could also allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which until now was connected to Russia by a 12-mile (19km) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe, which opened in 2018.

President Vladimir Putin has not disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel, also known as Gomel, for talks with Ukraine.

On Friday, Mr Zelensky offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining Nato.

Mr Peskov said: The Russian delegation is ready for talks and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians.

President Zelensky said his country is ready for peace talks with Russia but not in Belarus, given the Russian allys role in the invasion.

Speaking in a video message on Sunday, he named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues.

Speaking in Russian, he said Ukraine wants peace talks and will accept any other city in a country that hasnt been used for launching missiles. Only then, the talks could be honest and put an end to the war.

To aid Ukraines ability to hold out, the US pledged an additional 350 million dollars (261 million) in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armour and small arms.

Germany said it will send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it will close its airspace to Russian planes.

The US, European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the Swift global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraines minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink is now active in Ukraine and that there are more terminals en route.

It is unclear how much territory Russian forces have seized or to what extent their advance has been stalled.

Britains Ministry of Defence said the speed of the Russian advance has temporarily slowed, likely as a result of acute logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance.

A senior US defence official said on Saturday that more than half of the Russian combat power amassed along Ukraines borders has entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supplies and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated.

The curfew forcing everyone in Kyiv inside was set to last until Monday morning. The relative quiet of the capital was sporadically broken by gunfire.

Fighting on the citys outskirts suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces. Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but Britain and the US said the bulk of the forces were 19 miles (30km) from the city centre as of Saturday afternoon.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit.

Ukraines health minister reported on Saturday that 198 people, including three children, have been killed and more than 1,000 others injured during Europes largest land war since the Second World War. It is unclear whether those figures include both military and civilian casualties.

Ukraines ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv are fighting Russian sabotage groups. Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and thousands killed. Moscow has not provided casualty figures.

Ms Markarova said Ukraine is gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, nursery schools and hospitals to submit to The Hague as possible crimes against humanity.

Mr Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders.

He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about Nato, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.
Boris Johnson has dismissed Vladimir Putins announcement that he is putting Russias strategic nuclear deterrent on high alert as a distraction from struggle his troops are facing in Ukraine

The Russian leader said on Sunday that he was putting Moscows nuclear forces on a special regime of combat duty in response to aggressive statements coming from Western powers.

But in a pooled clip for broadcasters, the Prime Minister suggested his actions were more to do with the fact that his forces were meeting with more resistance than the Kremlin had bargained for.

Mr Johnson also cast doubt on possible negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations to try to resolve the crisis.

Russia president Vladimir Putin (Adam Davy/PA)

President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed the two sides could meet on the Ukraine-Belarus border having initially rejected an offer of talks in Belarus.

However Mr Johnson said he had seen nothing to suggest that Mr Putin was genuine in his offer.

Theres nothing Ive seen so far in his behaviour that leads me to think that he could possibly be sincere, he said.

Earlier Russian television footage showed Mr Putin meeting with his defence minister and the chief of the general staff, and instructing them to put the nuclear deterrent on a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading Nato members made aggressive statements regarding our country, he said.

(PA Graphics)

But on a day when the expected assault on Kyiv again failed to materialise and the Ukrainians claimed to have driven Russian forces out of the countrys second city Kharkiv, Mr Johnson said his words were a distraction from the reality of whats going on.

This is an innocent people who are facing a totally unprovoked act of aggression against them, and whats actually happening is that they are fighting back perhaps with more effect, with more resistance, than the Kremlin had bargained for, he said.

You can see some of the logistical difficulties that the Russian forces are experiencing.

The Russian defence ministry have themselves conceded that theyre having casualties.

This is a disastrous misbegotten venture by President Putin.
Boris Johnson has said the West is tightening the economic ligature around Vladimir Putins Russia as allies unveiled new measures to hit its financial system.

In a co-ordinated move Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union announced selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system.

At the same time they said the would be imposing restrictive measures to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions.

After talking by telephone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the very heavy odds against Ukraine in its struggle against Moscows forces.

He confirmed Britain would be sending further arms to the Ukrainians and he said that the financial measures were essential to put pressure on the Kremlin.

It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime, he told broadcasters during a visit to RAF Brize Norton.

Earlier German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced he was dropping his countrys opposition to the move removing a major obstacle to international agreement.

The horror of what is unfolding in Ukraine is becoming clear to Western audiences and that in turn is putting huge pressure on Western politicians, Mr Johnson said.

(PA Graphics)

He said that while the Ukrainian forces were fighting heroically, it was clear that some terrible atrocities had been committed and the country faced some grim days to come.

Britain had been pressing for action on Swift  described by one minister as the ultimate economic sanction  for some time.

Germany and Italy  which both rely heavily on Russia oil and gas imports  were among the countries said to be reluctant.

The move came on the day the expected Russian assault on the the Ukrainian capital Kyiv failed to materialise.

Latest intelligence update on Ukraine pic.twitter.com/k3XadYzUoL  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) February 26, 2022

Despite skirmishing in the outskirts of the city, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in its latest intelligence assessment that the Russian advance had temporarily slowed.

With the main Russia armoured columns reported to be 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the centre of Kyiv, the MoD said the delay was likely to be the result of acute logistics problems as well as the strength of Ukrainian resistance.

The citys defenders remained braced however for an onslaught  possibly as early as Sunday  once the Russians have refuelled and re-supplied.

Mr Johnson said: Lets be in no doubt, things are not going all the way of President Putin, very far from it.

The Ukrainians are fighting heroically, and in some places with great success, as many of us thought they would because theyre a great country and a very brave country.

Had a phone conversation with @BorisJohnson. Grateful to the British Prime Minister for his position, new decisions to enhance the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian army. Agreed on further joint steps to counter the aggressor.    (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022

But there are some terrible atrocities being committed and there will be some very grim days ahead for Ukraine.

In one of his regular video messages, President Zelensky said the real fighting for Kyiv was ongoing, as he accused Russia in a video message of hitting infrastructure and civilian targets.

We will win, he said.

In coordination with  I will now propose new measures to EU leaders to strengthen our response to Russias invasion of Ukraine and cripple Putins ability to finance his war machine. https://t.co/iU2waDzo9s  Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 26, 2022

Earlier it emerged that he had refused an American offer to evacuate, insisting: The fight is here.

However, Armed Forces minister James Heappey disclosed that the Ministry of Defence was working on plans to support a resistance movement and a government in exile if Ukraine was finally overrun.

That is a decision for the National Security Council to take but it is something that the Prime Minister has asked us in the Ministry of Defence to look at and plan for, he told Sky News.

On Friday, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace convened a meeting with 25 other donor nations who all agreed to supply arms or humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

We have taken decisive action tonight with our international partners to shut Russia out of the global financial system, including the important first step of ejecting Russian banks from SWIFT. We will keep working together to ensure Putin pays the price for his aggression.  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 26, 2022

Britain has already sent 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers and Mr Heappy said officials were looking to get more weaponry to the country.

We know what the Ukrainians want. We are doing our best to get it to them, he said.

For Labour, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy welcomed the the agreement with the US and EU to move on Swift.

Vladimir Putins rogue regime must face the toughest possible sanctions as a consequence of its illegal invasion of Ukraine, he said.

The UK Government should come forward with further sanctions to effectively cut off the Russian state from our economic system.
International charities and community groups are calling for donations to aid humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and to help those who flee the country.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) updated its estimate on the number of refugees that have left Ukraine, saying the total stands at 368,000  a figure that continues to rise.

The UNHCR said humanitarian needs are multiplying and spreading by the hour.

Volunteers at the White Eagle Club in Balham, south London (Aaron Chown/PA)

It said it is sending more resources, staff and stockpiles to countries neighboring Ukraine in addition to stockpiles prepositioned in various locations in the region.

The agency said it is sending stock of core relief items to Moldova, including blankets, sleeping mats, family tents, winterisation kits, sleeping bags, water jerrycans, baby kits, solar lamps and other items for at least 10,000 people.

Donations are urgently needed because every dollar counts  helping refugees wherever they are from is an incredibly good thing to do as there are nearly 26.4 million refugees around the world, around half of whom are under the age of 18.

UNHCR has launched a Ukraine Emergency Appeal to help with relief efforts, because our relief work relies on donations and the needs on the ground are immense.

BREAKING: #Ukraine refugee numbers have just been refreshed  these are based on data made available by national authorities. The current total is now 368,000 and continues to rise.  UNHCR News (@RefugeesMedia) February 27, 2022

All donations can be made through our UK charity partner  UK for UNHCR.

We are receiving many calls from the UK public offering support and we are hugely grateful to those who have already donated or have already been in contact with us here in the UK offering to host refugees in their home, the agency said.

Meanwhile, in Balham, south London, 30 to 40 volunteers at a Polish community centre are sorting through donations from locals.

Magda Harvey, of the Polish White Eagle Club, told the PA news agency: The response is great. People are really helping. And its not just Polish people that are coming and bringing stuff.

There are English people  all nationalities are chipping in and bringing something. Its amazing.

Ms Harvey said people have donated clothes, pillows, blankets, duvets, sanitary items, toys and first aid kits.

She said if a million people cross the border where will a million duvets come from, adding: Those are the simplest things, you know, and people that are crossing the border, if you watch TV, theyve just got a small backpack and maybe a small suitcase and what they are wearing.

Theyve got nothing.

A British Red Cross spokesperson said the charity is gravely concerned about the intensification of fighting in Ukraine over the past few days.

The spokesperson said: People are losing their homes and lives; families are being separated.

Essential services, like water and healthcare, are under threat.

We are asking the UK public to help by donating to our Ukraine Crisis Appeal where a donation could help someone affected get food, water, first aid, medicines, warm clothes or shelter.

A donation will mean we can reach even more people in desperate need.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has declined to say how many refugees from Ukraine the UK will accept but insisted the Government is urgently looking at what more it can do.

The Government has faced intense criticism over its failure so far to relax the visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals.

Ms Truss said Britain has always welcomed refugees fleeing from war, but did not say how soon the country will welcome people from Ukraine or how many will be accepted.

BREAKING: #Ukraine refugee numbers have just been refreshed  these are based on data made available by national authorities. The current total is now 368,000 and continues to rise.  UNHCR News (@RefugeesMedia) February 27, 2022

Asked if the Government will waive visa requirements for Ukrainians coming to the UK, she told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme with Sophie Raworth: It is a desperate situation. Were working with the United Nations, were working with the Red Cross, to keep humanitarian corridors open.

Weve put support into the neighbouring countries like Slovakia and Poland to help with the refugee crisis.

And of course Britain has always welcomed refugees fleeing from war, and were urgently looking at what more we can do to facilitate that.

But ultimately what we need to make sure is that we protect Ukraine as a sovereign democracy.

Ultimately, the people of Ukraine want to live in Ukraine.

It was put to the Cabinet minister that anyone who has no connection to the UK cannot get in, and she was asked if that will be changed.

She said: We are looking urgently at what we can do. Were working with European partners about how we support refugees who are leaving Ukraine. So, yes, is the answer.

Pressed on how many refugees the UK will accept and how soon, Ms Truss said: Well, as Ive said, this is something we are urgently looking at.

She said the UK is already providing support on the ground with teams in Poland and Slovakia.

I will be travelling to the region this week and we will do all we can to support Ukrainians, both in Ukraine and those who have had to flee because of this appalling war, she said.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said visa restrictions for those seeking sanctuary in the UK from Ukraine are totally unacceptable.

Speaking to Sky on Trevor Phillips on Sunday, he said it is bureaucratic with a lot of red tape.

Mr Lammy went on: Its insisting that people demonstrate salaries, that they have family ties in this country.

People are fleeing with their children in their arms. Why would you ask people how rich they are to enter our country? Of course, there are some people who may not have family ties, but want to come into this country.

Ukraines ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, said neighbouring nations to Ukraine have opened up their hearts and homes to receive as many Ukrainians as possible.

Thats easier for immediate evacuation, he told the Sunday Morning programme.

He said nations further away will be asked to financially help smaller nations in their efforts.

We are stepping up operations in Ukraine and are ready to provide humanitarian aid to people who have fled. Get an inside look into one of our storage facilities.  pic.twitter.com/6yX9QLUW1a  UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) February 26, 2022

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has updated its estimate on the number of refugees that have left Ukraine, saying the total stands at 368,000.

It said in a tweet: Ukraine refugee numbers have just been refreshed  these are based on data made available by national authorities. The current total is now 368,000 and continues to rise.

Earlier, Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said the UK will need to go beyond its current visa arrangements for those fleeing conflict in Ukraine.

On Saturday night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is of course going to take refugees and pledged to help people fleeing in fear of their lives.

Enver Solomon, CEO of The Refugee Council, said: Events over the weekend are creating yet more confusion and distress to Ukrainian families desperately seeking reassurance and support from the UK Government regarding their future safety.

We urgently need the Government to announce a clear plan which immediately relaxes visa requirements to allow family members of Ukrainians in the UK to join them here.

And a safe route so people at risk of persecution can apply for a humanitarian visa to travel to the UK and claim asylum once here.

We must uphold our tradition of supporting people fleeing war and bloodshed, and send a clear signal to Ukrainian families that they are welcome in the UK.
Ireland will not be found wanting on support for Ukraine, the Irish premier has said.

It comes as the EU announced that it will close its airspace to Russian airlines, fund supplies of weapons to Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets in response to Russias invasion.

Ireland had announced earlier on Sunday that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The measures, which commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she expected to be endorsed, would mark the first time the 27-nation bloc finances the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to a country under attack.

Ireland will constructively abstain from the planned delivery of arms to Ukraine.

We are stepping up our support for Ukraine. For the first time, the EU will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to a country under attack. We are also strengthening our sanctions against the Kremlin. https://t.co/qEBICNxYa1  Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 27, 2022

In a tweet ahead of the formal announcement of the latest European response to the escalating crisis in Ukraine, Micheal Martin said: The world has been changed by this unjustified war on Ukraine.

Its people have shown such courage, in the face of great loss of life and destruction.

Irelands humanitarian response will not be found wanting.

The EU is unified and further sanctions will hit Russia hard.

The contribution from the Irish government will not go towards the cost of weaponry.

Instead, the countrys contribution is likely to cover items such as PPE, medical equipment and supplies.

Irish leaders have stressed in recent days that while the country will maintain its policy of military neutrality, it is not politically neutral in the Ukrainian conflict.

A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson told the PA news agency: The EU Foreign Affairs Council will approve a package of assistance to the Ukrainian armed forces consisting of both lethal and non-lethal military equipment.

The world has been changed by this unjustified war on #Ukraine. Its people have shown such courage, in the face of great loss of life and destruction. Irelands humanitarian response will not be found wanting. The EU is unified and further sanctions will hit Russia hard.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) February 27, 2022

The latter component will include supplies such as personal protective equipment, medical kits and fuel.

In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, Ireland will constructively abstain from the lethal equipment elements and will not contribute financially to this aspect.

Instead, we will provide a corresponding contribution to the provision of non-lethal support. Our understanding is that a number of member states, including Austria and Malta, are likely to take the same approach.

The Irish foreign affairs minister earlier said he hopes the world is seeing the first step towards the ending of war, ahead of talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials.

EU FAC tonight:500m EPF support for Ukraine Military. Key Russian Banks out of Swift.Russian Aircraft banned from EU Airspace. More Oligarchs listed.Huge Humanitarian support, more needed. Strong sanctions on Belarus. Russian media to be banned in EU. #StandWithUkraine  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) February 27, 2022

Mr Coveney tweeted: Lets hope this can be a first step to ending Russias war against Ukraine.

Tweeting after a meeting of of foreign affairs ministers concluded, he said: Weve just agreed at EU FAC a 500m package to support Ukraine Military, through the EPF (European Peace Facility).

He said Ireland will make a full contribution and will focus on non lethal equipment.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland has told Irish citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia.

In an update to travel guidance, the department said: Due to the ongoing disruption to flight services to and from Russia, the Department of Foreign Affairs is advising citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia at this time.

Further flight cancellations and uncertainty on travel routes from Russia are expected in the coming days.

Relieved  agreement reached on Russia SWIFT sanctions. I said on @morningireland yesterday, @MichealMartinTD gave Irelands strong support to this and for the strongest possible sanctions against Russia at #EUCO  Thomas Byrne (@ThomasByrneTD) February 26, 2022

Mr Byrne predicted that the latest sanctions imposed by the EU will have an absolutely devastating effect on the Russian economy, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putins own personal resources.

In an interview with the BBC, he said Ireland would back calls for Ukraine to be a candidate for EU membership.

Mr Byrne said the country absolutely would support such a move.

He also indicated that a de facto ban on Russian aircraft in Irish airspace has already come into effect.

I think effectively thats already starting to happen, he said.

Because, at the moment, theres a ban on airplanes being exported into Russia and aircraft parts, and that means, for example, that a plane going to Russia actually from any country cant bring new parts on the plane, even for itself.

So already weve seen Western airlines cancelling flights.

I think it will be completely untenable for Russian airlines to fly anywhere into the Western world very, very soon.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin met people attending a demonstration outside Leinster House in Dublin earlier this week (Brian Lawless/PA)

Justice minister Helen McEntee also said she expects that decision to be put into practice quickly.

Speaking on RTE radio, she indicated that the Irish government has not ruled out diplomats or Defence Forces members being sent close to the western Ukrainian border to support anyone trying to reach Ireland.

She said on Sunday that her department had reacted quickly to put in place a visa waiver scheme for Ukrainian nationals hoping to enter Ireland.

What were doing now is making sure that, when people cross the border, because you have hundreds of thousands of people crossing into Poland, into Romania and other neighbouring countries, is that there is financial assistance and support to provide for our member state colleagues to be able to assist these people.

What were making sure is that it is as easy as possible for them and their Ukrainian family members, or for those who are seeking to travel to join family members here, that it is as easy for them to do so.

But we have to be clear here, there are no planes flying into Ukraine.

And theres no ability for us to get into Ukraine.

What we can do is encourage people, where it is safe to do so, to travel to the border; where its not, to try and find shelter.

Justice minister Helen McEntee said her department had put in place a visa waiver scheme for Ukrainian nationals hoping to enter Ireland (Niall Carson/PA)

But we have been engaging with people for weeks now.

We will continue to engage with them even though we dont have a consulate or we dont have an embassy on the ground.

Asked on RTE radio whether diplomats or Defence Forces members might be able to help out or meet people at the border, she said: I think all of these things need to be kept under review.

We have our consular assistance in all of these European member states.

In particular in Poland, in Warsaw, we have a lot of people who are engaging with people who are crossing the border, helping them and also helping those family members who are Ukrainian nationals.

I think a lot of people who will initially seek to travel to Ireland, theyre Irish citizens, but also theyre people who might have family living in Ireland or they might have business connections or they might have friends.

And thats really what were seeing initially.

While weve had quite a small number of people, I think in the last few days, the vast majority of those who have come into Ireland are people who have family, who have friends, who have those connections.

There were also emotional scenes in Dublin Airport on Sunday, as a group of Ukrainian volunteers started the journey back home to help defend the country from Russia.

Its my duty to my country, one 23-year-old man told Irish state broadcaster RTE.
Boris Johnson has praised Ukrainians for fighting heroically as allies unveiled new measures to hit Russias financial system and Liz Truss said the Foreign Office is preparing a hit list of oligarchs to sanction.

It came as the Kremlin said a Russian delegation has arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials, but Ukraines leader said his country would not meet in Belarus after it was used as a staging ground for the invasion.

Mr Johnson also said the West is tightening the economic ligature around Russia, with Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union together announcing selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system.

They said they would be imposing restrictive measures to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions.

After talking by telephone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the very heavy odds against Ukraine in its struggle against Moscows forces.

He confirmed Britain would be sending further arms to the Ukrainians and he said that the financial measures were essential to put pressure on the Kremlin.

It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime, he told broadcasters during a visit to RAF Brize Norton.

Mr Johnson also said: Lets be in no doubt, things are not going all the way of President Putin, very far from it.

We have taken decisive action tonight with our international partners to shut Russia out of the global financial system, including the important first step of ejecting Russian banks from SWIFT. We will keep working together to ensure Putin pays the price for his aggression.  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 26, 2022

The Ukrainians are fighting heroically, and in some places with great success, as many of us thought they would because theyre a great country and a very brave country.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicated his country was considering sending military support to Ukraine via Nato after previously only committing to non-lethal aid.

Ive just spoken to the defence minister and well be seeking to provide whatever support we can for lethal aid through our Nato partners, particularly the US and the UK, Mr Morrison told reporters on Sunday in Sydney.

It came as the Foreign Secretary said there would be nowhere left to hide for the super-rich allies of the Kremlin.

The warning follows Mr Johnson last week naming eight high net worth Russians who will be hit by travel bans and asset freezes along with more than 100 individuals, entities and subsidiaries.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Ms Truss said there would be new names added to the list every few weeks as ministers seek to ratchet up the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin following his invasion of Ukraine.

Weve already had letters to the Foreign Office, from lawyers, threatening us, so we have to make sure the cases are properly prepared and that we have the right evidence before we sanction these individuals, she said.

That is why were taking it step by step, but we are working through that hit list and we will continue to sanction new oligarchs every few weeks.

The Duke of Sussex, in an appearance at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, called attention to the ongoing crisis for Ukraines people who urgently need our support as a global community.

Hours earlier, tech billionaire Elon Musk said his satellite-internet service Starlink is now active in Ukraine and more of its dishes are en route following a request for help from the countrys deputy prime minister.

Meanwhile, on Saturday German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced he was dropping his countrys opposition to the move removing a major obstacle to international agreement.

The horror of what is unfolding in Ukraine is becoming clear to Western audiences and that in turn is putting huge pressure on Western politicians, Mr Johnson said.

(PA Graphics)

He said that while the Ukrainian forces were fighting heroically, it was clear that some terrible atrocities had been committed and the country faced some grim days to come.

Britain had been pressing for action on Swift  described by one minister as the ultimate economic sanction  for some time.

Germany and Italy  which both rely heavily on Russia oil and gas imports  were among the countries said to be reluctant.

The move came on the day the expected Russian assault on the the Ukrainian capital Kyiv failed to materialise.

However, on Sunday morning a Ukrainian official said Russian forces were fighting in the streets of Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city, hours after Russia blew up a nearby gas pipeline.

The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an environmental catastrophe and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

Meanwhile, Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said the UK will need to go beyond its current visa arrangements for those fleeing conflict in Ukraine.

Mr Drakeford seemingly criticised the Home Office over its announcement earlier this week that Ukrainians in the UK will be able to extend or switch their visas, something he told BBC Breakfast appeared to have been done in a slightly grudging spirit.

Mr Johnson has said the UK is of course going to take refugees from the conflict and pledged to help people fleeing in fear of their lives.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Fourteen people were shot during a party at a Las Vegas hookah lounge early Saturday, including one man who was killed and two others who were critically wounded.

The shooting happened about 3:15 a.m. and preliminary information indicated there was a party during which two people got into an altercation and exchanged gunfire, said police Capt. Dori Koren.

Koren told reporters no arrests have been made and no suspect descriptions were immediately available but that authorities did not believe there was any danger to the general public.

Police went to the hookah bar identified by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as Mannys Glow Ultra Lounge & Restaurant after receiving multiple 911 calls, Koren said.

Officers secured the scene and rendered aid, including applying tourniquets and administering CPR, Koren said.

Investigators were trying to determine the types of gun or guns used in the shooting.

Its a fairly large scene so its going so take some time to go through the entire scene, he said. Were not really sure exactly what kind of weapon was used, or exactly if there were two shooters. We believe there was an exchange of gunfire, but were still looking into all of information.

The medical aid provided to victims by the officers who initially responded definitely made a significance in this case, Koren said.

Hookahs are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made tobacco that comes in different flavors.

Hours after the shooting, much of shopping plaza where the shooting occurred remained cordoned off by police tape as officers looked for stray bullets and other evidence.

My thoughts are with the victim, their loved ones, and all those injured in last nights senseless shooting at a hookah lounge," U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., said on Twitter. We must do more to end gun violence."
The latest on the Russia's invasion of Ukraine:

WASHINGTON  A senior U.S. intelligence official says Belarus is expected to send troops into Ukraine as soon as Monday to fight alongside Russian forces that invaded Ukraine last week.

Belarus has been providing support for Russias war effort, but so far has not taken a direct part in the conflict.

The American official has direct knowledge of current U.S. intelligence assessments and says the decision by Belarus leader on whether to bring Belarus further into the war depends on talks between Russia and Ukraine happening in the coming days. The official spoke anonymously to discuss the sensitive information.

Russian forces have encountered strong resistance from Ukraine defenders, and U.S. officials say they believe the invasion has been more difficult, and slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, though that could change as Moscow adapts.

 James LaPorta

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CLEVELAND  Russia has apparently rendered Facebook largely unusable across leading Russian telecommunications providers amid rising friction between Moscow and the social media platform.

The London-based internet monitor NetBlocks reports that Facebooks network of content-distribution servers in Russia was so badly restricted Sunday that content no longer loads, or loads extremely slowly making the platforms unusable.

Russian telecoms regulator Roskomnadzor on Friday announced plans to partially restrict access to Facebook. That same day, Facebooks head of security policy had said the company was barring Russian state media from running ads or otherwise profiting on its platform anywhere in the world.

Facebook says it has also refused a request by the Kremlin not to run fact checks related to Russias invasion of Ukraine on the platform for users inside Russia.

NetBlocks reported earlier that access to Twitter was similarly restricted Saturday. That was a day after Twitter said it was temporarily halting ads in both Ukraine and Russia.

The Twitter and Facebook restrictions can be circumvented inside Russia using VPN software, just as users do in mainland China.

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TOKYO  Asian stock prices have fallen after Western nations moved to tighten sanctions against Russia and as President Vladimir Putin escalated tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces on high alert.

U.S. futures fell, with the contract for the S&P 500 down 2.5% early Monday. The stock markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai declined while Sydney was higher.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has caused markets to swing wildly, given the potential impact on inflation, energy supplies and other areas. The Russian ruble has weakened sharply but was steady early Monday at 83.86 to the dollar.

Japan joined moves by the U.S. and Western nations to impose sanctions on Russia, including blocking some Russian banks from the SWIFT global payment system.

-

BERLIN  The United Nations nuclear watchdog says missiles have hit a radioactive waste disposal site in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, but there are no reports of damage to the buildings or indications of a release of radioactive material.

In a statement late Sunday, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi says Ukrainian authorities informed his office about the overnight strike. He says his agency expects to soon receive the results of on-site radioactive monitoring.

The report came a day after an electrical transformer at a similar disposal facility in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was damaged.

Such facilities typically hold low-level radioactive materials such as waste from hospitals and industry, but Grossi says the two incidents highlight a very real risk. He says if the sites are damaged there could be potentially severe consequences for human health and the environment.

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CANBERRA, Australia  Australia will provide lethal military equipment to Ukraine to help the Ukrainians resist the Russian invasion.

The Australian government's announcement Monday gave no details on what material it may be sending. The move follows an offer on Friday of non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies and a $3 million contribution to a NATO trust fund for support of the besieged country.

Australia has imposed sanctions on more than 350 Russian individuals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin since Thursday.

Australia has also targeted with sanctions 13 individuals and entities in Belarus, including that country's defense minister, Viktor Khrenin. Belarus is supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine.

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TORONTO  The two largest media companies in Canada are dropping Russian state TV channel RT from their cable offerings.

Rogers spokesman Andrew Garas says Russia Today will no longer be available on its channel lineup as of Monday.

The Bell media company also is removing RT.

Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is commending the action, saying Russia has been conducting warfare in Ukraine since 2014 and information warfare across the world. He says RT is the propaganda arm of Russian President Vladimir Putins regime that spreads disinformation.

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FRANKFURT, Germany  An Austria-based subsidiary of Russias state-owned Sberbank has been ruled likely to fail after depositors fled due to the impact of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The European Central Bank said early Monday that the bank had 13.6 billion euros in assets at the end of last year, but has experienced significant deposit outflows due to geopolitical tensions.

The ECB says Vienna-headquartered Sberbank Europe AG is likely to be unable to pay its debts or other liabilities as they fall due. The bank is a fully owned subsidiary of Russias Sberbank, whose majority shareholder is the Russian government.

Europes bank resolution board separately says it has imposed a payments ban on money owed by the bank and a limit on how much depositors can withdraw. The board will decide on further steps, which could include restructuring, selling or liquidating the bank.

Sberbank Europe operates 185 branches and has more than 3,933 employees.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukraines Interior Ministry says 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed during Russias invasion, including 14 children. It says an additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded.

he ministrys statement Sunday does not give any information on casualties among Ukraines armed forces.

Russia has claimed that its troops are targeting only Ukrainian military facilities and says that Ukraines civilian population is not in danger.

Russia has not released any information on casualties among its troops. The Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged on Sunday only that Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded, without giving any numbers.

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RIO DE JANEIRO  Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says his government will remain neutral regarding Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Bolsonaro said he had a two-hour long conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday to talk about the war and assured Russias leader that Brazil will keep a neutral position. However, Brazil's foreign ministry later said Bolsonaro did not speak to Putin on Sunday, but rather was referring to his two-hour meeting with the Russian during a visit to Moscow earlier this month.

Brazils ultra conservative president said Sunday that he does not want to bring the consequences of the conflict to Brazil.

Bolsonaro says that Russia has no intention of carrying out any massacres and that in some regions of Ukraine 90% of the people want to get closer to Russia.

The Brazilian president also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying people entrusted the fate of the nation to a comedian.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. for the first time has approved the direct delivery of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday.

The exact timing of delivery is not known, but officials say the U.S. is currently working on the logistics of the shipment. The officials agreed to discuss the development only if not quoted by name.

The decision comes on the heels of Germanys announcement that it will send 500 Stinger missiles and other weapons and supplies to Ukraine.

The high-speed Stingers are very accurate and are used to shoot down helicopters and other aircraft. Ukrainian officials have been asking for more of the powerful weapons.

The Baltic states have also been providing Ukraine with Stingers since January, and in order to do that had to get U.S. permission.

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TORONTO  Canada will send an additional $25 million worth of defensive military equipment to Ukraine in an effort to help the country defend against Russias invasion.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says the equipment includes helmets, body armor, gas masks and night-vision gear.

She says it will be routed through Poland to get there as quickly as possible.

Anand says Canada will offer up cybersecurity experts who can help Ukraine defend its networks against cyber attacks that are increasingly forming part of modern-day warfare.

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UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. Security Council has voted for the 193-member General Assembly to hold an emergency session on Russias invasion of Ukraine on Monday.

The vote on Sunday to authorize an emergency meeting was 11 in favor, Russia opposed, and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining. That was the exact same vote on a resolution Friday demanding that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops. But in that case, Russia used its veto and the resolution was defeated.

Ukrainian U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya asked for the General Assembly meeting to be held under the so-called Uniting for Peace resolution, initiated by the United States and adopted in November 1950 to circumvent vetoes by the Soviet Union during the Korean War.

That resolution gives the General Assembly the power to call emergency meetings when the Security Council is unable to act because of the lack of unanimity among its five veto-wielding permanent members  the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.



MOSCOW  The U.S. Embassy in Moscow urged American citizens in Russia to think about leaving the country immediately on Sunday, as some airlines halt flights there and some countries close their skies to Russian aircraft.

U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available, the Embassy said in a statement on its website.

U.S. officials in recent weeks have urged Americans not to travel to Russia, and warned that the U.S. government could not help in any evacuation of Americans from there.

An earlier alert recommended Americans develop contingency plans about how to leave the country if necessary.

The European Union was among those announcing Sunday they were closing their airspace to Russian flights

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NEW YORK CITY  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on Sunday forbidding her state from doing business with Russia. The order includes canceling its investments in Russia.

During a press conference in Albany, the governor said her state would also welcome refugees from the besieged country. Hochul said New York is home to the largest Ukrainian population in the United States.

If you need a place to stay, you want to come over here, we will help you become integrated into our community, she said.

The economic sanctions follow those issued by President Joe Biden to help siphon resources from the Russian government, which launched its long-expected invasion of Ukraine last Thursday.

It remains to be seen how Hochuls move will aid the effort to severely squeeze the Russian economy in the global effort to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to retreat.

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KYIV, Ukraine  As Russian troops draw closer to the Ukrainian capital, Kyivs mayor is both filled with pride over his citizens spirit and anxious about how long they can hold out.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, after a grueling night of Russian attacks on the outskirts of the city, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said there were no plans to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv.

We cant do that, because all ways are blocked, he said. Right now we are encircled.

When Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Thursday, the city of 2.8 million people initially reacted with concern but also a measure of self-possession. However, nerves started fraying when grocery stores began closing and the citys famously deep subway system turned its stations into bomb shelters.

The mayor confirmed to the AP that nine civilians in Kyiv had been killed so far, including one child.

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NEW YORK  Some early signs are emerging of significant economic consequences to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine three days ago. While official quotes for the Russian ruble were unchanged at roughly 84 rubles to the dollar, one online Russian bank, Tinkoff, was giving an unofficial exchange rate of 152 rubles over the weekend.

Videos from Russia showed long lines of Russians trying to withdraw cash from ATMs, while the Russian Central Bank issued a statement calling for calm, in an effort to avoid bank runs. Reports also showed that Visa and Mastercard were no longer being accepted for those with international bank accounts.

Banks and credit card companies dealing with Russia are going into lock down mode given the fast pace and increasing bite of the sanctions, said Amanda DeBusk, a partner with Dechert LLP.

Russia may have to temporarily close bank branches or declare a national bank holiday to protect its financial system, analysts said.

If theres a full-scale banking panic, thats a driver of crisis in its own right, said Adam Tooze, a professor of history at Columbia University and Director of the European Institute. A rush into dollars by the Russian general population moves things into an entirely new domain of financial warfare.

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MOSCOW  The Russian military said Sunday that some of its troops were killed and some were wounded in Ukraine  admitting for the first time that it had suffered casualties since the Russian invasion.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Sunday there are dead and wounded among our comrades, without offering any numbers, but adding that Russias losses were many times fewer than those of Ukraines forces.

It was the first time Russian military officials mentioned casualties on their side. Ukraine has claimed that its forces killed 3,500 Russian troops. Konashenkov also said that since the start of the attack Thursday, the Russian military have hit 1,067 Ukrainian military facilities, including 27 command posts and communication centers, 38 air defense missile system and 56 radar stations.

Konashenkovs claims and Ukraines allegations that its forces killed thousands of Russian troops cant be independently verified.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Hundreds of people protested Russias invasion of Ukraine in Belarus on Sunday. The protests came despite the fact that the authoritarian Belarusian government has sided with Moscow.

The anti-war rallies spanned at least 12 Belarusian cities, and human rights advocates reported that more than 170 people have been arrested. In the capital of Minsk, demonstrators marched in different parts of the city carrying Ukrainian flags. A large pile of flowers kept growing at the building of Ukraines Embassy.

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JERUSALEM  Around 2,500 Ukrainian Jews have asked to immigrate to Israel and take citizenship since the onset of Russias invasion, a quasi-governmental organization says.

The Jewish Agency for Israel, which handles immigration matters, said that it has received over 5,000 inquiries about immigration to Israel. Around half have requested to immigrate immediately, the agency said.

Ukraine is home to a Jewish community of around 43,000. But approximately 200,000 Ukrainians are eligible for immigration under Israels Law of Return, which extends the right to citizenship to anyone with one Jewish grandparent.

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TORONTO  Canada is joining many European countries in closing its airspace to all Russian aircraft as the West ramps up pressure on Russia for invading Ukraine.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Sunday that Canada will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks.

Most European countries have either announced they are closing their airspace or said they intend to do so. So far Spain, Greece, Serbia and Turkey are among the few left that haven't joined in the move against Russia.

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BRUSSELS  The European Unions top migration official says more than 300,000 Ukrainians fleeing war have entered the 27-nation bloc in recent days and is warning that Europe must be ready for millions to arrive.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson is urging the blocs interior ministers meeting on Sunday to trigger a special protection mechanism set up 20 years ago to help deal with influxes of refugees.

We have to prepare for even bigger numbers, and we have to prepare for the support that we need to give to the Ukrainians fleeing, she told reporters at the EU meeting in Brussels.

The protection system was set up in the wake of the wars in former Yugoslavia and Kosovo, when thousands of people were forced to flee their homes. It has never been used. It provides residence permits for a fixed time, the possibility of jobs, accommodation, social welfare, medical treatment and education for children.

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ATHENS  Authorities say Greece is sending ammunition, assault rifles and missile launchers to Ukraine in response to a request by Ukraine's government.

The military aid was decided at a meeting Sunday morning between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and senior defense officials.

A C-130 plane with the equipment has arrived in Poland, and a second one will arrive later, a Defense Ministry official said.

Two more planes carrying humanitarian aid such as blankets and food have also left Athens International Airport for Poland, the spokesman said.

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GENEVA  The World Health Organization is warning that oxygen supplies  important for the fight against COVID-19 and other illnesses  are reaching a very dangerous point in Ukraine due to transportation difficulties in the wake of Russias military invasion, jeopardizing thousands of lives.

The majority of hospitals could exhaust their oxygen reserves within the next 24 hours. Some have already run out. This puts thousands of lives at risk, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Europe regional director Dr. Hans Kluge in a joint statement Sunday afternoon in Europe.

They said electricity and power shortages, and the danger of ambulances getting caught in the crossfire, were increasing the risks to patients.

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TOKYO  Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says Japan has decided to join the United States and European nations in cutting key Russian banks from the SWIFT international financial messaging system to step up sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Japan will also freeze assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials, while sending $100 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Kishida told reporters.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a unilateral attempt to change the status quo and the act shakes the foundation of the international order. Its an outright violation to international law and we strongly denounce the act, Kishida said.

In a statement welcoming new sanctions from Japan, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the US and its allies will continue working closely together to impose further severe costs and make Putins war of choice a strategic failure.

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MOSCOW  From Moscow to Siberia, Russians have taken to the streets again on Sunday to protest Russias invasion of Ukraine. Demonstrators marched in city centers, chanting No to war."

Protests against the invasion started on Thursday and have continued for four days in a row, despite police swiftly moving to detain hundreds of people each day.

In St. Petersburg, where dozens gathered in the city center, police in riot gear grabbed protesters and dragged some to police vans, even though the demonstration was peaceful.

According to the OVD-Info rights group that tracks political arrests, by Sunday afternoon police detained at least 356 Russians in 32 cities over anti-war demonstrations.

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KYIV, UKRAINE  The office of Ukraines president has confirmed that a delegation will meet with Russian officials as Moscows troops draw closer to Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy office said Sunday on the Telegram messaging app that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border and did not give a precise time for the meeting.

The meeting news came shortly after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces put on high alert in response to what he called aggressive statements by leading NATO powers.

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BERLIN  Approximately 100,000 people have turned out in Berlin to protest Russias invasion of Ukraine and show solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Police said large crowds have filled the area originally planned for the demonstration, around the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, and that they were allocating additional space to accommodate the protesters.

Sunday's protest was peaceful, including many families with children. People waved yellow and blue Ukrainian flags to show their support. Some carried placards with slogans such as Hands off Ukraine" and Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.

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MOSCOW  President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces put on high alert amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.

Putin asserted at a meeting with his top officials on Sunday that leading NATO powers had made aggressive statements along with the West imposing hard-hitting financial sanctions against Russia, including the president himself.

The alert means Putin has ordered Russias nuclear weapons prepared for increased readiness to launch. He told the Russian defense minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty.

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WARSAW, Poland  While countries like Poland and Hungary have welcomed fleeing Ukrainians, some foreign citizens seeking to leave Ukraine have reported difficulties at the Polish border.

An Indian volunteer in Poland said Sunday some Indian citizens seeking to flee Ukraine into Poland are stuck at the border leading into Medyka, Poland, and unable to cross.

The Indian Embassy in Kyiv said Sunday that Indian citizens are being evacuated from Ukraine to Romania and Hungary. But some have arrived at the border with Poland apparently unaware of this and are stuck.

Ruchir Kataria, the volunteer, told The Associated Press that the Indians seeking to cross at Medyka were told in broken English: Go to Romania. But they had already made long journeys on foot to the border, and have no way to reach the border with Romania hundreds of kilometers away.

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BERLIN  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Germany is committing 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2% of its GDP.

Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag in Berlin on Sunday that it was clear we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Germany had come under criticism for not investing adequately in its defense budget and not doing enough to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

On Saturday evening, the German government announced it would be sending weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine to help troops against invading Russia forces.

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BUDAPEST, Hungary  Russia's President Vladimir Putin has temporarily lost his most senior official position in world sports.

The International Judo Federation on Sunday cited the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine for suspending Putins honorary president status.

The Russian president is a keen judoka and attended the sport at the 2012 London Olympics.

The judo federation is rare among Olympic sports bodies for using the word war to describe Russias invasion of Ukraine ordered by Putin since Thursday. Others have used phrases such as escalation of conflict.

A Kremlin-supporting oligarch and longtime friend of Putin, Arkady Rotenberg, remains on the IJF executive committee as development manager.

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TEL AVIV, Israel  Israels prime minister says the country is sending 100 tons of humanitarian aid to assist civilians caught up in the fighting in Ukraine.

Naftali Bennett told a meeting of his Cabinet Sunday that the aid includes medical equipment and medicine, tents, sleeping bags and blankets.

Bennett did not comment on a report by Israeli public broadcaster Kan which said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the Israeli leader to mediate talks on ending the crisis with Russia. Bennetts office confirmed there had been a call but declined to comment on the report. The Ukrainian embassy could not immediately be reached for comment.

Bennett has treaded carefully in his public comments on Russias invasion. He has voiced support for Ukrainian civilians but has stopped short of condemning Russia. Israeli relies on Russia for security coordination in Syria, where Russia has a military presence and where Israel frequently strikes hostile targets.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukraines president says his country is ready for peace talks with Russia but not in Belarus, which was a staging ground for Moscows 3-day-old invasion.

Speaking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues. He said other locations are also possible but made clear that Ukraine doesnt accept Russias selection of Belarus.

The Kremlin said Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats.

The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians, Peskov said.

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MOSCOW  The Kremlin says a Russian delegation has arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians, Peskov said.

There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who previously expressed their own readiness for peace talks with Russia but havent mentioned any specific details on their location and timing.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, and its troops are closing in on the capital, Kyiv, and making significant gains along the countrys coast.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian authorities say Russian troops have entered Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv and fighting is underway in the streets.

Oleh Sinehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, said Sunday that Ukrainian forces were fighting Russian troops in the city and asked civilians not to leave their homes.

Russian troops approached Kharkiv, which is located about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. But until Sunday, they remained on its outskirts without trying to enter the city while other forces rolled past, pressing their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

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KYIV, Ukraine  The Ukrainian presidents office said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city.

The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an environmental catastrophe and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

Ukraines top prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, said the Russian forces have been unable to take Kharkiv, where a fierce battle is underway.

The city of 1.5 million is located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border.

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GENEVA  The United Nations says it has confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties, including at least 64 people killed, in the fighting in Ukraine that erupted since Russias invasion on Thursday  though it believed the real figures are considerably higher because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs relayed the count late Saturday from the U.N. human rights office, which has strict methodologies and verification procedures about the toll from conflict.

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Follow APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin, shown in 2021, ordered an attack on Ukraine that has sparked fears of a broader conflict. Security experts and historians say that is unlikely for a host of reasons. (Associated Press)

The sights and sounds coming from Ukraine  the screams of air raid sirens, explosions, the rumbling of armored personnel carriers down rural roads  all happening in the middle of Europe inevitably conjure memories of World War II.

But do they also foreshadow a broader war that will consume scores of countries?

World War II, a savage conflict fought across the globe from 1939 to 1945, gave birth to NATO, a transatlantic alliance of the U.S. and major Western European nations. The alliance, formed in 1949, has preserved peace and stability in the region, more or less, for the last seven decades.

Challenge to NATO

Russias war on Ukraine, launched last week, poses the biggest threat to NATO in recent history.

Ukraine is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, although it has expressed a desire to join. Before he started his invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin had demanded that the alliance agree to never admit Ukraine.

The U.S. and its NATO allies rebuffed the demand, saying it was up to individual nations to decide whether they wanted to become members. It was NATOs expansion to include other former Soviet republics that has most angered Putin and raised alarms in the Kremlin about Russias security.

Broader war unlikely

Although leaders of NATO countries have sought to sanction Putin and Russia over the invasion and have offered military assistance to Ukraine, President Biden has repeatedly emphasized that U.S. forces would not be deployed in Ukraine.

Our forces are not and will not be engaged in the conflict with Russia in Ukraine, Biden said Thursday at the White House.

Analysts and historians say the likelihood of U.S. forces engaging in combat with Russians is extremely low. That is because leaders of both countries understand the stakes involved in such a battle. Russia and the U.S. have robust nuclear arsenals, and their leaders realize any miscalculation could quickly spiral out of control, with dire consequences for their populations and humanity.

I cannot imagine any scenarios where we get into a war with Russia that are not fanciful, random, irresponsible speculation, said Simon Miles, a Cold War expert and assistant professor at Duke University. You couldnt put that toothpaste back in the tube. It would just have devastating consequences, such a conflict.

Article 5

The only way analysts can foresee a war between the U.S. and Russia would be if Putins forces attacked a NATO country. That could trigger Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which stipulates an attack on one member is an attack on all. That would mean committing troops to combat to help another NATO member. It has been invoked just one time  after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon.

For weeks, top U.S. and European officials have reaffirmed their commitment to Article 5, a signal to Moscow that attacking Ukraine is a much different proposition than trying to invade a NATO country.

Let me be clear: Americas commitment to Article 5 is ironclad, Vice President Kamala Harris said last week before the invasion. On Thursday, Biden issued the same pledge: There is no doubt  no doubt that the United States and every NATO ally will meet our Article 5 commitments, which says that an attack on one is an attack on all.

Experts say that Putin and Russian leaders surely got that message. He knows that if he orders an attack on a former Soviet satellite now in NATO (think: Romania and Poland), he would be inviting serious retaliation.

What about errant missiles, miscalculations?

Even so, analysts say, there are concerns about what might happen if an errant Russian airstrike or missile hits a NATO country, where the U.S. and its allies have been building up their forces in response to the Ukrainian invasion. They say such an incident could lead that nation to invoke Article 5.

Any move against a NATO country now will bring a far wider and more dangerous war, said Daniel Serwer, a conflict management expert at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington. NATO has beefed up its forces on Russias periphery, the opposite of what Putin wanted.

Foreign policy experts noted that Putin may also not be as careful as U.S. leaders. He could feel emboldened by his foray into Ukraine and attack vulnerable European countries that are not NATO members, which could put his forces in closer proximity to NATOs.

The Russian autocrat has complained about the small Baltic states joining the alliance, complicating his countrys access to the strategically important Baltic Sea. He might be tempted to invade those countries, believing NATOs other countries would not be willing to commit forces to defend them. Although U.S. intelligence assessments of Putins intentions in Ukraine were largely accurate, they have frequently failed to divine his motivations and anticipate his actions.

It all depends on how far Putin is willing to go, said Eddy Acevedo, a former official with the U.S. Agency for International Development who is now a senior foreign policy advisor to the Wilson Center, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington. So far, in predicting that, everyone has been off.

Timesstaff writer Del Quentin Wilber contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
U.S. chipmaker NVIDIA recently announced it is investigating a potential cyberattack after two days of outage.

According to the company, a malicious network intrusion may have caused the outages, compromising its internal email system and developer tools. While it is still unclear if any data were stolen or deleted, some of its email services were said to be back online on Friday, per Engadget.

NVIDIA's statement on the matter indicates it is still working to evaluate the nature and scope of the attack and that they don't have any additional information to share at the time of this article's publication, per the Telegraph. The company added that its business and commercial activities continue uninterrupted despite the attack and subsequent outages.

Attacked by Russians?

NVIDIA is one of America's most valuable chipmakers and is known for its GPUs that enahnces gaming experiences and advanced computer simulations, according to Reuters. It is also one of the companies that could be affected by a "highly" possible tech sanction on Russia, who is currently invding Ukraine.

In a recent CNBC news report, Abishur Prakash--co-founder of the Center for Innovating the Future--said in an email that the U.S. has a "full spectrum of options when it comes to technology sanctions." These include pushing the country's tech companies who have Russian funding or Russian board members to change their structure, submit a proposal to delist Russian firms from American stock markets, or implement a ban on the export of certain certain to Russia.

Read More: Facebook Security: 4 Steps to Follow to Lock FB Profile and Prevent Hacking, Manipulation

Prakash also said there is a "high likelihood" that the West will try and block access to semiconductor chips--something that is short supply due to the ongoing global shortage on it.

"Since the first round of sanctions targeted Russia's financial sectors, the next round[s] are likely to trarget Russia's military and economy - putting semiconductors in the crosshairs," Prakash added.

However, Engadget reported that the recent attack on NVIDIA can't be tied to Russia due to lack of evidence. This is despute concerns of cyberwarfare from Russia after the U.S. and other nations placed sanctions on the country that includes a moratorium on exporting semiconductors to the country.

How to Prevent Being Hacked

Whether it's Russia or a third-party who attacked NVIDIA, we won't know NVIDIA's data on its customers was stolen until either NVIDIA announces it or until the data is used to attack NVIDIA customers.

People can use websites such as Have I Been Pwned to know if cyberattackers have compromised their email address or phone numbers. Other similar sites, such as Avast's Hack Check, can be used to check if a user's password is already leaked.

People can also amp up their cybersecurity by keeping software and operating system updated, using and updating anti-virus software and strong passwords for online accounts, and never opening attachments in spam emails, per Kaspersky. The operators behind the popular anti-virus program also mentioned to not click links in spam emails or untrusted sites.

Related Article: Electron Bot Malware can Control Your Facebook Account! Here's How you Can Avoid It
WASHINGTON  Has Vladimir Putin lost touch with reality? Once widely viewed as a cunning, if ruthless, but ultimately rational actor, the Russian president is now isolated and increasingly paranoid, having launched a war in Ukraine that has alarmed even some of his closest advisers, says Catherine Belton, a former Moscow-based correspondent for the Financial Times, now with Reuters and the author of the widely praised book Putins People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took on the West.

In an interview with Yahoo Newss "Skullduggery" podcast, hours before Putin placed Russian nuclear forces on high alert, Belton explains why the battle for Ukraine could be the Russian presidents waterloo.

What follows is an edited transcript of Beltons conversation with Yahoo News chief investigative correspondent Michael Isikoff, Yahoo News editor in chief Daniel Klaidman, and Victoria Bassetti, a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice.

Michael Isikoff: So, extraordinary time, and extraordinary events going on. You have dug into Vladimir Putin's past, and also his cronies and the oligarchs. The United States and its Western allies are trying to deter Putin with imposing ever harsher sanctions. Just on Friday, the United States announced that they were going to sanction Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov directly. Is any of this having any impact or effect on the Kremlin?

Catherine Belton: I'm afraid it's not, clearly not, having too much impact on Putin's own calculus. And I guess the question is really: To what degree is he now just acting all by himself? Because I actually can't imagine for an instance that his decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine was supported by a majority of his own top officials. And you could see that on their faces when he held that Security Council meeting on Monday. You could see the fear in their eyes and that, really, they didn't want to be there. They all looked deeply uncomfortable.

And I think for many in Moscow, Putin's actions this week have come as a great shock. I think many were preparing for him to maybe, yes, recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk because already, since 2015, de facto they've been independent anyway. They were held by separatists backed by the Kremlin, and this was just making a de facto situation de jure.

And it would have allowed Putin to kind of walk out. Hes taken yet another little slice of Ukraine. He could continue to perhaps menace from the borders and threaten [Ukrainian president Volodymyr] Zelensky in an attempt to gain concessions from Zelensky and maybe from NATO on missile shields and so on. No one expected him to go this far, and you can see that in the reaction of the Russian stock market, for instance.  It lost half its value immediately after the invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Daniel Klaidman: So the fact that the people around him are so surprised suggests that Putin has changed in some fundamental way. That there's been some shift here. And people talk about him being increasingly isolated. Why do you think it happened?

Belton: I wish I knew the answer to it, and it's the answer that ... everyone's trying to scrabble around and guess at, including quite high-placed officials in Moscow who really don't understand what's changed. But we can only presume it's the last two years of the pandemic, where he has been increasingly isolated. And, as you say, he has become consumed by history and his place as the restorer of the Russian lands.

We always knew that he placed a very special emphasis on kind of restoring Russia's greatness and restoring its imperial past. We also know that, even from 1992, when he gave his first-ever interview as the deputy mayor of Saint Petersburg, that even then he was suggesting that Ukraine wasn't a real country. Even then he was blaming the Bolshevik revolutionaries, as he did in his speech on Monday, for creating an artificial republic.  He doesn't believe that Ukraine should exist. He believes it should be part of the Russian empire.

But we've seen him always before, no matter what he's done  we've always seen him act, perhaps wrongly and terribly, but always with a degree of cool rationality.  And it seems [that] has changed over the last two years. He's lost touch with reality. I mean, it really seems that he thought maybe the Ukrainians would just back down. Maybe he thought Zelensky was going to do the same. But it certainly seems he didn't expect such resistance, and he didn't expect, I think, such a strong response from the Western world, because Russia's economy is now going to be devastated and it's getting cut off from all the cultural ties. I mean, so many Russians are completely devastated by what's happened.

Victoria Bassetti: Do you think Ukraine is the end of his kind of, let's call it, descent into madness?

Belton: I guess we've got to hope so. And the signs are hopeful. I mean, the stronger resistance that Ukraine can put up, the stronger the resistance from the West, will hopefully mean that this is the end, that it is his waterloo, and it will lead to his toppling. We have to see how long can President Zelensky withstand the Russian forces. We have to see whether the U.S. and the rest of the Western allies will now escalate their response. Because at the moment, I think we're only seeing the beginning of the impact of the sanctions that were launched earlier this week. So the sanctions against [Moscow-run financial services company] Sberbank, against [Russian state bank] VTB, barring them from conducting any dollar transactions, they're pretty tough. Were already seeing signs of a run on the banks. But Russia's Central Bank has clearly made some quite strong interventions in the market to prop up the ruble and to keep things stable for now. But for quite how long it can continue to do so is another question.

I think if the U.S., as is being suggested, goes ahead and sanctions Russia's Central Bank, that's going to wipe out a huge chunk of Russia's hard currency reserves, and is potentially devastating. And you would have to hope that that would be a very, very strong deterrent against Putin ever considering going any further than what he has. But I've just been speaking to one Moscow businessman who's pretty well connected, and he says that's not possible. [Putin] can't back out now. He's crossed the Rubicon. He would completely lose face.

Bassetti: Putin still has cards in his hand, especially regarding some of the economic sanctions. He has the ability to counter-retaliate against the Western world. What are the odds that he's going to kind of engage in those strongly disruptive retaliatory actions regarding energy and the other mineral reserves that Russia and Ukraine have the power over?

Belton: I think, at the moment, Putin is scrambling a little bit. He hasn't decided himself how he's going to react because, again, I think he's facing much stiffer resistance from Ukraine than he expected and much stronger resistance from the West as well. So I think he wasn't expecting to face so much trouble. I think he didn't think that this was going to provoke such a strong response. I think that he had a kind of plan, perhaps that they might sort of be able to muddle through the Western sanctions. They've been creating their own alternative to SWIFT [Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication]. For instance, Russia had created its own system, and I was told that in response to the sanctioning, the barring of the biggest state banks, [they] weren't conducting any dollar transactions. The Russian Central Bank had been working on developing a program for correspondent accounts with the Chinese. But that appears not to be working because already there was news yesterday that some very big Chinese banks were refusing to carry out Russian dollar transactions, Russian dollar contracts, and they don't have the support from the Chinese that they expected.

So I think Putin is, you know, he's finding his way. We don't know what he's going to do. Unfortunately I'm not sure any of his closest officials are able to put up any resistance because we all, again, we all saw how fearful they were of him during that Security Council meeting, and I think they just have to blindly follow orders.  But yes, as you say, he does have some tricks up his sleeve. He could, for instance, sort of stop exports of titanium to the West, and Boeing is a big importer of Russian titanium. It needs it to build its aircraft. That could be one thing that he could do. I really doubt that he would cut off oil and gas supplies into Europe and the rest of the West because that would be kind of like cutting off his nose to spite his face.

People protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine outside of the White House. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

Isikoff: I have to say your description of that National Security Council meeting with Putin addressing it and his advisers being startled and unnerved by what he was saying is pretty scary, because it raises the prospect that we are dealing with an isolated megalomaniac in charge of a nuclear power running amok. And nobody able to stop him. I'm just wondering, you have reported for years on the people around Putin, the silovaki [Putins inner circle of powerful national security advisers]. Do you see any indication that any of those close Putin advisers are actually breaking from him or not on board with what he's trying to do here?

Belton: You know, I would doubt that Nikolai Patrushev, the head of the Security Council itself or [Alexander] Bortnikov, the head of the FSB, weren't on board with this plan. I think of any of his advisers they would be the ones. I guess it's Patrushev who's always been the leading ideologue of using capitalism as a tool to undermine the West to buy off and corrupt officials and so on. And he's certainly very much painted the West as a hostile enemy of Russia and something which is kind of debauched and decrepit, and its time to attack. But I think the rest would not. And I think you could see that also in the eyes of Sergey Naryshkin, his foreign intelligence chief, who Putin was very sharply reprimanding for not speaking clearly or kind of fluffing his lines about recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.

So I think there's a very close core of security officials who might support this, but right now the impact on the economy is so deep that I think even officials like Igor Sechin [the chief of the Russian energy giant Rosneft], who has made quite considerable personal fortune, is probably going to be wondering whether this is the right call.

Isikoff: I have to say, one quick question. We were talking about Bortnikov before. I noticed the other day that the [U.S.] Treasury Department, among its sanctions were actually targeting one of his children...

Belton: Yes.

Isikoff: ...in the West. And I saw that as the first step for a roll out of additional sanctions going after Putin's kids  his daughters, in particular, who are supposed to have bank accounts in Latvia and other financial institutions outside of Russia. The U.S. sanctioned Putin, but Putin doesn't have any known assets in the West that could be seized. Why aren't they going after his kids?

Belton: I think that would be obviously a very good next step, possibly. I think that's something that would really hurt Putin. I think he is always resisted any kind of public mentioning of his children, his family. He's always tried to shield them from public view, and it's something that he's very, very sensitive about.

Klaidman: But that could that be a bridge too far? I mean, could that provoke him in ways that maybe would not be in our interests, kind of poking the bear?

Belton: It is like poking the bear, yeah.

Klaidman: I wanted to ask you about Putin's rhetoric, which has seemed fairly over the top recently. And one line in particular jumped out at me  when he referred to the Zelensky government as a band of drug addicts and neo-Nazis. Are these the ravings of a mad man? Or is there method to this kind of rhetoric? What's he up to here with that kind of language?

Belton: You know, I'm at the stage where I don't know whether he really, truly believes his own Kool-Aid about this. We know that they used this rhetoric before in 2014, and when they launched the proxy war for Donetsk and Luhansk through sending the Kremlin-backed separatists in, to covertly help destroy and take over those republics. So back then there was a lot of rhetoric coming out of the Russian Foreign Ministry about the need to defeat these neo-Nazis who were committing atrocities. There was a huge fire in Odessa which was blamed on these neo-Nazi groups. So we've seen this before.

But again, it really stretches belief that Putin can somehow be convinced of this, because we all know Zelensky is Jewish. So how can the country be being run by a bunch of neo-Nazis? And how can he even begin to believe that is beyond me.

Volunteers from the Territorial Defense Units gather in an outpost to collect weapons, train and get their assignments in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

Bassetti: I want to circle back to something that you said in answer to one of our earlier questions about the sanctions. And that is the way the Chinese are treating Russian bank efforts to conduct transactions in U.S. dollars. In [Friday nights] U.N. Security Council vote, three countries abstained. China, India and UAE. Are they possible intermediaries? Is there any chance that we get out of this through the work of countries like China, India and the UAE?

Belton: I'm not sure Putin would respect anyone from India or the UAE, unfortunately. I think he has paid quite close adherence to President Xi. It was very clear to see that he did not take any military action in Ukraine while China was hosting the Winter Olympics. And there have been reports previously that he'd been specifically requested by President Xi to do that. But whether the West can rely on President Xi to broker any type of deal with Putin is another question.  From what I can see from the Chinese response, I don't think they're embracing this or wholeheartedly supporting it in any way. The Chinese are very subtle, and they don't like these huge destabilizations, these kinds of massive rocking of the global security architecture that we're seeing now.

Isikoff: As you look at the historical arc of this crisis, from 2014, the annexation of Crimea, little green men, the U.S. and West impose sanctions. Business goes on. In 2016, Putin launches this blatant intervention in the American presidential election; the U.S. imposes sanctions, kicks out diplomats. Business goes on. To today, with this invasion. Were there things the United States, the U.K., the West could have, should have, done that would have stopped us from getting to this point, or was it inevitable?

Belton: (laughs) That's the gazillion-dollar question. I think everyone always wanted to hope for the best. And yes, there were many apologists for Putin's behavior over Crimea, and the hybrid war in Donetsk and Luhansk. There were many apologists over the interference in the U.S. election. Not in the least Donald Trump himself. I think probably Putin was banking on a very weak and divided West that he'd been seeing. He thought he'd made great inroads into Western society. We all know that Gerhard Schroder, the former German chancellor, has salaries now from his positions on three state Russian [firms].

Isikoff: Pretty lucrative salaries if I recall correctly.

Belton: Yeah. And there's been sort of widespread, within German society, acceptance and a real willingness to try and understand [Putins] actions. You can, of course, paint a convincing argument for why Putin should feel a grievance over NATO's continued eastward expansion. I think, in particular, we should perhaps view with understanding his grievance over the anti-missile defense shields that are being placed very, very close to his borders. There's a new one that's just opened up in Poland, for instance, which is only a hundred miles from the Russian border.  The U.S. has always claimed that these defense shields are aimed at missiles from Iran and elsewhere, but they're certainly very, very close to Russia, and they could knock out any strike capacity of Russia.

So I think there has been a really mixed bag from the Western reaction. There's been a lot of acquiescence and apologists for previous actions, but there's also been a certain arrogance and disdain for Putin and for Russia  that it's seen as a weak economic basket case. I think there was this blindness that Russia could ever pose a security threat to the West. And there was just this arrogance. No one ever listened to his particular grievance over the missile defense shields.

Klaidman: You talk about Putin's grievances. We interviewed you before on this podcast about a formative time very early in his career as a KGB agent, when he was in Dresden when the Berlin Wall fell, and there was a mob outside. He asks some Soviet unit for help and the word comes back, Moscow is silent. And that was devastating to him. Kind of a "Rosebud" moment.

Belton: Yeah. I think it's clear this had a tremendous impact on him that has stayed with him forever afterwards. I mean, his description of it in his first interview about this in 2000  months before he was elected president  it was so graphic. It was so vivid.  He described how he's calling the nearby Soviet military base asking for backup against the protesters surrounding his villa. They said we can't do anything without Moscow's say-so. And Moscow is silent. And he basically said, it was as if we'd given up our position in Europe.

Isikoff: Well, Catherine, I want to thank you, once again, for your keen insights into the enigma of Vladimir Putin. And I should tell all our listeners once again if they want to try to understand Vladimir Putin and his mentality, they can't do better than reading Catherine's book, "Putin's People." Thanks for joining us.

Belton: Thank you so much for having me on.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin's order to put Russian nuclear forces on high alert is part of a pattern of Moscow manufacturing threats to justify aggression, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Sunday.

"We've seen him do this time and time again. At no point has Russia been under threat from NATO, has Russia been under threat from Ukraine," Psaki said on ABC's "This Week" program.

"This is all a pattern from President Putin and we're going to stand up to it. We have the ability to defend ourselves, but we also need to call out what we're seeing here from President Putin," Psaki added.

The United States is open to providing additional assistance to Ukraine, Psaki said. Washington also has not taken sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector off the table, Psaki added.

"We have not taken those off, but we also want to do that and make sure we're minimizing the impact on the global marketplace and do it in a united way," Psaki said.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Will Dunham)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  In a dramatic escalation of East-West tensions over Russias invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday in response to what he called aggressive statements by leading NATO powers.

The directive to put Russias nuclear weapons in an increased state of readiness for launch raised fears that the crisis could boil over into nuclear warfare, whether by design or mistake.

Putin's step is potentially putting in play forces that, if theres a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Amid the mounting tensions, Ukraine announced that a delegation would meet with Russian officials for talks. But the Kremlins ultimate aims in Ukraine  and what steps might be enough to satisfy Moscow  remained unclear.

The fast-moving developments came as Russian troops drew closer to Kyiv, a city of almost 3 million, street fighting broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, and strategic ports in the country's south came under pressure from the invading forces. Ukrainian defenders put up stiff resistance that appeared to slow the invasion.

Putin, in giving the nuclear alert directive, cited not only statements by NATO members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, including the Russian leader himself.

Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Putin told his defense minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put nuclear forces in a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said in televised comments.

U.S. defense officials would not disclose their current nuclear posture, except to say that the military is prepared all times to defend its homeland and allies.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Putin is resorting to a pattern he used in the weeks before launching the invasion, which is to manufacture threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggression. She told ABC's This Week that Russia has not been under threat from NATO or Ukraine.

We have the ability to defend ourselves, but we also need to call out what were seeing here," Psaki said.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN, in reaction to Russia's nuclear alert: "This is dangerous rhetoric. This is a behavior which is irresponsible."

The practical meaning of Putins order was not immediately clear. Russia and the United States typically have land- and submarine-based nuclear forces on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.

If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile submarines to sea, then the United States might feel compelled to respond in kind, said Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists. That would mark a worrisome escalation, he said.

Max Bergmann, a former State Department official, called Putin's talk predictable but dangerous saber rattling. Things could spiral out of control," said Bergmann, now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

Around the same time as Putin's nuclear move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said on the Telegram messaging app that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border. The message did not give a precise time for the meeting.

Ukrainian officials initially rejected the holding of talks in Belarus, saying any discussions should take place elsewhere, since Belarus has allowed its territory to be used by Russian troops as a staging ground for the invasion.

Earlier Sunday, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Authorities warned that anyone venturing out with a pass would be considered a Russian saboteur.

Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

The past night was tough  more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy said.

Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance from Ukrainian forces. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to defend their country, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraine is also releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, authorities said.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the country's coastline. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraines access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It could also allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge.

Ukrainian military deputy commander Lt. Gen. Yevhen Moisiuk sounded a defiant note in a message aimed at Russian troops.

Unload your weapons, raise your hands so that our servicemen and civilians can understand that you have heard us. This is your ticket home, Moisiuk said in a Facebook video.

The number of casualties from Europe's largest land conflict since World War II remained unclear amid the fog of combat. While the fighting in Ukraine so far has not compared to the bloodshed of World War II, Russia has a long history in Chechnya and Syria of using indiscriminate urban bombing to crush resistance.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

The U.N. refugee agency said Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees.

The West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

Over the weekend, the U.S. pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons.

The U.S., European Union and Britain also agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the country's borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraines ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine is gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court.

___

Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns and Hope Yen in Washington; Francesca Ebel, Josef Federman and Andrew Drake in Kyiv; Mstyslav Chernov and Nic Dumitrache in Mariupol, Ukraine; and other AP journalists from around the world contributed to this report.

__

Follow the APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military facility as two cars burn in a street in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday. (Emilio Morenatti / Associated Press)

With Western powers preparing to fast-track arms shipments to Ukraine and initiate a no-holds-barred push to punish Moscow both diplomatically and financially, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed on Sunday to negotiations with Russia "without preconditions."

The prospect of talks dangled  however improbably  the hope of a resolution of the colossal crisis, heightened further Sunday when President Vladimir Putin of Russia placed his nuclear forces on high alert even as his invading troops bore down on Kyiv and continued their thrusts toward a number of cities across Ukraine.

On Monday morning, a Ukrainian delegation arrived at the border with Belarus, near the Pripyat River, to meet with its Russian counterparts.

On Sunday, an aide to Putin and the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, had set a 3 p.m. deadline for Ukraine to join negotiations, saying that rejecting the proposal would put "all responsibility for the bloodshed" on the Ukrainian side, according to a report from Russian state news outlet RIA. Confirmation of the Ukrainians' participation was received moments before the deadline ran out, Medinsky later said.

"For our part, we guarantee 100% safety of the route, passage, and we will wait at this place for a delegation of the Ukrainian administration."

Zelensky had rejected an earlier call for negotiations in Belarus, saying that holding talks there  as per Moscows demand  was untenable when Belarusian territory was being used as a staging ground for the unprovoked Russian invasion. "Of course, we want peace, we want to meet, we want for the war to end, Zelensky said earlier. Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku  we have suggested all that to Russia.

The backdrop to negotiations is a furious international response against Russia's campaign  which Moscow insists on calling a "special military operation"  but which has been widely condemned as an unjustified invasion  that continued to spiral on Sunday.

The U.N. Security Council voted for the General Assembly, comprising the U.N.'s 193 member states, to convene in a rare emergency session on Monday morning to discuss Russia's invasion.

The vote  which had three abstentions from China, India and the United Arab Emirates, Russia opposed and 11 in support  is procedural, meaning that Russia could not veto its passing. It has been employed rarely, but is meant to be used when the five permanent members of the Security Council cannot come to unanimous agreement.

The meeting grants all member states the opportunity to comment on the Russian offensive. It followed an unprecedented move by the European Union to "finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack," said European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen in a televised address.

"This is a watershed moment," she said. Standing beside her, the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, doubled down on her words.

Another taboo has fallen, he said. The taboo that the EU was not providing arms in a war, yes, we are doing it. ... This war requires our engagement in order to support the Ukrainian army.

The EU said it would provide almost $600 million in lethal arms and nonlethal supplies. Canada also said it would send tens of millions of dollars in helmets, night-vision gear and body armor to Kyiv.

"And let me be clear," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly according to media reports. "We will send more."

Putin, meanwhile, pushed tensions even higher when he ordered the Russian army's nuclear deterrence forces on combat alert. Putin said he was giving the order because "top officials in NATO's leading countries have been making aggressive statements against our country," according to a report from Russian state news agency Tass.

A senior U.S. Defense official, responding to those reports on Sunday morning, said: We have no reason to doubt the validity of this order. But how it manifested itself, I dont think is completely clear yet.

We believe," the official added, "that this is not only an unnecessary step for [Putin] to take, but an escalatory one  unnecessary because Russia has never been under threat by the West or by NATO [the North Atlantic Treaty Organization], and certainly wasnt under any threat by Ukraine, and escalatory because its clearly potentially putting at play forces that if theres a miscalculation could make things much, much more dangerous.

Still, word of pending negotiations gives a glimmer of hope of a cessation of hostilities even as the fourth day of fighting brought fierce battles on the streets of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. There were also reports that Russian missiles struck a gas pipeline.

"The Russian enemys light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre, regional Gov. Oleh Sinegubov said in a Facebook post. Ukraines armed forces are destroying the enemy. We ask civilians not to go out to the streets.

Kharkiv is about 24 miles from Ukraines northern frontier with Russia, making it an essential target for an incursion. But combat in tight urban settings  the city has a population of approximately 1.4 million  is likely to result in a high number of casualties.

On Saturday, an artillery round hit a nine-story residential building in the city. One person was killed and 80 were rescued. As of Saturday afternoon, there were 240 civilian casualties, including 64 dead, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Ukraine's Interior Ministry said Sunday that 352 were killed since the invasion began, 14 of them children.

The violence has forced an exodus of some 368,000 people to neighboring European countries, the United Nations' refugee agency said Sunday, more than double the figure mentioned earlier in the weekend. Governments estimate the war could cause as many as 5 million Ukrainians to flee.

There was also significant damage to infrastructure across the nation. Outside Kyiv, Russian bombardment hit an oil depot in the town of Vasylkiv, some 20 miles to the southwest. Video posted by Ukraines State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection showed a ferocious blaze and a large plume of smoke rising into the night sky above the depot.

"The enemy wants to destroy everything," Vasylkiv Mayor Natalia Balasinovich said in a Facebook post.

Russia's invading forces have also suffered losses. Though yet to have deployed en masse in cities, the Russian military has faced stiff resistance from Ukrainian troops and from residents armed with rifles and homemade bombs who are furious that a people they once considered brothers are now seeking to overrun their homeland. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, acknowledged for the first time Sunday that there were dead and wounded among Russian servicemen.

He added during a news briefing that since the start of the operation, 1,067 military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine had been struck and that the Russian army had recorded and identified Ukrainian leaders involved in the "abuse of our comrades."

"All of you will be found and will inevitably bear severe responsibility," he said.

Earlier, he said the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk in Ukraine "were completely blocked" by Russian forces. The information could not be verified.

In Kyiv, a capital of roughly 3 million, residents hunkered down and waited for the negotiations as Russian troops encircled the city. With the mayor having declared a curfew until Monday morning, only the booms of explosions and the crackle of gunfire broke the silence.

The pending negotiations may offer an offramp for a Russian president facing an increasingly punitive resistance against him, internationally but also in Ukraine.

However, the tone of Konashenkov's remarks implied that, should negotiations fail, Putin may be prepared to inflict a higher death toll.

As well, Ramzan Kadyrov, a top Putin ally who heads Russia's Chechnya region, said Sunday that Russian forces had so far been "coddling" their Ukrainian adversaries.

"The time has come to make a concrete decision and start a large-scale operation in all directions and on the territory of Ukraine," he said.

"In my understanding, the chosen tactics in Ukraine are too slow. It takes a long time and, in my opinion, is not effective."

As residents of Kyiv and elsewhere waited to see whether negotiations will prove fruitful or if a no-holds-barred onslaught will turn their cities into battlegrounds, the EU, U.S. and others continued to seek to punish Russia as a means of attempting to convince Putin to end the incursion.

In addition to earlier sanctions, the European Union on Sunday banned all Russian-owned, Russian-registered or Russian-controlled aircraft from its airspace, said European Commission head Von der Leyen in a televised address. Previously, many individual governments had announced such prohibitions. The move means that planes cannot land, take off or even fly over European nations, forcing them to take different routes to reach their destinations.

Von der Leyen also struck out at Russia Today and Sputnik, two state-sponsored outlets that broadcast in Europe as well as on social media channels such as YouTube.

"We are developing tools to ban that toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe," Von der Leyen said.

Even the International Judo Federation took a stand, suspending Putins status as honorary president and ambassador for the group in light of the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine. That followed other steps that have in effect sidelined Russia as a sporting destination and competitor, including the cancellation of the Formula 1 Grand Prix slated to be held in the city of Sochi in September, and Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic refusing to play Russia in soccer World Cup playoffs.

On Saturday, the Biden administration joined a raft of European allies in agreeing to disconnect a number of Russian banks from SWIFT, the messaging system used by financial institutions for facilitating transactions worldwide.

In a statement provided by Tass, the Russian central bank countered that it has the necessary resources and tools to maintain financial stability and ensure the operational continuity of the financial sector.

"All customer funds on the accounts are saved and available at any time. Banking services are provided as usual. Bank cards of all banks in Russia also continue to work normally.

Times staff writer Sarah Wire in Washington contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former Los Angeles City Council member Joel Wachs is seen at his apartment in Manhattan, New York City. Wachs' early political career is portrayed in the Paul Thomas Anderson film "Licorice Pizza." (Jesse Dittmar/For The Times)

As president of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Joel Wachs often receives messages regarding the licensing of the iconic pop artists name and image. So when director Paul Thomas Anderson reached out, Wachs assumed Warhol was being featured in a new movie.

No, no. Its you I want to talk to, Wachs recalls Anderson telling him during a subsequent phone call. Its your name I want to use.

Wachs has lived in Manhattan since 2001, but he spent three decades as the City Council member for the same Los Angeles district where Anderson was born and raised. In writing Licorice Pizza, a rapturously told coming-of-age tale set in the San Fernando Valley of the early 1970s, the filmmaker incorporated many of his memories of growing up in Studio City, from beloved Valley landmarks like Tail o the Cock and Papoos Hot Dog Show, to the local politician whom Andersons parents championed and voted for  and whose office he walked past every morning and afternoon, to and from school.

Anderson told Wachs that if he was uncomfortable being identified in the movie, the character could be renamed. Of course, the director was hoping Wachs would say yes. It mattered to me," Anderson says in an email interview with The Times. "Hes an indispensable part of Valley history.

Joel Wachs, left, with then Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan in Jan. 2001. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Anderson got the go-ahead, but only after Wachs read the script for Licorice Pizza and got to the part most relevant to him: In it, 20-something protagonist Alana Kane (played by Alana Haim) is searching for direction in her life and decides to campaign for an earnest, young and closeted gay city councilman who is running for mayor.

I thought, Theres only really one human being who was a city councilman in the San Fernando Valley in [the '70s] who was running for mayor,'" Wachs says. "Anyone who wanted to find out could easily identify it as me. So I thought, Why not?

Unlike Anderson, Wachs wasnt native to the Valley ZIP Code. He was born in Scranton, Pa. When he was 10, his father moved the family to the Vermont Knolls neighborhood in South L.A. and opened a string of womens ready-to-wear clothing stores. During this period, Wachs went to high school with future Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti and got involved in student government. "He was the A-12 class president and I was a B-10 senator," Garcetti says. "So thats how I got to know him. ... He had he gift of gab."

Wachs journey to the Valley began after he collected a law degree from Harvard and landed a job at a downtown Los Angeles firm as a tax lawyer. In 1971, living in a rented apartment above the Sunset Strip  which, like portions of the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica mountains, fell into District 2  Wachs aimed his sights on a Los Angeles City Council seat.

Wachs campaign was a family affair: His mother ran his base of operations while his father stumped for him by standing in front of Gelsons and Ralphs supermarkets holding a sign that said, Vote for My Son, Joel. Wachs took a hiatus from work and spent five months knocking on doors throughout the Valley, seven days a week. When he won the election, he was 32, the youngest member of the 15-member body. He decided it was time to move over the hill to the Valley.





Joel Wachs with Mayor Tom Bradley after a law the council member authored to protect the civil and human rights of AIDS victims was signed into law on Aug. 16, 1985. (Con Keyes / Los Angeles Times)

Wachs says Anderson was open to receiving notes on the script for Licorice Pizza. Some he took, some he didnt, says Wachs, adding that, by and large, the big-screen Joel Wachs portrayed by Benny Safdie was remarkably similar to the real-life '70s era Joel Wachs. This, he learned, was due to the fact that Anderson was close friends with film and television producer Gary Goetzman, the character upon which Licorice Pizza's" leading man Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) is based. Goetzman was in his teens when he energetically burst into Wachs life. We were looking for as many volunteers as we could get and he had all these great ideas and he wanted to make a commercial with me, says Wachs. I said, We dont have any money. He said, Ill take care of it all.

Of course, theres a scene in Licorice Pizza documenting the filming of the TV commercial. How could there not be? Theres something inherently funny about a new politician putting his public image into the hands of a nervy adolescent. Set in the Santa Monica mountains, the scene features Joel Wachs delivering anti-developer promises as Gary Valentine films and Alana Kane directs. According to Anderson, this moment was flagged by Wachs as erroneous  he told Anderson that Goetzman also directed. I had to correct him, and say, No, believe it or not, it was Jonathan Demme, Anderson says in an email, referring to the Oscar-winning "Silence of the Lambs" director who had yet to make a feature at that stage of his career.

Wachs had other notes for Anderson. Im not disorganized, Wachs told him in reference to an exchange of dialogue where the candidate admits to Alana that hes absent-minded. There was also the matter of the secret boyfriend who feels attention-starved. According to Anderson, First off, he said it was completely implausible to be a city councilman and run for mayor and have a boyfriend at the same time! The moment Wachs saw that there was a love interest in the film for him, he wrote in the margin of the screenplay, Yeah, right!

Wachs knows that Licorice Pizza isnt a biodoc about him. Speaking by Zoom from his elegantly appointed, white-walled Manhattan apartment, Wachs, who came out publicly in 1999 at age 60, still feels compelled to explain why, as a public figure back then, he felt he had to keep his true self hidden. The suppression was enormous, he says. I knew a lot of gay people in the industry  the most well-known ones like Rock Hudson, but many lesser-known people as well. Everyone in those days, people were hiding, because the consequences of coming out would be so great. So much has changed since then, for the good. I'm actually glad that [Anderson] did use my name, because now we can have these discussions.

Still, a guys got to have a life. Wachs and his friends would meet for dinner at restaurants like West Hollywoods the Carriage Trade, where one could sneak in unseen through a side alley. Or  his favorite  the Golden Bull steakhouse in Santa Monica Canyon. His fear of people putting two and two together in certain public spaces, however, didnt stop him from patronizing Oil Can Harrys, the venerable gay nightclub on Ventura Boulevard. His cover, he rationalized, was that he was a public servant.

Id say, This is a business in my district, says Wachs, with a light shrug. I have to see what its like and support it.

Back in the early '70s, when Wachs was door-knocking and getting to know his constituents, he noticed that an alarming number of people seemed to be at home in the middle of the afternoon. It didnt take long for Wachs, who is chatty, to find out that he was meeting grips, set designers and stagehands, out of work during a time when Hollywood was backing away from big-budget epics. Most of them were struggling to make ends meet. He made it one of his missions to help find federal and local resources for unemployed industry workers as well as people in the arts.

Not only do I love the arts personally, but its important to the city, says Wachs. Creativity is one of the main resources in Los Angeles.

Former Los Angeles City Council member Joel Wachs in his art-filled Manhattan apartment. (Jesse Dittmar/For The Times)

On the wall just behind Wachs hangs a piece by Betye Saar, the famed Los Angeles printmaker and assemblage artist. Since the mid-'70s, Wachs has devoted a quarter of his paycheck to buying art. He has donated 100 works to MOCA and he estimates that 75 have been given to the Hammer Museum. If, God forbid, a big red bus comes by, says Wachs, MOCA gets all the paintings and sculpture and the Hammer gets all the works on paper and drawings.

Most of his major collection is stored in Los Angeles. But despite having lived in Manhattan for 20-plus years, there are things about the Valley that make Wachs voice fill with longing.

I still miss the Smoke House, he says of the throwback red-booth restaurant across from Warner Bros studios. Oh my God, I want their garlic bread. It was so good.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Pressure is growing on the Irish Government to expel the Russian ambassador, as protests continued in Dublin against the invasion of Ukraine.

On Saturday afternoon, dozens of protesters once again gathered outside the Russian Embassy in south Dublin to call on Russia to end the attacks on Ukraine.

Labour TD Ivana Bacik and Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher were among the crowd.

  Russian ambassador with his coterie of friends and advisers in Dublin should pack up and go.   #WeStandWithUkraine. https://t.co/dpci6ksSCD  Charlie Flanagan (@CharlieFlanagan) February 26, 2022

It comes amid growing calls for the Russian Ambassador to be expelled from Ireland.

Members of the governing coalition parties joined in calls from Sinn Fein and other opposition parties to have Yury Filatov removed from the country.

By 8pm on Saturday, 39 Fianna Fail TDs, senators and MEPs had signed a petition calling on Mr Filatov to be expelled.

The list included TDs Jim OCallaghan and Dara Calleary, as well as senators Lisa Chambers and Fiona OLoughlin.

Earlier, the chair of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and senior Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan, had also tweeted a call for the ambassador to be forced to leave Ireland.

Growing pressure on the Government to expel the Russian Ambassador  heres the latest version of the petition signed by Fianna Fail TDs and senators pic.twitter.com/V1FcUwH1sd  Dominic McGrath (@McGrathDominic) February 26, 2022

A protest was also held in Dublin city centre on Saturday, as crowds gathered on OConnell Street to oppose the Russian action in Ukraine.

Late on Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs told Irish citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia.

In an update to travel guidance, the Department said: Due to the ongoing disruption to flight services to and from Russia, the Department of Foreign Affairs is advising citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia at this time.

 Important updated  travel advice for Russia.  https://t.co/al7JQpRwOp  Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) February 26, 2022

Further flight cancellations and uncertainty on travel routes from Russia are expected in the coming days.

Citizens with plans to depart from Russia should consult closely with their airline and/or travel agent, and consider booking flights sooner than planned, in case of widening disruptions in the coming period.

It is not possible to predict which routes to and from Russia will still be viable in the coming days and weeks, and therefore we advise citizens to stay in close contact with their airline or travel agent.
Vladimir Putin has put Russias strategic nuclear deterrent forces on high alert, dramatically ratcheting up the tensions in his stand-off with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.

The United States immediately denounced the latest escalation by the Russian president as completely unacceptable.

Britains Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had earlier warned any use by Russia of its tactical battlefield nuclear weapons against Ukrainian forces would represent an extremely serious escalation of the conflict.

Russian television footage showed Mr Putin meeting with his defence minister and the chief of the general staff, and instructing them to put the nuclear deterrent on a special regime of combat duty.

He cited aggressive statements coming from Western powers and hard-hitting economic sanctions, which include the exclusion of Russian banks from the Swift global payments system, as reasons for the action.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading Nato members made aggressive statements regarding our country, he said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki accused Mr Putin of resorting to the tactics he used running up to invasion, which is to manufacture threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggression.

(PA Graphics)

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg also condemned the move, saying: This is dangerous rhetoric.

This is a behaviour which is irresponsible.

Dr Patricia Lewis, director international security programme at the Chatham House, international affairs think tank said Mr Putin was testing the West.

This not deterrence on Putins part, this is a threat.

Russian officials have long thought that Nato countries are so frightened by Russian nuclear forces that they would never do anything to counter Russia.

Now hes testing that out.

The moves came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he had agreed to talks without preconditions with a Russian delegation on the Ukraine-Belarus border, although he held out little hope of serious progress.

What is happening now in Ukraine is a real peoples war. We will not fall. We will not stop or get tired. We are determined to fight back fiercely as long as it is needed to defend our land and our people.  Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022

The Ukrainian leader had earlier rejected an offer of talks in Belarus, saying the Russian ally had been a launchpad for the invasion of his country.

Meanwhile the European Union announced a fresh round of sanctions banning Russian aircraft from the EU airspace and barring the Kremlin-backed media, RT and Sputnik.

In a round of Sunday morning broadcast interviews, Ms Truss said Mr Putin may be prepared to resort to the most unsavoury means to suppress Ukraine.

Her warning came after the Commons Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood said that in the worst-case scenario Mr Putin could deploy low yield tactical nuclear weapons if his forces failed to make a breakthrough.

With the Russian advance on the capital, Kyiv, apparently bogged down in the face of fierce Ukrainian resistance, Ms Truss said the survival of Mr Putins regime could now be at stake if his invasion plan failed.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on Ukraine pic.twitter.com/xEssfe1crQ  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) February 27, 2022

This could well be the beginning of the end for Putin.

I fear that he is prepared to use the most unsavoury means in this war, she told Sky Newss Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme.

Asked about Russias arsenal of chemical and tactical nuclear weapons, she said: I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons. I think it would be hugely devastating.

We need to avoid this at all costs.

Speaking later on the BBCs Sunday morning programme, she said that senior Russian officials could be tried for war crimes if they do go into that arena.

This would be extremely serious escalation of the situation, she said.

(PA Graphics)

The International Criminal Court has already said they are looking at what is happening in Ukraine and if I was a senior Russian official, or indeed the president, I would be very wary of taking further steps.

Western officials have previously raised the prospect that the Russians could use thermobaric vacuum bombs which suck in oxygen to create a devastating, high temperature blast.

Following the co-ordinated announcement by the UK, US, EU and Canada late on Saturday that some Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system, Ms Truss said it was vital to maintain pressure on Moscow with more economic sanctions.

She said the Government would bring forward its planned Economic Crime Bill this week and was drawing up a hit list of Russian oligarchs who would be targeted with travel bans and asset freezes in the coming weeks.

We have taken decisive action tonight with our international partners to shut Russia out of the global financial system, including the important first step of ejecting Russian banks from SWIFT. We will keep working together to ensure Putin pays the price for his aggression.  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 26, 2022

Every few weeks we will sanction new oligarchs, the Foreign Secretary told Sky News.

We will be targeting oligarchs private jets, we will be targeting their properties, we will be targeting other possessions that they have and there will be nowhere to hide.

Ms Truss acknowledged there would be an economic cost to pay but said it was essential that Mr Putin was stopped to avert future wars in Europe.

If we dont stop Putin in Ukraine we are going to see others under threat, the Baltics, Poland, Moldova, and it could end up in a conflict with Nato, she said.

Yes, there will be an economic cost here in Britain, there will be a cost in terms of access to oil and gas markets.

I firmly believe that the British public understand the price we will pay if we dont stand up to Putin now.
Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union have announced that selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system.

Boris Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky both welcomed the increased willingness to take action against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

Here, the PA news agency answers key questions about Swift and why the issue is so important.

The Prime Minister had pushed for the move (Ben Birchall/PA)

 What is Swift?

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift) is a secure messaging system used by financial institutions to move money around the world.

Instead of holding or transferring funds, Swift allows banks and companies to alert each other of transactions that are about to take place.

 Who uses it?

The platform, founded in the 1970s, connects more than 11,000 banking and securities organisations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories.

It averaged 42 million messages daily last year to enable payments, with about half of all high-value transactions crossing national borders going through it.

We have taken decisive action tonight with our international partners to shut Russia out of the global financial system, including the important first step of ejecting Russian banks from SWIFT. We will keep working together to ensure Putin pays the price for his aggression.  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 26, 2022

 Why is it being mentioned following Russias invasion of Ukraine?

It is the latest announcement following a number of sanctions that have hit Russia.

The Prime Minister told broadcasters during a visit to RAF Brize Norton: It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime.

The move has been described by Armed forces minister James Heappey as the ultimate economic sanction.

 Why does the UK want Russia to be excluded?

Banning Russian banks from the platform would hit the countrys access to financial markets across the world.

The move would hit Russias access to financial markets (Jonathan Brady/PA)

This would cause delays and extra costs for the Russian economy, and would make it harder for other countries to make payments to Russia.

 Why has this only been announced?

Russia is the European Unions main provider of oil and natural gas

Reports suggested there were fears among countries  including Germany, Italy and France  that banning Russia would push up prices and cut off their oil and gas supply.

The Netherlands and Germany are also key trading partners with Russia, which is a big buyer of manufactured goods.

US President Joe Biden has also been hesitant.

Gas supplies could be hit (Lauren Hurley/PA)

 What could Russia do?

It is possible banning Russia from Swift will not cut it off from the global economy as strongly as believed.

One concern is that Russia could turn to an alternative system, potentially one developed by China, which could erode the power of the US dollar.

They could even turn to tools like telephone, telex or email to engage in bank-to-bank transactions.

In 2019, then-Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said losing access to Swift would be seen as a declaration of war against the country.

 Have any other countries been excluded and what happened?

The measure has been used before, when Iran was blocked from the system due to its nuclear programme in 2012.

The country reportedly lost half of its oil export revenues and 30% of its foreign trade.

It was also considered an option in 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed Ukraines Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern areas of the country.
The United States and its allies announced an agreement on Saturday to take aim at Russia through SWIFT, a service that facilitates global transactions among thousands of financial institutions.

"We commit to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States said in a joint statement.

In a written statement, SWIFT said it was aware of the joint statement on the new measures.

"We are engaging with European authorities to understand the details of the entities that will be subject to the new measures and we are preparing to comply upon legal instruction," the statement said.

President Joe Biden on Thursday, when announcing new U.S. sanctions against Russia, noted differences among European nations on punishing Russia through SWIFT. Doing so is always an option, Biden said. But right now, thats not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take.

A European diplomat said one reason for the administrations previous reluctance to push publicly for targeting Russias access to SWIFT largely centered on concerns that doing so would expose and call attention to divisions among the allies about taking that step. The diplomat said the Biden administration had been trying to sell the notion that the U.S. and European allies were in total lockstep and had not wanted to get ahead of where the Europeans were on SWIFT.

Germany and Italy had been reluctant to include SWIFT as part of sanctions against Russia. Europes economy, which is far more closely tied to Russias than the U.S. economy, could suffer if Russia was restricted or prohibited from using SWIFT, including if banks are blocked from access.

But the mood on this in Europe has been shifting as Russias aggression has escalated.

On Saturday, Germanys government indicated publicly it might support restricting or limiting Russias access to SWIFT in a targeted way, short of a total removal.

"As Russian forces unleash their assault on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, we are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies," the leaders said in the joint statement announcing the SWIFT move Saturday evening.

The statement also detailed additional economic penalties that the nations would collectively impose, including restrictions intended to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in an effort to blunt the impact of it sanctions.

In addition, the leaders said actions would be taken "against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine and the harmful activities of the Russian government.

"Specifically, we commit to taking measures to limit the sale of citizenshipso called golden passportsthat let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems," the statement said.

There are programs in the U.S. and the European Union that grant citizenship to foreigners who make investments of a certain amount in that nation. Governments contend that the granting of passports helps the local economy by bringing in investment, but the programs have often been criticized as a way for wealthy people to buy citizenship.

In the U.S., these investor visa programs include the EB-5 and E-2 programs.

Several E.U. nations, such as Malta and Bulgaria, have previously been accused of giving "golden passports" to oligarchs, and there have been efforts in the E.U. to ban the practice.
Chinese, Russian presidents hold phone conversation

Xinhua) 09:26, February 27, 2022

Photo taken on Feb. 12, 2022 shows the cityscape of Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Friday held a phone conversation.

During the phone conversation, Xi thanked Putin again for coming to China to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, and congratulated the Russian athletes on finishing second in the Winter Olympics medal table.

Putin extended warm congratulations to all the Chinese people for the complete success of the Beijing Winter Olympics and for the outstanding performance of the Chinese delegation.

Fireworks illuminate the night sky during the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)

The two sides mainly exchanged views on the current Ukrainian situation.

Putin introduced the historical context of the Ukraine issue as well as Russia's special military operation in eastern Ukraine and its position.

He said that the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have long ignored Russia's legitimate security concerns, repeatedly broken their commitments and continuously pushed their military deployment eastwards, which challenged Russia's strategic bottom line.

Russia is ready to hold high-level negotiation with Ukraine, said Putin.

Xi pointed out that recent dramatic changes in the situation in eastern Ukraine have drawn great attention from the international community, adding that China decides on its position based on the merits of the Ukrainian issue itself.

Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2022 shows an empty street in Kiev, capital of Ukraine. (Xinhua/Lu Jinbo)

He called on dropping the Cold War mentality, attaching importance and respecting the legitimate security concerns of various countries and forming a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through negotiation.

The Chinese side supports the Russian side in solving the issue through negotiation with the Ukrainian side, Xi said, adding that China has been consistent in its basic position on respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

China is ready to work with members of the international community to embrace the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, Xi said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Samsung Galaxy S22 messaging issues are being experienced by users as the South Korean tech giant switches to Google as a default messaging server.

Multiple complaints of messaging delay have been shared by users on social media platforms.

Some people are having a hard time moving their Google accounts to either T-Mobile or AT&T's servers, which is taking a long time for them.

Samsung chose Google Messages as the default to provide a better user experience and utilize the technological advancement called Rich Communication Services (RCS).

It is reported that Android phone users who use Google messages on their phones will be able to connect directly to Google's servers to send messages.

On the other hand, AT&T and T-Mobile Galaxy S22 phones connect to their carrier's servers instead.

How to Fix the Samsung Galaxy S22 Messaging Issues

Google announced a support channel to address this problem and help users accelerate their setup along the way.

Google stated, "GS22 devices will run off of T-Mobile's proprietary RCS backend, and upon initial setup, users may experience a delay as data is migrated from Google's RCS backend to T-Mobile's."

If users are having messaging problems in their Samsung Galaxy S22 device, here are the following steps Google recommended:

The first thing you need to do is go to https://messages.google.com/disable-chat and type in your phone number there. Open the Messages app. In the Messages settings, go to Chat features, and turn on Enable chat features to use the app.

After the following steps, a user's phone will automatically connect to either AT&T or T-Mobile servers based on which carrier a user uses.

In an instance where an iPhone user switched to the G22, the following procedure still applies. Users will be able to send messages without any trouble.

Read Also: 4 Ways to Fix iPhone 13 Battery That's Draining Too Fast

Samsung Galaxy S22 Google Messages

A lot of Android phones, like the Pixel 6 and the brand-new Galaxy S22 series, use Google Messages as their primary texting software. Google messages have multiple unique features of their own.

It is a convenient way to stay in touch with family and friends. The app also receives OTP codes and bank notifications by SMS.

Another unique feature of is the categorizing of messages to prevent the clog up of a user's inbox.

With the introduction of the Galaxy S22, Google and Samsung introduced a few specialized versions. Some apps are intended to be in default since it is designed specifically for the latest Galaxy phones in the Galaxy S series.

This includes Google Messages, which was created to assist boost the adoption rate of RCS messaging, and Google Duo Live Sharing.

In mid-2019, the direct approach to completing the RCS rollout began and was finished by the end of 2020.

Carriers, on the other hand, have always been permitted to allow their RCS backend to take place over Google's whenever it is ready.

As reported by 9to5Mac, all backends are interoperable with one another that is why it does not matter so much.

Related Article: Facebook Security: 4 Steps to Follow to Lock FB Profile and Prevent Hacking, Manipulation
Russia is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, giving it veto power over resolutions

Kyiv: Ukraine's president says Russia should be thrown out of the United Nations Security Council following its invasion of his country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message Sunday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine amounts to an act of genocide, saying that Russia has taken the path of evil and the world should come to depriving it of its U.N. Security Council seat. Russia is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, giving it veto power over resolutions.

Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and denounced the Russian invasion as state terrorism. He dismissed as lies Russia's claims that it wasn't targeting civilian areas.

Ukraine rejects Belarus as location for talks

Ukraine's president says his country is ready for peace talks with Russia but not in Belarus, which was a staging ground for Moscow's 3-day-old invasion. Speaking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues. He said other locations are also possible but made clear that Ukraine doesn't accept Russia's selection of Belarus.

The Kremlin said Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' Peskov said.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, with troops moving from Moscow's ally Belarus in the north, and also from the east and south. Earlier, the Kremlin said a Russian delegation has arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' Peskov said. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who previously expressed their own readiness for peace talks with Russia but haven't mentioned any specific details on their location and timing.

Zelensky says Russia striking residential areas in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Moscow was bombarding residential areas in Ukraine as its invading forces sought to push deeper into the pro-Western country.

"The past night in Ukraine was brutal, again shooting, again bombardments of residential areas, civilian infrastructure," Zelensky said in an address posted online. "Today, there is not a single thing in the country that the occupiers do not consider an acceptable target. They fight against everyone. They fight against all living things -- against kindergartens, against residential buildings and even against ambulances."

He said Russian forces were "firing rockets and missiles at entire city districts in which there isn't and never has been any military infrastructure". "Vasylkiv, Kyiv, Chernigiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and many other towns in Ukraine are living in conditions that were last experienced on our lands during World War II."

Finland to close airspace to Russian planes: minister

Finland will close its airspace to Russian planes, joining other European countries in ramping up sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, the government announced early Sunday.

Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia, "is preparing to close its airspace to Russian air traffic," Transport Minister Timo Harakka wrote in an overnight tweet. He did not state when the measure would take effect.

Finland's flag carrier, Finnair, specialises in flights between Europe and Asia that fly over Russia, but its services are currently limited because of Asian entry restrictions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Finland is also scheduled to approve the dispatch of a consignment of bullet-proof vests, helmets and a mobile hospital to Ukraine. Helsinki has also approved the shipment of around 40 artillery guns to Ukraine.

Russian troops enter Ukraine's 2nd largest city of Kharkiv

Street fighting broke out early Sunday in Kharkiv as Russian troops pushed into Ukraine's second-largest city, according to a regional official, following a wave of attacks elsewhere targeting airfields and fuel facilities that appeared to mark a new phase of an invasion that has been slowed by fierce resistance.

Russian troops approached Kharkiv, about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. But until Sunday, they remained on the outskirts of the city of 1.4 million without trying to enter while other forces rolled past, pressing their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Early Sunday, Russian troops moved in and were engaged by Ukrainian forces, said Oleh Sinehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, who told civilians not to leave their homes. He gave no further details. Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

Elsewhere, huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, and its troops are closing in on the capital, Kyiv, and making significant gains along the country's coast.
Sleeping in parks in temperature below minus 4 degrees, their food stocks dwindling and their phone batteries dying

The students who reached the border point on Saturday pleaded for help to put an end to their ordeal and the uncertainty over their evacuation. Image credit: Twitter/@IndiainUkraine)

New Delhi: Several Indian students in Ukraine trudged 35km in freezing temperature to reach the border with Poland hoping for an escape from the ravaging war, but are now stuck there with little or no food and shelter.

Sleeping in parks in temperature below minus 4 degrees, their food stocks dwindling and their phone batteries dying, the students who reached the border point on Saturday pleaded for help to put an end to their ordeal and the uncertainty over their evacuation.

"It was an extremely long walk and our bodies were giving up but we just kept moving taking care of each other in the hope that once we reach the border, maybe, the worst will be over. But that's not the end, several hours later we are still waiting. We have tried all helpline numbers but there has been no response," Nrupakshi, a student of Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, told PTI over phone.

Nrupakshi, who hails from Gujarat, said, "We are sending out as many SOS messages we can as our phones' batteries are just about to die."

Nikhil Kumar of the same university said, "None of the phone numbers provided by the embassy is working. We have tried a lot calling each of them. We slept in the park and the open area with a few of us falling sick. We have run out of food items and there is no place to stock up again. When will this end?"

Kumar said there are 400 students stuck at the Polish border waiting to cross.

Ashutosh, a student of Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, said, We came half the way in bus but were dropped midway and then we kept walking for over 30 km taking breaks even though the (air raid) sirens ripped our heart each time thinking this is the end."

We are also sending out messages to students who are on the way to here or planning to start on foot to not come to this border and explore some other alternatives, he added.

We are nearly 300 students stuck here without shelter in minus four degrees temperature at Shehyni-Medyka border...No one is giving answer. Also we came here by walking 35 km, so no chance of going back, another student said.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said on Twitter on Saturday that Indian citizens should not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government officials there using the helpline numbers.

The embassy had said that it is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who are reaching border checkpoints without prior intimation.

It said that staying in western cities of Ukraine with access to water, food, accommodation and basic amenities is relatively safer and advisable compared to reaching border checkpoints without being fully abreast of the situation.

India is evacuating its people stranded in Ukraine through bordering Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Romania as the Ukrainian airspace was shut down following Russian bombing of several cities, including the capital Kiev.

The first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai landed in the evening.

The second evacuation flight, AI1942, carrying 250 Indian citizens landed at the Delhi airport around 2.45 am on Sunday.

Air India's third evacuation flight, AI1940, which has departed from Hungarian capital Budapest, is also scheduled to return with 240 evacuees to Delhi on Sunday.

Indian nationals who reached the Ukraine-Romania border and Ukraine-Hungary border were taken to Bucharest and Budapest, respectively, by road with the assistance of Indian government officials so that they could be evacuated in these Air India flights.
In his rather rambling walk through the park of history Vladimir Putin tried to lay out his much flawed case for the aggression on Ukraine

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has neither a cause nor a justification. It is a plain and simple invasion of a sovereign democratic nation whose pro-Western tilt has been raising Russian hackles ever since its very inception. It is a crude attempt to reorder not only the European Balance of Power but the global neo-liberal political and economic led order that has been led by the United States since the collapse of the erstwhile Soviet-controlled Eastern bloc in the 1990s.

In his rather rambling walk through the park of history Vladimir Putin tried to lay out his much flawed case for the aggression on Ukraine. He commenced by negating the right of Ukraine to even exist as a sovereign and independent nation by stating Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia, more precisely, Bolshevik, communist Russia. This process began immediately after the revolution of 1917... As a result of Bolshevik policy, Soviet Ukraine arose, which even today can with good reason be called Vladimir Ilyich Lenins Ukraine. He is its author and architect. This is fully confirmed by archive documents... Ukraine never had a tradition of genuine statehood.

That Mr Putin was trying to create his own truth is evident from the fact that his assertions are not borne out by historical facts What today are the nations of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus were between the ninth and the 13th centuries a part of the Kievan Rus, a medieval superpower that also subsumed huge swathes of eastern Europe in its embrace. All these three countries trace their cultural ancestry to the Kievan Rus. However, Russians and Ukrainians parted ways linguistically, historically aeons ago and politically once again in August 1991 in the death throes of the erstwhile Soviet Union. Russian nationalists, however, claim ad-nauseam that Russians and Ukrainians are one people  an integral part of the Russian civilisation. They also take within their cuddle adjoining Belarus. However, Ukrainians are not too enthused by this embrace of the Russian bear, I had opined in an earlier piece in these columns.

The formal demise of the erstwhile Soviet Union on December 26, 1991, and the collapse of its satellites in Eastern Europe hit Soviet apparatchiks very hard. In another piece in these columns published in August 2014, I had stated, The rout in the Cold War brought in its wake disastrous consequences for the former Soviet Union. Not only did it lose all its satellite states in eastern Europe, but it also had to shed its own territory. It was consumed by a crippled economy and an anarchic internal political situation where oligarchs, warlords and the mafia, not essentially in that order, ruled the roost. As a consequence, not only did the ideological construct of Marxism-Leninism lie in ruins, but also the majesty of the Russian continuum that pre-dated the October Revolution of 1917 by many a century. Russia seemed destined for oblivion in the emerging global order.

However, this collapse also gave birth to a fantasy, to resuscitate, resurrect and restore Russian prestige to its former glory. As the kleptocratic era under President Boris Yelstin ended at the turn of the twentieth millennium the building blocks of this aspiration slowly started taking shape.

The accession of Vladimir Putin to the Russian presidency was the starting point of this quest for both global dominance and renewed legitimacy. Not only did the Russian State start reasserting itself but fuelled by generous oil and gas revenues, it increasingly started mirroring the Soviet Union of earlier.

Its totalitarianism was inventively presented as a democracy. However, the charade was lost on no one. The new template was indelibly stamped by a crackdown on all forms of civil liberties but, more importantly, driven by an uncontrollable fixation to repossess the now absent exaltation of the intoxicating days of both communist-led bipolarity and, even beyond, the earlier giddier days of the Russian Empire.

The first iteration of this desire was operationalised in what Russia considers as its near abroad in the Caucasus. In the August of 2008, it occupied/liberated Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgia, depending upon the narrative one would like to buy. In January 2009, it halted gas exports to Europe accusing Ukraine of siphoning gas from the pipelines without paying for it. However, both the US and other European powers looked on supinely at this ominously evolving situation in Russias neighborhood.

Emboldened by the lack of a Western response to its actions in Georgia towards the end of February 2014, pro-Russian forces began infiltrating into the Crimean peninsula and after a disputed referendum a treaty of accession was signed on March 18 between the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol and the Russian Federation to initiate the process of its formal absorption into the Russian State.

On March 21, 2014, the Russian Parliament approved this accession from the date of the signing of the treaty. Similarly, since early March of 2014 pro-Russian elements became active in the Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine. What is playing out today has its genesis in a process that commenced eight years back.

Russias aggressive approach even back then had foreboding implications for other frozen disagreements on the periphery of the former Soviet Union like Transnistria in Moldova. However, Nato still sat on its haunches and did practically nothing.

This was notwithstanding the fact the three Baltic states Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia that had been a part of the erstwhile Soviet Union and now as independent states had become a formal part of both the EU and Nato kept flagging Russias imperial ambitions time and again.

From 2001 till 2021, the United States, the military linchpin of Nato, was distracted with wars and conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and its attempts to reorder the frozen geography of the Middle East post the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire circa 1918. It came out as a loser in all these endeavours. The Europeans obtusely not wanting to spend on their own defence did not invest in creating a credible European security architecture and are today left wringing their hands.

These two decades gave both Russia and China time to consolidate themselves and now in the global power vacuum that manifested itself especially post the ignominious US withdrawal from Afghanistan a new world order is taking shape.

It is no coincidence that Presidents Putin and Xi Jinping issued a joint statement on international relations on February 4, 2022, and Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Moscow on the day of the invasion. A new iron curtain is descending on the world and behind it will lie the ancient capitals of Moscow, Beijing, Tehran and some other satellite states like Pakistan.
North Korea, in a muted response issued in the form of a commentary, said the US was to blame for the unfolding disaster

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks in a meeting of ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang. (Korea News Service via AP)

SEOUL: North Korea has accused the United States of being the "root cause of the Ukraine crisis" while defending Russia, in Pyongyang's first official response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia ordered troops into neighbouring Ukraine this week, prompting global outcry and punishing sanctions from the West, some directed against Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

But North Korea, in a muted response issued in the form of a commentary posted on the Foreign Ministry's website, said the United States was to blame for the unfolding disaster.

Washington has pursued "military supremacy in disregard of the legitimate demand of Russia for its security" according to the commentary, attributed to Ri Ji Song, a researcher at the North's Society for International Politics Study.

"The root cause of the Ukrainian crisis also lies in the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the US," said the post uploaded on the North's foreign ministry website on Saturday.

Ri slammed the US for holding a "double standard" -- saying it meddled in the internal affairs of other countries in the name of "peace and stability" but "but it denounces for no good reason self-defensive measures taken by other countries to ensure their own national security."

"Gone are the days when the U.S. used to reign supreme," the post said.

The response is a "low-key" official reaction as it was published under an individual name, said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University.

"The conclusion is that it's all because of the US. The main point is that you will suffer if you don't have power," he told AFP.

Along with Beijing, Russia is one of the North's few international friends and has previously come to the regime's aid.

Moscow has long held the line against increasing pressure on nuclear-armed North Korea, even asking for relief from international sanctions for humanitarian reasons.

China, North Korea's most important ally, has also blamed the United States and its Western allies in recent weeks for "hyping up" the Ukraine crisis.

South Korea, a close security ally of Washington, said last week it will join international economic sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
During the Angelus, the pontiff made an appeal with a broken heart in favour of the victims of war in the Ukraine but also in other parts of the world. Noting that God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence, he stressed the urgent need for open humanitarian corridors and reiterated that 2 March, Ash Wednesday, will be a day of fasting and prayer.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  In todays Angelus prayer, Pope Francis renewed his call for prayer, noting that God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence. Speaking with a broken heart, he spoke out for the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine but also for those suffering because of war in other parts of the world.

I see many Ukrainian flags! he said greeting in their own language the many Ukrainians present in St Peter's Square. In recent days we have been shaken by something tragic: war. Time and again we have prayed that this road would not be taken. And let us not stop talking; indeed, let us pray to God more intensely.

To this end, the pontiff renewed his call for a day of fasting and prayer for peace on 2 March, Ash Wednesday. This will be a day to be close to the sufferings of the Ukrainian people, to feel that we are all brothers and sisters, and to implore of God the end of the war.

The Holy Father went on to say that, Those who wage war forget humanity. They do not start from the people, they do not look at the real life of people, but place partisan interests and power before all else. They trust in the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons, which is the furthest from the logic of God. And they distance themselves from ordinary people, who want peace.

Francis added that, ordinary people are the real victims in every conflict, who pay for the follies of war with their own skin. I think of the elderly, of those who seek refuge in these times, of mothers fleeing with their children They are brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open humanitarian corridors, and who must be welcomed.

With a heart broken by what is happening in Ukraine but also in wars in other parts of the world such as in Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia, the pope said again: put down your weapons!

God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence. Because those who love peace, as the Italian Constitution states, reject war as an instrument of aggression against the freedom of other peoples and as a means for the settlement of international disputes.

Before the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis spoke about the Gospel passage in todays liturgy, about the splinter in a brothers eye and not the wooden beam in ones own (Lk 6:41).

[V]ery often we complain about things that are wrong in society, in the Church, in the world, without first questioning ourselves and without making an effort to change ourselves first. Every fruitful, positive change must begin from ourselves. [. . .] But, Jesus explains, by doing this, we look blindly. And if we are blind, we cannot claim to be guides and teachers for others.

By contrast, acknowledging our dejection opens the door of mercy to us. God always distinguishes the person from his errors. He always saves the person. He always believes in the person and is always ready to forgive errors. We know that God always forgives. And he invites us to do likewise: not to look for evil in others, but good.

Together with his gaze, in the Gospel Jesus invites us to reflect on what we say. At present, especially in the digital world, words travel fast, Francis noted, but too many of them convey anger and aggression, feed false news and take advantage of collective fears to propagate distorted ideas.

For this reason, he asked what type of words we use. To find an answer, he called on the Virgin of silence to whom we now pray, [to] help us purify our gaze and our speech.

Lastly, in his greetings to the various groups present in St Peter's Square, Francis singled out those who came for the Rare Disease Day, which falls tomorrow. To them, he said, I encourage the various associations of the sick and their families, along with the researchers who work in this field.
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, left, and main opposition People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol / Yonhap



By Anna J. Park



With the country's presidential election only 10 days away, most election-themed stocks' prices have been on a downward spiral over the past week, according to market analysts, Sunday. Election-themed stocks refer to local listed stocks that bear some relevance  whether it be significant or random in nature  with the major presidential candidates. These stocks' prices tend to fluctuate heavily, according to the ebb and flow of candidates' changing levels of popularity during election campaign periods, they said.



The analysts warn investors that such election-themed stocks tend to fall drastically when elections are approaching, and investing in companies that do not bear any significant relevance to the candidates is like a pure gamble.



Byun Joon-ho, an analyst at Heungkuk Securities, said that extreme volatility has been seen in the prices of such election-themed stocks since late last year.






In Japan bishops condemn the Russian invasion citing John Paul II who in Hiroshima said that, resorting to war is neither inevitable nor indispensable. Likewise, We really pray ardently that everybody sees the senselessness of violence, said Card Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay. In China Catholics will heed the appeal Pope Francis made for a day of fasting and prayer on 2 March.

Milan (AsiaNews)  Christians are mobilising for peace in the face of the increasingly tragic news about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And the mobilisation is not limited to Europe.

In Asia, a continent still torn by other major conflicts, Catholic Churches responded right away to Pope Franciss call for prayer, inviting their members to fast and pray to stop weapons from sowing death.

Always particularly sensitive to the issue of peace, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan was among the first to take a position as soon as Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine.

In a statement signed by Bishop Bernard Taiji Katsuya of Sapporo, who is also president of the Catholic Council for Justice and Peace, the Catholic Church of Japan called the Russian invasion an act contrary to international law.

For the prelate, no real problem can be solved by force as Pope John Paul II indicated in his appeal for peace made on 25 February 1981 in Hiroshima, symbol of the danger of nuclear holocaust that is now back in the news.

We should say that resorting to war is neither inevitable nor indispensable in front of the disaster that man makes when he starts wars, Bishop Katsuya explained.

Humanity is not destined for self-destruction. Differences in ideology, national purpose, and in what people seek must be resolved by other means than war or violence. Humanity is worthy of peacefully resolving differences and conflicts.

Speaking about the popes words, the bishop of Sapporo noted that humanity in the 21st century is facing serious problems such as pandemics and climate change that it must solve together rather than through the use military force.

"The Catholic Council for Justice and Peace opposes the use of force, he insisted. To this end, I call on citizens around the world to stop the spread of war and minimise the damage.

We call on government around the world in particular to abandon the idea of war deterrence through military alliances and [urge them to] make the utmost efforts to build peace through dialogue.

In India too, Catholic Churches are praying for peace in Ukraine. It is a sad moment when there is conflict, said Archbishop Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), speaking to AsiaNews in a video.

I do hope that peace prevails in that whole area, and that things do not lead to escalation of [the] conflict or loss of life.

We really pray ardently that everybody sees the senselessness of violence and the necessity of peace to make a better world. The Church in India will pray, and Im going to write to all the bishops.

In all our churches we will have a special prayer for peace because this has got the danger of the possibility of escalation which should not happen. [. . .] We were hoping there will be peace and are confident with the Lords grace. [. . .] With the good will on the part of everybody peace will return.

The pope has called on the entire people of God to pray for peace, said CBCI general secretary Archbishop Felix Machado of Vasai. In todays world, war is not contained in a particular area. Our hearts go out to the suffering people, so much suffering and the consequences for all of us. May the Lord have mercy on us all.

We are praying for Peace, said Mother Gemma OCD, Prioress, Carmel Ashram Baroda. We have our monastery in Kyiv and Kharkiv, and our Sisters have decided to remain in their monasteries. Our sisters in Kharkiv, Ukraine, are only 25 miles from the Russian border. At present they are safe. We pray for and with them for peace.

In Hong Kong, Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, released a message for the faithful on what is happening in Europe. In it he writes: The military manoeuvres and the manipulation of political powers are shattering the Ukrainians hope for peace and stability in their homeland.

While we are battling against the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, we cannot ignore the pains that another pandemic of egoism and hegemonic mentality is inflicting on our world. We are citizens of the global village, and our well-being is intimately intertwined.

Let us offer our sincere prayers for those in Hong Kong and throughout the world who are struck by these two pandemics.

Hence, we must call on our merciful God to touch in-depth the hearts of the ones who have the power to revert this tragic trajectory to restore hope for peace in our world. And that empathic dialogues will start sooner among the parties involved.

In mainland China as well, people are praying in churches in communion with the pope for peace in Ukraine.

In Hebei, the Xinde website, widely followed by Catholics across China, picked up the appeal published by AsiaNews (Chinese edition) that Pope Francis made during the general audience last Wednesday in the Vatican for a day of fasting and prayer on 2 March, Ash Wednesday.

(Nirmala Carvalho contributed to this article)
Athens, TX (75751)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly late. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
EV

The new case happened with Alex, a Tesla Model Y Performance owner from Ontario, Canada. Drive Tesla Canada broke the news, showing that the website wants Tesla to succeed in the right way: without overseeing issues that the company should fix immediately.According to what Alex told Darryn John, he took delivery of his Model Y Performance in Ottawa on December 28, 2021. The only problem he noticed with his car was the drive side coat hook, which the Tesla Service Center immediately fixed.He started to notice the issue after a few weeks. Alex reported that he began to hear a strange noise coming from the rear of his car when braking. Thats precisely what warned Gillmore of the missing part in her car. The difference is that she noticed it as soon as she drove away from the Tesla Service Center with herBy February 9, the noise was so loud that Alex decided to take the right wheel out and check the brakes there on his own. To his surprise, the brake pad was missing, and the brake caliper was carving the inner side of the rotor.Without all necessary parts ready for replacement, the Tesla Service Center put another brake pad in the car and said Alex could drive it safely. A few days later, a low brake fluid warning advised him to pull over safely. Being close to the service center, he left his car there to wait for the parts and took a Model S loaner while he waited.Alex told Drive Tesla Canada he still loves the company and its cars and remains a shareholder. However, he wants Tesla to take the necessary measures to avoid delivering cars without brake pads because this could have cost his life and those of his wife and kids. So do we. Hopefully, Tesla will not allow a third case to pop up and will check what caused these Performance units to miss brake pads. Depending on the number of affected units, a recall should follow, even if for very few units.
This years numbers are not out yet, but to give you a sense of how big the show is, well use the data from 2020, as provided by the organizers. Back then, just as the world was beginning to understand there was a global health crisis going on, over 30,000 people attended, witnessing products being displayed on the ground or in the air by some 930 companies coming from 45 countries.Just like back then, this year's event was the perfect opportunity for everybody to show off their latest goodies. On the civilian front, for instance, Boeing made a spectacle with an almost aerobatic flight of the 777X . When it comes to the military, there was no shortage of beasts, including the American-made F-35 Lightning II.This year, the U.S. military took part in the event by providing aerial demonstrations and static aircraft to demonstrate commitment and enhance partnerships with Singapore. The photo we have here shows one of these planes, an F-35A, as it was flying toward Singapore, looking peaceful and content.The pic was snapped on February 11 over the Pacific Ocean and shows a plane deployed with the 356th Fighter Squadron, headquartered at the Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Its the same unit weve talked about back in January, when one of their planes was photographed over Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan.This new image was snapped from inside a KC-46A Pegasus, belonging to the 77th Aerial Refueling Squadron.
Heres the marketing gibberish that shouldnt be taken for granted by prospective customers: The Ford Maverick doesnt stand a chance. Hyundai Santa Cruz wins every time. As for the video ad per se, were told the Santa Cruz is better because it offers a blind-spot view monitor, Americas best warranty, and a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) if properly equipped. Hyundai, however, misses two of these three points.For starters, you can get a Maverick with BLIS and cross-traffic alert. Secondly, towing isnt exactly the best metric to compare a unibody truck because customers in the market for a unibody truck are likely to choose this vehicle over the oh-so-boring sea of compact crossovers on sale today.But Hyundai does have a point in regard to the warranty. Ten years or 100,000 miles (160,934 kilometers) for the powertrain is pretty swell compared to five years or 60,000 miles (96,561 kilometers) in the Maverick's case. Ford has the upper hand in terms of bed length (54.4 inches compared to 52.1 inches), and Ford also wins in the off-road department thanks to the FX4 Package that can be optioned with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo engine and the disconnecting all-wheel-drive system Although I am the happy owner of a Hyundai, I cant deny that the Ford Motor Company understands this segment better than the South Korean automaker thanks to a $19,995 starting price for the Maverick. The Escape-based pickup truck also comes with a fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain as standard, which makes it far more efficient than the Santa Cruz. Last, but certainly not least, I believe that we can all agree the Maverick looks tougher, more like a proper truck, while the Santa Cruz is way too similar to the Tucson.Sorry, Hyundai, but you're trying too hard.
Kim Kardashian is always in the news, both by choice and because the publics interest in her seems to verge on an almost-unhealthy obsession. In the past couple of weeks, shes also been in the news for her automotive-related interests  particularly for the fact that she paid over $100,000 to paint three of her favorite cars a custom shade of gray because she wanted them to match the outside of her Calabasas, California mansion.That mansion is gray on the outside but all-beige and white on the inside, a seemingly impractical idea when you have four kids running around or even one clumsy adult, but one that Kim K swears brings calmness into her world of chaos. Its not just the mansion that has that effect on the reality star turned billionaire entrepreneur: as of this week, her brand new private jet will also do it.Kim Kardashian is now the owner of a custom Gulfstream G650ER, which she had done from the ground up, according to TMZ . She took it on its maiden voyage from Los Angeles to Milan, Italy, where she and her glam squad were in attendance at Fashion Week. Its via the same glam squad that the world gets a first look inside  the Instagram embed below contains a video from her makeup stylist Mario, which shows the all-beige cabin, all set up for a light lunch.As per the celebrity publication, Kim reportedly paid some $150 million for the private jet she now calls Kim Air, and she made sure she truly made it her own. Personalized touches include an all-beige cashmere and leather interior and placemats and plates that match those inside her home. Once guests board Kim Air, theyre offered a complimentary kit containing SKIMS pajamas and slippers, so they can fully enjoy the experience.Even the exterior of the plane is painted the same Creme color, which makes it a perfect match for the monastery-like mansion. When youre a baller of Kims status, matching accessories are for the peasants.For the customization of the interior, Kim worked with Tommy Clements and Waldo Fernandez. Shes been waiting for a year to take delivery of her Kim Air, so its no wonder her stylists were so eager to boast about it on social media. No word yet on whether she bought the jet new: the model is still in production, with some 448 units made and delivered as of the end of last year, but theyre notoriously hard to come by. Part of the reason for that is theyre very popular with the worlds richest people: Jeff Bezos also owns one.Even without all the customization, Kims private jet would have still been a head-turner both in terms of specs and performance.The G650ER is the long-range version of the G650, which was introduced in 2008, and is currently the worlds longest-range business jet. Depending on configuration , it can seat up to 18 people and sleep as many as ten, and offers a wellness environment, fast connectivity, up to four living areas, enhanced air ionization so that you always breath outside fresh air, whisper-quiet travel, and the lowest cabin altitude available (4,580 feet at 51,000 feet, or 1,478 meters at 15,545 meters).All these allow Gulfstream to promise a relaxing, almost completely lag-free flight, regardless of destination or the duration of the flight . Speaking of which, the maximum range is 7,500 nautical miles (8,630 miles / 13,890 km), while the maximum speed is Mach 0.925 (709 mph / 1,142 kph). In short, this private jet is perfect for the modern globe-trotter, as long as they can find one available and afford it.In Kims case, both apply. A new Gulfstream G650ER varies between $70 million and $95 million depending on options but without further customization. A used one is cheaper, at $55 million, if you can find it.
??Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Citroen and General Motors have suspended shipments of cars to #Russia.  NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 25, 2022

At this point, it is unclear how many units are already in transit, as well as how many were supposed to reach customers. What is clear is that the situation might take weeks or months to resolve if the reports are accurate because the manufacturers may decide to redistribute the remaining units after their delivery to Russia is canceled.In the case of vehicles that were supposed to reach the production line and get manufacturer after the specified date, well, those will see the biggest delays, as it is clear that their spots on the line will be provided to the next eligible dealers.In other words, customers in Russia , including dealers, who have placed an order on a specific configuration, but have yet to be built, will face months of delays before their configuration will see the light of day.The reason for the delays is the global chip shortage , which has made the production of vehicles a complicated mess from a logistical standpoint. In the case of the delivery delays in Russia, the reason is entirely different , and it is linked to the military action it started against Ukraine. The armed conflict has been heavily criticized by the international community, and sanctions are building up against Russia.Even before starting an armed conflict against Ukraine, the value of the Russian ruble, the country's national coin, was not exceptional, but it has plummeted since then. For example, a distributor of utility vehicles and construction equipment in Russia, called Rusbiznesavto, asked its partners for the full payment for all signed contracts of imported equipment, Russian media reports The same publication claims that the brands that have suspended deliveries to Russia are Audi, Skoda, Porsche, Volkswagen, Chevrolet (and all other GM products), Jaguar Land Rover, and more.Most likely, other manufacturers have made similar decisions, but they are not publicly announced or otherwise quoted by sources within the dealer network.The conflict has also led to production being suspended in some factories , including some in Europe, as they were using components sourced from Ukraine, and the supply chain has been disrupted. The same has happened with manufacturers in Russia that built vehicles with parts from Europe.
The sign for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) is seen outside the company's headquarters in Brussels on Feb. 20, 2007. The U.S., EU and U.K. agreed on Saturday to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system and to impose restrictive measures on its central bank in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. AP-Yonhap

By Anna J. Park



The U.S. and EU have agreed to remove selected Russian banks from SWIFT  the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, which enables secure cross-border settlement and payments  as part of joint sanctions against Russia, imposing severe limits on Russian-denominated assets and the country's capacity to access international reserves.



Russia's oil and gas exports are heavily reliant on the SWIFT system, which facilitates global transactions between more than 11,000 banks and financial institutions around the world.



The removal of Russia from the SWIFT system is not only expected to wreak havoc on targeted Russian financial institutions, but also deliver a heavy blow to local mutual investment funds and ETFs related to Russia. Around 150 billion won ($125 million) worth of local retail investors' money is parked in Russia-related mutual fund products in Korea.



The so-called Russia funds enjoyed the height of their popularity among retail investors in the late 2000s with over 820 billion won being invested, yet the amount of the assets under management has since decreased. However, the funds saw an influx of money in 2021, with the rise of raw materials prices.






I'm still not entirely used to talking about myself in the first person right now. It's hard to picture myself as a central figure in a feature story about somebody who isn't me. My dull and ham-fisted opinions shouldn't be the spotlight of anything, right? It's all about the cars, or in this case, the person behind the wheel.To that, I say this. The only way I could adequately convey the magnitude of the happenstance encounter I had with a resident of a little town called Bay Shore, New York, is to explain my honest reaction to some of the fantastic things I saw. This property might just be another South Shore Long Island home, if not for the 1930s vintage Chevy 350 cubic inch (5.7-liter) V8 Race Car parked out front.This car and all the other miscellaneous classic American Iron on this suburban property is in the collection belonging to a man you're probably not familiar with. That's a real shame because he thinks you youngsters out there ought to put some respect on the name. Meet the racing driver Marty Himes. He's lived on this property since the mid-1960s.As of 2022, Himes is one of the sole surviving gatekeepers of a time before Long Island was a whitewashed suburban beacon on a hill. At a time when many of its residents weren't just car enthusiasts, they were certified card-carrying petrolheads. In what might be quite a shock to the millions of people who call Long Island home, this 118-mile glacial deposit east of New York City was once home to dozens of racetracks.To say my jaw hit the floor when I saw the page-filling list of race tracks that used to call Long Island home, it wouldn't be that much hyperbole. But Marty Himes didn't give a damn where the track was located.He'd smoke your ass like a full-pig roast three to four times a week and then fix up other racer's cars at his own shop across the street from where the now long gone Freeport Raceway once stood. Oh, and he also once beat Stirling Moss in a classic exhibition race and called Indycar legend AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti two of his closest pals. Color us impressed.To some people, the various cars, gas pumps, gas station signs, and other ragtag memorabilia from all three big American automakers scattered across the front and back yards of this property may seem like an eyesore.Something Suffolk County code enforcement may want to order cleaned up, lest it drives down property values. But to us, Marty Hime's property is a house of worship. One where the altars are made of metal and have V8 engines under the hood.As old and cluttered as some of the cars on his property may look, Himes swears that most of them, at least out on the back lawn, could fire to life with little more than some starting fluid and lots and lots of swearing.Race cars from all manner of different disciplines and engine sizes find hope on the property. But Himes will be the first to tell you midget, and sprint car racing was his all-time favorite. He's been racing since 1955, so far be it from us to challenge him. It's also worth mentioning that Himes hasn't seen more than a couple of minutes of a NASCAR Cup race since the year 2000. To give you an idea of how he feels about stock car racing these days.This is evident by the innumerable examples of race cars from these respective series on his property, both on his lawn and inside of trailers on the property, including one with a one-of-a-kind sprint car with a special engine made to the exact specifications of American entrepreneur and sportsman Briggs Cunningham. The engine in this beast was designed by the bespoke engine builders at Offenhauser. The motor alone is probably worth $50,000.But don't dare try to haggle with Himes on a deal for anything on his property. He even received an offer from one local gentleman to buy one of the 1950s Ford 312 cubic-inch V8 stock cars on his property for around $10,000 before they'd even seen the engine or sat inside it for any length of time. As Himes is a classic gentleman, he politely declined the offer.In his day, Hime's travels as a barnstorming gentleman racer brought him to some of the most important people of the 20th century. He was a creative consultant for the iconic American actor Mickey Rooney in the film The Big Wheel. He even got to meet President Reagan, with receipts to prove it's legitimate coming in a photograph signed by the 40th U.S. President himself.These photos and everything else on the property are maintained by Himes every single day, a practice he's kept up since the mid-1960s. To listen to his musings about his days of racing and his gripes about modern racing is like hearing the gospel.One from a preacher at the alter that is motorsports. Heralding of a time before nearly every single one of Long Island's racetracks was demolished to build single-family homes and shopping malls.A time when its residents had something to be very proud of. Your reasons are other than some of the highest property taxes, lousiest drivers, and comically abrasive, non-compassionate locals. Funny how 60 years can change a place, am I right?But most of all, what Marty aspires to do with his collection is to save it all from the scrapyard. As it happens, Himes saved quite a few one-of-a-kind racing cars from the scrap heap himself. Sheltering them in his backyard for years on end.Oh, and his daily driver is a 1937 Plymouth ex-Suffolk County Police Car, because duh, of course, it is. The only thoughts he had to offer about my 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage parked just beyond his lot was that it was "way too new," you'll have no arguments from me there.There's an equal sense of dread as there is wonderment when visiting Marty Hime's property. A property that you can call to book one on one tours to see, under the county-approved Marty Himes Museum, by the way. So better get book a visit before it's too late.Because by Hime's own admission, once he's gone, chances are good the cars in his collection will go too. It's a notion that's so profoundly driven home by a photograph of Himes and all of his racing buddies. Himes estimates that of all the men in that photograph, he's the only one left alive.Hearing this come out of Hime's own mouth was enough to move a few tears to my eye. But I did my best to let this moment of existential dread about our own shared mortality pass. Lest I get misty-eyed in front of him like a dribbling little baby.Because there shouldn't be any reason for tears in a place as magnificent as this. Only bright, vibrant smiles and memories of better, less complicated days gone by. It only sounds cheesy because it's completely true.So please, if you find yourself on the South Shore of Long Island, give Marty Himes a call and set up an appointment to see all of his wonderful bits of memorabilia. But also to hear some stories no one else still alive would be able to tell. Let's help keep Marty's life's work alive and well, and prove to him that we modern gearheads really do respect our elders.Many, many thanks to Marty Himes and his family for allowing me access to his collection. It was a profound privilege up there with some of the most fulfilling and vibrant interviews I've ever conducted.Check back for more from Spotlight USA and so much more right here on autoevolution.
You may not recognize this particular sprint racing car as being any different from the other stock cars, midget racers, and sprint cars the former racing champ has on his Suffolk Country property. The only thing that may lend a clue is the large, laminated photograph of what one can only assume is the same engine inside this car.You'd be right for thinking that, but it's not from the company you think it is. You'd be forgiven for not knowing their name, but there's a fabled fourth major racing engine manufacturer unrelated in any way to Ford, Chrysler, or GM.If you're unfamiliar, say hello to Offenhauser. A brand mostly unknown by modern gearheads but deeply respected by the people still around who raced with them. Even if it was ever such a long time agoIn far of racing past, Offy, as they're often called, supplied engines for everything from sprint and midget racing all the way to Indy 500 competitors. Even dipping their toes into turbocharging in the late 1960s, two decades before they became prominent on passenger cars. Some cheap General Motors knockoff brand they certainly were not.As we've said, the people back in the golden age of American motor racing absolutely loved Offy engines. Be it the 97 cubic-inch (1.6-liter) four-banger famous in midget racing to the 220 cubic-inch (3.6-liter) sprint car motor and the iconic 270 cubic-inch (4.4-liter) Indy 500 special. The boutique racing engine maker found themselves the champions of the Indy 500 nearly 30 times.All this said, Offy wouldn't build a custom engine for just anybody. You'd need to be someone of profound circumstances for that privilege. But of all the people you could think of, Long Island entrepreneur, sportsman, and legitimate gentleman racer Briggs Cunningham certainly fits the bill. Cunningham excelled at just about every racing discipline. Be it sailing, rowing, stock cars, and even a few tries at the famous 24 Hours of LeMans.

If there was anybody in the world to build a racing engine for their own use, it was Briggs Cuningham. Dubbed the Cunningham Offy, this engine was a full 40 cubic inches short of the maximum three-liter displacement limit imposed by most sanctioned American sprint car races. Even so, it was a gem of an engine that Marty Himes himself described as " one of the smoothest revving engines I've ever worked with."Cunningham would go on to sell the engine to fellow aristocrat race car driver Frankie Callandrillo. Better known as Frankie Cal in his day, Callandrillo raced the engine in a custom sprint car chassis by designer Ernie Casale to victory at the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Los Angeles's Gilmore Stadium in 1950. The car would go on to race competitively until 1963, when it retired to the pits in Phoenix, Arizona, with drivetrain trouble.At the event that early 1960s afternoon was the owner of the eponymous Marty Himes Museum. A few good looks at the car was all Marty needed to know he wanted it. He'd go on to purchase the car years later and transport it back home to Long Island. The now elderly Himes claims the one-of-a-kind Cunningham Offy engine could fire right back to life today with a little bit of basic maintenance. Oh, how we'd love to be around if and when he decides to do this.If you're wondering, the engine in this car alone is worth $50,000. Even more with the rest of the car attached. But good luck trying to get Marty Himes to sell it. You'd be preaching to the choir the whole time. Check back for more auto racing goodness and so much more on autoevolution.
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House progressives see a route to expanding their power over the next year, even though they're being accused of dragging down other Democrats by pushing the party's image too far left, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: If Democrats lose their majority in the midterms, a strengthened left could emerge more influential in a diluted, disillusioned Democratic Party.

What we're watching: Tuesday's primaries in Texas will be a first big test of progressive's midterms strategy.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus' political action committee has endorsed two leading candidates in open primaries, Greg Casar in Austin and Jasmine Crockett in Dallas.

In the 28th Congressional District, which runs from San Antonio south to the U.S.-Mexico border, progressive Jessica Cisneros is mounting another primary challenge to centrist Rep. Henry Cuellar, whose house was recently raided by the FBI.

Cisneros came within four points in the 2020 primary.

The big picture: A wave of Democratic retirements has given progressives multiple openings to target seats for a shift left.

In New York, moderate Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) is running for governor and progressive state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi has announced a bid to succeed him.

In Pennsylvania, progressives including state Rep. Summer Lee are running to replace retiring Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.).

Progressives also are eyeing seats in North Carolina, California, Illinois, Maryland and Florida being vacated by non-CPC members, and plan to make more endorsements throughout the cycle, Axios is told.

By the numbers: The CPC has enjoyed explosive growth since Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) 2016 presidential primary bid reinvigorated the party's left flank.

The caucus has ballooned from 68 members after 2014 to nearly 100 now, growth that's largely been unaffected by the Democratic Party's fortunes.

When Democrats lost 13 House seats in 2014, the CPC's numbers stayed unchanged. The same happened in 2020, when Democrats again lost 13 seats.

That's because Democrats in districts most likely to flip to Republicans tend to be more conservative, while progressives often hold safer seats.

Don't forget: Progressives last year pumped the brakes on portions of President Biden's agenda in a quest for their whole wish list.

What they're saying: "I think that there are really good opportunities. ... I do think we stand to increase the number of progressives," CPC Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) told Axios during an interview.

Jayapal also isn't ruling out leveraging her faction's growing strength to launch a rumored leadership bid.

"I've thought about it, but ... it's so fluid," she said. "I've had conversations about it, and people have talked to me about it. ...Certainly, if there are skills I can bring, I would do it. But we don't know what it even looks like."

Reality check: While progressives boast that legislative priorities such as the Build Back Better Agenda and a $15 minimum wage passed the House, those bills keep stalling in the Senate.
Judge Thomas R. Griffith, a retired Bush appointee to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, endorsed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court in a letter written to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Jackson's nomination kicks off a monthlong process to confirm what would be the first Black woman to sit on the nation's highest court. The Biden administration has been trying to court Republican votes in the 50-50 Senate, with uncertain success.

What we're watching: Griffith is the first of several Republican legal luminaries who'll be speaking out this week in favor of Jackson, a person familiar with the matter told Axios.

Griffith was nominated in 2004 by Republican President George W. Bush to serve on the same appellate court on which Jackson now sits. He's a graduate of Brigham Young University and has been active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the same faith as a Republican courted by Democrats, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

President Biden gave him a shoutout during his speech last week announcing Jackson's nomination.

Griffith wrote: "Judge Jackson has a demonstrated record of excellence, and I believe, based upon her work as a trial judge when I served on the Court of Appeals, that she will adjudicate based on the facts and the law and not as a partisan."

In his letter addressed to Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Griffith goes on to highlight Jackson's "careful approach, extraordinary judicial understanding and collegial manner."

Notably, Jackson  whose uncles and brother have worked in policing  also has the support of the countrys largest policing organization, the Fraternal Order of Police.

The big picture: When Jackson was confirmed last year to the D.C. Circuit, a federal appeals court that often serves as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court, she had the support of all 50 Democratic senators and three Republicans.

But former Senate Judiciary Committee General Counsel Nicholas Xenakis cautions that nominations to the Supreme Court are different.

"Even if the nominee has gone through the [lower court confirmation] process before, I do think that a lot of the members of the committee will all be looking at this anew," Xenakis told Axios.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)  one of the three Republicans who voted for Jackson last June  says so herself.

Ive been clear that previously voting to confirm an individual to a lower court does not signal how I will vote for a Supreme Court justice," she said in a statement.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), another Republican who voted for Jackson, also is being courted by Democrats.

Collins told Axios that before Biden announced his pick, he called her twice to discuss candidates, and Durbin called her once early on in the process.

Ketanji Brown Jackson is an experienced federal judge with impressive academic and legal credentials," Collins wrote in a statement after Biden announced his pick last Friday.

What they're saying: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the third Republican who backed Jackson last year, had pulled for another Supreme Court candidate from his home state, Judge J. Michelle Childs.
Norway's sovereign wealth fund will divest its Russian assets in light of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre announced at a news briefing Sunday.

Why it matters: Valued at $1.3 trillion, Norway's state-backed investment fund is the largest in the world. The fund's Russian assets consist of shares in 47 companies, and government bonds, worth a total of some 25 billion Norwegian crowns ($2.83 billion), the government said, per Reuters.

The big picture: "We have decided to freeze the fund's investments and have begun a process of selling out" of Russia, Stre said at the briefing, according to Reuters.

Norway's oil fund, known as the Government Pension Fund Global, has begun the process of withdrawing completely from the Russian market, Norway's Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum said, according to local media.

The government will send a letter to Norges Bank, the country's central bank, to immediately freeze all funds in Russia, Vedum added.

Go deeper: World unites against Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised statement on Sunday that he was ordering Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on alert, as he continues his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Driving the news: Speaking alongside his defense minister and military chief of staff, Putin said recent sanctions and "aggressive statements" from NATO countries had led him to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty."

This is the second time Putin has alluded to Russia's nuclear arsenal while effectively warning the West to back off.

In a statement at the onset of the invasion, Putin said anyone who tried to "hinder us" would face "such consequences that you have never encountered in your history."

Fear of a standoff between nuclear powers is a large part of the reason the U.S. and its NATO allies have been so adamant that they will not send troops to Ukraine.

The latest: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that a Ukrainian delegation would meet with a Russian delegation for peace talks "without preconditions" on the border between Ukraine and Belarus.

State of play: U.S. and Ukrainian officials say Russia's invasion is not going to plan due to stronger-than-expected Ukrainian resistance.

The Kremlin and state media continue to tell Russians that no "war" or "invasion" is taking place, but instead states there's a limited defensive operation in eastern Ukraine.

The large protests in Moscow and St. Petersburg, despite the threat of mass arrests, indicate that many Russians aren't buying it.

What to watch: Having already threatened any independent publications that report on Russian casualties or aggression with censorship, the government is preparing to crack down harder on its citizens.

The Kremlin today announced that "the provision of any assistance to a foreign state" during the "military operation" would be considered treason, carrying a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Go deeper: Sanctions push Russia closer to China
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, Jan. 19, in this photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-Yonhap



North Korea ascribed the armed conflict in Ukraine to the United States' "high-handedness and arbitrariness," Saturday, accusing Washington of having pursued "military supremacy" in disregard of Russia's security concerns.



In a post on the North's foreign ministry website, Ri Ji-song, a researcher at the Society for International Politics Study, made the remarks  the North's first public mention of the conflict following Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this week.



"The root cause of the Ukrainian crisis also lies in the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the U.S. which has held on solely to the unilateral sanction and pressure while pursuing only global hegemony and military supremacy in disregard of the legitimate demand of Russia for its security," Ri wrote.



Ri also cited what he claims to be comments by global media and experts that the contributing factor to the Ukrainian crisis is the "imbalance of power in Europe due to the unilateral expansion of NATO and its threat as well as the grave threat to the national security of Russia."






Western sanctions over Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine will increase Russia's already significant economic reliance on China.

Why it matters: Moscow could blunt the impact of sanctions by deepening its growing alignment with Beijing, giving both countries more leverage in their disputes with the West  but potentially fostering resentment in Russia over the increasingly lopsided relationship.

Catch up quick: The Chinese government said in a statement that it strongly supports "respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries," including Ukraine, but has stopped short of condemning Russia's invasion, and has criticized the imposition of sanctions on Russia.

The state of play: In the weeks before the invasion, Beijing lifted restrictions on wheat imports from Russia and signed a 30-year deal to buy increased volumes of Russian gas  signaling China's massive market was opening further to Russia.

China and Russia have recently inked several energy deals that are largely outside the U.S. dollar-based international financial system, using the Chinese yuan, the Financial Times reports.

Russian oil company Gazprom Neft announced last year that it would use yuan for airplane fuel transactions with China instead of the U.S. dollar.

Russia is also a major recipient of loans from Chinese financial institutions, receiving $151 billion between 2000 and 2017.

A previous round of Western sanctions over Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea saw Russia reorient its economy toward China, signing a $400 billion deal to send gas there and increasing cooperation around infrastructure and technology.

Yes, but: A growing Russian dependence on China could cause friction between the two countries down the line.

Moscow already chafes at being beholden to a country that was once its protege during Soviet times, and is uncomfortable with China's growing presence in Central Asia, which Russia regards as its backyard, Yun Sun, China program director at the Stimson Center, told Axios.

to a country that was once its protege during Soviet times, and is uncomfortable with China's growing presence in Central Asia, which Russia regards as its backyard, Yun Sun, China program director at the Stimson Center, told Axios. Greater economic dependence on China will only deepen that resentment, Sun said.

The big picture: China is already Russia's largest trading partner, accounting in 2020 for 23% of Russia's imports (everything from textiles to TVs) and 15% of its exports (mostly oil and gas).

"They can get anything they want from China except for high tech," says Mary Lovely of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Advanced semiconductors and other emerging technologies are exactly what the U.S. and EU are targeting with export controls on semiconductors that Japan and Taiwan are also joining.

China does provide 70% of Russia's chip supply and it could help Russia evade the sanctions on sensitive technologies like chips, "but then the question becomes, what's in it for China," Lovely says.

What to watch: How much pressure from the West is China is willing to absorb.

Two Chinese-state-owned banks have restricted some financing to Russia after the invasion, suggesting China doesn't want to be seen as openly enabling Russia.

China abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution condemning the invasion, instead of siding with Russia's veto.

China's leaders aren't willing to indelibly tie themselves to "Putin's chariot," Sun said. "For China, this is a calculus. There is benefit and cost. If the cost is not significant for supporting Russia or continuing economic transactions with Russia, then China will continue it," Sun said.

"If there is significant cost to the Chinese financial and economic relations with Russia, then the Chinese will recalculate."

"China's in the driver's seat right now. It's the one that Russia needs, not the other way around," Lovely added.

Go deeper: Washington wakes up to Beijing-Moscow alignment
Explosions were heard in Kyiv as Russia's military pressed Ukraine's capital and air raid sirens were heard in several cities on Monday morning following reports of a night of shelling by Russian forces in Chernihiv and Kharkiv.

The latest: As Ukrainian and Russian officials prepared for peace talks Monday, the U.K. Defense Ministry issued a statement saying British intelligence supports Ukrainian forces' claims that they've "slowed down" Russia's offensive, adding: "Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance."

The British statement concurs with comments by a Pentagon official on Sunday that the bulk of Russia's forces had stalled about 30 kilometers (19 miles), from Kyiv's city center.

Meanwhile, Russia's currency collapsed in overnight trading, with the ruble plummeting against the dollar, as the West ramps up sanctions over the invasion.

The Russian central bank raised interest rates from 9.5% to 20% and announced a raft of measures on Monday.

By the numbers: A senior Pentagon official said Sunday that Russia had committed two-thirds of its massed forces to fight in Ukraine and fired over 320 missiles, but still does not hold a major population center.

The invasion has caused at least 352 civilian casualties, including 14 children with another 1,684 people  including 116 children  injured, Ukraine's Ministry of Interior said Sunday.

State of play: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Sunday following a conversation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to hold peace talks with "no preconditions" on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River.

Putin ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert Sunday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this was an attempt "to put additional pressure on the Ukrainian delegation" in peace talks.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry said all of Kharkiv  Ukraine's second-largest city, which lies on its eastern border with Russia and has endured some of the heaviest fighting of the war  was back under Ukrainian control Sunday.

The European Union announced sweeping sanctions on Russian aircraft and state media and said that, for the first time, the bloc will buy and deliver weapons to Ukraine  including transferring Soviet-era fighter jets.

What to watch: The United Nations will convene a rare emergency session of the 193-member General Assembly on Monday to vote on a resolution calling for peace in Ukraine.

Forces from Chechnya have entered the fight, while Belarusian forces have reportedly been readied to deploy in support of Russia.

What they're saying: Announcing the peace talks, Zelensky said: "Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return."

"Our president, from the beginning, even before the war started, was focused on the diplomatic solution," Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said after the announcement, per CNN.

"But he always said, 'were ready for peace talks, were not ready to surrender," added Markarova, who compared Putin's tactics to those of Adolf Hitler.

Between the lines: It's unclear what exactly can be achieved from negotiations between envoys sent by Putin and Zelensky, given that Putin's unprovoked invasion appears to be aimed largely at removing Zelensky from power.

Putin has called on the Ukrainian military to topple their president and absurdly suggested that Zelensky's administration comprises Nazis (Zelensky is Jewish and lost family members in the Holocaust).

Zoom in: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told AP Kyiv residents had water and electricity, "but the infrastructure is destroyed to deliver the food and medication," which he said could cause a "humanitarian catastrophe."

What else is happening: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the all "Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft," including the private jets of oligarchs, would be banned from European airspace.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared that Russia's invasion "marks a turning point in the history of our continent," and promised major new contributions to Ukraine and to Germany's own defenses.

The Kremlin and state media continue to tell Russians that no "war" or "invasion" is taking place, but instead states there's a limited defensive operation in eastern Ukraine.

What to watch: Having already threatened independent publications that report on Russian casualties or aggression with censorship, the Kremlin announced Sunday that "the provision of any assistance to a foreign state" during the "military operation" would be considered treason  punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Go deeper: The latest on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
The ministry announced on Saturday that they do not need Schengen visas to enter Ukraines EU neighbors -- Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania -- from the embattled country invaded by Russia. The visa waiver is meant for those Armenians who want to return to Armenia, it said in a statement.

Other options for evacuating them from Ukraine are also being considered, said the statement. At the same time, we inform that the Republic of Armenia is ready to receive our compatriots, their family members, as well as other refugees.

The Foreign Ministry also released emergency phone numbers of Armenias embassy in Kyiv and consulates in the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odessa and Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia.

The Armenian diplomatic missions in Ukraine continued to operate even after Russia launched the full-scale military attack on February 24. Nor did Yerevan urge Armenian citizens to leave the country.

All flights between Armenia and Ukraine were cancelled immediately after the start of the Russian invasion.

Ukraine is officially home to some 120,000 ethnic Armenians. According to leaders of the Armenian community there, their actual number is much larger and only half of them are Ukrainian citizens.

The United Nations estimated on Friday that at least 120,000 Ukrainians have so far fled into Poland and elsewhere. Long lines were seen at border crossings in western Ukraine as refugees arrived by trains, automobiles, buses, and by foot, fleeing Europes largest ground war since the end of World War II.
Robert Price is a journalist for KGET-TV. His column appears here on Sundays; the views expressed are his own. Reach him at robertprice@kget.com or via Twitter: @stubblebuzz.
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The city of Bakersfield has taken the first steps toward creating its own park ranger service, which is intended to protect millions of dollar
Cheong Wa Dae /Newsis



The presidential National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday expressed grave regret over North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile, calling for Pyongyang to immediately stop acts that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula.



National security adviser Suh Hoon presided over the NSC meeting, shortly after North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile that marked the North's eighth show of force this year.



South Korea's military said the North's ballistic missile flew around 300 km at an altitude of 620 km.



NSC members "expressed deep concern and grave regret over North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile today, despite the fact that South Korea and the United States have made joint efforts for a diplomatic solution," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.






You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter.
Fewer rigs and workers, more imports

Oil industry drilling rig counts document a recent slowdown in California at a time when such activity has increased elsewhere. They also show, along with numbers from other sources, how much things have changed since oil prices last topped $100 per barrel in mid-2014.

Oil field service company Baker Hughes reported the number of drilling rigs active nationwide dropped by three-quarters in the two years after 2014, when supply flooded the market. But since mid-2020, there has been a steady rise from 200 to more than 500.

In California, the crash was steeper  a drop of as much as 91 percent from 2014 to 2016 to as few as four active rigs. After mid-2020, the number rose from four to as high as 10, but since November it has remained at seven, according to Baker Hughes.

Another view comes California Employment Development Department figures showing oil and gas extraction in Kern County employed 54 percent fewer people in the second quarter of 2021 than it did seven years earlier, when the category had 3,219 workers. There were also, at 37, 31 percent fewer companies doing the work in early 2021.

EDD data from that period also points to a 36 percent drop in the number of people working in local oil and gas drilling, and a 52 percent decline in industry support workers. Reported totals in those two categories were 1,184 and 3,062, respectively in the second quarter of last year.

California's reliance on foreign oil has increased during that same time, but not vastly.

According to the California Energy Commission, the share of imported oil refined in California, not including that which came from Alaska, went from 51.6 percent in 2014 to 58.4 percent in 2019.
Email Dan Walters of CalMatters at dan@calmatters.org. CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/dan-walters.
Update: Union membership voted to accept the return to work agreement that brings all employees back to work March 7. Health insurance will be available for employees beginning April 1.

Original story:

Locked out ExxonMobil employees could return to work in Beaumont as soon as next month with new agreements on the table.

United Steelworkers Union District 13 voted Monday 214-133 to ratify the latest contract offered by ExxonMobil and ultimately take a step toward ending the 10-month lockout.

Now, two return-to-work agreements have been drafted between the company and the union, which has represented some 620 workers since the roughly 10-month long lockout began last year.

Both agreements have a return-to-work date of March 7

Were pleased to have reached a tentative return-to-work agreement with the union, ExxonMobil Spokesperson Nakisha Burns told The Enterprise on Friday morning. USW leadership has publicly stated the agreement will be taken to a vote by the membership. We look forward to welcoming our employees back to work. In the meantime, we will continue to operate our facility safely and reliably with our fully-trained staff.

USW District 13 representative Bryan Gross confirmed the membership will review the agreements and decide as a group which version to accept. The lockout will officially end once the agreement has been signed, he confirmed.

Union membership is expected to have a meeting on Saturday.

Related: USW votes 214-133 to ratify ExxonMobil contract ,

The main difference between the agreements obtained by the Enterprise appears to be when employees will become activated in the companys system.

One agreement gives all employees the same activation date of March 7. The other gives employees an activation date of March 1, but it would allow them to take up to one week of vacation and return March 7. The date employees are activated determines any impacts to health benefits and other programs based on employment status.

Communication will be sent out to employees for individual return to work dates which may begin on and after the activation date and depend on the employees schedules. If the employee fails to appear on that first shift and day, the information said the worker may be terminated by the company.

Both proposed agreements call for discontinuation of all lock-out related activities, such as picketing and the removal of related materials from the greater Beaumont and surrounding areas.

The parties recognize that it would be in the best interest to refrain from public disparagement of each other and will agree to stop their relevant activity where it exists, the document said. Locked out employees will not be placed at any competitive disadvantage as it relates to job assignments and promotions because of their participation in lawful picketing when compared to any employee who did not participate in lawful picketing.

Employees will be expected to report back to the assignment, crew and shift held prior to the lockout.

Both pending agreements state that that there will be shift changes to rebalance crews, and vacation will be blacked out during the first 30 days of the transition period.

There shall be no grievances or charges related to shift rebalancing, scheduling or other staffing decisions within the 60-day period starting on March 7th, the agreements state. The company retains the right to staff and assign work outside the bargaining unit past the 60-day transition period for any pre-planned outages which have already been staffed at the time of this agreement, including CHD1 turnaround, BLADE enablers, Coker heater outage, GTG outage and Boiler 33 and 34 outages.

Employees will be required to train and qualify consistent with department specific requirements, and the lockout period will not impact employees seniority.

The agreements also list a number of specific provisions for employees regarding those who may have become disabled during the lockout and how health insurance payments will resume.

Vacation time accrued prior to the lockout is unaffected and remains owed to employees, the documents said. Returning employees will be paid for all yet unpaid vacations scheduled from May 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021. Returning employees will also be paid for all unscheduled vacation due to employees in 2021.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Early voting in Jefferson county ended Friday, and according to interim County clerk Laurie Leister, residents turned out in significant numbers.

Weve had a nice big turnout, Leister said. Were pleased with the turnout.

There were 14,508 in-person votes, plus 1,311 mailed in ballots as of February 24, for a combined total of 15,819 votes. Fridays totals were not available by press time.

Leister believes the turnout is largely because the election is higher profile than last Novembers, which was covering largely constitutional amendments.

There are some contested races, Leister said. And there are some contentious races which, of course, I think is very healthy. I dont think its upper ballot issues. I think its probably more local issues.

Generally it has been a heavy workload for county employees but mostly smooth otherwise. However, there was a skirmish between two poll workers in Beaumont.

The conflict arose between a Democratic poll worker, who party chairs say was the instigator, and a Republican poll worker.

(The party chairs) talked to the people involved. I think theyve all worked it out, Leister said. Both of those people are still going to be poll workers. The parties agreed on that.

According to Leister, for the two weeks of early voting, poll workers work long hours around the same people, which can sometimes lead to tensions. Even Leister said she herself was a little edgy on Friday.

Mail ballots can be submitted through Tuesday. Leister reminded mail ballot voters of Senate Bill 1, which requires people to put their ID or drivers license number or the last four digits of their social security number, on the ballot. They also need to sign it.

In addition, she wants residents to have confidence in the voting process and faith in local leaders.

Be proud of Jefferson County and our voting integrity, she said. When I first came here from the November election, I was very impressed with the security of the ballots, the machinery, the staff. They take their work very seriously, and theyre not political people.

Election Day is from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Check out The Beaumont Enterprises Voter Guide before heading out to cast your ballot and follow along with us online for complete local totals on Tuesday.

rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/ontheREKord
The bond amount for a man identified in a fatal gas station shooting last year will not be reduced. Instead, it could see an increase a local judge gets another negative report.

Deon Williams has been charged with two offenses that occurred on August 16, 2021, including first degree murder and aggravated assault.

During a Wednesday bond hearing, Jefferson County 252nd Criminal District Court Judge Raquel West said a motion was filed to reduce the bond in both cases.

Related: PAPD makes arrest for Speedy mart shooting

However, Jefferson County District Attorneys Offices Criminal Chief Prosecutor Ashley Molfino reminded the judge that attorney who previously represented Williams had already asked to reduce the bond.

The bond had been set at $1.25 million each in both cases, but they were lowered to $750,000 in November under the former attorney, West confirmed.

West also advised the new attorney to inform Williams shed raise his bond if she received another jail incident involving him.

We have him getting razor blades and things that give me great concern, West said.

I dont think there is any worry, there is no way he will be able to make those bonds, the attorney said.

Williams was indicted in connection with the death of Derrick Pitre at a local gas station in August.

Port Arthur detectives said an officer witnessed shots fired just after 10 p.m. on Aug. 16 at Joe S. Speedy Mart gas station, 600 West Gulfway. Pitre was found unresponsive. He and another man both had gunshot wounds.

The two were taken to a local hospital. Pitre was paralyzed at the time and unable to be interviewed, police said. However, Williams was identified as the alleged shooter.

Williams was found at a home and arrested on an unrelated charge. When police searched the home, they found clothing and a handgun believed to be in connected to the shooting.

Williams was read Miranda Warning and waived his rights and agreed to provide a statement about the shooting, detectives said in court documents. The statement, including details that corroborated with surveillance video and witness statements, led police to believe that Williams was responsible for the shootings of both men.

Originally, Williams was accused of two counts of aggravated assault in relation to the incident. However, Pitre died on Aug. 25 as a result of injuries sustained in the shooting, police said. The other man who was shot also wished to press charges against Williams, according to court documents.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
This photo provided by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks in a meeting of ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea on Feb. 26. AP-Yonhap



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a major ruling party event held in Pyongyang, the country's state media reported Sunday.



In an opening address at the 2nd Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Saturday, he talked about the "serious deviations of not meeting the requirement of the developing reality" despite the growth of a lot of primary organizations of the party, as well as progress in their "position and role," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).



"He stressed the need to share experience gained in improving work and learn a lesson from mistakes," it said in an English-language report.






Fran Ruchalski, The Enterprise / The Enterprise

A man who turned himself in during a homicide investigation will soon go to trial.

Jury selection in the first-degree murder trial of Murray Melvin Odom III is expected to begin at 1 p.m. March 7, Jefferson County 252nd District Court Judge Raquel West said.
Question No. 1: What makes your character the right match for this position?

Question No. 2: Why do you want to pursue this office?

Question No. 3: If provided more funding, what would you invest it into?

Ken Gunner

Age: 50

Highest level of education: Graduated Lufkin Police Academy as a Certified Police Officer

Occupation: Port Arthur Independent School District Police Officer

Answer No. 1: I am disciplined, focused and completely dedicated. My desire is to be exactly what I chose to be  a peace officer, protecting and serving.

Answer No. 2: The position of a constable is very unique, serving in civil and criminal law capacities. I committed to service when I joined the Navy and committed to becoming a leader in my community the moment I decided I wanted to become an officer. As constable, I can serve my community as needed, with fairness and compassion, while still upholding the laws of the state.

Answer No. 3: I want to develop a modernized way to positively impact the youth and young adults in our city. I want to invest in the many programs and organizations geared toward youth success, guiding them safely out of the troubles and hardships and molding them into successful adults.

Patricia Mendez-Cockrell

The Enterprise contacted Patricia Mendez-Cockrell but received no response.

Gene Winston Jr.

The Enterprise contacted Gene Winston Jr. but received no response.

Age: 55

Highest level of education: My educational background includes a Masters in Criminal Administration, Master Peace Officer license and a civil process proficiency certificate.

Occupation: 30 years of law enforcement experience

Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Compiled by Meagan Ellsworth
In 1939 the Soviet Union invaded Finland because it wouldnt give up some land that Joseph Stalin wanted, and the Russian dictator expected an easy victory. The Soviet Union had a large army and Finland didnt. Stalin figured the conflict would be over in a few weeks.

It wasnt. Finland did have a much smaller army, but its troops were well-trained and determined to fight on their home ground. In contrast, most of Russias troops were poorly trained conscripts, often led by political hacks instead of competent officers.

So when Russian troops poured across the border, they met fierce resistance and made little progress. Stalin was embarrassed  and furious. And when Stalin got angry, somebody got shot.

After about three months, however, Russias overwhelming numerical superiority proved to be too much for the plucky Finns. Finnish leaders agreed to give up some land but were relieved that their entire country wasnt taken over by Stalin.

The parallels to that war and the current one in Ukraine are obvious. The Ukrainians are putting up brave resistance to Vladimir Putins troops, and they might hold off the inevitable for a while. Eventually, however, Putin will get what he wants by sheer force of numbers. He doesnt care about Russian casualties, much less Ukrainian ones, or how many cities he has to destroy. It remains to be seen whether he will conclude by occupying all of Ukraine or parts of it.

But if the Ukrainians and everyone who cares about freedom keep resisting, that wont be the end of this wicked invasion. Ukrainians can begin a guerrilla war against the Russian occupiers, similar to what Soviet troops experienced in another country  Afghanistan.

Ukraine is awash in machine guns, grenades and perhaps mortars and land mines. If the Ukrainian people want to, they can make this a costly occupation for Russia. Guerrillas always choose the time and location of the attack. Large Russian forces will be left alone, but smaller groups or individuals will be vulnerable to killing or capture.

No should be naive about how difficult and brutal this would be. Russia would retaliate with savagery against any village it suspects of sheltering guerrillas. More Ukrainians would die than Russians,

But in Afghanistan, this grim, ongoing toll would eventually be too much for Russia. Putin will never want to withdraw from what he has just conquered, but it could become harder and harder for him to sell this unpopular war to a Russian population that is not enthusiastic about it. Eventually, it could even cause him to be ousted by another strongman who would withdraw.

This is a lousy future for Ukrainians. It will take years and cause even more casualties. But it could represent the quickest way  or the only way  for them to boot Russia out once and for all. If they do keep fighting like this, the U.S. and other NATO countries should support them no matter how much Putin complains. So far he has been calling the shots, but he needs to be put on the defensive.

Thomas Taschinger, TTaschinger@BeaumontEnterprise.com, is the editorial page editor of The Beaumont Enterprise. Follow him on Twitter at @PoliticalTom
Ukrainians living in Korea hold up Ukraine's national flag and a painting depicting their aspirations for peace and freedom in their home country near the Russian Embassy in Jung District in Seoul, Sunday, as Russia intensifies its attack on Ukraine. Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



Ukrainians residing in Korea condemned Russia's invasion of their country and appealed for active support from the Korean government and people, Sunday.



About 200 Ukrainians held a rally near the Russian Embassy in Seoul and said that the Ukrainian community in Korea strongly condemns Russia's attack on Ukraine and is deeply concerned about the threats to civilians.



"It has been four days since Russia's outrageous invasion on Ukraine took place in the heart of Europe in the 21st century. Since Nazi Germany's assault in 1941, the most horrific thing has been happening in the capital," a Ukrainian protester said.









"We desperately urge Korean society to support Ukraine, which is struggling desperately to protect democracy. If the Korean government imposes active economic sanctions on Russia quickly, it will be a great help to Ukraine."





Ukrainians living in South Korea hold up signs that read, "Putin is killing our family and friends," during a rally denouncing Russia near the Russian Embassy in Jung District, Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
Image of girl with gun is an old meme, not recent Ukraine photo
Gettyimagesbank



This article is the fifth in a series about the 2022 presidential election candidates' campaign pledges. In this article, their pledges for Korea-US relations are examined and compared. ED



Lee calls for immediate OPCON transfer; Yoon says wait until South Korea is ready



By Nam Hyun-woo





Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung labels himself as a pragmatist in foreign policy. He says South Korea has no good reason to push itself to choose between the United States or China, noting they are both important for the country as a security guarantor and the nation's No. 1 trading partner, respectively.



Based on this belief, Lee has yet to show a clear stance regarding questions such as what his choice will be, if elected, in case the nation is forced to choose between the United States and China _ just as when South Korea faced mounting pressure from both countries' opposing calls over the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery years ago.



Meanwhile, his rival Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has maintained a rather a clear stance on diplomatic priorities amid the U.S.-China rivalry.



He reiterated that the South Korea-U.S. alliance became significantly impaired during the Moon Jae-in government, and if elected, he would fix it to make it stronger than ever before. When asked during a TV debate weeks ago to list the leaders he would meet in sequence, he named the United States first and China later.



On top of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the two leading candidates share little in their positions on other key issues about bilateral relations.



The following are comparisons between the U.S. policies of DPK presidential candidate Lee and PPP candidate Yoon.







South Korea-US alliance



The DPK's Lee stresses pragmatism in foreign policy as the core value of his diplomatic stance, distinguishing himself from President Moon Jae-in, who has been accused of prioritizing South Korea's relations with China and North Korea over other bilateral relations.



Lee underscores the importance of upgrading the current Seoul-Washington alliance to "a comprehensive" one. His remarks mean that the alliance should not only cover areas of security or the military, but should expand further to other fields, such as advanced technologies and industrial partnerships.



In a Feb. 23 contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, Lee cited the joint statement between President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden in May of last year as an example of his idea.



"The joint statement went far beyond security priorities and covered diverse issues such as the response to COVID-19, climate change, and even space exploration," Lee wrote. "The two countries already enjoy a relationship of remarkable breadth and depth, which will continue to be upgraded in the coming years."





Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung sings during his campaign in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Yonhap



Wi Sung-lac, former South Korean ambassador to Russia who is currently in charge of foreign policy at the Lee Jae-myung camp, said that the candidate views the joint statement as a case showing "the current and future relations between the two countries."



"There are critics, especially the main opposition candidate, saying that South Korea-U.S. relations turned soured during the Moon administration, but Lee does not agree," Wi told The Korea Times. "He believes the joint statement between Moon and Biden in May well reflects the current and future relations between the two countries. By carrying agreements in the statement, the alliance can evolve into a comprehensive one."



Wi said Lee's idea on policies toward the U.S. is largely in line with that of Moon, but the candidate will seek to expand the fields of bilateral cooperation.



"If Lee wins the election, he is anticipated to expand the areas of cooperation, such as technologies related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and new economic order," Wi said.





Main opposition People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during an endorsement event at the National Assembly, Thursday. Joint Press Corps



On the other hand, the PPP's Yoon believes Seoul's relations with Washington "collapsed" under the Moon administration, and the alliance should be "rebuilt" strong enough to "revive trust between the allies.



During a TV debate on Feb. 3, Yoon stressed "South Korea's relations with the U.S. and Japan had collapsed under the DPK administration's submissive stance to China and North Korea, so the top priority is rebuilding the alliance with the U.S."



Kim Sung-han, a professor at Korea University and former vice foreign minister who is in charge of diplomatic policy at Yoon's camp, cited former U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commanding General Robert Abrams' Dec. 25 interview with Voice of America as an example showing why Yoon thinks the alliance has collapsed.



"In the interview, the former commander said he has been requesting the South Korean military for the past two years that Washington and Seoul should develop new operational war plans (OPLANs) to account for military aggression by Beijing, but Seoul did not respond properly," Kim told The Korea Times.



"Adding to this, the allies have not been conducting proper joint military exercises for years, and there also seems to be differences in the two countries' perspectives on President Moon's proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War," Kim said.



"The reason is Moon's obsession over appeasement policies involving North Korea and subsequent policies leaning toward China. This caused serious damage to the South Korea-U.S. alliance. This is why we are calling for a 'rebuilding' of the alliance, because the damage is too serious to be restored."



In his Feb. 8 contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, Yoon also noted, "A foreign policy tailored mostly to improving relations with North Korea has allowed Seoul's role in the global community to shrink."











Armored vehicles are seen at Camp Casey, a U.S. military base in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, in this Aug. 10 file photo. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han



Yoon believes the two countries should rebuild their mutual trust through strong military ties, and then move on to pursue a comprehensive alliance in various fields, such as semiconductors, batteries and artificial intelligence.



"The key to the Seoul-Washington alliance is their military alliance," Kim said. "When you see DPK candidate Lee's foreign policies, he also stresses the comprehensive alliance, but when you look inside his pledges, the expansions he claims are not based on solid military ties. We believe the core value of the alliance is military, and an alliance having an untrained army is meaningless."



US-China rivalry



While stressing pragmatism in his foreign policies, Lee seeks to exploit the current U.S.-China rivalry as an opportunity for South Korea's greater national interest, but has been relatively unclear about his diplomatic priority.



On Aug. 21, he commented: "The U.S. is our only ally and China is our strategic partner. There is no reason for us to choose a side and limit our capability by ourselves. Competent diplomacy is making the two countries choose us."



He also believes that excessive antagonism toward China is not helpful for the alliance with the U.S., citing Beijing's cooperation in persuading North Korea to drop its nuclear programs.



Lee wrote in his contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, "South Koreans have good reason to be concerned by Beijing's increasingly assertive behavior. But overt antagonism serves neither South Korea's national interests nor its alliance with Washington."



The PPP's Yoon, meanwhile, has been rather clear. He called for a stronger South Korea-U.S. alliance, saying Seoul should enhance its military or strategic ties with Washington to create a greater deterrence against North Korea's threat and take a firm stand with the U.S. to counter China's assertion.



Showing this stance is Yoon's pledge to enhance the military exercises between South Korea and the U.S., such as the annual command post exercises and combined field training exercises. He also promised to deploy carriers, nuclear submarines and other strategic assets in South Korea, as well as deploying additional U.S. THAAD batteries on his home soil.



South Korea's 2017 deployment of a THAAD battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province triggered China's strong opposition and economic retaliation, such as shutting down South Korean retailers in China or banning Chinese tourists from visiting South Korea.



Also, Yoon promised to restore the "Kill Chain," a South Korea-U.S. preemptive strike system to more effectively counter potential nuclear threats posed by the North.





U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the Quad summit at the White House, Sept. 24. Seated clockwise from left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and then-Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. AP-Yonhap



The candidates are also showing differences in the debate over the Quadrilateral Strategic Dialogue (Quad), which is a U.S.-led multilateral network widely viewed as a mechanism to keep an assertive China in check.



The DPK's Lee refrains from using the term of "joining" Quad or Quad Plus (inclusion of other countries), but has said that he intends to cooperate with member countries over its agendas _ COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and emerging technology.



"The three main agendas of Quad are the field in which South Korea can cooperate with Quad members, and the candidate is also interested in active cooperation over those agendas," Wi said. "Lee also believes there will be additional areas for cooperation."



On the other hand, the PPP's Yoon has a clearer stance _ joining Quad's working groups of vaccine, climate change and emerging technologies to enable functional cooperation, and seek official entry as a Quad Plus member if the member countries open the door.



"We oftentimes try to find security and strategic traits in Quad, like an alliance, but it is a forum for non-traditional regional security issues, which is far from a military alliance," Kim said. "Since South Korea is now in Quad's vaccine working group, we seek to join the working groups of climate change and emerging technologies to prove the country's capability, and seek an entry as a member country."



Along with Quad, Yoon also pledged that he will pursue Seoul playing host to the Summit for Democracy, which was held by U.S. President Joe Biden in December last year and was widely viewed as a meeting to counter China's growing influence.





U.S. Forces Korea Commanding General Paul LaCamera, right, and his predecessor Gen. Robert Abrams, second from right, attend the former's inauguration ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, in this July 2 file photo. Joint Press Corp
PITTSFIELD  Megan Whilden, the executive director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, is leaving the Berkshires after more than two decades  but not without leaving an indelible mark on the county according to her colleagues and friends.

Over the last 21 years, Whilden has been a constant feature in the Berkshire County arts and political scenes, helping to strengthen her adopted community. Now, Whilden says its time to return closer to her first home in Monterey, Calif. to be with her family.

On Saturday, Whilden announced on Facebook that she was stepping down from her position at OLLI on March 25 and moving to Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif. in the following weeks. Whilden has accepted a position with the Carmel Foundation, a nonprofit focused on the education, enrichment and support of older adults.

Whildens announcement received more than 100 comments by late Saturday from Berkshire County residents who said theyve felt the impact of Whildens time in the community.

If you look at a lot of the high profile efforts and initiatives that have raised community awareness, you invariably find Megan as part of it, Ellen Kennedy, president of Berkshire Community College, said of her friend.

On the long and colorful resume of Whilden are board and advisory positions with the Berkshire branch of the NAACP, the Berkshire Art Association, 1Berkshire, Berkshire Resources for the Integration of Diverse Groups and Education, Berkshire Democratic Brigade, the Four Freedoms Coalition and The Berkshire Eagle.

She served on so many and supported so many organizations, in public ways and in quiet ways, Kennedy said.

Whilden moved to Berkshire County in 2001 and took a job as the marketing director for IS183 Art School of the Berkshires. Whilden used her love of the arts and her communication skills to support the rise of the Storefront Artist project, which brought Pittsfield residents and rising artists face-to-face in the citys empty storefronts-turned studios.

In the early 2000s, the grassroots coalition Women Helping Empower Neighborhoods  also known as Weve Had Enough Nonsense  arose from a desire to diversify a white and male Pittsfield City Council.

Whilden became an early member of the group, helping to support the first WHEN-backed candidates Tricia Farley-Bouvier (now Pittsfield state representative) and Linda Tyer (now mayor) in their runs for City Council and City Clerk, respectively.

Farley-Bouvier said she got a chance to really get to know Whilden when former Mayor James Ruberto hired Whilden as the citys first cultural development director in 2005, and said shes always been impressed by the intentionality with which Whilden engages with the community and a cause. She credits Whilden with introducing her to new ways to reach out to constituents.

Shes a person who can envision things and shes also somebody who seems to not get ruffled, Farley-Bouvier said. When something seemed hard ... you felt like things could succeed because she was so enthusiastic about it.

Residents say the biggest example of Whildens determination and foresight is Pittsfields popular Third Thursdays series.

Whilden can still recall the doubt in former mayor Rubertos and Greylock Federal Credit Union President and CEO John Bissells voices when she proposed the outdoor cultural festival. She said both men were unsure the street fair would draw a crowd but gave Whilden the freedom to try it out.

Though even more vivid in Whildens memory is the sight of the crowds that filled Pittsfield main drag on the first Third Thursday.

There was a woman, an older woman crying in the street, because she never thought she would see so many people downtown again, Whilden said.

The community event has not only reminded residents of what Pittsfield once was, but what it could become.

Ive met young adults who kind of grew up in experiencing the programs that I set up and I can see that it really kind of opened their eyes and broaden their perspectives of what Pittsfield could be, Whilden said. That is a most wonderful legacy.

Shirley Edgerton, founder of the Women of Color Giving Circle of the Berkshires and The Rites of Passage and Empowerment program, said Whildens work in the arts wasnt just about drawing people to Pittsfield but making sure to showcase the talents of all of the citys residents and artists.

Megans contributions have been vast, endless and inclusive, Edgerton wrote in an email. She brought many to the decision making tables in the arts that were often excluded.

Edgerton and Whilden worked together on the founding steering committee of Lift Evry Voice, a festival celebrating African-American culture and history in the Berkshires. The festival, which kicked off on Juneteenth 2011, has become a renowned summer celebration responsible for performances at Jacobs Pillow and bringing Earth, Wind and Fire to Tanglewood.

Whildens impact on the cultural landscape of Pittsfield brought dividends on its own. Barrington Stage Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, speaking in 2014, said Whildens role as cultural development director was key to the companys decision to move to Pittsfield from South County in 2006.

In 2014 Whilden left the cultural development office for the executive director position at OLLI. What some saw as a major career shift, Whilden saw as a furthering of her real passion: community.

Its all about making a better community in different way, Whilden said.

At OLLI, Kennedy said Whilden has strengthen not only the internal structure of the adult education program, but the resourcefulness of the programs students.

Kennedy said Whildens resourcefulness at the start of the pandemic allowed OLLI to switch to remote learning after teaching its older adult students how to use Zoom.

Doing that not only helps people engage with OLLI, but helps them engage with their family and friends, Kennedy said. It really quickly and reduced that sense of isolation.

During Whildens time as executive director of the program, enrollment has increased 65 percent, up to 1,400 students. Both Whilden and Kennedy agree that the nonprofit has never been stronger.

Its a good time to pass the baton to someone else, Whilden said.

Over the next month Whilden will continue working, connecting people and ideas in between packing up her Berkshire home with her partner and her cat. That will leave time for her friends to keep contemplating her legacy.

I think her full impact wont actually be known for a bit, Kennedy said. It will both further her legendary status in our community and also just make us always appreciative of having her for as long as we did in Berkshire County.
"A lot of those of Russian descent have family and friends in Ukraine and for all of us it's a sad situation all around, one we hope ends in peace."

Deacon Justin Griffing

Quote
PITTSFIELD  Asked how it will help meet Massachusetts climate goals, Berkshire Gas said natural gas will remain a key part of its plans.

Consultants contracted by Berkshire Gas and other Massachusetts utilities released a draft report Feb. 15, detailing possible strategies.

Based on that report and the stakeholder process, Berkshire Gas concluded in a Feb. 15 document that all scenarios taken together, including qualitative and feasibility considerations, envision an important role for natural gas in the energy transition.

Observers who have followed the process continue to voice one central concern. While the changes being floated continue to rely on burning gas, they wanted the process, which Attorney General Maura Healey requested in June 2020, to look at how companies could shift to a business model built around electrification.

The public has until Tuesday to comment for input to be reflected in the final report that is due March 18. Comments still can be sent after Tuesday, but they will not influence the final report.

Berkshire Gas lists its proposals as consumer education, energy efficiency, electrification, low-carbon fuel growth, renewable electricity, hydrogen and renewable natural gas and developing technologies.

The reliance on decarbonized gases, which refer to synthetic natural gas, hydrogen and renewable natural gas, gives the appearance of a dog-and-pony show to Jane Winn, executive director of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team.

You cant call something decarbonized thats still got carbon in it, Winn said. Its as bad as calling it natural gas to make it sound good.

Berkshire Gas sees the sources outlined in the report as clean energy options that deserve rightful and thorough consideration, spokesperson Christopher Farrell said in an email.

To dismiss any one energy source before the prospect and potential that it represents are fully investigated would be inconsistent with the goal of this undertaking, he said.

Climate groups have called for utilities to move toward electrification using solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower instead.

Researchers have debated the merits of synthetic natural gas, hydrogen and renewable natural gas. William Moomaw, a former International Panel on Climate Change scientist who lives in Williamstown, has said he believes that leaning on those gases, which all emit greenhouse gases when burned, delays an inevitable transition.

After several observers voiced concerns at a Feb. 1 stakeholder meeting, the companies successfully petitioned the Department of Public Utilities to extend their deadline from March 1 to March 18, allowing more time for comments to be submitted.

At 'future of gas' stakeholder meeting, climate groups express concern with process In a month, consultants must complete an analysis of how Massachusetts utilities companies can help the state meet its climate goals. If a Tuesday stakeholder meeting provides any indication of what is to come, climate groups have little faith in the process.

Yet, some question whether their input would significantly alter the course of action.

Rosemary Wessel, director of BEATs No Fracked Gas in Mass. program, said she wants Healey or the Department of Utilities to reject the report and ask the companies to start from scratch.

They should say, Well, sorry. It didnt hit the mark. Youre going to have to do it again,  Wessel said.

Critics have argued that allowing the companies to hire and select the consultants gave them inordinate power over a process meant to change the industry.

At a Wednesday stakeholder meeting, the law firm representing Berkshire Gas and other companies said that all comments will be accepted, although requests for consultants to redo the process would be impractical and are not going to be possible to be accommodated at this point in the process.

Certainly, something like that is not something we will be able to incorporate, said Jack Habib, a partner at Keegan Werlin LLP. If someone has a comment that they think a model should have been done differently, obviously, you all have every right to be raising that in your comments if you wish to do so.

While the companies plan to file another three-year plan in 2024, Wessel said she believes the companies have delayed changes.

This could just turn into a perpetual exercise without a lot of results, where every time theyll look at it again, and itll be the same sort of stall tactic that were seeing here, she said. They really need to develop new business models, and they have failed to do that.
The Hub coalition, modeled after the Chelsea Hub and its Canadian predecessor, brings together more than 20 community organizations every two weeks, around a table, to discuss how to support Pittsfield residents or community members living in "acute elevated risk"  or situations where there is a risk of imminent harm.
An elderly man, woman and two children were rescued from Mount Greylock on Friday evening by Massachusetts State Police and conservation officers.


By Kang Seung-woo



Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has made an apology for his remarks about Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a TV debate Friday regarding the cause of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which drew a backlash both here and abroad.



Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, participates in a TV debate on SBS in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap



"Unlike my intentions, if my words caused misunderstanding to Ukrainians, I lacked the ability to express myself well," Lee wrote on Facebook, Saturday, adding that his remarks were mainly aimed at pointing out the ill-founded diplomatic and security views of his main rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party rather than disparaging the Ukrainian president.



During the TV debate held, Friday, Lee said a novice politician with six months of political experience had become the country's leader and caused a major clash by inciting Russia with a hasty promise regarding Ukraine's admission into NATO.






When you hear the word jubilee what comes to mind? I imagine laughter, joy, dancing, and celebration. In the Bible we see this word mentioned in 21 verses within the Old Testament. What is the Year of Jubilee and how does it point to Jesus?

When my grandparents had their 50th wedding anniversary, they paid for our entire family to go on a cruise and celebrate their marriage and legacy with them. I was in the fourth grade and remember sweet times with my cousins. We played, ate great food, and enjoyed the beaches. We all rested and celebrated together. This is what I think about for the Year of Jubilee. Although our trip only lasted a couple of days, we had that time set apart to be together during a monumental occasion. We rested, rejoiced and remembered.

The people of God had a similar celebration, but on a much grander scale. They were commanded to work hard for six years at a time and every seventh year they were to rest and live on the crops that they produced. This was a time to trust in the Lord and rest; this was called a Sabbath year.

Seven is a significant number in the Bible. It is often referred to as a holy number and symbolizes completion. Just like on the seventh day of creation when God our Creator rested, the Israelites were commanded to rest and take the Sabbath day every week, and the Sabbath Year on every seventh year. On the seventh time of this seven-year rotation (year 49) there would be a Sabbath year followed by a bonus year, a year of Jubilee.

Leviticus 25:21-22 says, I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years. When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives.

I love how God provided for His people, He blessed them in abundance on year six so that in years seven and eight (Jubilee) they would have food to last them until the ninth years. The Lord gave in abundance for their celebration.

Websters Dictionary defines jubilee as a special anniversary or a season of celebration. In regard to the Bible, Often Jubilee: a year of emancipation and restoration provided by ancient Hebrew law to be kept every 50 years by the emancipation of enslaved Hebrews, restoration of alienated lands to their former owners, and omission of all cultivation of the land.

After many chapters with laws on how to make sacrifices for certain sins, Leviticus 25 reveals a sweet concept for the Israelites. Verses 8-17 shares that on the 50th year after having had seven Sabbath years, there would be a celebration. On the Day of Atonement, the trumpet would sound, the 50th year would be consecrated, And proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. This was a time to return to be with family. This was a year of no work, but of rest. It was a time of release and freedom from debts.

Leviticus 25:40-41 says, As a hired servant and a sojourner he shall be with you, and shall serve you until the Year of Jubilee. And then he shall depart from youhe and his children with himand shall return to his own family. He shall return to the possession of his fathers.

As we just looked at the verses about the release of bondservants, I cannot help but travel over to the books of the New Testament. Romans 6:17-18 says, But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

We were all slaves to sin before Jesus came to take away our sin and purchase our freedom through His death. No matter what we have been enslaved to in our lives, Jesus offers freedom; Jesus is our ultimate jubilee. Instead of just offering us freedom once every 50 years, Christ gave us eternal freedom through His death and resurrection.

Philippians 2:5-6 says, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

The year of Jubilee is never mentioned in the New Testament. Christians do not celebrate this year. Jewish people today also no longer recognize this celebration either. According to My Jewish Learning, But the jubilee year has not been observed for at least two millennia. This is because the verse in Leviticus, which specifically namesall its inhabitants, was understood by the rabbis to mean that the jubilee year only applies when all those who are meant to live in Israel  that is, all 12 tribes of Israel  do in fact live there.

Jesus is offering jubilee to each one of us today. The truth is that we do not need to be held captive by our sins anymore. We can proclaim and embrace the freedom that we have through Christ. I imagine that we all have our own testimonies of coming to a saving faith in Jesus. One thing that I love about the Year of Jubilee in Scripture is that no matter if a person was a bondservant for one day or forty-nine years, on the 50th year, this person was given the ability to be set free of all debts and all service. In a similar way, whether we accepted Christ as a child, or on the last day of our lives, our debts are paid and forgiven by the grace of Jesus.

May the Year of Jubilee remind us how we were once enslaved to our sins, but we have been made alive and freed through Jesus. We can celebrate the Jubilee of Jesus resurrection every moment of every day.

More from this author

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Photo credit: Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio

Emma Danzeys mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, inspiring young women to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and they have been married for over a year. Drew and Emma serve with Upstate CRU college ministry in South Carolina. Emma is an avid writer for Salem Web Network and provides articles on the Bible, life questions, and on the Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 viewed article on Crosswalk for the year 2021. All the glory to the Lord! She has the joy of being the host of Her Many Hats podcast where she explores the many roles that women play while serving One God.
LEWISTON - At 7:24 p.m. on Saturday, Lewiston Fire Department units were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 612 Airway Drive. According to the Lewiston Fire Department, first arriving units discovered a fifth-wheel recreational vehicle trailer fully engulfed and threatening a nearby shop. The fire was extinguished within the first few minutes with no damage being reported to the adjacent shop.

No firefighters or citizens were injured.

The cause is under investigation. Estimated losses to the RV and contents is estimated at $5,000.

Lewiston Fire Department responded with 3 Fire Engines, 3 Medic units, 4 Chief Officers, 1 Fire Investigator, and Mutual Air partners from Clarkston Fire Department and Clearwater Paper Fire Department.
MOSCOW - After considering the new CDC guidelines, the Moscow School Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Saturday to discuss COVID protocols, specifically the masking requirement in the Moscow School District.

The board approved the removal of the mandatory mask requirement in school facilities, including school buses, and allowing face coverings to be optional beginning Monday, February 28, 2022.

Upon review of the revised CDC guidelines, the board also gave directions to the Moscow School Districts administrative staff to work with district personnel to review and update COVID related safety protocols. These recommendations will be then forwarded to the Health & Safety Committee for review and approval.

Superintendent Gregory J. Bailey says he will continue to communicate with regional health officials as well as continue to collect and monitor COVID related data regarding local cases and school absentee rates to ensure schools can stay open and safe.

"As a school district, it is extremely important to our entire board, administration, and staff that students feel safe and cared for while at school. No matter what decision your student or family decides in relation to masks, we will work together as a school community to ensure everyone feels supported in their decision," said Bailey in a letter to parents and guardians.

"While some may welcome the change of masks being optional, others may not be due to a variety of reasons. To help in this matter we are asking teachers to take time tomorrow to discuss with their students the importance of supporting each other as we move forward through this school year," added Bailey.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com We are a nation of laws no longer. We saw that yesterday in the Senate as 44 Democrats and one Republican -- Kirk of Illinois -- voted against defunding sanctuary cities as well as punishing illegal alien felons who defy deportation. Forty-five senators failed to uphold federal law, violating their oath of office. Where is the outrage? The sad truth  there is very little. In San Francisco yesterday, the Board of Supervisors directly insulted the family of Kate Steinle, the young woman who was murdered by an illegal alien felon who was released from a San Francisco jail after federal authorities asked the sheriff to hold him. The supervisors voted to retain their sanctuary city policy and not cooperate with federal authorities when asked to detain criminals. If you think that's outrageous, listen to this soundbite directed at Kate Steinle's family and supporters: SAN FRANCISCO SUPERVISOR MALIA COHEN (D): We cannot allow one event to dictate 25 years, 25 years, of our citys policies toward undocumented immigrants in our city. (APPLAUSE) And more importantly, we cannot allow hateful conservative news stations to drive how we respond to incidents in our city. Im not afraid of Fox News and they dont influence how I make my policy decisions here in San Francisco. (LOUD APPLAUSE) That woman is a disgrace and if I were the attorney general of the United States, I would place her immediately under arrest. I may not win the case, but I would send a message to subversive office holders that if you don't obey federal law, you yourself will be prosecuted. And where is President Obama on upholding the law? What does he have to say about his party's vote in the Senate? The president is silent. Now, if Congress does not believe immigration law is good for America  change it. But you do not defy it because then every single American can pick and choose what law to obey under equal justice for all. There is no question that our elected officials in Washington and in places like San Francisco are actively undermining the rule of law in this country. What kind of message does it send when the Senate condones a city like San Francisco, releasing a seven-time foreign felon who then kills an innocent girl? As for the city of San Francisco, it's hopeless  a free fire zone of anti-establishment behavior. As Talking Points stated yesterday, there comes a point when the American people are going to have to rise up and elect responsible people to run this country. Because right now things are officially out of control. And that's the memo.
Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com First of all I'm going to keep this simple because as you know, I am a simple man. Over the weekend President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry told the world that a compromise had been reached with Iran over nuclear weapons. Immediately there was controversy. But we must be skeptical here. First of all, there are folks who don't care whether Iran gets the nuke. The Give Peace a Chance crowd will sign on to any deal. On the opposite side, there are Americans who will oppose anything President Obama does. Therefore, they will object to the deal with Iran on that basis. So let's put those two groups aside for a moment. There are two key things in place. First, the agreement slows down but does not stop Iran's development of nuclear weapons. That's why the Israelis are so angry. They want Iran's nuclear program to stop the enriched uranium that the Iranians already have destroyed. But under this deal, it's not going to happen. Secondly President Obama says this is just the first part of the deal; that more stringent controls will be brought to Iran after six months. Again the anti-Obama forces do not believe that will ever happen. On the other side, many believe that it's good, we are engaging the Mullahs that talking with them is better than shooting at them. And although some sanctions are listed -- lifted, most stay in place and can be reinstituted, or so the President says. To bolster that point of view, you can legitimately say that the sanctions have worked. Iran is hurting. Their economy is shambles largely because of the sanctions. And remember there were Americans who said the sanctions would never work. But cutting to the nuke chase "Talking Points" believes that the USA could have made a better deal. If we had held out for a few more months, the Iranian economy would have gotten worse and we the USA and its allies would have been in a stronger position to make Iran give up much more. But with President Obama in trouble over Obamacare, he wanted to make the deal to demonstrate leadership and to stop the public opinion leading. But that might not work, as some Democrats, especially those in states with big Jewish populations like New York, don't like the deal. And now there is a move in Congress to impose even stricter sanctions. Of course, the President would veto that if it ever passed. So there you have it. The deal delays but does not prevent Iranian nuclear weapons. The President says a better deal will be is forthcoming. On the other side critics say Iran is being appeased and they will cheat all day long. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor
Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly If there is one guy you would not want to be today, it was White House spokesman Jay Carney. The press grilling him over charges that the White House altered the initial CIA reporting of the Benghazi terror attack to downplay the organized terrorism angle playing up the spontaneous anti- American demonstration angle. Carney denied any and all wrongdoing by the White House. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CARNEY: On the substantive issues of what happened in Benghazi and at that time what the intelligence community thought it knew, that was reflected in the talking points that were used again that weekend by Ambassador Rice and by others including Members of Congress. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Now when asked if the White House would release the e-mail correspondents between it and the CIA, Carney said no. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CARNEY: Internal deliberations are generally protected, it's generally protected information that is not something that is regularly shared with Congress. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Now, Mr. Carney gave long rambling answers to the questions but he was clear. The White House did nothing wrong, Ambassador Rice did nothing wrong and the whole controversy is being generated by Republicans for political reasons. And that's his story and as they say he is sticking to it. But ABC News is reporting that there were 12 different versions of talking points on Benghazi. And the final version put out to the public eliminated references to al Qaeda and affiliate terrorist organizations. Mr. Carney said that the White House involvement in those revisions was very minor. Plying the State Department under Hillary Clinton was the primary editing force. The state says, "They didn't want to highlight al Qaeda involvement because it might impede the investigation" -- a fairly incredible assertion. What Jay Carney attempted to do today was to convince the world that there was initial confusion about who attacked the American Ambassador and killed him and that the White House was acting responsibly in avoiding placing direct blame. The fact remains that Ambassador Rice did place blame for the attack on the anti-Islamic video released in the USA, that was her primary focus. So summing up, no admission of wrongdoing by the Obama administration, charges that the Benghazi controversy is politically motivated and no release of e-mails that might clarify the situation; the White House saying some Congress people have seen them and that's all that's necessary. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor
Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com All over the world people are honoring the memory of Dr. King and his extraordinary speech on August 28th, 1963. In Washington hundreds of thousands listened to a variety of talks today with President Obama as the headliner. President Clinton described the gathering today as an observance of one of the most important days in American history. And that's true. But what Mr. Clinton and no one else mentioned is that today's event excluded black Republicans and conservatives. All the speakers were Democrats. That was a glaring error and does not indicate a desire for inclusion. Most of the speeches were, however, uplifting and respectful to America, but not all. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARC MORIAL, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: Somewhere along the way white sheets were traded for button-down white shirts. Attack dogs and water hoses were traded for tasers and widespread implementation of stop and frisk policies. Nooses were traded for handcuffs. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Now that kind of grievance-mongering does the cause of civil rights no good whatsoever, period. The nation's first black president was the star of the day and gave an energetic presentation. He began with the history of Dr. King's speech in times 50 years ago. Then President Obama turned political. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: The gap in wealth between races is not lessened, it's grown. And as President Clinton indicated, the position of all working Americans, regardless of color, has eroded, making the dream Dr. King described even more elusive. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: And whose fault is that? The reason working Americans are having such a hard time is twofold. First Mr. Obama's attempt to manage the economy from Washington -- that's largely failed. The private sector must drive economic expansion, not the feds and the President has not yet embraced that. And second, the skill level of many Americans is declining. Even if jobs become more plentiful, you have to be able to do them. You have to speak proper English, to be able to do basic math and conduct yourself responsibly. Millions of Americans have not mastered the basics of the marketplace. And that is the truth. The President then continued his economic theme. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: The measure of progress for those who marched 50 years ago was not merely how many blacks could join the ranks of millionaires, it was whether this country would admit all people who are willing to work hard regardless of race into the ranks of the middle class life. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Now having worked in corporate America for more than 35 years, I know firsthand that the private sector is seeking minority workers, wants them, recruits them. But they have to perform and have enough educational success to get a shot. There is little institutional bias anymore in this country. And if you practice that, you'll get sued. That being said, there is -- there is -- individual bigotry, but nothing can ever wipe that out entirely. As John McWorther wrote in the "Wall Street Journal" today, dwelling on idiots who embrace prejudicial behavior is like dwelling on a world with germs, accept the fact that some things are always going to be there. Finally President Obama entered the world of reality. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: If we're honest with ourselves, we'll admit that during the course of 50 years there were times when some of us claiming to push for change lost our way. The anguish of assassinations set off self-defeating rites (ph). Legitimate grievances against police brutality tipped into excuse-making for criminal behavior. Racial politics could cut both ways as the transformative message of unity and brotherhood was drowned out by the language of recrimination. And what had once been a call for equality of opportunity the chance for all Americans to work hard and get ahead, was too often framed as a mere desire for government support. As if we had no agency in our own liberation. As if poverty was an excuse for not raising your child and bigotry of others was reason to give up on yourself. All of that history is how progress stalled (ph). (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: How progress stalled. That was a great statement accurate and important. Fair-minded Americans want all of their fellow citizens to succeed. And I believe most of us of fair-minded. But self-reliance and hard work is the key to success in life no matter what color you are. President Obama and many in the civil rights industry believe that government must provide -- provide for those who fail. Even if it's their own fault they fail. The left wants paternalism. Cradle-to-grave protections and if you oppose that philosophy, there's something wrong with you. And in some cases, they'll accuse you of bigotry. America remains the land of opportunity, but only for those who are honest and responsible. If you are irresponsible, lazy and/or corrupt, this country can be a tough place. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted equal opportunity for all. And while that has not been totally accomplished, our system is moving toward it. And finally, I want to end this memo with the words of Congressman John Lewis who was with Dr. King 50 years ago. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. JOHN LEWIS (D), GEORGIA: We may have come here on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now. So it doesn't matter whether you're black or white, Latinos -- Latinos, Asian-American, or Native American, whether we are gay or straight, we are one people, we are one family. We all live in the same house. Not just the American house, but the world house. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: I like that guy. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor
Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly A stunning study by the Department of Health and Human Services; it says that despite spending almost $200 billion on the Head Start Program that brings little kids into the public school system early the program has not helped them very much. By the third grade, Head Start students are behind their peers. Someone should tell President Obama about the study because he continues to pound the drum for even more educational spending for young children. In 2013 the USA is set to spend about $571 billion on public education, the highest per student costs in the world from primary through college. Now, we're obviously not getting our money's worth. Recently I talked with Jeb Bush who did a very good job of raising academic standards in Florida while he was governor. Mr. Bush believes that Head Start does not concentrate enough on reading which is why it is not academically effective. As a former high school teacher myself I know the feds waste an enormous amount of money on foolish public school programs. I mean it sounds so noble. Let's spend more on education. But the bureaucrats rarely care about implementing programs that actually work. The main point here is that President Obama is not all that interested in what works because his educational agenda is tied into his social justice agenda. He firmly believes that America is not, is not a fair place. That view echoed yesterday in "New York Times" commentary written by a Columbia University Professor Joseph Stiglitz. Quote, "Today the United States has less equality of opportunity than almost every other advanced industrial country." Stiglitz goes on to propose that the feds pay for the following, "more preschool education and after school care", as well. So-called environmental protections for pregnant women; that means subsidized food, housing and medical care on top of what is already available. More food provided in the public schools as well as increased medical care on campus. Direct cash payment to parents of poor children if they make sure their kids show up for school and the extra programs. So we would be paying parents to parent. Those are the things that liberal America really want... a complete soup to nuts, welfare scenario delivered through educational spending. Get the con? Do you get it? The truth is the deck is stacked against children who have bad parents but no government can change that. Schools can give disadvantaged children more attention, a safe environment and motivational programs. Those are not expensive. It's a matter of good teachers and discipline by the principal. But that's not what Professor Stiglitz and President Obama want. They seek government control and a guaranteed economic outcome for everybody. That of course, is the end gain of socialism. And it has never worked anywhere. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor
Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly Yesterday, police in Cleveland received a 911 call. (BEGIN AUDIO CLIP) BERRY: Help me. I'm Amanda Berry. DISPATCHER: You need police, fire or ambulance. BERRY: I need police, I need them now before he gets back. DISPATCHER: All right. We're sending them. Ok? BERRY: Ok. I mean like -- DISPATCHER: Who's the guy you're trying -- who's the guy who went out? BERRY: His name is Ariel Castro. DISPATCHER: All right. How old is he? BERRY: He was like 52. DISPATCHER: All right and -- BERRY: I'm Amanda Berry. I've been on the news for the last 10 years. (END AUDIO CLIP) O'REILLY: Now that call led police to a small home where they discovered the caller, 27-year-old Amanda Berry as well as two other women, 23-year-old Gina DeJesus and 32-year-old Michelle Knight. They were all kidnapped about 10 years ago allegedly by three brothers. Ms. Berry has a six-year-old child who was also removed from the house. The man mentioned in the 911 call Ariel Castro owned the home and is a former school bus driver. Castro was arrested for domestic violence in 1993 but not indicted. Castro's two brothers Pedro and Onil are also involved in the abduction according to police. The story is amazing because the kidnapped girls were held captive in the middle of a dense neighborhood. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHARLES RAMSEY, DISCOVERED MISSING WOMAN, AMANDA BERRY: I have been here a year. You see where I'm coming right. I barbecued with this dude. We eat ribs and whatnot and listen to salsa music. You see where I'm coming from? REPORTER: And you had no indication that there's anything going on. RAMSEY: Hey, bro, not a clue that that girl was in that house or anybody else was in there against their will. Because how he is -- he just comes out to his backyard, plays with the dogs, tinkers with his cars and motorcycles and goes back in the house. So he's somebody that you look and you look away because he is not doing nothing. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Now the wider implications these kinds of kidnappings are rare and the FBI says that in 2012, just 411 Americans were abducted by a stranger. But the impact of children and young people disappearing is enormous on the public psyche. The Elizabeth Smart case in Utah comes to mind. Chances are when you were a child your parents let you go out to play unsupervised. Mine did. I was out of the house for hours, especially in the summer. But today American children are constantly under supervision with play dates and organized activities almost all the time. Rarely are children away from their homes on their own. Even most teenagers are not afforded that freedom. American parents are simply frightened. They believe children are at risk in public. That, of course, is a shame because playing on your own develops creativity, independence and social problem solving skills. The big mystery in Ohio is this. How could three women be held against their will in a suburb for all that time? Early indications are they were brutalized and complete explanations of what happened will soon be forthcoming. Obviously the crime is heinous and will reinforce the perception that although America is a free country, we are also a dangerous nation. The reality is that kidnapping is ultra-rare but there are some very bad people walking the streets of the USA. The crime in Ohio is just another cautionary tale. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor
Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, holds a press conference at the party's headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, Sunday, to make a final proposal for fielding a unified candidate to candidate Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition conservative People's Party. Joint Press Corps



Yoon says still willing to meet Ahn for single opposition candidacy



By Jung Da-min



The presidential race has entered its final stretch with none of the candidates taking an overwhelming lead.



A single opposition candidacy deal between main opposition People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol and People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo fell through Sunday, but Yoon said he is willing to meet Ahn and will continue to wait for his response to achieve a change of government.



The rupture in the candidacy merger deal came as the two leading candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon of the PPP, are still in a neck-and-neck race in many opinion polls, with just 10 days left ahead of the March 9 election.



According to a survey of 1,014 adults from Friday to Saturday by local pollster Embrain Public at the request of local news agency News1, 42.4 percent of the respondents said they support Yoon, followed by 40.2 percent backing Lee.



The gap between the rival candidates stood at 1.2 percentage points, falling within the margin of error. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points with a 95-percent confidence level.



In the previous Embrain Public-News 1 poll from Feb. 5 to 6, Yoon and Lee garnered 36.6 and 35.7 percent support, respectively.



In another survey of 1,000 adults conducted from Feb. 22 to 24 by local pollster Gallup Korea, 38 percent of the respondents said they support Lee, followed by 37 percent backing Yoon. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points with a 95-percent confidence level.





Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), speaks while campaigning in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. Newsis



While Lee's support rate increased by 4 percentage points from the previous poll conducted the week before, Yoon's support rate decreased by 4 percentage points.



Such surveys have showed that the gap between rival candidates is close, especially in the capital area including Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.



Final variables



While it is hard to predict the outcome of the upcoming election based on opinion polls, several final variables remain.



The matter of fielding a single opposition candidate through negotiations between the PPP and minor opposition conservative People's Party, in particular, has been at the center of attention.









People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo made an official proposal to PPP candidate Yoon two weeks ago to field a single candidate.



A week after, however, Ahn withdrew his proposal, citing the differences between the parties over the method of fielding a single candidate. While Ahn insisted on holding a "national primary" between Ahn and Yoon, the PPP opposed it, calling on Ahn to make "a courageous decision," which was seen as an indirect call to back Yoon's single candidacy.





A polling station for the two-day early voting of the March 9 presidential election, slated for March 4 and 5, at Seoul Station between Jung District and Yongsan District, Friday. Yonhap



On Sunday, a day before the National Election Commission (NEC) prints the official ballots, Yoon held an emergency press briefing at the PPP's headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, to make a final bid to Ahn to field a single candidate.



Yoon said the PPP made every effort to reach an agreement with the People's Party, holding many rounds of working-level negotiations, represented by Rep. Chang Je-won of the PPP and Rep. Lee Tae-kyu of the People's Party.



Yoon said the two sides had come within a whisker of reaching an agreement, including discussions on the details of a final meeting of Yoon and Ahn, but the People's Party at the last moment notified the PPP of a breakdown in negotiations.



"There was a request from Ahn's side for me to hold a press conference today to make an open proposal to Ahn to hold a meeting, which I accepted. The negotiation representatives of the two parties then agreed to decide over details of the meeting including the time and place to announce them to the media," Yoon said. "But unfortunately, the PPP and I received a final notification from Ahn and the People's Party that the negotiations for a unified candidacy have been disrupted."





Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition conservative People's Party, speaks while campaigning in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, Sunday. Joint Press Corps



Yoon said he explained the past process of negotiations to clarify to supporters of the conservative bloc that the PPP and Yoon have been committed to the matter of fielding a unified candidate.



"If candidate Ahn proposes to meet, I am willing to cancel other schedules to talk with him," Yoon said, before heading to North Gyeongsang Province for campaigning.



But Ahn and Rep. Lee of the People's Party blamed Yoon and the PPP for holding the press conference and accused them of making unilateral claims to avoid their responsibility for disrupting negotiations.



"I've reached a conclusion that the proposal from Yoon this morning was not worth considering," Ahn said.



He added that Yoon and the PPP made a false claim that holding a national primary had not been on the negotiating table, blaming them for showing no respect to their counterpart.



Meanwhile, Ahn carried on with his regional campaigning in South Jeolla Province.



Besides the issue of a unified conservative candidate, other variables, including a final TV debate among the presidential candidates, slated for March 2, and who will win more support from swing voters including the centrists, are expected to play a key role in the election outcome.



On the same day, Lee of the DPK continued campaigning in South Gyeongsang Province and Sim Sang-jung, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition progressive Justice Party campaigned on Jeju Island.





Sim Sang-jung, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition progressive Justice Party, speaks while campaigning at a local market on Jeju Island. Yonhap
Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to Bahrain
As information from the Ukrainian war becomes harder and harder to defuse, one of the biggest morale boosting stories to date may have been intentionally faked by pro-Ukrainian sources.

Early this morning, Russian media outlet Russia Today (RT), published a video of surrendered Ukrainian servicemen arriving at a port in Crimea.

According to RT, these were the now famous defenders of Snake Island that had reportedly died after telling a Russian warship to go f*ck yourself.

Surrendered Ukrainian servicemen arrive in Crimea pic.twitter.com/3wuklNZAov  RT (@RT_com) February 26, 2022

RT published an official statement on the matter in Russian on their Telegram channel. The statement has been translated to English using Google:

Footage of surrendered Ukrainian border guards from Serpents Island. Earlier, Zelensky, in his video message, said that they were all dead, and promised to posthumously award them the title of Hero of Ukraine. On the eve of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that 82 Ukrainian soldiers in the area of the island laid down their arms and voluntarily surrendered. They took a subscription refusing to participate in hostilities and will return them to their families in the near future. Russia Today  Telegram (Translated From Russian to English)

This is the complete opposite of the story propagating in western media outlets and social media circles. The past few days, the men of Snake Island have become somewhat of a legend, standing defiant in the face of a Russian warship.

According to the legend, when asked to surrender, the Ukrainians answered with, Russian warship, go f*ck yourself. Shortly after, it is said that the Russian navy bombarded the island and killed all 13 defenders.

A group of Ukrainian border guards were stationed on Snake Island, in the Black Sea south of Odessa, when a Russian warship ordered them to surrender under threat of attack.



Their response: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."



They held their ground. All 13 were killed. pic.twitter.com/GMRsXQRSX0  Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) February 25, 2022

Although the Ukrainian Government and President Zelensky originally acknowledged the supposedly martyred soldiers, they have since reverse their position. Today, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the islands garrison in fact surrendered to the Russian Warship and their original sources were incorrect.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence is CONFIRMING that the garrison of Snake Island is ALIVE and has surrendered to Russian troops https://t.co/87XRyByCmV pic.twitter.com/AjIYJ37Cz6  Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) February 26, 2022

It is becoming clearer and clearer that both propaganda and the famous fog of war are clouding our judgement on Ukraine. Fake information is out there everywhere, and every side is pushing its own narrative in an attempt at victory.

Follow us on Twitter @bigleaguepol and my personal @ZoomerJordan for more breaking news from the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian Conflict
Yesterday the Russian military halted its advance to give time to the Ukrainian president Zelensky to agree to ceasefire talks. The U.S. however told him not to hold such talks and said he should leave Kiev. Up to this morning Russia had received no response to its ceasefire offer and resumed the attack. Zelensky decided to stay in Kiev.

There was little operational news from the ground that could be verified. Despite that lots of claims were made about the progress or non-progress of the Russian campaign. I believe that these claims are nearly all propaganda and will refrain from reproducing them.

Approximate situation today



"Blue dots=Ukraine forces presence/siege of military HQ or control of all main roads around."

Source - bigger

The units from Crimea are moving towards north and east. The eastern group, together with a move from Donbas west, is supposed to surround the Ukrainian units in and around Mariupol. Some Ukrainian units near to Donbas seem to fear getting encircled and are moving out.

There was a Russian attempt to capture another airport by an air assault. It may have failed. I have seen no hard evidence to confirm that in either way.

Russia has moved in more heavy rocket and mortar artillery. The so far rather light touch of the traditionally very strong Russian artillery may well get stronger.

Several European countries are sending weapons to the Ukraine. This is mostly 'small stuff' like machine guns and anti-tank missiles. Throughout the day there were lots of international diplomatic reactions and promises. AP had a live update that catches these.

The idea of kicking Russia out of Swift seems to be still on that table. It would be the beginning of the end of U.S. dollar supremacy.

Cutting Russia off from SWIFT a "matter of days" - euro zone central banker Reuters

The U.S. aim is to create an insurgency in the Ukraine.

The Coming Ukrainian Insurgency - Foreign Affairs

Russias Invasion Could Unleash Forces the Kremlin Cant Control

Since 2015 the CIA has trained Ukrainian groups for exactly that purpose.

CIA-trained Ukrainian paramilitaries may take central role if Russia invades - Yahoo

CIA support for Ukrainian Nazis has a long history.

Op-Ed: The CIA has backed Ukrainian insurgents before. Lets learn from those mistakes - LA Times

A new Nazi insurgency in eastern Europe is an exceptionally bad idea. Fascist groups form everywhere would join in. A few years from now it may well lead to Nazi terror in many European countries. Have we learned really nothing from the war on Syria and the ISIS campaign?
And, aside from the impotent imposing of economic sanctions on Russia and on its leaders and oligarch supporters, the U.S. has admitted there is nothing it or its NATO puppet states can do.

After decades of hearing U.S. politicians boastingly describe the U.S. as the exceptional nation, justifying its repeated violation of international law with invasions of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Panama, Grenada, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, El Salvador, and regime change interventions in a host of other countries, because it could. All the while Washington has been telling the rest of the nations of the world that they must strictly obey the rules-based order of international relations, that countries do not invade or violate the borders of other countries, suddenly there is another nation that has decided it is exceptional.

Vladimir Putins Russia has now simply flaunted international law and launched an all-out war on Ukraine, a nation (the largest in Europe geographically) bordering it in eastern Europe.

We need not go into the justifications Putin has offered. They are as invalid as the ones given by the U.S. for its invasion of Iraq and for its two-decade-long war on Afghanistan, for its invasion and decade-long war on Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, for its mining of the harbor in Nicaragua and the funding and arming of a Contra army to create mayhem in that county from sanctuaries in neighboring Honduras, and on and on.

We have lived in a world for decades where the U.S. has had free rein to ignore with impunity international law, the World Court and the UN Charter, simply because it has had a military power that no nation could contest. Brute ugly power has always been the real justification for American exceptionalism.

Now were seeing Russia, its military over the last 30 years since the dissolution of the Soviet Union restored to a point where, if not as imposing and as far-reaching as the U.S., if is clearly the most powerful force in Europe, and can do what it wants in its own neighborhood  international law be damned.

And, aside from the impotent imposing of economic sanctions on Russia and on its leaders and oligarch supporters, the U.S. has admitted there is nothing it or its NATO puppet states can do.

Of course the U.S. and its NATO allies could go to war against Russia, but nobody wants to do that. Firstly, it would mean massive destruction in any European states involved in such fighting, but secondly, everyone recognizes that such a war would very quickly go nuclear, either right away or very soon afterwards once one army, either the Russian one or the U.S. one, began to lose. And once nuclear weapons, even small tactical ones on battlefields, get used, the big ones  city-destroyer and nation-destroyer thermonuclear bombs  wont be far behind.

Its a good sign that the world, including the U.S. and Russia, seems to recognize this as evidenced by a notable absence of panic about a nuclear war in either country or in the nations of Europe where such a world-ending war would likely start. (Amazon is not experiencing a rush of orders for fallout shelters, and thankfully has no such product on offer on its website.)

Even with the Russian military quickly rolling over all of Ukraine, President Biden, whose administration stirred up this crisis by refusing to recognize Russias legitimate concern about an aggressive eastward spread of new anti-Russian NATO member nations right up to Russias borders, continuing to insist on Ukraines supposed god-given right to decide to apply for NATO membership, has shown the good sense of reiterating, even confronted with an all-out Russian invasion of Ukraine, that US and NATO forces would not move to defend Ukraine militarily.

With the announcement of this decision, Russia has been effectively recognized, like the U.S., as an exceptional nation  one that can act illegally in its own interest at least within a sphere in which its military is preeminent.

China is surely looking at this new new world order intently. It too has a very powerful military, probably at this point far more powerful than Russias and rivaling the U.S.s once unassailable military, especially within its own local region.

Should Taiwan be worried? I would say yes, indeed. The reality is that Putins invasion of Ukraine almost certainly was discussed and approved in advance by Chinas paramount leader Xi Jinping. It is Russias recent treaty with China, almost a mutual assistance pact, and Chinas strong economic links to Russia, that make it possible for Putin and Russia to ignore U.S.-led sanctions. If Russia cannot sell its natural gas and oil to its main market, Europe, because of U.S. sanctions, China will happily buy it, assuring it long-term cheap access to those critical fuel supplies.

Meanwhile, with Russia now having demonstrated that might makes right, as the U.S. has long known, having made it the basis of its own foreign policy, China may also decide that the time is right to become a third exceptional nation.

As with Russia in the case of Ukraine, the leadership in Beijing is confident that whatever agreements it has with Taiwan, the U.S. will not go to war with China should Beijing order the Peoples Liberation Army to take over what Beijing has long considered a renegade province of China. My guess would be that this would be done in stages, first with the capture of the two small offshore islands off the coast of Fujian, Quemoy nd Matsu. That would be followed by a PLA takeover of the Penghu An Islands situated midway across the Taiwan Strait between Fujian and Taiwan. At that point Taiwan would have a choice: some kind of negotiation giving it some local autonomy while conceding its status as part of China, or an invasion.

Taiwan cannot expect to be saved by US military intervention, and trying to fight Chinas military whether on its own or with U.S. material support would be a pointless and ruinous failure.

It is today a new world with a new new world order. This time, instead of a sole superpower, we have entered multipolar world in which military and economic might will determine what actions a powerful country can get away with. Instead of one country having all that power, there are now three countries that have it. And at least for now, clumsy foreign policy actions on the part of a string of hubristic and short-sighted U.S. presidential administrations of both political parties beginning with the Clinton or even Carter administration, have assured that two of those countries  Russia and China  are close partners.

It may be too late, but one can hope that faced with this likely unstable stalemate, the U.S. will eventually concede that it is no longer exceptional, and will support a world order operating according to universally accepted standards defined by the United Nations and adjudicated through the World Court. That may be a pipe-dream at this point, but the alternative is not pretty, as a tripolar world of enemy or rival states  the U.S., Russia and China  assert their power where they can, bumping up against each other at some point, and creating havoc and bloodshed in those unfortunate countries that happen to be in the middle of these rivalries.
If you get your drinking water from an underground well, it may be contaminated with toxic forever chemicals.

A new study from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found at least one perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) in 20 percent of private wells and 60 percent of public wells in 16 states in the Eastern U.S.

This should set off alarm bells for anyone relying on private well water, Environmental Working Group (EWG) vice-president of government affairs Scott Faber told The Guardian. One out of five people getting their water from wells could be drinking PFAS  thats a big number.

The research was published in Environmental Science & Technology early this month. In 2019, the USGS collected 254 samples from five aquifer systems used as drinking water. The water was then tested for 24 different PFAS, 14 of which were detected.

Among the most frequently detected were PFOA, PFOS and PFBS, which are some of the most well-studied and well-known PFAS, according to EWG. In general, PFAS are a concern because they have been widely used by industry as stain, heat or water repellants and because they have been linked to various health impacts including cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, hormone interference and immune suppression, according to The Guardian. They also take a long time to break down and therefore remain in the environment, earning them the nickname forever chemicals.

It was already widely known that forever chemicals are present in U.S. public drinking water systems, contaminating water for more than 100 million people. However, there are fewer studies of private wells, which are not subject to a detailed monitoring system.

The occurrence of PFAS in private wells is especially concerning because the new drinking water standard that the Biden administration is working on will not apply to them, EWG pointed out. (The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has promised to devise a standard for PFOA and PFOS by 2023.)

A drinking water standard will not address the PFAS in private wells, Faber told EWG. Its very troubling that 20 percent of private wells that were sampled contained PFAS. Millions of people living in rural households could be drinking contaminated tap water.

In addition to detecting PFAS, the study also considered which wells were most likely to be contaminated with the chemicals.

Wells were more contaminated in areas affected by modern human activity, study co-author Peter McMahon told The Guardian.

Wells also had higher concentrations of PFAS if they were near an airport, military base, chemical plant, landfill or other location where PFAS are commonly used. Finally, deeper and older wells were cleaner, while newer and shallower wells that are exposed to more surface and rainwater contained more PFAS.

The study found PFAS in wells in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia, according to EWG. One well in West Virginia had a PFOA concentration of 1,500 parts per trillion, the highest detected. None of these states have any PFAS standards in place, The Guardian pointed out.

Environmental and public health advocates have long criticized policy makers for failing to regulate these chemicals.

No one should have to worry about toxic forever chemicals in their tap water, Faber told EWG.
Via Sovereign Man

Heres our Friday roll-up of the most ridiculous stories from around the world that are threats to your liberty, risks to your prosperity and on occasion, inspiring poetic justice.

Pentagon Hosts Event Promoting Socialism

The National Defense University (NDU) is a specialty academic institution founded by the US Department of Defense and funded by the US taxpayer.

NDUs aim is to provide advanced education for senior leaders in the field of national security.

So naturally their big focus now is making the world safer through Socialism.

Earlier this month, NDU hosted an event called, Responding to China: The Case For Global Justice and Democratic Socialism.

During the event, French economist Thomas Piketty who argued that global security requires promoting a new emancipatory and egalitarian horizon on a global scale, a new form of democratic and participatory, ecological and post-colonial socialism.

He argued that if the US sticks to its dated hyper-capitalist model, Western countries may find it extremely difficult to meet the Chinese challenge.

In other words, Piketty believes the US should prepare itself against China by becoming more like China.

Pikettys concluding remarks asked , what about sharing at least a fraction of global tax revenues paid by the worlds most powerful economic actors (multinationals, billionaires) between all countries according to population?

Global taxation distributed by population

How interesting that the US has the most wealth to tax, while China has the highest population to distribute it among.

Its almost like this Pentagon-run college is promoting Chinas agenda

Click here to read the full event description.

Brooklyn Gang Stole Over $4 million from COVID-Unemployment

Forget drugs and robbery; a Brooklyn gang found a new lucrative hustle at the start of the pandemic: federal unemployment benefits.

11 members of the Woo gang in New York City have been arrested for making over $20 million in false unemployment claims when governments started handing out more cash in the wake of COVID-19.

All they needed was a stolen ID, name, and Social Security Number which they purchased on the dark web.

In total, they collected $4.3 million, which was quickly converted to cash, transferred, or spent making it almost impossible to recover.

And they would have gotten away with it if they hadnt posted about the scheme on social media. They even made a YouTube video bragging, unemployment got us workin a lot.

The volume of claims the government received, and lax verification, made the opportunity too easy, as one of them said in a Facebook post.

Click here to read the full story.

BLM posted bail for violent activist who tried to assassinate a politician

Quintez Brown walked into the office of Louisville mayoral candidate Craig Greenburg, and opened fire.

By some miracle, none of the five staff members in the office were injured, though a bullet did graze Greenburgs clothing.

Brown was arrested a short distance away with weapons and ammunition matching the crime scene. He was charged with attempted murder, and had bail set at $100,000.

Two days later, he was out of jail.

The Louisville Community Bail Fund posted the bail. This group was originally founded with donations from the organization Black Lives Matter in order to post bail for arrested protesters.

These are the same people, of course, who constantly lament that our democracy is under attack.

Yet when a guy literally tries to assassinate a political candidate, they rush to his rescue and put him back out on the streets.

Click here to read the full story.

CDC withholds COVID Data so it wont be misinterpreted

At the beginning of February, the CDC released information which showed vaccine booster shots were relatively effective for adults aged 50-65.

But the agency rather conspicuously declined to release data about the effectiveness of booster shots on adults aged 18-49.

At least one New York Times journalist was curious enough to wonder why the CDC left out the numbers for a huge portion of that population: 18- to 49-year-olds, the group the data showed was least likely to benefit from extra shots.

So the journalist asked the CDC why it would withhold information which could help the public make more scientific decisions about vaccine boosters.

The spokeswoman for the CDC confirmed that one reason was because the CDC did not want the data to be misinterpreted as showing that vaccines are ineffective.

Or perhaps they were truly afraid that people would correctly interpret exactly what the New York Times says that 18-49 year olds are least likely to benefit from [booster] shots.

Its not just the CDC deliberately hiding data either.

Similarly, Public Health Scotland said it would stop publishing data about the vaccination status of COVID patients, especially deaths and hospitalizations.

Obviously a complete lack of data is a great way to advance #science. Keep everyone in the dark, and tell them only what you want them to know.

Its amazing these people dont understand why so few people trust them.
The bank accounts of some Freedom Convoy supporters are still frozen. The freezing of these accounts was announced the same day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act and, even though the Emergencies Act is now lifted, some accounts remain frozen.

During the Senates Question Period on Friday, Senator David Wells asked a government representative if the accounts had been unfrozen. The representative said he couldnt answer definitely that they have all been unfrozen, adding it was probably not the case. They did not explain why the accounts were still frozen, Blacklocks reported.

If accounts are still frozen it would be outside the purview of the Emergencies Act, said Senator Wells. Therefore we would expect some immediate action.

According to the Department of Finance, 210 accounts holding $7.8 million were frozen.

The government demanded that financial institutions should take action against the accounts of individuals involved in the protests, and those who donated after February 14.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has said that some financial aspects of the Emergencies Act would become permanent.
NATO countries have not yet sent troops to Ukraine but they are reportedly sending supplies. In Russia, Chechen troops are reportedly readying for a trip to Ukraine.

Reports from both sides indicate troops and supplies are being sent to Ukraine.

JUST IN  Large convoy of lethal NATO supplies crossed the border into Ukraine. Polands Minister of Defence Mariusz Baszczak shared this picture. pic.twitter.com/4BQI6bituH  Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) February 25, 2022

Germany is now getting into the act. A German Commander of the battle group in Lithuania vows to defend the country and other Baltic states if warfare escalates.

NOW  Commander of the German #EFP battlegroup in #Lithuania vows to defend the country or the Baltic States in case of escalation.pic.twitter.com/6hB0GcNkDo  Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) February 25, 2022

On the other side, Chechen paramilitary has mobilized and is preparing to depart to Ukraine per Russian news outlet Baza.
Germany will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles to Ukraine, marking a complete reversal in Berlin's restrictive arms export policy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced Saturday.

Why it matters: Germany has for months come under intense criticism for its response to Russia's aggression toward Ukraine. The government said its "historical responsibilities" prevented it from shipping arms to conflict zones, and had previously blocked other NATO allies from transferring German-origin weapons to Ukraine.

What they're saying: "The Russian attack marks a turning point. It is our duty to do our best to help Ukraine defend against the invading army of Putin. That's why we're supplying 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 stinger missiles to our friends in the Ukraine," Scholz tweeted.

Germany will also lift its ban on other countries exporting German-origin weapons, allowing the Netherlands to transfer 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers to Ukraine.

The big picture: Germany is the largest economy and most powerful country in the European Union, making its voice and policy positions critical to the effectiveness of the West's response to Russia's invasion.

Germany is highly reliant on Russian natural gas and had been an obstacle in discussions about imposing the harshest sanctions on Moscow, fearing the economic and energy reverberations.

Massive public pressure, including from Ukrainian officials, appears to have led Germany to drop its opposition to a number of the toughest measures, including halting the certification of the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

What to watch: The EU is working toward an agreement to disconnect Russia from the SWIFT financial system, a major step that Germany had previously opposed along with Italy and Hungary.

Go deeper: Ukraine-Russia crisis dashboard
U.S., Europe to remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, escalating economic sanctions

Xinhua) 09:42, February 27, 2022

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The White House announced Saturday that the United States, joined by European nations and Canada, will remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, the payment system used for most international financial transactions.

This is a major move to escalate the West's economic sanctions against Moscow for its ongoing military operations in Ukraine.

The White House said in a joint statement that in concert with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain and Canada, the United States is supporting the expulsion of "selected Russian banks" from SWIFT "within the coming days," so as to "further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies."

Kicking those Russian banks out of SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide, "will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," said the statement.

In addition, restrictive measures will be imposed to "prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves" in ways that undermine the impact of the Western sanctions, said the statement.

Measures will also be taken to limit the sale of the so-called "golden passports" to prevent "wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government" from becoming citizens of the aforementioned countries and to ensure that those individuals are unable to "gain access to our financial systems."

The leaders of those countries also vowed to launch in this coming week a joint task force to enforce the implementation of the financial sanctions.

The joint statement also called on other governments to "detect and disrupt" the flow of those Russian elites' gains and deny their ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
By Mark Peterson





That's an odd title! The point I want to address is the mistaken idea common in Korean society that the establishment of the Joseon Kingdom was a revolutionary action accompanied by wholesale social change and the emergence of a radical new elite. Baloney. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, the transition of dynastic houses from Goryeo to Joseon could not have been any less revolutionary!



That's an odd title! The point I want to address is the mistaken idea common in Korean society that the establishment of the Joseon Kingdom was a revolutionary action accompanied by wholesale social change and the emergence of a radical new elite. Baloney. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, the transition of dynastic houses from Goryeo to Joseon could not have been any less revolutionary!



This issue has come across my desk several times in recent months when I write, or make videos, about the peaceful and stable history of Korea. When I point out that the dynastic transfer from Gaya to Silla, from Silla to Goryeo, from Goryeo to Joseon, was relatively peaceful, and that the aristocracy continued in each case from one kingdom to the next, and that this is evidence of Korea's peaceful and stable history, there often appears on my computer screen the protest that the Wang clan was annihilated. And this is purported evidence, not only of a violent revolution, but of a wholesale new start of the Joseon Kingdom.



I view this issue quite differently. The Wang clan was NOT annihilated. And the new kingdom was basically a continuation of the old one. The use of Confucianism that gradually became transitional in the new dynasty had already taken hold in the Goryeo Kingdom, and it took three centuries in Joseon before the final acceptance of Confucian social change that resulted in the creation of the male-dominated, patrilineal society of late Joseon.



The "revolution" of 1388 to 1392 was not much of a revolution. First of all, when Yi Seong-gye turned around at Wihwado and marched his army back to Gaeseong to take over the government, the fighting lasted one afternoon! Contrast this with most changes of kingdom that take years, or decades, of warfare, one class against another, one faction against another, one region against another. Not in Korea.



For four years, behind the scenes, General Yi prepared to take over. Who was killed? Choe Yeong, who sent him to fight the Ming Dynasty, Jeong Mong-ju, who refused on principle, and then one faction of the Wang clan. Not all the Wang clan? No  there were even two men named Wang who were listed as founders of the dynasty, put on the list of "merit subjects" and rewarded with land and slaves for helping General Yi.



Why then, when I present my argument that the Goryeo-Joseon transition was largely peaceful, do some people respond, almost as if they are screaming, that the transition was not peaceful and the evidence given is the annihilation of the Wang clan. Why is this exaggeration of violence so important to those who subscribe to the idea that the Joseon Kingdom was a revolutionary stage in the development of Korean history?



To those who subscribe to this idea, the "stage" of development fits into their developmental scheme of history and of Korea as a valid country. But the problem is, fitting Korea into an evolutionary development in this way is only important if one has accepted the Japanese theory of history with the stages that emphasize Japan's superiority.



The Japanese historians saw Japanese history on a higher evolutionary scale than Korea's because of Japan's identity with European history, particularly the concept of feudalism. Feudalism was a stage of development that, according to their theory, led to a capitalism stage and Japan saw itself as "on schedule"  on par with European nations  whereas Korea was underdeveloped. The relative strength of Japan and Korea's economy in the 20th century, underscored the interpretation  Korea was underdeveloped. Japan was superior.



Unfortunately, many Korean historians bought into the concept, and wrote of Korea from an underdeveloped point of view. And to show Korea was making progress in the evolutionary development of history, there was a need to make the Goryeo-Joseon transition into a revolutionary stage of development.



Thus, the ideas that the transition was a revolution and a movement into a higher stage. In other countries, changes of kingdoms involve years, decades of fighting, an upheaval of the social order from top to bottom. But in spite of the desire to formulate the founding of the Joseon Kingdom in those terms, the facts did not support it.



Unfortunately, for many historians, if the facts don't fit the theory, you doctor the facts. That is what has happened with the "annihilation of the Wang clan." It is re-writing the facts to fit the theory.



In reality only a fraction of the Wangs were killed. And no other clan or faction was massacred. The aristocracy, as a whole, continued on into the Joseon period. As mentioned above, two of the Wang clan were recognized as important figures in assisting in the founding of the new kingdom.



And later, 10 Wangs passed the Joseon high civil service exam (munkwa), 37 passed the secondary exams (sama, saengwon, jinsa), eight passed military exams, and one even passed the medical exam. And today, there are 25,000 living members of the Wang clan in the South, and surely a large number in the North.



The annihilation of the Wang clan is an exaggerated and false reading of the otherwise peaceful and stable history of Korea.





Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.


YouTube has without warning declared RTs channel is forbidden to monetize, while continuing to block certain content from appearing in English or Russian inside Ukraine, according to multiple communications received from the video platform on Saturday.

A spokesperson for the Alphabet subsidiary confirmed to Reuters RTs content would appear less often in recommendations, citing extraordinary circumstances and adding that the ban had been requested by the Ukrainian government. The notice warning RT of the halt to monetization merely states that the channel no longer complies with YouTubes monetization policies  without revealing which rule, if any, the channel violated or when any alleged violation took place.

Another message referencing the entire RT channel claimed the content - without specifying which content - had been blocked from appearing on Ukrainian YouTube. No reason for the ban was given, nor any means of challenging the ruling.

YouTube is far from the only social media platform to declare open season on RT and other Russian media. Facebook announced on Friday that it would no longer allow Russian state media to advertise or monetize their content on its platform anywhere in the world. Access to the social network had been restricted since earlier in the week, when Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor accused Facebook and its parent company Meta of breaching fundamental human rights by censoring the media outlets.

Facebook also reportedly allowed a special exception to its usual rules banning the praise of neo-Nazi and other hate groups to allow posts cheering on Ukraines infamous Azov Battalion, whose members openly sport Nazi regalia and espouse racist ideology.

And Australias satellite operator Foxtel joined the pile-on on Saturday, declaring it would be suspending the distribution of RTs channel in Australia in view of concern about the situation in Ukraine.

Ukrainian leaders have reached out to other Big Tech bigwigs in an effort to draft them into the battle for the hearts and minds of social media users, from Apples Tim Cook  who while deeply concerned about the situation (according to his Twitter at least) declined to respond  to Elon Musk, who was asked to cough up free Starlink satellites, but also hasnt responded.
The ongoing military Russian onslaught on Ukraine is reverberating across commodity markets. At present, Western media is mainly focusing on the direct effects of the military invasion and resultant sanctions on European and U.S. commodity markets. Crude oil prices are spiking while natural gas markets are in crisis mode. The importance of Russia in European energy markets has been highlighted in recent weeks, revealing the extent of European dependence on Russian oil and gas imports. Even U.S. energy markets have been hit by these developments. At the same time, Western politicians are calling on OPEC to prepare additional production to counter a possible blockade of Russian energy exports. This apparent belief that OPEC has the capability to save energy markets is one that may well be shaken in the near future. The Russia-Ukraine crisis will be a major destabilizing factor for the MENA region, threatening unrest in the streets of Cairo, Riyadh, and other places. The impact of the crisis on agricultural commodities and even tourism could also be significant.

Some analysts have already started assessing how the loss of Ukraines agricultural exports, especially corn, wheat, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil will impact markets. This line of thinking now needs to be extended beyond Ukraine. A combination of higher energy prices, disrupted food supplies, and fewer tourists could be a poisonous mix for the stability of the main power centers of OPEC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Libya, and even Iraq) and for pivotal regional powers such as Egypt, Israel, and even Turkey. The stability of all MENA countries is now being threatened, both directly and indirectly.

While several countries in the region are attempting to stay neutral over Russias invasion of Ukraine, the economic realities of the invasion cannot be avoided. For leading OPEC producer Saudi Arabia, the prospect of a decline in Russian energy exports could be seen as a positive. Higher oil prices will not only support government revenues but would also strengthen the position of OPEC within oil markets. The same goes for Qatar, as Europe is desperate to replace Russian natural gas with Qatari LNG volumes. The same case could be made for both Algeria and Egypt. However, LNG exports to Europe are now facing logistical constraints, as most EU LNG regasification and storage plants are full to the brim. Increased demand from Europe for Saudi oil, on the other hand, could stretch Saudi Arabias oil capacity. Officially, Riyadh has shown no willingness to increase its production, and its production capacity remains a mystery.

Meanwhile, financial sanctions on Russia could have negative effects on MENA countries as MENA financial sectors have strong links with Russian actors. For some MENA countries, especially Israel and Turkey, the situation is particularly complicated. Russias total war against Ukraine has put Israel under pressure. While Tel Aviv is slowly moving towards the U.S.-EU standpoint, it is wary of the potential repercussions in Syria and Iran if it gets the wrong side of Russia. If Israel chooses to side with the US, military and economic repercussions from Moscow should be expected. As for Turkey, a NATO member, its main energy supplies are linked directly to Russia and its links to Central Asian/the Caucasus could be threatened. Ankaras predicament will become particularly difficult if NATO members call upon it to block the Bosphorus for Russian navy transfers. NATO is looking at the East Med at present, where a strong Russian navy force has been gathering lately.

While both energy markets and security concerns are valid, they pale in comparison to food and agricultural products for the MENA region. Russia and Ukraine are the worlds main wheat exporters, of which a vast volume goes to the MENA region, especially Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and others. Food supplies are needed to maintain stability for most Arab countries. The potential loss of wheat, corn, and even sunflower oil supplies to Egypt and others will directly impact local and regional stability. Without Russian-Ukrainian supplies, no other countries will be able to fill the gap. Egypt will be the main casualty in the coming weeks, as the country, holding 100+ million citizens, imported around 12.5 million tons of wheat in 2020-21, of which came 85% from Russia and Ukraine. Food shortages will push the Egyptian government into a corner, as was seen when Russia sanctioned the country before the Arab Spring. Other North African countries, such as Libya and Algeria, will follow suit. Ukraine is also the world's 13th-largest producer of steel and the fifth-largest exporter of iron ore by volume. With production of 21.4 million metric tons of crude steel in 2021, 80% was exported.

Egypt, and potentially GCC countries such as UAE, could also be hit by the loss of tourism from Russia and Ukraine. Turkey is also worried about the loss of millions of Russians who would normally flock to its beaches. The overall impact of this invasion could be devastating for the region, especially after two years of COVID for the tourism industry. The loss of multibillions of US$ will be a hard hit to Egypt, Turkey, and Dubai.

The picture painted above will soon be a reality for these countries. The poisonous mix of loss of income and food will threaten to destabilize major parts of the region. While developments in Ukraine pushed crude oil prices above $105 per barrel on Thursday, the potential of new unrest in the region and even a second Arab Spring would be even more worrying for markets. Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan could well be underestimating with their $125 per barrel assessments. The potential loss of Russian oil and gas combined with unrest across the MENA region would be disastrous for oil markets.
Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The talks, the first since Russia unleashed a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last week, would be held without preconditions and are the result of a phone call between Zelenskyy and the Belarusian president, the Ukrainian leader said.

We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River, he said in a statement.

Al Jazeeras Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, said there was some confusion about where the Ukraine-Russia talks will take place.

The Ukrainians are saying these talks will be held near the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, but according to the Russians, they believe, still, that the talks will take place in the southeastern city of Gomel in Belarus, she said.

There seems to be some confusion about where the location for these talks will be.

Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine will not give up a single inch of  territory after agreeing to talks with Russia.

We go there [to the talks] to listen to what Russia wants to say, we are going without any  preliminary agreement on what the outcome of these talks can be. We are going there to listen and to say what we think of this war and Russias actions, Kuleba said in a televised address.

Between now and the moment that the talks are wrapped up, [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko assured President Zelenskyy that no Belarusian military force will be used against Ukraine, he added.

We can only hope that Lukashenko will stick to his word. And between now and the moment when these talks are wrapped up, we will continue to fiercely defend our country, to defeat Russian forces if they try to continue their offensive operations.

Ukraines fighters repelled the attack, according to authorities in the city, the countrys second-largest with a population of about 1.4 million.

Zelenskyy previously rejected Belarus, an ally of Moscow which used it as a staging ground for its multipronged invasion, as a location for potential talks.

Speaking in Russian in a video message on Sunday, Zelenskyy listed the cities of Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as possible alternative venues.

Fierce fighting continues

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces battled Russian troops pushing into the city of Kharkiv on Sunday on the fourth day of the invasion that has shaken Europes longstanding security architecture and pushed Germany to boost its defence spending.

The invasion of Ukraine from three sides, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, is the biggest assault on a European state since World War II.

The attack, which Russia calls a special operation, has so far failed to topple the government in Kyiv or take major cities, but has driven hundreds of thousands of refugees, mainly women and children, into neighbouring countries.

Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles entered the northeastern city of Kharkiv and firing and explosions could be heard, witnesses said. A burning tank was visible in a video posted by the government.
A run on Russian banks would see too many people trying to withdraw money. On Friday, Russia's central bank was forced to increase the amount of money it supplies to ATMs after demand for cash reached the highest level since March 2020.
The Belarusian leader called on the West to show restraint when it comes to sanctions against Moscow

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has warned the West against imposing tough sanctions on Moscow, saying that such measures could push Russia into a third world war.

Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector. Gas, oil, SWIFT. Its worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a third world war, Lukashenko said on Sunday, as quoted by local media. He added that a nuclear conflict could be the final outcome.

Russias military attack against Ukraine, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, has been condemned by Western nations and prompted a new wave of tough sanctions against Moscow.

We need to be restrained here so as not to get into trouble. Because nuclear war is the end of everything.

In the latest move against Moscow the EU, UK, Canada and the US said selected Russian banks would be cut off from the SWIFT international payments system  a measure Russia has warned in the past would be regarded as a declaration of war. Despite the threat of further measures, Lukashenko stressed that both Russia and Belarus will survive any sanctions.

We have experience. We discussed this theme with Putin more than once. Well survive. It is impossible to starve us to death, he said.

Retaliatory measures being developed by Moscow and Minsk will be very tangible, but it is important to think them over very carefully, Lukashenko said, not to self-harm.

The Belarusian leader has also said if the West moved to put nuclear weapons in bordering countries, he would ask Putin to return its own nuclear weapons to Belarus.

Moscow said on Sunday that Ukraine has agreed to dispatch a team of negotiators to Belarus for talks on ending the military conflict. The talks will take place in the Gomel Region, close to the borders of Russia and Ukraine, chief Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said.

Putin has justified his military offensive against Ukraine by saying there was an urgent need to demilitarize the country to protect the newly-recognized Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics and to ensure that Russia would not be threatened by NATO from Ukrainian territory. Kiev has called the attack unprovoked and unjustified.

On Sunday, Putin ordered Russias nuclear deterrent forces to be on highest alert, noting the unfriendly actions and aggressive statements against Moscow from Western nations.
The government has added new provisions to the upcoming Online Safety Bill, requiring social media companies to allow users to block anonymous users and block harmful content.

The new rules are supposed to fight abuse by anonymous users and to give users control over the type of content they see but will have massive implications for free speech in the country.

Tech firms have a responsibility to stop anonymous trolls polluting their platforms, said Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, Nadine Dorries.

We have listened to calls for us to strengthen our new online safety laws and are announcing new measures to put greater power in the hands of social media users themselves.

People will now have more control over who can contact them and be able to stop the tidal wave of hate served up to them by rogue algorithms.

If the bill passes, large social media companies will be required to verify the identity of some users. However, verification will be optional. But, users will also be given the option to block users with unverified accounts.

While some like the Chartered Institute for IT believe ID verification will solve online abuse, others note that there are citizens and journalists under increasingly authoritarian regimes, sexual assault victims, and even those who are going against the status quo who rely on anonymity.

The bill will also require large social media companies to include filters allowing users to block harmful but legal content, such as racism, health misinformation, and eating disorders.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Friday to mediate in the conflict with Russia, the Ukrainian envoy to Israel said, adding that it was latest in a string of so-far fruitless requests from Kyiv, reported Reuters.

"We have been talking to the Israelis for at least the last year about a possible intermediary role for Israel," Ambassador Yevgen Korniychuk told Reuters. "Our leadership believes that Israel is the only democratic state that has excellent relations with both countries."

Bennett's spokespeople were not immediately available for comment. An earlier statement by his office about Bennett's conversation with Zelenskiy made no mention of any mediation.

"Bennett reiterated his hope for a speedy end to the fighting, and said that he stands by the people of Ukraine in these difficult days," the statement said, adding that the prime minister offered Kyiv humanitarian aid.

Korniychuk said Friday's phone conversation between the leaders was the fifth time that Zelenskiy had asked Bennett for Israeli mediation, and that he had previously asked former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Following up with the Israelis after one of the earlier appeals, "I heard (that) this offer was not well-accepted by the Russian side," Korniychuk said.

Reached by Reuters, a diplomat at Russia's embassy to Israel declined to comment, saying he was not authorised to speak to the media.

While calling for a peaceful solution in Ukraine, Israel has been cautious about openly criticising Russia, a major player in the conflict in neighbouring Syria. It has offered shelter to members of Ukraine's Jewish community caught up in the fighting.

Israel, whose main ally is the United States, condemned the Russian invasion on Thursday as "a serious violation of international order" and has since remained largely muted on Moscow's actions.

The Israeli ambassador in Moscow was summoned for talks, the Russian embassy in Israel said on Friday.

"The hope was expressed that Israel would treat with due understanding the reasons that prompted the Russian leadership to decide to conduct a special military operation to protect civilians in Donbass, demilitarize and denazify Ukraine," the embassy said.
The White House, along with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada, announced Saturday evening that they would expel certain Russian banks from SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world, pledging to "collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."

"This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," they wrote in a joint statement released by the White House, also pledging "restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions," and restricting the sale of "golden passports" that allow Russian oligarchs to avoid the brunt of sanctions already levied.

US and European officials have also discussed targeting the Russian Central Bank with sanctions, according to two people familiar with the talks, a step without precedent for an economy of Russia's size.

No final decisions have been made, the people said, and the structure of the sanctions under discussion remains unclear.
(Support Free Thought) - NYPD Police Union President Arrested for Stealing Over $1 Million from Fellow Cops in Lowlife Scheme

New York, NY  Nothing says culture of corruption quite like cops committing crimes against their fellow cops. And, perhaps nothing highlights this point better than one of the highest-ranking cops in the country waging an elaborate scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from his fellow officers.

This week, Edward Mullins, the former President of the Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), the union that represents all current and former sergeants of the New York City Police Department, was charged for fraudulently using union funds for personal gain.

On Wednesday, Mullins turned himself in to the FBI and was charged with one count of wire fraud in connection with his despicable scheme. Mullins scheme involved using police union funds to live a lavish lifestyle at the expense of his fellow officers.

After his arrest, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:

As alleged, Edward Mullins, the former President of the SBA, abused his position of trust and authority to fund a lavish lifestyle that was paid for by the monthly dues of the thousands of hard-working Sergeants of the NYPD.

Mullins submitted hundreds of phony expense reports to further his scheme, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the SBA. This Office is committed to rooting out corruption at all levels of government, and that includes public officials like Mullins who use their positions of power to line their own pockets to the detriment of others.

According to the Department of Justice, for nearly two decades, from 2002 until October 2021, Mullins served as President of the SBA. As president Mullins was responsible for promoting the general welfare of the SBAs membership. Instead of doing that, however, this top cop orchestrated a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the SBA and its members.

The NYPDs SBA is the fifth largest police union in the country and takes in millions every year in the form of officer dues. For active members, dues are deducted bi-weekly from their paychecks, totaling approximately $1,300 annually for each member and $600 for retired members. Mullins was using their dues to eat $3,000 meals and buy gold watches.

In 2017, Mullins found a friend in the treasurer, who was lazy with checking his receipts and this thieving cop then saw his moment to pounce. According to the DoJ:

Between in or around 2017 and in or around October 2021, MULLINS defrauded the SBA by using his personal credit card to pay for meals at high-end restaurants and to purchase luxury personal items, among other things, and then submitting false and inflated expense reports to the SBA, seeking reimbursement for those bills as legitimate SBA expenditures when in fact they were not. Altogether, MULLINS was reimbursed for over $1 million dollars in expenses from the SBA, the majority of which was fraudulently obtained.

Some examples of this fraud include paying off his personal credit card and eating hundreds of high-end meals. Mullins was stealing from his fellow cops so he could buy expensive clothing, jewelry, home appliances, and he even stole from them to pay for a relatives college tuition.

Ed Mullins allegedly violated the ethics and rules of this department, the trust of 13,000 sergeants, active and retired whom he represented, and the laws of the United States, NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said.

If convicted, Mullins faces up to 20 years behind bars.

While this case sounds like it would be an isolated incident, cops are caught stealing from each other all the time  even police union presidents. In fact, less than 6 months ago, TFTP reported on the case of Clermont officer Jeremy Kevitt, who was the president of the Clermont Police Officers Union in Florida.

Kevitt was arrested on Labor Day of last year for stealing $50,000 from his own union  including the theft of money from a fund set up to pay for the medical bills of a wounded cop.

The term lowlife doesnt even begin to describe the type of person who would steal from donated funds which were going to help pay the medical bills of a wounded cop.

Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
The hostilities in Ukraine have escalated into a full-blown war, Turkeys top diplomat has said

Ankara is set to restrict the access of Russian warships to the Black Sea over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday.

It is not a couple of air strikes now, the situation in Ukraine is officially a war... We will implement the Montreux Convention, the official told CNN Turk in a live interview. Turkey will implement all provisions of Montreux Convention in a transparent manner, he added.

Under the 1936 Montreux Convention, which regulates the Black Sea straits, Turkey is able to close the straits for military vessels of any nations at a formal state of war, as well as when it feels itself threatened with an imminent war. The country cannot shut down the straits completely, however, unless it is itself in a state of war.

Ankara will still allow military vessels, returning to their home ports to pass through the straits, Cavusoglu noted. There should not be any abuse of this exemption. Ships that declare returning to their bases and passing through the straits should not be involved in the war, the diplomat said.

Kiev has repeatedly urged Ankara to shut the straits down for Russia, despite neither side of the ongoing conflict formally declaring war. Russia launched the large-scale military operation in Ukraine on Thursday, citing the need to protect the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics from an allegedly looming all-out assault by the Ukrainian troops. Ukraine slammed the attack as unprovoked.

Kiev has denied seeking to attack the republics that broke away from Ukraine following the 2014 Maidan coup and ousting of the democratically-elected government of the country. Moscow formally recognized the republics as independent states on Monday, signing bilateral friendship treaties with them and pledging military assistance.
Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 electric vehicle / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group



By Baek Byung-yeul



Hyundai Motor Group's two electric vehicles (EVs)  Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 and Kia's EV6  have been recognized as the most competitive EVs in Germany, raising expectations that their expansion in the European market will gain momentum, the automotive group said, Sunday.



The group said the IONIQ 5 and the EV6 ranked first and second in the recent comparative evaluation of electric SUVs conducted by the German-based car magazine, Auto Zeitung.



In the comparative evaluation of five electric SUVs by the magazine, the IONIQ 5 topped the list with a total of 3,222 points and the EV6 ranked second with 3,178 points. They were followed by the Polestar 2, Tesla's Model Y and Mercedes-Benz's EQB.



The evaluation was conducted based on five evaluation points: the body, driving comfort, powertrain, driving dynamic and environment/cost. The IONIQ 5 received the highest score in the driving comfort sector and the second-highest in the driving dynamic and the environment/cost sectors.



Hyundai Motor Group said that the magazine had evaluated the IONIC 5 as showing "overall harmony by applying the automotive group's electric vehicle-only platform, E-GMP. "The car has the highest driving stability, economic feasibility and even provides fun driving, making it to the top in the SUV electric vehicle sector with the top classes," the magazine was quoted as stating by Hyundai.





Kia's EV6 electric vehicle / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
Im concerned about Russian disinformation spreading online, so today I wrote to the CEOs of major tech companies to ask them to restrict the spread of Russian propaganda, US Senator Mark Warner tweeted on Friday.

Since then YouTube has announced that it has suppressed videos by Russian state media channels so that theyll be seen by fewer people in accordance with its openly acknowledged policy of algorithmically censoring unauthorized content, as well as de-monetizing all such videos on the platform. Google and Facebook/Instagram parent company Meta both banned Russian state media from running ads and monetizing on their platforms in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Twitter announced a pause on ads in both Russia and Ukraine.

Glad to see action from tech companies to reign in Russian propaganda and disinformation after my letter to their CEOs yesterday, Warner tweeted on Saturday. These are important first steps, but Ill keep pushing for more.

For years US lawmakers have been using threats of profit-destroying consequences to pressure Silicon Valley companies into limiting online speech in a way that aligns with the interests of Washington, effectively creating a system of government censorship by proxy. It would appear that were seeing a new expansion of this phenomenon today.

And the imperial media are pushing for more. Articles and news segments warning of the sinister threat posed by Russian propaganda to misinform and divide western populations using the internet are being churned out at a rate thats only likely to increase as this latest narrative management campaign gets into full gear. The Associated Press has a new article out for example titled War via TikTok: Russias new tool for propaganda machine.

Armies of trolls and bots stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiment. State-controlled media outlets look to divide Western audiences. Clever TikTok videos serve up Russian nationalism with a side of humor, AP warns.

Analysts at several different research organizations contacted by The Associated Press said they are seeing a sharp increase in online activity by groups affiliated with the Russian state, AP writes. Thats in keeping with Russias strategy of using social media and state-run outlets to galvanize domestic support while seeking to destabilize the Western alliance.

The different research organizations AP ends up citing include Cyabra, an Israeli tech company that works to detect disinformation, as well as the state-funded NATO narrative management firm The Atlantic Council.

As tends to happen whenever a consensus begins to form that a certain category of speech must be purged from the internet, imperial spinmeisters are already working to expand the definition of Russian propaganda which must be purged from the internet to include independent anti-imperialist commentators like myself.

Imperial narrative manager Robert Potter has a thread on Twitter currently calling for me and other anti-imperialist content creators to be labeled State-Affiliated Media on Twitter and ideally de-platformed across all western social media, in my case solely because RT is one of the many outlets who occasionally choose to republish some of my blog posts for free.

I am not as Potter claims an OP Ed columnist for Russia Today. I dont work for RT, I dont write for RT, I dont submit articles to RT, and Ive never been paid by RT or the Russian government. RT is just one of the outlets who sometimes avail themselves of my longstanding invitation for anyone who wants to to republish my work free of charge. That RT editors would find my daily rants against western imperialism agreeable is not scandalous or conspiratorial but normal and self-evident.

Yet for agents of imperial narrative control like Potter (who ironically works directly for the US State Department but thinks my posts should be labeled State-Affiliated Media by Twitter), even this is enough to justify complete silencing. I will not be in the slightest bit surprised to see a great deal more of these efforts as the new cold war continues to escalate.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate, an empire-loyal NGO ostensibly focused primarily on fighting racism and prejudice, has published a report accusing Facebook of failing to label Russian propaganda as such 91 percent of the times it occurs. The CCDH decried Mark Zuckerbergs failure to stop Facebook being weaponized by the Russian state.

This sudden narrative management thrust has also seen RT taken off the air in nations like Australia, Germany and Poland, with pressures mounting in France and the UK to follow suit.

This despite the fact that all western powers would have to do to eliminate RT completely is simply start allowing leftist and anti-imperialist voices to be heard on mainstream media platforms. It would immediately suck up RTs entire foreign audience as people whod previously needed to look outside the mainstream for sane perspectives gravitate toward media made with much better funding and a higher level of talent.

But of course we all know thats never going to happen. The imperial media arent going to subvert RT by platforming voices who dispute the empires narratives no matter how badly they hate it, because the exact reason they hate RT is because it disputes the empires narratives. Theyre not worried about Russian propaganda operations, theyre worried about someone else running interference on their own propaganda operations.

RTs audience makes up about 0.04% of TV viewing in the UK. This isnt about RT, its about the the agenda to continually expand and normalize the censorship of unauthorized speech. Thats what it was about when they were pretending it was about the need to fight Covid misinformation before that, and when they were pretending it was about the need to fight domestic US extremism before that, and when they were pretending it was about the need to defend election security before that, and when they were pretending it was about the need to fight Russian propaganda the first time before that one cycled back around again.

Whoever controls the narrative controls the world. Humans are storytelling creatures, so whoever can control the stories the humans are telling themselves about whats going on in the world has a great deal of control over the humans. Our mental chatter tends to dominate such a large percentage of our existence that if it can be controlled the controller can exert a tremendous amount of influence over the way we think, act, and vote.

The powerful understand this, while the general public mostly does not. Thats all weve been seeing in these attempts to regulate ideas and information as human communication becomes more and more rapid and networked. An entire oligarchic empire is built on the ability to prevent us from realizing at mass scale that that empire does not serve us and inflicts great evil upon our world. The question of whether our species can awaken to its highest potential or not boils down to whether our dominators will succeed in locking down our minds, or if we will find some way to break free.

_____________________

My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following me on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud or YouTube, or throwing some money into my tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy my books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for at my website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish, use or translate any part of this work (or anything else Ive written) in any way they like free of charge. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what Im trying to do with this platform, click here.

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I wouldnt want to keep money in a bank that cant access the SWIFT system. Once a bank cant transfer or receive funds from other banks, its solvency can be at risk. If I were Russian, I would take my money out now. Bank runs could begin in Russia on Monday. #StandWithUkraine  Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) February 26, 2022

He may have been off by one day, because in the hours following the western announcement to suspend some Russian banks from SWIFT and to launch sanctions on the Russian central bank, we have seen scenes across Russia reminiscent of a bank run as locals lined up at cash machines around the country to withdraw foreign currency amid growing fears the ruble could collapse when it resumes trading on Monday.

"Ive stood in lines for an hour, but foreign currency is gone everywhere, just rubles, said Vladimir, a 28-year-old programmer who declined to give his last name, while waiting in a long line at an ATM in a Moscow shopping mall. I got a late start because I didnt think this was possible. Im in shock.

HUGE lines for ATMs all over Moscow at 5am, as fears that the Russian banking system will be essentially shut down and sanctioned, which is causing a Bank Run.#UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaConflict #Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/whzhKS5uBk  Ukraine News Now (@NewUkraineNews) February 27, 2022

There are indications that the ruble will fall sharply when trading opens on Monday. Exchange rates being offered by lenders are already varying widely on Sunday, from 98.08 rubles per dollar at Alfa Bank to 99.49 at Sberbank PJSC, 105 at VTB Group and 115 at Otkritie Bank at 3:30 p.m. in Moscow. The spot ruble price on the Moscow Exchange closed at 83 per dollar on Friday.

I cant see a scenario where it doesnt get hammered, said Paul McNamara, a fund manager at GAM Investments. I dont expect effective intervention in terms of pricing, but in terms of reducing legal grounds to sell rubles.

The rush for foreign currency came despite Bloomberg reporting that some lenders selling dollars at more than a third higher than the markets close on Friday, and well past the psychologically important level of 100 rubles per dollar that many economists said would trigger an interest-rate hike by the Bank of Russia. The shock came as Russians were still digesting news that Europe was closing its airspace to them and popular payment systems like ApplePay would stop working.

Late on Saturday, the U.S. and the European Union agreed to kick some Russian banks off the SWIFT financial messaging system and freeze the central banks reserves. On Sunday, the EU announced it would close of its airspace to Russian carriers, which could make it difficult to physically transport cash into the country.

The Moscow bank run: a queue for a Tinkoff ATM in the Liga shopping center in Khimki. There are about 70 people in line. Eyewitnesses say the money in the ATM runs out within 40 minutes. @bazabazon pic.twitter.com/MTMkEiCRHJ  Jason Corcoran (@jason_corcoran) February 27, 2022

The central bank said last week it was increasing supplies of cash to ATMs to meet the demand and issued another statement Sunday vowing to provide banks uninterrupted supplies of rubles. The release made no mention of possible foreign-currency support or the sanctions.

Russia last faced a major run on cash in 2014, when plunging oil prices in the wake of western sanctions triggered a crash in the exchange rate. Sberbank, Russias biggest bank, ran through 1.3 trillion rubles ($16 billion) in a single week, according to Bloomberg.

The situation is completely unstable, and sanctions and restrictions on the central bank can only get worse, said Alexandra Suslina, a budget specialist at the Moscow-based Economic Expert Group. Theres already a bit of a rush to take money out of ATMs, but no cash machine is designed for the lines that will appear at sanctioned banks.

Meanwhile, on Sunday the Russian central bank said it would resume purchases of gold and precious metals from the domestic market starting Monday, although it wasn't immediately clear who the sanctioned central bank would buy gold from. Furthermore, in light of the upcoming liquidity scramble, it is more likely that Russia will need to start selling some of its gold reserves which according to Credit Suisse calculations amount to a little under $150 billion.




By Kim Jae-heun







Starbucks Korea has donated Buddhist poet "Manhae" Han Yong-un's handwritten calligraphy relic, "Jeondaebeopryun," to The National Trust for Cultural Heritage in celebration of 103th anniversary of the upcoming March 1st Movement Day.







Starbucks Korea purchased the masterpiece through funds it raised to protect cultural heritage related to the independence movement last year.







The phrase, Jeondaebeopryun, was written by Han allegedly in the twilight years of his life. The four characters directly translate to, "the wheel of law largely rolls on," which means, "the world of great truth does not stay constant, but continually changes."







"The relic is the only work by Han that was handwritten in such a large scale. The piece also contains his spirit of great freedom and it has great historical significance and value," the senior curator at the Seoul Arts Center, Lee Dong-guk, said.







Starbucks Korea has been donating a number of Korean cultural assets so as to protect and preserve them.







The coffee house chain has already given away many relics related to Korean independence movement leaders Kim Gu and Ahn Chang-ho, starting from 2015.







Chief Director of The National Trust for Cultural Heritage Kim Jong-gyu thanked Starbucks Korea for its efforts to protect the cultural relics by local independence activists and promised to hand them down to future generations.







"It is one of our meaningful activities to raise funds and donate cultural heritage related to the independence movement together with our customers. We will continue to work hard on protecting Korea's cultural assets while increasing people's interest in them," Starbucks Korea CEO Song Ho-seob said.







Meanwhile, Starbucks Korea signed an agreement with the Cultural Heritage Administration in 2009 to preserve traditional culture, donate cultural assets and sponsor scholarships for the descendants of independence activists.







The company has been creating various products with traditional designs for every Independence Movement Day, using the profits to raise funds.







This year, Starbucks Korea will sell two mugs containing drawings of Korea's national flower, the mugunghwa, or rose of Sharon.


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TORONTO - Crown liquor stores in several Canadian provinces were pulling Russian products from their shelves Friday in light of Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

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TORONTO - Crown liquor stores in several Canadian provinces were pulling Russian products from their shelves Friday in light of Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

In Ontario, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said he was directing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to withdraw products produced in Russia.

A person walks past an LCBO in Ottawa, Thursday March 19, 2020. The leader of Ontario's Liberal Party is asking the LCBO to stop selling Russian products following that countrys invasion of Ukraine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

"Ontario joins Canada's allies in condemning the Russian government's act of aggression against the Ukrainian people and we strongly support the federal government's efforts to sanction the Russian government," Bethlenfalvy said in an emailed statement.

"We will continue to be there for the Ukrainian people during this extremely difficult time."

A spokeswoman for Bethlenfalvy said the LCBO carries approximately 25 Russian-produced products, and said the government was told stores could remove them within 24 hours.

The Progressive Conservative government's announcement came hours after the provincial Liberal leader wrote to the LCBO's CEO with a similar request.

"Ontario and the LCBO can't say it's truly standing with Ukraine while continuing to be Putins customer," Steven Del Duca wrote earlier in the day.

Other provinces' Crown liquor stores made similar moves throughout the day.

A spokeswoman said Friday that the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. decided to pull Russia-produced products "given the terrible events taking place" in Ukraine.

Beverley Ware said the stores sold three products from the Russian Standard line.

"The products are being removed today and we have also removed them from our web site. Were also notifying operators of agency stores so they can also remove this product from their shelves," she said in an email.

New Brunswick liquor stores were going through the same process. A spokeswoman said Alcool NB Liquor was "in the process of voluntarily removing" products from Russia in response to the situation.

"We are currently reviewing our portfolio and contacting our store teams to make sure all relevant products are removed," Marie-Andree Bolduc said.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corp. tweeted that it had decided to remove "products of Russian origin" from stores, including Russian Standard Vodka and Russian Standard Platinum Vodka.

Manitoba Liquor Mart made a similar statement.

"Among the thousands of products we carry, only two came from Russia  one vodka, Russian Standard Vodka, and one single-serve beer, Baltika 7 Premium Lager. We have removed those two products from shelves in all Manitoba Liquor Marts," it wrote on its Twitter account.

In British Columbia, deputy premier Mike Farnworth announced that the province was immediately stopping the importing and sale of Russian liquor products from BC Liquor Stores and its liquor distribution centres.

"Our province stands with those who understand Europe's peace following two world wars depends on respecting international law," he said in a statement.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine began early Thursday with a series of missile strikes quickly followed by a ground assault.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2022.
The events unfolding in Ukraine this week have caused me to reflect on my familys history and why I am a Canadian.

The events unfolding in Ukraine this week have caused me to reflect on my familys history and why I am a Canadian.

My grandfather was a judge and a law professor in Ukraine. In 1928, he had convicted a number of men of murder and had sentenced them to death for their crimes.

SUBMITTED (From left) The Kardash family: Ivan, Irina, Peter, Vasilii, Pavel and Terentil.

Days later, the men he had sentenced to death were seen near my grandfathers farm and threatened one of my fathers sons as he was watering his horse in a stream.

They told the boy (my future uncle) they were going to kill my grandfather and his family.

The son told his father (my grandfather) what he had been told. My grandfather knew that only somebody very powerful would have the power to order the release of convicted murderers who were awaiting execution.

He knew the threat was real and he took it seriously. He remembered seeing a poster  it said Canada Land of Hope and Opportunity  and he made a decision.

Hours later, he, his wife (my eventual grandmother) and his four sons  one still in diapers  were on an overnight train headed to the Baltic Sea. They lived near the coast of the Black Sea, but he thought it was safer to go north, through Minsk, to a ship on the Baltic that would carry the six of them far away from the danger they faced.

They boarded a ship to London, then another to Canada. They landed in Quebec and took a long train trip to Winnipeg, then another to Regina.

They settled near Imperial, where they built a successful farm. They would later farm west of Elkhorn. They found the hope and opportunity they were searching for.

My grandparents raised children who became entrepreneurs of various kinds. Their children and grandchildren have become engineers, teachers, lawyers, nurses, police officers and business owners.

We are only here today because of my grandparents desperate decision to come to Canada in 1928.

My grandparents story paralleled the story of many Ukrainian families in Western Canada  fleeing danger for a safer, brighter future  and it could soon be our regions story again.

Russias invasion of Ukraine is not just a military operation. It is a humanitarian catastrophe that will only worsen over the coming weeks and months.

Many Ukrainians have already died and many more are wounded. Many are suffering from the anxiety of a conflict they are powerless to stop. Theyre hungry, theyre frightened and they measure their future in days, if not hours.

They wonder why the world is watching, but doing nothing to help them; doing nothing to ease their anxiety and make them safe.

Theyre not wrong. For weeks, the world has known that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was likely to happen, and we knew what the likely consequences would be. Our government, along with governments throughout the world, offered tepid support but nothing that would cause Russia to abandon its plan.

Governments did nothing to stop it, because they know that intervening in this conflict could result in a far larger war that would put the existence of the planet at risk.

And so, we have watched this tragedy unfold live on CNN. We have posted tweets and messages of support for Ukraine on Twitter and Facebook, as if that would stop the invasion.

As if that would stop the death and dislocation Ukrainians are experiencing.

As if we are immune to the consequences of what is happening. As if it could never happen here. As if people in our community and region dont have family there, experiencing real hell right now.

But the fact is we do. There are many families in Westman that came here from Ukraine in the past few years, and many more like mine, having arrived here decades ago.

When we turn our back on Ukraine, we turn our back on them. We turn our back on the families and friends they left behind.

Thats not what we do here in Manitoba. Throughout the 152-year existence of our province, we have welcomed people from all over the world who were (and are) seeking a safer, more prosperous life for themselves and their families.

We consistently lead the nation in support for charities and volunteerism. We never turn our back on those in need and those in danger, and we cant do that now.

We are on the verge of a refugee crisis. We must be ready to open our arms, our hearts and our community to families that are escaping danger they are helpless to stop.

We must give Ukrainians the same hope and opportunity that my grandparents found a century ago.

 deverynrossletters@gmail.com

 Twitter: @deverynross
Smoke rises from a Russian tank destroyed by the Ukrainian forces on the side of a road in the Lugansk region, Feb. 26. Russia ordered its troops to advance in Ukraine "from all directions" the same day as the Ukrainian capital Kyiv imposed a blanket curfew and officials reported 198 civilian deaths. AFP-Yonhap



Moscow ordered its troops to advance in Ukraine "from all directions" Saturday, as the Ukrainian capital Kyiv imposed a blanket curfew after fighting in the city that saw Russian troops pushed back.



Ukrainian officials said 198 civilians, including three children, had been killed since Russia invaded Thursday, and warned Russian saboteurs were active in Kyiv as explosions rocked the capital, forcing residents to flee to safety underground.



Moscow said it fired cruise missiles at military targets, and would "develop the offensive from all directions" after accusing Ukraine of having "rejected" talks.



But, on day three of Russia's invasion, defiant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed his country would never give in to the Kremlin.



Washington said the invading force had a "lack of momentum."



Ukraine's army said it held back an assault on the capital  but was fighting Russian "sabotage groups" which had infiltrated the city.



Zelensky said in a video message: "We will fight until we have liberated our country."



He earlier said Ukraine had "derailed" Moscow's plan to overthrow him and urged Russians to pressure President Vladimir Putin into stopping the conflict.



The Pentagon estimates that half of the invasion force built up by Russia on Ukraine's borders in recent months is now inside the country.



But there had been a "lack of momentum over the last 24 hours," and the Russian military had still not gained air superiority over the country, a U.S. official said.





Ukrainian refugees arrive by train from Kiev at the Warszawa Wschodnia Station in Warsaw, Poland, Feb. 26. EPA-Yonhap



'I was trembling'



Ignoring warnings from the West, Putin unleashed a full-scale invasion Thursday that the U.N. refugee agency says has forced almost 150,000 people to flee to next-door countries.



Tens of thousands more are estimated to be displaced within Ukraine, with many heading west away from intense clashes.



In neighboring Romania, Olga, 36, was among hundreds to have crossed the Danube river with her three young children to safety.



"My husband came with us as far as the border, before returning to Kyiv to fight," she said.



Thousands more made their way to Poland by train.



"Attacks were everywhere," said Diana, a 37-year-old who fled the Ukrainian capital.



"My mother is still in Kyiv."



In the capital, residents sought sanctuary in subway stations and cellars, while Zelensky announced a baby girl had been born on the metro.



The city said anyone outside after 5:00 p.m. (local time) would be considered "members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups."



The curfew will last until 8:00 a.m. Monday.



Yulia Snitko, a pregnant 32-year-old, said she had sheltered in the basement of her Kyiv apartment block Friday night, fearing premature labor.



"It was more than one hour of huge explosions. I was trembling," she said.











People gather in Times Square, New York City to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Feb. 26. AP-Yonhap



Thousands around the world demonstrated their solidarity with Ukraine, Saturday.



Zelensky said he asked U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres to strip Russia of its vote at the U.N. Security Council as punishment for the invasion.



Earlier, he thanked "partners" for sending weapons and equipment, while Washington announced $350 million of new military assistance.



Berlin said it would send Kyiv 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles, in a major U-turn from its longstanding policy of not exporting weapons to war zones.



Paris said it would deliver more arms to Ukraine.



A SWIFT logo is seen placed on a Russian flag, in this photo taken Feb. 25. Reuters-Yonhap
Tauren Wells - Fake It | CR8 Agency

Today, platinum-selling Tauren Wells released his new single, Fake It Feat. Aaron Cole, via Capitol Records/CCMG, marking the 10-time GRAMMY nominees first release on the label. On this upbeat, infectious track Wells celebrates the joy that comes from being loved as you are, freed from any need to fake it. Listen to Fake It HERE. Wells and Cole wrote Fake It with Chris Stevens  who produced the track with Tedd T.  and Emily Weisband.

In the official video for Fake It, which premiered as an exclusive on Facebook today, Wells gives a high-energy performance alongside Cole and a growing troupe of blazer-clad dancers. They shot the clip in Los Angeles with producer Raj Kapoor, who recently helmed Adeles CBS special, and director Noah Clark. View HERE. The Capitol/CCMG team was on hand at the video shoot to welcome Houston-based Wells to the label.

Hold Us Together (Hope Mix), Wells 2021 duet with H.E.R., is nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song and an NAACP Image Award in the Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song category. View the official video for Hold Us Together (Hope Mix) HERE. Wells 2021 album, Citizen of Heaven (Live), received a GRAMMY nod for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.

Wells, who has toured with such iconic artists as Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey, recently wrapped up the sold-out, 23-city Citizen of Heaven tour. The celebrated recording artist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter has amassed over one billion combined global streams and 225 million video views in his career to date, charted six No. 1 radio singles and received 10 GRAMMY Award nominations.

Web: https://www.taurenwells.com

Music: https://TaurenWells.lnk.to/FacebookCY

Twitter: https://TaurenWells.lnk.to/twitterCY

IG: https://TaurenWells.lnk.to/instagramCY

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tgwells04
Good evening.

Thank you for tuning into our rolling coverage of the Ukraine war and todays national developments.

If you are just joining us, heres a recap of what youve missed:

Russia talks with Ukraine have started on the Belarus-Ukraine border, with the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, earlier saying the country was interested in reaching a mutually beneficial agreement with Ukraine as soon as possible.

The United Nations says at least 102 civilians in Ukraine have been killed since Russia launched its invasion last Thursday, with a further 304 injured, but the real figure is feared to be considerably higher.

People trying to flee Ukraine sleep inside a crowded Lviv railway station on Monday. Credit:AP

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace believes Russian President Vladimir Putins nuclear deterrent alert is rhetoric designed to distract from the invasion of Ukraine, and not linked to practical steps to increase readiness to use the weapons.

Crude oil jumped while the Russian rouble plunged nearly 30 per cent to a fresh record low. Russias central bank more than doubled its key policy interest rate and introduced some capital controls as it scrambled to shield the economy from unprecedented Western sanctions.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will convene a national security meeting on Tuesday to discuss funding a supply of weapons to Ukraine. Australias Parliament House in Canberra was lit up in blue and yellow this evening in a show of support for Ukraine.

Parliament House in Canberra lit up on Monday evening in a show of support for Ukraine. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Wild weather continues to devastate communities in NSW and Queensland. Weve had another live blog on those developments running here.

And, on the COVID-19 front, Victoria recorded 5852 new cases and three deaths, while NSW recorded another 5856 new infections and six deaths. Western Australia recorded 1140 new COVID-19 cases, while South Australia reported 1358, and one person died with the virus in that state. The Northern Territory had 392 new COVID-19 cases, while Tasmania had 734, and the ACT had 464.

Ill be signing off for the blog in a while, but Latika Bourke will keep you updated through to midnight and beyond.
For South Grafton residents Wendy Hardy and Rick Lumsden, it will be a nervous wait as the floodwater has already inundated their home and the towns levee threatens to break.

The flooding started for the couple at 6am when water began pouring into their home. They raised their fridge, washing machine and TV onto bricks.

Wendy Hardy and Rick Lumsden in their Grafton home. Credit:Brook Mitchell

But despite hours of moping and trying to sandbag the home, by 2pm water was pouring in from every direction. By 8pm, the water was up to ankle height in the house and knee height in the garden.

The couple tried to call the SES earlier today, but were told help wasnt available.

You cant take everything, Mr Lumsden said. What do you do? You do what you can.

Ms Hardy said in the 22 years shes lived in the town, shes never seen flooding this bad. As she walks through her inundated home, Ms Hardy takes down photos of her mother, who recently died, posing with her grandchildren and another photograph of Ms Hardy and her sisters.

Packing some precious belongings. Credit:Brook Mitchell

We have to hang onto that  its very special, she said.

The couple are concerned floodwaters will continue to raise when the water from further north, including Lismore, begins to make its way down the river system.

Its days of cleaning, the stench of top of that. This is not half of it  the worst is yet to come.
Lismore residents on the NSW North Coast were on Sunday night ordered to evacuate as major flooding engulfed the town.

Residents of South Lismore were ordered to leave their homes by 10pm on Sunday, with people in the CBD told to leave by 5am on Monday as floodwaters threatened to breach the levee.

The Wilsons River in Lismore was expected to breach its banks by 3am on Monday  two hours earlier than initial estimates. It was expected to reach at least 11.5 metres  equivalent to the March 2017 floods.

The evacuation orders come as a man is missing, feared drowned, when he was swept away in floodwaters in Lismore on Sunday afternoon after the region copped days of torrential rain.
Somewhere beyond the police tape and exposed white roofs of neighbours cars, a vast and muck-filled lake, once a Brisbane street, is trying to swallow Pats family home.

They got out about 3am on Sunday, when the water was thigh-level in the garage and lapping at the back step.

The view along Tramore Street, Rocklea, towards Pats home. Credit:Zach Hope

Ive been up for three f---ing days, said Pat, who preferred his last name be kept from print. I dont even know what day it is. Sunday?

By late morning, the girls, aged 11 and 7, were sleeping it off at the in-laws place, he said.
Some experts are worried Queensland is jumping the gun by removing mask mandates from this Friday, saying cases will go up as a result.

The state will ease the requirement for masks in almost all indoor spaces from 6pm Friday, March 4, except for healthcare settings, residential aged care, disability accommodation, prisons, public transport, airports and on planes.

Masks will be optional from 6pm Friday, but experts are urging Queenslanders not to give them up just yet. Credit:Getty Images

In addition, venue capacity limits will be completely lifted and there will be no more restrictions on how many people can be in a home at the same time.

The move comes as Queensland continues to record several thousand cases of the virus every day along with a steady rate of deaths, mostly older people in aged care.
It took a pandemic to make a Melbourne company rethink something that has been the norm in Australia since 1948: the five-day working week.

On June 6, Our Community  a software company that provides training and resources to community groups  will revolutionise its workplace, according to its group managing director, Denis Moriarty.

All of its 75 staff will work a four-day week on full pay, in a radical six-month pilot that the company says will be a failure if productivity is not maintained at the levels required.

Denis Moriarty (right) and partner Brendan Shanahan (left) with their son John Nguyen at home. Credit:Eddie Jim

Were doing it because people are saying to us after the last two years: Ive rethought what Im valuing in life. Ive spent extra time with my partner and with the kids, Mr Moriarty says.
One in three renters lost all or part of their bond last year, with legal and tenants groups warning that the situation is leaving many Victorians struggling to pay rent and basic living expenses at their next home.

The Residential Tenancies Bond Authoritys latest annual report reveals that 8 per cent of Victorian renters lost all their bond last year, while 24 per cent farewelled part of it.

Almost one in three Victorian renters lost all or some of their bond last year. Credit:Peter Rae

As tenants wait more than eight months to resolve bond disputes at tribunal hearings, one online community legal service has launched a free service to help renters claw back their bond at the end of a tenancy.

Noel Lim, co-founder and chief executive of Anika Legal, said his new initiative hoped to tackle the power imbalance between tenants and property managers.
Australia will fund the supply of weapons to the government of Ukraine to help it fight Russian forces invading the country, stepping up its support days after saying it would only provide non-lethal military equipment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke to cabinet colleagues on Sunday morning to start sending the military supplies to Ukraine through allies such as the United States and NATO partners in Europe.

A civilian volunteer waits with his gun at a territorial defence unit registration office. Credit:Getty

Speaking after joining Ukrainian-Australians at a church service in Sydney, the Prime Minister also signalled more humanitarian aid after the government spoke to the Ukrainian community about taking refugees who are fleeing the war.

Mr Morrison spoke to Defence Minister Peter Dutton on Sunday to arrange the expansion in military support, first announced on Friday as a commitment to send non-lethal supplies after talks with the Ukrainian community in Australia.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Singapore: Andrew Gosling was angry. Fuelled up on more than half-a-dozen beers, the 47-year-old was sitting on his seventh-storey balcony looking at a Malay Muslim family enjoying a housewarming party in the barbecue area below. If he had a gun, he could shoot them, Gosling thought as he sipped on a can of Anchor. He thought it would be payback for the Bali bombings in 2002 and Islamic State-linked stabbings in Melbourne in 2018. But Gosling did not have a gun. He only had cans of beer, a mind filled with dark, racist thoughts, and an empty $40 bottle of wine that hed found in a rubbish chute. Below, the Malay family was cooking satay sticks on the barbecue. They had no idea of the rage building up inside the Melbourne IT worker stewing in his apartment in the upmarket Spottiswoode complex in Singapore. Andrew Goslings parents, Ian and Pamela Gosling, outside Singapores State Courts on Friday. Credit:Eryk Bagshaw As 73-year-old delivery driver Nasiari Sunee sat down with his wife, Madam Manisah, to eat on that evening in August 2019, Gosling hurled the wine bottle overarm at their table, striking and killing Nasiari and injuring Manisah almost 20 metres below. The bottle remained intact as Nasiari bled on the floor. Gosling knew he had injured someone, but he did not find out that Nasiari, a father of four and grandfather to nine, had been killed until days later. Gosling fled and lied to police when they asked all residents of the compound whether they had seen anyone throw a wine bottle.

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He read someone had died on the internet, said deputy public prosecutor Kannan Gnanasihamani. Goslings fingerprints had been taken when he lied to the police. The ruse was up. He handed himself in. On Friday, 2 years after Gosling acted on a dark thought that would destroy Nasiaris life and irrevocably change the course of his own, he pleaded guilty in a Singapore court. The Singaporean media had dubbed the case the killer litter trial, however, that underplayed the religious and racial motivations that had pushed Gosling to turn a wine bottle into a weapon. The $40 bottle of wine thrown by Gosling. Credit:Nine News It was the first time that Nasiaris family had heard the full extent of Goslings thoughts as he prepared to throw the bottle. In the rows next to them at Singapores State Court on Friday were Ian and Pamela, Goslings elderly parents from suburban Melbourne. They still do not know what their son was thinking on that humid afternoon in 2019. COVID-19 restrictions have made it impossible for them to visit him in jail in Singapore. On Friday, they got a few brief minutes with him in the courtroom, separated by a glass cage that surrounded their son. He cant give us a rational explanation, said Ian Gosling in his first public comments since his son was arrested. Even today, we dont understand what actually happened.

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He was here in Singapore on his own, without family, without support. Thats tough, tough at the time when the incident occurred. But it was totally out of character, there is no question about that. He cant give us a rational explanation. Even today, we dont understand what actually happened. - Ian Gosling We really feel for the family of the victim. A loss to any family is a grave one. Ian Gosling said his son on day one said that he would accept the judgment. Hes just pleaded guilty and knows that due process has to be followed. Nasiari Sunee with his wife, Madam Manisah. Credit:NIne News But Goslings actions after he threw the bottle do not necessarily paint a picture of a man racked with immediate remorse. Gosling had only been in Singapore for two months when he wound himself up in the apartment. It took 10 days for him to hand himself in. In his defence, his lawyer, Sreenivasan Narayanan, SC, said Gosling still had his Australian passport with him and could have attempted to flee home in the days after the incident, but did not.

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Instead, Gosling has spent the past two years in Singapores Changi Prison  the same sprawling complex where hundreds of Australian prisoners of war died during World War II, and Australian drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van was executed in 2005. It is now a rehabilitation-focused centre where Gosling has tried to make amends for what he concedes is a terrible crime. He has written letters of remorse to the family and said he hoped to be able to meet them in person after he is sentenced. Australian IT worker Andrew Gosling has pleaded guilty to killing 73-year-old grandfather Nasiari Sunee after throwing a wine bottle from his high-rise flat in Singapore. Credit:Nine News I know the impact on the family  atonement must be made, Sreenivasan said on Goslings behalf. No amount of time in jail can compare to losing a loved one. But are we really looking at a religious bigot who is going to bring our whole society to collapse? Respectfully, I think not. But are we really looking at a religious bigot who is going to bring our whole society to collapse? Respectfully, I think not. - Goslings lawyer Sreenivasan Narayanan, SC That argument has done little to convince the prosecution that it was not a rash act motivated by prejudice and malice. The prosecution has not argued that Gosling should face culpable homicide charges or the highest level of punishment under religious crimes  15 years and caning  because it cannot prove that Gosling wanted to kill Nasiari rather than just scare his family, but it is seeking almost the maximum sentence for the two charges Gosling faces. A guard keeps watch over Changi Prison. Credit:Getty

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One count of a rash act causing death and another of causing grievous bodily harm to Nasiaris wife Manisah, who still struggles to lift her right arm, where the bottle struck her after killing her husband. The court must balance the value of remorse against the overall egregiousness of the case, said Kannan. The prosecution is asking the court to impose a 4-year sentence for the death of Nasiari and 2 years jail for the grievous bodily harm caused to his wife. Unusually, the prosecution has asked for Gosling not to be able to serve the terms at the same time. Loading Drawing a parallel with a date rapist who then stole his victims wallet, Kannan said that Gosling should face the two charges and be punished separately for both. That leaves Gosling facing a maximum of seven years. The defence would be happy with any sentence of under four years, which with time already served, could see Gosling walking free within months with good behaviour. The optics of that could be a challenge for the Singapore court which is sensitive to racial division in this highly multicultural but divided society. These are clear grounds for imposing a deterrent sentence, said Kannan.

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U.S. President Joe Biden leaves St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., after attending a Mass, Feb. 26. AP-Yonhap



The Biden administration is expected to ask Congress for a spending package that could significantly exceed $10 billion for the U.S. response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a leading Democratic senator said Friday.



The estimate by Sen. Chris Coons, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that controls foreign aid and State Department expenditure, provided an initial look at the costs American taxpayers could bear as a result of Russia's attack on its western neighbor.



Coons, D-Del., told reporters that he is expecting the request to cover the costs of helping millions of Ukrainian refugees who could flee to Poland and nearby NATO countries and supporting those nations' armed forces.



He also seemed to suggest that U.S. aid to Ukraine could continue should it fall to Russian forces, saying there is ''strong enthusiasm'' for providing money to resupply, train and ''whatever other covert and overt support is necessary and appropriate for the Ukrainian resistance.''



Coons said the money would also cover the expenses of monitoring and enforcing U.S. sanctions against Russia and for the Pentagon's bills for deploying the 7,000 additional American troops that President Joe Biden has ordered be sent to Europe.



''I expect that there will be a supplemental request well above $10 billion,'' Coons told reporters, calling it ''an initial guess.''






Latest News Big four banks lift variable interest rates Increases across board for home loan customers

Commercial lending market flourishing 40% to 50% uplift, says brokerage

When completing your mortgage application, it is critical to follow one simple rule: honesty is still the best policy.

While there are cases of an applicant making an innocent mistake, there are also instances of true deception  like omitting children or dependents to avoid declaring expenses associated with them.

Lenders are not against children or dependents, but they want to calculate your capacity to pay off your home loan if you have dependents.

Mortgage applications ask for dependents so that banks can calculate your income and living expenses, and if you have children, the amount you can borrow will automatically be affected. With dependents, you have more commitments and, therefore, a lower disposable income. Typically, lenders use the Household Expenditure Method (HEM) to determine your living expenses. You may also be asked to give an estimate of your living expenses, to determine whether you are above or below the average cost of living.

The bank will then use whichever one is higher to help calculate your borrowing power. You may need to be careful when estimating your living expenses because having dependents negatively impacts your borrowing ability.

By not declaring dependents on your mortgage application, you can run into financial and even legal issues including the prospect of having your home loan rejected, ending up on a black list, having your loan recalled by the bank, or even facing fraud charges.

Mortgage lenders and brokers cross-check and vet everything in your application. If an error on an application was innocent, the lender will most likely ask you why the proper information was not disclosed and update it. If as a result of an error you can no longer afford the loan, you may be required to make changes for the loan to be approved.

If a mistake is not as innocentsuch as not declaring dependentsyour loan will be declined and it is possible that the lender, and mortgage insurer, will never consider you again. There is also the potential to end up receiving a black mark on your credit score  or, as mentioned, facing serious legal issues.

Last year, a UBS study found 37% of home loan candidates admitted lying on their applications.

It is fraud, and fraud is a serious crime in Australia, punishable by jail, MyCRA Lawyers chief Graham Doessel told Yahoo Finance. If you lie about your wage, the bank will be able to cross check it against your statements. If you lie about your debts, they will be able to check with just about every lender in the country except your local loan shark.

The most common lies people make on applications arent a deliberate deception. Most common of all are errors that happen because the candidate is unaware of how much they are spending month to month or because they do not know their income. Occasionally, applicants will have older credit cards that they do not use and therefore do not declare them. Since they are still active, however, they should be included in the application.

Regardless of the error, mortgage brokers stress the importance of tracking your expenses and knowing your budget, since there is often a black hole where you may forget where your money is going.

If you lie on a loan application, the fallout can vary depending on whether it happened before or after the settlement. If it happens prior to the settlement, the lender can rescind the approval. If the lie is detected following the settlement, the lender can pull the loan back, giving the borrower 30 days to repay the entire loan and could end in a forced sale of the property.

Being convicted of a fraud offence is a real pain in the backside, Doessel said. You might recall the last time you applied for insurance they asked if youd been convicted of fraud. Well, now you will have to say yes. Not only is it embarrassing, it means you wont get insurance or at best have to pay a much higher premium.

Since the stakes of lying on your mortgage application are so high, its best to err on the side of honesty.
THE MAN FROM THE FUTURE: The Visionary Life of John von Neumann

Author: Ananyo Bhattacharya

Publisher: W W Norton

Price: $30

Pages: 353

The mathematician John von Neumann was an undeniable genius whose many accomplishments included an essential role in the development of quantum mechanics, computing and the atom bomb. As the co-author of one of the first textbooks on game theory, he took a coolly analytical approach to a range of situations that included bluffing in poker and the prospect of nuclear annihilation. Still, von Neumann didnt let his deep understanding of physics and rational utility get in the way of something else that was clearly very important to him: A love of driving, along with what seemed to be a cheerful commitment to being terrible at it.

After leaving Europe in 1933 for a life of the mind at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., von Neumann failed the driving test so many times that he had to bribe the examiner to get his licence. Every year he found an excuse to buy a new car, preferably an enormous Cadillac. I was proceeding down the road, he would start to say to his incredulous friends when recalling another one of his accidents. The trees on the right were passing me in orderly fashion at 60 miles an hour. Suddenly one of them stepped in my path. Boom!

This is one of several vivid anecdotes recounted in Ananyo Bhattacharyas The Man From the Future, which bills itself as a biography of von Neumann but is more devoted to exploring the ideas and technological inquiries he inspired.

The mathematical contributions von Neumann made in the mid-20th century now appear more eerily prescient with every passing year, Mr Bhattacharya writes, alluding to this books excellent title. His thinking is so pertinent to the challenges we face today that it is tempting to wonder if he was a time traveller, quietly seeding ideas that he knew would be needed to shape the Earths future.

When von Neumann was alive, before the full import of his influence could be gauged, his brilliance marked him not as a time traveller but as an alien  one of the so-called Martians, the nickname for the Hungarian-Jewish emigres, including Edward Teller, who worked on the secret atom bomb project at Los Alamos. Naturally, the intellectually omnivorous von Neumann came up with his own theories about the Hungarian phenomenon (the shorthand term for the scientific accomplishments of von Neumann and his countrymen), deciding that it had something to do with the Austro-Hungarian mixture of liberalism and feudalism that allowed Jews some avenues for success while keeping them away from the true levers of power. This provoked a feeling of extreme insecurity, von Neumann said, making him and his fellow Martians believe that they needed to produce the unusual or face extinction.

This was a dark and introspective assessment from someone who may have anticipated World War II in Europe but was also remembered as a cheerful man, an optimist who loved money and believed firmly in human progress, in the words of one of his lifelong friends. Mr Bhattacharya, a science journalist who also holds a Ph.D in physics, doesnt probe too deeply into these apparent contradictions.

Von Neumann came of age when mathematics wasnt considered a practical profession. He studied chemistry too, as a sop to his father, an investment banker. After arriving in the United States, von Neumann spent nearly a quarter of a century at the Institute for Advanced Study, where his office neighbours included Albert Einstein and Kurt Godel. From New Jersey von Neumann would travel the country, teaching and consulting, most consequentially at Los Alamos.

Mr Bhattacharya quotes from a report that von Neumann put together for the US Navy, detailing how the angle of incidence could make a bombs detonation more destructive. The report may have been written for a military audience, but von Neumann seems so excited by his own reasoning that he resorts to exclamation points.

Mr Bhattacharya shows how this unabashedly forthright treatment of morally fraught matters earned von Neumann a reputation for hawkishness, as did his support for the logic of preventive war. He advocated taking out the Soviet Unions nuclear arsenal with a surprise attack (If you say why not bomb them tomorrow, I say why not today?)  a position that he later walked back. Yet Mr Bhattacharya also says that von Neumann, as someone who was Central European to the core, believed that people would work together for their mutual benefit, which was embedded in his approach to game theory.

He was, as Mr Bhattacharya puts it, a complex character, and there are tantalising glimmers of such human strangeness and complexity in this book. But The Man From the Future sometimes seems so focused on explicating that future  narrating the fates of von Neumanns ideas long past his death, from cancer, in 1957  that the man himself recedes from view.

The skill with which Mr Bhattacharya teases apart dense scientific concepts left me feeling ambivalent. On the one hand, what we do see of von Neumann hints at such a fascinating personality that I wanted to know more; on the other, maybe theres something to be said for fixating so intently on the cerebral output of someone whose daughter once observed, My fathers first love in life was thinking.
The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) has refused to grant emergency relief to Co-founder and Managing Director Ashneer Grover from a governance review being conducted by the company, according to sources.

Grover had filed an arbitration plea earlier this month 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 future action by the company through the plea.

SIAC, in the order itself has said that the question of whether the preliminary investigations conclusion is justifiable or not will be considered by the tribunal in due course i.e. after the review committee reaches a conclusion on whether Grover is guilty of misconduct and gross negligence, said Salman Waris, partner at Delhi-based law firm TechLegis.

Grover can now try to approach the HC to secure an interim injuction. But in the circumstances, I doubt the court will give him any immediate relief, added Waris.

The company and Grover are also reportedly in talks to settle the matter by buying out 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, when was valued at $2.8 billion.





Key investors at BharatPe have turned down an offer made by Grover to sell his stake for over Rs 4,000 crore if they want him to quit the firm, according to sources.

Grover seems to have valued the payments company at around $6 billion  far higher than its valuation in the last funding round. However, the fintech start-up was looking at a fresh raise in January this year at a valuation of around $4 billion, the sources said.

The battle between the investors and Grover came to a head on Wednesday, when the company announced that it had terminated the services of Grovers wife, Madhuri Jain, who was head of controls, over alleged financial irregularities and cancelled her stock options.

The companys key investors include Sequoia Capital, with a 19.6 per cent stake, Coatue (12.4 per cent), Ribbit Capital (11 per cent), Beenext (9.6 per cent), among others. The investors have cumulatively put in over $700 million in the company. In the subsequent rounds of capital raise, they have increased their collective stake in the company to over 66 per cent, even as the founders stake has been going down.
has shut most of its stores since February 25 (Friday) and its website is also down as it missed lease payments to (RIL).

RIL will open most of the 200 stores as Reliance stores in the next week and it is in the process of taking stock, re-branding, and transferring 30,000 and Future Lifestyle employees on to the rolls of its manpower and staffing firm Reliance SMSL, according to a source. The first tranche of stores are set to be opened as early as in the next two days.

A source in the know told Business Standard that Future Retail has not paid lease rentals to RIL and added that the latter extended working capital support thanks to which Future Retail has been able to pay statutory dues, interest, one-time settlement to banks, and continue its business operations.

The source said Future Retail owes RIL towards this working capital support.

RIL has taken possession of those stores that were sub-leased to Future Retail and all of these stores are loss-making. The source added that the remaining stores will continue to be run by Future Retail. In this way, Future Retails operating losses will be reduced.

RILs actions preserve the value of Future Retail and will allow the scheme  Future Group decided to sell its retail, logistics and warehousing businesses to Reliance Group for almost Rs 25,000 crore in 2020  to continue.





Emails sent to Future Group and RIL did not elicit a response till the time of publication.

The Delhi High Court is hearing four cases in the legal battle between Future Group and e-commerce major Amazon. The matter will come up for hearing on Monday. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) is also hearing the US firms case challenging the Competition Commission of Indias (CCI) order cancelling its 2019 deal with Future Coupons.

In a stock exchange filing on Saturday, Future Retail said it received termination notices for a significant number of stores because of huge outstanding dues, and it would no longer have access to such store premises.

The company is scaling down its operations, which will help us in reducing losses in the coming months. The company is proposing to expand its online and home delivery business, to increase its reach to the customers, the company said in the exchange filing.

In 2020, landlords had begun to terminate the lease agreements with Future Group and several of them approached RIL. The lease for those stores were then signed with the Mukesh Ambani-run company and were sub-leased to Future Group. The debt-ridden retail chain has over 1,700 stores across various brands, which include Big Bazaar, Fbb, and Central.

The exchange filing also said, The company has been finding it difficult to finance the working capital needs. Increasing losses at store level is a grave concern and is a vicious cycle where larger operations are leading to higher losses. Future Retail said it has made a loss of Rs 4,445 crore in the last four quarters.
Ltd, India's second-largest retailer, suspended most of its online and offline operations as stores remained shut on Sunday, after rival Reliance bid to take over its flagship supermarkets for missed lease payments.

Ltd will rebrand the Future stores after the company failed to make payments for them to Reliance, sources told Reuters on Saturday, closing most outlets of the popular Big Bazaar chain.

Though Future has more than 1,700 outlets, all the 200 stores that Reliance will rebrand as its own will be Big Bazaars, which was started around two decades ago by Kishore Biyani, dubbed as India's retail king for transforming the sector.

Future and Reliance did not respond to requests for comment. Future told stock exchanges on Saturday the company was "scaling down its operations."

Future's stores across India remained shut on Sunday as Reliance did stock-taking ahead of a rebranding, people familiar with the plans said.

"We regret to inform you that currently stores are non-operational for 2 days," Big Bazaar told a Twitter user who complained about a closure.

Future's e-commerce mobile app and website were also not available for online ordering.

Reliance's move assumes significance as it follows failed efforts since 2020 to close a $3.4 billion deal to acquire the retail assets of Future, whose partner Amazon.com Inc has blocked the transaction by citing violation of contracts. Future denies any wrongdoing.

Reliance had transferred leases of some stores of debt-laden Future to its name and sublet them to Future, but is now taking over as Future did not make payments. Reliance has offered store staff jobs on existing terms.

"All employees, consumers, and everyone in India - we are all attached to the Big Bazaar brand," a Big Bazaar employee on Sunday. "So you feel sad this is happening."

In blocking the Future-Reliance deal, Amazon has long argued that Future violated the terms of a 2019 deal in which the U.S. giant invested $200 million in the Indian company. Amazon's position has been backed so far by a Singapore arbitrator and Indian courts.

The move will upset plans of Amazon, which hoped one day to have a piece of Future's stores itself. But the U.S. firm appears to have little legal recourse, as store landlords appear to have independently given the leases to Reliance, said a lawyer familiar with the dispute.

"Probably Amazon didn't think Reliance will be this aggressive," said the lawyer.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Editing by William Mallard)

(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.)
Tools Ajmer, a wholly-owned subsidiary of state-run Limited, has developed a highly-productive grinding for railway axles which would cost less than half of similar imported equipment, the company said on Sunday.

Indian Railways was importing these machines from European countries as such equipment was not being manufactured in the country.

A highly motivated team of engineers and craftsmen took this daunting task and pains taking efforts to develop this world class at Machine Tools Limited, Ajmer plant in line with the dream envisioned by the Prime Minister to develop cutting edge technology in India by simultaneously achieving the objectives of 'Make in India' and 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat', a company statement said.

The machine will be used for grinding of both end-diameters of railway axles in single set up to double the productivity and costs less than half of the imported machine, resulting in saving valuable foreign exchange, the statement said.

Extensive cutting trials and testing was conducted by the third party inspecting agency deputed by Indian Railways and all the performance parameters were achieved and proved to the satisfaction of the railways.

The machine was recently inaugurated and launched by Chairman & Managing Director A.K. Jain in presence of General Manager (Operation & Marketing) Balamurugesan. S and General Technical Manager, Ajmer J.K. Prasad at a function at HMT Machine Tools Limited.

(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.)
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is looking to raise up to Rs 1,500 crore in capital through tier-I bonds and another Rs 1,100 crore via Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) via medium-term bonds in the coming week.

Debt market sources said Union Bank has indicated that its offering for AT bonds will have an issue size of Rs 500 crore with green shoe option of Rs 1,000 crore.

CRISIL Ratings has assigned AA/stable to tier-I bonds of Union Bank. The overall ratings continue to reflect the expectation of strong support from the majority stakeholder, Government of India (GoI) and the banks sizable scale of operations. These strengths are partially offset by modest asset quality and modest, albeit improving, earnings profile.

The bank had capital adequacy ratio of 13.92 per cent with tier I of 11.75 per cent at end of December 2021.

As for IREDA, India Ratings has assigned AA+ rating for its borrowing programme for the current financial year.

The ratings continue to factor in IREDAs systemic importance to the GoI in view of the need to address issues related to the financing of renewable energy (RE) projects.

IREDAs capital adequacy ratio continued to be higher than the regulatory benchmark (of 13 per cent) at 17.12 per cent in FY21. needs increased equity infusions to improve its capital buffer required for growth and better provisioning.

IREDAs leverage (debt/equity) declined 8.01x in FYE21 from 8.67x in FYE20 on an increase in equity after it registered healthy profits.
India has evacuated around 2,000 of its citizens from after the conflict began and efforts are on to facilitate the exit of the remaining stranded Indians through various border transit points to the neighbouring countries, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday.

At a media briefing, Shringla said he held separate meetings with the ambassadors of and Russia and shared with them the locations of the Indian citizens in for ensuring their protection.

The foreign secretary said though the border crossings to Hungary and Romania are functioning, the exit point to Poland has been clogged with lakhs of Ukrainians and foreign nationals trying to leave the strife-torn through it.

"This is a problem area," he said.

Shringla said that Indians who are near the borders with Hungary Romania and Slovakia are being guided towards the respective border points in phases.

"We are aware of a number of Indian citizens, particularly students, who continue to be in cities in the east and south-east of Ukraine. Unfortunately, these areas are live conflict areas and it is generally deemed unsafe for people to move around freely. We will try to find suitable evacuation modalities for them," he said.

The foreign secretary said that around a thousand Indians have already been flown out of Romania and Hungary and another 1,000 have been evacuated from Ukraine through the land routes.

He said approximately 2,000 Indian citizens were in Kyiv and many of them have begun to move to the western part of the country.

Shringla said the Indian embassy in Ukraine suggested that those who are located in the eastern areas including Kyiv should start moving westwards to avoid the areas of increasing conflict and that they should come near the border points.

"We have also contacted the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva. Our Permanent Representative in Geneva has spoken to the President of the ICRC," he said.

"The ICRC is commencing its operation in Ukraine. We have told them to please make sure that as and when they start their operation, they should be cognisant of the needs of our citizens and wherever possible escort them out," he added.

Shringla said India is going to share with the ICRC the locations of the main areas where Indians are concentrated.

India on Friday managed to set up camp offices in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western Ukraine to facilitate the transit of Indians to Hungary, Romania and Poland.

India also positioned teams of officials at Zahony border post in Hungary, Krakowiec as well as Shehyni-Medyka land border points in Poland, Vysne Nemecke in the Slovak Republic and Suceava transit point in Romania to coordinate the exit of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

India is using the land routes to evacuate its citizens as Ukraine has closed its airspace for civilian aircraft following the Russian attack.

(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 fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr said on Sunday.

"Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet.

Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga.

"The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," he said tweeted.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.

"Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added.

The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.

Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former U.S. President Donald Trump points out to supporters as he leaves the stage after speaking during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, Feb. 26. Reuters-Yonhap



Donald Trump emerged from political exile Saturday to blast President Joe Biden and NATO over the Ukraine crisis and reprise his false claims of a stolen 2020 election in a speech to grassroots Republicans.



Speaking at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, the former president spent 86 minutes reprising many of his favorite applause lines, assailing the "radical left" and its "witch hunt" against him.



As massive explosions lit up the sky over Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Trump blamed Russia's invasion of its neighbor on Biden's "weakness" and lavished praise on President Vladimir Putin's intellect.



"As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged," he said, to rapt applause.



NATO, he said, was "looking the opposite of smart" for hitting Russia with sanctions rather than resolving to "blow (Russia) to pieces  at least psychologically."



"The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he's smart," he went on. "But the real problem is that our leaders are so dumb."



After a year largely out of the public eye, Trump's ecstatic reception left little doubt that the Republican Party remains in thrall to the twice-impeached, single-term president.



There were chants of "four more years" from the sea of supporters in red "Make America Great Again" hats, who clapped on cue as Trump railed against "woke tyranny" and "cancel culture."



The crowd reserved their largest cheers for the 75-year-old headliner's dismissal of Democrats' claims to be the party of democracy as "bullshit"  and for his claim that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg "used to come to the White House and kiss my ass."



There were nods to a possible 2024 run  "we did it twice and we'll do it again," he claimed, falsely recasting his 2020 defeat to Biden as a victory  although he left the crowd guessing about whether he will personally challenge Biden to a rematch.





People listen to speakers during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) being held at The Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 26. AFP-Yonhap
Eight from Rameswaram were arrested and a mechanised boat was seized by the Sri Lankan Navy off the Ramanathapuram coast, said police on Sunday.

The fishermen, along with the owner of the boats, had ventured into the sea on Saturday.

The have been identified as R Ramesh (40), who is the owner of the boat, Rodic (18), Ajith (25), Columbus (52), Iman (22), Linson (23), Buddhi (19), Israel (20).

Further details are awaited.

(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.)
Air India's two evacuation flights, one from Romanian capital Bucharest and another from Hungarian capital Budapest, carrying 490 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport on Sunday morning, government officials said.

on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

The second evacuation flight, AI1942, departed from Bucharest with 250 Indian citizens and landed at the Delhi airport around 2.45 am on Sunday, the officials said.

Air India's third evacuation flight, AI1940, departed from Budapest with 240 Indian nationals and landed at the Delhi airport around 9.20 am on Sunday, the officials noted.

An spokesperson said the airline's fourth evacuation flight is expected to come from Bucharest to Delhi with evacuees on Sunday afternoon.

The spokesperson said the carrier plans to send two more planes to Bucharest and Budapest on Sunday so that they can operate fifth and sixth evacuation flights but it is "all highly tentative".

Early this morning, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia welcomed the evacuees of AI1942 flight at the Delhi airport by handing out roses to them.

Addressing the returnees, Scindia said, "I know you all have been through a very, very difficult time, a very, very trying time. But know this that the PM is with you at every step, the Indian government is with you at every step, and 130 crore Indians are with you at every step."



The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

Indian nationals, who reached the Ukraine-Romania border and Ukraine-Hungary border, were taken to Bucharest and Budapest, respectively, by road with the assistance of Indian government officials so that they could be evacuated in these flights.

Scindia told the passengers of AI1942 flight that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and talks are being held so that everyone is brought home safely.

The minister said talks are also on with the Russian government and the Indian government will breathe easy only after each and every stranded Indian is evacuated from Ukraine.

"So, please pass on this message to all your friends and all your colleagues that we are with them and we will guarantee their safe passage back," Scindia said.

"I welcome you all on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I would like to congratulate the team of too, for putting in so much effort to bring you all back," he added.

The government is not charging the rescued citizens for the evacuation flights.

Scindia told reporters at the airport terminal that approximately 13,000 Indians are stranded in Ukraine as of now.

"You know it is an extremely sensitive situation there (Ukraine). In this situation, we are talking with each Indian national, including students, through telecommunications," he said.

"We will bring them back as soon as possible," he said.

Air India shared on Twitter photos of Scindia receiving the evacuees at the airport.

"Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia receiving the Indian nationals who were flown back to Delhi from Bucharest by AI 1942 on February 27 early morning, operated to evacuate Indians stranded at war-ravaged Ukraine," the airline said.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said on Twitter on Saturday that Indian citizens in Ukraine should not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government officials there using helpline numbers.

"The situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and the Embassy is working continuously with our Embassies in our neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens," it mentioned.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said it is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who are reaching border checkpoints without prior intimation.

It said that staying in western cities of Ukraine with access to water, food, accommodation and basic amenities is relatively safer and advisable compared to reaching border checkpoints without being fully abreast of the situation.

"All those currently in the eastern sector are requested to continue to remain in their current places of residence until further instructions, maintain calm, and stay indoors or in shelters as much as possible, with whatever food, water and amenities available and remain patient," it 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.)
As many as 688 Indian nationals returned here on Sunday from strife-torn on board three Air evacuation flights from Romanian capital Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that approximately 13,000 Indians are stranded in as of now, and the government is making efforts to bring them back as soon as possible.

Following the Russian military offensive against Ukraine, has brought back a total of 907 stranded citizens from that country since Saturday when the first evacuation flight from Bucharest with 219 people on board landed in Mumbai under Operation Ganga.

The second flight (AI1942) departed from Bucharest with 250 Indian citizens and landed at the Delhi airport around 2.45 AM on Sunday, officials said.

With 240 Indian nationals on board, the third evacuation flight from Bucharest landed at the Delhi airport around 9.20 AM on Sunday, followed by another Tata Group-run carrier's flight from Bucharest with 198 Indian nationals at 5.35 PM.

Air spokesperson said the carrier plans to send two more planes to Bucharest and Budapest on Sunday so that they can operate fifth and sixth evacuation flights but it is "all highly tentative".

Early this morning, Scindia welcomed the evacuees of the AI1942 flight at the Delhi airport by handing out roses to them.

Scindia told reporters at the airport terminal that approximately 13,000 Indians are stranded in as of now.

"You know it is an extremely sensitive situation there (Ukraine). In this situation, we are talking with each Indian national, including students, through telecommunications," he said.

"We will bring them back as soon as possible," he said.

Addressing the returnees, Scindia said, "I know you all have been through a very, very difficult time, a very, very trying time. But know this that the PM is with you at every step, the Indian government is with you at every step, and 130 crore Indians are with you at every step."



The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

Indian nationals, who reached the Ukraine-Romania border and Ukraine-Hungary border, were taken to Bucharest and Budapest, respectively, by road with the assistance of Indian government officials so that they could be evacuated in these Air India flights.

Scindia told the passengers of the AI1942 flight that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and talks are being held so that everyone is brought home safely.

The minister said talks are also on with the Russian government, and the Indian government will breathe easy only after every stranded Indian is evacuated from Ukraine.

"So, please pass on this message to all your friends and all your colleagues that we are with them and we will guarantee their safe passage back," Scindia said.

"I welcome you all on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I would like to congratulate the team of Air India too, for putting in so much effort to bring you all back," he added.

The government is not charging the rescued citizens for the evacuation flights.

Air India shared on Twitter photos of Scindia receiving the evacuees at the airport.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said on Sunday that whenever curfew is lifted and people are moving around in a neighbourhood, Indian nationals are advised to use nearby railway stations to proceed towards western parts of the country.

The western parts of the country are relatively conflict-free as of now.

The transportation mode of Railways is operational and saferUkrainian Railways is also operating special trains for evacuation of people free of charge on a first-come-first-serve basis at the railway station, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine noted.

It said Indians should travel in groups and carry only essentials in a rucksack or a bag.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the evacuation of Indian students trapped in picking up speed, the has started helplines for boys and girls hailing from the state who had gone to the war-torn country for pursuing higher education and are now anxious to make an exit in the wake of the military crisis.

The helpline numbers issued by the state Disaster Management Department are 0612-2294204, 0612-1070 and 7070290170. An email-id has also been issued by the government -- seoc-dmd@bihar.gov.in. The Bihar Bhavan in New Delhi has also issued a helpline number and email-id -- 7217788114, rescm.bi@nic.in.

Notably, the Ministry of External Affairs has issued an advisory, urging Indian nationals in to avoid thronging border checkpoints "without prior information" because of obvious security risks.

Airlifting of Indians, mostly medical students for whom has been a much-preferred destination, is underway and while the Centre has said they will not be charged for their travel back home, the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar has said it will bear the expenses of the remaining part of the commute, of those hailing from the state.

Parents await the return of their children with bated breath even as more and more students are coming up with tales of their travails on social media.

"Aniket is our only child. He had travelled to Dnipro in December for higher studies with hopes of a bright future. Little did we know that barely a few months later, we will be worrying for his life," said Omkar, a resident of Navin Nagar in Nawada district.

The 21 years old was, in any case, scheduled to come home next week on a holiday but the current situation has left the family in disarray.

"He has been speaking to me, his mother and sister over the phone, assuring us that he will board the plane scheduled to land on the Indian soil on March 6. But we now want him to leave immediately. We are wary that if the situation worsens, air travel may get suspended and our child may get trapped in the troubled region for an indefinite period of time," rues Omkar, who teaches at a local primary school.

His concerns are shared by the family members of Shivam Kumar, who hails from adjoining Qadirganj locality and happens to be a roommate of Aniket. The hapless family members have appealed to the local administration, the state government and the Centre to ensure early return of their wards.

In Raxaul in East Champaran, college professor Vijay Pandey's son Chinmay and former ward commissioner Yogendra Prasad's son Chandan are among a group of about 20 students from Bihar who have taken shelter in a bunker.

The harried fathers hope to be, soon, lucky like Munna Giri, a resident of Motihari, the district headquarters, whose son Ashish was among those who boarded the Mumbai-bound flight from Bucharest.

"I am relieved and I pray that all children reunite with their parents as soon as possible. Social media is full of video clips prepared by boys and girls living in Ukraine. It is distressing to see them living in cramped basements with no amenities. And it is scary to hear the sounds of gunshots and explosions in the background," said Giri.

(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 Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday took a tough stand on the series of violent clashes reported between workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and and sent out a clear message that "nobody with evil intentions to create unrest in the capital city will be spared".

Speaking to the media persons in front of the Trauma Care Center of GBP hospital, Deb said, "I am also the Home Minister of this state. Such heinous attacks on police personnel can't be tolerated. Those who are involved in the violent clashes that took place last night will never be spared. Stringent legal action will be taken. I do have all the data pertaining to the attacks. They have all the reasons to worry".

According to Deb, police action against the criminals would start right from tomorrow.

Slamming the leaders, he said, "Politics is a democratic right. All parties have the right to organize and carry out their programmes. But, this liberty does not anyway means you will bring criminals from different areas to plot crimes. All the masterminds of the clashes were noted criminals and smugglers".

"I will never let the law and order situation of this city get collapsed", Deb asserted.

He went to the GBP hospital to inquire after the health conditions of Srimanta Bhil, a policeman who sustained serious injuries while allegedly trying to safeguard his protectee--TIDC Chairman Tinku Roy from the brick batting.

Deb said, "Why did the police come under attack? They did not do anything. The media persons who were covering the incident also got attacked. This should not be done."

Lashing out at the leadership, Deb also said that "politics was a business for them."

"After came to power, their business got ruined completely. Out of frustration, they are playing their wicked tricks to tarnish the image of this government", said Deb.

Sources in the police department said that a total of six persons were arrested in connection with the clashes that took place last night. All of them had been produced before the Court.

The Congress party had claimed that the supporters first launched an unprovoked attack on the induction programme organised at Kamarpukur Par, Agartala.

On the other hand, the ruling accused Congress of vandalizing its party office. BJP organized a protest rally that turned violent on reaching the Congress Bhavan area.

The BJP supporters threw stones and brickbats at the Congress Bhavan and the Congress workers in retaliation threw petrol bombs on the rally.

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reported 162 fresh COVID-19 cases and two deaths due to the infection on Sunday, increasing its tally to 12,22,511 and the toll to 10,928, a state health department official said.

With 386 patients getting discharged during the day, the recovery count rose to 12,09,534, leaving with 2,049 active cases, including 23 patients on ventilator support, he said.

Ahmedabad reported the maximum 79 cases, followed by 35 in Vadodara, nine in Surat, seven in Rajkot, among other districts. The two COVID-19 fatalities occurred in Vadodara, he said.

A state government release said 28,118 people received their COVID-19 vaccination jabs during the day, increasing the total number of doses administered so far in to 10.29 crore.

The COVID-19 tally in adjoining Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu stands at 11,408, including four deaths so far, and the number of people discharged until now is 11,403, leaving the Union Territory with an active caseload of one, a local official informed.

Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 12,22,511, new cases 162, death toll 10,928, discharged 12,09,534, active cases 2,049, people tested so far - figures not released.

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The discussions on the sale of 30 Predator armed by the US to India, the first to a non-NATO ally, at an estimated cost of USD 3 billion are at an advanced stage, multiple sources have confirmed.

The major defence deal was announced under the previous Trump administration during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House in 2017. Thereafter, the two countries have intensified the discussions and increased the number of such to be sold to India from 10 to 30 -- 10 each for Navy, Air Force and Army.

Governmental sources said the Predator/MQ9B acquisition program of 30 aircraft is at an advanced stage of discussion between the Indian and US governments.

"It is a capability that operationalises the Major Defence Partner status that has been worked on for several years through the various foundational agreements and India's insertion into the MTCR. India will be the first non-NATO partner to receive this capability," the sources told PTI.

These state-of-the-art drones, which currently have no match in the defence industry, are to be manufactured by General Atomics.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, denied having any knowledge of the deal being put on the backburner by India.

While the process has been slow, mainly due to the bureaucracy in the two countries, the Indian armed forces have leased two surveillance Predators from General Atomics. These have emerged as a valuable surveillance asset for conducting reconnaissance of India's maritime and land borders with China and Pakistan, the sources said.

They said they have been receiving very good feedback from India in this regard.

According to governmental sources, six years of negotiations between the two governments at the highest levels have taken place. As an exception, the US government had cleared the offering of this armed capability to the first non-NATO ally. The defence procurement board of India's Ministry of Defence had met on this and cleared it late last year.

The next step is receiving a letter of request, another governmental source told PTI.

These drones have the ability to carry out long-range precision air strikes. They will add to India's growing inventory of US-made military equipment that includes attack helicopters, submarine-hunting aircraft and assault rifles.

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The charges against minister Nawab Malik must be probed but must not be linked to terror, Aurangabad Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel said on Sunday.

He said his party stood in support of Mailk, who has been jailed, while others in the MVA government, who also have cases against their names, are yet to be arrested.

The MP alleged activists had gathered in large numbers outside the Enforcement Directorate when their chief Sharad Pawar had appeared for questioning, but that kind of zeal and anger was missing after Malik's arrest.

"If need be, we will take to the streets in large numbers to support Malik. We stand by Nawab Malik because we say don't connect of this country with terror. The support being offered by MVA constituents to Malik is just a show off," Jaleel claimed.

Speaking on local issues, Jaleel said his party will oppose the visit of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday to attend a function linked to laying of gas pipelines here, adding that the city needed water lines more.

He also said the land allotted by the Aurangabad administration to build low-cost houses for the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) was unsuitable as it has a hillock, encroachments and high tension overhead power lines.

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First batch of 15 students of Telangana, who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, reached here on Sunday.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport as parents and other family members received the students who landed here from Mumbai.

These students were part of 218 evacuees, who reached Mumbai on Saturday night by the first evacuation flight of Air India, which had taken off from Bucharest.

Officials from the government received the students at Airport. Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, Vikas Raj and MLA Prakash Goud were among those who welcomed the students.

The students thanked the government of India and the state government for ensuring their safe evacuation.

They said they crossed the border to reach Romania and from there they boarded the flight. The students said the Indian embassy and the authorities of their universities rendered all the assistance for their return.

"We were in the west side of Ukraine which is a safe zone as the war happening on eastern side. We crossed the border to reach Romania by bus. We were somewhat scared but thanks to the efforts of the Indian embassy and our university authorities, we reached Romania safely and from there boarded the flight," said one of the students.

The students said their friends remained stranded. Some were still in hostels while some were in bunkers. Another student said many students could not come back due to high travel charges ranging from Rs 70,000 to Rs 90,000.

Minister for industries and information technology K.T. Rama Rao expressed happiness over arrival of the first lot of students from Ukraine. "We are receiving multiple requests from parents and students. Will ensure all of them are attended to as early as possible," he said.

According to officials at Bhavan in New Delhi, a total of 23 students from the state have returned to India. Some more students will be reaching later in the day.

--IANS

ms/dpb

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To quicken the process of rescuing the Indians stranded in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, as part of Operation Ganga, on Sunday outlined new steps, including opening fresh exit points judged safe for them to leave the country.

The government will pay for the operation entirely. Prime Minister referred to this in Varanasi during an election campaign meeting, where he said India was making every effort to get its citizens out of Ukraine.

However, India continued to stay neutral on the conflict and suspended judgement on who was responsible for the war. Foreign Minister has been in touch with his equivalent in Moldova, which has a border with Ukraine. He has also spoken to ministers in neighbouring countries.

The exit route from Moldova is less choked than the ones from Poland, which are jammed by Ukrainians seeking to flee from the war. Shringla said around 4,000 Indians were in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions in East Ukraine, as well as Odessa and the Crimea, where fighting is most intense.

These regions are also close to the Russian border, just at a distance of 70 km, and teams from the Indian embassy are at the border points, ready to evacuate Indians as soon as a window opens and there is respite from the fighting.

A direct train from Kyiv to the Hungarian border is another option, he suggested. Shringla said he spoke to the envoys of Russia and Ukraine separately and expressed concern about Indian students, asking both to direct the forces in the warring countries to ensure protection. Both reassured him that steps would be taken to make sure the Indians were not harmed.

Were asking citizens to move westwards. Take a train, then take the most appropriate border staging points and then leave the country.

There are teams from our embassies in all the countries to ensure you exit in an orderly and safe manner, he said at a special briefing.

Earlier, the government had circulated the mobile phone numbers of officials who are part of the teams. This has been replaced with a hotline, which can be tapped to connect every caller to the most appropriate border point team.

Shringla said four flights had been run and two more will leave on Monday. Private airlines like IndiGo are arranging flights to Budapest, capital of Hungary, via Istanbul, capital of Turkey.

Our plan is to ensure that as citizens mass together, flights are made ready and all aircraft are ready to go at short notice, Shringla said.

The International Council of the Red Cross (ICRC), which deals with conflict-torn regions, will start operations from Monday and India is in close touch with it.

ALSO READ: Legitimacy and the Ukraine invasion

As Air India ferries hundreds of Indians stranded in Ukraine, the cost of operating a two-way evacuation flight will be more than Rs 1.10 crore and the amount will go up, depending on the duration of the flights.

The airline is operating the services with wide-body Boeing 787 plane, better known as Dreamliner, from countries including Romania and Hungary. The government has chartered these flights and the cost of the flights henceforth will be met by the government, Shringla said.

However, Shringla was cautious about offering help to either country to act as honest broker. Turkey and Azerbaijan have offered their services to both countries as moderators.

We dont want war, Shringla said, echoing the prime minister, who told President Vladimir Putin on the phone the differences between Russia and the NATO group could be resolved only through honest and sincere dialogue.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while campaigning in Ballia, said: India is peace-lover. India has never attacked any country and never grabbed the land of other country. We want world peace and everyone should accept it.

This has angered and disappointed Ukraine. Former Congress minister and Maharashtra leader Prithviraj Chavan said he had got calls from students from his state in Ukraine, trying to exit from the border through Poland, that Ukraine police attacked them for Indias neutral stance.

Chavan said the students told him the police beat them as they were trying to cross the border, telling them Indias abstention at the UN Security Council had hurt Ukraine.
Prime Minister on Sunday said that the government will do whatever possible to bring back all the citizens stranded in .

Addressing a rally in Basti, PM Modi said, "By running Operation Ganga, we are bringing back thousands of Indians home. Our sons, daughters still stranded in will be brought back. The government is working day and night for them...Wherever there is trouble, we left no stone unturned to bring our citizens back."

He further said, "For decades these 'Parivarwadis' let our Armies dependent on other countries, destroyed India's Defence (sector)...But today, we have a Defence corridor being set up in Uttar Pradesh."

Attacking the Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders, PM Modi said, "Those who have sympathy towards terrorists will never strengthen the country. Our country will become powerful only when the states become powerful. Our country will be powerful only when UP will become powerful."

He further said, "However, these 'parivarwadis' have only one formula which is money in the treasure box of families. These family members will never allow our country to become powerful. They make oppressors, goondas and mafias powerful."

He added, "The voters from marginalised communities defeated these 'pariwarwadis' in 2014, 2017 and 2019. In the 2022 Assembly elections, they are finding it difficult securing their own seats."

The Prime Minister added, "We import crude oil... They (Opposition) never paid attention to it... Now, with the help of sugarcane, ethanol can be made. Our government is establishing a network of ethanol plants."

PM Modi added, "These people only want commission in every deal. They do not want to make India an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). This is the difference between 'Rashtra bhakti' and 'pariwar bhakti'."

He also said, "In Pipraich, a distillery has been set up. In this distillery, every day hundreds of litres of ethanol would be produced. Using cow dung and wastes from houses, the government is installing hundreds of biogas plant in the country.

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The government is working tirelessly to bring back all Indians stuck in Ukraine, Prime Minister said on Sunday.

Addressing an election rally in Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Modi pointed to the turmoil prevailing in the world and pitched for strengthening the country by making it "atmanirbhar" (self-reliant). He also targeted his political opponents.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian airspace being closed for civil aircraft operations, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Romanian capital Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest.

The prime minister said the government is working tirelessly to evacuate all Indians stranded in Ukraine.

It is time to rise above barriers of caste and religion and strengthen the country by making it "atmanirbhar", he told the rally.

Previous governments led by dynasts kept India dependent on foreign countries for its defence needs, but now the priority is "atmanirbhar", he said.

There is a difference between "rashtra bhakti" (devotion to nation) and "pariwar bhakti" (devotion to family), he said taking a swipe at his rivals.

The country celebrated three years of the Balakot air strike on February 26, but dynasts had sought proof of it then, he said.

India carried out the air strike on terrorist launch pads, days after the Pulwama terror attack in which around 40 security forces personnel were killed in 2019.

Modi is also scheduled to address election rallies in support of BJP candidates in Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarthnagar and Ambedkarnagar later in the day. These areas will vote in the sixth phase on March 3.

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India's position on the crisis in Ukraine has been "consistent" and it has every reason to believe that it should be in touch with all parties concerned, Foreign Secretary said on Sunday.

Referring to India's stand on the UN Security Council resolution on Friday, Shringla said it has definitely pointed out that "loss of human lives is not acceptable".

abstained from voting on the resolution that condemned Russian aggression against Ukraine, but at the same time New Delhi called for respecting the "sovereignty and territorial integrity" of States and sought immediate cessation of "violence and hostilities".

"In the UN Security Council, we have conveyed deep regret at the evolving situation. We have also definitely pointed out that loss of human lives is not acceptable," Shringla said at a media briefing.

"But at the same, time we have said that diplomacy and dialogue are the only option. Clearly from that perspective. I think our position has been consistent when it comes to dealing with the current situation at hand," he said.

The foreign secretary was replying to a question on the issue.

"We have been engaged with all parties. The prime minister has spoken to presidents of Russia and Ukraine. The external affairs minister has been in touch with a very wide range of interlocutors who are involved in the situation," Shringla said.

The foreign secretary said he separately met with the envoys of Russia and Ukraine on Sunday.

"We are essentially a country that has not only interests in the region. We have friends, we have equities in the area. We have every reason to believe that we should be in touch with all concerned," he said.

"If we can play (a role), if there is any way that anyone can contribute, not just us but anyone can contribute to alleviating what is a difficult situation, I am sure they would do what it takes," he said.

Shringla was asked whether was keen to play a role in defusing the crisis.

While abstaining from voting on the resolution, issued an 'Explanation of Vote' (EoV) in which it called for "return to the path of diplomacy" and sought immediate cessation of "violence and hostilities".

India also told the UN Security Council that it has been in touch with all parties concerned urging them to return to the negotiating table.

"The contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states," India said in the EoV said.

"All member states need to honour these principles in finding a constructive way forward. Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment," it said.

Russia used its veto power to block the US-sponsored resolution deploring in the "strongest terms" Russian "aggression" against Ukraine.

Besides India, China and the United Arab Emirates too abstained from voting.

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Amid the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, the Indian embassy in Kyiv on Sunday advised the Indian diaspora to move away from conflict zones to the Western region subject to the security situation and the extant regulations.

Taking to Twitter, the embassy informed that Ukraine Railways is additionally organizing emergency trains at no cost, first come basis from Kyiv. However, the schedule of the trains can be found at stations

"Ukraine Railways is additionally organising emergency trains at no cost, first come basis from Kyiv. Schedule can be found at train stations. Indian diaspora is advised to move away from conflict zones to the Western region subject to security situation and the extant regulations," the Embassy of in Kyiv, Ukraine said today.

On Saturday, the embassy in its advisory to Indian nationals stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said today that the fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga.

"Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet.

Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.

Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks.

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Indian nationals, mostly students, who were evacuated from heaved a sigh of relief as the Air India flight carrying them landed at the airport here in the early hours of Sunday.

Suriya Subhash from Maharashtra's Solapur, who was among the 250 Indian citizens brought back on the flight from Romanian capital Bucharest, said she was relieved to be back in her country after a "hectic journey".

"The situation is very bad there (Ukraine). People are stranded," she said.

The returnees belonged to different states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala etc.

They thanked the Indian government for evacuating them and saving their lives.

"The situation is not good in . We are worried about our studies. But it is good to be back. I thank the government for bringing us back," said Susmita Rathore, a first year medical student.

"Air India has helped us. The Indian embassy fully cooperated with us," said another student Satyam Sambhaji from Maharashtra.

Another evacuee, Shraddha Shette, urged the government to bring back the remaining Indian students stranded in .

"We are safe now, but other students stranded there are unsafe and they are facing issues. We are worried about them. The government should bring them back as well," she said.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said on February 24 that around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, were stranded in Ukraine.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

The third evacuation flight is also scheduled to reach India from Hungarian capital Budapest on Sunday.

Prior to the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, Air India had operated a flight to Ukraine's capital Kyiv on February 22 that brought 240 people back to India.

It had planned to operate two more flights on February 24 and February 26 but could not do so as the Russian offensive began on February 24 and the Ukrainian airspace was consequently shut down.





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on Sunday recorded 2,524 fresh COVID-19 infections which raised the total caseload to 64,97,204 in the state.

The southern state also reported 62 deaths which raised the total fatalities to 65,223, according to a government release.

Of the deaths, 3 were reported in the last 24 hours, 13 were those which occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 46 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 5,499 more people recovering from the virus since Saturday, the total recoveries in the state reached 64,01,236 and the active cases dropped to 29,943, the release said.

As many as 34,680 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.

Among the 14 districts, Ernakulam recorded the highest with 393 cases, followed by Thiruvananthapuram 356 and Kottayam 241, the release said.

Of the new cases, 22 were health workers, 8 from outside the State and 2,387 infected through contact with the source of it not being clear in 107, the release said.

There are currently 1,05,780 people under surveillance in various districts, of whom 1,03,592 are in home or institutional quarantine and 2,188 in hospitals, the release said.

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Prime Minister will hold a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Sunday, official sources said.

He is expected to preside over the meeting immediately upon his return from Uttar Pradesh, where he addressed rallies as part of the BJP's campaign for the state assembly polls.

A large number of Indians, mostly students, have been stuck in Ukraine following Russia's attack on the country. has begun evacuating them, and over 900 people have been brought back since Saturday.

Modi has also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, with calling for dialogue to defuse the crisis.

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Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting on the crisis on Sunday and asserted that ensuring the safety of Indian students and evacuating them is the government's top priority, official sources said.

It was also decided at the meeting to further enhance cooperation with the neighbouring countries of to expedite the evacuation of Indian students, they said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was part of the meeting, which was also attended by top government officials, including Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. The meeting lasted for over two hours, the sources said.

Modi presided over the meeting immediately upon his return from Uttar Pradesh, where he addressed public meetings as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) campaign for the state Assembly polls.

A large number of Indians, mostly students, are stranded in following Russia's attack on the country. India has begun evacuating them and over 900 people have been brought back since Saturday.

Modi has also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, with India calling for dialogue to defuse the crisis.

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A major power outage hit pockets of the financial capital on Sunday, halting the city lifeline local trains for over an hour and inconveniencing residents on a weekend.

Taking serious note of the power disruption in Mumbai, a rare occurrence, the Maharashtra government has ordered a high-level probe.

The state-run Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company (MSETCL) and the private sector blamed each other for the outage which lasted for over an hour in the morning hours.

The power supply was fully restored from around 11 am, starting with emergency services like the railways.

Services on the Western Railway between Andheri and Churchgate stations stopped for over an hour starting 0950 hrs, Central Railway's Harbour line experienced a brief stopping of services and the heritage Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station saw an outage of electricity supply.

An MSETCL statement attributed the outage - which comes almost 17 months after a massive outage in October 2020 - to a technical fault triggered after a series of events, while the private producer blamed it on the transco.

MSETCL said some lines were shut due to the metro building works while the alternatives also faced a technical fault leading to the outage.

At 0844 hours, there was a technical fault on the Trombay-Mulund transmission line, leading to a surge in demand, the statement said, adding that was requested for additional supply from its thermal and hydel units.

However, the Tata group company insisted on an email to start the supply from its units. If the company had provided the power, we could have avoided the incident, alleged MSETCL.

Tata Power's president for transmission and distribution Sanjay Banga countered MSETCL saying, our initial investigation is that this disturbance in our grid was because of the tripping of MSETCL lines.

There are four circuits at MSETCL which supply power to the Trombay receiving stations of Tata Power, he said, specifying that two circuits were already under maintenance, the third circuit tripped at 8:40 hrs, and the last circuit at 9:50 hrs.

When it tripped, it created a disturbance in our Tata Power system. There was a reduction in demand to the tune of 850 MW. The total demand of came down from 2000 MW to around 1200 MW and different parts of were affected like South Mumbai, Chembur, and suburban areas, he said.

Banga said the company restored the power supply in an hour by stepping up hydro generation to full capacity and avoided much larger damage.

Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut said he has ordered a high-level inquiry into the 70-minute power outage incident in South Mumbai, as per a statement from his office.

"I instructed the officials to ensure restoration of the power supply at the earliest and also took stock of the work in progress at regular intervals. The power supply was restored in 70 minutes. The government has taken serious note of the incident and a high-level probe has been ordered. Those found guilty will be punished," the power minister said.

People enjoying the day-offs at their residences in Central and south Mumbai, and also some in the western suburbs faced inconveniences, while the timing of the outage of services aggravated the woes for those who had advanced their travels due to the scheduled maintenance works on railway tracks on Sunday.

In a statement, Adani Energy said the power supply was caused due to the tripping of the 220 kv transmission line and the subsequent outage at Tata's Trombay Power plant.

The company ramped up generation at its plant in Dahanu and its consumers are largely unaffected.

Tata Power's Banga said a detailed investigation of this outage is on and it is coordinating with all agencies, including SLDC (state load despatch centre), to find out the exact reason.

It can be noted that the exact cause of the power outage in October 2020 - which had taken up to 18 hours to restore fully - is still unknown, even though some officials had called it sabotage by blaming it on a cyberattack.

Power outages are rare in Mumbai and its satellite towns with power grids designed to supply electricity 24 hours.

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Prime Minister (PM) on Sunday called upon youngsters to make videos of famous Indian songs in different languages that will not only make them popular but also showcase the country's diversity to the new generation.

In his monthly broadcast, Modi highlighted a number of issues, including the cases of triple talaq going down by over 80 percent following a law banning the practice, and also urged people to develop scientific temperament among children. Even after 75 years of Independence, there are people who have dilemmas and reservations regarding their language, dress, food and drink, whereas it is not like this anywhere else in the world, Modi said.

People should speak their language with pride, he said, adding India is incomparable in its richness of languages.

"As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, youth can make videos of popular songs of Indian languages in their own way," he said, adding that people of one state making videos with songs of another state will make them experience "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" (One India, great India). "I would emphasise about that as our mother moulds our life, in the same manner, also shapes our life.

"The mother and mother tongue, both together strengthen the foundation of life, lending it permanence. Just like we cannot abandon our mother, similarly, we cannot leave our either," Modi said.

The world's oldest language Tamil is in India and every Indian should be proud of this significant heritage, he said. In the same way, many ancient scriptures have found expression inSanskrit, the PM added in his monthly address.

The people of India are proud to be associated with 121 forms of mother tongues and 14 of these languages are spoken by more than one crore people in everyday life, the prime minister said, adding that the total population of many European countries is less than this number.

"In 2019, Hindi was ranked third among the most spoken languages of the world. Every Indian should be proud of this too. Language is not just a medium of expression, but also serves to preserve the culture and heritage of the society," the prime minister said.

"Mother tongues have their own science. For understanding this science, emphasis has been laid on studies in the local language in the Education Policy. Efforts are being made that our professional courses are also taught in the regional languages," he said.

In the address, Modi also shared the story of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga's daughter Rosemary whose vision was restored to a great extent with Ayurvedic treatment.

Odinga was emotional while sharing this story with him, he said, adding that lakhs of people across the world are reaping similar benefits from Ayurveda.

Prince Charles from Britain is also one of the big admirers of Ayurveda, he added.

"In the last seven years, a lot of attention has been paid to the promotion of Ayurveda in the country.

"The formation of the Ministry of AYUSH has further strengthened our resolve to popularise our traditional methods of medicine and health. I am very happy that in the last few years many new start-ups have emerged in the field of Ayurveda," Modi said.

"The Ayush start-up challenge is a great effort to support entrepreneurship in Ayurveda and related sectors. I urge youngsters in the world of start-ups and innovation to take part in it," he said.

Noting that International Women's Day will be celebrated on March 8, he said Indian women are dispelling old myths and are reaching newer heights from Parliament to Panchayat.

In the Army too, they are now undertaking responsibilities in new and bigger roles, he said, adding that women also flew modern fighter planes on Republic Day.

The country is trying to give equal rights to sons and daughters by fixing a common age for marriage, he said, adding that their participation in different fields has increased due to various initiatives, including "Beti bachao, beti padhao" and triple talaq legislation.

"A social evil like triple talaq is also coming to an end. Ever since the law against triple talaq has come into being, there has been a reduction of 80 percent in triple talaq cases in the country.

"How are all these changes happening in such a short time? This change is coming because women themselves are now leading the change and progressive efforts in our country," he said.

With the Science Day on February 28, he urged parents to work towards developing a scientific temperament in their children.

The prime minister also urged people to celebrate coming festivals like Shivratri and Holi by going "Vocal for local" and buying local products.

He asked them to continue to take precautions related to COVID-19.

The prime minister highlighted and praised cleanliness and environmental works in places like Kokrajhar in Assam, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Sawai Madhopur (Rajasthan) and Srinagar (J-K).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign Secretary on Sunday said that the government of has launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, adding that thousands of Indian citizens have been flown out of the conflict-ridden country.

As intense fighting is underway in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv, Shringla held a special briefing on 'Operation Ganga' and said,"Under Op Ganga, thousands of our citizens have been flown out of Romania and Hungary and another thousand have been evacuated from Ukraine through the land routes. Thousand of our students crossed over from Ukraine into zones conducive for their evacuation by air route back to ."

The government of has launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine.

The India Government is bearing the cost of evacuation given the emergency situation prevailing. Indian Embassy in Kyiv as well as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a number of advisories prior to the situation developing, requesting Indian citizens to leave Ukraine.

"4000 of our nationals left before the conflict pursuant to these advisories. We estimated at that time 15,000 of our citizens were left in Ukraine when Op Ganga commenced. Since the air space in Ukraine was closed after the conflict commence, we identified land evacuation options through four neighbouring countries- Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia," said the Foreign Secretary.

Specific border crossing points were identified with each of these countries and the MEA had deployed teams, Russian-speaking officers to go there and assist in the evacuation process.

"We had also asked our Embassy in Kyiv and they established a 24X7 control room and we had done the same in our ministry in Delhi," said Shringla.

He also said that flights for these evacuees are being organized and the details will be shared in a short while, adding "I will show you the flights which we have planned over the next 24-48 hours."

Shringla further said that border crossing to Hungary and Romania are functioning, however, the exit point to Poland has been clogged as lakhs of Ukrainian and foreign nationals are trying to leave the country from that point.

"This is a problem area. We have tried to calibrate the evacuation plans taking into account the experience on the ground, certain border crossings are more effective, some are obviously problematic. Those who are near the borders with Hungary, Romania and Slovak Republic are guided towards respective border points in phases," said Shringla.

Talking about the difficulty regarding the ongoing military operation of Russia in Ukraine, he said, "Our Embassy in Kyiv is operational, obviously, austerities in the area are making regular activity difficult. We are aware of the number of Indian citizens, particularly students, who continue to be in cities in the east of Ukraine and southeast Ukraine. Unfortunately, these areas continue to be in conflict areas and it is generally deemed unsafe for people to move around freely. We will try to find suitable evacuation modalities for them. Once feasible, our Embassy in Kyiv will try to maintain contact, we have also tried to maintain contact daily. We keep issuing advisories to them as we go along.

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Even as growth has been impacted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Finance Minister and experts said that better GST collection and efficient resource mobilisation would boost the economic situation or at least normalise the position.

The latest report of Tripura's Economic Review (2019-20) said that the average annual growth rate in real terms or constant prices of the Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) for 2018-19 was 11.3 per cent. The growth rate declined in 2019-20 to 9.6 percent and is expected to further reduce to 5.9 per cent due to the lockdown and slowdown of the economy because of Covid-19 in 2020-21.

The report said that the expected growth in Per Capita Income is also affected due to the lockdown and the slowdown of the economy.

" has opportunities to augment investment from neighbouring country Bangladesh for further generation of income and employment opportunities," the Economic Review said.

It said that the various flagship programmes and central sector schemes along with more private sector investments especially in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry and forestry will definitely enhance production and the income of the people in .

Tripura Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who holds the finance, power and rural development portfolios, said that the state is currently in a comfortable position economically.

He said that the budget session of the Tripura assembly will begin on March 17 and a growth oriented budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year would be tabled in the House.

"Our government (BJP govt) had begun in March 2018 with a huge debt burden left by the previous Left government but with efficient resource mobilisation and better tax collection, the health of our economy is now much better compared to four years ago," Dev Varma told IANS.

Writer and economist Sekhar Datta said that saddled with a big debt burden and interest payment liability exacerbated by reduced devolution from the Centre, the Tripura government is planning to enforce a slew of cost control measures to keep the finances of the government steady.

He said: "As it is, the government had inherited a debt burden of Rs 11,000 crores from the previous government after coming to power in 2018 but over the past four years the debt burden rose sharply up to Rs 17,000 crores till March last year and if anything, this has risen further over the past year."

Datta told IANS: "Ahead of the budget session of the state assembly a high level meeting to take stock of the FRBM (Financial Responsibility and Budget Management) was held earlier this week as per the central act of 2003 and an alarming picture emerged. What has rattled the financial administration of the state is the fall in devolution of central funds on grants-in-aid and even on centrally sponsored schemes."

According to an action programme finalised in the recent meeting, the state government will curb expenses on many heads through specific measures, he said.

According to Datta they include austerity measures, avoidance of land acquisition for projects, outsourcing of service personnel should not be excessive, existing manpower for the same job to be declared surplus, mobilisation of extra-budgetary resources including off budget borrowing, revenue generation areas would be expanded.

Tripura University's (central varsity) Economics Department head Professor Indraneel Bhowmik is very optimistic about an improving economic situation in Tripura in particular and in the country in general.

"As the GST collection was better in recent times in the country, all the states including Tripura would be benefited with this positive development. More allocation in capital expenditure by the government would boost growth," he told IANS.

Bhowmik, however, said that if the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues instability would also persist. The world economies will be affected including India.

Tripura University's Economics Department Professor Dr Salim Shah said that prices of essential commodities even in the rural areas have increased manifold leading to harder living conditions for the common men.

"The unemployment rate increased hugely, economic activities slowed down and there is no clinical symptoms of better health for the economy during the Covid pandemic crisis period," Shah told IANS.

He said that agriculture is the prime growth sector till date, then electricity, gas and water supply, then construction. Services and trade are in a poor state till date.

"Growth rate of agriculture,forestry and fishing was 13.72 per cent in 2018-19 over 2017-18 and it has been maintained in 2019-20 at 13.87. However, the rate declined to 12.41 in 2020-21.

"The growth rate of secondary and industrial sector has continuously declined during the last three years -- from 15.86 per cent in 2018-19 over 2017-18 to 13.96 per cent in 2019-20 to only 8.57 per cent in 2020-21."

Shah said that for trade, hotels and restaurants, growing sectors in Tripura in the recent past when the state started getting importance as an international business corridor, the growth picture is really gloomy for the last 3 years -- with growth rates of 12.52 per cent in 2018-19 to 11.13 per cent in 2019-20 to 5.10 in 2020-21.

The opposition Left parties however, blamed the state government for the deteriorating Tripura economy through bad governance and economic mismanagement.

The previous Left Front government's Finance Minister and veteran CPI-M leader Badal Chowdhury said that the BJP government as part of its economic mismanagement has incurred huge expenses in the non-productive sectors.

"Tripura (during the Left regime) was first among the few states in India that had enacted the FRBM. The Left Front government was always careful in curbing wasteful expenditure and had taken a series of measures to generate revenue without burdening the people," Chowdhury told IANS.

An official document said that agriculture and allied sectors have been playing a pivotal role in the Tripura economy.

There has been a continuously declining relative share of the industry and secondary sector over the years. Relative share of the secondary sector to the state's Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) has come down to 12.8 per cent from 24.1 per cent during the period from 2006-07 to 2015-16.

The composition and dynamics of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) also reveal the concern over employment generation and accommodation of the educated youth in gainful economic activities.

The adverse process of development of the state is well reflected through the respective compound annual growth rate of the various sectors -- 18.7 per cent for the primary sector, 10.6 per cent for the tertiary sector and 5.3 per cent only for the industrial sector during 2006-07 to 2015-16.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)

--IANS

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The third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga, informed External Affairs Minister (EAM) on Sunday morning.

"The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," Jaishankar tweeted.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 200 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.

"Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added.

The embassy further advised to stay in western cities of where access to water, food, accommodation and basic amenities is relatively safer.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.

Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks.

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IndiGo will operate two flights to Budapest to bring back Indians who are stranded in Ukraine, according to an official.

The flights will be operated on Monday and Tuesday from Delhi. They will first fly to Istanbul and then to Budapest in Hungary. In the return leg, the flights will come to Istanbul and then to Delhi.

Amid the intensifying conflict between and Russia, the Indian government is bringing back its citizens stranded in .

Currently, Air India is operating evacuation flights to bring back stranded Indians in the Eastern European country.

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The Indian embassy in Ukraine on Sunday said it is continuously exploring to facilitate opening up more border transit points with neighbouring countries for the evacuation of Indian citizens from Ukraine.

In an advisory, the embassy said it is closely monitoring the developing situation, especially in the eastern regions of Ukraine, and that it is in constant touch with the authorities for the safety of Indian citizens.

"As and when curfew is lifted and there is considerable movement of people in your respective neighbourhoods, Indian nationals are advised to use nearby railway stations for movement out of regions of active conflict and proceed towards the western regions," the embassy said.

"The transportation mode of railways is operational and safer. If tickets are available on regular trains, they may be booked. In addition, Ukrainian Railways is also operating special trains for evacuation of people free of charge on first come first serve basis at the railway station and for which tickets are not required," it added.

The embassy said Indian citizens are being evacuated from Ukraine through Romania and Hungary.

"We are continuously exploring and working to open up more borders with neighbouring countries for our citizens," it added.

It said preference at the railway stations is being given to children, women and elderly people.

The embassy urged people to stay calm and safe.

"Please stay calm and safe. Carry only essentials in a rucksack/bag. Wear heavy winter clothing for warmth at night and if possible, a blanket and essential medicines. Carry cash as much as possible," it said.

"Those who judge that the situation is not conducive for travel, or are unable to leave due to any reason, may wait until further developments, may also plan accordingly by remaining in groups, keeping enough essentials, following existing instructions on safety and security," the embassy added.

on Friday managed to set up camp offices in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western Ukraine to facilitate the transit of Indians to Hungary, Romania and Poland.

It also positioned teams of officials at the Zahony border post in Hungary, Krakowiec as well as the Shehyni-Medyka land border points in Poland, Vysne Nemecke in the Slovak Republic and the Suceava transit point in Romania to coordinate the exit of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

At present, Indian citizens are being evacuated from Ukraine through its border with Romania and Hungary.

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Hours before the assembly polls get underway, Congress on Sunday night expelled its candidate for Wangoi AC, Salam Joy Singh, from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect on disciplinary grounds.

Pradesh Congress Committee working president T Mangibabu Singh on Sunday evening issued an order to this effect.

As per the order, Congress found "prima facie evidence" against Singh for breach of disciplinary rules.

The first phase of in begins at 7 am on Monday in 38 constituencies spread across five districts.

Meanwhile, police Sunday said a Janata Dal (United) candidate was shot at by unidentified assailants on Saturday night while he was inspecting polling stations at Naharup Makhapat area in Manipur's Imphal East district.

Wahengbam Rojit Singh (42), a nominee for the Khetrigao seat, was injured in the attack that took place around 11.30 pm, police sources said.

His condition is critical but out of danger, a doctor at the private hospital where is undergoing treatment, said.

Further investigation is underway.

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After the Congress in announced that the old pension scheme will be implemented again in the state and the appointments made on or after January 1, 2004 will benefit, it has opened a new political debate. The Congress wants to attract people through the pension scheme, it had in 2019 promised to give Rs 12000 per month under the but the Congress lost.

The Central government in 2003 had announced discontinuation of the then pension scheme for all employees that were recruited from/after January 1, 2004.

Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said, "the Congress started it but the BJP discontinued it and now we demand that the old pension scheme should be restored."

After announcing the restoration of the scheme, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot 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."

The pension scheme for employees has already been an issue during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and UP CM Yogi Adityanath had engaged in a war of words over the issue. In 2022, a crucial state like Gujarat will go to the polls while in 2023 Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh will hold -- the Congress is in power in two of these states.

The Congress wants to shift the focus to the economic prospects of the individual as it has not been able to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party on Hindutva even though its leader Rahul Gandhi had opened up a debate on Hinduism vs Hindutva and tried to corner the BJP.

As per the government data the total number of Central government civilian employees in position as on Match 2018, is 31.19 lakh as against the sanctioned strength of 38.02 lakh and approximately 17.97% of the posts were vacant.

The Union government share in organised sector employment has been on the decline over the past 15 years. In 2012, the Union government employed 8.5 pc of the organised workforce. This was a decline of about 4 pc from 1994.

In 2014, the central government employees numbered 47 lakh, including the armed forces. The military had 24 lakh, about 30% of the workforce, followed by the Railways with a 28% share in employees.

This data pertains to the union government but the state governments too employ large numbers to run the government. Many posts are vacant and many governments have been hiring people on a contract basis.

Rahul Gandhi has been attacking the government for growing unemployment in the country.

"Why did employment opportunities disappear? Who creates employment? Employment is created by people who run small and medium businesses. Employment is created by small businessmen, small shop owners. Over the last eight years, the government in Delhi has attacked them," Gandhi said, blaming demonetisation and a flawed Goods and Services Tax for the phasing out of small businesses and industries.

"GST was (also) not implemented in the correct manner. Small and medium businessmen were affected. As a result, those small and medium business owners who were providing employment, their businesses shut down. They cannot provide employment anymore," he had said.

--IANS

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Around 55 per cent polling was recorded on Sunday in the fifth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls for 61 seats spread across 12 districts.

According to the Election Commission of India's voter turnout app, the polling percentage was 54.98. Voting ended at 6 pm.

The final polling figure will be available on Monday, an official said.

Police said voting was largely peaceful, barring in Pratapgarh's Kunda seat where candidate Gulshan Yadav's convoy was allegedly attacked by some people.

Party workers claimed that Yadav sustained minor injuries.

state president Naresh Uttam and party national spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhury have sent a written complaint to the Election Commission about the incident.

The night before voting began in Gonda, candidate from the Colonelganj Assembly seat along with his brothers and supporters were booked for allegedly raping a woman and beating her up.

The candidate, Yogesh Pratap Singh, and others were booked on Saturday night after they allegedly barged into the residence of the woman and assaulted her and her family for "supporting the BJP".

Around 2.24 crore people were eligible to vote in the fifth phase in which 692 candidates are in the fray.

The Election Commission of India's voter turnout app showed Amethi recorded 55.86 per cent voting, Ayodhya 58.01 per cent, Bahraich 54.60 per cent, Barabanki 54.65 per cent, Chitrakoot 59.64 per cent and Gonda 54.98 per cent.

Kaushambi logged 57.01 per cent polling, Pratapgarh 52.65 per cent, Prayagraj 53.19 per cent, Raebareli 56.60 per cent, Shrawasti 57.24 per cent and Sultanpur 55.38 per cent.

In Prayagraj's Allapur, 78-year-old Bhuri Pathak, suffering from hip fracture, went to the polling station in an ambulance to exercise her franchise. Her son claimed that she never missed voting in an election.

With the completion of the fifth phase of polling, Uttar Pradesh has now voted for 292 of the total 403 seats. The last two phases will be held on March 3 and 7. Results will be declared on March 10.

The prominent candidates in this phase included Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya contesting from Sirathu in the Kaushambi district. He is pitted against Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) candidate Pallavi Patel.

Some other ministers in the fray are Siddharth Nath Singh from Allahabad West, Rajendra Singh from Patti (Pratapgarh), Nand Gopal Gupta Nadi from Allahabad South and Ramapati Shastri from Mankapur (Gonda).

Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, who is the MLA from Kunda since 1993, is once again in the fray as a Jansatta Dal candidate, with his former aide Gulshan Yadav contesting against him on a Samajwadi Party ticket.

Union minister Anupriya Patel's mother and Apna Dal(K) leader Krishna Patel is contesting from the Pratapgarh seat.

The Apna Dal (K) has allied with the Samajwadi Party.

Union minister Patel, heading a rival faction of the party named after her father Sonelal Patel, however, has handed over the seat to the to challenge her mother Krishna Patel.

Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra Mona is fighting from Rampur Khas of Pratapgarh.

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The (EC) on Sunday barred a candidate in the Uttar Pradesh polls from campaigning for 24 hours for making communal remarks.

The 24-hour ban from campaigning for Raghvendra Pratap Singh, who is contesting the polls from the Domariyaganj Assembly seat, begins from 6 am on Monday.

While issuing its order, the poll watchdog referred to a video clip in which Singh broadly said in Bhojpuri that Hindus who "go to the other side" (and vote for the rival candidate) have Muslim blood flowing in their veins.

The EC also provided the transcript of the purported remarks.

It noted that an FIR has already been lodged against Singh under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and election laws.

Singh had submitted that the time provided to him for furnishing the reply to the notice was not sufficient and had sought extra time. But the commission rejected his plea.

Singh had also asserted that the inference was drawn upon by the incomplete video and transcript, and the statement was made by him only as a consoling gesture in respect of grievances regarding atrocities committed by particular individuals of the locality.

The order said the EC again saw the video recording of the speech and observed that the references made in the impugned speech were "utterly irresponsible, provocative and threatening in nature, and the same has undertone and propensity to disturb religious harmony of society".

It deplored the statement made by Singh and censured him for the violation of the Model Code of Conduct and election laws.

"Commission, hereby orders under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and all other powers enabling in this behalf, to prohibit him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) etc. in connection with ongoing elections for 24 hours from 06:00 am on 28.02.2022 (Monday)," the order read.

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MP Jaya Bachchan has asked Uttar Pardesh Chief Minister to go on a pilgrimage.

Accusing the government and the Modi government of blaming others to hide their own weakness, Jaya Bachchan said that, "They only talk about women's security, but not a single BJP MP raised the issue in Parliament. The UP chief minister cannot understand the pain of women. It is better that he goes on a pilgrimage."

Bachchan was addressing a series of election meetings on Saturday evening in Uttar Pradesh.

"The British came and ruled the country and went away after looting the country. But now other nephews of the British have come, they are also looting the country," she said.

Addressing the meetings, Dimple Yadav also fired a salvo on the Yogi government on the issue of women security.

"The NCRB report suggests that the crime against women has increased in the BJP regime," she said, giving reference to Hathras and Unnao incidents.

She also raised the issues of price rise, unemployment, plight of farmers, and scarcity of oxygen during the corona period.

She promised that the SP, if comes to power, will give top priority to women security, Kanya Vidyadhan to inter-pass girls, 33 per cent reservation in jobs, annual pension of Rs 18,000 each to one crore women, laptops to students, free education to girls up to PG level, 300-unit free electricity.

--IANS

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A 74-year-old flight instructor from Chalfont and a 55-year-old Philadelphia man have been identified as the victims of Thursday evenings fatal plane crash in Hilltown.

Bucks County Coroner confirmed on Saturday that Alfred George Piranian, of Chalfont, and Brian Filippini, the owner of the 1965 Beechcraft 35-C33, both died of multiple blunt injuries in the crash. The deaths have been ruled accidental.

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Coroner Meredith Buck said Filippini was flying the plane when it crashed shortly before 5 p.m. in a Hilltown neighborhood not far from a middle school. No one on the ground was injured, but a pickup truck and nearby home were damaged by debris and fire.

On Friday, the NTSB confirmed the single-engine plane was on an instructional flight; Buck said Saturday that Filippini had a private pilots license, and was training for a commercial one under Piranians instruction.

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Online searches found Piranian listed as a flight instructor in single and multi-engine airplanes. He is listed as a member of the National Association of Flight Instructors, Aircraft owners and Pilots Association and Experimental Aircraft Association.

The website GLEIM Aviation lists Piranian as a flight instructor in Doylestown, Perkasie, Quakertown, and Blue Bell, Montgomery County.

The plane took off from Wings Field Airport, a general aviation airport in Blue Bell, at 4:13 p.m. Thursday and landed at the Doylestown Airport nine minutes later, according to FlightAware.com, a flight tracking website.

At 4:26 p.m. the plane departed Doylestown headed to Gunden Airport, a privately owned airport outside of Sellersville, according to the website. The FAA confirmed in a statement the plane took off from Doylestown headed to Gunden.
Prime Minister on Sunday appealed to voters to exercise their franchise.

In a tweet on fifth phase of polling for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Prime Minister Modi said, "Today is fifth phase of festival of democracy in Uttar Pradesh. I request all the voters to exercise their franchise and cast their valuable vote."

Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Today is the fifth phase of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. My request to all the voters of this phase is to vote in large numbers and choose a strong government, who will ensure the development of the state as well as the security of the people of the state."

Appealing to people to vote with full enthusiasm, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "The fifth phase of voting for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is being held today. In appeal all the voters who are voting today to vote with full enthusiasm. I especially urge the youth and women that they must participate in this festival of democracy."

BJP chief J.P. Nadda has appealed voters in the 61 Assembly constituencies to exercise their franchise to form a strong government in Uttar Pradesh. Nadda also appealed to the first time voters to come forward to strengthen democracy.

Fifth phase polling is underway in 61 Assembly constituencies spread in 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

--IANS

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Voting for the fifth phase of the Assembly polls began on Sunday morning, with state Deputy Chief Minister among 692 candidates, who are contesting on 61 seats spread across 12 districts.

The voting started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. Around 2.24 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase.

The districts where polling is being held are Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabanki, Bahraich, Shravasti and Gonda.

Amethi and Raebareli, once considered Congress bastions, and Ayodhya, the epicentre of the Ram temple movement, too will vote on Sunday.

Prominent faces in the fray are Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who is contesting from the Sirathu in Kaushambi district. He is facing Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) candidate Pallavi Patel.

Other ministers in the fray are Siddharth Nath Singh from Allahabad West, Rajendra Singh from Patti (Pratapgarh), Nand Gopal Gupta Nadi from Allahabad South and Ramapati Shastri from Mankapur (Gonda).

Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, who is the MLA from Kunda since 1993, is once again in the fray as Jansatta Dal candidate, with old aide Gulshan Yadav contesting against him on the ticket.

Union minister Anupriya Patel's mother and Apna Dal (K) leader Krishna Patel is contesting from the Pratapgarh seat. The Apna Dal (K) has entered into an alliance with the .

Union minister Anupriya Patel, heading a rival faction of the party named after her father Sonelal Patel, however, has handed over the seat to the BJP to challenge her mother Krishna Patel.

Congress Legislative Party leader Aradhana Mishra Mona is fighting from Rampur Khas of Pratapgarh.

With the completion of polling on Sunday, will have voted on 292 of the total 403 seats in the Assembly. The last two phases of the elections will be held on March 3 and 7.

As part of the electioneering for the fifth phase, PM Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had criss-crossed the poll-bound constituencies.

chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too have toured the constituencies extensively.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi had digitally addressed a rally for voters of her Raebareli constituency. In the final round of campaigning on Friday, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi jointly addressed a rally in Amethi.

Prime Minister Modi addressed a series of rallies in Amethi, Prayagraj, Kaushambi and Bahraich, and attacked opponents mainly on the issues of vote bank politics and dynasty politics.

State Chief Election Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said all necessary arrangements have been made for the fifth phase of the polls.

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A clash between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers broke out during in the state on Sunday.

The BJP vice-president Arjun Singh alleged that two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were vandalised in ward 9 and there is a similar situation across the state.

"Police is arresting the BJP workers, and not letting them vote. All booths have been captured. Only police and goons are voting here. Voters are scared to vote, especially the Bengali population, who are not being allowed to vote. Even TMC's core vote bank, Muslims are not able to vote. Police here is playing one of the three monkeys of Gandhiji," added Singh.

Voting for 108 municipalities across has begun from 7 am on Sunday.

The polling will be held till 5 pm, informed the State Election Commission.

About 95 lakh (95,59,790) voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors that are spread across 2,276 wards over 108 municipalities.

The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum.

The heavy police force has been deployed at every polling booth, and polling is being conducted with tight security. The were earlier slated to be held on January 22, 2022. However, the High Court had postponed the for 4-6 weeks, citing that the third wave of COVID-19 has hit the state and that the life of the residents of the state will be put to threat if the were held.

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Prime Minister on Sunday said it will be a privilege to serve people of Varanasi till his dying day, alluding to a remark by Samajwadi Party leader that people come to the city in their final days.

Addressing BJP workers in his Lok Sabha constituency, Modi also alleged that opposition leaders take their parties as private property and they can never challenge the BJP, which is a party of workers.

Without taking any name, Modi said, "When people prayed for my death in Kashi, I was very happy."



"I realised that neither Varanasi nor the people here will leave me. It will be a privilege for me to die while serving people of Varanasi," Modi said alluding to the remark made by Yadav weeks ago.

On the day Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi last December, Yadav had taunted him, saying people stay in Kashi "when the end is near".

Modi said for him party workers are a university, from which he learnt a lot of things.

"The dynasts who consider their parties as their private properties can never challenge the BJP, which is a party of its workers and works only for the development of the country," Modi said speaking at the event on the Sampurnanand Sanskrit university campus.

Modi also accused previous government of neglecting the pilgrim city and said criminals had a free in the state.

Terrorists used to "operate without any fear" during the Samajwadi Party's rule in Uttar Pradesh, Modi alleged.

"Under the rule of dynasts, temples of Varanasi were looted by people and bombs use to explode at temple but nothing was done under the Samajwadi Party, which did everything to protect those accused of terrorism," he alleged.

Modi said the dynasts neglected Varanasi, which is now changing.

"After so many years, the Kashi Vishwanath temple has met the bank of river Ganga again. The double-engine government is taking UP to newer heights," said the PM.

Modi said UP had only 33 medical colleges before 2017 and now their number has gone up to 65. The BJP government has constructed over 10 lakh houses for the poor, he said.

The government gave free ration to 15 crore families, including the Dalits, backward classes and the general category people, he said.

"Moreover, 2.6 crore farmers of UP have received Rs 43,000 crore directly into their bank accounts," he said.

Modi said around Rs 11,000 crore has been invested in various projects meant for cleaning the Ganga in UP and urged party workers to inform voters about the work done by the party in the state.

The prime minister said the development of religious places like Varanasi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj also leads to economic development of the areas.

"While everybody was feeling proud about the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project, some saw it from the communal lens," he added.

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Weak public sector lenders like and will get the lion's share of the Rs 15,000 crore earmarked for capital infusion in state-owned for the current fiscal.

This will help these (PSBs) meet regulatory requirements.

The capital infusion of Rs 15,000 crore would go mostly to which had got money through non-interest-bearing bonds in the previous year as the RBI had raised some concerns on the fair valuation of these instruments, sources said.

As per the RBI, the net present value of infusion made last year through zero-coupon bonds is much lower than face value as they were issued at discount, the sources added.

These special securities with tenure of 10-15 years are non-interest bearing and valued at par. Such bonds usually are non-interest bearing and issued at a deep discount to the face value. So, the effective Tier 1 capital levels for the banks could be lower than the regulatory requirement.

According to India Ratings and Research, fair valuing of the equity infused by the (GoI) in five PSBs last year through zero-coupon bonds could lower the banks' effective Tier 1 capital levels in the range of 50-175 basis points than reported.

Earlier this month, got board approval to raise equity capital worth Rs 4,600 crore by issuing preference shares to the government.

This would help the bank augment capital to the required level and save it from coming under the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework.

Similarly, sources said, the decision for the quantum for other banks would be taken in March and subsequently funds would be infused.

The net worth of zero coupon bonds could be lower by almost 50 per cent at end-FY'22 at the outset than similar maturity government papers in the market, given they do not carry any interest, India Ratings said, adding the illiquid, non-trading nature of these securities could add to the discount.

These banks have moderate competitiveness (albeit better than last year) to raise equity and would need to offer materially higher yields to raise Additional Tier 1 (AT1) capital from the markets. Valuing these zero-interest bonds at a fair level could coerce these banks to raise either equity or AT1 in the near term solely on account of this factor, it said.

In the Budget 2022-23, the government trimmed the capital infusion target to Rs 15,000 crore from Rs 20,000 crore estimated earlier for 2021-22.

The first capital infusion through non-interest-bearing bonds was in in the third quarter of 2020-21. It was followed by Rs 14,500 crore into four lenders -- Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, and UCO Bank in March 2021.

received Rs 4,800 crore, UCO Bank Rs 2,600 crore, Bank of India Rs 3,000 crore and Indian Overseas Bank Rs 4,100 crore.

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The United Nations' refugee agency says the latest count of Ukrainians arriving in neighbouring countries stands at 368,000 and continues to rise.

The update from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Sunday more than doubles its estimate a day ago, when it said at least 150,000 have fled into Poland and other countries including Hungary and Romania.

Spokesman Chris Meizer said on Twitter that the line of cars at the Poland- crossing stood at 14 km long (8.7 miles), and those fleeing - mostly women and children - had to endure long waits in freezing temperatures overnight.

Poland's government said Saturday that more than 100,000 Ukrainians had crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border in the past 48 hours alone.

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Washington [US], February 27 (ANI): Amid the ongoing tensions in Ukraine, the and Albania have requested an emergency United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Sunday, a diplomat told ANI.

" Mission to United Nations (USUN) and Albania request an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Sunday to adopt a resolution convening a special General Assembly session on the Russian invasion of Ukraine," a diplomat said.

Earlier, a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution was held on Friday (local time) condemning the Russian military action in Ukraine. The request for a Sunday session on Ukraine comes after Russia vetoed on Friday a draft UN Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion. China, India, and UAE abstained, while the remaining 11 members voted in favor.

The and allies are seeking as much support as possible to show Russia is internationally isolated.

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Pakistan Prime Minister said on Sunday that he believed in resolving conflicts through dialogue but it should not be taken as a "sign of weakness" of his country.

"As we showed India on Feb 27, 2019, when it chose to attack us, our armed forces backed by the nation will respond to military aggression and prevail at all levels," he said. "We are resolute and unwavering in our commitment to the security of our country and our nation."



In the early hours of February 26, 2019, the IAF jets bombed the (JeM) terror camps in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan and avenged the Pulwama terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

An intense aerial confrontation ensued between both countries the next day, in which the Indian Air Force pilot was captured and later released by Pakistan.

The strike by India's warplanes on a JeM terrorist training camp in Balakot and the Pakistan Air Force's subsequent retaliation the next day triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Khan said that he was in favour of addressing conflicts through dialogue.

"I have always believed in conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. That should never be taken as a sign of weakness," he wrote on Twitter.

Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said that February 27 marked the third anniversary of 'Operation Swift Retort' when Pakistan's armed forces gave a befitting response to "Indian failed misadventure".

Earlier, the Foreign Office said that Pakistan reiterates its resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs.

"Pakistan is a proponent for regional peace and stability. At the same time, our desire for peace is accompanied by strong resolve and capability for self-defence, it said.

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launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket.

The rocket blasted off at 11.06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into preset orbits, Xinhua news agency reported.

These satellites will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation.

The mission marked the 409th flight of the Long March carrier rockets.

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, February 27, 2022.

--IANS

int/sks/dpb

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An explosion on a occurred in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv on Sunday, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported.

As per sources from the Kharkiv Regional Civil-Military Administration, the Russian forces blew up a in the city's Danylivka district in the early morning, Xinhua reported citing Ukrinform news agency.

There is yet no second source confirming Russia's role in the blast.

--IANS

int/sks

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Jay Brew and his wife, Dr. Mary Ellen Williams, have listed this home E. Market Street on Airbnb, prompting neighbors and Bethlehem officials to wonder if its time to regulate the home-sharing industry. (AMY HERZOG/THE MORNING CALL )

After several unsuccessful pushes to tighten the rules governing short-term rentals, Bethlehem is looking to crack down on Airbnbs, and an ongoing series of zoning hearings will determine the citys legal ability to do so.

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Two Bethlehem property owners who rented out homes on Airbnb are at the center of the citys ongoing efforts. The owners, married couple Mary Ellen Williams and Jay Brew, are appealing a citation the city issued against them last summer for renting out a home on Airbnb in the citys historic district.

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The citys efforts to regulate short-term rentals have stemmed from neighbor complaints, who say that Airbnbs bring unruly guests into their quiet neighborhood. But Williams and Brew say that the citys rules for Airbnbs are unclear and inconsistent, and they are frustrated with the five-year saga.

If the board rules in the citys favor, Bethlehem will have greater leeway to enforce Airbnb regulations, even though council failed to pass Airbnb regulations in 2020. Either side could also appeal the ruling to the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas.

The next zoning hearing on the case is March 9.

The city vs. Airbnbs

Conflict between the Airbnb owners and the city began in 2017 when city council passed an ordinance regulating Airbnbs in Bethlehem in response to complaints from residents.

The ordinance required property owners to live on the property they rent out, limited them to renting out up to two bedrooms for up to 30 days, and outlined inspection and licensing requirements for owners. Council passed the order after numerous complaints from neighbors in the historic district who disliked Airbnbs in their neighborhood.

Though Brew and Williams are not the only Airbnb renters in Bethlehem, their properties in the historic district prompted backlash from neighbors, who called on city hall to better regulate short-term rentals.

Brew and Williams previously operated four Airbnb properties in Bethlehem. Their website calls the rentals Lehigh Valleys only 5-star accommodations. One of them, dubbed the Christmas City mansion at 4 W. Church St., rents out seven suites and features a Victorian-style dining room with a crystal chandelier and a surround-style movie theater, according to the companys website.

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Brew and Williams sued the city over the ordinance. A Northampton County judge initially ruled in Brew and Williams favor, and said the city needed to address Airbnbs via an amendment to the citys zoning ordinance, not a standalone law.

But a 2019 state Supreme Court ruling determined that municipalities can, in fact, ban short-term housing in single-family zoning districts entirely. The decision gave Bethlehem the green light to cite Airbnb owners that the city sees as violating the zoning ordinance  which it did in Brew and Williams case.

The zoning board hearings

Bethlehem issued Williams and Brew a violation notice on July 15, 2021. In it, the city says that the owners are violating the citys zoning ordinance because the short-term rental use is not authorized generally and/or fails to qualify as any number of specific uses allowed in the citys historic district.

Bethlehem has ordered a Airbnb shutdown for the Chandler House, owned by Jay Brew and Mary Ellen Williams. The city says the Airbnb house rental violates zoning for that historic neighborhood. ( AMY HERZOG/THE MORNING CALL )

Out of their four Airbnb properties, only the Lofts on Main are still in operation as of January, according to Brew. He said the city has kicked the can down the road on regulating Airbnbs for the past five years and that the rules for renting out an Airbnb have never been clear.

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After four years we dont know what the regulations are. Its sort of a problem. Weve been kicking this down the line, Brew said. The city hasnt come to the ability to say yes or no.

The citys zoning ordinance outlines where bed and breakfasts are allowed to exist in the city, but defines them as properties where the owners live on site. Brew and Williams do not live in the properties they rent out, although they did live in the historic district. Brew believes the city needs to more explicitly outline where short-term rentals are allowed in the city.

Deputy director of community and economic development Alicia Miller Karner said that the city wants to allow short-term lodging in largely commercial or industrial district, and only under special circumstances in high density residential areas. But city council failed to pass Airbnb regulations via a zoning ordinance last year that would have clarified the citys position, with some council members fearing the changes are too restrictive.

I think this goes too far, and I think it punishes people who are doing a good job of renting out their homes, said former Council President Adam Waldron at the time. They are encouraging people to come to Bethlehem and spend their money and visit our downtown.

Ultimately, it will come down to the zoning hearing board to decide whether the city is justified in citing Brew and Williams. They face a $500 fine if their appeal fails.

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Unhappy neighbors

Some Bethlehem neighbors disagree with Waldron.

Bruce Haines, a managing partner at Hotel Bethlehem and resident of the citys historic district, sees a host of reasons to oppose Airbnbs. Unvetted guests partying late into the night. Commercial intrusion into their quiet neighborhood. Neighbors replaced with temporary guests. It hurts business at the hotel, on Main Street, too.

Haines agrees with Brew on one thing: the city has not done enough to address the problem.

In our minds, the prior administration of the city has not been diligent in pursuing this to conclusion, and its dragged on for four years without any resolution, and [the Airbnb] continues to operate, Haines said. So its very disappointing to all of us that this has dragged on and on and on.

Haines said Bethlehem should allow Airbnbs only in the citys commercial districts, like Main Street, essentially treating them as hotels subject to the same regulations.

Thats why Haines has legally intervened in the zoning hearings and hired lawyer Andrew Schantz of Allentown firm Davison & McCarthy to represent him. Schantz declined to comment for this story.

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Haines is acting as a third party in the hearings via an intervention process because he lives in the historic district and therefore has standing to participate.

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As for the property owners, even though theyre continuing their appeal, theyve decided back-and-forth between the city and angry neighbors is more trouble than its worth. The ordeal has taken an emotional toll, Brew said  they moved out of Bethlehem to Bath in early January and sold most of their Airbnb properties.

Were sick of it, Brew said.

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Morning Call reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at 610-820-6681 and liweber@mcall.com.
In a significant shift, the German government confirmed Saturday that it has approved the shipment of anti-tank weapons to and supports some restrictions of the SWIFT global banking system for Russia.

The German economy and climate ministry said in a Saturday evening statement that is allowing the Netherlands to ship 400 German-made anti-tank weapons to .

The Russian invasion of marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. In this situation, it is our duty to do our best to help Ukraine defend itself against Vladimir Putin's invading army.

had long stuck to a policy of not exporting deadly weapons to conflict zones, including Ukraine. As recently as Friday, government officials said they would abide by that policy.

The country has faced criticism from Ukrainian officials and other allies that it has not acted decisively enough to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion. Previously, contributed 5,000 helmets to Ukraine's defense.

In addition, Germany said it will send 14 armoured vehicles and up to 10,000 tons of fuel to Ukraine.

After Russia's shameless attack, Ukraine must be able to defend itself, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said. The federal government is therefore supporting Ukraine in providing urgently needed material.

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The UN's nuclear watchdog has called on all parties to refrain from any actions that could threaten the safety and security of nuclear power plants in amid an intensified Russian military offensive in its capital Kyiv and other areas.

The Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that has four nuclear power sites with a total of 15 reactors, providing roughly half of the country's electricity.

Expressing grave concern over the situation in Ukraine, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on Saturday called on all parties to refrain from any measures or actions that could jeopardise the security of nuclear material, and the safe operation of all nuclear facilities, as any such incident could have severe consequences for human health and the environment.

He said that on Saturday informed the agency that the country's nuclear power plants remained stable and in normal operation.

In a new update to the IAEA, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine(SNRIU) also said its staff maintained regular contacts with the plants, the statement said.

"The safety and security of nuclear sites and material in Ukraine must under no circumstances be endangered. For now, the plants are operating as normal and their nuclear material remains under control. It is of paramount importance that this continues to be the case and that plant staff remain able to carry out their vital work without any undue pressure or stress, he said.

Russian forces took over the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) on Thursday after a fierce battle with the Ukrainian battalion guarding the facility, where nuclear radiation is still leaking from the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986.

On Friday, the state regulator reported elevated radiation levels at the Chernobyl site, possibly caused by heavy military vehicles churning up contaminated soil, but the IAEA assessed that the radiation readings remained low and did not pose any danger to the public.

The state regulator on Saturday reported in an update that the site continued to operate normally. However, the regulator also said that the staff on duty had not changed since February 24, the statement said.

An explosion at the Chernobyl plant in 1986 is the worst nuclear disaster in history.

According to reports, more than 30 people died in the immediate aftermath of an explosion that tore through Chernobyl's No. 4 reactor on April 26, 1986, near Pripyat, Ukraine.

In the years that followed, countless others died from radiation symptoms, according to the Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organisation. The Ukraine government evacuated some 135,000 people from the area and the 19-mile exclusion zone around the plant will remain uninhabitable for decades.

Grossi said the operations of the zone's nuclear facilities should not be affected or disrupted in any way and that staff must be able to work and rest as normal, reiterating that those in effective control of nuclear facilities should not take any actions that could compromise their safety.

SNRIU said that Rusian forces have destroyed an electrical transformer at a low-level radioactive waste disposal site near the north-eastern city of Kharkiv that had been damaged, but no release of radioactive material was reported.

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announced Sunday it was committing 100 billion euros (USD 113 billion) to a special armed forces fund and would keep its spending above 2 per cent of GDP from now on. It was one of the most significant shifts in European security policy in decades, brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The announcement by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which came hours after announced it would send weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine, underscored how Russia's war in Ukraine was rewriting Europe's post-World War II security policy.

It came as Israel offered itself as a potential mediator to help broker an end to the fighting, given it enjoys good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and as protesters took to the streets in European capitals to demand an end to the war, the largest ground offensive on the continent since WWII.

Of the tens of thousands of people who massed in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to protest the invasion, some carried posters with slogans such as Hands off Ukraine, Tanks to Windmills and Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.

At the Vatican, Ukrainian flags fluttered in St. Peter's Square as Pope Francis delivered his weekly Sunday blessing.

Scholz's announcement of new defense funding is significant for Germany, which has come under criticism from the United States and other NATO allies for not investing adequately in its defense budget. NATO member states committed to spending 2 per cent of their GDP on defense, but has consistently spent much less.

It's clear we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy, Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag in Berlin.

Scholz said the 100 billion euro fund was currently a one-time measure for 2022. It wasn't immediately clear whether similar funding would be allocated in future years. But Scholz indicated Germany will exceed the 2 per cent of GDP threshold going forward, signaling an overall future increase in defense spending.

The German policy shift came as Italy, Austria and Belgium joined other European countries in closing their airspace to Russian aircraft, and Israel announced it was sending 100 tons of humanitarian aid medical equipment and medicine, tents, sleeping bags and blankets to help civilians caught up in the fighting in Ukraine.

Israel also offered itself as a potential mediator during a phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin and Israel said.

A senior Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidential diplomatic matter, said Bennett told Putin that Israel was ready to assist as much as required, and at any time, in order to help resolve the crisis and bringing the parties closer.

On the European front, European Union interior and foreign ministers were holding emergency talks Sunday to respond to the crisis.

Interior ministers were debating how to cope with an influx of refugees from Ukraine, as well as managing security challenges on EU borders with Ukraine and humanitarian aid to the country. The U.N. refugee agency said as of Sunday more than 365,000 people had fled the country and estimated that 4 million could flee if the fighting spreads.

Later Sunday, EU foreign ministers were meeting via videoconference to discuss sending more military aid to Ukraine.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he will urge the ministers to endorse a package of emergency assistance for the Ukrainian armed forces, to support them in their heroic fight.

To bolster its military training and support missions around the world, the 27-nation bloc has set up a European Peace Facility; a fund with a ceiling of around 5.7 billion euros (USD 6.4 billion). Some of the money can be used to train and equip partner countries, including with lethal weapons.

The meeting comes a day after Germany announced a major shift in policy to send weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine. Among them are 500 Stinger missiles, which are used to shoot down helicopters and warplanes, and 1,000 anti-tank weapons.

Providing weapons to Ukraine bought with EU money would be unprecedented.

Borrell says the EU ministers will also weigh further measures in support of Ukraine, against aggression by Russia. The meeting is informal, so no binding decisions on support or fresh sanctions can be taken but their recommendations could be enacted in coming days.

The meeting came after the United States and European nations agreed Saturday to impose the most potentially crippling financial sanctions yet on Russia by going after the central bank reserves that underpin the Russian and severing some Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial network.

Catholic and Orthodox religious leaders, meanwhile, prayed Sunday for peace, voiced solidarity with Ukrainians and denounced the Russian invasion.

Those who make war forget humanity, Pope Francis said during his Sunday noon blessing in St. Peter's Square, as a cluster of Ukrainian blue and yellow flags fluttered below. He said such a mentality "relies on the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons, which is the farthest thing from God's will.

Francis refrained from citing Russia by name, in apparent deference to his hopes to keep dialogue open with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Earlier Sunday, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople described Russia's invasion as beyond every sense of law and morality and pleaded for an end to the war.

Patriarch Bartholomew is considered the spiritual leader and first among equals of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide. He granted the independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which severed it in 2019 from the Russian church to which it had been tied since 1686. The Russian Orthodox Church severed relations with him as result.

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Indian Embassy in Kyiv has released a second advisory on Sunday for all the Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine and advised them not to venture out as intense fighting in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv continues.

"Based on latest input, intense fighting is underway in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv. It is reiterated, Indian Nationals in these cities, and other cities wherever curfew has been applied, are NOT advised to venture towards railway stations until curfew has been lifted and considerable civilian movement is renewed," the advisory read.

Russian troops have reportedly entered Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv amid fierce fighting. A viral video on social media appears to show a number of Russian light military vehicles on the streets of the city, with some footage showing vehicles on fire.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.

"Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added.

The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar spoke with his Hungarian and Moldovian counterparts on Sunday and discussed cooperation for the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The EAM thanked the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for aiding the evacuation of Indian Nationals from Ukraine and requested further cooperation.

Talking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Called up Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto. Thankful for the evacuation support provided so far. Requested further cooperation on the Hungary-Ukraine border."

Jaishankar also spoke with the Foreign Minister of Moldova Nicu Popescu and sought support for the entry of Indian Nationals on the Ukraine-Moldova border. EAM admired his support in the evacuation process.

"Called Foreign Minister @nicupopescu of Moldova seeking support for facilitating the entry of our nationals on the Ukraine-Moldova border. Appreciate his ready response and strong support. #TeamMEA representatives will accordingly reach there tomorrow," said Jaishankar in a separate tweet.

The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

"Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet.Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga.

"The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," he said tweeted.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.

Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks.

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The says Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has offered to help broker an end to fighting in Ukraine.

The said Bennett told Russian President in a call on Sunday that is ready to play mediator. It didn't say whether the Russian leader accepted the offer.

The said Putin told Bennet that Russia has sent a delegation to Gomel in southern Belarus to conduct peace talks with Ukrainian officials, who have refused to come. Ukrainian officials described the Russian move as a manipulation, noting that Ukraine hasn't agreed to hold talks in Belarus.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised the country's readiness for peace talks but said that they can't be held in Moscow's ally Belarus, which has allowed Russia to use its territory as a staging ground for the invasion that began Thursday.

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said his Starlink satellite service is up and running in Ukraine, responding to a plea from the deputy prime minister to supply satellite-based communications to help resist Russias invasion of the country.

"Starlink service is now active in Ukraine," Musk tweeted, adding "more terminals en route."

The tweet came some 10 hours after Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov urged Musk to provide Starlink services to Ukraine, days after it was invaded by neighboring Russia.

"While you try to colonize Mars -- Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space -- Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations," Fedorov tweeted at Musk.

He also called on the billionaire "to address sane Russians to stand" against their government's invasion.

More Starlink terminals are en route, Musk tweeted Saturday in reply to Mykhailo Fedorovs entreaty, without explaining how the equipment would get there.

The costly satellite technology can provide internet in hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach - a critical backstop in times of disasters, news agency Reuters reported. SpaceX plans to take thousands of Starlink satellites into orbit.

Internet monitor NetBlocks said Ukraine has seen a "series of significant disruptions to internet service" since Thursday, when Russia launched military operations in the country.

Musks SpaceX plans to take thousands of Starlink satellites into orbit, creating an internet-service constellation that would work as a low-cost alternative to remote land-based systems that are vulnerable to interruption.

The billionaire previously donated 50 satellite terminals to restore the internet in Tonga, whose telecommunications network was severely disrupted by a tsunami this year.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from California on Friday with a payload of another 50 satellites.
A decision by Western allies on Saturday to block certain Russian banks from the SWIFT payments system is likely to lift well above $100 a barrel as risks with trading Russian oil spike, analysts say.

SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is a secure messaging system that facilitates rapid cross-border payments, making trade flow smoothly.

Russian exports of all commodities from oil and metals to grains will be severely disrupted by the new Western sanctions, traders and analysts said.

At least 10 oil and commodities traders, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said flows of Russian commodities to the West will be severely disrupted or halted for days if not weeks until clarity is established on exemptions.

Amrita Sen from consultancy Energy Aspects said that Brent crude prices will definitely go back above $100 and probably return to the highs of $105.

"But I wouldn't rule out a quick move to $110 a barrel," she added.

last jumped above $100 a barrel when Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, with Brent rising above $105 a barrel for the first time since mid-2014. [O/R]

Prices dropped back below $100 a barrel by Friday.

"While trying to exempt energy transactions, SWIFT can still cause significant disruption to energy trade flows in the near term, at least until buyers switch to alternatives like Telex or other systems," Sen said, adding that trade on other commodities will be much harder without exemptions.

The measures, which include restrictions on the Russian central bank's reserves, are aimed at preventing President Vladimir Putin from using $630 billion in central bank foreign currency reserves for the invasion of Ukraine and to defend a plunging rouble.

But the allies have not yet said which banks would be targeted, with analysts saying if the list includes Sberbank, VTB, and Gazprombank that the impact on the Russian economy and the ability to do business with could be huge.

A U.S. official told reporters that if one of the banks cut off from SWIFT wants to make a payment with a bank outside of Russia, it will likely need to use a phone or fax machine.

But the official said most banks worldwide would likely stop all transactions with Russian banks removed from the network.

"The risk of involuntary oil supply disruptions has increased following the latest announcements," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said in reference to the SWIFT ban.

"Considering low inventories and dwindling spare capacity, are likely to react in a sensitive way and open higher," he added.

Japan on Sunday said it would join other Western allies in blocking certain Russian banks to the SWIFT payment system, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

(Additional reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov in London, editing by Ed Osmond)

(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.)
Dragging suitcases and carrying children, tens of thousands of Ukrainians rushed to the borders as invading Russian troops pressed on with their march toward Ukraine's capital of Kyiv.

At least 1,50,000 people have fled into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion, the U.N. refugee agency said Saturday. Some walked many miles through the night while fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings. They were greeted by waiting relatives and friends or headed on their own to reception centres organised by neighbouring governments.

"The numbers and the situation is changing minute by minute," said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. "At least 1,50,000 people have fled, they are refugees outside of . ... At least 100,000 people but probably a much larger number have been displaced inside ."



The agency expects up to 4 million Ukrainians could flee if the situation deteriorates further.

Those arriving were mostly women, children and the elderly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy banned men of military age from 18 to 60 from leaving. Some Ukrainian men were heading back into Ukraine from Poland to take up arms against the Russian forces.

In contrast to other conflicts around the globe, Russia's unprovoked attack on the Western-looking democracy has ignited a huge outpouring of support for the fleeing Ukrainians. This included an unconditional welcome from nations like Poland and Hungary that did not want to accept those fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

Regular people were also opening up their homes to refugees and volunteering at welcome centres. In Poland, a Facebook page was formed where people were offered rides in private cars from the border and other help.

Volunteers even came from elsewhere in Europe to pick up refugees, among them a German couple from Hamburg who held up a sign at the Polish border town of Medyka saying they could take three people home with them.

"Our country is not doing anything, and we felt we needed to do something," said Tanja Schwarz, 51.

Despite the goodwill, the crush of people became a very real ordeal.

Jeremy Myers, from Manchester, England, was on vacation in Ukraine with his Ukrainian girlfriend when the war started. They fled Kyiv and waited 23 hours in a fenced-off area where there was no food or water and which was controlled by armed guards on the Ukrainian side.

He witnessed people fighting, getting crushed and a woman who fainted.

"We saw several people get injured, there were no toilets, there was no medical assistance," he said. "You had to stand where you were because if you didn't you lost your place in line."



One family from Chernivtsi in western Ukraine waited 20 hours before being able to cross the border into Siret in northern Romania. Natalia Murinik, 14, cried as she described saying goodbye to grandparents who couldn't leave the country.

"It really hurt, I want to go home," she said.

The largest numbers were arriving in Poland, where 2 million Ukrainians have already settled to work in recent years, driven away by Russia's first incursion into Ukraine when it annexed Crimea in 2014 and seeking opportunities in the booming economy of the European Union neighbour.

Poland's government said on Saturday that more than 1,00,000 Ukrainians had crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border in the past 48 hours alone. Poland declared its border open to fleeing Ukrainians, even for those without official documents, and dropped its requirement to show a negative COVID-19 test.

The line of vehicles waiting to enter Poland at Medyka stretched many miles into Ukraine.

A woman from Lviv named Lena described seeing toys and heavy bags along the way that people had abandoned. She was bringing her four children to safety in Poland and planned to return to join her husband. Like other Ukrainians returning home as their country fights Russia, she would only give her first name.

Even Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, one of Europe's most anti-migrant leaders, travelled to the border town of Beregsurany, where he said Hungary was accepting all citizens and legal residents of Ukraine.

"We're letting everyone in," Orban said.

Among those arriving at that point were a Ukrainian-British family with their dogs. "We can't leave our dogs," said Vlasta Terasova, arriving from Uzhhorod.

On Saturday, Poland sent a hospital train to pick up those wounded in the war in Mostyska, in western Ukraine, and bring them to the Polish capital of Warsaw for treatment. The hospital train left the border town of Przemysl with five carriages to transport the wounded and four stocked with humanitarian aid for Ukraine's Lviv district.

The U.N. said said most Ukrainians were heading to neighbouring Poland, Moldova, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia but some even fled into Belarus from which some Russian forces entered Ukraine. Some planned to head further on to other countries in Europe.

The border post in Siret was crowded with Ukrainians on Saturday and humanitarian groups set up tents a few miles in and offered food and drink to those arriving.

Despite the welcome, teenager Natalia Murinik's family didn't know where they were going next.

"We don't have a clue. We're waiting for our friends, and then we'll think," she 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.)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcoming efforts to open talks with .

In a video message Saturday, Zelenskyy said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev offered to help organise talks and that we can only welcome that.

Diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed have so far faltered.

Zelenskyy offered Friday to negotiate a key Russian demand: that declare itself neutral and abandon its ambition of joining NATO. But movement to actually advance any diplomacy has appeared to sputter.

(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.)
By Tommy Wilkes, John McCrank and Huw Jones

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and ratcheted up sanctions against Moscow on Saturday as Russia continued its assault against Ukraine, saying they would block access to the SWIFT payment system.

Here is a rundown of how sanctions which have already been announced impact banks and investors:

WHAT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED SO FAR?

The United States, Britain, Europe and Canada committed on Saturday to removing some Russian banks from the SWIFT payments system, deploying what the French finance minister had earlier called a "financial nuclear weapon" because of the damage it would cause to Russia as well as its trading partners.

The latest round of sanctions came after the U.S. Treasury Department said it was targeting the "core infrastructure" of Russia's financial system, sanctioning two of its largest banks - state-backed Sberbank and VTB. Also on the sanctions list are Otkritie, Sovcombank and Novikombank and some senior executives at state-owned banks.

U.S. banks must sever their correspondent banking ties - which allow banks to make payments between one another and move money around the globe - with Russia's largest lender, Sberbank, within 30 days.

Officials in Washington also wielded the government's most powerful sanctioning tool, adding VTB, Otkritie, Novikombank and Sovcombank to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. The move effectively kicks the banks out of the U.S. financial system, bans their trade with Americans and freezes their U.S. assets.

The U.S. sanctions also target two Belarusian state-owned banks - Belinvestbank and Bank Dabrabyt - over the country's support for Moscow's attack.

The U.S. sanctions came soon after the British government said it would impose an asset freeze on all major Russian banks, including VTB, and stop major Russian companies from raising finance in Britain.

Russian banks would be cut off from sterling markets and clearing payments, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

Britain also announced asset freezes and travel bans on members of Russia's political and financial elite, including those who have long enjoyed high-rolling London lifestyles.

More than 100 individuals, entities and subsidiaries will ultimately be sanctioned.

EU leaders have agreed sanctions on Moscow that target 70% of the Russian banking market, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

The bloc imposed a ban on issuing bonds, shares or loans in the EU for refinancing Alfa Bank and Bank Otkritie, after freezing assets at Rossiya Bank, Promsvyazbank and VEB earlier in the week.

The top three Russian banks Sberbank, VTB and Gazprombank, however, do not face an EU asset freeze.

The bloc also set a cap of 100,000 euros ($112,700.00) for EU bank accounts of Russian citizens, who will not be allowed to buy euro denominated shares.

Refinancing in the EU of Russian state-owned enterprises is also forbidden, with the exception of some utilities. Securities settlement houses in the EU will not be allowed to serve Russian counterparties.

WHAT NEXT?

Russia's large banks are deeply integrated into the global financial system, meaning any sanctions on the biggest institutions could be felt far beyond its borders. Cutting them from SWIFT would make transactions more difficult and costlier.

But it is also expected to hurt the country's trading partners in Europe and elsewhere. While further details are awaited, Germany suggested on Saturday that the allies were looking for "targeted and functional restriction of SWIFT" to limit collateral damage.

A ban from SWIFT would come on top of other sanctions that limit the ability of some of Russia's largest banks to do business internationally.

U.S. Treasury said Thursday's sanctions would disrupt billions of dollars worth of daily foreign exchange transactions conducted by Russian financial institutions. Overall, these institutions conduct about $46 billion worth of forex transactions, 80% of which are in dollars. "The vast majority of those transactions will now be disrupted," it said.

The sanctions target nearly 80% of all banking assets in Russia.

Sberbank said that it was prepared for any developments.

VTB said it had prepared for the most severe scenario.

Sovcombank, Otkritie and Novikombank did not reply to requests for comment. The Russian embassy in the also did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

WHAT WOULD HIT HARDEST?

Banks and Western creditors have been fearing Russia getting blocked from SWIFT, which is used by more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries.

Such a move would hit Russian banks hard but the consequences are complex. Western officials have said blocking Russia is technically difficult and would hurt trading partners. There have been concerns, for example, about how payments for Russian energy imports would be made and whether foreign creditors would get paid.

Analysts said Russian institutions are better able to cope with sanctions than eight years earlier, although that does not mean they would not hurt.

WHICH FOREIGN BANKS ARE MOST EXPOSED?

Many foreign banks have significantly reduced their exposure to Russia since its annexation of Crimea in 2014 but several Western banks have been involved in deals and have other relationships.

Shares of banks with significant operations in Russia such as Austria's Raiffeisen Bank and France's Societe Generale were hard hit last week.

Italian and French banks each had outstanding claims of some $25 billion on Russia in the third quarter of 2021, based on Bank of Settlement figures.

Austrian banks had $17.5 billion. That compares with $14.7 billion for the .

($1 = 0.8873 euros)

(Additional reporting by Tom Sims in Frankfurt, Iain Withers, Karin Strohecker and Huw Jones in London, Michelle Price in Washington and John McCrank, Megan Davies and Paritosh Bansal in New York; Editing by Jane Merriman, John O'Donnell, Daniel Wallis, Alexander Smith, Marguerita Choy and Cynthia Osterman)

(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.)
Russia, Ukraine express willingness to negotiate amid int'l appeal for peace

Xinhua) 09:43, February 27, 2022

As military conflicts between Russia and Ukraine continue to intensify, both sides have expressed willingness to talk with each other to solve the crisis through dialogue.

Some Western countries have announced sanctions against Putin, Lavrov, and some other senior Russian officials over the ongoing military operation in Ukraine, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the sanctions were not painful for any representative of Russia's top leadership.

United Nations officials and global leaders are voicing concerns over the issue and calling for a peaceful solution facing the military conflicts and dispute of sanctions.

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- As military conflicts between Russia and Ukraine continue to intensify, both sides have expressed willingness to talk with each other to solve the crisis through dialogue.

Despite the sanctions imposed by some Western countries, there are still members of the international community calling for a peaceful solution to the ongoing problematic issue.

NEGOTIATION POSSIBILITY EMERGES

The Russian armed forces have disabled 211 military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine since the operation began on early Thursday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Friday night, up from 118 facilities reported in his morning briefing.

Konashenkov also announced on the same day that Russian forces have captured the Hostomel airfield in northwestern Kiev and blockaded the Ukrainian capital from the west, and will continue to perform tasks in the areas of other cities.

Photo taken on Feb. 24, 2022 shows the street view of Kiev, capital of Ukraine. (Xinhua/Li Dongxu)

Russia has also taken full control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and military units of the two sides there have reached an agreement on the protection of the nuclear facilities and the sarcophagus.

"Fighting is going on all over Ukraine. Let's sit down at the negotiating table," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying on Friday, calling for talks to end the intense conflict.

Later Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to send a delegation to the Belarusian capital of Minsk for negotiations with Ukraine at the level of representatives of the defense ministry, the foreign ministry and the presidential administration.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a briefing that his country has no plan to occupy Ukraine and Moscow is ready to hold negotiations straight after the Ukrainian forces "lay down their arms."

The two sides are currently discussing a date and place of negotiations, according to Zelensky's press secretary Sergii Nykyforov, noting that "Ukraine was and remains ready to talk about a ceasefire and about peace. This is our permanent position."

"The sooner negotiations begin, the more chances there will be to resume normal life," he said.

People get on a vehicle to leave the city in Kiev, capital of Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Jinbo)

INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS

Some Western countries have announced sanctions against Putin, Lavrov, and some other senior Russian officials over the ongoing military operation in Ukraine, while Peskov noted that the sanctions were not painful for any representative of Russia's top leadership.

The Kremlin spokesman also told reporters that "retaliatory measures will follow," while the details have not been confirmed yet.

A woman passes by an office of VTB bank in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 25, 2022. 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. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)

United Nations (UN) officials and global leaders are voicing concerns over the issue and calling for a peaceful solution facing the military conflicts and dispute of sanctions.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that the situation "is not irreversible," appealing to all parties concerned for protecting civilians and upholding international humanitarian and human rights law.

Guterres also appointed Amin Awad, former official in the UN High Commissioner for Refugees with over 30 years of experience in field of humanitarian affairs, as UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine.

Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and peaceful means to settle disputes.

"I call for an immediate ceasefire, deescalation of tensions and a firm return to diplomacy and dialogue," said the UNGA president in a statement.

Underscoring that the UN Charter is based on the principle of sovereign equality, Shahid called on all member states to settle their international disputes by peaceful means.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to the press at the UN headquarters in New York, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday that China firmly stands for respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and earnestly abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, during his phone talks with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell as well as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic counselor to French President Emmanuel Macron.

"The present situation is something we do not want to see," said Wang, stressing that China supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.

Cairo urges finding a political settlement to the crisis in a manner that preserves international security and stability, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, affirming the importance of upholding "dialogue and diplomatic solutions."

During his meeting with Putin in Moscow on Thursday, visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that conflict was not in anyone's interest, underlining Pakistan's belief that disputes should be settled through dialogue and diplomacy, according to a statement released by Khan's office.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said on Thursday that "everything must now be done to avoid further escalation and to protect lives."

Emphasizing that "peace comes first," Van der Bellen said the way to the negotiating table must be open to all sides.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Anyone looking to buy some Russian-made vodka or other liquor is going to find the shelves as empty as a Soviet-era supermarkets.

Hours after Gov. Tom Wolf urged the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to remove Russian-sourced spirits and other products from Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, it said it would do so as a show of solidarity and support for the people of Ukraine.

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The move is part of a growing economic pushback against Russia. The governors of Utah and New Hampshire previously issued executive orders banning Russian-branded spirits from liquor stores.

I have joined with leaders across the nation and across the world in condemning these attacks and expressing support for the people of Ukraine, Wolf wrote in his letter earlier Sunday. I appreciate the boards efforts to quickly identify Russian-sourced products currently being sold at Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores. I urge the board to take these further actions as a show of solidarity and support for the people of Ukraine, and an expression of our collective revulsion with the unprovoked actions of the Russian state.

First Call Daily Leading local stories delivered on weekday mornings >

The system had no plans to pull Russian products, PLCB spokesperson Shawn Kelly had told The Philadelphia Inquirer before Wolfs letter was sent.

When it comes to liquor, Russia is most closely associated with vodka, but state stories carry few brands of the spirit that are actually made in Russia  Russian Standard and Ustianochka.

The PLCB is not restricting sales of Russian-branded products that are not sourced from Russia, as doing so could unfairly and adversely impact those brands, it said.

Russian products overall represent a mere fraction of the PLCBs sales  less than $1.1 million (about 0.06%) out of more than $1.7 billion of total spirit sales over the last year, Kelly told The Inquirer.

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Ukraine has urged the U.S. to take drastic action against Russia: cutting the nation off from software updates, banning Russian flights and barring the sale of goods to Russias oil, gas and coal industries, among other steps.

Some American companies have taken their own measures. Facebooks parent company, Meta, barred Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on any of its platforms, Reuters reports.
unleashed a wave of attacks on targeting airfields and fuel facilities in what appeared to be the next phase of an invasion that has been slowed by fierce resistance. The U.S. and EU responded with weapons and ammunition for the outnumbered Ukrainians and powerful sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the air before dawn from an oil depot near the Zhuliany airport, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the capital, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office and the mayor of the nearby town of Vasylkiv.

Zelenskyy's office also said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke by covering their windows with damp cloth or gauze.

We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, Zelenskyy vowed.

Terrified men, women and children sought safety inside and underground, and the government maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets. More than 150,000 Ukrainians fled for Poland, Moldova and other neighboring countries, and the United Nations warned the number could grow to 4 million if fighting escalates.

President hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

To aid Ukraine's ability to hold out, the U.S. pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The U.S., European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russia's central bank.

It was unclear how much territory Russian forces had seized or to what extent their advance had been stalled. Britain's Ministry of Defense said the speed of the Russian advance has temporarily slowed likely as a result of acute logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance.

A senior U.S. defense official said more than half the Russian combat power that was massed along Ukraine's borders had entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside than originally anticipated. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. assessments.

The curfew forcing everyone in Kyiv inside was set to last through Monday morning. The relative quiet of the capital was sporadically broken by gunfire.

Fighting on the city's outskirts suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces. Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but Britain and the U.S. said the bulk of the forces were 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the city's center as of Saturday afternoon.

claims its assault on from the north, east and south is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraine's health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded during Europe's largest land war since World War II. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

A missile struck a high-rise apartment building in Kyiv's southwestern outskirts near one of the city's two passenger airports, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors. A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv were fighting Russian sabotage groups. Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and thousands killed.

Markarova said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to The Hague as possible crimes against humanity.

Zelenskyy reiterated his openness to talks with in a video message, saying he welcomed an offer from Turkey and Azerbaijan to organize diplomatic efforts, which so far have faltered.

The Kremlin confirmed a phone call between Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev but gave no hint of restarting talks. A day earlier, Zelenskyy offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries' borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russia's security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraine's right to exist as an independent state.

The effort was already coming at great cost to Ukraine, and apparently to Russian forces as well.

Ukrainian artillery fire destroyed a Russian train delivering diesel to troops heading toward Kyiv from the east, said Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the interior minister.

The country's Infrastructure Ministry said a Russian missile was shot down early Saturday as it headed for the dam of the sprawling reservoir that serves Kyiv. The government also said a Russian convoy was destroyed. Video images showed soldiers inspecting burned-out vehicles after Ukraine's 101st brigade reported destroying a column of two light vehicles, two trucks and a tank. The claim could not be verified.

Highways into Kyiv from the east were dotted with checkpoints manned by Ukrainian troops and young men in civilian clothes carrying automatic rifles. Low-flying planes patrolled the skies, though it was unclear if they were Russian or Ukrainian.

In addition to Kyiv, the Russian assault appeared to focus on Ukraine's economically vital coastal areas, from near the Black Sea port of Odesa in the west to beyond the Azov Sea port of Mariupol in the east.

Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol guarded bridges and blocked people from the shoreline amid concerns the Russian navy could launch an assault from the sea.

I don't care anymore who wins and who doesn't, said Ruzanna Zubenko, whose large family was forced from their home outside Mariupol after it was badly damaged by shelling. The only important thing is for our children to be able to grow up smiling and not crying.

Fighting also raged in two eastern territories controlled by pro-Russia separatists. Authorities in Donetsk said hot water supplies to the city of about 900,000 were suspended because of damage to the system by Ukrainian shelling.

The U.S. government urged Zelenskyy early Saturday to evacuate Kyiv but he turned down the offer, according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation. Zelenskyy issued a defiant video recorded on a downtown street, saying he remained in the city.

(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.)
Street fighting broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country's south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russia's invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Following its gains on the ground, sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

Ukraine's president suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into .

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraine's bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraine's government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutor's office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The past night was tough more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn't consider as admissible targets.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday near Kyiv, where terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

A 39-hour curfew to keep people off the capital's streets until Monday morning complicated the task of assessing the intensity of the fighting.

Zelenskyy's office said explosions were reported at Kyiv Airport.

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline to the east in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the president's office said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of appeared aimed at seizing control of the country's coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with in the east.

A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraine's access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the country's economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

The number of casualties so far from Europe's largest land conflict conflict since World War II remain unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraine's health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 wounded.

It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraine's UN ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that appealed to the Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers.

An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

Laetitia Courtois, ICRC's permanent observer to the UN, told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground and we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.

The United Nations' refugee agency said late Saturday more than 200,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighbouring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelenskyy denounced Russia's offensive as state terrorism.

He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its UN Security Council seat, he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelenskyy on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Ukraine's president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus.

Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we offered all of them to the Russian side and we will accept any other city in a country that hasn't been used for launching missiles," Zelenskyy said.

"Only then the talks could be honest and put an end to the war.

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's offer as manipulation, adding that Ukraine hadn't agreed to talks in the Belarusian city.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The US pledged an additional USD 350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armour and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The US, European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion.

They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russia's central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing 100 billion euros (USD 112.7 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2 per cent of gross domestic product.

Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed "to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries' borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russia's security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraine's right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit.

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity.

The International Criminal Court's prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use the most unsavory means, including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons, Truss told Sky News.

(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.)
Street fighting broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country's south Sunday, advances that appeared to make a new phase of Russia's invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Following its gains on the ground, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Ukraine's president suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into and Ukrainian fighters put up determined resistance.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One video showed Ukrainian soldiers inspecting Russian light utility vehicles damaged by shelling and abandoned by Russian troops on a street.

We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The past night was tough more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn't consider as admissible targets.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday near the capital, Kyiv, where terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

Officials maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the capital's streets until Monday morning, complicating the task of assessing the intensity of the fighting. Zelenskyy's office said explosions were reported at Kyiv Airport.

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline to the east in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the president's office said.

Russian President hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of appeared aimed at seizing control of Ukraine's coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea, Cutting Ukraine's access to its sea ports that would deal a major blow to the country's economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

Russia's military also put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine, blocking the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea



He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Ukraine's health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 wounded during Europe's largest land conflict since World War II. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

The United Nations' refugee agency said late Saturday more than 200,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with . Zelenskyy on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

"The Russian delegation is ready for talks and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians, Peskov said.

Ukraine's president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus given the Russian ally's role in the invasion.

Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we offered all of them to the Russian side and we will accept any other city in a country that hasn't been used for launching missiles," Zelenskyy said. "Only then the talks could be honest and put an end to the war.

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelenskyy's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's offer as manipulation, adding that Russia keeps lying and emphasising that Ukraine hadn't agreed to talks in the Belarusian city.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The U.S. pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The U.S., European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russia's central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries' borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russia's security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraine's right to exist as an independent state.

A senior U.S. defense official said Saturday that more than half of the Russian combat power amassed along Ukraine's borders had entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. assessments.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv were fighting Russian sabotage groups. Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and thousands killed. Moscow has not provided casualty figures.

Markarova said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The Criminal Court's prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

(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.)
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has put Switzerland's much-vaunted neutrality to the test and along with it, the country's traditional role as intermediary and reputation as a safe haven for the assets of Russia's richest and most powerful.

The Swiss executive branch stopped short of announcing unilateral sanctions against Russian interests after Moscow's blistering military action in Ukraine. Instead, the Federal Council opted to fall in line with the European Union and pledge that Russian individuals and companies hit with EU sanctions won't be able to evade them in Switzerland, which is not one of the EU's 27 member states.

The government said Friday that financial intermediaries in Switzerland were now banned from starting new business relationships with 363 Russian people and four Russian companies. Any existing business must be reported to the Swiss economic affairs secretariat. Further steps are under consideration.

While hardly a crackdown compared to other Western sanctions aimed at punishing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, the impact could be felt. The rich Alpine nation has been the biggest recipient of transactions by Russian private individuals ahead of Britain, Spain, Luxembourg and the United States, according to a report compiled by the Swiss Embassy in Moscow.

Switzerland has for years been by far the most important destination worldwide for rich Russians to manage their wealth, the report said, adding that net transfers of Russian taxpayers to Switzerland totaled $2.5 billion in 2020. The Swiss news agency SDA-ATS reported net transfers of $1.8 billion in the first half of 2021.

Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, the head of the federal economic affairs department, noted that Switzerland was bound to follow U.N. sanctions but could decide whether to follow EU sanctions based on criteria such as foreign policy and legal aspects including legislation that has enshrined neutrality into Swiss law.

Swiss authorities are in essence extending measures set up in 2014 after Russia's takeover of Crimea, in which they also sought to ensure that EU sanctions were not dodged in Switzerland, to hundreds more people and businesses but going further.

Switzerland is thus taking a tougher line with regard to Russia, Parmelin told reporters in Bern, the capital.

German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said Friday that every country decides in a sovereign way about its actions ... If you were to ask me whether I'd be happy if Switzerland supported the (EU) sanctions, then I'd clearly say yes'.

However, Switzerland is also anxious to safeguard its role as diplomatic go-between for some countries one of which is . The Swiss government represents the interests of the former Soviet republic of Georgia in Moscow and Russia's interests in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, under an arrangement set up after those two countries broke off bilateral ties during their conflict in 2008.

It's important to the Federal Council that implementing these measures doesn't cut off talks between Switzerland and the countries affected, said Parmelin. Switzerland wants to be able to offer its services to the countries in conflict if these countries wish.

If Switzerland were to automatically adopt the sanctions imposed by the EU or other countries, it could no longer credibly play the traditional role for which it is valued worldwide, he added.

The respected Swiss daily Tages Anzeiger reported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked his Swiss counterpart on Saturday to act as a neutral mediator between Ukraine and Russia, and help work toward a cease-fire between the two countries, notably in the context of a Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva opening Monday. The Swiss Foreign Ministry did not confirm any such communication.

Geneva hosted a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden in June, as well as a couple of bilateral meetings in recent weeks as tensions brewed over Ukraine. The Swiss relish their role and reputation as a skilled, neutral host for such gatherings and as a hub for organizations like the United Nations and the international Red Cross in Geneva.

The push-and-pull felt by the Swiss could grow. Some Western countries announced or were preparing individual sanctions against Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, including possible travel bans. Switzerland is unlikely to go that far: Lavrov himself is expected to be on hand in Geneva on Tuesday for a session of the Human Rights Council.

Economic concerns not just the political neutrality that is enshrined in Swiss law could also figure into the Swiss calculations.

Geneva is a major hub for commodities trading like oil and wheat that matter to and Ukraine, and is reported to be a favored stomping ground for Russian oligarchs and other economic elites drawn to low-tax and privacy-minded banks and policies in Switzerland.

The June report by the Swiss Embassy in Moscow said roughly 80 percent of Russia's commodities trade goes through the Swiss financial services centers of Geneva, Zug, Lugano and Zurich. Major Russian energy and commodities firms have offices in Switzerland.

According to the Bank of International Settlements, Russian deposits in Swiss financial institutions totaled the equivalent of nearly $11 billion at the end of the third quarter last year. That represented about 30 percent of the total Russian deposits overseas of nearly $36 billion, according to BIS figures.

(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.)
By Catherine Belton, Paritosh Bansal and Megan Davies

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A decision by Western allies on Saturday to block "selected" Russian banks from the payments system will inflict a crippling economic blow, but also cause much pain to their own companies and banks. And the allies still have room to do more.

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is a secure messaging system to ensure rapid cross-border payments which has become the principal mechanism to finance trade.

Russian banks denied access to will find it harder to communicate with peers internationally, even in friendly countries such as China, slowing trade and making transactions costlier.

But the allies, who also vowed curbs on Russian's central bank to limit its ability to support the rouble, have not yet said which banks would be targeted. That would be crucial to the measure's impact, said sanctions and banking experts.

"The devil will be in the details," said Edward Fishman, an expert on economic sanctions at the Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council think tank. "Let's see which banks they select."

If the list covered the largest Russian banks, such as Sberbank, VTB, and Gazprombank, it would be "an absolutely huge deal," he wrote on Twitter.

Sberbank and VTB have previously said that they were prepared for any developments.

The decision to kick some banks off SWIFT, though not all, could encourage "nesting", in which Russian entities turn to non-sanctioned banks and large multinationals instead in a bid to access the global financial system, one expert said.

Such a workaround for the Russians would create compliance headaches for global banks.

"It really is a dagger into the heart of Russian banks," said Kim Manchester, whose firm provides financial intelligence training programs to institutions.

Manchester said the Biden administration had been selective in its sanctions, leaving room to tighten further by blocking more banks and eventually imposing a blanket ban. "It is a creeping barrage."

DEVASTATING BLOW

The impact is likely to be devastating for the Russian economy and markets.

The sanctions are likely to hit the rouble hard when markets open on Monday, said Sergey Aleksashenko, a former deputy chairman of the Russian central bank who now lives in the United States, leading to the disappearance of many imports to .

"This is the end of a significant part of the economy," Aleksashenko added. "Half the consumer market is going to disappear. These goods will disappear if payments can't be made for them."

But the impact could be blunted if the listed banks were limited to those already sanctioned and Russia's central bank was given time to transfer assets elsewhere, said one former senior Russian banker, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"If it is the banks that are already sanctioned, it doesn't really make a difference. But if it is the top 30 Russian banks then that is an entirely different matter," he said.

"It all sounds very loud and everyone is very glad, but in reality it is a political statement."

Previously announced U.S. sanctions against a handful of Russian banks including Sberbank and VTB, took direct aim at the vast majority of about $46 billion worth of daily foreign exchange transactions by Russian financial institutions. Those sanctions targeted nearly 80% of all banking assets in .

As an alternative to SWIFT, has set up its own network, the System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS).

It sent about 2 million messages in 2020, or about a fifth of Russian internal traffic, says the central bank, which aims to up this share to 30% in 2023.

But SPFS, which limits the size of messages and operates only on weekdays, has found it hard to add foreign members.

'FINANCIAL NUCLEAR WEAPON'

The decision to block Russian banks from has been fraught.

Over the past few days, even as Ukraine urged Western nations to kick Russia off the payments system and was backed by countries such as Britain, others, such as Germany, worried about the possible impact on their economies and companies.

The SWIFT ban was a "financial nuclear weapon," French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday. "When you have a nuclear weapon in your hands, you think before using it," he told reporters.

The tide shifted, however, as Russian forces launched an assault on Kyiv and hopes of a diplomatic resolution faded.

Earlier on Saturday, Germany, which has the EU's biggest trade flows with Russia, softened its stance and suggested it was looking for a way to remove Russia from SWIFT while trying to limit the collateral damage.

Manchester, the financial intelligence trainer, said the partial ban would force Russian banks to get more creative in accessing the financial system.

Multinationals with large treasury operations and banks with SWIFT access could become the new hubs of financial transactions out of Russia.

Nesting, he said, was a massive concern for global banks, which would have to ensure that any transactions they support do not violate Western sanctions.

Manchester said he spoke on Friday to a contact in the financial crimes division of a global bank.

Such banks could face heavy regulatory penalties if they dropped the ball on sanctions, he added.

"They are burning the midnight oil to make sense of everything that's going on," Manchester said.

(Reporting by Catherine Belton in London, and Paritosh Bansal and Megan Davies in New York)

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has agreed to meet with a Russian delegation in Belarus, and Russians are heading to the place where the talks will be held, the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said Sunday.

The talks are expected to take place in the Gomel region at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, Belta news agency reported.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the Russian delegation is ready for the talks and waiting for their Ukrainian counterparts to arrive.

"As you know, President [of Belarus Alexander] Lukashenko had a phone call with President [of Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. After that, president Lukashenko turned to the Russian side, to President [Vladimir] Putin, asking him not to recall the Russian delegation, as signaled its willingness to come to the talks in the Gomel region," Peskov said.

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Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiys office said on Sunday.

The talks, the first since Russia unleashed a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last week, would be held without preconditions and are the result of a phone call between Zelenskiy and the Belarusian president, Zelenskiy said.

We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River, he said in a statement.

Nuclear alert

Meanwhile, Russian President ordered his military command to put nuclear-armed forces on high alert on Sunday as Ukrainian fighters defending the city of Kharkiv said they had repelled an attack by invading Russian troops.

The United States responded by saying Putin was escalating the war in a totally unacceptable way.

As missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities, thousands of Ukrainian civilians, mainly women and children, were fleeing from the Russian assault into neighbouring countries. The capital Kyiv was still in Ukrainian government hands, with President Zelenskiy rallying his people despite Russian shelling of civilian infrastructure.

But Putin, who has described the invasion as a special military operation, thrust an alarming new element into play on Sunday when he ordered Russias deterrence forces  a reference to units which include nuclear arms  onto high alert.

He cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and economic sanctions imposed by the West against Moscow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian military vehicles pushed into Ukraine's second-largest city on Sunday and explosions rocked oil and gas installations on a fourth day of fighting in the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday his nation had submitted an application against to the Court of Justice (ICJ).

" must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week," Zelenskiy wrote on his Twitter.

Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles were seen in different parts of the northeastern city of Kharkiv and firing could be heard, a witness said. A burning tank was visible in a video posted by the government.

Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline in Kharkiv before daybreak, a Ukrainian state agency said, sending a burning cloud up into the darkness.





An apartment building damaged following a rocket attack on the city of Kyiv

"The Russian enemy's light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre," regional Governor Oleh Sinegubov said. "Ukraine's armed forces are destroying the enemy. We ask civilians not to go out."

Ukraine's Western allies ratcheted up their response to Russia's land, sea and air invasion late on Saturday with sanctions to banish major Russian banks from the main global payments system and other measures aimed at limiting Moscow's use of a $630 million war chest of central bank reserves.

Finland and Sweden became the latest European countries to close their airspace to Russian flights, and EU could follow suit with a coordinated European-wide ban, an official said.



Armed civil defense men pose for a photo while patroling an empty street due to curfew in Kyiv

Ukrainian forces were holding off Russian troops advancing on the capital Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. But shelling hit civilian infrastructure and targets including ambulances, he said.

A United Nations agency reported 64 civilian deaths and Ukraine claimed to have killed more than 4,000 Russian soldiers.

Reuters was not able to verify the numbers.

More than 368,000 refugees, mainly women and children, have poured into neighbouring countries, clogging railways, roads and borders since Russian President Vladimir Putin, 69, unleashed what he called a special military operation on Thursday.

Ignoring weeks of frantic diplomacy and sanctions threats by Western nations seeking to avoid war, Putin has justified the invasion saying "neo-Nazis" rule Ukraine and threaten Russia's security - a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

The Kremlin sent a diplomatic delegation to neighbouring Belarus offering talks, but Ukraine rejected the offer, saying Belarus had been complicit in the invasion. Ukraine was happy to hold talks elsewhere, Zelenskiy said.





A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck on a street in Kyiv

Russian missiles found their mark overnight, including a strike that set an oil terminal ablaze in Vasylkiv, southwest of Kyiv, the town's mayor said. Blasts sent huge flames and billowing black smoke into the night sky, online posts showed.

"The enemy wants to destroy everything," said the mayor, Natalia Balasinovich.

Ukraine's gas pipeline operator said the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine, vital for Europe's energy needs, was going on as normal. Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom also said gas exports via Ukraine continued normally.

Russian-backed separatists in the eastern province of Luhansk said a Ukrainian missile had blown up an oil terminal in the town of Rovenky.

Reuters witnesses in Kyiv reported occasional blasts and gunfire through the night, then three blasts after air raid sirens went off shortly before 9 a.m. (0600 GMT).

Ukrainian leaders were defiant.

"We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on," Zelenskiy said in a video message from the streets of Kyiv posted on his social media.

A US defence official on Saturday said Ukraine's forces were putting up "viable" resistance to Russia's air, land and sea advance.

The United States and its allies have authorized more weapons transfers to help Ukraine fight and imposed a range of sanctions on Russia in response to the assault, which threatens to upend Europe's post-Cold War order.





A resident crosses an empty street during a curfew after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine in Kyiv

On Saturday, they moved to block certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT payment system, making it harder for Russia to trade and for its companies to do business.

They also said they would impose restrictions on Russia's central bank to limit its ability to support the rouble and finance Putin's war effort.

"We will hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin," the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Canada and the United States.

They did not name the banks that would be expelled. An EU diplomat said some 70% of the Russian banking market would be affected.

Sanctions on Russia's central bank could limit Putin's use of his more than $630 billion in reserves, widely seen as insulating Russia from some economic harm.

Google barred Russia's state-owned media outlet RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook.

Judo black-belt Putin was suspended as honorary president of the International Judo Federation (IJF) on Sunday, in response to the war.





'ADVANCING'

The Kremlin said its troops were advancing again "in all directions" and Putin thanked Russia's special forces, singling out those who are "heroically fulfilling their military duty" in Ukraine.

A Ukrainian presidential adviser said about 3,500 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded. Western officials have said intelligence showed Russia suffering higher casualties than expected.





Russia has not released casualty figures and Reuters was unable to verify tolls or the precise picture on the ground.

A United Nations relief agency said at least 64 civilians had been killed among 240 civilian casualties.

Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, won independence from Moscow in 1991 at the fall of the Soviet Union and has pushed to join NATO and the EU, goals Russia opposes.

Putin has said he must eliminate what he calls a serious threat to his country from its smaller neighbour, accusing it of genocide against Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine - something Kyiv and its Western allies reject as a lie.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Alphabet Inc's barred on Saturday Russia's state-owned outlet RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and videos, similar to a move by Facebook after the invasion of Ukraine.

Citing "extraordinary circumstances," Google's unit said it was "pausing a number of channels ability to monetise on ." These included several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions, such as those by the European Union. Ad placement is largely controlled by YouTube.

added later that it was also barring Russian state-funded outlets from using its ad technology to generate revenue on their own websites and apps.

In addition, the Russian will not be able to buy ads through Tools or place ads on Google services such as search and Gmail, spokesman Michael Aciman said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ukrainian president's office said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.

The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an "environmental catastrophe" and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

Ukraine's top prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, said the Russian forces have been unable to take Kharkiv, where a fierce battle is underway.

The city of 1.5 million is located 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Russian border.

(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.)
An old adage says the only thing worse than being Americas enemy is being Americas friend. The Ukrainians are getting a first hand look at this as we stand idly by and watch closely Putins next move. Putin is a brutal dictator who isnt fazed by our threats of sanctions.

By the time you read this the hammer and sickle most likely will flying over the capitol in Kiev. And as anyone with even a basic military knowledge knows, you never give up ground youve taken. Once Russias there, theyre staying there. Then its good luck to the rest of Europe. And you can bet our friends in Taiwan are paying close attention too. Xi Jinping and his brainwashed colleagues in China are also waiting to see what America does. Our inaction will determine his takeover of that nation, which hes wanted for a long time now. Nobody in their right mind wants war. But power and strength are the only thing Putin and Xi understand.

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Alan M. Sotak

Washington Township
In a major move aimed to cripple Russia's economy, the US along with its key allies, including EU and the UK, have decided to disconnect key sanctioned Russian from the global financial system and impose restrictive measures on its central bank in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

It was also decided to launch a joint task force to hunt down assets of sanctioned Russian companies and oligarchs, according to a joint statement issued by the leaders of the US, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Canada on Saturday.

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is the world's main banking messaging service which links around 11,000 and institutions in more than 200 countries, including India.

Based in Belgium, the system is considered central to the smooth functioning of global finances and Russia's exclusion from it would hit the country hard.

"We stand with the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people in their heroic efforts to resist Russia's invasion. Russia's war represents an assault on fundamental rules and norms that have prevailed since the Second World War, which we are committed to defending.

"We will hold to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for (President Vladimir) Putin," the allies said in the statement.





Removing from is deemed to be a severe curb because almost all banks use the system. is heavily reliant on the system for its key oil and gas exports.

The US and its allies committed to "ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the financial system and harm their ability to operate globally." "Second, we commit to imposing restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions," they said.

Earlier, there was reluctance within the over blocking from SWIFT as it would impact oil and gas payments.

"Third, we commit to acting against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine and the harmful activities of the Russian government. Specifically, we commit to taking measures to limit the sale of citizenship -- so-called golden passports -- that let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems," the allies said.

Further, they agreed to launch this coming week "a transatlantic task force that will ensure the effective implementation of our financial sanctions by identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and companies that exist within our jurisdictions." As a part of this effort, the leaders said they are committed to employing sanctions and other financial and enforcement measures on additional Russian officials and elites close to the Russian government, as well as their families, and their enablers to identify and freeze the assets they hold in our jurisdictions.

"We will also engage other governments and work to detect and disrupt the movement of ill-gotten gains, and to deny these individuals the ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world," the statement said.

"Finally, we will step up our coordination against disinformation and other forms of hybrid warfare," it said.

The UK government led the charge in Europe to exclude Russia from the worldwide SWIFT banking network.

The Prime Minister urged leaders to take immediate action against SWIFT to inflict maximum pain on President Putin and his regime, Downing Street said with reference to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's meeting with NATO leaders on Friday.

This was followed up during a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau soon after, when Johnson reiterated the same message.

The Prime Minister said allies needed to take immediate action on SWIFT, and the leaders discussed further options to increase coordinated economic pressure on Russia, notes the Downing Street readout of the call.

A senior US administration official told reporters that Russia has become a global economic and financial pariah with over 30 countries representing well over half the world's economy announcing sanctions and export controls against it.

"Putin's government is getting kicked off the international financial system," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has provoked condemnation from countries in the West and retaliatory sanctions.

The latest sanctions are the toughest till date imposed on Russia since it launched its military offensive against Ukraine.



WHAT IS SWIFT? Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is a system that makes rapid cross-border payments, making international trade flow smoothly WHY IS A SWIFT BAN SO SERIOUS? Excluding Russian banks restricts the country's access to financial markets across the world. Russian firms and individuals will find it harder to pay for imports and receive cash for exports, borrow or invest overseas HOW WILL A BAN ON RUSSIA AFFECT Exporters would find selling goods to Russia riskier and more expensive as Russia is a big buyer of manufactured goods

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Ukraine's president says his country is ready for peace talks with but not in Belarus, which was a staging ground for Moscow's 3-day-old invasion.

Speaking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues. He said other locations are also possible but made clear that Ukraine doesn't accept Russia's selection of .

The Kremlin said Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats.

The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians, Peskov said.

invaded Ukraine on Thursday, with troops moving from Moscow's ally in the north, and also from the east and south.

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The office of Ukraine's president has confirmed that a delegation will meet with Russian officials as Moscow's troops draw closer to Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy office said on the Telegram messaging app that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border and did not give a precise time for the meeting.

The announcement on Sunday came hours after announced that its delegation had flown to Belarus to await talks. Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place elsewhere than Belarus, where has placed a large contingent of troops.

The meeting news came shortly after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces put on high alert in response to what he called aggressive statements by leading NATO powers.

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has moved the Court of Justice in The Hague over the Russian military operation that started in on Thursday (local time) and urged the top court to order to cease "hostilities".

Taking to Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, " has submitted its application against to the ICJ. must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week."

"Ukraine has officially filed a lawsuit against Russia in the UN Court of Justice in The Hague. We demand that Russia be held accountable for distorting the concept of genocide to justify aggression. We ask the court to immediately order Russia to cease hostilities and schedule a hearing next week," he added.

Amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said that Russia must be isolated diplomatically and financially.

Earlier, he also spoke with President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister of Czech Republic Petr Fiala about the current situation.

Notably, Zelenskyy, in a phone conversation, thanked Andrzej Duda, President of Poland for his personal leadership in granting Ukraine membership in the EU.

In a tweet, Zelensky also said that he had thanked the Pope for his prayers, adding that "the Ukrainian people feel the spiritual support of His Holiness."

In the early hours on Thursday, Russia launched a special military operation in the Donbas region after recognition of Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent identities.

The Western countries have strongly condemned the Russian military operation and boosted the sanctions pressure on Moscow.

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While hundreds of thousands of refugees are leaving amid Russia's attack on the country, some Ukrainian men and women are returning home from across Europe to help defend their homeland.

Poland's Border Guard said Sunday that some 22,000 people have crossed into since on Thursday, when invaded the country.

At the checkpoint in Medyka, in southeastern Poland, many were standing in a line early Sunday to cross into .

"We have to defend our homeland. Who else if not us, said a moustachioed man in front of a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers walking to the checkpoint to enter Ukraine.

They came from across Europe to return to Ukraine. They spoke to The Associated Press in Ukrainian and in Russian.

Another man in the group said: The Russians should be afraid. We are not afraid."



Members of the group declined to give their names, or only gave their first names, citing their security and that of their families.

A man in his 20s, who said his first name was Denis, said he had been working in Poland but was returning to Ukraine where his everything is.

I'm on my own here in Poland. Why should I be here? So I go, for the homeland, Denis said.

Lesa, a woman in her 30s, Lesa, spoke to the AP just before entering the checkpoint building.

I am afraid, but I am a mother and want to be with my children. What can you do? It's scary but I have to."



Another young woman said she, too, was returning to take care of her children, so that Ukrainian men can defend the country.

We have to, we Ukrainians have to take our children away ... to allow our boys to fight, she said.

On Ukraine's side of the border, a man was directing those arriving to a place where cars and buses were waiting to take them onward.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was staying in the capital, Kyiv, boosting the morale of Ukrainian fighters as Russian troops were closing in on the city and huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday.

Zelenskyy has banned men of military age, 18 to 60, from leaving the country. Ukrainian authorities have also called on foreign volunteers to come and fight in Ukraine's defense.

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighboring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion, the U.N. refugee agency, the UNHCR, said Sunday.

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Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Security Council will convene Sunday at 3 PM (local time) to vote on a resolution calling for a special session of the General Assembly.

Notably, the United States and Albania have requested a meeting of the on Sunday for a procedural vote to appoint a special session of the General Assembly over the events in Ukraine, a UNSC source told Sputnik.

In the case of a procedural vote, the right of veto is not valid and 9 votes out of 15 members of the Security Council are required to make the decision, as per a source.

The emergency special session of the UN General Assembly will be requested for Monday, the source said.

As many as fifty countries have issued a joint statement saying that Russia "abused" its veto power by blocking a (UNSC) resolution condemning the Russian military action in Ukraine. This comes after Russia on Friday vetoed a draft UN resolution on Ukraine.

The joint statement, which was read aloud by the US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said this resolution was "vital and straightforward."

"Fundamentally, it was about whether the countries on the Security Council - charged with maintaining peace and security - believe in upholding the UN Charter," the statement said.

Holding Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible, the signatories said that Russia's action amounts to "violation of the UN Charter."

"Russia has abused its power today to veto our strong resolution. But Russia cannot veto our voices. Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people. Russia cannot veto their own people protesting this war in the streets. Russia cannot veto the UN Charter. Russia cannot, and will not, veto accountability," the statement added.

"We will be taking this matter to the General Assembly, where the Russian veto does not apply and the nations of the world will continue to hold Russia accountable," it added.

The vote on Russia was 11 in favour, one against, and three abstentions. India, China, and UAE abstained from voting on the draft resolution. India has abstained from the vote but New Delhi has called for immediate de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine and advocated for a diplomatic solution.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the US is offering $350 million worth of "lethal defensive" weapons to to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian military operations.

Blinken on Saturday said in a statement that US President Joe Biden authorised him to decide on such a move, Xinhua news agency reported.

As such, he has authorised the Department of Defense to carry out the presidential drawdown, which will help cope with "the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing."

The Secretary said the latest sum was on top of the $60 million and $200 million immediate military aid to that Biden delegated to him in 2021, bringing total US security support to the eastern European nation over the past year to more than $1 billion.

--IANS

int/khz/

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In December, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates announced that the new 50-dirham polymer banknote would be used alongside the paper banknote as official currency.

Ahead of that, in October, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Philippines central bank, confirmed that it would have a trial run of a few hundred million pieces of the 1,000 peso on polymer in the first half of 2022. And in August, the State Bank of Pakistan unveiled its plan of a commemorative polymer note to mark the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022 and another to mark the 75th anniversary of the ...
Leading Republicans spent much of three days avoiding Donald Trump's chief grievances or ignoring him altogether as they unified behind a midterm message designed to win back the voters the polarizing former president alienated while in office.

That changed Saturday night.

Facing thousands of cheering activists at the Conservative Political Action Conference's annual meeting, Trump falsely blamed his 2020 election loss on widespread voter fraud, for which there is no evidence. As Russian troops advanced on the Ukrainian capital in an invasion widely condemned by Western leaders, Trump described Russian President as smart.

Of course he's smart, Trump said, doubling down on praise of the Russian leader that many other Republicans have avoided in the wake of the invasion. But the real problem is our leaders are dumb. Dumb. So dumb.

While Trump expressed support for the Ukrainian people and called the country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a brave man, he also noted his ties with other leading autocrats. He specifically pointed to his friendly relationships with Xi Jinping of China and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump then left no doubt he is the most powerful voice in Republican politics by indicating he will run for president a third time in 2024. We did it twice, and we'll do it again, Trump said. We're going to be doing it again, a third time.

Up until Trump's appearance, lies about election fraud, the focus of last year's conference, had been an afterthought among the top speakers. No one parroted Trump's approving rhetoric toward Putin. And some leading Republicans didn't even mention Trump's name.

Instead, those most likely to seek the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination not named Trump united behind an agenda that includes more parental control of schools, opposition to pandemic-related mandates and a fierce rejection of woke culture. The message from more than a half-dozen elected officials, delivered to thousands of mostly white activists at an event that usually celebrates far-right rhetoric, does not mean the party has turned its back on Trumpism.

Far from it. The former president was a frequent topic among some of the conference's lower-profile speakers. T-shirts proclaiming Trump won" were being sold in the hallways. And Trump is expected to be announced the overwhelming winner of CPAC's 2024 presidential preference straw poll on Sunday.

Still, conference organizer Matt Schlapp, the chair of the American Conservative Union, noted that Trump does not have an absolute lock on his party's base.

He pointed to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in particular, who was a crowd favorite throughout the first three days of the four-day conference. Audience members applauded almost every time DeSantis' name was referenced or his picture appeared on big screens.

Trump looms large, Schlapp said in an interview. No. 1 is, Does he run again? And it's overwhelming that people want him to. But there's a diversity of opinion.

And while Trump's most controversial supporters were generally given lower-profile speaking slots over the four-day program, they were not excluded. Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., appeared on a Saturday morning panel hours after being featured at a conference of pro-Trump white nationalists.

Trump offered Taylor Greene a particularly warm shoutout during his speech as he ticked down the Republican officials in attendance.

I refuse to shut up, Taylor Greene said earlier in the day during a brief appearance as she railed against Democrat communists.

Despite Trump's dominant place at the head of the Republican Party, other party leaders are increasingly optimistic they have found a forward-looking strategy to overcome pro-Trump extremism and expand the party's appeal with control of Congress at stake in November.

It's essentially the same playbook that Virginia's Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin used last fall when he won in the swing state by avoiding Trump and his biggest grievances, including the false notion that the 2020 presidential election was plagued by mass voter fraud.

There are people that perhaps have never voted the same way any of you have in a presidential race and they're really angry, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said Friday. And that's why I believe that for all the negative we've heard, the pendulum is swinging.

Democrats are clinging to paper-thin majorities in the House and Senate, and voter sentiment has swung in an ominous direction for them since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. In an AP-NORC poll conducted Feb. 18-21, 70% of Americans said the country was headed in the wrong direction. As few as 44% said the same in April 2021.

Some leading Republicans seemed intent at CPAC on not helping Democrats by embracing Trump.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, who tried to block the certification of Biden's electoral victory after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, sidestepped a question about whether he would challenge Trump in a 2024 prospective matchup.

"I've said I'm not planning to run for president, Hawley said. He also declined to say whether he wants Trump to run again in 2024: I never give him advice, including on this.

Hawley also said it was a mistake for Republicans like Trump to offer soft praise for Putin. Putin is our enemy. Let's be clear about that, Hawley said.

DeSantis, who has also refused to rule out a 2024 presidential bid should Trump run, did not mention the former president in his 20-minute address, focusing instead on his resistance to mask and vaccine mandates.

Trump's former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, spoke about his work in the Trump administration, but he did not repeat his own recent flattering comments about Putin, in which he called the Russian leader very capable and said he has enormous respect for him.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, considered a potential running mate for Trump in 2024, talked about the 2016 presidential election and the unsubstantiated allegations that Democrats in power spied on the Trump campaign. But she pivoted quickly to the future.

We have some fantastic fighters, like President . But he's not alone. The American people are on our side, Noem said.

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Why did Russia invade Ukraine? FAQs about the conflict that has shocked the world . The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has put the world on edge. The military move by Russian President has left many people looking for information on how and why the conflict started.

Here are answers to some key questions.

Why did Russia invade Ukraine?

Putin nurses a deep sense of grievance over the loss of Russia's power and influence since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ukraine was formerly part of the Soviet Union but declared its independence in 1991. Having a prosperous, modern, independent and democratic European state bordering Russia was perceived as posing a threat to Russia's autocratic regime. If Ukrainians succeeded in fully reforming their country along lines of other western democracies, it would set a bad precedent for former Soviet countries and serve as an example for Russians who want a more democratic country. Putin also perceives that western democracies are in a weak and particularly vulnerable state thanks in part due to Russian efforts to create discord and sow divisions in Europe and North America abroad making this an opportune time to launch a major military adventure.

Is this a war?

Absolutely, both in the traditional and modern sense. It involves a military assault with air, sea and land forces being deployed in combination with sophisticated cyber attacks and relentless propaganda disseminated by conventional as well as social media. The invasion of Ukraine is just an expansion and escalation of the earlier hybrid war. It is a war that actually began after Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, also known as Euromaidan, in 2013-14. That's when widespread protests by citizens who wanted a closer relationship with Europe led to the ouster of then-president Viktor Yanukovych, who had asked Russia for help to put down the protests. Russia responded by illegally annexing Crimea, a section of Ukraine that touches the Russian border on the Black Sea. Russia also supplied military personnel, mercenaries and other resources in support of a small but militant minority of pro-Russian separatists in the largely Russian-speaking cities of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine's east. More than 14,000 Ukrainians have died since 2014 in fighting in the Donbas.

Is the invasion tied to Russia's annexation of Crimea?

Crimea was the only part of Ukraine to have a slight majority of Russians at the time of the breakup of the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, 55 per cent of the peninsula's population voted for Ukraine's independence. Putin mistakenly believed that by successfully annexing Crimea by stealth and orchestrating an armed uprising in the Donbas, he would shake Ukrainian unity and prompt the southern and eastern provinces of the country to break away from the Kyiv government and seek to join the Russian Federation as a new territory to be known as Novorossiya, or New Russia. That failed to happen, so the current invasion is an attempt to achieve a similar end using force on a massive scale.

Is this a renewal of the Cold War?

The term Cold War refers to a period after the Second World War when the Soviet Union and Western democracies were aligned against each other in what was essentially an ideological battle between capitalism and communism. At the height of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union the two great military powers in the world engaged in a titanic ideological struggle by means of subversion, propaganda campaigns and proxy wars in the developing world. Putin and his inner circle are very much products of the Cold War and consider the breakup of the Soviet Union and its Communist Party dictatorship a humiliation. In that sense, the current conflict is a renewal or even a continuation of the Cold War because its goal is to restore Russia as America's greatest military rival. Putin is seeking to turn back the clock to a time when the Soviet Union and the West had defined and relatively stable spheres of influence in Europe. During that time, there was a military balance achieved through parity in nuclear arsenals. This was also known as the mutually assured destruction policy, which suggested that neither the United States or the Soviet Union would go to war because the ensuing nuclear battle would be devastating for both countries and the rest of the world.

How Russian' is Ukraine?

According to the last full census taken in 2001, 17.3 per cent of the citizens of independent Ukraine identified themselves as ethnic Russians. This was a decline of almost five percentage points from 1989, reflecting in part an out-migration of Russians after the breakup of the Soviet Union. There was also a change of identification among Ukrainians who had claimed to be ethnically Russian in the late Soviet period when it was socially and economically advantageous to do so, but reverted to their Ukrainian identity when Ukraine became independent. Since 2001, the numerical influence of ethnic Russians in Ukraine diminished even further, as a result of the annexation of Crimea and the creation of the two separatist republics in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Significantly, even in the Donbas, where ethnic Russians form a substantial minority, they do not outnumber ethnic Ukrainians. Somewhat confusing the situation is the fact that most Ukrainians are able to speak or easily understand both Russian and Ukrainian. For many Ukrainians, especially in the south and eastern regions of the country, Russian is the first language. Russian is widely used throughout large parts of Ukraine and it is not unusual for people to easily and even unconsciously move back and forth between languages. Nor is it unusual that many Russian speakers are fervent Ukrainian patriots, just as significant numbers of ethnic Russians are fiercely loyal citizens of Ukraine. Russians and Russian speakers are not persecuted or discriminated against in Ukraine, even as the Ukrainian state and increasingly Ukrainian citizens themselves work to encourage fluency and the use of Ukrainian in daily life after centuries of linguistic and cultural Russification. Finally, a large number of Ukrainians have ties to Russians and Russia, through mixed marriages, work, professional relations and longstanding friendships. Sadly, many of these relations have been strained in recent years due to the Putin government's hostility towards Ukraine and the Russian media's relentless and baseless attacks on Ukrainians. The situation has resulted in contacts being terminated for political reasons as a result of changing attitudes towards Russia as a whole. The vast majority of Ukrainians until recently had a positive image of Russia, but a growing number now have a critical or skeptical attitude to Russia. The current conflict is certain to make things worse.

Why does Putin say Ukraine isn't a real country?

In a televised speech days before the invasion, Putin suggested that modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia. Putin has inherited much of his world view from the Russian-chauvinist and Russocentric traditions of the former imperial and Soviet Russian regimes. His Ukrainophobic attitudes can be attributed in part to his being steeped in deeply rooted feelings of both Russian superiority and resentment towards Ukrainians who have consistently asserted their distinct identity. Russia has for four centuries tried to fully subjugate Ukrainian lands and to subdue the Ukrainian nation by means of laws and policies designed to undermine and suppress the Ukrainian language and culture, while at the same time privileging Russians in Ukraine. Russia has often resorted to using brutal force to prevent Ukraine from pursuing greater autonomy as well as outright independence, using invasions, ruthlessly crushing rebellions, exiling hundreds of thousands to Siberia and the Far North, starving millions in a genocidal famine, and simultaneously imprisoning and executing legions of gifted artists, intellectuals, spiritual leaders and political activists, who dared to challenge Russian dominance over the country. As various attempts by Ukrainians to establish an independent state were thwarted by Russia and by other foreign oppressors, Putin has repeatedly sought to disparage Ukraine's successful declaration of independence in 1991 and is determined to put an end to it.

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Chinas ambassador in Ukraine appeared via video Sunday to rebut rumors that the top diplomat had left the besieged capital of Kyiv, assuring Chinese nationals of safe evacuation from the war-torn country.

Fan Xianrong, who assumed the post in early 2020, said in a prerecorded video posted on the embassys WeChat account that he is still in Kyiv and will never abandon his fellow countrymen nor to take care of himself first.
Short-distance rural tourism grew more popular in Chinas capital during this years Labor Day holiday amid curbs on travel to control the pandemic. Bookings for hotels and homestays outside urban areas started earlier than usual for this years five-day national holiday, with volumes climbing since April 10. Despite Covid control measures, most scenic spots in suburban areas remain open, though visitors are required to present negative Covid-19 test results to enter

May 04, 2022 03:50 PM
ZHENGZHOU, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A global kung fu online contest hosted by Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan Province, the birthplace of Shaolin kung fu, attracted more than 5,000 enthusiasts from 90 countries and regions.

Marta Neskovic, 29, from Serbia, was awarded the women's Yizhaogong, or Shaolin kung fu "one move," due to her superb performance.

Influenced by her mother, Neskovic became interested in Shaolin and Chan Buddhism when she was little. The different cultures were fresh and new.

Neskovic, who is also an anthropologist, had practiced martial arts before she came to the Shaolin Temple in 2018 to receive professional training.

"I stayed for two and a half years, I love kung fu so much. Practicing kung fu is good for mental and physical health," she said.

Shaolin Temple has held exchange and interaction activities with its fans across the world over the years. About 2,000 foreigners come to the 1,500-year-old temple to learn kung fu and experience Shaolin life every year.

"Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shaolin Temple held an online competition this year, providing a platform where overseas kung fu enthusiasts can take part in," said Shi Yongxin, abbot of the temple.

Contestants applied for the online competition and uploaded videos, which were scored by professional referees. In some videos, family members joined in, and villagers gathered to watch.

Austrian Werner Preining, 81, was one of the oldest contestants. He started to learn kung fu eight years ago and has visited China four times.

"I like kung fu very much as it has become part of my lifestyle," Preining said.

The competition promoted the exchange of Chinese culture and other cultures through Shaolin kung fu, said Andreas Riecken, Austrian ambassador to China, in a congratulatory letter.

The results of the online contest will be published in early March, and first prize winners will be invited to Shaolin Temple for a real-life experience. 
FILE - Chrystul Kizer sits in the Kenosha County Courthouse on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. The Wisconsin Supreme Court is set to decide whether Kizer, who killed a man can find shelter in a state law that absolves sex trafficking victims of their crimes. Prosecutors in Kenosha charged Chrystul Kizer in 2018 with homicide in Randall Volar's death. A circuit judge rejected Kizer's attempt to use a 2008 Wisconsin law that absolves sex trafficking victims of crimes committed while they're being trafficked, saying it would be absurd to extend it to homicide.(Paul Williams/The Kenosha News via AP, File)
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Fayetteville operates its own Public Works Commission, a public utility that purchases power almost entirely from Duke Energy. Ben Sessoms / Carolina Public Press
Psychotherapist Taghreed al-Sakka gives a music therapy session at Kayan Cultural Center in Gaza City, Feb. 23, 2022. The Kayan Cultural Center was established by al-Sakka to help local residents get rid of the psychological pressure they suffer from due to the difficult conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

by Sanaa Kamal

GAZA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- For 45 minutes, Julia Ahmed, a young Palestinian woman from Gaza, sits on a sofa, listening to musical chants mixed with the sounds of sea waves, in a bid to get rid of her psychological pressure.

For many years, the 32-year-old mother of a child suffered from various problems, which brought her to a state of depression and rejection of the reality she was living in.

"I went through a failed marriage experience, during which I was subjected to various types of physical and psychological violence from my ex-husband," she said, adding that she asked for a divorce but was refused by everyone around her.

"Finally, I made it," she said. After two years of legal process, she got divorced, but her family did not accept her as "a divorced woman," an identity that didn't sit well with their customs and traditions.

"My world became dark without hope, optimism, or a desire to survive," she explained.

Two months ago, Julia went to a psychologist to help her reduce psychological pressure through therapeutic music.

"When I come here, I feel completely cut off from the world. When I hear soft music and the sound of rain, I feel as if I have traveled to Rome or Paris," she said.

The situation is not much different for Mahmoud Ahmed, who resorted to music therapy after several failed attempts to get rid of the depression he had been suffering from for more than three years.

The 23-year-old young man told Xinhua that "because of the political and economic instability in the Gaza Strip, I has not succeed in achieving any of my dreams after I graduated from the university, which caused me to go into a state of depression."

"I started hating everything in my life, myself, my family, and my friends," with a breaking voice, he said.

But that feeling of not holding on to life changed after the young man was involved in a relationship with his fiancee and wanted to marry her.

"At this time, I wondered if she would accept me as I was not qualified to build a family and start a new life," he recalled.

Therefore, the young man explains, he decided to undergo psychotherapy in general. "When I experienced a music therapy session, I felt great relief and a beautiful feeling of optimism that I had not felt in years."

Julia and Mahmoud are among the dozens of people receiving music therapy at the Kayan Cultural Center, which was established by psychotherapist Taghreed al-Sakka about two years ago, to help local residents get rid of the psychological pressure they suffer from due to the difficult conditions.

Al-Saqqa, 40, who has a doctorate in psychology, said that music therapy is old in the world, but it is modern in the Gazan society, as it is a health treatment based on interaction with music in order to achieve certain goals in the patient's health.

"Music therapy is a process during which a music therapist uses music and all of its physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic and spiritual aspects to improve the mental and physical condition of the patient, and it is one of the treatments supporting other medical treatments," she explains.

The residents of the Gaza Strip live in complex political and economic conditions, which have negatively affected the psychological situation of the majority of the local population. According to Yasser Abu Jamea, director of the Gaza Mental Health Program, more than a third of the residents in the Gaza Strip need psychological intervention, the majority of whom are women and children.

Israel has imposed a tight siege on Gaza since Hamas took control of it by force in 2007. In addition, Israel launched several large-scale military operations against the Strip, the last of which lasted 11 days last May, killing more than 250 Palestinians and 13 people in Israel.

Because of these unexpected circumstances, more than a third of the residents of the Gaza Strip need psychological intervention, the majority of whom are women and children, according to Yasser Abu Jamea, director of the Gaza Mental Health Program. 

A Palestinian woman attends a music therapy session at Kayan Cultural Center in Gaza City, Feb. 23, 2022. The Kayan Cultural Center was established by psychotherapist Taghreed al-Sakka to help local residents get rid of the psychological pressure they suffer from due to the difficult conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
Photo: Contributed

Over the past two years, Ive experienced a drastic reduction in the number of hugs I receive.

With both my children living in the U.K., COVID protocols telling us to stay distanced and the loss of both my parents, hugs have become a relative scarcity for me.

It turns out Im not the only one thinking about hugging. The psychology research community has been busy examining the effects of embracing. The findings are especially relevant in todays pandemic world.

Hugs reduce the negative effects of stress

A recent study conducted in Germany looked at the relationship between hugs and stress.

If youre like me and you dont have the opportunity for hugs anytime you feel the need for one, dont be discouraged. These scientists were also interested in whether hugging yourself was beneficial.

Data was collected from saliva samples, heart monitors and self-evaluation forms. When youre stressed, your heart rate rises and your body secretes more of the stress hormone, cortisol.

Once initial readings were recorded, the participants were deliberately stressed. In this study they used fake job interviews to do this.

Then, depending on the group they were assigned to, the 159 volunteers were either hugged for twenty seconds by a research assistant, hugged themselves for twenty seconds, or didnt have a hug of any kind. They were then asked to build a paper airplane.

The results were clear. The participants in the hugging and self-hugging groups showed lower levels of cortisol, indicating their stress level was less than those people in the control group.

The length of a hug makes a difference

A study out of the UK examined whether the length of a hug made a difference to mood. Forty-five women were hugged by a member of the research team for one, five or ten seconds. The results showed the optimal hug should be at least five seconds long.

I can attest to this finding from my own personal experience. I have a friend who gives me long, strong hugs whenever I see her. It isnt just me, thats her hugging style. I miss those hugs and cant wait for her to get back from Mexico.

Hugs increase health in older adults

A Canadian team focused their research on the positive effects of hugging older adults. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey was analyzed for more than 20,000 seniors aged 65-plus.

Those people who had hugs available to them some, most, or all of the time, rated themselves as healthier than those seniors who said they never had the opportunity to be hugged. This was the case even when factors like income, chronic illness, and marital status were considered.

You may have grown up in a family where hugging was either uncommon or non-existent. That doesnt mean you cant change that pattern.

 Consciously look for opportunities to hug others.

 Be mindful of social distancing and the hugging comfort level of other people.

 Remember that hugging yourself provides benefits, too.

 Get into the habit of hugging for at least five seconds.

Its amazing how a simple gesture can make such a big difference in your life. And, if youre hugging others, youre making the world a better place in the process.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Wikipedia

UPDATE: 9:25 a.m.

Canada has become the latest country to ban Russian aircraft from entering its airspace, as Canadians prepare to hold rallies in cities across the country to protest Moscows military invasion of Ukraine.



Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced the flight ban on Sunday morning, saying the move was being taken in retaliation for Russian President Vladimir Putins decision to attack neighbouring Ukraine.



All of Canada is united in its outrage of President Putins aggression against Ukraine, Alghabra said in a statement.



In response, we have closed Canadian airspace to Russian-owned or operated aircraft. The government of Canada condemns Russias aggressive actions and we will continue to take action to stand with Ukraine.



The announcement followed similar moves by most European countries, led by Britain, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, as the western world has sought to punish Russia for launching Europes largest war since the Second World War.



In a tit-for-tat response, Russia has previously banned commercial flights from those countries that have closed their airspace.



While Russias flagship carrier Aeroflot does not fly direct to Canada, it does operate multiple flights per day through Canadian airspace en route to the U.S. and beyond. Experts have said closing Canadian airspace would negatively impact those routes.



The closure of Canadian airspace to Russian aircraft is only the latest in a growing list of sanctions and retaliatory measures launched against Russia since Putin first ordered troops into Ukraine early last week.



The government has so far levelled sanctions against the Russian president along with dozens of other senior political and business leaders, as well as a number of Russian banks and defence firms.



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced in a joint statement with U.S. President Joe Biden and several European leaders late Saturday that Canada and its allies were planning to kick some Russian banks out of the international financial system.



Japan announced on Sunday that it would follow suit.



Trudeau, Biden and the other European leaders also committed restricting the Russian central bank from using its international reserves, as they seek to isolate Russia and strangle its ability to pay for its war in Ukraine.



As Russian forces unleash their assault on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, we are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies, Trudeau and the others said.



Even as western governments continued to step up their pressure on Russia on Sunday, Canadians were preparing to join counterparts from Europe and elsewhere in expressing their solidarity with Ukraine and anger at Russia.



Protests and rallies were being planned at the Russian Embassy in downtown Ottawa, with similar events planned for Montreal, Toronto and other cities in Canada in which organizers are hoping for thousands of people to turn out.



More than 100 people were on hand to raise the Ukrainian flag and march under a bright blue sky in Charlottetown on Sunday morning, including University of Prince Edward Island adjunct professor Jeffrey Collins.



"I was there with my spouse and child as a concerned citizen and in support of a Ukrainian friend of mine who asked on Facebook that friends show up for support to call for an end to the war and a restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty," Collins said.



Earlier in the day, approximately 100,000 people turned out in Berlin to protest Russias invasion of Ukraine and show solidarity with the Ukrainian people.



Police said large crowds had filled the area originally planned for the demonstration, around the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, and that they were allocating additional space to accommodate the protesters, which included families and children.



People waved yellow and blue Ukrainian flags to show their support. Some carried placards with slogans such as Hands off Ukraine" and Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.



Russians themselves have also taken to the streets again on Sunday to protest Russias invasion of Ukraine. Demonstrators marched in city centres from Moscow to Siberia chanting No to war."



Protests against the invasion started on Thursday and have continued for four days in a row, despite police swiftly moving to detain hundreds of people each day.

ORIGINAL: 7:30 a.m.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says effective immediately, Canada's airspace is closed to all Russian aircraft operators.



Alghabra in a tweet today says the move is intended to hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.



While Aeroflot does not operate any flights directly to Canada, it does have several flights per day through Canadian airspace en route to the U.S. and other destinations.



Canada is only the latest country to ban Russias flagship carrier Aeroflot and other airlines.



Several other nations, including the United Kingdom, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, have also suspended Aeroflot's foreign carrier permit, while more have said they will follow suit.



In a tit-for-tat response, Russia has banned commercial flights from the U.K., Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
Photo: File photo

Jeremy Nuvviaq's sister remembers her brother as someone who always wanted to help, whether by shovelling snow for neighbours or helping her out with chores.



Lillian Nuvviaq says her brother also took care of her and her siblings when their mother couldn't.



"He helped so many people," she said in a phone interview from her home in Sanirajak, Nvt., almost 800 kilometres northwest of Iqaluit.



Nuvviaq was 39 when he was shot and killed by Sanirajak RCMP almost five years ago.



A coroner's inquest into his death is to start Monday in the village of about 850 people. It's to be held in the community hall and is set for five days.



In a news release issued at the time of the shooting, RCMP said they responded to a call late on May 1, 2017, about a man broadcasting on social media "wanting to die by police."



The release said the man threatened officers with a weapon when they arrived. RCMP said the officers tried to negotiate with the man but were unable to and shot him.



A Facebook profile under Nuvviaq's name has a post dated May 1, 2017, that says, "I hope you watch this suicide by cop."



Lillian Nuvviaq said she didn't expect to see her brother struggling to breathe when she got to the health centre late that night.



Nuvviaq died from his injuries the next day. He was the father of five children.



"After that, I struggled to sleep because I kept flashing back to how I saw him," his sister said.



She said she was working as a guard at the community's RCMP detachment about a month before her brother died. While at work, she mentioned to one of the officers that her brother might try to kill himself. The officer she spoke to was on vacation the night her brother was shot.



She said the inquest has taken too long to be scheduled after years of grieving and, ultimately, healing.



"Once the court starts, it just brings it all back up again," she said.



But she doesn't hold anything against the officer who shot her brother.



"They were trying to help for the safety of the community."



A jury of community members will have to determine if Nuvviaq's death was a homicide, suicide, natural or accidental. Jurors must also make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.



Coroner's inquests are mandatory in Nunavut when someone dies in police custody or while detained.



The Ottawa Police Service, which has an agreement with the Nunavut RCMP to investigate all serious actions involving police, was called in to investigate Nuvviaq's death.



There were three fatal police shootings in Nunavut between December 2016 and May 2017, including Nuvviaq. A 21-year-old man was shot and killed by RCMP in Rankin Inlet, Nvt., last November.
Calling the current US administration "dumb", former President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would have never allowed the Ukraine situation to unravel like this, reported Sputnik news agency.

Recalling his term as a President at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, Trump said that the world was a peaceful place because America was strong.

Stressing that Russia "respected" America under his administration, he called current President Joe Biden "weak and grossly incompetent", which has led to the current situation in Ukraine.

Washington was perceived as "powerful, cunning, and smart" back then, but "now, we're a stupid country", Sputnik quoted Trump as saying.

The former US president said that US' pathetic withdrawal from Afghanistan led Russian President Vladimir Putin to decide on the special military operations in Ukraine.

Calling Putin "smart", he said the NATO countries "are not so smart, they are looking the opposite of smart."

"The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he is smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb," the news agency quoted Trump. The former US President was quoted having stated that anti-Russia sanctions are weak since Moscow has survived such measures imposed previously.

"Putin is playing Biden like a drum," he said, adding this would not have happened had he been the President, since it would have been easy for him "to stop this travesty."

"The world hasn't been this chaotic since World War II. I stand as the only President of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country," Sputnik quoted Trump as saying.

Notably, Putin on Monday recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Later, he ordered special military operations "to protect" the people in the Donbas region.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations and imposed sanctions on Moscow.

(ANI)

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Danville City leaders get ready to breathe new life into the old mill village; Danville leaders ready to weigh proposal to provide real estate tax help to elderly and disabled; Danville native taking his place in Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Former Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Omelyan Left His Family To Fight On The Front Lines Against The Russian Invasion Unfortunately, my appearance is much different than those days. Normally, I wear a suit with a tie and talk about politics and infrastructure issues. But not anymore. I should carry a gun, and I should shoot at the enemy with a machine gun because they came to my land to take away our independence, to make another Soviet Union, and to treat everybody like slaves of Putin. Omelyan Pledges That Ukrainians Will Fight Until The Last Bullet Ukrainians will fight until the last bullet, and until the last Ukrainian on Ukrainian soil, and theres no doubt about that. I was inspired by so many volunteers joining armed forces in recent days, but the issue is what to do next. If Russia occupies Ukraine, they will go further. There is no doubt about that. Omelyan Describes Putins Desire To Rebuild The Russian Empire [Putins] main idea is to rebuild, not even Soviet Union, but Imperial Russia  the so-called Russian Empire  and to be number one country in the world People are dying. Ordinary people are suffering. But for elect, for ruling elect everything is fine. So, its one danger. And another thing I would say is that you should always remember, whatever happens, Putin will never stop. And its not the issue of Putin. Its about Kremlin. Just recall conversation between Yeltsin and Clinton about the future of Europe, or any other U.S. President. Kremlin is pushing to occupy everything they can touch. Blackburn Is Praying for Ukrainian Freedom Fighters

Just know that we are praying for your family, for the country, and that we pray in gratitude for the spirit that the Ukrainian people have shown the fight they've shown for freedom. We appreciate that example that you are setting for the world. We're all cheering for you.
A man on Jasmine Street told police he was staying with his girlfriend there and that he had several bags at his girlfriend's residence, one of which contained $1,000 cash. He said that while his back was turned, his girlfriend took the money out of the bag. The girlfriend told police that he had lost his mind and that she had no idea what on earth he was talking about. She said that she never went through his bag and never took $1,000. She said that she actually doesn't think he even owns $1,000. She also told police that he had called his friend to pick him up and took his own bags to his friend's car, so maybe the money was still there. Either way, police have no way of knowing if the man ever had $1,000, and no proof that the girlfriend took the money, or if the man just misplaced the funds. Also, at this point, the man said that he no longer wanted to make a

report and fled the area prior to police finishing the investigation.

* * *

An anonymous caller reported suspicious activity on Tunnel Boulevard. Police checked the area for multiple parties brandishing firearms around a blue vehicle, but there were no people who matched the description.

* * *



A woman on East 28th Street told police her grandson had been on her front porch talking loudly. She wanted him to leave the residence for the night. The grandson said he did not live at the residence and had nowhere else to go. Officers offered to take him to the Community Kitchen and he agreed. He was taken there without incident.

* * *



A woman on Hooker Road told police her catalytic converter had been stolen a few weeks ago. She said she observed two vehicles near her vehicle, which was parked on Hooker Road. She described the two vehicles as a black Cadillac SUV and a black Chrysler 300. She was able to get a photo of the Cadillac SUV registration, which police observed on her phone. This registration did not come back to that observed vehicle. Responding officers did check the area, but were unable to make contact with either vehicle.

* * *

A man on Airport Road told police that last night when he came home from work, he noticed that someone had been inside of his barn and stolen some of his clothes that were in the laundry machine. Also taken were four brand new female purses that were inside a black plastic bag. The man said he suspected that someone had been inside because the barn door was open and some of his clothes were on the ground. He did not have any suspect information.

* * *

An anonymous caller told police they witnessed a vehicle driving all over the roadway at 500 Hwy. 153 northbound. The caller said the vehicle was a black Chevrolet Malibu with TN tag. Police located the vehicle near the 4700 block of Highway 58. Police spoke to the driver and she was not wanted for any outstanding warrants. She said she was fine and did not need any medical or police assistance.

* * *

A woman on Center Street told police that someone went into her vehicle, but did not take anything. She said although she believes she locked the doors, she does not know how the person entered her vehicle.

* * *

An employee at Red Lobster, 2200 Bams Dr., told police he noticed a vehicle in the parking lot with a busted out window and was able to locate the owner. The owner said he had his vehicle parked in the parking lot and it was locked, when someone broke in and took some of his belongings. The man did not wish to prosecute.

* * *



A woman on Anita Drive told police that between 3-7 p.m. that day her Nissan Murano was stolen

from her driveway. She said the vehicle's keys were not with the vehicle and her daughter parked it in the driveway around 3 p.m. The vehicle has a handicap tag on the front. The woman had no idea who could have taken the vehicle. Police put out a BOLO and entered the vehicle into NCIC.

* * *

A caller reported a gray SUV was in the parking lot of Stone Ridge Apartments, 1020 W. 37th St., and several men exited the vehicle and were getting in and out of other vehicles in the parking lot. Police saw the described vehicle with the headlights activated. The vehicle pulled out from a parking spot and left the apartment complex at a high rate of speed. The displayed registration of the vehicle was noted by police. It was discovered that the vehicle was the one stolen earlier from Anita Drive. This vehicle was not pursued, but was able to be observed traveling east on West 37th Street and then south on Alton Park Boulevard. The area was checked for the vehicle in the event it was left somewhere unoccupied. The vehicle was unable to be located. The vehicle was later recovered unoccupied with rear side damage. The vehicle was removed from the NCIC and released to the owner. It was also discovered that this vehicle was involved in a wreck at 2102 Elmendorf St.

* * *

The manager of Little Caesars, 5730 Brainerd Road, told police that a man dressed in a camo pattern jacket with a blue hat entered the store at 1:29 p.m. The man was seen on camera standing near the front counter inside the store. The man waited for employees to look away and then he unplugged a tablet that was lying on the front counter next to the cash register. The manager said he doesn't know what brand the tablet was, but said the approximate value would be $500. The man could be seen leaving the store with the tablet and getting on his bicycle with a dolly attached to the rear.
A new drive thru COVID testing site is open at 4104 Ringgold Road in East Ridge.

There is no out of pocket cost for anyone, even without insurance, officials said.

There is no need to get out of your car.

Next day results are sent by text or email.

No appointment is necessary, but you can text ahead by texting covid to 1-888-211-2304.
The No. 17 Lady Vol softball team suffered back-to-back extra-inning losses to top-10 teams on Saturday, falling to No. 1 Oklahoma 9-8 in 10 innings before being defeated by No. 6 UCLA 2-1 in eight innings at the Big League Dreams Wrigley Field in Cathedral City, California, to wrap up the 2022 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

Junior outfielder

concluded a standout weekend for the Lady Vols with three extra-base hits between the two games, knocking a pair of doubles and cranking her fourth home run of the tournament on Saturday. Sophomore catcher Sophomore catcher

had a breakout showing against the top-10 squads, going 3-for-7 on the day with a double and her first home run of the season.

Senior pitcher

threw 10.1 innings on the day, allowing three earned runs while collecting eight strikeouts to one walk. Freshman

was solid in relief, spinning three innings with a strikeout and one run allowed.

The Lady Vols gave the top-ranked Sooners their toughest challenge to date, taking Oklahoma to extra innings in a back-and-forth affair before OU sophomore Jayda Coleman walked it off with a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th.

Oklahoma jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a pair of home runs by infielders Grace Lyons and Jana Johns. Lyons sent a solo shot to right center before Johns brought in two with her blast to dead center. Johns added a fourth run for the Sooners with a solo home run to left in the bottom of the third.

Super senior shortstop

put the Lady Vols on the board in the top of the fourth, knocking an infield single to first base that scored pinch runner

from third to cut the Sooner lead to 4-1.

Tennessee tied the game with three runs in the top of the fifth, beginning with a leadoff solo blast by West that was drilled beyond the crowd in left center. Senior right fielder

cut the deficit to one with a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield, bringing in Milloy from second who had just roped a double down the left field line. Designated player

leveled the game on the next at-bat, driving a single to left that scored Ayala from second after she moved over on a wild pitch.

OU regained the lead in the bottom half of the fifth on a solo home run by catcher Kinzie Hansen, but the Lady Vols fought right back with a pair of runs in the seventh. With two runners on, Ayala roped a sacrifice fly to right field that brought

home from third to tie the game once again, and Tennessee took a 6-5 lead when senior first baseman

drew a bases-loaded walk.

The Sooners forced extras in the bottom of the seventh with a sac fly to left field by redshirt senior Taylon Snow. After a scoreless eighth, Morgan came through with another go-ahead RBI as she singled to left and drove in Ayala to put the Lady Vols ahead, 7-6, in the top of the ninth. OU would tie it up once more with Lyons' leadoff RBI single in the bottom half.

After intentionally walking NCAA career home run leader Jocelyn Alo, Rogers retired three-straight batters with two strikeouts and a flyout to send the game to the 10th.

With runners on the corners and two outs, Ayala knocked a hopping grounder to short that was misjudged, and the error allowed catcher

to come home and put the Lady Vols ahead 8-7 in the 10th. Rogers retired the first two batters she faced in the bottom half before Coleman's two-run homer to left field ended the game and cut UT's upset bid short.

The Lady Vols took a second-consecutive top-10 team to extra innings Saturday evening with a 2-1 loss to No. 6 UCLA. The pitcher's duel ended with a sac fly to center from Savannah Pola as Kinsley Washington slid home to end the game in the bottom of the eighth.

UCLA ace Megan Faraimo went the distance in the winning effort with 18 strikeouts, one earned run, four hits and one walk allowed. Graduate pitcher

tossed two scoreless frames before Rogers came on in the third for the Lady Vols, throwing 5.2 innings with five Ks and one earned run.

Tennessee scored its lone run in the top of the first when Milloy sent a leadoff bomb to center field. The Bruins tied it up in the bottom of the fourth as Maya Brady went yard to left field for a solo home run.

Tennessee returns to action Wednesday, March 2, in Knoxville for the 2022 home opener against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast online via SEC Network+.
Bass Reeves is one of many new upcoming series from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. Like 1883, this series is set in the 19th century. But this one will give viewers a look at a parallel world at the time because it tells the story of a black lawman in 19th century Oklahoma. And as it turns out, it also happens to be the origin story of the real-life Lone Ranger.

Taylor Sheridan | Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Taylor Sheridans Bass Reeves will star David Oyelowo

Paramount recently announced that Sheridan has five more series in the works for streamer Paramount+, including Bass Reeves starring David Oyelowo. They are currently in the writers room for the upcoming limited series, which will reportedly feature six episodes.

The writers are beavering away and theyre doing a phenomenal job. So were a couple of months away from being on a set in Arkansas and [me] being the man himself, Oyelowo told The Wrap.

David Oyelowo and his wife visited the set of 1883 to get a feel for the 19th century

Oyelowo says that Bass Reeves is one of those dream projects that is finally coming to fruition. He will star in the series, and his wife Jess is one of the series co-producers. The couple recently visited the Texas set of the Yellowstone prequel 1883 to get a feel for the time period.

Our show happens in the same kind of time period. Jess and I were out in Texas recently with those guys as they were shooting 1883 and thats very much the world our show plays out in, he said.

Bass Reeves is the story of the Lone Ranger

Reeves is a real-life historical figure who was the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi. And some believe the former slave was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger. According to Lake Powell Life, Reeves was a legendary lawman who attempted to bring law and order to Oklahoma pre-statehood.

He was one of 200 deputies hired by hanging judge Isaac Parker to scour the Oklahoma territory for outlaws. During his tenure, he arrested more than 3,000 bad guys and killed 14. But he was never shot or seriously injured himself. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, he worked as a police officer in the town of Muskogee until his death in 1910.

To look at a character like Bass Reeves  I mean this is the guy that the Lone Ranger was based on. Who got white-washed out of history, Oyelowo explained. And I just cant wait to get on that horse and tell this story.

Taylor Sheridans famous cowboy training begins soon

Oyelowo says that he hasnt begun Sheridans famous cowboy training just yet, but he is beyond excited to get started.

Being in the world of Taylor Sheridan, you have the best in the business to teach you all of that. I am about to get deep into the world of horse-riding. I do ride, but this guy was at a completely other level. Its going to be a lot of fun. The guns, the horses Im gonna be a kid in a candy store, Oyelowo admitted.

David Oyelowo struggled to get Bass Reeves made until he teamed up with Taylor Sheridan

The story of the Lone Ranger has been told on both TV and the big screen over the past century. But Bass Reeves wont be like other westerns. Oyelowo says that they are going to try to avoid cliches and tropes as much as they can.

But inevitably therell be the odd thing that everyone recognizes as a classic western moment, Oyelowo noted.

The actor says hes been trying to get this show made for years, but every network cabler turned him down. It wasnt until he teamed up with Sheridan that this project finally landed somewhere great.

Im a huge fan of Taylor Sheridan, so getting to work with him is pretty great as well, Oyelowo said. Sheridan also had great things to say about the star of Bass Reeves.

When Im casting, Im seeking the great actors of our generation. And David Oyelowo is a once-in-a-generation talent, Sheridan said.

Bass Reeves is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in 2023.

RELATED: Yellowstone Creator Taylor Sheridan Is Married to a Real-Life Cowgirl
FORMER Ntabazinduna traditional leader Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni has predicted overwhelming rigging of the March 26 by-elections in favour of Zanu PF saying the the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the police are already showing they are inclined to favour the ruling party.

Zimbabwe has a total of 133 elective vacancies, which comprise 28 parliamentary seats and 105 council seats emanating from recalls and deaths.

Douglas Mwonzoras MDC-T and Lucia Matibengas Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been responsible for the majority of seats that fell vacant from 2018 to date. Matibenga recalled six House of Assembly members with two representing Bulawayo constituencies.

Zimbabwe is gearing towards the March 26 by-elections to fill the vacant seats with the Matabeleland region having a total of 19 vacant local authority seats and four national assembly seats.

Ndiweni, who is in exile in Britain was dethroned by President Emmerson Mnangagwas government in 2019 under controversial circumstances.

In an eight page report in this papers possession, Ndiweni said he recently observed the Zanu PF primaries where some members complained of rigging. That is the same rigging that will manifest in the by-elections, he said.

Zanu PF conducted primary elections in all provinces with vacant wards and parliament seats amid internal party complaints that the polls were characterised by rigging, intimidation and ballot stuffing.

To date the complaints have not been resolved.

What an event that should be captured and put onto the big screen. We observed Zanu PF members crying out loud about vote rigging by some of their very own. Cries over stuffed ballot boxes and shouts over missing ballot boxes. There were shouts of party election officials being stranded without fuel so that they could not officiate during the vote counting, Ndiweni said.

(There were) shouts of influential candidates letting loose the Zimbabwe Republic Police to beat up whole villages, shouts over fist fights at venues, shouts over candidates bribing voters and officials.

There were shouts over candidates that are parachuted into a constituency having not been chosen by the local people as their candidate This list is very long. However, it was giving us all a glimpse of vote rigging in action by the ruling party, by Zanu PF. It is therefore 100 %. Let us say this again, it is 100 % guaranteed that we will see vote rigging during the coming by-elections.

The chief said before it had even started, they had already seen the long arm of ZEC tampering with the voters roll to favour the ruling party, Zanu PF.

People are being moved from one constituency to another, even though they have not moved their physical addresses. We are seeing ZEC tampering with constituency boundaries, gerrymandering, as it is called, once again to suit Zanu PF. We are seeing the ZRP starting to lean on the true opposition parties. No doubt the true opposition party is going to have great difficulties in holding gatherings and campaigning. As we saw in the Zanu PF primaries, we will see many other rigging events, Ndiweni said.

Let us not forget that the Zanu PF government has refused to implement the electoral reforms that we Zimbabweans wanted. These reforms were tabulated by Zimbabweans, political parties, clergy, academics, NGOs, civic society, traditional leaders, government officials, legal professionals, lawyers, magistrates, judges the public, chiefs and other traditional leaders.

Ndiweni said these electoral reforms were not something that was just created by the West to be forced on the Zimbabwean government. He said lack of the implementation of these electoral reforms meant that already the true opposition is starting at a disadvantage.

ZEC recently announced that they have set aside USD$3,7 million for the by elections and Ndiweni said this issue was of great concern to the citizens.

Such a large sum of money does not bode well for the public purse. A huge percentage of these funds will disappear. Since it is now evident to all that ZEC is really not fulfilling its constitutional mandate in the manner that it should.

So funds, public funds , will be converted into private funds, Ndiweni said.

Ndiwenis remarks came at a time when the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party threatened protests against ZEC, accusing the election management body of attempting to rig the March 26 by-elections.

Zec is being accused of illegally moving over 170 000 voters from their original constituencies and wards on the voters roll to be used for the March 26 by-elections, a move which critics say could affect the credibility of the polls.

However, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said CCC was panicking and sensing defeat ahead of the elections.

They definitely will not wash with an electorate long wallowing in the miasma of flowing sewage, stinking uncollected garbage, dirty well water, pothole roads and stark lack of jobs, Mutsvangwa said.

Chief elections officer, Utoile Silaigwana recently said citizens or organisations affected by the changes should approach ZEC district offices.

Can we see the claims because we havent received any complaints to date? You are very aware that the voter registration exercise is still underway, and so we can only have the correct information when it has been completed, Silaigwana said. Standard
HBO Max is taking 2022 by storm with original content that draws viewers in. The streaming platform ended 2021 with the release of And Just Like That and will close out Q1 with the premiere of Julia, a drama based on the life of famed television chef, Julia Child. The series, which has been in development since 2020, officially has a release date, and we are learning more and more about the project ahead of its March 2022 premiere.

When will Julia premiere on HBO Max?

HBO Max has remained pretty tightlipped about Julia, but fans who have been anxiously awaiting news final have a release date. On February 15, HBO Max announced the series will premiere on March 31. The first season will include eight episodes.

Fran Kranz and Sarah Lancashire in Julia | Seacia Pavao/HBO Max

HBO Max has opted to shy away from the binge phenomenon. Instead of releasing an entire season in one drop, the platform prefers a weekly release schedule, much like traditional television. Not only does the strategy help keep the content in the public consciousness for longer, but it allows a series to continue to build buzz as it progresses.

Several stars have been tapped to join the production

Meryl Streep famously portrayed Julia Child in the 2009 big-screen hit, Julie & Julia, but another actor will be taking a crack at the character for HBO Max. Sarah Lancashire will take on the title role. Lancashire is most famous for her role in Happy Valley, a British crime drama.

Fiona Glascott and David Hyde Pierce in Julia | Seacia Pavao/HBO Max

Tom Hollander was initially set to portray Paul Child, Julias husband. David Hyde Pierce replaced Hollander in 2020. Pierce is best known for playing Dr. Niles Crane on Frasier for 11 seasons. According to Deadline, Hollander abandoned the project when Coronavirus (COVID-19) production and travel restrictions delayed the project. Hollander is based in the United Kingdom.

Another Frasier alum will join Pierce. Bebe Neuwirth will portray Avis DeVoto, Julias pen pal. Avis played a critical role in getting Julia Childs first cookbook published. Neuwirth spent years playing Dr. Lilith Sternin on both Cheers and Frasier. Fiona Glascott and Lindsey Broad have also signed on to the project.

What part of Julia Childs life will Julia cover?

Julia Childs life can be divided into several interesting chapters. Before marriage, the famed chef worked for the United States government in the Office of Strategic Services. She helped develop a shark repellant and may or may not have been a spy, depending on who you ask.

Julia Child | Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images

After marriage, she moved to France and learned to cook at Le Cordon Bleu. Once stateside again, she became the television personality fans have continued to fall in love with years after her death. The series, unfortunately, can not cover it all.

The drama will focus on Julia Childs time on television and the development of her television show. According to Deadline, the show will also explore the dynamic between Julia and Paul Child. The couples loving marriage has fascinated millions for decades.

RELATED: Julia Child Described Her First Meal In France As The Most Exciting Of Her Life
New comedy TV series Abbott Elementary revolves around the faculty of an underfunded West Philadelphia-based elementary school and how much they love their jobs despite the lack of funding. Is the popular ABC sitcom based on a true story? Creator, writer, executive producer, and star of Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson, previously revealed her inspiration behind the sitcom.

Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues in Abbott Elementary | Prashant Gupta/ABC/Getty Images

Quinta Brunson says Abbott Elementary is inspired by her mothers teaching experiences

A few months before Abbott Elementary premiered on ABC, creator, writer, executive producer, and star of the mockumentary comedy, Quinta Brunson, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Speaking to comedian Wanda Sykes, she explained the sitcom is loosely inspired by her mother teaching at a West Philadelphia public school for over 40 years.

Hear that storm rolling in? Yup. All Janine! Stream on Hulu now to find out her ways  pic.twitter.com/AMbuqjVoKk  Abbott Elementary (@AbbottElemABC) February 17, 2022

RELATED: Where Is Abbott Elementary Filmed? Is Willard Abbott a Real School?

The actor went more in-depth during a Feb. 2022 taping of The Kelly Clarkson Show as she explained how her exposure to having a parent who teaches gave her a behind-the-scenes view into the occupation.

For example, Brunson said she had her mother as her kindergarten teacher and went to the same school she taught at until sixth grade. Therefore, the actor rode back-and-forth to school with her mom and watched her continue working at home. Those experiences, including her mothers countless stories, breathed life into Abbott Elementary.

Abbott Elementary is filmed in Los Angeles, California

Even though the fictional elementary school is based in West Philadelphia, the cast actually filmed the show in LA, California. However, it still features several references that make it feel like the mockumentary is shot in Pennsylvanias largest city.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Brunson attended an underfunded public school in Philadelphia, similar to one in the show, where she met her sixth-grade teacher, Joyce Abbott.

Inspired by her and unable to use her alma maters name, Brunson paid homage to her favorite educator and Philadelphia-based actor Will Smith by titling it Willard Abbott Elementary. It also seems that revered kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard is inspired by Brunsons mother.

Her character, Janine Teagues, admires Mrs. Howard in the series. Additionally, Lisa Ann Walter, who portrays second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti, claimed her friendship with Barbara is partially inspired by the bond Brunsons mother had with a Silician educator in a January 2022 interview. As the show creators mother was also a kindergarten teacher, its possible she inspired Barbaras character.

Brunson portrays Janine Teagues in Abbott Elementary

Including writing and producing the sitcom, Brunson stars in it as a chipper second-grade teacher, Janine Teagues.

Passionate about her job and helping her kids despite the schools limited resources, she finds herself going above and beyond.

But when Janine wants to go get pizza pic.twitter.com/x0UBN6N1KG  Abbott Elementary (@AbbottElemABC) February 26, 2022

Her colleagues, more experienced second-grade teacher Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), a kindergarten teacher she looks up to, Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), loyal history teacher Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti), and substitute first-grade teacher who seems to have a crush on her, Gregory (Tyler James Williams) support the optimistic teacher while still bringing her back down to Earth when needed.

The inept principal Ava Coleman (Janelle James) enjoys picking on Janine but has also shown a willingness to help at times. Abbott Elementary airs Tuesdays on ABC.

RELATED: Abbott Elementary: Tyler James Williams Admits Janelle James Has Caused Him to Break Character Several Times
The Duggar Family used to be in the news every year for welcoming their newest addition into the family. Now the only thing that seems to get them on the news is one scandal after another. The Duggar sisters recently had a privacy lawsuit dismissed by an Arkansas judge, and Jill Duggar had a lot to say about the Judges decision.

Jill Duggar Dillard | D Dipasupil/Getty Images

Read on to learn more about the Duggar familys latest scandals, what the Duggar sisters privacy lawsuit was all about, and what Jill Duggar has to say about the whole situation.

Josh Duggar has ruined the Duggar family from within

The Duggar family from Arkansas came to fame in the early 2000s via the TLC network. After appearing in a number of TLC specials, the Duggar Family landed their own reality show with the network. The familys reality show, 19 Kids and Counting, began airing in 2008. When the show first premiered in 2008, hardly anyone besides the Duggar family themselves could have predicted the skeletons that would come out of the closet just seven years later.

In 2015, 19 Kids and Counting was officially canceled by TLC after it became public knowledge that Josh Duggar, the oldest of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggars brood, had sexually assaulted four of his younger sisters and one other young girl when he was a teenager. Rather than seeking professional help for their daughters or their son, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar did little to prevent Josh from continuing to prey on their daughters and other young girls.

Ultimately, the Duggar parents tried to sweep their sons horrific actions under the rug. This decision has continued to be devastating for their daughters and the entire Duggar family.

The Duggar sisters file a lawsuit against Arkansas City officials

During Josh Duggars 2015 scandal, Arkansas city officials released classified documents to the public that depicted the molestation allegations that had occurred while Josh Duggar was a teen. According to the Daily Mail, Jill Duggar, along with three of her sisters, filed a lawsuit against Arkansas City officials in 2017 for releasing classified documents about the molestation they endured at the hands of their brother.

In their lawsuit, the Duggar sisters claimed that their privacy was violated when officials decided to make their documents public. In February 2022, the Duggar sisters lawsuit was dismissed as the Judge presiding over the case ruled that there was no evidence that the Arkansas officials intended to inflict emotional distress upon the sisters.

After the ruling, Jill Duggar took to Instagram to vent her frustration over the Judges ruling. In her Instagram photo, a woman is seen holding a sticky note in front of her mouth that displays a large x through it. The photo signals that Duggar feels like she is being silenced. She wrote more about her feelings on her personal website, Dillard Family, writing, We are disappointed with the ruling. She went on to say, Its unfortunate that bad actors are given a license to intentionally inflict pain without regard for innocent victims.

The Duggar Family cant seem to escape scandal

Jill Duggars husband, Derick Dillard, has been by her side throughout these difficult court rulings. Dillard, who earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law in May 2021, has more of an inside look at the Duggar familys recent court cases compared to other members of the family.

The Duggar family just cant seem to escape scandal these days. Along with the Duggar sisters lawsuit being dismissed, the family has been involved in a number of court cases these days. Josh Duggar was found guilty by a federal jury on child pornography charges in December 2021. He is currently awaiting sentencing but has requested a new trial or an acquittal.

The oldest sister of the Duggar family is also facing legal trouble these days. According to Today, Jana Duggar was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor in September 2021. Jana, 31, was babysitting children at her familys home when, allegedly, at least one minor-aged child left the home and was spotted near the road. Jana Duggars charges were settled outside of court in January 2022. Only time will tell what type of scandal finds the Duggar family next.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.

How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.

RELATED: Josh Duggars Trial: Josh Duggar Photographed at Family Wedding Ahead of Child Pornography Trial
Viewers of Showtimes drama Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber will also hear a familiar voice narrating the story. Quentin Tarantino narrates the story of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and venture capitalist Bill Gurley (Kyle Chandler). Prior to the series premiere, Super Pumped writers and executive producers Brian Koppelman and David Levien explained to The Wrap how they landed Tarantino.

Quentin Tarantino | Noam Galai/Getty Images

Quentin Tarantino is super pumped about Billions

Koppelman and Levien also co-created Billions. With their Billions writer and executive producer Beth Schacter, they developed Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber. Super Pumped is based on Mike Isaacs book, but it turns out Tarantino is a big Billions fan.

RELATED: Quentin Tarantino Cracked Himself up Describing a Comedy Western He Wants to Make

What David [Levien] and I knew was in the last two years  if you listen to the podcast you know what a big deal Quentins work is to us  he wrote to us that he had become a really big Billions watcher and fan, Koppelman told The Wrap. He watches it very closely and is very engaged with every reference and every characters journey. So thats why we thought maybe it was possible he would do it. We knew he liked our work to some extent, or was engaging it.

Super Pumped: Quentin Tarantino gave them an in

While developing Super Pumped, Koppelman invited Tarantino to be on his podcast, The Moment, in July 2021. He knew the role of narrator would be available.

When I asked him to do the podcast, in the same email I asked him to do this, Koppelman said. He said yes to both and I wrote back, You know you said yes to both things? and he said, perfect Tarantino-ish, Yeah I know what I said yes to.

So what makes Tarantino the right voice of Super Pumped?

When people ask why Quentin Tarantino the only answer I can come up with is, Because he said yes, Koppelman said.

They got the full QT package

Tarantino, of course, is the writer/director of Pulp Fiction, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and more. Koppelman said Tarantino took their direction well. He has, after all, appeared in other directors movies as an actor. However, Tarantino did put on his directors hat occasionally.

And Sunday at 10:00 est, @Showtime #superpumped. Or just watch anytime after 12:01 Sunday on the Showtime apps. pic.twitter.com/LIS7dCyc7j  David Levien (@DavidLevien) February 25, 2022

The only time Quentin got directorial at all, we did two sessions and the second session he was over in Israel where he lives part of the time, Koppelman said. So it was over Zoom, and the only directorial thing was he was like, I dont really love how this camera is with the Zoom, and we were like, You know what, you set that up!

Other than that, Levien said Tarantino got the delivery without much prompting.

He was amazing because he showed up like a performer and was totally open to our input and wanted us to be happy with it, Levien said. He didnt bring his directorial authority to it, he was like, Let me just read it out loud, youll hear what I do, and then youll tell me, basically. And of course he was basically right on it when he read it, and we would just give tiny thoughts about things. He was so enthusiastic and game, honestly it was surreal and one of the most fun things weve ever done in our career.

RELATED: Super Pumped: Travis Kalanick Was Not Involved With the Series
Many shocking moments happened in music this year, both good and bad. The industry has specifically suffered a lot of big losses, including in the hip-hop community. From Snootie Wild to Wavy Navy Pooh, here are the rappers who died in 2022. Gone too soon, but never forgotten.

Snootie Wild in 2014 | Bennett Raglin/BET

J $tash

Rapper J $tash died in January in a murder-suicide, People reports. The 28-year-old, whose real name was Justin Joseph, reportedly shot and killed a woman thought to be his girlfriend, 27-year-old Jeanette Gallegos, in a California residence before turning the gun on himself. Her three children were reportedly there at the time of the murders. J $tash was from Florida and had gained attention for his 2014 song Guerillas.

Lil Devin

Lil Devin was born in Indiana as Devin Swain. He would gain recognition for tracks such as MVP and his remix to Coi Lerays No Parties. Devin was killed in January while celebrating the New Year at a party at his familys home, according to local news outlet WXIN.

Witnesses told the outlet the house was broken into by several masked men who attacked Devin, leaving him with injuries to his chest. He was transported to a hospital, where he died. Devin was 24.

Wavy Navy Pooh

Born Shandler Beaubien, Wavy Navy Pooh was a Miami rapper perhaps most recognized for his song Money On My Head with Moneybagg Yo. While he had yet to achieve mainstream success, he seemed destined for greatness, having signed to Quality Control Music  home to artists such as Lil Baby, Migos, and the City Girls.

Tragically, he died in January in a drive-by shooting. The Miami Herald reports he was riding in a car with three other individuals, including two young children, when someone ambushed him. The others were not hurt. Wavy Navy Pooh was 28 years old at the time of his death.

Streets dont love nobody. Lets glorify something else.  P (@qcm_p) January 15, 2022

RELATED: 7 Rappers For People Who Dont Like Rap Music

TDott Woo

Drill rapper TDott Woo lost his life in a shooting in Brooklyn, New York, in February. ABC News reports that the rapper (real name Tahjay Dobson) was outside when a bullet struck him. Woo was friends with Pop Smoke  one of the rappers who died in 2020 in a home invasion  and had apparently just finalized a recording contract with Million Dollar Records in the hours before his death. He was 22.

Snootie Wild

Music fans will remember Memphis rapper Snootie Wild for the 2014 radio anthem Yayo and its remix featuring Fabolous, Jadakiss, French Montana, and YG. The rapper, signed to Yo Gottis CMG imprint, would go on to release other popular singles such as Made Me with K Camp and 2016s Rich or Not. But Yayo remains his most popular song.

Snootie (real name LePreston Porter) reportedly died in February after a shooting in Houston, Texas. ABC13 reports that police responding to calls of shots fired discovered Snootie in a ditch suffering a gunshot wound to the neck. He later died at the hospital. Snootie was 36.

Snootie Wilds death came just months after the murder of fellow Memphis rapper Young Dolph. Best known for his 2016 anthem Preach, Dolph was killed at a cookie shop in his hometown in November of 2021, also aged 36. Police have since arrested several suspects for his murder. Dolph was one of over a dozen rappers who died in 2021.

Goonew

Born Markelle Morrow, Goonew was a rapper from the Washington D.C. area. He had gained attention for his song Stain but died before reaching mainstream success. Local news outlet News4 reported that he was shot on March 18 in Prince Georges County and pronounced dead at a hospital. Family members reportedly believe that Goonew was killed in a robbery, but police are still working to determine what happened. He was 24.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line.

RELATED: What Was Young Dolphs Net Worth at the Time of His Death?
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC) is one of the latest entries in Bravos legendary Real Housewives franchise. The 10th installment in the hit franchise, the series premiered on Bravo in late 2021. With a cast that features fan-favorite characters such as Meredith Marks, Lisa Barlow, and Heather Gay, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City has quickly become one of the most popular reality shows on television. With RHOSLC becoming even bigger as the days go on, many fans are questioning what the term Mormon royalty means since it has been featured frequently on the series.

What does Mormon royalty mean?

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is set in Utah, a state that is notable for being a beacon of the Mormon religion. Several members of the show are a part of the Mormon faith, including Lisa Barlow. Throughout the series, some cast members have used the term Mormon royalty, leading many viewers to wonder if that is an official designation or just a slang term.

Some fans on Reddit started discussing the term in late 2021, with one poster writing that Mormon royalty is made up term by Bravo to give this show some more glitz and glam. It is meant to connect to a desire to see inside the life of people in power. Another poster wrote they use that term for all of the different cities. Beverly Hills Royalty New York Royalty. I guess Mormon vs Utah royalty makes people more interested. Theres a little more to the term than that, however. According to The Sun, members of Mormon royalty are commonly referred to as being members of high-ranking Mormon families or current members of the church. This is backed up by a report from Ex Mormon, suggesting that church members known as Mormon royalty are often given special treatment by other church elders and parishioners.

RHOSLCA cast members Heather Gay and Lisa Barlow are Mormon royalty

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Heather Gay | Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank

Gay has a special tie to the term Mormon royalty. According to the report from The Sun, Gay was a devout Mormon from birth and was raised in an exclusive environment. Her marriage to a high-ranking member of Mormon royalty solidified her status.

I am a purebred, pedigreed, pioneer, Mormon, Gay said in an interview early on in the series. My ancestors came across the plains as pioneers.

Barlow, another Mormon cast member of RHOSLCA, converted to Mormonism as a child and was raised as a practicing Mormon. However, shes been open about her desire to do Mormonism her way, and doesnt always adhere to the strict guidelines of the religion.

In 2015, Gay and her husband went through a divorce. The split from her husband not only shook up Gays love life, but it affected her attitude toward the church, as well. Gay distanced herself from Mormonism after the divorce, even as her husband went on to legally trademark the term Mormon royalty. According to Monsters & Critics, the label started gaining prominence amongst Gays inner circle thanks to her familys association with the famed film producer Howard Hughes.

Heather Gay left the Mormon faith after her divorce

Thank you for starting my day off with a laugh!! #RHOSLC https://t.co/h4HLWzd7qw  Heather Gay (@heathergay29) January 26, 2022

In November 2020, Gay sat down with The Salt Lake Tribune to discuss her attitude toward religionand why she has taken a step back from Mormonism. When it came down to it, she said of her decision to exit the church publicly. I thought if Im going to leave the Mormon Church, this is the way to do it. I was kind of sick of living in the shadows. I dont want to say double life, but I was transitioning out of the faith very slowly  like a slow bleed.

She also revealed that she was devastated by her 2015 divorce, admitting that she felt a strong sense of failure. These days, she describes herself as a good Mormon gone bad. For fans, the drama makes for extremely entertaining television.

RELATED: Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Fans React To the Premiere
Tom Holland might be fresh from the success of his blockbuster movie Spider-Man: No Way Home, but the popular young actor isnt slowing down anytime soon. He can be seen in Uncharted, one of the buzziest movies to hit theaters this spring, acting alongside such screen legends as Mark Wahlberg and Antonio Banderas. Hollands training and preparation for the film was intense, and as he revealed in a recent interview, he got a little too carried away at times, even accidentally kicking a stuntman in the face at one point.

Tom Holland | Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

What did Tom Holland say about kicking an Uncharted stuntman in the face?

Uncharted is a hardcore action film in the style of classic adventures movies like the Indiana Jones franchise. To get in character, Holland dove right into the stunt training. In a recent interview with Fandango All Access, Holland talked about the challenge of filming complex stunts. It was tough, Holland said,

There were times where we ripped our hands to smithereens hanging onto those boxes and eventually your grip strength would give out, and you would just let go and upon letting go, you would get rope burns and blisters and bangs and bruises you know.

Holland detailed how, at one point, he unfortunately kicked a poor stuntman in the face in that sequence. He was OK, he is an ex-UFC fighter, so hes tough as nails. That doesnt excuse my lack of judgment, Holland joked in his interview. The actor explained that the way the wires were set up had caused him to be closer than usual to the stuntman, which caused the unfortunate accident.

What is Uncharted about?

Uncharted tells the story of a young man named Nathan Drake, who is recruited by a seasoned adventurer named Victor Sullivan. Together, Drake and Sullivan go on the journey of their lives, hunting for the famed lost treasure of the Magellan expedition. Along the way, the two compatriots encounter a world of trouble, including pushback from an evil billionaire named Santiago Moncada.

Based on a popular video game, Uncharted is new territory for Holland. The young actor is best known for his portrayal of Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but his brand-new role as a treasure-seeker in Uncharted required Holland to work even harder to build his body up to action-star status.

Tom Hollands Uncharted workout

Come with us on the perfect cinematic escape. Get to theaters NOW to see #UnchartedMovie, starring @TomHolland1996 and @MarkWahlberg. pic.twitter.com/7k6yyxv8a0  Uncharted (@unchartedmovie) February 21, 2022

Tom Holland trained as a gymnast and stage performer, so hes always had good control of his body  however when he was preparing to film Spider-Man: No Way Home, Holland had to really step up his game. According to a December 2021 report from GQ, Holland started working with personal trainer George Ashwell to craft a body that would be believable not just for the nonstop action scenes, but for the shirtless ones as well. Ashwell started Holland on an intense training regimen, one that was designed to build a lot of muscle.

Part of Hollands everyday gym routine included deadlifts, dip bar straight leg raises, weighted dips, and one full minute of functional range conditioning, which encourages flexibility and promotes joint mobility. According to Mens Journal, Hollands dedication to his workouts impressed even celebrity trainer Ashwell. Tom smashed it, Ashwell said. The kid is a machine. In the end, Holland was able to build about 14 pounds of muscle without gaining an ounce in body fat  a truly impressive feat for anyone, even a hardened action star.

RELATED: Uncharted: Tom Holland Says the Film Has the Biggest Action Sequences [Hes] Ever Been a Part of: What to Expect
Mirabel Madrigals Waiting on a Miracle is the I Want song of Disneys Encanto, composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. This track posed extra challenges for Miranda, though, as the artist said a trip to Colombia brought him clarity.

Lin-Manuel Miranda created Mirabels solo song, Waiting on a Miracle

Lin-Manuel Miranda attends the New York premiere of Disneys Encanto, hosted by The Hispanic Federation | Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Disney

The Madrigals are a magical family, each gifted with a unique power. Camilo can shapeshift. Antonio can talk to animals. And Mirabel, well, without a supernatural power, she was still waiting on her miracle.

Mirabel Madrigal is the character behind Waiting on a Miracle, a song included in the Encanto soundtrack. Miranda wrote this piece. Miranda also created the chart-topping We Dont Talk About Bruno and the Oscar-nominated Dos Orugutias.

During an interview with Variety, Miranda said Mirabels song was the most challenging Encanto track to compose.

The I want song is always hard, Miranda said. You have to make the whole movie to understand the journey that Mirabels got to go on and what the question is going to be, so you have to go at it backwards.

Lin-Manuel Miranda said that Waiting on a Miracle wrote itself after a research trip

From Mulans Reflect to Elsas Let It Go to Ariels Part of Your World, Disney is known for its hero/heroine anthems. With Mirabel telling a unique story, she needed a solo song with as much individuality.

Disney has such an insane legacy of good songs that you have to put that out of your head, Miranda added in the same Variety interview. What finally unlocked Waiting on a Miracle was going back to listening to the music we recorded when we were on that research trip.

There were so many Colombian waltzes that were in three-quarter time, he continued. In my head, I had to write a big Disney pop anthem. But once I committed to the three-quarter time, the song wrote itself.

With Waiting on a Miracle written in a different time signature from the other Encanto songs, Miranda emphasized the characters out of beat personality from her family. Of course, the music of Colombia inspired this song. (Most tracks from Disneys original soundtrack featured elements of Latin American music.)

Lin-Manuel Miranda created solo songs for Luis and Isabela Madrigal

With so many members of the amazing Madrigals, not every character performed a solo song. Both of Mirabels sisters were showcased by Miranda, though, with Isabela performing What Else Can I Do?

Isabela transformed from Senorita Perfecta to a free-spirited individual in this Encanto song. One of the most popular songs from the production, Surface Pressure, tells the story of Luisa Madrigal.

Mirandas older sister, who also took on her familys extra emotional weight, inspired Luisas lament over hidden stress. Since its Spotify debut, this track earned over 95 million plays, only surpassed by We Dont Talk About Bruno.

RELATED: Encanto: Why Lin-Manuel Miranda Intentionally Wrote Mirabels Song Out of Beat With the Rest of the Family
Chickasha, OK (73018)

Today

Cloudy early. Scattered strong thunderstorms this afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High around 70F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 59F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Trump bashes Bidens handling of Russia, says Putin didnt invade Ukraine on his watch

Former President Donald Trump denounced President Joe Bidens response to Russias invasion of Ukraine, saying it would not have happened on his watch.

After a couple of months of tensions between the two countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to invade Ukraine Thursday, in part under the pretext of defending the declared independence of the eastern Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday night for nearly 90 minutes, Trump expressed his support for the people of Ukraine and denounced Bidens handling of the conflict.

The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. Its an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur, said Trump. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all.

This horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president. Very simple, it wouldnt have happened.



Despite Trump claiming election fraud, a 136-page report written by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) shows "no evidence of widespread voter fraud." The WILL hand recounted 20,000 votes from 20 wards with "no evidence of fraudulent ballots," and also reviewed 29,000 ballot certificates in 29 wards.



The report from WILL, which supports many of Trump's policies, concluded, "We do not believe the election was 'stolen.' But it was not adequately secure."

Trump went on to point out that Russia invaded the nation of Georgia under former President George W. Bush and that Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula under former President Barack Obama.

Under Biden, Russia invaded Ukraine, he continued. I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country.

I gave Ukraine the [Javelin antitank missiles] that everyone is now talking about, and millions of dollars of other military equipment. The Obama administration gave them blankets.

Trump went on to say that when he was president, the world was a peaceful place because America was strong and the perception of our country was perhaps like it had never been before: powerful, cunning, and smart.

Trump spoke about warning the North Atlantic Treaty Organization about the danger of Russia before the current invasion of Ukraine and contrasted his record on overseas conflict with the claims made against him by political opponents.

You remember, though, when so many people in the Democrat Party and during the debates said, hes going to get us into the Third World War, continued Trump. Im the one that didnt have any wars. Im the one that got us out of wars.

Both before and after being elected president in 2016, Trump faced allegations that he was a staunch supporter and an alleged puppet of Putin.

According to a Harvard Center for American Political Studies-Harris Poll released earlier this week, 62% of surveyed Americans believe that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump was still president.

Trump also talked about a host of issues, including illegal immigration, unsubstantiated claims of 2020 election fraud, the danger of fake news, and expressed support for the Canadian truckers convoy.

Trump said that the Biden administration has failed to secure the borders of the United States, claiming that the southern border was the safest it had ever been while he was president.

The CPAC audience was passionate, often cheering Trump as he spoke and booing progressive groups and public figures named by the former president during his lengthy speech.

When talking about his time as president, the crowd chanted, Four more years! And when Trump criticized his 2016 election opponent Hillary Clinton, they chanted, Lock her up!

He also spoke of the sleeping giant of conservative activists, who he believed would help to propel Republicans to victory later this year and in the 2024 presidential election.

When we win, we will defeat this corrupt political establishment, we will save our Republic, and we will restore constitutional government of, by, and for the people, added Trump.

The Washington swamp knows we are coming to break their grip on power forever. That is why they are so desperate to stop us. They will go to any lengths.

Trumps remarks came as part of CPAC, the large annual gathering of conservatives that, while normally held in the Washington, D.C. area, took place in Orlando, Florida, this year.

In addition to Trump, prominent speakers at CPAC included: Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii; former leader of UKIP and British MEP Nigel Farage; former head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson; actor Kevin Sorbo and his wife, Sam; conservative commentator Todd Starnes; and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, among others.

DeSantis, who spoke at CPAC on Thursday, focused on domestic issues, claiming that Democrats want to marginalize the conservative half of the country so they will be powerless to resist their ideological aims.

The woke is the new religion of the Left, and this is what they have in mind, DeSantis told those gathered. Thats why they want CRT [critical race theory] because they want to divide the country. Thats why they remove statues of Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt, take George Washingtons name off schools.

They want to delegitimize our founding institutions, and they want to replace that with their left-wing ideology as the foundational principles of our modern-day society.
President Putins ongoing invasion of neighboring Ukraine found little support Saturday among the Russian expatriates of Brighton Beach.

Russian people have a moral duty to stand up and say something when Russia is doing something bad, said a 40-year-old woman named Yevgenia after returning from a pro-Ukraine rally in Times Square.

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Its so unprovoked and egregious and appalling. Were very culturally close with Ukraine, but of course they are a distinct country at the same time.

Brighton Beach, Brooklyn resident Luba said everyone in the neighborhood is against the war. (Liam Quigley)

Yevgenia, holding a sign reading No War! in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukranian flag, was joined by a friend with a sign declaring Save Refugees Lives. The duo was greeted with shouts of Slava Ukraini from passersby  Glory to Ukraine!

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Its shocking, said the woman, who came to Brooklyn from Minsk as a 10-year-old. I still cant believe that this happened.

Her disbelief is shared by others in the community.

What normal person starts war in Europe in 2022? Its not a normal person, said storeowner Andrew Abramov at Kalinka Gift shop.

Abramov, 57, who was born in Moscow, said hes sold out of Ukrainian flags and gave his own to a customer.

Local residents flipped through Russian and Eastern European newpapers at a busy newsstand as they tried to keep up with the latest information while the invasion stretched into its third day with the Ukrainians battling Russian troops.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, a sentiment that won the support of another local woman.

Russians Yevgenia (left) and Galina on the Riegelmann boardwalk in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn after they left a pro-Ukraine rally in Times Square. (Liam Quigley)

Everyone here hates it, said Luba, one of the many local immigrants opposed to the invasion. Every Russian has somebody in Ukraine. Its almost like civil war, with brother fighting brother.

For Elena Kelva, 37, this is very much a family affair.

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My husband is Ukrainian and I was born in Moscow, so I can completely understand. I have more friends in Ukraine than Russia, Kelva said, adding that a friend of hers in Kyiv is declined help to evacuate and chose to stay and fight.

Kelva said that many Russian citizens she had spoken with are scared to speak out against the war.

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Theres no division between Russians and Ukrainians. If youre a citizen of Russia it doesnt mean you love Putin, but of course there are a lot of people who support him, but they just watch Russian TV and theyre brain is washed.

Fear, is also a factor, Kelva said.

There is no opposition. You have to follow the rules. If you go left or right, you will be arrested, she said.

Others, like Mariia Markarova of Siberia, struggled with their feelings as nations condemned her homelands unprovoked move against Ukraine.

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This is not a war between Russia and Ukraine, said Marakova, 25, who is in the United States on an exchange visa. This is a war between Putin and Ukraine.

Mariia Makarova (left) with Maria Kovalevskaya. Makarova is worried about her planned return to Russia in the summer. (Liam Quigley)

The teary Russian woman said she hoped the world could take a more nuanced view of the situation and realize her nation was not 100% behind Putin and his deadly assault into Ukraine.

Its really important to differentiate the people from the politics, she stressed. Theres just so much hate now for the Russians. Im really worried about the future. I feel really insecure to even say that Im Russian.
Ukraine President Zelensky thanks Pope Francis for praying for peace amid Putins invasion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is thankful to Pope Francis for a phone call in which the leader of the Catholic Church told him he is praying for peace as Russian troops continue to attack the former Soviet nation. Four days of fighting has led to hundreds of civilian deaths and displaced thousands of Ukrainians.

President Zelensky wrote on Twitter Saturday that he thanked Pope Francis @Pontifex for praying for peace in Ukraine and a ceasefire. The Ukrainian people feel the spiritual support of His Holiness, The Catholic Telegraph reported.

The Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See said Francis spoke to Zelensky on the phone on Saturday. The Holy Father expressed his deepest sorrow for the tragic events taking place in our country, the embassy wrote on Twitter.

Ukraines health minister announced Saturday that at least 198 civilians, including three children, had been killed by Russian forces. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs believes the real figures are considerably higher as officials assessing the situation have yet to confirm other reports.

More than 120,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russias invasion of Ukraine, the largest ground war in Europe since World War II.

In a departure from diplomatic protocol, the pontiff on Friday paid a surprise visit to the Russian embassy to the Vatican to express his concern over Russias invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni was quoted as saying that Francis spent more than a half-hour at the embassy. He went to express his concern over the war.

The Russian ambassador was quoted as saying that the pope called for the protection of children, the protection of the sick and suffering, and the protection of people.

As missile attacks and gunfights between invading Russian troops and Ukrainian soldiers and civilians carry on in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, local churches are helping people take shelter in their buildings.

Fr. Vyacheslav S.A.C., a pallottine priest, has posted videos on social media of his church providing shelter to families in an underground bunker surrounded by wooden furniture and minimal personal belongings, according to Reuters.

Vyacheslav said the church has space to provide temporary shelter for up to 50 people, and 27 children are among those taking refuge.

Meanwhile, Russia said Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett offered to mediate to end the fighting in Ukraine.

The Kremlin said Bennett spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone telling him that Israel was ready to help, The Associated Press reported, adding that it was not known whether the Russian leader had accepted the offer.
US-based Christian group sends emergency supplies to Ukrainian churches as civilian death toll rises

President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces to be on high alert in response to financial sanctions imposed on Russian banks by European nations following his invasion of Ukraine.

In a meeting with his top officials on Sunday, Putin ordered his defense minister and the chief of the military's general staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat duty" in response to what he claimed were "aggressive statements" by NATO members and financial sanctions that block some Russian banks from the Swift global payments system, according to The Telegraph.

This comes as Ukrainian forces continued to fiercely resist invading Russian troops on the fourth day of fighting.

Ukraines health minister announced Saturday that at least 198 civilians, including three children, had been killed by Russian soldiers. Among the hundreds of civilian casualties were a 6-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl.

The real figures are considerably higher as officials assessing the situation have yet to confirm other reports, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, according to Axios.

As the war rages, a U.S.-based Christian group is leading efforts to support churches in Ukraine, some of which are housing displaced women and children who sought shelter after the shelling began.

We have a very urgent situation, I beg you to understand, we are again sitting in the basement with children under the howl of sirens. I dont know how it will be tomorrow, we got groceries and we are distributing them, the U.S.-based group Slavic Gospel Association quoted an allied pastor in Ukraine as saying on Twitter late Saturday.

While others are fleeing, local churches are engaging, said Eric Mock, SGAs vice president of ministry operations, in a statement about the ministrys support for the church-driven emergency response in Ukraine to provide food, winter clothes, blankets and medicines for thousands of at-risk people, including orphans, abandoned children with special needs, the elderly, those uprooted by the conflict, and marginalized ethnic groups.

Churches in Ukraine, Mock added, are bravely rushing to help those in need right now. Theyre unstoppable in the face of this crisis.

On Saturday, at least six people, including a 7-year-old girl, were killed in the shelling of Okhtyrka in the northeastern administrative division of Sumy Oblast, Governor Dmitry Zhivitsky said, according to Kyiv Independent.

A woman was killed by Russian artillery in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, and a 6-year-old boy was killed by gunfire in Kyiv, the local media outlet added.

Illinois-based SGA said it was prepared to provide 175,000 meals through its partnering with a network of more than 2,300 Ukrainian and Russian pastors, including more than 40 churches in eastern Ukraine where the fighting is most intense. The need is only growing.

More than 120,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russias invasion of Ukraine, the largest ground war in Europe since World War II.

Experts have warned that a prolonged war could displace millions of Ukrainians, leading to large-scale humanitarian crisis.

A nine-story residential building in the eastern city of Kharkiv was also hit by enemy artillery Saturday night, killing one woman. The building was extensively damaged and about 80 people were rescued, as most of them had been sheltering in the basement, according to Ukraines State Emergency Service.

International Christian relief groups Samaritan's Purse and World Help are also standing alongside the Ukrainian Church to provide aid to victims.

A senior U.S. defense official said Russia has at least 50% of its estimated 150,000-strong force inside Ukraine, according to U.S. estimates, Military Times reported.

However, reports indicate that Ukrainian forces are putting up strong resistance to Russian troops.

Ukraines U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya tweeted Saturday that he had appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers killed during its invasion of Ukraine, with an accompanying chart claiming 3,500 Russian troops had been killed, The Associated Press reported.

Russia is clearly facing setbacks that it did not expect. Its taking casualties and Ukraine is taking prisoners, including some quite senior, at least one, possibly two, brigade commanders, Al Jazeera quoted Nigel Gould-Davies from the International Institute for Strategic Studies as saying.

Its quite clear that Russia has a very significant advantage. But the really impressive aspect of Ukraines resistance so far is how strong and how wide it has been, Gould-Davis, a former U.K. ambassador to Belarus, told the Qatari-government run news agency.

Ukraine has said it will be closing its borders with Russia and Belarus beginning Monday.

Meanwhile, Ukraines Western allies are preparing more sanctions against Russia, including blocking its key banks from the main global payments system.

We are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies, said a joint statement from the U.S., France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Britain and the European Commission. We will implement these measures within the coming days.

Estonia, Romania, Lithuania and Latvia announced Saturday they were banning Russian airlines from their airspace.

The German government has gone a step further to announce Saturday it would send weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine, The AP reported, saying Germany is moving away from its long-held policy of not exporting deadly weapons to conflict zones.

Germanys chancellery will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine as quickly as possible.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement. In this situation, it is our duty to help Ukraine, to the best of our ability, to defend itself against Vladimir Putins invading army.

In Russia, street protests against Putin resumed in Moscow and St. Petersburg among other cities with people taking to the streets despite mass detentions on Thursday and Friday.

OVD-Info, a rights group that tracks political arrests, reported Saturday that at least 460 protesters had been detained in 34 cities, including over 200 in Moscow.

Russia said Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett offered to mediate to end the fighting in Ukraine.

The Kremlin said Bennett spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone telling him that Israel was ready to help, the AP reported, adding that it was not known whether the Russian leader had accepted the offer.

President Joe Biden on Friday night signed an order to provide up to $600 million to Ukraine  up to $350 million in military aid, and $250 million for overall assistance.

Earlier on Friday, Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, used its veto power to block a resolution condemning its invasion. The vote at the U.N.s headquarters in New York City was 11 in favor, one against, and three abstentions, including China and India.
Colorado is again trying to compel a wedding vendors speech. Supreme Court has a chance to defend freedom.

Some U.S. Court of Appeals have a long history of issuing decisions that are demonstrably hostile to wedding artists seeking to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Whether for wedding flowers or for custom designed wedding cakes, these courts have repeatedly circumvented the rights of business owners to both practice their religious freedom and refuse to affirm messages that contradict their religious beliefs in the provision of their unique services.

By applying nondiscrimination laws to businesses they deem to be public accommodations, the states of Colorado and Washington have so far found a way to subjugate the First Amendment rights of those proprietors to the desire of individuals seeking a particular wedding product or service from a particular vendor. To date, they have consistently found the latter be the more compelling. But one wedding vendor in Colorado is hopeful that such a trend wont last.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court granted writ of certiorari in another wedding vendor case. In 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, the court will decide whether a states application of a nondiscrimination law, which would compel a website designer to create a website for a same-sex wedding, which she believes violates her sincerely held religious beliefs, violates her right to free speech under the First Amendment.

While past wedding vendor cases have focused on the free exercise clause, this case raises different arguments that the Supreme Court has not considered.

The petitioner, 303 Creative, had sought the Supreme Courts review on two questions:

1. Whether applying a public accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent, contrary to the artists sincerely held religious beliefs, violates the free speech or free exercise clauses of the First Amendment.

2. Whether a public accommodation law that authorizes secular but not religious exemptions is generally applicable under Employment Division v. Smith, and if so, whether the Supreme Court should overrule Smith.

In Employment Division v. Smith, the Supreme Court held that free exercise of religion does not excuse an individual from having to comply with a valid and neutral law of general applicability. But the Supreme Court in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis has decided to review only part of the first question, an outcome that might have been predicted based on the courts recent reliance on and application of Employment Division v. Smith in the Fulton v. City of Philadelphia case decided just last term.

On July 26, 2021, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court ruled that Colorados Anti-Discrimination Act required Lorie Smith, the owner of 303 Creative, to create custom websites celebrating a same-sex marriage, even though it was a violation of her sincerely held religious beliefs.

The court applied strict scrutiny, the highest form of judicial review used by courts to determine the constitutionality of certain laws. Under this standard, courts must assess whether a law furthers a compelling governmental interest and is narrowly tailored to achieve that result.

In applying this standard, the court determined that Smith was both compelled to create a same-sex wedding website and was restricted from publishing her own views on marriage as between one man and one woman.

In the words of 303 Creatives attorneys, this was where the court went off the rails by holding that Colorados Anti-Discrimination Act speech compulsion and speech restriction somehow satisfied strict scrutiny.

It somehow found a compelling government interest in ensuring that marginalized groups have access to the commercial marketplace, and at that same time, could compel Smiths speech because it was narrowly tailored to Colorados interest in ensuring equal access to publicly available goods and services.

How did it get to that result?

By adopting an artists are monopolists theory  arguing that Smiths unique website design services were distinct from design services available through other companies. That gave Colorado the right to force Smith to create custom wedding sites she ordinarily would not have because the state had a compelling interest in ensuring equal access not just to wedding website designers, but to specifically Smiths design services.

As 10th Circuit Chief Judge Timothy Tymkovichs dissent explained, that ruling was unprecedented and staggering in scope as one that empowered the government to force everyone to speak government-approved messages and subvert[ed] our core understandings of the First Amendment.

In holding that a government could compel speech, enforce content-based restrictions on speech that the government deems unwelcoming, and force[ ] artists to create custom websites they otherwise would not  even where that speech conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs  attorneys for 303 Creative argue that the 10th Circuit deepened an existing conflict between federal courts on whether public officials can punish speakers with whom they disagree, and disregarded the Supreme Courts long-standing free-speech precedents.

While the 10th Circuit and the Oregon Court of Appeals have ruled that public accommodation laws can on occasion compel speech, the 8th and 11th Circuit Courts have issued opinions reaching the opposite result. Still, other courts interpret public accommodation laws to compel speech because they find the actions of wedding designers not to be speech at all, but instead, merely conduct (and therefore, undeserving of First Amendment protection).

Kristen Waggoner, general counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, who is representing Smith, was encouraged after the courts certiorari grant, saying, The government doesnt have the power to silence or compel creative expression under the threat of punishment. Its shocking that the 10th Circuit would permit Colorado to punish artists whose speech isnt in line with state-approved ideology.

Waggoner continued, Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with, to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to dissent. Colorados law  and others like itare a clear and present danger to every Americans constitutionally protected freedoms and the very existence of a diverse and free nation.

It is high time the Supreme Court resolved this ongoing standoff between same-sex marriage and the First Amendment so that vendors like Smith can earn a living while staying true to their religious beliefs.

Originally published at The Daily Signal.
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.
Chinese court jails Christian pastor for 8 years: Fraud for preaching the Gospel

A court in Chinas Hubei province has sentenced a female Christian pastor to eight years in prison on charges of fraud for preaching the Gospel after her house church refused to join the state-controlled body that regulates Protestant churches, according to reports.

The Ezhou Echeng District Peoples Court sentenced Pastor Hao Zhiwei of Egangqiao Church in Ezhou city to eight years in prison earlier this month, UCA News reported.

The 51-year-old pastor had been charged with fraud for preaching the Gospel and receiving donations from church members without approval from the state-run Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches and the Christian Council, her lawyer, Si Weijiang, was quoted as saying.

The lawyer added that Hao, who was arrested in July 2019, is the first pastor of a house church in the country who has been implicated in a fraud case, and added that she will appeal her sentencing, watchdog group Church in Chains said.

Haos church building had been demolished in August 2019 and was facing ongoing persecution, the group said, adding that after the pastors arrest, the authorities arrested several more house church pastors on the same charge, including Elder Zhang Chunlei of Guiyang Renai Reformed Church and Elders Hao Ming and Wu Jiannan of Deyang Early Rain Qingcaodi Church.

The Chinese Communist Party uses the new Regulation on Religious Affairs, which took effect in 2018, to persecute house churches in various ways, Elder Li Yingqiang of Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church wrote in an article last November.

Those ways include "Sinicization," or seeking to align Christianity to Chinas culture, religious and political ideology; removing crosses, sealing up and demolishing church buildings; and banning church offerings.

Other charges include: illegal business operations, inciting subversion of state power, picking quarrels and provoking trouble, and so on. These charges are thorns on loyal preachers head and Gods crown for His loyal servants, Li added.

Pastor Haos youngest son, Moses, who goes to a middle school, suffers from severe depression, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern said.

Her husband passed away a few years ago, and her oldest son started college in 2020, so he can no longer take care of his younger brother. Moses dropped out this semester and began locking himself in a room. He refuses to interact with people and only has one meal per day, ICC said.

Pastor Haos health is deteriorating in prison and she has lost a significant amount of weight, the group added. After being detained for more than two years, she has developed acute pancreatitis four times and was sent to the emergency room. She nearly lost her life.

Hao has strong faith that she can be released without charge.

With Beijing hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, many have expressed outrage about Chinas treatment of religious minority communities. While China is being accused of genocide for its detainment of Uyghur and other ethnic Muslims in western China, human rights activists have voiced concern for years about the Chinese governments yearslong crackdown on unregistered churches and house church movements.

Open Doors USA, a watchdog organization that monitors persecution in over 60 countries, warns that the monitoring of unregistered house churches in China increased over the last year as more house churches have experienced harassment and obstruction once their activities have been discovered.

Open Doors warns that many unregistered churches have been forced to split up into small groups and gather in different locations, keeping a low-profile so as not to be detected by the sub-district officer or neighborhood committee.
Rep. Mary Miller calls for bringing God back into public schools

Republican Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois says it's time for public schools to bring God back into the classroom, insisting that the absence of faith from American education is responsible for the infiltration of sexually explicit material into public schools.

Miller participated in a panel discussion at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference Friday called Town Hall: Pupil Propaganda. The discussion focused on concerns about education in the United States, specifically the teaching of sexually explicit material and LGBT ideology to young children.

The congresswoman attributed the presence of such material in public schools to top officials in the Biden administration being openly hostile to our American values.

Ive been going at it with the education secretary, she said. He sent out an order to all public schools stating that if a teacher or student says that there are two genders, that theyre guilty of harassment, which is setting up our teachers to be fired and our students to be disciplined.

Miller added, I went at it with him and asked, How many genders are there? He tried to deflect from my question and I went after him and he finally said to me, I wont answer your question.

Conservative commentator Candace Owens, who moderated the panel, accused public schools of perpetrating active child abuse by purposefully teaching children the wrong ideas, purposefully confusing them, particularly in matters of sexuality. After identifying the problems facing American education, the panelists offered solutions.

The problem is that we kicked God out of our schools, Miller asserted. Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and it says in Jeremiah that  they refused to listen to the Word of God and they ended up having no shame.

Miller elaborated on what she saw as the consequences of keeping God out of public schools: Weve told our kids that they come from nowhere and theyre here for no purpose, theyre heading to oblivion. But that is the problem. We need to tell our kids, they were created by God, they have a gift, they have a purpose and bring that back into the public school as a foundation.

God has left us on Earth to look for opportunities to overcome evil with good and all of us have an opportunity in front of [us], she added.

Stacy Langton, a stay-at-home mom from Fairfax County, Virginia, who received considerable media attention for confronting her local school board about the presence of books she likened to pornography in the districts libraries, suggested putting warning labels on books.

Langton now runs a grassroots organization of concerned parents called Mama Grizzly and explained that Right now, the biggest thing that Im working on is I want to be able to get some type of a labeling system for these types of books because we have a labeling system for everything else.

The [Motion Picture Association of America] has ratings on films and thats to protect kids from  seeing pornography. You cant go into an R-rated film if youre under the age of 17, she added. We have it in the music industry and that exists because of what [former second lady] Tipper Gore did.

Langton expressed support for putting PAW prints on books, an acronym for parental advisory warning. She highlighted the need to close a loophole that we have in some of the laws in this country in every state that is exempting these types of materials in libraries.

Thats how these radical librarians are getting away with this right now. It was intended in the '70s to allow sex education. Well, sex education is not X-rated depictions of the act, right? Thats not what we are meant to do for children. And so, now you have radical librarians who are driving a truck through that loophole and bringing in all kinds of X-rated material.

Langton contended that until that loophole can be closed on the legislative front, if we label the books, at least then, parents wont be shocked when something is coming home in their backpack because it would have a label on it, the PAW print label, and then they would know  theres something in this book. The Fairfax County mother expressed hope that she would have the same level of success that Gore had in her efforts to put parental advisory labels on music.
This week in Christian history: Billy Graham honor, Rowan Williams becomes Archbishop of Canterbury

Correction Appended

Throughout the extensive history of the Church, there have been numerous events of lasting significance.

Each week brings anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births, notable deaths and everything in between.

Some of the events drawn from over 2,000 years of history might be familiar, while other happenings might be previously unknown by most people.

The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events that occurred this week  Feb. 27 to Mar. 5  in Christian history. They include the enthroning of a new archbishop of Canterbury, the Rev. Billy Graham being lain in honor, and the birth of a British missionary.

Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly referred to the date span as being between Feb. 20 to Feb. 26.

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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.
When Nisaa Walcotts teenage son returned from school to their East Harlem apartment last week, his mom wasnt home  but his moms cousin was there to greet him, cleaning the floor with bleach.

The teen had gotten a mysterious text from his mom that day explaining the 21-year-old cousin would be there to take care of him while she was unexpectedly away on business.

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Nisaa Walcotts body was found Friday in a plastic container dumped along the Deegan Expressway a few blocks from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. (Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News)

What the boy didnt learn until days later was that his mother, a beautician at a Harlem barbershop, had been strangled. Her body was rotting in a plastic container on the rooftop of their apartment building, part of NYCHAs Lexington Houses on E. 99th St. near Park Ave.

The cousin, Khalid Barrow, killed her, according to prosecutors  and used her cell phone to text the son and other relatives to dupe them into thinking she was alive.

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Barrow scrubbed Walcotts apartment with bleach after killing her, enlisted an accomplice to eventually move her body from the roof to the Bronx, where he dumped her, and used her phone to make credit card purchases, prosecutors said in court Sunday.

Walcotts son last saw her on Feb. 16, when she woke him up to go to school.

When he returned to their home, Barrow was there cleaning the apartment, the powerful smell of bleach in the air, according to prosecutor Elizabeth Clerkin.

Over the course of the next week, the son never spoke to the mother on the phone or saw her again, Clerkin said during Barrows arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Sunday. He received text messages from the defendant from his mother  but it was the defendant who used her phone.

All the while, Barrow and an accomplice were trying to cover up the heinous crime, caught on video as they dragged Walcotts body to an elevator and took it to the roof of her building on Feb. 18, prosecutors charge.

The ruse started to fall apart by Wednesday, when another relative became suspicious the victim was communicating only by text rather than talking over the phone. When that family member asked for a photo as proof that she was OK, Barrow sent a photograph relatives recognized as old.

They became concerned and contacted her son, Clerkin said.

On Wednesday, the son got a text message from his moms phone, telling her that his uncle would be calling to check on her and that he should tell his uncle everything would be OK, that his mother was out of town on business, and that he shouldnt have to explain further, the complaint alleges.

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The next day, Barrow met with the relative in the Bronx, who noticed Barrow had Walcotts phone, Clerkin said. Her family took the phone from him and filed a missing persons report.

In the wee hours Friday, Barrow and his accomplice allegedly decided to move the body, bringing it to a waiting vehicle.

Surveillance video shows Barrow get out of a Toyota Highlander SUV with Taxi & Limousine Commission plates on University Ave. in the shadow of the Major Deegan Expressway in Highbridge, the Bronx. There he hauled a clear plastic bin with a blue plastic lid out of the trunk and dragged it down the sidewalk, according to the complaint.

Victim Nisaa Walcott

Police found the bin later in the day and learned Walcotts fate. She was decomposing, covered in clothes, sandals and slippers.

This is so crucial, the time line. Its really disheartening that they were moving her around, Walcotts sister-in-law Anginette Butler told the Daily News on Sunday.

Khalid is 21 years old. He was probably a little boy when I met him, she said. He looks like a calm person, he looks like a little kid. We dont know what ticked him off. What would tick you off to do something like this?

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We want to see the video footage, she added. Its hard to believe that he did this to her.

When a detective spoke with Barrow later in the day Friday he was wearing clothes, including a Canada Goose jacket and a black ski mask, that matched those of one of the men in the video from Feb. 18, the complaint alleges.

Cops had no information on the accomplice Sunday, who has not been named or charged.

About 10 of Walcotts family and friends watched as the 5-foot-10, 150-pound Barrow arrived at his arraignment Sunday wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and a light blue sweater wrapped around his waist.

There he go, that bastard, one woman said. He made no eye contact with any of Walcotts loved ones, staying silent and looking forward at the judge.

As the prosecutor described the crime in detail, the faces of Walcotts relatives twisted from enraged to worried to tearful.

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This is terrible. Oh my God, one man gasped.

Judge James Burke ordered Barrow held without bail.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

His lawyer, Adam Freedman of the New York County Defender Services, worried that one of the victims relatives is a correction officer.

I would urge the people to take all steps necessary to make sure my client and the correction officer do not have any contact or have any reason to be in contact, he said. Im also concerned generally that because the correction officer is involved as a potential witness in this case that may somehow affect my clients custody and incarceration.

Freedman said its not clear whos visible in the video footage and said the videos dont show everything that Barrow is accused of.

Whether or not this is a strong case is very much subject to question, he told the judge. My client is entering a plea of not guilty and he intends to fight this case Judge and we will do so on his behalf.

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Barrow has a domestic violence arrest from March 2020, when he was accused of grabbing his girlfriend by the throat and pushing her against the wall in his Bronx apartment, according to police sources. He also reported himself as a victim in that incident, sources said.

The resolution of that case was not immediately known.

With Thomas Tracy and Rocco Parascandola
Biden's radioactive pick for US nuclear team

While the world braces for war in Ukraine, Americans will be relieved to know that one of the men at the helm of Biden's Office of Nuclear Energy is a stiletto-wearing, Kink 101 enthusiast who likes tying up his sexual partners.



In a White House bent on normalizing "queer culture," Sam Brinton's appointment as deputy assistant secretary of spent fuel and waste disposition is par for the deviant course. But to everyday Americans, who thought they were getting a "moderate" president, the picture of our newest government official standing over a man in a dog collar is a poorly-timed reminder that voters elected anything but.

Brinton, an MIT graduate who was last working in LGBTQ advocacy, flew largely under the radar after his appointment last month. That all changed when people stumbled on his graphic social media accounts, where his sexual fetishes were spelled out for everyone to see. In what had to be a first for The Washington Times, reporters were forced to explain the controversy over Brinton with examples like his fondness for "simulated sex with men posing as dogs."

Carl Trueman, in a sobering commentary on what Brinton's promotion says about our president's priorities, writes that he couldn't in good conscience repeat some of the depravity he'd seen and heard from the new Energy appointee. "It is, of course, not his perversions that are problematic with regard to his basic competence as a public official. It is the fact that he is an exhibitionist who uses his twisted sexuality to bully others in the workplace with the specific intention of 'educating' the public, as Rod Dreher documents with a notable lack of squeamishness (you have been warned)."

Brinton has openly bragged about wearing women's clothes to work to provoke people into "having 'conversations' about LGBT matters," Dreher explains. Imagine if he were a "loud, aggressive fundamentalist Christian evangelist who bragged that he enjoyed provoking people into having conversations about their religious beliefs, he wouldn't get hired by most places because he would constantly be stirring up trouble. I'm a conservative Christian, and I wouldn't hire such a person."

News of Brinton's "extracurricular activities" exploded across conservative media  even reaching the U.K., where the Daily Mail did a full write-up on the 34-year-old pick for the nuclear waste spot. On Twitter, Brinton gloated that he would be "(to my knowledge) the first gender fluid person in federal government leadership." That seems to be what drove the appointment, since Team Biden has argued from the beginning that promoting radical gender identity "is not only a moral imperative, it is a strategic imperative."

FRC had been tracking Brinton for years over his wild claims about so-called "conversion therapy." A loud critic of any sort of sexual orientation change efforts, he would travel the country speaking out against voluntary counseling for young people struggling with their same-sex attractions. His own story, an unverified  but harrowing  account of being abused by a counselor was fact-checked by our expert at the time, Peter Sprigg. He was concerned, and rightly so, that Brinton was exaggerating his own testimony to sink any legitimate avenues for counseling in the states.

Sadly, in this presidency of perversion, Brinton is just another step toward mainstreaming a behavior that, as Trueman points out, used to be regarded "as a sign of deep mental illness." Now, he laments, "it walks the corridors of Biden's administration." But in a presidential race where Biden called "transgender equality the civil rights issue of our time," voters can't say they weren't warned.

Originally published at the Family Research Council.
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.
A 38-year-old man sitting in a Mercedes in East Harlem died in a hail of bullets Sunday morning that also wounded his nephew, police and a relative said.

Charles Buckner was shot in the head while sitting behind the wheel of a silver Mercedes-Benz GLE 43 on Fifth Ave. near W. 138th St. about 8:20 a.m., cops said.

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Hours after the shooting his body could be seen slumped on the ground under a sheet next to the open drivers-side door, his feet still in the vehicle.

The mortally wounded victim was shot in the head while sitting in a silver Mercedes-Benz GLE 43 on Fifth Ave. near W. 138th St. about 8:20 a.m., cops said. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

Buckners sister, Charlie Buckner, decried the slaying as another senseless murder in New York.

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He grew up in Harlem, she told the Daily News. Hes an amazing father, son, brother and friend. A role model and an all around good person. "

According to police, Buckners 24-year-old nephew walked into Harlem Hospital, less than two blocks away, with a gunshot wound to his left arm. Police determined he was wounded in the same shooting.

Charles Buckner (Obtained by Daily News)

A relative told the Daily News the nephew is in critical condition and that the mom of one of the victims lives a block from where the two men were shot.

It looks like they were trying to get out the car and then got shot, said the relative, who declined to give his name.

His nephew got shot and ran to the hospital and is in critical condition, he added. I dont know whats going to happen.

Cops have made no arrests.
Immigration reform as a solution to re-invigorate the United States economy will be the topic of discussion during the next Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) IBC Bank and Commerce Bank 2021-2022 Keynote Speaker Series Wednesday, March 9 at 6 p.m. at the Student Center Ballroom. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

The in-person lecture is given by Daniel T. Griswold, adjunct scholar at the Cato Institutes Center for Trade Policy Studies. It is free and open to the public.

Immigration Reform: The Prescription for Americas Future, will discuss the need for market-based immigration reform to revitalize the economy and secure the nations demographic and fiscal health.

During his talk, Griswold asserts that the U.S. labor market needs both higher-skilled and lower-skilled workers to fill essential jobs where labor shortages are felt. In addition to immigration reform, he notes the need to re-open the U.S. economy to trade while improving education to equip native-born and immigrant workers to thrive in a high-tech environment.

A virtual lecture, presented via Webex, will also be simultaneously broadcast. To register, participants can search for Webex Event #2456 175 2809, or visit https://go.tamiu.edu/griswold.

The TAMIU A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business and the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade present the lecture as part of a series sponsored by IBC Bank and Commerce Bank.

Griswold is the author of the 2009 Cato Institute book Mad About Trade: Why Main Street America Should Embrace Globalization. He has authored studies on immigration and trade and served as a commentator for major news and media outlets. He has written articles for well-known publications like The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. Griswold earned a bachelors degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a masters degree in Politics of the World Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

For more information, contact Amy Palacios, associate director, Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade, at 956.326.2820, or amy@tamiu.edu or visit offices in Western Hemispheric Trade Center, room 221.

Additional information is also available at facebook.com/tamiucswht.
A Harris County man pleaded guilty to murder Monday after leading authorities to a garbage receptacle where his girlfriend's body was disposed of in 1987.

Michael Neal, 44, already serving a life sentence for aggravated assault, was sentenced to 45 years for the Aug. 12, 1987, murder of Tracy Jo Shine.

The latest term is to be served concurrently with the life sentence, which means instead of being eligible for parole in 2007, Neal will have to serve a minimum of about another 10 years.

In the last year, new leads developed in the case, including new methods of DNA testing that showed that a refrigerator confiscated from Neal's home once contained Shine's body. Also, there were indications that Neal bragged about the killing.

Prosecutor Steve Baldassano said Neal on Monday took them to a strip shopping center near Jones Road and FM 1960, where several trash-collection companies once had garbage bins. A check with one company revealed the body most likely was taken to a city landfill. The chances of recovery would be costly and not likely to yield anything because so much time has elapsed.

Authorities believe Shine, 24, was killed -- they are unsure how -- in a house she shared with Neal in the 7900 block of Machala in northwest Harris County.

Although Neal, who has a long criminal history, denied any involvement, Harris County "cold case" detectives believed Neal, at the time a drug dealer, killed Shine because he thought she was a police informant.

The defense lawyer refused to comment on the case.
Remote learning in the State of Texas is something not funded by the state; however, in a historic meeting between United Independent School District (UISD) representatives, the state commissioner of education and other local representatives amid the ongoing water crisis in the city affecting various campuses, UISD was able to receive a waiver to go remote.

According to Emma Leza, the associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction on Feb. 25 at 4 p.m., UISD Superintendent David H. Gonzalez spearheaded the meeting with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to provide updated information on the current situation in Laredo and the urgent need to provide remote instruction for over 18,800 students in 22 campuses affected by the water shortage.

Our conference with Commissioner Mike Morath went very well, as it was a conversation focused on meeting the needs of all our stakeholders, Gonzalez said. State Representative Richard Raymond (D-42), who set up the meeting for us, was joined by Representative Tracy King along with Laredo ISD Superintendent Sylvia Rios, who was able to join in via phone.

Our primary objective was to ensure TEA funding as well as academic support for our schools affected by the recent suspension of water services in the city. We are very pleased that our commissioner granted an exemption to our school districts, so that virtual learning would continue for those campuses affected by inefficient water to fully operate during instructional time.

Gonzalez says the meeting between the education commissioner and a local superintendent under such circumstances is very rare but it had to happen to ensure area students continue learning amid what is going on in the community. Gonzalez says he presented the City of Laredos disaster declaration order and other documents to showcase the need for the waiver.

Although the representatives did not speak to Texas Governor Greg Abbott directly, they did say the governor was briefed of the situation.

According to Leza, Commissioner Morath extended his support for the citizens of Laredo and the school districts by granting waivers to the required face-to-face instructional minutes mandated by state rule.

As a rule, remote instruction is not funded by the state for this school year, Leza said. Commissioner Morath, however, will grant waivers for the minutes so that the remote instruction is counted as part of the required instructional time allotment that is funded.

Commissioner Morath also agreed to extend the window for state assessments if schools are not able to return to in-person learning before all state assessments are due. United ISD must keep in constant communication with TEA to determine the need for these extensions.

Raymond says he organized the meeting with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath in his Capitols office on Friday, so the various representatives could meet with UISD Superintendent David Gonzalez and LISD Superintendent Dr. Sylvia Rios, along with some of their staff.

Due to the water crisis in Laredo, around 40 of our school campuses have no water or unreliable delivery of water at this time, Raymond said. It is not realistic to expect classes can be conducted on campus. I arranged the meeting, so we could explain the situation to the Education Commissioner and request waivers from him, so Laredo schools and students would not be penalized.

Raymond said this is a victory for the city of Laredo as it means students will receive instructional credit for their virtual learning and the schools will receive the state funds needed to continue their learning.

Leza said even though remote learning is a good way to continue educating students who cannot attend school, face-to-face learning continues to be the main avenue of teaching.

Leza said she knows virtual learning is not just a good way to continue educating students but also to help relieve some of the stress added to parents as they struggle to provide daily needs for their children as the school district strives to provide structured learning so students can engage in learning and hopefully disengage from such a stressful situation created by the water shortage.

Regardless of the cost, face-to-face or traditional instruction is the best mode of delivery for instruction, Leza said. It is also the best option to provide students with important social and emotional support and learning. United ISD is committed to providing the best instructional practices and school experiences to the students we serve.

According to the superintendent, students deserve to be provided with quality instruction whether its remote or face-to-face and there is data to support student success through the districts committed teachers, and staff as well as the buy-in from stakeholders. Nevertheless, he also said face-to-face instruction is best.

Given all we have learned about virtual instruction this past year, we are also aware that given situations we cant control such as the virus surge in January and now the water shortage, we will provide our students with the best access to learning through our virtual instructional setting, Leza said. This is not a decision we take lightly and we are eager to welcome our students back to their campuses so that we can continue to provide them with the best instructional practices designed to close the academic gaps caused by COVID.

The waiver provided to the school was also provided without any end date in sight considering the fact there is still no definite timetable when the water situation will be back to normal. Nevertheless, all of the representatives said they hope the matter is resolved as soon as possible.

Leza said she hopes for next month for all things to go back to normal at their campuses.

We are confident that traditional instruction will return in March for all campuses and we will only keep remote instruction in the campuses affected by low or no water pressure, Leza said. We will keep our parents, teachers and campus administrators abreast of any changes to the status of low or no water pressure at our campuses.

Raymond said the waiver did not have an end date but hopes the city does finalize its efforts to fix the water system issues.

The Commissioner agreed to grant the waivers for as long as it takes to fix the water problems, Raymond said. I also assured him, however, that we are working with other state and federal agencies to provide funding to the City of Laredo, so that water can be restored.

Gonzalez said the main goal of their objectives is to teach, and they will accomplish that through these initiatives.

Our stakeholders can be assured that we will continue to collaboratively work with all entities to reach our desired goals of teaching to those which we have been entrusted with, Gonzalez said. We will continue our quest for excellence through a united ideal while keeping the end in mind.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
A 55-year-old man was rushed to the hospital Saturday after he was clipped by north-bound No. 6 train in Manhattan, police said.

The man was walking too close to the lip of the platform at the 28th St. station near Park Ave. South, when a section of the departing train knocked him off his feet at 9:44 a.m., cops said.

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The no 6 line station at 28th St. was closed as police investigated after a man was clipped by a train on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 in Manhattan. (Barry Williams) (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

The man fell backward, slamming the back of his head against the platform floor, cops said.

EMS was called and rushed him to Bellevue Hospital, where he is expected to survive.
SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas - It's candidate night in Hopkins County and the regional civic center is filled with Republicans sizing up candidates ahead of Tuesday's primary election. On the stage, George P. Bush is arguing why Texans should make him the state's next attorney general rather than the scandal-plagued Republican incumbent, Ken Paxton.

Bush carries the name of a family once revered in the state, but these days that is a heavy burden in Texas. His issue agenda owes less to his allegiance to his family than to former president Donald Trump.

Bush tells the audience he has twice traveled the length of the Texas border and vows to "finish the Trump wall." He speaks about "massive voter fraud." He promises to go after human traffickers and drug cartels and to take on district attorneys in the big cities, who he says are not on the side of law enforcement. He decries "the wholesale indoctrination of our children when it comes to critical race theory" in public schools.

Bush has supporters in the audience, but here in conservative East Texas, skepticism of anyone named Bush is apparent. Such is the challenge he faces as he tries to advance his political career in the era of Trump. As people file out of the civic center after more than three hours of presentations by an array of candidates, a woman who did not want to give her name offered a biting critique of the Bush family. "I thought they were Republicans," she said with a tone of sarcasm.

When Bush first declared his candidacy for a statewide office in 2013, the announcement was greeted in Texas as the arrival of a new-generation politician who could extend the influence of a family that had helped shape the Republican Party for decades. The younger Bush - grandson of one president, nephew of another and son of a two-term Florida governor long seen as a potential third President Bush - had grown up in a family for which public service seemed to come naturally. Politics was the family business, and George P. Bush appeared ideally suited to carry on the dynasty.

But Bush, now 45, has turned out to be anything but a pure knockoff of the Bushes of old. Instead, he has adapted to the new politics of the Republican Party. Rather than embracing the "kinder and gentler" approach of George H.W. Bush or the "compassionate conservatism" of George W. Bush or the "fix-it" policy agenda of his father, Jeb Bush, George P. Bush has embraced the harder-edged conservatism of Trump and Trump himself.

Low-key as a campaigner and soft-spoken in more intimate settings, Bush calls his family heritage a blessing, but with a caveat. "I love all of my family members, and they inspired me to serve causes greater than self," he said during an interview in between campaign appearances last week. "You know, I think my family's picture in American politics is secure. But Texans know me as my own man, and my own family encouraged me to be my own man."

In this campaign, he said, he is "addressing the current problems that face Texans right now, right here and right now, because, you know, the more that we talk about the past, I think we get burdened by the litigation and the wounds of the past."

The arc of Bush's political career embodies the story of what has happened to conservative politics in the Lone Star State since George W. Bush left the White House, as well as the trade-offs that ambitious politicians with establishment pedigrees confront as they try to navigate through the tumultuous Trump era.

Today, Bush's political future - and with it, that of the Bush dynasty - is uncertain. Bush enjoys some of the benefits of his family name, relatively high name identification and access to money, for example. But today in Texas, being a Bush carries as many or more liabilities.

After two terms as Texas land commissioner, Bush is fighting to prevent Paxton, who is leading in the polls, from winning the nomination for attorney general outright with at least 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary. At the same time, he is doing all he can to ensure that, if there is a runoff in May, he will be the other candidate.

The family brand was built in Texas, where Yankee patrician George H.W. Bush moved from the East Coast to West Texas as a young man, made his money in the oil patch and then was elected to Congress from Houston in the late 1960s. But for the past decade or so, the Bush brand has been in decline. A defeat for George P. Bush in the attorney general's race would put an exclamation point on that erosion.

Analysts differ on whether Bush can ultimately prevail over Paxton if there is a runoff, though more doubt his prospects. No matter the outcome, the younger Bush has already rewritten the family script. A new surname dominates politics in the Texas Republican Party - Trump - and Bush is gambling that by embracing the politics of the Trump GOP, he can survive and indeed thrive.

Eric Mahroum, a former Trump administration official who introduced George P. Bush at a campaign event in Garland last week, remembers vividly the day Bush enlisted in Trump's political army. Jeb Bush had just dropped out of the 2016 Republican presidential race, having started as the nominal front-runner, only to be crushed by Trump's relentless and at times humiliating attacks.

Mahroum, who was part of Trump's Texas campaign at the time, said the younger Bush showed up at a meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee and surprised everyone with his sudden conversion.

Mahroum described what happened that day: "He says, 'You know what? I'm asking everybody to get together, get behind candidate Trump as our nominee,' and I remember looking around the room. People . . . were a little surprised because it was like, 'Whoa!' As hard as candidate Trump came after Jeb Bush and the rest of his family, his uncle, he put that aside and people were really impressed."

For all the victories by others in his family and for all he witnessed and absorbed growing up, Bush today describes Trump as "a unique force in politics" whose influence continues almost unabated. "As somebody who ran two years before [Trump] came on the political scene," Bush said, "I can say that . . . he electrified Republicans to a degree that I had never seen before in my life."

When Bush announced his campaign for attorney general last year, his opening video paid tribute to the former president. "Under the leadership of President Trump, our country was strong and vibrant again," he said in the video. At another point, he said, "Like President Trump, I will not sit idly by while our freedoms are under attack, because Texas must lead the way in fighting this radical agenda." He did not mention anyone in his own family.

Opinions among Texas Republicans differ as to whether Bush believed he could win an endorsement from Trump or was mostly hoping to prevent Paxton from getting the former president's support. Whichever it might have been, his efforts fell short. To the surprise of few, Trump gave his full support to Paxton, who in late 2020 filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the presidential election results in four swing states.

The Supreme Court dismissed the Paxton filing, saying Texas did not have standing to bring the suit. But the legal move drew support from Republicans around the country and endeared Paxton to Trump loyalists in the party's base.

Trump's support has helped make Paxton the front-runner in the race, even though he has been under indictment for securities fraud since 2015 and is facing an FBI investigation triggered by allegations from members of his senior staff. Those aides accused Paxton of abusing the powers of his office by helping an Austin real estate developer who was also a campaign contributor and who had hired a woman with whom Paxton was having an affair.

In all, eight members of Paxton's senior staff left - five were fired and three resigned - and four of those fired have since filed a whistleblower suit against him. Last week, the four issued a statement that said, in part, "The most basic qualifications of an attorney general are respect for truth and respect for the law." "Ken Paxton has neither."

Paxton has denied all allegations, but some GOP strategists fear federal indictments could come after the primaries, which they say would threaten Paxton's prospects in November's general election.

Bush said if he makes the runoff against Paxton, he will once again seek Trump's endorsement by trying to persuade the former president to rescind his support for Paxton. "When we get in the runoff, I will send a message to - and we maintain a line of communication with the Trump team - that this is his chance to get out of the race or support me in this race," he said, "because if you really care about his policies, you got to nominate somebody that's actually going to beat the Democrat."

Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University, said Bush would face long odds of defeating Paxton in a runoff, noting that, in polls, 2 in 5 Republican primary voters say they would never vote for Bush because of his last name. "It's guilt by association with his uncle, his father and his grandfather, who today are seen as far too centrist for the party," he said.

Another view, however, holds that the dynamic could go against Paxton, who could face a barrage of television ads focused on his legal problems, something he has avoided during the first round of the primary. But a low-turnout runoff would still be better for Paxton.

Two other candidates are also challenging Paxton in the primary: Rep. Louie Gohmert, who decided to seek the office out of disappointment with Paxton's embattled tenure and what he saw as legal grandstanding; and Eva Guzman, a former justice on the Texas Supreme Court, who said in an interview that she was also "fed up with Paxton's lack of integrity, lack of respect and lack of results."

Current polling has shown Paxton running first, but it is not clear whether he will be able to get over the 50 percent threshold needed to win the nomination outright on Tuesday. Bush appears to be in second, ahead of Guzman, with Gohmert generally running fourth.

Gohmert is a hard-right conservative and Trump backer who has represented East Texas in Congress since 2005. His issues are border security and voting integrity. On Jan. 6, 2021, he voted to object to the certification of the electoral counts in Arizona and Pennsylvania, both states Joe Biden won in the presidential election. He has struggled to make his voice heard, but any votes he gets will come out of Paxton's coalition, which is why the attorney general has attacked him in a TV ad.

Guzman has attracted conservative-establishment money, led by the Texans for Lawsuit Reform. Several newspapers in the state have endorsed her as well. She sees Bush blocking her path to a runoff and has attacked him as ill-prepared to be the state's top lawyer. "He's not qualified to keep Texas red," she said just before a forum with Bush and Gohmert in Sulphur Springs last week. "He's not qualified to take the fight to the Biden administration." That night, Bush fired back at her for what he said was a "slanderous, libelous" campaign.

In an interview before the candidate forum, Gohmert spoke about what he sees as the deterioration of the Bush brand among conservatives, noting in particular George W. Bush's support for the bailout of Wall Street financial firms as the economy was heading into a deep recession in 2008. He also pointed to the long-running war between the Bushes and Trump.

"Seeing the revered George H.W. Bush and George W. not really embracing the Republican candidates, not just Trump but appearing - whether they did or not - to support Democrats over the years," he said. "I think that has done a little bit to sour some folks."

Even before he was first elected, Bush had signaled that he was looking to the future of Texas conservatism, rather than the past, when he described Sen. Ted Cruz, a politician far more conservative than either Bush's grandfather, father or uncle, as the future of the party. Weeks before the 2014 election, Bush was asked at a Texas Tribune conference whether, given what he had said about Cruz, he planned to support the senator's expected 2016 presidential candidacy. Bush demurred, saying he intended to stay out of presidential politics.

But it was a follow-up question that truly rattled him and stunned the audience: Well, asked Evan Smith, chief executive of the Texas Tribune, would he support his father in 2016 if he were to run for president? Bush ducked, despite repeated and increasingly incredulous follow-up questioning by Smith.

"I think folks know that I love him," Bush said of his father, adding: "My focus has to be on this agency [the Texas General Land Office]. If I'm entrusted by the voters of Texas to be land commissioner, that's going to occupy my time."

Smith responded by saying, "You know the headline tomorrow's going to be, 'George P. Bush: Too busy to endorse his dad.'"

Bush laughed awkwardly. "You caught me on that one," he said.

Bush concedes now that it was a truly awkward moment. When Jeb Bush joined the race, his son fell in line and worked on his behalf. "I was proud to help my dad when he ran," he said. "Unfortunately, it didn't work out."

Yet still, he was taken by the force of Trump's candidacy. He said the choice between Hillary Clinton and Trump persuaded him that it was vital that Trump win.

Others in the Bush family have not been so accommodating, often expressing their disdain for Trump and in some cases choosing not to vote for him. But family ties remain strong. George W. Bush recently contributed $100,000 to his nephew's campaign, and Jeb Bush has given his son $25,000. In Texas, there are no limits on contributions for nonfederal races.

For those who have been critical of Bush for being so willing to embrace Trump when so many of his relatives were not, it's useful to recall that those older Bushes were practical politicians willing to do whatever was necessary to win.

As president, George W. Bush pushed hard for comprehensive immigration reform, including a path to legal status for the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

But George P. Bush isn't terribly interested in pursuing that idea. Rather, his campaign ads promote a get-tough approach to border security designed to appeal to Trump loyalists.

He similarly talks tough about crime and illegal trafficking and allies himself firmly with the law enforcement community. He supports the restrictive Texas abortion law, though he fears it might not pass constitutional muster with the Supreme Court. He is more optimistic that the high court will uphold Mississippi's abortion law and hopes the court's conservative majority will overturn Roe v. Wade.

On education issues, he sides with parents who feel their views are being ignored by local school boards. He said he wants schools to offer "both sides" of issues and not just one. Asked what the other side of, say, the story of slavery might be, he said he favors "a more fact-based approach to historic curriculum." He called slavery "odious" and "destructive" but said the teaching of racial history is not a "reason for resenting people of different colors and different backgrounds" or that substitutes teachers' opinions for historical facts.

Notably, Bush breaks with Trump on the 2020 election and says he believes President Biden was legitimately elected. Yet he still feels compelled by the forces animating his party. In the interview, Bush said voting fraud "is an important issue" that would be a focus of his time as attorney general.
Medics and soldiers took cover as an air-raid siren sounded near an apartment building damaged by recent shelling in Kyiv. Ukrainian forces and civilians are putting up a determined fight against advancing Russian troops while NATO military forces, including Canadians, wait outside Ukraines border.
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Parents: Daughter's suicide at county detention facility was preventable

mattbeck / Matthew Beck / Chronicle photo editor Citrus County Detention Facility

Stephen and Peggy Finegan thought their daughter would be safe in the custody of the Citrus County Detention Facility  a refuge from the triggers of her harmful mental health.

Finally, I dont have to worry about her being found in a ditch or getting hit by a car, Stephen Finegan Sr. said about Lisa Ann Trombley. I was glad she was in jail; we could sleep at night.

Trombley, of Inverness, took her own life the morning of Oct. 17, 2021, by jumping from a second-story railing inside the privately run county jail in Lecanto. She was 48.

Special to the Chronicle Trombley

Trombleys parents, who live in Floral City, said her death could and should have been avoided if those responsible for her wellbeing listened to her pleas.

Lisa felt like nobody was going to help her, Peggy Finegan said, remembering the conversations of her regular phone calls with Trombley. She said they would not do anything to help her, even when she begged.

Since it was still conducting some internal reviews of this incident, CoreCivic, the Tennessee-based company managing the county detention facility, was not able to address inquiries from a Chronicle reporter, spokesman Ryan Gustin said.

A separate CoreCivic investigation into the Nov. 2 death of inmate Valerie Bogle led to the unemployments of the detention facilitys warden and three other staff members in February.

For Trombleys parents, the detention facility was accountable for their daughters mistreatment, which led to her death.

She was not a criminal, she was not a piece of scum, she was just a regular person, Peggy Finegan said. We loved her, she made us happy and she wasnt a kid you wanted to get rid of. ... Even with her illness, she was smarter than the average person.

Warden, three others 'no longer employed' at county detention facility An internal investigation into the November death of a Citrus County Detention Facility inmate resulted in the unemployments of the facilitys warden and three other staff members.

Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, Trombley and her family moved to Citrus County in 1985. Trombley attended Inverness Middle School before graduating from Citrus High School in 1991.

She was the perfect kid ... everybody loved Lisa, Peggy Finegan said. She was extremely intelligent. ... If she didnt get an A, shed be extremely upset. ... Education was very important to her.

When Trombley turned 14, her behavior began to change but she continued to thrive in school, which led to her attending the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York before Florida State University to pursue culinary arts.

Trombleys parents had her evaluated after she harmed herself while at college in Tallahassee.

We didnt realize she was bipolar until she was 18, Peggy Finegan said, ... we thought she was being a regular teenager, you know, but obviously it was more than that.

Nonetheless, Trombley didnt let her diagnosis stop her from getting a job, buying a car, purchasing a home and marrying her husband of 19 years to have three daughters of her own.

I dont think she couldve been a better mom, Peggy Finegan said.

Trombley also made sure to take her medication to help treat her bipolar disorder.

She had never not taken them, Stephen Finegan said. She would even ask for them.

However, one prescription Trombley acquired roughly two years before her death did not interact well with her bipolar  medical marijuana  which led a psychologist to diagnose her as borderline schizophrenic.

From that point on, Peggy Finegan said, she was not Lisa.

It was like talking to two different people, Stephen Finegan added.

Trombleys personality worsened to the point where her husband obtained a restraining order against her for domestic violence.

Local authorities arrested Trombley in January 2021 on a misdemeanor charge of violating her husbands injunction for allegedly sending text messages to him.

Citrus County Judge Mark Yerman ordered the next month for Trombley to be released from jail on her recognizance, with a condition her medication be reevaluated, court records show.

Trombleys parents said they tried to have the judge refer their daughter to an alternative court system for defendants suffering from a mental illness.

In late August, Yerman issued a warrant for Trombleys arrest after she failed to show for her court hearing held over Zoom due to COVID-19 canceling in-person hearings.

She did show; she went to the courthouse but it was a Zoom meeting, and they tried to help her, Peggy Finegan said. They knew she was there, and they couldnt hook her up.

County fines detention facility manager for staff shortage A staff shortage at the Citrus County Detention Facility prompted county officials to start fining the company managing the local jail and prison.

Trombley was booked back into the county detention facility on Sept. 26  21 days before her death.

Trombleys parents heard from their daughter she was being kept in solitary confinement, and had been denied her bipolar medication.

Citing medical-privacy laws, CoreCivic would not disclose whether Trombley was medicated while in its custody, Gustin said.

According to a Citrus County Sheriffs Office investigative report about Trombleys death, detention facility staff housed Trombley in a medical unit before releasing her to general housing Oct. 4.

She never told me she was in any sort of medical housing, Peggy Finegan said.

Ive never caught her in a lie, ever, Stephen Finegan added. The fact she didnt tell us is unusual. ... If she was, then whyd they let her out into a place where she could jump?

A Citrus County Fire Rescue crew pronounced Trombley dead at 8:19 a.m. Oct. 17 after her body was found in the center of a housing pod with a wound to her skull.

I did not observe any defensive wounds or signs of foul play on the decedents outer extremities, a sheriffs office investigator wrote in the agency report.

Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Wolf ruled Trombleys death a suicide, caused by blunt head and chest trauma due to jump from height, the autopsy report shows.

Sheriffs office investigators determined the housing pods second floor is roughly 15 feet high, with the railing adding another 4 feet.

Who would ever dream there could be a railing somebody could jump over? Stephen Finegan said. Do these people know anything? You would think they could put a railing up to ceiling.

County commission to get monthly staffing reports for detention facility After hearing concerns, Citrus Countys board of commissioners will start getting regular updates on whether the countys privately run jail and prison is being adequately staffed.

There were also no positive findings in Trombleys toxicology.

At around 9:24 p.m. on Oct. 16, Trombley called her mother for what would be the last time.

According to the sheriffs office investigator who listened to the recorded phone call, Trombley appeared to be in good spirits and was talking about her future.

She made no comments of self harm, the investigative report states, and gave no indication that she would commit suicide.

Investigators also didnt find a suicide note among Trombleys belongings at the jail.

Trombleys mother remembers her last phone conversation with her daughter differently.

She said, Mom, I dont think I can take it in here anymore, and I said, Yes, you can, Peggy Finegan said, adding she told her daughter to go back to bed and think of her girls.

A recording of the phone call was requested from CoreCivic.

According to the sheriffs office report, detention facility cameras later captured Trombley the next morning walking around the housing pod at around 7:15 a.m.

She was the only inmate that was up out of her bunk, the report states, and it appears as though that all other inmates were asleep.

Surveillance footage shows Trombley tried to talk to a detention facility staff member twice about getting moved to a different housing pod because she believed the other inmates didnt like her.

The person she spoke to should have noticed something wasnt right, Peggy Finegan said, noting her daughter said other inmates were stealing her food and possessions.

Trombley also tried to speak with someone over an intercom system at around 7:51 a.m. but it doesnt appear she contacted anyone.

She would have not have walked to that call box unless she was asking someone for help, Peggy Finegan said. That was a call for help.

After hitting the intercom button, according to the sheriffs office report, Trombley walked upstairs and begins to mumble to herself while looking at the edge of the railing before she climbs it and appears to slip halfway up, causing her to fall head first onto the floor below.

Another inmate discovered Trombleys body, and signaled for detention staff to respond at around 7:57 a.m. to try and treat Trombley.

Trombley was laid to rest Nov. 12 at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.

Her parents have called on local, state and federal lawmakers to address their concerns with overprescribed medical marijuana, and of authorities treatment of those struggling with mental health.

Help the mentally ill around here instead of throwing them in the jail; theyre people, Stephen Finegan said. It just doesnt make any sense.

None of it ever will ... its just unbelievable, the whole mess is unbelievable, but she was obviously begging for help, Peggy Finegan said. All they had to do was listen to her at that stupid box when she called.

In need of help? Call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for free and confidential support.
Annie C. Howell, in a letter to her attorney, described being shocked by the "violence and brutality" of the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. 
Spring farming underway across China

Xinhua) 09:57, February 27, 2022

With the temperature rising, farmers across China are busy with spring farming. Let's take a look.

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows farmers working in a field in Zouping City, east China's Shandong Province. Farming activities are in full swing across the country. (Photo by Dong Naide/Xinhua)

Villagers work at an orchard in Jizushan Town of Binchuan County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 21, 2022. Farming activities are in full swing across the country. (Photo by Liang Zhiqiang/Xinhua)

Villagers work at a flower cultivation base in Shaba Village of Liuba County in Hanzhong, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 24, 2022. Spring farming activities in Liuba County are underway with the help of modern agricultural facilities and technologies. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Employees water flowers at a flower cultivation base in Shaba Village of Liuba County in Hanzhong, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 24, 2022. Spring farming activities in Liuba County are underway with the help of modern agricultural facilities and technologies. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Villagers work in a field in Xindian Town of Yuping Dong Autonomous County in Tongren City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 21, 2022. Farming activities are in full swing across the country. (Photo by Hu Panxue/Xinhua)

Farmers carry vegetables in the field in Shangpilin Village of Congjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2022. Farmers across Guizhou are busy with spring agricultural production. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Workers produce edible fungi growing kits at an agricultural sci-tech company in Wuguanyi Township of Liuba County in Hanzhong, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 24, 2022. Spring farming activities in Liuba County are underway with the help of modern agricultural facilities and technologies. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows farmers working in a field in Zouping City, east China's Shandong Province. Farming activities are in full swing across the country. (Photo by Dong Naide/Xinhua)

A villager works in a field in Xindian Town of Yuping Dong Autonomous County in Tongren City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 21, 2022. Farming activities are in full swing across the country. (Photo by Hu Panxue/Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows villagers covering the herbs they grow with mulch in Weili Village of Shihe Town, Bozhou, east China's Anhui Province. Farming activities are in full swing across the country. (Photo by Liu Qinlianhui/Xinhua)

Farmers work in the field at an agricultural base in Rongjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2022. Farmers across Guizhou are busy with spring agricultural production. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Farmers work in the field in Shangpilin Village of Congjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2022. Farmers across Guizhou are busy with spring agricultural production. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Farmers carry vegetables in the field in Shangpilin Village of Congjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2022. Farmers across Guizhou are busy with spring agricultural production. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A farmer works in the field in Shangpilin Village of Congjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2022. Farmers across Guizhou are busy with spring agricultural production. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 19, 2022 shows farmers working in the field in Yuqing County of Zunyi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Farmers across Guizhou are busy with spring agricultural production. (Photo by He Chunyu/Xinhua)

A farmer sows chili seeds in Yangchanghe Village of Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2022. Farmers across Guizhou are busy with spring agricultural production. (Photo by Cai Xingwen/Xinhua)

Workers examine edible fungi growing kits at an agricultural sci-tech company in Wuguanyi Township of Liuba County in Hanzhong, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 24, 2022. Spring farming activities in Liuba County are underway with the help of modern agricultural facilities and technologies. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Worker pack edible fungi growing kits at an agricultural sci-tech company in Wuguanyi Township of Liuba County in Hanzhong, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 24, 2022. Spring farming activities in Liuba County are underway with the help of modern agricultural facilities and technologies. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Workers produce edible fungi growing kits at an agricultural sci-tech company in Wuguanyi Township of Liuba County in Hanzhong, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 24, 2022. Spring farming activities in Liuba County are underway with the help of modern agricultural facilities and technologies. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
The cousin of a single mom found dead stuffed in a container dumped near a Bronx storage facility has been charged with murdering her  as relatives recalled the victim as someone who loved everyone unconditionally.

The body of Nisaa Walcott, 35, of East Harlem, was found Friday across from a self-storage facility in Highbridge  an area known as a place where people dump unwanted items, a police source said.

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Nisaa Walcotts body was found Friday in a plastic container dumped along the Major Deegan Expressway a few blocks from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. (Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News)

Police on Saturday charged Khalid Barrow, 21, in Walcotts slaying. Barrow, a resident of Claremont Village and Walcotts cousin, is accused of murder and concealment of a human corpse, cops said. Barrow was found in possession of financial documents that belonged to Walcott, police sources said.

Walcott was reported missing Thursday by her brother, Eugene Butler, who lives in Atlanta, Ga. But the NYPD is working on the theory she was killed shortly after she was last seen  on Feb. 16, law enforcement sources said.

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Nisaa Walcott (Obtained by Daily News)

Were letting the police do their work. Were still uncertain what happened, Walcotts sister-in-law Anginette Butler told the Daily News, adding, Were just in shock right now.

Walcott was a beautician at a barber shop, Live on Lexington, run by longtime friend Norma Menedez, who told The News on Friday night that the ghastly death was hard to comprehend.

This is something you read about on the milk carton or watch on [Law and Order] SVU, Menedez said. This is not reality. She had a family who loves her.

Anginette Butler recounted that her husband Eugene, realized Wednesday night ... something was wrong. She wasnt answering her phone at all, she recalled.

She said he filed a missing person report the following day.

The sister-in-law said the family knows Walcott is a homicide victim, but hasnt been told the manner of her death.

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The city Medical Examiner will determine how Walcott died.

The people who killed here are just cruel to put her in a container like that, Anginette Butler said.

Nisaa was a very kind young lady and she helped everybody, she wouldnt hurt a soul. We dont know what would make somebody do something so cruel, the sister-in-law said. Nisaa had no enemies and she was a good person, a good giving heart.

Adding to the mystery was that Nisaa told her son  whom Butler would only describe as a young teen  that she would see him after school the day she disappeared.

The youngster went on to school, and Nisaa left her apartment building and she never returned, Anginette Butler explained.

Walcotts aunt, Bernadette Butler Colon, posted about her disappearance on Facebook.

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She has a wonderful son and a host of family and friends awaiting her safe return home, Colon wrote. This is strange as she would never abandon her beloved son.

The devastating outcome is overwhelming Walcotts loved ones.

She was a great mother, she was an entrepreneur and she loved to do hair, thats what she did, she was a young aspiring business owner, Anginette Butler said.

This is just hard to process at this time, especially being from Atlanta and this happened in New York, she told The News. We are numb right now.

Eugene Butler had few words about the stunning loss, saying he was still trying to cope with his sisters homicide.

Nisaa loved her family and friends and she would do anything for them, Eugene Butler told The News.

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She loved everyone unconditionally, he said.
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A recent letter delivered to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by 200 former senior U.N. officials included a bleak warning regarding the consequences should diplomacy fail to end Russias aggression against Ukraine. Such an outcome would mean that the U.N. becoming increasingly irrelevant and, eventually, succumbing to the fate of its predecessor, the League of Nations, with the human losses and material destruction that went with it, the letter declared.
Three teenagers were hospitalized Saturday night in a partial collapse during a Denver house party.

Parts of the first floor house collapsed into the basement due to a large party with 100-150 juveniles inside, according to the South Metro Fire Rescue.

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Two teens were treated for minor injuries and one for serious injuries. All three were taken to the local hospital.

The houses first floor collapsed into the basement. (South Metro Fire Rescue)

The building collapse caused a natural gas leak, which was shut off immediately, officials said.

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Most of the attendees were able to escape up a staircase that remained intact, fire spokesman Eric Hurst told CBS 4.

Hurst also warned that overcrowding can cause structural damage.

Stay home and do your homework. Dont go to parties, one partygoer told CBS 4, which described his remarks as somewhat facetious.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 26)  An image is everything to a political campaign. From the way a candidate appears on their posters to the actual image they are projecting onscreen and during appearances and sorties. Its what the electorate remembers of them. How kind they look, how much compassion they can show on their face, how staunch they are in their convictions, and how candid they are at any given moment.

Before these candidates went onstage for the first Vice Presidential Debate of the 2022 general elections, they sat down for portraits and answered questions that captured snapshots of their beliefs, faith, and personalities.

Photo by JL JAVIER

WALDEN BELLO

I want to become vice president because I want to make sure that the axis of evil Marcos and Duterte dont come to power. And also because we want to offer a vision for the country that people will feel they can participate in creating it.

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is Ill do several things. First, I will go with Ka Leody de Guzman to plant our flag in the Spratlys Island of Pag-asa. Secondly, we will pass the wealth tax. Third, we will begin proceedings to incarcerate President Duterte for human rights violations. Fourth, we will release Leila de Lima from imprisonment and we are going to raise the minimum wage to 750 a day.

I knew I was called to become a public servant when... I dont know. Its just that I slipped into the role.

In my first 100 days, Ill prioritize passing the wealth tax, prosecuting Duterte, asserting our rights over the Spratlys, and making sure that labor gets a fair shape by legislating job security, and also having a minimum wage of 750, and passing very much-needed legislation for the welfare of women and the LGBT community.

A principle that I always live by is never tolerate evil like the Marcos-Duterte evil. You have to crush them.

Photo by JL JAVIER

RIZALITO DAVID

I want to become vice president because I have a mission.

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is to advise my president whoever he is to establish as his administrations banner program the moral renewal and cultural restoration program.

I knew I was called to become a public servant when... I was born to do this.

A principle that I always live by is to serve the people as a way of serving God.

Photo by JL JAVIER

MANNY SD LOPEZ

I want to become vice president because Id like to help fix the problems of the country and help uplift the lives of our people.

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is commit myself to fully support the incoming president.

I knew I was called to become a public servant when it has been a vocation except I was pretending not to pursue it but now that the matter practically, I would say dropped in my lap, I have to pursue it.

In my first 100 days, Ill prioritize economic recovery.

A principle that I always live by is... Speak the truth, do what is best, do your best, and live a happy life.

Photo by JL JAVIER

WILLIE ONG

I want to become vice president kasi gusto kong tumulong sa maraming tao at marami tayong maililigtas na buhay.

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is magpapasalamat tayo sa lahat ng sumuporta sa atin at magtatrabaho na tayo, titignan natin kung ano ang gagawin, focus na tayo sa mga i-a-assign asa atin na trabaho.

I knew I was called to be a public servant matagal naman na, 27 years naman na akong tumutulong sa mga mahihirap pero sa pulitika, gusto nating subukan kung mas marami tayong matutulungan kung meron tayong pwesto. Sa pribado kasi limited lang ang kaya kong tulungan.

In my first 100 days I will prioritize ang problema sa kalusugan, aayusin natin ang mga ospital, yung mga gamot, tutulingan natin yung mga health workers at gusto ko talaga maumpisan na yung mental health [wellness].

A principle I always live by is wala akong inaaway, 100 percent honest ako, hindi ako pulitiko, hindi ako tumatanggap ng campaign funds kasi mahal ko ang tao, gusto ko lang tulungan kayo, ganon kasimple.

Photo by JL JAVIER

KIKO PANGILINAN

I want to become vice president because its an opportunity to use the wider platform to pursue our advocacies for support for our fisherfolk and farmers who have been deprived of the recognition, respect and support that they long deserve.

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is thank God, thank our supporters, and start preparing for the office.

I knew I was called to be a public servant after the restoration of democracy in 1988, when I was ending my stint as a student leader and activist.

In my first 100 days I will prioritize food security and full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act, and government intervention to institutionalize the community pantry system to address hunger.

A principle I always live by is kung hindi ko maipapaliwanag yung mga desisyon ko sa aking mga anak, walang dahilan para gawin yung mga desisyon na yun.

Photo by JL JAVIER

CARLOS SERAPIO

I want to become vice president because I believe that the experiences I learned from 50 years of doing advocacy work in the just ordering of society can contribute to our aspiration to transition to a sacred and prosperous nation.

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is Ill convene my political party to pray, give praise and honor to our almighty God for the gift of power that he has bestowed on me so that I can use it in the service of our people and country.

I knew I was called to become a public servant after my social awakening during the blighted communities of Malabon and Navotas way back in 1965. I was doing corporal works of mercy and teaching catechism in these poor communities.

In my first 100 days I will prioritize together with my president, the implementation of our transition platform and program of action.

A principle I always live by is inspired by a biblical admonition, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything will be added unto you.

Photo by JL JAVIER

TITO SOTTO

I want to become vice president because I can implement the laws we have crafted well.

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is thank God.

I knew I was called to be a public servant when I entered Couples for Christ in 1987.

In my first 100 days I will prioritize internal cleansing of the government.

A principle I always live by is HIS: honesty, integrity and sincerity.
A fire that broke out at a petting zoo in Central Arkansas, near Little Rock, on Thursday has killed almost all of its animals, according to a zoo volunteer.

Jennifer Williams, who volunteers at Cockrills Country Critters, said during a news conference on Friday that between 40 to 50 animals have died in the fire.

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They include prairie dogs, chinchillas, hedgehogs and lemurs, although we did manage to save some reptiles, snakes and a couple of iguanas.

Jennifer Williams, a three-year volunteer for Cockrill's Country Critters, looks around the reptile room, where a fire started before spreading through the rest of the exotic barn Thursday in Austin. (Staci Vandagriff/The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP) (Staci R Vandagriff/AP Photo)

It is with a heavy, heavy heart that we have to inform you all that our exotic barn caught fire, a statement shared Thursday on the zoos Facebook account read.

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Most of the animals died due to carbon monoxide poison, the statement added. The incident happened after an electrical fire started in the zoos reptile room.

Zoo owner Janice Cockrill-Griffin told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that she was devastated.

Those were my babies and they all had a special place in my heart, she said.

Austin Fire Chief Chris Nelson told the newspaper that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. He said that the damage was confined to only one room, and there was no structural damage.

According to its website, Cockrills Country Critters is a traveling petting zoo serving Little Rock, Central Arkansas and parts of Texas and Louisiana.

It includes a variety of small farm animals such as rabbits, ducks, chickens, goats, pot-bellied pigs, mini ponies, mini cows, llamas, and alpacas.

The zoo also offers an exotic package, with kangaroos, camels, tortoises, lemurs, prairie dogs, hedgehogs, & much more!
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  Infanta Mayor Filipina Grace America was wounded after an unidentified gunman shot her on Sunday afternoon, Quezon Governor Danilo Suarez said.

According to Suarez, America had just boarded her car after attending mass at a town church when the gunman shot her.

America is in stable condition, Suarez told CNN Philippines.

Suarez also said America has no known enemy. Both officials are part of LakasChristian Muslim Democrats, the political party of vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

The local government strongly condemned the shooting incident and urged witnesses to cooperate with authorities to catch the perpetrator.

Maglalabas po ng opisyal na pahayag at iba pang detalye sa naganap na pamamaril sa ating punong bayan sa mga susunod na araw, the municipal government said in a Facebook post.

[Translation: We will release an official statement and other details on the shooting of our mayor in the coming days]

No other persons were hurt in the incident, according to initial reports.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  The Catholic church has allowed the faithful to receive ash crosses on their foreheads for this years Ash Wednesday on March 2 as restrictions have been eased in several areas.

According to the guidelines released by the Episcopal Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), priests will revert to the imposition of ashes on the forehead of the faithful,

The formula for the imposition of ashes 'Repent, and believe in the Gospel,' or 'Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return' is said only once applying it to all in general, the Episcopal Commission added.

Last year the Vatican recommended the sprinkling of ashes on top of the heads as an alternative way of distributing ashes and as a precaution.

The sprinkling of ashes on the crown will remain an option. We have been reminded last year that this option is an 'opportunity to catechize our people on both the penitential and baptismal characters of the Lenten season..., the Episcopal Commission explained.

The Episcopal Commission also advised parishes that they can burn dried leaves as an alternative for old palm branches. Parishes should also have enough ministers and ashes and health protocols should be followed as a large number of people are expected to gather at churches.

The National Capital Region and several areas are under Alert Level 2 until the end of February. The NCR mayors have recommended downgrading the region to a more relaxed Alert 1 starting March, which allows full on-site capacity provided that minimum public health standards are strictly followed.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  The Department of Health (DOH) recorded 1,038 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, pushing the nationwide tally to 3,661,049.

Of the newly reported cases today, 1,015 (98%) occurred within the past 14 days or from February 14 to 27. The regions with the highest number of new cases were Metro Manila (227 or 22%), Western Visayas (129 or 13%) and Calabarzon (104 or 10%).

Of the total, 1.4% or 52,961 are active cases or currently sick patients with 47,910 experiencing mild symptoms; 2,780 in moderate condition, 1,417 with severe symptoms; 556 without symptoms and 298 in critical condition.

The death toll rose to 56,401  1.54% of all cases  after 51 more people lost their lives. Among the 51 deaths, nine (18%) occurred this month and two (4%) last month. There were also 40 deaths traced to last year: one in December, eight in November, three in October, nine in September, five in August, six in July, four in June, one each in May and February, and two in January.

The belated reporting is due to late encoding of information in the COVIDKaya data storage system, the DOH explained.

Meanwhile, 1,999 others recovered, lifting the survivor count to 3,551,687 or 97% of the COVID-19 tally.

The DOH said it reclassified 44 initially tagged survivors as among the dead after validation, and deleted nine duplicate cases, including three recoveries and one fatality.

One laboratory did not submit data, the DOH said. The lone non-reporting laboratory contributed an average of 0.05% of tested samples and 0.05% of positive individuals in the last 14 days.

The positivity rate, or percentage of tested people with positive results, dropped further to 5% based on 25,313 tests reported on February 25.

The World Health Organization recommends a positivity rate below 5% for at least 14 days for countries to reopen borders.
(CNN)  The battle for a strategic bridge in Kherson, southern Ukraine, was still raging Saturday after days of fighting, with warning shots fired in nearby Nikolayev.

The sound of shelling impacts hit around Kherson, north of the Crimean Peninsula, could be heard from 8 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET), and by 11 a.m. (4 a.m. ET) the bridge was enveloped in smoke as grass around it had caught fire.

Shelling continued back and forth, and through the smoke CNN could see what appeared to be armored vehicles on the bridge moving towards the Ukrainian side, although it was not possible to confirm who they belong to.

In the nearby city of Nikolayev, warning shots were fired in the air on several occasions after a warning for people to stay indoors. The bridge to enter the city has been raised for the first time in more than a decade, locals said.

When a CNN team arrived in Kherson on Thursday night, Russian tanks were in the streets and jets were flying low overhead, terrifying residents.

By Friday, Ukrainian forces had reclaimed the key crossing into the country but not without cost. One Ukrainian soldier told CNN the Russians were "not far away." Civilians were seen picking through the wreckage on the bridge for ammunition, while bodies of soldiers lay nearby.

Friday afternoon brought the noise of more rockets landing in the streets and by dusk it appeared the balance of power had changed once again. Shells landed near Ukrainian positions and, apparently, houses.

This was followed by the sound of an attack helicopter, with more signs indicating the bridge had changed hands again. Moments later local officials released a statement saying Kherson's defenses had fallen.

However there were signs of a pushback Saturday morning.

Russian troops continue to fight to move north from the Crimean peninsula, annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

The offensive continues across Ukraine, and the battle has begun for control of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, with an apartment building hit by a missile or rocket early Saturday.

Fighting has reportedly spilled into the streets, and explosions and gunfire were heard overnight as Russian troops advanced on the city.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Battle rages for strategic bridge in southern Ukraine after days of fighting"
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
Dance Doyenne Santha Bhaskar, Aunty Bhaskar to all, passes on at 82

Santha Bhaskar, one of the leading torch bearers of Indian classical dance in Singapore and co-founder of Bhaskar Arts Academy, passed away last night at the age of 82.

The high-energy octogenarian was at Stamford Art Centre in the middle of the second day of Bhaskar Arts 70th anniversary year-long festivities, when she felt unwell. She was rushed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital where she breathed her last.

"Just as the show was starting, Emcee had finished her announcement, the first line of the song had started and I received the message." said one of senior officials at Bhaskars Arts.

A Cultural Medallion recipient (1990), the highest cultural accolade in Singapore, Santha Bhaskar will be fondly remembered for her distinctive choreography style and her phenomenal contribution to development of Indian performing arts.

Santha Bhaskar, one of the leading torch bearers of Indian classical dance in Singapore and co-founder of Bhaskar Arts Academy, passed on last night at the age of 82. Photo courtesy: Indian Heritage Centre

Singapore Priime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed his condolences at her passing.

"Saddened to hear that Mrs Santha Bhaskar had left us on Saturday. She was a pioneer of Indian dance in Singapore, and an exponent of our multicultural heritage. Mrs Bhaskar will be deeply missed," PM Lee stated in a tweet.

Saddened to hear that Mrs Santha Bhaskar had left us on Saturday. She was a pioneer of Indian dance in Singapore, and an exponent of our multicultural heritage. Mrs Bhaskar will be deeply missed.  LHL https://t.co/7IaAgniATj pic.twitter.com/77YgpsfXSb  leehsienloong (@leehsienloong) February 28, 2022

Bhaskar Aunty, as she endearingly called, was awarded the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat, Public Service Star, in 2016. In 1968, she even modelled for and was featured on a Singapore stamp!

The late Santha Bhaskar had proudly declared, "This celebration is about the Art; one that migrated here 70 years ago, found its roots and became a part of our heritage. It's a milestone in our history and a journey that deserves to be celebrated."

Classic photograph of Santha Bhaskar with her husband KP Bhaskar from their performing days. Photo courtesy: Bhaskars Arts

More updates to follow...
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PAGE TITLE GEETATEX - Sarees From India | Indian Designer Salwar Kammez | Indian Fashionable Designer Kurtis | DESCRIPTION Buy amazing designer indian sarees, tunics tops kurtis, designer salwar kameez, womens fashion clothing, and affordable women accessories online. Amazing Indian women clothing online store. KEYWORDS sarees, indian sarees, designer sarees, party sarees, wedding sarees, bridal sarees, georgette sarees, chiffon sarees, brasso sarees, net sarees, lehnga sarees, designer salwar kameez, churidar salwar kameez, party wear salwar kameez, wedding wear salwar OTHER KEYWORDS sarees, floral, kangana vol, tamanna, sanskruti, kangana, wedding



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Corsicana, TX (75110)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 72F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The death of Las Vegas comedian Donny Davis, who danced in shows alongside Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus, may have been the result of foul play.

Hotel security discovered the 47-year-old performer unresponsive in a hotel guest room in the Resorts World complex on Tuesday. They were called to the room around 5:30 a.m. to check on an unconscious man in the room turning blue and biting his tongue, according to a police report obtained by People.

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Security performed chest compressions while they waited for first responders to arrive and advised they thought there might be foul play due to the number of other subjects in the room and having trouble getting any information from them, the report says.

Donny Davis as Mini Trump attends Jeff Beachers Madhouse Preview at Roosevelt Hotel on Dec. 5, 2016 in Hollywood. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Beacher's Madhouse) (Randy Shropshire)

Davis was rushed to Sunrise Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

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Witnesses eventually told investigators that the comedian returned to the room after being denied service at a hotel bar for being too intoxicated.

A Clark County coroners office spokesman said it could take several weeks for results of blood toxicology tests and to uncover the cause and manner of Davis death.

At 4-foot-2, Davis starred in performances at the popular Beachers party bar, where he was fired out of a prop cannon, took on the role of an Oompa Loompa, a leprechaun, The Joker and a WWE combatant, the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He also performed in such side acts as Mini-Kiss, Mini-Bon Jovi and as the lead dancer in a Mini-Kombe African dance number.

He also danced for several years in Spears show in Las Vegas, toured with Joe Jonas, and was frequently seen with stars including Cyrus and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith.
There are obviously a lot of unknowns in the world right now, but we can say with relative certainty that public health measures requiring, say, wearing a mask from time to time will probably not lead to a sweeping wave of fascism followed by a strict worldwide ban on worshipping Jesus. Nevertheless, thats exactly the premise of last years 2025 - The World Enslaved By a Virus, starring, co-written, and co-directed by German YouTube pastor Joshua Wesely, seen here removing his face mask as if it were the ultimate act of badassery.

Wesely Bros While also being erased from existence, it seems.

The rare movie to score a 1.1/10 on IMDb, 2025 is immediately terrible. Were talking seconds into the movie, things go off the rails and land in a burning dumpster full of soiled adult diapers. The opening text provides some context for the chilling dystopia were about to enter, claiming that in the year 2025 the world as we have known in 2020 does not exist anymore because the virus changed the world. How? Well 

Wesely Bros

Yup, communism is all over the place, the joint is just lousy with communism  and if that wasnt bad enough, the new global state has banned  meetings?

Wesely Bros

Also illegal: Christianity. Enter our hero, Roy, who gets arrested by the cops for carrying a Bible and hauled down to what appears to be a police interrogation-themed escape room. At which point Roy emotionally pines for the days when restaurants were open, and life was worth living because the world was full of peace, love, and ice cream. Because as we all know, vaccine mandates are a slippery slope that will inevitably lead to ice cream bans.

Wesely Bros
Margaret Pearl Blaylock, age 85, of Crossville, TN, passed away at her home on May 3, 2022. She was born on November 18, 1936, in Crossville, TN, daughter of the late William Wyatt and Alice (Hale) Wyatt. Margaret was a homemaker and attended Stephen Gap Church of Christ. She is survived by 
As Australians gear up for the announcement of a federal election, gratuitous photo shoots, media fluff pieces, acerbic speeches, and even a bit of ukulele playing by long-odds incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison have become the order of the day. But behind the scenes, concerned election authorities are debating the potential impact of growing technological dependence and foreign interference in the countrys elections.

Those concerns were writ large in the recent first interim report of the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, which took a deep dive into the current climate of social-media manipulation and foreign interferenceand came up gasping for breath.

Noting the ongoing inquiries into the 2016 United States presidential election and 2019 UK general election, the committee noted that it would be naive to imagine that Australian elections and public debates have not, and will not, be the subject of similar attempts.

The report notes, There are a range of foreign governments, organisations and individuals who stand to win or lose from Australias political and policy decisions, adding that experiences from overseas show us there are some foreign actors who also seek to introduce discord and social conflict as an aim unto itself.  Technological developments mean that these actors have more options than ever before to influence Australias processes.

Who is responsible for elections cyber interference?
Migraines have baffled humankind at least as far back as the ancient Egyptians, who blamed the excruciating headaches, and their often-accompanying visual auras and nausea, on the supernatural.

Now, in a development doctors are calling revolutionary, an international group of neurologists has deciphered the mystery of why people get migraines and, in doing so, has determined how to greatly reduce their frequency and severity.

The discovery has revolutionized our treatment of migraine, said Dr. P. Christopher H. Gottschalk, a neurologist at Yale Medicine and assistant professor of neurology at the Yale School of Medicine.

Im witnessing a change in the landscape, said Dr. Sandhya Mehla, a headache specialist and vascular neurologist with Hartford HealthCare Medical Group. I would say this is a milestone.

The discovery, the fruit of 40 years of research, won four scientists in Sweden, Denmark and the United States the 2021 Brain Prize, the worlds most prestigious award in neurology.

Its already leading to treatments that can significantly reduce migraine attacks as well as minimize any breakthrough headaches. The new class of drugs has the potential to change the lives of the 1 billion migraine sufferers around the globe.

Linda Kelley-Dodds life has already been transformed. The Bristol resident started having headaches as a teenager, although, she said, It wasnt until I was in my 20s that I really noticed, this is a problem for me, this is really, truly a problem.

Before becoming one of Gottschalks patients, Kelley-Dodd, 49, whos the costume project coordinator at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, experienced all the hallmarks of migraine. In addition to headaches, she had auras, nausea, smell sensitivity and, especially, light sensitivity, which forced her to wear sunglasses when she drove home at night because the headlights of oncoming cars were so painful.

Her headaches varied. Sometimes they would range from just a low-grade headache to a full-on I-cant-deal-with-the-world-please-just-somebody-make-it-go-away.

She carried an arsenal to help at least just tamp down the pain so I could semi-function and plowed through Excedrin Migraine for days at a time, jacking herself up on Coca-Cola, aspirin and ibuprofen.

A year and a half ago, however, Kelley-Dodd started monoclonal antibody therapy, injecting herself once a month with a drug called Emgality.

I cant talk about how amazing this drug is, she said. It has completely changed my life.

Cause of Migraine

Migraine, the scientists found, is the result of an interaction between the largest nerve in the head, called the trigeminal, and the meninges, the thin membrane surrounding the brain that senses pain.

When fibers in the trigeminal nerve are activated, they emit powerful chemical signals that dilate blood vessels in the meninges. The meninges then becomes inflamed, triggering a migraine.

What activates the trigeminal fibers is highly individualistic. In her essay, In Bed, Joan Didion, a lifelong migraineur, wrote, Almost anything can trigger a specific attack of migraine: stress, allergy, fatigue, an abrupt change in barometric pressure, a contretemps over a parking ticket. A flashing light. A fire drill.

The researchers found that blocking those chemical signals, which they named calcitonin gene-related peptides (CGRP), can abort a migraine. This is what monoclonal antibodies, or CGRP antagonists, do.

Mehla of the Hartford HealthCare Medical Group called the discovery a milestone because it led to the first medications that were specifically designed and tested only for migraine. In the past, she said, doctors have had to treat their patients with medications that were developed for other medical conditions.

Migraine is in our genes, so it really cannot be cured, she said. But these new medications can greatly reduce their frequency.

Another huge benefit, said Gottschalk, is that their side effects have been practically zero.

The Migraine Personality

Like tuberculosis, migraine has often been linked to personality. In the 1930s, New York neurologist Harold Wolff asserted that the condition was especially prominent among perfectionists, those driven by ambition, a theory that remained popular until the 1980s.

And because one in three migraineurs are women, the disease has long been dismissed, or at least minimized, as just another psychosomatic condition of neurotic women.

Its distressing, Gottschalk said when asked about migraines and gender bias. It was not that long ago, 50 years ago, that doctors who were specialists in headache were writing [that] clearly the migraine personality includes sexual frustration in women. Unbelievable!

For a disease that has been part of the human condition for as long as migraines have, it may be surprising that it took so long to understand it. Gottschalk blames that not only on its association with womens supposed neuroses but also because migraine is one of those invisible diseases.

Its not like diabetes, where your sugars way high, he said. Its not like high blood pressure where you can do a thing on your arm and show that theres a number thats higher than it should be. Its somehow ... mysterious or unsettling that theres not a clear source of the problem that people can identify.

Insurance Coverage

The CGRP receptor antagonists are, predictably, expensiveabout $500 a monthbut Mehla and Gottschalk are optimistic about their cost to patients in the longer term.

I have to say its not as bleak as I was afraid it would be in the beginning, Gottschalk said, but its also not as good as it should be. The fact that [the medication is] FDA-approved specifically for migraine means that pretty much every commercial insurance has to approve at least one of these antibodies, and usually its more than one.

Patients seeking monoclonal antibody treatment had to have tried several drugs in the past before an insurer approves the new regimen.

Most of the patients that we see in the headache clinic are the ones who have tried something before, Mehla said. So, our patients usually meet the criteria if we are prescribing it. But [given the robust response], we can foresee that these medications will be covered much faster.

Her Long Road

Kelley-Dodds road to controlling her headaches may have been a bit atypical in that she was referred to Gottschalk for another ailment. And that it wasnt until she started getting treatment for the other ailment that she started getting treatment for her migraines.

I went for years without proper treatment, she said, not knowing that there was even treatment.

Today, Kelley-Dodd admits, its a little hard for her to remember everything she went through in her 20s and 30s. She laughs as she remembers thinking, This isnt actually the way a human should live, where I would just power through these headaches. You just have to power through.

I think, truly, there isnt enough information out there for humans to understand that this truly is a disability, she said, and that it truly affects peoples lives.

This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team ( c-hit.org ), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting.
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BRIDGEPORT  City Council members Maria Pereira and Jorge Cruz represent opposite ends of town but say their neighborhoods face the same problem  dirt bikes, all terrain vehicles and mini-cycles being illegally driven on streets, sidewalks and other public property in the spring and summer.

The way theyre driving around like they dont care about anybody else, somebodys going to get hurt or killed, Cruz said.

Pereira recalled that this week when the weather was unseasonably warm seven dirt bikes came right by me on Boston Avenue.

And while the city already has fines on the books for the operators, Pereira wants police to also be able to target gas station owners who allow riders to pull in and fuel up at their establishments.

She and her council partner, Michele Small, have submitted a draft ordinance co-sponsored by Cruz to penalize gas station owners between $500 and $1,000 for allowing dirt bikes, all terrain vehicles and mini-cycles to pull up to their pumps. The ordinance exempts such vehicles mounted on a hitch or trailer.

Pereira said the proposal was suggested by a constituent and the concept is no different than the limits placed on gas stations that sell cigarettes or lottery tickets. And New Haven recently enacted a similar local fine.

The Bridgeport ordinance also has strong backing from Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia. When in early January council members met publicly with Garcia to discuss various policing issues, Pereira broached the idea.

It would help us a lot, Garcia said at the time.

The chiefs office reiterated that position this week in a statement, stating she has made the recommendation to fine gas stations allowing dirt bike/ATV riders to gas up at their establishments.

Garcias office also noted how the department last year launched a special crackdown on all-terrain vehicles on the heels of a community outcry due to the recklessness and illegal activity that was posing a quality of life and safety issue within the city.

Cruz, though sometimes at odds with Pereira, said he agrees with her effort 100 percent.

I remember last summer on State (Street) and Park (Avenue), about 10 or 15 (dirt bikes), all of them in the gas station, Cruz recalled. Its another tool for police.

Both he and Pereira noted it is difficult for officers to catch the illegal riders because they do not want to get involved in a dangerous pursuit situation.

They cant chase them, Cruz said.

Pereira acknowledged there are still some details to be worked out in terms of how gas station owners would enforce the new ordinance should it be passed by the council, particularly if riders pay at the pump with credit cards and do not interact with a cashier.

Hearst Connecticut Media reached out to the New Haven Police Department about whether that citys ordinance has been successful, but no information was immediately available.

Its high time we did something, Pereira said. Literally in the summer, if youre in Bridgeport on the weekend, youll see 20 to 30 of them driving in a pack. I think every neighborhood has experienced them.

Sheik Hossain, owner of the Sunoco gas station on East Main Street, said he only allows motorcycles to purchase fuel. He said he forbids all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes and will not even let the riders fill up containers with gas because they are a danger.
Rapper Snootie Wild died Saturday after being found shot in a ditch a day earlier. He was 36.

Gone in body, but your NAME & LEGACY will live forever! reads a post from his official Instagram account.

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Snootie Wild, born LePreston Porter, hit Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with his first single, Yayo, in 2013. The song caught the attention of Yo Gotti and T.I., who both remixed it, which eventually got him signed to Gottis CMG record label.

Rapper Snootie Wild died Saturday. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

His social media accounts tied his death to an early morning shooting Friday, in which an unidentified victim was found shot in the neck next to an SUV in a ditch, according to ABC 13.

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The victim was hospitalized in critical condition.

A spokesperson for the Houston Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment from the Daily News Sunday.

No arrests have been announced.

Snootie Wild is the second Memphis rapper to be gunned down in barely four months, following 36-year-old Young Dolphs fatal shooting in his hometown in November.
STRATFORD  School officials released updated COVID-19 policies on Saturday, including new guidelines for masking, which makes them optional while on school transportation.

It was previously announced that when the statewide mask mandate lifts on Feb. 28, Stratford schools would make wearing a mask optional in school buildings, but would still be required while on school buses and vans.

On Saturday, Stratford Public Schools Head Nurse Kim Velazquez announced that would no longer be required, meaning students can choose whether or not to wear a mask while on school buses and vans, as long as the community is listed as low risk.

Masks must be worn when a student or staff member returns from a five-day isolation period, or for five days once symptoms start. Someone who tests positive will have to wear a mask until day 11 after the onset of the virus. They must also be worn at all school-based health centers.

As part of the transition to optional masking, the state has provided rapid COVID-19 test kits for all students and staff. These test kits will be distributed during the school day on March 2.

Velazquez said the isolation/quarantine and mask protocols are subject to change based on new guidance or conditions within the Stratford community.

Students or staff who test positive must isolate for five days, then must wear a mask at all times when around others for an additional five days, regardless of vaccination status. Those who are not vaccinated must follow this routine if contact is made with someone who has COVID-19, while those who are vaccinated do not have to self-isolate but must wear a mask around others for 10 days.

Velazquez reminded the Stratford schools community to notify the school nurse as soon as you come into close contact with the virus outside of school, or if you test positive.

This includes a positive case within in the home which will require a five-day quarantine and a negative COVID test to return to work and school, Velazquez said.

She said anyone with questions or concerns can reach out to a school nurse, or to her via email at velazquezk@stratk12.org.
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,
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The pandemic may have disrupted Carnival plans in Rio de Janeiro for a second straight year, but revelers who have flocked to the Brazilian city for sun, sea and samba still found ways to party on Saturday.

Thousands defied an official ban on street parties by dancing, singing and mingling to the rhythm of Samba, sometimes as police looked on.

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A reveler dressed as a cat strikes a pose during an unofficial carnival block party referred to as "blocos", in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) (Silvia Izquierdo/AP)

Others attended more formal events that moved indoors this year after City Hall banned blocos, the tightly packed street parties traditionally thronged by those who cannot or do not want to lay out for pricey tickets for the official parade at the Sambadrome  which this year has been postponed to April because Brazil is still not past the omicron wave.

Revelers dance during an unofficial carnival block party referred to as "blocos", in Rio de Janeiro. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) (Silvia Izquierdo/AP)

I think its a shame this has to happen this way, said Tulio Brasil, a 29 year-old music marketing director who found one of the unauthorized street parties in the city center.

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It doesnt make sense to crowd everyone into a closed place when the street, an open space, much more airy, is prohibited, he said.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

The indoor parties  and the fee to get in  are a heresy for many Brazilians who say that Carnivals block parties are essentially and historically parties by the people and for the people.

There is great hypocrisy about all this, said Deivid Domenico, a samba composer linked to the Mangueira samba school. In January, when the omicron wave was peaking, they didnt take any public measures to limit the spread of the virus; bars and restaurants were still open. But they canceled Carnival.

The citys decision to postpone Carnival has frustrated many professionals and creative types whose livelihoods center around one of the largest festivals in the world - especially since large gatherings in enclosed spaces have gone undisturbed.

Stadiums are full, churches are full, evangelical temples, concerts, bars, restaurants, hotels, AirBnbs, said Rita Fernandes, who leads an association of street blocos from the citys most touristic areas. This seems quite contradictory, as if the virus only spread on the streets and at Carnival.

Big crowds at concerts such as those held in the past few weeks by Brazils biggest pop star, Anitta, have puzzled Carnival organizers and revelers alike.

In 2021 after COVID hit mayors across the Latin Americas largest nation were forced to cancel Carnival for the first time in a century. Authorities threatened legal action against those who defied the ban to party, so many groups turned to online events, streaming music and dances for their fans.

But this year, as parts of the world with high vaccination rates have gone back to some sort of normalcy, online events are no longer attractive. People are tired of it, said Fernandes, from the block parties association.
Hell hath no fury like a dictator not taken seriously. We have laughed too often at the posed action-man photographs of Vladimir Putin, stripped to the waist while fishing, or flexing his pectorals on horseback or following other manly activities in the great outdoors.

In Western democracies it is very hard to take such posturing seriously.

Yet it was a grave mistake to have underestimated the danger that he presented.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured, addressing the nation in Moscow earlier this week

Russians would not have been so blind to such threats to themselves, for there are many examples in their history of such a fatal error.

Perhaps the most striking was the way that Leon Trotsky and other Bolshevik intellectuals dismissed Joseph Stalin as a pock-marked Georgian gangster until it was too late.

Putin is not another Stalin, but he has managed through propaganda and the education system to change Russian opinion dramatically over the past five years, doubling the proportion of those who regard Stalin as a great leader to 56 per cent.

This convinced Putin of the necessity to project himself as a strong leader, too. And 'strong' in Russian history means ruthless.

Yet to categorise Putin simply as a born-again Bolshevik would be very far from the mark.

In his bizarre and rambling treatise last week immediately before his declaration of war on Ukraine, Putin's anger against Lenin was very clear.

He blamed the Bolshevik leader for having introduced into the constitution of the USSR the idea that the national republics were all equal.

This, Putin has said, 'planted in the foundation of our statehood the most dangerous time-bomb, which exploded the moment the safety mechanism provided by the commanding role of the Soviet Communist Party was gone, the party itself collapsing from within'.

'Leon Trotsky and other Bolshevik intellectuals dismissed Joseph Stalin as a pock-marked Georgian gangster until it was too late,' Sir Antony Beevor writes

Thus Lenin's overconfidence in world revolution eventually allowed Ukraine to seize its independence in 1991 when the USSR fell apart.

This was the event that led to Putin's famous lament that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geo-political tragedy of the 20th Century.

Putin has convinced himself that a separate Ukrainian identity is totally artificial because the country is inherently part of 'the same historical and spiritual space' as Russia. We are a 'single people', he declares.

The fact is that he is living in a crazed fantasy world of the imperial past when he declares 'a hostile anti-Russia is being created in our historic lands'.

In his view, no population from the old Tsarist empire has the right to follow its own path.

Putin's other belief, that the West was largely to blame, came from the rash ambitions of the United States, Nato and the EU in the first decade of the millennium to promote democracy everywhere. It was a dangerously naive crusade.

Sir Antony Beevor says: 'Thus Lenin's overconfidence in world revolution eventually allowed Ukraine to seize its independence in 1991 when the USSR fell apart'. Pictured, a statue of Lenin in Donetsk, Ukraine

Putin also saw that a democratic and independent Ukraine, even a corrupt one then, would become a threat to his own kleptocratic and increasingly dictatorial regime.

To him, it was a treason against Russia for Ukraine to desire to become part of the EU.

He also continued to resent bitterly those former Soviet satellites that had joined Nato to guarantee their freedom.

He saw Nato's incremental expansion eastwards since 1999 as a deliberate threat aimed at Russia.

This was part of that atavistic Russian fear of encirclement and the idea that the whole world was against it.

Putin is simply following the Stalinist policy of the last century. 'We do not intend to occupy Ukraine,' he stated when declaring war.

He may still insist that he has no plans to incorporate Ukraine into Russia, but he is almost certain to adopt Stalin's mode of operations in 1945 when the Red Army swept across central Europe.

Just like Stalin, Putin evidently intends to install his own puppet government of quislings in Kyiv.

A sign by a checkpoint in Stanitsa Luganskaya, a rural town abandoned by Ukrainian troops without resistance

One can be sure that Russian special forces and military intelligence service have lists of those Ukrainians they wish to eliminate in one form or another so that the country can be turned into a satellite state, as central European countries were in 1945.

It is not history that repeats itself. Instead, all countries are, to a certain degree, prisoners of their past.

But Russia, more than any other nation state, suffers from the way its leaders tend to trap their country, as well as neighbouring victims, into a tragically repetitive cycle.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine finally revealed how much his anger has grown as he is surrounded by a gang of Kremlin yes-men. It was telling that his phobia about catching Covid-19 led him into an even tighter isolation, with no outsider permitted to approach him.

The increasingly irrational behaviour and his rambling monologues, which clearly embarrassed his own Security Council in that broadcast just before the invasion of Ukraine began, presents a terrifying possibility.

An enraged Putin is a very dangerous beast who risks extending his war on Ukraine to the Baltic states and beyond.

He is an unstable dictator with the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world, but who can rein him in?
For three-and-a-half centuries, elite customers, from monarchs downwards, have conducted their financial affairs behind its imposing columned facade.

Britains oldest bank, Child & Co  based at 1 Fleet Street in central London since 1673  is even said to have inspired Charles Dickens as the template for Tellsons Bank in A Tale of Two Cities.

Today, those 349 years count for nothing.

City stalwart: Child & Co's Fleet Street branch is pictured on the right in 1906

It gives me no joy to deliver this news, but Child & Co is to follow the wretched trail blazed by the big branch-felling banking beasts Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays and HSBC: its magnificent doors are being shut for good, its splendour consigned to the annals of history.

Why? Because, according to the private bank now owned by NatWest, fewer people are going into the branch as customers shift to online and mobile services.

Or in more honest terms, the branch costs NatWest too much to run for too little financial reward. Code for profit uber alles. Machines, phone apps and the internet rather than stellar personal service.

Not only is this a terribly sad day for those of us who have decried the steady erosion of Britains cultural history over recent years. It is unarguable proof, if such were needed, that there is now no defence  not even historic pedigree  against the greed and self-interest driving banks to shutter vast swathes of our once-thriving branch network. Banks, may I remind you, that made profits between them last year of 23 billion (Barclays, HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds). Yes, 23 billion.

Since 2015, almost 5,000 branches, or half the entire network, have been shut in a bloodbath of vital services in towns, villages and cities across the country.

In that sense, although the closure of Child & Cos iconic branch is grim news, it is not unexpected. Its part of the inexorable withdrawal of the countrys major banks from our communities. A sign of the times we live in as we increasingly conduct our lives through mobile phone apps and the internet, rather than person to person.

In recent years, branches have been shutting at a rate of more than 50 a month. And the signals my antennae are picking up from banking experts indicate that rate could increase this year as the big banks strive to speed up their closure programmes, drive down their costs and push their profits even further up into the stratosphere. All using the veil of the Covid pandemic, which understandably reduced footfall in branches as we stayed at home under State decree.

Child & Cos owner NatWest has already announced 32 branch closures this year  as foreshadowed in this newspapers Personal Finance pages. It wont be long before Lloyds, considered by some to be over-branched (a horrible term used by money men in the City), follows them. Compared with its rivals, Lloyds has been far less ruthless in culling branches in recent times. Ruthlessness, I am sure, will soon prevail.

Since 2015, almost 5,000 branches, or half the entire network, have been shut in a bloodbath of vital services in towns, villages and cities across the country

Of course, the banks argue that huge branch networks are passe: customers increasingly want to do their banking online or via a phone. They have a point, but its a question of the chicken or the egg. When a branch shuts, most customers are forced into banking online. They have no choice. Its not because they are desperate to do so.

And perhaps more importantly for wider society, it is the elderly and vulnerable who truly suffer. Many rely on coins and notes and are not confident doing internet banking. They feel cut adrift, bereft of critical financial services in a world that seems to be moving rapidly on without them, and with little regard to the consequences.

My biggest issue with branch closures is when they leave a community bankless. A bank branch should be an essential part of every towns fabric, but increasingly it is being treated as an archaic luxury by bosses more interested in extracting every ounce of profit from customers at the lowest possible cost. Alongside the elderly, shopkeepers suffer dreadfully.

The hairdresser, the plumber, the butcher. Without the bank and its ready access to cash to lure visitors, trade begins to spiral downwards and business owners are forced either to move to larger conurbations or pack it all in. As millions across rural England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will testify: removing the last branch in town is like ripping the heart out of a community. There is often no way back.

On hearing of the Child & Co closure this weekend, Derek French, a former NatWest executive who has campaigned tirelessly to keep more branches open, said: Its extremely sad to see it go. Its part of banking history. Its a very special branch.

Spot on. But guess what? NatWest couldnt care less about that. Just look at the way the news has been conveyed to the banks 6,000 existing customers (who are required to have a sole income of at least 100,000, a 500,000 mortgage with NatWest or 100,000 of savings).

One, who described the move as ham-fisted, said NatWest had sent a template letter for any old branch closure while paying no regard to the fact that it is the oldest bank in the UK.

The letter, shown to me by The Mail on Sundays intrepid banking correspondent Emma Dunkley, asked customers to use NatWest or Royal Bank of Scotland branches nearby after June 29. Millions of our customers now manage their money online, the letter states. With fewer people going into the branch, weve had to make some really tough choices. Which is unfortunately why well be closing our London Child & Co branch.

Yet NatWest does not deny that counter transactions for personal customers at the branch were actually increasing before the pandemic. Last night, a spokesman said the closure of the branch does not mean we are discontinuing the Child & Co brand.

That will do little to quell the disappointment among account-holders, who will have taken pride in being part of a rich history.

The bank actually dates from 1649, when goldsmith Robert Blanchard began trading on The Strand, using a marigold motif to identify his business. The mark can still be seen in the banks windows today.

Blanchard was joined by fellow goldsmith Sir Francis Child in about 1665 and the new firm, Blanchard & Child, moved to Fleet Street in 1673.

Designed by the eminent architect John Gibson, the building is now Grade II listed and retains the cases of muskets amassed in 1780 during the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots on Londons streets.

The third-oldest bank in the world, Child & Co  the name adopted after Blanchards death in 1682  claims it was the first to introduce the pre-printed cheque. Before then, customers had to use handwritten letters.

Famous patrons reputedly included William III and Mary, 18th Century politician the Marquess of Tavistock and Charles IIs mistress Nell Gwyn.

Of course, it is hard to feel sympathetic for todays high net worth customers as they jet around the world. I cant imagine many will struggle to bank online.

But this isnt really about them. Its about the kind of country we want to live in. Its about the slow, relentless crumbling of the community life we all cherished. Its about our past  and our present.

Because if the magnificent Child & Co can be unceremoniously axed, it can happen anywhere, at any time. And mark my words, hundreds more bank branches up and down the country are being pencilled in for closure at this very moment. We will all be poorer for it. Shame on the banks, I say.
The first rule of PPE donations is: dont talk about PPE donations  especially if they come from China.

I discovered this while enquiring about the million facemasks quietly provided to the UK Government during the pandemic by Tencent, the Chinese tech giant close to the Beijing government.

The firm also has a streaming arm, Chinas largest, which put out a censored version of the 1999 film Fight Club last month, with Big Brother mandarins altering the cult films subversive ending.

The firm also has a streaming arm, Chinas largest, which put out a censored version of the 1999 film Fight Club last month

Its version had authorities stopping Project Mayhem from blowing up capitalism and sending the free-thinking alter ego of the narrator (played by Brad Pitt) to an asylum.

Chinese audiences are also being treated to Tencents censored version of TV sitcom Friends. All references to lesbians and gays are cut and the line women can have multiple orgasms is changed to women can have endless gossips. What an anti-climax.

It took three weeks and threats of a complaint for pen-pushers at the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office and Health Department to come clean that senior officials in a centralised team in the latter had signed off the Tencent PPE donation, and that smaller amounts of protective equipment were sent to individual NHS trusts in April 2020. The Bank of China also helped out.

Now, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith is planning to back an amendment to ban PPE procurement from anywhere linked to genocide.

Health practitioners in this country are wearing government-issue, tainted PPE, he told me. Tencent says it was happy to have saved lives at a critical time, which is no doubt why three peers  Lords Carter, Glendonbrook and Mance  proudly declare shareholdings in the Chinese firm.

As any observer of soft power and decades of Russian and Middle Eastern money sloshing through the London laundromat know, foreign largesse often ties politicians and political parties to regimes they soon find committing evil crimes against humanity.

Lord can run and hide

Oligarchs in London will have nowhere to hide, Boris Johnson said. Time will tell. For now, members of the House of Lords who take the Kremlin rouble certainly do.

Take Labour Lord (Peter) Goldsmith, who has taken a leave of absence from the Upper House because he doesnt want to declare how much foreign clients, including the Russian government, pay him for his legal wisdom.

Tory MP Bob Seely tried to use a Commons debate to criticise the former Attorney General but was told by the Deputy Speaker that absent peers are protected by the convention that fellow Parliamentarians cannot be criticised directly by name.

So as well as being entitled to retain titles, have access to Parliament and its dining facilities, and use of official stationery, while not having to declare outside interests, peers on leave are also beyond parliamentary criticism. End this preposterous loophole now.

The road to war in Ukraine prompted a ceasefire in the leadership race to replace Boris Johnson. Until, that is, hours after the invasion began when kingmaker Michael Gove tweeted how a business school lecture by Rishi Sunak was quite brilliant.

Michael Gove tweeted how a business school lecture by Rishi Sunak (pictured) was quite brilliant.

The gushing didnt go unnoticed in the corridors of power  nor the fact that, regardless of Putins invasion, the Chancellor happily went ahead with a speech to set out his vision of Sunak-ism.

The Treasury, one insider tells me, failed to respond when some quizzical Downing Street staff asked why Sunak had not cancelled.

The Chancellor was still on manoeuvres last Friday, when his newsletter, while titled Slava Ukraini (Glory To Ukraine), contained seven references to what he called his first major speech. There was also a candid shot of him preparing for it, expensive sleeves rolled up, and captioned Out and About. A bit like his naked ambition.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is taking a novel approach to party discipline.

He warned Stoke-on-Trent North Tory Jonathan Gullis to stop his rowdy disruptions  otherwise Ill ring your mother.

The newbie MP tells me hes now slipped Hoyle his mums number.
As British ambassador to the Russian Federation, I had a view from the front row of Vladimir Putins charms and tantrums.

While trying to turn his country into an economic power, he befriended Western leaders in order to learn how to become a world power-broker.

I recall how, in 2000, Putin invited Tony Blair to St Petersburg for talks in the grandiose throne rooms of Tsarist palaces at Peterhof and the Hermitage. He took his British guests to a night at the opera: Prokofievs War And Peace  based on Tolstoys novel. Everything was designed to impress, to show that Russia was a great country.

As a former KGB officer, Putin knew how to turn on the charm and tailor the approach depending on who he was talking to. Hes skilfully manipulative  a vengeful man trained to stamp on dissidents and foreigners.

His cold eyes can flick from charm to sharp pinpricks SIR RODERICK LYNE writes of Putin

His cold eyes can flick from charm to sharp pinpricks. Hes deliberately rude  a trick, of course, that insecure people use to show they are the boss. This darker, irrational side has led to his most petulant political decisions.

During the brutal war in Chechnya, Putin would fly off into an angry, emotional rant whenever Western leaders or journalists tried to discuss it. His staff told me that rational discussion with him was impossible: Putin just lost his rag. His eyes would flash and he would talk, uninterrupted, for 20 minutes, in an uncontrolled scream of fury.

Similarly, today, an unhinged Russian leader likes to rave that the West is trying to dismember Russia.

Isolated in a bubble with a few ageing ex-KGB cronies, and divorced from reality, Putin has gone for a full-scale invasion.

I believe this to be a fatal miscalculation.

Putin desperately needs a quick victory. For even if he manages to install a Quisling government in Kyiv, it would become an endless burden for Russia, with mass civil disobedience and continuing armed resistance.

At home, too, Putin has been clamping down on freedom ever more tightly because he is nervous. He has lost support. People are angry that living standards have fallen by a third over the past decade; and at the regimes grotesque corruption. They dont want to see lots of body-bags return home from Ukraine.

Half of Russians do not want Putin to be re-elected in 2024; and more than 40 per cent of young Russians want to leave the country according to Sir Roderick

Half of Russians do not want Putin to be re-elected in 2024; and more than 40 per cent of young Russians want to leave the country.

The madness of Putins rambling public appearances has been visible to all, including the generals he relies upon to carry out his orders. The more repressive he becomes, the more the costs of Ukraine and of international isolation weigh down, the more likely it will be that forces within Russia decide that it is time for a change.

The Ukrainians have tasted freedom for more than 30 years and will do everything to preserve it. Soon, perhaps, ordinary Russians may feel the same.
A man of the Russian diaspora holds a banner during a protest against "Putin's War" on Ukraine at Krakow's UNESCO listed Main Square on March 20, 2022, in Krakow, Poland. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted widespread condemnation from Western countries and an array of economic sanctions imposed on its political and business elite, but there are ramifications for regular Russians as well. The value of the ruble is in free-fall, a wave of foreign businesses have suspended operations in Russia and European airspace is largely closed to Russian planes. (Omar Marques/Getty Images)
In the midst of civilised Europe in 2022 there is now bloody, pitiless war. There is no human action that is more unjust and wrong than armed aggression. As many Russian people have bravely recognised, their leader has done a terrible, unforgivable, indefensible thing.

The Mail on Sunday hopes that he will fail, that his overweening arrogance will remove his unpleasant despotism from Russia, and that a just and lasting peace can quickly be brought about. But the shock is still appalling.

There we were, used to a gentle cushioned world of instant gratification, in which politics and diplomacy barely intruded into our lives. We heard rumours of wars, but paid little attention.

And then war came with the menacing boom of explosions and the accompanying misery as homes and neighbourhoods were smashed and burned, and previously contented people were forced to flee into the unknown.

People hold signs as thousands gather for a rally in support of the people of Ukraine after Russia's invasion

Nobody even begins to know how many innocent lives have been brutally ended, or how many more deaths and maimings there will be.

Vladimir Putin has deliberately stepped far beyond the limits of civilised behaviour. His name now joins the list of the infamous and the cruel, conquerors, would-be conquerors and tyrants.

We had thought such events were confined to the past, or to the poorer and more unstable parts of the world. But here they are unfolding in modern cities not unlike our own.

Thank heaven, it has not come to us, though Ukraine is less than three hours flying time from London and we would be wise to pay more attention to what is going on around us. We are not prepared for such things, nor are we especially well defended against them. These are matters for urgent consideration by Ministers and MPs.

But there is an even more urgent matter. Unknown numbers of Ukrainians are now refugees.

This tally of misery is bound to increase, for any sane person will get out of the way of a modern army, with its terrifying powerful weapons and its cold indifference to civilians.

Demonstrators attend a protest rally in central London

Almost all of those fleeing are women and children, or the old, because men of military age in many cases wish to stay and fight the cruel invader  and in any case they are not being allowed to leave.

Ukraines free and democratic neighbours are doing what they can to take in these terribly mistreated people, following the hospitable traditions of European civilisation.

But these countries are not rich and have limited facilities to house their distressed and frightened guests. That is why they need our immediate help. Even if they do not come far beyond their nations borders, Ukrainians fleeing from Putins tanks, planes and missiles need to be housed, kept warm and fed.

Who knows how long the crisis will last or when they will be able to return? In the meantime it will also be necessary to provide the other essentials of civilisation  above all, schools and medical treatment.

So, having no doubt that they will respond, we appeal to all our readers to support our campaign to aid these refugees, swiftly and generously. Let us show that we in this country still uphold the virtues of charity and compassion.

And in doing so let us heap coals of fire on Putins head  a man who claims to be a Christian but who has launched fire and death against the weak and the innocent in defiance of all Christian belief.

For all those who have spent the last few days asking what on earth they can do to counter the barbarism and spite now loose in Ukraine, here is something all of us can tackle. Give till it hurts.
Ever since the final days of the Second World War, when mushroom clouds rose above the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, mankind has lived in the shadow of nuclear war.

As a schoolboy in the 1980s, I vividly remember the paranoia of the decades that followed. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, I assumed those days were over.

But now, with Vladimir Putin's chilling announcement that he is putting Russia's nuclear forces on 'special alert' against the West, we find ourselves once again in a world haunted by nightmares of Armageddon.

Should we take Putin's nuclear threat seriously? Shocking as the last few days have been, I struggle to believe he would invite a full-scale war. But nobody who has read about the carnage at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where more than 200,000 civilians are thought to have been killed, can feel remotely complacent.

As a schoolboy in the 1980s, I vividly remember the paranoia of the decades that followed. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, I assumed those days were over

Terrifyingly, today's nuclear weapons are far deadlier than their predecessors. And if you read the National Archives' recently declassified Cold War documents, you discover that even in the 1950s and 1960s, the death toll here in Britain after a nuclear exchange was expected to run into the tens of millions.

Older readers will remember, of course, that we have come close to the edge before. In the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, the Soviet Union's secret installation of nuclear weapons on Fidel Castro's Caribbean island provoked an outraged US reaction, and almost triggered a Third World War.

For 13 long, terrible days, the world trembled on the brink. For the first time in history the US president, John F. Kennedy, raised the nuclear alert to Defcon 2  the highest level short of actual war.

Some US generals urged him to order pre-emptive air strikes against the Cuban bases. Had he followed their advice, the outcome would almost certainly have been a full-scale conflict.

Soviet freighter Anosov being escorted by a Navy plane and the destroyer USS Barry as it leaves Cuba in 1962

But Kennedy kept his cool. Instead he declared a naval quarantine around Cuba, and although Soviet ships sailed very close, the Kremlin's Nikita Khrushchev eventually blinked. The Soviet leadership agreed to withdraw their missiles from Cuba. In return the Americans quietly pulled their own missiles out of Turkey, and the world breathed an almighty sigh of relief.

Although the Cuban Missile Crisis remains history's most frightening near-miss, there have been others. As tensions mounted during the Arab-Israeli war of October 1973, with reports of possible Soviet military intervention against Israel, Richard Nixon raised the alert to Defcon 3, though this was not widely reported.

An even more terrifying moment came in November 1983, when the Kremlin completely misread a massive Nato wargame codenamed Able Archer.

Convinced that Ronald Reagan was about to order a pre-emptive attack, the Soviet leadership warned their agents across the world that war might be only hours away. At the Moscow clinic where the Soviet leader Yuri Andropov lay dying, a military aide waited by his bedside, ready to send the nuclear codes. The minutes ticked by, the tension almost intolerable.

Ever since the final days of the Second World War, when mushroom clouds rose above the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (above), mankind has lived in the shadow of nuclear war

Only when the Able Archer wargame ended without an attack did the Russians realise their fears had been groundless.

Putin's threat, however, feels different. It is not a mistake; it is a deliberate, cold-blooded threat from a violent, angry and increasingly paranoid man.

During his rambling declaration of war on Ukraine last week, the Russian strongman warned that the West would 'face consequences greater than any you have faced in history' if it dared to intervene. Three days ago he again warned of 'military and political consequences' if Finland and Sweden were to join Nato.

And now, in his latest chilling address to the Russian people, he seems to be preparing the ground for a possible nuclear strike  something utterly unimaginable only a few days ago.

Perhaps I am being naive, but I cannot believe the Russian president would willingly initiate a nuclear conflict in which tens of millions of his own people would surely be destroyed.

What does frighten me, though, is the possibility that as discontent grows, economic pressure rises and his army becomes bogged down, this vicious, resentful man may lash out in a desperate attempt to save his regime.

Older readers will remember, of course, that we have come close to the edge before. In the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, the Soviet Union's secret installation of nuclear weapons on Fidel Castro's Caribbean island provoked an outraged US reaction, and almost triggered a Third World War

Could he be preparing Russian public opinion for the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Ukrainian military positions? Could he seriously be considering a nuclear strike against the city of Kyiv?

A week ago, I would have considered such suggestions utterly fantastical, the stuff of some lurid nightmare. But after the horrors of the last few days, with an increasingly unstable and irrational dictator in the Kremlin, I no longer feel so confident.

One thing, though, is certain. The Russian president would not issue such threats unless he believed we were weak, and unless he was convinced we would crumble.

The last week should have taught us the folly of appeasement. And even in the face of his appalling bluster, we must hold our nerve and stand up for freedom.
At the age of 15, Ella Brennan fell into the grips of an eating disorder.

As her conditioned worsened her heart rate would drop incredibly low, causing her to faint at home and school.

The now 18-year-old student from Geelong recalls being in denial of her restrictive eating habits and admitted she was 'stubborn' towards health professionals who diagnosed her.

'I completely hated my body and wanted to change into someone else; I felt like I was broken, disgusting and damaged,' Ella told Daily Mail Australia.

It got to a point where she would hide her food in her socks, hair, sleeves and in pot plants to pretend she had eaten.

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Ella Brennan (pictured) was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at the age of 15 after she fell into the grips of an eating disorder

The now 18-year-old student from Geelong recalls being in denial of her restrictive eating habits and admitted she was 'stubborn' towards health professionals who diagnosed her

In high school Ella was once a bubbly, social, energetic student, but her condition began after a traumatic incident occurred.

As her mental health deteriorated, she 'completely cut off' her friends, felt 'numb' and would spend days in bed.

'My parents didn't notice anything was wrong, but one day I woke up from napping and found mum (who's a nurse) checking my pulse,' she said.

Ella refused to be taken to see a doctor but eventually saw a physician who monitored her.

'I didn't think anything was wrong with me even though I had very bad habits,' she said.

Over six weeks she dropped around 12kg, although doctors ensured she never knew her exact weight.

'I would stand on the scales backwards so I couldn't see the exact amount I weighed,' she said.

She was taken to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services centre (CAMHS) where health professionals instantly detected the eating disorder and was later diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in 2020.

'I was so consumed by my eating disorder and my self-awareness was so impaired that I couldn't really see how sick I was,' she said.

Ella was then given the choice to immediately see a paediatrician or be taken to a hospital, though she preferred neither.

A bed was booked at the local hospital ward by doctors, and Ella said she sobbed the entire way there.

It got to a point where she would often hide her food in her socks, sleeves and in pot plants to pretend she had eaten. Over almost three years she was admitted into hospital 15 times

What is anorexia nervosa? * Anorexia nervosa is a psychological illness that has devastating physical consequences. * It is characterised by low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight, which manifests itself through depriving the body of food. * It often coincides with increased levels of exercise. * There are two main sub-types of anorexia: Restricting type  this is the most commonly known type of anorexia nervosa, whereby a person severely restricts their food intake. Binge-eating or purging type  less recognised, this type of anorexia nervosa forms when a person restricts their intake as above, but also has regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour. Source: Eating Disorders Org Advertisement

At the hospital Ella would be forced to eat food or face having a tube inserted through her nose which would run down into her stomach.

'We were eating in a room of other patients with eating disorders and I cried the whole time because I couldn't bring myself to eat the food,' she said.

'I was told I had 24 hours to start eating otherwise I would be tubed.'

But she never ate a hospital meal or supplement, which led to more than 15 admissions.

Ella said with each admission her mental health would worsen, she would never eat and would pull out the nasal tubes.

It got to a point where she was diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety and had suicidal thoughts.

At times she also needed to be restrained to the bed after trying to escape the hospital and would require nurse supervision 24/7.

'It was the extreme but necessary precautions taken to protect me from myself,' she said.

At the hospital Ella would be forced to eat food otherwise nurses would insert a tube through her nose which would run down into her stomach

She never ate a hospital meal or supplement, which kept reoccurring for a total of 15 admissions

The turning point for Ella started in September 2021, a month before her 18th birthday, when she started 'challenging' her eating disorder.

She knew after she turned 18 she would be admitted to an adult hospital ward which 'terrified' her.

'I was sitting in hospital and realised this is not how I want to live - I want to live a fulfilling life,' Ella said, adding she has goals of one day becoming a nurse or psychologist.

'I know recovery is a scary process, but to me the thought of not recovering is scarier.'

That day Ella's doctor noticed a 'sense of hope and fight' in her that changed the trajectory of her life completely.

The turning point for Ella started in September 2021, a month before her eighteenth birthday, when she started 'challenging' her eating disorder. 'I know recovery is a scary process, but to me the thought of not recovering is scarier,' she said

'I was scared to live in and out of hospital for the rest of my life, so I had to give it my all and try recover,' she said.

And that's exactly what she did. Ella went home and forced herself to eat, although at first she would do so in tears.

She had a set meal plan with three meals a day and has been out of hospital for seven months.

Today she is better than ever, is free from the thoughts that once restricted her and has returned to socialising with friends.

Ella is now studying a bachelor of nursing and psychology and is also a mental health advocate.

If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call Butterfly's National Helpline on 1800 334 673 or email support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au
From a tiny woolly lambs to a horse who adopted an orphaned foal, these adorable animal photos are sure to warm the heart.

The images were shared on social media by people around the world and collated in a gallery by Bored Panda.

Among the animals featured in the snaps are a dog who is celebrating surviving cancer, and a tiny kitten snuggling up with a baby.

Another picture shows a foster dog who's been rescued from a bad situation finally sleeping on a cosy bed for the first time in her life.

FEMAIL rounds up the most adorable animal photos you'll ever see...

After giving birth to a stillborn baby, this mare from the Netherlands was matched with an orphaned foal. This image taken an hour after they met shows how quickly they bonded

This little baby lamb is just 15-minutes-old in this photo, and learning to stand on his tiny baby legs - just too adorable!

A veterinary clinic in the US knows how to make its patients feel paw-some: it has a special 'nurse' dog who comforts sick animals

Terminally ill patients at a hospital in France are comforted by Peyo, a 15-year-old stallion. Scientists are studying his ability to reduce patient anxiety and comfort those in pain

They say dogs are man's best friend, but this donkey from Colorado, who was reunited with his human after the pair were separated by a fire that swept through their town, is just as friendly

This sweet rat, who lives in sunny California, just can't stop grinning after being given some delicious pasta to enjoy!

Looking for a friend: This fox pup from the UK is a regular visitor to this house, tapping the window with his paw to get attention

This adorable German Shepherd took on cancer, and beat the odds to beat the serious illness before taking to social media to share the good news

Beaming: This pup from the US was delighted when his human bought him his very own armchair so he has a comfy spot for relaxing - but the cat looked less than impressed

An adorable, tiny, ginger kitten from the US loves to snuggle in the lounger with his human sibling every time he has the chance. This pair will surely grow up to be great friends

It was smiles all-round for this pooch, who looks proud as punch with his new prosthetic leg, which he had fitted at a specialist animal hospital in Colorado
A young woman who suffered from extreme bloating between meals has revealed how a simple vitamin has helped relieve her painful symptoms.

The woman posted incredible before and after photos of her bloated stomach claiming the JS Health detox and debloat tablets have changed her life.

'I don't know how they do what they do but I love them,' she said in a message to the company.

A woman has shown off pictures of her bloated, painful stomach and her almost flat stomach in before and after praising JS Health vitamin

Jessica Sepel in the entrepreneur behind JS Health - a world-renowned vitamin Australian company

Her results were published on Instagram where the company, run by Australian entrepreneur Jessica Sepel, explained exactly how the pills work.

'This formula uses a double-benefit approach, providing both digestive support and detoxification support in the convenience of one tablet,' they said.

The tablets are one of the company's bestsellers but the photo evidence appeared to persuade even more people to give it a go.

'That is such an amazing result,' one woman wrote on the post.

The popular brand's following grew through the pandemic when women began to lose their hair due to stress.

One woman, Camilla, spoke to FEMAIL about her hair loss and how she 'tried everything' to help it grow back before coming across the JS Health hair and energy supplement.

Speaking about her hair loss, Camilla explained: 'It was very stressful not knowing if it would get worse or grow back at all or even stay like that forever.'

At first Camilla didn't worry too much, finding she could hide the fast-developing bald patch which was at the back of her head.

She also felt because she was stuck at home so no one could see her anyway.

A young woman has revealed how she lost huge chunks of her hair due to stress, and struggled to find a remedy for the startling loss of her once healthy locks

Camilla, who doesn't want her last name to be shared, told Daily Mail Australia she began losing her hair last May during the UK's strict months-long lock down

But as the strict lock down measures began to relax and Camilla was able to head back outside and see her friends she became self conscious.

Her hair continued to fall out and, by late August, the top of her head started shedding, making her hair loss impossible to hide.

She admitted: 'That was the worst for me as it was visible to friends and we were out of lock down around the summertime and I was socialising more which made me more conscious of it.'

She also revealed she nearly bought a wig to hide her hair loss.

Some hair specialists told her the only way her hair would recover would be to try hormone therapy or steroid injections.

Camilla said she was 'at the end of her tether' when she came across the JSHealth hair and energy vitamins - and figured she should give them a go.

After five months, she found her hair was growing back in and she was left with very few bald patches.

She said she was shocked when the hair started growing back because she had been so skeptical after trying so many methods.

Describing the pills as 'life savers', she added: 'It's so much better and I am feeling incredibly positive about my hair.

'My hair never looks tidy as regrowth spikes out in all different directions, but I am just so grateful that my hair is growing back and it's growing back thicker than it was before,' she said.

She continued: 'It feels amazing, I'm still on my hair growth journey but the bald patches arent visible anymore which is fab.'
After much umming and ahhing and a good deal of cajoling, yesterday the EU finally did the right thing and agreed to join Britain in strengthening sanctions against Putin, and in particular supporting a ban on Russia accessing the global Swift payments network.

If it took them a while to get with the programme, it's not surprising. It's not just that Brussels bureaucrats move at a snail's pace, even in a crisis. It's also that certain member states have become very dependent on Russian money, not least the Italians, who stand to lose billions from the sale of luxury goods to Putin's kleptocrats.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has vehemently denied asking for an exemption to the payments ban. Still, it's not a good look when, as one critic put it, the perception is that 'selling Gucci loafers to oligarchs is more of a priority than hitting back at Putin'.

But the truth is this is only really the start of it. The kind of tough sanctions needed to really hurt Putin are the kind that are also going to hurt us too.

After much umming and ahhing and a good deal of cajoling, yesterday the EU finally did the right thing and agreed to join Britain in strengthening sanctions against Putin, and in particular supporting a ban on Russia accessing the global Swift payments network (European Commission President von der Leyen pictured)

Politicians are going to have to make very tough choices. Between doing what's morally right, however painful, or protecting their own short-term interests. We all know which comes more naturally.

Putin knows this; indeed, he is counting on it. He knows that organisations like the EU can barely authorise the purchase of a box of rubber bands without some lengthy consultation, let alone kiss goodbye to billions of euros for the sake of a non-member state. His best hope is that venality will outweigh morality, and that when push comes to shove we will bottle it.

That simply cannot happen. It may seem impossibly unfair and unjust after the misery we've all endured because of Covid. But this is not just the freedom of Ukraine that's at stake here  it's the whole of Europe's.

The more reluctance we show to act decisively, the more Putin will sense weakness and exploit it. He's already made clear what his intentions toward Finland and Sweden are, should they ally with Nato.

'Serious repercussions,' as his spokesman put it  and we all know what that means.

If it took them a while to get with the programme, it's not surprising. It's not just that Brussels bureaucrats move at a snail's pace, even in a crisis (Putin pictured with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan)

That is why we must rally behind the Ukrainian people. They are the first line of defence against this lunatic. And we are immensely lucky they are so resilient. The scenes of defiance and bravery on our television screens have been extraordinary.

Their resolve is nothing short of inspirational, from the President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking on camera from the heart of the fighting in Kyiv, to the border guards who told a Russian warship to 'go f*** yourselves' before being blown to smithereens, to the grandmother chastising a Russian soldier as though he were a schoolboy.

What a people, what a nation. Cultured, articulate, passionate  and unashamedly patriotic. Everyone I know feels the same: a sense of awe and respect.

Politicians are going to have to make very tough choices. Between doing what's morally right, however painful, or protecting their own short-term interests. We all know which comes more naturally (Boris Johnson pictured)

No wonder they have such overwhelming support from pretty much every country. They have displayed the kind of heroism that almost belongs to another age. It deserves to be recognised and rewarded. On a political level, the best way we can do that is by unflinchingly agreeing to hit Putin with every sanction at our disposal, no matter the pain at home. As individuals, it means doing whatever we can to help safeguard the lives of those Ukrainians  many of them women and children  fleeing to safety via neighbouring countries.

That's why today's campaign by the Mail to raise funds for the refugees is so vital. It won't defeat Putin, it won't lessen the suffering of those caught up in this bloody war. But it will at least send a concrete message to the Ukrainian people that, man for man, woman for woman, we stand with them in their hour of need  and, perhaps just as importantly  we thank them for their sacrifice.

I hope there's not more to the major IT outage suffered by British Airways this weekend than good old-fashioned incompetence.

Passengers were left stranded, and the website and app were offline for hours. A friend was supposed to fly to New York earlier this week, but cancelled. 'I just don't trust the Russians not to launch some cyber-attack on the air-traffic control networks,' she said. Paranoid or prescient?

Brexit, Covid  and now a war that threatens us all. Has any Prime Minister in living memory had to deal with as much as Boris Johnson over the past two years? As the ancient Chinese curse goes: 'May you live in interesting times.'

Slogan that oozed charm

It was John Betjeman, above, who said that, come the end of the world, you would find him in the haberdashery department of Peter Jones

It was John Betjeman, right, who said that, come the end of the world, you would find him in the haberdashery department of Peter Jones (aka John Lewis) 'because nothing unpleasant could ever happen there'. I'm with him all the way.

But why is the Sloane Square store  along with the rest of the John Lewis group  dropping its famous slogan, 'Never Knowingly Undersold'? They've almost certainly focus-grouped it to hell and back, but I would urge them to reconsider. There's something about those three arcane words that perfectly capture the genteel charm of John Lewis. It just won't be the same.

 For once, the organisers of Formula 1 do something decent and cancel the Russian Grand Prix. Pity they couldn't have found their consciences in time for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last year.

 Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has my vote for supporting the 'Save Women's Sport' Bill, which aims to exclude trans athletes  such as the swimmer Lia Thomas  from taking part in women's sport. It is not transphobic to acknowledge that transwomen who have undergone puberty as males have natural physical advantages over other women; it is simple common sense. That saying so should be considered an act of bravery  or, in Morrison's case, politically foolhardy  is a sad indictment of the hysterical times we live in.

Kate's so cool...in a 29.99 jumper

Kate's so cool...in a 29.99 jumper

My children always tease me for buying clothes from H&M  apparently it's hopelessly uncool. Then I see the Duchess of Cambridge in Denmark in a 29.99 H&M roll-neck jumper, left. If it's good enough for a future Queen

The lies of Putin's useful idiots will cost us dear

With oil prices spiking at more than $100 a barrel, Putin is raking in over $700 million a day. No wonder his government invested so much time, money and effort campaigning against alternatives to Russian oil  including, in Britain, fracking. In 2016, Russia Today  the Kremlin-backed news channel frequented by George Galloway and Alex Salmond  was several times investigated by regulator Ofcom, in one case for calling frackers 'the moral equivalent of paedophiles'. If we hadn't swallowed the lies of Putin's many useful idiots, perhaps the taxpayer wouldn't now unwittingly be funding a brutal war.

 I hate everything about the Government's new plans for universities. Firstly, the notion that if someone can't achieve a grade 4 in maths, they're too stupid to go. But mostly the idea that youngsters could end up repaying their student loans for 40 years. At that rate they'll be drawing a pension before they've paid off their fees. If the Government wants to stop school-leavers taking low-quality degrees with poor employment prospects, it should put the onus on universities to stop flogging Mickey Mouse courses to rake in more money.

Sarah Vine is pictured

 Wouldn't it be wonderful to earn so much you can't remember what you get paid? When asked his salary by a committee of MPs, the Bank of England Governor, Andrew Bailey, replied: 'I don't carry that number around in my head.' It reminds me of those two Goldman Sachs bankers whose PA managed to embezzle them out of 4.5 million. They were so rich they didn't notice it was missing, and it was only when one decided to write a cheque for 1 million that the fraud was uncovered. Another world.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have graciously let it be known from the luxury of their Californian mansion that they 'stand with the people of Ukraine'. Putin must be terrified. Although I'm surprised they haven't instructed lawyers. That seems to be their first port of call these days.

 Spotted: a window display in Marks & Spencer for 'Mom jeans'. Seriously? If you must, M&S, surely it's 'Mum jeans'?
Prince Andrew may try and 'reinvent himself in the eyes of the public' after settling a civil sexual assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Giuffre.

The Duke of York, 62, agreed to settle Ms Roberts's lawsuit accusing him of sex abuse after they met allegedly through late paedophile Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

In the settlement, there was no admission of liability by Andrew, who has always denied the specific allegations and a statement said he would make a 'substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victims' rights'.

Despite having to step down from public duties and relinquish his HRH title in light of the Epstein scandal, Andrew still believes he has 'a lot to offer public life', royal editor Russell Myers has claimed.

In an episode of True Royaltys The Royal Beat, he said: 'The language used in this [settlement] statement is that Prince Andrew will be helping sex trafficking victims', said Myers. 'Is this him positioning himself to try and reinvent himself in the eyes of the public?

Prince Andrew may try and 'reinvent himself in the eyes of the public' after settling a civil sexual assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Giuffre. The pair are pictured together

Earlier this month the Duke of York agreed to settle Ms Roberts's lawsuit accusing him of sex abuse after they met allegedly through late paedophile Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

'Speaking to friends of his this week  they say he still feels he has a lot to offer public life again.

'I still believe that he is the only person on the planet that believes that [apart from] possibly Fergie and possibly the Queen.

'He is only 61, but it is impossible to see how he could have any future.'

The Duke's daughter, Princess Eugenie, has been working against modern slavery since 2012 and in 2017 co-founded The Anti-Slavery Collective - a charity working to combat human trafficking.

The Duke's daughter, Princess Eugenie, has been working against modern slavery since 2012 and in 2017 co-founded The Anti-Slavery Collective

'Maybe he sees that as an avenue because possibly his family are the only ones who think they can help him at this stage', said Russell.

While the sum of the settlement has not been disclosed, reports suggest it could cost up to 12 million - with the Queen said to help fund the settlement.

The move is understood to be a bid to draw a line under the scandal before her much-anticipated Jubilee celebrations latter this year, which he will apparently be banned from attending.

The Telegraph suggested that the total amount the victim and her charity will receive will exceed 12m - with the funds coming from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate.

While the sum of the settlement has not been disclosed, reports suggest it could cost up to 12 million - with the Queen said to help fund the settlement

Although the agreement contained no formal admission of liability from Andrew, or an apology, it said he now accepted Ms Giuffre was a 'victim of abuse' and that he regretted his association with Epstein.

The prince, who was stripped of his remaining patronages earlier this year, reportedly faced pressure from senior royals to resolve the lawsuit ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee later this year.

And while Andrew believes there is a still chance of returning to royal life - senior royal sources indicated last month there is no way back to public life for the Duke.

One said: 'Regardless of the outcome, he has ruled himself out of any public role by virtue of his appalling lack of judgment and poor choice of friends and associates.'
Meghan Markle wore a bespoke Christopher John Rogers dress worth an estimated 2,000 and 7,000 worth of accessories as she joined Prince Harry to accepted the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards.

The Duchess of Sussex, 40, also sported Princess Diana's yellow gold omega chain cuff bracelet - which she first sported during her royal tour of Australia with Prince Harry, 36, in 2018 - and her 260,000 engagement ring.

The royal couple, who live in a $14m mansion in Montecito, California, attended the NAACP awards on Saturday at Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

They accepted an award in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service for their work helping a Texas women's shelter, promoting vaccine equity and creating community relief centres.

Meghan Markle wore a bespoke Christopher John Rogers dress worth an estimated 2,000 and 7,000 worth of accessories as she joined Prince Harry to accepted the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards

The royal couple, who live in a $14m mansion in Montecito, California, attended the NAACP awards on Saturday at Pasadena Civic Auditorium

Meghan sported a custom blue-ombre dress with a flowing cape from New York based black designer Christopher John Rogers with a four-ply silk custom creation, and a chiffon bust overlay.

The designer is known for his bold styles and bright styles, with the likes of Adele, Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama previously sporting his designs.

Speaking to Vogue, Christopher revealed he was approached by Meghan a month ago to work together and then had a video call to meet.

'I was immediately struck by her warmth and just her overall demeanourher sense of ease and confidence within herself. We quickly touched on this idea of a reveal. She hadn't really stepped out like this in a while.'

The royal also sported more than 7,000 worth of accessories as well as her 260,000 engagement ring.

Meghan opted for a 930 'Celeste' shoe from Aquazzura. The gold slingbacks are leather and embellished with 105 crystals. A long term fan of the footwear brand, the Duchess has worn designs from the Italian fashion house of dozens of occasions, most notably for her engagement announcement.

The Duchess of Sussex, 40, also sported Princess Diana's yellow gold omega chain cuff bracelet (left) - which she first sported during her royal tour of Australia with Prince Harry, 36, in 2018 - and her 260,000 engagement ring (left). Meghan also wore a 5,900 Cartier Love bracelet (right)

She added a further touch of glam with 200 14-carat gold plated Alexis Bittar earrings.

Keeping her wrists well accessorised, Meghan also wore a 5,900 Cartier Love bracelet.

Meghan's NAACP outfit Dress: Bespoke Christopher John Rogers, 2000 Jewellery: 14-carat gold plated Alexis Bittar, 200 Cartier Love bracelet, 5,900 Princess Diana's bracelet, price unknown Engagement ring: 260,000 Shoes: Aquazurra, 930 Advertisement

It's a design that she has worn many times in the past, and which is also thought to have been a gift from Prince Harry in the early days of their romance.

The oval Cartier band is made of two C-shaped halves screwed together and the only way to remove it is with a screwdriver, like the 18-carat one supplied - a feature said to be inspired by medieval chastity belts.

In a touching tribute to Princess Diana, Meghan sported her late mother in law's bracelet on the other wrist.

The Duchess of Sussex wore Princess Dianas yellow gold omega chain cuff bracelet for the official start of the Australian royal tour following the news that the Duke and Duchess were expecting their first baby.

The bracelet featuring blue cabochon stones was reportedly a gift from Prince Harry to Meghan to mark her pregnancy.

Meghan has worn the beautiful gold bracelet with blue stones on a number of occasions, including on her first tour as a royal to Australia and New Zealand.

Meghan also sported her 271,000 engagement ring, which was originally designed by Prince Harry and court jewellers Cleave and Company using one stone from Botswana and two smaller stones from Diana's collection.

Meghan Markle, Tamika Johnson and Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards Show

Meghan also sported her 271,000 engagement ring, which was originally designed by Prince Harry and court jewellers Cleave and Company using one stone from Botswana and two smaller stones from Diana's collection

Harry proposed to Meghan in November 2017 with the glittering ring comprising a solid yellow gold band - however in 2019, images revealed that the design had been changed in order to incorporate a thinner band that was set with several pave diamonds all around it.

Shortly after their engagement, Prince Harry spoke out about the design process behind the ring, explaining that he had chosen each element in order to ensure that it fit his future bride's tastes perfectly.

'The ring is obviously yellow gold because that's [Meghan's] favourite and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana and the little diamonds either side are from my mother's jewellery collection, to make sure that she's with us on this crazy journey together,' he said.

Meghan called it 'incredible', explaining: 'Everything about Harry's thoughtfulness and the inclusion of [Princess Diana's stones] and obviously not being able to meet his mum, it's so important to me to know that she's a part of this with us.'

'It's incredibly special to be able to have this [ring], which sort of links where you come from and Botswana, which is important to us. It's perfect.'

Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, recognizes Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with the President's Award

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards Show is pictured presenting the award

The pair accepted the award for their work helping a Texas women's shelter, promoting vaccine equity and creating community relief centres, Harry first wanted to address the conflict in Ukraine following Russia 's invasion this week.

'We would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community,' he told a room filled with glammed-up Hollywood stars and dignitaries.

His speech in front of Hollywood A-listers, such as Daniel Kaluuya and Jennifer Hudson, took place as Ukrainians in Kyiv came under siege for a third successive night and Russian troops rolled into the second city of Kharkiv.

The Duke also said he was grateful for being honoured by the NAACP and that he and his wife were meant to be together to help others despite their supposed differences.

'I think it's safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason.

Meghan opted for a 930 'Celeste' shoe from Aquazzura. The gold slingbacks are leather and embellished with 105 crystals (left) She added a further touch of glam with 200 14-carat gold plated Alexis Bittar earrings (right)

'We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to.'

The Duke and Duchess have often flaunted their union as that of a wealthy prince meeting a woman from humble beginnings, despite the fact that Meghan often enjoyed luxuries as a kid with her estranged father, Thomas Markle.

Saturday's ceremony is their first major Hollywood event since leaving the royal family as they rubbed shoulders with host Anthony Anderson and dozens of A-listers.

When receiving their award, Megan said: 'I couldn't be prouder that we're doing this work together.'

'We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd.

'For black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds.

'In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organization, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress.'
Margaret Atwood says her acclaimed novel The Handmaid's Tale was not intended as a feminist work and that she simply wanted to 'give women a voice' in the dystopian genre.

The novel follows a woman named Offred who is forced to live as 'handmaid' producing children against her will in a totalitarian North America. It became an instant feminist classic upon its release in 1985.

However Canadian novelist Margaret, 82, says she never wanted to create a 'feminist dystopia', instead trying to form a classic dystopian novel 'from the female point of view'.

She says the book, which took inspiration from the epilogue of George Orwell's classic Nineteen Eighty-Four, was branded as feminist by those who 'think women ought not have voice'.

'I wanted to try a dystopia from the female point of view  the world according to Julia, as it were', she said in an essay for The Sunday Telegraph.

Margaret Atwood says her acclaimed novel The Handmaid's Tale was not intended as a feminist work and that she simply wanted to 'give women a voice' in the dystopian genre

'However, this does not make The Handmaid's Tale a 'feminist dystopia', except insofar as giving a woman a voice and an inner life will always be considered 'feminist' by those who think women ought not to have these things.'

She explained that the majority of dystopias have been written from the male point of view, and that female characters are usually 'sexless automatons' or women who deny the new sexual regime.

The writer says themes explored in the book parallel power dynamics in real life and in various works of literature including Nineteen Eighty-Four.

'The force that opposes the tyranny in my book is one in which Orwell himself  despite his belief in the need for political organisation to combat oppression  always put great store: ordinary human decency', she wrote.

The acclaimed novel follows a woman named Offred who is forced to live as 'handmaid' producing children against her will in a totalitarian North America. Elisabeth Moss plays handmaid Offred in the TV adaptation of the book

The Handmaid's Tale is set in the near future in the Republic of Gilead, where a brutal regime has replaced the United States government after a worldwide fertility crisis emerged.

Fertile women, known as handmaids, are forced to provide children for the rich and influential while women who can't conceive are sent to work in toxic wastelands or as prostitutes.

Offred, whose real name is June, had her own daughter taken from her before being placed with the high-ranking Waterford family - where she is routinely raped by Fred in order to conceive his child.

Her name is an abbreviation of 'Of Fred' - the name of her master.

The Handmaid's Tale is set in a near future where fertile women, known as handmaids, are forced to provide children for the rich and influential

Last year the author released a sequel to her cult novel, which managed to scoop the Man Booker Prize two months before it was even released. The book is set 15 years after The Handmaid's Tale.

The original novel has been made into a popular TV series, which was met with critical acclaim when it debuted in 2017, winning five Primetime Emmy Awards for its first season.

Mad Men actress Elisabeth Moss plays handmaid Offred, the main character in the series, alongside Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel and Ann Dowd.

The latest season of the drama aired in summer last year and has been commissioned for a fifth series expected to hit the small screens this year.

The Iconic Series, The Handmaid's Tale is available on Stan in Australia.
Chloe

BBC1, Monday/Tuesday

Rating:

Vikings: Valhalla

Netflix, Friday

Rating:

The psychological six-part thriller Chloe concluded this week.

It wasnt notable for its plot, as that was often baffling, and it wasnt notable for its lighting, which often left us all fumbling in the dark, and it wasnt notable for its fast pace, as it eventually slowed to a crawl, but it was notable for the central performance of Erin Doherty.

She was standout wonderful in The Crown, as Princess Anne, and she was standout wonderful here as Becky Green. Id have probably abandoned this series midway had anyone else been cast.

Chloe wasnt notable for its plot, its lighting or its fast pace, but it was notable for the central performance of Erin Doherty (above)

The writer is Alice Seabright, and if I were her Id be thanking God for Erin Doherty. Thank you, God, for Erin Doherty, Id be saying, morning, noon and night.

Heres the deal: at the outset, Becky lives in a council flat with a mother who is succumbing to dementia.

She drives a beaten-up car, works as a temp, and you can tell shes lonely and depressed just by the way she miserably shovels down Cheerios at the kitchen table of a morning.

Meanwhile she is obsessed with the glamorous Instagram account of a Chloe Fairbourne.

When she discovers that Chloe has died, and its suicide, so they say, she fakes an identity and becomes Sasha Miles to infiltrate Chloes glittering circle of (awful, smug, affluent) friends.

There are some terrific and tense scenes early on when shes passing herself off at an exhibition opening or at a posh health club and is nearly exposed.

Sasha must turn on a sixpence, and Doherty spouts her lies magnificently. (If you are a fan of Patricia Highsmith you will be minded of Tom Ripley.)

She infiltrates successfully. Chloes best-friend Livia (Pippa Bennett-Warner) takes her on to work for her events company and she even embarks on a relationship with Chloes husband, Elliot (Billy Howle).

But what starts promisingly with Becky as, yes, a conwoman but also someone desperate for connection and acceptance  thats how I read it, anyhow  becomes something different around the midway mark.

Now shes a sort of Miss Marple character, endlessly snooping in the dark and nearly getting caught as a cello thrums menacingly. It slowed to a crawl because it was this, over and over, without delivering any substantial new information.

But it still had its moments, as when Becky wants to talk to her mother about her younger sisters death, for which she had always blamed herself, but her mother, now quite far gone, can only talk about scones. Doherty is heartbreaking here.

There were many implausibilities. Beckys wardrobe goes from Primark to Killing Eve levels with no explanation. Elliot lives in a multi-million-pound mansion  with ginormous kitchen island, of course  despite the fact that hes a local councillor and thats it, thats his only job.

No one who knew Chloe seemed the slightest bit bereaved. And it was confusing.

Flashbacks were deployed to explain Beckys relationship with Chloe  the two were childhood best friends who became estranged  but sometimes the flashbacks were Beckys imagination or wishful thinking, and until youd worked that out it was endlessly baffling.

As for the ending, it wasnt the strongest, shall we say. But Erin Doherty kept you watching because you could not stop watching her. Give her every award going. Plus all the ones that havent even been thought of yet.

Vikings: Valhalla is the sequel to Vikings, which ran for six seasons from 2013, and is set 100 years later.

This time out the writer is Jeb Stuart, whose credits include Die Hard, but there are no single fellas in vests taking on whole armies here.

Vikings: Valhalla has, in short, not been approached with any wit or humour or cleverness - and also it doesnt star Erin Doherty. Above: Frida Gustavsson and Sam Corlett

Instead, this is beset by buff men with beards. In fact, there are so many buff men with beards that even after watching two of the eight episodes I couldnt tell them apart.

Which buff man with beard is this? Is it the buff man with beard with the sister or the buff man with beard without? One had a facial tattoo, so that was helpful, but then he was killed so it was back to square one.

One beard had a man-bun, but then another turned up with a man-bun, so it was back to square one yet again. It was a beard nightmare, frankly.

And it is derivative. It opened with a Game Of Thrones-style carnage scene where King Aethelred decides to rid the country of the Vikings that have settled in England over the past century.

This news does not go down well with the beards back in the Norse lands, who all speak in Scandi(ish) accents that I think theyve been allowed to make up as they go along.

So its Vikings v Saxons, and on top of that we also now have Christians v pagans as well as (ropey) CGI sea voyages, a standard rape revenge subplot for the main female character, and a lot of violence for no good reason whatsoever.

One beard only has to look at another beard and thats it, throat slit.

This has, in short, not been approached with any wit or humour or cleverness. And also it doesnt star Erin Doherty. Which is always a big minus, in my opinion.
New York City schools are on track to drop their mask mandate and New Yorkers will no longer have to show proof of COVID vaccination at indoor venues like bars and restaurants as soon as March 7, Mayor Adams said Sunday.

The announcement from City Hall followed a move by Gov. Hochul to end the statewide mask mandate for schools on Wednesday.

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Mayor Adams visits P.S. 60 Alice Austen School on Staten Island in this file photo. (Mayors office)

The governor cited steep declines in the states COVID numbers  down from alarming heights through the holidays  as the reason behind the milestone in New Yorks pandemic response.

Given the decline in our rates, our hospitalization, strong vaccination rates and the CDC guidance  my friends, the day has come, Hochul said at an Albany press conference.

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She added that cities including New York still could make their own decisions about facial coverings for students and educators.

After her announcement, Adams said the city would evaluate COVID numbers and make its determination on school masks on Friday.

If we see no unforeseen spikes and our numbers continue to show a low level of risk, New York City will remove the indoor mask mandate for public school children, effective next Monday, March 7, he said in a statement.

He also said the city would drop its Key to NYC mandate requiring proof of vaccination at indoor venues including restaurants, gyms and entertainment spaces on March 7  as long as there are no surprises this week.

This will give business owners the time to adapt and will allow us to ensure we are making the best public health decisions for the people of New York, Adams said.

Mask rules will remain in effect on subways and hospitals. But the changes could undermine the citys efforts to continue vaccinating people, said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.

I am really concerned that people dont misinterpret this to mean the pandemic is over, he told the Daily News.

We have made enormous progress, and I think were heading to a wonderful spring, but were still seeing close to a thousand cases a day, he added.

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The state is waiting until Wednesday to lift the mandate to allow families and educators returning from last weeks midwinter break to assess the new situation, the governor said.

Students wearing masks leave the New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Dec. 21, 2021. New York States mandate requiring mask use at schools will end on Wednesday, Gov. Hochul said Sunday. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File) (Brittainy Newman/AP)

Amid the horrors of the pandemic, one apparent blessing was the relatively low level of infection and hospitalization among children. Nonetheless, during a nationwide spike in cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant, numbers went up among youngsters, too.

The seven-day average of COVID cases among 5- to 18-year-olds skyrocketed from 832 at the September start of the school year to 14,167 on Jan. 10, according to Hochul.

By Friday, the number had dropped to 229.

Were at our lowest point in pediatric cases since July of 2021, she said.

The same trend occurred statewide as a whole, with 51 straight days of decreased cases.

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The change in mask policy applies to kids ages 2 and up in child care settings.

Pending further review, the mandate will remain in effect at state-run health care facilities, nursing homes, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters, Hochul said.

Since taking office, Adams has been eager for the city to move on from the pandemic, and on Friday, he said masks would no longer be required at outdoor settings at schools.

Hochul said she had discussed the policy change with Adams on Sunday morning.

The governor said she made the decision after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday dropped mask recommendations for localities with low transmission rates  a designation that applies to most of the country, including New York Citys five counties.

Sundays announcement by Hochul marked a major turning point for school systems that have been reeling since states of emergency were declared in March 2020.

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The citys public schools shut down March 15, 2020, with a rocky rollout of online learning beginning days later.

The school year that began in fall 2020 got off to a delayed start, and renewed outbreaks prompted additional shutdowns.

The current school year began with vaccine mandates for staffers and random testing at buildings.

Hochul said another 4.8 million COVID tests were being sent to schools throughout the state this week.

The citys powerful teachers union reiterated the cautious stance it has taken throughout the pandemic.

Teachers line up their students before entering PS 179 elementary school in the Kensington neighborhood, Sept. 29, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (Mark Lennihan/AP)

We are very happy to see that the numbers are going in the right direction, Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said in a statement.

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We will confer with our own independent doctors, look at the data from take-home test kits and random in-school testing this week and make sure all of that is taken into account as New York City reviews its own school masking policy.
Metaphysical Animals

Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman Chatto & Windus 25

Rating:

In 1956 a tall, untidy-looking woman stood before Convocation, the ruling body of Oxford University.

The powers that be had gathered to rubber-stamp the decision to give an honorary degree to Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the US. Mr Truman, agreed the male dons, had fought a good war.

But the tiny handful of women who were entitled to vote didnt agree. This, after all, was the person who had signed the order for nuclear bombs to drop on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Elizabeth Anscombe, together with Mary Midgley, Iris Murdoch (above) and Philippa Foot, dragged Aristotle and Plato from their pedestals and made them relevant to a post-war world

Far from being a hero, he was, to their way of thinking, no better than a war criminal.

The woman was Elizabeth Anscombe and, together with three female friends, all Oxford-trained philosophers, she made it her lifes work to reintroduce morals into the increasingly arid and theoretical practice of philosophy.

In this terrific book, Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman argue that it was Anscombe, together with Mary Midgley, Iris Murdoch and Philippa Foot, who dragged the ancient metaphysicians Aristotle and Plato from their pedestals and made them relevant to a post-war world.

The question these women were asking sounded naive, but resonates louder than ever today: how do I live a good life in a world where so much unimaginable wickedness lies beyond my control?

This makes Metaphysical Animals sound heavy, but it is actually a joyous story of four clever young women making their way in the world.

Philippa Foot was the granddaughter of President Grover Cleveland. Elegantly dressed in the latest fashions, she is the last person you would imagine sitting up late in the library at Somerville College, the radical women-only institution where the best female brains were trained.

She was close friends with, and the occasional lover of, Iris Murdoch, who later became famous as a novelist but at this point was a permanently slightly drunk flirt to whom male philosophers felt compelled to propose.

Mary Midgley, meanwhile, was a vicars daughter who worried that her height and her glasses meant no man would ever want her (in fact she ended up in a happy marriage).

Elizabeth Anscombe insisted on wearing trousers as part of her academic dress, until she reached a compromise whereby the university provided her with a skirt to change into before delivering lectures.

Metaphysical Animals follows this charismatic quartet as they plot to overturn the moral relativism of male colleagues such as A. J. Ayer who argue that there is no such thing as good or bad, merely self-interest.

For these women this simply will not do. They want, in Foots words, to be able to look the Nazis in the eye and say: But we are right, and you are wrong.

The result is a group biography that is both gossipy and gripping but also, like the women themselves, profoundly serious. A triumph.

Birds And Us

Tim Birkhead Viking 25

Rating:

Birds are like colours and numbers: most of us have a favourite. Mine is the puffin, even though I have never seen one in the flesh.

Such is the power that these marvels have over the human imagination, revealed by the naturalist Tim Birkhead in his beguiling and beautifully illustrated study Birds And Us.

Birkhead explores a 12,000-year history in which birds have affected our physical, emotional and spiritual lives. Those imprints are myriad, he explains, ranging from feeding pigeons in the park to training guns on birds for food or fun.

Birds are like colours and numbers: most of us have a favourite. Mine (Simeon House) is the puffin (above), even though I have never seen one in the flesh

Birds have also captivated cloud- gazing artists, from neolithic cave painters to J. M. W. Turner and Edwin Landseer. Meanwhile, theologians have pondered the cuckoos character: What kind of god designs a tiny chick that kills its foster siblings?

Extraordinary details fly off the page, from how guillemot eggs refuse to harden when boiled, to the discovery of millions of mummified ibises in Egyptian catacombs

The avian characters are odd, but so too are the humans observing them: there are inquisitive Renaissance scholars and innovative German zoologists, Victorian colonels with binoculars and Edwardian plumassiers turning feathers into fashion.

It should come as no surprise, Birkhead explains, that hawks, owls, albatrosses and their winged brethren should prove so captivating  their presence has hovered over our folklore for centuries.

Birkhead is a personable, often amusing, guide. His own ornithological obsession began as a boy while reading Arthur Ransome; as a university lecturer, author and researcher, he has inspired subsequent generations.

While his book focuses on appreciation and conservation, it is not hectoring. He remains measured, even when detailing the Faroe Islands tradition of eating puffins with rhubarb.

He accepts, however, that to some non-Faroese people, the idea of eating a puffin is as repulsive as suggesting we eat a labradoodle.

I couldnt agree more.

Simeon House
Cyrano Cert: 12A, 2hrs 4mins

Rating:

The Duke Cert: 12, 1hr 36mins

Rating:

Studio 666 Cert: 18, 1hr 46mins

Rating:

Ah, Cyrano, many of you will be thinking, we know that one. Its about the poor chap whos in love with a pretty girl called Roxanne but doesnt stand a chance because of his absolutely humungous nose.

Wasnt Steve Martin in it? Or was it Gerard Depardieu?

Right on both counts. Depardieu did a version of Edmond Rostands 19th Century play in 1990, while Martin muddied the waters by updating it to the American present day  or at least the 1980s  and calling it Roxanne.

This Cyrano features a powerful and poignant central performance from Game Of Thrones star Peter Dinklage, and a generous helping of charm from Haley Bennett (above) as Roxanne

Now along comes a new version from acclaimed British director Joe Wright, best known for Atonement, Pride And Prejudice and Darkest Hour. I enjoyed it very much, but it does require a health warning  two, in fact.

First is that no oversized proboscis features at all. Instead, the physical obstacle that lies in the way of the enduring love that soldier and poet Cyrano de Bergerac has for his crush, Roxanne, is his lack of height.

As this Cyrano indelicately puts it: The world will never accept a midget and a tall, beautiful woman.

Second health warning is that its, er a musical. Yes, that came as a surprise to me too.

Rather than an oversized proboscis, the physical obstacle that lies in the way of the enduring love that soldier and poet Cyrano de Bergerac (Dinklage, above) is his lack of height

A familiar mix of French period setting and music inevitably calls to mind the likes of Moulin Rouge! and Les Miserables.

But this Cyrano stands comparison with both, helped by a powerful and poignant central performance from Game Of Thrones star Peter Dinklage, and a generous helping of charm from Haley Bennett as Roxanne.

The songs, which hail from a new 2018 musical version, are a bit of an acquired taste but they grew on me, and the Shakespearean triangle of confusion, which sees Roxanne falling in love with the handsome Christian, but only because his love letters are being secretly written by the eloquent Cyrano, shines through.

Despite a gloriously debauched performance from Ben Mendelsohn as the evil Duc de Guiche and Bafta-nominated good looks, Cyrano still wont be for everyone but, nevertheless, comes highly recommended.

As does The Duke, which not only finally arrives in cinemas some 18 months after its premiere at the 2020 Venice Film Festival but is tinged with sadness following the sudden death of its director, Roger Michell  best known for Notting Hill.

The Duke, which arrives in cinemas some 18 months after its premiere, retells when Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent, above with Helen Mirren) stole a portrait of the Duke of Wellington

But as epitaphs go, this is a gently lovely one, notable for its well polished screenplay, some very funny lines and the sight of Helen Mirren resplendent in shabby housecoat and baggy, Nora Batty-style stockings.

It retells a long-forgotten moment from modern British history when, in 1961, an irritating bolshie know-all from Newcastle called Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent) stole Goyas portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery.

Even then it was worth 140,000.

But Bunton didnt steal it for financial gain, he stole it to make a point.

The money the Conservative government had just spent on saving the portrait for the nation could have been used for better things, he believed, such as his personal campaign for free TV licences for the elderly and wounded war veterans.

Broadbent and Mirren, who plays Buntons long-suffering wife, are both terrific, but there are lovely supporting performances across the board. The result is warm-hearted, funny and unexpectedly touching, too.

An opening moment that sees a young woman being bludgeoned to death by an unseen killer is the first of many, many misjudgments in Studio 666, a blood-spattered and hideously self-indulgent horror-spoof from the rock group Foo Fighters, and their charismatic leader, Dave Grohl.

It is only February but it has got to be a candidate for one of the worst films well see all year. And just like one of Foo Fighters live sets, its interminable as well.
Saturday Night Fever

Peacock Theatre, London Until March 26, 2hrs 30mins

Rating:

This show, directed by the prolific Bill Kenwright and first seen four years ago, is not so much a homage to the 1977 musical mega-hit film starring John Travolta and its best-selling score (outsold only by Whitney Houstons The Bodyguard) as a broader paean to the Bee Gees oeuvre.

So as well as the classic Night Fever and the likes of You Should Be Dancing and Jive Talkin, we also get added-value tracks such as What Kind Of Fool from the Barbra Streisand Guilty album of 1980 shoehorned into the proceedings.

The action is backed by three almost ghost-like figures performing most of the songs Bee Gees looky-likeys in semi-darkness, dressed in shiny bomber jackets and the requisite big wigs  from whom faultless falsettos exude, leaving the dancers to strut their funky stuff in more flares and shiny fabric than you can point a choreographed finger at.

Richard Winsor (formerly Caleb in Casualty, above, with Olivia Fines) has plenty of strut and swagger as Tony Manero but never really suggests the joy that dancing gives his character

As Tony Manero, the Brooklyn paint-shop assistant with dreams of dancing fame, and that white suit, Richard Winsor (formerly Caleb in Casualty) gives us some balletic moves he learned working with Matthew Bourne.

He has plenty of the required strut and swagger but never really suggests the joy that dancing gives his character. Stuck in the Hustle style of the 1970s, the choreography feels laboured and repetitive too.

As for the darker elements of the story  gang violence, rape, suicide  its all rushed through before a credibility-stretching ending (same as the film).

The Italian Catholic lad whos got a girl pregnant sings Tragedy (with a hint of the Steps cover version) before throwing himself into the river; we later get the syrupy Immortality. All a bit clunky.

If its just the Bee Gees hits well sung and getting on your boogie shoes you want, you wont be disappointed, but the big dance-off contest apart, this lacks the fever of the title. A disco inferno it aint.
Faberge In London

V&A Until May 8

Rating:

If you know nothing about Faberge besides the stunning eggs, a treat awaits you at the V&A. That said, if you have a comprehensive knowledge of Faberge, a treat awaits you also.

The Russian jewellery house opened in 1842, was shut down by the Bolsheviks in 1918 and produced 150,000 objects in between. The most famous of these were the glorious, jewel-encrusted Easter eggs made for the Romanov royal family each year.

The majority of the firms offerings, though, were more everyday items, from photograph frames and opera glasses to perfume bottles.

If you know nothing about Faberge besides the stunning eggs, a treat awaits you at the V&A. Above: Romanov tercentenary egg by Faberge, 1913

A new exhibition focuses on the British love for Faberge: a love so great that the jewellers opened a store in Londons West End at the turn of the 20th Century.

The clientele comprised royals, aristocrats, socialites and financiers. The show includes a deep-blue cigarette case decorated with a diamond-set serpent, which snakes its way around the front and back.

A masterpiece of art nouveau, it was given to Edward VII by his mistress, Alice Keppel, in 1908  and politely returned to her by Queen Alexandra after his death.

The exhibition has treasures throughout, but the final room is the undoubted showstopper. It contains a kaleidoscopic selection of 15 Faberge eggs (bear in mind that only 50 or so were ever made).

Many of them have no obvious British connection, but so glitteringly exquisite are they that few visitors will care.

Its all but impossible to single one out, but I particularly liked the Moscow Kremlin egg from 1906. This takes the form of the Dormition Cathedral, in the Kremlin, where all the tsars had their coronation. A crowning achievement indeed.
From the moment you step away from Tulums bustling beach road into the leafy paradise that is La Valise, calm pervades. This is a quiet retreat from the world, its beautiful, strike that, its stunning, with traditional palapa-style roofs rising out of an oasis of green, and local handcrafted furniture and objet darts adding stylish finishing touches to the hotel environs. From the wafts of Copal incense scenting the air to the beach-side view of the sun setting over the sea, this is a place for the well-travelled who like their R&R perfectly attuned to natures rhythms.

La Valise

ROOMS & FACILITIES

Putting the B firmly in boutique, La Valise boasts eleven stunningly curated and rustic feel rooms. A romantic four poster bed filters morning light through vast swathes of muslin and an outdoor shower delivers a taste of Island Paradise. All the products are natural and in refillable bottles and whilst all the mod cons (air conditioning and wifi) are on offer, theres no white noise  just the breeze and the ocean. The jewel in La Valises crown is their ocean view, master suite, where a magnificent king-sized bed can be rolled out onto the deck so you can languish under the stars or watch the sunrise and sunset. Honeymooner heaven.

La Valise

La Valise

FOOD & DRINK

Breakfast is included and can be taken on your veranda or at the beach front restaurant. Either way its a delicious, healthy feast. Smoothies, avocado on toast and fresh fruit are favourites and you leave the table neither hungry nor over-stuffed. For dinner, you can literally step across the road to NU Tulum which has partnered with the hotel and offers a blend of modern and traditional Mexican cuisine, all made with fresh and locally sourced ingredients. I adored the jungle setting, low light, great music, and the impressive offering of plant-based dishes.

La Valise

HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS

A beach front massage was a high point for me, the therapist zoned in on areas of tension and diligently worked her magic, soothing and easing away any stress. Yoga classes, cacao ceremonies and other spiritual pursuits are on offer for guests, but for my money simply languishing on the beach beds, watching the world (and the very classy hawkers selling their wares) go by, fully recharged my batteries.

La Valise

WHAT TO DO NEARBY

If you want to experience the nightlife on offer, simply step out onto the beach road and visit the plethora of bars, restaurants and clubs residing there. The shopping is extensive too  not cheap  but I walked away with a couple of new dresses and resisted some rather wonderful jewellery. For a more cultural take on the area, you can head to the Sian Kaan Biosphere (a short, day trip) or head to the local and famed Mayan ruins. I love the roadside stalls and the authentic Mexican treasures you find there.

La Valise

La Valise

BEST FOR

If youre seeking the perfect romantic break  honeymoon or just a love-in  look no further, or if youre truly frazzled from the day-to-day, La Valise will have you restored to former glory in no time.

Go to lavalisetulum.com

Prices start at 465 USD per night
The murder of MP Jo Cox in 2016 shocked the nation and forced her sister Kim Leadbeater to make an agonising choice. She tells Eimear OHagan what compelled her to follow in Jos political footsteps

Kim (left) and her sister at Jos hen do, 2009

The last time Kim Leadbeater saw her sister Jo was in a mortuary. To spare her parents and brother-in-law Brendan the pain, it was Kim who bravely volunteered to identify Jos body, following her brutal murder in June 2016. I needed to see her with my own eyes, to accept that she was dead.

That horrific image, while etched in her memory, is not the Jo that Kim sees in her mind when she remembers her elder sister. The Jo in my memories is riding with me on our BMX bikes, or in her Guides uniform, or taking me with her to parties when we were teenagers. Shes holding her babies, and making her maiden speech in the House of Commons after she became an MP. Thats the Jo I see  my sister and my best friend, says Kim, 45, who lives in West Yorkshire with her partner Clare.

It was a warm June day when Kims phone rang with news that would change her life for ever. It was Brendan who called me and told me she had been attacked. I vividly remember my entire body began to shake  it was a very physical manifestation of my shock. I cant explain how, but I just knew I wasnt going to see her alive again, says Kim. Clare said to me: Its going to be OK and I replied, Its not. I just knew.

Jo, who was 41 and the MP for Batley and Spen, was pronounced dead in an ambulance before even reaching hospital, having been stabbed and shot multiple times outside a library in her constituency in broad daylight. Her killer, Thomas Mair, was a right-wing extremist who was later sentenced to life in prison. I think about my life in terms of before and after Jo was killed, says Kim. Before, it was wonderful, full of happiness, full of love. Then it changed for ever the day she died.

One significant  and unexpected  change is that Kim has recently followed her sister into a career in politics. In July 2021, Kim was elected as MP in the same seat Jo had held for 13 months before her death. Its a new chapter of her life which Kim admits shes still getting used to. It all still feels very surreal. I cant quite believe this is my job now, says Kim, speaking from her constituency office in Heckmondwike. I never planned to become a politician. The path I have been on to reach the Commons is very, very different to most other MPs. And after such an intense journey to reach this point it does feel very emotionally loaded. People have asked, am I enjoying it? And thats a hard question to answer, because Im not sure Ive got the capacity to enjoy things in the way I used to. I think, as a coping mechanism, my emotions have become quite muted and its hard to fully enjoy something that was taken away from someone I loved.

Kim paying tribute to Jo in the House of Commons, September 2021

That said, already I understand why Jo loved this job so much. To be surrounded by amazing staff, to interact with constituents and help them, and to work alongside fellow MPs on issues Im passionate about feels incredibly satisfying. And there is something empowering about sitting on those green benches and thinking, Maybe I can actually make a difference to this country. Its a scary but powerful thought, and I feel honoured to have this opportunity.

It would be easy to assume Kims decision to run for election was some sort of emotional tribute to Jo. Kim insists thats not the case. Of course, I cant separate my decision to run from her death, but its never been about doing it for Jo. In fact, when it was first suggested to me by some family and friends that I should run in the by-election, my initial response was absolutely not! I found the idea of going into politics ridiculous. Id been working for the Jo Cox Foundation and that had always been apolitical and about trying to bring people together across the [political] divide. But the more I talked about it with Clare, and my parents, the more I felt that if I didnt do this, Id regret it. I asked myself, what if someone is elected who doesnt know this area and its issues, and doesnt care about it the way I do? On a personal level and for the Foundation, that would have been difficult.

Kim is insistent that she sits in the Commons as herself, not Jo Coxs sister, and will walk her own path. Being her sister is what brought me to this point, but now I am here I will do things my way. However, as much as Jo and I were very different personality-wise  I was the more confident, bossy one, she was more shy and had more self-doubt  we were incredibly similar when it came to our values, our compassion, our care for people, which was passed down to us from our parents. And so the way I approach dealing with people in this job will inevitably be similar to how she did.

Politics needs good people. I refuse to be scared of getting involved

In the light of how her sisters life was ended, Kim acknowledges that the decision to place herself in the public  and political  eye was fraught with worry. My fear was more for my family, that if something were to happen to me, the impact on my parents and on Jos kids having to go through that again would just be unimaginably horrific. People will say lightning doesnt strike twice, but I really dont know if I am more or less vulnerable because of what happened. I am incredibly careful though, and very well looked after by the police. What I do know is that politics needs good people, and I refuse to be scared of getting involved.

Those fears were brought home in a deeply personal and painful way for Kim following the killing last October of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, who was stabbed to death at his constituency surgery in Essex. It had a very profound effect on me. We all couldnt believe this had happened again, says Kim, who paid an emotional tribute to Sir David in the Commons days after his death. I was visiting a local school that day, then reports started to come through that an MP had been attacked, and then that he was dead. The police took me straight home, as I tried to call Clare and my mum to let them know I was OK, knowing that they would see it on the news and be very worried. I felt like Id been plunged right back to June 2016, to those emotions of shock, disbelief, grief. And knowing the awful journey his family were embarking on from that day onwards, for the rest of their lives. I know their suffering because as a family we have lived it too.

Its family that has played a large part in helping Kim keep going, especially Jo and Brendans children, Cuillin, now ten, and Lejla, eight. When Jo made her decision to run for election in 2015, following a successful career in the charity sector, her biggest concern was her children. She wanted to be a brilliant MP, but she wanted to be a brilliant mum too. She didnt want her job to impact on the children, and I remember she spoke to other female MPs about how to do the job properly and still be the mother she wanted to be.

Kim is extremely close to her niece and nephew and her face lights up when she talks about them. They are amazing kids, so strong and full of energy. I see so much of Jo in them  they have her passion for life and both look like her. Lejla especially is the spitting image of Jo when she was a little girl. They are her biggest legacy  forget politics  and the thing that matters to me most. Its both wonderful and bittersweet being with them, because I feel her absence so deeply when Im around them.

Time may have passed, but Kim says little has changed for her when it comes to processing what happened to her sister. In many ways, Jos death still doesnt feel real. I know shes no longer here, but I havent dealt with it, if that makes sense? I think to help me cope, my mind has pushed a lot of things away so I can get on with life. There may come a day when I suddenly and fully realise what has happened and cannot function, but Im not going to allow my life to be taken over waiting for that day. Enough has been taken from me already.

For now, Kim is throwing herself into political life, not for Jo, but with her sister always in her heart and mind. I think about Jo every single day; I will never stop missing her. There is a void that can never be filled. On the days when I feel nervous, still getting to grips with this job, and wondering am I good enough, I hear her voice telling me: Kim, you are.






For years, Hannah Walker endured criticism for being fragile and over-sensitive. Then she discovered that feeling things acutely is not a weakness  its a strength

The story we buy into is that the tough succeed

I guess youre just a little too sensitive.

This remark has been made to me by boyfriends, bosses, friends, taxi drivers, strangers at bus stops. Each time it has stopped me short: a slap of shame, a sudden brick wall, a shower running ice-cold mid hair wash. After each encounter, I would think, at what point was it that I showed too much sensitivity? Have I embarrassed myself? Even if it was said kindly, it didnt feel like a compliment and I didnt take it as one.

We live in a society that does not value sensitivity. So undervalued is it, in fact, that many people consider it a guaranteed path to failure. Nowhere is this more obvious than in employment, where sectors with sensitivity at their heart  teaching, nursing, social work  are often badly paid. The story we buy into is that the tough succeed, while sensitivity is inconvenient, messy and embarrassing.

I tried to hide mine. But then something fundamental changed. In 2015, I had my daughter. It didnt take me long to realise she was (and still is) just like me. I realised that if I felt bad about being highly sensitive  and about her being highly sensitive  that she would learn to feel bad about it, too. I had to change the story. Was there, maybe, another way of looking at this? Could sensitivity, in fact, be a positive trait?

one fifth of the worlds population is highly sensitive

When my daughter was little, I took her to playgroups, where she would always sit back and observe. Sometimes, she would remove herself from the circle entirely, watching to see what the rules were and if this might be something she would like to do. I remember taking her to a group where the children had to choose a musical instrument. All the kids rushed in, but even when I carried her up to choose, she hid her face in my neck, then looked at the people and began to cry. Everyone was watching, so I picked her up and carried her out, not even stopping to put our coats on.

Walking home I was angry as I felt the under-the-skin prickles of familiarity. Memory upon memory of being in a classroom, workplace or social environment and being unable to throw myself in and just do it. I dont work that way; nor does my child. Growing up, I heard my mum say quite a lot of negative stuff about herself. She never criticised me for my sensitivity, but she did criticise herself. I am so proud to be made of the same stuff as my mum, but I believe things might have been different for her if she had been given an understanding of her sensitivity, her difference, earlier in life  and thats what I decided to do for my daughter.

So, I started researching and discovered the psychologist Dr Elaine N Aron. She coined the phrase highly sensitive person (HSP) in 1996 in a book of the same name. She explains that sensitivity is a trait, not a disorder. It is genetic and found in equal measure among genders and personality types. One in five people have this trait: 15 to 20 per cent of any population could be labelled as such (some studies suggest up to 30 per cent of people are HSPs).

It took a while for that figure to sink in  one in five. That is one fifth of the population; 1.5 billion people in the world.

When I first read about HSPs, I found it amusing, sobering and touching. Things Id known about myself but did not understand began to make sense: I cant drink coffee, I go jumpy; I cant watch horror films, I dont sleep for days after; I take things people say to heart. I started to see why I have to leave social gatherings at times. Why I failed to tell the dressmaker who made my wedding dress that it was different to what we had discussed  and instead thanked her then went out and bought a disgusting 30 dress I ended up wearing to my own wedding.

Arons work also revealed that sensitivity is a positive trait  HSPs are particularly good at empathy, listening, interpersonal skills and thinking things through. However, the world is set up for the 70-80 per cent of the population who arent HSPs.

The key is for HSPs to look for the powers that come with sensitivity and for the rest of us to appreciate that our one-size-fits-all approach to employment and education doesnt work for everyone. Moreover, that sensitive people are not shy or standoffish, theyre just more sensitive.

Make the most of your hidden strengths Think you might tick the highly sensitive box? Rather than see it as a shortcoming, its time to give sensitivity the credit it deserves, says Hannah (right). Heres why Your brain sees the bigger picture A highly sensitive persons brain is fast, and can quickly make connections in things that others may not see, says Barbara Allen, founder of the National Centre for High Sensitivity. This makes them good at uniting information and ideas and noticing the joins that others might easily miss. You can read minds (well, almost) HSPs brains show greater responsiveness to others emotions, says social neuroscientist Dr Bianca Acevedo. They are reading situations all the time and that can result in them having an intuition about something from all that information being processed deeply. and rooms Thats right: as highly responsive beings, HSPs are super attuned to both the positive and negative. This means they notice not just whether people they are with are OK but also the mood of others in a room. You appreciate other points of view Because HSPs brains are constantly taking in information, they have a lot more quality data about any given interpersonal situation or environment. This makes them great at understanding multiple realities, points of view and nuance. and excel at empathy Again, thanks to all that reading of whats going on around them, HSPs understand people more easily and their high level of empathetic understanding is why they are often found working in the NHS, or as police or social workers. Decision-making is your thing HSPs understand layers of information and can see both the birds-eye view and close detail, making them excellent people to consult over important decisions. You think before you act HSPs observe first (think of my daughter at the playgroup, watching and waiting) and then act. The more they observe, consider and process, the more likely it is that they will offer an appropriate response to a person or situation. Advertisement
Homeowners whose properties were damaged in the recent storms are being warned to vet tradesmen before employing them to do any repair work  and not to rely on the mere fact that they appear on a find-a-trader website.

Mike Edwards, founder of home improvement website DIY Doctor, says: 'It's madness to hand over responsibility for someone to do repairs who you simply found on a website without doing your own checks first.'

He adds: 'Although a majority of these tradesmen are reputable, you must remember the websites are funded by membership fees  and are effectively a marketing tool.'

Damage limitation: Vet tradesmen before employing them to do any repair work

Research by The Mail on Sunday has discovered that although find-a-trader websites screen members, cowboys can slip through the net.

Users should also be aware that the websites such as TrustATrader, Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and Which? Trusted Trader charge tradesmen as much as 800 a year to be on their lists.

Such websites are not to be confused with trade organisations or the only Government-approved scheme TrustMark, where members must pass a range of quality checks made by independent assessors before being allowed to use a TrustMark logo to promote their firm.

Its checks are far more rigorous than those done by find-a-trader websites, where membership fees are a priority and the vetting process is often little more than checking at least half the positive reviews a company receives are genuine  and not fakes. Edwards says: 'Rather than using a website whose job is to promote its members, you might first consider having a go at repairs yourself. A broken fence can look a big job but websites such as ours offer practical help on how to plant posts and put up panels.'

For those not able to tackle the job themselves, Edwards suggests asking a neighbour or friend for someone they might recommend  and to then personally check on the quality of their work. He also says you should ask a tradesman for three references whom you can call to ask about the quality of work done. You should also seek out local tradesmen with the TrustMark accreditation  which hopefully means you are guaranteed not to be ripped off. It covers trades such as builders, plumbers, roofers, electricians and plasterers. Those who pass its tests pay 114 a year to use the logo.

Sue Beeson, of TrustMark, says: 'We not only have strict standards of work members must abide by, but we are also signed up to the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman that provides an independent arbitration service if there is any disagreement over quality of work done.'

Membership of a trade organisation is also a signal that a firm offers a decent quality of service. Electrician-approved groups to look out for include the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting. For gas fitters, seek out a Gas Safe Register accredited worker and for builders a Federation of Master Builders member.

Anna Alexander, from London, hired a builder through a personal recommendation to pave her driveway, render the house and do electrical work in her bathroom. But once the job was completed, slabs on the drive cracked, rendering fell off the house, and the bathroom fan was not connected so that air could flow to outside the house.

Anna says: 'The builder said he would repay me  but never did. So I took him to county court and won.' She was awarded the maximum 7,100 including costs in November 2018. But in September 2020 she found his business on

MyBuilder, even using photos of her bathroom as an example of the builder's 'great' work. She told the website  which has since removed the trader  but it was unable to explain how he passed its vetting process. MyBuilder said it makes robust background checks and skills-based assessments that up to a third of applicants fail. It said: 'When an issue is brought to our attention we take appropriate action.'

Gary McEwen, chief executive of TrustATrader, says websites such as his are doing 'everything we can' to vet tradesmen and deal with complaints. Out of 200,000 jobs completed a month, he says complaints number no more than a hundred.
BP has benefited from a staggering 27billion cash haul from its operations in Russia over two decades, the Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The FTSE 100 oil giant's ventures in the former Soviet Union have been highly profitable, but the firm and its boss Bernard Looney now face huge pressure to sever those ties, which date back 20 years.

Chris Bryant, an influential MP who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee, accused BP of being 'complicit' in the invasion of Ukraine.

'The tanks that are rolling into Ukraine are paid for by the profits of oil and gas companies in Russia  including BP,' said Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda.

Under pressure: BP boss Bernard Looney is facing calls to quit the board of Rosneft

The FTSE 100 firm's large-scale involvement in Russia took off in 2003, when it set up a joint venture, TNK-BP, with four billionaire oligarchs.

When that partnership was dismantled in 2013, BP received $12billion in cash and acquired a near-20 per cent stake in Kremlin-backed oil company Rosneft, which is one of Russia's largest producers of crude oil and a major supplier of its military.

The company still has that holding in Rosneft. Looney sits on the board alongside former BP chief Bob Dudley and chairman Igor Sechin, who is a close ally of President Putin.

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng summoned Looney for a crisis meeting on Friday, leaving him 'with no doubt' about the strength of concern in government over its business interests in Russia. MPs and campaigners want Looney to resign from the board of Rosneft.

But this presents him with thorny moral, financial and practical dilemmas.

Ending BP's relationship with Rosneft would burnish his ethical credentials, which have already been under attack from environmental activists.

But it would also choke off a valuable stream of income for the company. In addition, there is the pragmatic issue of finding a buyer for what has become a toxic investment.

Financially, BP's foray into Russia has been one of the most rewarding in its 113 year history, yielding it 27billion in cash payments, after an $8billion investment.

The company received $19billion (14.25billion) in dividends from TNK along with $12billion (9billion) in cash from Rosneft when the joint venture was sold.

On top of that, a total of $5billion (3.75billion) of dividends have flowed into its coffers from Rosneft over its nine years of owning a hunky stake.

Rosneft accounted for around $2.4billion (1.8billion) of BP's profits last year, a fifth of the $12.8billion total. Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last week has unleashed a barrage of economic sanctions from the West.

When quizzed on BP's Russia links earlier this month, Looney said BP sought to 'avoid the politics', but vowed that his firm would comply with Ukraine-related sanctions.

The MoS reported a fortnight ago that BP was expected to be handed another $1billion dividend from its stake in Rosneft.

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, said all firms 'connected to funding Putin's war machine should think very hard given that they are in scope of UK sanctions and those of our allies'.

Bill Browder, chief executive of Hermitage Capital and head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign  which seeks to impose visa bans and asset freezes on human rights abusers and corrupt officials  also questioned Looney's position on the Rosneft board.

'It's unseemly that a major British company CEO would be sitting in the same room as some of these now war criminals,' he said.

However, Browder said exiting the stake altogether could be problematic. He compared BP's stake in Rosneft to 'nuclear waste'. He said: 'No one is going to buy it. It's worthless at the moment.'

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Teverson has warned that BP could find itself on 'the wrong side of history' due to events in Ukraine.

In a meeting between BP and Putin in 2019, former CEO Bob Dudley, who also sits on Rosneft's board, said it was a 'proud claim' that BP accounted for more than half of the UK's capital flows to Russia.

BP said on Friday: 'We are closely watching the concerning developments in Ukraine and Russia. We are doing all we can to monitor the fast-changing situation.

'Our priority is the safety and security of our people. We are accounting for all our team.'

The company reiterated that it would 'of course, comply with all relevant sanctions'.

The invasion of Ukraine has raised questions about peers Lord Goldsmith and Lord Barker, both of whom have strong links with Russia and are taking leaves of absence from the House of Lords.

By taking leave, peers are not required to disclose how much they are paid by foreign clients, while keeping their honorary titles.

Goldsmith, who served as Tony Blair's Attorney General until 2007, has represented the Russian Federation as a partner at law firm Debevoise & Plimpton. Barker runs London-listed aluminium producer En+, whose biggest shareholder is sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

Conservative MP Bob Seely said: 'I think it is wrong for members of the House of Lords to be able to take leave of absence so they do not have to give information out about their clients.

'When those clients are the Russian state or its proxies, it is even more indefensible. This is yet more evidence that we need a Foreign Lobbying Act.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons on Thursday that Europe must seek to end its 'collective dependence on Russian oil and gas' which has served to 'empower Putin for too long'.

Among further sanctions proposed by Johnson is a ban on Russia being able to access the SWIFT network, a payment system that allows banks, companies and individuals to make fast money transfers overseas.

However, a total ban has been met with resistance from other European countries.

Last week, senior City figures met with Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen and the Prime Minister.

An attendee told The Mail on Sunday that one of the options discussed was to block certain Russian companies and individuals from using the Swift network  rather than enforcing an all-out ban.

The source said: 'That could be a blunt instrument and you could just find the Russians working their way around that if you have a blanket ban.

'So what you might want to do is target individual institutions and individuals. The risk is the Russians pull out of Swift completely and create their own payments system.

'So rather than shut out the Russians completely, you focus it on individual institutions, which appears to be the route the Government is taking.'
AstraZeneca has moved to placate shareholders over its chief executive's 14million pay by promising to freeze his bonus package for three years.

The pharmaceutical giant suffered a shareholder rebellion last year over the rewards lavished on its boss, Pascal Soriot.

Even though AstraZeneca had under his leadership played a key role in the global Covid vaccine effort, investors were angry the firm had significantly increased his potential bonus for the second year in a row.

Taking the lead: : AstraZeneca, under Pascal Soriot's leadership, played a key role in the global Covid vaccine effort.

Outgoing chairman Leif Johansson said that, since last May's annual meeting, he had met 16 major investors representing 40 per cent of the share register.

He admitted the decision to ask shareholders to vote on a new pay policy for two consecutive years was an 'unusual step'.

These policies, which set share and bonus awards to executives, are typically voted on every three to five years.

Johansson last year promised investors the company would not present a new pay policy for three years.

Last week he confirmed in its annual report that the 2021 policy would remain in place until 2024 'in response to concerns raised by some shareholders'.

Despite the controversy, the Frenchman's pay lagged his peers in the global pharma industry. His pay last year was also below his total 15.9million for 2020.

In total, he owns stock in the business worth 26million.

The only change to Soriot's salary this year will be a rise of 3 per cent, in line with the rest of its workforce, taking his pay to 1.37million. His maximum bonus will be 250 per cent of his salary and long-term incentives will be 650 per cent of base pay until 2024.

The company's annual report last week praised him for continuing 'to work tirelessly with multiple Government policy makers, ministers of health and heads of state around the world to secure production and delivery of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine'.

Soriot took charge in 2012 and saw off a 70billion hostile bid from US firm Pfizer two years later. Shareholder returns have risen 345 per cent under his leadership.

Astra pledged to produce the Covid jab at cost price during the pandemic. It has now signed new deals to deliver it at a 'modest' profit.

Andrew Speke of the High Pay Centre think-tank said: 'Credit to the shareholders who challenged the scale of remuneration paid to Pascal Soriot, but his package is still more than 400 times that of the average UK worker.

'Greater restraint needs to be seen in future years if AstraZeneca really wants to show it takes fair and proportionate reward seriously.'
Elon Musk said SpaceXs Starlink satellite internet is now available in Ukraine. Ukraines deputy prime minister tweeted at the eccentric SpaceX and Tesla CEO and asked for help.

Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route, Musk responded.

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Musk didnt provide any details on the service, including how widely available it will be and if it would cost any money.

Elon Musk speaks about Starlink in 2020. (Susan Walsh/AP)

Part of Russias invasion of Ukraine has involved disrupting internet service in Ukraine. That prompted deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov to tweet at Musk. He specifically asked for help via Starlink.

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@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars  Russia try to occupy Ukraine! he wrote. While your rockets successfully land from space  Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.

Earlier this year, Musk used Starlink to provide internet service to the island of Tonga after a tsunami. Starlink reportedly provides internet service to 29 countries.
Aviva will this week reveal plans for a dividend rise for thousands of shareholders after a sweeping overhaul of the business.

Amanda Blanc, chief executive of the FTSE100 insurer, will map out a growth plan that will see the dividend jump next year for its 540,000 shareholders.

Cash flow: Analysts reckon Aviva could generate 1.3billion of free cash flow in 2023

Analysts reckon Aviva could generate 1.3billion of free cash flow in 2023, which could mean a dividend per share of as much as 45p  up from the 21p paid for 2020, and the anticipated 22.5p for 2021.

However, companies rarely pay out all of their cash, as they tend to invest a chunk in the business and keep some in reserve in case the economy takes a knock.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that Aviva was also preparing to return more than 5billion to shareholders in the form of a special dividend and share buyback.

Investors will be watching the dividend closely as most hold Aviva as an income-generating stock.

Blanc, 55, has shrunk Aviva's sprawling empire by selling off overseas businesses to focus on the UK, Ireland and Canada.

One analyst said: 'There is significant room to grow the dividend. There's a disconnect between its cash generation and dividend policy. Of course that's the capacity, but companies like to hoard cash'.

Aviva has come under pressure to return more capital to shareholders after Cevian, the largest activist investor in Europe, took a stake last year.

The insurer is also set to reduce the number of shares in the market, which should support the price and the dividends per share.
The best money decision that artist Maurice Blik ever made was to take advantage of Margaret Thatcher's Right to Buy policy in the early 1980s  and buy a home at a big discount.

Blik, 82, a sculptor and a Holocaust survivor whose huge bronze sculptures now sell for substantial six-figure sums, snapped up his two-bedroom flat in the centre of London for just 45,000 in 1981.

He spoke to Donna Ferguson. His book, The Art Of Survival, is out now.

Astute: Maurice Blik bought a flat in the Barbican for 45,000 under the Right to Buy scheme

What did your parents teach you about money?

That there are more important things in life. I am Jewish and was born in Amsterdam in 1939.

At the age of four, I was carted off to Camp Westerbork and then to Belsen concentration camp with my mother and my older sister. We were lucky to survive.

My father, a salesman who travelled around Holland selling car parts to garages, was taken from us and we never saw him again.

We can only assume he died somewhere, possibly Auschwitz. So did my uncles, my aunt, my cousins. I lost half my family in the Holocaust.

So it wasn't so much that my parents taught me about money. More about life. It wasn't means-tested whether you went into the camps, or not.

As a result, I think I probably have a view of life which has certain priorities: being alive is one of them. So is having your health, having love and people around you that matter.

Was money tight when you were growing up?

It was. I didn't find it stressful. Money was less important to me than freedom. I was six when a train I had been put on, to take me off somewhere, was liberated by Cossacks.

My mother, who was British and had come to Holland with her parents as a girl of 11, spoke perfect English.

She didn't have any papers, but somehow she persuaded people after the war that she was British.

She came here with me and my sister and I grew up in North Harrow, Middlesex. My mother worked at the local Kodak factory.

Eventually, she married my stepfather who was a diamond polisher. We weren't poor. We had enough to eat, we had a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs. But we weren't wealthy either. We were a working-class family. And it was fine.

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

Yes. When I was 16, we moved to the United States. For complicated reasons, I didn't want to stay there so a year later I came back to England and started art school.

I rented a bedsit in a house and got a job in a pub in the evenings to feed and clothe myself.

I also did odd jobs fixing cars and working in coffee shops. I had to manage on my own. It was a struggle at times. I didn't have any family to turn to when I needed a good feed. But I do remember the pub landlady giving me free sandwiches.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

No. Quite the contrary. I've spent endless hours making a sculpture and then selling it for the equivalent of ten pence an hour.

It's unpredictable how long it can take to make something and sometimes you don't get paid at all.

I've spent weeks on pieces that don't work out and get thrown back in the claybin.

What was the best financial year of your life?

It was 2018. That year, as well as selling several pieces, I got commissioned to make a huge bronze sculpture, For Love Of Cyprus, for the outside of an office block in Cyprus.

It is 6.5 metres high. In total, my fee and the casting and the transport costs probably came to around 500,000. That was brilliant and I felt well-rewarded.

What's the most expensive thing you bought just for fun?

I recently bought a three-year-old Range Rover Autobiography for 60,000. It was a stupid money decision really, but you can't always be sensible and logical.

What is your biggest money mistake?

I foolishly invested 50,000 in a gold mine in Costa Rica about ten years ago. It went bankrupt, I think there was a political coup and my money disappeared.

That taught me not to speculate. So I don't invest in stocks and shares. Whenever I get spare cash, I invest in myself by casting a couple more limited edition bronzes.

I make all my sculptures from clay and then cast them in bronze in a small edition  six or nine. They can sell for anything up to 300,000.

It doesn't provide me with much security though, because I can't tell in advance if a sculpture is a saleable piece or not.

Obviously, if it's one of an edition that's sold in the past, then there's a good chance the next one will sell. But until something sells from an edition, you have no idea.

Vast: Maurice Blik's For Love Of Cyprus,right, and on the office wall, left

The best money decision you have made?

To take advantage of Maggie Thatcher's Right to Buy policy in 1981. I'd been renting my two-bedroom flat in the Barbican, London, for five years at that point, so I qualified for a discount when I bought it.

It cost me about 45,000. It was a stretch for me to buy it at the time and I had to rent a bedroom to lodgers. But it was a good financial decision.

I sold it ten years ago for about 600,000 and bought my current home, a converted stables in Essex with five bedrooms, for 700,000.

I imagine that my home has also gone up in value since I bought it, but I haven't checked.

Do you save into a pension?

No. I get the state pension and a small works pension because I used to teach at Middlesex University.

Theoretically, I could live on bread and cheese on the pension I receive. But I don't want to just exist. I want to live.

I'm 82 and I have no ambition to retire. I will work until the day I'm not going to be here.

Do you work because you rely on your income from sculptures?

No. If I didn't make sculpture, emotionally I don't know what I'd do. I've got to do something with my time after all.

I don't have a dog to take for a walk and if I did I'd find that infinitely boring. I have never made sculptures to make a living. I do it because it gives meaning to my life.

I honestly believe I'm making a contribution to life. My book, The Art Of Survival, goes into my reasons for making sculpture and it's related to my background, my not very happy early years.

It's a way of taking a positive view of life. It's not about money. It's my way of saying something about what life's about. That's my motive for working.

What is the one little luxury you treat yourself to?

It's a glass of single malt whisky. I like Laphroaig. It costs about 35 a bottle.

If you were Chancellor, what is the first thing you'd do?

I would get rid of inheritance tax. It's an invidious tax. I inherited nothing. Everything was taken from my family. Their house and everything of value was stolen from them.

I think it'd be lovely to come from that sort of background and be able to leave as much as possible that I've managed to accumulate in my lifetime to my two kids and my wife, free of tax.

What is your number one financial priority?

To stay solvent and make sure that my family, my kids and my wife are comfortable when I'm gone.
An increasingly confident Anthony Albanese has predicted a big win for Labor at the May election as he storms ahead in the polls - but he's running the risk of predictions being wrong again.

Bill Shorten was left eating humble pie after exuding the same confidence in 2019 and polling experts told Daily Mail Australia Mr Albanese shouldn't count his chickens before they hatch.

The Labor leader last week told the Australian Financial Review that he's so confident he's even been thinking about how to win another election in 2025.

'I've been focused on election day for three years but then also remained focused on election day after that,' he said.

Anthony Albanese (pictured with girlfriend Jodie) has predicted a big win for Labor at the May election as he storms ahead in the polls - but Bill Shorten was left eating humble pie after exuding the same confidence in 2019

Bill Shorten (pictured voting with wife Chloe) believed he would win the 2019 election but lost to Scott Morrison

Mr Albanese - who needs an extra eight seats for a majority - said that when Oppositions gain power in Australia they typically win comfortably and cited elections in 1972, '75, '83, '96, 2007 and 2013.

'When change happens, it happens in a substantial way. None of those governments governed by one or two seats,' he said.

His confidence comes with Labor ahead of the Coalition by 10 points according to Monday's Newspoll (with Labor 55 - Coalition 45) and four points according to Essential (Labor 49 - Coalition 45) on a two-party preferred basis.

But the polls leading up to the 2019 election, which also put Labor ahead by up to four points during the campaign, turned out to be wrong - just like at the 2015 UK election and 2016 US election.

An inquiry found they were distorted by falling response rates which led to unrepresentative samples.

People who were more engaged in politics and more highly educated were more likely to answer polls, giving the results a left-leaning bias.

In the words of American political analyst David Shor: 'People who answer surveys are really weird... the reason why the polls are wrong is because the people who were answering these surveys were the wrong people.'

We won't find out whether this problem has been fixed until the election day, which is why some analysts say Mr Albanese should be wary.

Four reasons why the polls may be wrong Dr Sarah Cameron, a political scientist at University of Sydney, told Daily Mail Australia there were four reasons why polls may be wrong 1) The accuracy of polls depends on the methodology used, including whether the sampling frame is an accurate reflection of the population. With a shift over time from landlines to mobiles, sampling frames have become less accurate. Declining response rates can also affect the accuracy of polls. 2) The results of national polling may be different to key marginal seats that could prove influential in an election. 3) All polls have a margin of error and elections can be won or lost within that margin of error, particularly when elections are close. 4) Data from the Australian Election Study shows that the Australian electorate has become increasingly volatile over time. Voters have become more likely to switch votes from election to election, change their minds during the campaign or preference minor parties. This voter volatility makes it more difficult to predict election results. Advertisement

'Polling is fraught with danger'

Fiona Scott, a former MP and government relations specialist, said that conservative voters are still less likely to answer polls than their left-leaning counterparts.

'People may not say they support a conservative candidate but in the privacy of the polling booth they will do that,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'The quiet Australian phenomenon still exists. They hold views tight to their chest.'

Ms Scott also warned that nationwide polls do not tell you who will win the election.

'To get an accurate picture you would have to poll every single seat to see who has enough seats to form government,' she said.

Such an operation would cost millions and may still be misleading because 'we don't know every candidate in the field yet,' she said.

Experts predict Scott Morrison (pictured) will make a comeback in the polls ahead of the election

Ms Scott also said a huge unknown factor in the 2022 election is how state politics will affect the federal poll.

'This is an election where an aggregated polling is not giving the right picture. There are unique dynamics in each state,' she said.

'Labor premier Mark McGowan is very popular in WA, Liberal leader Peter Gutwein is popular in Tasmania and we don't know the impact of Daniel Andrews' approach to Covid in Victoria.

'Polling is fraught with danger as we saw with Trump and Morrison last time.'

Previous changes of Government since 1970 1972: Labor under Gough Whitlam gained eight seats to take power from William McMahon with a 2.5 per cent vote swing 1975: Coalition under Malcom Fraser won 30 seats to take power from Mr Whitlam with a 7.4 per cent vote swing 1983: Labor's Bob Hawke won 24 seats with a 3.6 per cent swing 1996: The Coalition under John Howard won 29 seats to beat Labor's Paul Keating with a 5 per cent swing 2007: Labor under Kevin Rudd won 23 seats to beat Howard with a 5.4 per cent swing 2013: Coalition under Tony Abbot won 18 seats to turf out Mr Rudd with a 3.61 per cent swing Advertisement

Ms Scott, who was the Liberal MP for Lindsay in western Sydney from 2013 to 2016, said after going through each seat she believes there is a clear path to power for the Coalition.

The Government may lose some seats in WA but could gain a couple in NSW where former state MP Andrew Constance is 'as strong as candidate as you can get' in Gilmore, she said.

'I think there's a vulnerability around new MPs who haven't been able to get out and about in their electorates to build their profiles during Covid.

'He will appear more like the incumbent over the sitting MP,' she said of Mr Constance.

Ms Scott predicted the election will be tight and could result in a hung parliament.

'There is a strong likelihood of negotiation on the other side of the election,' she said.

But such negotiations could favour the Coalition because four out of six existing independents are more likely to support Scott Morrison than Anthony Albanese.

Independents taking on Liberals in leafy suburban seats such as Wentworth and Mackellar in Sydney will also give economic supply to the Coalition if they win, she said.

Preferred PM is very important

Griffith University big data analyst Bella Stantic also said the results of two-party preferred polling are not conclusive.

He believes the preferred prime minister polling is potentially more important, especially in swing seats.

'For people who have not decided who to vote for this metric is highly useful and in swing seats a few people can decide the outcome of the election,' he said.

Mr Morrison believes this too, insisting the election is a choice between him an Mr Albanese.

In the latest Newspoll on February 13, Mr Morrison was ahead of Mr Albanese by 43 points to 38 on who would make a better PM.

Fiona Scott (left with Malcolm Turnbull), a former MP and government relations specialist, said that conservative voters are still less likely to answer polls than their left-leaning counterparts

'A betting man should back Labor'

However, Queensland University of Technology political scientist Clive Bean said Labor is in the 'box seat' despite some doubt around polling accuracy.

'Given the margin at the moment and consistency of polls there's a fairly strong indication that if Labor doesn't mess up the campaign then they should be on track to win,' he said.

'It'll tighten up and it won't be a walk over but a betting man should have their money on Labor at the moment.'

His caveat was that the campaign can change everything and predicted a down-to-the wire election.

'You can expect the gap the narrow and what happens in the campaign can make a difference,' he said.

'If the election is very tight then polls are not accurate enough because they have a margin of error and two per cent either way can lead to a different outcome.'

'Maybe there is a big silent audience out there'

Similarly, election analyst William Bowe, who runs a blog called The Poll Bludger, said if Labor is ahead by more than three points close to the election then they will win.

'People have gone from having too much faith in polls to too little. Labor are far enough ahead.

'If the polls are still saying 56-44 on election night that's it - but it will tighten up,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Bowe said Newspoll deserved 'a lot of credit' for predicting the Western Australia and Queensland state elections fairly accurately, especially in WA where Mr McGowan almost wiped out the Liberals in a highly unusual result.

He said it was good that Newspoll and Essential were providing different results because 'everyone got it wrong in 2019'.

'Pollsters are trying new things and time will tell which has the most appropriate method,' he said.

But he warned that US polls in 2020 still underestimated support for President Trump.

'The 2020 polls were still biased to the Democrats and maybe that's happening again here,' he said.

'Maybe there is a big silent audience out there in Australia, the kind of people who are responding to Clive Palmer's message.'
Police found the bodies of two girls and their parents during a welfare check at a North Texas home Thursday afternoon in what authorities suspect to be a murder-suicide.

Marcus Buchanan, 36 and his wife, Rita Buchanan, 34, were discovered next to two girls - aged 13 and 3 - fatally shot in their home on the 300 block of Kathy Lane in Granbury, police said.

A neighbor who lives directly across the street says the adults worked from home, and that all four had moved to Granbury from Las Vegas about six months ago.

'None of us heard anything. Nobody in the neighborhood heard any gunfire whatsoever, especially four rounds,' Crystal Blanchard told KDFW. 'Marcus was the happiest guy. He always talked. He always hung out with us.'

Police have not made a final determination, but investigators at the scene found evidence pointing to a murder-suicide.

'Who does that to a child? Those children were innocent. They didn't deserve that,' Crystal said.

Marcus didn't have a criminal background, but Rita was charged with disorderly conduct in Henderson, Nevada in 2014, KDFW reports.

Child Protective Services did not clarify if the family had a history with them. The Granbury Police Department told DailyMail.com there are no updates on the investigation as of Sunday morning.

Marcus Buchanan, 36, Rita Buchanan, 34 were found dead from gunshot wounds in their home in Granbury, Texas after a welfare check on Thursday afternoon

Two girls, aged 13 (right) and 3, were also found dead in the home. Authorities have not clarified their relationship to the adults

Classmates and neighbors remembered a 'happy' family that could often be seen playing in their backyard

The Buchanans had moved to the 300 block of Kathy Lane about six months ago from Las Vegas, neighbors say

Investigators haven't who they suspect caused the deaths, but they said there was no evidence that anyone else was involved.

Granbury is a city of about 11,000 residents about 35 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

Police were sent to the home on Thursday at around 2.45pm.

Blanchard, the neighbor, says she last saw Marcus on Wednesday afternoon. She says the 13-year-old became fast friends with her daughter Maddison.

'She was always over for dinner or snacks or movie night,' she said. 'I mean no, there was never any indication that anything was wrong.'

Maddison added: 'I don't even know how to deal with it because, like I said, its shocking. It's something that I wouldn't ever expect.'

Neighbors told KDFW that they watched while police combed through the home for 12 hours after finding the bodies on Thursday.

Marcus didn't have a criminal background, but Rita was charged with disorderly conduct in Henderson, Nevada in 2014

In 2019, Rita posted about her husband on Facebook.

'Every relationship has its ups and downs, smiles and frowns. But through the flaws and all i love him. He is a great daddy to all of our kids and more. We accept our wrongs and turn them into rights..

'EVERY ONE OF US IS FLAWED! BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO STICK WITH YOU, GROW,AND CHANGE KEEP THEM!!! not everyone is willing nor accepting. I love you my husband...'

Kayeleagh Goltl, who went to school with the 13-year-old, said she last saw the teen at school on Tuesday.

Marcus and Rita both worked from home, a neighbor said. Police have not made a final determination, but investigators at the scene found evidence pointing to a murder-suicide

'She was always so happy on the bus. I didn't expect it,' she said.

In a statement, Granbury ISD Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Glenn said: 'The death of a student is one of the hardest things any school district faces. The tragic loss of two of our precious students is heartbreaking for students, teachers and staff and our community.'

The Buchanans seem to have made their mark in the neighborhood in the short time they lived there.

'We saw the trampoline in the backyard, and it was triggering just knowing it will never be jumped on again, they won't be playing in the backyard again,' neighbor Madison McVay told WFAA.
A new pair of studies on the coronavirus outbreak claim that the pandemic may have resulted from live animals sold at a Chinese wet market in Wuhan and not at the nearby Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The study, which has not been peer reviewed or published yet, argues that there is no support for the theory that COVID escaped from the Wuhan lab, despite growing calls for the theory to be probed after China obstructed efforts to uncover the origins of the killer pathogen

The co-author of both studies is Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, who says the evidence is clear.

'When you look at all of the evidence together, it's an extraordinarily clear picture that the pandemic started at the Huanan market,' Worobey told the New York Times.

Worobey had previously signed a letter demanding more research into what's known as the 'lab leak theory' and is known by colleagues for having a 'soft spot for wild theories.'

Michael Waorobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona

This general view shows the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan

Members of staff of the Wuhan Hygiene Emergency Response Team leaving the closed Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the city of Wuhan

A map shows the Wuhan lab is about 14 miles away from the market

Researchers on Worobey's team analyzed data from a wide variety of sources to try and find an answer.

Their conclusion was that the virus was present in live mammals sold in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market late in 2019.

The studies said that the virus likely twice spilled over into people who were either shopping or working at that market.

Many of the initial cases of the virus came up around the market and by the end of 2019, Wuhan hospitals saw dozens of cases of what was then called viral pneumonia.

Scientists in China at the time said they found samples of the virus in the surfaces and sewers of the market but not in any of the animals, which made people skeptical of the theory.

One of the new studies, led by Worobey, showing that they believe the virus emerged from a Wuhan wet market

A security guard stands outside the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in January 2020

However, Worobey and his team said that they focused on about 156 cases of COVID-19 in Wuhan in December 19.

They continued by mapping cases in January and February using data from Chinese researchers of over 700 cases that popped up away from the market in Wuhan, particularly those with a lot of older residents.

All their testing suggesting that 'this is no coincidence,' Worobey said.

He added that his team found that vendors were selling raccoon dogs and food from other animals that were previously found to be hosts of the virus.

They collected genetic samples from the market in January of 2020 showing traces of the virus in a corner of the market where the vendors had previously been.

Workers wearing protective suits walking next to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market

Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team, investigating the origins of the Covid-19 coronavirus, arrive at the closed Huanan Seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, China's central Hubei province on January 31, 2021

The team then studied mutations in what's known as the virus' family tree and concluded that they had to have come from animals separately, with the virus adapting to humans on their own.

A Chinese CDC study put out Friday supported the Arizona hypothesis.

The studies do not, however, find an exact first case or animal that spread the virus. Worobey argued that they would need genetics from Chinese research.

There has been a ton of controversy over the origin of the virus in the years since the pandemic began.

US state officials had given momentum to the idea that COVID-19 either leaked from a lab or was man-made by China as some kind of weapon against humanity.

People wearing protective masks and suits carry rubbish bins during disinfection work at Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market on March 4, 2020

Chinese researcher Shi Zhengli from WIV, CAS, was known to have isolated a SARS-like coronavirus from the Chinese horseshoe bat

A Wuhan wet market was first thought to be the breeding ground of the virus, where the selling of live, wild animals would have given the perfect opportunity for it to naturally spread between species.

It is thought the virus first developed in bats before passing on to a creature such as a pangolin that then came into contact with humans and transmitted the virus.

Once it entered humans, the coronavirus is likely to have mutated to survive and then escalated out of control as a result of an unprepared population.

There are also theories that the virus was genetically engineered by scientists, or that it has actually been around for years and even killed people in the past.

Two high security laboratories in the city  the Wuhan Centre for Disease Control and the Wuhan Institute of Virology  have been the subject of many conspiracy theories.

Researchers work in a lab of Wuhan Institute of Virology

There has been much debate over the origins of the coronavirus

President Donald Trump claims he has seen evidence the virus, which he solely blames China for, came from Wuhan Institute of Virology  but he is not allowed to reveal it.

The Institute has denied the claims from the early days of the outbreak.

In April, Trump said: 'We are doing a very thorough examination of this horrible situation that happened.'

Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, claimed in May there is 'enormous evidence' the coronavirus outbreak originated in a Chinese laboratory  but failed to provide any of the alleged evidence.

British scientist Peter Daszak had to be removed from the COVID commission looking at the origins of the pandemic after helping secretly denounce the lab leak theory while failing to mention his close ties to the same facility.

Cars transporting members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team near the market

A woman walking in front of the closed Huanan wholesale seafood market, where health authorities say a man who died from a respiratory illness had purchased goods from, in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province

The scandal-hit scientist's departure from the UN-backed Lancet commission into the virus's origins was revealed on its website.

It added a sentence in brackets under his photo and above his biography, saying 'recused from Commission work on the origins of the pandemic.'

No further information on Daszak's departure was given - but he has faced conflict of interest claims after his close ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology were revealed in May of 2021.

Daszak, 55, president of the New York-based EcoHealth Alliance, was one of 28 experts from around the world asked to analyze how best to respond to the pandemic.

The panel comprised leading global figures in public health, economics, philanthropy, diplomacy and politics.

It is organized by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, which, according to its website, 'operates under the auspices of the United Nations to mobilize scientific and technical expertise in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.'

In June 2021 the COVID commission updated their website to show that Daszak was recused

Daszak's presence on a number of bodies investigating the origins of COVID has proved controversial because he has links to the Wuhan Institute and its chief researcher Dr Shi Zhengli - dubbed 'Batwoman'.

He helped organize a letter published in prestigious medical journal The Lancet that was signed by 27 scientists, including Daszak himself, and denounced the lab leak claim as a 'conspiracy theory,' and 'nonscientific.'

Daszak has since faced conflict of interest claims over his ties to the lab investigators increasingly believe COVID may have leaked from.

Supporters of the theory say it is too much of a coincidence that the virus emerged in the same Chinese city that houses one of only three labs in the world studying bat coronaviruses, with the other two both based in the United States.
Elon Musk has answered a plea from the vice prime minister of Ukraine who asked the tycoon to help the embattled nation with satellite internet access.

'@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars  Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space  Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand,' the vice PM Mykhailo Fedorov wrote in a tweet on Saturday.

His plea came as part of Ukraine finds itself without any internet connection following three days of rocket attacks by Russia.

Officials there are keen that locals remain connected so their stories can be used to combat Russian propaganda - and so that they can share atrocities being carried out by Russian troops on behalf of Vladimir Putin.

SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company's Starlink satellite broadband service is available in Ukraine

Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted at Musk on Saturday for help

The Ukraine government official asked Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations

Less than 11 hours later, Musk answered the call and revealed more terminals were on route

On Saturday afternoon, Musk answered the call and said that he would be sending Starlink receivers to the country.

'Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,' Musk tweeted hours after the extraordinary request.

Starlink is a space-based system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world.

Also on Saturday, Fedorov called on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix and Google to block Russia-related accounts.

Ukrainian Deputy PM Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted on Saturday: 'Starlink terminals are coming to Ukraine! Thank you @elonmusk, thank you everyone, who supported Ukraine!'

Mykhailo Fedorov thanked Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova, pictured on Saturday

Twitter user Lawof72 tweets on Feb. 26, 2022: Thank you @elonmusk and @SpaceX for enabling Starlink and sending Starlink receivers to Ukraine

Even the country's Twitter account tweeted its thanks to Elon Musk and his swift action

'We've also asked @Netflix for the support. We appealed to them to block the Russian Federation's access to Netflix and shut off Russian content. We believe you do care. Let's stop this disgraceful bloody war!' he tweeted.

While Ukraine continues to ensure attacks from the air and assaults from the ground by Russian forced, the county has also been subjected to cyber attacks.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, Cabinet of Ministers, and Parliament website were all appeared offline for several hours on Wednesday following a cyberattack which also affected some of the banks in the country.

A large oil depot caught fire near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Saturday night

The following day, Russia's assault on its Western neighbor began Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war and announced a 'special military operation' to demilitarize and 'denazify' Ukraine under the pretense that Russia was defending itself.

On Sunday morning, two Ukrainian cities were rocked by Russian blasts in the early hours as Vladimir Putin stepped up his invasion after it was claimed he has been infuriated by his army's lack of progress.

Local newspaper The Kyiv Independent wrote that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv, a city which sits around 40 kilometers south west of Kyiv, close to a key airport. A gas pipeline was also blown up in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine which sits close to the Russian border.

Video footage showed a mushroom cloud fill the city's sky as the fuel line was destroyed, with a group of people who filmed the clip heard exclaiming with shock as the ball of flames erupted into the sky.

Ukrainian TV station Nexta shared footage of flames and black clouds billowing into the sky at the site of the Vasylkiv attack as the fuel burned.

Artist's depiction of a Starlink satellite over Earth. Starlink is a constellation of satellites that aims to provide internet access to most of the Earth, particularly underserved rural areas

60 Starlink satellites stacked together before deployment in May 2019

Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has close to 2,000 Starlink satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of 340 miles.

Last week Elon Musk's satellite venture launched a free high-speed internet service to connect remote villages in Tonga that were cut off since a devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami in January, so it is not completely out of the realm of possibility that something similar might be set up quickly for the Ukrainian people.

The satellites allow for large amounts of information to be beamed quickly to any point on Earth without the need for fiber-optic cables.

'In 2022 modern technologies are one of the best response to tanks, rockets and missiles. I've addressed to the biggest tech giants to support the sanctions for Russian Federation. We asked them to help us stop this outrageous aggression on our people!' Fedorov wrote in another Twitter posting on Saturday.

As of the February 26, a total of 2,142 Starlink satellites have been launched since the first couple in February 2018, although many of this total have failed or been decommissioned in space.

SpaceX has even grander plans for its Starlink project, and has already requested authorization for a second-generation megaconstellation, made up of 30,000 satellites.
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Ukraine war latest, at a glance Russia failed to capture Ukraine's capital city Kyiv during fighting on Saturday night and Sunday morning

But Russian forces entered Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning

Street battles were reported to be taking place, while pictures appear to show one Russian military vehicle on fire

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, said Ukrainian forces are fighting Russian troops in the city and asked civilians not to leave their homes

Russian forces have reportedly blocked Kherson and Berdyansk and delivered another missile strike on Ukraine's military infrastructure, the Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov says

UN reports that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine to three countries, with 150,000 said to have crossed into Poland alone

Unconfirmed reports that a cancer hospital for children in Kyiv had been shelled by Russians forces meanwhile have also been debunked

It has been reported by Ukrainian news site TSN that the boy was killed when a children's hospital in the city

According to the Kyiv Independent, at least two children and two adults were wounded during an incident at Okhmadyt children's cancer hospital

However the New York Times debunked the claims, saying that while gunfire was heard near to the hospital it had not been shelled by artillery

Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko says their airforce shot down a missile aimed at the capital Kyiv, by a plane that flew in from Russian ally Belarus

Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army, with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine urging people to contact his department.

According to UK intelligence, fighting in Kyiv last night was at a 'lower intensity' than the previous evening

The MoD said there had been an 'intensive' exchange of rocket artillery in Kharkiv, followed by 'heavy fighting' between Ukrainian and Russian forces

As the fighting raged on, Russia claimed it was engaging in peace talks with the Ukrainian government in Belarus

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' he said.

However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion

In a televised address, Zelensky, standing beside a Ukrainian flag dressed in an army green t-shirt and jumper, said: 'If there had been no aggressive action from your territory, we could talk in Minsk... other cities can be used as the venue for talks.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has obliterated a 56 tank convoy of feared Chechen fighters

Among those killed was one of Chechnya's top generals, Magomed Tushaev

At least two blasts have rocked the country in the early hours of Sunday local time

Vasylkiv, which sits southwest of Ukraine, saw its air base's fuel depot attacked by Russian ballistic missiles

Subsequent blaze cast an eerie orange glow over Kyiv, around 40 kilometers north east

Gas pipeline was blown up near Kharkiv, sending huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky

Woman was killed in Kharkiv after Russian shell hit apartment block

Elon Musk agreed to turn his Starlink satellite network on over Ukraine

Officials want to ensure locals can still access the internet if Russia destroys telecoms network

Keen to push back against Russian propaganda, and expose the violence being meted out by Putin's army

Russian premier said to be furious at slower-than-expected efforts to conquer Ukraine

UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, writing in The Telegraph, warned Putin's days 'will surely be numbered' if he fails in his ambition to take Kyiv

Mr Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said if Putin failed and the Russian people could be shown 'how little he cares for them... Putin's days as president will surely be numbered and so too will those of the kleptocratic elite that surround him. He'll lose power and he won't get to choose his successor.'

However there are fears that delays in Russia's invasion plan could lead Putin to become more desperate in his attempts to crush Ukrainian resolve.

A Russian thermobaric rocket launcher was spotted by a US film crew south of Belgorod, Russia, near the Ukrainian border.

The weapons, which contain a highly explosive fuel and chemical mix and send out supersonic blast waves that can rip buildings and bodies apart, can reduce cities to rubble and would cause huge loss of life.

Millions of citizens are sheltering underground

But others have taken to the streets armed with guns and Molotov cocktails, to try and fight back

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Donald Trump condemned the invasion Saturday

He said: 'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling, it's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur. It never would have occurred. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all.'

China's ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong shared a video scotching claims he'd fled Kyiv

Urged other Chinese nationals in Ukraine to shelter

Comes as China tries to condemn attack while keeping ally Vladimir Putin on side Advertisement

Russian forces have entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv - as Ukraine's president today said his country were ready for peace talks.

Footage shared on social media Sunday morning showed Putin's army trucks rolling through the city of 1.41 million people, which sits in Eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia.

Soldiers were also seen marching through Kharkiv on foot, with a very dramatic clip showing Russians slowly advancing along a road before running and firing their guns as Ukrainians opened fire on them.

Another clip shared online shows an army vehicle said to belong to the Russians ablaze, with locals saying it had been torched by Ukrainians seeking to defend their city.

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, said Ukrainian forces are fighting Russian troops in the city and asked civilians not to leave their homes.

Meanwhile, the UK's Ministry of Defence released its latest intelligence update, saying there had been an 'intensive' exchange of rocket artillery in the city, followed by 'heavy fighting' between Ukrainian and Russian forces. It said fighting in the capital Kyiv had been 'less intense' than previous nights.

The breach of Ukraine's defenses came hours after Russia was dealt a significant blow when a column of Chechen special forces sent to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were blown up by locals just two days into their mission.

The armed group - famed for their barbaric violence and human rights abuses - are said to have been obliterated after their convoy of 56 tanks was blown to smithereens near Hostomel, just northeast of Kyiv, by Ukrainian missile fire on the second day of the Chechens' deployment. It is unclear how many died - but the number is likely to run into the hundreds.

Their deaths were reported by The Kyiv Independent news outlet as officials in Kyiv revealed that they'd managed to maintain control of Ukraine's capital city throughout combat on Saturday night and into Sunday morning.

First Deputy Chairman of Kyiv City State Administration Mykola Povoroznyk said: 'The situation in Kyiv is calm, the capital is fully controlled by the Ukrainian army and the terror defense. At night there were several clashes with sabotage group.'

But Russian forces were seen entering Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv on Sunday morning. Footage shared on social media showed Russian tanks and trucks rolling through the city, which sits in eastern Ukraine, close to the Russian border, with gunshots also heard ringing out.

Other videos shared online showed Russian troops walking in to the city of 1.419 million people on foot, as well as an army truck said to be Russian consumed by flames.

Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko, meanwhile, said their airforce had shot down a missile aimed at the capital Kyiv, by a plane that flew in from Russian ally Belarus.

But while fighting raged in the north, Russian forces said they had successfully blocked Kherson and Berdyansk in the south, effectively opening up a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean peninsula - which it annexed in 2014.

Among the Chechens said to have been wiped out was general Magomed Tushaev. He was commander of the 141th motorized national guard brigade - Chechen head of state Ramzan Kadyrov's elite force.

Tushaev had also been pictured with Kadyrov, in a measure of his importance to the Chechen regime, which shot to notoriety in the west for hunting down, torturing and killing gay men.

Kadyrov is even believed to have visited his doomed squadron in a Ukrainian forest before their alleged deaths.

The terror squadron's reported killings are a crushing psychological blow for Vladimir Putin's stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. The Russian premiere had dispatched the group to capture or kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, knowing full well that the fighters' brutal reputation would strike further fear into the hearts of besieged Ukrainians.

Each fighter had been given a deck of cards complete with photos of Ukrainian officials they'd been told to target.

But Zelensky remains standing, and has become a global hero for his brave dispatches from the front line - while his would-be assassins' reported killings have brought huge disgrace and widespread grief to Chechnya.

Putin is said to be growing increasingly angry by his stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. His fire and manpower vastly outnumbers that of Ukraine, and it is widely believed that Russia will eventually conquer its neighbor.

But the surprisingly effective defense being mounted by the smaller nation has badly tarnished Russian military prestige, with the Kremlin still a way-off their objective of seizing the capital of Kyiv and installing its own government.

Today, as Russia marked special forces day, he thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine. But he remained insistent that his armies were providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognised as independent states ahead of its invasion - despite conflicts taking place in cities outside the region such as Kyiv and Kharkiv.

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army, with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine urging people to contact his department. 'Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin too,' he said in a Twitter post this morning.

Today, as the fighting continued, The Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats.

'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' he said.

However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion.

In a televised address, Zelensky, standing beside a Ukrainian flag dressed in an army green t-shirt and jumper, said: 'If there had been no aggressive action from your territory, we could talk in Minsk... other cities can be used as the venue for talks.

'Of course we want peace, we want to meet, we want the war to end. Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku - we've offered them to the Russians.

'Any other city would suit us, too - in a country, from whose territory missiles are not launched at us. This is the only way negotiations can be honest and can really end the war.'

With Ukraine's military putting up a staunch defence, Putin's forces are also reportedly being bogged down by poor planning and ineffective coordination. Many units are reportedly operating without the protection of air cover.

With Russia's invasion stalling three days in, UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, writing in The Telegraph, warned Putin's days 'will surely be numbered' if he fails in his ambition to take Kyiv.

'Progress to Kyiv has been much slower than they'd expected, they were unable to take key cities early and now must try to bypass them,' he wrote.

'This leaves pockets of well-armed and well-trained Ukrainians to the rear of the Russian front line, exposing a vulnerable logistics tail - an omen for what awaits Putin.'

Mr Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said if Putin failed and the Russian people could be shown 'how little he cares for them... Putin's days as president will surely be numbered and so too will those of the kleptocratic elite that surround him. He'll lose power and he won't get to choose his successor.'

However there are fears that delays in Russia's invasion plan could lead Putin to become more desperate in his attempts to crush Ukrainian resolve.

A Russian thermobaric rocket launcher was spotted by a US film crew south of Belgorod, Russia, near the Ukrainian border.

The weapons, which contain a highly explosive fuel and chemical mix and send out supersonic blast waves that can rip buildings and bodies apart, can reduce cities to rubble and would cause huge loss of life.

Russian forces were filmed advancing through Kharkiv on Sunday morning - moments before gunfire rang out, sending some soldiers running while others returned fire

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Burning Russian military equipment on the streets of Kharkiv minutes after Russian army entered the city

Russian forces are pictured entering Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning. Gun battles are reported to have erupted. Russian vehicles are said to have been marked with a white Z to distinguish them from Ukrainian combatants

Today, as the fighting continued, The Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion. Pictured: Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region

This is the moment a gas pipeline was blown up by Ukraine in the city of Kharkiv, which sits east of Ukraine, close to the Russian border

Chechen general Magomed Tushaev was one of 56 highly-feared elite soldiers blown up by Ukraine after they joined the Russian invasion with their sights set on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

The advance of the Chechen soldiers was intended to strike fear into the hearts of Ukrainians - but they were blown to smithereens on their second day in the country

Kyiv official Mykola Pvoroznyk shared an update on Facebook Sunday morning to confirm that the capital city remained in Ukrainian hands

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming an international hero - as Vladimir Putin's efforts to topple the Kyiv government and install his own puppet cabinet runs into trouble

Today, as Russia marked special forces day, he thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine. But he remained insistent that his armies were providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognised as independent states ahead of its invasion - despite conflicts taking place in cities outside the region such as Kyiv and Kharkiv.

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

Russians have entered Kharkiv. Street battles audible pic.twitter.com/JX1eZfCe9h  Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) February 27, 2022

What are Thermobaric missiles? A Russian thermobaric rocket launcher was spotted by a US film crew south of Belgorod, Russia, near the Ukrainian border. The weapons, which contain a highly explosive fuel and chemical mix and send out supersonic blast waves that can rip buildings and bodies apart, can reduce cities to rubble and would cause huge loss of life. They work on a primary explosion which distributes a fine aerosol mist of highly explosive chemical mixtures, which penetrate nearby buildings. A second explosion then follows, igniting the aerosol and sending a supersonic blast wave that can destroy buildings and instantly kill civilians inside. Advertisement

On Sunday morning, it emerged Russian missiles hit a nuclear waste disposal site outside of Kyiv - and destroyed the equipment that can detect leaks of radioactive material, as it was revealed that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed.

A chilling update shared by Ukrainian news website BNO Sunday said: 'As a result of the mass bombing of Kyiv with all types of anti-aircraft and missile weapons available to the Russian Federation, the missiles that hit the radioactive waste disposal site of the Kyiv Branch of the State Specialized enterprise 'Radon.'

BNO claimed that there was 'no evidence of a leak', but then elaborated by saying that 'the automated radiation monitoring system failed' - meaning that dangerous nuclear material could well have been spilled.

Unconfirmed reports that a cancer hospital for children in Kyiv had been shelled by Russians forces meanwhile have also been debunked.

Ukrainian news site TSN said at least one child, a six-year-old boy, had been killed after the Okhmadyt children's cancer hospital in Kyiv was struck by artillery fire on Sunday morning, reports.

The Kyiv Independent said that at least two children and two adults were wounded in the attack while a picture allegedly showing material covering the body of a child was shared by former Ukrainian ambassador Olexander Scherba.

However the New York Times has rebuffed the claims, saying that while gunfire had been heard near to the hospital, it had not bee targeted by artillery fire.

Local newspaper The Kyiv Independent wrote that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv Air Base. The city which sits around 40 kilometers south west of Kyiv, close to a key airport. A gas pipeline was also blown up in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine which sits close to the Russian border.

Video footage showed a mushroom cloud fill the city's sky as the fuel line was destroyed, with a group of people who filmed the clip heard exclaiming with shock as the ball of flames erupted into the sky. It is unclear if anyone was injured or killed by either blast.

An eerie orange glow lights up the sky in Vasylkyiv after Russian missiles targeted an oil refinery located on a local air base

An oil depot is pictured on fire in the Ukrainian city of Vasylkiv, southwest of Kyiv, in the early hours of Sunday. The city's mayor Natalia Balasynovych said the blaze was the result of a Russian ballistic missile attack

A woman was killed in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday night after a Russian artillery shell hit this nine-story apartment building

This statement was shared by BNO News Saturday announcing a strike on the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine in Kyiv, which stores radioactive waste

The building that was struck is pictured in May 2015. A radiation detector was also destroyed in the strike, although a preliminary inspection has suggested that there does not appear to be any danger to local residents

Mayor of Vasylkiv Natalia Balasynovych shared a video message in the early hours of Sunday saying that Russian forces wanted to 'destroy everything' in their attempts to conquer Ukraine

Elon Musk risked aggravating the Russian autocrat further Saturday, after answered a plea from Ukraine's vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov to switch on his Starlink satellites over the country. That means locals will still be able to use the internet if Russia destroys the country's telecommunications network.

Ukrainians are particularly keen to push back against Russian propaganda and lies about the atrocities being inflicted by Putin and his troops.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has so-far managed to avoid Russian kill squads deployed to capture and assassinate him, and shared updates earlier on Saturday vowing to fight on, having previously conceded he was unlikely to survive the conflict when it inevitably intensifies.

The Vasylkiv blasts - said to have been triggered by Russian ballistic missiles - filled the skies over Kyiv with an eerie orange glow in the early hours of Sunday morning. It is unclear if anyone was injured or killed in the explosions.

The explosions were first reported by CNN and stuck close to the Ukrainian capital's secondary airport, Boryspil International. They took place around 15 minutes apart, and set of car alarms miles from the explosion epicenter.

A group of Chechen rebel fighters is pictured in a Ukrainian forest - but huge numbers of the soldiers have since been wiped out after Ukrainian soldiers blew up 56 of their tanks

The soldiers are seen praying - days before it emerged a group had been blown to smithereens on the second day of their tour, with one of their top leaders among those obliterated

A satellite image with overlaid graphics shows military vehicles alongside Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, in Chernobyl, Ukraine

Ukrainian TV station Nexta shared footage of flames and black clouds billowing into the sky at the site of the Vasylkiv attack as the fuel burned. It has also since shared a clip of the moment the oil depot was struck, with a bright white glow filling the darkened night sky as the fuel store ignited.

The statement the outlet shared said that a 'preliminary assessment' showed there was 'no threat of radioactive' exposure to people outside the immediate vicinity, with a further examination set to take place when the area is made safe.

The blast came as two Ukrainian cities were rocked by Russian blasts in the early hours of Sunday as Vladimir Putin stepped up his invasion - after it was claimed he has been infuriated by his army's lack of progress.

And the UN released the first official death toll Sunday, saying that at least 240 civilians have so-far been killed in the conflict. On Saturday night, an unidentified woman became the latest victim of the conflict after a Russian artillery shell struck a nine-story residential apartment block in Kharkiv, killing her as she sat inside.

People as far away as Kyiv have since been urged to keep their windows shut to protect them from potentially harmful fumes released by the explosion and subsequent inferno.

Russia was widely-expected to step-up its attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure in a bid to try and cower locals into submission.

Forces have been met with far greater resistance than the Kremlin is said to have expected, sparking reports that Putin has been angered that locals have not capitulated to the might of his armed forces as quickly as expected.

Vasylkiv mayor Natalia Balasynovych told the Independent that her city and its airfield sustained heavy shelling from ballistic missiles. She said: 'The enemy wants to destroy everything around, but he will not succeed. Hold on!'

She later recorded a Facebook message for locals, saying: 'You can see what is going on, you can see the fire - unfortunately, this is the petroleum storage depot in Kriachky village.

'The enemy wants to destroy everything around, but he will not be successful. You've seen that during the day there was heavy shelling from ballistic missiles. Our airfield was shelled as well, but we got it, it's under control of Ukraine.

Armed civil defense men pose for a photo while patroling an empty street due to curfew in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday

Ukrainian troops escort a man who they suspect is a Russian agent in Kyiv, Ukraine on Sunday

Last night there was also reportedly strikes on an oil terminal in the Luhansk People's Republic (LNP) at Rovenky, a coal mining city. An LPR source said: 'It could have possibly been a missile attack, our emergency services have left to the site.' The source of the alleged attack in the LPR was unclear. Pictured: A view of destroyed buildings after it was allegedly targeted by Ukraine in Kievsky Rayonda city of Donetsk region under the control of pro-Russian separatists

Officials inspect the destroyed buildings and surroundings after it was allegedly targeted by Ukraine in Kievsky Rayonda city of Donetsk region

'The night will be difficult here, as well as in Kyiv, but we will stand our ground and we will win, because God is with us.'

Vasylkiv had suffered heavy Russian bombardment in the early hours of Saturday, as Russian troops fought to try and seize control of a key strategic staging post on the road to Kyiv.

Kyiv's 2.9 million citizens face another night of terror as it was claimed Russia will step up its bombardment on Saturday night, and target commercial businesses in a bid to destroy Ukrainian morale.

Many have fled to underground shelters in a bid to stay safe, although other men and women have taken to the streets with weapons in a bid to fend off any Russian advance.

BNO News also shared footage of heavy shelling in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, with the night sky there lit up by the orange glow of explosions.

Last night there was also reportedly strikes on an oil terminal in the Luhansk People's Republic (LNP) at Rovenky, a coal mining city.

An LPR source said: 'It could have possibly been a missile attack, our emergency services have left to the site.' The source of the alleged attack in the LPR was unclear.

Donald Trump - who touted his close relationship with Vladimir Putin while he was president - condemned the attack while speaking at the CPAC conservative conference in Florida Saturday night.

Trump said: 'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling, it's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur. It never would have occurred. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all.'

An eerie orange glow lights up the skies over Ukraine in the early hours of Sunday local time, with the fire suspected to be at the site of a fuel depot close to one of the city's airports

This map shows the attacks so-far known to have taken place in the Kyiv area during Sunday local time, and will be updated as more information emerges

Big boom and now pulsing glow over SW kyiv pic.twitter.com/JwpSVXhExR  Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) February 26, 2022

 A massive explosion in #Kyiv



It is reported that an oil depot near #Vasylkiv is on fire as a result of the strike. If this is true, a large-scale technogenic and environmental catastrophe is possible. pic.twitter.com/Yq1mx6ZNKZ  NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 26, 2022

WATCH: Heavy shelling in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine pic.twitter.com/9C9IUfXU6t  BNO News (@BNONews) February 26, 2022

Estonia's former defense minister Riho Terras shared what he claimed was intel about Russia's slower-than-anticipated attempt to overrun Ukraine

Terras claimed the Russians had expected to terrify Ukraine into submission - only to be met with stern resistance

Terras also claimed horrific attacks on civilian targets would be unleashed to try and panic Ukrainians, but urged them to stand firm

Terras shared this photo which he claims is of a Russian intelligence briefing, and which says that Putin's invasion is going far worse than the Kremlin chief had anticipated

A Russian missile hit a residential tower block in the early hours of Saturday, with local officials warning Putin would step up attacks on civilian targets in a bid to terrify the Ukrainians into submission

A Ukrainian man waits with his gun at a territorial defense registration unit Saturday. Tens of thousands of ordinary Ukrainians have signed up to try and help their military defeat Vladimir Putin's invasion

People leaving the Ukraine and heading over the border into Poland after the war started earlier this week

Views of Przemysl in and around the town and the train station. Ukrainian refugees arrive at Przemysl train station waiting to go through the Polish border

Around 200 Ukrainian civilians are estimated to have been killed so far. Meanwhile, Ukraine has claimed to have killed 3,500 Russian troops, including hundreds believed to have died when two transport jets were shot down Friday night.

Those losses and the continued failure to seize Kyiv have left Vladimir Putin furious, according to Estonia's former defense chief Riho Terras.

Terras wrote on Twitter: ' Putin is furious, he thought that the whole war would be easy and everything would be done in 1-4 days.

'The Russians are in shock of the fierce resistance they have encountered.'

The defense expert went on to claim Russia was failing because it had failed to enact a 'tactical plan' and beyond expecting the attack to 'sew panic among civilians and armed forces and force (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky to flee.'

Terras shared an image of a a piece of paper said to be a defense document which proclaimed: 'Putin is raging. He was sure it would be a cake walk.'
US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene denied knowing a prominent white nationalist despite speaking at his rally and posing in a photo with him on Friday.

Greene, a Republican from Georgia, had appeared as a surprise guest at the America First Political Action Conference in Orlando, an event organized by Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist who was permanently suspended from YouTube for anti-Semitic hate speech in 2020.

After speaking at the event, Greene posed in a photo with Fuentes and right-wing pundit Michelle Malkin, but when questioned about her appearance at AFPAC and relationship with Fuentes, Greene denied she knew him.

'I do not know Nick Fuentes,' Greene told CBS on Saturday. 'I have never heard him speak, I have never seen a video [of him].

'I do not know what his views are so I am not aligned with anything that is controversial.'

She went on to explain that she appeared at Fuentes' AFPAC event in to talk about 'god and liberty' and reach out to his young followers because 'it's a generation I'm extremely concerned about.'

US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (center) denied knowing white nationalist Nick Fuentes (right) despite taking a picture together with him and right-wing pundit Michelle Malkin during his America First Political Action Conference in Orlando on Friday

Greene came out as a special guest at Fuentes' AFPAC event to talk about 'god and liberty.' The two are pictured together at Friday's event

Greene defended her appearance at AFPAC and denied any involvement with Fuentes. She is pictured speaking at Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday

Nick Fuentes, (above) founded AFPAC in 2020 to rival CPAC. Fuentes has been described as a white supremacist by the Anti-Defamation League and was permanently banned from YouTube for making anti-Semitic remarks

When one of the CBS reporters informed Greene that Fuentes was a white nationalist, she said she didn't support that view and repeated that she knows nothing about Fuentes

News: @CBSNews pressed @RepMTG on her appearance last night at a white nationalist conference



Full video: pic.twitter.com/omoKffnnvF  Robert Costa (@costareports) February 26, 2022

Fuentes, who has been described as a white supremacist by the Anti-Defamation League, founded AFPAC in 2020 to rival the popular Conservative Political Action Conference, which also held it's annual conference on Saturday.

He gained infamy for making many anti-Semitic comments, denying the Holocaust happened and opposing women's right to vote.

When one of the CBS reporters informed Greene that Fuentes was a white nationalist, she said she didn't support that view and repeated that she knows nothing about Fuentes.

She also told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a murder over his invasion of Ukraine, a move Fuentes had previously praised.

On Twitter, Greene said that she is not responsible for Fuentes views, only for her own.

'I am not going to play the guilt by association game in which you demand every conservative should justify anything ever said by anyone they've ever shared a room with,' she said.

'I'm also not going to turn down the opportunity to speak to 1,200 young America First patriots because of a few off-color remarks by another speaker, even if I find those remarks unsavory.'

Greene defended her appearance at AFPAC and said she is not guilty by association for speaking at Fuentes' event

Far-right radio host and fellow AFPAC speaker Stew Peters told the Daily Beast that Green was lying.

'It is unsurprising to see liar and fraud Marjorie Taylor Greene so quickly stab Nick Fuentes in the stomach mere hours after pretending to fawn all over his fast-growing movement of Christ-focused, America First Patriots.'

The Republican Jewish Coalition has condemned Greene 'in the strongest possible terms' for attending the event with 'Nazi-sympathizer Nick Fuentes.'

'It is appalling and outrageous that a Member of Congress would share a platform with an individual who has actively spread antisemtic bile, mocked the Holocaust, and promoted dangerous anti-Israel conspiracy theories.'

The coalition also condemned US Congressman Paul Grocer's participation at AFPAC's event last year.

'This has absolutely no place in the Republican Party, and RJC will actively oppose anyone who associates with Nick Fuentes, AFPAC, and their ilk.'

Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel said in a statement about Greene's appearance at AFPAC that 'white supremacy, neo-Nazism, hate speech and bigotry are disgusting and do not have a home in the Republican Party.'
Boris Johnson has hired a close ally of election guru Sir Lynton Crosby to shore up his Downing Street team after weeks of chaos.

David Canzini is close to the Australian strategist dubbed the 'Wizard of Oz' for masterminding major Tory victories, including the Prime Minister's 2008 London mayoral campaign.

Mr Canzini will start as deputy chief of staff in No 10 this week, to the delight of Tories who have called for a 'grown-up' to support Mr Johnson following the Partygate scandal.

Boris Johnson has hired David Canzini (pictured), a close ally of election guru Sir Lynton Crosby to shore up his Downing Street team after weeks of chaos

One MP has called Mr Canzini 'a hard man' able to dispense advice in a very direct way.

Staff at Sir Lynton's company CT Group, where Mr Canzini is a director, were told of his departure on Friday.

Mr Canzini was previously a Tory Party campaign director.

David Canzini is close to the Australian strategist dubbed the 'Wizard of Oz' for masterminding major Tory victories, including the Prime Minister's 2008 London mayoral campaign (Boris is pictured today)

Mr Canzini's appointment will bring the number of deputy chief of staffs to three  he will work alongside Baroness (Simone) Finn, an ally of Michael Gove, and Ben Gascoigne.

The shake-up was sparked by the resignation of policy chief Munira Mirza, chief of staff Dan Rosenfield and advisers Henry Newman and Henry Cook.
An Australian bar put up a sign advertising betting on whether Russia would successfully invade Ukraine as hundreds are killed and thousands flee the war.

The sign erected outside The Deck in Shepparton, northern Victoria, offering customers the chance to place tabs on the European conflict.

Written in chalk, the sign placed the odds at $1.06 for Russia and $7.75 for Ukraine, or gave pubgoers the choice to 'add to bet slip'.

A local said he was 'ashamed' his local pub was offering betting odds on the outcome of a war.

A pub has sparked outrage after a sandwich was erected offering revellers the chance to place bets on the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war (pictured)

A local of The Deck, in Shepparton, Victoria, shared a photo of the disturbing sign online

The bar quickly blamed the poor taste sign on a rogue employee and apologised for the 'inappropriate' display.

'It has been bought to our attention of a extremely disturbing and unprofessional action from one staff member. This morning a sandwich board advertising very inappropriate and thoughtless wording was put out on display,' it wrote on Facebook.

'The staff member who we will not name, has been sent home and no longer works for us.

Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military facility as two cars burn, in a street in Kyiv on Saturday

'We apologise for their actions. We as a business apologise to have offended anyone. We are and this individual is extremely sorry and appropriate action has taken place.'

The business also urged customers not to blast other employees over the incident, saying their pub is built on 'love and happiness' and sharing it within the community.

'Please don't take it out on our front of house staff. The photo can circulate but it was one persons actions, not the business, not the people serving you drinks or the people cooking your food,' it wrote.

Ukrainian troops held off an invasion of capital city Kyiv overnight as Russian forces renewed their assault under the cover of darkness, pounding the capital with artillery and cruise missiles.

Ukraine says more than 100 of its civilians and more than 1000 Russian troops had been killed on the invasion's second day.

Ukrainian servicemen ride on tanks toward the front line with Russian forces in the Lugansk region of Ukraine on Friday

Ukrainian reservists and civilians take part in training with "Territorial Defense Forces just outside the capital city of Kyiv asA Russian military forces continue to mobilize on the Ukrainian border

An estimated 100,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes, with many trying to cross into neighbouring countries, mainly Moldova and Romania.

Germany has pledged to send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 missiles to help Ukraine, while Australia will provide non-lethal military and medical aid to the nation through NATO.

The US and its allies have also vowed to remove Russian banks from the SWIFT network as the international community continues to slap Russia with sanctions.

'We will fight as long as it takes to liberate the country,' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an video address on Saturday night.

Australia is seeking advice about sanctioning Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after sanctions on eight Russian oligarchs close to Mr Putin and 339 members of the Russian parliament were signed off overnight.

Key figures of the Belarusian government who have abetted Russia and the invasion will also be targeted.
The global response to Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is on par with the support foreign countries showed the U.S. after 9/11, a Republican senator said Sunday.

The world is standing up in ways that, frankly, I havent seen this kind of unity since 9/11, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio said on NBCs Meet the Press.

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But weve got to provide more military assistance, he added. Weve got to tighten up the sanctions further.

Sen. Rob Portman (Al Drago/Bloomberg via AP) (Al Drago/AP)

From New York City to Tokyo, demonstrators have gathered by the thousands to protest the Russian aggression. In Russia, more than 3,000 people have reportedly been arrested for protesting against their governments actions.

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Most Republican elected officials have condemned the invasion, although former President Donald Trump has made stunning remarks praising Russian President Vladimir Putin as pretty smart.

Former President Donald Trump, acknowledges supports after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (John Raoux/AP)

GOP leaders have taken pains to avoid criticizing Trump, who remains popular among Republican voters.

On Sunday, Sen. Tom Cotton refused to condemn Trumps comments.

After trying to dodge the question on ABCs This Week, the Arkansas Republican said, If you want to know what Donald Trump thinks about Vladimir Putin or any other topic, Id encourage you to invite him on your show.
A Republican Congressman said Saturday that China is keeping its eye on President Joe Biden's response to the crisis in Ukraine as it eyes a possible invasion of its own neighbor Taiwan.

Representative Scott Perry of Florida spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and called the Biden administration's leadership an 'abject failure.'

Perry now believes China is making up its mind on what to do in Taiwan in the wake of the Russian invasion - and gauging a potential US response if China tries to reclaim the island democracy as its own.

'China is making an assessment right now. It's ongoing,' he said. 'It's a continuous assessment, and I still think that there is time for the Biden administration to show some strength here and some resolve.

'But if they continue to fail or fail more spectacularly than they already have, I think it kind of opens the door wide open to China's regressions, and then it's just a matter of timing.'

The US Defense Dep't said it remained 'concerned' as nine Chinese aircraft have entered the island nation's air defense zone, the Taiwan Ministry of Defense said Thursday.

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., takes a question from a reporter at a news conference held by the House Freedom Caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and China's President Xi Jinping

President Joe Biden leaves St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware Saturday

A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv

'The United States will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan,' a spokesman said. 'Our commitment to Taiwan is rock solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region.'

Perry said this after discussing the administrations' failures that led to the crisis in Ukraine in the first place.

'How we got into this, in my opinion, is two-fold,' Perry told Fox News. 'It's our energy policy in the United States. When we pull the United States offline of producing the energy that the world needs, it opens it up for other actors who use it to extort their neighbors, and Vladimir Putin is one of them.'

Perry said that when America pulls its assets off the market, prices go up and Russian President Vladimir Putin picks up on those gouged profits.

The Congressman also accused Biden of portraying less than a strong front in the public sphere.

President Biden is pictured leaving the White House for his Delaware home on Friday evening

'Number two, his rhetoric has been weak,' he said. 'We saw him being weak in Afghanistan and so too the rest of the world, certainly, but Vladimir Putin did, and then just recently, with Ukraine talking about a little invasion or something like that, would be something we wouldn't do anything about it. That's very, very provocative.

Perry said Biden's rhetoric is 'essentially opening the door' for Putin.

On Twitter, Perry was even less filtered on the matter.

'This isn't hard to understand: Putin is a thug, a murder and a tyrant,' Perry tweeted. 'POTUS' weakness, negligence and apathy only encourage Putin to act without consequence. THIS MUST CHANGE. Harsh words and hope aren't courses of action.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told President Joe Biden 'I need ammunition, not a ride,' when offered the chance of a US-backed evacuation.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers his speech addressing the nation in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday

The White House released this memorandum on Friday evening authorizing the release of up to $600 million in military assistance to Ukraine

Zelensky said in response to the offer of refuge: 'The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,' according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation, who described Zelensky as upbeat.

He spoke as Biden authorized the release of $350million of military assistance to Ukraine after taking his latest weekend break to Delaware as Russian troops began to invade Kyiv.

Invading Russian forces closed in on Ukraines capital on Saturday, in an apparent encircling movement after a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country.
Emergency laws to tackle dirty Russian money will be brought in this week.

On Tuesday, Home Secretary Priti Patel will introduce legislation to Parliament to overhaul Unexplained Wealth Orders, which can be used to tackle so-called 'McMafia' criminal operations.

The proposals are designed to help law enforcement agencies take more effective action against oligarchs, compelling them to prove the origins of their funds in the UK.

On Tuesday, Home Secretary Priti Patel will introduce legislation to Parliament to overhaul Unexplained Wealth Orders

Those who are unable to demonstrate the wealth was obtained legitimately could find their homes seized.

Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) have been used only four times since they were introduced in 2018 and not once since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in 2019.

Last week Mr Johnson pledged to overhaul the system as part of his package of measures in response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

The reforms will ensure that properties owned by complex ownership structures are within scope of UWOs.

Last week Mr Johnson pledged to overhaul the system as part of his package of measures in response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine

Agencies will also be granted new legal powers to use the orders and prevent them from incurring substantial legal costs if they use the powers 'reasonably', a Government source said, adding that this would allow them to take on riskier cases.

The time in which law enforcement agencies will have to review material relating to UWOs will also be extended.

A Government source said last night: 'Russian elites who are abusing our financial systems will have no place to hide as our law enforcement agencies target those who are connected to the Kremlin, sending a message that dirty Russian money cannot be hidden or laundered in the UK.'
Rapper Snootie Wild was shot in the neck and killed in Houston on Friday when an argument with another driver exploded into violence after he accidentally backed his car into a ditch.

The 36-year-old Memphis rapper, who's real name is LePreston Porter, was initially said to be in critical condition after being found shot in his SUV in a ditch on Friday in Houston, and was given a 50/50 chance of survival, according to authorities.

'It looks like he backed in there (the ditch) accidentally. Then the other vehicle pulled up, and folks got out of the car,' Officer R. Willkens said.

'They were talking for a little bit, and then all of a sudden, gunfire went off. Only one shot, actually.'

The sequence of events that let to Wild's death remains unclear, including whether those who killed him had been looking for him, or if the murder was a random argument that spiraled out of control.

Authorities are currently looking for a man and woman who are believed to be suspects in the fatal shooting.

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Rapper Snootie Wild performs at The Rich and Famous All Star Weekend Grand Finale at The Metropolitan on February 20, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Houston police investigate the deadly shooting of rapper Snootie Wild on Friday

Pictured: police at the scene at England Street near Alice Street where the rapper's body and SUV were found

Police added that there is a high possibility the two suspects are still in the area where the rapper's body and SUV was found.

The entire shooting was reportedly captured on camera by a neighbor.

ABC13 reported that police were alerted to the gunshot, which had occurred along England Street near Alice Street, at around 2 am thanks to the Shotspotter Program.

Meanwhile, Snootie received CPR at the scene before being taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said.

Snootie is perhaps best known for his hit song 'Yayo' featuring Yo Gotti.

The rapper had chillingly predicted a life of danger years ago after telling the Boom Box that he felt like he was playing Russian Roulette with his life back in a 2015 interview.

Recording artist Snotie Wild performs during 106 & Party at BET studio on December 12, 2014 in New York City

Pictured: the rapper's final Instagram post, showing him praying

An initial statement posted on the rapper's social media read: 'Snootie is not DEAD! But he is fighting for his life.'

'Out of respect for the family, please refrain from sharing anything that is not communicated through his official accounts. Thank you.'

As of Saturday night, no arrests have been made in connection to the fatal shooting, and police say an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
A former Tory Energy Minister must quit his job for a Russian energy giant and resign from the House of Lords, the Defence Secretary has said.

Lord (Greg) Barker has earned up to 6 million a year as executive chairman of aluminium giant EN+, which boasts sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska as a major shareholder.

Lord Barker retains his seat in the House of Lords while working full-time for the company.

Lord (Greg) Barker (pictured in 2010) has earned up to 6 million a year as executive chairman of aluminium giant EN+

Ben Wallace told The Mail on Sunday that Lord Barker must sever ties with the Russian company and quit the House of Lords for good.

Mr Wallace also called on the Tory peer to 'explain why he works with people like Deripaska'.

The Cabinet Minister's intervention will pile further pressure on Lord Barker as well as raise questions about peers' links to Russia.

Last week politicians across Europe resigned from their roles on Russian companies following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Esko Aho, the former prime minister of Finland, quit the board of Russian bank Sberbank, and Matteo Renzi, Italy's ex-prime minister, walked away from his role at Delimobil, Russia's largest car-sharing service.

Asked whether Lord Barker should follow suit and either quit EN+ or quit his seat in the House of Lords, Mr Wallace said: 'He should quit all of them.'

He added: 'I think Lord Barker should explain why he works with people like Deripaska.'

EN+ boasts sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska (pictured in 2019) as a major shareholder. Lord Barker retains his seat in the House of Lords while working full-time for the company

In 2018, Mr Wallace, then Security Minister, refused a meeting with Lord Barker who he said was 'requesting government assistance for Russian associates'.

It led to the House of Lords' Commissioner for Standards launching an investigation into the peer, who was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Lord Barker was the Conservative MP for Bexhill & Battle until 2015 and served as Energy Minister in David Cameron's government. The peer joined EN+ in 2017, just before the company's London listing.

The United States introduced sanctions against EN+ in 2018, but these were dropped after Mr Deripaska gave up his controlling stake.

He retained a 44.95 per cent shareholding. At the time a spokesman for Lord Barker said the US Treasury decided to remove the sanctions from EN+ Group because of the 'unprecedented and sweeping corporate governance and ownership changes that Lord Barker oversaw and the consequent removal from control of the group of Oleg Deripaska'.

A former Tory Energy Minister must quit his job for a Russian energy giant and resign from the House of Lords, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured) has said

When Lord Barker was made executive chairman of the aluminium giant in 2019, he took a voluntary 'leave of absence' from the House of Lords.

Controversial leave-of-absence rules allow peers to take open-ended breaks while keeping their titles, use Lords facilities and even use Lords stationery.

They cannot vote or speak and do not have to register their outside interests.

Peers and MPs have described the system as a 'loophole' that allows peers to 'keep almost all of the perks while simply not having to declare [interests]'.

Cross-party politicians have called for the leave-of-absence rules to be scrapped.

In 2020, Lord Barker earned 2.98 million including pay and bonuses from EN+, and in 2019 his remuneration package was 6 million, according to the company's accounts.

Last week Labour MP Chris Bryant also called on Lord Barker to cut his ties with the Russian business following the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Bryant said anything else was 'granting tacit consent to the criminal invasion'. EN+ was approached for comment.
Labour was accused of 'rank hypocrisy' last night for calling on the Tories to return nearly 2 million of Russian-linked donations  but refusing to say if they would do likewise.

Sir Keir Starmer's party was challenged to say why it was not returning part of more than 1million received from a hedge fund tycoon who had business connections with Russia.

The row broke out after Labour seized on the Ukraine crisis to urge the Conservative Party to hand back money from any donor who had made money from Russia or had alleged links to the Putin regime.

Sir Keir Starmer's (pictured) party was challenged to say why it was not returning part of more than 1million received from a hedge fund tycoon who had business connections with Russia

Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor, claimed that such donors had given the Tories 1.93 million since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in 2019.

But now Labour is facing its own questions over a series of donations made since 2012 by financier Martin Taylor  including 95,000 to Sir Keir Starmer's leadership campaign in 2020.

Mr Taylor, who started donating to Labour under Ed Miliband's leadership, helped run the Nevsky Fund, which had major investments in Russia.

The fund, which operated until 2015, reportedly held stocks in Russia's energy corporation Gazprom, oil producer Lukoil and state-owned bank Sberbank.

Labour declined to say yesterday whether it would return any of Mr Taylor's money.

But Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke said: 'It is rank hypocrisy of Labour to call for the Tories to return donations from people who made money from Russian connections but then not say if they will do the same themselves.

Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy (pictured) and Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor, claimed that such donors had given the Tories 1.93 million since Boris Johnson became PM

'Once again, while chasing quick political headlines, Labour have no idea where much of their own money or funding comes from.'

Mr Taylor could not be reached for comment.

But last year, a spokesman for the financier said that the Nevsky Fund had 'passively invested in small minority stakes in publicly listed companies all over the world, including in Russia'.

The fund 'took no active role whatsoever in the management of any Russian companies or had commercial business dealings with any Russian companies' and that 'none of the investors in the Nevsky Fund were Russian', the spokesman added.
While perhaps best known as a steel town  and for The Full Monty movie  it seems that Sheffield has another claim to fame.

Results of a new poll show that men from the South Yorkshire city are the quickest to say I love you to a new partner.

Researchers discovered that almost a third  29 per cent  were willing to pledge their troth within a month of a first date.

Men from Sheffield, whose famous sons include Sean Bean and Michael Palin, are up to twice as likely to open their hearts as men from London, Manchester and Southampton.

Results of a new poll show that men from the South Yorkshire city are the quickest to say I love you to a new partner

Nationwide, on average, a fifth of men  19 per cent  declare their love to a new partner in the first month. And men are more likely than women to wear their heart on their sleeve, with 60 per cent declaring their love first, as opposed to 40 per cent of women.

But there may be a primeval reason for such early declarations. Relationship expert Mairead Molloy said: I do think overall men tend to say it first, before having sex often. It is a way to gain their partners trust and eases the pathway to sexual activity.

Men from Edinburgh are the second most romantic, with over a quarter  26 per cent  saying they open their heart within a month.

Men from Nottingham came third, with 24 per cent saying I love you within a month, while males from Norwich and Glasgow came joint fourth on 23 per cent.

Birmingham men are the fifth most romantic on 21 per cent, followed by Cardiff on 20 per cent and men from Newcastle, Leeds and Belfast on 19 per cent.

Liverpool men came eighth on 18 per cent, followed by Bristol on 17 and London on 16. Manchester scored 15 and Southampton 13.

Greetings card company thortful.com asked 1,500 UK adults how quickly they said I love you to a new partner.
The group of Ukrainian border guards who told the Russian military to 'go f*** yourself' over the radio as they defended a small island in the Black Sea, and were thought to have been killed, may now actually be alive and being held as prisoners of war.

The guards defending Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, a strategically-significant speck of land south of the port of Odessa, had originally thought to have been killed but to have gone down in a blaze of linguistic glory during Thursday's attacks.

But pictures released by the Russian Defense Ministry claim the Ukrainian servicemen are in fact still alive after 'voluntarily' surrendering their garrison to Russian troops.

Almost a dozen photos released by Russia purportedly show the men boarding buses, being given bottled water and a food parcel, before being shown sitting in their seats.

Russia have even said that men will be released an be allowed to return to their families.

The authenticity of the information is still uncertain given that just a day earlier, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had promised to posthumously decorate 'the heroic deceased border guards.'

Ukrainian border guards protecting tiny island in the Black Sea from Russia were thought to have been killed after telling Russian navy to 'go f**k yourself' but Russia has since released almost a dozen pictured

The guards defending Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, a speck of land south of the port of Odessa, had originally thought to have been killed but to have gone down in a blaze of linguistic glory but they were purportedly pictured on Saturday

The Ukrainian border guards manning a tiny island in the Black Sea near Romania who were originally thought killed on Thursday after telling a Russian warship to 'go f*** yourselves' when they were told to surrender, are now believed to have survived

Snake Island is strategically important because it allows Russia to claim territorial waters stretching 12 nautical miles out to sea.

On Friday, an audio clip shared online, an officer from a Russian military ship can be heard telling the Ukrainian guards to 'lay down your arms immediately to avoid bloodshed and unjustified deaths', adding 'otherwise you will be bombed'.

After a brief discussion among themselves, the guards responded to the Russian navy saying: 'Russian warship, go f*** yourself.'

Ukraine later lost contact with its forces defending the island on Thursday after Russia conducted strikes from the air and sea, officials in Kyiv said.

A video circulating on Twitter also appeared to show the moment that the island was shelled. It showed a Ukrainian soldier staring at a camera before a shell landed nearby.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky even promised in a speech summarizing Thursday's fighting to decorate the deceased border guards.

But according to a statement released on Saturday by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine the group are believed to have survived.

'We [have a] strong belief that all Ukrainian defenders of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island may be alive,' the statement said.

Pictures released by Russia on Saturday purportedly show Ukrainian servicemen arriving from Snake Island, having left their garrison and 'voluntarily surrendering' to Russian troops

Before getting on board a bus, the soldiers were given food parcels and bottles water

Russian officials handed the Ukrainian solders bottled water as they boarded a bus

The Russians have said the men who were captured will be 'returned to their families'

The men can be seeing boarding a bus having been taken off Snake Island during the operation

The Ukrainian border guards manning the tiny Snake Island in the Black Sea near Romania were thought to have been killed on Thursday after telling a Russian warship to 'go f*** yourselves' when they were ordered to surrender, but now it's thought they survived

On Friday, Russia's defense ministry said 82 Ukrainian soldiers on the island had surrendered to them voluntarily. It made no mention of carrying out strikes or inflicting casualties.

Russian Major-General Igor Konashenkov stated how the servicemen on the island 'laid down their arms and voluntarily surrendered to a unit of the Russian Armed Forces.'

'Russian media reported that Ukrainian servicemen on the island had been sent to Sevastopol' in Crimea the statement explained.

Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion in the early hours of Thursday, Moscow's most aggressive action since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

Protestors in Munich, Germany hold signs containing messages of the Snake Island attack where a Russian warship was told ''go f**k yourself'' by border police

Snake Island is ruled by Ukraine but sits just miles from the coast of Romania.

It is strategically important because it will allow Russia to claim territorial waters stretching 12 nautical miles out to sea.

They cover important shipping channels to the port cities of Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kherson.

After taking the island, Russia would have been able to cut off the shipping channels, isolating Ukraine from international markets and depriving its economy of vital trade revenues as it seeks to defend itself.
The frontrunner to take over the National Lottery has promised to more than double the amount current operator and rival Camelot has given to charity in the past ten years.

Allwyn has pledged to donate 38 billion to good causes over the next decade if it wins the licence  up from 16 billion donated by Camelot since 2012.

The decision on who will win the new lottery franchise could be taken by the Gambling Commission as soon as tomorrow, though the outcome may not be made public until later next month.

The frontrunner to take over the National Lottery has promised to more than double the amount current operator and rival Camelot has given to charity

The race has been neck and neck between Camelot and Allwyn, Europe's largest lottery operator.

Allwyn's good causes pledge was made as part of its application, submitted in October  details of which have been seen by The Mail on Sunday. It comes after politicians raised concerns about the proportion of Camelot's revenues that have gone to good causes.

The company's profits soared from 29 million in 2010 to 78 million in 2020  which critics have suggested is partly due to placing a greater emphasis on scratch cards. An average of 10p in every pound spent on scratch cards goes to charities, compared with 30p in the pound from draws.

However, Camelot, which has run the Lottery since 1994, insists it is incorrect to link any rise in profits to greater focus on scratch cards.

Allwyn, run by Czech billionaire Karel Komarek, has also proposed slashing ticket prices from 2 to 1 and having two draws on one night, which sources say would boost how much money then goes to charity.

One industry source claimed last night that Allwyn's commitment to boost good causes funding was 'exactly the shot in the arm the Lottery needs'.

The source added that it was 'truly shocking that money to good causes has fallen from 28 to 23 per cent over the past decade'.

Sources close to Camelot hit back last night. They said annual returns to good causes were now over 500 million higher than they were at the start of the third Lottery licence in 2009.

A spokesman said last night: 'Camelot continues to retain around 1p in every pound spent by players, while around 95p goes back to winners and society  through Good Causes, prize money, Lottery Duty and commission paid to our retail partners.'

The Gambling Commission said that it was still 'in the process of evaluation', adding: 'We are therefore unable to comment on the application process or on individual applicants at this time.'
After stealing the show with their adorable turns in Dulux paint adverts for decades, they became one of Britains most iconic breeds.

But the Old English Sheepdog has recently been in danger of dying out in Britain, with only 227 puppies registered in 2020.

Now new data from the Kennel Club shows the lockdown trend for Britons moving out of cities has helped boost the number of sheepdog puppy registrations, meaning the breed is no longer on its vulnerable list.

Only 227 Old English Sheepdogs, pictured, were registered with the Kennel Club in 2020

The breed surged in popularity when it was first used as the Dulux dog in a 1961 advert

Gill Mills, an Old English Sheepdog breeder from Norfolk, said such is the demand, owners will pay up to 2,000 for a puppy and breeders have waiting lists up of up to a year.

Last year 377 puppies were registered, up 66 per cent from 2020  which saw the lowest number since the Dulux dogs TV debut in 1961.

Bill Lambert, of the Kennel Club, said Britons lifestyle shift could have reignited a trend for owning large dogs.

He said: More people realise they can move out of cities and work from home in the countryside, giving them the time and space to groom and exercise these large breeds.

Mills said owners used lockdown to spend more time researching which breed is the best fit for their lifestyle.

She said Old English Sheepdogs are good with children and great companion dogs, but their thick coats take up to four hours to groom each week and they can take years to train. They are absolutely bonkers until they are two, she said.

The Old English Sheepdog was the ninth most popular breed in the UK in 1979, when 6,000 sheepdogs were registered. Sir Paul McCartney wrote Martha My Dear, on The Beatles 1968 White Album, about his female sheepdog.

There have been 14 different Dulux dogs since 1961 when the advert directors pet, called Dash, was cast in the TV campaign after captivating the crew by playing with the child actors on the set (Pictured: Thomas the Dulux dog)

There have been 14 different Dulux dogs since 1961 when the advert directors pet, called Dash, was cast in the TV campaign after captivating the crew by playing with the child actors on the set.

The most famous Dulux mascot, Fernville Lord Digby, had his own chauffeur-driven car and featured in his own movie with Spike Milligan.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has accepted responsibility for failing to attract more worshippers into the Church of England, with numbers hitting record lows in recent years.

In a BBC radio interview being broadcast today, Justin Welby makes his admission to Dr Susan Blackmore, a psychologist and atheist, after she expressed doubts about whether she would ever convert to a faith.

The Most Rev Welby, 66, said: 'As you can tell from numbers in the Church of England, I don't persuade many people.'

The Archbishop of Canterbury, pictured, also said there were times when even he questioned God

The Most Rev Welby, pictured, has accepted responsibility for failing to attract more worshippers into the Church of England, with numbers hitting record lows in recent years

The Archbishop also said there were times when even he questioned God.

He described one encounter with a warlord, whom he did not identify, as the only time he had come face to face with evil.

Asked how he coped with those situations, he said: 'I go back to the Psalms, the Psalms of protest and lament, and say to God, "This is all wrong. What do you think you are up to?"'
DPRK fires suspected ballistic missile toward eastern waters: S. Korean military

Xinhua) 10:18, February 27, 2022

SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a suspected ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Sunday.

The JCS said it detected the ballistic missile launched from Pyongyang vicinity at 7:52 a.m. local time without providing any details.

Following the latest test, South Korea's presidential office Blue House convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Council presided over by National Security Office chief Suh Hoon.

The DPRK conducted seven missile tests in January, including a hypersonic missile on Jan. 5 and Jan. 11 each, two railway-borne short-range ballistic missiles on Jan. 14, two tactical guided missiles on Jan. 17, a long-range cruise missile on Jan. 25, a surface-to-surface tactical guided missile on Jan. 27 and an intermediate- and long-range ballistic missile on Jan. 30.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
In a dramatic escalation of East-West tensions over Russias invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday in response to what he called aggressive statements by leading NATO powers.

The order means Putin wants Russias nuclear weapons prepared for increased readiness to launch and raises the threat that Moscows invasion of Ukraine and the Wests response to it could boil over into nuclear warfare.

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Amid the worrying development, the office of Ukraines president said a delegation would meet with Russian officials as Moscows troops drew closer to Kyiv.

Putin, in giving the nuclear alert directive, cited not only the alleged statements by NATO members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, including the Russian leader himself.

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Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Putin told his defense minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said in televised comments.

Putin threatened in the days before Russias invasion to retaliate harshly against any nations that intervened directly in the conflict in Ukraine, and he specifically raised the specter of his countrys status as a nuclear power.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations responded to the news from Moscow while appearing on a Sunday news program.

In this photo taken from a video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, on Dec. 9, 2020, a Russian Tu-160 strategic bomber fires a cruise missile at test targets during a military drill. (AP)

President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. And we have to continue to condemn his actions in the most strong, strongest possible way.

The practical meaning of Putins order was not immediately clear. Russia and the United States typically have the land- and submarine-based segments of their strategic nuclear forces on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.

If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile submarines to sea, then the United States might feel compelled to respond in kind, according to Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists. That would mark a worrisome escalation and a potential crisis, he said.

The alarming step came as street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

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Around the same time as Putins nuclear move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said on the Telegram messaging app that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border. The message did not give a precise time for the meeting.

The announcement came hours after Russia announced that its delegation had flown to Belarus to await talks. Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place elsewhere than Belarus, where Russia placed a large contingent of troops. Belarus was one of the places from where Russian troops entered Ukraine.

Earlier Sunday, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

The past night was tough  more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure, Zelenskyy said.

Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

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The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraines bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraines government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutors office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the countrys coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraines access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

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Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the presidents office said.

Ukrainian military deputy commander Lt.-Gen. Yevhen Moisiuk sounded a defiant note in a message aimed at Russian troops.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in the Kremlin. (Alexei Nikolsky/AP)

Unload your weapons, raise your hands so that our servicemen and civilians can understand that you have heard us. This is your ticket home, Moisiuk said in a Facebook video.

The number of casualties so far from Europes largest land conflict since World War II remains unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

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Laetitia Courtois, ICRCs permanent observer to the U.N., told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground and we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.

The United Nations refugee agency said Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelenskyy denounced Russias offensive as state terrorism. He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The U.S. pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The U.S., European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

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Responding to a request from Ukraines minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2% of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraines ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Courts prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use the most unsavory means, including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

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I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons, Truss told Sky News.
Boris Johnson and half of his Cabinet could lose their seats if a general election were held now, a poll has revealed.

The Conservatives are facing 'electoral wipeout' following the Partygate scandal, a pollster warned, as data shows they are on track to lose a staggering 164 MPs, leaving them with just 201 - only three more than when Tony Blair thumped Michael Howard in 2005.

The JL Partners poll of 4,500 people says Sir Keir Starmer's Labour would pick up 352 seats, an increase of 150, giving him an overall majority of 14, reports the Times.

Meanwhile, the Tories would be wiped out of Scotland and Wales, losing all six and 14 seats they hold in each nation respectively.

But the fatal blow would come from the 65 so-called 'red wall' consituencies in the north - who handed Boris a landslide in 2019, largely thanks to his promise to 'get Brexit done'.

According to the latest poll, all but 10 of these - 55 - would revert back to Labour if an election were held today - including Blyth Valley, Redcar, Sedgefield, North West Durham, Bassetlaw, Great Grimsby and Ashfield.

Boris Johnson (pictured) who only holds his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat by just over 5,000 votes - the lowest for a sitting prime minister since 1924 - would be voted out if an election were held now, poll predicts

London would also purge 12 Tory MPs, the poll forecasts - more than half of the 21 currently elected in the capital.

These include the prime minister himself, who only holds his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat by just over 5,000 votes, the lowest majority for a sitting prime minister since 1924.

Other big name losses could include Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and nine other cabinet members; George Eustice, Grant Shapps, Alok Sharma, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Simon Hart, Alister Jack and Simon Clarke.

Dominic Raab would hold on by the skin of his teeth in Esher and Walton, however the poll predicts a small amount of tactical voting from the Lib Dems could also see him ousted.

Some 70 of the 107 Tory MPs who were elected for the first time in 2019 could also lose their seats.

The survey, conducted by Theresa May's former pollster James Johnson, puts Labour on 45 per cent of the vote, compared to the Conservatives' 32 per cent.

Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats would pick up five more seats compared to the last election, the poll predicts, giving them a total of 16.

The survey used the MRP model projection, which maps polling results onto every seat in the country.

It predicts more than half (28) of the 50 Conservative MPs who are parliamentary private secretaries, would also lose their seats.

The JL Partners poll of 4,500 people says Sir Keir Starmer's (pictured) Labour would pick up 352 seats, an increase of 150, giving him an overall majority of 14

The figures will be sobering reading for MPs as they await the outcome of the Partygate probe currently being conducted by the Metropolitan Police.

The force is investigating several lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street, which allegedly took place while the country was living under tough Covid restrictions.

When it came to personality match ups, as part of the same poll, Mr Johnson scored an approval rating of -39, compared to Sir Keir's -7.

In fact on all but three attributes, Sir Keir came out on top, including on 'tells the truth', 'stands up for people like me', 'good on detail', 'inspiring', 'shares my values', 'competent', 'stands up for the north', 'someone who brings people together', 'says what he means', 'fair', 'caring', 'best to rebuild the country', 'has a clear vision for Britain', 'best to handle the coronavirus pandemic', 'strong' and 'determined'.

The PM only beat Sir Keir on 'patriotic', 'stands up for the south', and 'charismatic'.

The proportion of people who believe the embattled premier is 'strong' or 'has a clear vision for Britain' has more than halved in the past two years, the poll suggests, while a mere nine per cent believes he tells the truth.

The survey also put him up against his would-be rivals for the leadership - and they fared much better, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak scoring a net rating of zero, while foreign secretary Liz Truss is on -17.

Both are viewed more positively than the PM in every seat in Britain.

Other big name losses could include Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured) and nine other cabinet members; George Eustice, Grant Shapps, Alok Sharma, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Simon Hart, Alister Jack and Simon Clarke.

Pollster James Johnson said: 'On these numbers, the Conservatives face electoral wipeout.

'Though Keir Starmer's ratings remain negative, the sharp difference in comparison to Boris Johnson's ratings mean Labour are benefitting by default.

'Though it is possible to see the gap narrowing in an actual election contest, and significant brand problems for Labour persevere, it is becoming less and less likely to see a situation in which the Conservatives win a majority under Boris Johnson.

'"Partygate" has been damaging and has all the signs of being long-lasting.

'The prime minister no longer leads on the "must-have" attributes that won him the 2019 election: strength, the ability to get things done, and a sense he was an authentic politician.'
The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox has spoken of her fears that she too may be targeted by violent extremists now that she has entered Parliament  but says she refuses to be scared because 'politics needs good people'.

Kim Leadbeater's defiant words come in a candid interview with today's You magazine, in which she discusses her 'emotionally loaded' decision to stand in her sister's former parliamentary seat last year.

She says: 'My fear was more for my family, that if something were to happen to me, the impact on my parents and on Jo's kids having to go through that again would just be unimaginably horrific.

The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox, Kim Leadbeater (pictured), has spoken of her fears that she too may be targeted by violent extremists now that she has entered Parliament  but says she refuses to be scared because 'politics needs good people'

'People will say lightning doesn't strike twice, but I really don't know if I am more or less vulnerable because of what happened.

'I am incredibly careful though, and very well looked after by the police. What I do know is that politics needs good people and I refuse to be scared of getting involved.'

Jo was shot and stabbed by far-Right fanatic Thomas Mair six years ago as she walked to a meeting with constituents. She was just 41.

Kim, 29, stood for Labour in the same West Yorkshire seat, Batley and Spen, last July and won a narrow 323-vote victory.

Jo (pictured) was shot and stabbed by far-Right fanatic Thomas Mair six years ago as she walked to a meeting with constituents. She was just 41

She says the killing of Tory MP Sir David Amess at his Essex constituency surgery last October 'had a very profound effect on me', adding: 'We all couldn't believe this had happened again.

'I was visiting a local school that day, then reports started to come through that an MP had been attacked, and then that he was dead.

'The police took me straight home, as I tried to call Clare [her partner] and my mum to let them know I was OK, knowing that they would see it on the news and be very worried.

Kim's defiant words come in a candid interview with today's You magazine, in which she discusses her 'emotionally loaded' decision to stand in her sister's former parliamentary seat last year (Kim pictured getting her MBE this month)

'I felt like I'd been plunged right back to June 2016, to those emotions of shock, disbelief, grief.

'And knowing the awful journey his family were embarking on from that day onwards, for the rest of their lives. I know their suffering because as a family we have lived it too.'

Mair, a white supremacist who was obsessed with Nazism and shouted 'Britain first' as he attacked the MP, was convicted of murder in November 2016 and sentenced to life imprisonment. A by-election after Jo's death, which was not contested by the other major parties, was won by former Coronation Street actress Tracy Brabin, but she stepped down last year to become Mayor of West Yorkshire.

While Ms Leadbeater agrees that it was Jo's death that brought her to Westminster, she insists: 'Now I am here, I will do things my way.'

She adds she and Jo were very different personality-wise but had very similar values instilled in them by their parents.

'I think about Jo every single day  I will never stop missing her,' she adds. 'There is a void that can never be filled.

'On the days when I feel nervous, still getting to grips with this job, and wondering am I good enough, I hear her voice telling me, 'Kim, you are.' '
Up to 920 compensation applications have been filed by people who were left seriously injured after getting the Covid-19 vaccine as claims could hit 110million.

The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) allows people who are allegedly severely disabled due to a vaccination to claim a one-off tax-free payment of 120,000.

Family members of someone who has died after becoming disabled because of what they claim is the vaccination are also eligible to apply for the fixed payout.

It has emerged that the bill paid to those left with life-changing injuries from the Covid-19 vaccine or the families of those who died after getting the jab could top 110million, The Times reported.

It is believed that 920 compensation applications linked with Covid vaccination injury have already been filed under the VDPS, but no payments have been made yet.

The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme allows people who are severely disabled due to a vaccination to claim a one-off tax-free payment of 120,000 (stock image)

But if all the applications that have been registered so far are accepted by the scheme, the payments would come to a total of 110.4million.

To qualify for the one-off payment, victims must have been left at least 60 per cent disabled as a result of the vaccination.

Sarah Moore, who works for Hausfeld law firm, said the 95 victims she is representing are aware that they are in an 'unlucky minority' but are seeking for reform of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act.

Ms Moore said the majority of the victims continue to support the vaccination programme but want to see 'meaningful financial support' provided for families who claim to have been affected by the vaccine.

Vikki Spit, from Alston, Cumbria, hopes to qualify for financial support after her fiance Zion, 48, died of a brain haemorrhage two weeks after getting the AstraZeneca vaccine in May 2021.

She claimed his death certificate named the AstraZeneca vaccine but said she has been left in 'limbo' after applying for the scheme in June.

Lawyer Ms Moore claimed her clients have been told their applications could not go forward until the government assessed the injuries and looked into the alleged link to the vaccine.

Explaining that some of her clients had been waiting for more than nine months, she added: 'It is difficult to see what further evidence the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme require.

'The delays are a clear indicator that the existing system is antiquated and no longer fit for purpose.'

Ms Moore said that without 'proper engagement', the families would have no option but to litigate, as she urged the government to 'do better'.

Peter Todd, of the law firm Scott-Moncrieff, said the unprecedented level of Covid-19 vaccination has caused a surge in claims, with the VDPS normally only receiving around 100 applications a year.

The VDPA has paid out a total of 75,350,000 since 1979, while the payment of 120,000 has not been reviewed since 2007.

More than 52million people in the UK have received their first vaccination dose and almost 49million have had their second.

MailOnline has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for comment.
The Foreign Office is preparing a 'hit list' of Russian oligarchs to be targeted by sanctions in the coming months and fears the conflict in Ukraine could last a decade.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said there would be 'nowhere left to hide' for the super-rich allies of Vladimir Putin's Kremlin.

It comes after Boris Johnson last week named eight high net worth Russians who will be hit by travel bans and asset freezes along with more the 100 individuals, entities and subsidiaries.

Separately the Home Office is going to give more power to the National Crime Agency to explore issuing Unexplained Wealth Orders to find out where money has come from.

Ms Truss said there would be new names added to the list every few weeks as ministers seek to ratchet up the pressure on Mr Putin following his invasion of Ukraine.

Sources in the Foreign Office are said to be bracing for the possibility Russian aggression in the region could go on for as long as ten years.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says she has 'hit list' of Russian oligarchs targeted by sanctions

She said more names would be added to that list to keep the pressure up on Vladimir Putin

The Government also plans to boost the powers of Unexplained Wealth Orders. Pictured here is a UWO recipient Zamira Hajiyev, who is not connected to Russia or Putin.

'We've already had letters to the Foreign Office, from lawyers, threatening us, so we have to make sure the cases are properly prepared and that we have the right evidence before we sanction these individuals,' she said.

'That is why we're taking it step by step, but we are working through that hit list and we will continue to sanction new oligarchs every few weeks.

'We have to make it deeply painful for the oligarchs that support the Putin regime. There are over a hundred Russian billionaires.

On Saturday morning, the upper floors of a building in Kyiv were struck by a Russian rocket (pictured). Reports suggesting at least two people were killed in the explosion

Pictured: The tower block in Kyiv, just moments after being struck by a Russian rocket on Saturday morning

Dramatic video shows a destroyed Russian convoy with Z-markings near Kherson in southern Ukraine

New laws for dirty cash Emergency laws to tackle dirty Russian money will be brought in this week. On Tuesday, Home Secretary Priti Patel will introduce legislation to Parliament to overhaul Unexplained Wealth Orders, which can be used to tackle so-called 'McMafia' criminal operations. The proposals are designed to help law enforcement agencies take more effective action against oligarchs, compelling them to prove the origins of their funds in the UK. Those who are unable to demonstrate the wealth was obtained legitimately could find their homes seized. Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) have been used only four times since they were introduced in 2018 and not once since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in 2019. Last week Mr Johnson pledged to overhaul the system as part of his package of measures in response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The reforms will ensure that properties owned by complex ownership structures are within scope of UWOs. Agencies will also be granted new legal powers to use the orders and prevent them from incurring substantial legal costs if they use the powers 'reasonably', a Government source said, adding that this would allow them to take on riskier cases. The time in which law enforcement agencies will have to review material relating to UWOs will also be extended. Advertisement

'Nothing is off the table in terms of who or what we are targeting. We are very clear about that - we are very prepared to do what it takes.'

Ms Truss warned that the conflict in Ukraine was likely to be protracted with the Ukrainians determined to resist their Russian invaders.

'This will be long-running because the Ukrainians are fighting,' she told the Sunday Times.

'We can see they're very motivated, that they are determined to protect their sovereignty and their self-determination, so this will be a very long-running conflict.

'And I don't know how it will play out. But we must make sure that Putin loses.'

Last night Russia was cut out of a crucial global banking system as efforts to hit its economy if it invaded Ukraine intensified.

In a co-ordinated move Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union announced selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system.

At the same time they said the would be imposing 'restrictive measures' to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves 'in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions'.

After talking by telephone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the 'very heavy odds' against Ukraine in its struggle against Moscow's forces.

He confirmed Britain would be sending further arms to the Ukrainians and he said that the financial measures were essential to put pressure on the Kremlin.

'It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime,' he said during a visit to RAF Brize Norton.

Earlier German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced he was dropping his country's opposition to the move removing a major obstacle to international agreement.
Classified documents taken by Donald Trump to Mar-a-Lago were so secret their contents cannot even be described publicly, it was revealed.

A committee in the House of Representatives is investigating former President Donald Trump's removal of classified documents from the White House has expanded its probe of the Republican's handling of records, the sensitivity of whose contents has just been outlined.

New York Representative Carolyn Maloney, the Democratic chair of the House Oversight Committee, wrote to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in a letter made public Friday.

The Washington Post first reported this month that some of the documents taken to Trump's home and subsequently returned to the Archives were marked as classified, which could intensify the legal pressure Trump or his aides could face.

Some of the records recovered Trumps residence at Mar-a-Lago are so sensitive they may not be able to be described in inventory reports in a way that can be unclassified, according to MSN.

Maloney is asking for more information about what she described as 'what appear to be the largest-scale violations of the presidential records act since its enactment.'

In a letter to David Ferriero, archivist of the United States, Maloney asked that NARA provide by March 10 information including a detailed description of the contents of boxes recovered from Trump's Florida home.

She also demanded information about any records transferred that Trump had destroyed or attempted to destroy, after reports that aides had discovered documents in a White House toilet during his presidency.

Former President Donald Trump, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday

Rep. Carolyn Maloney speaks during the New York State Democratic Convention in New York

People wait for a moving van after boxes were moved out of the Eisenhower Executive Office building inside the White House complex

The letter, dated Feb. 24, also asked NARA to provide by March 17 documents and communications related to the use of personal messaging accounts for official business by officials in the Trump administration.

The National Archives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It had confirmed in a letter to Maloney last week that it had found classified materials in the boxes Trump took with him to Florida.

Maloney's committee has been looking into the handling of records by Trump, who left office in January 2021.

Trump has denied wrongdoing since it was discovered that he had brought 15 boxes of presidential documents to his home in Florida, rather than handing them over to the National Archives, as required by law.

A car passes in front of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort

David S. Ferriero, the former Andrew W. Mellon Director of the New York Public Libraries, is the director of the National Archives

The National Archives building is seen in Washington

'The American people deserve to know the extent of what former President Trump did to hide and destroy federal records and make sure these abuses do not happen again,' Maloney said in a statement.

The U.S. Presidential Records Act requires the preservation of memos, letters, notes, emails, faxes and other written communications related to a president's official duties.

The U.S. Justice Department has not announced whether it has opened an investigation.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has said that the DOJ has been in touch with the National Archives about the discovery of classified material at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
Dramatic rescues have saved Queenslanders from raging floodwaters including one man pulled to high ground when a bystander heroically dived into the torrent.

Incredible footage shows the moment Jamie Dickson swims through the rapidly flowing water to reach a struggling man named Leo after hearing his cries for help from the water's edge.

Leo was fatigued after battling the floodwaters in Grantham in the state's southeast, repeatedly bobbing under the surface and yelling 'help, I can breathe'.

Mr Dickson dived in, wrapped his arm around Leo and pulled him back the edge as the clearly exhausted man struggled to stand on his own.

Bystander Jamie Dickson (right) jumped into raging floodwaters in southeast Queensland to save exhausted man Leo who had repeatedly bobbed under the water (left)

'I thought I seen someone in the water and that was it, there was,' Mr Dickson told Seven News.

'Had to go about 300m off the road (through water to get to him). I had to wait to get my breath back to get him in.'

When asked if he considered his act to be brave, a humble Mr Dickson said: 'I suppose'.

A relieved Leo will spend at least 24 hours in hospital to monitor his condition.

SES workers arrive via boat in Logan to help residents after the river flooded due to heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday (pictured)

Boats swept from their moorings collide with ferry stops on the Brisbane River (pictured)

In another rescue on the Sunshine Coast, a family of three were evacuated by QFES boat after their Glasshouse Mountains home was inundated by rapidly rising floodwater.

'It was over a metre high around the property and that's why we needed the boat to get out,' Nicolette Stewart said who lives at the home with her partner Rachel Thompson and their son Noah.

'A guy tried to drive through the waters and lost his van, and it was just floating out the front, tucked up against the bank,' she told The Courier Mail.

Ms Stewart said their house, which they only moved into a month ago, and their belongings were ruined but she said she was just grateful emergency services got her entire family out safely.

Residents look on as the Logan River floods on Sunday with several town under evacuation orders (pictured)

A 1,000mm rainbomb continues to deepen the crisis across Queensland and northern New South Wales tens of thousands of residents without power

In the Brisbane CBD, a man was rescued after fast-flowing debris collided with his houseboat, punctured the hull, and swept it downriver where it hit ferry stops.

The boat was moored at Howard Smith Wharves in the CBD as the Brisbane River broke its previous 2013 flood record early on Sunday.

A pontoon became loose, floated down the river and collided with the houseboat about 9am.

The houseboat then hit the Holman Street ferry stop - breaking away part of jetty - before eventually capsizing.

Emergency services arrived to find the houseboat sunk and the man floating in the torrent before they were able to pull him to the riverbank with the help of locals.

He is being treated in hospital for minor exposure to the elements.

The man was just one of 25 people who were rescued from the floods in Brisbane on Sunday morning.

In Newmarket on the Brisbane River banks, a couple were rescued from their roof saying the floodwater was like a 'river' running though their property.

A man was rescued after his house boat his a jetty and capsized (pictured)

And further north in the Gympie region another three people and three pet dogs were rescued after floodwaters inundated their home.

Crew from the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter on the Sunshine Coast flew to the property at Kybong about 1.15pm on Saturday.

They airlifted the occupants out as waters rose knee-deep and all roads were cut-off by the floods.

A QAS flight paramedic was winched down to the group as the pilot hovered low to the ground.

Gympie, north of Brisbane, was completely inundated by floodwaters on Saturday (pictured)

Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk urged resident to remain in their houses unless under evacuation orders (pictured: Logan River on Sunday)

The first two people were hoisted to the chopper in the rescue basket, along with one dog, which was tightly secured.

They were ferried to higher ground, where other groups of displaced residents were gathered and there was access to a road.

The crew repeated the process until the trio and their animals - all uninjured - were on dry land.

A car is almost completely submerged after being washed down rising floodwaters in Rocklea

A house is inundated with water at Rocklea south of Brisbane on Sunday (pictured)

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged residents to stay home in the 'unrelenting' flood crisis that threatens to inundate more than 1,400 homes in Brisbane.

A severe weather warning is in place for southeast Queensland and areas in northern NSW as wild weather and dangerous flooding continues to lash large both states.

Six people died in Queensland, with a search under way for a yachtsman missing in the Brisbane river.

Addressing media in Brisbane on Sunday afternoon, Ms Palaszczuk described the rain in the state's southeast as 'non-stop', and warned the extreme weather was unlikely to ease over the next 24 hours, before moving south.

'I don't want to see any more deaths. So please, please if you do not have to be out today, just stay at home, because this water is unrelenting at the moment,' she said.

'This is a very extreme weather event that we have at the moment.'

People have seen their homes and businesses completely submerged by rising floodwaters as the once-in-a-century weather event makes its way down Australia's east coast (pictured: a cafe on the Sunshine Coast)

The premier expected there could be more around 1,430 homes across the city impacted as waters rose to over three metres.

The Bureau of Meteorology expects moderate flooding for the Brisbane river, but warned it was a 'very evolving situation', with updates on conditions scheduled for later on Sunday, and cautioning that the flood risk in the city could be upgraded.

A flood warning for 16 suburbs along the Brisbane River was issued on Saturday evening by Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner amid fears 'several thousand properties' could be inundated.

In Gympie, Ms Palaszczuk said there were around 550 people in the town's evacuation centre, and a total of 1040 evacuated across the state.

Authorities expect Gympie's swollen Mary River to rise above its highest level in 23 years, while supplies have been delivered to an Indigenous community in nearby Cherbourg set to be cut off by floodwaters.

A home at Rocklea on Sunday morning with rising floodwaters making it unsafe for some people to go back to their houses

Severe weather was also moving to the Gold Coast, with authorities monitoring the Logan and Albert rivers and calls coming in for assistance from the Gold Coast hinterland areas.

Amid the crisis, water was being released from Brisbane's Wivenhoe Dam, which was at 160 per cent over capacity. The Moogerah Dam, inland from the Gold Coast, is also spilling, as is the Atkinson Dam.

Parents concerned about children going to school on Monday would be updated about effects on the education system.

'Education is doing a lot of work at the moment. There will be some schools impacted,' Ms Palaszczuk said.

Parts of Gympie were submerged on Saturday amid the rising water (pictured)

Meanwhile, the search continues for the sole sailor, aged in his 70s, who fell overboard from his vessel near the mouth of Breakfast Creek about 4.45pm on Saturday.

Those who died include a man who lost his life in the Brisbane suburb of Indooroopilly when his car became submerged.

The 34-year-old tried to swim to safety but witnesses raised the alarm when he failed to surface.

On Saturday, police divers found the body of a 37-year-old man in floodwaters near Gympie, north of the Sunshine Coast, while that of a 54-year-old man was discovered at Stones Corner in inner Brisbane.

A female SES volunteer was also killed when a car she was in was swept away en route to a rescue near Ipswich on Friday night.

The deaths follow those of a 54-year-old man killed riding a motorbike through rising water at Gympie last week and a 63-year-old found dead in a submerged car on the Sunshine Coast.

Floodwaters at Boondall in Brisbane with streets in a number of suburbs under water (pictured)
One in three sexual assault victims' calls are going unanswered due to staff issues at a state helpline.

Thousands of calls to the NSW Sexual Violence Helpline have been answered by a voice message because there are not enough people to answer the phones.

Reports of sexual violence in NSW have jumped 80 per cent in the past decade but support services have not received the funding they need to keep up with demand.

One third of calls made to the NSW Sexual Violence Helpline have been answered by a voice message leaving roughly 4,000 calls from sexual assault victims have been unanswered every year

Full Stop CEO Hayley Foster told Nine that reaching out for help can be incredibly difficult for victims so it is vital they reassured straight away and has called for helplines to receive more state funding

Roughly 4,000 calls from sexual assault victims have been unanswered every year.

Full Stop chief executive Hayley Foster told Nine News that reaching out for help can be incredibly difficult for victims so it is vital they were reassured straight away.

'Imagine never having told a living soul about your experience of sexual abuse and one day deciding to call the helpline only to get a pre-recorded message,' she said.

'It can take an enormous amount of courage for a survivor of sexual assault to reach out and disclose what has happened to them, and to ask for help.

Protesters took to the streets in Melbourne on Sunday as part of the 'March 4 Justice' campaign

Protesters in Melbourne held 'The Lost Petition' by Dans Bain which shows the names of women and children were were killed by violence

'The NSW Sexual Violence Helpline is not a luxury - it is an essential service.'

Full Stop Australia provides support and advocates for sexual violence victims and offers training respectful practices.

It has recently started a campaign to urge the NSW government to allocate more funding to essential helplines in the upcoming Budget Estimates.

Full Stop called for an additional $1.4 million to fund helplines to ensure no calls go unanswered.

Protesters advocated for a review of Australia's sexual assault laws, increased funding for domestic violence victims, and a national Gender Equality Act

The protest was part of 'March 4 Justice', a grassroots gender equality organisation that encourages peaceful protest and advocacy

Thousands of women took to the streets in Melbourne on Sunday for a 'March 4 Justice'.

Protesters advocated for a review of Australia's sexual assault laws, increased funding for domestic violence victims, and a national Gender Equality Act.

March 4 Justice is a grassroots gender equality organisation that encourages peaceful protest and advocacy.

Lifeline: 13 11 14

National Domestic Violence Service: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
A California police officer who was shot and killed during a traffic stop Friday has become his department's first line-of-duty death in 80 years.

Officer Jorge David Alvarado initiated the stop near East Market and Griffin Street at around 10:40 pm Friday, according to Salinas Police Chief Roberto Filice.

The 30-year-old officer was a five-year veteran of the Salinas police force, a city around 60 miles south of San Jose in Monterey County.

Authorities did not immediately reveal how the traffic stop turned into a shooting, however Chief Filice commended the officer's actions during the deadly traffic stop that ultimately cost him his life.

'The officer stayed in the fight all the way to the end. Ultimately, he paid the price for it, he gave his life for it,' the chief said.

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Pictured: slain Salinas Police Officer Jorge David Alvarado

Authorities at the crime scene of Friday's deadly shooting, which left a Salinas police officer dead

The Salinas Police Department salute their fallen officer, Jorge David Alvarado, who was a five-year veteran of the force

'But thanks to his actions, we were able to apprehend the suspect and we currently have him in custody.'

Salinas Mayor Kimberly Craig confirmed that Alvarado was the first officer in the city's police department to die in the line of duty in nearly 80 years in a press conference on Saturday.

'Our community and our police department are devastated,' Craig said of Alvarado.

'The death of a Salinas police officer in the line of duty has not occurred in nearly 80 years.'

'Our officers are grieving. They've lost a brother. We have lost a public servant,' she added.

'My request to the community, please support and embrace our police department right now. They are hurting.'

Salinas Police Chief Filice commended Alvarado's actions during the deadly traffic stop that ultimately cost him his life

Flowers are left outside the Salinas PD as community members, and officers mourn Jorge David Alvarado, and an officer of the Salinas Fire Department wipes tears from her eyes during a press conference

Pictured: the location in Salinas where Alvarado was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Friday

The suspected shooter, who has not been named as of Saturday, has been taken into police custody, according to Filice.

As per protocol in police-involved shootings, the investigation into the fatal shooting has since been turned over to Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni, Filice said.

'The death of an officer while performing his duties takes a huge toll on a police department,' Pacioni added.

It was unclear what police officer had died in the line of duty prior to Alvarado's shooting death.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle paid tribute to the people of Ukraine as they accepted the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards.

As Ukrainians fought tooth and nail to defend their cities against Russian aggression, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared on stage in LA's Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday to accept the award in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service.

The pair accepted the award for their work helping a Texas women's shelter, promoting vaccine equity and creating community relief centers, Harry first wanted to address the conflict in Ukraine following Russia's invasion this week.

'We would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community,' he told a room filled with glammed-up Hollywood stars and dignitaries.

His speech in front of Hollywood A-listers, such as Daniel Kaluuya and Jennifer Hudson, took place as Ukrainians in Kyiv came under siege for a third successive night and Russian troops rolled into the second city of Kharkiv.

The Duke, wearing a tuxedo as he stood next to Meghan in a bright blue dress, also said he was grateful for being honored by the NAACP and that he and his wife were meant to be together to help others despite their supposed differences.

'I think it's safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason.

'We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to.'

Prince Harry (left) and Meghan Markle asked for the world to help support the Ukraine as they accepted the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday

Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, recognizes Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with the President's Award

Harry said he and Meghan were destined to do good together as they accepted their award. It's their first major celebrity appearance since leaving the royal family

Russia continued to drop bombs in the city Kyiv on Saturday, as Harry and Meghan made their speech to A-listers in Hollywood

This general view shows damage to the upper floors of a building in Kyiv on February 26, 2022, after it was reportedly struck by a Russian rocket

The Duke and Duchess have often flaunted their union as that of a wealthy prince meeting a woman from humble beginnings, despite the fact that Meghan often enjoyed luxuries as a kid with her estranged father, Thomas Markle.

Saturday's ceremony is their first major Hollywood event since leaving the royal family as they rubbed shoulders with host Anthony Anderson and dozens of A-listers.

When receiving their award, Megan said: 'I couldn't be prouder that we're doing this work together.'

'We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd.

'For black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds.

'In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organization, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress.'

Harry's speech in front of Hollywood A-listers, such as Daniel Kaluuya and Jennifer Hudson, took place as Ukrainians in Kyiv came under siege for a third successive night and Russian troops rolled into the second city of Kharkiv. The Duke, wearing a tuxedo as he stood next to Meghan in a bright blue dress, also said he was grateful for being honored by the NAACP and that he and his wife were meant to be together to help others despite their supposed differences.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, accept the President's Award at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards Show at The Switch on Saturday,

British actor Daniel Kaluuya, who last year won an academy award for his portrayal of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, was among the guests

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement that it was a thrill to honor Harry and Meghan for their work to support 'equity both in the US and around the world.'

'Not only do they continue to lead by example, The Duke and Duchess have also decided to inspire the next generation of activists through the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, ensuring the support and recognition of generations of civil rights leaders to come,' Johnson said.

Throughout the pandemic, the couple's Archewell Foundation has taken on many endeavors, including the promotion of COVID-19 vaccine equity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice.

Yet they had spent more money on legal fees for their charities than they actually raised in 2020, according to their legal findings.

Archewell reported to the IRS in December that it raised less than $50,000 in 2020  only opening a bank account last January.

Prince Harry was last seen in public attending the Super Bowl. He is pictured at the Rams locker room following their victory

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pose for photos with a group of third grade students during their visit to P.S. 123, the Mahalia Jackson School, in New York's Harlem neighborhood in September 2021. The couple has made racial equity a key mission for their Archewell foundation, which only raised $50,000 in 2020

The foundation was founded in 2020 with part of its mission statement focused on racial equity. Harry is pictured leading a Q&A over his work in December

If the Sussexes raised more than $50,000 in 2021, they will be required to file more detailed accounts next December. Pictured: IRS Form 990 e-Postcard for Archewell

And documents for their UK charity Sussex Royal, which changed its name to MWX Foundation in 2020 and is currently being dissolved, show that between June 2020 and June 2021 spent more than $55,000 on legal fees including attorneys' costs for wrapping up the nonprofit.

Meghan and Harry's charities have been mired in controversy since their launch, revealing family divisions and were hit with a UK watchdog investigation and criticism over their use of opaque and secretive Delaware corporations.

UK Companies House filings show the defunct British charity had more than $380,000 in its accounts in 2020, and spent at least $55,600 on attorneys, including about $35,000 to Harbottle & Lewis and $20,600 to an unidentified law firm.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2021 Global Citizen Live festival at Central Park in New York on September 25, 2021

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex condemned the Russian invasion, in a statement published on their Archewell website

Many went on social media to criticize Harry and Meghan's statement on the Ukraine, saying they were making a serious issue all about them

The Duke and Duchess had previously written on the website of their Archewell charity: 'Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and all of us at Archewell stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same.'

But the couple, who live in an $14.7 million mansion in Montecito, California, some 6,000 miles away from Kyiv, were criticized for a 'breathtakingly arrogant' statement and accused of 'once again making this about them.'

One Twitter user said: 'Phew, that's that sorted then. Putin will immediately recall the military and send them back to their garrisons. Thanks for that Harry and Meg, you saved us all. We owe you one!'

Another wrote: 'What a joke. Are they speaking for the UK or American? Or just jumping on for attention. Harry and Meghan have spoken. Putin Russian president is now scared LOL.'

And one social media user said: 'Don't tell me they actually care about someone else beside themselves, once again making this about them again, you got to laugh.'
President Biden said that 'no sanction that is immediate' as he was questioned about his handling over the war in Ukraine.

'You have two options. Start a Third World War, go to war with Russia physically. Or two, make sure that a country that acts so contrary to international law ends up paying a price for having done it,' Biden explained in an interview with progressive social media influencer Brian Tyler Cohen.

'There's no sanction that is immediate,' he said. 'It's not like you can sanction someone and say "you're no longer going to be able to be the president of Russia."'

'But I think, I know these sanctions are the broadest sanctions in history, and economic sanctions and political sanctions,' he said.

President Joe Biden defended use of sanctions during a White House interview

Biden explained in an interview with progressive social media influencer Brian Tyler Cohen

The questions came as some have criticized the U.S. for using the threat of sanctions as the primary way to 'deter' Russia from invading its neighbor. Something, which so far, has not worked.

Over the past week, Biden announced wave after wave of sanctions upon Russia.

Some targeted major Russian banks and placed limits on exports.

Biden had even played down the effectiveness of sanctions, saying 'no-one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening' despite earlier stressing that sanctions were designed to deter and prevent.

On Saturday, a decision by Western allies was taken to block 'selected' Russian banks from the SWIFT payments system.

Biden had even played down the effectiveness of sanctions, saying 'no-one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening' despite earlier stressing that sanctions were designed to deter and prevent.

The move will inflict a crippling economic blow, but also cause much pain to their own companies and banks.

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is a secure messaging system to ensure rapid cross-border payments which has become the principal mechanism to finance international trade.

Russian banks denied access to SWIFT will find it harder to communicate with peers internationally, even in friendly countries such as China, slowing trade and making transactions costlier.

In this latest interview, Biden said that people should not expect an immediate effect with the sanctions.

On Saturday, a decision by Western allies was taken to block 'selected' Russian banks from the SWIFT payments system

A view of a destroyed building after it was allegedly targeted by Ukraine in Ilovaisk city of Donetsk region under the control of pro-Russian separatists, Ukraine on Saturday

A gas pipe explosion is seen in the city of Kharkiv

'My goal from the very beginning was to make sure that I kept all of Nato and the European on the same page. It's the one thing I think Putin thought he could do was split NATO, creating a great aperture for him to be able to walk through and that hasn't happened,' Biden said.

'If you notice it's been complete unanimity, and Russia will pay a serious price for this short term and long term.'

Biden noted how comments from neutral Finland and Sweden about possibly joining NATO showed how deeply Putin had miscalculated by invading Ukraine.

'Not only is NATO more unified, look at what's going on in terms of Finland, look at what's going on in terms of Sweden, look what's going on in other countries. I mean he's producing the exact opposite effect that he intended,' Biden said.

'All I know is we have to stay the course with the rest of our allies,' Biden said.

During Cohen's interview, Biden commented on his predecessor Donald Trump's remark that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a 'genius' in the crisis with Ukraine  by pointing to the time when the ex-president called himself a 'stable genius'.

Biden also commented on his predecessor Donald Trump's remark that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a 'genius' in the crisis with Ukraine  by pointing to the time when the ex-president called himself a 'stable genius'

Biden laughed off Trump calling Putin's plan to send so-called peacekeepers into the breakaway Donbas region of eastern Ukraine a 'genius' move.

Putin's deployment of troops late Wednesday marked the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.

'I put as much stock in Trump saying that Putin's a genius as I do when he called himself a stable genius,' Biden said.

Trump referred to himself as a 'stable genius' on several occasions, the first in 2018 in response to talk that he was not mentally fit to serve as president.

'Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart,' Trump tweeted at the time.

The 45th president added that winning office on his first try should 'qualify as not smart, but genius and a very stable genius at that!'

On Tuesday, Trump could be heard praising Putin's aggressive moves on Ukraine as both 'genius' and 'very savvy'.

A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday

Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine's capital Saturday, and street fighting broke out as city on Saturday officials urged residents to take shelter

'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. Oh, that's wonderful,' Trump said.

'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 I've ever seen. There were more army tanks than I've ever seen. They're going to keep peace, all right. No, but think of it. Here's a guy who's very savvy.'

Trump said similar thoughts the following day during a fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Wednesday.

'I mean, he's taking over a country for $2 worth of sanctions,' Trump said. 'I'd say that's pretty smart.'
Street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

The capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

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The past night was tough  more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldnt consider as admissible targets.

Following its gains to the east in the city of Kharkiv and multiple ports, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Zelenskyy suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

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Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraines bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraines government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutors office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the countrys coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraines access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

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Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the presidents office said.

Members of civil defense prepare Molotov cocktails in a yard in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Ukrainian military deputy commander Lt.-Gen. Yevhen Moisiuk sounded a defiant note in a message aimed at Russian troops.

Unload your weapons, raise your hands so that our servicemen and civilians can understand that you have heard us. This is your ticket home, Moisiuk said in a Facebook video.

The number of casualties so far from Europes largest land conflict since World War II remains unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

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Laetitia Courtois, ICRCs permanent observer to the U.N., told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground and we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.

The United Nations refugee agency said Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelenskyy denounced Russias offensive as state terrorism. He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its U.N. Security Council seat, he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelenskyy on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Refugees fleeing conflict in Ukraine arrive to in Przemysl, Poland, Sunday. (Petr David Josek/AP)

Ukraines president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus.

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Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we offered all of them to the Russian side and we will accept any other city in a country that hasnt been used for launching missiles, Zelenskyy said. Only then the talks could be honest and put an end to the war.

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscows offer as manipulation, adding that Ukraine hadnt agreed to talks in the Belarusian city.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The U.S. pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The U.S., European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

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Responding to a request from Ukraines minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2% of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraines ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Courts prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use the most unsavory means, including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

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I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons, Truss told Sky News.
Saturday Night Live went without its famous cold open ahead of this evening's show on the Russian invasion of Ukraine this evening.

Instead, the show presented a performance by the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York performing the Ukrainian national anthem.

The song originates from a 19th century Ukrainian poem titled 'Ukraine Is Not Dead Yet.'

After the moving rendition, the show revealed a set of candles in the shape of the word 'Kiev' referring to the Ukrainian capital, which is currently under siege.

Cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong ended the performance with the traditional proclamation of 'Live from New York, it's Saturday night.'

Cold open of Saturday Night Live on Feb. 26, 2022 features a Ukrainian choir with cast members Kate McKinnon (front left) and Cecily Strong

The show presented a performance by the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York performing the Ukrainian national anthem

After the moving rendition, the show revealed a set of candles in the shape of the word 'Kiev' referring to the Ukrainian capital, which is currently under siege

Comedian John Mulaney, a former SNL writer, then returned as host for a fifth time and did a monologue referencing his newfound sobriety and new son with actress Olivia Munn.

Mulaney and Munn got together after Mulaney's stint in rehab and have since had a son named Malcolm.

The arena-headlining comedian did not make reference to his ex-wife Annamarie Tendler.

Mulaney referenced his stay in rehab, where he had to delete and block all of his drug dealers. Upon reaching one of them, he discovered that he wasn't a drug dealer at all, just a painter who Mulaney had kept asking for drugs.

'All the time, drug dealers turn an innocent man into a drug addict. I might be the first drug addict to turn an innocent man into a drug dealer,' he cracked.

Overall, Mulaney said: 'Life is a lot better and happier now. I have a 12-week-old son. I'm very excited.'

John Mulaney gives his monologue on Saturday Night Live

Mulaney and son Malcolm in this photo from girlfriend Olivia Munn's Instagram story

Mulaney left his ex-wife Annamarie Tendler in late 2020

Olivia Munn and Mulaney, along with son Malcolm, have a play date with Henry Golding and his wife

Weekend Update did take its teeth into the crisis in Ukraine with a series of jokes about the country.

'This week, Russia began their invasion of Ukraine. President Putin launched the attack with the support of allies like Belarus and Tucker Carlson,' said Colin Jost.

Jost then turned the barbs at his own network's low rated coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games.

'Many analysts were surprised that Putin went through with it even though it was obviously going to be a colossal mistake. But he couldn't back down after all that build up. Kind of like how NBC still had to go through with airing the Winter Olympics.'

'Experts on Russian politics are saying that economic sanctions from the west will not deter Putin because his money is in non-traditional assets that are difficult to trace,' added Jost. 'So on top of everything else awful about Putin, he's also into crypto.'

Colin Jost on Weekend Update

Michael Che on Weekend Update

Co-anchor Michael Che tossed in a joke about President Biden using the Supreme Court nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to distract people from the crisis.

'Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson...was nominated by president Biden to become the first black woman on the supreme court. The nomination fulfilling Biden's promise to change the subject,' Che joked.

As it was Mulaney's fifth time hosting the show, he participated in a sketch with other hosts who've run the ship five times, including Steve Martin, Candace Bergen, Tina Fey, Elliott Gould and Paul Rudd, who had his fifth hosting effort cut somewhat short due to a COVID outbreak.

The cast of five-timers was also joined by former 'Late Night' host Conan O'Brien.

It was a rare return to 30 Rock for O'Brien since leaving his beloved talk show for an aborted hosting stint on 'The Tonight Show' in 2009 and 2010.

Rudd also appeared in a taped sketch with the show's Please Don't Destroy troop alongside Today Show anchor Al Roker.

John Mulaney gets initiated into the 5-Timers Club on Saturday Night Live on Feb. 26, 2022, and is greeted by Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Elliott Gould and Candice Bergen

Conan O'Brien made his return to 30 Rock for the sketch
Donald Trump lashed out against liberal cities for their 'soft-on-crime' policies that he claimed had left America's streets 'drenched with blood' at the CPAC conservative conference on Saturday.

Trump said Democratic leaders were to blame for the recent rise in homicides across the country, which saw an uptick in 2021 of 5 per cent last year after a 44 per cent rise the previous year, according to the Council on Criminal Justice's last report.

'Murders are setting records in our cities,' he said. 'The streets of our Democrat-run cities are drenched in blood.'

Trump's comments are the latest rebuke against Democrats like Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and New York Mayor Eric Adams, who vowed to curb a continuing rise in violent crimes but have little to show for it.

Donald Trump said 'Democrat-run cities are drenched in blood,' during his speech at CPAC on Firday as he blamed 'soft-on-crime' policies for a rise in violence across the nation

Bob Tataryn, of Chicago, (left) and Dr. Nina Rothschild, a scientist with New York City's Department of Health (right) were both some of the latest victims of violence in their cities, both of which are dealing with a drastic rise in crime

In Chicago, murders are up by 7 per cent over the same time last year, sexual assaults are up 12 per cent from last year and aggravated assaults are up 14 per cent.

Last year was the city's most violent, with 3,561 shootings reported and more homicides recorded than any other city, 795.

Bob Tataryn and his wife, Kathryn, both 72, were some of the latest victims of violence in the Windy City when they were assaulted on their way to catch a subway last week.

Bob was left with a broken nose and severe bruises to his face in the aftermath of the attack, and Kathryn needed two surgeries to deal with broken wrists and a broken jaw. She is now unable to open her mouth, Bob told CBS 2, and can only eat liquid food.

'My wife and I are not doing well,' Bob told DailyMail.com, adding that they are 'mentally weak' and 'physically improving.'

Bob also blamed the rise in crime on the city's woke policies, which he said has led to 'bad people... getting away with crime more easily.'

Bob described to CBS 2 how the man stalked the couple as they walked home, and when Bob tried to confront the suspect he started attacking

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (pictured) has since made it her goal to reduce the rate for 2022

Crime rates are up across the board when compared to the same time period last year

Ninety people accused of murder are free on electronic monitoring ankles in Chicago thanks to woke bail reforms that have put scores of violent criminals back on the streets.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart revealed the numbers to CBS earlier this month, along with his fears that it is making communities significantly less safe.

Dart said that in his county alone, 90 people accused of murder are free along with 40 people charged with attempted murder and 852 people charged with aggravated gun possession.

In Cook County, Chicago, there are 2,300 people free on electronic ankle monitors and 75 percent are accused of violent crimes

In the year 2021, Chicago Police Department arrested 133 people for a violent crime while they were on electronic monitoring - 1 percent of the total.

Chicago's top cops - Dart and Chicago PD Chief Superintendent David Brown - say that one percent is too high a rate and that while 99 percent may not have been arrested, it sends the wrong message to criminals.

But Chicago Chief Justice Timothy Evans, who imposed the reform in 2017, is refusing to revoke it.

'A judge cannot hold someone pretrial without a finding that the defendant poses a real and present threat to the physical safety of any person.

'This must be found by clear and convincing evidence and the burden of proof is on the prosecution.'

Meanwhile in New York, the city has also seen a drastic rise in violent crime so far this year when compared to the same time last year despite Adams' vow to crackdown on crime.

Felony assaults were up more than 20 per cent compared to the same time last year, with sexual assaults are up 32 per cent, and aggravated assaults are up 14 per cent.

The number of shooting victim's also rose by more than 30 per cent from 2021.

New York City has seen a nearly 50 percent spike in criminal incidents 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

The city is also experiencing a surge in subway slashings and assaults, causing Adams to deploy 1,000 additional officers to protect commuters as part of his Subway Safety Plan this week.

Despite the additional officers, more than half a dozen people have been attack in the city's transit system since Adams' plan went into effect.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the new Subway Safety Plan initiative on Friday as a way to crackdown on crime and violence in the city's transit system

One of the latest victims was 58-year-old Dr. Nina Rothschild, a scientist with the city's Department of Health, who was beaten with a hammer while going to ride the subway at Queens Plaza, in Long Island City.

Sickening surveillance video shows a robber kicking her down the steps and bashing her in the head repeatedly with a hammer, fracturing her skull and running off with her purse on Thursday.

Rothschild's brother, Gerson, is also a scientist in Upper Manhattan at Columbia University and managed to speak with his sister on Friday as she recovers from surgery, ABC7 reported. She remains critically-ill.

Adams said he is 'really angry' that a city employee was attacked while walking to the subway.

'We need to deal with those who are on our streets right now that are dangerous, that are violent and have a total disregard,' he said

'A woman taking the train should not be struck in the head with a hammer, repeatedly,' Adams said. 'And for us to believe that dangerous people like that, in some corners, that we need to say because they are in pain, they should inflict pain. I don't subscribe to that. we need to catch him. He needs to be incarcerated.'

The robber kicked Dr Nina Rothschild, 58, down the stairs at the Queens Plaza subway station and proceeded to pull out a hammer and attack her

Dr Nina Rothschild, 58, a scientist with New York City's Department of Health was kicked down the stairs at a subway station in Queens before being bashed in the head with a hammer

The attack is the latest in a string of stabbings and robberies that have occurred in the past week in New York City's subway system, which serves more than 3 million people daily

Trump also blasted Biden over Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, boasting onstage at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday night that the deadly assault wouldn't have happened on his watch.

He went on to rile up the crowd by almost immediately teasing a 2024 presidential run.

'I stand as the only president of 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade,' Trump bragged. 'Under Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under Biden, Russia invaded Ukraine.'





'I have no doubt Putin made his decisoin to ruthlessly invade Ukraine after watching pathetic withdrawl from Afghanistan.' The ex-president was critized by Biden and others this week for complimenting the Russian leader and calling him 'smart' in the lead-up to the invasion.





'The problem is not that Putin is smart, of course he's smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb,' Trump said.





He argued, 'The world is always safer when America has a strong president. The world is always in danger with a weak American president.'

Trump also immediately teased another presidential run.

Savoring the size of the CPAC crowd, Trump talked about his movement and suggested his supporters would vote Republicans back in power, warning Democrats it's a 'sleeping giant they have awoken.'

'On November 2024 they will find out like never before,' he told the crowd.

'We did it twice and we'll do it again,' he added, alluding to the so-called 'big lie.'

Former President Donald Trump spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday night in Orlando, Florida

Former President Donald Trump gives a fist bump to the crowd as he comes onstage Saturday night at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida

Former President Donald Trump blasted President Joe Biden over Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine - saying Putin wouldn't have made the move on Trump's watch

Early on, Trump gave a shout-out to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who's facing criticism after speaking before a white nationalist conference Friday. She spoke at CPAC earlier Saturday.

'A person who's very shy, doesn't like speaking her mind but she does it anyway,' Trump remarked of Greene.

Trump said he was 'praying for the proud people of Ukraine' and expressed admiration for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a 'brave man.'

'God bless them, they are indeed brave, as everyone understand this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was president,' he said.

Trump said he liked Zelensky 'because during that ridiculous impeachment waste of time the president of Ukraine said, "He did nothing wrong."'

'He didn't have to do it,' Trump said of Zelensky's comments.

Trump's first impeachment involved a call the ex-president made to the Ukrainian leader in July 2019. The president was accused of holding up military aid to Ukraine to push Zelensky to announce investigations into Joe and Hunter Biden.

'I was with Putin a lot, I spent a lot of time with him, I got along with him,' Trump also offered. 'It's a good thing to get along with people, it's not a bad thing,' the ex-president protested.

'It would have been so easy for me to stop this travesty from happening,' Trump continued. 'He understood me, he understood I didn't play games.'

Much of Trump's one term in office was consumed by the FBI's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2020 election - and whether there was coordination with the Trump campaign.

The ex-president knocked Biden for being 'grossly incompetent' and poked fun at Biden's threat of sanctions, saying Putin's been getting sanctioned for the past 25 years.

'The world hasn't been this chaotic since World War II,' Trump said.

Like several other CPAC speakers, Trump compared Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the U.S.'s own border crisis.

'Ukraine is a catastrophic disaster, but [it's] really interesting that so many Democrat politicians in Washington seem to be rushing to microphones to declare, "Ukraine's borders are sacred, we feel for Ukraine... Ukraine's sovereignty must be protected at all costs,"' he noted. 'Even though they're destroying our own borders and our own sovereignty.'

'The Biden administration has spent months obsessing about how to stop an invasion of a country thousands of miles away,' Trump said. 'I believe americanss deserve a president who will stop an invasion of our country.'

He added that the Biden White House 'cares more about helping citizens of a distant foreign nation than it does our own citizens.'
Elon Musk said his company SpaceX will rescue the International Space Station if Russia attempts to drop it from orbit after threats by Vladimir Putin's space chief, just hours after activating Starlink satellites to guarantee internet access for people of Ukraine.

Dimitry Rogozin had taken to Twitter amidst the widely condemned Russian invasion of Ukraine to warn that Russian expertise and technology would be necessary to keep the ISS in orbit and prevent it from crashing down onto the US or Europe.

'If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States and Europe?' Rogozin tweeted on Friday.

'I think Elon is referring to this above,' a Twitter user wrote after translating Rogozin's tweet.

'So Elon answered: SpaceX.'

When the Twitter user asked the billionaire if this meant SpaceX would keep the ISS from falling onto Earth, Musk replied in the affirmative.

'Yes,' Musk tweeted in response.

The head of Tesla and SpaceX also replied to another tweet, which depicted the ISS without the Russian segment, and a SpaceX Dragon attached instead in its place.

Elon Musk, left, said his company SpaceX will rescue the International Space Station, right, if Russia attempts to drop it from orbit after threats by Vladimir Putin's space chief

Musk replied to a threat issued by Russia's space chief Dimitry Rogozin, pictured

Russia's President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia on February 22, 2022

'Good thread,' Musk tweeted.

Meanwhile, Musk has answered a plea from the vice prime minister of Ukraine who asked the tycoon to help the embattled nation with satellite internet access.

Musk announced on Saturday that Starlink was made active in Ukraine after the Russian invasion disrupted internet service across the country.

'@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars  Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space  Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand,' the vice PM Mykhailo Fedorov wrote in a tweet on Saturday.

His plea came as part of Ukraine finds itself without any internet connection following three days of rocket attacks by Russia.

Officials there are keen that locals remain connected so their stories can be used to combat Russian propaganda - and so that they can share atrocities being carried out by Russian troops on behalf of Vladimir Putin.

SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company's Starlink satellite broadband service is available in Ukraine

Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted at Musk on Saturday for help

The Ukraine government official asked Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations

Less than 11 hours later, Musk answered the call and revealed more terminals were on route

On Saturday afternoon, Musk answered the call and said that he would be sending Starlink receivers to the country.

'Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,' Musk tweeted hours after the extraordinary request.

Starlink is a space-based system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world.

Also on Saturday, Fedorov called on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix and Google to block Russia-related accounts.

Ukrainian Deputy PM Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted on Saturday: 'Starlink terminals are coming to Ukraine! Thank you @elonmusk, thank you everyone, who supported Ukraine!'

Mykhailo Fedorov thanked Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova, pictured on Saturday

Twitter user Lawof72 tweets on Feb. 26, 2022: Thank you @elonmusk and @SpaceX for enabling Starlink and sending Starlink receivers to Ukraine

Even the country's Twitter account tweeted its thanks to Elon Musk and his swift action

'We've also asked @Netflix for the support. We appealed to them to block the Russian Federation's access to Netflix and shut off Russian content. We believe you do care. Let's stop this disgraceful bloody war!' he tweeted.

While Ukraine continues to ensure attacks from the air and assaults from the ground by Russian forced, the county has also been subjected to cyber attacks.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, Cabinet of Ministers, and Parliament website were all appeared offline for several hours on Wednesday following a cyberattack which also affected some of the banks in the country.

A large oil depot caught fire near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Saturday night

The following day, Russia's assault on its Western neighbor began Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war and announced a 'special military operation' to demilitarize and 'denazify' Ukraine under the pretense that Russia was defending itself.

On Sunday morning, two Ukrainian cities were rocked by Russian blasts in the early hours as Vladimir Putin stepped up his invasion after it was claimed he has been infuriated by his army's lack of progress.

Local newspaper The Kyiv Independent wrote that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv, a city which sits around 40 kilometers south west of Kyiv, close to a key airport. A gas pipeline was also blown up in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine which sits close to the Russian border.

Video footage showed a mushroom cloud fill the city's sky as the fuel line was destroyed, with a group of people who filmed the clip heard exclaiming with shock as the ball of flames erupted into the sky.

Ukrainian TV station Nexta shared footage of flames and black clouds billowing into the sky at the site of the Vasylkiv attack as the fuel burned.

Artist's depiction of a Starlink satellite over Earth. Starlink is a constellation of satellites that aims to provide internet access to most of the Earth, particularly underserved rural areas

60 Starlink satellites stacked together before deployment in May 2019

Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has close to 2,000 Starlink satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of 340 miles.

Last week Elon Musk's satellite venture launched a free high-speed internet service to connect remote villages in Tonga that were cut off since a devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami in January, so it is not completely out of the realm of possibility that something similar might be set up quickly for the Ukrainian people.

The satellites allow for large amounts of information to be beamed quickly to any point on Earth without the need for fiber-optic cables.

'In 2022 modern technologies are one of the best response to tanks, rockets and missiles. I've addressed to the biggest tech giants to support the sanctions for Russian Federation. We asked them to help us stop this outrageous aggression on our people!' Fedorov wrote in another Twitter posting on Saturday.

As of the February 26, a total of 2,142 Starlink satellites have been launched since the first couple in February 2018, although many of this total have failed or been decommissioned in space.

SpaceX has even grander plans for its Starlink project, and has already requested authorization for a second-generation megaconstellation, made up of 30,000 satellites.
Scott Morrison has warned Russia has to pay a heavy price for its invasion of Ukraine and Australia will seek to provide what he described as 'lethal aid' through NATO.

The United States, Britain, Europe and Canada have blocked Russian access to the SWIFT international payment system as part of another round of sanctions, a move Treasurer Josh Frydneberg said would isolate it from the global financial system.

'Russia must pay a heavy price,' the prime minister told reporters after attending a service at the St Andrews Ukrainian Church in Lidcombe, NSW on Sunday where he spoke to the congregation.

The prime minister (pictured with his wife Jenny at an Orthodox mass in Lidcombe on Sunday) told reporters Russia must pay a heavy price for invading Ukraine

'We will continue to add to that price as we consider every single option that is in front of us. I've taken nothing off the table,' the prime minister (pictured) told reporters

'We will continue to add to that price as we consider every single option that is in front of us. I've taken nothing off the table.'

He said Australia is already providing significant support in terms of non-lethal aid.

'But I've just spoken with the defence minister and we'll be seeking to provide whatever support we can for lethal aid through our NATO partners, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom,' he said.

'They are already providing support in these areas and we will be assisting them with what they are doing.'

Mr Morrison told the congregation in Lidcombe on Sunday Australia wouldn't seek a 'peace in Ukraine that is based on bending the knee to an autocrat and a thug'.

Mr Morrison told the congregation in Lidcombe on Sunday Australia wouldn't seek a 'peace in Ukraine that is based on bending the knee to an autocrat and a thug' (pictured, a woman prays for Ukraine during a vigil at St Andrews church)

The PM and his wife Jenny were joined by Fiona Martin, the Member for Reid, Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke and Special Minister of State Ben Morton (pictured, a young girl prays for the people of Ukraine)

'We seek a peace that is the sovereignty of Ukraine. That is what peace is for and that is what the world community demands,' he said.

The PM and his wife Jenny were joined by Fiona Martin, the Member for Reid, Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke and Special Minister of State Ben Morton.

He confirmed Ukrainian visas were being processed as quickly as possible and as a priority as the situation worsened overseas.

'The support through visas will come through all aspects of the visa programme to Australia. So that is in the family programme, that's in the skills programme, it's in the student programme,' he told reporters.

Queensland Liberal National Senator James McGrath tweeted on Saturday night that Australia should be 'sending weapons' rather than thoughts and prayers.

'Instead of sanctions we should be confiscating the assets of Putin's regime and giving them to Ukraine,' he continued.

'The Russian Ambassador should be expelled and put on a plane today.'

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said while Russian diplomats could be expelled from Australia in the future the government wanted to maintain open communication.

Federal Labor was quick to support the blocking of Russia's access to SWIFT.

'That will bite and that is a good thing,' Labor foreign affair spokeswoman Penny Wong told ABC's Insiders program.

'We do need to ensure that the cost of (Russian President) Putin's actions bite on him, those around him and on Russia, and the Russian economy, and that will take co-ordination, that will take resolve, people continuing to hold the course.'

Scott Morrison said Australia is already providing significant support in terms of non-lethal aid but would start to provide military equipment to the troops (pictured, people attend the mass)

Kyiv remains under Ukrainian control as Russian forces renew their assault, pounding the capital and other cities with artillery and cruise missiles (pictured, the PM at the service)

Mr Frydenberg expects many countries will examine Russia's participation in international forums, like the G20.

'I can't pre-empt what will be the outcome of those discussions but there will be countries that question Russia's ability to participate in these international forums given what they have done in recent days to a country that posed no threat to themselves,' he said.

Russia did sit with the G7 forum between 1997 and 2014, when it was known as the G8, before it was suspended following its annexation of Crimea.

Kyiv remains under Ukrainian control as Russian forces renew their assault, pounding the capital and other cities with artillery and cruise missiles.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Australia is in discussions with United Nations agencies about the humanitarian response.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Australia is in discussions with United Nations agencies about the humanitarian response (pictured, the PM addresses the mass)

The Australian government believes there is a clear difference between China and India's response to the Russian invasion (pictured, attendees sing and pray for Ukraine)

'As people seek to make refugee claims, then of course we will work as part of that international response to assist and no doubt to resettle individuals,' he told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program.

'Right now we have been giving priority processing to any visa applications coming from the Ukraine and support those individuals to be able to get out and get to Australia as quickly as possible.'

The Australian government believes there is a clear difference between China and India's response to the Russian invasion.

Both countries abstained from this weekend's UN Security Council resolution deploring Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

Senator Birmingham wanted to see all countries support the the motion and for them to take stronger language and action.

Opposition foreign spokeswoman Penny Wong has indicated Labor would be willing to support further sanctions on Russia (pictured, the PM and his wife Jenny attend a vigil for Ukraine)

Mr Morrison said Australia would continue to stand up for what's right when it came to supporting Ukraine through the Russian invasion (pictured, the PM addresses reporters)

But he said Australia's QUAD partner India has been unequivocal in calling for a cessation of violence.

'Prime Minister Modi has had discussions directly with the Ukrainian president,' Senator Birmingham told Sunday Agenda.

'Now in the case of China, what we have seen is excuses made and justifications acknowledged and indeed financial or economic support even enabled. Now those things are completely unacceptable.'

Senator Wong said China's position is inconsistent, having for decades as part of their foreign policy respected sovereignty and territorial integrity.

'The position they are currently articulating in relation to Ukraine is inconsistent with China's stated foreign policy position over decades,' she said.
Former President Donald Trump has shared his fears that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could ultimately lead to a 'world war'.

Trump said that although there may be no intention to start a global conflict, the unpredictability of the situation made it even more precarious.

'Thousands of people, I mean, this can lead to much bigger than this one area. This could lead to a lot of other countries and can lead to world war,' Trump said.

'You never know how it starts, in a world war. You never think a war is going to come out of it. All of a sudden, you end up in a world war. This is a very dangerous period for our nation, for the country.'

Former President Donald Trump has said he is concerned Russia's invasion of Ukraine could lead to a 'world war'

Trump also took aim at President Biden's current tactic of imposing punitive sanctions on Russia, saying they weren't enough - although the White House is also supplying Ukraine with weaponry.

'They're going to have to do more than just sanctions, I suspect,' Trump said.

'Putin understands how to avoid sanctions, and he goes through other countries. He goes to China as an example.

'It is a horrible thing. It should never have happened under any circumstance, and it is what it is,' Trump said to Fox News on Saturday. 'But there's great bravery being shown, and I think they're doing one hell of a job, much more so than anybody would have thought possible.

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'I just think it's a shame that this is going on. It's something that should not be going on,' Trump, 75, said. 'It is very sad, but there is a great amount of bravery being shown right now that's been pretty incredible,' he added.

The former president gave the interview in Orlando, Florida where he had been speaking at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

Trump made the remarks before staking to the stage at CPAC in Orlando, Florida where he said the U.S.'s current 'leaders are so dumb'

The former president - who vowed not to start any new wars during his time in office, and stuck to that promise - would not be drawn on how he might have dealt with the invasion had it occurred during his presidency.

'I would do things, but the last thing I want to do is say it right now, because if somebody asks me that is in a position where they can utilize whatever it is I give them, but I certainly wouldn't want to be talking about it on television or to the media too much, but there are things you can do that would be very powerful.'

At one point, Trump was asked if he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but he would not be drawn.

'I don't want to say, I just don't want to say,' he said.

Trump called besieged Zelensky 'a brave man,' falsely claiming that the Ukrainian leader had exonerated him over the scandal that led to his first impeachment.

Trump said President Joe Biden will have 'to do a lot more if he is to control Russian President Vladimir Putin. Biden is pictured on Friday

While he was president, Trump withheld vital military aid from the US ally as he tried unsuccessfully to pressure Zelensky into digging up political dirt on the Biden family ahead of the 2020 election.

His remarks came as Russian rockets began pounding the outskirts of Kyiv in an escalating crisis that ended up emerging as a major topic of discussion at CPAC.

While on stage at the conference, Trump blamed Russia's invasion of its neighbor on Biden's 'weakness' and lavished praise on President Vladimir Putin's intellect.

'As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president,' he said, to rapt applause.

'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all,' Trump said.

While on stage at the conference, Trump blamed Russia's invasion of its neighbor on Biden's 'weakness' and lavished praise on President Vladimir Putin's intellect. Putin is pictured earlier this week

NATO, he said, was 'looking the opposite of smart' for hitting Russia with sanctions rather than resolving to 'blow Russia to pieces -- at least psychologically.'

'The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he's smart,' he went on. 'But the real problem is that our leaders are so dumb.'

Trump cited Russia's invasion of Georgia under George W. Bush and Crimea under Barack Obama before declaring: 'I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country.'

Trump also addressed his past praise of Putin, saying he was correct that Putin was smart because he was outfoxing world leaders and NATO.

Trump was asked if he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pictured on Friday, but he would not be drawn

CPAC, the country's largest conservative gathering, usually offers a valuable insight into the direction the Republicans plan to take over the coming months.

Trump had been expected to lay out a forward-looking 'vision for America,' according to organizers, as the Republicans look to take back control of Congress in November's midterm elections.

Instead he dwelt at length on his 2020 election loss and his false claims that he was robbed by widespread voter fraud, urging the crowd to 'fight like hell' or face their country being destroyed.

It was similar to the rhetoric that inspired a mob of his supporters to storm the US Capitol on January 6 2021, for which he was punished with his second impeachment.
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said in an interview Saturday that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin will go 'scorched earth' on Ukraine if its forces successful resistance continues.

Graham, 66, told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade that any gains the Ukrainians and President Volodymyr Zelensky have made will only make Putin double-down.

'I'm in awe of the Ukrainian people,' Graham said. 'I have never seen a leader rise to the occasion more than President Zelensky has done. I'm in awe of all of the men and women of Ukraine who are literally willing to die for their freedom.'

'But the more successful the Ukraine is against Russia, the more likely Putin is to go scorched Earth,' he added.

His solution is that Americans should stop buying Russian oil and gas for the United States to make more of its own.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham speaking with Brian Kilmeade Saturday night

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) decorates businessman Arkady Rotenberg with the Hero of Labour medal

Zakhar Leshchyshyn, a Ukrainian serviceman, listens to artillery shots standing in a trench on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote

'Never in the history of the world has a bad guy been so exposed as Putin is right now,' the fifth-term senator said. 'Their entire economy in Russia depends on the oil and gas sector. How about this idea? Shut it off.'

He said that he wants to help the Biden administration through the crisis, but asks that they help themselves first.

'We should have as much will to produce oil and gas to help our economy and our allies as the Ukrainians do to stand up to a Russian tank,' Graham said. 'The single best thing we could do is to stop the oil and gas sector in Russia from thriving and increase oil and gas production in America to help our own.'

He added that when 'it comes to Putin, you pay now or you pay later' and suggested the country get every C-17 available to fly food, fuel and ammunition to Poland to get into Ukraine and help them fight the Russians.

On Saturday, perhaps proving Graham's point, Putin deployed a multiple rocket launcher system which 'sucks the air out of its victims' into Ukraine as his war of occupation intensifies.

The TOS-1 Buratino fires fuel-air 'thermobaric' rockets which, when they explode, consume all oxygen in the blast zone, killing everyone in the area.

Victims can appear to have no visible external injuries but will have suffered massive internal damage.

The weapon is based on the Soviet-era T-72 main battle tank with the main turret removed and replaces with a rocket launcher system holding 30, 8.5-inch rockets.

The TOS-1 Buratino multiple rocket launcher, pictured here in June 2020 during Moscow's Victory Day military parade, is believed to have been deployed in Ukraine

The weapon system can fire 30-8.5inch rockets within 15 seconds. The thermobaric rockets have a range of approximately two miles with each warhead causing a 1,000-ft diameter blast zone

The TOS-1A Buratino multiple rocket launcher system can fire 30 thermobaric projectiles in 15 seconds devastating a 1,000ft-wide blast zone

The system was developed in the mid-1980s and the unguided rockets have a two-mile range.

Witnesses claim to have seen the weapon system crossing into Ukraine from Belarus, possibly heading towards Kyiv.

The indiscriminate weapon is very effective against people and lightly-armoured vehicles causing devastation within a 1,000ft diameter area.

Russians describe the TOS-1 Buratino as a 'flamethrower' but military experts say it fires a 'wall of napalm towards its victims.

Zelensky today pledged to 'destroy the occupiers' as he said his country's army had successfully repelled Russian forces advancing on Kyiv.

Ukraine's president Volodmyr Zelensky today claimed the country's army has successfully repelled Russian forces advancing on Kyiv and is in control of the capital after a night of brutal fighting that saw terrified residents seeking shelter underground

Kyiv: A police vehicle is seen patrolling the streets as a curfew is imposed from Saturday 5pm to Monday 8am local time

Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military facility as two cars burn, in a street in Kyiv, Ukraine today

In a video message to the besieged nation, Zelensky accused the Kremlin of attempting to seize the capital, overthrow the government and install a 'puppet' regime 'like in Donetsk', one of two separatist regions which warmonger Vladimir Putin officially recognised before launching an all-out invasion.

Declaring 'we broke their idea', he added: 'The fights are going on in many cities and areas of our state. But we know that we are protecting the country, the land, the future of our children. Kyiv and key cities around the capital are controlled by our army.

'Each Ukrainian should keep one thing in mind: if you can stop and destroy the occupiers - do it. Everyone who can come back to Ukraine - come back to defend Ukraine.'

Meanwhile, a curfew in Kyiv has been imposed until 8am on Monday to ensure the most effective defence of the city and the safety of its people. A previous daily curfew had run from 10pm to 7am.

Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said: 'All civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups.'

It comes after a high-rise apartment block in Kyiv was hit by a devastating missile this morning, while Ukraine's civilian death toll hit 198.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said the bulk of Russian forces involved in the advance on Kyiv were now 30 km (19 miles) from the city centre.

'Russia has yet to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine greatly reducing the effectiveness of the Russian Air Force,' the defence ministry said in an intelligence update posted on Twitter.

But armed forces minister James Heappey said today there was no reason to think a 'happy ending is just around the corner' as he warned the conflict could rumble on for months.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'Nobody should think that this is anywhere near over. What stands in front of Ukraine, its armed forces and very tragically its people, is days, weeks, months more of what we have seen over that last 48 hours.'

As Ukrainian forces said they had fought off a Russian attack on their capital today, Zelensky vowed to stay and fight on in an impassioned video to his people.

'I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth,' he said outside his office, denouncing as disinformation claims that he had surrendered or fled.

Wearing military garb the president added: 'A lot of fake information has appeared on the internet saying that I allegedly called on our army to lay down its arms and that evacuation is underway.

'Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this. This is what I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine!'

Shocking footage today showed a missile ripping apart a tower block near Zhuliany airport, while CCTV from inside also shows the extent of the damage after the site was hit.

Images show the building with a hole covering at least five floors blasted into the side and rubble strewn across the street below. Two people are reported to have been killed in the strike.

Anton Herashchenko also said Russia was lying about not shelling civilian infrastructure, claiming at least 40 such sites had been hit. Ukraine reported later on Saturday 19 people had been killed in shelling in the country's east.

These civilian deaths were reported on top of 198 reported earlier today, bringing the total to 219 - including three children - that have been killed so far by Russian forces attacking the country.

Ukraine's health minister said today, while around 1,200- including 33 children - have been wounded.
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Nearly 370,000 frightened Ukrainians have already fled the Russian invasion for neighbouring countries, with queues at the border with Poland stretching back more than eight miles as Vladimir Putins war sparks Europes worst humanitarian crisis in decades.

Huddled masses of Ukrainian women and children escaping Russian bombs rode trains, cars and ferries from cities including Lviv in the countrys west to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

Loved ones have been torn apart in the biggest European conflict since the Second World War, as women said goodbye to their husbands after Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky ordered men aged 18-60 to stay behind and fight Kremlin forces.

Families drove to Vysne Nemecke in Slovakia, while the line of vehicles at the Poland-Ukraine border stretched 8.7 miles, and those fleeing had to endure long waits in freezing temperatures overnight. Over 100,000 people have crossed into Poland alone, according to Polish officials.

Amid the rush to escape the bombs and tanks, there was also what looked like a trickle of brave men and women who want to head home to defend Ukraine or help others do so. At a border crossing in southern Poland, Associated Press journalists spoke to people in a line heading against the tide. They included a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers who wanted to face combat.

The number of Ukrainian refugees who have reached neighbouring countries has swelled to 368,000, the United Nations refugee agency said. That figure more than doubles the agencys estimate from the day before.

European leaders are bracing for an exodus of up to 4million after at least 300,000 refugees entered EU territory since Thursday.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Sunday: I am proud of how the European citizens at the borders are showing concrete solidarity with Ukrainians fleeing this terrible, aggressive war. She said she would announce a solidarity platform at a special meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels to support the Ukrainians fleeing their country and the countries most affected by refugee arrivals.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss insisted the Government is urgently looking at what more it can do to help Ukrainians, but declined to say how many refugees the UK will accept.

On Saturday, one woman was killed during a crush at the border with Poland as people queued for 25 hours to escape bombs in the besieged country.

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, Sunday, February 27, 2022

People coming from Ukraine descend from a ferry boat to enter Romania after crossing the Danube river at the Isaccea-Orlivka border crossing between Romania and Ukraine on February 26, 2022

Ukrainian refugees arrive at Zahonyi railway station close to the Hungarian-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022

Refugees from Ukraine sit in a bus near the Korczowa border crossing, Poland, Sunday, February 27, 2022

Refugees make their way through snow blizzard, at the Medyka border crossing, in Poland, February 27, 2022

A couple embrace prior to the woman boarding a train carriage leaving for western Ukraine, at the railway station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, February 27, 2022

Huddled masses of Ukrainian women and children escaping Russian bombs rode trains, cars and ferries from cities including Lviv in the countrys west to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, February 27, 2022

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, February 27, 2022

Astonishing videos show a vast exodus at the citys railway station as Ukrainian civilians race to neighbouring countries to escape Vladimir Putins forces

Huddled crowds of devastated Ukrainian women and children fleeing the Russian invasion last night rode trains from Lviv in the countrys west to NATO ally Poland

A Slovak soldier carries a baby in car seat as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, February 27, 2022

A woman checks clothes from volunteers aid as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, February 27, 2022

Ukrainians arrive at Zahonyi railway station close to the Hungarian-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022

Photographs from the Ukrainian-Slovak border at the Velke Slemence border crossing, February 27, 2022

Two refugee African students comfort each-other after they manage to pass the Romanian-Ukrainian border crossing point in Siret, northern Romania, February 27, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday says his country is ready for peace talks with Russia but not in Belarus, which was a staging ground for Moscows invasion

Putin is 'prepared to lose 50,000 troops' intelligence chiefs claim as leaked document reveals Moscow is bracing for 'medical emergency' from Ukraine invasion Vladimir Putin is 'prepared to lose 50,000 troops in the Ukraine invasion as a leaked document from the Russian Ministry of Health has revealed Moscow is preparing for a 'medical emergency. Intelligence chiefs are understood to have said Russia is prepared to lose up to 50,000 troops, while the Russian death toll could already stand at around 3,000. It is feared that Putin will order military chiefs to use 'chemical weapons' and 'attack hospitals' as fighting continues in Ukraine, with Kyiv currently remaining under Ukrainian control. Weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Mirror: 'If Russia gets bogged down I wouldn't be at all surprised if they used chemical weapons.' It comes as a document, signed by Deputy Health Minister Plutnitsky, has asked medical firms to 'be promptly involved in activities aimed at saving lives and preserving the health of people in Russia'. Russian medical companies have been ordered to send a list containing the details of medical specialists and workers to the health ministry, so the civilian staff can be deployed, according to the documents obtained by ITV News. Emma Burrows, ITV's news editor, said the documents, which were dated February 25, indicate that Russia is anticipating a 'massive health emergency'. The health ministry is specifically looking for medics specialising in trauma, maxilofacial and heart, as well as nurses, paediatrics, anaesthetists and radiologists. Advertisement

A British man caught up in the chaos with his Ukrainian girlfriend called the scene absolute pandemonium, adding: There was very little organisation and the closer you got to the front, the more people were pushing and shoving.

Every so often there would be these big surges and people would be screaming. There were lots of young children and it felt very dangerous. Terrifying. Fights broke out as people accused others of pushing in or of hurting them. People had blood running down their faces. We saw a couple of women fainting and being carried above the crowd.

And there was a strong rumour that someone had been crushed to death  the Polish border guards confirmed they had heard it was true.

It was beyond unsafe. I have got bruises on me from all the pushing and I am just pleased that we finally managed to make it to Poland.

Some Ukrainians have walked many miles through the night while others have fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings. They were greeted by waiting relatives and friends or headed on their own to reception centres organised by neighbouring governments.

It comes as Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces put on high alert on Sunday amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, the Russian president claimed that leading NATO powers had made aggressive statements along with the West imposing hard-hitting financial sanctions against Russia, including the president himself.

He ordered the Russian defence minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said in televised comments.

His order raised the threat that the tensions with the West over the invasion in Ukraine could lead to the use of nuclear weapons.

The Russian leader this week threatened to retaliate harshly against any nations that intervened directly in the conflict in Ukraine.

Estonias former defence chief Riho Terras claimed that Putins war is not going to plan because Russia is fast running out of money and weapons, and will have to enter negotiations with Volodymyr Zelenskys government if Kyiv holds off the Russians for 10 days.

The Russian president allegedly convened a meeting with the oligarchs in a bunker in the Ural Mountains, at which it is claimed that he furiously vented that he thought the war would be easy and everything would be done in one to four days.

Citing Ukrainian intelligence sources, Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around 15billion-per-day, and that they have rockets for three to four days at most, which they are using sparingly.

Street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Kyiv was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: The past night was tough  more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

People coming from Ukraine descend from a ferry boat to enter Romania after crossing the Danube river at the Isaccea-Orlivka border crossing between Romania and Ukraine on February 26, 2022

Ukrainian refugees arrive at Zahonyi railway station close to the Hungarian-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022

People leaving Ukraine and heading over the border into Poland on February 27, 2022

People leaving Ukraine and heading over the border into Poland on February 27, 2022

People leaving Ukraine and crossing the border into neighbouring Poland on February 27, 2022

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, February 27, 2022

A woman observes volunteers aid as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, February 27, 2022

A boy sleeps on the table as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia

Hundreds of Ukrainians are seen desperately trying to flee to Poland from Lviv railway station

Some Ukrainians have walked many miles through the night while others have fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings

West agrees to REMOVE Russian banks from Swift payments system: UK, EU, the US and allies take 'financial nuclear option' as they set up task force to go after oligarchs and strip them of 'yachts, money and ability to send kids to Western schools' Russia has been cut out of a crucial global banking system as efforts to hit its economy if it invaded Ukraine intensified. In a co-ordinated move Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union announced selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system. At the same time they said the would be imposing 'restrictive measures' to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves 'in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions'. After talking by telephone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the 'very heavy odds' against Ukraine in its struggle against Moscow's forces. He confirmed Britain would be sending further arms to the Ukrainians and he said that the financial measures were essential to put pressure on the Kremlin. 'It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime,' he said during a visit to RAF Brize Norton. Earlier German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced he was dropping his country's opposition to the move removing a major obstacle to international agreement. 'The horror of what is unfolding in Ukraine is becoming clear to Western audiences and that in turn is putting huge pressure on Western politicians,' Mr Johnson said. Advertisement

There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldnt consider as admissible targets.

Following its gains to the east in the city of Kharkiv and multiple ports, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Zelensky suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4million about 12.4 miles south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraines bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraines government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutors office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the countrys coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraines access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 12 mile bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 23 miles south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the president's office said.

The number of casualties so far from Europes largest land conflict since World War Two remains unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraines UN ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

Laetitia Courtois, ICRCs permanent observer to the UN, told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground and we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.

The United Nations refugee agency said Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighbouring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelensky denounced Russias offensive as state terrorism. He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Ukrainians fleeing their country after the Russian invasion ordered by Vladimir Putin arrive at the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing in Medyka in south-eastern Poland

Ukrainian families are seen at the border with Poland in Medyka as thousands of citizens are fleeing the war-torn country after Russia announced an invasion this week

People wait for their friends and relatives at the Medyka border crossing between Poland and Ukraine, as Polish Border Guards close lanes for vehicles to allow more pedestrian traffic

A man embraces a boy as people arrive at the Medyka border crossing between Poland and Ukraine on Saturday

Belarus poised to declare war on Ukraine as special forces are 'loaded onto planes in preparation for major air assault on Kyiv' Belarusian special forces are loading onto airplanes in preparation for an air assault on Kyiv in what would be a widening of the conflict and a declaration of war on Ukraine by dictator Alexander Lukashenko, military sources have claimed. Ukrainian intelligence has reportedly learned from within Belarus that special ops troops have been spotted loading up planes for a major attack. A widening of the war to potentially include Russian ally Belarus could signal Vladimir Putins growing fury and frustration as the Russian campaign appears to get bogged down in fierce fighting around Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ukraines second biggest city. It could also run the risk of sucking in other states including NATO allies, triggering a pan-European conflict. A senior source told the Mirror: If this happens it will mean Belarus has openly joined Russia in its invasion of sovereign Ukraine. We believe they are being targeted at Kyiv and Zhytomir. Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Kyivs former defence minister, has claimed that Belarus is about to declare war on Ukraine. The Guardian quoted Zagorodnyuk as saying: Republic of Belarus is highly likely to join the Russian war against Ukraine. On Russian side. There is an information about airborne troopers from Republic of Belarus loaded on the planes to enter Ukraine. This is a terrible development as it involves a country, which until very recently was a great friend of Ukraine; which people always considered Ukraine as a brotherly nation. Ukraine and Belarus has never been to war one with another in their many hundred years of history. We believe that the only reason for that decision was personal demand from President of Russia, which completely depends from Putin in its policy. Advertisement

Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its UN Security Council seat, he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelensky on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Ukraines president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus.

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelensky adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's offer as manipulation.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The US pledged an additional $350million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The US, European Union and Britain agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing $112.7billion to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defence spending above 2 per cent of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit.

Ukraines ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court's prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use the most unsavoury means, including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons, she told Sky News.
The grieving mother of a 14-year-old boy who was fatally stung by a box jellyfish has recalled how she watched her young son fight for his life.

The family had been enjoying a day out at the popular Eimeo Beach in Mackay in central Queensland on Saturday when Mark Angelo Ligmayo, 14, was stung.

His mother Agnes said her son had emerged from the water with two-metre long tentacles wrapped around his arms and legs before collapsing on the shore.

The family had been enjoying a day out at the popular Eimeo Beach in Mackay in central Queensland on Saturday when Mark Angelo Ligmayo, 14, (pictured) was stung

Mark Angelo, (left) along with his mother Agnes Guinumtad and sister Nickole Guinumtad, had been reunited with his father Nick Guinumtad (right) after three years apart

Mrs Guinumtad watched in horror as beachgoers and surf life savers rushed to perform life-saving CPR on her 14-year-old who was groaning in pain.

He had only been in the waist-high water for 10 minutes before he was stung.

'I could see my son's face, and I could feel the pain,' she told the Courier Mail.

'I kept praying and praying, I didn't stop praying. I prayed that he would say something.'

The grief-stricken mother described the anguish of watching her son writhe in pain before going into cardiac arrest.

The teenager had arrived in Queensland just three months before the horror jellyfish encounter after his family decided to start a new life in Australia.

Mrs Guinumtad said Mark Angelo had been excited to start at Mackay State High School and had dreams of joining the army when he was older (pictured, Eimeo Beach in Mackay, QLD)

Mark Angelo, along with his mother Agnes Guinumtad and sister Nickole Guinumtad, had been reunited with his father Nick Guinumtad after three years apart.

They celebrated their first Christmas as a family in three years in December and despite being in quarantine said it was one of their happiest memories.

Mrs Guinumtad said Mark Angelo had been excited to start at Mackay State High School and had dreams of joining the army.

The 14-year-old loved riding his bike to school and had been close with his little sister, who will turn six without her older brother next month.

Mark Angelo was rushed to Mackay Base Hospital at 3.22pm on Saturday, where he sadly died an hour later.

A 14-year-old boy has died after he was stung by a box jellyfish at Mackay's Eimeo Beach (pictured)

Kirby Dash said she was at the beach celebrating her mother's birthday when she saw Mark Angelo come out of the water.

Ms Dash said she saw the teen stumble from waist-deep water with an 'unreadable expression on his face' before groaning for help, The Daily Mercury reported.

'He had gone into shock,' she said. 'His legs were covered in tentacles.'

She said lifeguards and bystanders rushed to his aid as parents screamed at their children to get out of the water.

A group of young men and Ms Dash's brother helped lifeguards give first aid while beachgoers offered water and towels.

Eimeo Surf Life Saving Club president Ross Gee said the teen was doused with 30 litres of vinegar as the group tried to remove the stingers from his legs and hand.

The boy's death is the third box jellyfish (pictured, stock photo) fatality since 2006; a 17-year-old was fatally stung near Cape York in Australia's far north in February 2021

'We were there as he exited the water, quickly after that he was semi-conscious,' he said.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and spent over 40 minutes resuscitating Mark Angelo before he was taken to hospital.

His parents have thanked those who worked so hard to save their son and cared for their daughter throughout the chaos of the afternoon.

Mrs Guinumtad hopes to take her son's body back to the Phillipines where his beloved grandmother can see his face one last time.

The tragedy is the third box jellyfish fatality since 2006, when a 17-year-old was stung near Cape York in Queensland's far north in February last year.

Police said surf live saving crews had finished a net sweep for jellyfish on the beach just 15 minutes before the incident.

The beach will be closed for the rest of the weekend and residents have been told to stay out of the water.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet didn't know Sydney's rail network would entirely shut down last Monday because the man who was supposed to tell him didn't do so.

Michael Coutts-Trotter, the state's top public servant, got a text message at 11.50pm last Sunday night that the rail network would not be operating.

He was meant to pass this on to Mr Perrottet, but Mr Coutts-Trotter - the secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet - was asleep and did not hear his phone beep, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

More than two hours earlier, at 9.30pm, Mr Coutts-Trotter had been told by an 'employee relations' official that train services would be operating the next day, but would become 'progressively degraded' during the day.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured right) with his wife Helen (left). The man supposed to tell him about Monday's Sydney train shutdown didn't do so

There was chaos in Sydney on Monday, February 21 as the entire rail network shut down. Pictured is an empty Sydney train station

The bureaucrat passed this on to the Premier's office and went to bed, sleeping through the 11.50pm text from Transport for NSW secretary Rob Sharp telling him that things had changed and the network would be shut down.

The latest revelation of sleeping getting in the way of the functioning of the state's transport system followed an admittance by NSW Transport Minister David Elliott that he too was asleep when the shutdown was announced.

Having spent the lead up to the city-wide train shutdown having a beer in a pub with Prime Minister Scott Morrison 3,900km in the Northern Territory, Mr Elliott was also in bed on Sunday night when a key part of his portfolio was in chaos.

He jetted home to Sydney from Darwin at 6.30pm on Sunday night. At 11.10pm Mr Elliott took to social media to vent his anger - not at the major disruption that was about to hit Sydney, but at police officers whom he thought were mocking the Catholic Church by appearing in a picture with someone dressed as a nun.

Then Mr Elliott went to bed. He made no apologies for not staying up or even being contactable, as others made the decision to shut Sydney's entire rail network down.

'Im OK that they didn't call me at 12.30 in the morning because I wouldn't have answered the phone,' he said.

A few hours later, millions of commuters were left frustrated when Mr Elliott's department shut down the city's trains without any notice.

Michael Coutts-Trotter (pictured) got a text message at 11.50pm last Sunday night that the Sydney rail network would not be operating on Monday. He was meant to pass this on to Premier Dominic Perrottet, but Mr Coutts-Trotter was asleep and did not hear his phone beep

He found out the network had shut down at 4am on Monday when he woke up.

Mr Perrottet found out even later, at about 5.30am, having gone to bed thinking trains would be running in some form on the Monday morning.

The Premier was not impressed with Mr Elliott. 'My expectation is that ministers are available around the clock. I certainly am, and I expect the same of my ministers,' he said.

NSW's Shadow Minister for Transport, Jo Haylen, told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Elliott had 'one job, and that's to keep our transport system running.

NSW Minister for Transport David Elliott (right) posted a picture of himself having a beer with Prime Minister Scott Morrison (left) in the Northern Territory on Friday February 18

'The Minister said he knew there would be "widespread disruption" before he went to bed and turned his phone off,' Ms Haylen said.

'Why did he clock off when he should have been making sure our trains are running?'

It has also emerged that transport officials had been negotiating with bus companies for days before the shutdown to provide cover for a train shutdown.

Twelve buses were booked on February 16 as the rail dispute was taken to the Fair Work Commission, with another 23 hired last Sunday night.

But 39 buses were nowhere near enough to cover an entire rail network closure and millions of people's travel was disrupted or didn't happen.
Ukrainian troops have launched a crackdown on alleged Russian spies as the brutal invasion of their country continues.

Soldiers blindfolded the suspected foreign agents and bundled them into the back of vans in the capital Kyiv.

It comes as the government kept a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets while bombs rained down and street fighting turned up a notch.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko warned that those outside after 5pm and before 8am will be considered part of 'the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups'.

Meanwhile Ukraine's president said he was ready for peace talks with Russia just not in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Moscow's invasion.

But while negotiations continued street fighting broke out in the second-largest city of Kharkiv as enemy forces swarmed.

Ukrainian troops have launched a crackdown on alleged Russian spies as the brutal invasion of their country continues

Soldiers blindfolded the suspected foreign agents and bundled them into the back of vans in the capital Kyiv

It comes as the government kept a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets while bombs rained down and street fighting turned up a notch. Pictured: Kyiv

Kyiv (pictured) Mayor Vitaly Klitschko warned that those outside after 5pm and before 8am will be considered part of 'the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups'

Street fighting broke out in the second-largest city of Kharkiv (pictured) as enemy forces swarmed

Pictures from Kyiv overnight showed one suspected Russian agent in the back of a van next to armed soldiers.

The man, wearing a black leather jacket, walking trousers and construction boots, was blindfolded using grey tape.

The army has been trying to fight a war against Vladimir Putin's forces and undercover agents already operating in the country.

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko yesterday warned troops were fighting groups of Russian saboteurs across the capital.

He said: 'All civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups.'

It came as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was ready for peace talks with Russia, but refused to hold them in neighbouring Belarus.

He said Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku were viable alternative venues.

He said other locations are also possible but made clear Ukraine does not accept Russia's selection of Belarus.

The Kremlin a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats.

He said: 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians.'

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, with troops moving from Moscow's ally Belarus in the north, and also from the east and south.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was ready for peace talks with Russia, but refused to hold them in neighbouring Belarus. Pictured: The curfew in Kyiv

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko yesterday warned troops were fighting groups of Russian saboteurs across the capital. Pictured: The curfew in Kyiv

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation sent to Belarus includes military officials and diplomats. Pictured: The curfew in Kyiv

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Russian forces are pictured entering Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning. Gun battles are reported to have erupted. Russian vehicles are said to have been marked with a white Z to distinguish them from Ukrainian combatants

Armed civil defense men pose for a photo while patrolling an empty street due to the curfew in Kyiv

Overnight street fighting broke out in Kharkiv as Russian troops put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the country's south.

Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of the city, 12 miles south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

Ukrainian forces engaged them, according to Oleh Sinehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration.

He gave no further details, but told civilians not to leave their homes. He gave no further details.

The West was working to equip the Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammo while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday near Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations.

Flames billowed into the sky before dawn from an oil depot near an air base in Vasylkiv, where there has been intense fighting, according to the town's mayor.

Today, as the fighting continued, The Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion. Pictured: Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming an international hero - as Vladimir Putin's efforts to topple the Kyiv government and install his own puppet cabinet runs into trouble

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

A group of Chechen rebel fighters is pictured in a Ukrainian forest - but huge numbers of the soldiers have since been wiped out after Ukrainian soldiers blew up 56 of their tanks

A satellite image with overlaid graphics shows military vehicles alongside Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, in Chernobyl, Ukraine

President Zelenskyy's office said another explosion was at the civilian Zhuliany airport.

Zelenskyy's office also said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke.

'We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country,' Zelenskyy vowed.

Terrified men, women and children sought safety inside and underground, and the government maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets.

More than 150,000 Ukrainians fled for Poland, Moldova and other neighbouring countries, and the UN said the number could grow to 4million if fighting escalates.

Russia's military also put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine, blocking the strategic cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

Russian Major General Igor Konashenkov said the Russian forces also have taken control of an air base near Kherson and the city of Henichesk on the Azov Sea.

Ukrainian authorities previously have reported fighting in various areas along the coast.

An eerie orange glow lights up the sky in Vasylkyiv after Russian missiles targeted an oil refinery located on a local air base

Last night there was also reportedly strikes on an oil terminal in the Luhansk People's Republic (LNP) at Rovenky, a coal mining city. An LPR source said: 'It could have possibly been a missile attack, our emergency services have left to the site.' The source of the alleged attack in the LPR was unclear. Pictured: A view of destroyed buildings after it was allegedly targeted by Ukraine in Kievsky Rayonda city of Donetsk region under the control of pro-Russian separatists

As Russia has closed in on the Ukrainian capital, it has also focused on pressing its offensive in the country's south in an apparent bid to take control of its coast.

The Ukrainian authorities have reported fighting going on near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Russia's advances along Ukraine's coast mark an attempt to cut the country's access to its sea ports that would deal a major blow to its economy.

The offensive in the south could also allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which until now was connected to Russia by a 12-mile bridge.

Putin has not disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with his regime.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Hormel for talks with Ukraine.

'The Russian delegation is ready for talks and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' he said.

The Ukrainians have said they are ready for peace talks but will not accept ultimatums.
The United States will cut off Russia and isolate the warring nation on the world stage, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations vowed Sunday.

We can isolate them in the United Nations. We can isolate them in U.N. specialized agencies. They are feeling that isolation, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said ahead of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

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In this photo taken from UNTV video, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield addresses an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Ukraine to deplore Russia's actions toward the country and plead for diplomacy, Feb. 23, 2022, at U.N. headquarters. (UNTV via AP) (United Nations/AP)

Appearing on NBCs Meet the Press, Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. would push for a General Assembly meeting Monday and promised that Russia will be called out and their aggressions will be brought to the attention of the world.

More sanctions on Russia are coming, she added. President Biden has said U.S. troops wont be sent to Ukraine.

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The Russians can be assured that we will continue to put more and more sanctions as they continue to press more on the Ukrainian government, she said.

Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has led to widespread international outrage. The U.S. and European Union have imposed severe sanctions and kicked certain Russian banks out of the SWIFT network of financial institutions, among other steps.
Liz Truss today claimed Russia's invasion of Ukraine could be the 'beginning of the end' for Vladimir Putin but warned Europe must brace for the conflict to last for 'a number of years'.

The Foreign Secretary suggested the Russian President had bitten off more than he can chew by attacking Ukraine as Western nations continue to roll out waves of severe sanctions to punish Moscow.

Ms Truss said she feared Mr Putin 'is determined to use the most unsavoury means in this war' as he faces tougher than expected resistance.

The Cabinet minister said she believes the conflict is not going to be over quickly and 'we need to be prepared for a very long haul'.

The Kremlin said a Russian delegation has arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials.

But Ukraine has said it will not attend talks in Belarus after it was used as a staging ground for the Russian invasion.

Ms Truss said that 'if the Russians are serious about negotiations they need to remove their troops from Ukraine' because 'they cannot negotiate with a gun to the head of the Ukrainians'.

She said talks cannot take place until all of Moscow's forces leave the country and added that she believes the Russian's 'werent and arent serious about diplomacy'.

The Foreign Secretary's comments came after Boris Johnson praised Ukrainians for 'fighting heroically' against the Russian invasion.

The UK and other western nations unveiled new measures overnight to hit Russia's financial system.

Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union have agreed to exclude some Russian banks from the Swift global payments system - one of the foundations of the global banking system.

The nations also agreed to impose 'restrictive measures' to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves 'in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions'.

Mr Johnson said that the West is 'tightening the economic ligature' around Russia as it tries to punish Vladimir Putin.

It came as Ireland said it will close its airspace to all Russian aircraft and Australia signalled it is now willing to send lethal aid to help Ukraine.

Liz Truss today claimed Russia's invasion of Ukraine could be the 'beginning of the end' for Vladimir Putin but warned Europe must brace for the conflict to last for 'a number of years'

The Foreign Secretary suggested the Russian President had bitten off more than he can chew by attacking Ukraine as Western nations continue to roll out waves of severe sanctions to punish Moscow

Smoke rises above Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, this morning after Russian shelling

Russian forces have now entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv.

Footage shared on social media on Sunday morning showed Russian army trucks rolling through the city of 1.4million people, which sits in Eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia.

Soldiers were also seen marching through Kharkiv on foot, with a dramatic clip showing Russians slowly advancing along a road before running and firing their guns as Ukrainians opened fire on them.

Another clip shared online showed an army vehicle said to belong to the Russians ablaze, with locals saying it had been torched by Ukrainians seeking to defend their city.

Ms Truss told Trevor Phillips on Sky News this morning that Europe must be 'prepared for a very long haul' because she does not expect the conflict to end quickly.

This could be a number of years because what we do know is Russia have strong forces but we know that the Ukrainians are brave, that they are determined to stand up for their sovereignty and territorial integrity and they are determined to fight,' she said.

The sanctions that we are putting in place, and they are very, very tough sanctions, cutting the Russian economy at its knees, cutting access to the Western system, we have banned Aeroflot from flying into the United Kingdom, we are targeting key oligarchs, we have got a hit list of oligarchs.

But these will take time to have an effect and debilitate the Russian economy. We need to wean Europe off Russian oil and gas, this will take time.

So this is not going to be be, I fear, over quickly, but we need to be prepared for a very long haul.

Ms Truss was asked if she believes Mr Putin could deploy greater firepower to overcome the Ukrainian's fierce resistance.

She replied: I fear you are absolutely right, Trevor, we have already seen the response from the Russian government.

We have seen the actions taken despite all of the warnings about the severe cost of this conflict in terms of humanitarian cost, in terms of cost for the Russian state.

This could well be the beginning of the end for Putin and I fear that he is determined to use the most unsavoury means in this war.

But he should be aware that the international criminal court is already looking at what is happening in Ukraine and there will be serious consequences for him personally and for the Russian government.

Ms Truss rubbished offers from the Kremlin of talks with Ukraine as she said Russia is not 'serious about diplomacy'.

She said: Well, what we know is throughout the diplomatic discussions we have been having, the Russians have lied.

When I was in Moscow I was assured by Sergey Lavrov there would be no invasion of Ukraine. That was not true.

President Putin said there would be no invasion of Ukraine. That is not true. So what we know is that the Russians werent and arent serious about diplomacy.

This is why our efforts should be focused on supporting the Ukrainians fighting Ukraine to defend their country and cutting off the Russian economy from the international system and degrading the Russian economy.

Now, if the Russians are serious about negotiations they need to remove their troops from Ukraine. They cannot negotiate with a gun to the head of the Ukrainians.

The Foreign Secretary said there had been 'no signs' of Russia withdrawing its forces.

Russian forces were filmed advancing through Kharkiv on Sunday morning - moments before gunfire rang out, sending some soldiers running while others returned fire

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Asked if she believes there should be no diplomatic talks until there is a complete withdrawal by Russia, she replied: Absolutely.

Mr Johnson has been urging Western nations to provide more support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Speaking following a phone call with Mr Zelensky yesterday, Mr Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the 'very heavy odds' against Ukraine in its struggle against Moscow's forces.

He confirmed Britain would be sending further arms to the Ukrainians and he said that new financial measures were essential to put pressure on the Kremlin.

'It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime,' he told broadcasters during a visit to RAF Brize Norton.

He added: 'Let's be in no doubt, things are not going all the way of President Putin, very far from it.

'The Ukrainians are fighting heroically, and in some places with great success, as many of us thought they would because they're a great country and a very brave country.'

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has indicated his country is considering sending military support to Ukraine via NATO after previously only committing to non-lethal aid.

'I've just spoken to the defence minister and we'll be seeking to provide whatever support we can for lethal aid through our NATO partners, particularly the US and the UK,' Mr Morrison told reporters on Sunday in Sydney.

It came as Ms Truss said there would be 'nowhere left to hide' for super-rich allies of the Kremlin as she said the Foreign Office is preparing a 'hit list' of oligarchs to sanction.

Mr Johnson last week named eight high net worth Russians who will be hit by travel bans and asset freezes along with more than 100 individuals, entities and subsidiaries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming an international hero - as Vladimir Putin's efforts to topple the Kyiv government and install his own puppet cabinet runs into trouble

Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Ms Truss said there would be new names added to the list every few weeks as ministers seek to ratchet up the pressure on Mr Putin following his invasion of Ukraine.

'We've already had letters to the Foreign Office, from lawyers, threatening us, so we have to make sure the cases are properly prepared and that we have the right evidence before we sanction these individuals,' Mr Truss said.

'That is why we're taking it step by step, but we are working through that hit list and we will continue to sanction new oligarchs every few weeks.'

Ms Truss told Sky News this morning that 'there are over 100 billionaires in Russia' and there will be a 'rolling programme of sanctions, we will go through the hit list'.

'We are targeting oligarchs private jets, well be targeting their properties, well be targeting other possessions that they have and there will be nowhere to hide,' she said.

The Foreign Secretary admitted that economic sanctions imposed on Russia will cause some pain in the UK, with families likely to face higher energy bills.

She said that 'there will be an economic cost here in Britain' and there 'will be a cost in terms of access to oil and gas markets'.

But she said she believes the 'British public understand the price we will pay if we dont stand up to Putin now'.

The West stepped up its action against Mr Putin last night as leaders finally agreed to exclude selected Russian banks from the Swift system.

Mr Johnson had been leading calls to make the move but he had faced opposition from some European leaders.

But last night the UK, the US, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy and Canada issued a joint statement announcing they had come to an agreement.

They said: 'We commit to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally.'

One minister described excluding Russia from the banking system as the 'ultimate economic sanction'.

The move came on the day the expected Russian assault on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv failed to materialise.

However, on Sunday morning a Ukrainian official said Russian forces were fighting in the streets of Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city, hours after Russia blew up a nearby gas pipeline.

The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an 'environmental catastrophe' and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

Meanwhile, Ireland today announced that it is closing its airspace to all Russian aircraft.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney tweeted: 'Shocking Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight. Ireland will move to shut off Irish airspace to all Russian aircraft.

'We encourage other EU partners to do the same. We also support new wide-ranging sanctions to be agreed today at EU FAC & new assistance package for Ukraine.'
Thousands of Russians are trying to dodge conscription into their army by fleeing to the US via Mexico to claim asylum, immigration lawyers have claimed.

Many are afraid Russia's invasion of Ukraine will leave Putin wanting more people to join up to bolster his troops.

Ukraine has already banned men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country in a bid to guarantee the country's 'defence and the organisation of timely mobilisation' and many Russians are escaping before their homeland takes similar steps.

The number of Russians stopped from crossing over from Mexico to the US has rocketed in the last few months.

Dmitry Politov, 29, (pictured) from Moscow, supported Navalny and fled to the US from Russia to claim political asylum

Only 467 Russians were stopped at the US-Mexico border in 2020 but after Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's arrest, that figure jumped to 9,376 for 2021

An armed Russian soldier at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant yesterday

Ekaterina Mouratova, a Russian-American immigration lawyer based in Miami, said the number of Russians hoping to claim asylum would 'skyrocket'.

'We have never been so busy,' she told the Telegraph. 'I have got tons of emails in the last few days - hundreds.

'They are mostly men between 20 and 55 who are asking if they can get protection from the US if Russia does a mandatory military draft.

'These people do not want to go to war.'

Only 467 Russians were stopped at the US-Mexico border in 2020 but after Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's arrest, that figure jumped to 9,376 for 2021.

This year the numbers are continuing to increase. Last month alone 1,028 Russians tried to cross the border.

Dmitry Politov, 29, from Moscow, supported Navalny and fled to the US from Russia last year for fear of reprisals.

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming an international hero - as Vladimir Putin's efforts to topple the Kyiv government and install his own puppet cabinet runs into trouble

He went to the US because he thought Moscow may still be able to reach him if he remained in Europe.

Mr Politov claimed political asylum as an opponent of the Russian government after approaching US border officials on the border between Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego, California, which is the journey most Russians on the run try to make.

It has become more and more difficult for Russians to travel to America legally. At the start of the pandemic, consular services were hit and the relationship between the two powers has disintegrated, especially since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Moscow's US embassy does not even give tourist visas to Russians anymore.

Smoke and flames are seen billowing over Kyiv's Peremohy Avenue in the west of the city, near the zoo, in the early hours of Saturday morning

Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military facility as two cars burn, in a street in Kyiv, February 26, 2022

A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday morning

A Ukrainian man waits with his gun at a territorial defense registration unit on Saturday. Tens of thousands of ordinary Ukrainians have signed up to try and help their military defeat Vladimir Putin's invasion

Even though Putin's army is the world's fifth-largest active military and dwarfs that of Ukraine, Russian casualties are claimed to be high and the war is reportedly costing an astronomical amount each day.

Estonia's former defence chief Riho Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around 15billion-per-day.

Moscow's 900,000 active military personnel means its forces are only smaller than those commanded by China, India, the United States and North Korea.

Yet although Ukraine has put up a brave defence, an influx of more Russian troops could turn the war in Moscow's favour.

A shorter war would certainly be less expensive for Russia.

Even without a large increase in Russian manpower, the arithmetic looks grim for Ukraine. Its 196,600 personnel puts its military in 22nd place worldwide but it is not just the number of active troops that sets the neighbours apart.

Most military experts' estimates put the number of Russian troops near Russia's border with Ukraine in the days leading to the invasion at more than 150,000.

Russia had also moved some troops to Belarus, north of Ukraine, for military drills.

Russia's army has about 280,000 personnel and its combined armed forces total about 900,000, while its 13,367 tanks outnumber Ukraine's by more than six to one, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

The IISS also reports that Russia has 5,934 artillery units compared to Ukraine's 1,962, and 19,783 armoured military vehicles compared to Ukraine's 2,870.

The institute, which tracks the military capabilities of the world's nations, also shows Russia's dominance at sea and in the air.

According to their figures, Russia's air force boasts 165,000 personnel, 1,328 attack aircraft and at least 478 helicopters. Ukraine meanwhile has 35,000 air force personnel, 146 attack aircraft and 42 attack helicopters.

The disparity in Russia and Ukraine's navies paint a similar picture.

Russia has 150,000 navy personnel at its command compared to Ukraine's 15,000.

Putin's 74 warships and 51 submarines have meant Russia has been able to block Ukraine's routes to the sea. Ukraine has just two warships and no submarines.

But while Russia easily outnumbers Ukraine's forces, some of its technology is not as advanced as that used by Western nations.

The Russian exodus came as Ukrainians fled their war-torn homeland because of Putin's invasion.

A UN official admitted as many as four million Ukrainians could move out of the country as refugees because of the crisis.

Around 120,000 people have already left Ukraine as refugees since the war started on Thursday.

Ukrainians from Kiev board an evacuation train driving to the west of the country

Around 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed into neighbouring countries since the start of the war on Thursday

People coming from Ukraine descend from a ferry boat to enter Romania after crossing the Danube river at the Isaccea-Orlivka border crossing

Ukrainian citizens arrive at a border control checkpoint between Poland and Ukraine at the railway station in Przemysl, eastern Poland

A Polish border guard assists refugees from Ukraine as they arrive to Poland at the Korczowa border crossing, Poland
Questions have been raised over whether Covid-19 has fueled Vladimir Putin's paranoia after claims emerged the isolated president spent time 'stewing in his own fears' after 'withdrawing into himself' during the pandemic.

Putin reportedly only had contact with his inner circle during the pandemic, but even they were asked to present faecal samples several times a week to check for infection and, in some cases, asked to isolate for two weeks before face-to-face meeting.

It is the latest in a string of questions being asked about the Russian leader's state of mind after he announced the invasion of Ukraine in 'rambling, terrifying, apocalyptic' fashion.

Rumours surrounding the Russian leader's health have been swirling for years, with repeated reports suggesting that he is suffering from cancer and Parkinson's disease, or been affected by long Covid-19 causing 'brain fog'.

Fears were raised again yesterday after US Senator Marco Rubio appeared to suggest he believes Putin is mentally unwell in a tweet that warned it was 'pretty obvious' that 'something is off' with the Russian president amid his invasion of Ukraine.

'I wish I could share more, but for now I can say it's pretty obvious to many that something is off with #Putin', the Republican Senator for Florida wrote.

'He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different & significant It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago.'

US Senator Marco Rubio yesterday came close to suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin may be mentally unwell in a cryptic tweet

Republican Senator for Florida Marco Rubio tweeted that it was 'pretty obvious' that 'something is off' with Putin amid his invasion of Ukraine

In a further sign of Putin's isolation, he kept his distance from Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov during a meeting over nuclear deterrents in Moscow on Sunday

Rubio did not elaborate on his claim but in recent days has described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a 'quagmire'.

He has also warned Putin's inner circle may 'soon have to decide whether to go along with new orders that will make them internationally wanted war criminals for the rest of their lives.'

Rubio also warned in what appeared to be a tongue-in-cheek tweet that Russian military leaders 'should think carefully before following Putin's orders' because the president is 'two years shy of the life expectancy of a Russian male'.

He said military commanders could 'spend the rest of your lives evading an international tribunal for committing his crime's, suggesting that he believes Putin may die in the next two years.

It comes as Putin today praised his special forces for 'heroically carrying out their military duties' in his Ukrainian invasion.

'Special gratitude to those heroically carrying out their military duty these days in the course of the special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas,' he said in a televised address.

'The heroic traditions of special forces were laid down in the centuries-old history of our army.'

Despite his speeches, however, Andrey Kortunov, of the Russian International Affairs Council, told the BBC Putin did not brief his officials to launch an invasion of Ukraine.

He said the decision was one which 'surprised and shocked' foreign office officials, adding that many were 'devastated to see what is happened'.

Meanwhile Tatiana Stanovaya, of the political analysis firm R.Politik, told The Times, that Putin no longer 'asks for advice. He sets tasks and demands and they are implemented'.

She said: 'He has withdrawn into himself a lot during the past two years. He has become distanced from the bureaucratic machinery, from the establishment, from the elite. He spends a lot of time alone stewing in his own fears and thoughts.'

It is thought Putin now relies only on a hardline group of military, security and spy service chiefs as advisors - the same men who encouraged the Russian president to annex Crimea in 2014 and who have reinforced the idea that Ukraine is ruled by 'drug addicts and neo-Nazis'.

Among Putin's trusted officials is the head of the Russian security council Nikolai Patrushev who has claimed some European countries have 'legalised marriage with animals'.

Meanwhile head of the SVR foreign intelligence service Sergei Naryshkin has often accused Russian opposition of working with western intelligence agencies.

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu is another of Putin's cronies and oversees the GRU military intelligence service which was accused of poisoning Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018.

Though these officials were once allowed their own views and were heard by Putin, they now are considered to be yesmen surrounding President Putin.

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region

Putin has been largely isolated from the outside world for the past two years as officials tried to keep him safe from Covid-19.

At the start of the pandemic, he went to extraordinary lengths to avoid catching the virus during a hospital visit, donning a full hazmat suit at Russia's main coronavirus clinic.

But on the whole, the President has stayed decidedly out of the public eye during the Covid-19 crisis, with officials and journalists having to self-isolate before meeting the president.

Last year, Russian Olympic medalists invited to meet with president were told they would need to spend a week in quarantine before the meeting went ahead.

And in September, it emerged Putin had entered self-isolation after a member of his entourage contracted Covid-19 despite extensive precautions.

The Russian president abandoned a scheduled trip to Tajikistan, did not campaign in person for parliamentary elections, and held meetings with foreign counterparts on tables that were several metres long, sparking widespread ridicule on social media.

He has been fully vaccinated with the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V - receiving his second jab in April.

In March 2020, Putin went to extraordinary lengths to avoid catching the virus during a hospital visit, donning a full hazmat suit at Russia's main coronavirus clinic

The strict security measures have seen officials meet with Putin only after spending two weeks in isolation and asked to present faecal samples several times a week. They have also lead to Putin meeting foreign counterparts on extremely long tables

The US thinktank The Council For Foreign relations has speculated that, after behaviour and statements that are 'off' and 'not right,' he is suffering brain fog induced by Long Covid.

What's more, the isolation caused by the pandemic itself could have left the 69-year-old even further detached from reality, with one neuropsychologist claiming the 'progressive isolation' could have led to hubris syndrome, which 'diminished his ability to weigh up risk'.

Speaking to the MailOnline, Clinical Director at Medicine Direct. Hussain Abdeh explained how a person's mental state could be uprooted by the virus.

He explained: 'Research early on into the pandemic also found that a small number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 experienced sudden behavioural changes including delirium, confusion, and agitation.'

It is commonly associated with a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence, accomplishments or capabilities.

It is characterised by a pattern of exuberant self-confidence, recklessness and contempt for others, and is most particularly recognised in subjects holding positions of significant power.

Vladimir Putin entered self-isolation after a member of his entourage contracted Covid-19 a day after meeting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in September last year

Surrounded by Russian cronies who are terrified to tell him no, Putin is hardly a world leader who could be associated with being the most grounded or level headed.

But in televised addresses leading up to the invasion of Ukraine, he's been by turns rambling, terrifying and apocalyptic while yesterday he gave a chilling warning to its allies in the West, promising there would be dire consequences for any foreign state that 'interferes'.

Meanwhile Professor Ian Robertson, a neuropsychologist at Trinity College Dublin, has suggested Putin could be suffering from hubris syndrome.

Speaking to The I, Robertson said Putin's political trajectory 'is as much personal as political, because once the hubris syndrome takes hold in the brain, the personal and the national are identical because the leader is the nation and its destiny'.

Meanwhile he also said changes in the frontal lobe of the brain caused by the condition could diminish the person's ability to weigh up risk.
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The Ukrainian government has seized on unsubstantiated rumours that an unnamed MiG-29 fighter pilot dubbed the Ghost of Kyiv has downed several Russian jets by sharing a macho propaganda video containing footage from a videogame.

Twitter is alight with clips that allegedly show a Ukrainian jet soaring through the skies over several cities and shooting down six Kremlin planes in dogfights on the first day of Vladimir Putins aggressive war against the former Soviet republic.

However, one video which got nearly 5million views and spawned the rumours has been thoroughly debunked as a clip from the 2008 videogame Digital Combat Simulator, with a Reuters Fact Check concluding: A vertical video shared online does not show a Ukrainian fighter jet shooting down a Russian plane, but comes from the videogame DCS.

Despite this, Kyiv is now openly promoting claims that the unnamed pilot exists, in an apparent bid to rally the besieged nation behind an urban hero and fuel support for Ukraines war effort.

Posting a 38 second video on Sunday, the governments official Twitter account said: People call him the Ghost of Kyiv. And rightly so  this UAF ace dominates the skies over our capital and country, and has already become a nightmare for invading Russian aircrafts.

The video starts with a cartoon illustration of the Ghost of Kyiv, before using the debunked footage of a downed Russian jet. Text then appears on the video, which reads: Ukraine probably got its first ace since World War II. This is the anonymous pilot of the MiG-29, nicknamed the Ghost of Kyiv.

In the first 30 hours of the Russian invasion in February 2022 he shot down six Russian military aircraft. As of February 26  10 military planes of the occupiers. To become an ace pilot, you need to shoot down five planes. And the Ghost of Kyiv shot twice as many.

And although it is still unknown who is piloting the Ukrainian MiG-29 plane and whether he is responsible for the 10 downed Russian planes, Ukrainians are grateful to this hero with brass balls, whos having Russian aircraft for breakfast.

The video then ends with a picture of a man wearing pilot gear in a cockpit and giving a thumbs-up  an image shared two days ago by Ukraines former president Petro Poroshenko. Text on the clip then appears, which adds: God speed and happy hunting.

Poroshenko tweeted the photo on Friday, claiming: In the photo [is] the MiG-29 pilot. The same Ghost of Kyiv. It terrifies enemies and makes Ukrainians proud. He has 6 victories over Russian pilots! With such powerful defenders, Ukraine will definitely win!.

There is a substantial lack of evidence to support claims that the Ghost of Kyiv is real. This image of a supposed flying ace wearing pilot gear has been shared by the Ukrainian government and ex-president Petro Poroshenko

The Ukrainian government has seized on unsubstantiated rumours that an unnamed MiG-29 fighter pilot dubbed the Ghost of Kyiv has downed several Russian jets by sharing a macho video containing footage from a videogame

Twitter is alight with clips that allegedly show a Ukrainian jet soaring through the skies over several cities and shooting down six Kremlin planes in the first day of Vladimir Putins aggressive war against the former Soviet republic

Though one video which got nearly 5million views and spawned the rumours has been thoroughly debunked, Kyiv is now openly promoting claims that the unnamed pilot exists

Posting a video to Twitter on Sunday, the government said: People call him the Ghost of Kyiv. And rightly so  this UAF ace dominates the skies over our capital and country, and has already become a nightmare for invading Russian aircrafts.

Ukraines former president Petro Poroshenko tweeted a photo of the supposed ace on the second day of the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming an international hero - as Vladimir Putin's efforts to topple the Kyiv government and install his own puppet cabinet runs into trouble

So is the Ghost of Kyiv actually real? What do we know so far? There is a substantial lack of evidence to support claims that the Ghost of Kyiv is real There is a substantial lack of evidence to support claims that the Ghost of Kyiv is real. It appears that the main sources of information about the supposed flying ace are from debunked clips, Ukraines former president Petro Poroshenko, and the Ukrainian government itself. Twitter is alight with clips that allegedly show a Ukrainian jet soaring through the skies over several cities and shooting down six Kremlin planes in the first day of Putins war. However, one video which got nearly 5million views and spawned the rumours has been thoroughly debunked as a clip from the 2008 videogame Digital Combat Simulator. A Reuters Fact Check concluded: A vertical video shared online does not show a Ukrainian fighter jet shooting down a Russian plane, but comes from the videogame DCS. Aviation experts also doubt that any fighter pilot could down six planes in one day. The claimed toll would account for all but one of the Russian aircraft reported by the Ukrainian military to have been downed on the first day of the invasion. Similarly, there is reason to be sceptical of Poroshenkos claims that the pilot is real. The former president came to power following the 2014 revolution and is a hardliner determined to see Ukraine join NATO and the European Union. Poroshenko is also accused of state treason, aiding terrorist organisations and financing terrorism. He denies the allegations, calling them fabricated, politically motivated, and black PR directed against [Zelenskys] political opponents. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. And the Ukrainian government has an interest in promoting spurious claims of a flying ace. Even if untrue, the creation of an urban myth could rally the people of Ukraine in the war against Russia. Advertisement

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence similarly tweeted an image of a MiG-29 as part of a posting reporting that retired pilots were returning to the countrys air force.

Who knows, maybe one of them is the air avenger on the MiG-29, which is so often seen by Kyivites!, the tweet claimed.

Street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city on Sunday and Kremlin troops put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the country's south following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere which appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion.

Following its gains on the ground, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

However, Volodymyr Zelensky suggested other locations, saying his country is unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Speaking in a video message Sunday, the President named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues. He said other locations are also possible but made clear that Ukraine doesnt accept Russias selection of Belarus.

The Kremlin said Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians, Peskov said.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, with troops moving from Moscows ally Belarus in the north, and also from the east and south.

Street fighting broke out early Sunday in Kharkiv as Russian troops pushed into Ukraines second-largest city, according to a regional official, following a wave of attacks elsewhere targeting airfields and fuel facilities that appeared to mark a new phase of an invasion that has been slowed by fierce resistance.

Russian troops approached Kharkiv, about 12 miles south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. But until Sunday, they remained on the outskirts of the city of 1.4million without trying to enter while other forces rolled past, pressing their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Early Sunday, Russian troops moved in and were engaged by Ukrainian forces, said Oleh Sinehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, who told civilians not to leave their homes. He gave no further details.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

Elsewhere, huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the sky before dawn from an oil depot near an air base in Vasylkiv, where there has been intense fighting, according to the towns mayor. Zelenskys office said another explosion was at the civilian Zhuliany airport.

Zelenskys office also said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke by covering their windows with damp cloth or gauze.

We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, Zelensky vowed.

Terrified men, women and children sought safety inside and underground, and the government maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions.

In other developments:

Moscow failed to capture Ukraines capital city Kyiv during fighting on Saturday night;

But Kremlin forces entered Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning;

Russian troops blocked Kherson and Berdyansk and delivered another missile strike on Ukraines military infrastructure, the Russian Defence ministry claimed;

The UN reports that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed;

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine to three countries, with 150,000 said to have crossed into Poland;

Unconfirmed reports that a cancer hospital for children in Kyiv had been shelled by Russians forces have also been debunked;

Russia claimed it was engaging in peace talks with the Ukrainian government in Belarus;

Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, they would not be taking place in Belarus;

Ukraine has obliterated a 56 tank convoy of feared Chechen fighters. Among those killed was one of Chechnyas top generals, Magomed Tushaev;

A gas pipeline was blown up near Kharkiv, sending huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky;

UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, writing in The Telegraph, warned Putins days will surely be numbered if he fails in his ambition to take Kyiv.

Russian forces were filmed advancing through Kharkiv on Sunday morning - moments before gunfire rang out, sending some soldiers running while others returned fire

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Burning Russian military equipment on the streets of Kharkiv minutes after Russian army entered the city

Russian forces are pictured entering Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning. Gun battles are reported to have erupted. Russian vehicles are said to have been marked with a white Z to distinguish them from Ukrainian combatants

Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region, February 26, 2022

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

Did the heroes of Snake Island survive or is Putin up to his old tricks? Kremlin releases picture of 13 brave soldiers who chose to fight to the death against Russian forces and claims they actually SURRENDERED Ukrainian border guards protecting tiny island in the Black Sea from Russia were thought to have been killed after telling Russian navy to 'go f**k yourself' but Russia has since released almost a dozen pictured The group of Ukrainian border guards who told the Russian military to 'go f*** yourself' over the radio as they defended a small island in the Black Sea, and were thought to have been killed, may now actually be alive and being held as prisoners of war. The guards defending Snake Island, a strategically-significant speck of land south of the port of Odessa, had originally thought to have been killed but to have gone down in a blaze of linguistic glory during Thursday's attacks. But pictures released by the Russian Defense Ministry claim the Ukrainian servicemen are in fact still alive after 'voluntarily' surrendering their garrison to Russian troops. Almost a dozen photos released by Russia purportedly show the men boarding buses, being given bottled water and a food parcel, before being shown sitting in their seats. Russia have even said that men will be released and be allowed to return to their families. The authenticity of the information is still uncertain given that just a day earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky had promised to posthumously decorate 'the heroic deceased border guards'. Snake Island is strategically important because it allows Russia to claim territorial waters stretching 12 nautical miles out to sea. Advertisement

Joe Biden pledged an additional $350million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armour and small arms.

Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The US, the European Union and Britain agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraines minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

It was unclear how much territory Russian forces had seized or to what extent their advance had been stalled. Britains Ministry of Defense said the speed of the Russian advance has temporarily slowed likely as a result of acute logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance.

A senior US defence official said more than half the Russian combat power that was massed along Ukraines borders had entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US assessments.

The curfew forcing everyone in Kyiv inside was set to last through Monday morning. The relative quiet of the capital was sporadically broken by gunfire.

Fighting on the citys outskirts suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces. Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but Britain and the US said the bulk of the forces were 19 miles from the citys centre as of Saturday afternoon.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine from the north, east and south is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded during Europes largest land war since the Second World War. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

A missile struck a high-rise apartment building in Kyivs southwestern outskirts near one of the citys two passenger airports, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors. A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

Ukraines ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv were fighting Russian sabotage groups. Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and thousands killed.

Markarova said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to The Hague as possible crimes against humanity.

Zelensky reiterated his openness to talks with Russia in a video message, saying he welcomed an offer from Turkey and Azerbaijan to organize diplomatic efforts, which so far have faltered.

The Kremlin confirmed a phone call between Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev but gave no hint of restarting talks. A day earlier, Zelensky offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

In addition to Kyiv, the Russian assault appeared to focus on Ukraines economically vital coastal areas, from near the Black Sea port of Odesa in the west to beyond the Azov Sea port of Mariupol in the east.

Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol guarded bridges and blocked people from the shoreline amid concerns the Russian navy could launch an assault from the sea.

I don't care anymore who wins and who doesnt, said Ruzanna Zubenko, whose large family was forced from their home outside Mariupol after it was badly damaged by shelling. The only important thing is for our children to be able to grow up smiling and not crying.

Fighting also raged in two eastern territories controlled by pro-Russia separatists. Authorities in Donetsk said hot water supplies to the city of about 900,000 were suspended because of damage to the system by Ukrainian shelling.

The US and its allies have beefed up forces on NATOs eastern flank but so far have ruled out deploying troops to fight Russia.

Instead, the US, the European Union and other countries have slapped wide-ranging sanctions on Russia, freezing the assets of businesses and individuals including Putin and his foreign minister.
Unvaccinated mining billionaire Clive Palmer is being treated for both Covid-19 and pneumonia.

But his illness has not stopped the completion of a deal to buy Adolf Hitlers bulletproof Mercedes-Benz for a museum he wants to build on the Gold Coast.

Mr Palmer was rushed to hospital on Thursday after becoming so ill over the previous two days that he had to cancel a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra.

His wife, Anna - who is also unvaccinated - has reportedly tested positive for Covid too.

Clive Palmer pictured (right) with his wife, Anna (left). In January, the mining magnate claimed he did not need a Covid jab because he's 'not in bad shape' and leads a 'healthy life'

Sources close to Mr Palmer told The Australian though he has shown some improvement, he is still very sick.

The magnate is being treated by doctors in his Gold Coast mansion, having left hospital on Thursday evening.

A spokesman for Mr Palmer, 67, would not comment on his status. 'Clive's medical condition is a matter between him and his doctors,' he said.

'He is recovering and is thankful of the wishes being sent to him.'



Hitler's Mercedes-Benz 770 Grosser Offener Tourenwagen was bought from an unnamed Russian billionaire, Perth Now reported.

It was seized in France by the US military at the end of World War II and had a number of owners before Mr Palmer bought it.

He also bought a 1929 Rolls-Royce owned by King Edward VIII for around $200,000.

The green and black car was shipped from London to Queensland to be added to Mr Palmers extensive collection of vintage cars worth hundreds of millions.

Clive Palmer has reportedly bought Adolf Hitler's bulletproof Mercedes-Benz (pictured) for a museum he wants to build on the Gold Coast

Mr Palmer is a Queensland Senate candidate for the upcoming federal election and is chairman of the United Australia Party, which he founded and is funding.

The UAP has an anti-Covid restriction and anti-vaccine mandate platform.

In January, Mr Palmer claimed he did not need the jab because he was healthy.

'I don't think I need a vaccination for Covid personally, I haven't caught it, I have a healthy life,' he said.

Clive Palmer is seen leaving the Pindara Private Hospital on the Gold Coast, on Thursday, February 24

'I don't think I'm in bad shape. I think I look a lot more trim now than I did when I was in Parliament.'

Daily Mail Australia understands three ambulances were called to his home at Paradise Point in the Gold Coast's upmarket Sovereign Islands precinct on Thursday.

Queensland Ambulance Service said one patient was picked up from a Paradise Point home and transported to hospital on Thursday afternoon.

He was then transported to Pindara Private Hospital at Benowa.

The billionaire mining magnate was transported to Pindara Private Hospital at Benowa (pictured) after several ambulances were called to his home

Signs out the front of the facility warned visitors they would need to be fully-vaccinated with two TGA approved Covid vaccinations by December 17 to enter.

The billionaire looked off-colour as he walked out of the facility, wearing a face mask and white long-sleeved shirt.

Clutching his phone and keys, Mr Palmer walked to a nearby car and drove away from the centre.

He was later seen out the front of his mansion speaking with his wife Anna after arriving back home.

Mr Palmer was discharged and returned to his Gold Coast mansion with his wife Anna (pictured)

The health scare came after he cancelled a scheduled speech in Canberra on Tuesday.

In a statement, the National Press Club said Mr Palmer was showing Covid-like symptoms and had been advised not to travel to Canberra.

In an interview with the ABC in November 2021, Mr Palmer claimed vaccination had not reduced sickness or death from Covid-19 in Australia

'There's no data to support that in Australia,' he said.

Vaccination 'makes no difference from a public health context,' the billionaire claimed.

Mr Palmer speaks to someone on the phone as he gets into his car following a brief health scare

One of Mr Palmer's multiple properties at Sovereign Islands on the Gold Coast, Queensland
A council leader is facing calls to resign amid a furious racism row after 'golliwog dolls' she denies owning were spotted in the background of a picture at her home.

Isle of Wight Councillor Lora Peacey-Willcox shared a Facebook post with a collection of the dolls, which were popular in the 1970s but are now considered racist, in the background.

The image first came to light last November. But after three months of the Councillor failing to explain the collection, the controversy culminated in a huge row on Wednesday night at a public meeting.

Furious councillors say she has refused to apologise or offer explanation for her collection of the dolls and many are now calling for her resignation, in a bid to put an end to the debate which has troubled the council for months.

Amid the ongoing scandal, Cllr Peacey-Willcox continues to maintain that she does not own the dolls and that the photograph was not taken in her home.

Isle of Wight Councillor Lora Peacey-Willcox (pictured) shared a Facebook post with a collection of the dolls, which were popular in the 1970s but are now considered racist, in the background

The image (pictured) first came to light last November. But after three months of the Councillor failing to explain the collection, the controversy culminated in a huge row on Wednesday night at a public meeting

She has been given a week to respond to questions as the local authority chairman has said he will not allow the 'distraction' to continue and bring the island into 'disrepute.'

Now, the council leader has added a further twist to the saga, going to the police herself and claiming to be the victim of a hate crime.

The controversy escalated this week during a public evening council meeting which turned into a shouting match after the dolls were mentioned.

Attendees shouted 'racism', 'bullying' and 'harassment' in the public meeting.

After the bickering erupted, Council Chairman Geoff Brodie was forced to restore order to the meeting by halting it and clearing the public gallery before continuing.

The councillor, who is of the Alliance Group and has served on the council for more than 18 years, has complained to police that she is being harassed and blackmailed over the since deleted image.

Chair of the Conservative Group on the Island, Councillor Joe Robertson, asked the council leader if she thought the number of ethnic minority people living on the island 'too small in number to bother about.'

Furious councillors say she has refused to apologise or offer explanation for her collection of the dolls (pictured) and many are now calling for her resignation, in a bid to put an end to the debate which has troubled the council for months

But Cllr Peacey-Willcox, who lives in Cowes on the island, would not respond to questions on the dolls during the stormy meeting and told councillors she would respond to their queries in writing.

The post, made on Bonfire Night last year, showed the Cllr's two dogs appearing to be in discomfort with the caption: 'Fireworks [blasting] over Northwood!'

In the background of the photo, more than ten figures which appear to be golliwog dolls are seen in a display case with a light illuminating the display.

Now, councillors are demanding an explanation and 'full account' of why the dolls are in the photo in order to protect the island's reputation.

At the fiery full council meeting on Wednesday held at the County Hall in Newport, Cllr Robertson quizzed Cllr Peacey-Willcox on the dolls, telling her silence was 'not acceptable.'

Chair of the Conservative Group on the Island, Councillor Joe Robertson (pictured), asked the council leader if she thought the number of ethnic minority people living on the island 'too small in number to bother about'

Cllr Robertson, 37, who also works as an advisor for a national charity, said of the image: 'We have all seen the image... in the foreground are your dogs asleep - and in the background is a display of racially offensive dolls.

'As leader of the council, please can you explain whether those dolls were displayed in your home in November?

'You shared the offensive image in public - silence is not an acceptable answer.'

His speech was initially drowned out by shouting from the public gallery.

One man was heard shouting, 'Don't answer it, Lora' and a woman's voice said: 'I am witnessing harassment and bullying... this is disgraceful behaviour.'

After the meeting was adjourned it continued with an empty public gallery and Cllr Robertson added: '[This was] a racially offensive post by a council leader with no explanation and no apology.

'If you were leader of a London Borough Council you would have had to resign some time ago.

'Do you think the ethnic minority population on the Isle of Wight are too small in number to bother about?'

But Cllr Peacey-Willcox (pictured), who lives in Cowes on the island, would not respond to questions on the dolls during the stormy meeting and told councillors she would respond to their queries in writing

Another Conservative councillor, Suzie Ellis, said: 'Those of us who grew up in the sixties and seventies have a collective responsibility to recognise that some of the things which some people may have considered acceptable in our childhood no longer are.

'That includes dolls which, although once commonplace, are now widely regarded as being racist.

'Do you recognise that Golly dolls are offensive, and will you apologise for causing offence?'

Cllr Warren Drew, also of the Conservative Group, added: 'I was not going to ask this, but given what what was a scandalous display in the public gallery just now, it's crucial for public democracy [I do]...

'There are questions that remain unanswered, and I think it is important that a full account is given so that the island's reputation can be protected.

'I believe it is vital for democracy. Can you give a full account of the social media post and the circumstances, please?'

Cllr Peacey-Wilcox has since confirmed making complaints of harassment and 'potential blackmail' to police, saying: 'I am aware of the allegations. [regarding the golliwog dolls]. I can confirm I have no such items in my house.

'I should mention that this relates to an allegation of harassment and potential blackmail of me; the matter is now being looked into by the police.'

The post, made on Bonfire Night last year, showed the Cllr's two dogs appearing to be in discomfort with the caption: 'Fireworks [blasting] over Northwood!' In the background of the photo, more than ten figures which appear to be golliwog dolls are seen in a display case (pictured) with a light illuminating the display

Hampshire Constabulary confirmed in a statement that they were investigating a 'hate incident' in connection with the photo.

The statement said: 'We received a report of a Hate Incident on Tuesday evening from a woman aged in her fifties from Cowes.

'The report relates to the sharing of an image online and subsequent harassment to the victim from members of the public.

'An investigator is reviewing the circumstances to establish whether any offences have been committed.'

Cllr Geoff Brodie, who also serves as chairman, says he advised Cllr Peacey-Willcox to resign if the image came out in public after speaking to her when the photo was first posted.

The 64-year-old said: 'In my view, she should resign as leader of the council.

'I know some people think there's nothing wrong with the golliwog dolls, but they are offensive to black people.

'There are increasing numbers of ethnic minority people living on the island, and this sort of thing should certainly not be coming from the leader of the Local Authority.

Now, councillors are demanding an explanation and 'full account' of why the dolls are in the photo in order to protect the island's reputation. A full council meeting at the County Hall in Newport earlier in the week saw Cllr Robertson quiz Cllr Peacey-Willcox (pictured) on the dolls, telling her silence was 'not acceptable'

'I have had one letter and two emails from constituents who all said they were offended by the dolls and that [the situation] had the potential to bring the Isle of Wight Council into disrepute.

'There is still an image of the island having been left in the 1950s or 60s that is supported by things like this - but that I do not agree with.

'As chairman of the council, I am going to give her a week to reply to the questions, but I am not allowing this to hang around forever.

'It must be having an effect on the cabinet - it's a major distraction that needs to be dealt with.'

Illustrations of golliwog dolls first began appearing in children's books in the late 19th century.

They are characterised by jet black skin, white-rimmed eyes, inflated red lips and frizzy afro hair - similar to other racist depictions of black Africans such as minstrels, pickaninnies and 'mammy' figures.

Today, the term golliwog is regarded as a racial slur towards black people.
Prince Andrew is reported to be 'broken' after his 'reputation was left in tatters' following the multi-million pound out-of-court settlement with his accuser Virginia Giuffre, his old military friend has claimed.

A source said the Duke of York, who turned 62 last Saturday, has been struggling with the public humiliation of the 12million sex case settlement.

Before the case was settled, the Queen decided to strip her son of his remaining military affiliations and patronages and forced him to stop using the His Royal Highness title in any official capacity.

However, a source said Prince Andrew was allowed to keep his title of Vice Admiral in a bid to cheer him up.

The source - who served with Prince Andrew during the Falklands War - told the Mirror: 'He is down, he is broken. If he wants to dress up once in a while in a naval uniform, then let him.

'His reputation is in tatters, his public life is over. He is a walking embarrassment.'

A source, who served with Prince Andrew during the Falklands War, said the duke is 'broken' after agreeing an out-of-court settlement with his accuser Virginia Roberts and claims he was allowed to keep his title of Vice Admiral in a bid to cheer him up

The Vice Admiral rank is Prince Andrew's only armed forced honorary title and is the equivalent of an Army Lieutenant General, which the source said was 'effectively the same as an honorary degree' for serving in the Royal Navy during the Falklands War.

The source described Andrew as 'actually not a bad person' when they knew him, but said he had a 'few entitlement issues'.

They added: 'He hasnt been convicted of anything. I have no idea whether he is guilty or innocent, so I think he has paid quite a heavy price.'

Ms Roberts had accused Andrew of sexually abusing her on three occasions - claims Andrew had always denied.

Ms Roberts and Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement earlier this month, but questions remain over whether the Queen - who is said to favour Andrew - is helping him foot the bill, which includes a 2million donation to Ms Roberts' charity, which helps victims of sexual assault and trafficking.

Despite vowing to fight Ms Roberts' allegations directed against him in the civil case filed in New York - and repeatedly protesting his innocence - Andrew agreed to pay the large sum to settle the case before it reached a jury.

The Telegraph reported the total amount that the victim and her charity will receive will actually exceed 12m, with the funds coming from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, which recently increased by 1.5m to more than 23m.

Although the agreement contained no formal admission of liability from Andrew, or an apology, it said he now accepted Ms Roberts was a 'victim of abuse' and that he regretted his association with Epstein, the disgraced financier who trafficked countless young girls.

Andrew and Ms Roberts (pictured together, alongside Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001) reached an out-of-court settlement earlier this month

A statement announcing the settlement read: 'Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out of court settlement.

'The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre's receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed). Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victims' rights.

'Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre's character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks. It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years.

'Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.'

Ms Roberts  who brought the lawsuit under her married name Virginia Giuffre  launched her legal action against Andrew in August, seeking unspecified damages for battery, including rape, and the infliction of emotional distress.

Her legal team were said to be surprised at the suddenness of Andrew's decision to settle the case.

The prince, who was stripped of his remaining patronages earlier this year, had faced pressure from senior royals to resolve the lawsuit ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee later this year.

And while Buckingham Palace was said to be breathing a sigh of relief that the case would not go to trial, senior royal sources indicated there was now no way back to public life for the disgraced duke.
Murdered toddler James Bulger's father has intervened to try and stop his son's killer Jon Venables from being released from prison - saying he 'will kill again'.

The dramatic intervention comes as Venables was reported last week to be seeking freedom again after being recalled to prison in 2017 after child porn was found on his computer.

Venables and Robert Thompson tortured and killed baby James, two, when they were just 10.

Venables (pictured in 1993) and Robert Thompson tortured and killed baby James, two, when they were just 10

Prison officers are said to be preparing a dossier on Venables to brief Parole Board officers on his rehabilitation.

In Venables' last failed bid for freedom in 2020, the Board said he still showed an attraction to sexual violence as the reason for keeping him locked up.

A referral is expected in April ahead of a full hearing for the murderer later in 2022.

Ralph Bulger, 55, told the Sun on Sunday: 'Venables isn't a ten-year-old kid anymore.

'He's a near-40-year-old, fully-fledged monster who is never going to change.

'He's a convicted paedophile murderer with an insatiable lust for children. He simply can't stop himself.

Ralph Bulger, 55, has intervened to try and stop his son's killer from being released from prison

'I can only sleep at night when I know he is behind bars away from society.

'If this monster is released, he will abuse and kill again.

Venables and pal Robert Thompson enjoy lifelong anonymity with a strict gagging order on the British media about them.

Thompson is thought to have to have laid low after his release but Venables has a litany of offenses to his name.

Ralph added: 'Two years ago, the Parole Board admitted it was too dangerous to free him, with his lust for sexual violence being one area of concern.

'Do they really think two years on he's reformed? He can never be safe around kids.

We know something truly terrible has happened for the parole board to deny him freedom.'
A brave British woman has returned to war-torn Ukraine to rescue her 90-year-old mother  and asked Boris Johnson to help bring her back.

Mother-of-one Lesia Polataiko, 58, moved to Britain in 1996 and now has UK citizenship but her mother Halyna still lives in the western city of Lviv.

She is desperate to get her to safety but strict visa regulations mean she is not allowed to travel as only UK dependents are being granted vital paperwork to get into the country.

MailOnline found Lesia waiting on the platform at Przemysl station, clutching her British passport waiting patiently with dozens of others for a train across the border into Ukraine.

Tatiana Maydanyuk, 47, (left) from Woking, Surrey, was heading to Lviv to see her doctor son Paulo, 24, and mother-of-one Lesia Polataiko, 58, (right) had returned to war-torn Ukraine to rescue her 90-year-old mother

MailOnline found Lesia waiting on the platform at Przemysl station, clutching her British passport waiting patiently with dozens of others for a train across the border into Ukraine. Pictured: Refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring Ukraine arrive to in Przemysl, Poland, on February 27

Brave British woman Lesia Polataiko, 58, has returned to war-torn Ukraine to rescue her 90-year-old mother  and asked Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday) to help bring her back

She had jetted in earlier on an easyJet flight from Gatwick to Krakow after waving goodbye to her husband after leaving her home in Sevenoaks, Kent.

On the flight she had met former McLaren F1 hospitality rep Tatiana Maydanyuk, 47, from Woking, Surrey, who was also heading to Lviv to see her doctor son Paulo, 24.

Lesia, who works as an environmental officer for Kensington and Chelsea council, said: 'I want to thank Britain for all their help.

'They are standing behind us and supporting us but more help is needed. Today it is Ukraine but tomorrow it could be anywhere else in Europe.

'My mother is 90-years-old and lives on her own in Lviv. She needs help and can't be on her own but I can't get her to Britain.

'The Home Office said only partners and children can come to the UK and they won't let her in but my mum can't stay where she is on her own.

'I understand the UK has immigration rules and I am happy to stick with the rules but at least consider granting temporary visas just for a few weeks to allow people in this situation to get elderly relatives to safety.

'So far there has been no fighting in Lviv but she tells me the sirens are going off several times a day.

'I'm sure it's just a matter of time before the Russians start heading her way. That's why I am saying 'Boris, please help us.'

Ukrainians wait while being processed after making their way to the Polish border city of Przemysl

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets military personnel at RAF Brize Norton to thank them for their ongoing work facilitating military support to Ukraine and NATO on February 26

'I have never broken any UK laws and I have paid my taxes, I have been a British citizen for more than 15 years and I just want some help to get my mother to safety.'

Her plea came as a row erupted between Labour and the Conservatives after the PM said 'of course' the UK will take Ukrainian refugees 'fleeing in fear of their lives'.

Some opposition MPs have said the Government's refusal to relax visa restrictions was 'immoral' given the fierce fighting going on in the Ukraine.

Lesia added: 'I know the UK has sent guns and money and is leading calls for sanctions but we need more help.

'We are doing well and I think that sick man Putin is starting to see Ukraine is not the easy pushover he was expecting.

'The country is doing well, the Ukrainian army is fighting strong and I am so proud of those brave men in the country of birth but Britain is my home now and I want my mother with me safe.'

When asked if she was scared returning to Ukraine, Lesia said: 'No, but ask me again in a few days when I get there.

'I have been here on the platform all day and I don't know when the train will leave but I know I will get to Lviv and see my mother.'

People leaving Ukraine and heading over the border into Poland to seek refuge from the Russian invasion

Ukrainian citizens arrive at a border control checkpoint between Poland and Ukraine at the railway station in Przemysl, eastern Poland

A child in a pink fluffy hoodie and an ochre blanket crosses the border between Ukraine and Poland at Przemysl on Sunday morning

Ukrainian refugees arrive at Przemysl train station waiting to go through polish border control

Fleeing Ukrainian women and children lined the corridors in buildings at the Przemysl border crossing point

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has welcomed refugees escaping the war in Ukraine. Pictured: Ukrainians in Przemysl, Poland

Officials say around 156,000 refugees have fled into Poland from the Ukraine with Saturday being the busiest day with more than 77,000 coming into the country through nine official crossing points

Tatiana, who lives in Woking, with her British husband and daughter, said: 'I'm going back to see my son.

'He's a doctor in Lviv and is working in the hospital. So far he hasn't been conscripted and hasn't seen any fighting but who knows what will happen.

'When I told my husband I was going back to the Ukraine, he didn't try and stop me.

'We Ukrainian mothers are very determined. My son said not to come but I am going there to make sure he is OK.

'We are an independent country and I think the way the army have fought back and the president has led us is fantastic, it makes me cry to see and hear how our army which is nothing compared to Russia is fighting so bravely.

Countries neighbouring Ukraine have been quick to offer support to refugees fleeing the war

Hygiene products are gathered in Przemysl, southeastern Poland ahead of being sent to Ukraine

In Przemysl a local school has also had it's gym converted into a reception centre with dozens of camp beds set up on the floor and piles of clothes, sanitary products and food being donated. The mantra read 'Knowledge to overcome darkness'

A steady stream of refugees is pouring out of Ukraine following the outbreak of war on Thursday

Ukrainian passengers are mainly women and children after martial law was imposed in Ukraine forbidding men aged between 18 and 60 from leaving

'Putin is a mad man who just wants to rebuild the Soviet Union but he can forget about having Ukraine. We will fight on and win because we have the rest of the world behind us.'

The women were among more than 200 who were waiting at Przemysl for a train back to Ukraine which had arrived earlier from Lviv after an astonishing 18 hour delay.

Arriving passengers  mainly women and children after martial law was imposed in Ukraine forbidding men aged between 18 and 60 from leaving  were greeted with cups of hot tea or coffee and food.

Smoke and flames are seen billowing over Kyiv's Peremohy Avenue in the west of the city, near the zoo, in the early hours of Saturday morning

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming an international hero - as Vladimir Putin's efforts to topple the Kyiv government and install his own puppet cabinet runs into trouble

Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region yesterday

A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday morning

Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military facility as two cars burn, in a street in Kyiv, February 26

Locals carrying signs offering free rides to Polish cities such as Warsaw, Krakow and Katowice gathered outside the exit to passport control and their were also emotional scenes as loved one were able to embrace family and friends.

Officials say around 156,000 refugees have fled into Poland from the Ukraine with Saturday being the busiest day with more than 77,000 coming into the country through nine official crossing points.

In Przemysl a local school has also had it's gym converted into a reception centre with dozens of camp beds set up on the floor and piles of clothes, sanitary products and food being donated.
Boris Johnson is facing growing pressure to offer more help to Ukrainian refugees as MPs called on the Prime Minister to give a 'warm hearted commitment of sanctuary' to those fleeing the Russian invasion.

There are mounting calls for the Government to waive visa requirements and to offer asylum to people forced out of Ukraine.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said more than 200,000 people have arrived in the countries surrounding Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today signalled that the Government is set to do more to help refugees.

She said 'we are looking urgently at what more we could do to support people in Ukraine' with an announcement due to be made 'very shortly'.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today signalled that the Government is set to do more to help refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said more than 200,000 people have arrived in the countries surrounding Ukraine. Volunteers are pictured in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, yesterday, as they helped Ukrainians who were crossing the border

The Home Office announced last week that Ukrainians who have work, study, or visiting visas in the UK will have their stays extended.

The Government has also stepped up support for British nationals who have family in Ukraine by waiving visa application fees.

But ministers are under growing pressure to go much further and to offer asylum to Ukrainians who want to come to the UK.

Julian Smith, the Tory former chief whip, said: 'It's really important that the United Kingdom makes an immediate open, welcoming and warm hearted commitment of sanctuary to those who wish to leave Ukraine.

'Rip up the usual bureaucracy and let's just say they are welcome and we will make it as easy as possible to be here.'

Labour former minister Chris Bryant said: 'I can't believe we're not offering asylum and waiving visas for those fleeing Ukraine.'

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said the Home Office must 'go beyond' its existing offers of help as he accused ministers of showing a 'slightly grudging spirit'.

But a Government source told The Sunday Telegraph that the refugees issue is incredibly complex.

They said: 'It's easy for those who don't have to implement this to make calls like this.

'Of course we will play our part in the international humanitarian response. But we have to all work together on this.'

Ms Truss told Trevor Phillips on Sky News this morning that Mr Johnson had 'already been very clear that we are a country that welcomes refugees, that we will do all we can to support the Ukrainians'.

The Foreign Secretary was told that some people in Ukraine may feel that the UK does not appear to be very welcoming.

Ms Truss said: 'Well, first of all, I can completely say that is not true, the United Kingdom does welcome refugees and we want to do all we can to support Ukraine, economically we are supporting the humanitarian effort.

Ukrainian refugees arrive by train from Kiev at the Warszawa Wschodnia station in Warsaw, Poland, yesterday

'I had a call last night with the United Nations about how we support making sure the humanitarian response is completely in place, how we protect humanitarian corridors out of Ukraine.

'So we are doing all that work. I know it is difficult and I completely appreciate the difficulty of communications in Ukraine, there is an online system that people can use to apply for visas.

'But as I say, we are looking urgently at what more we could do to support people in Ukraine.

'But I want to send a very strong message, the United Kingdom welcomes refugees.'

Ms Truss said ministers will be 'saying more about this very shortly'.
Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed on Sunday to talks with Russia.

We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River, he was quoted as saying on his official Telegram channel by the New York Times.

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In this photo taken from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the nation in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) (AP)

He was describing a phone call with Belarus President President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Details of the talks were not immediately clear. Zelenskyy previously rejected Russian demands to hold talks in Belarus, which Russia has used as a staging area for its invasion of Ukraine.

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Zelenskyys announcement came as street fighting broke out in Kharkiv, Ukraines second-biggest city, and as Ukrainian forces continued their struggle to repel the attack on Kyiv.

With News Wire Services
Hundreds of locals have taken up arms against invading Russian forces in Kyiv tonight - as satellite images released today show Vladimir Putin's army encircling the capital city.

It comes amid reports of long snaking queues of citizens waiting to be issued weapons in the capital, which is expecting another Russian assault this evening.

Among the volunteers is a man with a prosthetic leg and a young couple who brought forward their wedding from May to tie the knot before joining the civil defence force the next day.

For weeks now, ordinary citizens across the country have been receiving basic combat training in everything from handling guns to making incendiary Molotov cocktails to tossing grenades.

Ukrainians living abroad have even flown home to join the 'Territorial Defense Units' - which have been trained by military personnel in wooded or abandoned areas on the outskirts of cities.

The newly trained forces have been seen standing guard behind stacks of tires at checkpoints in the capital of Kyiv and patrolling its empty streets.

Most wear street clothes with yellow arm bands to identify them as volunteer soldiers.

Volunteers from the Territorial Defense Units gather in an outpost to collect weapons, train and get their assignments in Kyiv, Ukraine

Volunteers in Kyiv meet to collect weapons and join the fight against the Russian invaders

There were 'long queues' of citizens waiting to be issued weapons at recruitment centres in Kyiv after President Vlodymyr Zelensky called on Ukrainians to take up arms against Russian troops (pictured, a man with a prosthetic leg on patrol after joining the civil defense force)

Ukrainian youngest parliament member 26-year-old Sviatoslav Yurash is seen at a street with his weapon to defend Kyiv

A volunteer demonstrates the preparation of Molotov cocktails at the Pravda - (Truth) brewery in Lviv, western Ukraine on February 27, 2002

A local resident prepares Molotov cocktails to defend the city of Uzhhorod

A young woman in sunglasses prepares a Molotov cocktail to defend the city of Uzhhorod from Russian forces

A volunteer gathers pre-prepared Molotov cocktails as snow falls in the city of Lviv, western Ukraine

Residents get to work preparing Molotov cocktails in Uzhhorod

It comes as satellite imagery taken today showed a large deployment of Russian ground troops moving in the direction of the Ukrainian capital from approximately 40 miles (64 km) away, according to a private U.S. company.

The images released by Maxar Technologies - which has been tracking the buildup of Russian forces for weeks - showed a deployment comprised of hundreds of military vehicles and extending more than 3.25 miles (5km).

The images are yet to be independently verified.

As another bout of intense battle looms, Kyiv's mayor was filled with pride over his citizens' spirit but remains anxious about how long they can hold out.

After a gruelling night of Russian attacks on the outskirts of the city, mayor Vitali Klitschko was silent for several seconds when asked if there were plans to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv.

'We can't do that, because all ways are blocked,' he finally said. 'Right now we are encircled.'

When Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Thursday, the city of 2.8 million people initially reacted with concern but also a measure of self-possession.

However, nerves started fraying when grocery stores began closing and the city's famously deep subway system turned its stations into bomb shelters.

After a gruelling night of Russian attacks on the outskirts of the city, mayor Vitali Klitschko was silent for several seconds when asked if there were plans to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv

A satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows a large convoy of Russian ground forces in convoy near Ivankiv, Ukraine, today

Citizens of Kyiv have resorted to arming themselves amid fears of an imminent invasion by Russian troops. (Pictured: satellite image showing Russian army heading to the captial of Ukraine)

The mayor confirmed to AP that nine civilians in Kyiv had been killed so far, including one child.

A Klitschko-ordered curfew began at about sundown on Saturday and is to extend until at least 8am on Monday.

His order pointedly stated that any unauthorised person outside could be considered a saboteur.

'We are hunting these people, and it will be much easier if nobody is on the street,' Klitschko explained, saying that six Russian 'saboteurs' were killed Saturday night.

Russian troops' advance on the city has been slower than many military experts had expected.

'I just talked to the president [Volodymyr Zelensky]. Everybody is not feeling so well,' Klitschko said, adding that the Ukrainian city government employees were in shock but not depressed.

'We show our character, our knowledge, our values.'

Russian forces were on Sunday afternoon destroyed in Bucha, near the Gostomel air base in the north west of Kyiv, after becoming trapped when the Irpin bridge into the city was destroyed. Footage posted online purported to show the harrowing aftermath of what military experts said was likely a drone strike on the Russian Airborne Forces column, with parts of vehicles strewn across the road in a warp, fiery heap

Two smoke clouds were filmed over the city this morning, though at least one was reported to be caused by Ukrainian forces blowing a bridge into the capital. A second was reportedly caused by a Russian cruise missile in the Troieshchyna, a north eastern suburb of the city

Two smoke clouds were filmed over the city this morning, though at least one was reported to be caused by Ukrainian forces blowing a bridge into the capital. A second was reportedly caused by a Russian cruise missile in the Troieshchyna, a north eastern suburb of the city

Ukrainian forces (pictured training civilians to use assault rifles) have managed to half the advance of Russian troops on the capital, blowing bridges into the city to hinder the advance of Moscow's forces

Russian forces entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv

Ukrainian servicemen have a rest on a position looking at smoke from a burned petroleum storage depot behind after a Russian missile attacked near Kyiv

Earlier on Sunday, Ukrainian servicemen were pictured roaming in the centre of Kyiv to enforce a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko warned that those outside after 5pm and before 8am will be considered part of 'the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups' (pictured, troops patrol the city centre during curfew hours)

Territorial defense fighters receive weapons and ammunition and learn how to use them in Kyiv, Ukraine

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

Kyiv official Mykola Pvoroznyk shared an update on Facebook Sunday morning to confirm that the capital city remained in Ukrainian hands

In the last few days, long queues of people - both men and women - were spotted waiting to pick up weapons throughout the capital, after authorities decided to distribute weapons freely to anybody ready to defend the city.

Klitschko added: 'There are concerns, however, about arming nervous civilians with little military experience amid warnings of Russian saboteurs disguised as Ukrainian police or journalists.

'To be honest, we don't have 100% control,' said Klitschko. 'We built this territorial defense in a short amount of time - but these are patriotic people.'

'Right now, the most important question is to defend our country,' he added.

Responding to a question about the city's capacity to replenish dwindling stocks of food and medicine, Klitscho's view darkened, however.

'We are at the border of a humanitarian catastrophe,' he said. 'Right now, we have electricity, right now we have water and heating in our houses. But the infrastructure is destroyed to deliver the food and medication.

Ukrainian forces in Kyiv had been optimistic on Sunday morning after surviving a 'brutal' night of shelling and destroying a column of Russian vehicles in the city's northwest.

They managed to halt the advance of Russian troops on the capital, partly by blowing up bridges into the city.

Russian forces were neutralised on Sunday afternoon in Bucha, near the Gostomel air base in the north west of Kyiv, after becoming trapped when the Irpin bridge was destroyed.

Footage posted online purported to show the harrowing aftermath of what military experts said was likely a drone strike on the Russian Airborne Forces column, with parts of vehicles strewn across the road in a warp, fiery heap.

Earlier on Sunday, Ukrainian servicemen were pictured roaming in the centre of Kyiv to enforce a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets.

And by Sunday afternoon Ukrainian military officials were warning Belarusian special forces were preparing for air assaults of the capital - in a sign Alexander Lukashenko has officially joined the Russian-waged war.

Meanwhile President Vlodymyr Zelensky repeatedly called on citizens and foreigners to take up arms to defend the country.

Ukraine's defence ministry today echoed the call for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba urged people to contact his department.

'Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin too,' he said in a Twitter post this morning.

Pharmacies had queues of more than an hour and were running out of basic first aid supplies including bandages, antiseptics and antibiotics by early on Sunday while most shops had closed and ATMs were out of cash.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming an international hero - as Vladimir Putin's efforts to topple the Kyiv government and install his own puppet cabinet runs into trouble

Ukrainian troops gather around a fire during a brief period of rest as they defend their capital, Kyiv, from Russian forces

A Russian tank burning in the Ukrainians city of Sumy just days after newly revealed dashcam footage showed a huge column of tanks moving in

A Ukrainian serviceman and his dog stands in a position looking at smoke from a burned petroleum storage depot behind after a Russian missile attacked near Kyiv today

Russian forces appeared to be focusing their assault on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city in the east of the country on Sunday morning, with fierce street-to-street fighting breaking out between Kyiv's forces and Russian troops.

It came after an oil depot Vasylkiv Air Base, 25 miles south west of Kyiv, was burned to the ground in the early hours of Sunday after it was hit by a Russian missile strike as the capital held firm.

President Zelensky has warned Russian plans on 'attacking everything' in the country in a bid to conquer the state.



On Sunday morning, it emerged Russian missiles hit a nuclear waste disposal site outside of Kyiv - and destroyed the equipment that can detect leaks of radioactive material, as it was revealed that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed.

Ukrainian news site TSN said at least one child, a six-year-old boy, had been killed after the Okhmadyt children's cancer hospital in Kyiv was struck by artillery fire on Sunday morning, reports.

The Kyiv Independent said that at least two children and two adults were wounded in the attack while a picture allegedly showing material covering the body of a child was shared by former Ukrainian ambassador Olexander Scherba.

However the New York Times has rebuffed the claims, saying that while gunfire had been heard near to the hospital, it had not been targeted by artillery fire.

Local newspaper The Kyiv Independent wrote that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv Air Base. The city which sits around 40 kilometers south west of Kyiv, close to a key airport.

An oil depot Vasylkiv Air Base, 25 miles south west of Kyiv, was burned to the ground in the early hours of Sunday after it was hit by a Russian missile strike in 'brutal' shelling on the city

An eerie orange glow lights up the sky in Vasylkyiv after Russian missiles targeted an oil refinery located on a local air base

An oil depot is pictured on fire in the Ukrainian city of Vasylkiv, southwest of Kyiv, in the early hours of Sunday. The city's mayor Natalia Balasynovych said the blaze was the result of a Russian ballistic missile attack

Ukraine's president said he was ready for peace talks with Russia just not in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Moscow's invasion.

Speaking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues.

He said other locations are also possible but made clear that Ukraine doesn't accept Russia's selection of Belarus.

The Kremlin said Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats.

'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' Peskov said.

Putin is said to be growing increasingly angry by his stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. His fire and manpower vastly outnumbers that of Ukraine, and it is widely believed that Russia will eventually conquer its neighbour.

But the surprisingly effective defense being mounted by the smaller nation has badly tarnished Russian military prestige, with the Kremlin still a way-off their objective of seizing the capital of Kyiv and installing its own government.

An earlier version of this article claimed that a former Miss Ukraine, Anastasiia Lenna, was one of the civilians who had taken up arms against the invading Russian forces. While she had originally posted an image of herself on Instagram apparently holding a weapon, which was captioned #standwithukraine, she later clarified in a separate post that she had not joined the military and in fact the gun was an airsoft rifle. The article has been amended accordingly.
Inmates at a privately run prison east of Perth are rioting, scaling a roof of one section of the medium-security jail and setting fires in cells.

Western Australia's Justice Department says Corrective Services' Special Operations Group officers have been sent to quell the unrest at Acacia Prison in Wooroloo, on Perth's outer fringes.

'There are a number of prisoners on the roof of one block in the facility and prisoners inside the same block are causing damage, including setting fire to items in their cells,' the department said in a statement on Sunday.

Emergecy crews rushed to Acacia Prison in Wooroloo at 4.30pm (AWST) on Sunday following reports multiple fires had been lit inside the facility

It said police and fire services were on site and no staff injuries had been reported.

'A command centre has been set up at the prison to coordinate the response.There is no threat to the broader community.'

The WA Prison Officers' Union says it believes the riot broke out when prisoners with COVID-19 were being moved to a different unit.

The union has criticised Serco, which runs the prison, blaming understaffing for the incident.

#BREAKING: A riot is unfolding at Acacia Prison.



Officers are fighting fires in riot shields as inmates turn violent. @MiaEgerton #9News pic.twitter.com/cVQi7rAnCI  9News Perth (@9NewsPerth) February 27, 2022

'Acacia is WA's largest prison and it's already understaffed. But Serco has yet to call in off-duty prison officers to bolster numbers during this riot,' union secretary Andy Smith said in a statement.

'This situation was entirely predictable due to shocking staffing levels and poor morale and has now hit boiling point.

'Serco needs to stop putting profits ahead of safety and ensure there is enough staff to control the number of prisoners.'
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said she would support British nationals who chose to fight alongside Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion as the embattled nation called on foreign fighters to join the war effort.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has promised to arm foreign volunteers to travel to his country to join the battle against Vladimir Putin's forces.

Asked on the BBC's Sunday Morning programme if she would support UK citizens who chose to answer the call, Ms Truss said: I do. I do support that and of course that is something that people can make their own decisions about.

They are fighting, the people of Ukraine are fighting for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe because that is what President Putin is challenging.

And absolutely, if people want to support that struggle, I would support them in doing that.

Her comments come after Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back against Putin's army, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba urging people to contact his department.

'Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin too,' Mr Kuleba said in a Twitter post this morning.

On Sunday, Ukraine's general staff said Mr Zelesnky, 44, was urging any foreigners to come to Ukraine 'and fight side by side with the Ukrainians against Russian war criminals'.

Ukraine's ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said an 'overwhelming number of people' have 'bombarded' the embassy with requests to get into Ukraine and join the fight.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today said she would support British nationals who chose to fight alongside Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion

President Volodymyr Zelensky has promised to arm foreign volunteers to travel to his country to join the battle against Vladimir Putin's forces

A picture from the Ukrainian city of Sumy shows a Russian tank burning after being hit by an NLAW anti-tank missile

Mr Prystaiko said most of the people 'demanding' to go to the Ukraine are Ukrainians 'who have a right to come home at any moment and fight'.

But he said it was not just Ukrainians asking to join, adding: 'Everybody, from all the nations is just asking how we can get in.'

'We don't to break any international laws.'

When asked by the BBC's Sophie Raworth to clarify whether she would 'support people from Britain going over to Ukraine to help in the fight', Ms Truss added: 'Absolutely, if that's what they want to do. And we are doing all we can to support with defences weapons.

Last night we saw the Germans are contributing defensive weapons now for the first time.

The UK led. We were the first European country to supply defensive weapons into Ukraine but we are now seeing our allies doing that.

The Defence Secretary held a donor conference on Friday, we had 25 countries turning up and we are seeing a huge united effort across the G7, across our allies, to challenge Vladimir Putin because this is Putins war.

This is prefabricated, pre-ordained aggression to try and subvert a sovereign democracy and we simply cannot allow him to succeed.

Ms Truss also said the Government is 'urgently' looking at what more it can do to enable refugees from the fighting in Ukraine to come to Britain.

The Government has faced intense criticism over its failure so far to relax the visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals.

The Foreign Secretary said: 'It is a desperate situation.

'Of course, Britain has always welcomed refugees fleeing from war and we are urgently looking at what more we can do to facilitate that.'

Ms Truss said the UK and other Western allies would continue to impose fresh sanctions on Moscow.

'We need to stop Putin's ambitions in Ukraine', she said.

'There are dire consequences if we don't for freedom and democracy across Europe.

'We will continue to tighten the ratchet on Vladimir Putin, to tighten the ratchet on the economy.'

Mr Prystaiko said he believes his country will hold out out for 'as long as needed'.

He said: 'We're holding. It's been just four days. I believe that we'll hold as long as needed.'

He said 'we have friends, we have support', adding that he believes Russia has 'miscalculated'.

Mr Prystaiko added: 'They came with 150,000 troops. It's totally not enough.'

He said Russia believed Ukraine would be an 'easy target', which he said was not the case.

'The whole nation is against them,' he said.

Smoke rises above Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, this morning after Russian shelling

Elsewhere, the UK and other western nations unveiled new measures overnight to hit Russia's financial system.

Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union have agreed to exclude some Russian banks from the Swift global payments system - one of the foundations of the global banking system.

The nations also agreed to impose 'restrictive measures' to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves 'in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions'.

Russian forces have now entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv.

Footage shared on social media on Sunday morning showed Russian army trucks rolling through the city of 1.4million people, which sits in Eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia.

Soldiers were also seen marching through Kharkiv on foot, with a dramatic clip showing Russians slowly advancing along a road before running and firing their guns as Ukrainians opened fire on them.

Another clip shared online showed an army vehicle said to belong to the Russians ablaze, with locals saying it had been torched by Ukrainians seeking to defend their city.

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Russian forces were filmed advancing through Kharkiv on Sunday morning - moments before gunfire rang out, sending some soldiers running while others returned fire

Ms Truss told Trevor Phillips on Sky News this morning that Europe must be 'prepared for a very long haul' because she does not expect the conflict to end quickly.

Boris Johnson has been urging Western nations to provide more support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Speaking following a phone call with Mr Zelensky yesterday, Mr Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the 'very heavy odds' against Ukraine in its struggle against Moscow's forces.

He confirmed Britain would be sending further arms to the Ukrainians and he said that new financial measures were essential to put pressure on the Kremlin.

Meanwhile, Ireland today announced that it is closing its airspace to all Russian aircraft.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney tweeted: 'Shocking Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight. Ireland will move to shut off Irish airspace to all Russian aircraft.

'We encourage other EU partners to do the same. We also support new wide-ranging sanctions to be agreed today at EU FAC & new assistance package for Ukraine.'
The US and its Western allies yesterday announced it would ban several Russian banks from the Swift global messaging system, in their harshest response yet to the invasion of Ukraine.

Swift is often referred to as the 'plumbing' of global finance, and is used by banks to move money around the world.

The UK has announced its desire to see the whole of Russia kicked off Swift, but Armed Forces minister James Heappey acknowledged it would take 'further diplomacy' to persuade all its allies to agree.

Today, experts said removing the unnamed banks from Swift would cause 'real economic' pain in Russia. If the country is expelled as a whole, it could drive up energy prices due to western companies being unable to pay Russian fossil fuel producers.

Below, we answer the key questions about Swift and why it is so important.

People stand in line to withdraw money from an ATM in Sberbank in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Friday

What is Swift?

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift) is a secure messaging system used by financial institutions to move money around the world.

Instead of holding or transferring funds, Swift allows banks and companies to alert each other of transactions that are about to take place.

Who uses it?

The platform, founded in the 1970s, connects more than 11,000 banking and securities organisations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories.

It averaged 42 million messages daily last year to enable payments, with about half of all high-value transactions crossing national borders going through it.

Why is it being mentioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

It is the latest announcement following a number of sanctions that have hit Russia.

The Prime Minister told broadcasters during a visit to RAF Brize Norton: 'It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime.'

The move has been described by Armed forces minister James Heappey as the 'ultimate economic sanction'.

Why does the UK want Russia to be excluded?

Banning Russian banks from the platform would hit the country's access to financial markets across the world.

This would cause delays and extra costs for the Russian economy, and would make it harder for other countries to make payments to Russia.

How significant would the blow to Russia's economy be?

In an explanatory Twitter threat, investment specialist Sahil Bloom wrote: 'Cutting off a nation's banks from SWIFT access restricts flows into and out of that nation.

'Russia is a massive economy with tentacles that reach all around the world

'It is a key energy supplier to Europe and the world. It is an exporter of materials critical to the manufacturing of jet engines, semiconductors, automotives, electronics, and fertilizers. Cutting off Russia from SWIFT would impact the flow of payments for these industries.'

Some commentators have suggested the move could increase energy prices if European countries are unable to pay Russian suppliers of fossil fuels.

Boris Johnson has referred to removing Russia from Swift as a way of 'tightening the ligature' around Putin's regime

Why has this only been announced?

Russia is the European Union's main provider of oil and natural gas

Reports suggested there were fears among countries - including Germany, Italy and France - that banning Russia would push up prices and cut off their oil and gas supply.

The Netherlands and Germany are also key trading partners with Russia, which is a big buyer of manufactured goods.

US President Joe Biden has also been hesitant.

What could Russia do?

It is possible banning Russia from Swift will not cut it off from the global economy as strongly as believed.

One concern is that Russia could turn to an alternative system, potentially one developed by China, which could erode the power of the US dollar.

They could even turn to tools like telephone, telex or email to engage in bank-to-bank transactions.

In 2019, then-Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said losing access to Swift would be seen as a declaration of war against the country.

Mr Bloom wrote on Twitter: 'Russia has also been building an in-house system since 2014the last time SWIFT cutoff was threatenedwhich may mean they are able to temper some of the impact a cutoff would have on its economy.

'Though it appears most experts still expect the impact would be significant.

'A cutoff from SWIFT may also have longer-term second-order effects on Bitcoin and non-fiat currencies.

'The base logic: Russia may seek to circumvent the impact of the restrictions via a combination of its in-house system and a push away from the USD-reserve currency hegemony.'

Have any other countries been excluded and what happened?

The measure has been used before, when Iran was blocked from the system due to its nuclear programme in 2012.

The country reportedly lost half of its oil export revenues and 30% of its foreign trade.

It was also considered an option in 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed Ukraine's Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern areas of the country.
Boris Johnson has told aides of his admiration for Volodymyr Zelensky as the Ukrainian President continues to lead his nation's fightback against the Russian invasion.

The Prime Minister has spoken to Mr Zelensky on numerous occasions over the past week and has publicly paid tribute to the 'incredible heroism' of the Ukrainian people.

Mr Johnson is said to have turned to an aide following a phone call with his counterpart on Friday morning and said: 'Jesus, that guy is brave.'

The premier's allies believe the Ukraine crisis has given Mr Johnson a chance to show his leadership qualities and to persuade Tory MPs he should remain in the job following the Partygate scandal.

Boris Johnson has told aides of his admiration for Volodymyr Zelensky as the Ukrainian President continues to lead his nation's fightback against the Russian invasion

The Prime Minister has spoken to Mr Zelensky on numerous occasions over the past week and has publicly paid tribute to the 'incredible heroism' of the Ukrainian people

Mr Johnson is said to have turned to an aide following a phone call with his counterpart on Friday morning and said: 'Jesus, that guy is brave.'

Mr Zelensky is fast becoming an international hero as he stays in Kiev to coordinate Ukraine's fightback against Vladimir Putin.

The Ukrainian President turned down an evacuation offer from the US, reportedly telling Washington: 'I need ammunition, not a ride.'

Mr Johnson held phone calls with Mr Zelensky on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

When they spoke on Thursday, the Sunday Times reported that Mr Johnson had told his counterpart that 'we are praying for you'.

Allies said that the premier 'tends to leave God out of things' but he was 'very moved'.

Supporters of Mr Johnson believe the Ukraine crisis has prompted the emergence of 'serious Boris'.

The PM addressed the nation on Thursday lunchtime, just hours after Mr Putin invaded Ukraine.

The message was pre-recorded and one witness said Mr Johnson changed his tie before he started.

They said the tie he was wearing was not 'particularly garish' but he opted for a more subdued navy blue.

The PM is well known for ruffling his hair before and during broadcast interviews, but he reportedly let an aide 'run a brush through it' before recording the address.

Allies believe the Russian invasion of Ukraine has provided Mr Johnson with a chance to stabilise his premiership.

The PM has been leading calls for other Western nations to follow the example of the UK and the US in offering more support to Ukraine.

He has also been pushing other countries to agree to the toughest possible sanctions against Russia.

Mr Johnson is said to be of the view that Mr Putin has underestimated Ukraine, with Russian forces facing fierce resistance as they move into the country.

One of the PM's aides told the Sunday Times: 'Boris keeps saying: 'Not this weekend but in the end this will be shown to be Putin miscalculating'.'

The PM also apparently believes Mr Putin is at risk of repeating Russia's past mistakes.

He reportedly told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: 'Though the Soviet Union was never beaten militarily it collapsed because it was economically crippled.

'We've got to hit him hard. If Putin is trying to rebuild the USSR he's not learnt that lesson.'
Scott Morrison's approval rating has jumped following weeks of nonstop campaigning with his 'secret weapon' wife Jenny, however Labor remains steadfastly in the lead.

The ALP's primary vote is at 41 per cent while the Coalition has lifted a point to 35 per cent according to a Newspoll conducted for The Australian.

The Prime Minister's approval rate has risen three points to 43 per cent with dissatisfaction with his performance dropping to 55 per cent.

The leaders are separated by just two points, with Mr Albanese's approval rating rising two points to 40 per cent - as the gap continues to narrow pre-election.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese (pictured) has also seen a jump in his approval rating from 40 to 44 per cent while his disapproval levels fell three points to 43 per cent

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has also seen a jump in his approval rating from 40 to 44 per cent while his disapproval levels fell three points to 43 per cent.

A previous Newspoll on February 13 put Labor a massive 10 points ahead by 55 to 45 on a two-party basis with the ALP maintaining this lead.

A week later, an Essential poll for Guardian Australia revealed the ALP was on 49 per cent and the Coalition on 45 per cent on a two party basis.

Despite this, Mr Morrison - who hit the campaign trail with his 'secret weapon' wife Jenny this week - is still Australia's preferred Prime Minister.

The latest Newspoll shows the public's preferences for a leader remains the same, with a two-party-preferred split of 55-45 per cent in the ALP's favour.

A pre-poll campaign blitz continues for both leaders who recently announced a bipartisan position to Australia's response to the invasion of Ukraine.

'Russia must pay a heavy price,' Mr Morrison told reporters after attending a service at the St Andrews Ukrainian Church in Lidcombe on Sunday.

'We will continue to add to that price as we consider every single option that is in front of us. I've taken nothing off the table.'

Mr Morrison (pictured) - who hit the campaign trail with his 'secret weapon' wife Jenny this week - is still Australia's preferred Prime Minister

He said Australia is already providing significant support in terms of non-lethal aid but would fund weapon supply through NATO.

The PM told the congregation Australia wouldn't seek a 'peace in Ukraine that is based on bending the knee to an autocrat and a thug'.

'We seek a peace that is the sovereignty of Ukraine. That is what peace is for and that is what the world community demands,' he said.

He reassured Ukrainian communities that visas were being processed as a priority as the situation worsened in Kyiv where Russian forces were renewing their assault.

The PM's condemnation of Russia's invasion comes after weeks of campaigning with wife Jenny by his side, in an attempt to win-over the people of Australia.

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Mr Morrison was seen in the kitchen, playing the ukulele for his family and cracking jokes with the Today Show's Karl Stefanovic.

The clips have circulated on social media with viewers divided over whether the PM's attempts at appearing relatable were cringe-worthy or convincing.

Mr Albanese (pictured in Tasmania last week) has criticised the attempts of his counterpart to win the publics' favour through a series of TV and live appearances.

The PM also visited a salon in Melbourne where he massaged an apprentice's head - which was later slammed as a 'sad stunt' by conservative columnist Andrew Bolt.

Mr Albanese has criticised the attempts of his counterpart to win the publics' favour through a series of TV and live appearances.

'This Prime Minister seems to be more interested in stunts than he is in doing his day job,' he said while campaigning in the Tasmanian marginal seat of Bass.

'I notice on the issue of the rather bizarre welding exercise... that he said, well, it's not his day job.

'I say to the Prime Minister, do your day job, forget about the photo ops and the shampooing people's hair, and driving motor cars, and the welding, and indeed, maybe even the ukelele playing, if he can give that a miss too, and do your day job.

'Australians are facing challenges and they want someone to be on top of issues like aged care.'Labor is ready for government. We have done the hard policy work.

'We have continued to critique the government, but we've put forward constructive alternatives going forward.'

Asked about the welding blunder on 2GB, Mr Morrison (pictured with wife Jenny) said: 'This was a pretty tricky little device I was trying to use. I hadn't used that one before'

Asked about the welding blunder on Sydney's Radio 2GB, Mr Morrison said: 'This was a pretty tricky little device I was trying to use. I hadn't used that one before.'

'So if people want to have a chip at me because I'm not a good welder, well, that's not my day job,' he said.

'And if all the narcs in the bubble want to have a crack at me, well, they can. But what I'm doing is showcasing the great work of our apprentices and small businesses.'

The PM last week said the shutting down of rail services in NSW on Monday showed what would happen under a federal Labor government.

'If people want to hand the country to unions under a Labor government led by the most left-wing Labor leader in 50 years... this is what they can expect,' he said.
British Airways has cancelled dozens of flights to and from Heathrow today a day after the airline cancelled all short-haul flights due to a major IT outage on Friday evening.

BA today said the technical issues were resolved but some short-haul flights would be cancelled as a result of the weekend's disruption.

The airline said it has apologised to the affected customers and offered them the choice of a refund or to be booked onto an alternative flight.

Heathrow's departures and arrivals boards showed dozen of BA flights were cancelled up to around 2pm on Sunday.

The airline suffered the major IT outage on Friday evening, which then caused cancellations, flight delays, with passengers stuck on planes after landing at the airport and baggage piling up, as well as delays for BA customers using Gatwick and London City Airport.

BA previously confirmed the issue was not a cyber attack, and that it related to a hardware issue.

Passengers queuing at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning after British Airways cancelled all short haul flights

Passengers were forced to queue at the arrivals entrance to terminal five at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning

Passengers reported receiving emails about flight cancellations just two hours in advance of their flights

British Airways said it had not been attacked and insisted that it was just a 'technical issue'

Confirming 'a small number' of flights would be cancelled today, a spokesman for the airline said: 'Our teams have worked around the clock to resolve the technical issues we've experienced, and the vast majority of our flights today are due to operate as planned.

'Unfortunately, with some of our crew and aircraft out of position as a result of the weekend's disruption, we've regrettably had to cancel a small number of short-haul flights.

'We've been in touch with affected customers to apologise and offer them the choice of a refund or to rebook onto another service.

'We're asking customers due to travel with us today to check ba.com for the latest flight information before they leave for the airport and to check-in online if possible.

'We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience our customers have experienced and thank them for their patience and understanding during this incredibly frustrating period.

'We're doing everything we can to get them to their destinations as soon as possible.'

Hundreds of people were seen queuing outside Heathrow's Terminal 5 on Saturday with staff only letting passengers into the building an hour before their flight, due to the backlog inside.

BA's website and app were inaccessible for hours on Friday evening, preventing customers from checking in online or booking flights.

On Saturday morning, the airline advised customers to check the website for the latest flight information before coming to the airport and said all short-haul flights had been cancelled for the morning.

On Sunday morning, BA customers contacted MailOnline to say the issues were having a knock-on effect at other UK airports.

Joseph Savage said he arrived at Edinburgh Airport this morning to be told his flight to Heathrow was delayed by five hours, meaning he would miss his connection to the U.S.

Mark Yell said the BA check-in desks were empty when he arrived at Manchester Airport.

He said he was forced to get a train to London in order to board his flight from Heathrow to Brazil and said it was 'remarkable' how many other passengers were on trains trying to get to the airport.

Passengers due to fly with BA on Saturday morning experienced cancellations, while electronic boards at Heathrow showed major disruption

Photographs of departure boards in Heathrow Terminal 5 showed few flights boarding, while people complained on social media about a lack of information.

Tom O'Regan said he was due to fly from Heathrow to Naples but his flight was cancelled with 'barely three hours notice'. He said nobody was answering the phone, leaving him and his two young children 'little choice but to go to the airport'.

Customers criticise Heathrow 'chaos' British Airways passengers have criticised the "absolute chaos" at London's Heathrow Airport. Dr Penny Slaney, 62, a consultant radiologist from Worcestershire, told the PA news agency the situation has been 'absolute chaos' and the lack of communication from BA has been 'appalling'. Dr Slaney said she and her daughter were due to be on the 9.15am flight to Salzburg for a holiday before their travel agent managed to move them to the 12.30 flight - but both were cancelled. 'The lack of communication is the primary issue. We heard about the IT issue from a fellow passenger', Dr Slaney said. She said their family have not been on holiday for three years and are missing a day of their week-long break in Austria. 'There was no information from BA at all - nothing. The news has told us more about what is going on', Dr Slaney said. 'It has been absolute chaos. I could organise this better', she said, adding that the staff at the terminal doors checking passenger details looked freezing without any warm clothing. 'They said to us when we got to the door to "go home". I think that is very poorly managed.' Paolo Camara, 41, who is going through Heathrow in transit from Istanbul to his home in Jersey with his friend Francisco Costa, 38, said the situation is a 'nightmare'. 'As soon as I arrived here, I got a message saying our next flight was cancelled', he said, adding that they had paid 1,400 between them for their flights. 'We have tried ringing BA but nobody will answer. It is very confused.' 'It's just a nightmare', he added. 'There is only one more flight to Jersey today and if that doesn't go, we will have to stay in a hotel. 'We have been travelling for seven hours. I just want to go home and relax.' Mr Costa said: 'This is the last time I use these guys. Next time I use a different company.' Susan Watson, who is in her mid-40s and works in London, said she was booked on the 12.15pm flight to travel to Aberdeen for work and to see family. 'I have got my godson's 21st birthday party this evening so I was hoping to be there for that,' she said. 'I'm disappointed for both reasons, for work and for seeing my family and friends, so it is not ideal.' Joe Griffin, 29, and Janelle Yee, 28, both from London, said their 9pm flight to Geneva was cancelled on Friday night after they had checked in. After staying in a hotel, they booked a new flight for 3pm on Saturday but would be unable to get their checked bags back from BA before their holiday. Mr Griffin said: 'We were supposed to fly at 9pm and then it was delayed and after waiting at the gate for an hour one of the pilots came out and said they didn't know what was happening. 'They said "go to a hotel" and when the system was back and running, they would automatically book us on but this didn't happen. 'So we've booked a flight for 3pm today but who knows what will happen. 'I think they can't do anything about it, and without the system they are just screwed', he said, adding that he will cancel his annual leave and 'be back in work on Monday morning' if their flight doesn't go ahead. Ms Yee, who was worried their insurance might not cover the situation, added: "I don't know what to say anymore. We should have booked EasyJet.' Advertisement

Another customer said she was told her flight from Heathrow - which she was taking to see her nephew on his birthday - was cancelled while she made her way to the airport this morning.

Paolo Bischi advised other customers flying from Heathrow on Saturday to 'not waste time, stay home' after not being allowed inside the airport.

Maria Rua Aguete said her BA flight to Barcelona from Heathrow had been cancelled on Saturday morning.

Dr Penny Slaney, 62, a consultant radiologist from Worcestershire, who was caught up in yesterday's delays, told the PA news agency the situation had been 'absolute chaos' and the lack of communication from BA was 'appalling'.

Dr Slaney said she and her daughter were due to be on the 9.15am flight to Salzburg for a holiday before their travel agent managed to move them to the 12.30 flight - but both were cancelled.

'The lack of communication is the primary issue. We heard about the IT issue from a fellow passenger,' Dr Slaney said.

She said their family have not been on holiday for three years and are missing a day of their week-long break in Austria.

'There was no information from BA at all - nothing. The news has told us more about what is going on,' Dr Slaney said.

'It has been absolute chaos. I could organise this better', she said, adding that the staff at the terminal doors checking passenger details looked freezing without any warm clothing.

'They said to us when we got to the door to "go home". I think that is very poorly managed.'

At Heathrow on Friday evening, passengers claimed staff had suggested 'it was probably down to Putin and cyber attacks'.

But BA said it was just a 'technical issue'.

A source familiar with the situation told MailOnline: 'It's absolutely not the case a cyber attack has been carried out.

'This is a technical issue and all flights are still operating and customers are being checked in.'

The issue also affected passengers who were attempting to fly into Heathrow.

Emma Jewell said she was 'stranded' in Iceland with no idea of when she would be able to get home after her flight to Heathrow was cancelled on Saturday.

She told MailOnline that her suitcase was left in London when she flew out to Iceland leaving her 'with no clothes or appropriate footwear'.

She added: 'British airways do not answer the phone and there is no option to book another flight through the "manage my booking" area on their website.

'British Airways have been in the news before with system issues. Is it not time they upgrade to ensure this does not happen again?'

Hayat Wahab said he was stuck in Istanbul, Turkey, for two more nights after his 5.30pm flight to Heathrow was cancelled.

He said he will have to pay extra accommodation costs himself after receiving 'no instruction' from BA.

It was BA's second outage in 10 days and the latest of several high-profile IT incidents to hit the airline.

Last summer BA settled a legal claim over a major data breach that affected 420,000 customers and staff.

The breach in 2018 included the leaking of names, addresses and card payment details and led to the Information Commissioner's Office handing out a fine of 20 million.

On July 18, 2018, computer problems hit BA operations at Heathrow and the airline cancelled a number of short-haul flights after the incident involving a 'supplier IT system'.

In May 2017, 75,000 bank holiday travellers were stranded after a glitch forced the airline to cancel nearly 726 flights over three days.

The outage was suspected to have been caused by human error after an engineer disconnected and then reconnected a power supply to the data centre in an 'uncontrolled and uncommanded fashion'.

The meltdown was blamed by some on aggressive cost-cutting and outsourcing of jobs.
A toddler was allegedly snatched from a playground before being found 20 minutes later in different clothing.

Matthew Passmore was at Kwinana Adventure Plark in Perth with his family on Sunday when his 18-month-old daughter Audrey vanished.

He posted a desperate plea to social media, along with a photo, begging for help to find the young girl.

'I think someone's taken my daughter from the kwiana adventure playground,' he wrote.

'Have called police but if you are in Kwinana and if you see a 1yr old looking bub in green bathers please let me know asap.'

Audrey Passmore (pictured) was allegedly snatched from a playground before being found 20 minutes later in different clothing

About 20 minutes later Audrey was found at a nearby shop after a family noticed two teenage girls running with a toddler in their arms.

When Audrey was reunited with her dad, he noticed she was wearing different clothes.

Two teenage girls were questioned by police on Sunday.

Her mother Erin, who was at work at the time of the incident, said her heart sank when she heard the news.

'Obviously all these horrible thing go through your head with what happened with Cleo Smith ... so I had a bit of a meltdown,' she told 7news.

Both parents were relieved their little girl had been located.

Mr Passmore later shared a picture holding his daughter, captioning the image: 'Back in my arms. She's got no idea what's happened'.

He warned other parents to keep a close eye on their children.

Mr Passmore later shared a picture holding his daughter, captioning the image: 'Back in my arms. She's got no idea what's happened'

Matthew Passmore was at Kwinana Adventure Plark in Perth (pictured) with his family on Sunday when his 18-month-old daughter Audrey vanished

'It only takes two minutes for anything to happen. Never wait and trust your gut.'

The incident comes just months after four-year-old Cleo Smith was abducted from a campsite in Western Australia.

Cleo was holidaying with her family on October 16 at the Blowholes campsite, about 80km north of Carnarvon, when she vanished from her tent.

She had woken about 1.30am and asked for water but when her parents got up at 6am the little girl was gone.

An land, air and sea search failed to find any trace of Cleo. Five days after she went missing police announced they believed Cleo had been abducted and offered a $1million reward.

Cleo was holidaying with her family on October 16 at the Blowholes campsite, about 80km north of Carnarvon, when she vanished from her tent. She was found 18 days later

Two months after the nations most experienced detectives descended on the small West Australian town of Carnarvon to help track down little Cleo Smith, life for locals has largely returned to normal

Cleo quickly became perhaps the most recognisable four-year-old in Australia and within two weeks her smiling face would become famous around the world.

On November 3 police found Cleo alive and well inside a locked house at Carnarvon just minutes from her family home.

Her abductor Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, who was not known to Cleo's family, pleaded guilty to a single charge of child stealing on January 24.
Ukraine war latest, at a glance Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko warns the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into WWIII

The EU has unveiled a new package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik

Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the border with Belarus, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl

Putin orders forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West

U.S. blasts Putin's nuclear order as 'unacceptable' and says war crimes tribunal isn't off the table

Putin's desperate troops adopt 'siege tactics' after being driven out of Kharkiv by resistance fighters

Ukraine's defence ministry claims Russian death toll stands at 4,300

Ukraine's health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia's invasion

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine to three countries, with 150,000 said to have crossed into Poland alone

Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine

Russia acknowledged it had lost troops for the first time today, but did not give a number

BP announces it is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect Advertisement

As the death toll mounts in Ukraine - where at least three children have died since Vladimir Putin ordered the country invaded - a tone-deaf Russian TV host is fuming about how the conflict has cost him access to his Italian luxury villas.

Proponent pro-Putin television personality Vladimir Soloviev publicly lamented Friday losing access to his multimillion-dollar vacation homes due to Italian-imposed sanctions spurred by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

'Is this the Iron Curtain?' Soloviev opined on the set of his late-night program. 'I was told that Europe is a citadel of rights, that everything is permitted, thats what they said.'

While Soloviev stewed over being denied access to his Lake Como properties, just down the street from George Clooney, Kyiv and Moscow leaders said Sunday that they would hold peace talks at the border with Belarus with hopes of ending the bloodshed.

Belarus Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the meeting on Sunday as Vladimir Putin ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West.

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

'Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return,' the statement said.

Zelensky described his discussion with Lukashenko as 'very substantive', adding that he had made it clear he did not want troops to move from Belarus to Ukraine and Lukashenko 'assured him of this'.

In a televised address, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the talks were called after Belarus prepared its forces to join the Russian invasion.

'Today, we were as close as ever to the entry of Belarus armed forces into the war. This is why President Zelensky and President Lukashenko spoke today,' he said in his address.

'We have to defend our northern flank and we have to minimize the threats coming from there. So we agreed to send a delegation to the location on the Ukrainian-Belarus border and we go to there to listen to what Russia has to say.

'We are going there without preliminary agreement on what the outcome of these talks can be. We are going there to say what we think of this war and Russia's actions.'

Kuleba said Belarus had assured Ukraine that no Belarusian military force will be use against Kyiv while the talks take place, but he insisted Ukraine's military military would continue to 'fiercely defend' the country against Russia attacks in the meantime.

'I think the fact Russia wants to talk without any pre-conditions or any ultimatums, without any demands addressed to Ukraine, is already a victory for Ukraine,' he added.

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine around 5pm (3pm GMT), an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said.

It came as Putin declared, in his own televised address, that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg responded: 'This is dangerous rhetoric'.

Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the Hague, with Mr Zelensky requesting that the UN International Court of Justice orders Russia to stop its attack against Ukraine and starts trials soon.

Meanwhile, the EU unveiled a new package of sanctions against Vladimir Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

Elsewhere, oil giant BP announced on Sunday it is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect'.

Chief executive Bernard Looney revealed the move today, saying he was 'saddened' and 'shocked' by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It comes after he was summoned to a meeting with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday amid growing unease about the BP's Russian dealings.

Earlier today, in a speech to mark Russia's special forces day, Putin thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine, before parroting his propaganda line that his armies are providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognized as independent states ahead of its invasion.

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

Russian forces stormed Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv.

However reports in Ukraine suggest troops have managed to successfully repel the Russian advance on Kharkiv, which is close to the Russian border, with one British reporter on the ground confirming that the city remains under Ukrainian control despite this morning's attack.

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, today said Ukrainian troops had managed to reclaim the city. In a post on Telegram, he said: 'Control over Kharkiv is completely ours!

'The armed forces, the national police, and the defence forces are working and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy.'

Kharkiv's defense came as Ukraine's Ministry of Defense today claimed Ukrainian troops had killed or injured more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting.

Russia has not released an updates on its military losses.

The Kremlin accepted it had lost troops in the conflict for the first time today, but did not provide a number. 'There have been killed and wounded among the Russian military during the course of the special military operation,' the defence ministry in Moscow said in a statement quoted by TASS news agency

A US official told Reuters that Russia had committed around two-thirds of its combat power inside Ukraine and launched more than 320 missiles over the course of the conflict.

In an article today, UK Armed Forces minister James Heappey has insisted Putin's 'days are numbered' if he fails in Ukraine, with his campaign falling 'well behind' its planned timeline.

Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said Putin's forces had been unable to capture key cities in the first few days of fighting as intended and had left pockets of 'well-armed' Ukrainians to the rear of their front line.

A picture is emerging of a haphazard and disorganised invasion effort, with armoured columns running out of fuel or getting lost, and some having to advance without air cover.

Heappey wrote in the Telegraph: 'After three days of intense fighting, spurred by dogged Ukrainian resistance, Russia is well behind its planned timeline.

'Progress to Kyiv has been much slower than they'd expected, they were unable to take key cities early and now must try to bypass them.

'This leaves pockets of well-armed and well-trained Ukrainians to the rear of the Russian front line, exposing a vulnerable logistics tail - an omen for what awaits Putin.'

At the same time, Ukrainians are volunteering in their droves, with 'long queues' at recruitment centers, the minister wrote.

'Is this the Iron Curtain?' said journalist and Putin propogandist Vladimir Soloviev, on the set of his late-night program The Evening With Vladimir Soloviev, after learning new sanctions implemented by Italian officials would hinder his access to a pair of properties he owns off Lake Como

Though the attempted takeover has left at least 245 Ukrainians dead, Soloviev seemed most concerned about how the ensuing sanctions will affect his ability to vacation at his sprawling Italian villas.

'I know from personal experience about the so-called "sacred property rights,"' Soloviev, 58, told the show's panel. With every transaction, I was bringing paperwork demonstrating my official salary, income, I did it all.

'I bought it, paid crazy amount of taxes, I did everything,' he griped. 'And suddenly someone makes a decision that this journalist is now on the list of sanctions. And right away it affects your real estate. Wait a minute. But you told us that Europe has sacred property rights!'

Scroll down for video:

A Ukrainian solder smokes a cigarette near his armored vehicle outside Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 26, 2022

Pictured here is one of Soloviev's properties, likely valued in the tens of millions. The estate boasts 14 rooms, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, an entrance hall, a boiler room and a pantry, as well as a 90-sq-m guest house with three guest rooms, two bathrooms, a cellar and a private, gated porch

Pictured here is the second of Soloviev's multimillion-dollar Italian estates, also in Lake Como

Taken aback by the restrictions, which officials said may evolve into the journalist losing the properties altogether if the conflict worsens, Soloviev fumed: 'All of a sudden, now they say: "Are you Russian? Then we will close your bank account, if its in Europe."'

He went on: 'And if its in England, youre allowed to keep no more than a certain amount there. Why? Because youre Russian,'

Renowned Russian economist Mikhail Khazin, 59, interjected: 'And thats if you have an old account. They wont open a new one.'

Soloviev then offered the panel the dramatic comparison between the consequences leveled against Kremlin propogandists by countries against Russia's occupation of the Ukraine, and the Cold War.

'Is this the Iron Curtain?' the host, who appeared visibly emotional during the strange appeal, asked.

Germany-based pundit Alexander Sosnovsky replied: 'Yes, absolutely,' before offering a contentious reclassification of the backlash Kremlin supporters are facing following their full-scale military invasion of Ukraine.

News presenter Soloviev, one of Putin's most used mouthpieces, complained on-air Friday about losing access to the properties as a result of sanctions imposed by Italian officials following Russia's invasion of the Ukraine - which has already resulted in 245 Ukrainian deaths

'The Iron Curtain in its worst manifestation,' the commentator said. 'Painted in LGBT colors.'

Soloviev and the other panelists proceeded to nod in agreement, without mention of the effects the ongoing military occupation has had on Ukrainian citizens.

In 2019, Soloviev and other Kremlin propagandists came under scrutiny after a report by famed Putin rival and Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny revealed the longtime NTV host had not one, but two multimillion-dollar properties just down the road from Clooney's $100m estate on the historic Italian lake.

In 2019, Soloviev and other Kremlin propagandists came under scrutiny after a report by a Putin opponant and Russian anti-corruption activist revealed the existence of the longtime NTV host's multimillion-dollar properties

Ukrainian troops gather around a fire during a brief period of rest as they defend their capital, Kyiv, from Russian forces

A column of Russian military vehicles is seen near the village of Oktyabrsky, Belgorod Region, near the Russian-Ukrainian border, on February 26, 2022

Last Christmas, Navalnys investigative team, FBK, videotaped the state TV hosts luxury abodes using a combination of drones and on-foot lensman, leaving the presenter Ukrainian chocolates - a jab at Soloviev's repeatedly recorded use of anti-Ukrainian propaganda.

Soloviev subsequently became enraged with the grass-roots activist team's reputation-damaging report, publicly calling it an 'outrageous privacy violation.'

Later that year, Navalny was poisoned by nerve agent, which he blamed on the Kremlin. Russian authorities denied any involvement.

Navalny subsequently spent five months recovering in Germany, but was arrested upon his return to Russia and ordered to serve 2 1/2 years in prison, for what Russian officials said was for violating the terms of a suspended sentence stemming from a 2014 fraud conviction.

He is currently serving his sentence, and has since been branded a 'terrorist' by the Kremlin.

A couple embraces, on Maidan Square, February 26, 2022, in Kiev, Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen arrive from Zmeiny Island, their garrison voluntarily surrendering to Russian troops, February 26, 2022

A local man shakes hands with a serviceman of the People's Militia in Stanitsa Luganskaya, a rural town abandoned by Ukrainian troops without resistance, February 26, 2022

Following the revelation of the two sprawling properties' existence - located within a few miles of each other - neighbors have clamored for Soloviev's exile from the highly exclusive resort area, where properties such as Soloviev's are commonly valued in the tens of million.

In 2019, residents launched a petition to get local authorities to ensure the TV talker did not obtain Italian citizenship through his residency.

Now, Soloviev says the sanctions since imposed by Italian government officials against the Kremlin following the full-scale military invasion could result in him losing ownership of both properties, if the conflict worsens.

Russia entered the fourth day of its military operations in the Ukraine Sunday, amid reports that the country's invasion was lagging behind schedule and losing steam amid sanctions leveled against the nation by several countries that have expressed resolve to stand with Ukraine during the conflict.

Ukraines health minister, Viktor Liashko, said in a statement posted to Facebook on Saturday that a total of 198 Ukrainians had been killed in the fighting, up from 137 a day earlier, with more than 1,000 wounded. Three children, he said, were among the dead.

President Putin today praised his special forces for 'heroically carrying out their military duties' in a new televised address, as a British minister said his invasion had fallen 'well behind' its planned timeline and the autocrat could lose his grip on power if it fails.

To mark Russia's special forces day, Putin thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine, before parroting his propaganda line that his armies are providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognized as independent states ahead of its invasion.

Activist Alexei Navalny (left) was poisoned allegedly on orders from Russia's President Vladimir Putin

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

Russian forces today entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv. The Kremlin has so far not declared any fatalities from the fighting, although the head of the Dagestan regional government recently offered his condolences to the family of a slain paratrooper in what may have been a case of going off script.

UK Armed Forces minister James Heappey has insisted Putin's 'days are numbered' if he fails in Ukraine, with his campaign falling 'well behind' its planned timeline and was facing several severe headwinds.

Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said Putin's forces had been unable to capture key cities in the first few days of fighting as intended and had left pockets of 'well-armed' Ukrainians to the rear of their front line.

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

A view of a residential building damaged by recent shelling in Kharkiv on February 26. Russia ordered its troops to advance in Ukraine 'from all directions' as the Ukrainian capital Kyiv imposed a blanket curfew and officials reported 198 civilian deaths

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

A picture is emerging of a haphazard and disorganised invasion effort, with armoured columns running out of fuel or getting lost, and some having to advance without air cover. Heappey wrote in the Telegraph: 'After three days of intense fighting, spurred by dogged Ukrainian resistance, Russia is well behind its planned timeline.

'Progress to Kyiv has been much slower than they'd expected, they were unable to take key cities early and now must try to bypass them.

'This leaves pockets of well-armed and well-trained Ukrainians to the rear of the Russian front line, exposing a vulnerable logistics tail - an omen for what awaits Putin.'

At the same time, Ukrainians are volunteering in their droves, with 'long queues' at recruitment centres, the minister wrote.

Meanwhile, footage from the town of Koryukivka, near the Russian border, showed hundreds of locals massing on a road to block the advance of a Russian tank column. Heappey believes that if Putin fails and ordinary Russians realise 'how little he cares for them ... [his] days as president will surely be numbered and so too will those of the kleptocratic elite that surround him,' he wrote.

'He'll lose power and he won't get to choose his successor.'
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From London to Berlin to Tokyo to Vilnius, hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine.

Thousands gathered in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday morning for an anti-war rally amid international rage at the invasion of Ukraine even as Russia's troops pressed towards the capital, Kyiv.

Police said large crowds have filled the area originally planned for the demonstration, around the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, and that they were allocating additional space to accommodate the protesters.

Sunday's protest was peaceful, including many families with children. People waved yellow and blue Ukrainian flags to show their support. Some carried placards with slogans such as 'Hands off Ukraine' and 'Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.'

More gathered in Madrid holding flags and banners that accused Putin of being akin to Hitler and of carrying out a genocide while demonstrators in the South Korean capital Seoul staged a protest outside the Russian embassy.

Ukrainians living in northern Iraq held an anti-war rally on the doorstep of the United Nation's office in Erbil and women gathered in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius holding placards that branded the Russian president 'Europe's biggest aggressor'.

Meanwhile Pope Francis denounced the 'diabolical and perverse logic' of launching a war in Ukraine and called for humanitarian corridors to welcome Ukrainian refugees fleeing the 'tragic' invasion of their homeland in his strongest public comments yet on Sunday.

Francis has refrained from calling out Russia by name as he seeks to mend ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, and he again omitted any reference to Moscow on Sunday. But he said: 'Those who make war forget humanity,' adding that warfare 'relies on the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons, which is the farthest thing from God's will.'

LONDON: People take part in a demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London, to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Sunday

LONDON: From London to Berlin to Tokyo to Vilnius, hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine

LONDON: Protesters hold a banner saying 'When the last Ukrainian soldier falls, Putin will come for you ladies and gents' as they gather for a demonstration in support of Ukraine

Thousands gathered in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday morning for an anti-war rally amid international rage at the invasion of Ukraine even as Russia's troops pressed towards the capital, Kyiv

BERLIN: Demonstrators hold up placards and Ukrainian flags during an anti-war protest in the German capital on Sunday as Russian troops advanced on Kyiv

BERLIN: Anti-war protesters call on the EU to 'act now' during a rally in Berlin on Sunday, four days after Vladimir Putin ordered an all out invasion of Ukraine

MADRID: Thousands of anti-war protesters gathered in Madrid on Sunday, holding flags and banners that accused Putin of being akin to Hitler and of carrying out a genocide

MADRID: Demonstrators carried signs calling on the Spanish government to stop Putin's invasion of Ukraine during an anti-war rally held in the city on Sunday

MADRID: Demonstrators hold signs reading 'Peace' and wave Ukrainian flags as they gather during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MADRID: An anti-war protester holds a sign demanding President Vladimir Putin is sent to 'hell' in a poster that likens the Russian strongman to German dictator Adolf Hitler

ATHENS: Protesters gathered at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, to rally against the Russian invasion of Ukraine

ATHENS: Crowds of people sing Ukraine's national anthem during a demonstration in front of the Greek parliament in Athens

ATHENS: Protestors, many wearing the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine's flag, gathered to support the country on Sunday

ATHENS: Many Georgian flags were spotted among the Ukraine flags during the demonstration in front of the Greek parliament

ERBIL, IRAQ: Ukrainians living in northern Iraq and their supporters held an anti-war rally on the doorstep of the United Nation's office in Erbil on Sunday

ERBIL, IRAQ: Ukrainians living in northern Iraq staged a demonstration on Sunday holding national flags and seemingly warning 'Ukrainians will resist' after Russia invaded the country on Thursday

ERBIL, IRAQ: Protesters holding Ukrainian flag and posters, gather for an anti-war demonstration in front of the United Nations Office in Erbil on Sunday

SOUTH KOREA: Protesters hold signs likening President Vladimir Putin to German dictator Adolf Hitler, branding a photoshopped mashup of the pair 'Putler' on a faked Time magazine Person of the Year cover

SOUTH KOREA: Ukraine citizens hold placards during a protest against Russia's invasion of their homeland outside of the Russian Embassy in Seoul on Sunday

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis denounced the 'diabolical and perverse logic' of launching a war in Ukraine and called for humanitarian corridors to welcome Ukrainian refugees fleeing the 'tragic' invasion of their homeland in his strongest public comments yet on Sunday

VATICAN CITY: Members of the Ukrainian community of Rome shed tears as they pray while listening to Pope Francis' Angelus prayer on Sunday

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has refrained from calling out Russia by name as he seeks to mend ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, and he again omitted any reference to Moscow on Sunday even as Ukrainian protesters gathered

OXFORD: People take part in a demonstration outside the the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine

OXFORD: Hundreds of anti-war protesters gathered in Oxford on Sunday - some holding signs accusing EU leaders of 'behaving as Putin's prostitutes'

WASHINGTON: Protestors seen in front of the White House are among the thousands of Americans holding rallies across the country demonstrating against the Russian invasion of Ukraine

NEW YORK: A woman carries a sign in the colors of the flag that says 'Stand with Ukraine' at a Times Square rally in support of the Ukrainian people and to protest Russia's invasion of the country on Saturday

NEW YORK: Two protestors climb a pole and wave Ukrainian flags at a 'Stand With Ukraine' rally in Times Square on Saturday

NEW YORK CITY: Hundreds of protesters gathered in Times Square, New York City on February 26, 2022 to stand with Ukraine

Anti-war protests continued in Russia today, with several people arrested in St.Petersburg (Pictured: Protestor whisked away by three Russian police in central St.Petersburg on Sunday)

A protestor is seen on the ground in a struggle with three police officers during an anti-war protest in St.Petersburg on Sunday

A demonstrator wearing a face mask with an inscription reading 'No to war' stands in front of a line of police officers during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Saint Petersburg on February 27, 2022

Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Berlin for an anti-war protest on Sunday after Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany will commit 100 billion euros (84billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above two per cent of its GDP.

Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag in Berlin on Sunday that it was clear 'we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy.'

Germany had come under criticism for not investing adequately in its defense budget and not doing enough to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

On Saturday evening, the German government announced it would be sending weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine to help troops against invading Russia forces.

Meanwhile protesters gathered in Vilnius after the Lithuanian government announced it would close their airspace to Russian planes, joining a growing list of European countries imposing sanctions as the West ramps up pressure on Putin for ordering an invasion of Ukraine.

Several other European countries, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Austria, Italy and Luxembourg have announced similar closures.

Russia announced it is closing its airspace to planes from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Slovenia, a move that comes as Moscow's ties with the West plunge to new lows over its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia's state aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, announced early Sunday that the measure was taken in retaliation for the four nations closing their airspace for Russian planes.

On Saturday, the agency also reported closing the Russian airspace for planes from Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic in response to them doing the same.

BERLIN: A man with a sign saying 'No More Gas From Putin' passes the Reichstag building after Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany will commit 100 billion euros (84billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above two per cent of its GDP

BERLIN: Hundreds of thousands of anti-war protesters gather in Berlin after Chancellor Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag in Berlin on Sunday that it was clear 'we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy'

BERLIN: People attend protest calling to 'stop war' in Ukraine near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, on Sunday, four days after Russia launched an invasion of its neighbour

BERLIN: Demonstrators hold up placards and Ukrainian flags during an anti-war protest near the Brandenburg gate on Sunday

BERLIN: Supporters of Ukraine demonstrate and form the word 'peace' during an anti-war protest attended by hundreds of thousands of people in Berlin on Sunday

BERLIN: Anti-war protesters at a rally in Berlin, Germany, on Sunday after the government joined the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Austria, Italy and Luxembourg in announcing it is closing its airspace to Russia

BERLIN: A demonstrator holds a placard in front of the Reichstag building during an anti-war protest in Berlin on Sunday, four days after Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine

BERLIN: Anti-war protesters gather in Berlin on Sunday, days after Germany came under criticism for not investing adequately in its defense budget and not doing enough to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MADRID: Protestors take part in a demonstration, in support of Ukraine, in front of the Russian Embassy in Madrid on Sunday

MADRID: People protest during a rally against the Ukraine war in Spain with placards that denounce Putin as a 'Killer' who is like Hitler

MADRID: A demonstrator wearing a traditional Ukrainian 'Vinok' flower wreath holds a giant national flag and shouting during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Sunday

PARIS: Protesters hang a banner reading 'let's defend Ukraine' during a demonstration at Saint Michel Square

PARIS: Protesters hold placards calling on the cancellation of visas for Russian expatriates during a demonstration in Saint Michel Square

PARIS: A protester holds a sign saying 'Stop la guerre' (stop the war) during the demonstrating in Saint Michel Square

VILNIUS: Protesters gathered in Vilnius after the Lithuanian government announced it would close their airspace to Russian planes

VILNIUS: Women gathered in the Lithuanian capital after the government said it would join a growing list of European countries closing their airspace to Russia as the West ramps up pressure on Putin for ordering an invasion of Ukraine

VILNIUS: Women protest in Lithuania after Russia announced it is closing its airspace to planes from the country along with Latvia, Estonia and Slovenia, a move that comes as Moscow's ties with the West plunge to new lows over its invasion of Ukraine

VILNIUS: Lithuanian women gathered in front of the Russian embassy in the capital, Vilnius, calling on Russia to 'stop killing your own children' and demanding 'peace now' after Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on Thursday

VILNIUS: Women in Lithuania gathered outside the Russian embassy on Sunday calling on Russian mothers to 'call your sons to come back home' during an anti-war demonstration

VILNIUS: A female protester holds a sign asking Russian mothers why they are 'still silent' and warning them that 'the blood of Ukrainian children is on you too' during an anti-war protest

VILNIUS: Women gathered in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Sunday holding placards of bleeding Ukrainian hearts and signs that branded the Russian president 'Europe's biggest aggressor'

VILNIUS: Lithuanian women gathered in front of the Russian embassy in the capital, Vilnius, calling on Russia to 'stop killing your own children' and demanding 'peace now' after Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on Thursday

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis denounced the 'diabolical and perverse logic' of launching a war in Ukraine and called for humanitarian corridors to welcome Ukrainian refugees fleeing the 'tragic' invasion of their homeland in his strongest public comments yet on Sunday

VATICAN CITY: Members of the Ukrainian community of Rome pray as they listen to Pope Francis' Angelus prayer on Sunday

VATICAN CITY: Ukrainian faithful hold their national flags during Pope Francis' traditional Sunday Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's Square

VATICAN CITY: Dozens of people hold Ukrainian flags as a sign of support for the country following Russia's invasion

VATICAN CITY: After leading the recitation of the Angelus, Pope Francis appealed for prayers for the people of Ukraine

VATICAN CITY: A woman holding a Ukrainian flags as she listens for Pope Francis' Angelus noon prayer in St. Peter's Square

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has refrained from calling out Russia by name as he seeks to mend ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, and he again omitted any reference to Moscow on Sunday even as Ukrainian protesters gathered

VATICAN CITY: People hold Ukrainian flags as Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from a window of the Apostolic Palace at Saint Peter's Square, at the Vatican on Sunday

ST PETERSBURG: People participate in a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine on Sunday

OMSK, RUSSIA: Police arrest an anti-war demonstrator holding a poster which reads 'the war with Ukraine is a shame and a crime' during a rally on Sunday

Protesters gathered in Erbil, northern Iraq, on Sunday on the doorstep of the United Nation's office in anger over Putin's invasion of Russia, which has so far killed at least 64 civilians and injured nearly 200 more - though it believed the 'real figures are considerably higher' because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs relayed the count late Saturday from the UN human rights office, which has strict methodologies and verification procedures about the toll from conflict.

OCHA also said damage to civilian infrastructure has deprived hundreds of thousands of people of access to electricity or water, and produced a map of 'humanitarian situations' in Ukraine - mostly in northern, eastern and southern Ukraine.

Meanwhile the International Committee of the Red Cross said it is aware of requests by Ukraine's UN ambassador and others to repatriate the bodies of Russian soldiers killed in action in Ukraine but has no numbers.

Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya tweeted Saturday that Ukraine has appealed to the ICRC 'to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers' killed during its invasion of Ukraine. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

Kyslytsya tweeted that parents in Russia should have a chance 'to bury them with dignity.' 'Don't let (Russian President Vladimir) Putin hide scale of tragedy,' he urged.

Meanwhile the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said the latest count of Ukrainians arriving in neighboring countries stands at 368,000 and is continuing to rise.

The update from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Sunday more than doubles its estimate a day ago, when it said at least 150,000 have fled Ukraine into Poland and other countries including Hungary and Romania.

Spokesman Chris Meizer said on Twitter that the line of cars at the Poland-Ukraine crossing stood at 8.7mile long 14km), and those fleeing - mostly women and children - had to endure long waits in freezing temperatures overnight.

Poland's government said Saturday that more than 100,000 Ukrainians had crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border in the past 48 hours alone.

ERBIL, IRAQ: Protesters gathered in Erbil, northern Iraq, on Sunday on the doorstep of the United Nation's office in anger over Putin's invasion of Russia, which has so far killed at least 64 civilians and injured nearly 200 more - though it believed the 'real figures are considerably higher' because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed

ERBIL, IRAQ: Protesters gather outside a UN office in Erbil, northern Iraq, to protest against the war after Ukraine's ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya appealed to the ICRC 'to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers' killed during its invasion of Ukraine

ERBIL, IRAQ: Ukrainians and their supporters gather outside UN headquarters in Erbil holding signs calling for the organisation to 'Save Ukraine' and 'Stop Putler', using a mixture of the Russian president's name and the name of German dictator Adolf Hitler

ERBIL, IRAQ: Anti-war demonstrators gather in Erbil, northern Iraq, on Sunday outside the UN office there after the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said the latest count of Ukrainians arriving in neighboring countries stands at 368,000 and is continuing to rise

ERBIL, IRAQ: Ukrainians, living in Erbil, holding Ukrainian flag and posters, gather for a protest in front of the United Nations Office in Erbil on Sunday, four days after Russia invaded their homeland

ERBIL, IRAQ: Protesters gather outside a UN office in Erbil, Iraq, holding Ukrainian flags and signs that accuse Putin of having blood on his hands on Sunday

ERBIL, IRAQ: Protesters gathered in Erbil, northern Iraq, on Sunday on the doorstep of the United Nation's office in anger over Putin's invasion of Russia, which has so far killed at least 64 civilians and injured nearly 200 more - though it believed the 'real figures are considerably higher' because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed

NETHERLANDS: Protesters gather on Dam Square during a demonstration against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Amsterdam

NETHERLANDS: People hold signs with messages including 'stop Putin', 'hands off Ukraine' and 'shelter our sky'

NETHERLANDS: Thousands of people turned out in support of Ukraine during a demonstration on Sunday afternoon

NETHERLANDS: Demonstrators attending the event called for attention for the reception of Ukrainian refugees

NETHERLANDS: Demonstrators hold placards and Ukrainian national flags as they protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine

NETHERLANDS: The bright blue and yellow colours of Ukraine's flag stand out as thousands take to Dam Square in Amsterdam

NETHERLANDS: Demonstrators in Amsterdam hold signs calling for the end of the war in Ukraine and to offer their support

ITALY: Thousands of people on the streets of Naples, Italy, in support of Ukraine following the invasion by Russian forces

ITALY: Huge Ukraine flags draped over the crowds attending the demonstration in Naples, Italy, on Sunday afternoon

ITALY: Demonstrators hold flags, banners and balloons in the colours of Ukraine following the invasion by Russian forces

NOTTINGHAM: A woman wipes away tears during a service to pray for Ukrainians at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and St Alban

ISTANBUL: Anti-war demonstrators protest against the Russian waged war on Ukraine in Istanbul on Sunday, four days after Moscow's troops entered its neighbour

ISTANBUL: People protest against Russian aggression on Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday, four days after Moscow's troops launched an invasion

ISTANBUL: Anti-war protesters gather in Istanbul days after the Turkish president on Thursday told his Russian counterpart that his country did not recognise Russia's move on Ukraine's sovereignty

SOUTH KOREA: Ukrainian nationals in South Korea and their supporters rally near the Russian Embassy in Seoul on Sunday

SOUTH KOREA: Anti-war protesters, many of them with Ukrainian and South Korean flags painted on their masks, waved flags and held signs during a demonstration on Sunday

SOUTH KOREA: Ukrainian nationals in South Korea and their supporters rally near the Russian Embassy in Seoul for an anti-war demonstration on Sunday

Hundreds of Japanese lined the streets in Tokyo's Shibuya district on Sunday in an anti-war demonstration following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on Thursday.

It comes after the Japanese government said it will join the United States and other Western countries in blocking certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT international payment system over the invasion, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Sunday.

Tokyo will put sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and extend $100 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Kyiv, Kishida told reporters.

'This Russian invasion of Ukraine is a unilateral attempt to change the status quo and shakes the international order to its core,' Kishida said. 'We must remain united and take action resolutely.'

Kishida's decision came after the US and its allies took a similar step on Saturday, a move seen to deal a blow to Russian trade and make it harder for Russian companies to do business. US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, was quick to welcome Japan's sanction measure.

'The United States looks forward to coordinating closely with Japan in the coming days to implement these measures and to take further steps together with the G7 and likeminded partners to impose costs on President Putin for his reckless decision to wage war in Ukraine,' he said in a written statement.

Meanwhile anti-war demonstrators gathered in the South Korean capital Seoul for the second day

TOKYO: Hundreds of Japanese lined the streets in Tokyo's Shibuya district on Sunday in an anti-war demonstration following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on Thursday

TOKYO: Protesters gathered after the Japanese government said it will join the United States and other Western countries in blocking certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT international payment system over the invasion, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Sunday

TOKYO: Anti-war protesters holding signs that called for 'No war' and 'Peace for Ukraine' gathered in Tokyo's Shibuya area on Sunday, four days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine

TOKYO: An anti-war demonstrator in the Shibuya area of the Japanese capital holds a placard with a cartoon of Putin as German dictator Hitler with the slogan 'stop invasion'

Thousands hit the streets of Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, to rally alongside Ukrainians against Putin's destructive campaign, including many of Russian descent.

Meanwhile, one woman broke down as she spoke outside the Russian Club on Saturday about how people were 'against' Russia because 'nobody' understands the complexities of the situation.

'I think most [Russian] people are supporting what Putin is doing because we've been waiting eight years to sort out the problems... I hope he knows what he's doing,' she said.

Many Russians from various parts of the community were reluctant to speak about the situation, with some believing there was a crusade against their motherland.

The majority said they needed to discuss the matter with friends and family before 'taking a side' or commenting.

While Russians and Ukrainians joined forces at protests across Australia, heated confrontations erupted between members from the two nations outside the Kremlin's Sydney consulate on Saturday.

Russian loyalists who now live in Australia gathered outside the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Woollahra to show their support for Putin's regime.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Russian nations living in Australia have been left divided as their motherland invades Ukraine under President Vladimir Putin's orders. Pictured: A Russian protester at a Stand With Ukraine Rally in Sydney's CBD on Saturday

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Hundreds of protesters have taken to streets in major Australian cities over the weekend to protest against the Kremlin-led invasion

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Pro-Ukraine protesters call on Russians to take a stand against their government during a rally in Sydney on Saturday

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Ukrainian-Australians with family members caught up in the conflict called on Russia to leave the nation

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Protesters in Martin Place against the Russian invasion hold signs as they brave the wet weather to show their support for Ukraine

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: One man urged for people to help support Ukraine by praying or donating to critical aid

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: One woman bearing both Australian and Ukrainian flags held a sign saying Ukraine's fight is the world's battle for freedom

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Sydneysiders carried the Ukrainian flag through the city's CBD calling for tougher sanctions on Russia (pictured)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Protesters braved wet conditions on Saturday to protest Russian attacks on Ukraine for another day of rallying

WASHINGTON: A man carries a sign that reads 'Help Ukraine, Stop Putin' at a Saturday rally outside the White House

DENVER: Two protestors carry signs that read 'Shelter our sky, Stand with Ukraine' and 'Peace for Ukraine' outside the State Capitol in Denver on Saturday
In todays dystopian nightmare, much like your former college roommate stuck with a sudden vets bill, Ukraine is begging for donations online.

The Eastern European country currently under attack from Russia has raised more than $10 million in cryptocurrency donations as of Sunday morning, according to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, after pleading for financial support through its official Twitter account.

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Stand with the people of Ukraine, the account tweeted Saturday along with codes to its wallets. Now accepting cryptocurrency donations. Bitcoin, Ethereum and USDT.

Mykhailo Fedorov, the vice president of Ukraine, tweeted out the same message.

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Among the donations was a single payment of $1.86 million, according to Elliptic.

Ukraine is raising donations for its army. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

Patreon, meanwhile, suspended the donation page for Come Back Alive, an NGO that provides equipment for the Ukrainian army, saying it violated the platforms policy against funding weapons or military activity.

Come Back Alive has also raised several million dollars in crypto donations, according to Elliptic.

Cryptocurrency is particularly suited to international fundraising because it doesnt respect national boundaries and its censorship-resistant  there is no central authority that can block transactions, for example in response to sanctions, Tom Robinson, Elliptics chief scientist, told CNBC.

Cryptocurrency is increasingly being used to crowdfund war, with the tacit approval of governments.

Russian President Valdimir Putin launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, calling it a special military operation just minutes before firing missiles across the border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said Sunday that a delegation will meet with Russian officials at the Belarusian border as Moscows troops approach Kyiv.
A former high school principal has been slammed for suggesting 'better breeding' is required in order to improve students' grades at a NSW public school.

The acting principal at Lithgow High School had been in a meeting with the director of educational leadership in September 2020 when they made the accusation.

They were asked by the director: 'What will it take to move students from Band 4 to Band 5 in each HSC course?' to which they replied 'better breeding'.

Their contentious response, which was recorded in the minutes of the meeting, has been unearthed by One Nation MP Mark Latham, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The former relief principal was asked by the director: 'What will it take to move students from Band 4 to Band 5 in each HSC course?' to which they replied 'better breeding' (pictured)

One Nation MP Mark Latham (pictured) condemned the 'slur' as 'nasty, elitist and condescending' to the people of Lithgow as well as the students enrolled at the school

Mr Latham condemned the 'slur' as 'nasty, elitist and condescending' to the people of Lithgow as well as the students enrolled at the school.

The MP stumbled upon the comment when reviewing documents about a School Excellence Policy, following a parliamentary call for papers.

Mr Latham said the 'nasty' slur was the last thing the Lithgow community needed as it entered an economic transition following a loss of jobs in the mining sector.

'Is this really how schools in Lithgow are being run? With elitist, condescending, nasty reflections on the breeding of this working class community? he said.

'These are leaders who are supposed to have effective ways of improving school results  yet instead they are sneering at the school community by saying there's something wrong with their breeding.'

Lithgow High School (pictured) is located in the NSW Central Tablelands, about a three hour drive west from Sydney, and has close to 900 students enrolled

The Department of Education has responded to concerns by launching a formal investigation into the comments.

Underneath the initial response of 'better breeding' the relieving principal goes on to suggest grades could be improved by choosing the correct maths course.

'We have the small numbers to allow students to push themselves to achieve mathematically in a higher course,' they wrote.

'This means we achieve bands 3 and 4 in Advanced courses rather than bands 5 in the Standard course. This gives our students more scope to access university courses.'

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she was 'shocked' that such a statement had come from a staff member.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell (pictured) said she was 'shocked' that such a statement had come from a staff member

While it is unclear who made the 'elitist' remark the department of education has stated it came from a former relieving principal at the school.

'The Department unreservedly apologises for the comment, which was inappropriate and doesn't reflect the standards we expect of our principals,' a spokesperson said.

'The comment was made by the then relieving principal, who is no longer in the role or teaching at any school.

'The matter was immediately addressed by the local director. It has been referred to the department's Professional and Ethical Standards Unit.'

Lithgow High School is located in the NSW Central Tablelands, about a three hour drive west from Sydney, and has close to 900 students enrolled.
Special prayer services for peace in Ukraine have been held all over Britain today.

They came after a call from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to set aside this Sunday as a day of prayer.

Both Archbishops issued a pastoral letter to the clergy and people of the Church of England, calling on them to pray for peace in Ukraine.

They wrote: 'This attack is an act of evil, imperilling as it does the relative peace and security that Europe has enjoyed for so long.

Prayer services for peace in Ukraine have been held all over Britain today. Pictured: A service is held at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and St Alban, Ukrainian Catholic Church, Nottingham

A woman wearing a garland of flowers weeps while at the service. The congregation prayed for peace and sung hymns in Ukrainian

Churches all over the country used today as a special time to pray for peace as war rages in Ukraine

Members of the congregation lit candles in remembrance of those who have lost their lives in the conflict

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York said: 'We lament with the people of Ukraine, and we pray for the innocent, the frightened and those who have lost loved ones, homes, and family'

The Very Reverend Father David Senyk (pictured) said: 'It's so difficult for us to be able to provide what we would consider ultimate support and reach out to them, and the best we can do at the moment is through prayer'

'The attack by one nation on a free, democratic country has rightly provoked outrage, sanctions, and condemnation.

'We lament with the people of Ukraine, and we pray for the innocent, the frightened and those who have lost loved ones, homes, and family.

'We continue to call for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces as well as wide-ranging efforts to ensure peace, stability and security.'

At a service at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and St Alban in Sneinton, Nottingham, the Very Reverend Father David Senyk said the people of Ukraine had God's support, before the congregation sang hymns in Ukrainian.

Vadym Prystaiko, (right), the ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, takes part in a special service at the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Holy Family of London

People were visibly emotional at the special service at the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Holy Family of London, which is in Mayfair

Conservative MPs Nickie Aiken and Mark Pritchard take part in the special service that was held on Sunday

Candles were lit as members of the community prayed for those were involved in the conflict

At the Our Lady of the Holy Patronage & St Alban's Ukrainian Catholic Church, in Nottingham, Father Senyk, whose father was Ukrainian, said the invasion was 'difficult not just to explain but to comprehend'

He added: 'I thank God that my father isn't with us today, because this would have broken his heart'

The Church of England's bishop in Europe Robert Innes, who was in Brussels, said: 'Our little church in Kyiv are right at the centre of this crisis'

He said: 'Some of them have fled the city by car, others are still there. These are our people, our brothers and sisters, and of course we are very concerned for their wellbeing and safety'

Father Senyk, whose father was Ukrainian, said the invasion was 'difficult not just to explain but to comprehend'.

'It's so difficult for us to be able to provide what we would consider ultimate support and reach out to them, and the best we can do at the moment is through prayer,' he told the BBC.

'I thank God that my father isn't with us today, because this would have broken his heart.'

A woman puts her hands together in prayer as people came together to hope for peace in Ukraine

A man wearing a blue and yellow scarf comforts a woman during the service in Nottingham

Meanwhile, other church services took place around Britain.

Members of the congregation were visibly emotional during a service at the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Holy Family of London, in Mayfair, which had Ukraine's ambassador to the UK in attendance.

The Church of England's bishop in Europe Robert Innes, who was in Brussels, said: 'Our little church in Kyiv are right at the centre of this crisis.

'Some of them have fled the city by car, others are still there.

'These are our people, our brothers and sisters, and of course we are very concerned for their wellbeing and safety.

'In the face of military action and aggression, we feel powerless.

'What can we do? One thing that we can all do is pray.'

The congregation sang from hymn sheets that had the phrase 'I stand with Ukraine' written on them

An alter boy holds a candle during the prayer service today that called for peace in Ukraine

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York also encouraged the Church of England to join with Pope Francis in making Ash Wednesday on March 2 a day of fasting and prayer for peace.

Pope Francis today denounced the 'diabolical and perverse logic' of launching a war in Ukraine in his strongest public comments yet.

He also called for humanitarian corridors to welcome Ukrainian refugees fleeing the 'tragic' invasion of their homeland.

Francis has refrained from calling out Russia by name as he seeks to mend ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, and he again omitted any reference to Moscow on Sunday.

However, he said: 'Those who make war forget humanity.

He added that warfare 'relies on the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons, which is the farthest thing from God's will.'

The Pope repeated his call for the faithful to mark Ash Wednesday this week as a day of fasting and prayer to show solidarity with the 'suffering people of Ukraine.'

Earlier on Sunday the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople described Russia's invasion as 'beyond every sense of law and morality' and pleaded for an end to the war.
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Massive anti-war protests have erupted across Russia for the fourth day in a row, as Vladimir Putins war on dissent took an ominous turn on Sunday after the state threatened to jail traitors who provide any form of help to embattled Ukraine for 20 years.

Russians in cities spanning from Moscow to Siberia have taken to the streets again on Sunday to protest the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

Peaceful demonstrators in the Russian capital Moscow and St Petersburg chanted No to war before police in riot gear grabbed them and dragged them into police vans.

According to the OVD-Info rights group that tracks political arrests, by Sunday afternoon Russian police had detained at least 356 Russians in 32 cities.

Protests against Putins unpopular war started on Thursday and have continued for four days in a row, despite police swiftly moving to detain hundreds of people each day.

The Russian state has launched a sweeping crackdown on internal criticism of the Ukraine war, and today dramatically accused anyone who provides help to the country of treason to the Motherland.

A demonstrator is detained by police officers in Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 27, 2022

A demonstrator is detained by police officers in Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 27, 2022

Police detain a demonstrator in St Petersburg, Russia, Sunday, February 27, 2022

Demonstrators face police officers during an anti-war protest in Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 27, 2022

Police officers detain a man during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Moscow on February 27, 2022

People participate in a protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine in Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 27, 2022

Demonstrators face police officers during a protest in Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 27, 2022

Police officers detain a man during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Moscow on February 27, 2022

Vladimir Putin visits the National Space Centre construction site in Moscow on February 27, 2022

Police detain a demonstrator during an action against Russia's attack on Ukraine in St Petersburg, February 27, 2022

Riot police officers detain women during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Moscow on February 27, 2022

People take part in a protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Moscow, Russia February 27, 2022

Police officers detain a man during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Moscow on February 27, 2022

The Prosecutor Generals Office of Russia said in a statement: For each fact of providing financial and other assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation, a legal assessment will be given.

Russias Interfax agency reported that the provision of financial, logistical, consulting or other assistance to a foreign state, an international or foreign organization or their representatives in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation contains signs of a crime under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (high treason).

On Saturday, the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor ordered media to remove reports describing the Kremlins attack on Ukraine as an assault, invasion or declaration of war  or face being fined or shut down.

The regulator accused several independent media outlets including television channel Dozhd and the countrys top independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta of spreading unreliable socially significant untrue information about the shelling of Ukrainian cities by the Russian army and civilian deaths.

Citing a request from the General Prosecutors Office, Roskomnadzor said the media outlets that also include Echo of Moscow radio will be blocked unless they remove the unreliable information.

Police officers detain a man as people take part in an anti-war protest, in Moscow, Russia, February 27, 2022

People protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Saint Petersburg on February 27, 2022

Police officers detain a person that takes part in an anti-war protest in Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 27, 2022

Police officers detain a man during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Moscow on February 27, 2022

Riot police officers block Moscow's Pushkinskaya Square on February 27, 2022

Police officers detain a man during an anti-war protest in central Saint Petersburg on February 27, 2022

The Russian media regulator also said that reliable information could be found in official Russian information outlets.

Roskomnadzor also launched an administrative investigation into the dissemination of unreliable publicly significant information by the above-mentioned media, the watchdog said. The offence is punishable by a fine of up to 5 million rubles ($60,000), it said.

Moscow has not so far provided any details of Russian losses in the fighting in the face of statements from Kyiv that they have inflicted heavy casualties on Moscows forces.

The invasion of Ukraine is taking place during an unprecedented attack on the Russian opposition, with top protest leaders assassinated, jailed or forced out of the country.

It comes after human rights advocates warned of a new wave of repression on dissent in Russia as protests got underway.

There will be new (criminal) cases involving subverters, spies, treason, prosecution for antiwar protests, there will be detentions of journalists and bloggers, those who authored critical posts on social media, bans on investigations of the situation in the army and so on, prominent human rights advocate Pavel Chikov wrote on Facebook.

It is hard to say how big this new wave will be, given that everything has been suppressed already.

More than 150 senior Russian officials signed an open letter condemning Putins invasion as an unprecedented atrocity and warning of catastrophic consequences.

The deputies said they were convinced Russian citizens do not back the war and blamed Putin personally for ordering troops into Ukraine in an attack for which there is no and cannot be justification.

Several Russian celebrities and public figures, including those working with state TV, have spoken out against the attack as well.
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Ukraine war latest, at a glance Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko warns the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into WWIII

The EU has unveiled a new package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik

Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the border with Belarus, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl

Putin orders forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West

U.S. blasts Putin's nuclear order as 'unacceptable' and says war crimes tribunal isn't off the table

Putin's desperate troops adopt 'siege tactics' after being driven out of Kharkiv by resistance fighters

Ukraine's defence ministry claims Russian death toll stands at 4,300

Ukraine's health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia's invasion

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine to three countries, with 150,000 said to have crossed into Poland alone

Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine

Russia acknowledged it had lost troops for the first time today, but did not give a number

BP announces it is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect Advertisement

The Ukrainian state security service has officially reported that a rocket attack on Zhytomyr Airport - located some 93 miles west of Kiev - was launched from the territory of Belarus.

Belarusian special forces were seen loading onto airplanes in preparation for an air assault on Kyiv in what could be a widening of the war, military sources stated.

Ukrainian intelligence has reportedly learned from within Belarus that special ops troops have been spotted loading up planes for a major attack.

Videos have circulated of the explosion at Zhytomyr Airport, with reports of shockwaves nearby.

A widening of the conflict to potentially include Russian ally Belarus could signal Vladimir Putins growing fury and frustration as the Russian campaign appears to get bogged down in fierce fighting around Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ukraines second biggest city. It could also run the risk of sucking in other states including NATO allies, triggering a pan-European conflict.

In a bizarre rant on Sunday, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko warned that the war in Ukraine will become a meat grinder.

Speaking at a polling station during a referendum on constitutional change that would give the despot further power, the Putin ally thundered: The conflict in Ukraine is the thin edge of the wedge. Believe me, I know what Im talking about. If it continues like this, the worst will happen.

He [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky] will not be hidden in any American or some other bunker. Thats why the war should be ended today. I wouldnt even call it the war. This is a conflict. The war will last for one-two days, but there will be a meat grinder in three days.

Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Kyivs former defence minister, has claimed that Belarus is about to declare war on Ukraine. The Guardian quoted Zagorodnyuk as saying: Republic of Belarus is highly likely to join the Russian war against Ukraine. On Russian side. There is an information about airborne troopers from Republic of Belarus loaded on the planes to enter Ukraine.

This is a terrible development as it involves a country, which until very recently was a great friend of Ukraine; which people always considered Ukraine as a brotherly nation. Ukraine and Belarus has never been to war one with another in their many hundred years of history.

We believe that the only reason for that decision was personal demand from President of Russia, which completely depends from Putin in its policy.

Footage of the explosion at Zhytomyr Airport 93 miles west of Kiev has been widely circulated online

In a bizarre rant on Sunday, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko (pictured) warned that the war in Ukraine will become a meat grinder

Kremlin forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday from the south, east and from Belarus in the north, having spent weeks building up Russias elite Spetsnaz troops on so-called exercises with their Belarusian counterparts.

Volodymyr Zelenskys office said on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border and did not give a precise time for the meeting.

Russia had announced that its delegation had flown to Belarus to await talks. Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place elsewhere than Belarus, where Moscow placed a large contingent of troops before it invaded Ukraine starting Thursday.

It is thought that the Kremlin underestimated the level of resistance they would meet from Kyivs troops and were overly reliant on trying to panic Ukraine into surrender.

The sluggish Russian effort has sparked Western fears that he could resort to drastic measures to crush the Ukrainian resistance. This could include the use of thermobaric bombs, among the most lethal non-nuclear bombs ever developed.

It comes as Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces put on high alert on Sunday amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko talks to reporters at a polling station after casting his vote in the 2022 Belarusian constitutional referendum, Sunday, February 27, 2022

Ukrainian servicemen have a rest on a position near Kiev, Ukraine, February 27, 2022

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Russian forces are pictured entering Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning. Gun battles are reported to have erupted. Russian vehicles are said to have been marked with a white Z to distinguish them from Ukrainian combatants

Putin's regime 'set for real economic pain' after West removes Russian banks from Swift Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union have announced that selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system. Boris Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky both welcomed the 'increased willingness' to take action against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Here, the PA news agency answers key questions about Swift and why the issue is so important. What is Swift? The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift) is a secure messaging system used by financial institutions to move money around the world. Instead of holding or transferring funds, Swift allows banks and companies to alert each other of transactions that are about to take place. Who uses it? The platform, founded in the 1970s, connects more than 11,000 banking and securities organisations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories. It averaged 42 million messages daily last year to enable payments, with about half of all high-value transactions crossing national borders going through it. Why is it being mentioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine? It is the latest announcement following a number of sanctions that have hit Russia. The Prime Minister told broadcasters during a visit to RAF Brize Norton: 'It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime.' The move has been described by Armed forces minister James Heappey as the 'ultimate economic sanction'. Why does the UK want Russia to be excluded? Banning Russian banks from the platform would hit the country's access to financial markets across the world. This would cause delays and extra costs for the Russian economy, and would make it harder for other countries to make payments to Russia. How significant would the blow to Russia's economy be? In an explanatory Twitter threat, investment specialist Sahil Bloom wrote: 'Cutting off a nation's banks from SWIFT access restricts flows into and out of that nation. 'Russia is a massive economy with tentacles that reach all around the world 'It is a key energy supplier to Europe and the world. It is an exporter of materials critical to the manufacturing of jet engines, semiconductors, automotives, electronics, and fertilizers. Cutting off Russia from SWIFT would impact the flow of payments for these industries.' Some commentators have suggested the move could increase energy prices if European countries are unable to pay Russian suppliers of fossil fuels. Advertisement

Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, the Russian president claimed that leading NATO powers had made aggressive statements along with the West imposing hard-hitting financial sanctions against Russia, including the president himself.

He ordered the Russian defence minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said in televised comments.

His order raised the threat that the tensions with the West over the invasion in Ukraine could lead to the use of nuclear weapons.

The Russian leader this week threatened to retaliate harshly against any nations that intervened directly in the conflict in Ukraine.

Estonias former defence chief Riho Terras claimed that Putins war is not going to plan because Russia is fast running out of money and weapons, and will have to enter negotiations with Volodymyr Zelenskys government if Kyiv holds off the Russians for 10 days.

The Russian president allegedly convened a meeting with the oligarchs in a bunker in the Ural Mountains, at which it is claimed that he furiously vented that he thought the war would be easy and everything would be done in one to four days.

Citing Ukrainian intelligence sources, Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around 15billion-per-day, and that they have rockets for three to four days at most, which they are using sparingly.

Street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Kyiv was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: The past night was tough  more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldnt consider as admissible targets.

Following its gains to the east in the city of Kharkiv and multiple ports, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Zelensky suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4million about 12.4 miles south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraines bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraines government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutors office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the countrys coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraines access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 12 mile bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

A Russian Armoured personnel carrier (APC) burning during fight with the Ukrainian armed forces in Kharkiv on Saturday

An Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighter examines a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv

An Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighter takes the automatic grenade launcher from a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv

A column of Russian military vehicles is seen near the village of Oktyabrsky, Belgorod Region, near the Russian-Ukrainian border, on February 26, 2022

Burning Russian military equipment on the streets of Kharkiv minutes after Russian army entered the city

The paranoid 'old man in the bunker': Isolated Putin spends time 'stewing in his own fears' after 'withdrawing into himself' during pandemic and only has contact with his inner circle Questions have been raised over whether Covid-19 has fueled Vladimir Putin's paranoia after claims emerged the isolated president spent time 'stewing in his own fears' after 'withdrawing into himself' during the pandemic. Putin reportedly only had contact with his inner circle during the pandemic, but even they were asked to present faecal samples several times a week to check for infection and, in some cases, asked to isolate for two weeks before face-to-face meeting. It is the latest in a string of questions being asked about the Russian leader's state of mind after he announced the invasion of Ukraine in 'rambling, terrifying, apocalyptic' fashion. Rumours surrounding the Russian leader's health have been swirling for years, with repeated reports suggesting that he is suffering from cancer and Parkinson's disease, or been affected by long Covid-19 causing 'brain fog'. Fears were raised again yesterday after US Senator Marco Rubio appeared to suggest he believes Putin is mentally unwell in a tweet that warned it was 'pretty obvious' that 'something is off' with the Russian president amid his invasion of Ukraine. 'I wish I could share more, but for now I can say it's pretty obvious to many that something is off with #Putin', the Republican Senator for Florida wrote. 'He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different & significant It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago.' Advertisement

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 23 miles south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the president's office said.

The number of casualties so far from Europes largest land conflict since World War Two remains unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraines UN ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

Laetitia Courtois, ICRCs permanent observer to the UN, told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground and we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.

The United Nations refugee agency said Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighbouring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelensky denounced Russias offensive as state terrorism. He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its UN Security Council seat, he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelensky on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Ukraines president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus.

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelensky adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's offer as manipulation.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The US pledged an additional $350million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The US, European Union and Britain agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing $112.7billion to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defence spending above 2 per cent of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit.

Ukraines ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court's prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use the most unsavoury means, including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons, Truss told Sky News.
A woman claims a doctor told her to go home and watch Netflix after she was rushed to A&E with a headache - which turned out to be a brain tumour.

Lisa Thomas, 46, went to hospital when headaches left her in excruciating pain - but says she wasn't taken seriously as a junior medic told her to 'go home, rest and watch Netflix' to relax in 2017.

Air-traffic controller Lisa paid for a private scan and found out it was an aggressive brain tumour called glioblastoma multiforme after a year of dizziness beginning in late 2016.

Air-traffic controller Lisa paid for a private scan and found out it was an aggressive brain tumour called glioblastoma multiforme

Her symptoms were blamed on fatigue and sinusitis and was called an isolated incident.

Lisa, who lives with Miles 45, and their sons Jake, 11, and Daniel, eight, was then rushed to A&E at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester.

The mum-of-two said: 'I felt like I'd been hit over the head with a hammer - I had never felt a pain like it.

'But the junior doctor told me it's nothing serious and that I should go home, rest and watch Netflix to help me relax.

'After the private scan, I remember looking up 'GBM' online and finding out the awful prognosis.

'After that, I couldn't look at my two boys without crying, imagining them growing up without me being around.

The mum-of-two said: 'I felt like I'd been hit over the head with a hammer - I had never felt a pain like it.

Lisa credits novel treatments, such as Gliadel wafers, which are inserted during surgery, at a private clinic in London with helping her to stay well

On July 17, less than a fortnight after her diagnosis, surgeons at Southampton General Hospital removed the tumour.

She also had eight weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed following the surgery then had scans every three months to check for re-growth.

Five years on, brave Lisa has scans just twice a year after two years of clear scans.

She credits novel treatments, such as Gliadel wafers, which are inserted during surgery, at a private clinic in London with helping her to stay well.

'But now, my eldest son is due to start secondary school this year - which is something I didn't ever think I'd be here for.

'I wanted to wait until I was five years clear to share my story - to help offer hope to at least one other person at a time when they may really need it.'

Hugh Adams, head of stakeholder relations at Brain Tumour Research, said: 'Lisa's story is one of hope and we're thrilled to hear she has outlived her initial prognosis.

'We desperately need more stories like Lisa's.

Lisa, who lives with Miles 45, and their sons Jake, 11, and Daniel, eight, was then rushed to A&E at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester

'If you can get therapeutics into the brain without systemic treatments by using new methods of drug delivery, that has to be a way of improving options of treatment for brain tumour patients.'

Dr Lara Alloway, chief medical officer at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'While we cannot comment on the cases of individual patients, it is fundamental to our values that each patient receives not just high quality care, but also a positive experience.

'We take all feedback very seriously, and should there be an occasion where we do not meet this standard, steps are put in place to ensure it doesn't happen again.

'Anyone who may have concerns is always encouraged to raise it through our customer care team, as has happened in this particular instance.'
Robert Kennedy Jr. has become one of the most prominent voices in the movement against COVID-19 vaccines, to the chagrin of most of his famous family  who have called it 'heartbreaking' to see him devote such passion to advocating against measures aimed at combatting the coronavirus.

The son and namesake of the assassinated Democratic presidential candidate has been vocal against vaccinations for years, but the breaking point for many of his loved ones came after he argued that Anne Frank had it better than Americans under vaccine mandates.

'The minute they hand you that vaccine passport, every right that you have is transformed into a privilege contingent upon your obedience to arbitrary government dictates. It will make you a slave,' he said at an anti-vax rally hosted by his group, The Children's Health Defense, in Washington, D.C., last month.

In the same speech, he likened the Holocaust to COVID-19 safety measures and said 'Even in Hitler's Germany, you could cross the Alps into Switzerland, you could hide in an attic like Anne Frank did.'

'Bobby's lies and fear-mongering yesterday were both sickening and destructive. I strongly condemn him for his hateful rhetoric. He does not represent the views of @RFKHumanRights or our family,' Kerry Kennedy, his sister, tweeted after he gave his speech.

Robert Kennedy Jr. has drawn ire from family members after becoming one of the most prominent voices in the movement against COVID-19 vaccines. He is above at a rally opposed to vaccines in Washington, D.C., last month

The breaking point for many of his loved ones came after he argued that Anne Frank had it better than Americans under vaccine mandates, which his sister Kerry called 'heartbreaking.' The two are pictured above in 2015

Robert's own wife Actress Cheryl Hines (right) has tried to distance herself from his comments, calling them 'reprehensible and insensitive.' The two are above in 2018 at the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Robert, 68, the third of RFK's eleven children, was nine years old when his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963. Five years later, he was a pallbearer at his father's funeral.

He went on to graduate from Harvard but faced numerous scandals later in life and has sparked controversy by pushing several conspiracy theories.

Robert has spread vaccine conspiracy theories to his social media followers and has accused Anthony Fauci and Microsoft founder Bill Gates of working with Big Pharma to profit from the COVID vaccine rollout. He has also claimed that 5G towers are being installed across the nation 'to harvest our data and control our behavior.'

His family has often dealt with such matters in private. Some have spoken out against his anti-vaccine views in the past, but are pushing back harder than before in the wake of his Anne Frank comments.

'I love my brother but could not disagree with him more,' Robert's brother Christopher G. Kennedy said in a statement to the New York Times, published Saturday.

Kerry told The Times that she will always treasure her memories of growing up with Robert.

'We have much more in common than our differences on vaccines, but on that subject we are diametrically opposed. I can't say enough how much I love Bobby. It's so heartbreaking. It's so tough.'

Cheryl Hines (left), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kerry Kennedy were above together attending the 'Wilson' New York screening at the Whitby Hotel in 2017

Hines and Robert Kennedy Jr. were above at the Ripple of Hope Award Gala in 2019

'He was an extraordinary older brother,' she added, recalling how he used to bring her to play outside with his friends and stick up for her when they protested to having a little girl tag along.

'He's brilliant, he's well read, he cares deeply, he is extremely charismatic. He has a childlike buoyancy and lightness to him. He's a beautiful person in a million different ways. And then he has this.'

Robert expressed remorse for his Anne Frank comments in a January 25 tweet, saying: 'I apologize for my reference to Anne Frank, especially to families that suffered the Holocaust horrors,' Kennedy said in a tweet before doubling down on his anti-vax stance.

'My intention was to use examples of past barbarism to show the perils from new technologies of control. To the extent my remarks caused hurt, I am truly and deeply sorry,' he concluded.

But his loved ones were quick to distance themselves from his comments.

Cheryl Hines, Robert's third wife and actress on HBO's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' called the reference to Anne Frank 'reprehensible and insensitive' in a tweet that came about 20 minutes after Robert's apology.

The Kennedy family came together in 2019 to mourn 22-year-old Saoirse Kennedy Hill, who died of an accidental overdose at the Kennedy compound in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Ted Kennedy Jr. (left), Joe Kennedy Jr. and Joe Kennedy lll attended the funeral services for Saoirse Roisin Kennedy Hill at Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville

Robert, 68, the third of RFK's 11 children, was nine years old when his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963. Five years later, he was a pallbearer at his father's funeral

Kerry (left) and Robert were pictured above in 1974 with Lemoyne Billings (right)

'The atrocities that millions endured during the Holocaust should never be compared to anyone or anything. His opinions are not a reflection of my own,' Hines tweeted.

Friends have also spoken out against Robert's rhetoric, including writer Blake Fleetwood, who called Robert an 'inspiration' and asked why he was 'risking his whole life' of activism by 'taking on this crusade.'

'Why is he blowing his whole life's work?' Fleetwood asked, as quoted by the New York Times.

And Mike Papantonio, another friend who is a lawyer and talk show host, told the news outlet that: 'Sometimes you want to shake him and say, 'Jesus Christ, Bobby, pay attention to something else.' But at the end of the day he's committed to it. The jaws are locked.'

While Douglas Kennedy, a correspondent at Fox News, didn't condemn his brother specifically, he did speak out in favor of vaccinations.

'I am vaccinated. I got vaccinated as soon as I was able,' he told the New York Times.

Douglas added that Robert 'probably has the most natural political talent of not only everybody in our family in this generation but anybody I have ever met. Most of the time he is motivated to use those talents for good purpose.'

Robert became an environmental advocate earlier in the 2010s, before devoting his passion to the anti-vaccine movement. He made his comments about the Holocaust during a Washington rally on Sunday that was organized by his anti-vaccine nonprofit group

His comments were widely condemned as offensive, outrageous and historically ignorant. Anne Frank is pictured in Amsterdam at age 12 in 1940

Robert didn't only ruffle feathers with his Anne Frank comment, but drew the fury of White House top health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci when he published a book in November called 'The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health.'

After the book was published, Fauci said in a Yahoo News interview that its statements would 'hurt people' and said: 'It's very unfortunate because I don't think he is inherently malicious. I just think he's a very disturbed individual.'

Robert has a past cloaked in adultery, according to the book 'RFK Jr.: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Dark Side of the Dream,' written by author Jerry Oppenheimer.

He allegedly cheated on his first wife Emily Black multiple times and struggled with heroin abuse while the two were students at the University of Virginia, sources close to him told Oppenheimer.

The two married in 1982 and, less than two years later, Robert was on his way to rehab in Rapid City, South Dakota, when he reportedly suffered an almost fatal overdose of heroin on the flight there.

He was found with the drug on the flight and charged with heroin possession and sentenced to community service.

Emily stood by Robert while he eventually got sober and the couple. They had two children together but divorced after 12 years. Before they even finished finalizing their divorce, Robert allegedly proposed to his second wife, Mary Richardson.

The couple had four children during their 18-year marriage, but his philandering led to their divorce in 2010. Robert allegedly had an 'astronomical number' of affairs and kept track of some in a diary that was leaked to the New York Post in 2013, reportedly writing that his greatest flaw was his 'lust demons.'

Mary committed suicide in 2012. Before she died, Mary allegedly told a close friend that she 'feared for her life' and claimed that Bobby 'repeatedly told her that she would be 'better off dead,' and that it would be 'so much easier' if she killed herself,' Oppenheimer wrote in his book.

The tragic American clan suffered another heartbreak in 2019 when Robert's granddaughter, 22-year-old Saoirse Kennedy Hill, died of an accidental overdose at the Kennedy compound in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Robert moved past his drug demons to become an environmental advocate who led the charge to clean up the Hudson River in New York.

He married Hines in 2014.

Robert told the New York Times in an email that his vaccine hesitancy began when he was working to sue coal-burning plants emitting toxic mercury emissions linked to brain damage.

'Women started attending my speeches  they were moms of intellectually disabled children who believed their kids were vaccine injured,' Robert said.

He also said that the mother of a child with autism came to his Cape Cod home with pages of studies defending conspiracy theories about a link between vaccines and autism.


Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott dodged a reporter's question over the weekend on whether Donald Trump should condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine.

Scott, who leads the Senate GOP arm dedicated to electing more Republicans, was quick to condemn the Russian autocrat himself but said it was 'up to' Trump to do so.

Speaking to CBS News at the sidelines of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Scott instead pivoted to calling on Democrat President Joe Biden to do more for Ukraine's government and people and claiming Trump's main focus was helping Republicans take back the majority in Congress in this year's midterms.

Trump invoked outrage across the political spectrum late last week when he praised Russia's authoritarian leader's unprovoked attack on Ukraine as a 'genius' and said his plan of designating two separatist breakaway areas as 'independent' was 'pretty savvy.'

During his big speech headlining CPAC on Saturday evening, Trump walked his comments on Ukraine back but continued to speak glowingly of Putin. He instead blamed the Biden administration for Russian forces' invasion.

'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. Its an outrage, and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur,' Trump told his audience in Florida last night.

A view of damage due to armed conflict between Russia, Ukraine in Donetsk region under the control of pro-Russian separatists, eastern Ukraine on February 27

Ukrainian fighters have continued to stave off a Russian takeover of their country in a historic resistance effort

Should Trump condemn the Russian invasion when he speaks at CPAC tonight? Even out of power, he remains a central figure in many GOP races nationwide.



@CBSNews asked Sen. Rick Scott, head of Sen Rs campaign arm.



We all should.



Trump?



Thats a decision for him. pic.twitter.com/ZKKUFe5JtR  Robert Costa (@costareports) February 26, 2022

Scott would not say that Trump should condemn Putin despite repeatedly being asked

However, he also said: 'Yesterday reporters asked me if I thought President Putin is smart. I said of course hes smart. The problem isnt Putin is smart -- which of course he is smart -- its that our leaders are dumb.'

Shortly before the speech, CBS journalist Robert Costa asked Scott whether Trump should be condemning Putin in future comments.

'Well, clearly, we all ought to be condemning what's going on in Ukraine. I mean, Putin is a thug. We need to hold him accountable. I hope the Biden administration, hope everybody, you know, holds -- does everything they can to hold the Biden administration --' Scott began.

Costa cut Scott short to as if that should include the former president.

'Well that's a decision by President Trump,' Scott replied. 'You know, Biden -- Putin is a thug, it's despicable, my heart goes out to the people of Ukraine.'

'I'm going to do everything I can to help the Ukraine citizens, we need to make sure we provide all the resources we can.'

Costa pressed him again, 'So is it up to him whether he condemns Putin or not?'

'Of course it's always up to him,' Scott said.

Images from the Ukrainian city of Sumy show a Russian tank burning just days after newly revealed dashcam footage showed a huge column of tanks moving into the city

An Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighter examines a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv on February 27

The senator brushed off further questioning on whether Trump should be encouraged to do so.

'It's always up to every individual to do whatever they want,' Scott replied.

Asked if he, as the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, wanted Trump to issue a 'strong message' against the invasion, Scott said: 'Well, I talked to President Trump. I talked to Republicans all over the country. We're all focused on making sure we get the Senate back.'

It's possible Scott does not want to be caught on Trump's bad side, after it was reported that the ex-president has been trying to court Scott to challenge Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell for his top role.

Trump had beseeched Scott during a private meeting at Mar-a-Lago to run for leadership against McConnell, CBS reported..

Scott unequivocally ruled out such a challenge in his Saturday afternoon interview.

Ukraine's forces have been putting up an historic resistance to the Russian military as it attempts to advance on the capital of Kyiv.

Nearly 200 Ukrainians have died as of Saturday morning since Russia's invasion began early last week, an official at Ukraine's Ministry of Health said. More than 1,000 Ukrainian citizens have been injured.

Russia's casualties number more than 3,500, according to the BBC, though reports indicate that the devastating figure has not reached Kremlin-controlled media channels.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Sunday that Kyiv and Moscow would engage in peace talks at his country's border with Belarus. His office released a statement crediting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for brokering the talks, which he said would go on 'without preconditions.'

Lukashenko, who allowed Putin to send his troops to Ukraine via Belarus just days ago, promised that all weapons and war tech stationed in his country would remain on the ground when officials meet.

At the same time Putin declared in a televised addressed that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'.

Hours earlier Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the Hague, with Zelensky requesting that the UN International Court of Justice orders Russia to stop its attack against Ukraine and start trials.

'Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week,' Zelensky said in a statement on Twitter.
Russia Today has been slammed for selling 'Z' merchandise to support the country's brutal invasion of Ukraine.

The state-controlled TV network started flogging items with the logo - which was on the side of military vehicles - to 'support our guys' in the war.

It said the cash raised 'will go to help the refugees of Donbass and the heroes of the RT Children of War project'.

Westerners slammed the channel for capitalising on the war but some joked the 'Z' stood for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

It comes as Tory MPs demanded the TV regulator take action against RT after it called the invasion of Ukraine a 'special military operation' to 'liberate' the country.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries was among those to tell Ofcom to take 'timely and transparent' action against the channel.

The state-controlled TV network started flogging the items over the weekend to 'support our guys' in the war

It said the cash raised 'will go to help the refugees of Donbass and the heroes of the RT Children of War project'. Pictured: A tank with the marking on last week

RT posted a link to its 'Z' merchandise on social media on Sunday morning, saying the channel has 'new merch'.

The tweet showed a number of tops in a range of sizes featuring the logo, on sale for around 12.

The message read: 'RT has new merch. Let's support our guys in Ukraine. We will start sending Z to our friends tomorrow.

'All proceeds from sales will go to help the refugees of Donbass and the heroes of the RT Children of War project.'

The symbol has been widely seen on Russian tanks and other military vehicles streaking across the border into Ukraine over the last few days.

It is believed to have been painted on the side of them to avoid friendly fire during the fog of war, or to note where they are heading.

Professor Michael Clarke, former director of the defence think tank Rusi, told Sky: 'Often these symbols will be location based  they will be communicating where a unit is heading.

'If they were only to mark the vehicles as being Russian, you could just use one symbol.

'The fact that they are different tells you more  they are probably signs which tell you which units are heading to the north-east or north-west of a district, for example.'

The tactic mirrors what UK and US forces used in the First Gulf War when the allies sent to liberate Kuwait marked vehicles with a distinctive upturned chevron [^].

Russia also used similar tactics on military vehicles when its army invaded Crimea in 2014.

Westerners were repulsed by RT's new merchandise, with some saying those working for the organisation should be 'disgusted'.

Francis Scarr, who works for BBC Monitoring in Moscow, tweeted: 'Nothing to see here.

'Just Russian state broadcaster @RT_com selling merchandise endorsing the war in Ukraine.'

Moscow correspondent for the Guardian Andrew Roth posted: 'I hope that there are RT employees who are disgusted by their employer putting out merchandise for a war in Ukraine. This can't be what you want. If it isn't, step up and say so.'

Another put: 'Military propaganda has always been RT's core mission; their employees should know that.'

And one man joked on his Twitter page: 'What does it mean? Does 'Z' refer to Zelensky.' RT has been approached for comment.

Tory MPs over the weekend have led calls for Russia Today to be banned from airing in the UK.

Misinformation about the conflict includes the notion Ukrainian soldiers are 'radical nationalists' who are defending a genocide against Russians.

Its reporters also insisted the Russian military is not targeting civilians, despite images of bloodied Ukrainians and bombed-out towerblocks.

A reporter on Friday evening also compared a law signed by Ukraine's Jewish President Zelensky to the policies of Adolf Hitler.

Culture Secretary Ms Dorries last week told Ofcom to take 'timely and transparent' action against the channel.

But criticism of RT was shrugged off by former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who said on the station last week: 'I have never seen propaganda. I've never seen a lie.'

Despite an expectation that Ofcom would crack down on RT, a spokeswoman last night admitted that no new action had been taken.

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons' Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said RT was 'not an information network, it's a weapon against us'.

'So, what is it doing on our screens when media watchdog Ofcom already has the power to take action?' he added.

The Kremlin-funded news channel, which launched in 2005, is run by Putin's ally Margarita Simonyan, who once said that RT would conduct 'an information war against the Western world'. (Above, Putin and Simonyan in May 2019)

Tory MPs have demanded the TV regulator take immediate action against Russia Today after it described Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine as a 'special military operation' to 'liberate' the country

The Kremlin-funded channel, which launched in 2005, is run by Putin's ally Margarita Simonyan, who once said RT would conduct 'an information war against the West'.

On Wednesday, she wrote on Twitter the invasion was 'a standard parade rehearsal', adding: 'Except this year we have decided to hold the parade in Kyiv.'

Similarly outrageous opinions about the invasion have been spouted by the channel in the past week.

Analysis shows it only refers to the conflict as a 'special military operation' and reporters cite the Russian claim that it will 'liberate the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk peoples' republics'.

On Thursday, news presenter Rory Suchet  the son of ITN journalist John Suchet  repeated Russian defence ministry claims that 'direct fighting with Ukraine soldiers has largely been avoided', despite clear pictorial evidence of clashes.

And on Friday, a voiceover on a package ostensibly to explain the origins of Russia's aggression described a law signed by President Zelensky last July as 'almost a direct copy of a 1935 Reich citizenship law of Hitler's Germany'.

The Mail on Sunday can also reveal that at least 20 current and former British MPs have received almost 100,000 from the channel to speak on its programmes since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Those who have appeared include Tory MP Kwasi Kwarteng, who was paid 750 for an appearance in February 2017 before he was appointed Business Secretary.

On Wednesday, Simonyan (above) wrote on Twitter that the invasion was 'a standard parade rehearsal', adding: 'Except this year we have decided to hold the parade in Kyiv.' Similarly outrageous opinions about the invasion have been spouted by the channel in the past week

Europe Minister James Cleverly appeared on RT in 2016 to discuss the Tory leadership campaign, but said he did not accept payment.

'RT has become considerably more partisan since then and is now a regular mouthpiece for pro Kremlin disinformation,' he added. 'I would not appear now.'

Labour MP Richard Burgon has appeared 11 times and Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell at least three times since 2014. Labour frontbencher David Lammy has earned 2,000 for two appearances.

Mr Campbell said he has 'refused many invitations to appear since those interviews, because I do think it has been much clearer in recent years the extent to which it has become Putin's personal propaganda tool'.

A spokesman for Ofcom said: '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.'

Last night, a number of Russian TV channels appeared to have been hacked, with Ukrainian songs replacing usual programming. Russian Government webpages were down, while RT went offline for several hours.

It was unclear who the hackers are, but the Anonymous group have declared they are 'at war' with Russia.

TOM TUGENDHAT: Russia Today TV channel is nothing but poison, smears and anti-British propaganda, and should have been banned by Ofcom

by Tom Tugendhat for the Mail on Sunday

It's been years since the Russian state even vaguely pretended to be honest. By lying about an invasion, a genocide and a war, Moscow has perfected the art of deception to the point where the only correct action is to ignore what comes out of the Kremlin.

That said, Putin's propaganda is pumped into homes across Britain by his official broadcaster Russia Today (RT).

During the early stages of Covid, the channel spread fear and panic, trying to tear apart our community and undermine our response.

When British firms discovered a vaccine, RT spread lies trying to convince people not to take it, costing lives.

During the early stages of Covid, RT spread fear and panic, trying to tear apart our community and undermine our response

Time and again, the English-language service has done its best to confuse and undermine Britons at times when clarity was so important. It's not an information network. It's a weapon against us.

Our media watchdog, Ofcom, should have banned RT. If it had, viewers would not have been exposed to a correspondent called Rory Suchet (who began his career as a pop music radio DJ), claiming to report from eastern Ukraine as he lied that Russian tanks were helping to 'liberate' the region and that the Ukrainians defending their homes were nationalists and neo-Nazi battalions.

The channel disgracefully allowed a Russian military commander to claim that the Ukrainian army was using civilians as human shields. They're not.

RT is trying to excuse the Kremlin for war crimes being committed by Putin. It gives a platform to charlatans and liars  people such as Alex Salmond (above), the leader of Scotland's independence movement at the last referendum, who was happy to take RT money until this week

Make no mistake, RT is trying to excuse the Kremlin for war crimes being committed by Putin.

It gives a platform to charlatans and liars  people such as Alex Salmond, the leader of Scotland's independence movement at the last referendum, who was happy to take RT money until this week.

Ken Stone, from Stop the War in Canada, still goes on to blame Ukrainians being in front of Putin's tanks.

There's nothing anti-Russian about wanting to shut down this modern-day version of Lord Haw-Haw's propaganda broadcasts during the Second World War.

Russia's poets and scientists have long shared deeper truths with us and worked on building understanding.

RT does the reverse. Even its name is a lie.

This channel doesn't speak for a nation but a single person.

This is Putin's propaganda, and it's poison. It's time Ofcom acted.
Mitt Romney lambasted Vladimir Putin on Sunday as a 'feral' and 'evil' man as the Russian leader continues his assault on Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the nations are set for peace talks.

'John McCain was right. He said he looked into Vladimir Putin's eyes and saw the KGB,' Romney said in reference to the late Senator John McCain's previous description of the Russian leader.

'That's what we're seeing  a small, evil, feral-eyed man who is trying to shape the world in the image where once again Russia would be an empire,' the Utah Republican senator added.

Zelensky said Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the border with Belarus  even as Putin ordered forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West.

The Ukrainian President's office said his delegation and Putin's will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

'Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return,' the statement said.

Republican Senator Rob Portman warned that Ukraine 'needs to be careful' negotiating in talks set up by Belarus.

Senator Mitt Romney lashed out at Vladimir Putin on Sunday for being a 'small, evil, feral-eyed man'

A Russian armored personnel carrier (APC) burns next to a soldier's body during a fight between Russian and Ukrainian ground forces in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Sunday, February 27

Romney on Putin: A small, evil, feral-eyed man Sen. Mitt Romney was mocked for his views about Russia 10 years ago. Now, he discusses that moment after Russia invaded Ukraine. Posted by CNN on Sunday, February 27, 2022

'Belarus is where the Russians wanted to have the meeting,' he noted on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday morning. 'Belarus is aiding and abetting the Russians' attack.'

Romney sat down with The Atlantic for an interview, which was published Sunday, and said: 'President Zelensky is one of the most courageous people of our century. He is the face of good and Putin is the face of evil.'

In 2012, Romney said during a debate with then-President Barack Obama, who was running for reelection, that Russia was the biggest geopolitical foe to the U.S. At the time, Obama lashed out at Romney for being stuck in the Cold War and not realizing more threats are coming from the Middle East.

He told CNN on Sunday that he was right in asserting that at the time, and is proven even more correct now.

'A geopolitical threat they obvious were and continue to be, because Russia continues to fight us at every venue they have. They support the world's worst actors,' Romney said. 'This is what they do.'

He then clarified that long term, China appears to be a bigger threat than Russia.

In a televised address, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the peace talks were called after Belarus prepared its forces to join the Russian invasion.

'Today, we were as close as ever to the entry of Belarus armed forces into the war. This is why Presiden Zelensky and President Lukashenko spoke today,' he said in his address.

'We have to defend our northern flank and we have to minimize the threats coming from there. So we agreed to send a delegation to the location on the Ukraine-Belarus border and we go to there to listen to what Russia has to say.'

'We are going there without preliminary agreement on what the outcome of these talks can be. We are going there to say what we think of this war and Russia's actions,' he added.

Volodymyr Zelensky (left) confirmed Sunday negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow would be held at the border with Belarus - as Vladimir Putin (right) ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West

Kuleba said Belarus had assured Ukraine that no Belarusian military force will be use against Kyiv while the talks take place, but he insisted Ukraine's military military would continue to 'fiercely defend' the country against Russia attacks in the meantime.

'I think the fact Russia wants to talk without any pre-conditions or any ultimatums, without any demands addressed to Ukraine, is already a victory for Ukraine,' he added.

It came as Putin declared, in his own televised address, that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'.

Meanwhile, Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the Hague, with Mr Zelensky requesting that the UN International Court of Justice orders Russia to stop its attack against Ukraine and starts trials soon.

Earlier today, in a speech to mark Russia's special forces day, Putin thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine, before parroting his propaganda line that his armies are providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognised as independent states ahead of its invasion.

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

Russian forces stormed Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv.

However reports in Ukraine suggest troops have managed to successfully repel the Russian advance on Kharkiv, which is close to the Russian border, with one British reporter on the ground confirming that the city remains under Ukrainian control despite this morning's attack.
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Britain is set to be hit by heavy downpours tonight with warnings in place for the River Severn.

Today, the Met Office had forecast the weather to be mostly fine, with some light rain in the northwest and patchy drizzle in the far southwest of England and Wales.

But after this weekend's warmer temperatures, Brits can expect 'changeable weather' over the next week. The south can expect continued sunshine but the Met Office has said the north will experience some chillier temperatures, with flurries of snow to come in the Scottish mountains.

Overnight tonight, rain is forecast for the north and west, with possible heavy showers in western Scotland where gales are also likely. The far northwest is expecting more showers later.

Southeastern areas are forecast to stay dry but experience some cloudy weather this evening.

Ahead of the torrential rain in the South West and parts of the north, the Met Office has today issued 12 flood alerts and warnings.

Warnings are in place for flooding at the North Sea near Bridlington and the South West near the River Severn. There also warnings in place for the River Avon in Worcestershire, River Lugg south of Leominster and the Severn estuary from Gloucester to Sharpness.

However, these are less severe warnings than those in place for the North Sea near Bridlington and the South West near the River Severn.

Over the next week, Brits can expect 'changeable weather' with the south expecting sunshine and the north expecting some chillier temperatures. Pictured: People walk their dogs this morning on Wimbledon Common in the sunshine

CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE, BRISTOL: People bask in the sunshine at the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol today, on the first Sunday since coronavirus restrictions were lifted

Ahead of torrential rain in the South West and parts of the north, the Met Office has today issued 12 flood alerts and warnings. Pictured: Sea swimmers emerge before dawn this morning from the waters of the North Sea at Cullercoats Bay, between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay, on the north east coast of England

Today, the Met Office had forecast the weather to be mostly fine, with some light rain in the northwest and patchy drizzle in the far southwest of England and Wales

WET SLEDDALE RESERVOIR, SHAP, CUMBRIA: Today, a person walks across the bridge at the Wet Sleddale Reservoir in Shap, Cumbria

Groups of people are seen by the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol today, basking in the nice weather in the south west and Bristol and enjoying the first weekend since the end of Coronavirus restrictions (pictured)

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Frank Saunders, said: 'A cold front, followed by cold arctic Canadian air, has now pushed south across the country and has brought a spell of windy, showery and cold weather.

'Gusty winds mean blizzards are possible on higher routes and National Severe Weather warnings are in place.

'The winds pick up again in the weekend with weather fronts bringing rain to the north and west and milder air spreads back in here.'

Pictured: Joggers run through Wimbledon Common in south west London in this morning's bright sunshine

There also warnings in place for the River Avon in Worcestershire, River Lugg south of Leominster and the Severn estuary from Gloucester to Sharpness. Pictured: Sisters Lily-Mae Hall, 9, Darcy-Rae Hall, 6, and Ella-Rose Hall, 5, enjoy the sunny weather in Priory Park, Dudley, West Midlands today

CULLERCOATS BAY: People in the waters of the North Sea at Cullercoats Bay, between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay, this morning

The Environment Agency's message reads: 'River levels remain high at the Haw Bridge river gauge as a result of heavy rainfall.

'Consequently, flooding of property is expected. We expect flooding to affect Abbots Court, Deerhurst. Haw Bridge peaked at 5.12m on Friday morning, 25/02/22.

'We expect river levels to remain high into next week. We are closely monitoring the situation.

'Our incident response staff are liaising with emergency services.

'Please move possessions and valuables off the ground or to safety and avoid contact with flood water.'

SHAP, CUMBRIA: A person walks across the bridge at Wet Sleddale Reservoir in Shap, Cumbria, today

England and Wales is expecting up to 30mm of rain tomorrow. Pictured: Sisters Lily-Mae Hall, 9, Darcey-Rae Hall, 6 and Ella-Rose Hall, 5, make the most of the milder weather today

WIMBLEDON COMMON, LONDON: Joggers bask in today's sunshine ahead of colder weather hitting parts of the country this week

CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE, BRISTOL: People gather beside the Clifton Suspension bridge today on the first Sunday since the Coronavirus restrictions were lifted, coinciding with good weather in Bristol and the south west

Later in the week, some areas are expecting snow flurries and temperatures plunging to -7C. Pictured: Boarders head into the sea before dawn today at Cullercoats Bay, between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay

A sunbather enjoys more spring-like conditions next to the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol today as others gather nearby (pictured)

The UK is expecting cloudy weather and rain on Wednesday and Thursday. And on Friday this band of rain is moving east. Pictured: People emerge from the sea at Cullercoats Bay at dawn this morning

England and Wales is expecting up to 30mm of rain tomorrow- the highest levels of rain forecast on average for the week.

Senior operational meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: 'The most unsettled day of the week will be Monday.

'We are forecasting 20-30mm of rain on Monday.'

He added that lower amounts of rain are expected elsewhere on the same day.

The UK is expecting cloudy weather and rain on Wednesday and Thursday. And on Friday this band of rain is predicted to move east.

The Met Office has said that there are no storms on the horizon with the potential of being named.

It comes after Storms Eunice, Dudley and Franklin caused havoc across the country in the last week, flooding around 400 properties.

There were 25 flood warnings and 29 flood alerts in place in England on Friday morning.

Later in the week, snow flurries are expected in the Scottish mountains. Temperatures are expected to plunge to -7C in some areas.
YouTube has barred Russian state-owned network RT from receiving money from ads running in its videos, Ukraines Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Saturday afternoon.

YouTube has disabled the monetization of Russia Today channels, he tweeted.

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Fedorov, who also serves as the countrys minister of digital transformation, had asked chief executives of the major U.S. tech companies to limit their service to Russia, in an effort to put pressure on Vladimir Putin, who ordered military forces to invade Ukraine earlier this week.

 @YouTube has disabled the monetization of Russia Today channels.  Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 26, 2022

We intend to help Russians and the world to know the truth, he tweeted early on Saturday. Ive contacted @YouTube to block the propagandist Russian channels  such as Russia 24, TASS, RIA Novosti. If they are afraid of speaking the truth, so we should stop this flow of poisonous lies, he added.

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Our goal is not to block the informational sources for Russians, but to engage youth, proactive and smart people, he wrote in a follow-up email.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

According to Reuters, YouTube confirmed on Saturday that it had paused a number of channels ability to monetize on YouTube, including several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions, citing extraordinary circumstances.

YouTube did not immediately respond when the Daily News reached out for comment.

(File) YouTube demonetizes Russias state-owned network RT after plea from Ukraines digital minister. (Shutterstock)

Late on Friday, the head of security policy at Meta, Nathaniel Gleicher, said in a statement that we are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on our platform anywhere in the world. We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media. These changes have already begun rolling out and will continue into the weekend.

Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp among other subsidiaries.

Twitter has also announced measures to stop the spreading of misinformation. Were actively monitoring for risks associated with the conflict in Ukraine, including identifying and disrupting attempts to amplify false and misleading information, the microblogging network said.

We intend to help Russians and the world to know the truth. Ive contacted @YouTube to block the propagandist Russian channels  such as Russia 24, TASS, RIA Novosti. If they are afraid of speaking the truth, so we should stop this flow of poisonous lies.  Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 26, 2022

On Saturday, Fedorov announced that Twitter just made the decision to block Russians the opportunity to register new accounts in Russian Federation.

Fedorov also wrote a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, asking the company to block the Apple Store for citizens of the Russian Federation, and to support the package of US government sanctions!
A former FBI agent is raising questions about Brian Laundrie's suicide after an autopsy revealed that he shot himself on the left side of the head - even though he was right-handed - before he was found dead in a Florida swamp in October.

Retired agent Jennifer Coffindaffer called the finding 'bothersome.'

'Because it does not fit with a right-handed person committing suicide with their off hand,' she told RadarOnline.

Laundrie's remains were found in October after he went on the run as police investigated the death of his fiance, 22-year-old Gabby Petito. The couple had embarked on a 'van life' cross-country road trip in July and had a brush with the law in August, when police in Utah responded to a domestic violence incident between the two.

Laundrie returned to Florida on September 1 without Petito. He was named a person of interest in her disappearance on September 15, but he disappeared two days later.

Petito was found strangled to death near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19. Authorities later said that she had been dead for three to four weeks before the discovery.

Coffindaffer posits that Laundrie, 23, may have been ambidextrous - or that someone may have helped him kill himself.

'I'm not a conspiracy theorist at all but I cannot ignore facts, nor can I ignore statistics,' she said. 'And statistics would say a predominantly right-handed person does not commit suicide with their left hand.'

In an autopsy report released by the Sarasota Medical Examiners office on February 14, investigators observed that Laundrie's 'personal belongings' - including a notebook in which Laundrie confessed to killing his fiance as they traveling the country in a van - 'were surrounded by apparent skeletal human remains that were scattered on top of the dirt ground in plain sight.'

Laundrie vanished on September 13, six days before the body of his fiancee Gabby Petito was found in Wyoming. He was found on October 20 with a gunshot wound to the head

Retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer said that an autopsy report's conclusion that Laundrie shot himself on the left side of the head is 'bothersome' because he was right-handed

'On October 20, 2021 at approximately 0820 hours, search groups found a backpack and shoes that were identified as belonging to Brian Laundrie,' Laundrie's autopsy report reads

The clearing in the Carlton Reserve where DailyMail.com believes the skeletal remains of Brian Laundrie were recovered

The remains were found north of the entrance to Myakkahatchee Creek, in the Big Slough Preserve, off an unpaved trail near a bridge where Brian's parents said he liked to visit. It is four miles north of their home in North Port, Florida

Coffindaffer specialized in gangs, narcotics, organized crime, Title-III electronic surveillance and counterintelligence investigations during her time at the FBI, according to her bio for Eagle Security Group, a firm that offers expert witnesses in court cases.

She also founded Firearms Beyond International, 'whose mission is to teach self-defense, marksmanship, tactical use of force, active shooter self defense and terrorism awareness to civilians,' the bio states.

'To me, the case doesn't end because it ends with a question mark,' she told RadarOnline.

'How or why did he use his non-dominant hand to shoot himself?'

She added that the best chance the public has of seeing any evidence of the case is if Petito's family sues Laundrie's family and estate.

Laundrie's autopsy revealed that his body was 'scavenged' and eaten by wild animals after the fugitive shot himself in the head before it was discovered in a Florida swamp following a six-week-long manhunt.

When officials finally found Gabby Petito's killer, almost all that remained were 'apparent skeletal human remains that were scattered on top of the dirt ground in plain sight.'

Coffindaffer founded Firearms Beyond International, 'whose mission is to teach self-defense, marksmanship, tactical use of force, active shooter self defense and terrorism awareness to civilians'

'On October 20, 2021 at approximately 0820 hours, search groups found a backpack and shoes that were identified as belonging to Brian Laundrie,' according to the highly-anticipated report, released months after the 23-year-old's body was found in the expansive Carlton Reserve.

The 47-page document then notes that Laundrie had been subjected to 'moderately extensive carnivore activity evidenced by multiple gouging and gnawing marks' on his corpse.

'These areas are consistent with carnivores and/or omnivores including canines such as feral dogs and coyotes along with rodents and raccoons,' the autopsy said.

In the report, investigators observed Laundrie's 'personal belongings' - which included a notebook in which Laundrie confessed to killing girlfriend Gabby Petito - 'were surrounded by apparent skeletal human remains that were scattered on top of the dirt ground in plain sight'

The forty-seven page document, released Monday by The Sarasota Medical Examiners office, noted that Laundrie had been subjected to 'moderately extensive carnivore activity evidenced by multiple gouging and gnawing marks' on his corpse

Aside from the notebook, several other items were recovered from a 'drybag' near Laundrie's remains, which found near his parents North Port home, including a wooden box containing the journal as well as several photos.

Both 'the skeletal remains and personal effects were in plain sight and scattered upon the dirt ground,' it said.

According to the report, one of the snaps was a shot of Laundrie. It is not clear what the other photos showed.

The report confirmed that Laundrie died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, as police frantically searched for the man as the primary 'person of interest' in the disappearance of 22-year-old Petito.

The report confirmed that Laundrie died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, as police frantically searched for the man as the primary 'person of interest' in the disappearance of Petito, 22, who had been traveling across the country with Laundrie when she disappeared

Authorities also recovered 'the vast majority of [Laundrie's] skeleton,' aside from a few bones from his teeth and his face upon the discovery of the remains, the filing continues, adding that a toxicology report showed no sign of drug use before his death.

The bombshell document further revealed that authorities recovered a pair of green shorts, shoes, a ring, a backpack and a handgun from what was left of the savaged remains, which was partly concealed by 'overgrown vegetation,' the document said.

Near Laundrie's corpse, at an adjacent 'secondary' scene, authorities recovered animal skeletal remains that suggested the self-professed killer had been hunting before his death.

Lawmen also found a incomplete, handwritten note at the 'secondary' site, but did not detail its contents, as well as a 'MOAB Coffee Roasters' hat belonging to Laundrie, that advertised the same Utah coffee shop were pulled over by police for a domestic incident on 12 August - approximately two weeks before Petito was killed.

Brian Laundrie took responsibility for killing Gabby Petito in the notebook that was found near his remains, the report reveals. Petito last spoke to her parents in August, and her remains were found in September. Laundrie's remains were found in North Port, Florida two week in October - a month after he disappeared. The young couple had been on a cross-country van trip but it turned sour and in August, just a few weeks before she died

The search for Petito began after Laundrie had returned to his parent's Florida home from their trip without her on September 1.

On September 11, Gabby's family reported her missing and two days later, her boyfriend Brian Laundrie vanished from his parents' home.

The young couple had been on a cross-country van trip but it turned sour and in August, just a few weeks before she died.

Chris and Roberta Laundrie, Laundrie's parents, have been widely condemned for not talking with Petito's family or turning their son in to police when he returned home from his trip, especially after she was reported missing.

He left their home on September 13, two days after her family on Long Island reported her disappearance.

Petito's family criticized the Laundries for not helping them. Her remains were soon uncovered in a Wyoming campground on September 19.

Before Petito's disappearance, she and Laundrie were pulled over by Utah police officer in Moab after visiting the 'MOAB Coffee Roasters' on August 12, 2021, who had been responding to a call from a witness who saw the couple involved in a domestic fight.

Last week, an independent investigator has said that the officers who pulled them over should have been suspended for not citing Petito following the violent encounter where she admitted to being the aggressor.

Officers Eric Pratt and Daniel Robbins had pulled the couple over after they responded to a call from a witness who saw the couple involved in a domestic fight.

Bodycam footage showed a visibly shaken Petito admitting to being the aggressor in the public argument. During the conversation, Pratt had noted that Petito should have been arrested for her actions as stated in the Utah state law.

The cops who pulled Petito and Laundrie in Moab, Utah were also recommended for probation for not pressing charges in the incident

An independent investigator revealed that Gabby Petito should have been cited for being the aggressor in a domestic dispute with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie (pictured left). Moab City PD Eric Pratt (right) is seen speaking with Laundrie

The couple, however, managed to dispute the allegations and the officers let them go following a 75-minute conversation on the promise that they spend the night away from one another.

After the bodycam footage emerged, the Price City Police Department launched its own independent investigation and said Wednesday that the officers should have pressed charges in the incident.

'I believe the officers responded to a domestic violence call and had probable cause an act of domestic violence had been committed,' Price Police Capt. Brandon Ratcliffe.

'This should have meant an arrest was made, either by citation or custody.'

Despite evidence pointing towards Petito as the aggressor, Ratcliffe noted that she had probably been the victim of violence in the relationship.

As a result of the investigation, Ratcliffe recommended that Pratt and Robbins be put on probation for how they handled the incident.

He also concluded that he couldn't be certain that the officers could have changed the outcome of Petito's fate if they acted accordingly.

'Would Gabby be alive today if this case was handled differently?,' the report said, according to CNN. That is an impossible question to answer despite it being the answer many people want to know.

'Nobody knows and nobody will ever know the answer to that question.'
Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against Russia at the UN international court of justice at The Hague after days of fighting in the country.

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, took to Twitter earlier today to confirm an application has been sent off as well as calling for Russia to be 'held to account' for 'manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression'.

A recently released video address from Zelensky warned how Putin's and Russia's actions were 'signs of genocide' as they began to 'attacking everything', including civilians.

The Ukrainian president, who is fast becoming a global hero, tweeted: 'Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ.

'Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression.

'We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week.'

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against Russia

Soldiers have bee patrolling the streets of Kyiv, Ukraine, above, enforcing curfews on the city

Smoke rises from a Russian tank which was destroyed by Ukrainian forces in Lugansk

As of this morning it is thought more than 200 people - including young children - have died as a result of the conflict, with over 1,100 wounded since the invasion began on Thursday.

In one of his regular video addresses President Zelensky said: 'The past night in Ukraine was brutal, again shooting, again bombardments of residential areas, civilian infrastructure.

'They are going to bomb our Ukrainian cities even more, they are going to kill our children even more subtly. This is the evil that has come to our land and must be destroyed.'

Zelensky called on foreigners to join the country's battle against the 'Russian war criminals'.

Ukrainian servicemen patrol, pictured, patrol the city of Dnipro, Ukraine

A building in Kyiv, above, was damaged on Saturday after Russia invaded Ukraine last week

A Ukrainian serviceman gives a thumb up riding atop a military vehicle in Lugansk region

'Ukrainians have manifested the courage to defend their homeland and save Europe and its values from a Russian onslaught,' he said.

'This is not just Russias invasion of Ukraine. This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules and peaceful coexistence.'

Delegates from Russia and Kyiv will meet on the Belarus border for peace talks after hundreds of soldiers entered Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv.

Chechen special forces general Magomed Tushaev, above, was killed outside Kyiv

Thousands of Russians, above, have turned out to protest against Vladimir Putin and his war

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

'Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return,' the statement said.

It came as Putin declared in a televised addressed that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'.

It comes after Ukrainian forces obliterated a Chechen special forces column made up of 56 tanks outside Kyiv yesterday, killing general Magomed Tushaev - one of the regime's most highly-decorated soldiers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's apparent thought process for justifying his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is 'deeply concerning' to the United States government, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Sunday.

She refused to weigh in on Putin's 'mental stability' directly, even as lawmakers and foreign policy experts who have dealt with the authoritarian ruler in the past suggest deteriorating health could be behind his ambitions to violently overthrow Kyiv's democratically elected government.

Hours earlier, the Biden administration ramped up its assistance for Ukraine with an additional $54 million in humanitarian aid dedicated toward food, emergency health supplies, high thermal blankets and other measures to help civilians affected by the fighting.

'This additional assistance will support our partners to provide critically needed health care, safe drinking water, sanitation, hygiene supplies, and protection for vulnerable children,' a statement from the US Agency for International Development read. It comes after the State Department authorized $350 million for Ukraine's immediate defense on Saturday.

Psaki spoke with ABC's This Week after Putin indicated in a televised address that he was preparing his military for the possibility of nuclear war in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions.'

British Prime Minister dismissed Putin's nuclear announcement as a 'distraction' from the struggle his troops on the ground are facing in Ukraine.

But Psaki described Putin's actions, as part of a pattern, to justify his actions.

'This is really a pattern that we've seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don't exist in order to justify further aggression.'

Ukrainian soldiers inspect a damaged military vehicle after fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27

A woman clears the rubble in a badly damaged residential building in Mironova Street in Donetsk after a shelling attack on February 27

Nearly 200 Ukrainian citizens have died during the conflict as of Saturday, and more than 1,000 are injured

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki refused to comment on rumors that Vladimir Putin's mental state may have changed

The alarming warning came shortly before Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's office confirmed officials from Moscow and Kyiv would meet for peace talks at his country's border with neighboring Belarus.

Asked about Putin's nuclear defensive measure, Psaki said: 'This is really a pattern that we've seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don't exist in order to justify further aggression.'

She said the US and NATO countries' main 'mistake' up until now has been anticipating Putin's actions 'through the prism of global norms.'

It follows a flurry of speculation over Putin's mental state from current US lawmakers as well as those who have worked with Putin in the past. A video of him clashing with his Intelligence chief went viral last week and sparked questions over whether the Russian leader was even losing the support of his cronies with his sudden and aggressive invasion.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, set rumors ablaze with a cryptic Twitter post on Friday: 'I wish I could share more, but for now I can say it's pretty obvious to many that something is off with Putin. He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different and significant.'

Psaki was asked Sunday, 'Is it the belief of the United States government right now that Vladimir Putin is mentally unbalanced in some way?'

It comes after Putin apparently responded to Russia being booted off the SWIFT global banking system by indicating his military should be ready for nuclear war

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov attend a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia February 27. It appears that there's uneasiness over the unprovoked attack on Ukraine even among Putin's cronies

'Well, without getting into his mental imbalance or stability, what I will say, George, is anyone who watched the speech he gave last week, whether it's Senator Rubio or all of us sitting in the White House, what we heard from President Putin at that time was somebody who was not only justifying the invasion of a sovereign country but clearly had ambitions beyond that,' Psaki replied.

'And one of the mistakes we probably all make is looking at this through the prism of global norms and what the global community believe is behavior that people should operate through as leaders in the world. That is not how he sees the world'

She suggested his extreme isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a hand in his thought process today.

'So I'm not going to make an assessment of his mental stability. But I will tell you, certainly the rhetoric, the actions, the justification that he is making for his actions are certainly deeply concerning to us,' the Biden official said.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner expressed similar concerns on Sunday.

'What we do know is that over the last couple of years, Putin has been more and more isolated. He's not been in the Kremlin for the most part,' Warner told NBC's Meet The Press when asked about Putin's state.

An armored personnel carrier burns and damaged light utility vehicles stand abandoned after fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27

A damaged boiler house in Politboitsov Street in Donetsk after a shelling attack. Tension began to escalate in Donbass on 17 February, with the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic reporting the most intense shellfire in months. Early on 24 February, Russia's President Putin announced his decision to launch a special military operation after considering requests from the leaders of the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic

An apartment building damaged by shellfire in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv. Russian forces launched two different attacks over the weekend in a bid to take the city, both of which have been resisted by Ukrainian defenders

'And when you are an authoritarian leader and you have less and less inputs, and you're only hearing from people that want to say to the boss, 'Hey, you're right,'I think that leads to miscalculation. And I think that is what has happened in the case of his invasion in Ukraine.'

Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said on the same television program that Putin was growing 'increasingly unhinged.'

'To get kicked out of SWIFT, as it happened to Russia yesterday, and then to have the president of Russia get in front of his generals and say we need to prepare for nuclear war -- that doesn't sound very rational to me,' McFaul, who oversaw the US Embassy in Moscow for two years under Barack Obama, said.

He noted that Putin had been in power for more than 20 years.

'I'm nervous that Mr. Putin has been believing his propaganda for decades...even when I was ambassador eight years ago, he was very dismissive of everybody around him, he's out at his compound, doesn't come into town very much and under COVID he's been even more isolated,' he said.

The former diplomat also cast doubt on whether Putin could hold any kind of meaningful negotiations with Zelensky's government -- who he has disparaged as drug addicts and Nazis.

EARLIER: Russian President Putin is increasingly "isolated," Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee Sen.@MarkWarner (R-Va.) says.



"I think that leads to miscalculation." pic.twitter.com/q6wz5PoJBe  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 27, 2022

Rubio, the top GOP senator on the Senate Intelligence Committee, sent the internet into a frenzy when he tweeted about Putin being 'off'

'He's increasingly unhinged in the way he talks about the regime -- just yesterday talking about Zelensky being a neo-Nazi, let's remind everyone watching he's Jewish,' McFaul said. 'That doesn't sound like somebody that's going to sit down and negotiate a peaceful outcome.'

Ukraine's forces have been putting up an historic resistance to the Russian military as it attempts to advance on the capital of Kyiv.

Nearly 200 Ukrainians have died as of Saturday morning since Russia's invasion began early last week, an official at Ukraine's Ministry of Health said. More than 1,000 Ukrainian citizens have been injured.

Russia's casualties number more than 3,500, according to the BBC, though reports indicate that the devastating figure has not reached Kremlin-controlled media channels.

The US and its NATO allies have responded with a series of heavy economic sanctions targeting Kremlin officials including Putin himself. They've also imposed restrictions on Russia's largest banks and moved to cut the country off of the SWIFT global banking system.

The European Union said Sunday it would close its airspace to all Russian planes.

Earlier Sunday Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the Hague, with Zelensky requesting that the UN International Court of Justice orders Russia to stop its attack against Ukraine and start trials.

'Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week,' Zelensky said in a statement on Twitter.
Pennsylvania Republican Senate hopeful Dr. Mehmet Oz made his Conservative Political Action Conference debut Sunday, speaking on a panel about the coronavirus pandemic.

Oz appeared with mRNA vaccine skeptic Dr. Robert Malone and Dr. Brooke Miller, and volunteered that he had taken a COVID-19 vaccine.

'I had the shot,' Oz said, after moderator Jason Rantz asked the panel if they'd been vaccinated. Malone also raised his hand.

'Noooooo!' members of the audience answered.

One male attendee screamed, 'it's poison!'

But Oz also slammed the politicization of the Trump-backed COVID 'cure' hydroxychloroquine and stayed silent when Malone suggested that vaccinations had actually 'enhanced' COVID when a person caught the Omicron variant.

Pennsylvania Republican Senate hopeful Dr. Mehmet Oz made his Conservative Political Action Conference debut Sunday, speaking on a panel about the coronavirus pandemic

Dr. Mehmet Oz (right) volunteered to moderator Jason Rantz (left) that yes, he had been vaccinated against COVID-19. Members of the crowd answered Rantz's question by shouting 'Nooooo!'

At CPAC, Oz talked about the beginning of the pandemic, pointing out his television show, The Dr. Oz Show, was broadcast in around 100 countries.

He said he heard reports from around the world about a promising drug.

'So I learned that there was a medication that most doctors seemed to be confident might help, it was the fog of war, we didn't know for sure, it was something called hydroxycholorquine,' Oz said to cheers.

'At the time, I just said well, you know it's been around 70 years, maybe it has a benefit, theoretically it could, so we should at least be examining it - and then President Trump mentioned it,' he continued.

'And people hated him so much that they began rooting against a solution,' Oz added.

The Food and Drug Administration briefly granted an emergency use authorization for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, anti-malaria drugs, for the treatment of COVID-19, but that ended by June 2020, four months into the pandemic.

A study released this week found that after the FDA yanked its authorization, prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine were twice as high in Trump-voting districts.

A National Institutes of Health clinical trial found that hydroxychloroquine 'provides no clinical benefit' to patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Oz said the jury's still out on the drug - which Trump was using as a preventative.

'And I'm here to say I actually personally am not 100 per cent sure about hydroxychloroquine but that's, at this point, not our fault anymore,' he said.

'It becomes the government's fault when you've prevented people from studying something that might be beneficial - it's applying, I think, to ivermectin, it's true for Vitamin D, it's true for Zinc and Quercetin, there's a bunch of things we could talk about including, by the way, antivirals that only now are getting approved,' he added.

He also claimed that now former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo actually barred Oz from setting up a clinical study of the drug.

'The governor of the state of New York, Andrew Cuomo, banned the clinical study of hydroxychloroquine. Then I said give the pills away, he banned its use, it's prescription, for COVID,' Oz said.

Cuomo signed an executive order in March 2020 that barred doctors from prescribing hydroxychloroquine outside of clinical trials or FDA-approved uses.

'Since when does an elected official with no medical background - even if they had a medical background - have the right to ban a doctor from prescribing an FDA-approved medication?' Oz asked on the CPAC stage.

While Oz said 'Washington got a lot wrong,' he added, 'I want to applaud President Trump and his administration for Operation Warp Speed.'

Operation Warp Speed was the Trump White House's public-private endeavor to create a COVID-19 vaccine fast.

'And before everyone judges the vaccine. China gave us a horrible pandemic and this country gave the world a vaccine,' he said.

'It's our choice if we want to use it,' the GOP Senate hopeful added.

Oz also pushed back on the media narrative that those remaining unvaccinated are all 'knuckle-dragging Republicans - how horrible is that.'

'The reality is, older folks who were vulnerable, 95 per cent of the time did get the vaccine. For them, they did the math, it was worth - they believe - and I do support this, the opportunity of getting the vaccine was worth it,' Oz explained.

He then talked about how his medical student son pushed back on a Columbia University medical school mandate to get a booster.

'He already had his first one to go to school and then he actually got COVID. And he's taking immunology that's teaching him it's not right,' Oz said.

Oz then charged that a lot of people pushing vaccine mandates are 'cowards,' and said Columbia University has since backed down.

Oz, who is running in a crowded GOP Senate primary for the Pennsylvania Senate seat Sen. Pat Toomey is vacating, was quick to say 'no' when moderator Rantz joked about vaccines having Bill Gates- approved tracking devices in them.

But he sat in silence when Malone suggested to the crowd that vaccines made Omicron worse.

'It appears that your risk of getting infected and developing COVID-19 disease from Omicron increases with the number of vaccine shots you've received,' Malone said.

He said this was because 'we have a new virus.'

'The vaccine is designed for the original strain, it is completely mismatched for this strain and the data suggests that we're seeing something akin to vaccine-enhanced disease,' Malone said.


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A caravan of truckers that left California for Washington, D.C., Friday to protest COVID mandates arrived in Las Vegas Saturday with only five trucks in its ranks, organizers revealed, prompting them to abandon the campaign and tell members to merge with other, larger anti-mandate groups racing toward the capital.

The disbanded group, dubbed Freedom Convoy USA 2022 in solidarity with the 'Freedom Convoy' trucker protests that occurring in Canada over the past month, said they were expecting '1,000-2,000 truckers' prior to departing Los Angeles for the cross-country excursion.

However, just one day into the ten-day journey, caravan organizers announced on social media Saturday they were scrapping the planned rallies along their route - as many of the mandates they are protesting have been lifted.

'The launch in California had a good turn out of supporters, but only 5 trucks were with us on arrival in Vegas,' organizers wrote on social media Saturday after the disappointing turnout.

The group was scheduled to pass through Salt Lake City, Utah, and Denver, Colorado before moving on to Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday and Monday - but abandoned those plans after the largely truckerless rally in Sin City.

'To prevent another rally without our truckers - our team will not be moving thru Salt Lake City and Denver,' organizers wrote on social media Saturday morning.

Just one day into the planned five-day expedition, US Freedom Convoy organizers announced they were scrapping the crusade after only five trucks arrived at the convoy's first stop in Las Vegas

The group was scheduled to pass through Kansas and Missouri Sunday and Monday - and eventually Denver, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Columbus on its way to the capitol - but abandoned those plans early Saturday, after a disappointing rally in Las Vegas

Organizers instead instructed remaining revelers to join up with another other group currently en route to the capitol, The People's Convoy, a more than 100-strong force that departed California this week and passed through Texas Sunday (pictured)

Organizers instead instructed remaining revelers to join up with another other group currently en route to the Capitol, The People's Convoy, a more than 100-strong force that departed California the same day and has amassed nearly $1 million in donations,

'There is a much larger convoy called The People's Convoy, that will near the Kansas and St. Louis routes we had planned previously by the morning of February 28th,' they wrote.

'We are focusing on our goal of unity. Follow them! We appreciate everyone who donated towards the truckers. This is a humanitarian effort more than anything.

Organizers also urged the protesters to follow another group, the Texas Convoy, set to set off toward the capital next week.

'There are 2 other convoys that have massive turnouts, and are in progress to the DC area as we speak,' organizers wrote.

'We are making the decision to send any truckers planned to meet at our routes to start heading to DC for the event on the National Mall, or to join the convoys named above as they are about to merge into one.

'We will be posting updates on the major convoys that are uniting as they travel across the country.'

Members of the now disbanded Freedom Convoy will now adjust to a new route, upon meeting up with the much larger People's Convoy in Oklahoma Sunday and Indianapolis Monday

The People's Convoy - which will absorb members from the now-disbanded US Freedom Convoy - rolls through Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Sunday as it travels from California to DC. Supporters waved flags and cheered on the truckers from an overpass

The 100-plus strong caravan was greeted by hordes of followers along I80 in Oklahoma. The burgeoning convoy is set to increase in numbers as other, smaller groups also headed to DC - including the US Freedom Convoy - join the group

The People's Convoy is the biggest group of its kind - boasting hundreds of members and truckers - and is poised to arrive in the nation's capital next week

The group, as well as other similar, smaller outfits, are protesting COVID-related mandates and closures imposed by the US government

The groups, all sharing a common destination of the US capital, are set to convene in DC in early March - where their numbers may reach the thousands, People's Convoy organizers say

The move drew mixed reactions from revelers looking to demand an end to the pandemic- spurred state of emergency that began in March 2020, and the abolishing of government rules requiring masks and vaccinations.

'I spent days trying to coordinate a rally in support of our truckers,' on peeved prospective protester wrote. 'I have three tiny kids and work a full-time job and stretched myself thin then made myself look so stupid. I'm pretty hurt by all this.'

'Give us our money back,' another added, referring to the tens of thousands of dollars in donations the outfit collected from thousands of prospective participants.

'No recent updates, no videos. I don't know what's going on,' another user wrote Friday, ahead of the groups dissolving. 'Seems like they just disappeared. I was told via chat yesterday evening that they would be posting links to live feeds and or people participating that could be followed. Nada.

Approximately two dozen semi-trucks and about 100 other vehicles, traveled eastbound on I-40, near Albuquerque on Friday, in a People's Convoy motorcade that spans eight miles

The People's Convoy was met Friday morning by New Mexico residents who stood on overpasses holding signs and waving American flags

The convoy (pictured in Arizona on Friday morning) started its 11-day trek from California to the nation's capital on Wednesday and, despite facing a weather delay Thursday, is still expected to arrive in D.C. on March 5, where it will be joined by around 25 other truck cavalcades

The user, Genny Scott, continued: 'The only info I can find is on the People's convoy which has a totally different route and ETA at DC,' referring to the group that left California Wednesday with an 8-mile long, more than 100-strong caravan and passed through the Amarillo, Texas, Saturday morning, set to arrive in DC March 5.

Organizers for the Freedom Convoy responded: 'Hey Genny, there is a huge convoy called the Peoples Convoy that took the show to be honest.'

'They left on the 23rd and all the truckers decided to join theirs. The 5 trucks we had at send of chose it would be best to go catch up with them on their routes. We want one giant convoy and its best we give them the lead from hear on out.'

Some users expressed support for the change of plans by Freedom Convoy 2022 organizers.

'I think all of the convoys merging together will have a much bigger impact than several smaller convoys,' one wrote. 'The bigger, the better.'

Supporters watch as People's Convoy truckers depart from Lupton, Arizona earlier Friday morning. The group is headed next to Texas along its route the D.C.

The People's Convoy protestors are calling for a full re-opening of the country and are scheduled to arrive in D.C. on March 5. They are pictured Friday morning leaving Lupton, Arizona

According to an itinerary posted to social media, the Freedom Convoy's route started in LA Friday and was set to make stops in Salt Lake City, Denver and other major cities before arriving in Washington on March 1, ahead of President Joe Biden's inaugural State of the Union address.

However, now, according to organizers, the group plans to meet up with the much-larger People's Convoy at pit stops in Oklahoma Sunday and Indianapolis on March 1 and 2.

The sprawling caravan was recorded passing through Amarillo along Interstate 40 Sunday morning, sporting a force of hundreds of vehicles.

The group, however, is one of several modeled after the Canadian protests planning to march on the US Capitol come March.

Aside from the People's Convoy and the Texas-based faction scheduled to set out from the Lone Star State next Saturday, yet another convoy left California Wednesday from Adelanto, roughly 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, with a force of about 40 truckers.

Before departing from the Southern California city, the revelers staged a rally reminiscent of a Make America Great Again event, waving flags and voicing anti-Biden sentiments, drawing about a hundred or so more vehicles.

There are several other smaller groups also staging similar protest-driven pilgrimages to the nation's capitol with many appearing to be aligned with far-right organizations and activists - with some having connections to the January 6 Capitol attack.

The People's Convoy was traveling I-40 eastbound on Friday (left). Organizers claim they were met with support as they journeyed through New Mexico (right)

Supporters have lined the roads to way and cheer for the convoy participants. This photo was taken Friday morning in Lupton, Arizona

Groups involved include several led by anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as one by Gen. Michael Flynn, a former Trump national security adviser.

Flynn's group, the America Project, has combined its attempts to challenge Covid-19 policies with the relentless promotion of pro-Trump election conspiracy theories.

The group is run by Patrick Byrne, the former chief executive of Overstock.com, who, with Flynn, was central in a plot to persuade the then president Trump to use the military to seize voting machines in a bid to stay in power.

Another group, the American Foundation for Civil Liberties and Freedom, which has been raising money for the protesters, hosted an event in LA last year at which participants issued claims of supposed irregularities in presidential voting results in the state of Michigan.

The various, somewhat disconnected groups, all sharing a common destination of the US capital, all seem set to convene in DC in early March.

Brian Brase, a spokesman for the disbanded Freedom Convoy and truck driver based in Ohio, says his motorcade is expected to grow as the trucks wended across the country. 'We believe tens of thousands will join in,' he said.

The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to prepare for the convoys and assist with traffic control during any demonstrations, The Associated Press reported.

Earlier in the week, Washington DC police nixed officers' leave this past week to prepare for the seemingly numerous caravans of protesters currently headed toward the nation's capitol, sources close to the DC police department revealed.

The department mobilized hundreds of officers to spearhead a large response plan against the convoys, NewsNation reported.

According to an insider close to the department, forces of 500 officers formed each day the past week to form civil disturbance units set to quell the planned demonstrations, which are set to continue into March.

To form these DC response teams, the sources said, US Capitol Police have prohibited leave and time off for all its able-bodied officers.

Facebook shut down The U.S. Freedom Convoy's Facebook page earlier this month - a move the group's organizer called 'censorship at its finest' - which may have contributed to the group's disappointing turnout.

Washington DC police have nixed officers' leave over the next week to prepare for a caravan for Freedom Convoy protesters currently headed toward the nation's capitol, sources close to the DC police department have revealed

Since it was deleted on February 2 - with Facebook explaining it was nixed for 'repeatedly violating our policies around QAnon' - the group was forced to create a series of new Facebook group advertising the planned demonstrations, which may have caused confusion among would-be revelers.

'Attention Freedom Convoy lovers!' one of their new groups, Defeat the Mandates DC, posted earlier in February after the original group's deletion. 'With our other Freedom Convoy to DC group getting taken down by FB, please join this new group now, network and stay updated because it's just a matter of time before our new group gets taken down.'

'Convoy set to take off from California March 1, 2022,' the post declared.

'Get your flags, posters, cameras and warm clothes ready,' another Facebook group created ahead of the planned caravan posted February 6 warning prospective revelers of the dangers they might face during the protest.

'Please understand everyone that this is a massive undertaking, ensuring many things such as fuel, food, where to park, mechanics, etc. all over the country.'
The United States on Sunday condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's order to put his nuclear forces on high alert as dangerous and 'unacceptable.'

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield also said nothing was 'off the table' when asked about the possibility of Putin being tried in international court as a war criminal.

In issuing his order to prepare Russia's nuclear weapons for increased readiness for launch, Putin cited 'aggressive statements' from NATO allies and widespread sanctions imposed by Western nations.

Thomas-Greenfield told CBS's 'Face the Nation' program that Putin's actions have escalated the conflict.

She said the United States was 'continuing to look at new and even harsher measures against the Russians.'

In a separate interview on CNN's State of the Union, the diplomat responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling for Putin to stand trial in the International Court of Justice.

'We're holding the Russians accountable at every level,' Thomas-Greenfield said.

'They are the aggressors. And they have to be held accountable, whether it's in the United Nations or elsewhere. And all of that continues to be discussed and is on the table.

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Ukrainian servicemen have a rest on a position near Kyiv, Ukraine, February 27, 2022

A big fire at a petroleum storage depot after a Russian missile attack, in Vasylkiv, near Kyiv

Thomas-Greenfield said 'everything is on the table' when asked about possibly trying Vladimir Putin in the international criminal court

'As you know, we will be having a discussion in Geneva at the U.N. Human Rights Council, bringing Russia before the Human Rights Council as well. And there's another resolution that we're bringing before the General Assembly in a special emergency meeting that we're requesting tonight.'

Host Dana Bash pressed her, 'You didn't mention a war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Is that also on the table?'

'I think everything is on the table as we move forward. But as we're dealing with the situation today, we're continuing to address all of those issues,' Thomas-Greenfield said.

Zelensky accused the Russian military of genocide in recorded remarks and demanded Putin be tried at the Hague in an early Sunday morning statement on Twitter.

'Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week,' he said.

He said in a video message the same day that Putin's 'criminal actions against Ukraine bear signs of genocide.'

CNN anchor Dana Bash: "You didnt mention a war crimes tribunal in the Hague. Is that also on the table?"



US Amb. to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield: "I think everything is on the table as we move forward." pic.twitter.com/lvN7msm1s4  Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) February 27, 2022

At the Pentagon, a senior U.S. defense official also described Putin's nuclear order as an escalation and said it was 'putting in play forces that, if there's a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous.'

The United States is trying to determine what Putin's order means 'in tangible terms,' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Also on CNN's 'State of the Union' program, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called Putin's nuclear order 'aggressive' and 'irresponsible.'

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Putin was responding to an imaginary threat.

'We've seen him do this time and time again. At no point has Russia been under threat from NATO, has Russia been under threat from Ukraine,' Psaki said on ABC's 'This Week' program.

The United States has not taken sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector off the table, Psaki said.

'But we also want to do that and make sure we're minimizing the impact on the global marketplace and do it in a united way,' she added.

A convoy of military trucks parked in a street in Mykolaivka, Donetsk region, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27

A view of a damaged vehicle in village of Nikolaevka, Donetsk region, Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday announced $54 million in new humanitarian aid for Ukrainians affected by the invasion, which was in addition to the $350 million sent by the United States last week.

'This includes the provision of food, safe drinking water, shelter, emergency health care, winterization, and protection,' Blinken said in a statement.

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate's majority leader, said the White House's request for an additional $6.4 billion in aid would be taken up by the Senate in the coming days.

The Biden administration has worried that its sanctions could raise already-high gas and energy prices in the United States and has taken steps to mitigate that. When it issued sanctions targeting major Russian banks on Thursday, it allowed an exception for energy-related transactions.

In the administration's most urgent public appeal yet to China, Psaki urged the Communist state to issue a formal condemnation of Russia's invasion.

Natali Sevriukova reacts as she stands next to her house following a rocket attack in the city of Kyiv on February 25

'This is not a time to stand on the sidelines,' Psaki said on MSNBC. 'This is a time to be vocal and condemn the actions of President Putin and Russia invading a sovereign country.'

Putin ordered his troops on standby for possible nuclear warfare, alarming the global community

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday that China respects countries' sovereignty, including Ukraine's, but that Russia's concerns about NATO's eastward expansion should be properly addressed.

Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress continued to take an increasingly sharp tone toward Putin, showing that for now both parties are largely backing the Biden administration's efforts.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, told Fox News after the Russian president's nuclear order that 'no country in the world should stand with Putin.'

The California lawmaker blasted Putin as 'reckless, evil and dangerous' and claimed there were two reasons he would put his troops on such a severe alert.

'One, because this war is not going well, and he's being painted into a corner, and he wants to be a stronger hand to try to negotiate a way out,' McCarthy said.

'The second one is he's unstable, that he will literally try to have a nuclear weapon option going forward.'

On CNN, Senator Mitt Romney, a former Republican presidential nominee, called Putin 'a small, evil feral-eyed man who is trying to shape the world in the image where once again Russia would be an empire - and that's not going to happen.'
Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko begged the West to send more military equipment to help his country continue their surprising resistance to overwhelming Russian firepower.

Wearing a flak jacket and surrounded by soldiers shortly after returning from the frontline near Kyiv, Poroshenko said the additional munitions are just as important as the sanctions leveled against Vladimir Putin's regime.

'Every single combat operator should be equipped with anti-tank missiles and that will stop Russian tanks,' Poroshenko told CNN on Sunday. 'Russian tank drivers will refuse to go to Ukraine because that will be unavoidable.

He also pleaded for more anti-aircraft missiles and additional radio equipment.

'All of the nation is fighting. Instead of the glory flowers, Russia receives Molotov cocktails.'

Poroshenko, a 56-year-old billionaire who was president from 2014 until losing to Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019, also praised the Biden administration's leadership as 'really tremendous'.

'I want to thank Joseph Biden, I want to thank American people, and I want thank NATO for their contribution in this success,' Poroshenko said.

'The Ukrainian army proved that Ukraine is a real asset to NATO. Just imagine how strong and resilient the alliance would be with Ukraine,' he added.

Petro Poroshenko, former president of Ukraine, said Sunday that troops need more supplies to continue fighting Russians over control of the country

Amid lowering morale among Russian troops - who've run out of gas, gotten lost, and been attacked by locals while asking for directions in Ukraine - and strengthening sanctions, Putin ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert.

Poroshenko said the implications of the conflict could extend beyond European borders.

'Now it's clear: Putin has launched a war not only against Ukraine, but against the West. Ukraine is only the first phase of this war, and today's Putin decision to put Russian nuclear deterrent forces on high alert creates a completely new security situation.

He added: 'This nuclear madness Putin posed is a much greater threat to the world than Bin Laden. In helping Ukraine to counter the invasion, you are helping yourself to minimize potential loses of your countries in the next phase of the Putin madness.'

Poroshenko and Biden's relationship has a checkered past.

In May 2020, while Biden was gearing up to defeat Donald Trump in the presidential election, a leaked phone call from 2015 between then-vice president Biden and then-president Poroshenko allegedly captured the world leaders discussing the conditions of a $1 billion loan.

It allegedly recorded Biden threatening to hold up aide money if the Poroshenko didn't fire the nation's chief prosecutor, who western nations considered corrupt.

Poroshenko at the time rejected the tapes as a fabrication by pro-Russian forces in Ukraine.

Poroshenko became embroiled in a scandal alongside Biden in 2020 when a leaked audio call appeared to capture them discussing the conditions of a $1 billion loan

As the battle rages on, ssoldiers need radio equipment, armored jackets, helmets, anti-aircraft missiles, Javelins, helmets and more to continue fending off the Russians, Poroshenko said. Local residents are pictured training near Kyiv on January 30, 2022

The former president said: 'Every single combat operator should be equipped with anti-tank missiles and that will stop Russian tanks.' A Russian armored personnel carrier is pictured burning next to an unidentified soldier's body on February 27, 2022

A Ukrainian solider examines a destroyed Russian vehicle after a fight in Kharkiv on February 27, 2022

On Sunday, Poroshenko revealed that about 4,500 Russian troops have died and 50 aircrafts have been shot down since the conflict began last week.

In an effort to stop the bloodshed, Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the border with Belarus, Zelensky confirmed Sunday. The meeting will happen as The Ukrainian president's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

'Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return,' the statement said.

Zelensky described his discussion with Lukashenko as 'very substantive', adding that he had made it clear he did not want troops to move from Belarus to Ukraine and Lukashenko 'assured him of this'.

Poroshenko warned that the Putin-led invasion of Ukraine is only the first phase of the Russian president's plan of 'madness'

Smoke rises from a destroyed Russian tank in the Lugansk region on February 26, 2022. Poroshenko said about 4,500 Russian soldiers have died in the conflict

In a televised address, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the talks were called after Belarus prepared its forces to join the Russian invasion.

'Today, we were as close as ever to the entry of Belarus armed forces into the war. This is why President Zelensky and President Lukashenko spoke today,' he said in his address.

'We have to defend our northern flank and we have to minimize the threats coming from there. So we agreed to send a delegation to the location on the Ukrainian-Belarus border and we go to there to listen to what Russia has to say.

'We are going there without preliminary agreement on what the outcome of these talks can be. We are going there to say what we think of this war and Russia's actions.'

Ukrainian's army has killed 4,500 Russian troops and shot down 50 aircrafts. A Ukrainian soldier is pictured examining a destroyed Russian vehicle on February 27, 2022

In a televised address, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (right) said the talks were called after Belarus prepared its forces to join the Russian invasion. 'Today, we were as close as ever to the entry of Belarus armed forces into the war. This is why President Zelensky and President Lukashenko (left) spoke today,' he said in his address.

Kuleba said Belarus had assured Ukraine that no Belarusian military force will be use against Kyiv while the talks take place, but he insisted Ukraine's military military would continue to 'fiercely defend' the country against Russia attacks in the meantime.

'I think the fact Russia wants to talk without any pre-conditions or any ultimatums, without any demands addressed to Ukraine, is already a victory for Ukraine,' he added.

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine around 5pm (3pm GMT), an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said.

It came as Putin declared, in his own televised address, that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg responded: 'This is dangerous rhetoric'.

Russian forces entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv on Sunday after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv on February 26, 2022

A Ukrainian serviceman and his dog stand in a position near smoke from a burned petroleum storage depot behind after a Russian missile attacked near Kyiv on February 27, 2022

Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the Hague, with Zelensky requesting that the UN International Court of Justice orders Russia to stop its attack against Ukraine and starts trials soon.

Meanwhile, the EU unveiled a new package of sanctions against Vladimir Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

Earlier today, in a speech to mark Russia's special forces day, Putin thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine, before parroting his propaganda line that his armies are providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognized as independent states ahead of its invasion.

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

Ukrainian fighters are pictured testing an automatic grenade launcher taken from a destroyed Russian infantry vehicle on February 27, 2022

Russian forces stormed Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv Saturday after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv.

However, reports in Ukraine suggest troops have managed to successfully repel the Russian advance on Kharkiv, which is close to the Russian border, with one British reporter on the ground confirming that the city remains under Ukrainian control despite this morning's attack.

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, today said Ukrainian troops had managed to reclaim the city. In a post on Telegram, he said: 'Control over Kharkiv is completely ours!

'The armed forces, the national police, and the defence forces are working and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy.'

Kharkiv's defence came as Ukraine's Ministry of Defence today claimed Ukrainian troops had killed or injured more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting. Russia has not released an updates on its military losses.

The Kremlin has so far not declared any fatalities from the fighting, although the head of the Dagestan regional government recently offered his condolences to the family of a slain paratrooper, in what may have been a case of veering off the official script.

A US official told Reuters that Russia had committed around two-thirds of its combat power inside Ukraine and launched more than 320 missiles over the course of the conflict.

In an article today, UK Armed Forces minister James Heappey has insisted Putin's 'days are numbered' if he fails in Ukraine, with his campaign falling 'well behind' its planned timeline.
The world's largest cargo plane by length was severely burnt in a Russian shell attack on Gostomel airport near Kyiv today, Ukraine said.

The Ukrainian-made Antonov-225 Mriya, meaning The Dream, could cost more than $3billion (2.24billion) to repair, a sum Ukraine's state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom said it would try to get Russia to front up.

The 'legendary' plane was originally designed by the Soviet Union when it controlled Ukraine as a Socialist republic but today Ukraine said it was burnt in a Russian attack on Gostomel airport, also known as Hostomel or Antonov airport.

The airfield near Kyiv could play a key role for Russia to send more arms to Ukraine.

In a statement retweeted by the Ukrainian President's office, the country said: 'We will rebuild the plane.

The world's largest cargo plane, the AN-225 Mriya, was severely burnt in a Russian shell attack on Gostomel airport near Kyiv today, Ukraine claimed. Pictured: The Antonov An-225 Mriya arrives at the Chopin Airport on April 14, 2020 in Warsaw, Poland

A photograph was said to show the effects of an alleged Russian shell attack on Gostomel Airport, north west of Kyiv, that destroyed the plane. Both hangers in the picture are engulfed in smoke, with one on fire

The plane (pictured in Warsaw, 2020) was used during the pandemic to ferry millions of masks around the world

There are two hangers at the airport (left), one of which (bottom right) housed the giant plane. The Mriya in its hanger (right) at Gostomel Airport before the alleged attack

The AN-225 was the heaviest aircraft ever built and could carry up to 250 tonnes of cargo

'We will fulfill our dream of a strong, free, and democratic Ukraine.'

The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Ukraine, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union.

At the time of the invasion the plane was unable to fly to safety as it was undergoing repairs at the airport.

NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System detected multiple fires at the airport, including at the hangar where the plane is stored, CNN reports.

A fire broke out at the hangar where the plane is kept and was detected at 11.13am local time on Sunday, according to the NASA data.

In a statement retweeted by the Ukrainian President's office, the country said: 'We will rebuild the plane'

It added: 'We will fulfill our dream of a strong, free, and democratic Ukraine'

The plane had a wingspan of 88 metres (289ft) and a length of 84 metres (276ft) , making it the longest aircraft in existence.

Its cargo hold, at 43 metres long (141ft), was longer than the distance of the world's first powered plane flight, completed by the Wright Brothers in 1903, at 37 metres (121ft).

Ukroboronprom boss Yuri Gusev, 42, said: 'The Russians destroyed An-225 'Dream', it will be restored at the expense of the occupant

'Russian invaders destroyed the flagman of Ukrainian aviation - the legendary An-225 "Dream".

'This happened at Antonov Airport in Gostomel near Kiev, where the plane was.

'Its restoration will cost more than $3billion and will take a long time. Ukraine will put all its efforts to make these work paid by the state-agresor.

Today, as the fighting continued, The Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion. Pictured: Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region

This is the moment a gas pipeline was blown up by Ukraine in the city of Kharkiv, which sits east of Ukraine, close to the Russian border

A column of Russian military vehicles is seen near the village of Oktyabrsky, Belgorod Region, near the Russian-Ukrainian border, on February 26, 2022

Ukrainian troops gather around a fire during a brief period of rest as they defend their capital, Kyiv, from Russian forces

Burning Russian military equipment on the streets of Kharkiv minutes after Russian army entered the city

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

'The invaders destroyed the plane but they can't destroy our common dream. She will surely be reborn.'

It said estimations put the cost of restoring the plane at more than $3billion in a timeframe of more than five years.

He added: 'Our task is to make these costs covered by the Russian Federation, which caused deliberate damage to Ukrainian aviation and freight aviation sector.

'Russia destroyed our "Dream", but the dream of free from occupant Ukraine is impossible to destroy.

'We will fight for our land and our home to a victorious end.'

The maker of the plane, the Antonov Company, said: 'Currently, until the AN-225 has been inspected by experts, we cannot report on the technical condition of the aircraft.'
Ursula von der Leyen last night insisted Ukraine is 'one of us' as she led calls for the war-torn nation to join the European Union.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for his country's urgent ascension to the bloc this weekend and says he has discussed the prospect with EU leaders.

But while European Commission president Ms von der Leyen provided her personal backing, she gave no indication of it being a speedy process.

She told Euronews: 'We have a process with Ukraine that is, for example, integrating the Ukrainian market into the single market. We have very close cooperation on the energy grid, for example.

'So many topics where we work very closely together and indeed over time, they belong to us. They are one of us and we want them in.'

Ms von der Leyen also said trust in Putin is 'completely broken and eroded', as Brussels unveiled a new package of sanctions against Vladimir Putin's regime.

The bloc closed off its airspace to all Russian planes - which later saw Russian carrier Aeroflot suspend all flights to Europe - and banned Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

Ms von der Leyen said this was the first time the EU had done this for a country under attack.

She said: 'We are shutting down the EU's airspace for all Russian aircraft, including the private jets of oligarchs.

'Second, in another unprecedented step, we will ban, in the EU, the Kremlin's media machine.

'The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to support Putin's lies.'

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced the new measures in a press conference this afternoon

Russian forces entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence today claimed it has killed more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting. Russia has not released an updates on its military losses. Pictured: An Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighter examines a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv

A Russian tank burning in the Ukrainians city of Sumy just days after newly revealed dashcam footage showed a huge column of tanks moving in

Ms von der Leyen also revealed further sanctions against the pro-Kremlin regime of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus.

'We will target the other aggressor of this war, Lukashenko's regime, which is complicit in the vicious attack against Ukraine,' she said.

'We will hit them with a new package of sanctions, with restrictive measures against the most important sectors.

'This will stop their exports of products from mineral fuels to tobacco, timber, iron and steel.

'We will also extend to Belarus the restrictions we imposed on dual-exported goods to Russia.

'And in addition we will sanction those Belarusians helping the Russian war effort.'

It comes after a furious Vladimir Putin put the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent on 'alert' as he criticised a wave of Western sanctions including the ejection of several Russian banks from the Swift global payment system.

The EU's plan to fund weapons purchases was unprecedented and would use millions of euros to help buy air defense systems, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and other military equipment to Ukraine's armed forces. It would also supply things like fuel, protective gear, helmets and first aid kits.

The system might also use EU money to reimburse EU countries that have already sent lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine this year, giving an incentive for those countries to invest more in such assistance.

To bolster its military training and support missions around the world, the 27-nation bloc has set up a European Peace Facility, a fund with a ceiling of around 5.7 billion euros.

Some of the money can be used to train and equip partner countries, including with lethal weapons.

Von der Leyen said beyond the weapons purchases, EU nations would shut down EU airspace for Russians - decisions that over a dozen EU members had already announced.

'We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft. These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU,' she said.

She said the EU will also ban 'the Kremlin's media machine. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin's war and to sow division in our union.'

Von der Leyen added that the EU will also target Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko for supporting Russia's widespread military campaign in Ukraine.

'We will hit Lukashenko's regime with a new package of sanctions,' she said.

Vladimir Putin visiting the National Space Agency in Moscow this afternoon

Meanwhile, BP is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect', the oil giant announced on Sunday.

Chief executive Bernard Looney revealed the move today, saying he was 'saddened' and 'shocked' by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It comes after he was summoned to a meeting with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday amid growing unease about the BP's Russian dealings.

There is mounting pressure on politicians and business leaders to severe any and all ties with Vladimir Putin's regime, as images coming out of Ukraine, including of bloodied civilians and wrecked buildings, continue to stoke anger among the British public.

Mr Looney said today: 'I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine...

Russia Today faces furious backlash for selling Ukraine invasion T-shirts with 'Z' logo seen on Putin's tanks and convoys

Russia Today has been slammed for selling 'Z' merchandise to support the country's brutal invasion of Ukraine.

The state-controlled TV network started flogging items with the logo - which was on the side of military vehicles - to 'support our guys' in the war.

It said the cash raised 'will go to help the refugees of Donbass and the heroes of the RT Children of War project'.

Westerners slammed the channel for capitalising on the war but some joked the 'Z' stood for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

It comes as Tory MPs demanded the TV regulator take action against RT after it called the invasion of Ukraine a 'special military operation' to 'liberate' the country.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries was among those to tell Ofcom to take 'timely and transparent' action against the channel.

The state-controlled TV network started flogging the items over the weekend to 'support our guys' in the war

It said the cash raised 'will go to help the refugees of Donbass and the heroes of the RT Children of War project'. Pictured: A tank with the marking on last week

RT posted a link to its 'Z' merchandise on social media on Sunday morning, saying the channel has 'new merch'.

The tweet showed a number of tops in a range of sizes featuring the logo, on sale for around 12.

The message read: 'RT has new merch. Let's support our guys in Ukraine. We will start sending Z to our friends tomorrow.

'All proceeds from sales will go to help the refugees of Donbass and the heroes of the RT Children of War project.'

The symbol has been widely seen on Russian tanks and other military vehicles streaking across the border into Ukraine over the last few days.

It is believed to have been painted on the side of them to avoid friendly fire during the fog of war, or to note where they are heading.

Professor Michael Clarke, former director of the defence think tank Rusi, told Sky: 'Often these symbols will be location based  they will be communicating where a unit is heading.

'If they were only to mark the vehicles as being Russian, you could just use one symbol.

'The fact that they are different tells you more  they are probably signs which tell you which units are heading to the north-east or north-west of a district, for example.'

The tactic mirrors what UK and US forces used in the First Gulf War when the allies sent to liberate Kuwait marked vehicles with a distinctive upturned chevron [^].

Russia also used similar tactics on military vehicles when its army invaded Crimea in 2014.

Westerners were repulsed by RT's new merchandise, with some saying those working for the organisation should be 'disgusted'.

Francis Scarr, who works for BBC Monitoring in Moscow, tweeted: 'Nothing to see here.

'Just Russian state broadcaster @RT_com selling merchandise endorsing the war in Ukraine.'

Moscow correspondent for the Guardian Andrew Roth posted: 'I hope that there are RT employees who are disgusted by their employer putting out merchandise for a war in Ukraine. This can't be what you want. If it isn't, step up and say so.'

Another put: 'Military propaganda has always been RT's core mission; their employees should know that.'

And one man joked on his Twitter page: 'What does it mean? Does 'Z' refer to Zelensky.' RT has been approached for comment.

Tory MPs over the weekend have led calls for Russia Today to be banned from airing in the UK.

Misinformation about the conflict includes the notion Ukrainian soldiers are 'radical nationalists' who are defending a genocide against Russians.

Its reporters also insisted the Russian military is not targeting civilians, despite images of bloodied Ukrainians and bombed-out towerblocks.

A reporter on Friday evening also compared a law signed by Ukraine's Jewish President Zelensky to the policies of Adolf Hitler.

Culture Secretary Ms Dorries last week told Ofcom to take 'timely and transparent' action against the channel.

But criticism of RT was shrugged off by former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who said on the station last week: 'I have never seen propaganda. I've never seen a lie.'

Despite an expectation that Ofcom would crack down on RT, a spokeswoman last night admitted that no new action had been taken.

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons' Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said RT was 'not an information network, it's a weapon against us'.

'So, what is it doing on our screens when media watchdog Ofcom already has the power to take action?' he added.

The Kremlin-funded news channel, which launched in 2005, is run by Putin's ally Margarita Simonyan, who once said that RT would conduct 'an information war against the Western world'. (Above, Putin and Simonyan in May 2019)

Tory MPs have demanded the TV regulator take immediate action against Russia Today after it described Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine as a 'special military operation' to 'liberate' the country

The Kremlin-funded channel, which launched in 2005, is run by Putin's ally Margarita Simonyan, who once said RT would conduct 'an information war against the West'.

On Wednesday, she wrote on Twitter the invasion was 'a standard parade rehearsal', adding: 'Except this year we have decided to hold the parade in Kyiv.'

Similarly outrageous opinions about the invasion have been spouted by the channel in the past week.

Analysis shows it only refers to the conflict as a 'special military operation' and reporters cite the Russian claim that it will 'liberate the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk peoples' republics'.

On Thursday, news presenter Rory Suchet  the son of ITN journalist John Suchet  repeated Russian defence ministry claims that 'direct fighting with Ukraine soldiers has largely been avoided', despite clear pictorial evidence of clashes.

And on Friday, a voiceover on a package ostensibly to explain the origins of Russia's aggression described a law signed by President Zelensky last July as 'almost a direct copy of a 1935 Reich citizenship law of Hitler's Germany'.

The Mail on Sunday can also reveal that at least 20 current and former British MPs have received almost 100,000 from the channel to speak on its programmes since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Those who have appeared include Tory MP Kwasi Kwarteng, who was paid 750 for an appearance in February 2017 before he was appointed Business Secretary.

On Wednesday, Simonyan (above) wrote on Twitter that the invasion was 'a standard parade rehearsal', adding: 'Except this year we have decided to hold the parade in Kyiv.' Similarly outrageous opinions about the invasion have been spouted by the channel in the past week

Europe Minister James Cleverly appeared on RT in 2016 to discuss the Tory leadership campaign, but said he did not accept payment.

'RT has become considerably more partisan since then and is now a regular mouthpiece for pro Kremlin disinformation,' he added. 'I would not appear now.'

Labour MP Richard Burgon has appeared 11 times and Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell at least three times since 2014. Labour frontbencher David Lammy has earned 2,000 for two appearances.

Mr Campbell said he has 'refused many invitations to appear since those interviews, because I do think it has been much clearer in recent years the extent to which it has become Putin's personal propaganda tool'.

A spokesman for Ofcom said: '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.'

Last night, a number of Russian TV channels appeared to have been hacked, with Ukrainian songs replacing usual programming. Russian Government webpages were down, while RT went offline for several hours.

It was unclear who the hackers are, but the Anonymous group have declared they are 'at war' with Russia.

TOM TUGENDHAT: Russia Today TV channel is nothing but poison, smears and anti-British propaganda, and should have been banned by Ofcom

by Tom Tugendhat for the Mail on Sunday

It's been years since the Russian state even vaguely pretended to be honest. By lying about an invasion, a genocide and a war, Moscow has perfected the art of deception to the point where the only correct action is to ignore what comes out of the Kremlin.

That said, Putin's propaganda is pumped into homes across Britain by his official broadcaster Russia Today (RT).

During the early stages of Covid, the channel spread fear and panic, trying to tear apart our community and undermine our response.

When British firms discovered a vaccine, RT spread lies trying to convince people not to take it, costing lives.

During the early stages of Covid, RT spread fear and panic, trying to tear apart our community and undermine our response

Time and again, the English-language service has done its best to confuse and undermine Britons at times when clarity was so important. It's not an information network. It's a weapon against us.

Our media watchdog, Ofcom, should have banned RT. If it had, viewers would not have been exposed to a correspondent called Rory Suchet (who began his career as a pop music radio DJ), claiming to report from eastern Ukraine as he lied that Russian tanks were helping to 'liberate' the region and that the Ukrainians defending their homes were nationalists and neo-Nazi battalions.

The channel disgracefully allowed a Russian military commander to claim that the Ukrainian army was using civilians as human shields. They're not.

RT is trying to excuse the Kremlin for war crimes being committed by Putin. It gives a platform to charlatans and liars  people such as Alex Salmond (above), the leader of Scotland's independence movement at the last referendum, who was happy to take RT money until this week

Make no mistake, RT is trying to excuse the Kremlin for war crimes being committed by Putin.

It gives a platform to charlatans and liars  people such as Alex Salmond, the leader of Scotland's independence movement at the last referendum, who was happy to take RT money until this week.

Ken Stone, from Stop the War in Canada, still goes on to blame Ukrainians being in front of Putin's tanks.

There's nothing anti-Russian about wanting to shut down this modern-day version of Lord Haw-Haw's propaganda broadcasts during the Second World War.

Russia's poets and scientists have long shared deeper truths with us and worked on building understanding.

RT does the reverse. Even its name is a lie.

This channel doesn't speak for a nation but a single person.

This is Putin's propaganda, and it's poison. It's time Ofcom acted.
Scientists did not have accurate Covid data when they predicted that 500,000 people could die if the UK took no action during the first wave of the pandemic.

Modelling from Professor Neil Ferguson and colleagues at Imperial College London published on March 16, 2020, predicted the NHS would be overwhelmed within weeks and a terrible death toll would arise if nothing was done to stop the spread of the disease.

Prior to the 'Report 9' paper, the Government's initial Covid strategy had been to 'mitigate' the spread and build up 'herd immunity' rather than suppress the first wave.

However, sticking to these plans  allowing the spread to continue but slowing it down with limited measures such as home isolation - would still have resulted in 250,000 deaths, according to Imperials mathematical model.

The stark modelling is understood to have single-handedly led to the decision to move away from herd immunity to a national lockdown on March 23.

But minutes from a SPI-M (Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling) meeting released to The Telegraph following a Freedom of Information request have shown that, a week earlier, the modellers remained 'uncertain' of case numbers 'due to data limitations'.

Modellers were still waiting for more comprehensive data on mortality from Public Health England and then best estimates on infection fatality rate, hospitalisation rates and the number of patients requiring ICU care were still uncertain.

The team is also understood to have believed that the modelling only showed 'proof of concept' that lockdowns could help deal with Covid, before warning that 'further work would be required'.

Following the release of its model, Imperial College held a press conference, followed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordering the public to avoid pubs, restaurants and non-essential social gatherings later the same day.

At the briefing, Prof Ferguson said new conclusions had been drawn as 'the last few days' had provided 'refinements' in estimates of intensive care and hospital demand.

Minutes now show, though, that SPI-M did not believe the data was complete.

Professor Neil Ferguson, nicknamed 'Professor Lockdown', was part of a team at Imperial College London which predicted 500,000 deaths if no action was taken against the spread of Covid

Imperial College London published a paper in March 2020 on the potential impact of coronavirus. It weighed up options on how a lockdown could reduce demand on hospitals

WHAT DID PROFESSOR FERGUSON'S WORK SAY? The scientific paper published by Professor Ferguson and his colleagues on the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team was credited for persuading Boris Johnson's Government to ramp up their response to the coronavirus. The paper, released on March 17, and titled Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand, predicted that the Government's original plan to 'mitigate' the outbreak instead of trying to stop it could have led to a quarter of a million people dying. Using data from Italy and China, the scientists predicted how different Government measures would have different impacts on the outbreaks. If no action at all had been taken against the coronavirus it would have claimed 510,000 lives, the team's report said. Had the Government stuck with their strategy of trying to 'mitigate' the spread  allowing it to continue but attempting to slow it down  with limited measures such as home isolation for those with symptoms this number would be roughly halved to 260,000. If the strictest possible measures are introduced, the number of deaths over a two-year period will fall below 20,000, the scientists said. Other points in the Imperial College report, titled Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand, included: Lockdown measures could be brought back if the virus resurfaces after this epidemic is over

The coronavirus outbreak is worse than anything the world has seen since the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic

Dramatic measures to suppress an outbreak carry 'enormous social and economic costs which may themselves have significant impact on health and well-being'

Virus transmission happens evenly  one third of cases are caught in the home, one third at work or school, and one third elsewhere in the community

People are thought to be infectious from 12 hours before symptoms start, or from four days after catching the infection if someone doesn't get symptoms

Patients who do get symptoms are thought to be 50 per cent more infectious than those who don't

People are thought to develop at least short-term immunity after catching the virus, meaning they can't catch it again

Approximately 4.4 per cent of patients need hospital care. 30 per cent of those need intensive care, and 50 per cent of intensive care patients can be expected to die, according to data from China

The average length of a hospital stay for a coronavirus patient is 10 days  eight days for those who recover quickly; 16 days for those who need intensive care Advertisement

It comes after critics earlier described the coding used by Imperial as 'totally unreliable'.

John Carmack, an American developer who helped refine the code before the paper was published online two years ago, said some parts of the code looked like they were machine translated from Fortran', an old coding language.

After growing pressure, the Imperial team released their code, which simulates homes, offices, schools and people movement, and sceptics were quick to point out it was 13 years old.

Bob Seely, MP for the Isle of Wight, today described the the modelling as 'a national scandal'

On March 17, minutes show that the Department of Health wanted to ascertain whether Prof Ferguson had referenced other papers in the Imperial model.

The following day, both Imperial and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) were asked to renew their models ahead of a Sage meeting scheduled later the same day in which the idea of London-only lockdown would be reviewed due to rising cases.

Data continued to be uncertain throughout the remainder of the year, the minutes show, and on September 23 members said 'operational issues' with NHS Test and Trace had caused further problems and made it 'difficult to interpret trends in the data, and added further uncertainty to the modelling'.

They also show that NHS England was 'unwilling' to share timelines for the vaccine rollout, resulting in difficulty modelling the impact of the jab, while the following week modellers raised concerns over how different data streams were 'presenting conflicting messages' on how Covid was changing.

And models used by the Government for Covid Freedom Day on June 21 last year did not include the most recent figures on vaccine efficacy or Public Health England's weekly vaccine surveillance report.

Prof Ferguson described in December how he had become 'something of a marmite figure' as he admitted he 'made mistakes' and 'oversimplified things' during the pandemic.

The epidemiologist said while it had been challenging for most Western governments to act in a timely manner the science throughout the crisis 'had basically been right'.

However, he admitted he had 'made mistakes for which he apologised for'.

Prof Ferguson resigned from the government's scientific advisory group (SAGE) last year after claims emerged that Antonia Staats visited him at home - in breach of lockdown rules.

Imperial College said its team was 'always open about the uncertainty' of its modelling - especially during the early stages of Covid.

The modellers had been quick to raise concern about outbreaks in care homes and hospitals, while members agreed that 'transmission in healthcare is a significant contributor to cases in hospitals' and required further attention.

And speaking on BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Prof Ferguson said: ''I think the science we have done throughout this pandemic has basically been right, not absolutely every aspect but basically most of it.

'I suppose I didn't anticipate becoming the public figure I suppose I now am, something of a marmite figure if you put it like that.

He added: 'Half a million was if we did nothing at all which was never going to happen but quarter of a million was if we did plan B, if we just tried to flatten the curve.

'There, the point is, to give the population an assessment of the potential level of threat and in some sense the reason for doing that is to explain the need for certain measures.'
A year after a federal appeals court upheld a government regulation requiring hospitals to publish their prices  a rule rooted in the 2010 Affordable Care Act, fought tooth and nail since, then finally advanced during the Trump administration after legal challenges failed  the institutions are flouting the mandate. In a report this month, PatientRightsAdvocate.org found that just 14% of 1,000 randomly selected hospitals nationwide were in full compliance. In New York State, just two of 22 were. In New York City and Long Island, none of 12 were.

That contempt for consumers is supposed to result in penalties of up to $2 million a year. Bring on the transparency or bring on the fines.

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Still a mystery on prices. (Jefferson Siegel/New York Daily News)

As anyone whos ever asked for an itemized bill after being treated and discharged can attest, trying to make sense of it all can make you sick all over again. Hospitals negotiate wildly variable rates with different insurers, and also have a discounted cash price for those who pay upfront. But for years, many of those institutions have done everything in their power to keep the numbers fuzzy or hidden, lest those who actually pay for the services  insurers and ultimately patients and their employers  start asking why one provider charges double another for the same knee replacement or colonoscopy or c-section delivery, with no meaningful difference in quality.

Americans blindness on who charges what and why is one of the big reasons health-care costs here are twice those in comparable countries. Every time they grow, they take a bigger bite out of wages.

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No, shopping around on a medically necessary procedure isnt the same as hunting down the best deal on a TV  there are all kinds of reasons price sensitivity will always be different in health care  but the only way to begin to build a more functional marketplace is by telling the people who pay the bills what costs how much and why so the informed scrutiny can begin in earnest. Theres no second opinion.
FedEx and the UPS - two of the world's largest logistics companies - are halting all deliveries to Russia and Ukraine following Vladimir Putin's invasion, it was announced tonight.

Both inbound and outbound services have been suspended to Ukraine, as well as deliveries to destinations in Russia, the US-based companies said in online statements Sunday.

It was unclear if both firms are continuing to use Russian airspace as part of their general operations. Neither responded immediately to requests for comment, reported Reuters.

Meanwhile, their German counterpart Deutsche Post DHL said it had temporarily suspended shipments to and from Ukraine and was avoiding airspace over the eastern European country for its global operations.

DHL's statement did not mention if its operations in Russia had been amended.

It comes after it was revealed Sunday that BP is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect'.

Chief executive Bernard Looney revealed the move this afternoon, saying he was 'saddened' and 'shocked' by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

He had been summoned to a meeting with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday amid growing unease about BP's Russian dealings.

There is mounting pressure on politicians and business leaders to severe any ties with Vladimir Putin's regime, as images coming out of Ukraine, including of bloodied civilians and wrecked buildings, continue to stoke anger among the British public.

Protests were held across the UK on Sunday, including in London, Nottingham and Edinburgh, which saw thousands gather in support of Ukraine while holding up anti-Putin placards.

Mr Looney, who has also resigned from the board of Rosneft, said today: 'I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine.

Chief executive Bernard Looney (pictured) revealed the move today, saying he was 'saddened' and 'shocked' by Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Pressure: BP's chief executive Bernard Looney was summoned to a meeting with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured)

'Our immediate priority is caring for our great people in the region....and looking at how BP can support the wider humanitarian effort.'

Mr Looney added: 'My heart goes out to everyone affected.

'It has caused us to fundamentally rethink BP's position with Rosneft.

'I am convinced that the decisions we have taken as a board are not only the right thing to do, but are also in the long-term interests of BP.'

Meanwhile Helge Lund, BP chair, said while the company has operated in Russia for more than 30 years, with 'brilliant Russian colleagues', the invasion represents a fundamental change.

He said: 'Russia's attack on Ukraine is an act of aggression which is having tragic consequences across the region.

'BP has operated in Russia for over 30 years, working with brilliant Russian colleagues.

'However, this military action represents a fundamental change.

'It has led the BP board to conclude, after a thorough process, that our involvement with Rosneft, a state-owned enterprise, simply cannot continue.

'We can no longer support BP representatives holding a role on the Rosneft board.

'The Rosneft holding is no longer aligned with BP's business and strategy and it is now the board's decision to exit BP's shareholding in Rosneft.

'The BP board believes these decisions are in the best long-term interests of all our shareholders.'

Rosneft  which is backed by the Kremlin  is providing fuel to Russia's troops as they wage war on neighbouring Ukraine.

A source familiar with the matter said Looney left the Friday meeting 'with no doubt about the strength of the Business Secretary's concern about their commercial interests in Russia'.

Russian forces entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv

Mr Kwarteng said today: 'I welcome BP's decision to exit its shareholding in Rosneft oil company.

'Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine must be a wake-up call for British businesses with commercial interests in Putin's Russia.'

BP boasted a 19.75 per cent stake in Rosneft and Looney sat on the company's board alongside Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin, who is a close ally of Putin.

Also on the Rosneft board is chairman Gerhard Schroder, the former Chancellor of Germany, and ex-BP boss Bob Dudley.

Their positions have attracted fierce criticism while BP was urged to ditch its stake in Rosneft.

Earlier this month, Mr Looney said BP's strategy to 'avoid the politics' had served the company well around the world, as he vowed to comply with any Ukraine-related sanctions.

Rosneft's largest shareholder is state-owned Rosneftegaz, with 40.4 per cent, followed by - until today - BP.

It comes as the EU today unveiled a new package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced the new measures in a press conference this afternoon

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence today claimed it has killed more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting. Russia has not released an updates on its military losses. Pictured: An Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighter examines a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced the new measures in a press conference this afternoon, which will include funding the purchase and delivery of weapons to Ukraine.

Ms von der Leyen said this was the first time the EU had done this for a country under attack.

She said: 'We are shutting down the EU's airspace for all Russian aircraft, including the private jets of oligarchs.

'Second, in another unprecedented step, we will ban, in the EU, the Kremlin's media machine.

'The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to support Putin's lies.'

Ms von der Leyen also revealed further sanctions against the pro-Kremlin regime of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus.

'We will target the other aggressor of this war, Lukashenko's regime, which is complicit in the vicious attack against Ukraine,' she said.

'We will hit them with a new package of sanctions, with restrictive measures against the most important sectors.

Vladimir Putin visiting the National Space Agency in Moscow this afternoon

A Russian tank burning in the Ukrainians city of Sumy just days after newly revealed dashcam footage showed a huge column of tanks moving in

'This will stop their exports of products from mineral fuels to tobacco, timber, iron and steel.

'We will also extend to Belarus the restrictions we imposed on dual-exported goods to Russia.

'And in addition we will sanction those Belarusians helping the Russian war effort.'

It comes after a furious Vladimir Putin put the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent on 'alert' as he criticised a wave of Western sanctions including the ejection of several Russian banks from the Swift global payment system.
A 38-year-old man was shot dead and his 24-year-old nephew was wounded while the pair were sitting in a Mercedes-Benz in East Harlem on Sunday morning, as gun violence continues to soar in New York City.

The two men were parked along Fifth Avenue near East 138th Street when a suspect 'shot into the car multiple times,' police said.

The uncle was in the driver's seat when he was struck in the head by a bullet and pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. The younger victim walked to Harlem Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the arm, the New York Post reported.

No details about the gunman have yet been released and no arrests have been made as of Sunday afternoon. It is unclear whether the attack was random and what sequence of events led to the shooting.

A 38-year-old man was shot dead, and a 24-year-old man was wounded, in a Sunday morning shooting in East Harlem

The two men were driving along Fifth Avenue near East 138th Street when a suspect 'shot into the car multiple times,' police said

No details about the suspect have yet been released and it is unclear whether the attack was random

The nephew is in critical condition, according to a relative who spoke to the Daily News, which reported that the mom of one of the victims lives a block from the shooting.

'It looks like they were trying to get out the car and then got shot,' the relative, who declined to give his name or identify the victims, told The News.

The shooting comes two days after a 25-year-old man identified by police as Shaquell Gainey was gunned down a block away on Second Avenue.

Gainey was shot in the chest outside a liquor store and ran into Kanan Deli & Grocery, where he collapsed, around 11pm on Friday, according to Fox 5.

Someone at the scene called emergency services and first responders found Gainer lying on the floor covered in blood. They rushed him to Harlem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No arrests have yet been made and the motive for the shooting is not clear. Police are still investigating and have not released any details about the suspect.

Shootings across NYC are up from last year by a stunning 30 percent as compared to last year, with 174 recorded incidents in the past seven weeks ending on February 20, according to the NYPD's most recent data. There were 133 shootings in the same span last year.

Felony assaults have also increased by more than 20 percent, NYPD data shows, with 2,994 incidents recorded to date this year, compared to 2,477 at the same time in 2021.

Murders have also seen a slight swell, with the NYPD charting a 3.8 percent increase from the same period as in 2021.

Rapes and robberies, meanwhile, have surged, by 42 and 32 percent, respectively.

A report released 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.

Shootings across NYC are up from last year by a marked 30 percent, with 174 recorded incidents this year as compared to 133 shootings last year

Queens was hit particularly hard by the influx of incidents, seeing a nearly 150 percent increase in overall crime.

Last Tuesday, officers in Queens tracked down a career criminal with 19 prior arrests and three assault convictions who was charged with shooting dead a mom-of-four who was walking her dog to a Brooklyn bodega.

Namel Colon, 36, was arrested at a Chinese restaurant in Queens after evading 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.

Last Tuesday, officers in Queens tracked down a career criminal in connection to 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. 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

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

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.

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.

'I've been angry. I've 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.

'That's not gonna fit any punishment.'

Busch said Ynoa's children, are now staying with their aunt.

Chinatown was also rocked by a shocking murder less than two weeks ago when 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 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.

To crack down on 'trigger pullers' and areas known for having a high rate of shootings, the NYPD rolled out a 90-day plan for the first three months of 2022 to make tackling 'crime, fear and disorder' the top priority, according to an internal NYPD memo seen by the New York Post.

Those who have been involved in recent or multiple gun-related incidents are added to a list so that all units are aware of frequent offenders in their precincts.

Under the '2022 Crime Plan' sought, the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership is enhancing prosecutions and probes of these 'high-value offenders.'

According to the new policy, precincts that had more than 10 shooting incidents last year were tasked to lay out a plan for how they will reduce gun crime to their commands along with their annual crime reports. Detectives are also required to submit analyses of conflicts between active criminal groups in their jurisdictions.

'The plan should include an analysis of the people, places, and conflicts that contributed to their gun violence and a precinct plan to address it,' the memo read.

'These 'trigger-pullers' are responsible for a disproportionate share of the violence in the city and are the main drivers of violence in the area,' the memo said.

More police patrols are being 'heavily directed' to areas with higher gun violence rates, the memo said, and the plan calls for 'tightly-managed saturations patrols' in those areas.

'The Department is averaging less than four directed patrols/community visits per week at the top 100 blocks for gun violence,' it reads. 'Most of those directed patrols are not at relevant days and times.'

'While directed patrols are an imperfect measure of 'engagement,' they tell us whether we are spending discretionary time in violence-prone areas.'

'We are not. This must change immediately.'

Public transportation and heavily-populated commercial districts are also supposed to receive more attention from the NYPD, per the plan, with a specific 'Midtown Initiative' being put in place with the aim of reducing felony assaults and robberies in the area.

'The goals should center on reducing crime and disorder in Midtown,' the memo said. The tourist area, the memo read, is 'emblematic of the city's success and safety.'
Police are appealing for information to find a teenage girl who has been missing from Coventry since Friday night.

Kacey was last seen in Willenhall, West Midlands before midnight on February 25 and cops have been trying to locate her ever since.

The 13-year-old is 5ft 4ins and is believed to be wearing ripped jeans, pink and white Jordan trainers and a hoodie or bomber jacket. She also wears glasses.

Police are appealing for information to find 13-year-old Kacey (pictured) who has been missing from Coventry since Friday night after midnight

After being away from home for two nights, officers are now asking for the publics help to find the teen girl - asking anyone with information to come forward.

Coventry Police have issued appeals on social media in the hope they can locate Kacey.

Police tweeted today: "Can you help us find Kacey? The 13-year-old was last seen in the Willenhall area of Coventry at 11.30pm on Friday (25 Feb).

"Kacey is 5ft 4ins, wears glasses and is believed to be wearing ripped jeans, pink and white Jordan trainers and a hoodie or bomber jacket.

"We've been carrying out enquiries to locate Kacey ever since she went missing, but are now asking for the public's help.

"If you see Kacey, call us immediately on 999 quoting reference MPCV/2003/22. If you have any other information, message us via Live Chat on our website."
A Polish venue in London was today surrounded by long queues as people lined up to give clothes, bedding, and other essentials to its donation drive helping people fleeing the country into Poland.

The White Eagle Club on Balham High Road saw people waiting to give what they could as they waited around the block, leaving volunteers with heaps of collections to sort through.

Clips and photos on social media showed dozens of people outside the venue, as mountains of donations were seen piled inside, waiting to be organised by volunteers.

The White Eagle Club on Balham High Road was today surrounded by long queues as people lined up to give clothes, bedding, and other essentials

One tweet from Basia Cummings said: 'The Polish community of south London collecting supplies for Ukrainian refugees.

'Overwhelmed with donations. Sorters needed: White Eagle Club, Balham.'

Another post from James Roberts QC added: 'Just been to the Polish White Eagle Club in Balham to donate bedding and warm clothing.

'There are hundreds queueing down the road to hand in their donations. Incredibly moving.'

Polish-media journalist Artur Kieruzal tweeted that club owner Magda Harvey told him it would take 'a few trucks to deliver the gifts' collected

Clips and photos on social media showed dozens of people outside the venue for today's donation collection

Actor Ben Lamb also Tweeted: 'Today, @juliamacfarlane and I drove some donations for Ukrainian refugees in Poland, to the White Eagle Club in South London, & helped out.

'Amazing how many people turned up to support, donate & help. Solidarity for #Ukraine. They need more volunteers tomorrow and Wednesday.'

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, the Labour MP for Tooting posted: 'Am always so proud of our community.

'The White Eagle Club on Balham High Road needs more volunteers every day to assist with sorting through the generous donations.'

The venue posted about the fundraiser on its Facebook page, with a list of items it accepts for collection.

It said the most needed right now include batteries, torches, clothing, shoes, nappies, dry sanitary clothes, thermal clothing, gloves, and painkillers.

Other necessities are duvets, blankets, sleeping bags and pillows.

The post also includes a schedule for collection times at the venue.

Polish-media journalist Artur Kieruzal tweeted that club owner Magda Harvey told him it would take 'a few trucks to deliver the gifts' collected, a translation of the post said.

Boris Johnson is facing growing pressure to offer more help to Ukrainian refugees as MPs called on the Prime Minister to give a 'warm hearted commitment of sanctuary' to those fleeing the Russian invasion.

There are mounting calls for the Government to waive visa requirements and to offer asylum to people forced out of Ukraine.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said more than 200,000 people have arrived in the countries surrounding Ukraine.

The White Eagle Club on Balham High Road saw people waiting to give what they can as they waited 'around the block'

Volodymyr Zelensky today confirmed that Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the border with Belarus as Vladimir Putin ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West.

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

'Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return,' the statement said.

Meanwhile, the EU unveiled a new package of sanctions against Vladimir Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.
Ukrainian refugees fleeing the outbreak of war in their country are bringing their beloved pets with them, as neighbouring nations Romania, Poland and Hungary relax restrictions on cross-border movement of animals.

According to animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), peacetime restrictions for bringing pets across borders require that cats and dogs be vaccinated and microchipped and have a negative blood test for rabies.

However, a rabies antibody test by blood analysis alone can take days or even weeks.

Three Eastern European nations receiving the bulk of fleeing Ukrainians - Romania, Poland and Hungary - are making exceptions for pets being ferried to safety alongside their owners.

In Romania, the chief veterinary authority in Bucharest has introduced an emergency exemption, suspending vaccination, microchipping and documentation requirements - asking instead that owners fill out a single form for their fluffy friends.

Bordering nations Romania, Poland and Hungary have relaxed entry requirements for pets escorted by Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. Pictured: A woman holds a dog inside her coat as she waits for a bus outside a train station in Lviv

Two young Ukrainian women make it to Tiszabecs, Hungary, having crossed the border to safety with a canine companion

Pictured: A Moroccan medical student flees Russia's incursion into Ukraine, bringing his cats Stella and Santa along with him as he crosses into Poland

Abdullah Elkobbi, 21, said 'I love this country. I'm so sad that it will be destroyed' as he and his feline companions headed for the Ukrainian border with Poland

However, a limit of five pets per person is in place in Romania, and PETA Germany says it has received reports of pet owners being denied entry with their canine and feline companions, despite official statements.

Polish and Hungarian authorities have followed suit in liberalising rules governing the entry of pets into their countries, temporarily scrapping stringent vaccination, microchipping and documentation requirements and replacing them with a single 'transition form' to be filled out by entrants.

Abdullah Elkobbi, 21, from Morocco, had been studying medicine at a university in Ukraine, although has been forced to join the thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the nation as the Kremlin invasion of Ukraine heats up.

The 21-year-old future doctor was accompanied by his two cats, Stella and Santa, as he waited in line to reach the Shehyni border crossing to Poland.

Mr Elkobbi told Reuters: 'I love this country. I'm so sad that it will be destroyed.'

A Ukrainian refugee - among the 200,000 to have been forced out of the country following the Russian invasion - carries a small dog under her arm as she arrives in Siret, Romania

A small dog accompanies a Ukrainian refugee as the two arrive at the border crossing in Siret, Romania today

PETA Germany are coordinating the delivery of 20,000kgs of dog and cat food to Ukraine, as well as blankets, for pet owners and their animal companions still trapped inside the warzone.

The UK branch of PETA penned a letter to George Eustice - the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs - on February 25, asking that rules be relaxed in the UK for Ukrainian refugees entering with pets.

The letter read: 'Border countries including Hungary, Poland, and Romania are loosening their restrictions to make the process of admitting companion animals less bureaucratic, and we urge the UK to follow suit.

'A rabies antibody test by blood analysis, which would be necessary to have these animals cross the borders in line with all legal regulations, can take days or even weeks.

'Many vulnerable animals are therefore being left behind without their guardians or other caring people, which will lead to terrifying and prolonged deaths.

'Please stand up for animals in these exceptional circumstances and ensure that they can be brought to safety. They must be offered refuge, too, and are vital in giving comfort to fleeing, traumatised people in these horrible times.

'The people of the UK would be devastated if forced to abandon their beloved animal family members, and we must ensure Ukrainians do not have to make this devastating choice either.'
A former model who formed a close friendship with Charles Bronson after watching the 2008 Tom Hardy film about his life is campaigning for his release from prison.

Gemma Fernandez met up with the 69-year-old criminal, who is dubbed 'Britain's most violent prisoner', last December after Covid restrictions eased at the high-security mens jail HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes.

The former model, who lives in London, struck up the unlikely friendship through letters and video calls, named 'purple visits' - she was even allowed a visit to meet him face-to-face.

Bronson, who has changed his name to Salvador, was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974, but during his time inside he has taken hostages in 10 prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused 500,000 in damage in rooftop protests.

He has been moved prisons more than 120 times during his 43-year spell behind bars - much of which has been in solitary confinement.

Former model Gemma Fernandez (pictured) met up with the 69-year-old criminal, who is dubbed 'Britain's most violent prisoner', last December after Covid restrictions eased at the high-security jail HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes

Bronson (pictured), who has changed his name to Salvador, was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974, but during his time inside he has taken hostages in 10 prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused 500,000 in damage in rooftop protests

The former model, who claims she has appeared in FHM magazine, claimed she's never been to a prison before visiting Bronson last year. It was after watching Tom Hardy play him in the 2008 movie Bronson (pictured) that she decided to get in contact with him.

A prison source told The Mirror: 'They're very close. She had her first visit in December. They posed for pictures and everything.'

Ms Fernandez, who is in her 30's, previously opened up about her visit to see 'gentleman' Bronson on Steve Wraith's true crime YouTube channel.

She said: 'It was his first visit in two years, it was a big, big day. It was lovely to see him. I gave him a massive hug. He hasn't had a hug in two years, so it was really, really nice. He was all excited, he took my jacket off, he's a gentleman.

'He was supposed to sit in a chair six feet away but apparently he walked into the room before I got there and said, "No way, I'm not having that" and dragged a chair from across the room. It was amazing. I thought it was quite a comfortable, cosy setting.'

The former model, who claims she has appeared in FHM magazine, claimed she's never been to a prison before visiting Bronson last year.

Bronson, who has changed his name to Salvador, was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974. Pictured: On his way to a parole hearing at the Old Bailey in 2004

It was after watching Tom Hardy play him in the 2008 movie Bronson that she decided to get in contact with him.

She added: 'Years ago I wanted to write to him after seeing the film and I never really did.

'But with the lockdown happening and everyone suffering with their mental health I thought, "He's been banged up for 46 years, I need to write".

'He's a reformed character. He cares about people. He's such a nice bloke.'

The former model also opened up about him saving her 'two mince pies from the canteen' alongside a flask of hot water and two teabags as he eagerly awaited her arrival.

Ms Fernandez said: 'Charlie is in a different unit so I was separated from everyone else and I was escorted to another building.

'I saw him, and I was relieved to see him. It was my first time visiting a prison and he said, "Gem, it's like an airport except instead of a plane at the end, I'll be there." He was standing in the window with his moustache and glasses eagerly waiting so it was really good.

Charles Bronson was seen for the first time in more than a decade on 15 November 2018 when he left his trial for attacking a prison governor (pictured)

'That was such energy in the room and we were both really excited - there was a big build-up to it. The door opened and I gave him a massive hug straight away. It was really nice. He had a low table and two chairs set out.

'On the table, he had a flask of hot water with two teabags and the two mince pies he'd saved from the canteen. It was amazing seeing him - it was really surreal. We'd had video calls and had talked all the time, so it was surreal.'

'We were really lucky to get that visit. He's been overwhelmed by the support and the messages. Times precious, he's got a life - he deserves to live life as a free man.

'He genuinely just wants to have fish and chips on the beach. There's a lot of people supporting Charlie and it shows.'

Ms Fernandez is now managing the petition website called Free Charlie Official and she said 'every day she reads him emails' that she gets in support of Bronson and those campaigning for his release.
Millions of Victorians could be ordered to receive a booster shot to ward off a horror winter season of Covid-19 ahead.

Premier Daniel Andrews has been holding discussions with peak industry groups about the possibility of introducing a booster mandate to some industries.

Workers are required to keep their vaccination status 'up to date' if they work in healthcare, aged care, disability, emergency services, correctional facilities, quarantine accommodation and food processing and distribution.

But a booster mandate could be extended to hospitality workers and other industries, sparking a divided reaction from peak business groups.

Millions of Victorian workers could be forced to receive a booster shot to protect them against a horror winter season of Covid-19

An unnamed source told The Age the mandate for more workers was being considered in an desperate effort to increase booster rates amid fears of another wave of Covid in winter.

The state government is working with business groups to boost third-dose vaccination rates in the workforce and refused to rule out further mandates.

'Employers more than anyone else, particularly in the hospitality industry, recognise that if they want to stay open, they've got to work with their workforce to get those levels up as high as possible,' Health Minister Martin Foley said on Friday.

About 58.6 per cent of eligible Victorians have rolled up their sleeves for a third jab so far.

The Franchise Council of Victoria, the Australian Retailers Association and Restaurant and Catering Australia all confirmed the state government has starting seeking feedback, but have differing opinions.

The booster shot mandates could be extended to hospitality workers (pictured) in Victoria

'[Mandating third doses] is like saying to a business that has won the lotto they need to give their money back,' Restaurant & Catering Australia boss Wes Lambert said.

'Businesses who have just begun to make money could go backwards again  the rug will be pulled from underneath their feet.'

Franchise Council of Victoria fears extended mandates could further impact on hair, beauty, and hospitality operators already struggling with skills shortages and called for more clarity from the government.

Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra said retailers would follow any health advice and requirements announced by the state government.

The Victorian government is keen to boost the state's booster shot rate, which stands at 58.6 per cent

Mr Andrews previously hinted at proposed changes to overhaul the definition of 'fully vaccinated' from two doses to three.

He has since backtracked and admitted the changes would be hard to enforce as international travellers can enter the country with two doses.

Victoria recorded 5,052 cases and 17 deaths on Sunday.

The state government also scrapped the $450 payments to Victorians who miss work shifts while waiting for PCR test results.

This is due to rapid antigen tests being sufficient to diagnose Covid for official statistics and to get time off work to recover.
A former senior officer with the CIA said that Russia has 'overstretched' its military amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and lacks the manpower to 'subdue' the former Soviet republic.

'Russia has overstretched,' Daniel Hoffman said during an interview with Fox News Saturday regarding the ongoing occupation by Russian troops, which has reportedly fallen behind schedule due to sanctions imposed by other nations and unexpected resistance from Ukrainian troops and citizens.

'Vladimir Putin took a great risk here. He's dealing with extended supply lines, which is having an impact - a negative impact on his troop's ability to move,' Hoffman, a former station chief and senior Clandestine Services officer, told interviewer Lawrence Jones and Medal of Honor-winning Marine Dakota Meyer.

'There are major rivers in Ukraine that also pose challenges,' he went on, 'and there are large cities - and Russia just doesn't have the troops to subdue them.'

'Time is on Ukraine's side,' the 30-year CIA vet asserted.

Scroll down for video:

Daniel Hoffman, a 30-year CIA vet who served as a station chief for the federal outfit three times as well as a senior executive for the organization's undercover faction, the Clandestine Service aid Saturday that Russia has 'overstretched' its military amid its full-scaled invasion of Ukraine, and lacks the manpower to 'subdue' Ukraine

During the interview, which centered around the unexpected pushback Putin's 150,000-plus troops have faced in their four days of military operations in bordering Ukraine, Jones asked Hoffman, who followed the Kremlin kingpin extensively during his CIA tenure, to speculate on Putin's current mindset.

You know him, you know what hes capable of, Jones asked the ex-CIA chief.

What is going through his mind right now, as the Ukrainians are fighting back?' the presenter asked. 'This was supposed to be over in hours, but its going days.'

Hoffman then offered the interviewer his take on the conflict, as well as a glimpse through the twisted eyes of the notorious Russian head of state.

The Fox News interview centered around the unexpected pushback Vladimir Putin's 150,000-plus troops have faced in their four days of military operations in bordering Ukraine

Questionable military stratagem from Russian officials have resulted in its army's failure to seize the country, due to unexpected resistance from the 250,000-strong Ukrainian side. Pictured here are members of a pro-Russia militia outside a territorial defense headquarters in Stanytsia Luhanska. Troops have so far failed to take crucial cities like Kiev and Kharkiv

Speaking on Putin's questionable military stratagem that has resulted in his army's failure to capture crucial cities Kiev and Kharkiv due to unexpected resistance from the 250,000-strong Ukrainian side, which has since been bolstered by citizen volunteers set on pushing out the Russian invaders, Hoffman said: His formative experience was serving in the KGB as an intelligence officer.

He never served in the military - but intelligence was his business; and intelligence would have been key to him in determining Ukraines capacity and will to fight, Hoffman said, listing some of the obstacles the politician - who has been largely successful with past military campaigns in Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014, and Syria since 2015 - has faced during his latest conquest.

Interviewer Lawrence Jones (center) asked Hoffman (at right), who followed the Kremlin kingpin extensively during his CIA tenure, to speculate on Putin's current mindset and his army's largely unsuccessful military campaign. The pair were also joined by Marine vet and Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer (at left)

Hoffman offered his take on the conflict, as well as a glimpse through the twisted eyes of the notorious Russian President Vladimir Putin, who's spearheaded the operation, and whom Hoffman has followed extensively over the course of his career

Hoffman Added: And [you have] Ukraine, as youve highlighted, led by President [Volodymyr] Zelensky, bravely demonstrating how committed they are, righting for their freedom and independence.'

And we are now stepping up,' Hoffman then declared, referring to foreign aid in the form of funding and weapons countries like the US have since provided the country as it struggles to repulse the Russian invasion - including$350 million worth of weapons signed off by Biden Friday.

The longer they hang in the there, the more we can get them in terms of humanitarian assistance and military assistance,' Hoffman said, including high-tech anti-tank and heat-seeking missiles like Javeleins and Stingers.

Pro-Russia militia members in Ukraine on Sunday. The Russian military occupation of the Ukraine has been hindered by supply line and geographical obstacles, as well as an impassioned Ukrainian fighting force

Hoffman, a Fox News contributor, went on to assert that the Ukrainians have been 'bravely demonstrating how committed they are to fighting for their freedom and independence' through their successful efforts to repel the Russian insurgency.

Zelensky posted a video on Facebook Friday from the capital city of Kiev, which Russian forces have failed to seize despite coordinated attacks and bombings beginning Thursday, brazenly declaring, 'We are all here.'

The president proclaimed: 'Our military are here, our citizens and society are here. We are all here defending our independence, our state, and this is how it's going to be.'

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

A view of a residential building damaged by recent shelling in Kharkiv on February 26. Russia ordered its troops to advance in Ukraine 'from all directions' as the Ukrainian capital Kyiv imposed a blanket curfew and officials reported 198 civilian deaths

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

After more fighting on Saturday night and Sunday morning, Russian forces still failed to capture the city - despite it being the first stop on Putin's road to seizing the nation, which the Kremlin attests it is 'liberating' from an oppressive, 'neo-Nazi,' 'facist' government.

During an appearance on ABC's 'This Week' Sunday, US Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova asserted that Zelensky is 'as safe as our country' and will 'lead the nation in this very difficult moment.'

According to an Aljazeera report from last week, officials in Ukraine said more than 3,000 Russian troops have been killed so far in four days of conflict. The Ukrainian army meanwhile, has reportedly suffered roughly 250 causalities. An additional 350 Ukranian citizens have also been killed, according to reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to engage in tentative peace talks of a potential with Putin Sunday afternoon

Those losses and the continued failure to seize Kyiv have left Vladimir Putin furious, according to Estonia's former defense chief Riho Terras.

Terras wrote on Twitter: ' Putin is furious, he thought that the whole war would be easy and everything would be done in 1-4 days.

'The Russians are in shock of the fierce resistance they have encountered.'

The defense expert went on to claim Russia was failing because it had failed to enact a 'tactical plan' and beyond expecting the attack to 'sew panic among civilians and armed forces and force (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky to flee.'

Terras shared an image of a a piece of paper said to be a defense document which proclaimed: 'Putin is raging. He was sure it would be a cake walk.'

President Zelensky and Putin are set to engage in tentative peace talks Sunday afternoon.
New Yorkers can start breathing a little easier this week when the state lifts mask mandates for schools as New York City drops its vaccine requirements for indoor dining and entertainment venues.

New York City Eric Adams revealed said proof of vaccination will no longer be required for indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment values beginning March 7 as long as Covid metrics don't worsen.

'I want to thank the millions of New Yorkers who masked up and helped us reach unprecedented levels of vaccinations,' Adams tweeted. 'Weve fought a long, hard battle. And were winning it because of the grit and determination of every day New Yorkers like you.'

Hours earlier, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the long-awaited end of the statewide mandate for classrooms which will affect 2.7 million schoolchildren, including about 1 million in New York City.

Counties and cities can still keep their own mandates in place if they choose, and parents could still choose to send their kids to school in masks.

In announcing the lifting of the city's mandates, Adams tweeted: 'Weve fought a long, hard battle. And were winning it because of the grit and determination of every day New Yorkers like you'

Adams said the city will loosen its restrictions as long as Covid data continues trending in the right direction, but some criticized his decision to lift vaccine requirements indoors

The lifting of New York's school mandate comes after Hochul let a broad mask mandate for most indoor settings expire earlier this month

The announcement came after the CDC nixed indoor mask recommendations Friday for 70 per cent of Americans after revising the calculations it used to determine whether an area is in high, medium, or low risk from Covid.

Previously, only the infection rate was considered, while now hospitalization rates and hospital capacity will be the most valued metrics. Under the currently installed metrics, only five percent of U.S. counties are not under a mask recommendation by federal regulators.

NYC's vaccine and mask requirements have been a sore spot for many New Yorkers who've taken to the streets to protest the pandemic-induced rules.

Now, some members of the pro-vaccine crowd are angry that they'll be in the company of uninoculated New Yorkers indoors.

'Why would you do this?' one person tweeted toward the mayor. 'This is going to harm the economy as people who felt safe patronizing vaccine mandatory businesses no longer will.'

Added another Twitter user: 'So the vaccine refusers are getting rewarded.'

Some Twitter users expressed concerns that the lifted rules will hurt businesses because some customers won't feel comfortable mingling indoors with fellow unvaccinated patrons

Parents and children are spotted gathering at the Westchester County courthouse in protest of mask mandates for children on February 11, 2022

Pictured: Teachers line up their students before entering PS 179 elementary school in Brooklyn's Kensington neighborhood, September 29, 2020

Earlier this month, Hochul let a broad mask mandate for the state, including indoor dining and entertainment, expire but said the schools requirement would remain in place. She had promised to revisit the schools question by the first week of March.

The broad mask mandate was implemented during a COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant in December.

Masks are still required in some places, including public transit.

In California, health officials are expected to downgrade mask guidance from a mandate to a recommendation Monday, according to local reports.

Mandates in Connecticut, Delaware and Massachusetts will expire Monday after governors made the call to lift them earlier this month.

Other states, including Illinois and New Jersey, relaxed mask mandates earlier this month but did not outright remove them.

Parents and medical experts have for months demanded that US schools stop forcing children to wear 'ineffective' face masks with studies showing mask mandates are detrimental to psychosocial health and academic success.

York University in the UK published a new study earlier this month showing masks make it difficult for children to recognize faces and, in turn, could affect their ability to socialize and make friends, a fear that is echoed by parents worldwide.

The results showed that children had about a 20 percent impairment rate for recognizing masked faces. For comparison, previous research has shown that adults have about a 15 percent impairment rate

Researchers studied the psychological impact on students, revealing that face masks make it 20 percent more difficult for children to recognize faces, compared to just 15 percent in adults.

'[This] could impair children's ability to navigate through social interactions with their peers and teachers, and this could lead to issues forming important relationships,' said Dr. Erez Freud, who led the study. 'Given the importance of faces to social interactions, this is something we need to pay attention to.'

While previous research has found that mask-wearing can hinder facial recognition in adults, this is the first time it has been studied in children.

Freud said: 'Faces are among the most important visual stimuli.'

'We use facial information to determine different attributes about a person, including their gender, age, mood and intentions. We use this information to navigate through social interactions.'

The team recruited 72 children aged six to 14, who were presented with images of faces with or without masks, both upright and inverted.

The York University team recruited 72 children aged six to 14, who were presented with images of faces with or without masks, both upright and inverted

The results showed that children had about a 20 percent impairment rate for recognizing masked faces.

For comparison, previous research has shown that adults have about a 15 percent impairment rate.

Meanwhile, the results also showed that children process faces differently when looking at a masked, and unmasked face.

Usually, humans process faces as a whole, rather than by their individual features  known as holistic processing.

However, the researchers found that when children looked at masked faces, they became more analytical, focusing on individual features.

'Not only do masks hinder the ability of children to recognize faces, but they also disrupt the typical, holistic way that faces are processed,' Freud said.

The researchers hope their findings will encourage future research into the effects face masks have on children's ability to recognize faces and make friends.

Freud concluded: 'With children back to school with mask mandates once again, future research should explore the social and psychological ramifications of wearing masks on children's educational performance.'

A group of American doctors pushing to de-mask school children released a report in January titled Children, COVID and the Urgency of Normal that outlined why schools returning to normal operations is critical for children's psychosocial health.

'The pandemic and the loss of normalcy are taking a tremendous toll on students, with the data on mental health being particularly,' the report's authors claim in a USA Today op-ed, alleging the American Academy of Pediatrics has declared a mental health emergency in children.

'As the surgeon general recently highlighted, combined analyses of 80,000 children found that symptoms of depression and anxiety have doubled among young people during the pandemic, with 1 in 4 showing depressive symptoms and 1 in 5 showing anxiety.'
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The EU will take in Ukrainian refugees without asking them to apply for asylum first, it was announced tonight, as hundreds of thousands of terrified citizens continue to flee their homes amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

The decision was agreed unanimously between all countries in the 27-nation bloc on Sunday, following a meeting of its interior ministers.

The open-door-style policy will remain in place for up to three years in a bid to tackle what is fast becoming Europe's worst humanitarian crisis in decades.

It comes as nearly 370,000 frightened Ukrainians have already fled Vladimir Putin's forces for neighbouring countries, with queues at the border with Poland stretching back more than eight miles.

But Britain is yet to commit to welcoming such refugees unconditionally, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson so far only allowing entry to those with settled families already living in the country.

It means scores of desperate Ukrainians who do not have a connection to the UK will still be denied refuge in Britain. When this was pointed out to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss this morning, she was asked if the policy would be changed.

She said: 'We are looking urgently at what we can do. We're working with European partners about how we support refugees who are leaving Ukraine. So, yes, is the answer.'

It comes as huddled masses of Ukrainian women and children escaping Russian bombs today rode trains, cars and ferries from cities including Lviv in the country's west to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

Loved ones have been torn apart in the biggest European conflict since the Second World War, as women said goodbye to their husbands after Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky ordered men aged 18-60 to stay behind and fight Kremlin forces.

Families drove to Vysne Nemecke in Slovakia, while the line of vehicles at the Poland-Ukraine border stretched 8.7 miles, and those fleeing had to endure long waits in freezing temperatures overnight. Over 100,000 people have crossed into Poland alone, according to Polish officials.

Amid the rush to escape the bombs and tanks, there was also what looked like a trickle of brave men and women who want to head home to defend Ukraine or help others do so. At a border crossing in southern Poland, Associated Press journalists spoke to people in a line heading against the tide. They included a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers who wanted to face combat.

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, Sunday, February 27, 2022

People coming from Ukraine descend from a ferry boat to enter Romania after crossing the Danube river at the Isaccea-Orlivka border crossing between Romania and Ukraine on February 26, 2022

Ukrainian refugees arrive at Zahonyi railway station close to the Hungarian-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022

Refugees from Ukraine sit in a bus near the Korczowa border crossing, Poland, Sunday, February 27, 2022

Refugees make their way through snow blizzard, at the Medyka border crossing, in Poland, February 27, 2022

A couple embrace prior to the woman boarding a train carriage leaving for western Ukraine, at the railway station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, February 27, 2022

Huddled masses of Ukrainian women and children escaping Russian bombs rode trains, cars and ferries from cities including Lviv in the country's west to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, February 27, 2022

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, February 27, 2022

Astonishing videos show a vast exodus at the city's railway station as Ukrainian civilians race to neighbouring countries to escape Vladimir Putin's forces

Huddled crowds of devastated Ukrainian women and children fleeing the Russian invasion last night rode trains from Lviv in the country's west to NATO ally Poland

A Slovak soldier carries a baby in car seat as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, February 27, 2022

A woman checks clothes from volunteers aid as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, February 27, 2022

Ukrainians arrive at Zahonyi railway station close to the Hungarian-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022

Photographs from the Ukrainian-Slovak border at the Velke Slemence border crossing, February 27, 2022

Two refugee African students comfort each-other after they manage to pass the Romanian-Ukrainian border crossing point in Siret, northern Romania, February 27, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday says his country is ready for peace talks with Russia but not in Belarus, which was a staging ground for Moscow's invasion

Putin is 'prepared to lose 50,000 troops' intelligence chiefs claim as leaked document reveals Moscow is bracing for 'medical emergency' from Ukraine invasion Vladimir Putin is 'prepared to lose 50,000 troops in the Ukraine invasion as a leaked document from the Russian Ministry of Health has revealed Moscow is preparing for a 'medical emergency. Intelligence chiefs are understood to have said Russia is prepared to lose up to 50,000 troops, while the Russian death toll could already stand at around 3,000. It is feared that Putin will order military chiefs to use 'chemical weapons' and 'attack hospitals' as fighting continues in Ukraine, with Kyiv currently remaining under Ukrainian control. Weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Mirror: 'If Russia gets bogged down I wouldn't be at all surprised if they used chemical weapons.' It comes as a document, signed by Deputy Health Minister Plutnitsky, has asked medical firms to 'be promptly involved in activities aimed at saving lives and preserving the health of people in Russia'. Russian medical companies have been ordered to send a list containing the details of medical specialists and workers to the health ministry, so the civilian staff can be deployed, according to the documents obtained by ITV News. Emma Burrows, ITV's news editor, said the documents, which were dated February 25, indicate that Russia is anticipating a 'massive health emergency'. The health ministry is specifically looking for medics specialising in trauma, maxilofacial and heart, as well as nurses, paediatrics, anaesthetists and radiologists. Advertisement

The number of Ukrainian refugees who have reached neighbouring countries has swelled to 368,000, the United Nations' refugee agency said. That figure more than doubles the agency's estimate from the day before.

European leaders are bracing for an exodus of up to 4million after at least 300,000 refugees entered EU territory since Thursday.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Sunday: 'I am proud of how the European citizens at the borders are showing concrete solidarity with Ukrainians fleeing this terrible, aggressive war'. She said she would announce a solidarity platform at a special meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels to support the Ukrainians fleeing their country and the countries most affected by refugee arrivals.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss insisted the Government is 'urgently' looking at what more it can do to help Ukrainians, but declined to say how many refugees the UK will accept.

On Saturday, one woman was 'killed during a crush at the border with Poland' as people queued for 25 hours to escape bombs in the besieged country.

A British man caught up in the chaos with his Ukrainian girlfriend called the scene 'absolute pandemonium', adding: 'There was very little organisation and the closer you got to the front, the more people were pushing and shoving.

'Every so often there would be these big surges and people would be screaming. There were lots of young children and it felt very dangerous. Terrifying. Fights broke out as people accused others of pushing in or of hurting them. People had blood running down their faces. We saw a couple of women fainting and being carried above the crowd.

'And there was a strong rumour that someone had been crushed to death  the Polish border guards confirmed they had heard it was true.

'It was beyond unsafe. I have got bruises on me from all the pushing and I am just pleased that we finally managed to make it to Poland.'

Some Ukrainians have walked many miles through the night while others have fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings. They were greeted by waiting relatives and friends or headed on their own to reception centres organised by neighbouring governments.

It comes as Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces put on high alert on Sunday amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, the Russian president claimed that leading NATO powers had made 'aggressive statements' along with the West imposing hard-hitting financial sanctions against Russia, including the president himself.

He ordered the Russian defence minister and the chief of the military's General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a 'special regime of combat duty'.

'Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country,' Putin said in televised comments.

His order raised the threat that the tensions with the West over the invasion in Ukraine could lead to the use of nuclear weapons.

The Russian leader this week threatened to retaliate harshly against any nations that intervened directly in the conflict in Ukraine.

Estonia's former defence chief Riho Terras claimed that Putin's war is not going to plan because Russia is fast running out of money and weapons, and will have to enter negotiations with Volodymyr Zelensky's government if Kyiv holds off the Russians for 10 days.

The Russian president allegedly convened a meeting with the oligarchs in a bunker in the Ural Mountains, at which it is claimed that he furiously vented that he thought the war would be 'easy' and 'everything would be done in one to four days'.

Citing Ukrainian intelligence sources, Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around 15billion-per-day, and that they have rockets for three to four days at most, which they are using sparingly.

Street fighting broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country's south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russia's invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Kyiv was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: 'The past night was tough  more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

People coming from Ukraine descend from a ferry boat to enter Romania after crossing the Danube river at the Isaccea-Orlivka border crossing between Romania and Ukraine on February 26, 2022

Ukrainian refugees arrive at Zahonyi railway station close to the Hungarian-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022

People leaving Ukraine and heading over the border into Poland on February 27, 2022

People leaving Ukraine and heading over the border into Poland on February 27, 2022

People leaving Ukraine and crossing the border into neighbouring Poland on February 27, 2022

Refugees from Ukraine arrive to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, February 27, 2022

A woman observes volunteers aid as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, February 27, 2022

A boy sleeps on the table as people fleeing Ukraine arrive to Slovakia, at border crossing in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia

Hundreds of Ukrainians are seen desperately trying to flee to Poland from Lviv railway station

Some Ukrainians have walked many miles through the night while others have fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings

West agrees to REMOVE Russian banks from Swift payments system: UK, EU, the US and allies take 'financial nuclear option' as they set up task force to go after oligarchs and strip them of 'yachts, money and ability to send kids to Western schools' Russia has been cut out of a crucial global banking system as efforts to hit its economy if it invaded Ukraine intensified. In a co-ordinated move Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union announced selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system. At the same time they said the would be imposing 'restrictive measures' to prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves 'in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions'. After talking by telephone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the 'very heavy odds' against Ukraine in its struggle against Moscow's forces. He confirmed Britain would be sending further arms to the Ukrainians and he said that the financial measures were essential to put pressure on the Kremlin. 'It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime,' he said during a visit to RAF Brize Norton. Earlier German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced he was dropping his country's opposition to the move removing a major obstacle to international agreement. 'The horror of what is unfolding in Ukraine is becoming clear to Western audiences and that in turn is putting huge pressure on Western politicians,' Mr Johnson said. Advertisement

'There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn't consider as admissible targets.'

Following its gains to the east in the city of Kharkiv and multiple ports, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Zelensky suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4million about 12.4 miles south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraine's bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraine's government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutor's office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

Putin hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the country's coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraine's access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the country's economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 12 mile bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 23 miles south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the president's office said.

The number of casualties so far from Europe's largest land conflict since World War Two remains unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraine's health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraine's UN ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross 'to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers'. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

Laetitia Courtois, ICRC's permanent observer to the UN, told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was 'a limitation for our teams on the ground' and 'we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details'.

The United Nations' refugee agency said Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighbouring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelensky denounced Russia's offensive as 'state terrorism'. He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Ukrainians fleeing their country after the Russian invasion ordered by Vladimir Putin arrive at the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing in Medyka in south-eastern Poland

Ukrainian families are seen at the border with Poland in Medyka as thousands of citizens are fleeing the war-torn country after Russia announced an invasion this week

People wait for their friends and relatives at the Medyka border crossing between Poland and Ukraine, as Polish Border Guards close lanes for vehicles to allow more pedestrian traffic

A man embraces a boy as people arrive at the Medyka border crossing between Poland and Ukraine on Saturday

Belarus poised to declare war on Ukraine as special forces are 'loaded onto planes in preparation for major air assault on Kyiv' Belarusian special forces are loading onto airplanes in preparation for an air assault on Kyiv in what would be a widening of the conflict and a declaration of war on Ukraine by dictator Alexander Lukashenko, military sources have claimed. Ukrainian intelligence has reportedly learned from within Belarus that 'special ops' troops have been spotted loading up planes for a major attack. A widening of the war to potentially include Russian ally Belarus could signal Vladimir Putin's growing fury and frustration as the Russian campaign appears to get bogged down in fierce fighting around Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ukraine's second biggest city. It could also run the risk of sucking in other states including NATO allies, triggering a pan-European conflict. A senior source told the Mirror: 'If this happens it will mean Belarus has openly joined Russia in its invasion of sovereign Ukraine. We believe they are being targeted at Kyiv and Zhytomir.' Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Kyiv's former defence minister, has claimed that Belarus is about to declare war on Ukraine. The Guardian quoted Zagorodnyuk as saying: 'Republic of Belarus is highly likely to join the Russian war against Ukraine. On Russian side. There is an information about airborne troopers from Republic of Belarus loaded on the planes to enter Ukraine. 'This is a terrible development as it involves a country, which until very recently was a great friend of Ukraine; which people always considered Ukraine as a brotherly nation. Ukraine and Belarus has never been to war one with another in their many hundred years of history. 'We believe that the only reason for that decision was personal demand from President of Russia, which completely depends from Putin in its policy.' Advertisement

'Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its UN Security Council seat,' he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelensky on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Ukraine's president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus.

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelensky adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's offer as 'manipulation'.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The US pledged an additional $350million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The US, European Union and Britain agreed to block 'selected' Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose 'restrictive measures' on Russia's central bank.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing $112.7billion to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defence spending above 2 per cent of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed 'to protect our freedom and our democracy'.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries' borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russia's security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraine's right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit.

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court's prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use 'the most unsavoury means', including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

'I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons,' she told Sky News.
In calling for a state-level emergency declaration that would unleash funding for free taxi rides and publicly funded bodyguards for the citys beleaguered Asian-American population, Assemblyman Ron Kim is coming from a place of genuine and understandable outrage. Hate crimes have surged in recent years, culminating in acutely horrific incidents like the beating death of Yao Pan Ma last year.

Asian communities across the city and state feel exhausted and besieged. Kim is right that something has to be done. His ideas, however, are the wrong ones. To provide all members of a protected class with what amounts to private security and a car service is to set a strange precedent indeed, and to effectively capitulate to the notion that they will be victimized on the streets and on the subways and all we can do is react. Instead, the streets and subways must be made safe.

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Yao Pan Ma, 61, pictured at the Hospital was walking down the street with a shopping cart full of recyclables around 9 p.m. when he was attacked. (Obtained by Daily News)

The proposed programs would also kick in only when a particular protected group saw an increase of more than 200% in reported hate crimes year over year, a metric that would leave out groups for whom the rates are high at a baseline and are not spiking.

We are not against communities coming together to protect themselves and each other. There is a long history in New York of unarmed patrols springing up when times are tough, giving residents peace of mind.

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Yet this hasnt been a uniformly positive solution. The shomrim  semi-public patrols that popped up in ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities for laudable reasons similar to the rationale for Kims proposed new security force  have had a decidedly mixed record.

Attempting to guarantee every Asian-American New Yorker or member of another targeted group an escort and taxi service simply isnt a sustainable or scalable solution. Its a promise waiting to be broken. Instead, we should recommit to effective and proactive policing while rooting out hate and getting treatment  compulsory treatment if necessary  to the sometimes psychotic individuals in whose brains it metastasizes.
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Ukraine war latest, at a glance Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko warns the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into WWIII

The EU has unveiled a new package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik

Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the border with Belarus, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl

Putin orders forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West

U.S. blasts Putin's nuclear order as 'unacceptable' and says war crimes tribunal isn't off the table

Putin's desperate troops adopt 'siege tactics' after being driven out of Kharkiv by resistance fighters

Ukraine's defence ministry claims Russian death toll stands at 4,300

Ukraine's health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia's invasion

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine to three countries, with 150,000 said to have crossed into Poland alone

Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine

Russia acknowledged it had lost troops for the first time today, but did not give a number

BP announces it is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect Advertisement

Blasts have been heard overnight in several of Ukraine's cities including the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv, the country's second biggest city and Chernihiv, north of the capital, but overall, it was a quiet night on the streets of the capital with an almost two-day curfew lifted on Monday morning.

Those still residing in the capital must know the worst is surely still to come.

Today marks the start of a crucial 24 hours for the country with tensions at their highest following a threat by Russian President Vladimir Putin to put his nuclear deterrent forces on 'alert'.

The mood is not exactly promising for talks but Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the northern border with Belarus later on Monday.

Zelensky has said there are no preconditions attached but holds little hope of a breakthrough that the conflict will be resolved. Zelensky will not be part of the delegation in person.

It wasn't immediately clear when the meeting would take place, nor what the Kremlin was ultimately seeking, either in those potential talks on the border or, more broadly, from its war in Ukraine. Western officials believe Putin wants to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

Ukraine has managed to slow the advance of Putin's troops but Russia is still gaining ground, closing in on the capital, showing no sign of turning back.

Satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies on Sunday depicted a three-mile long convoy of Russian military vehicles lined up on roads leading to Kyiv, thought to be less than 40 miles away from the city of three million people.

While Russian advance forces have been fighting in Kyiv for several days, the main bulk of Putin's assault force is still some distance outside the city.

The convoy consisting of tanks and military hardware are almost certainly preparing for a ground assault, but they remain vulnerable from the air. Ukraine on Sunday released video footage of a drone attack where several Russian tanks were blown up in a missile strike.

If the Russians were expecting Ukraine to roll over, the first four days have proved them wrong.

Russian forces have encountered strong resistance from Ukraine's defenders, and U.S. officials say they believe the invasion has been more difficult, and slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, though that could change as Moscow adapts.

On Sunday night, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said missiles had hit a radioactive waste disposal site in Kyiv.

International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi said Ukrainian authorities informed his office about the overnight strike, but there were no reports of damage to the buildings or indications of a release of radioactive material. He said his agency expects to soon receive the results of on-site radioactive monitoring.

The report came a day after an electrical transformer at a similar disposal facility in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was damaged. Such facilities typically hold low-level radioactive materials such as waste from hospitals and industry, but Mr Grossi said the two incidents highlight a 'very real risk'.

Aside from blasts heard in the early hours of the morning, Kyiv had been mainly quiet overnight according to information provided by Ukrainian officials. It may well be seen as the calm before the storm.

In one video, shot in the darkness of Kharkiv that was posted to Twitter, several rounds of gunfire can be heard in the distance.

'Kharkiv airport and residential areas are under heavy shelling,' read a message posted to social media.

An air raid alert sounded in the city at about 4.30am local time with residents urged to head to the nearest shelter.

An apartment building was also seen to be ablaze after being hit by a missile in the centre of Chernihiv, a city about 100 miles north of Kyiv.

It saw a fire break out on the lower floors of the building.

'A rocket hit a residential building in the centre of Chernihiv. A fire broke out, two lower floors are on fire. The number of injured is currently unknown,' a statement on Twitter read.

Later on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden is planning to conduct a call with allies on to discuss the deteriorating situation in Ukraine and any coordinated response, according to the White House.

The call will take place at 11:15am EST.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underlined the importance of a 'unified response to Russia's invasion,' during a call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

The timing comes as another of Ukraine's neighbors, Belarus, is also said to be preparing to send soldiers into Ukraine in support of Russia.

'It's very clear Minsk is now an extension of the Kremlin,' said an anonymous official to the Washington Post.

On Monday morning, Ukraine's defense minister issues a defiant message following another night where Russian troops failed to take Kyiv.

'We will not give up the capital, Ukraine is already winning,' Oleksii Reznikov said describing it as '96 hours of resistance' and 'four days of dedication, courage and faith'.

'The enemy who came to our land will go in a known direction. Therefore, we advise the occupiers to go home. It'snot too late,' a statement posted on the Ukrainian ministry of defense website read.

'It is useless to intimidate Ukrainians. It will not be possible to break our defenders.'

A satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows a large convoy of Russian ground forces in convoy near Ivankiv, Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine faces a 'crucial' 24 hours as Russia throws even more ground forces at Kyiv

Public Chernihiv reports that a rocket hit a residential building in the center of Chernihiv, north of Kyiv. A fire broke out with two lower floors ablaze. The number of injured is currently unknown

The mood is not exactly promising for talks but Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the northern border with Belarus later on Monday. Pictured, the meeting room where the talks will take place

Early on Monday morning, the Mayor of Kharkiv issued a message to residents of the city of 1.4million people where he described how he was attempting to keep the city functioning while attempting to hold off Russian forces

Early on Monday morning, the Mayor of Kharkiv issued a message to residents of the city of 1.4million people where he described how he was attempting to keep the city functioning while holding off Russian forces.

'Starting from this morning multiple units of Russian Army made a breakthrough into Kharkiv. You saw them into residential areas of the city. Yesterday night there was an enormous artillery bombardment. But we have held the line. And we will forever,' wrote Mayor Igor Terekhov.

'Dear Inhabitants of Kharkiv. My dears. We must stick together. Me and our utility service are doing all what we can: we reconnect central heating. This morning, we reinitiated garbage collection. But were had to stop because we were under gunfire.

'Bread. We do our best. Unfortunately, the bakery was not working because it was also coming under shelling. We maintain water supply in the city.

'I beg you to take care of yourself. We are doing everything possible and sometimes  have to admit it  that it is impossible together with our utilities service to ensure the functioning of the city of Kharkiv.

'We will withstand. We are Kharkovites.'

On Sunday night, President Zelensky again spoke to Boris Johnson on Sunday night, who told him he will do 'all he could' to ensure further military aid reaches Ukrainian forces.

The Prime Minister praised the 'heroic' resistance of the Ukrainian people in the face of the Russian attack, according to the No 10 readout of the call.

Plumes of smoke rise from a building, which was caused by a cruise missile according to local media, in Kyiv, Ukraine

'The Prime Minister lauded the bravery of the Ukrainian people following the Russian invasion and praised the leadership of President Zelensky in the face of such adversity,' a No 10 spokesman said. 'The resistance of the Ukrainian people was heroic, the Prime Minister added.

'President Zelensky said he believed the next 24 hours was a crucial period for Ukraine, and the Prime Minister said he would do all he could to help ensure defensive aid from the UK and allies reached Ukraine.

'The leaders agreed to continue to stay in close contact and the Prime Minister reiterated the UK's staunch support for Ukraine's sovereignty.'

It came as Ursula von der Leyen last night insisted Ukraine is 'one of us' as she led calls for the war-torn nation to join the European Union - which unveiled a fresh package of sanctions against Vladimir Putin's regime, including closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

Volunteers from the Territorial Defense Units gather in an outpost to collect weapons, train and get their assignments in Kyiv

Earlier on Sunday, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko issued a chilling threat that the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into a Third World War.

'Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector, gas, oil, SWIFT,' Lukashenko said. 'It's worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a Third World War. We need to be restrained here so as not to get into trouble. Because nuclear war is the end of everything.'

Ukraine's health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia's invasion. It also said that 1,684 people, including 116 children, had been wounded

President Zelensky's office had earlier said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Lukashenko himself.

A spokesperson added that Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return.

Mr Zelensky described his discussion with Lukashenko as 'very substantive', adding that he had made it clear he did not want troops to move from Belarus to Ukraine and Lukashenko 'assured him of this'.

He added: 'I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try, so that later not a single citizen of Ukraine has any doubt that I, as president, tried to stop the war.'

It came as Putin declared, in his own televised address, that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg responded: 'This is dangerous rhetoric'.

Citing 'aggressive statements' by NATO and tough financial sanctions, Putin issued a directive to increase the readiness of Russia's nuclear weapons, raising fears that the invasion of Ukraine could lead to nuclear war, whether by design or mistake.

The Russian leader is 'potentially putting in play forces that, if there's a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous,' said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss rapidly unfolding military operations.

Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the Hague, with Mr Zelensky requesting that the UN International Court of Justice orders Russia to stop its attack against Ukraine and starts trials soon.

Ukrainian servicemen patrol during a curfew as Russian forces continue to advance on the third day in Kyiv

The United States also condemned Putin's order to put his nuclear forces on high alert as dangerous and 'unacceptable.' The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield also said nothing was 'off the table' when asked about the possibility of Putin being tried in international court as a war criminal.

Boris Johnson, meanwhile, dismissed Putin's announcement as a 'distraction' from the struggle his troops are facing in Ukraine. The Prime Minister also cast doubt on possible negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations to try to resolve the crisis.

'There's nothing I've seen so far in his behaviour that leads me to think that he could possibly be sincere,' he said.

Earlier Russian television footage showed Mr Putin meeting with his defence minister and the chief of the general staff, and instructing them to put the nuclear deterrent on a 'special regime of combat duty'.

'Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading Nato members made aggressive statements regarding our country,' he said.

But on a day when the expected assault on Kyiv again failed to materialise and the Ukrainians claimed to have driven Russian forces out of the country's second city Kharkiv, Mr Johnson said his words were 'a distraction from the reality of what's going on'.

'This is an innocent people who are facing a totally unprovoked act of aggression against them, and what's actually happening is that they are fighting back perhaps with more effect, with more resistance, than the Kremlin had bargained for,' he said.

'You can see some of the logistical difficulties that the Russian forces are experiencing. The Russian defence ministry have themselves conceded that they're having casualties. This is a disastrous misbegotten venture by President Putin.'

Elsewhere, oil giant BP announced on Sunday it is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect'.

Chief executive Bernard Looney revealed the move today, saying he was 'saddened' and 'shocked' by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It comes after he was summoned to a meeting with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday amid growing unease about the BP's Russian dealings.

As Russian troops draw closer to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv's mayor is filled with pride over his citizens' spirit but remains anxious about how long they can hold out.

After a gruelling night of Russian attacks on the outskirts of the city, mayor Vitali Klitschko was silent for several seconds when asked if there were plans to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv.

'We can't do that, because all ways are blocked,' he finally said. 'Right now we are encircled.'

After a gruelling night of Russian attacks on the outskirts of the city, mayor Vitali Klitschko was silent for several seconds when asked if there were plans to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv

The images showed a massive convoy of Russian troops heading toward the Ukraine capital Kyiv today

Citizens of Kyiv have resorted to arming themselves amid fears of an imminent invasion by Russian troops. (Pictured: satellite image showing Russian army heading to the captial of Ukraine)

The convoy of thousands of Russian troops heading to Kyiv is three and a quarter miles long and is believed to be carrying fuel, logistics and armoured vehicles. (Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin)

Russian troops entered Ukraine on February 24 prompting the country's president to declare martial law and triggering a series of announcements by Western countries to impose severe economic sanctions on Russia

When Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Thursday, the city of 2.8 million people initially reacted with concern but also a measure of self-possession. However, nerves started fraying when grocery stores began closing and the city's famously deep subway system turned its stations into bomb shelters.

The mayor confirmed to the AP that nine civilians in Kyiv had been killed so far, including one child.

A Klitschko-ordered curfew began about sundown on Saturday and is to extend until at least 8 a.m. Monday. His order pointedly stated that any unauthorized person outside could be considered a saboteur.

'We are hunting these people, and it will be much easier if nobody is on the street,' Klitschko explained, saying that six Russian 'saboteurs' were killed Saturday night.

Russian troops' advance on the city has been slower than many military experts had expected.

'I just talked to the president [Volodymyr Zelenskyy]. Everybody is not feeling so well,' Klitschko said, adding that the Ukrainian city government employees were in shock but not depressed. 'We show our character, our knowledge, our values.'

In the last few days, long queues of people - both men and women - were spotted waiting to pick up weapons throughout the capital, after authorities decided to distribute weapons freely to anybody ready to defend the city.

'There are concerns, however, about arming nervous civilians with little military experience amid warnings of Russian saboteurs disguised as Ukrainian police or journalists.

'To be honest, we don't have 100% control,' said Klitschko. 'We built this territorial defense in a short amount of time - but these are patriotic people.'

'Right now, the most important question is to defend our country,' he added.

Responding to a question about the city's capacity to replenish dwindling stocks of food and medicine, Klitschko's view darkened, however.

'We are at the border of a humanitarian catastrophe,' he said. 'Right now, we have electricity, right now we have water and heating in our houses. But the infrastructure is destroyed to deliver the food and medication.

Ukrainian forces in Kyiv destroyed a column of Russian vehicles in the city's northwest after surviving a 'brutal' night of shelling.

Volunteers, among them the former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna, have taken up arms to fight off Vladimir Putin's army, with 'long queues' of citizens waiting to be issued weapons at recruitment centres in Kyiv.

Ukrainian forces have managed to halt the advance of Russian troops on the capital, blowing bridges into the city to hinder the advance of Moscow's soldiers.

Russian forces were on Sunday afternoon destroyed in Bucha, near the Gostomel air base in the north west of Kyiv, after becoming trapped when the Irpin bridge into the city was destroyed.

Footage posted online purported to show the harrowing aftermath of what military experts said was likely a drone strike on the Russian Airborne Forces column, with parts of vehicles strewn across the road in a warp, fiery heap.

Earlier on Sunday, Ukrainian servicemen were pictured roaming in the centre of Kyiv to enforce a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets.

Mothers fleeing with their children from Ukraine stand at Nyugati station, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Budapest, Hungary

Tanya and her son, Alexander, are seen at Nyugati station after fleeing from Ukraine, following Russia's launch of a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Budapest, Hungary

A Polish woman holding a teddy bear and a sign with a name of an Ukrainian girl to flee Ukraine stands at the Medyka border crossing in Poland

A mother fleeing with her children from Ukraine stands at Nyugati station, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Budapest, Hungary

A family fleeing from Ukraine arrives at Nyugati station, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Budapest, Hungary

Ukrainian family reunites at the Medyka border crossing in Poland. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long the invasion continues

Earlier on Sunday, in a speech to mark Russia's special forces day, Putin thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine, before parroting his propaganda line that his armies are providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognised as independent states ahead of its invasion.

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

In a televised address, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the peace talks were called after Belarus prepared its forces to join the Russian invasion.

'Today, we were as close as ever to the entry of Belarus armed forces into the war. This is why President Zelensky and President Lukashenko spoke today,' he said in his address.

'We have to defend our northern flank and we have to minimise the threats coming from there. So we agreed to send a delegation to the location on the Ukranian-Belarus border and we go to there to listen to what Russia has to say.

'We are going there without preliminary agreement on what the outcome of these talks can be. We are going there to say what we think of this war and Russia's actions.'

Mr Kuleba said Belarus had assured Ukraine that no Belarusian military force will be use against Kyiv while the talks take place, but he insisted Ukraine's military military would continue to 'fiercely defend' the country against Russia attacks in the meantime.

'I think the fact Russia wants to talk without any pre-conditions or any ultimatums, without any demands addressed to Ukraine, is already a victory for Ukraine,' he added.

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine around 5pm (3pm GMT), an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said.

Russia's flagship carrier announced Sunday it was suspending flights to Europe after the European Union closed its airspace to Russian aircraft for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The announcement came after the EU said Sunday it would close its airspace to Russian carriers, adding to a litany of sanctions imposed on Russia over its attack on Ukraine.

'Aeroflot is suspending flights of the European route network from February 28, 2022 until further notice,' the company said on its website.

The EU's airspace ban prohibits flights into or over the EU by all Russian planes, including private jets.

The measure consolidated what was already de facto largely in place, with many of the EU's 27 nations having individually announced airspace closures to Russian flights.

In response, Russia has barred flights from a number of countries such as Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic.

'Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return,' the statement said. Pictured: The statement posted on Telegram earlier today

The peace talks were confirmed by Ukraine's Ministry of Defence this afternoon. The Government department said on Twitter that there would be 'no preconditions' to the talks

In a televised address, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (pictured right) said the talks were called after Belarus prepared its forces to join the Russian invasion. 'Today, we were as close as ever to the entry of Belarus armed forces into the war. This is why Presiden Zelensky and President Lukashenko (pictured left) spoke today,' he said in his address.

Russian forces entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence today claimed it has killed more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting. Russia has not released an updates on its military losses. Pictured: An Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighter examines a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv

Russian forces stormed Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv on Sunday after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv.

However reports in Ukraine suggest troops have managed to successfully repel the Russian advance on Kharkiv, which is close to the Russian border, with one British reporter on the ground confirming that the city remains under Ukrainian control despite this morning's attack.

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, said Ukrainian troops had managed to reclaim the city. In a post on Telegram, he said: 'Control over Kharkiv is completely ours!

'The armed forces, the national police, and the defence forces are working and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy.'

Kharkiv's defence came as Ukraine's Ministry of Defence claimed Ukrainian troops had killed or injured more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting. Russia has not released an updates on its military losses.

The Kremlin accepted it had lost troops in the conflict for the first time yesterday, but did not provide a number. 'There have been killed and wounded among the Russian military during the course of the special military operation,' the defence ministry in Moscow said in a statement quoted by TASS news agency

A US official told Reuters that Russia had committed around two-thirds of its combat power inside Ukraine and launched more than 320 missiles over the course of the conflict.

In an article yesterday, UK Armed Forces minister James Heappey has insisted Putin's 'days are numbered' if he fails in Ukraine, with his campaign falling 'well behind' its planned timeline.

Mr Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said Putin's forces had been unable to capture key cities in the first few days of fighting as intended and had left pockets of 'well-armed' Ukrainians to the rear of their front line.

A picture is emerging of a haphazard and disorganised invasion effort, with armoured columns running out of fuel or getting lost, and some having to advance without air cover.

Mr Heappey wrote in the Telegraph: 'After three days of intense fighting, spurred by dogged Ukrainian resistance, Russia is well behind its planned timeline.

'Progress to Kyiv has been much slower than they'd expected, they were unable to take key cities early and now must try to bypass them.

'This leaves pockets of well-armed and well-trained Ukrainians to the rear of the Russian front line, exposing a vulnerable logistics tail - an omen for what awaits Putin.'

At the same time, Ukrainians are volunteering in their droves, with 'long queues' at recruitment centres, the minister wrote.

Meanwhile, footage from the town of Koryukivka, near the Russian border, showed hundreds of locals massing on a road to block the advance of a Russian tank column.

Mr Heappey believes that if Putin fails and ordinary Russians realise 'how little he cares for them ... [his] days as president will surely be numbered and so too will those of the kleptocratic elite that surround him,' he wrote.

'He'll lose power and he won't get to choose his successor.'

There have been fresh questions raised about Putin's mental state, including whether Covid-19 has fueled his paranoia after claims emerged the isolated president spent time 'stewing in his own fears' after 'withdrawing into himself' during the pandemic.

A total of 4,000 Russians have now been arrested at anti-war protests in recent days, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info, with a demonstration outside the Kremlin near the site where opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down.



This morning, footage shared on social media showed Putin's army trucks rolling through Kharkiv - a city of 1.41 million people - which sits in Eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia.

Soldiers were also seen marching on foot, with a very dramatic clip showing Russians slowly advancing along a road before running and firing their guns as Ukrainians opened fire on them.

Another clip shared online shows an army vehicle said to belong to the Russians ablaze, with locals saying it had been torched by Ukrainians seeking to defend their city. Meanwhile, the UK's Ministry of Defence released its latest intelligence update, saying there had been an 'intensive' exchange of rocket artillery in the city, followed by 'heavy fighting' between Ukrainian and Russian forces. It said fighting in the capital Kyiv had been 'less intense' than previous nights.

A Russian tank burning in the Ukrainians city of Sumy just days after newly revealed dashcam footage showed a huge column of tanks moving in

A Ukrainian serviceman and his dog stands in a position looking at smoke from a burned petroleum storage depot behind after a Russian missile attacked near Kyiv

Ukrainian servicemen have a rest on a position looking at smoke from a burned petroleum storage depot behind after a Russian missile attacked near Kiev

Servicemen of pro-Russian militia stand guard outside the Oschad bank branch in Stanytsia Luhanska in the Luhansk region, Ukraine

Servicemen of pro-Russian militia hoist flags of Russia and the separatist self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) outside the Oschad bank branch in Stanytsia Luhanska in the Luhansk region, Ukraine

Mobilized soldiers prepare to join the People's Militia of the Lugansk People's Republic. Some of them take the oath, some are trained to use weapons; most recruits are volunteers

Mobilized soldiers prepare to join the People's Militia of the Lugansk People's Republic. Some of them take the oath, some are trained to use weapons; most recruits are volunteers

Ukrainian servicemen patrol during a curfew as Russian forces continue to advance on the third day of fighting around Kyiv

Russian forces were filmed advancing through Kharkiv on Sunday morning - moments before gunfire rang out, sending some soldiers running while others returned fire

Putin attends a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov in Moscow

Shoigu and Gerasimov - Russia's two most senior military officials - looked stony-faced during the meeting with Putin

A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city

Burning Russian military equipment on the streets of Kharkiv minutes after Russian army entered the city

Russian forces are pictured entering Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning. Gun battles are reported to have erupted. Russian vehicles are said to have been marked with a white Z to distinguish them from Ukrainian combatants

Ukrainian troops gather around a fire during a brief period of rest as they defend their capital, Kyiv, from Russian forces

Members of Russian special forces - SOF - in Bucha outside of Kyiv as the invaders continue to besiege Ukraine's capital city

A column of Russian military vehicles is seen near the village of Oktyabrsky, Belgorod Region, near the Russian-Ukrainian border, on February 26, 2022

As the fighting continued, The Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion. Pictured: Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region

This is the moment a gas pipeline was blown up by Ukraine in the city of Kharkiv, which sits east of Ukraine, close to the Russian border

Members of civil defense prepare Molotov cocktails in a yard in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday. Defence officials had urged citizens to make the improvised fire bombs to help defend the country against Russian invasion

Members of the Territorial Defense Forces stop a man in downtown during a curfew, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen patrol during a curfew as Russian forces continue to advance on the third day in Kyiv, Ukraine

Chechen general Magomed Tushaev was one of 56 highly-feared elite soldiers blown up by Ukraine after they joined the Russian invasion with their sights set on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

Putin's regime 'set for real economic pain' after West removes Russian banks from Swift Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union have announced that selected Russian banks would be excluded from the Swift global payments system. Boris Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky both welcomed the 'increased willingness' to take action against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Here, the PA news agency answers key questions about Swift and why the issue is so important. What is Swift? The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift) is a secure messaging system used by financial institutions to move money around the world. Instead of holding or transferring funds, Swift allows banks and companies to alert each other of transactions that are about to take place. Who uses it? The platform, founded in the 1970s, connects more than 11,000 banking and securities organisations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories. It averaged 42 million messages daily last year to enable payments, with about half of all high-value transactions crossing national borders going through it. Why is it being mentioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine? It is the latest announcement following a number of sanctions that have hit Russia. The Prime Minister told broadcasters during a visit to RAF Brize Norton: 'It is incredibly important for tightening the economic ligature around the Putin regime.' The move has been described by Armed forces minister James Heappey as the 'ultimate economic sanction'. Why does the UK want Russia to be excluded? Banning Russian banks from the platform would hit the country's access to financial markets across the world. This would cause delays and extra costs for the Russian economy, and would make it harder for other countries to make payments to Russia. How significant would the blow to Russia's economy be? In an explanatory Twitter threat, investment specialist Sahil Bloom wrote: 'Cutting off a nation's banks from SWIFT access restricts flows into and out of that nation. 'Russia is a massive economy with tentacles that reach all around the world 'It is a key energy supplier to Europe and the world. It is an exporter of materials critical to the manufacturing of jet engines, semiconductors, automotives, electronics, and fertilizers. Cutting off Russia from SWIFT would impact the flow of payments for these industries.' Some commentators have suggested the move could increase energy prices if European countries are unable to pay Russian suppliers of fossil fuels. Advertisement

On another sensational day in the conflict, the EU unveiled a new package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced the new measures in a press conference this afternoon, which will include funding the purchase and delivery of weapons to Ukraine.

Ms von der Leyen said this was the first time the EU had done this for a country under attack.

She said: 'We are shutting down the EU's airspace for all Russian aircraft, including the private jets of oligarchs.

'Second, in another unprecedented step, we will ban, in the EU, the Kremlin's media machine.

'The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to support Putin's lies.'

The breach of Ukraine's defences came hours after Russia was dealt a significant blow when a column of Chechen special forces sent to assassinate Ukrainian President Zelensky were blown up by locals just two days into their mission.

Among the Chechens said to have been wiped out was general Magomed Tushaev. He was commander of the 141th motorized national guard brigade - Chechen head of state Ramzan Kadyrov's elite force.

Tushaev had also been pictured with Kadyrov, in a measure of his importance to the Chechen regime, which shot to notoriety in the west for hunting down, torturing and killing gay men.

It came as Ramzan Kadyrov, the warlord leader of the Chechen Republic, complained Russia's tactics had been 'too sluggish' as he appeared to pave the way for a further escalation of violence against Ukraine.

He said the Ukrainians were 'armed to the teeth with new weaponry and ammunition, and new generation heavy artillery' and that he is 'hoping they will come to their senses' and surrender.

He then asked Putin to 'give all special forces the order to finish off the Nazis and terrorists' in the country. The idea that Russia is 'de-Nazifying' Ukraine is a common propaganda line spouted by Kremlin allies.

The armed group - famed for their barbaric violence and human rights abuses - are said to have been obliterated after their convoy of 56 tanks was blown to smithereens near Hostomel, just northeast of Kyiv, by Ukrainian missile fire on the second day of the Chechens' deployment. It is unclear how many died - but the number is likely to run into the hundreds.

Their deaths were reported by The Kyiv Independent news outlet as officials in Kyiv revealed that they'd managed to maintain control of Ukraine's capital city throughout combat on Saturday night and into Sunday morning.

First Deputy Chairman of Kyiv City State Administration Mykola Povoroznyk said: 'The situation in Kyiv is calm, the capital is fully controlled by the Ukrainian army and the terror defence. At night there were several clashes with sabotage group.'

But Russian forces were seen entering Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv on Sunday morning. Footage shared on social media showed Russian tanks and trucks rolling through the city, which sits in eastern Ukraine, close to the Russian border, with gunshots also heard ringing out.

Other videos shared online showed Russian troops walking in to the city of 1.419 million people on foot, as well as an army truck said to be Russian consumed by flames.

Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko, meanwhile, said their airforce had shot down a missile aimed at the capital Kyiv, by a plane that flew in from Russian ally Belarus.

But while fighting raged in the north, Russian forces said they had successfully blocked Kherson and Berdyansk in the south, effectively opening up a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean peninsula - which it annexed in 2014.

The reported killings of the Chechen assassination squad are a crushing psychological blow for Putin's stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. The Russian premiere had dispatched the group to capture or kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, knowing full well that the fighters' brutal reputation would strike further fear into the hearts of besieged Ukrainians.

Each fighter had been given a deck of cards complete with photos of Ukrainian officials they'd been told to target.

But Zelensky remains standing, and has become a global hero for his brave dispatches from the front line - while his would-be assassins' reported killings have brought huge disgrace and widespread grief to Chechnya.
A 21-year-old Bronx man charged with killing his cousin and stuffing her body into a plastic container allegedly used her cell phone to send text message to the woman's relatives.

Police charged Khalid Barrow with murder and concealment of a human corpse Saturday after the body of Nisaa Walcott was discovered February 25 near Yankee Stadium, more than a week after she was reported missing.

Investigators believe Barrow attempted to impersonate her by using her cell phone to text worried relatives, but the trick backfired when loved ones became suspicious of inconsistencies in the texts.

The victim's brother Eugene Butler said that although his calls were not returned, he received texts from his sister's phone that he knew she didn't send.

'The language that was being used was like, wait a minute, thats not my sister,' Butler told Kion 546.

Walcott's decomposing body was abandoned in a container near the Deegan Expressway in Melrose, not far from a storage facility.

Nisaa Walcott, 35, was discovered slain and stuffed inside a plastic storage container last Friday

Cops closed in on their chief suspect after reviewing surveillance footage of Walcott and Barrow entering her apartment together on February 16. Only he reemerged from the building, sources told the New York Post.

Barrow was also captured on video removing a plastic container from the building, the New York Post reported.

Police have not yet revealed the woman's cause of death.

A neighbor told the outlet that the young cousin had been living with Walcott and her son at the time of the slaying.

'How do you do that to your cousin?' the unidentified neighbor said. 'She gave you shelter, she gave you a place to live. She actually extended her hand and this is how you repay her?'

Her death shattered her close-knit family, with her brother Eugene Butler saying the homicide victim 'loved everyone unconditionally.'

He told the New York Daily News: 'Nisaa loved her family and friends and she would do anything for them.'

The victim's sister-in-law Anginette Buttler said Walcott's killer was 'cruel to put her in a container like that.'

She told the the Daily News: 'Nisaa was a very kind young lady and she helped everybody, she wouldnt hurt a soul. We dont know what would make somebody do something so cruel. Nisaa had no enemies and she was a good person, a good giving heart.'

The man who discovered Walcott's body frequents the site across from 950 University Avenue along the Deegan Expressway to find and resell items dumped there by people using the self-storage facility.

He noticed a dresser that had been abandoned there around 11 a.m. and came back in the afternoon to retrieve it. A foul odor drew his attention and he saw a human foot jutting from a plastic container that he said hadn't been there earlier, WABC-TV reported.

Walcott's friend characterized her as a 'beautiful person' and a 'single mother and entrepreneur who worked hard'

NYPD officers are pictures transporting Walcott's corpse in a body bag at the scene

The man who discovered Walcott's body noticed a dresser that had been abandoned there around 11 am on Friday, and came back in the afternoon to retrieve it. A foul odor drew his attention to a human foot jutting from a plastic container that he said hadn't been there earlier

It was unclear how long her body went undetected, but police sources told NBC New York that it had begun to decompose. The bin containing Walcott's body did not appear to be connected to the storage facility.

It is commonplace for furniture and trash to line that sidewalk, neighbors told outlets - but after Friday, they want that dumping to stop.

Stephanie Nunez, who neighbors the Melrose site, said that her father had parked alongside the dresser moments earlier.

'He just got out of the car and didn't notice anything,' Nunez said.

Another neighbor, who identified herself as DeeDee, told reporters that 'this is crazy.'

'It was a woman found, decomposed. I am a woman - a single, black woman at that, and I have children,' she said.

Walcott's aunt, Bernadette Butler Colon, implored anyone with knowledge of her niece's whereabouts to come forward in a Friday Facebook post just hours before the body was uncovered

Norma Menedez, Walcott's friend of 15 years who employed her at the Live on Lexington barber shop, told the New York Daily News on Friday night that she 'has no idea who would do something so cruel to her'

Norma Menedez, Walcott's friend of 15 years who employed her at the Live on Lexington barber shop, told the New York Daily News on Friday night that 'this is something you read about on the milk carton or watch on SVU.'

'This is not reality. She had a family who loves her,' she told the outlet.

'She was a beautiful person. She had a lot of life. She was an entrepreneur. She was a nice person. She was a great woman.'

Walcott's aunt, Bernadette Butler Colon, had implored anyone with knowledge of her niece's whereabouts to come forward in a Facebook post just hours before the body was uncovered.

'This is my niece Nisaa Walcott. She has been missing for a week now,' Colon wrote.

'She has a wonderful son and a host of family and friends awaiting her safe return home. This is strange as she would never abandon her beloved son.'

Menedez told the Daily News that 'everything [Walcott] did was for her son'

Menedez told the Daily News that 'everything she did was for her son.'

'She was a great mother. She was always there for him,' she said. 'We have no idea who would do something so cruel to her. '

Another friend, Luz Droz, told NBC New York that Walcott 'didn't deserve this.'

'She was a beautiful person, hard worker, she was a single mother, she was an entrepreneur she worked hard,' Droz said.
Britain is to provide a further 40 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine in a bid to create much-needed access to basic necessities, the Government has announced.

Downing Street said the funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation by providing Ukraine with medical supplies such as medicines, syringes, dressings and wound care packs.

Government humanitarian experts will also be deployed to the region to support refugees fleeing the violence.

The announcement followed a call between Mr Johnson and Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier on Sunday, in which the Ukrainian President said the need for humanitarian assistance was critical.

Boris Johnson met with members of the Ukrainian community at the Cathedral of the Holy Family on Sunday evening and announced 'the UK will not turn its back on Ukraine' in their 'hour of need'.

Mr Johnson also dismissed Vladimir Putin putting Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on 'high alert' as 'a distraction from the reality of what's going on in Ukraine' and praised Ukrainians for 'fighting back perhaps with more effect, with more resistance, than the Kremlin had bargained for'.

Boris Johnson met with members of the Ukrainian community at the Cathedral of the Holy Family on Sunday evening (pictured) and announced 'the UK will not turn its back on Ukraine' in their 'hour of need'. It comes as Downing Street announces they will provide a further 40 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine in a bid to create much-needed access to basic necessities

Government humanitarian experts will also be deployed to the region to support refugees fleeing the violence. Pictured: Members of the Ukrainian community at the Catholic Eparchy of Holy Family of London

Mr Johnson also said Vladimir Putin (pictured) putting Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert was 'a distraction from the reality of what's going on in Ukraine' and praised Ukrainians for 'fighting back perhaps with more effect, with more resistance, than the Kremlin had bargained for'

The announcement followed a call between Mr Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) earlier on Sunday, in which the Ukrainian President said the need for humanitarian assistance was critical.

Speaking to members of the Ukrainian community at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Mayfair, London, this evening, Mr Johnson said in a speech: 'In the last days the world has witnessed awe-inspiring displays of bravery and heroism from the Ukrainian people in response to those who seek to obliterate their freedom by force.

'The UK will not turn our backs in Ukraine's hour of need. We are providing all the economic and military support we can to help those Ukrainians risking everything to protect their country.'

In response to the growing pressure to offer more help to Ukrainian refugees, the Prime Minister added that the UK will be 'very generous', with a system that lets people enter the country when they are in fear of persecution, to reunite with family or 'other purposes'.

He said: 'We want to be as generous as we possibly can, and certainly we want people who have relatives in Ukraine to be able to bring them over as fast as possible.

'We want to make sure that we have routes for people fleeing disaster, war, persecution in Ukraine to come here and we're setting aside more to help with the humanitarian crisis in the countries bordering Ukraine, putting another 40 million for medical supplies and immediate help.'

'We will be very generous to the Ukrainians,' he later added.

It comes as Downing Street announced Britain is to provide a further 40 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine in a bid to create much-needed access to basic necessities. Pictured: Boris Johnson lights a candle as he meets members of the Ukrainian community at The Cathedral of the Holy Family in central London

Pressed on what he means by 'very generous' and asked how many people would be accepted, Mr Johnson said: 'Well, we will have a system that lets people come when they're in fear of persecution when they need to... for family reunion or other purposes.'

During the speech, Mr Johnson admitted he 'just couldn't believe' that Putin would invade Ukraine in the way he has and is 'amazed by the sheer wanton aggression'.

He added that he holds 'no hostility' to the Russian people - but said there is 'no possible excuse' for its leadership to choose to invade Ukraine.

Citing his early career as a journalist, Mr Johnson added: 'I had been following the difficulties of those who be campaigning for freedom and independence in Ukraine for a long long time but I never thought it would be a tragedy like this.

'I think many of us have been totally amazed by the sheer wonton aggression by the Putin government.

Speaking to members of the Ukrainian community at the Ukrainian Cathedral of the Holy Family in Mayfair, London, this evening, Mr Johnson said in a speech: 'In the last days the world has witnessed awe-inspiring displays of bravery and heroism from the Ukrainian people in response to those who seek to obliterate their freedom by force'

'We saw all the intelligence, we've seen the building up, we kept warning our allies, we kept warning our friends in Kyiv but I just couldn't believe that it was going to happen in the way that it did.

'I almost really couldn't believe it because I knew Ukraine and I knew that the Ukrainian people love their country and so I just couldn't understand why Putin would embark on that, why he would risk to lose the lives of so many Russians in a war against people whose national feeling was so strong and so passionate.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today confirmed negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow would be held at the border with Belarus - as Vladimir Putin ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on 'alert' amid simmering tensions with the West.

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, in a deal struck during a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko - though Zelensky admitted he wasn't confident of a positive resolution, adding that he owed it to his people to at least try and engage.

However Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko issued a chilling threat that the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into a Third World War, after President Putin put his nuclear deterrent forces on 'alert'.

Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured left) today confirmed negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow would be held at the border with Belarus - as Vladimir Putin (pictured today on a trip to the National Space Centre) ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West. The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, in a deal struck during a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko tonight issued a chilling threat that the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into a Third World War

Opening up about the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Mr Johnson also said he has doubts President Putin was wanting to negotiate, adding: 'There's nothing I've seen so far in his behaviour that leads me to think that he could possibly be sincere.'

He added: 'I'm going to stress that there is no hostility in my heart towards the Russian people, none whatever - quite the reverse. My heart aches for the Russian parents who are already losing their children in this vicious and appalling war - just as it aches for the civilians and the people of Ukraine.

'But when it comes to the Russian leadership who chose this path of violence, and I stress chose this path of violence and aggression, there can be no possible excuse.

'And never in all my study or memory of politics and international affairs have I seen so clear a distinction between right and wrong, between good and evil, between light and dark - And that is the real reason why is Ukraine is our neighbour today.

'And by the way, I say to all the countries around the world who have only just been waking up to the horror of what is going on, I say to everyone around the world, that is why Ukraine should be your neighbour, too.

Opening up about the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Mr Johnson also said he has doubts President Putin was wanting to negotiate, adding: 'There's nothing I've seen so far in his behaviour that leads me to think that he could possibly be sincere'

'And though the candle of freedom may burn low in Ukraine in the days, and perhaps the months ahead, I want you to know that we in the UK will stand by Ukraine, stand by you, until that candle blazes bright in independence and in liberty and in sovereign democracy for the people in Ukraine.'

Mr Johnson said the UK was Ukraine's 'neighbour' and compared the current crisis to the story of the Good Samaritan in The Bible.

He said: 'We are neighbours in the words of the gospel. We are neighbours to Ukraine because Ukrainians are literally our neighbours.

'Hundreds of thousands have come to live and work in this country over the decades, making an immeasurable contribution to British society and that is the reason why we are neighbours. That's one reason.

'And then we are neighbours because we share Ukrainian ideals of freedom and democracy and independence.

'We must not and cannot allow those ideals to be trampled on and crushed on our European continent and we will not - and that is the second reason why we are your neighbours.

'There is a more fundamental point and this is the point that Jesus was actually getting at in that parable of the Good Samaritan, which is that, even if we did not feel those emotional ties as we do, even if we did not have that political bond, the geo-strategic bond between us, it would still be right to help Ukraine in any way that we can.'
Russia's communications regulator has demanded that Google restore access to its state-sponsored media channels on YouTube in Ukraine, after accusing Facebook and other big tech companies of 'censorship' for limiting its programs.

Roskomnadzor, Russia's media regulator, said on Sunday that it wrote a letter to Alphabet Inc., Google and YouTube's parent company, seeking the removal of all restrictions imposed on state media outlets such as RBC, TV Zvezda and Sputnik.

YouTube blocked access to state-run media channels on Saturday at the request of the Ukrainian government, which Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed on Twitter early Saturday morning local time.

'We intend to help Russians and the world to know the truth. I've contacted @YouTube to block the propagandist Russian channels  such as Russia 24, TASS, RIA Novosti. If they are afraid of speaking the truth, so we should stop this flow of poisonous lies,' his tweet read.

Russia's communications regulator asked Google to restore access to its state-sponsored media channels on YouTube in Ukraine. Above, President Vladimir Putin spoke at the National Space Agency in Moscow on Sunday

Roskomnadzor, Russia's media regulator, said on Sunday that wrote a letter to Alphabet Inc., Google and YouTube's parent company, seeking the removal of all restrictions imposed on state media outlets such as RBC (YouTube home page pictured above)

YouTube blocked access to state-run media channels on Saturday at the request of the Ukrainian government

'In response to a government request, we've restricted access to RT and a number of other channels in Ukraine. We will continue to monitor new developments and may take further actions,' A YouTube spokesperson told Axios on Saturday.

The spokesperson said YouTube was also 'pausing a number of channels' ability to monetize on YouTube, including several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions' because of 'extraordinary circumstances in Ukraine.'

The YouTube spokesperson also said the company would be 'significantly limiting recommendations to these channels.'

Earlier on Saturday, Google announced that it was blocking Russian state media channels from selling ads, just hours after YouTube, which is owned by Google, said it was blocking Russian state media channels from selling ads on YouTube globally or being accessible in Ukraine.

Russian forces entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv

YouTube also restricted Russia state-run media outlets from monetizing due to sanctions against the country

Following another request from the Ukrainian government, Google also removed Russia's state-run television network RT, formerly known as Russia Today, from its Google Play Store in Ukraine.

YouTube has removed hundreds of channels and thousands of videos over the past few days that violated its policies by engaging in 'coordinated deception,' CNN reported.

Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner also put pressure on YouTube Friday, writing a letter saying that his staff was able to see RT monetize on the platform.

Warner said that he alerted the Departments of Justice and Treasury to report that the platform had allowed sanctioned entities to monetize, CNN reported.

Alphabet isn't the only big tech company to infuriate Russian despot Vladimir Putin, as Meta said that it was banning Russian state media from running ads or monetizing content on Facebook.

Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of security policy, announced the ban Saturday on Twitter, writing: 'We are now prohibiting Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on our platform anywhere in the world.

'We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media. These changes have already begun rolling out and will continue into the weekend.'

Putin ordered a 'partial' block on Facebook on Friday, with Kremlin officials claiming it was a response to the tech giant's 'censorship' of its state media.

The EU has also taken actions against Russian state media and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a press conference Sunday that RT would be banned in the EU.

'We will ban the Kremlin's media machine in the EU. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin's war,' she said.

YouTube has also removed hundreds of channels and thousands of videos over the past few days for engaging in 'coordinated deception'. Above was a protester against the war demonstrating at Pushkin Square in Moscow on Friday

A person carried a banner during an anti-war protest in Moscow, Russia on Friday

'We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe,' she added, though did not provide further details.

Russia's media regulator has been cracking down on the country's own outlets, ordering media to remove reports describing the Kremlin's attack as an 'assault, invasion or declaration of war', or face being blocked and fined.

In a statement, Roskomnadzor accused several independent media outlets including television channel Dozhd and the country's top independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta of spreading 'unreliable socially significant untrue information' about the shelling of Ukrainian cities by the Russian army and civilian deaths.

Citing a request from the General Prosecutor's Office, the communications regulator said the media outlets that also include Echo of Moscow radio will be blocked unless they remove the 'unreliable information'.

'Roskomnadzor also launched an administrative investigation into the dissemination of unreliable publicly significant information by the above-mentioned media,' the watchdog said. The offence is punishable by a fine of up to 5 million rubles ($60,000), it said.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense today claimed it has killed more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting. Russia has not released an updates on its military losses. Above, a Ukrainian Territorial Defense fighter examined a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv

The Russian media regulator also said that 'reliable information' could be found in 'official Russian information outlets'.

Putin's war appears to be proving unpopular in Russia, with protesters taking to the streets of Moscow and St Petersburg calling for an end to the violence.

This week, Russian police have detained 1,702 people in 53 Russian cities, with at least 940 of them in Moscow and over 340 people in the second-largest city Saint Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, which tracks arrests at opposition rallies.

Meanwhile, Russians are understood to have been warned by authorities that any 'negative comments' about Putin's aggression would be treated as 'treason'.

It comes after human rights advocates warned of a new wave of repression on dissent in Russia as protests got underway.

'There will be new (criminal) cases involving subverters, spies, treason, prosecution for antiwar protests, there will be detentions of journalists and bloggers, those who authored critical posts on social media, bans on investigations of the situation in the army and so on,' prominent human rights advocate Pavel Chikov wrote on Facebook.

'It is hard to say how big this new wave will be, given that everything has been suppressed already.'

More than 150 senior Russian officials signed an open letter condemning Putin's invasion as 'an unprecedented atrocity' and warning of 'catastrophic consequences'.

The deputies said they were convinced Russian citizens do not back the war and blamed Putin 'personally' for ordering troops into Ukraine in an attack 'for which there is no and cannot be justification'.

Several Russian celebrities and public figures, including those working with state TV, have spoken out against the attack as well.

Russian forces entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv today after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv.

Also today, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense claimed it has killed more than 4,300 Russian soldiers in the first three days of fighting. Russia has not released an updates on its military losses.
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These were the distressing scenes in Lviv, Ukraine today, reminiscent of London's evacuation during the Blitz.

Total chaos reigned at the teeming railway station, less than 50 miles from Poland, when thousands of refugees fleeing Russian forces and airstrikes flooded into the city from all over Ukraine.

A wave of people scrambled to get to the platforms, some even wheeling their suitcases across the tracks.

There were heart-wrenching sights as families were forced to part, with fathers waving a tearful goodbye to their wives and children, then returning to fight the Russians in Ukraine's desperate defence.

Scuffles and fighting erupted in the densely-packed ticket hall as seats on all services leaving the war zone soon sold out.

Even as air raid sirens blared out across the city, the refugees kept on coming.

Thousands of Refugees at Lviv Station in western Ukraine on Sunday, where they've arrived from all over the country and are desperately trying to get onto trains to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania

A teenage girl is consoled by a family member as she breaks down in tears Lviv station, western Ukraine, after fleeing her home due to the ongoing Russian invasion

A stream of refugees flocked to Lviv station in western Ukraine on Sunday (pictured) in a bid to escape Vladimir Putin's forces

A group of young children wave to loved ones as their train pulls away from Lviv station in western Ukraine on Sunday

Boy looks through window and waves after boarding a train out of Ukraine at Lviv station on Sunday

Scuffles and fights broke out in the densely packed Lviv station (pictured) as scores of Ukrainians attempted to get trains out of the country

A baby in a bauble hat cries while waiting for a train at Lviv station, western Ukraine, as families queued in their thousands to flee Ukraine

A baby fleeing Ukraine at Lviv train station in western Ukraine on Sunday is consoled by a family member as a tears fall down their face

Father and son appear to share an emotional goodbye during boarding of a train at Lviv railway station in western Ukraine on Sunday

Father gives his son a hug and kiss goodbye at Lviv railway station in western Ukraine on Sunday

A young boy smiles into the camera while holding a teddy bear as he waits for a train to take he and his family out of Ukraine at Lviv station on Sunday

Two young girls pose for a photo while wrapped up warm outside Lviv train station in western Ukraine, where thousands of refugees flocked on Sunday in a bid to get out of the country amid the Russian invasion

Woman (right) holds her chihuahua inside her jacket while another hugs her own jacket-wearing pooch while waiting for a train at Lviv station

Even as air raid sirens blared out across the city Lviv on Sunday, the refugees kept on coming to the train station

Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees wait on the tracks at Lviv train station on Sunday after fleeing Russian forces

Grandad Alex Myronov said a tearful goodbye to his son Max, 17, and only grandchild - six-month-old Daniel.

Max, who studied English at school, said: 'My brother Michael, Daniel's father, was already working in Germany when the invasion happened.

'The family have decided that I should go over with the baby and his mum.

'She's inside trying to get rail tickets. But it's crazy in the ticket office. Because I'm under 18 I'm allowed to go.'

Alex said: 'It's very sad to see my only grandchild and sons being out if Ukraine but it's the right thing to do. I can't wait for them to return.'

Bohdan Komarets, 47, from Chervonoarmiysk, had brought his daughter Misha, 23,

He wants her to seek refuge with relatives in Poland until the situation settles

Bohdan, a power plant worker, said: 'I want to make sure she is safe. That's all that matters to me. I need to know she is out of danger.

'Hopefully this won't be too much longer. It took us over two hours to get her a ticket.'

Miliena Zaschitnikova, 21, arrived at the station with four-year-old son Max and her mother Inna after her husband Andrei joined soldiers battling Russia.

But after boarding a packed overnight train to Lviv from Zhytomyr, west of capital Kyiv, they found to their dismay that all international train services sold out.

Like thousands of others they were left huddling together outside the station in sub-zero temperatures.

Miilena told MailOnline: 'We hoped we would be able to get a train from here to the Czech Republic but there are no tickets - and we're stuck in this chaos.

'I bought my little boy a toy train for the journey - but that's the only train he's going to get today and we have nowhere to stay tonight and no way to escape the war.

Thousands flocked to Lviv train station (pictured) on Sunday in a bid to flee Ukraine and Russia's invading forces

Thousands have been left huddling together outside the station in sub-zero temperatures after many trains sold out at Lviv train station

A young child sits on a suitcase while waiting for a train out of Ukraine at Lviv railway station on Sunday

A father holds onto his young child amid the chaos at Lviv railway station on Sunday

Ukrainian refugees huddle in a stairwell at Lviv station on Sunday as they wait for trains out of the country

A wave of people scrambled to get to the platforms at Lviv station on Sunday, with some even wheeling their suitcases across the tracks

A young girl donning a wool hat and face mask sits on the ground at Lviv station while waiting to catch a train to western Europe with her family

Streams of refugees kept arriving to Lviv station on Sunday, only to find many of the trains for the day were sold out

Refugees carrying pets and suitcases run across the tracks at Lviv station in western Ukraine on Sunday

Ukrainians at Lviv station described the situation as a 'nightmare' as they attempted to get trains out of the country

Families are facing having to stay overnight in sub-zero temperatures as there are not enough trains to carry them all

'Max's father has gone to fight the Russians and I promised him we would get our little boy to safety, but I've no idea how I'll do it.

'We are trying to smile and keep my little boy happy because he's too young to understand what we're going through.

'Like thousands of other people here, we're living through a nightmare made by Vladimir Putin.'

Tania Yokovchuck, 30, was also stranded outside the station with no hope of escape yesterday as she struggled to comfort her crying two year-old son Karar.

She said: 'We arrived here hoping to escape but it's turned into a dead end - it's impossible to get train tickets.

'And now I don't know what to do or where to go and are desperate to find somewhere to sleep.

'No one here knows how this will end.'

Grandmother Marrietta Sakova, 76, who fled in fear from fighting in the eastern city of Dnipro told MailOnline: 'There are no train tickets, no petrol for a car - even if we had one and soon we will run out of money to buy food.

'We are desperate to get away from here but there's just no way out.'

Another matriarch, Svetlana, 73, fought back tears as she held her five-year-old grandson David close after learning they were stranded with no tickets available on any route out of the war zone.

She said: 'I've no idea what we're going to do.

'I'm trying to meet my daughter and get us all to Poland but there are no trains and like nearly everyone else here, we have nowhere to stay tonight.'

'All we want to do is get David away from the fighting but we're trapped.'

Anna Yavorska, 25, fled from Kyiv after being asked to take niece Dasha, five, to safety.

She said: 'The sound of bombs was terrifying and I realised very quickly that this was no place for a child.

'I told Dasha's mother I would get her out to Poland away from the Russians but having got this far, we're stuck.

'There are no trains into Europe with space and we've nowhere to stay tonight so I've no choice but to keep fighting to get a ticket as soon as one becomes available.

'No one would have dreamed this could be happening even a week ago. How has it come to this?'
Former Pentagon official Kash Patel took aim at the Biden administration on Sunday over recent reports that the White House shared intelligence about Russia's troop movements near Ukraine with China.

President Joe Biden's senior officials held six meetings across three months with counterparts in Beijing as Russian President Vladimir Putin aggressively amassed troops at Ukraine's borders, the New York Times reported on Friday.

The US was reportedly hoping Chinese President Xi Jinping would dissuade Putin from attacking its neighbor. The Western pleas for help were dismissed each time, with China claiming an invasion wasn't likely.

Meanwhile Beijing was sharing the sensitive information with Moscow.

China's message to the Kremlin along with the US's intelligence reports was that Americans were only looking to sow discord and signaled China would not stand in the way of whatever Russia's plans are, officials told the Times.

'Its a colossal failure of leadership, and it shows another distinction yet between the Biden administration and the Trump administration,' Patel told Fox's Sunday Morning Futures.

Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighters test the automatic grenade launcher taken from a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle GAZ Tigr after the fight in Kharkiv on February 27

An Ukrainian Territorial Defense fighter examines a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle in Kharkiv. Ukrainian forces have been mounting an historic resistance effort to Moscow's invasion

Putin personally ordered a 'military operation' on Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning last week. Within minutes explosions rocked the areas surrounding the nation's cities. Since then Kyiv's military has been staving off an unprovoked attack from Moscow that's included offensives by air, land and sea.

Biden gave a press conference on the crisis last week where he was asked whether he'd call on China to 'help isolate Russia.

The president said he was 'not prepared to comment on that at the moment.'

'The fact that the commander-in-chief wouldn't answer that question that no one is covering, leads me to believe that he took classified intelligence -- and the reporting is accurate now from multiple sources -- and handed it over to our world's biggest enemy, US's biggest enemy, his biggest enemy, China,' Patel said on Sunday.

Patel was the chief of staff to Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, after having served on Trump's National Security Council. He was also among the first members of Trump's orbit to be subpoenaed by the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack.

On Sunday he said Biden should have foreseen that China and Russia would likely share information given by the US between each other.

Patel, who briefly served as Pentagon chief of staff under the Trump administration, demanded an investigation into Biden over reports his officials shared intelligence reports on Russian troop movements with Beijing

'Of course, China was going to turn around and give it to Russia because Xi Jinping and Putin have paired up and teamed up against the United States of America,' Patel said.

'The fact that this commander in chief did not know that was going to happen is outrageous.'

He took his accusations a step further, venturing to claim that giving the intelligence reports to China actively harmed Ukraine and Europe's effort to stave off the first shooting war seen on the continent in the 21st century.

'But what is tantamount, and disrupts American national security, is that we're actually doing that. We, as the United States, are actually sharing classified information that jeopardizes Ukrainian national security interests, European national security interests and American lives,' Patel claimed, despite no US troops being sent to directly confront Russia in Ukraine.

'It's being shared with our enemy who is sharing it with the next biggest enemy of America. It is just something that never happened under Trump, and the fact that it's happening under Biden needs to be fully investigated.'

The US reportedly shared information on Russian troop movements with Beijing in an effort to get Xi Jinping (left) to dissuade Vladimir Putin (right) from attacking Ukraine

Shortly before Trump's first impeachment -- which centered on a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during which the US president leveraged security assistance in return for an investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter -- Patel was accused of communicating with Trump about Kyiv matters via an improper backchannel.

Fiona Hill, a top Trump adviser on Russia at the time, told House impeachment investigators that Trump believed Patel was his Ukraine director and they communicated matters about the Eastern European nation outside of normal National Security Adviser channels.

It alarmed national security and foreign policy officials at the time who worried US relations with Kyiv was be influenced by Trump loyalists.

Patel denied the accusations in a statement to Axios.

'Any reporting to the contrary, and any testimony provided to Congress, is simply false, and any current or former staff who suggest I have raised or discussed Ukraine matters with President Trump, are similarly misinformed or spreading outright falsehoods,' he said at the time.
Australia's response to the Covid-19 pandemic has been hailed as 'gold standard' by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

The US billionaire who has dedicated billions of dollars to vaccine research, has been warning for months of a new pandemic looming on the horizon.

He warned the annual Munich Security Conference last week a new outbreak in the future would likely require much stricter policies in its early days than how most of the world enacted against Covid.

'If every country does what Australia did, then you wouldn't be calling (the next outbreak) a pandemic,' Mr Gates said.

The bold call comes as he continues to be smashed by anti-Covid conspiracists and their bizarre claims.

US billionaire Bill Gates (pictured) has praised Australia's response to the Covid pandemic

The billionaire recently told Reuters he was surprised by the number of crazy and evil conspiracy theories made up about him which have flooded social media since the pandemic began in early 2020.

The wild theories involving Gates, whose foundation has donated over a billion to coronavirus vaccine and treatment research, include unfounded claims he developed COVID-19 in a lab and wants to use the vaccine to implant microchip tracking devices into billions of people.

The Microsoft co-founder turned philanthropist acknowledged he had been the subject of millions of online posts and crazy conspiracy theories, and insists he would like to get to the bottom of whats behind them.

Another leading public figure in the fight against the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has also become a target of several conspiracies, including claims he created the virus and is now blocking natural cures for it.

Nobody would have predicted that I and Dr. Fauci would be so prominent in these really evil theories, Gates told Reuters Wednesday.

Im very surprised by that. I hope it goes away.

The praise of Australia comes as NSW and Victoria eased Covid-19 restrictions in recent days (pictured, Sydneysiders dining outdoors after density limits were scrapped)

Meanwhile, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet believes the removal of masks in his state and others will help spur economic activity and job creation in Australia's cities.

Covid mask mandates were lifted and dance floors reopened across the eastern states from Friday, although face coverings are still required in NSW, Victoria and the ACT in high-risk settings such as public transport, aged care facilities, airports and hospitals.

'We've seen a strong return to activity in the city and that's incredibly important because when Sydney goes well, the state and the country goes well off the back of it,' Mr Perrottet told reporters on Sunday.

'With face masks being removed for the office, I think we will see a lot more people return to the city tomorrow ... as people return to work, that's incredibly important and that will spur economic activity and jobs in our cities.'

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates (pictured will ex-wife Melinda) continues to be smashed by anti-Covid conspiracists and their bizarre claims

There are exceptions for some school students in Victoria and the ACT, who will still have to keep their masks on for now, while Queensland will ease mask rules and density limits this week.

Mandates remain in Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

However, the impact - if any - of these eased restrictions are yet to be reflected in the daily infection counts.

NSW added 6014 new infections to its caseload on Sunday and recorded a further seven deaths.

Victoria recorded another 5052 infections and 17 deaths, while in the ACT there were 495 cases.

In Queensland there were 3571 cases and one death, in SA 1476 infections and two deaths.

Tasmania recorded 676 cases, the NT 368 and WA 1027.
The mayor of a town inundated by floodwaters has issued an urgent plea for help on behalf of a pregnant woman trapped on the roof of her home.

Authorities have ordered people in the city of Lismore, in the NSW Northern Rivers district, to evacuate after the Wilson River broke its levee overnight.

About 6am on Monday morning Lismore mayor Steve Krieg pleaded for anyone with a boat to go and help a pregnant woman trapped on top of her home.

Lismore residents have been told to evacuate after the Wilson River broke its levee overnight

Residents struggled through floodwater to evacuate pets and loved ones as floodwater rose

'As widespread flooding in the Northern Rivers district of NSW and can get to Engine Street in South Lismore, theres a pregnant lady sitting on her roof. HELP please,' he wrote.

The town's entire CBD is inundated after days of unrelenting torrential rain and the Bureau of Meteorology says the Wilson River could peak at 13.5 metres on Monday night, meaning the city is facing its worst flooding in nearly 50 years.

'Flood levels are expected to exceed those seen in 2017 and may reach the 1974 flood level,' the BoM says.

About 6am on Monday morning Lismore mayor Steve Krieg pleaded for anyone with a boat to go and help a pregnant woman trapped on top of her home

Several Brisbane residents have also been urged to evacuate as the Brisbane River is predicted to peak at four metres on Monday morning

A major flood warning was also issued for the Brisbane region on Sunday night as authorities prepare for the river to peak on Monday.

The BoM has warned severe flooding is likely to come with the high tide and warned residents living along the Brisbane River to prepare for a peak of four metres.

At least seven people have already died in the worst flooding in the state since 2011.

A severe weather warning has been issued for the Northern Rivers and parts of the Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands.

Residents battled heavy rain while evacuating after the Wilson River broke its levee on Sunday night

At least seven people have already died in the worst flooding the region has seen since 2011

There is flooding across the region, many roads are cut and the State Emergency Service is warning people to heed warnings and avoid entering floodwaters.

The BoM is warning of the potential for life-threatening flash flooding with six-hourly rainfall totals between 80 and 120mm likely, possibly reaching in excess of 150mm.

The Richmond River is causing major flooding at Kyogle, Coraki and Bungawalbyn, moderate flooding at Woodburn, and minor flooding at Wiangaree and Casino.

South Murwillumbah has also been evacuated as roads are cut and the only way out is by boat.

The SES ordered the town of Mullumbimby to evacuate on Monday morning as the area is threatened by rapidly rising floodwaters from the Brunswick River.

Residents in Lismore were urged to evacuate Monday morning as flood waters continue to rise

Residents and pets were rescued by locals in boats and SES crews in Lismore as authorities advise to evacuate

Fire and Rescue and the State Emergency Service have been door knocking to ensure people evacuate.

Police will resume a search for a man who went missing in floodwaters in Lismore on Sunday.

Officers heard him calling out for help about 4pm but 'lost sight of the man a short time later'.

SES volunteers had carried out 70 flood rescues since torrential rain began falling on Tuesday, Premier Dominic Perrottet told reporters on Sunday.

'We know that whilst there might be blue skies in certain parts of NSW that does not mean that there will not be significant flooding events that occur over the course of this week,' he said.

One NSW life has already been lost, with a man killed when his LandCruiser was carried away by floodwater.
Scott Morrison has banned Vladimir Putin from travelling to Australia following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister took the rare step at midnight as Ukrainian troops fended off Russian forces in brutal firefights in Kyiv and other cities.

The Russian president joins only a handful of world leaders past and present to be locked out of the country, including Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Bashar al-Assad of Syria.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during a vigil at St Andrews Ukrainian Church in Sydney on Sunday

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Internal Affairs Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev were also slapped with financial sanctions and travel bans alongside their leader.

'It is exceedingly rare to designate a head of state, and reflects the depth of our concerns,' Mr Morrison said in a statement.

The Prime Minister also said he was still finalising which weapons he will send to help Ukraine after announcing lethal support on Sunday.

'Australia will work with NATO and our other partners to provide lethal as well as non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies, and financial assistance to support the people of Ukraine,' he said.

Australia will also contribute $US3million to NATO's Trust Fund for Ukraine to buy the Ukrainians non-lethal military equipment and medical supplies.

'Details of Australia's contribution of lethal military equipment are being worked through with our partners and will be announced soon,' Mr Morrison said.

Meanwhile, NSW will divest itself of Russian assets in its investment funds, in a protest against Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

At least $75 million of Russian assets acquired by the NSW Generations Fund will be sold.

President Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine - which was part of the Soviet Union until it collapsed in 1991 - on Thursday but has still not captured any major cities due to fierce resistance.

Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military facility as two cars burn, in a street in Kyiv, Ukraineon Saturday

A civil defenseman stands at a checkpoint in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday

Last night President Putin's ally Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko issued a chilling threat that the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into a Third World War, after Putin put his nuclear deterrent forces on 'alert'.

Lukashenko's comments came as Kyiv and Moscow agreed to hold peace talks at the border with Belarus - though Volodymyr Zelensky admitted he wasn't confident of a positive resolution, adding that he owed it to his people to at least try and engage.

This evening also saw the EU unveil a fresh package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

'Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector, gas, oil, SWIFT,' Lukashenko said. 'It's worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a Third World War. We need to be restrained here so as not to get into trouble. Because nuclear war is the end of everything.'

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe (pictured in 2017) was also sanctioned. Australia imposed autonomous sanctions in relation to Zimbabwe in 2002, reflecting concerns about political violence and human rights violations

Since 2011, Australia has imposed autonomous sanctions in relation to Syria to reflect Australia's grave concern at the Syrian regime's deeply disturbing and unacceptable use of violence against its people. Pictured: Sydney President Bashar al-Assad

Australia sanctioned Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi (left in 2007 with former French President Nicolas Sarkozy) after the regime's use of violence against its people

Ukraine's health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia's invasion. It also said that 1,684 people, including 116 children, had been wounded

Ukrainian President Zelensky's office had earlier said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Lukashenko himself.

A spokesperson added that Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return.

Zelensky described his discussion with Lukashenko as 'very substantive', adding that he had made it clear he did not want troops to move from Belarus to Ukraine and Lukashenko 'assured him of this'.

He added: 'I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try, so that later not a single citizen of Ukraine has any doubt that I, as president, tried to stop the war.'

It came as Putin declared, in his own televised address, that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg responded: 'This is dangerous rhetoric'.

Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the Hague, with Mr Zelensky requesting that the UN International Court of Justice orders Russia to stop its attack against Ukraine and starts trials soon.

Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured left) today confirmed negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow would be held at the border with Belarus - as Vladimir Putin (pictured today on a trip to the National Space Centre) ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West. The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, in a deal struck during a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko tonight issued a chilling threat that the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into a Third World War

The United States tonight condemned Putin's order to put his nuclear forces on high alert as dangerous and 'unacceptable.' The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield also said nothing was 'off the table' when asked about the possibility of Putin being tried in international court as a war criminal.

UK PM Boris Johnson, meanwhile, dismissed Putin's announcement as a 'distraction' from the struggle his troops are facing in Ukraine. The Prime Minister also cast doubt on possible negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations to try to resolve the crisis.

'There's nothing I've seen so far in his behaviour that leads me to think that he could possibly be sincere,' he said.

Earlier Russian television footage showed Mr Putin meeting with his defence minister and the chief of the general staff, and instructing them to put the nuclear deterrent on a 'special regime of combat duty'.

'Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading Nato members made aggressive statements regarding our country,' he said.

A handout satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows Russian ground forces in convoy near of Ivankiv, Ukraine

A handout satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows Russian ground forces in convoy near of Ivankiv, Ukraine

But on a day when the expected assault on Kyiv again failed to materialise and the Ukrainians claimed to have driven Russian forces out of the country's second city Kharkiv, Mr Johnson said his words were 'a distraction from the reality of what's going on'.

'This is an innocent people who are facing a totally unprovoked act of aggression against them, and what's actually happening is that they are fighting back perhaps with more effect, with more resistance, than the Kremlin had bargained for,' he said.

'You can see some of the logistical difficulties that the Russian forces are experiencing. The Russian defence ministry have themselves conceded that they're having casualties. This is a disastrous misbegotten venture by President Putin.'

Elsewhere, oil giant BP announced on Sunday it is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect'.

Chief executive Bernard Looney revealed the move today, saying he was 'saddened' and 'shocked' by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It comes after he was summoned to a meeting with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday amid growing unease about the BP's Russian dealings.

This Maxar satellite image shows an overview of damage caused by recent airstrikes and heavy fighting in and around the Antonov airport at Gostomel, north-west of Kyiv

Earlier on Sunday, in a speech to mark Russia's special forces day, Putin thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine, before parroting his propaganda line that his armies are providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognised as independent states ahead of its invasion.

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

In a televised address, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the peace talks were called after Belarus prepared its forces to join the Russian invasion.

'Today, we were as close as ever to the entry of Belarus armed forces into the war. This is why President Zelensky and President Lukashenko spoke today,' he said in his address.

'We have to defend our northern flank and we have to minimise the threats coming from there. So we agreed to send a delegation to the location on the Ukranian-Belarus border and we go to there to listen to what Russia has to say.

'We are going there without preliminary agreement on what the outcome of these talks can be. We are going there to say what we think of this war and Russia's actions.'

Mr Kuleba said Belarus had assured Ukraine that no Belarusian military force will be use against Kyiv while the talks take place, but he insisted Ukraine's military military would continue to 'fiercely defend' the country against Russia attacks in the meantime.

'I think the fact Russia wants to talk without any pre-conditions or any ultimatums, without any demands addressed to Ukraine, is already a victory for Ukraine,' he added.

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine around 5pm (3pm GMT), an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said.

This Maxar satellite image shows a column of Russian military vehicles as they move towards Kyiv, on the P-02-02 road (Shevchenka Road) on the outskirts of Ivankiv
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Ukraine war latest, at a glance Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko warns the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into WWIII

The EU has unveiled a new package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik

Kyiv and Moscow will hold peace talks at the border with Belarus, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed

The Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl

Putin orders forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West

U.S. blasts Putin's nuclear order as 'unacceptable' and says war crimes tribunal isn't off the table

Putin's desperate troops adopt 'siege tactics' after being driven out of Kharkiv by resistance fighters

Ukraine's defence ministry claims Russian death toll stands at 4,300

Ukraine's health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia's invasion

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine to three countries, with 150,000 said to have crossed into Poland alone

Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Iskander missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine

Russia acknowledged it had lost troops for the first time today, but did not give a number

BP announces it is ditching its controversial 20 per cent stake in the Russian energy group Rosneft 'with immediate effect Advertisement

Chortkiv should be finishing off preparations for its 500th anniversary celebrations this summer  but instead the small medieval town in western Ukraine is preparing for war.

Road signs are being removed, street lights switched off, checkpoints built on entry points, battle plans drawn up and hundreds of men drafted into military units.

Today, the police plan to give lessons to volunteers on how to make and throw Molotov cocktails  although they call them kokteli shchastya (happiness cocktails) since they do not want to sully their mouths by using the name of a Russian Soviet-era politician.

Such preparations in a historic town 300 miles from Ukraines capital Kyiv, far from the Russian border and the fighting that erupted after President Vladimir Putin ordered in his forces last week, highlight the terrifying speed with which war has changed this country.

We are getting ready to defend ourselves because we think there is a strong possibility that we will be attacked, said the mayor Volodymyr Shmatko.

Chortkiv has already seen missiles fly overhead on their way to destroying an airport and fuel depot in Ivano-Frankivsk on the first day of Putins invasion  which Shmatko revealed to me were fired from the Russian enclave of Transnistria in Moldova.

Now this town of 30,000 people in western Ukraine, a region with close cultural and historic links to Poland, has been warned to anticipate assault by military forces from Minsk.

If we face troops, I think they will be from Belarus, said Shmatko.

Although Belarus has been carrying out joint military exercises with Russia, it would mark significant widening of the war if its troops crossed the Ukrainian border.

Yesterday the countrys dictator Alexander Lukashenko confirmed they had launched missiles at Ukraine.

We expect an attack from Belarus along the entire length of the border. They have everything ready for it  equipment is in combat formations, filled with fuel, said Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to Ukraines ministry of interior.

Entering Chortkiv on Saturday afternoon, I saw people removing the towns name after a government order that day to take down all road signs to confuse Russian troops.

They were also building a huge checkpoint with concrete, sandbags and piles of tyres on the main entry point to the road.

It was completed in one day by 80 local residents, along with some sleeping quarters and kitchens in an abandoned sausage factory.

Members of civil defense prepare Molotov cocktails in a yard in Kyiv, Ukraine on Sunday after fighting broke out in the country's second biggest city Kharkiv

Volodymyr Shmatko (pictured), the Mayor of Chortkiv, says 'there is a strong possibility' that the area will be attacked by Russian forces

Police have been giving lessons to volunteers on how to make and throw Molotov cocktails after Russian forces entered the country last month

Local residents grouped together creating molotov cocktails from empty glass bottles on Sunday as fighting continues to the east of the country

Shmatko has also said residents are building checkpoints at all the towns entry points to prevent saboteurs from entering the area

Volunteers pictured preparing molotov cocktails ik Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday as fierce fighting continues

Volunteers wearing headtorches prepare molotov cocktails to be used in defence against Russian forces who entered the country last week

Shmatko, 36, a former army officer who fought against Russia in the eastern Donbas region eight years ago, said they were building similar checkpoints at all the towns entry points to prevent saboteurs from entering and guard against arrival of invading forces.

If they see the tanks coming down the road, they have orders to report their arrival and then withdraw since this [the checkpoints] would be destroyed in one blast and kill everyone, he said.

We met after the mayor, wearing his old army uniform, concluded a meeting of the ten-person military council that was set up in the town after Ukraines imposition of martial law four days ago.

He said they were focusing on protection of key infrastructure, strengthening defences, collecting medical supplies for frontline forces and assisting the thousands of refugees flooding through the area towards the border.

Chortkiv, with its striking gothic Catholic church and 17th-century synagogue, has a strong military heritage since it was the site of a former Soviet air base and home to four military units. Many Russian officers remained there after the Soviet Unions collapse in 1991.

I arrived to the now familiar howl of air raid sirens, so immediately joined local families and some foreign students studying in the town in a basement shelter. Sirens have sounded another four times over the past 24 hours.

The town seemed to be filled with army and police in uniform, with dozens clustered around a recruitment office.

Dnipro locals gather at Rocket Park to prepare molotov cocktails on Sunday. Pictured: Empty bottles ready to be turned into explosive weapons

A local resident prepares to use a Molotov cocktail against a wall during an all-Ukrainian training campaign earlier this month

During a short walk before curfew fell on Saturday night, I was twice asked to show my documents by police, who told me not to stay on the streets.

We have called up all men to join the Territorial Defence Force (TDF) and given them weapons and ammunition, said Shmatko.

These are the trained men who have served in the military and know what to do with their weapons. There are about 500 of them.

There are also volunteers who might be hunters who know how to handle a rifle but dont know how to throw a grenade or fire a Kalashnikov. We are training them. There are 100 so far but will be many more to come.

Now we are preparing a plan for all our units so they know what to do if there is an attack by tanks. This will be a masterplan for both military and civilian units.

Among those joining the defence force is Kostyantyn, 29, a domestic science teacher who fought in Donbas against the pro-Russian separatists in 2014 and signed up yesterday.

His wife and four-year-old son are trapped after going to visit her parents in Kherson, a town near Crimea where the battle is raging after Russias capture of the airport. Im worried for them so cant stay indifferent, he said.

Ill fight because I have the right experience.

Inside the town hall, I found 22 people helping to sort donations of food for refugees and medical supplies for Kyiv and the military.

A stream of local residents came with everything from camp beds and pickled vegetables through to drugs bought from the pharmacy.

Local residents prepare Molotov cocktails to defend their city of Uzhhorod on Sunday

As well as using molotovs, residents have been asked remove all road signs to confuse Russian troops

Among the volunteers was Inna Dzyndra, 25, who fled Kyiv on Friday with her boyfriend and immediately set up an online system to find medicines needed by people in the capital.

They have food and clothes but the pharmacies are all closed, she said.

The couple were hoping to send supplies by train but, if this proved impossible, will take them back to the strife-torn city themselves by car.

We must all do everything we can because the Russians want to besiege Kyiv and it is vital that it survives for us all.

Like many people I have met here, the mayor Shmatko  a member of a local liberal party  went out of his way to thank Britain for its important and inspirational support for Ukraine. Putin is in a corner and his plan is not working out so he might do anything, he said.

So Chortkiv, in common with so many other towns across this nation, is preparing for the worst.

Ukraine will pay a high price for democracy and we might not all survive. We did not want to fight but we must keep the enemy off our land and make them leave us alone.
As thug Vladimir Putin launched his criminal invasion of a neighbor, Ukrainians were left feeling mixtures of shock, horror, fear and uncertainty. This goes not just for the 44 million at direct risk, but the thousands of Ukrainians around the world who were left to worry for their country and their loved ones.

Among them are roughly 350,000 Ukrainian-born immigrants to the United States, largely clustered here in New York and in Pennsylvania. According to estimates by the Migration Policy Institute, about 30,000 lack permanent status, either because they are on temporary visas or are wholly undocumented. The least of their worries at this point should be their ability to stay while their homeland is being torn apart.

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People gather to catch a train and leave Ukraine for neighboring countries at the railway station in Lviv,western Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. The U.N. refugee agency says nearly 120,000 people have so far fled Ukraine into neighboring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion. The number was going up fast as Ukrainians grabbed their belongings and rushed to escape from a deadly Russian onslaught. (AP Photo/Mykola Tys) (Mykola Tys /AP)

Fortunately, Congress has created a tool for exactly these types of situations. Known as Temporary Protected Status, it allows the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate countries for emergency conditions  including ongoing armed conflict that would make it unsafe to return, and grant protection from removal and work authorization to nationals of those countries.

Already, advocacy organizations and lawmakers have begun calling on the Biden administration to move ahead with a TPS designation. It should do so as soon as possible. Conditions in Ukraine are self-evidently dangerous. We can, and must, offer them safe haven.

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The government should also be standing ready to offer refuge to those still abroad. More than 50,000 refugees have already fled Ukraine, and the barbarism of the Russian campaign, which is striking repeatedly at civilian housing and shelter, will likely drive this number up dramatically in coming weeks. The Pentagon has put its estimate for displaced Ukrainians as high as one to five million.

Europe will absorb some large number of them, but here is a chance for the U.S. to redeem some of its failure during the Afghan withdrawal and facilitate the resettlement of needy men, women and children besieged by war. It is time for this country to be a harbor for the exiled once more.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is severing ties with a research university it helped establish more than a decade ago in Russia, citing the country's 'unacceptable military actions' in invading Ukraine.

The Cambridge university said it notified the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow on Friday that it was exercising its right to terminate the MIT Skoltech Program.

Federal law enforcement officials and foreign policy experts have long voiced concerns about the potential for espionage and technology theft arising from MIT's partnership with the school, which has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin's government, GBH News reported.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has announced it is severing links of a high-tech research partnership with the Russian government. MIT pictured in Cambridge, Massachusetts

'This step is a rejection of the actions of the Russian government in Ukraine,' MIT said in a statement posted on the program website. 'We take it with deep regret because of our great respect for the Russian people and our profound appreciation for the contributions of the many extraordinary Russian colleagues we have worked with.'

The university said it is working with MIT researchers leading Skoltech projects to make sure students can complete their research and academic work.

About 21 faculty members and 38 students and postdoctoral researchers at MIT are impacted by the change, though none are currently at the school in Moscow, The Boston Globe reported.

The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology said in a statement to the newspaper it has nine ongoing projects with MIT and remains 'in close contact with our colleagues at MIT.'

Partnership began in 2010 agreement between MIT and Russian Skolkovo Foundation to launch a Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology or Skoltech, pictured, near Moscow

MIT partnered with the nonprofit Skolkovo Foundation in 2011 to establish the research university as part of a Russian government effort to create a science and technology hub akin to California's Silicon Valley or Massachusetts' Kendall Square.

As part of the agreement, MIT helped recruit students and faculty, hosted Skoltech students at MIT, and allowed MIT instructors to teach and pursue research at the Russian school, the Globe reported.

'We affirm our steadfast belief in our colleagues at Skoltech,' MIT said in its statement. 'They are fellow scholars who have devoted themselves to an ethos of openness and who have contributed their own expertise and knowledge to build a unique and pioneering academic center in Russia.'
Sisters Viktoria and Diana Petrova are the lucky ones that escaped the bloodshed and made it into Poland  but it was an arduous journey to safety.

They spent the first night of Vladimir Putin's bombardment sleeping rough with their family in a car park in Kyiv.

But last night the teenagers and their mother, Elena, 46, took shelter at one of the nine centres that have been set up by Polish officials for Ukrainians fleeing the bloodshed. The centre is in Korczowa, which is close to the border between Poland and Ukraine.

'It wasn't safe to sleep in the basement,' the visibly exhausted 19-year-old Viktoria said. 'The only alternative was the metro but there was no space.'

A Polish Border Guard carries a child at the border crossing between Poland and Ukraine, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Medyka, Poland

The family, who are from Zaporizhzhia in south-eastern Ukraine, spent two days stuck in traffic trying to escape before walking over the border into Poland.

Ukrainian refugees who cross on foot are picked up on buses by border guards. Some have even been ferried by ordinary Poles who have volunteered to help.

The family described how locals here have answered the call of duty to help their neighbours as they flee Russia's military assault.

'On the border, Polish people were waiting with a lot of food and warm clothes,' Diana, 14, said as she sat on her makeshift bed in the refugee camp, which used to be a shopping centre.

Mrs Petrova smiled with appreciation as she spoke of the kindness that has been shown. The family told the Daily Mail that they had been offered a lift by a stranger to Lubin, a six-hour drive, close to the German border.

'We are safe now,' Mrs Petrova said. 'Maybe the situation in Ukraine will not last that long and we will be able to go back in a week or two.'

The sprawling aircraft hangar-like building, now dubbed Kyiv Hall, has 600 makeshift camp beds. The operation is being handled by Poland's military, which is taking charge of the logistics and distributing supplies to those in need.

Donations of food, clothes, medicines and even toys have been handed out after a massive grassroots effort across Poland.

Ukrainian refugees arrive by train from Kiev at the Warszawa Wschodnia station in Warsaw, Poland

At the camp, the food is left out in cardboard boxes and shopping trolleys for refugees to collect.

Gaia Kosciolko, 17, and her schoolfriend, Martyna Farion, 18, spent yesterday handing out teddy bears to the younger children.

And Izabela Nowak, 31, told the Mail how she had rallied a group of 30 volunteers to set up a soup kitchen for refugees.

'We will be here for as long as we need to be,' she said.

Miss Nowak works at a computer store run by Adam Holboy, 38, who decided to shut down his business so he could help the Ukrainians.

Last night the Mail saw how locals braved freezing temperatures to welcome the new arrivals.

They gathered outside Kyiv Hall as two buses, both crammed full of people, pulled up and offered them a free 'taxi service' to other parts of the country. Some had even come from further afield to help.

A Ukrainian family eat on their camp beds in an emergency centre set up for refugees of the Ukrainian war at a warehouse in Korczowa

Frank Koryk, a 27-year-old wind turbine technician, said he had driven from Prague overnight so he could be here to take the Ukrainians to safety.

'I felt this was better than just watching what was happening on TV,' Mr Koryk said. 'We Czechs have been under Soviet occupation as well, so I wanted to help.'

Polish volunteer drivers are walking through the building, calling out their destination at the top of their voice. 'Anyone to Berlin?' shouts one man.

But there were reports last night that African migrants in Ukraine were being blocked from entering Poland. A man said he and his family had been turned away from the border and told 'no blacks', The Independent reported.

Most of the arrivals spend just a few hours here before they leave for hotels, apartments, or to stay with relatives in other parts of Poland. The centre has a high turnover, with people coming and going on a near hourly basis.

One NGO worker, who declined to be named, said that there had been an increase in arrivals over the weekend. 'It's really chaos here now,' he said. 'We are trying to find beds for people, or at least places for them to go.

'Most of those crossing the border seem to want to stay in Poland or go to Germany.'
Yvonne Conners world turned upside down in the spring of 2020. The whole country was, of course, in a state of heightened anxiety at the time.

But Yvonne and many of her neighbours found themselves at the mercy of not just Covid, but also another epidemic, for which there is still no obvious explanation, and no cure or vaccine.

It isnt a virus. It is a sound  a low-frequency, intrusive sound which, she says, has destroyed her life, and that of others in her hometown of Holmfield, a suburb of Halifax in West Yorkshire.

They call it the Holmfield Hum. And two years on there is no respite. It feels as though my head is going to explode, she says.

There has been much speculation about the noise  suggestions that it is caused by factory extraction fans or a U.S. military programme. Some even believe its the sound of aliens beaming signals to Earth.

Yvonne Conners world turned upside down in the spring of 2020. The whole country was, of course, in a state of heightened anxiety at the time. But Yvonne and many of her neighbours found themselves at the mercy of not just Covid, but also another epidemic, for which there is still no obvious explanation, and no cure or vaccine

It is as though Holmfield is in the grip of some dark force that no one can explain, not even acoustic experts  and certainly not the local Labour council.

Its useless, says Yvonne. The councillor theyve put in charge of the problem doesnt even live here. Hes 15 miles away.

Yvonne shudders as she describes what she has been through. At least with Covid you knew where you were, she says. A level-headed, 50-year-old Yorkshire woman, she is not the sort who is given to overstatement. She is no conspiracy theorist, and does not believe in negative energy or little green men. She just wants to get some sleep.

Nor is she the only one suffering. A petition she organised, calling on the council to take action, has been signed by more than 500 residents. Yvonne was forced to leave the welfare job she loved, and suffers shingles  caused, she says, by the hum.

To try to escape the stress, she has become a dog walker, and shes considering moving out of Holmfield altogether, even though it has been her home for most of her life.

It was around teatime, perhaps 7pm, when I first heard it, she says. But I actually felt it before I heard it. It was like a weird wave of energy going right through my forehead. Right through my ears and into my head. A drumming sound. I know it sounds crazy.

A petition she organised, calling on the council to take action, has been signed by more than 500 residents. Yvonne was forced to leave the welfare job she loved, and suffers shingles  caused, she says, by the hum

But soon after that came a low-frequency hum, a vibration, a bit like an aircraft droning overhead. At first Yvonne thought the noise might be coming from one of her appliances  a TV on standby or an overworked washing machine.

So she switched everything off, and asked her neighbours to do the same. But still the hum persisted.

At first I seemed to be the only person hearing it. But gradually I talked to friends and neighbours and they were hearing it, too. Then I set up a Facebook page and I was inundated. There is no sign that it is going to go away.

Not everyone has experienced the hum. Sam West, who runs a fish and chip shop, has never heard it but knows plenty who have.

I live a few miles away from here but I know that people have been bothered by it. The cause? Havent a clue. But people say its coming from the industrial estate.

Chloe Robinson, a student nurse at Huddersfield Hospital, has been hearing the hum for at least six months. It has had a real impact on our quality of life, she says.

Nikki Kelly, who is standing for the Conservatives in the local council elections in May, says there must be a public inquiry.

The hum is making many peoples lives a misery, she explains. Once youve heard it, you cant unhear it. It is having a devastating effect on the mental health of hundreds of people in this area.

Simon Speechley, who runs a pub and wedding venue on the towns outskirts, is frustrated by the councils apparent refusal to take the problem seriously.

They are very hot on planning permission  I had to invest 100,000 in a speaker system that ensured the sound from our events wouldnt travel too far, he says.

But theyve done nothing about the hum. I hear it a lot at home and I get woken up at about two or three in the morning. Its got to the stage where I am considering moving out. But why should I?

The Holmfield Hum is not the first of its kind. Since the 1970s, scientists have been aware of unexplained noises which they have called hums. In the 1970s, the News Of The World asked Bristol readers whether they had heard a low-frequency humming sound that had been reported. Some 800 replied that they had.

In 1992, a hum cropped up in Southampton, where one person said it had nearly driven them to suicide: Ive been on tranquillisers and have lost count of the number of nights I have spent holding my head in my hands and crying. But hums are not confined to Britain. The most notorious one was heard in Taos, New Mexico, in the early 1990s. Local residents reported symptoms of nausea, headaches and pain in the ears.

It was said to affect about 2 per cent of the population, and it was suggested that these people had particularly sensitive hearing and could hear low-frequency sounds  similar to those made by an industrial fan or an idling lorry engine  while others could not.

Dr Glen MacPherson, a scientist based in Vancouver, has studied the hum phenomenon for more than 20 years and has produced an online map that shows thousands of instances. It indicates that the hum is particularly prevalent in the UK. That is probably because of the high population density, he says.

He has not yet investigated the Holmfield Hum in any detail, but suggests the obvious starting point would be to examine places such as the industrial estate.

He adds: Once youve eliminated external sources such as ventilator systems, engine noises, police sirens and so on, you are left with the idea that the hum is generated by the human body like a medical condition, similar to tinnitus.

Many recent outbreaks in the U.S. have been blamed on phone transmissions and interference from U.S. military communications. Other conspiracy theories have been floated: the hum is a signal of the worlds end or an imminent catastrophe, or is supernatural.

Others have blamed a weapon from the U.S. military HAARP research programme in Alaska. It is said that the high-frequency radio waves it can beam out are capable of melting an aircraft engine 250 miles away.

The Russians have demanded that the programme be stopped, citing environmental and health concerns. Might Holmfield have fallen foul of the U.S. military?

David Deming, an American geoscientist at the University of Oklahoma, published a study of what he called the worldwide hum in 2004. He suggests that radio waves transmitted by the U.S. military to stay in touch with its submarine fleet are the cause. But there is no concrete proof.

Some think there is a psychological element to this. Only those with super-sensitive hearing are affected, but the more these people focus on the sound, the more anxious they become  and their bodies respond by amplifying the sound.

Dr Geoff Leventhall, an acoustic engineer in Surrey, has been studying the hums for decades. He cant say what is causing the Holmfield Hum, but notes: If it is not coming from industry or natural sources there is the possibility that some of those hearing it are experiencing tinnitus or psychological effects. Some scientists even believe it could be a form of mass delusion.

The Holmfield Hum is not the first of its kind. Since the 1970s, scientists have been aware of unexplained noises which they have called hums

In history there are many examples of this spreading through populations, such as the fear of witches in the 17th century, and mass ghost-sightings  in 19th-century London, a man was even shot in the belief he was a ghost.

Laughter epidemics have taken hold of villages in Africa, and in medieval France all the nuns in a convent began mewing like cats.

Back in Holmfield, Yvonne is dismissive of most of these explanations. She has taken a hearing test and is free of tinnitus. Is it a case of mass delusion? Were not stupid and were not nuts, she retorts. That noise is definitely there. Its a form of torture. Not everyone can hear it  and its not there all the time.

Theres no question about it  its coming from one of the factories, she says.

The factory in question, she believes, is Gower Furniture, which has been operating for half a century. It is a large local employer  which is why the council refuses to close it down, says Yvonne.

The Mail drove to the industrial estate to visit the factory, which makes fitted kitchens. At the front, a pipe was connected to a biomass boiler. At close quarters a low, loud hum could be heard.

A spokeswoman for the firm said: We fully sympathise with residents. But the council and an independent noise consultant concluded that the hum is nothing to do with our site. She added that the hum could still be heard even when the factory is shut.

Yvonne is not convinced, but cant explain why she can still hear the hum even when the factory isnt operating.

The council is adamant that the factory is not to blame. Cllr Jenny Lynn told the Mail: Our investigation is ongoing, so we are not able to go into the details. She added that the council could not use its statutory powers because the noise is so hard to detect.

Whatever is behind it, Yvonne is struggling to come to terms with it. Fortunately its been a quiet day today. I cant always hear it, she said. And nor could I or the photographer as we stood in her living room.

In the kitchen at the rear of the house, however, it was a different matter  we all heard a low-pitched noise coming up from the floor.

Had I succumbed to mass delusion? I dont think so. The hum had returned. Perhaps it never went away.
More than 900 people were detained in 44 cities yesterday as anti-war protests once again broke out in Russia.

Here in Moscow, the regime was taking no chances, filling the boulevards and squares with police and troops.

On Pushkin Square a planned protest was stymied by several hundred officers in urban camouflage uniforms and visored helmets, positioned in groups of three and spaced five yards apart across every public space.

Menacing men in civilian clothes but wearing black cloth facemasks stood at the entrances to shopping malls, shops and clubs, ready to repel protesters if they should try to flee.

Small groups of young people who had heeded calls on social media to protest stood around, nervously chatting and smoking.

For the time being, both the repression and propaganda machines are doing an effective job of keeping the Russian people in terrified awe of their leader

Whenever a group of six or more formed, police swooped, demanding to see papers and rifling handbags and rucksacks.

One young man who dared shout 'No to War!' had his arms pinned behind him by three 'cosmonauts'  slang for helmeted members of the notoriously brutal Omon paramilitary police  and was frogmarched to a row of waiting police vans.

On Gogolevsky Boulevard yesterday evening, within sight of the Kremlin's towers, a group of nearly 100 gathered for an anti-war prayer session in a nearby cathedral found themselves swiftly surrounded and rounded up by a force of police at least twice their number.

An Omon lieutenant approached me as I stood nearby alongside three young filmmakers, their cameras tucked under their coats.

After a moment's calculation he decided not to detain us. But he growled out a menacing order.

'Friend. Drop that cigarette.'

The young cameraman swiftly complied.

In cafes around the city, young people swapped news from Meduza  an independent online news site now based in Latvia after being chased out of Russia  and exchanged footage from their friends inside police vans.

Yasha, 21, a theatre student, says: 'You get arrested once, they put you in jail for two days and you get a criminal record.

'Second time, it's three months. And you get thrown out of college or your work. That's properly terrifying.'

Since the invasion started, close to 3,000 people have been detained in Russia.

An already-repressive law on state treason  which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in jail  has been updated to include 'any act beneficial or giving succour to the enemy'.

The amendment was clearly designed to criminalise anti-war protests with savage punishment.

Today there are two Moscows, and two Russias. One composed of largely young and tech-savvy people who access independent news on the internet; the other, older and less educated who still depend on state TV for their information

Access to Facebook, popular among anti-Putin Russians, has been shut down.

Instagram, Twitter, Google and YouTube may soon follow in the wake of a sanctions-inspired ban on any income from those platforms going to Russian-government affiliated entities.

Telegram, a more secure social media site where organisers of protests share information on planned meetings, is closely monitored by the Federal Security Service and police, who saturate the areas of planned protests with officers as soon as they are announced.

The Russian government also announced a Soviet-style ban on any references to 'war' or 'invasion' on any media  decreeing that the aggression against Ukraine is to be termed 'a limited military operation'.

At the same time the Kremlin's media machine has gone into overdrive in an attempt to convince Russian viewers and listeners that the Kremlin is 'liberating' Ukraine from a 'fascist' American-backed puppet government.

Dmitry Kiselev, one of the Kremlin's most venomous TV propagandists, accused German chancellor Olaf Scholz of 'solidarity with the genocide of today' that Kiselev, parroting Putin, claimed was being perpetrated against Russian-speakers in Ukraine.

Yet the reality of sanctions imposed by the West on the Russian economy  particularly cutting off banks from Swift, the international interbank transfer system  is already becoming apparent.

In many branches of Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, cash machines are running out and yesterday withdrawals were limited to just 300 roubles  about 2.50.

Yet there are Muscovites who continue to support Putin. '

It'll all be over quickly, just as soon as we get those fascists out of Kiev,' said Marina Gordeyeva, 38, the producer of a TV shopping channel.

'The Ukrainian people will thank us.'

Many other Russians remain convinced that the conflict was provoked by the West.

'Nato pushed us into this war,' said Vladimir Butyrkin, 61, a retired trucker.

'We are a peaceful people. Nobody in Russia wanted this. The Ukrainians are our brothers  but sometimes you need to correct your brothers when they get stupid ideas in their heads.'

Today there are two Moscows, and two Russias.

One composed of largely young and tech-savvy people who access independent news on the internet; the other, older and less educated who still depend on state TV for their information.

Surveys show that the latter groups makes up some 70 per cent of the population.

Over his 20 years in power, Putin has assembled a formidable army of police, interior ministry troops and a 350,000-strong Russian National Guard with the precise aim of repressing public dissent.

If Putin's army grinds to a halt in the face of heavier-than-expected resistance and his economy crumbles under the onslaught of unprecedented sanctions, more and more Russians will come to doubt the party line

He's also created a highly professional and well-funded propaganda machine.

If Putin's army grinds to a halt in the face of heavier-than-expected resistance and his economy crumbles under the onslaught of unprecedented sanctions, more and more Russians will come to doubt the party line.

But for the time being, both the repression and propaganda machines are doing an effective job of keeping the Russian people in terrified awe of their leader.
Were you caught up in the flight chaos or are you still waiting on luggage? Email stephen.wynn-davies@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

British Airways cancelled or delayed more than 500 flights over the weekend after suffering its biggest IT meltdown for years.

The flagship carrier scrapped 65 flights yesterday, with 188 more held up.

This was on top of the 187 cancellations on Saturday  more than a third of scheduled flights  with a further 151 delayed.

It meant there were more cancellations at Heathrow, where BA mostly operates from, than at any other airport in the world.

If Fridays cancellations and delays are included, more than 600 flights have been disrupted, according to flight data analysis.

It came at the worst time for BA, with bookings at their highest since the start of the pandemic after the UK and most European countries ditched Covid traveller tests for fully vaccinated holidaymakers.

The issue first emerged last Tuesday, but BA failed to get it under control, leaving thousands in the lurch. Some complained of being stranded abroad while others had breaks cancelled at the 11th hour.

Passengers at Heathrow Airport T5, London, as an IT meltdown caused havoc with British Airways flights on Saturday. The issue continued for passengers on Sunday

Furious customers flooded social media with complaints yesterday, branding BAs customer service appalling.

They also complained of not being offered re-routing options and waiting hours for luggage.

Last night the airline said it had been working around the clock to fix the IT issues, but gave no explanation.

It said the failure was not a global issue and involved a problem with its online check-in service. It denied being the victim of a cyber attack.

Traveller Martin Findlay posted on Twitter: What a chaotic weekend for @British_Airways. Now leaving Salzburg 28 hours late & theyve even squeezed people into the middle seats in Business Class to repatriate as many as possible. A fun week ahead for the #BA compensation system.

In a letter handed to customers at Heathrow, the airline said: We know this is an unforgivable situation and apologies dont go far enough to express our regret.

In August 2019 BA cancelled more than 100 flights from both Heathrow and Gatwick due to an IT glitch.

In 2018 it was fined 20million after hackers compromised nearly 500,000 individuals data.

And in 2017 it suffered another IT failure over the May bank holiday weekend, costing IAG, BAs owner, nearly 80million.

BA said: We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience our customers have experienced.

**Were you caught up in the flight chaos or are you still waiting on luggage? Email stephen.wynn-davies@mailonline.co.uk**
Leeds players past and present have paid homage to Marcelo Bielsa, who was sacked by the club on Sunday.

Bielsa was relieved of his duties after a poor run of form culminating in just one point from the last 18 on offer and with the club only two points above the Premier League relegation zone.

But stars including captain Liam Cooper and striker Patrick Bamford offered emotional tributes on social media to the Argentine in the wake of his departure.

Leeds stars have paid tribute to Marcelo Bielsa (above) who was sacked as manager on Sunday

Club captain Liam Cooper (above right) described the Argentine, 66, as a 'legend of our era'

Thank you Marcelo for everything you have done for me.



You saw in me what I didnt even see in myself. You helped me grow as a player but most importantly as a person.



Wishing you all the best in your next chapter.



Gracias Marcelo

Vamos Leeds Carajo!!



 pic.twitter.com/efuWFv053T  Kalvin Phillips (@Kalvinphillips) February 27, 2022

Cooper tweeted: 'You united a club, a city & a team going nowhere. I will be forever grateful for everything you and your staff did for me and my family. A club legend of our era. Gracias Marcelo,' followed by a white heart.

Bamford posted on Instagram with the caption: 'Thank you. The man who changed everything for everyone'.

Kalvin Phillips said: 'Thank you Marcelo for everything you have done for me. You saw in me what I didnt even see in myself. You helped me grow as a player but most importantly as a person. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter. Gracias Marcelo Vamos Leeds!!'

Defender Pascal Struijk added: 'Thank you for everything Marcelo, in these past 4 years youve helped me grow into the player I am now. You have taught me so much and I will cherish that forever'.

Several Whites players past and present paid homage to their former manager on social media

Team-mates Junior Firpo, Robin Koch and Mateusz Klich all continued the praise for Bielsa, 66, with former Whites striker Jermaine Beckford also taking to social media to reveal his thoughts online.

Firpo said: 'Its been an honor working with you and all your staff. A real club legend. Thank you,' with Koch tweeting: 'Gracias Marcelo. Glad I could work with you and learn from you.'

Klich simply posted: 'Thank You Marcelo for everything,' while Beckford said: 'What a man. He has changed so many lives for the better and has created an incredible culture at the club again. Forever grateful Mr Bielsa #MOT'.
He insisted to the world in his infamous BBC interview that he had no recollection of meeting Virginia Roberts despite that photograph of them together.

And now one of Prince Andrew's most steadfast friends has suggested an extraordinary defence of the Duke's claim  saying that they were having such a wild time with party girls at that time that it would be no surprise if he'd forgotten them.

Michael Wynne-Parker, the 76-year-old author and businessman, has told me of the pair's uninhibited nights out together during the period when Virginia Roberts, now Giuffre, claims she was forced to have sex with the Prince while aged 17 after being groomed by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

He says: 'In those days we were having almost nightly parties in Tramp or whatever.

'We were going to these clubs and there would be 20 beautiful girls.

'Have a dance with this one, have a dance with that one. And then you'd end up in bed with that one.

Michael Wynne-Parker (pictured), 76, said he and Andrew were having such a wild time with party girls that it would be no surprise if he'd forgotten them

Wynne-Parker described his partying days with Prince Andrew as 'wild' (Pictured: Andrew leaving China White nightclub in London)

Virginia Roberts, now Giuffre, claims she was forced to have sex with the Prince while aged 17 after being groomed by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. (Pictured: Infamous photo allegedly showing Andrew with Ms Giuffre, with a grinning Maxwell in the background)

'I'm sorry to say you might not even remember that person  you know, even five years later.'

It was this merry-go-round of promiscuity, argues Wynne-Parker, that explains why Andrew, 62, was unable to recall Giuffre  with whom he has now reached an out-of-court financial settlement while making no admission of liability.

Wynne-Parker adds: 'Even if he had met her all those years ago, it's very possible he completely forgot.

'We were living in wild times in those days. Wild times.'

On one critical point, Wynne-Parker believes Andrew is innocent. 'Never once did I even see anyone underage. They were all in their early to mid-30s.'

As for Andrew's claims in his TV interview that he could not sweat, he says: 'I don't know why he brought that up. He must regret that.'

Wynne-Parker says Andrew might have spared his family and himself much trauma had it not been for his biggest flaw  'being pompous'.

'I remember the first time I introduced him at a reception years and years ago and by accident I tapped him on the shoulder. He whispered, 'Remember, Michael, who I am, you're not supposed to touch me.' '

The Duke of York declined to comment.

India's flat-out ride

India Hicks following bike crash near her home in Chilterns

India Hicks showed grace and poise when she was a bridesmaid at Prince Charless wedding in 1981  but not so much when out on her bike near her Chilterns home last week.

She shared this picture, joking that husband David Flint-Wood hoped that once we were married there could be a touch more Grace Kelly and a lot less of this.
Laura Byrne has spoken out against new laws restricting influencers from promoting health and skincare products.

A new Therapeutic Goods Administration advertising code allows social media stars to give testimonials for products, but only if they don't receive anything in return.

The former Bachelor star, 37, shared a video to Instagram, criticising why influencers won't get paid to promote sunscreen.

Rant: The Bachelor's Laura Byrne, 37, (pictured) has spoken out against new laws restricting influencers from promoting health and skincare products

Laura began: 'I've seen a lot of conversations happening online around this whole limiting influencers from talking about skincare and proteins and everything else and I agree with it.'

'The only part of this and the only category I fiercely don't agree with is sunscreen because I don't understand why you would stop such a hugely influential population from promoting sunscreen.'

Laura went on to say: 'I wish someone had told me that when I was in my youth... I just think that that's a category that makes absolutely no sense to me.'

'It makes no sense': The former Bachelor star, shared a video to Instagram, criticising the rules preventing influencers from getting paid to promote sunscreen brands

She also explained that she would like her two daughters Marlie Mae, two, and Lola, 11 months to think 'sunscreen is cool'.

'I didn't think it was cool when I was a kid and now I have to get shit burnt off me because the whole slip slop slap ads were lame and I didn't use it,' she said.

'Regulate the manufactures of the sunscreen and the way it can be labelled in Australia better. Don't regulate the promotion of something that positively impacts the health of everyone.'

You'll just have to do it for free! 'The only part of this and the only category I fiercely don't agree with is sunscreen because I don't understand why you would stop such a hugely influential population from promoting sunscreen,' she said

On Saturday, The Australian reported influencers are being banned from receiving benefits to spruik health products.

The new Therapeutic Goods Administration advertising code only allows influencers to promote products if they receive nothing in return.

It applies to sunscreens, protein powers, vitamins, supplements, skincare, medicines and skin lightning products.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy called out his former Dancing With The Star partner Kirstie Alley after she shared a now-deleted message about the conflict in Ukraine to her Twitter account on Friday.

The 42-year-old dancer shared a screenshot of the tweet to his Instagram Story on Saturday and wrote a short statement to express his views about her thoughts.

He has been trapped in the besieged country's capital of Kyiv and has shared numerous updates about the unfolding situation to his account.

Speaking his mind: Maksim Chmerkovskiy called out his former Dancing With The Star partner Kirstie Alley after she shared a now-deleted message about the conflict in Ukraine to her Twitter account on Friday; seen in 2020

Alley, 71, appeared to doubt the information coming out about the conflict in Ukraine and wrote that she would keep her thoughts on the situation private.

'I don't know what's real or what is fake in this war. So I won't be commenting. I'll pray instead,' she wrote.

Chmerkovskiy then responded by pointing out that the Cheers actress had previously shown that she cared deeply about world issues in the past.

'Dear Kirstie, we haven't spoken in a while, but I clearly remember being right next to you while you were organizing trucks of aid during Hurricane Sandy and I remember all that you were saying to me about situations where innocent are suffering,' he wrote.

Concerned: Chmerkovskiy then responded by pointing out that the Cheers actress had previously shown that she cared deeply about world issues in the past

Choosing her words: Alley, 71, appeared to doubt the information coming out about the conflict in Ukraine and wrote she would keep her thoughts private; seen in 2012

He went on to express that her message was unnecessary and only diverted attention away from the conflict in Ukraine.

'That same energy is needed right now. No one needs your prayer if you don't know what's real or fake,' he wrote.

Chmerkovskiy and Alley were previously dance partners on the hit ABC program's 12th season, which aired in 2011.

The pair became well-known for working through various unplanned mishaps that would take place during their routines.

In the past: Chmerkovskiy and Alley were previously dance partners on the hit ABC program's 12th season, which aired in 2011

Although the two reached the last stages of the competition, they ultimately finished in second place during the run.

The grand prize for the show's 12th season was won by Hines Ward and Kym Herjavec.

Chmerkovskiy initially revealed that he was trapped in Kyiv when Vladimir Putin sent Russian forces into the country with a video that was shared to his Instagram account on Thursday.

He has since shared several clips to both his account and Story to raise awareness about the conflict in his native country.

On Friday, the performer posted a duo of videos to his account where he noted that he would remain in Kyiv for the time being, stating: 'I'm not moving towards the border... it's, I heard, not safe.'

Sticking it out: On Friday, the performer posted a video to his account where he noted that he would remain in Kyiv for the time being, stating: 'I'm not moving towards the border... it's, I heard, not safe'

The dancer described the conflict as both 'aggressive' and 'dire' and pointed out that Ukrainians from all walks of life were being called to action.

'The whole country is being called to go to war. Men, women, boys are going forward and getting guns and getting deployed to defend the country,' he said.

Chmerkovskiy then shared a grim prediction about the future of the conflict if peace talks did not begin soon.

'If it's not resolved in a peaceful manner in some way or form in the next day or so, or two, I think it's gonna take a turn for very, very much more aggressive actions and a lot more casualties.'

He did point out, however, that he was currently 'safe' while taking the video.
Maisie Smith is reportedly set make a surprise comeback to EastEnders - three months after her character Tiffany Butcher left Albert Square.

The actress, 20, left Walford with a suitcase in December last year, 13 years after she joined the BBC soap at the age of six to play the daughter of departed character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer).

And former Strictly Come Dancing star Maisie has reportedly been filming scenes with Tiffanys ex Keegan (Zack Morris) who recently announced his departure.

Comeback queen? Maisie Smith, 20, is reportedly set make a surprise comeback to EastEnders three months after her character Tiffany Butcher left Albert Square

A source told The Sun: 'Bosses felt Tiffany had unfinished business with Keegan that needed a resolution before he left.

'So they decided to ask her back for one episode. Viewers will have to wait to see if they manage to fix their relationship or whether the bad blood that weve seen between them continues.'

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for EastEnders for comment.

Farewell: The actress was seen leaving Walford in December last year, 13 years after Maisie joined the BBC soap at the age of six

Tiffany was left devastated when she discovered husband Keegan cheated on her with Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero).

She later dated Aaron Monroe (Charlie Wernham) but they went their separate ways when he showed his aggressive nature.

It emerged Maisie was leaving EastEnders last October with the star reportedly getting a number of big money offers for other projects.

She said at the time: 'It's time to say farewell to Tiff! I've grown up on EastEnders since 2008, and have learnt from the best over the past 13 years.

Shocking: Maisie has been involved in a number of key storylines on the soap, including a shocking grooming plot in 2019

'I'm very excited for my next challenge and thank the BBC for the opportunity they gave me as a six-year-old.'

EastEnders' Executive Producer Jon Sen added: 'We are all very sad to see Maisie leave.

'She's been a wonderful company member during her time at EastEnders and it's been a privilege to see her blossom into the star she is.

'She has created an iconic character in Tiff and the door is always open to her return.

'We wish her all the very best for her future projects.'

It was reported Maisie chose not to renew her contract this time because she looked to pursue other projects elsewhere.

The star has reportedly previously been offered six-figure deals with clothing and beauty brands following her successful Strictly stint, however her contract with the BBC meant she had to decline them.

Maisie finished runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing in 2020 after competing with professional Gorka Marquez, 31.

Twinkle toes: Maisie finished runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing in 2020 after competing with professional Gorka Marquez, 31

Maisie's co-star Zack revealed he is leaving EastEnders after five years on Albert Square, earlier this week.

The actor, 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

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

'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'.

Looking back: 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

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.

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.'

Maisie and Zack recently shut down real-life dating rumours, with Zack's ex-girlfriend reportedly calling Maisie 'the other woman'.
BOOM!

Three years and one global pandemic later, we finally got back on a plane and resumed our holiday tradition of escaping New York City over the mid-winter school break for an inevitably exhausting vacation with my wifes wonderful family in Southern California, where the burger joints and the weather are vastly better.

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And, it turns out, I also resumed whats apparently a tradition of unplugging from a hyper-intense, pre-apocalyptic news cycle for that family vacation only to end up writing a column about nearly dying on a California freeway before walking away unscathed.

Four years and two trips ago, the kids had been in the backseat of a rental car chattering with their grandmother about dinosaurs as we cruised down the freeway to visit the tar pits before BOOM! and my hands against a spiderwebbed windshield as the wind roared through it and the girls wailed like an off-key Greek chorus (Blind! I cant see!) and shook glass from their hair as more of it streamed in and my incredible wife held the wheel steady and drove us across endless lanes of roaring traffic to a safe place to pull over so we could make sure everyone was alright and eventually figure out that a pipe falling from the sky had gone through the windshield and into the backseat while somehow missing all of us.

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This year, we were nearing the end of the hours-long drive from traffic-clogged Orange County to peaceful Palm Desert with me trying to convince the kids to look up and appreciate the glory of the snow-capped San Bernardino mountaintops behind palm trees (OK, dad, we saw it) before BOOM! and the girls wailing (Deaf! I cant hear!) as a baffling white on both sides of the car blocked us from seeing what had just happened and my wife again held the wheel and her focus to guide us to a stop on the median. Later, we learned that a car had smashed into the side of ours after it had been hit by another car that had been hit by yet another car that had swerved to avoid rear-ending a van that had cut if off four lanes across from where wed been.

Aftermath. (Shutterstock)

Like the song says, an airbag saved my life.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

As other cars raced by, an audibly bored and impatient 911 operator kept asking if the terrified children could pipe down while reprimanding my wife for not knowing the closest cross street to our location on the freeway. We ignored the two women, presumably the ones whod just slammed into us, waving from the other side of the windshield while we checked on the girls and then ourselves and discussed whether that strange, acrid smell was in our heads or, if not, if it meant that the car might explode.

We got out and saw we were almost by ourselves, with three other vehicles pulled over on the shoulder across the freeway. The highway patrol showed up on that side first and, when one of them made it to us, almost immediately asked my wife to report her weight. In the course of collecting information for the insurers, he eventually explained that the smell wed been worried about came from the activated side airbags.

That was 30 minutes after wed left the battered rental car, with my passenger side door smashed in, and met the waving women, Audrey and Lisa, who explained that they had been just behind us and seen the car slam into us and then drift back across the freeway, and had pulled over to make sure we were alright.

The two friends, Canadians vacationing in Palm Desert, ended up staying with us on the median in a chilly wind, helping watch our kids all but jumping out of their skin as traffic roared by for more than an hour as the cops went about their business of establishing what had happened and creating and collecting records for the car companies and the lawyers. Finally, the two good Samaritans drove us to our destination, which happily turned out to be down the street from where they were headed.

As we made small talk on the way over and discovered various things that our families had in common, starting with ties to the printing industry (Audrey) and a love of scuba-diving (Lisa), my mind drifted to the split-seconds separating a fatal moment from a maiming one from a near-miss moving out of the rear-view mirror around the next curveand to how life is what happens, or almost happens, between BOOMS!

I told my older daughter, who was almost Tourettically thanking the women out of whatever mix of shock and muscle memory after wed scolded her for behaving obnoxiously the night before, that I hope she learns from Audrey and Lisas example about the importance in life of extending yourself to other people.

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Christina Haack and her fiance Josh Hall enjoyed a goat yoga experience during their Laguna Beach vacation on Saturday morning.

The 38-year-old TV personality shared with her 1.7 million Instagram followers several pics of the couple with the goats.

'Fun morning at Goods and Goats Market. Goat Yoga with Lisa Ashton... the goats were very into Josh! I don't blame them. Time to get some goats for our Tennessee home!!,' the Flip or Flop star captioned her post.

Goat yoga: Christina Haack and her fiance Josh Hall enjoyed a goat yoga experience during their Laguna Beach vacation on Saturday morning

The duo performed the several different yoga positions but during their downward dog position, a goat stood on top of each of their backs. Both Christina and Josh had huge smiles on their faces in the shot.

The 40-year-old former police officer proposed to Christina while on vacation in Mexico in September, just months after their relationship was made public.

The duo celebrated Valentine's Day with a snowy vacation filled with popping champagne and hitting the slopes.

On vacation: The 38-year-old TV personality shared with her 1.7 million Instagram followers several pics of the couple with the goats

Spontaneous activities: 'Fun morning at Goods and Goats Market. Goat Yoga with Lisa Ashton... the goats were very into Josh! I don't blame them. Time to get some goats for our Tennessee home!!'

Having fun: The 40-year-old former police officer proposed to Christina while on vacation in Mexico in September, just months after their relationship was made public

The Christina on the Coast star posted a tribute video for her fiance and captioned the post, 'Best Valentine's weekend with my Valentine,' adding a pink heart and champagne bottle emojis.

She played Machine Gun Kelly's song bloody valentine on top of her adorable video.

The couple live together in Tennessee where Josh helps raise Christina's three children.

Valentine's Day: The duo celebrated Valentine's Day with a snowy vacation filled with popping champagne and hitting the slopes

Popping champagne: The Christina on the Coast star posted a tribute video for her fiance and captioned the post, 'Best Valentine's weekend with my Valentine,' adding a pink heart and champagne bottle emojis

In love: She played Machine Gun Kelly's song bloody valentine on top of her adorable video

Taylor, 11, and Brayden, six, she shares with her ex-husband, Tarek El Moussa. The couple was married for nine years before separating in 2018.

Christina shares Hudson with her second ex-husband, Ant Anstead.

The two married quickly after her divorce was finalized from Tarek, but ended up calling it quits last year.
A member of the Royal Family will be visiting Australia for the first time since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2018 tour.

Queen Elizabeth's daughter Princess Anne, will represent her mother as the guest of honour at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in April.

Princess Anne, 71, will open the Easter Show on April 8th, and is also expected to tour regional parts of Australia.

Revealed: A member of Royal Family is set to visit Australia for the first time since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2018 tour. Pictured Queen Elizabeth at the 2021 Commonwealth Games

In a statement, organisers confirmed: 'Her Royal Highness is specifically coming to Australia in her role as Patron of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth to open the 2022 Sydney Royal Easter Show where we celebrate our Bicentenary.'

'HRH also opened the 1988 Sydney Royal Show where we celebrated the nation's bicentenary.'

Princess Anne previously opened the show in 1988.

Down Under: Princess Anne (pictured) will open the Easter show in Sydney on April 8th, and is also expected to tour regional parts of Australia

She is also a president of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth, the organisation that hosts the event.

Prince William and Kate Middleton attended the Easter Show in 2014.

This will be the first time a member of the Royal Family has visited Australia since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2018 tour.

Tour: This will be the first time a member of the Royal Family has visited Australia since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's (pictured) 2018 tour

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent five months Down Under after landing in Sydney on October 16.

They visited Bondi Beach, Dubbo, Fraser Island and Melbourne.

During their trip, Meghan also visited the Girls Academy, which works within the school system to reduce the barriers preventing Indigenous girls from completing their education and reaching their full potential.
Kim Kardashian bared her ample cleavage in a flesh-flashing new photo-shoot she posted to her Instagram page on Saturday.

The 41-year-old reality TV bombshell was posing up a storm in a flesh-flashing jumpsuit during her stint at Milan Fashion Week.

She left several buttons of the khaki ensemble beguilingly undone, allowing her to flash her Prada bra and her enviably trim midriff.

Looking fab: Kim Kardashian bared her ample cleavage in a flesh-flashing new photo-shoot she posted to her Instagram page on Saturday

Sweeping her dark hair dramatically back into a high bun, she warded off the rays with a pair of large sunglasses.

Kim cut a glamorous figure as she struck pose after pose in front of a dazzling vista of the northern Italian city at sunset.

She declared in her caption that she was a 'Prada Bae,' a reference to a new song of the same name by Young T and Bugsey.

Her new Instagram post comes on the heels of the latest broadside in her increasingly messy divorce from her third husband Kanye West.

Pounding the cobblestones: The 41-year-old reality TV bombshell was posing up a storm in a flesh-flashing jumpsuit during her stint at Milan Fashion Week

When you got it: She left several buttons of the khaki ensemble beguilingly undone, allowing her to flash her Prada bra and her enviably trim midriff

Kanye has filed to have his social media outbursts rendered inadmissible in a hearing on whether Kim will be declared legally single.

In the past two months he has drawn widespread mockery and opprobrium over a string of posts aimed at Kim and her new boyfriend Pete Davidson, among others.

Kim has filed court documents saying the posts contain 'a lot of misinformation' and have caused her 'emotional distress.'

Now the 44-year-old rappers' counsel has said in response: 'Kim claims she read something online allegedly by Kanye and characterizes the posts in her declaration as misinformation,' TMZ reports citing court documents.

Swanking about: Sweeping her dark hair dramatically back into a high bun, she warded off the rays with a pair of large sunglasses

'Kim needed to offer the social media posts into evidence, and show that the posts were written by Kanye,' Kanye's attorney continued.

Two months ago Kim filed to be declared legally single, and a hearing will occur next week in order to decide the matter.

Earlier this month Kanye listed multiple provisos that he insisted Kim would have to accept if she wanted to restore her single status.

One was that she cannot remove any money from trusts she created with him, and another is that if one of them dies the other has a 'right of reimbursement.'

Place to be: Kim cut a glamorous figure as she struck pose after pose in front of a dazzling vista of the northern Italian city at sunset

Kim's counsel argued at the time that these measures were 'unnecessary' because of the prenuptial agreement, according to Page Six.

In the new legal filing this week, however, Kanye's team argued that the prenuptial agreement - which split their assets - must not be regarded as valid yet.

Kanye's counsel has argued that the prevailing view in California is that prenuptial agreements signed after 2001 can only be made valid if either both sides of the couple consent to it or if the matter goes to trial.

Kim filed for divorce last February amid a swirl of rumors that her marriage to the rap superstar was on the verge of collapse.

Meanwhile: Her estranged husband Kanye has filed to have his social media outbursts rendered inadmissible in a hearing on whether Kim will be declared legally single

Over the past couple of months Kanye has been frequently airing out their disputes in public, including releasing a diss track aimed at Kim and the children called Eazy.

He has claimed that Kim declined to tell him the location of their daughter Chicago's fourth birthday party last month but that he showed up anyway.

'America saw you try to kid nap my daughter on her birthday by not providing the address,' he raged at her on social media. 'You put security on me inside of the house to play with my son then accused me of stealing I had to take a drug test after Chicago's party cause you accused me of being on drugs.'

He also took repeated public jabs at Kim's current boyfriend Pete Davidson, whom he has given the nickname Skete.

Wow: Kanye wrote: 'UPON MY WIFES REQUEST PLEASE NOBODY DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL TO SKETE IM GOING TO HANDLE THE SITUATION MYSELF' with a still from Baby Boy

Kim eventually texted him that she was worried he was 'creating a dangerous and scary environment' in which 'someone will hurt Pete and this will all be your fault.'

Kanye then posted screen-grabs of the conversation, as well as a picture of Ving Rhames putting Tyrese Gibson in a chokehold in the film Baby Boy.

'UPON MY WIFES REQUEST PLEASE NOBODY DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL TO SKETE IM GOING TO HANDLE THE SITUATION MYSELF,' he wrote.

Kim pleaded with him over text: 'Why can't you keep any of our conversations private ???' and he replied: ''Cause I got a text from my favorite person in the world,' adding: 'I'm your number one fan ... Why wouldn't I tell everyone!!!!'

Leak: Over the past weeks Kanye also shared a screen-grab of a friendly text sent to him by Pete, whom he slammed as a 'd***head'

'NO YOU WILL NEVER MEET MY CHILDREN': Kanye retorted by posting an Instagram photo of Pete and Machine Gun Kelly goofing around together in their underwear

Over the past weeks Kanye also shared a screen-grab of a friendly text sent to him by Pete, whom he slammed as a 'd***head.'

Pete expressed hopes in the text of 'one day' meeting the four children Kim and Kanye share - North, eight, Saint, six, Chicago, four, and Psalm, two.

Kanye retorted by posting an Instagram photo of Pete and Machine Gun Kelly goofing around together in their underwear and wrote in the caption: 'NO YOU WILL NEVER MEET MY CHILDREN.'

They day after Valentine's Day he confessed: 'I know sharing screen shots was jarring and came off as harassing Kim. I take accountability.'

Unrelenting: Kim pleaded with him over text: 'Why can't you keep any of our conversations private ???' and he replied: ''Cause I got a text from my favorite person in the world'

He also shared: 'I've learned that using all caps makes people feel like I'm screaming at them. I'm working on my communication.'

Since Kim left him Kanye has repeatedly begged her in public to come back to him and reunite the family, including on his 2021 album Donda, and recently he even sent a truckload of roses to her house.

However in court documents cited by TMZ this week Kim declared: 'I very much desire to be divorced,' arguing that 'there is no way to repair our marriage.'

She added: 'Kanye does not agree but at least it appears that he has come to the realization that I want to end our marriage, even if he does not.'
Halle Berry and her daughter Nahla were spotted spending time together in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon.

The 55-year-old performer and her child, 13, stayed close as they made the most of the pleasant California weather.

The actress shares her daughter with her former partner Gabriel Aubry, and the exes were previously involved in a lengthy custody battle following their split.

Happy mom: Halle Berry and her daughter Nahla were spotted spending time together on Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles

Berry wore a black crewneck sweater on top of a pair of slightly distressed blue jeans during her outing with Nahla.

The X-Men franchise star also donned a set of dual-tone high-top sneakers while spending time with her daughter.

The performer wore a vibrantly colored bandana on top of her gorgeous dark blonde locks, which fell onto her shoulders and backside.

The actress and her daughter sported black facial coverings to keep themselves protected from COVID-19 during their time in public.

Staying comfortable: Berry wore a black crewneck sweater on top of a pair of slightly distressed blue jeans during her outing

Berry and Aubry initially met in 2005 and they began a relationship not long after their first encounter.

Before she became involved with the model, the Bruised director was married to her first husband David Justice from 1993 until 1997.

She then began a relationship with Eric Benet, and the two went on to tie the knot in 2001, although they eventually split and divorced in 2005.

Berry then met Aubry and the two dated for several years before the actress gave birth to Nahla in 2008.

Moving fast: Berry and Aubry initially met in 2005 and they began a relationship not long after their first encounter; they are seen in 2009

The two went on to separate in 2010 and subsequently entered into a lengthy custody battle that was ultimately resolved in 2014.

The performer later began a relationship with Olivier Martinez, and the two tied the knot in 2013 before welcoming a son that same year.

The former couple remained together for three years before they formally dissolved their union in 2016.

She later began a relationship with Van Hunt in 2020 and the two have remained together ever since then.

Separate ways: The two went on to separate in 2010 and subsequently entered into a lengthy custody battle that was ultimately resolved in 2014; Halle pictured in January

Berry spoke about how her new partner made her a more efficient parent during an interview with Women's Health, where she expressed that her time with the musician had made her a more confident person in general.

'I'm a much better mother in this circumstance than I would have been had I stayed in a romantic relationship that didn't serve me and didn't make me feel the way I need to feel as a woman,' she said.

The performer also pointed out that she had started to prioritize self-care in order to become a more effective caregiver.

'I can't be a good mother for my children if I'm not fundamentally happy and feeling good about myself,' she said.
Julianne Moore looked the epitome of chic as she stepped out during Milan Fashion Week on Saturday.

The actress, 61, cut a stylish figure as she left the Palazzo Parigi Hotel in a black maxi dress which highlighted her age-defying figure.

Julianne beamed and waved to her fans as she strutted down the pavement in a pair of nude heels.

Glowing: Julianne Moore looked radiant in a black maxi dress as she stepped out during Milan Fashion Week on Saturday

The Oscar-winning actress carried a statement silver beaded bag while out and about in the Italian city.

Her signature shiny auburn locks were worn down and tucked into the back of her dress and she went for some low-key silver jewellery.

She went for a touch of rose gold shadow, emphasising her green eyes and added a pink blush to her cheeks. She topped off the look with a nude lip.

Incredible: The ageless beauty strut down the Italian streets in a pair of olive green heels and carried a bold silver handbag

The Boogie Nights actress has been enjoying her time in the fashion capital of the world after arriving earlier this week.

Julianna was busy late last year in New York City filming her new movie Sharper alongside Marvel's Sebastian Stan and Justice Smith of All the Bright Places fame.

The film centres around a con artist who steals from billionaires living in Manhattan.

The North Carolina native has a number of other upcoming projects as well.

Pretty: Julianne looked casually chic as she stepped out in an all black ensemble during Milan Fashion Week on Friday afternoon

She has three projects currently in pre-production including Mothertrucker, a film that will revolve around the friendship between an Instagram celebrity and an ice road trucker.

She will also star in Fruitcake, a crime-comedy movie about a couple who embezzle $17million from a bakery. Will Ferrell will play her husband.

While she will be working a lot over the next couple years, Moore's husband might not be too happy about some of the scenes.

Hollywood star Julianne is married to film director Bart Freundlich who she wed back in 2003.

And the Far From Heaven actress recently revealed her husband Bart doesn't like when she films sex scenes.

She told the Mail on Sunday's You magazine: 'If you felt it was OK for people to kiss your wife it would be sort of weird,' she remarked. 'But, yeah, he doesnt love that.'

Moore married Freundlich in 2003 after meeting him on the set of the 1996 film The Myth of Fingerprints. They share two children, Caleb, 23, and Liv, 19.
She became a fans' favourite when she pulled off what was perhaps one of the more difficult challenges facing the cast of actors playing the Royal Family in The Crown.

But Erin Doherty, who portrayed notoriously prickly Princess Anne, admits to being baffled by fame.

She was unimpressed when she was photographed by paparazzi while shopping at her local supermarket.

'I remember being told "You've been papped outside Lidl", and I thought, "Well, I was just doing my food shop! I don't know what's interesting about it," ' she says in an interview today with You magazine.

Erin Doherty, who portrayed notoriously prickly Princess Anne in The Crown, admits to being baffled by fame

On the prospect of meeting Anne  who reportedly described the Netflix hit as 'quite interesting'  Erin says: 'I feel like I know her, and I feel like she'd rip me apart  but in a nice way!' (Left, Erin as Anne in the TV series; right, Princess Anne in the mid-1960s)

And she recommends Lidl's often eccentric bargains to the Princess who famously recycles her outfits.

Erin says: 'If Anne knew the deals that were going on, she'd be in there, getting some flippers. You know  for going in the sea! I'm telling you, you can get flippers, oven trays, shoes  anything.'

Yet Erin is not so sure what the reaction of the Princess Royal would be to her in person.

On the prospect of meeting Anne  who reportedly described the Netflix hit as 'quite interesting'  Erin says: 'I feel like I know her, and I feel like she'd rip me apart  but in a nice way!

Erin hopes that she would receive 'just one compliment' from the Princess, adding: 'That's probably what I'd ask, "Was there anything? Did I do any of it right?" '

'She'd say, "Well, you didn't do this and you didn't do this, but you did that right."'

Erin hopes that she would receive 'just one compliment' from the Princess, adding: 'That's probably what I'd ask, "Was there anything? Did I do any of it right?" '

The 29-year-old was propelled to fame when the third season of The Crown aired in 2019.

She was so popular with viewers that the show's creator, Peter Morgan, was asked to write more scenes featuring Princess Anne in the fourth season, released the following year.

The actress, who continued to live in a property in South-East London with friends even after becoming a star of the streaming drama, says she feels a real 'sympathy' for the Royal Family.

Erin describes how the cast of The Crown were given lessons on eating etiquette and how, as a result of studying the Windsors, she has greater respect for them.

'I have a special place in my heart for the time I spent working on The Crown,' she says.

Erin (above in the show) describes how the cast of The Crown were given lessons on eating etiquette and how, as a result of studying the Windsors, she has greater respect for them

'I think we can all relate to what that situation must be like to grow up in. I have massive sympathy for the whole family.

'There are things that they have easier than some people, but they're also growing up within a straitjacket  it must be really isolating.'

Star of the recent BBC drama series Chloe, Erin has recently abandoned flat-sharing to buy a home with her long-term actress girlfriend Sophie Melville.

'It's amazing,' she says. 'You can just use the kitchen whenever you want!'
Dancing With The Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy told his followers he was 'safe' on Saturday as he took shelter amid a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

The 42-year-old Ukrainian-born dancer looked tense as he paced around a parking garage that was serving as a bomb shelter for civilians fleeing from the attack.

Chmerkovskiy also gave a sense of the destruction by sharing videos of explosions illuminating the city at night, along with footage that appeared to show an oil depot engulfed in flames.

'Safe' for now: DWTS pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, 42, updated his followers on Saturday as he hunkered down in an underground parking lot in Kyiv, which doubled as a bomb shelter, amid the Russian attack on Ukraine

Chmerkovskiy, initially said he was in a bomb shelter as he walked through the structure, before revealing that it was just a parking garage.

'A lot of people here that I don't want to show,' he said, presumably to prevent them from being identified.

'I have no idea what I'm doing and I just don't want to do something that I shouldn't,' he explained.

The TV star reiterated that he was 'safe,' but he added that 'Kyiv is under a serious attack from what I understand, from what I heard.'

Dire straits: The TV star reiterated that he was 'safe,' but he added that 'Kyiv is under a serious attack from what I understand, from what I heard'

Dramatic: He followed up his video with photos and videos of Kyiv that showed the sky illuminated by fires and explosions in the distance

'We had a serious alarm, so we all ran downstairs,' he added, though the danger seemed to have abated at the moment.

He added that he would share more information as soon as he had something 'concrete' and urged his followers to 'pray for Ukraine.'

He followed up his video with photos and videos of Kyiv that showed the sky illuminated by fires and explosions in the distance, though he didn't specify if he shot the footage himself.

Other footage included video that appeared to show an oil depot in Vasylkiv, about 20 miles south of Kyiv.

An intense fire and massive plumes of thick, black smoke could be seen rising from the oil depot in videos he posted to his Instagram Stories, which he attributed to an oil pipeline fire.

Outside the city: Other footage included video that appeared to show an oil depot in Vasylkiv, about 20 miles south of Kyiv

Set ablaze: An intense fire and massive plumes of thick, black smoke could be seen rising from the oil depot in videos he posted to his Instagram Stories

Oil fire: He attributed the blaze to an oil pipeline fire

A more hopeful photo showed protestors in Los Angeles with signs and Ukrainian flags as they spoke out against Russia's attack on the country.

'My friends in Los Angeles are making the right kind of noise!' he wrote.

Chmerkovskiy also urged his followers to 'Please continue to fund humanitarian services because innocent people need your help!'

Speaking out: A more hopeful photo showed protestors in Los Angeles with signs and Ukrainian flags as they spoke out against Russia's attack on the country

Helping out: Chmerkovskiy also urged his followers to 'Please continue to fund humanitarian services because innocent people need your help!'

Earlier on Saturday, Chmerkovksiy stepped outside to let his followers that he had made it through a night of bombings safely.

'So the night went fine, but there was a lot of shooting around Kyiv and some neighborhoods around,' he explained.

'There was a lot of attempts to get into the city. There was some air raids.'

He noted a building that had been struck in an air strike and added that he knew the building well and passed by it often.

'This is real. This is really happening,' he said emphatically, before reiterating that he wasn't a reporter.

Still there: Earlier on Saturday, Chmerkovksiy stepped outside to let his followers that he had made it through a night of bombings safely

Fighting on: Chermkovskiy claimed that Ukrainians were making strides against the Russians, calling it a 'pretty heroic story,' though he stressed that he wasn't a military expert

Later, he headed inside to continue his video update, which he said was to combat 'misinformation' coming out of Russia.

He mentioned friends of his who had been able to cross the border to escape Ukraine, 'but the problem is that, at the border, men are not allowed to leave,' so families were split up at the border and the adult men weren't allowed to cross by Ukrainian forces.

Chermkovskiy claimed that Ukrainians were making strides against the Russians, calling it a 'pretty heroic story,' though he stressed that he wasn't a military expert.

He returned in the same location to add that many of the civilians stuck in Kyiv or other cities didn't choose to be in the middle of the fighting, so he hoped there would be an opportunity to 'pause' the fighting to get civilians to safety.

The dancer urged his friends and family and concerned Americans to continue their protests and posts about the Russian attack on Ukraine to raise its profile and outweigh any Russian propaganda.

Cherkovskiy added that he understood Americans who said it wasn't their concern that Ukraine was under attack, but he warned that disinterest might make them less safe in the long run.

Civilians in danger: The TV star posted photos of a residential tower that had been hit by a missile that had a gaping wound on its side exposing bombed out rooms

Emergency response: Emergency crews were seen evacuating the building, but no fatalities have yet been reported from the missile strike

Terrifying: Another post featured a video of a man on the phone describing a projectile attack, which he said his family had barely survived

In their thoughts: Chmerkovskiy's wife Peta Murgatroyd shared on Instagram that her mother made her 'first and only post on Instagram' to share candles that she lit for him

'It's somebody else's fight. You are correct. It is not your fight,' he said. 'Until it is. I just don't want to be dramatic, but I don't feel safe in my distant Malibu if Ukraine falls under this situation.'

He noted that civilians in Kyiv were under a curfew from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., and anyone seen outside during that time would be considered a 'saboteur.'

The TV star posted photos of a residential tower that had been hit by a missile that had a gaping wound on its side exposing bombed out rooms.

Emergency crews were seen evacuating the building, but no fatalities have yet been reported from the missile strike.

Another post featured a video of a man on the phone describing a projectile attack, which he said his family had barely survived.

'Direct hit into our living room. We survived,' read the on-screen translation. 'Wife and oldest son have their legs broken. Youngest son was taken away by medical personnel. I'm searching for him now.'

Update: Maksim Chmerkovskiy says he is 'safe' in Ukraine but warns 'the situation is pretty dire' as he remains in Kyiv following Russian invasion

On Friday, Chmerkovskiy shared terrifying footage of explosions in Ukraine while sheltering in the conflict-hit country.

He said the people Ukraine are 'being called to go to war' and was not planning to leave the capital Kyiv following Russia's invasion.

The professional dancer told concerned fans that he was on his way to a bomb shelter, and later shared a video of explosions ravaging parts of the country.

Despite the disturbing video, he had said he was 'safe' but gave a warning of the increasingly 'aggressive' and 'dire' situation in the country.

He also clarified in the second video that he is 'not currently trying to leave' Ukraine, explaining: 'I'm not moving towards the border... it's, I heard, not safe.'

His comments come as it was reported Friday that men of 'fighting age' were told to remain in the country as Russian missiles pounded Kyiv, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Ukrainians  mainly women and children  are reported to have crossed into Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

Chmerkovski  who later shared footage of explosions in the capital  began his video saying: 'I'm out here, again, I'm safe. We haven't been told to move, and I'm just following instructions. That's all I can say.'

Distressing: Maksim also shared footage of explosions happening in Ukraine near to where he was sheltering

'Eerie calm': The pro dancer had said there was an uneasy silence before explosions were heard

Scenes from the conflict: Maksim later shared this video in which people can be heard singing patriotic songs in Ukraine

'But the reality is that I'm also talking to my friends that are here, the Ukrainians, and the situation is pretty dire.'

Chmerkovski added that people in the country 'are being mobilized' saying: 'The whole country is being called to go to war. Men, women, boys are going forward and getting guns and getting deployed to defend the country.'

The update comes as a senior US defense official said Friday that Russia has 'about a third of their combat power' in Ukraine, adding: 'That does not mean that they will not commit more.'

'I'm out here, again, I'm safe. We haven't been told to move, and I'm just following instructions. That's all I can say,' he said at the start of the video.

The DWTS pro also warned that people in the Ukraine 'are very aggressively charged.'

He said: 'If it's not resolved in a peaceful manner in some way or form in the next day or so, or two, I think it's gonna take a turn for very, very much more aggressive actions and a lot more casualties.'

Talking about the horrors of the situation, he added: 'There are kids that are getting sick, people are sheltering and people that aren't able to just get up and run, right: small children, elderly people.'

'This is like it is in every conflict, I'm just drawing attention to the fact that this is what's happening.'

Story: Maksim's brother Valentin Chmerkovskiy also posted this message on Friday

Prayers needed: Maksim Chmerkovskiy's wife Peta Murgatroyd is asking for prayers as the Ukrainian-born dancer remains in Kyiv following a Russian invasion into the country over night; Peta and Maksim pictured on February 13

Speaking out: 'Please pray for my husband Maks. I don't usually ask these things from my social media network, however today is extremely hard and the next few days will be even harder,' Murgatroyd, 35, posted to Instagram on Thursday

On Thursday, Kyiv ordered civilians to bomb shelters and declared a curfew amid fears Russia will strike the city after Ukrainian troops lost control of a key airfield around 15 miles away.

In a video posted yesterday, Maksim also directly slammed Russian president Vladimir Putin: 'I think that in 2022 [in a] civilized world, this is not the way we do things.'

'This is all one man's ambition', he continued.

'However it sounds, however convenient it sounds in Moscow, however comfortable you are where you are in Russia, I just don't think that this is the right thing and this is the right steps and these are the correct actions.'

The star promised to try to keep followers abreast of the situation unfolding abroad and asked for people to respect his wife's privacy at this time.

'There's ALWAYS another way! WAR is NEVER an answer! #standwithukraine,' he penned in the caption of the video.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have joined a host of other celebrities in sending their love to Ukraine.

The presenting duo, both 46, took a moment to send their 'thoughts and prayers' to Ukraine during Saturday's episode of Saturday Night Takeaway.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion on Ukraine with it being confirmed on Saturday the Ukrainian civilian death toll is 219.

Speaking out: Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have joined a host of other celebrities in sending their love to Ukraine on Saturday Night Takeaway

The pair touched upon the heart-breaking scenes before their quiz section as it included questions on this week's news.

Ant and Dec assured viewers they would not be using questions in relation to the war.

'All the questions are taken from this week's news,' Ant explained. 'And now obviously the news this week has been dominated by the terrible events in Ukraine so all of our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the situation over there,' Dec added.

Real talk: On Saturday, Zelensky accused the Kremlin of attempting to seize the capital, overthrow the government and install a 'puppet' regime 'like in Donetsk'

In their thoughts: The presenting duo, both 46, took a moment to send their 'thoughts and prayers' to Ukraine

'Absolutely,' Ant continued. 'So, of course, there won't be any questions on that subject.'

Celebrities from across the globe have spoken out and shown their support for Ukraine.

Holly Willoughby and Kate Beckinsale led the British celebrities reacting to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as they shared their shock and upset on social media on Friday.

'Obviously the news this week has been dominated by the terrible events in Ukraine so all of our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the situation,' Dec said

Holly, 41, took to Instagram to ask her followers how she should tackle the subject with her children.

Alongside a picture of a tank and soldiers, Holly - who shares daughter Belle, 10, and sons Chester, seven, and Harry James, 12, with husband Dan Baldwin - penned: 'How do I explain this to my children I was asked questions last night I didn't have the answers for '

Meanwhile, Kate, 48, tagged the Stand with Ukraine Instagram account as she shared a post that revealed more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers and at least 10 civilians have already been killed by Russian forces.

'How do I explain this to my children?': Holly Willoughby and Kate Beckinsale led the British celebrities reacting to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Friday

UKRAINE WAR: LATEST Vladimir Putin urges Ukrainian military to overthrow the country's leadership and negotiate peace

Ukraine and Russia discuss a place and time for talks

Russia vetoes draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion of Ukraine - China abstained from the vote

President Joe Biden instructs the U.S. State Department to release $350 million in military aid to Ukraine

Canada, the US, Britain and the European Union said they could act to exclude Russia from the SWIFT global interbank payments system

Ukraine said more than 1,000 Russian soldiers had been killed - Russia did not release casualty figures

NATO allies will provide more weapons to Ukraine and deploy more forces to the eastern part of the alliance

The conflict could drive up to five million people abroad

The MoD said the bulk of Russian forces involved in the advance on Kyiv are now 30 km (19 miles) from the city centre

A curfew is in force until 8am Monday

Russia closes airspace to flights from Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic

China's support for Putin wavers as state banks limit finance for Russian oil and gas Advertisement

Putin personally gave the order to attack Ukraine at around 5am on Thursday, unleashing a salvo of rocket fire in order to knock out the country's military command structure.

And on Saturday, in a video message to the besieged nation, Zelensky accused the Kremlin of attempting to seize the capital, overthrow the government and install a 'puppet' regime 'like in Donetsk', one of two separatist regions which warmonger Vladimir Putin officially recognised before launching an all-out invasion.

Declaring 'we broke their idea', he added: 'The fights are going on in many cities and areas of our state. But we know that we are protecting the country, the land, the future of our children. Kyiv and key cities around the capital are controlled by our army.

'Each Ukrainian should keep one thing in mind: if you can stop and destroy the occupiers - do it. Everyone who can come back to Ukraine - come back to defend Ukraine.'

Meanwhile, a curfew in Kyiv has been imposed until 8am on Monday to ensure the most effective defence of the city and the safety of its people. A previous daily curfew had run from 10pm to 7am.

Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said: 'All civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups.'

Two Ukrainian cities were rocked by Russian blasts in the early hours of Sunday as Vladimir Putin stepped up his invasion - after it was claimed he has been infuriated by his army's lack of progress.

Local newspaper The Kyiv Independent wrote that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv Air Base. The city which sits around 40 kilometers south west of Kyiv, close to a key airport. A gas pipeline was also blown up in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine which sits close to the Russian border.

Video footage showed a mushroom cloud fill the city's sky as the fuel line was destroyed, with a group of people who filmed the clip heard exclaiming with shock as the ball of flames erupted into the sky. It is unclear if anyone was injured or killed by either blast.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine has sparked international outrage and resolution to stop him
Kerry Washington stunned in a dreamy light pink gown while attending the 53rd NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday.

The Scandal actress, 45, was one of many attendees at the ceremony, including Meagan Good, Jocqui Smollett, Daniel Kaluuya, Jemele Hill, Corbin Reid, Erika Alexander, Amber Stevens West, Cree Summer and host Anthony Anderson.

Tonight's event - which honors outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature - was the final show, after five nights of non-televised ceremonies leading up to it.

A vision: Kerry Washington stunned in a dreamy light pink gown while attending the 53rd NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday

Washington accessorized her glamorous off-the-shoulder pink look with a multi color diamond necklace, earrings, and ring.

Her gorgeous brown tresses were styled straight and worn cascading down her shoulders and back.

Going with a pink theme, she wore light pink eye shadow on her lids, as well as a lovely pink shade of blush on her cheeks and a matching tone of lipstick.

Stylish: The Scandal actress, 45, accessorized her glamorous off-the-shoulder pink look with a multi color diamond necklace, earrings, and ring

Pink: Going with a pink theme, she wore light pink eye shadow on her lids, as well as a lovely pink shade of blush on her cheeks and a matching tone of lipstick

Gorgeous: Washington's gorgeous brown tresses were styled straight and worn cascading down her shoulders and back

Another star opting for pink was actress Meagan Good, 40, who showcased her incredible figure in a stunning pink and yellow gown.

The low-cut dress featured unique V-shaped straps which showcased the Think Like a Man star's ample cleavage.

It also had a diamond cut-out in the middle, giving a small peek at her trim waist, as well as a saucy thigh-split, showing off her toned legs.

Stunner: Another star opting for pink was actress Meagan Good, 40, who showcased her incredible figure in a stunning pink and yellow gown

Supporting Rihanna's brand: Jemele Hill, 46, chose a more avant-garde route in terms of fashion, and sported a military olive green Savage Fenty onesie and Valentino heels

Unconventional: American actress Cree Summer, 52, also chose an unconventional look, rocking a colorful animal print top with an orange vest and a pair of plaid wide pants

Good accessorized the eye-catching look with a pair of light gold open-toe sandal heels and rings on her fingers.

Her luscious long black curls were styled into a halfway up-do, gently falling down her shoulders.

Like Washington, she also opted for pink-toned makeup for the evening's festivities.

Meanwhile Jemele Hill, 46, chose a more avant-garde route in terms of fashion, and sported a military olive green Savage Fenty onesie.

She cinched her waist with a black belt and spruced up her look with a pair of Valentino studded heels and black clutch. As for makeup, the sports journalist opted for a bold red lip.

Powerful trio: Corbin Reid, 34, Erika Alexander, 53, and Amber Stevens, 35, looked ravishing in unique creations as they posed together

American actress Cree Summer, 52, also chose an unconventional look, rocking a colorful animal print top with an orange vest and a pair of plaid wide pants.

She added even more drama to the look with a pair of Dior sneakers and a wide brim brown hat.

Corbin Reid, 34, was seen posing with actress, writer, and producer Erika Alexander, 52, and fellow actress Amber Stevens, 35.

The How to Get Away with Murder star donned a stunning strapless red gown and silver heels from Mia Becar and a statement ring from Gabriel & Co.

Traditional: Former child actor Jocqui Smollett, 32, rocked a more traditional three-piece dark navy suit and black dress shoes

Classy: British actor Daniel Kaluuya, 33, looked classy in a white tuxedo jacket, black pants, and black dress shoes

Meanwhile Alexander shined in a silver metallic dress and pointy black boots.

Stevens was the epitome of chic in an intricate long black gown with puffy transparent sleeves and a sexy thigh split.

Men's fashion was a tad more subdued, with former child actor Jocqui Smollett, 32, rocking a more traditional three-piece dark navy suit and black dress shoes.

He paired the look with a bright purple tie and light blue shirt, and rocked an impressive beard on his face.

Striking: The evening's host, actor and comedian Anthony Anderson, 51, wore a striking black jacket with gold floral details throughout

Classy look: He also sported a black bow tie, matching dress pants and shoes for the special occasion

British actor Daniel Kaluuya, 33, looked classy in a white tuxedo jacket, black pants, and black dress shoes.

The evening's host, actor and comedian Anthony Anderson, 51, wore a striking black jacket with gold floral details throughout.

He also sported a black bow tie, matching dress pants and shoes for the special occasion.

Anderson was seen presenting actress Issa Rae, 37, with an award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy.

Her show, Insecure, also won in the category of Outstanding Comedy Series.

Outstanding actress: Anderson was seen presenting actress Issa Rae, 37, with an award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy

Winner: Rae looked ravishing in a mini pink dress with a dramatic long train in the back. She matched the look with a pair of pink heels

Rae looked ravishing in a mini pink dress with a dramatic long train in the back. She matched the look with a pair of pink heels.

Another big winner of the night was actor Sterling K. Brown, 45, who won for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for NBCs This Is Us.

Brown accepted his award via video call, wearing a suit and a purple tie.

This is Us star: Another big winner of the night was actor Sterling K. Brown, 45, who won for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for NBCs This Is Us

Phoning it in: Brown accepted his award via video call, wearing a suit and a purple tie

The award show also chose to honor Prince Harry, 37, and his wife Meghan Markle, 40, with the Presidents Award.

The couple released a statement in regards to the special honor, saying: 'Its a true honor to be recognized by President Derrick Johnson and the NAACP, whose efforts to propel racial justice and civil rights are as vital today as they were nearly 115 years ago.'

'Were proud to support the NAACPs work,' they added.

Meanwhile actor Samuel L. Jackson, 73, received the NAACP Chairmans Award.

Other winners of the night included Will Smith, 53, and Jennifer Hudson, 40, for Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Motion Picture for their roles in King Richard and Respect.

The Harder They Fall won for Outstanding Motion Picture.

Special award: The show also chose to honor Prince Harry, 37, and his wife Meghan Markle, 40, with the Presidents Award, which was presented by president of NAACP, Derrick Johnson

The couple released a statement in regards to the special honor, saying: 'Its a true honor to be recognized by President Derrick Johnson and the NAACP, whose efforts to propel racial justice and civil rights are as vital today as they were nearly 115 years ago'

Winner: Jennifer Hudson looked gorgeous in her frilly black dress as she accepted her award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for starring in the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect

Elegant: Jennifer Hudson stunned in her black dress as she posed for Instagram. She wrote that she was 'beyond humbled and grateful' for her honor

Putting on a show: On Instagram, Zendaya shared a playful clip of herself strutting through the Academy Museum while twirling around to show off her outfit. She wore a stunning silver mini dress with a white coat decorated with silver flowers
Jennifer Garner played the role of Mama Bear with two of the three children she shares with ex Ben Affleck on Saturday.

The actress, 49, was out doing a bit of shopping in Los Angeles with her son Samuel and daughter Seraphina, before making their way to a bowling alley.

During the outing, Garner reportedly had a run-in with a group of fans who immediately recognized her despite her face mask.

Mama Bear: Jennifer Garner was out doing a bit of shopping in Los Angeles with her son Samuel and daughter Seraphina, before making their way to a bowling alley on Saturday

The Dallas Buyers Club star was sweet enough to pose for photos with the adoring fans before continuing her errand run.

Garner, who turns 50 in April, kept it casual in faded blue jeans and a cream floral-patterned sweater.

She pounded the pavement in a pair of green sneakers.

She had her dark brown tresses styled long and straight, several inches past her shoulders, with a part in the middle.

And in keeping with a safety first mentality, Garner and her kids wore protective masks as the world approaches two years since COVID-19 was deemed a pandemic.

Ageless: Garner, who turns 50 in April, kept it casual in faded blue jeans and a cream floral-patterned sweater

Seraphina, 13, wore spliced blue jeans with a blue patterned sweater vest over a white dress shirt and red sneakers.

Her younger brother, 10, was dressed in camouflage sweatpants with a plaid shirt over a blue t-shirt and matching kicks.

Missing from this afternoon excursion was oldest daughter Violet, whom Garner also shares with Affleck.

Adorable: The mother of three held her boy's hand during the errand run

Minus one: Missing from this afternoon excursion was oldest daughter Violet, whom Garner also shares with ex-husband Ben Affleck

In the early afternoon, Garner took to her Instagram page and shared a 'countdown to my birthday' photo of gorgeous blossoms

'50 Somethings in 50 Days,' it read near the top of the image, while towards the bottom she wrote, 'No. 50: Something that makes me happy. Blossoms on my nectarine tress.'

The Adam Project actress celebrates her milestone 50th birthday on April 17.

Three days earlier, Garner took time out to acknowledge another milestone: the 20th anniversary of making the Rolling Stone cover dressed as her Alias character Sydney Bristow, which included a black leather crop top, mini-skirt and knee-high boots.

'Twenty years ago this week. @rollingstone,' she wrote in the caption.

She ended up doing five seasons on the J.J. Abrams action-thriller series, before moving on to focus on her film career.

The big 5-0: Garner looks to be embracing her milestone 50th birthday by posting a countdown to my birthday' photo that shows blossoms from her nectarine trees; the actress turns 50 on April 17
Interview: Suppressing epidemic peak becomes Hong Kong's top priority, says mainland expert

Xinhua) 10:32, February 27, 2022

HONG KONG, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- As the epidemic situation has been rapidly escalating in Hong Kong, it has become a top priority that various measures should be taken to suppress the coming epidemic peak, a mainland expert said.

Thus far, two groups of medical experts from the mainland have arrived in Hong Kong and exchanged views with relevant departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and medical workers. They conducted field visits to communities, isolation facilities, medical institutions and some other organizations, and learned about the treatment of COVID-19 patients with mild and severe symptoms.

Feng Zijian, who participated in the supervision of the mainland's anti-epidemic efforts in Hong Kong, told Xinhua in a recent interview that the mainland expert teams had smooth communication with the Hong Kong side, and conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, as well as the mainland's relevant experience.

"Since the outbreak of COVID-19 two years ago, the medical community in Hong Kong has been paying close attention to the successful experience of the mainland in fighting the epidemic, and the medical staff of the two sides have exchanged views in their daily work," Feng said.

Feng, also Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, believed that the experience of the mainland would play a positive role in Hong Kong's fight against the epidemic.

Hong Kong reported 17,063 new COVID-19 cases and 66 deaths on Saturday, according to local health authorities.

Feng admitted that the fifth wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong is rapidly escalating, which will put great pressure on Hong Kong's medical system.

Feng said that with the full support of the central government, the HKSAR government is doing its utmost to increase the number of hospital beds. Also, the construction of eight mobile cabin hospitals built with the assistance from the mainland is underway.

Feng said that Hong Kong's Hospital Authority is optimizing patient assessment and triage, prioritizing medical resources to critical patients to minimize avoidable deaths.

Feng said the top priority for Hong Kong in containing COVID-19 is to take non-medical public health measures to suppress the peak of the epidemic and reduce the pressure on the medical system as much as possible.

He said the mainland expert teams and Hong Kong health officials and experts discussed the necessity and timing of further tightening public health and containment measures.

"As the epidemic continues to develop, the window period for tightening public health and social prevention and control measures is getting shorter and shorter," Feng said, stressing that the timing is very important.

On Thursday, the HKSAR government announced the gazettal of the Emergency (Exemption from Statutory Requirements) (COVID-19) Regulation (the Regulation) made pursuant to the Emergency Regulations Ordinance (Chapter 241), with a view to providing the legal basis for the HKSAR government to implement the anti-epidemic measures supported by the Central People's Government (CPG), including the construction of hospitals and isolation facilities, etc. The Regulation came into operation on Thursday.

The Regulation empowers the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR government to, for preventing, protecting against, delaying or otherwise controlling the incidence or transmission of the specified disease or treating patients with the specified disease, having regard to the factors set out in the Regulation, grant an exemption in writing to persons or projects such that they do not have to comply with certain requirements under enactments (including a requirement for licence, authority, approval, exemption, permit, registration, standard or specification).

Some Hong Kong media interpreted that the regulation provided a legal basis for mainland medical workers to come to Hong Kong to help treatment of COVID-19 patients. No authoritative information has been released on whether the central government will send medical workers from the mainland to Hong Kong to help treating the COVID-19 patients.

Feng said that the current health care system in Hong Kong is facing the risk of overload, and the shortage of medical staff is the bottleneck. It will be a major breakthrough if medical workers from the mainland were allowed to participate directly in Hong Kong's fight against the epidemic.

Talking about the future trend of the epidemic, Feng said that the situation is indeed serious, but there are also advantages for Hong Kong in the battle. Firstly, Hong Kong has the full support of the central government and the concerted efforts of Hong Kong society. Secondly, people in Hong Kong have a strong awareness of law-abiding and epidemic prevention.

Thirdly, Hong Kong has advanced medical technologies and equipment, and its medical staff are highly qualified. Fourthly, the mainland has rich experience in fighting COVID-19, which Hong Kong can learn from, he said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively pledged $1 million in matching donations to help refugees from Russias invasion of Ukraine.

In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. They need protection, Reynolds wrote Saturday on Twitter. When you donate, well match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support.

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Reynolds and Lively are working with USA for UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency. Lively also shared the campaign on her Instagram account.

(USA for UNHCR) is on the ground helping the 50,000+ Ukrainians who had to flee their homes in less than 48 hours, she wrote. (USA for UNHCR) is providing life saving aid, and also working with neighboring countries to ensure protection for these families.

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Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively pose together following a ceremony to award him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Dec. 15, 2016 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

The power couple have become frequent donors to several causes. In the past two years, theyve donated to New York hospitals, major food charities, the NAACP Defense Fund and the ACLU, among other organizations.

Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has led to condemnation throughout the world but no international intervention. Russian troops approached Kyiv on Saturday but had not taken the city as of Saturday night.

We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Ellie Pearson's name made headlines in September after she accidentally uploaded a video of her best friend and business partner Nadia Bartel 'snorting white powder' and breaking Melbourne's lockdown.

But there appears to be no cracks in their friendship months on, with the pair spotted together at a photo shoot for tanning brand Spray Aus, which they co-own, at Williamstown Beach in Melbourne on Thursday.

While former AFL WAG Nadia, 36, posed up a storm for the camera in a number of revealing ensembles, Ellie made sure the shoot went off without a hitch.

Still good pals: Nadia Bartel's friendship with Ellie Pearson has survived as they teamed up for a photo shoot on Thursday - after Ellie (centre) accidentally uploaded a video of the former WAG (left) 'snorting white powder' in September last year during Melbourne's strict lockdown

This marks the first time the pair have been spotted together in public, since the infamous video of Nadia 'snorting white powder' was accidentally leaked.

Ellie returned to Instagram in November, having taken a social media break following the scandal.

In September, Ellie accidentally uploaded a three-second clip showing Nadia sniffing white powder off a $1.50 Kmart plate, which resulted in the mother of two issuing a grovelling apology the following day.

Friends and business partners: The pair were spotted together at a photo shoot for tanning brand Spray Aus, which they co-own, at Williamstown Beach in Melbourne on Thursday. Ellie is pictured centre

While Ellie told The Herald Sun she was 'devastated' about what had happened, she chose to keep a low profile and deleted her entire Instagram page at the time.

Nadia was filmed by Ellie breaking Melbourne's strict lockdown and snorting white powder at an illegal gathering at a friends house at the start of September.

The former footy WAG broke her silence with a public apology a day after the video was accidentally uploaded to Instagram.

'Hi everyone, I have let you all down by my actions. I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future,' she wrote in a post.

Video: Nadia (pictured), 36, was filmed breaking Melbourne's strict lockdown and snorting white powder on September 2 last year

'To my family and friends, my business partners and the public health workers trying to keep us all safe, I am embarrassed and remorseful.

'I am truly and deeply sorry. I hope I can earn your forgiveness and, in time, your trust.'

At the time private and public gatherings were not permitted in Melbourne, where Nadia lives, under Victoria's Covid restrictions.

Video: The clip begins with the fashion and beauty influencer appearing to lean over the plate with a rolled-up banknote in her left nostril as she presses her right nostril. She then snorts the substance as one of the women watches on

Nadia's apology - which included an appeal for forgiveness from health workers - appeared to confirm the gathering was held on Thursday, September 2.

A later report claimed the video first found its way online due to Ellie having a cracked phone screen.

It's alleged she was attempting to send the video to her sister; however, because her phone screen was damaged, she hit the wrong buttons.

As a result, the clip was posted to both Instagram and Facebook, and was online for about 10 minutes before being deleted, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Apology: Breaking her silence in a post shared to Instagram, Nadia wrote: 'Hi everyone, I have let you all down by my actions. I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future'

But it was quickly copied by others and shared around, going viral on Thursday night and making headlines by Friday morning.

Nadia and three other women were each fined $5,452 after damning footage of the party was posted on Instagram.

Nadia wasn't charged with drug offences, because police couldn't prove what she was snorting.

The influencer is a mother of two and the ex-wife of retired AFL star Jimmy Bartel, a Brownlow Medallist who spent his career with the Geelong Cats.

The couple split in 2019 after five years of marriage.
Australian actress Rebel Wilson is set to turn 42 next week.

And ahead of her big day, the star loaded up a private jet with her best friends and headed off to a mystery location.

In a series of Instagram Stories shared on Saturday, the Pitch Perfect star filmed her pals, including actor Hugh Sheridan, 36.

Fun: Rebel Wilson (pictured) is set to turn 42 next week. And ahead of her big day, the star loaded up a private jet with her best friends and headed off to a mystery location

'Just going on a little trip for the weekend!' Rebel said humbly in one the clips, before filming her view out the window.

She also posed alongside her friends inside the plane, as well as on the staircase before they took off.

Rebel was looking casually chic in a fitted white top worn under a bright turquoise blazer.

Party! In a series of Instagram Stories shared on Saturday, the Pitch Perfect star filmed her pals, with the group posing outside the jet

'Just going on a little trip for the weekend!' Rebel said humbly in one the clips, before filming her view out the window

Along for the ride: The group including actor Hugh Sheridan (pictured)

The Cats star added a pair of blue jeans to the look, which she completed with metallic sunglasses.

She wore her blonde hair down in soft curls and opted for a soft and natural makeup palette.

After the flight, the pals all jumped into a car, bopping along to music as they went to their secret location.

Cool! Rebel was looking casually chic in a fitted white top worn under a bright turquoise blazer

A look: The Cats star added a pair of blue jeans to the look, which she completed with metallic sunglasses

Off they go: After the flight, the pals all jumped into a car, bopping along to music as they went to their secret location

In his own posts from the day, Australian star Hugh revealed that the group had made an early start on celebrating Rebel's birthday.

While he did not reveal their destination, he did share a picturesque vista showing palm trees and a beach.

Rebel recently spent Christmas and New Year's Eve in Australia, but has been back in Los Angeles for several weeks.
Model Megan Gale reflected on almost playing Wonder Woman in the film Justice League: Mortal after it was cancelled prior to its scheduled 2009 release.

The 46-year-old, who has dabbled in acting, shared a photo of the film's revised script in 2007 to her Instagram Stories on Sunday, as well as stills of her in costume.

Megan told her followers that while the role was 'never meant to be', she's 'grateful nonetheless' as the opportunity to star still led to great things'.

'Never meant to be but grateful nonetheless': Megan Gale, 46, reflected on almost playing Wonder Woman in film Justice League: Mortal after it was cancelled. Pictured in the role

'The things you find when cleaning out your office,' the mother of two captioned a close-up of the second draft of the revised script.

She followed with stunning shots of herself as Wonder Woman, looking sensational in the iconic character's waist-cinching bodice, blue skirt and headband.

'Almost but not quite. Never meant to be. But grateful nonetheless. As it still led to great things,' she wrote online.

Taking a trip down memory lane: Megan, who has dabbled in acting, shared a photo of the film's revised script in 2007 to her Instagram Stories on Sunday, as well as stills of her in costume

Shelved: Megan told her followers that while the role was 'never meant to be', she's 'grateful nonetheless' as the opportunity to star still led to great things'. Filmmaker George Miller's Justice League: Mortal was due to hit cinemas in 2009 but was put on 'indefinite hold'

Filmmaker George Miller's Justice League: Mortal was due to hit cinemas in 2009 but was put on 'indefinite hold'.

Megan has forged a successful career from her stunning looks and business acumen.

Last year, Megan revealed how she maintains her youthful looks and glowing visage in a detailed step-by-step video shared to Instagram.

The beauty took fans through her nighttime skincare routine and the products she simply can't live without.

So that's her secret! Megan has forged a successful career from her stunning looks and business acumen. Last year, the mother of two revealed how she maintains her youthful looks in a detailed step-by-step video shared to Instagram

Megan admitted that her daytime skincare routine 'barely exists' and 'is just the basics' as she's busy juggling motherhood with her work commitments.

However at night, she 'loves indulging in self-care and pampering' and treats herself to a dedicated regimen involving six key products.

Megan begins with 'superficial cleansing' to remove makeup and residue, before leaving an antioxidant cleansing masque on for around five to 10 minutes.

Self-care: Megan admitted that her daytime skincare routine 'barely exists' as she's busy juggling motherhood with her work commitments. However at night, she 'loves indulging in self-care and pampering' and treats herself to a regimen involving six key products

Step-by-step: Megan begins with 'superficial cleansing' to remove makeup and residue, before leaving an antioxidant cleansing masque on for around five to 10 minutes

The stunner then spritzes a pore-refining toner made with 'organic Bulgarian roses', describing it as 'gorgeous, divine, and uplifting'.

Megan follows with a multivitamin antioxidant serum and a luxurious facial oil.

The TV personality admitted to owning 'about 15' face oils, as they are 'so rich and so nourishing', particularly for the winter months.

Megan applies a generous few drops of the face oil, allowing the 'gorgeous fatty acids' to melt into the skin.

Refreshing: The brunette stunner then spritzes a pore-refining toner made with 'organic Bulgarian roses', describing it as 'gorgeous, divine, and uplifting'

Go-to products: Megan follows with a multivitamin antioxidant serum and a luxurious facial oil. The TV personality admitted to owning 'about 15' face oils, as they are 'so rich and so nourishing', particularly for the winter months

Last step: She then finishes her routine with a turmeric moisturiser for its anti-inflammatory and calming benefits

She then finishes her routine with a turmeric moisturiser for its anti-inflammatory and calming benefits.

Megan balances her media commitments with motherhood, sharing son River, seven, and daughter Rosie, four, with AFL star fiance Shaun Hampson, 33.

The couple met in 2011, and begun a long-distance relationship with Megan based in Sydney at the time, and Shaun in Melbourne.

They are now based in Melbourne with their young family.

Power couple: Megan balances her media commitments with motherhood. She is pictured with AFL star fiance Shaun Hampson, 33
She's no stranger to stealing the spotlight.

And Saturday night was no different for Married at First Sight bride Selin Mengu who stepped out to celebrate her 33rd birthday with co-star Holly Greenstein.

The mother of one who hails from Sydney 's Western Suburbs arrived in a white Rolls-Royce, stepping out of the car only to be greeted by a frenzy of photographers.

Girls' night out! Married At First Sight bride Selin Mengu [L] commanded attention as she stepped out to celebrate her 33rd birthday with Holly Greenstein [R] on Saturday in Sydney

There was certainly no missing Selin, who flaunted her ample cleavage in a skimpy baby blue two-piece ensemble.

Selin rounded out her bold outfit with a pair of black stiletto heels.

The executive assistant oozed confidence as she strutted along with Holly.

Only the best! The mother of one who hails from Sydney 's Western Suburbs arrived in a white Rolls-Royce by Prestige Hire, only to be greeted by a frenzy of photographers

Girls just wanna have fun! The MAFS brides couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces

Gift: Both Selin and Holly appeared to be carrying white Chanel gift bags

Turning heads: There was certainly no missing Selin, who flaunted her ample cleavage

Holly, 36, looked sensational in a white two-piece which featured a floral print design.

The brunette beauty wore a full face of makeup which consisted of dewy foundation, nude coloured lipstick and lashings of mascara.

She wore her long tresses out and had them curled to perfection.

Stylish: Selin rounded out her bold ensemble with a pair of black stiletto heels

Stunning: Meanwhile, Holly wowed in a white two piece that featured a floral print

While little of their friendship has been shown on MAFS, sources say the pair became close after moving into nearby apartments during the experiment and bonding over their shared experience of having dud husbands.

'After what happened between [Selin] and Anthony [Cincotta] at the first dinner party and commitment ceremony, she wasn't going to let Holly go through that with Andrew [Davis],' a source told Daily Mail Australia.

According to the insider, Selin and Holly filmed multiple scenes together and would often lean on each other for support, but their friendship was left on the cutting-room floor.

Wow! The reality TV stars wowed onlookers as they strutted their stuff

Who knew? While little of their friendship has been shown on MAFS, sources say the pair became close after moving into nearby apartments during the experiment

'Selin was one of the few brides that really went out of her way to befriend Holly and had her back during the second dinner party, but none of it was shown,' they said.

Wednesday's dramatic dinner party saw Holly's husband Andrew Davis sensationally quit the experiment.

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine

Preach, sister: They bonded over their shared experience of having dud husbands
Cate Blanchett showed off her flair for fashion as she stepped out for dinner with a friend in Santa Monica, California on Saturday.

The Australian actress, 52, donned a statement floral dress, teamed with a tailored black blazer and grey plaid trench coat on top.

Cate accessorised with black heeled cowboy boots, stylish spectacles and a tan crossbody bag as she was spotted leaving celebrity hotspot Giorgio Baldi.

Out and about: Cate Blanchett (pictured), 52, looked effortlessly chic in a statement floral dress and grey plaid trench coat as she stepped out for dinner with a friend in Santa Monica, California on Saturday

The Ocean's 8 star styled her blonde tresses loosely around her face and shoulders, and she appeared to sport minimal makeup, drawing attention to her natural beauty.

The sighting comes just hours after Cate received the Honorary Cesar award during the 47th Cesar Film Awards Ceremony in Paris on Friday.

For the special occasion, Cate looked chic as ever in a stunning ensemble by French designer Louis Vuitton.

Cate donned a crocheted cardigan with a sequin trim, with the star flashing a glimpse of her black bra and midriff as she wore the top mostly unbuttoned.

Flair for fashion: The Australian actress accessorised with black heeled cowboy boots, stylish spectacles and a tan crossbody bag as she was spotted leaving celebrity hotspot Giorgio Baldi

Radiant: The Ocean's 8 star styled her blonde tresses loosely around her face and shoulders, and she appeared to sport minimal makeup, drawing attention to her natural beauty

The Aussie beauty teamed it with a smart pair of black trousers and pointed black heels.

Cate finished off her red carpet look with her blonde locks styled into soft waves, opting for a dewy make-up palette, which included a coral lipstick.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button actress beamed as she made her way down the red carpet.

She later became emotional as she took to the stage to accept the Honorary Cesar award.

So chic! Just hours prior on Friday, Cate received the Honorary Cesar award during the 47th Cesar Film Awards Ceremony in Paris (pictured)

In her early 50s, Cate is the second youngest recipient of the prize, which is the highest honour presented by the prestigious Film at Lincoln Center, one of the major arts organisations in the US.

The award, which was founded in 1972 and is named after Charlie Chaplin, is given to recognise the career and contribution of artists who left their mark on the medium.

The prize has been awarded 47 times. Previous winners include Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, Robert de Niro and Tom Hanks.

Eye-catching: Cate donned a crocheted cardigan with a sequin trim, with the star flashing a glimpse of her black bra and midriff as she wore the top mostly unbuttoned. She teamed it with a smart pair of black trousers and pointed black heels

Announcing the news in the Hollywood Reporter on February 18, a spokesperson from Film at Lincoln Center said that it would be a privilege to dedicate an evening of celebration to Cate.

'Ms. Blanchett's career includes extraordinary performances in films ranging from small independent efforts to major studio franchises.'

Cate has worked tirelessly for the last 25 years racking up dozens of credits in theatre, film and TV.

A regular on the global awards circuit, Cate has received major prizes from all over the world, including two Oscars, three BAFTAs, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, an Order of Australia, and in France a Chevalier, for her contribution to the arts.
They are arguably three of the most handsome grooms to ever appear on Married At First Sight.

So it's little wonder why Brent Vitiello, Jack Millar and Dion Giannarelli were swarmed by female fans as they stepped out for a catch up in Sydney on Saturday.

Despite being 'married', the trio proved they were down to chat to several admirers who recognised them from their stint on the Channel Nine experiment.

EXCLUSIVE: Married At First Sight grooms Brent Vitiello (far left), Jack Millar (left) and Dion Giannarelli (right) were swarmed by female admirers during an outing in Sydney on Saturday

Brent, 33, was all smiles as he happily posed for selfies alongside Jack, 26, and Dion, at trendy Mexican hot spot Sinaloa in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

The hospitality manager was dressed to impress in a black button up shirt, which he teamed up with matching pants and leather shoes.

Jack opted for a low-key casual ensemble dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Friendly: Despite being 'married', the trio proved they were down to chat to several admirers who recognised them from their stint on the Channel Nine experiment

Selfie time! Brent, 33, was all smiles as he happily posed for photos alongside Jack, 26, and Dion, at trendy Mexican hot spot Sinaloa in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs

Gold Coast-based real estate developer Dion, 34, meanwhile looked smart in a black T-shirt which he dressed up with a white bomber jacket, trousers and sneakers.

After stopping by to catch up with Brent, Jack and Dion were seen making their way over to Italian hotspot Matteo, where they were also stopped for selfies.

Dion is understood to be in Sydney catching up with his co-stars and celebrating Selin's 33rd birthday.

Smart: Brent was dressed to impress in a black button up shirt, which he teamed up with matching pants and leather shoes

Low key: Jack opted for a low-key casual ensemble dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans

Nice! Gold Coast-based real estate developer Dion, 34, meanwhile looked smart in a black T-shirt which he dressed up with a white bomber jacket, trousers and sneakers

Popular: During the lunchtime outing the trio were stopped to take photos every few minutes

Is everything okay? At one point Jack appeared to look like he had something else on his mind

The wealthy businessman was one of three intruders to enter the experiment this week and was paired up with handbag rental queen Carolina Santos.

Despite their relationship woes, all three grooms decided to 'stay' during Sunday's episode of the experiment.

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine

Selfie time! Brent, Jack and Dion were seen taking a group selfie

Lunch time: After meeting Brent for a quick catch up, Jack and Dion were seen making their way over to Italian hotspot Matteo

No brolly? No worries! Jack and Dion attempted to look cool without an umbrella
Married At First Sight's Hayley Vernon has been forced to start a new Instagram account after her old one was suspended due to 'suspicious activity'

On Sunday, Hayley, 34, set up a new profile after she lost access to her original account, which boasted 64,000 followers.

'Yes it's me this is my account, I'm unsure if my account has been hacked or deleted but I'm working on getting through that ATM,' she wrote.

Oh no! Married At First Sight star Hayley Vernon, 34, (pictured) was forced to start a new Instagram account on Sunday after her old one was suspended due to 'suspicious activity'

Hayley's MAFS co-stars have been effortlessly sharing her post in an effort to spread the news and help her grow her account back.

As of Sunday evening, Hayley's new account @hayleyvernon2.0 already has 2,139 followers.

Back in December Hayley told fans that she was taking a break from social media to focus on her OnlyFans page.

Sad news! On Sunday, Hayley, 34, set up a new profile after she lost access to her original account, which boasted 64,000 followers

Hayley told Daily Mail Australia she's set to join forces with professional surfer Ellie-Jean Coffey to create some X-rated content together.

While Hayley said that the content itself would be a 'surprise', she did say it would definitely involve some 'girl-on-girl fun'.

'Collaborations are what makes us women so successful within the industry,' she said, before adding she was 'grateful' to work with 'one of Australia's biggest babes'.

Sad: 'Yes it's me this is my account, I'm unsure if my account has been hacked or deleted but I'm working on getting through that ATM,' she wrote

'My site ranges from everything from lesbian scenes, to male one-on-one and group scenes. This content day will be exclusive to Ellie Unlocked, me and her doing some girl-on-girl fun.'

While Hayley has her own OnlyFans account which she lists in her bio, Ellie has her own personal website for her fans to subscribe to.

Hayley revealed during a candid discussion on Instagram around that same time that she is bisexual.
She joined Hollyoaks last summer, and her character went on to make derogatory comments to Asian character Serena Chen-Williams about China and the pandemic.

And now, Katie McGlynn has revealed that she received death threats while playing racist anti-vaxxer Becky Quentin, after scenes showing her spout racial abuse and anti-vaxx conspiracy theories aired, but branded the threats a 'badge of honour'.

The actress, 28, insisted she knew what her character was going to be like before she took on the role, and praised Hollyoaks for being 'brilliant' if she ever needed anything.

Shocking! Katie McGlynn, 28, has revealed that she received death threats while playing racist anti-vaxxer Becky Quentin on Hollyoaks

Katie told The Sun: 'I've played bitchy characters before but I've never played anyone as controversial or extreme as Becky. I knew from the start that she was going to generate a lot of hate.

'I'm pretty thick-skinned and take quite a lot of stuff on social media with a pinch of salt, but I have had some questionable direct messages from people telling me to go die.

'There was one saying, "I hate Becky so much. She's so vile and bigoted  I'm going to hunt you down", which was a bit alarming. Others told me I should watch out because they were coming to get me.'

On how she's handled the death threats, Katie explained that she just chooses to 'delete and block them' adding that although she reads them, she doesn't 'take them seriously.'

Becky: Her character Becky made derogatory comments to Asian character Serena Chen-Williams about China and the pandemic

The actress also insisted she wears the awful online attacks as a 'badge of honour' because viewers are 'meant to hate Becky.'

MailOnline has contacted Hollyoaks for comment.

Katie bid farewell to Hollyoaks earlier this month after nine months and took to Instagram following the last episode to comment on her departure.

The actress, who took up the role of Becky last June- 18 months after leaving Coronation Street, teased 'exciting opportunities' were in the pipeline.

She wrote: 'Becky Quentin, over and out! It's been an absolute pleasure playing Becky and getting my teeth into something so different and gritty!

Wow! The actress also insisted she wears the awful online attacks as a 'badge of honour' because viewers are 'meant to hate Becky'

'As an actor, to be able to portray someone that has so much likeness to extremely current global issues from conspiracy theories to anti-vaxxers, coronavirus and sinophobia

'I really hope the storyline has helped raise some important issues and helps people see how easy it is for someone to be sucked into this whole world of fake news and conspiracy!

'Thank you to the entire cast and crew for being so unbelievably amazing and welcoming me with open arms! I will miss you all, but other exciting opportunities beckon'

Departure: Earlier this month Katie bid farewell to Hollyoaks as her final scenes as new mother Becky Quentin aired
Previous affairs on Married at First Sight have been dismissed as 'fake' or 'staged'.

But these photos taken by Daily Mail Australia prove beyond doubt that Carolina Santos and Daniel Holmes' on-set fling was very real.

The pair were spotted enjoying a date night in Sydney in mid-November with their respective wedding rings nowhere to be seen.

Busted! Married At First Sight's Carolina Santos (left) and Daniel Holmes (right) enjoyed a romantic date night in Sydney in mid-November, despite being paired with other people

The Queensland-based personal trainer, 30, was pictured holding hands with Carolina, 33, as they left Sydney's Saga Bar following a three-hour date night.

'They were all over each other and couldn't keep their hands off one another,' an eyewitness told Daily Mail Australia.

'They were kissing for a solid three minutes straight and appeared in a hurry to get back to their apartment.'

Date night! Photos taken by Daily Mail Australia prove Carolina and Daniel's on-set fling was very real

Romance: The Queensland-based personal trainer, 30, was pictured holding hands with Carolina, 33, as they left Sydney's Saga Bar following a three-hour date night

The Brazilian-born beauty, who was originally partnered with property developer Dion Giannarelli on MAFS, looked effortlessly stylish in a beige-coloured shirt dress, which she paired with a large black belt.

Carolina completed her outfit with a black Chanel bag and knee-high boots.

She wore her caramel-hued locks loosely for the romantic outing.

Happy in love: 'They were all over each other and couldn't keep their hands off one another,' an eyewitness told Daily Mail Australia

In love: 'They were kissing for a solid three minutes straight and appeared in a hurry to get back to their apartment,' revealed an onlooker

Meanwhile, Daniel couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

Dressing up for the outing, he opted for a black shirt which he teamed with a pair of black jeans and brown boots.

He finished his look with an always-fashionable grey overcoat.

A look: The Brazilian-born beauty, who was originally partnered with property developer Dion Giannarelli on MAFS, looked effortlessly stylish in a beige-coloured shirt dress

Glamorous: Carolina completed her outfit with a black Chanel bag and knee-high boots

Easy breezy: She wore her caramel-hued locks loosely for the romantic outing

Chivalry isn't dead: Daniel was seen holding open the Uber door for Carolina

Daniel and Carolina decided to take their friendship to the next level after several on- and off-camera meetings.

Daily Mail Australia spotted the pair secretly meeting up behind their partners' backs in November.

MAFS producers were mortified after discovering Carolina and Daniel's drivers had accidentally dropped them off at the exact same time in front of photographers.

Meanwhile, the latest episode of Married At First Sight teased that when 'one door closes another will open', hinting at the duo's affair.

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine and 9Now

Bad match: Daniel was originally paired with Melbourne florist Jessica Seracino, 27 (left)
Perth model Lucy Baddeley has made her high-fashion debut at Milan Fashion Week.

The 21-year-old walked the Versace runway on Friday alongside Gigi and Bella Hadid in a black bodice and PVC ensemble, paired with chunky platform heels and bold eye makeup.

Lucy, who has worked with Aussie labels AJE and Triangl, told Perth Now on Sunday that she's 'still on cloud nine'.

'I'm still on cloud nine!' Australian model Lucy Baddeley, 21, made her high-fashion debut as she walked the Versace runway at Milan Fashion Week on Friday (pictured) alongside Gigi and Bella Hadid

'Walking for Versace was something I've always dreamed about but never thought it could actually be my reality. I am still on cloud nine and so touched by all the love and support I've received,' she said.

Lucy wowed on the runway in a black dress with bodice detail, teamed with black PVC leggings, sky-high chunky platform heels and a gold chain shoulder bag.

She showed off a blunt blonde bob and her striking eyes were lined with heavy kohl.

Star on the rise: Walking for Versace was something I've always dreamed about but never thought it could actually be my reality. I am still on cloud nine and so touched by all the love and support I've received,' Lucy told Perth Now on Sunday

High-fashion debut: Lucy wowed on the runway in a black dress with bodice detail, teamed with black PVC leggings, sky-high chunky platform heels and a gold chain shoulder bag

Lucy stormed the same runway as the Hadids - Gigi, 26, and Bella, 25 - with the sisters donning red bodice and PVC ensembles.

Following her high-fashion debut, Lucy shared footage of herself walking the runway to her Instagram and thanked designer Donatella Versace for the 'unforgettable opportunity' of casting her in the show.

'Debut for Versace!!! No words to express how grateful I am,' she wrote online.

Striking: She showed off a blunt blonde bob and her striking eyes were lined with heavy kohl

Sister act: Lucy stormed the same runway as Gigi (right), 26, and Bella (left), 25, Hadid, with the sisters donning red bodice and PVC ensembles

In February last year, Lucy told Base Camp Beauty her favourite way to unwind after a long day on set.

'I always listen to music on my way home from work to unwind and relax, and then lie down on the couch for a hot minute,' she said.

Lucy also prefers to keep things simple when not working, enjoying time outdoors.

'On my days off I love to be outside... go for a long coastal walk and swim followed by coffee with friends,' she said.
With friends like these, John Mulaney is a Saturday Night Live celebrity.

The stand-up comic and former SNL writer got a heros welcome as he was inducted into the Five-Timers Club Saturday night with the help of some of his new classmates, including Conan OBrien, Paul Rudd, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Candice Bergen and Elliott Gould.

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What were all trying to say is that this has become not special, Martin told the new kid during his initiation.

Let me be the first person to say who are you? Bergen, who hosted five times between 1975 and 1990, chimed in.

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You wouldnt know me but if you have a niece or a son whos bad at sports, they might, Mulaney retorted.

Fey brought her own Five Timers Fizz, made up of Justin Timberlakes tequila, Dan Aykroyds vodka, and Tracy Morgans club soda, which is aquarium water, while Rudd mourned how pathetic his own fifth hosting gig was in December when the omicron surge sent the audience home.

The conversation quickly shifted to whether the honor was even an honor at this point as club membership continues to grow.

In order for you to get in, someone has to retire, Bergen suggested.

[ SEE IT: Pete Davidsons Aaron Rodgers helps spread Russian misinformation on Saturday Night Live ]

Thats when the excuses started flying in: Fey couldnt be bumped because she was the first woman ever to wear glasses on TV, according to Martin, while Fey insisted Bergen had to stay because she was back here in the 70s (and) can you imagine the sexual harassment that happened back then?

Instead, it was up to Rudd to hand over his SNL smoking jacket to the newcomer.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

Elsewhere in the show, Colin Jost and Michael Che tried to navigate the line between funny and too far in talking about Russians invasion of Ukraine in the Weekend Update.

In my lifetime Ive seen footage of attacks like this on other countries, but never a white one, Che acknowledged.

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Conan OBrien, Paul Rudd, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Candice Bergen and Elliott Gould welcomed John Mulaney back to "Saturday Night Live." (NBC/SNL)

Many analysts were surprised that Putin went through with the invasion, even though it was obviously going to be a colossal mistake, Jost said. But he couldnt back down after all that build-up...kind of like NBC still had to go through with airing the Winter Olympics.

Mulaney also hit on some more serious topics during his opening monologue, including a December 2020 dinner with his friends.

It was not dinner, it was an intervention for me. My least favorite kind of intervention, he said. I knew right away it was an intervention. You know how bad a drug problem you have to have if when you open a door and see people gathered, your first thought is, This is an intervention about my drug problem. Theres no other reason people would be behind a door.

Mulaney entered rehab shortly after the intervention. Now, he said, hes focused on girlfriend Olivia Munn and 12-week-old son Malcolm.

Life is a lot better and happier now, Mulaney said. He is pretty cool for someone who cant vote.
Colin Farrell has revealed his son was 'utterly horrified' at the sight of his transformation into Penguin during production for The Batman.

The actor, 45, became the superhero villain with the help of prosthetics and even successfully went incognito during trips to Starbucks in-costume.

He hilariously told Extra: 'When my kid saw me for the first time, he was utterly horrified. I have it on iPhone. He was horrified.'

Hilarious: Colin Farrell has revealed his son was 'utterly horrified' while seeing him in prosthetics The Batman's Penguin... and even went incognito in Starbucks (pictured in 2019)

The Golden Globe winner shares James, 18, with his former girlfriend Kim Bordenave as well as Henry, 12, with his ex, Alicja Bachleda-Curus.

He went on to tell Collider: 'I went into Starbucks and I ordered myself a very un-Oswald drink, an oat milk latte with two stevia sweeteners.

'I got a couple of stares but only because it's such an imposing look.'

It comes after he claimed to have 'fought valiantly' for The Penguin - also known as Oswald Cobblepot - to smoke a cigar in the blockbuster, before the studio shot it down.

Wow! He hilariously said: 'When my kid saw me for the first time, he was utterly horrified. I have it on iPhone. He was horrified' (pictured in-character)

In an interview for Jake's Takes, the Irish actor revealed he made a case for Penguin to appear with his typical top hat, monocle, and cigarette.

'I fought valiantly for a cigar,' he said, but ultimately the studio ruled against it.

'Big studios make big decisions around such things as the presence of cigarettes in films,' he explained.

He continued, 'I fought valiantly for a cigar. At one stage I said, 'I can have it unlit! Just let me have it unlit.''

Unrecognisable: It comes after he claimed to have 'fought valiantly' for The Penguin to smoke a cigar in the blockbuster, before the studio shot it down (pictured in-character)

'They were like, 'No.' [As if] a bunch of 12-year-olds are going to start smoking Cuban cigars because [the Penguin is smoking cigars in a movie],' Farrell remarked.

Moviegoers excited to see the movie in cinemas from March 4 should brace themselves, as it's set to be the longest film in the franchise ever at nearly three hours long.

The hotly-anticipated comic book film is said to have a running time of two hours and 55 minutes, including eight minutes of credits, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, and co-starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz and Paul Dano, is set for a theatrical release on March 4.
She regularly showcases her toned physique on runways around the world.

And, Bella Hadid flashed her abs in a double denim ensemble and a vibrant blue jacket as she stepped out in Milan, Italy during Fashion Week on Sunday.

The model, 25, showcased her quirky sense of style while out and about in the Italian fashion capital.

Edgy: Bella Hadid, 25, flashed her abs in a double denim ensemble and a vibrant blue jacket as she stepped out in Milan, Italy during Fashion Week on Sunday

Bella chose to only do up the top button of her denim top to leave her washboard midriff on display and show her high-waisted black knickers.

She added a pop of colour with her turquoise jacket, and strolled along in a chunky pair of black leather boots.

The supermodel toted her belongings in a leopard-print handbag and wore a clear lens pair of angular black-rimmed glasses.

Styling her raven locks sleek and straight, Bella added a pretty blue hairband and further accessorised with gold hoop earrings.

Wow! Bella chose to only do up the top button of her denim top to leave her washboard midriff on display and show her high-waisted black knickers

Bella has been accompanied by Marc Kalman for her trip to the Italian fashion capital, however the Vogue coverstar tends to keep their relationship private.

The Vogue coverstar and the art director have been dating since last year following her split from The Weeknd in 2019.

The pair went public with their romance this past July when she posted a picture of her and Marc locking lips in Cannes.

They are said to have carried on the romance in New York amid the coronavirus pandemic while assiduously making sure they never got caught together.

Fashionista: She added a pop of colour with her turquoise jacket and toted her belongings in a leopard-print handbag while strolled along in a chunky pair of black leather boots

Bella has made a name for herself in the modelling world for the past several years.

At the beginning of her career in 2016, Bella was voted Model of the Year by industry professionals. This was the same year she walked in her first ever Victoria's Secret fashion show.

It is no surprise that Bella has risen to superstardom fame, following in her mother, Yolanda Hadid and sister Gigi's footsteps.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda was a major model in the '80s and '90s and got Gigi into modelling when she was just two-years-old.
James Jordan has slammed Russian dancers who have not spoken out about Ukraine's invasion by their native country's troops.

In the latest update, hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine.

And as news surrounding the conflict continued to grab headlines on Sunday, the former Strictly Come Dancing professional, 43, said he was 'very disappointed' that many Russian dancers had remained tight-lipped about the ongoing situation.

'They know who they are': James Jordan slammed Russian dancers who have remained tight-lipped on Ukraine's invasion via Twitter on Sunday (pictured January 2019)

James, who is married to Polish-born fellow former Strictly pro Ola Jordan, penned his fervent tweet: 'I don't see many of the Russian dancers I know and have even shared the Strictly dance floor with them openly speaking out about the war against Ukraine [the country's flag].

'But are still promoting themselves on social media - very disappointed [sad face] They know who they are - not 1 post about it [sic]'.

The message was not well-received by one disgruntled tweeter, who hit back with: 'What an ignorant, thoughtless comment. They probably have family in Russia that could suffer the consequences of anything they say. Think before you type.'

Opinion-raising: The Strictly professional, 43, said he was 'very disappointed' that many Russian dancers had remained tight-lipped about the ongoing situation (pictured with wife and fellow former Strictly pro Ola Jordan in 2012)

'Very disappointed': The dancer used Twitter to post a fervent message, which was not well-received by one disgruntled tweeter

Standing his ground and determined to reinforce his point, the 2019 Dancing On Ice winner replied: 'If they are too scared to speak out against wrong then stay the f*** off social media for a while and stop with the self promotion during this horrific time.

'Have some respect Or  maybe they are not speaking out because they are brainwashed too.'

Someone who echoed James' impassioned messages was Strictly judge Shirley Ballas.

She urged dancers to 'show some sensitivity towards the suffering in Ukraine.'

'Show some sensitivity': Someone who echoed James' impassioned messages was Strictly judge Shirley Ballas

'You don't need to promote yourselves, your shows, your competitions and teaching every single day...Your colleagues, students competitors and their families are in the middle of a shocking war and need your support..

'YOUR business can wait. Show some respect. We are one family,' she wrote on her Instagram Story.

Other stars of the BBC dance show have used their platforms to raise awareness, including those with direct ties to Ukraine.

Professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin is a native of the Eastern European country and shared a photo of its flag to Instagram, alongside the word 'Heartbreaking'. The post was immediately met with supportive messages from colleagues and fans.

Poignant: Professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin is a native of Ukraine and shared a photo of its flag to Instagram, alongside the word 'Heartbreaking'

Tough times: Meanwhile, Motsi Mabuse has been updating her concerned followers with news of her in-laws, who are currently stranded in the country

Tough: The South African-German dancer shared a harrowing image of her mother-in-law in a bunker on Saturday

Meanwhile, Motsi Mabuse has been updating her concerned followers with news of her in-laws, who are currently stranded in the country.

Sharing a photo with her Ukrainian husband Evgenij Voznyuk on Sunday, the dancer penned: 'We stand with the people of Ukraine and we are against racism at the border against our brothers and sisters!!!!! If the people are not safe , we also not safe #standwithukraine'.

Russian dancer Katya Jones, who was paired with Adam Peaty in last year's series, took to her Instagram story with the message: 'Praying for peace and love in the world [prayer emoji, heart emoji]'.

Message: Russian dancer Katya Jones, who was paired with Adam Peaty in last year's series, took to her Instagram story with the message: 'Praying for peace and love in the world'

From London to Berlin to Tokyo to Vilnius, hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine.

Thousands gathered in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday morning for an anti-war rally amid international rage at the invasion of Ukraine even as Russia's troops pressed towards the capital, Kyiv.

Police said large crowds have filled the area originally planned for the demonstration, around the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, and that they were allocating additional space to accommodate the protesters.

LONDON: People took part in a demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London, to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Sunday

LONDON: From London to Berlin to Tokyo to Vilnius, hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine

Support: Thousands gathered in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday morning for an anti-war rally amid international rage

Sunday's protest was peaceful, including many families with children. People waved yellow and blue Ukrainian flags to show their support. Some carried placards with slogans such as 'Hands off Ukraine' and 'Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.'

More gathered in Madrid holding flags and banners that accused Putin of being akin to Hitler and of carrying out a genocide while demonstrators in the South Korean capital Seoul staged a protest outside the Russian embassy.

Ukrainians living in northern Iraq held an anti-war rally on the doorstep of the United Nation's office in Erbil and women gathered in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius holding placards that branded the Russian president 'Europe's biggest aggressor'.

BERLIN: Demonstrators held up placards and Ukrainian flags during an anti-war protest in the German capital on Sunday as Russian troops advanced on Kyiv

MADRID: People protested during a rally against the Ukraine war in Spain with placards that denounced Putin as a 'Killer' who is like Hitler

Meanwhile Pope Francis denounced the 'diabolical and perverse logic' of launching a war in Ukraine and called for humanitarian corridors to welcome Ukrainian refugees fleeing the 'tragic' invasion of their homeland in his strongest public comments yet on Sunday.

Francis has refrained from calling out Russia by name as he seeks to mend ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, and he again omitted any reference to Moscow on Sunday.

But he said: 'Those who make war forget humanity,' adding that warfare 'relies on the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons, which is the farthest thing from God's will.'
Tom Cruise lived up to his action man status as he piloted his own helicopter to touch down in South Africa on Sunday.

The Hollywood heavyweight, 59, gave a friendly wave and smile to fans as he arrived to film scenes for Mission: Impossible 8 in Hoedspruit, Limpopo.

The movie star wore a blue polo shirt, grey trousers and walking boots and removed his face mask after stepping off the helicopter.

All smiles: Tom Cruise, 59, gave a friendly wave and smile to fans as he arrived to film scenes for Mission: Impossible 8 in Hoedspruit, Limpopo

According to reports, he has been staying in the small northern town of Hoedspruit, near the border with Mozambique.

The actor, who plays Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible, has been flying himself to scenes in nearby Kruger National Park and has been staying in the town between shoots.

This week, he 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.'

Chopper: The Hollywood heavyweight lived up to his action man status as he piloted his own helicopter to touch down in South Africa on Sunday

Casual: The movie star wore a blue polo shirt, grey trousers and walking boots and removed his face mask after stepping off the helicopter

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.'

Movie star: According to reports, he has been staying in the small northern town of Hoedspruit, near the border with Mozambique

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.

Chatting away: The actor, who plays Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible, has been flying himself to scenes in nearby Kruger National Park and has been staying in the town between shoots

Smooth landing: Mission: Impossible 7 is set for release on July 7, 2023, following a turbulent production which has demanded an unprecedented $290million outlay

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!

'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.
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Sharon Stone, Rita Ora and Kylie Minogue were among the star-studded guests in attendance at The Bulgari B.zero1 Aurora Awards in Milan on Sunday.

The glamorous trio ensured they were dressed to the nines on the penultimate evening of Milan Fashion Week, posing up a storm in the global capital of fashion and design.

Basic Instincts actress Sharon, 63, exuded sophistication in a strapless, figure-accentuating gown, a complementary emerald necklace the perfect accessory to match the dress' style.

WOW: (From L-R) Sharon Stone, Rita Ora and Kylie Minogue led the glamorous stars in attendance at Bulgari B.zero1 Aurora Awards on the penultimate night of Milan Fashion Week on Sunday

The American star could not wipe the smile from her face as she stopped for a slew of sensational snaps, keeping her belongings safe in a mini bag.

She wore her trademark short locks with loose curls at the front and coordinated the necklace with dainty earrings.

Bound to capture attention with her elegance, Sharon used her expertise as a former fashion model to make a lasting impact at the event.

Elegance: Basic Instincts actress Sharon, 63, exuded sophistication in a strapless, figure-accentuating gown

High spirits: A complementary emerald necklace was the perfect accessory to match the dress' style

Appearance: Bound to capture attention with her elegance, Sharon used her expertise as a former fashion model to make a lasting impact at the event

Amazing: The American star could not wipe the smile from her face as she stopped for a slew of sensational snaps, keeping her belongings safe in a mini bag

Radiant: Princess Of Pop Kylie, 53, looked jaw-dropping in a thigh-grazing slit dress, which was quirkily adorned with paper clips and flicks of sparkle

Bubbly: Flashing a big smile on the mustard carpet, the Australian starlet looked a vision

Wow: Hot Right Now songstress Rita, 31, cut a classy figure in an elegant wide-leg jumpsuit

Princess Of Pop Kylie, 53, looked jaw-dropping in a thigh-grazing slit dress, which was quirkily adorned with paper clips and flicks of sparkle.

Flashing a big smile on the mustard carpet, the Australian starlet looked a vision, having styled her bob with a hint of wave.

Kylie's makeup was applied in neutral tones, bar her smoky eyeshadow and bold eyeliner.

The Grammy Award winner toted a stylish clutch and added some height to her frame with pointy heels.

Stunning: The blonde beauty paraded the sophisticated ensemble from multiple angles, which also allowed her slick coiffure - a neat neck bun - to be spotlighted

Beauty: Kylie's makeup was applied in neutral tones, bar her smoky eyeshadow and bold eyeliner

Accessorising: Rita added silver earrings and several bangles to emphasise her look, while Kylie toted a stylish clutch

Couple of the moment: The pop star was accompanied by her dapper boyfriend Taika Waititi

Suave: New Zealand filmmaker Taika cut an incredibly debonair figure and sported shades while taking photos with his gorgeous girlfriend

Family affair: Rita was also joined by her siblings Elena and Don

Smart: Rita and Taikia have been dating since March 2021

Hot Right Now songstress Rita, 31, cut a classy figure in an elegant wide-leg jumpsuit, which boasted a part-backless design and long-sleeve gloves.

Accompanied by her dapper boyfriend Taika Waititi, the blonde beauty paraded the sophisticated ensemble from multiple angles, which also allowed her slick coiffure - a neat neck bun - to be spotlighted.

Rita's makeup defined her cheekbones and the neutral hue of her get-up was complemented by a subtle shade of red lipstick and accentuating eyeshadow.

Candid: Someone unquestionably in attendance was editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful

Photo opportunity: It's been a busy week for the stellar creative director, as he turned 50 and also wed video producer Alec Maxwell at Longleat

Photo central: Francesca Ragazzi (l) and Lucia Silvestri (r) didn't hold back from posing with Rita

Big night: Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgari CEO, also posed alongside Rita

Three's not a crowd! Sharon smiled for a beaming photo with Edward and Jean-Christophe

Milestone: This is the first time that the Bulgari B.zero1 Aurora Awards has been hosted in Europe (Boris Barboni pictured)

Someone unquestionably in attendance was editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful, who was hosting the evening's star-studded event.

It's been a busy week for the stellar creative director, as he turned 50 and also wed video producer Alec Maxwell at Longleat.

A-list pals including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham gathered at Longleat House, in Wiltshire - home to Enninful's close friend Emma Thynn, the Marchioness of Bath - to watch Edward and Alec tie the knot in an intimate ceremony in the Orangery.

Stylish: Anna Wintour made a statement arrival in a navy PVC trench coat

Stealing the show: Blesnya Minher wowed in a very revealing tassel dress

Finery: The ceremony will take classical culture as inspiration (pictured Gavin Casalegno and Larsen Thompson)

Matching: The Italian luxury brand is known for its jewellery, watches, fragrances, accessories, and leather goods (pictured Paola and Pamela Ameyibor)

This is the first time that the Bulgari B.zero1 Aurora Awards has been hosted in Europe.

The ceremony will take classical culture as inspiration and will reference the geographical and cultural origins of the Bulgari brand.

The Italian luxury brand is known for its jewellery, watches, fragrances, accessories, and leather goods.
Kim Kardashian isn't finished with sharing Prada looks from Milan Fashion Week.

On Sunday morning, the 41-year-old billionaire shared a few images with her 288 million Instagram followers in a full leather Prada outfit.

'Show Time,' the Skims founder simply captioned the pictures. She stunned in a high-necked green pantsuit with matching rubber gloves. Kim paired a grey rubber-like jacket on top.

Milan Fashion Week: On Sunday morning, the 41-year-old billionaire shared a few images with her 288 million Instagram followers in a full leather Prada outfit

The socialite rocked her classic slicked-back bun look that shows off her gorgeous facial features.

Kim included a picture with Carine Roitfeld, the former model and editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris. Also included in the picture was Miuccia Bianchi Prada, who is the head designer of Prada and the founder of its subsidiary Miu Miu.

These snaps come shortly after the internet went wild after seeing Kim and Kanye West's ex-fling, Julia Fox, in almost identical outfits while in Italy.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star put her hourglass curves on full display in a rubber gown as she headed out in the Italian city, shortly after also turning heads in an oversized suit and latex gloves.

Rubber: 'Show Time,' the Skims founder simply captioned the pictures. She stunned in a high-necked green pantsuit, pairing a grey rubber-like jacket on top. Kim rocked her classic slicked-back bun look that shows off her gorgeous facial features

The icons: Kim included a picture with Carine Roitfeld, the former model and editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris. Also included in the picture was Miuccia Bianchi Prada, who is the head designer of Prada and the founder of its subsidiary Miu Miu

Showcasing her famous figure in all its glory, the mother-of-four wowed in a skintight black dress that clung to her ample assets and accentuated her tiny waist.

On the same day, actress Julia arrived at the Diesel fall presentation wearing a strangely similar ensemble, including a neon orange PVC two-piece.

After Kim enjoyed her time in Milan, she made headlines as she flew back to Los Angeles on her very own private jet.

Prada: These snaps come shortly after the internet went wild after seeing Kim and Kanye West's ex-fling, Julia Fox, in almost identical outfits while in Italy

Look-alike: On the same day, actress Julia arrived at the Diesel fall presentation wearing a strangely similar ensemble, including a neon orange PVC two-piece

Stunning in Milan: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star put her hourglass curves on full display in a rubber gown as she headed out in the Italian city, shortly after also turning heads in an oversized suit and latex gloves

Her hairstylist, Chris Appleton, shared a video as he boarded a swanky private jet that featured a welcome mat fit for reality TV royalty.

'Wow feeling grateful to experience Kim Air back to LA,' the celebrity hair stylist penned on Instagram. His word choice seemed to be a subtle nod to his holy grail line of hair care products, Color Wow.

Chris, Kim and her makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic enjoyed a little mid-flight reading, paging through the print edition of Kardashian's recent Vogue Magazine cover story.

A photo from inside the plane cabin saw a fresh faced Kim seated between the artists with her raven hair slicked back in a low bun and sporting an oversized leather bomber jacket.

Kim's new private jet: After Kim enjoyed her time in Milan, she made headlines as she flew back to Los Angeles on her very own private jet

Kim's glam squad: A photo from inside the plane cabin saw a fresh faced Kim seated between the artists with her raven hair slicked back in a low bun and sporting an oversized leather bomber jacket
Vicki Gunvalson became a grandmother once again as her eldest child, Briana Culberson, gave birth to a baby girl named Cora Rose.

The 34-year-old former reality television star welcomed her fourth child into the world on Feb. 23 and husband Ryan shared snaps to his Instagram account to announce the happy news.

'On February 23rd, she arrived and completed our Culberson family,' he wrote. 'Cora Rose is a whopping 4 lbs 13 oz as we bring her home from the hospital today.'

Congratulations! Vicki Gunvalson became a grandmother once again as her eldest child, Briana Culberson, gave birth to a baby girl named Cora Rose

Their new bundle of joy was born at 7:56 a.m. and weighed in at five pounds, three ounces, according to a handmade sign, but it's common for newborns to lose weight as they learn how to feed.

'Shes a beautiful healthy blessing and were all so in love!,' he added. 'Owen said "I guess I love her."'

Little Cora sported a beautiful floral onesie with a matching pink headband for her first official social media snaps, before being swaddled in a cozy white blanket.

Bliss: Their new bundle of joy was born at 7:56 a.m. and weighed in at five pounds, three ounces, according to a handmade sign, but it's common for newborns to lose weight as they learn how to feed

Sweetheart: Ryan shared another photo of the baby girl wrapped up in a hospital blanket with a bright pink beanie fashioned into a bow on her head

Ryan shared another photo of the baby girl wrapped up in a hospital blanket with a bright pink beanie fashioned into a bow on her head.

He posted an adorable snap of one of her three big brothers holding her for the first time.

Briana and Ryan now have four children together, including Troy, Owen and baby Hank who turned one in November.

Love: He posted an adorable snap of one of her three big brothers holding her for the first time

'On February 23rd, she arrived and completed our Culberson family,' he wrote. 'Cora Rose is a whopping 4 lbs 13 oz as we bring her home from the hospital today'

Proud parents: She celebrated her 10-year wedding anniversary with Ryan in October, and the couple recently moved to Illinois after living in North Carolina for years.

She's maintains a mostly private life away from social media aside from her keto-inspired page where she gives followers updates on her day-to-day food choices on the mostly no-carb lifestyle.

Briana found fame at a young age as the daughter of the real OG from the OC, Vicki Gunvalson, who starred on the Real Housewives of Orange County from its inception in 2006 through 2019 when she left the show for good.

She celebrated her 10-year wedding anniversary with Ryan in October, and the couple recently moved to Illinois after living in North Carolina for years.
Roxy Horner has revealed she needed treatment from paramedics after losing consciousness amid her struggle with Type 1 diabetes.

The model - who is dating actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, 33 - was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in May 2021 after suffering low energy levels, 'appalling' memory and continual sickness.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, Roxy, 33, revealed she was forced to seek treatment from the emergency services and expressed her gratitude at being in the UK after learning there was a shortage of medication for the condition in Ukraine amid the current military crisis.

Candid: 'I've been having a really rough time': Roxy Horner reveals a friend had to call an ambulance after she 'lost consciousness' in diabetes struggle

Roxy wrote on Instagram: 'After my last post on diabetes I've had a few messages on how I'm managing and the truth is I'm trying my best but it is still hard.

'I've been having a really rough time managing my glucose levels the past few weeks, they are yo-yoing for absolutely no reason, I throw up when I go too high and I've had a few too many hypos for my liking lately.

'My friend had to call an ambulance for me the other day, I was staring to lose consciousness, my entire body was shaking, my levels got pretty low and wouldn't come back up even after drinking four apple juices.

Raising awareness: The model was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in May 2021 and has been honest about the condition on social media, sharing images of her using her insulin pen

'It's so weird to me because I'm still figuring this out and a month ago I really thought I started to nail it but it's always going to be a rollercoaster and I know soon I'll feel much better, maybe even tomorrow, I'll be fine.

'My problems feel so minuscule on the scale of what's going on in the world and I count myself lucky that I'm safe in my own country.'

Earlier in the day, Roxy took to Instagram to discuss the lack of vital medications available for people in Ukraine after Russia invaded the country this week.

She admitted she couldn't 'fathom the fear' any sufferers must feel knowing medication is in short supply.

Sharing: After posting a message in a bid to encourage her followers to support people with diabetes in Ukraine after the Russian invasion this week, Roxy wrote about her struggles

On Thursday The World Health Organization (WHO) released emergency funds to purchase desperately needed medical supplies.

A statement released by the organization said it 'is deeply concerned for the health of the people of Ukraine in the escalating crisis.

'The health system must continue to function to deliver essential care to people for all health issues, from COVID-19 to cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis, to mental health issues, especially for vulnerable groups such as older persons and migrants.'

Heartfelt: Roxy said she struggled to imagine how worried people may be in Ukraine as they struggled to get medication for their conditions following the Russian military invasion

In a chat with Marie Claire last November, Roxy, who was diagnosed a month before her 30th birthday, admitted: 'Type 1 diabetes has changed my life but the silver lining is that perhaps it has taught me to stand up for myself and listen to my body.'

Roxy who said she was chronically stressed ahead of her diagnosis and 'very thirsty' admitted that her model agency had been supportive and her famous boyfriend 'incredible'.

She said: 'I'm trying to get back my peace, surround myself with loving, understanding people and just getting the hang of this. If I have shown up anywhere on my own since my diagnosis, it really has taken a lot for me to get there.

'Because when you're new to this, it's scary going anywhere on your own thinking 'what If something happens and I can't manage it on my own?'

She also said it was a shock to get her diagnosis and that some people have wrongly said she can be cured and also admitted she has days where it knocks her out and she feels really unwell.

She claimed she initially discharged herself too early from hospital to attend an awards ceremony and had to be readmitted that same night during the first few days of diagnosis.

The stunning model added: 'The first few months were really scary.'
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Holly Scarfone hit the beach on Saturday after a late night out with her new man, Scott Disick.

The reality television star, 23, stepped out in a skimpy bikini with a floral pattern as she played with her dog on Surfrider Beach in Malibu.

The two-piece bathing suit was a thong-style bikini which showed off her incredibly impressive derriere.

Relaxing beach day: Holly Scarfone hit the beach on Saturday after a late night out with her new man, Scott Disick

She accessorized with a pair of white-framed sunglasses. Her long brown curly hair fell far past the middle of her back.

She splashed around in the waves for a little while before running about the sand with her large, black canine friend.

Scarfone's appearance came the night after she attended dinner at Nobu with her new man Scott Disick.

Scott, 48, who shares three children with ex-partner of nine years Kourtney Kardashian, led the way for Holly, who bares a striking resemblance to Kardashian's sister Kylie Jenner.

Fashionable at the beach: The reality television star, 23, stepped out in a skimpy bikini with a floral pattern as she played with her dog on Surfrider Beach in Malibu

Showing off her assets: The two-piece bathing suit was a thong-style bikini which showed off her incredibly impressive derriere

Hanging out at the shoreline: The star stood at the shoreline with her canine

Too hot to handle: Holly appeared on the latest season of Netflix's reality show Too Hot To Handle, a show that centers around contestants who have to abstain from any sexual contact

Holly appeared on the latest season of Netflix's reality show Too Hot To Handle, a show that centers around contestants who have to abstain from any sexual contact in order to receive the grand prize.

Holly hails from Canada but lives in the US; she graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Colorado.

She landed a gig on the third season of Too Hot To Handle; where she was linked with fellow contestant Nathan Sloan.

The brunette has over 600K followers on Instagram; in addition to being a reality star, she is also an Instagram model and influencer.

For their dinner date, Holly wore an ankle-length cream colored lace up dress, adding a matching toned Bottega Veneta handbag.

Canadian born: Holly hails from Canada but lives in the US

College educated: She graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Colorado

Woman of many titles: The star has a number of jobs that keep her in the limelight

Not his first model girlfriend: Holly Scarfone isn't the first model Disick dated. He has been seen with other models including Hana Cross and Bella Banos

Arms up: The star extended her hands outward while feeling the breeze on her bare skin

Last month Scott was pictured enjoying a date night at the same location - Nobu Malibu - with 24-year-old Instagram model Hana Cross.

The bachelor spent time with another social media model - Bella Banos, 25, just before the start of 2022.

Scott and Bella were seen lounging in the sun on a holiday to St. Barts.

Taking in the horizon: The star turned and stared out toward the horizon with her bodacious backside facing the camera

Tossing a look: The star posed for multiple photos with her head staring back over her shoulder

Pictured: Holly on a date with Scott Disick last week

Scott and Bella were last seen hanging out in October 2020 while out to dinner at Nobu Malibu.

Bella was allegedly the model Scott brought to Costa Rica on a Kardashian family vacation in February 2017, which led to a dramatic confrontation between the sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, and mom Kris Jenner and Scott that aired in a May 2017 episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Scott dated Amelia Hamlin, 20, for 11 months until they split in September 2021. Prior to Amelia, the playboy was in a three-year relationship with Sofia Richie, 23.
Production company Endemol Shine enforced a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for all cast and crew on this year's season of Married at First Sight.

And some of the participants even got vaccinated during filming in Sydney in order to meet the show's requirements, including Selina Chhaur.

The hairdresser, 32, was seen getting her second Covid jab in the city on October 13 - around the time the scenes currently airing on TV were being filmed.

Vaccinated at first sight: MAFS bride Selina Chhaur was spotted getting her second Covid jab during filming in Sydney on October 13

She looked effortlessly chic in a pink knitted top and matching shorts, which she teamed with white sneakers and a leather handbag.

Selina styled her hair in two ponytails and also wore a face mask in accordance with MAFS' Covid-19 policy.

Endemol Shine, the production company behind the Channel Nine show, required all cast and crew to be fully vaccinated during filming in Sydney late last year.

Stylish: She looked effortlessly chic in a pink knitted top and matching shorts, which she teamed with white sneakers and a leather handbag

Masked up: Selina styled her hair in two ponytails and also wore a face mask in accordance with MAFS' Covid-19 policy

The participants were also required to undergo mandatory Covid tests every 48 hours, and wear masks when the cameras weren't rolling.

For safety reasons, the stars were accompanied by minders during filming breaks. This included when going out for their hourly exercise and running errands.

For the first time, the show's cast and crew were also chauffeured around in black-tinted luxury cars rather than catching taxis and Ubers.

Safety first: Endemol Shine required all cast and crew to be fully vaccinated during filming in Sydney late last year. The stars were also required to undergo mandatory Covid tests every 48 hours, and wear masks when the cameras weren't rolling. Pictured: Al Perkins and Sam Moitzi

Company: For the first time, the participants were accompanied by minders during filming breaks. This included when going out for their hourly exercise and running errands. Pictured: MAFS bride Tamara Djordjevic (right) with a minder (left)

Each couple was assigned a designated driver and no ride-sharing was allowed.

Selina elected to leave Married At First Sight at the commitment ceremony on Sunday, but to her surprise her 'husband' Cody Bromley chose to stay.

This means they must remain in the experiment for another week.

Hanging by a thread: Selina (right) elected to leave Married At First Sight at the commitment ceremony on Sunday, but to her surprise her 'husband' Cody Bromley (left) chose to stay

Selina had voted to leave because she felt Cody had emotionally checked out of their relationship, so was taken aback when he indicated he wanted to give things another shot.

It remains to be seen whether they can get their 'marriage' back on track.

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine and 9Now
Dorothy Sherwood was calm as she stepped into Newburgh, Orange County, police headquarters around 3 on the steamy afternoon of Aug. 20, 1935.

In her arms, she gently cradled a little bundle, a toddler.

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Here he is, she murmured to Lt. John Powell as she placed the child on the desk. I killed him. I drowned him.

Mrs. Dorothy Sherwood and her son, James. (Clark/New York Daily News Archive)

Sherwood, 27, told Powell how she had put her little son, James, 2, in his carriage and pushed him about three miles from her home in Newburgh, along Route 9W to Moodna Creek.

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Jimmy cheerfully waded and splashed around until he got tired. Then his mother took him by the hand, led him to deeper water, and held his head under until he was still.

Then she dressed the tiny corpse in dry clothes and hitched a ride in a truck back to Newburgh.

I couldnt feed him, and I couldnt bear to see him suffer, she matter-of-factly told the astonished officer. I thought he would be better off dead.

Deputy Sheriff Truesdale (left) and Assistant District Attorney Hoey measuring depth of water in Moodna Creek near Goshen, Orange County, where Mrs. Dorothy Sherwood drowned her 2-year-old son James. (New York Daily News Archive)

No tears, not even a quivering lip betrayed any emotion as she confessed.

On the surface, it appeared to be a simple case: The slaughter of an innocent by a monster, a crime worthy of the death penalty.

But as details of her life were uncovered, a more complex picture emerged. Poverty, bad luck, and despair were all she had ever known.

She was born Dorothy Caskey in 1908 in a shack in an East St. Louis slum. Dorothys mother died when the girl was 9, and her father couldnt care for her. For eight years, she bounced from one home or orphanage to another.

Mrs. Dorothy Sherwood. (New York Daily News Archive)

Eventually, the pretty 17-year-old landed in a burlesque show, where she met her future husband, Fred Sherwood, a stage electrician. They married on a stage in Chicago, a publicity stunt for the show, in April 1927.

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By December 1928, the newlyweds had a baby girl, Dorothy May, but no jobs. They left the baby with Freds mother in upstate Callicoon and found work in New York City and later in Newburgh. For a time, life was good.

In 1932, it all went into a tailspin. Sherwood learned she was pregnant in September. A couple of months later, her husband came down with a mysterious, debilitating illness. By the time doctors figured out it was tuberculosis, he was too far gone. He died in 1934, leaving Dorothy alone, destitute, and burdened with an infant son. Waitressing was the only work she could find.

A customer, Jesse B. Earle, liked how the pretty dark-haired widow brought him his food. He told her he was a government agent in Newburgh hunting for a bad guy. He also said he was separated from his wife.

Romance blossomed, and soon he asked her to run away with him to get married in California. Sherwood quit her job and prepared to start fresh.

On Aug. 19, the day they had planned to head west, Earle vanished.

Some sleuthing revealed that he had lied to her about almost everything. He had no real job and had not separated from his wife, with whom he had two children.

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Broke, behind on rent, and unable to feed her hungry baby, she hit the streets on Aug. 20, looking for work. There were no offers. The same day, her landlady told her to pay up or get out.

That was when she decided there was only one solution  drown Jimmy.

Mrs. Dorothy Sherwood swearing to tell the truth in a Newburgh courtroom. (New York Daily News Archive)

Jurors and spectators were moved to tears, some weeping openly, when Sherwood told of her sorrows at the January 1936 trial. She recalled how she dressed Jimmy that morning and wheeled him in his carriage to the creek.

On the way, I bought a bar of chocolate with my last nickel. I gave this to Jimmy. Her defense was temporary insanity. Disappointment in love and fear that her child would starve to death drove her to madness. She saw it as a mercy killing.

Moved as they were, the jurors could not let her off.

Jury Dooms Mother As Sons Killer, the Daily News announced to the world on Jan. 19, 1936.

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The New York Daily News on Aug. 22, 1935. (New York Daily News Archive)

It took a little over four hours of deliberation to find her guilty of first-degree murder, which meant death in the electric chair.

We know Mrs. Sherwood had led a hard life, but we did not think that was an excuse for killing her baby, noted a jury spokesman.

In an odd twist, the jury recommended mercy, but the judges hands were tied; the first-degree murder conviction meant a mandatory death sentence. That detail had not been clear to the jury.

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Sherwood, The News noted, was doomed by mistake.

Mrs. Dorothy Sherwood (center) paused on steps of Sing Sing before the gates closed on her.

When Dorothy entered the Sing Sing death house the one other condemned female prisoner  Long Island Borgia Mary Frances Creighton  greeted her with a warm, Hello, dear.

Creighton, who poisoned her lovers wife, was executed in July, but fate would be kinder to Sherwood.

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Thousands of sympathizers cried out for clemency for the woman known as the baby slayer. Sherwood was granted a new trial and left Sing Sing. The second time around, she pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to six to 15 years at the Bedford Hills Reformatory.

Excellent behavior led to her parole around Christmas, 1939. She used her time behind bars well, learning typing and sewing, skills that would help her make a living.

Brigadier Agnes McKernan of the Salvation Army (left) with Mrs. Dorothy Sherwood when she was released from Bedford Hills Reformatory. (New York Daily News Archive)

Salvation Army Brigadier Agnes McKernan accompanied Sherwood as she left the prison and pledged to help the young woman rebuild her life. Most of all, Sherwood told reporters, she was looking forward to the reunion with her 12-year-old daughter, who was going to come to live with her.

JUSTICE STORY has been the Daily News exclusive take on true crime tales of murder, mystery and mayhem for more than 100 years. Click here to read more.
The Irwin family took a heartbreaking trip down memory lane over the weekend - visiting late patriarch Steve's famous research vessel Croc One on Minyama Island, a series of luxury canal-front homes on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

The 44-year-old, known to millions around the world as 'the Crocodile Hunter', was filming a documentary on the boat when he was fatally stabbed in the heart by a stingray barb on September 4, 2006 in Batt Reef.

Bindi's husband Chandler Powell posted a photo of the couple's daughter Grace Warrior, 11 months, sitting in front of the boat.

Trip down memory lane: Over the weekend, Bindi Irwin's baby daughter Grace Warrior, 11 months, visited her late grandfather Steve's boat Croc One, which he was sailing on when he died 18 years ago

She was wearing a cute sundress and cap as she sat on a baby blanket smiling.

'Grateful every day for this little smile' he wrote in the caption.

It seems that the family have restored the boat after it was falling into disrepair.

Back in 2019, Croc One was sitting neglected outside the Irwin family home.

Tragic: The 44-year-old, known to millions around the world as 'the Crocodile Hunter', was filming a documentary on the ship when he was fatally stabbed in the heart by a stingray barb on September 4, 2006 in Batt Reef, Queensland

Photos showed that it had become rundown since Steve's death, and the once-pristine boat looked discoloured, with rust on the bow and parts of the port side.

The ship is now a macabre tourist attraction for people cruising along the canals, with guides telling stories about the famous conservationist.

The guides claim that Croc One is only used on the odd occasion, when it is chartered by tourists for whale watching or diving.

There is no suggestion the boat is unsafe.

Gone, but not forgotten: Steve is pictured with his wife Terri and Bindi in June 2002

The boat was originally designed to be one of the world's most advanced scientific research ships and had plans to tour North Queensland four months of the year for 'crocodile and marine wildlife rescue' operations.

Steve proudly said of the boat on the Croc One website, which is still active but hasn't been updated for years, 'Crikey, isn't she gorgeous!'

He wrote that Croc One was designed to rescue 'injured wildlife and will always be there to help - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wildlife can count on her.'

Steve said it took a year of research before building commenced on Croc One, which he described as the ultimate wildlife vessel.

Conservation: According to Steve, Croc One was designed to rescue 'injured wildlife and will always be there to help - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wildlife can count on her'

'I've personally designed and refined this magnificent 75' vessel to deliver the ultimate in performance, during our wildlife expeditions,' he wrote.

'This fair dinkum, rugged, deep probe expedition boat gives us the chance to research crocs and all other marine wildlife in remote locations.

'My aim while building Croc One was to produce a vessel capable of exploring pristine and remote locations to research, document, discover and rescue our precious wildlife.'

'You could almost land a jumbo jet on the upper deck!' Steve gave a detailed pictorial account of how the boat was constructed on his website, alongside some rather energetic captions

Steve gave a detailed pictorial account of how the boat was constructed on his website, writing energetic captions such as: 'These engines just purr and talk about power! Croc One could out-pull the Queen Mary!

'I absolutely love sitting down in the engine room and listening to those babies hum! She's a little ripper!'

Yet the website's log shows that Croc One had only one mission since 2006: helping with the research project, Grey Nurse Shark Watch, which collated data on the endangered shark species' behaviours.

Croc One now sits next to the luxury four-bedroom property bought by Steve and his wife Terri, 55, in May 2004 for $3.22million, which was once the main family home.

The home was supposedly loved by Steve, and conveniently located only 32km from Australia Zoo (formerly Beerwah Reptile Park), where he spent much of his youth.

Back in the day, when locals found out that Steve was living on that particular canal, they renamed it 'Crikey Canal'.

There is even a statue of Steve with his children, Bindi and Robert, in Mooloolaba town centre just a mile down the road.

On the Australia Zoo website, it states in the media section: 'When the Irwins aren't residing at their Zoo house, they escape to their Minyama canal-front "getaway" home.'

But locals say they haven't seen the family in years and that it mostly remains vacant, apart from being rented out by tourists or used as a 'reward' for Australia Zoo workers.

One boat guide told Daily Mail Australia back in 2019: 'It's treated more like a guest house, we never see the family in town.

'I don't think they realise how well loved he is in these parts and people come on our cruise especially to catch a glimpse of his house. Steve loved it here.

'The house is only used very rarely. I've known it to be hired by tourists, and given as a holiday home for zoo workers.'
Kristina Rihanoff came under fire over the weekend for raging: 'I don't give a s**t about the war' on Twitter.

The Russian dancer, who served as a professional on Strictly Come Dancing from 2008 to 2015, shared the since-deleted post while detailing how her business had been impacted by the pandemic.

The shocking tweet read: 'I do want to focus on what sort of punishment Boris Johnson will have for destroying my family run business and 1000 of others. Many of my friends LOST businesses because of government lockdowns.

'Totally thoughtless': Russian former Strictly pro Kristina Rihanoff has been slammed for 'insensitive' tweet which raged 'I don't give a s**t about the war'

'Don't give a s**t about the war but I do about the debt because of NO TRADING for 2yrs.'

Kristina, 44, also hit out at a Ukrainian journalist who announced her mother's fleeing from the country.

'Why don't you report about everyone who was abused in Ukraine by extreme nationalists for 8 yrs Prohibiting families to speak Russian language, terrorising peaceful Russian families which I know many who live in Ukraine,' the dancer wrote in reply.

Controversy: The Russian dancer, 44, shared the since-deleted post while detailing how her business had been impacted by the pandemic (pictured on Strictly in 2010)

An element of the shocking tweet read: 'Don't give a s**t about the war but I do about the debt because of NO TRADING for 2yrs'

Rage: Kristina also hit out at a Ukrainian journalist who announced her mother's fleeing from the country

The enraged content didn't end there, with the mother-of-one also discussing the diverted attention from Boris Johnson's 'diabolical' parties.

'Thoughts - Biden can only change his diapers on his own, he can't do anything else. People who control him know that war is very profitable.

'Let's make sure war happens. At all costs. And isn't it great that UK no longer angry at diabolical parties. How convenient,' the angry tweet read.

Angry: The enraged content didn't end there, with the mother-of-one also discussing the diverted attention from Boris Johnson's 'diabolical' parties

The next rant was directed at Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, following the news of sanctions against Russia.

Kristina fumed: 'Nobody gives a flying monkey about your sanctions. Just like bfr ALL countries will crawl back AGAIN begging to trade & start tourism.

'Stand up first for UK & sort out your own s**t & get geography & history lesson next time you go to Russia to talk politics U R #embarrassing'.

#embarrasing: The next rant was directed at Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, following the news of sanctions against Russia

'Pure genius': An additional post that has now been deleted showed a cartoon of US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Boris Johnson pointing and saying 'Russian man bad' atop a pile of bodies

An additional post that has now been deleted showed a cartoon of US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Boris Johnson pointing and saying 'Russian man bad' atop a pile of bodies.

Kristina captioned: 'Don't even have to say anything - pure genius'.

The opinionated content sparked fury among Twitter's users, who told the ballroom pro to 'read the room' and 'delete the insensitive tweets.'

On Sunday, Kristina, who was born in Vladivostok but now resides in Northampton with rugby player partner Ben Cohen and their daughter Milena, five, took to Twitter with a lengthy apology, saying she is 'deeply sorry' for offending anyone.

'The damage is done': The opinionated content sparked fury among Twitter's users, who told the ballroom pro to 'read the room' and 'delete the insensitive tweets'

In full, the statement read: 'I made fun of Eurovision tweet by Sky. I did think there was far more important information on that day that Eurovision. This is in any form says I was supporting what's happening at the moment between Russia & Ukraine.

'It's absolutely devastating for someone like me who's grandad from Ukraine and I gave Ukrainian name to my daughter Milena. My best friend is also from Ukraine. I grew up with knowledge that we were one nation and one country.'

She continued: 'I'm not into politics and hate politicians because THEY ALL LIE. Seeing the news is breaking my heart as I have Russian friends who live in UKRAINE and vice versa.

Statement: On Sunday, Kristina took to Twitter with a lengthy apology, saying she is 'deeply sorry' for offending anyone

'The awful thing is that there is casualties on both sides and on both sides mums & dads will cry for their lost relatives. The point is that this shouldn't ever taken place, never should have happened.

'The country leaders Should have found the way along time ago to sort this peacefully but they didn't bcs war is a profitable business and someone unfortunately making profit on this.

'I'm not supporting Putin, war, invasion, lost lives and politics. I hate it as much as a human being possibly can. If I offended anyone it wasn't my intention and I'm deeply sorry. While I was born in Russia I left it 22yrs ago and an American citizen.

'So you can hate me if this will give you comfort but If I didn't say something you wanted me to say it's bcs sadly I'm powerless doing anything to help anyone in both countries and I don't believe in useless posts which can't help to safe lives.

The message concluded: 'I can only hope and pray like everyone that this is over soon. And it's really sad that the hate is so powerful everywhere you look at the moment. The whole world is burning in it'.

Family: Kristina was born in Vladivostok but now resides in Northampton with rugby player partner Ben Cohen (pictured September 2021) and their daughter Milena, five

'They know who they are': Strictly's James Jordan slams Russian dancers who have remained tight-lipped on Ukraine invasion - and tells them to 'stay the f*** off social media' if they are 'too scared' to speak out

By Millie Payne for MailOnline

James Jordan has slammed Russian dancers who have not spoken out about Ukraine's invasion by their native country's troops.

In the latest update, hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine.

And as news surrounding the conflict continued to grab headlines on Sunday, the former Strictly Come Dancing professional, 43, said he was 'very disappointed' that many Russian dancers had remained tight-lipped about the ongoing situation.

'They know who they are': James Jordan slammed Russian dancers who have remained tight-lipped on Ukraine's invasion via Twitter on Sunday (pictured January 2019)

James, who is married to Polish-born fellow former Strictly pro Ola Jordan, penned his fervent tweet: 'I don't see many of the Russian dancers I know and have even shared the Strictly dance floor with them openly speaking out about the war against Ukraine [the country's flag].

'But are still promoting themselves on social media - very disappointed [sad face] They know who they are - not 1 post about it [sic]'.

The message was not well-received by one disgruntled tweeter, who hit back with: 'What an ignorant, thoughtless comment. They probably have family in Russia that could suffer the consequences of anything they say. Think before you type.'

Opinion-raising: The Strictly professional, 43, said he was 'very disappointed' that many Russian dancers had remained tight-lipped about the ongoing situation (pictured with wife and fellow former Strictly pro Ola Jordan in 2012)

'Very disappointed': The dancer used Twitter to post a fervent message, which was not well-received by one disgruntled tweeter

Standing his ground and determined to reinforce his point, the 2019 Dancing On Ice winner replied: 'If they are too scared to speak out against wrong then stay the f*** off social media for a while and stop with the self promotion during this horrific time.

'Have some respect Or  maybe they are not speaking out because they are brainwashed too.'

Someone who echoed James' impassioned messages was Strictly judge Shirley Ballas.

She urged dancers to 'show some sensitivity towards the suffering in Ukraine.'

'Show some sensitivity': Someone who echoed James' impassioned messages was Strictly judge Shirley Ballas

'You don't need to promote yourselves, your shows, your competitions and teaching every single day...Your colleagues, students competitors and their families are in the middle of a shocking war and need your support..

'YOUR business can wait. Show some respect. We are one family,' she wrote on her Instagram Story.

Other stars of the BBC dance show have used their platforms to raise awareness, including those with direct ties to Ukraine.

Professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin is a native of the Eastern European country and shared a photo of its flag to Instagram, alongside the word 'Heartbreaking'. The post was immediately met with supportive messages from colleagues and fans.

Poignant: Professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin is a native of Ukraine and shared a photo of its flag to Instagram, alongside the word 'Heartbreaking'

Tough times: Meanwhile, Motsi Mabuse has been updating her concerned followers with news of her in-laws, who are currently stranded in the country

Tough: The South African-German dancer shared a harrowing image of her mother-in-law in a bunker on Saturday

Meanwhile, Motsi Mabuse has been updating her concerned followers with news of her in-laws, who are currently stranded in the country.

Sharing a photo with her Ukrainian husband Evgenij Voznyuk on Sunday, the dancer penned: 'We stand with the people of Ukraine and we are against racism at the border against our brothers and sisters!!!!! If the people are not safe , we also not safe #standwithukraine'.

Russian dancer Katya Jones, who was paired with Adam Peaty in last year's series, took to her Instagram story with the message: 'Praying for peace and love in the world [prayer emoji, heart emoji]'.

Message: Russian dancer Katya Jones, who was paired with Adam Peaty in last year's series, took to her Instagram story with the message: 'Praying for peace and love in the world'

From London to Berlin to Tokyo to Vilnius, hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine.

Thousands gathered in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday morning for an anti-war rally amid international rage at the invasion of Ukraine even as Russia's troops pressed towards the capital, Kyiv.

Police said large crowds have filled the area originally planned for the demonstration, around the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, and that they were allocating additional space to accommodate the protesters.

LONDON: People took part in a demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London, to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Sunday

LONDON: From London to Berlin to Tokyo to Vilnius, hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in cities across the world to demand an end to the war Russia's Vladimir Putin has waged on Ukraine

Support: Thousands gathered in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday morning for an anti-war rally amid international rage

Sunday's protest was peaceful, including many families with children. People waved yellow and blue Ukrainian flags to show their support. Some carried placards with slogans such as 'Hands off Ukraine' and 'Putin, go to therapy and leave Ukraine and the world in peace.'

More gathered in Madrid holding flags and banners that accused Putin of being akin to Hitler and of carrying out a genocide while demonstrators in the South Korean capital Seoul staged a protest outside the Russian embassy.

Ukrainians living in northern Iraq held an anti-war rally on the doorstep of the United Nation's office in Erbil and women gathered in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius holding placards that branded the Russian president 'Europe's biggest aggressor'.

BERLIN: Demonstrators held up placards and Ukrainian flags during an anti-war protest in the German capital on Sunday as Russian troops advanced on Kyiv

MADRID: People protested during a rally against the Ukraine war in Spain with placards that denounced Putin as a 'Killer' who is like Hitler

Meanwhile Pope Francis denounced the 'diabolical and perverse logic' of launching a war in Ukraine and called for humanitarian corridors to welcome Ukrainian refugees fleeing the 'tragic' invasion of their homeland in his strongest public comments yet on Sunday.

Francis has refrained from calling out Russia by name as he seeks to mend ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, and he again omitted any reference to Moscow on Sunday.

But he said: 'Those who make war forget humanity,' adding that warfare 'relies on the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons, which is the farthest thing from God's will.'
Tobi Pearce is stepping away from the Sweat business empire he founded alongside his ex fiancee Kayla Itsines.

The 29-year-old had served as chief executive of the brand ever since he and his former fiancee sold the business last July, according to the Adelaide Advertiser.

Pearce called founding the popular Sweat fitness app, which last year sold for $400 million to a US software company, a 'life-changing experience'.

Cashed-up: Tobi Pearce is stepping away from the Sweat business empire he founded alongside ex Kayla Itsines. Both pictured

The multimillionaire will stay on as an adviser for the company, but added that he is 'open to all opportunities in the future'.

'Im also excited about spending more time with the people that are dear and close to me, and that includes my daughter Arna first and foremost.'

He shares his two-year-old daughter with 30-year-old Itsines, from whom he split in August 2020.

Moving on: The 29-year-old had served as chief executive of the brand ever since he and his former fiancee sold the business last July, according to the Adelaide Advertiser. Seen here with new girlfriend Rachel Dillon

Last July, The Australian reported that the former couple enjoyed a '50-50 split of proceeds' from the $400 million Sweat sale.

The former couple, who were together for eight years, co-founded the Bikini Body Training Company - later renamed Sweat - after meeting in late 2012.

The business partners sold their health and fitness empire to U.S. software giant iFIT Health & Fitness Inc for $400million, The Courier Mail reported.

In 2020, the Sweat app generated a staggering $99.5million in revenue, with the majority of sales coming from the American market.

New role: The multimillionaire will stay on as an adviser for the company, but added that he is 'open to all opportunities in the future'

Pearce went Instagram official with his new girlfriend Rachel Dillon, 28, last month.

Tobi shared a gallery of loved-up photos of the couple and told his 158,000 followers he had found 'happiness' with Rachel.

'Happiness. I'm glad I stumbled upon you @RacheljDillon,' he wrote.

Itsines meanwhile recently debuted her new boyfriend Jai Woodroffe on social media.
Peaky Blinders, Series 6, Ep. 1

BBC1, last night

Rating:

A man walks into a bar in the roughest, toughest town in the world and orders a glass of water.

This sounds like the set-up for a joke  but it's the beginning of the end for Peaky Blinders (BBC1).

Writer Steven Knight's incomparably stylish, surreally gory gangster drama returned for its final series without even pausing for the opening credits or their ominous theme tune, Nick Cave's thunderous Red Right Hand.

A fragmented blur of images from the previous season strobed across the screen, as though central character Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) was watching his life flash before his eyes.

The sound of his dying first wife's last laboured breaths echoed deafeningly in his ears and, ankle-deep in mud like the battlefields of Flanders where Tommy lost his sanity, he screamed and raised a revolver to his brains.

That's where we left him last time, in 2019. This time, he pulled the trigger. The gun was empty  his brother Arthur (Paul Anderson), who loves him, took the bullets.

His second wife Lizzie, who despises him, stormed through the mud in her satin pyjamas to throw the bullets at his head and call him a coward.

For any viewer coming newly to the show, this blizzard of heavily stylised images might have seemed incomprehensible.

Don't worry. Everyone feels like that when they first encounter Peaky Blinders. When the drama debuted on BBC2 in 2013, it appeared to be an incongruous mix of heavy rock soundtrack, historical fantasy, comic book villains and balletic violence in slow motion, with a double handful of the supernatural.

Writer Steven Knight's incomparably stylish, surreally gory gangster drama returned for its final series without even pausing for the opening credits or their ominous theme tune, Nick Cave's thunderous Red Right Hand

It is still all those things but, after half a dozen episodes, the clashing elements combine in a hypnotic collage  like one of those eye-watering kaleidoscopic paintings that coalesce into a three-dimensional portrait, if you gaze at them long enough.

Telly snobs will tell you they've been hooked from the start but the truth is that the first two series drew small audiences. It was not until the show aired on Netflix that it found its fanbase.

Today it is so popular that, after this concluding season, a movie is planned. Tragically, that will go ahead without the central figure of Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly. The 52-year-old mother-of-two who was married to actor Damian Lewis died last year following a secret battle with cancer.

Her absence might have prompted the decision to dispense with music and titles. Instead, we watched Tommy slit open a body bag, sent by IRA mobsters who murdered Polly for reasons unexplained. Tommy's grief seemed unfeigned. He knelt and sobbed over her.

Murphy has said: 'Helen was my closest colleague on Peaky, and one of the finest actors I've ever worked opposite. Any material, any scene she made it special. She could do power and vulnerability, one after the other.'

In a long funeral sequence, Polly's wooden caravan was torched with her body and all her possessions inside, in tribute to the family's gypsy roots. At the end of the hour, a caption dedicated the episode to McCrory's memory. Once again, there was no music  this time, only birdsong.

With Polly dead and Arthur a hopeless opium addict, all the emphasis now falls on Tommy. Previously, he was not only a whisky smuggler and an arms dealer but a rising MP.

Telly snobs will tell you they've been hooked from the start but the truth is that the first two series drew small audiences. It was not until the show aired on Netflix that it found its fanbase

His political career appears to have been abandoned but his feud with cousin Michael (Finn Cole), Polly's son, has not. Tommy arranged for Michael to be jailed on drugs charges and then made a start on the slow seduction of his wife, the doll-like American moll Gina (Anya Taylor-Joy).

She's straight from the pages of a story by the chroniclers of the Jazz Age, John O'Hara or Damon Runyon.

Tommy himself is more Gary Cooper in a cowboy role written by a miserable French philosopher. When he stalked into that Canadian bar and announced his name, 'Je m'appelle Thomas Shelby,' this might have been High Noon reimagined by Jean-Paul Sartre. A brief discussion on the meaning of life followed with the locals, a bunch of depressive existentialists. 'Since I foreswore alcohol, I've become a calmer and more peaceful person,' Tommy explained, before drawing a knife and a gun.

In the ensuing melee, a man's face was slashed and a pigeon shot dead. Everyone was trying to make teetotaller Tommy rescind his pledge. Gina sniggered as she waved a balloon glass of brandy under his nose. A Boston thug filled a tumbler with battery acid hooch and ordered him to down it. Tommy refused. 'I now realise that whisky is just fuel for the loud engines inside your head,' he said, before quoting William Blake.

For now, he's on the horse-drawn wagon. How long before he tumbles off is anyone's guess. But when he does, there'll be all hell to pay.
Pete Davidson did not appear on this week's edition of Saturday Night Live, as he was busy filming his upcoming horror movie The Home.

The 28-year-old comic/actor this week was working on the James DeMonaco-directed motion picture, an insider told E! News on Saturday.

In the film, Davidson portrays the role of a 'troubled' man named Max who takes a job at a retirement home where he comes to find out that the residents and caretakers have a past of 'sinister secrets,' Deadline reported in January.

The latest: Pete Davidson, 28, did not appear on this week's edition of Saturday Night Live, as he was filming his upcoming horror movie The Home. The actor was snapped in December in LA

Davidson's character eventually learns that he has a personal link to the home dating back to his childhood.

Producer Bill Block told the outlet of the project, 'We're excited to be backing DeMonaco's brilliant vision ... with his masterful storytelling abilities and Pete's versatility as an actor, this film will put audiences everywhere on the edge of their seats.'

Davidson, who began appearing on SNL in 2014, has taken on a number of movie roles in recent years, as he appears in the upcoming horror film Bodies Bodies Bodies, which is slated for release next month.

He's also been seen in the 2022 romantic comedy I Want You Back, 2021's The Suicide Squad and starred in the semi-autobiographical 2020 movie The King of Staten Island, which was directed by Judd Apatow.

Davidson, who began appearing on SNL in 2014, has taken on a number of movie roles in recent years. He was seen in November appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers

Saturday's episode featured the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York in a tribute to the Ukraine amid the military assault Russia launched against the country

Cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong introduced the group in front of a display of sunflowers, the Ukraine's national flower, and candles arranged to spell Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital Russia invaded

Davidson's friend John Mulaney served as host of Saturday's episode, which featured the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York in a tribute to the Ukraine amid the military assault Russia launched against the country.

Cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong introduced the group in front of a display of sunflowers, the Ukraine's national flower, and candles arranged to spell Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital Russia invaded.

Davidson has been in the headlines in recent weeks amid his relationship with Kim Kardashian, and the hard feelings her estranged husband Kanye West has publicly expressed toward him and his relationship with Kardashian.
ORLANDO (Florida) -- The annual Conservative Political Action Conference began Thursday after Russia launched attacks against Ukraine . However, many Republican leaders took to the Orlando stage to discuss Big Tech.

Russian missiles attacked Europe's country. Republican senators, an ex-Trump adviser, and a sitting Governor all discussed major social media companies. They also praised the possibility of a "parallel economic" that is beginning to emerge in the form new social media platforms such as the Truth Social .

Republicans have found the focus on Big Tech to be a powerful rallying point as they head into a critical midterm election campaign. This is because of the constant drumbeat of suspensions of conservative commentators and influencers from major tech platforms, including Trumps 2021 suspension from Twitter and Facebook .

When it came time to discuss their feelings on major tech companies, conservatives weren't afraid to speak out.

After condemning GoFundMes decision prohibiting donations to the Canadian Freedom Convoy , Senator Ted Cruz, R.Texas, encouraged Republicans "break Big Tech into a million small pieces" as part of a wider polemic against monopolies.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stated to the audience that "Big Tech" is now the top institution for censorship.

Kimberly Guilfoyle is a former Trump advisor and Donald Trump Jr.'s Partner . compared Chinese censorship to social media moderation.

She said, "What is the difference between being punished by China for having the wrong views and Big Tech companies silence you for being conservative?"

Guilfoyle, along with other attendees, felt that Trump's ban on Twitter and Facebook was a turning point.

"Every major social network banned Donald Trump last year. Guilfoyle stated that if the current president can be blocked on social media, then no one is safe.

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The crop of alternative platforms, which could be seen and heard all over the conference, were just as prevalent as the attacks against Big Tech.

Guilfoyle stated that "Twitter or Facebook arent the only thing, "Now, we have President Trumps new Truth Social. Register now, jump up and enjoy freedom of expression.

Trump's app was launched Feb. 20, but it has not been able to accommodate all the people who downloaded the app.

Erik Finman, a technologist who made millions using bitcoin as a teenager and was the founder of the alternative Freedom Phone encouraged the audience to participate in the "parallel economics" of other platforms to counter Big Tech companies.

He stated, "The only way to fight is not having the same technology but better technology they can't touch."

Gettr, the social media app developed by Jason Miller, an ex-Trump adviser, was a prominent presence at the conference. There were prominent sponsorship signs on the main speaker stage as well as throughout the conference space.

Kaelan Dorr is the marketing manager at Gettr and stated to NBC News that he believes people are just looking for places where they feel connected and can be themselves.

He said, "It's about just kinda fostering a community." "Conservatives need to have their own safe space, right?"
Thank you for reading!

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The Apopka Ukrainian Festival is usually an annual celebration of the countrys independence. But with war raging on after Russias invasion of Ukraine, the festival was instead filled with passionate speeches and songs asking the U.S. to help country battle the Russians.

The Elegy Studio Chicago flew in Thursday ready to sing happy Ukrainian songs until at the last minute the academy changed the songs to reflect the war that happened. They flew their crew of 12 Ukrainian-American children to sing for the first time at the festival.

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We cant sing happy songs [when] we are in times of war, said Lana Polyak, director of the studio. The songs are about Russian and Ukrainian brothers and sisters and how this war has hurt us.

The group instead sang songs in English and Ukrainian focused on war and hope.

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Another newcomer was 68-year-old Air Force veteran Tom Pitts of Orlando who wanted to show support even though he isnt Ukrainian.

Its important to show support because its just terrible whats happening over there, Pitts said.

Oleksandr Zagvazdin, 35, left Ukraine four years ago because he felt unsafe so he relocated his family to Boston.

We are here on vacation and then the war broke out so we couldnt just sit and do nothing, Zagvazdin said. What Putin is doing now in Ukraine is similar to what Hitler did.

Zagvazdin took the opportunity to ask Republican Florida House Sen. Scott Plakon, who was introduced as the highest-ranking Ukrainian in Florida politics, to get Ukraine more help.

Please do something, Zagvazdin said. Any harsh political influence in the international arena like excluding them from the UN or sending more weapons or sending the Red Cross would help.

Plakon, who spoke at the festival to show the Florida House members supported Ukraine, said he hoped to celebrate the 31st independence day of Ukraine at the Apopka festival next year.

Putin is an evil man in his heart and the people of Ukraine are good at heart, Plakon said. In the end good always wins.

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As the hundreds of Ukrainians who attended gathered on the amphitheater stage to film a video of the U.S. national anthem followed by the Ukrainian national anthem that would be sent to Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelinsky people began to take the stage to say powerful words into the microphone.

Speaking in Ukrainian, many spoke about peace and loving your enemies which angered some who couldnt fathom loving Russians at this time due to all the pain their families were suffering in Ukraine at the hands of the Russian army, Ivan Bochkocskyi said.

We are all unified and are all suffering and very emotional so there is tension, Bochkocskyi said. We just want to end the war.

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The 34-year-old Ukrainian native lives in Jacksonville with his Russian wife. The couple attended the festival after looking for places to find support for the war in Ukraine, Bochkocskyi said.

In 1994 the U.S. and U.K. made a promise to protect Ukraine and they are not upholding that promise now, Bochkocskyi said. Laws dont work in Russia but they do work in the U.S.

If the U.S. doesnt uphold the 1994 memorandum, which ensures Ukrainian security as long as it remains a non-nuclear state, then that would show that laws dont matter in the U.S. as well, Bochkocskyi said.

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Colombian native, Luis Alfonso Gallego, accompanied his Ukrainian wife to show support. The couple is attempting to fly to Washington D.C. to participate in protests in support of Ukraine.

I would go and fight even though its not my country, Gallego said.

The festival continues Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.

njaramillo@orlandosentinel.com
HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Telangana High Court set aside a single judge order, which had directed Enforcement Directorate (ED) to release Rs 15 crore from the seized amount belonging to PC Financial Services Private Limited which is behind instant mobile loan app companies.

When cases were filed against the firms for levying usurious rate of interest and processing fees and for harassment and threatening of defaulters through call centres for coercive recovery of loans, the ED also started probe and found that they had violated the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The ED said foreign parent companies of PC Financial Company brought in FDI worth Rs 172 crore for lending business and within a short period, made foreign outward remittances worth Rs 429.29 crore as payments for non-existent software services received from related foreign companies.

The company also showed high domestic expenditure of around Rs 900 crore. The ED found that exorbitant payment was allowed by the dummy Indian directors of the company without any due diligence and on instructions of the country head Zhang Hong, who reported directly to Zhou Yahuri of China.

The respondent remitted forex worth Rs 429,29,65,295 to 13 companies located in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Singapore in the guise of payments for license fee for Cash Bean mobile app. In consequence, the ED seized the properties of PC Financial Services Private Limited.

The company approached the High Court seeking release of the seized amounts for running its business and to pay salaries. Considering the plea, the single judge directed the ED to release Rs 15,35,45,317 within a week. The ED moved the division bench opposing this.
Telangana States students returned from Ukraine at New Delhi Airport on Sunday morning. ( D. Kamraj/DC)

Hyderabad: As many as 15 Telangana students, studying in Ukraine, arrived in Hyderabad on Sunday morning after they were evacuated and brought back to Delhi along with other students.

They were received by General Admn Dept Secretary, Shamshabad MLA T Prakash Goud and local corporator.

R Jagadishwar Reddy, DCP Shamshabad, said, "As per our info, the 2nd batch of students will be repatriated in Delhi. From there, Telangana-Andhra students will come to Hyderabad. All facilities provided to them to get back home, they are provided cab facility to reach home from the airport."

"Indian Embassy was always supportive and used to send emails on what to do. Parents were worried and it was stressful while in Ukraine. The embassy took us to the Romanian border, passports were checked there & we entered Romania and were repatriated to India," said a student.

The first flight from Romania carrying Indian students who had left the conflict situation in Ukraine reached Mumbai on Saturday as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russia's military action in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and conveyed India's deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens, including students, present in Ukraine.

He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens.

President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine.

The second flight from Romania's Bucharest carrying 250 Indian nationals who had left the conflict zone in Ukraine landed at Delhi airport during the wee hours of Sunday as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russia's military action in Ukraine.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and MoS MEA V Muraleedharan welcome the Indian nationals safely evacuated from Ukraine via Bucharest (Romania).

The first flight from Romania carrying 219 Indian students reached Mumbai on Saturday evening.
Indian nationals on board a special Air India flight as people stranded in war-torn Ukraine are evacuated, in Romania, Saturday. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: As Air India ferries hundreds of Indians stranded in Ukraine, the cost of operating a two-way evacuation flight will be more than Rs 1.10 crore and the amount will go up depending on the duration of the flights.

The airline is operating the services with wide-body Boeing 787 plane, better known as Dreamliner, from neighbouring countries of conflict-ridden Ukraine, including Romania and Hungary.

It has already brought back hundreds of Indians. The flights have been chartered by the Indian government.

An airline source told PTI that the cost of operating a chartered flight with the Dreamliner is around Rs 7 to 8 lakh per hour and the total amount will depend "on where we are going and how far we are going".

The total cost will include expenses related to crew, fuel, navigation, landing and parking charges.

Also, considering that these flights are for relatively long duration, there will be two sets of crew onboard. The crew that operates the first leg of the flight will take rest in the return leg and will be replaced by another set of crew, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Currently, Air India is operating flights to Bucharest (Romania) and Budapest (Hungary) and both are offline stations for the airline, which means it does not have scheduled services to these places.

According to flight tracking website FlightAware, the flight from Bucharest to Mumbai that landed on Saturday night was for a duration of nearly six hours.

The flight from Budapest to Delhi was for about six hours and another flight from Delhi to Bucharest took over seven hours. An Air India flight from Bucharest to Delhi took over 5 hours.

As the cost will be between Rs 7 to 8 lakh per hour, the total cost for a round trip will be more than Rs 1.10 crore. The figure is calculated under the assumption that overall duration of the to and fro flight is around 14 hours. The expenses will shoot up in case the duration is longer.

The government is not charging people for the evacuation flights. Some state governments have also announced that they will bear the expenses of people from their respective states who are returning from Ukraine.

The Dreamliner has more than 250 seats.

According to pilots who fly Dreamliners, the aircraft on an average consumes 5 tonnes of fuel per hour.

The source said that once the operations are complete, the exact cost will be worked out and then the airline will send the bill to the government for reimbursement.

Air India did not offer comments on queries about the cost involved in operating the evacuation flights.

According to the source, the overall cost will be comparatively lower if the chartered flight is operated to a scheduled destination as already factors like getting fuel would have been taken care of.

In evacuation operations, the airline operates a ferry flight from India to the destination concerned. Generally, a ferry flight refers to service wherein the plane does not have people onboard except the crew members.

Till now, a few Air India flights have returned with Indians, who were stranded in Ukraine, from Bucharest and Budapest. Indians crossed the Ukranian borders with Romania and Hungary, respectively, before they were flown out from these destinations.

On February 24, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, were stranded in Ukraine, which is now engaged in an intense battle with Russia. Since then, over 900 Indians have returned and there would be now around 15,000 Indians in Ukraine and its border areas.

Ukranian airspace is closed for civilian flights since February 24 amid the Russian offensive.
Indian nationals, evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, upon their arrival at the IGI Airport, in New Delhi, early Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Air India's two evacuation flights, one from Romanian capital Bucharest and another from Hungarian capital Budapest, carrying 490 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport on Sunday morning, government officials said.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

The second evacuation flight, AI1942, departed from Bucharest with 250 Indian citizens and landed at the Delhi airport around 2.45 am on Sunday, the officials said.

Air India's third evacuation flight, AI1940, departed from Budapest with 240 Indian nationals and landed at the Delhi airport around 9.20 am on Sunday, the officials noted.

An Air India spokesperson said the airline's fourth evacuation flight is expected to come from Bucharest to Delhi with evacuees on Sunday afternoon.

The spokesperson said the carrier plans to send two more planes to Bucharest and Budapest on Sunday so that they can operate fifth and sixth evacuation flights but it is "all highly tentative".

Early this morning, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia welcomed the evacuees of AI1942 flight at the Delhi airport by handing out roses to them.

Addressing the returnees, Scindia said, "I know you all have been through a very, very difficult time, a very, very trying time. But know this that the PM is with you at every step, the Indian government is with you at every step, and 130 crore Indians are with you at every step."

The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

Indian nationals, who reached the Ukraine-Romania border and Ukraine-Hungary border, were taken to Bucharest and Budapest, respectively, by road with the assistance of Indian government officials so that they could be evacuated in these Air India flights.

Scindia told the passengers of AI1942 flight that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and talks are being held so that everyone is brought home safely.

The minister said talks are also on with the Russian government and the Indian government will breathe easy only after each and every stranded Indian is evacuated from Ukraine.

"So, please pass on this message to all your friends and all your colleagues that we are with them and we will guarantee their safe passage back," Scindia said.

"I welcome you all on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I would like to congratulate the team of Air India too, for putting in so much effort to bring you all back," he added.

The government is not charging the rescued citizens for the evacuation flights.

Scindia told reporters at the airport terminal that approximately 13,000 Indians are stranded in Ukraine as of now.

"You know it is an extremely sensitive situation there (Ukraine). In this situation, we are talking with each Indian national, including students, through telecommunications," he said.

"We will bring them back as soon as possible," he said.

Air India shared on Twitter photos of Scindia receiving the evacuees at the airport.

"Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia receiving the Indian nationals who were flown back to Delhi from Bucharest by AI 1942 on February 27 early morning, operated to evacuate Indians stranded at war-ravaged Ukraine," the airline said.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said on Twitter on Saturday that Indian citizens in Ukraine should not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government officials there using helpline numbers.

"The situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and the Embassy is working continuously with our Embassies in our neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens," it mentioned.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said it is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who are reaching border checkpoints without prior intimation.

It said that staying in western cities of Ukraine with access to water, food, accommodation and basic amenities is relatively safer and advisable compared to reaching border checkpoints without being fully abreast of the situation.

"All those currently in the eastern sector are requested to continue to remain in their current places of residence until further instructions, maintain calm, and stay indoors or in shelters as much as possible, with whatever food, water and amenities available and remain patient," it said.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  In a dramatic escalation of East-West tensions over Russias invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday in response to what he called aggressive statements by leading NATO powers.

The order means Putin wants Russias nuclear weapons prepared for increased readiness to launch and raises the threat that Moscows invasion of Ukraine and the Wests response to it could boil over into nuclear warfare.

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Amid the worrying development, the office of Ukraines president said a delegation would meet with Russian officials as Moscows troops drew closer to Kyiv.

Putin, in giving the nuclear alert directive, cited not only the alleged statements by NATO members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, including the Russian leader himself.

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Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Putin told his defense minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said in televised comments.

Putin threatened in the days before Russias invasion to retaliate harshly against any nations that intervened directly in the conflict in Ukraine, and he specifically raised the specter of his countrys status as a nuclear power.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations responded to the news from Moscow while appearing on a Sunday news program.

President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. And we have to continue to condemn his actions in the most strong, strongest possible way.

The practical meaning of Putins order was not immediately clear. Russia and the United States typically have the land- and submarine-based segments of their strategic nuclear forces on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.

If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile submarines to sea, then the United States might feel compelled to respond in kind, according to Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists. That would mark a worrisome escalation and a potential crisis, he said.

The alarming step came as street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

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Around the same time as Putins nuclear move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said on the Telegram messaging app that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border. The message did not give a precise time for the meeting.

The announcement came hours after Russia announced that its delegation had flown to Belarus to await talks. Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place elsewhere than Belarus, where Russia placed a large contingent of troops. Belarus was one of the places from where Russian troops entered Ukraine.

Earlier Sunday, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

The past night was tough  more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure, Zelenskyy said.

Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

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The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraines bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraines government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutors office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the countrys coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraines access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

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Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the presidents office said.

Ukrainian military deputy commander Lt.-Gen. Yevhen Moisiuk sounded a defiant note in a message aimed at Russian troops.

Unload your weapons, raise your hands so that our servicemen and civilians can understand that you have heard us. This is your ticket home, Moisiuk said in a Facebook video.

The number of casualties so far from Europes largest land conflict since World War II remains unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

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Laetitia Courtois, ICRCs permanent observer to the U.N., told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground and we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.

The United Nations refugee agency said Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelenskyy denounced Russias offensive as state terrorism. He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The U.S. pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The U.S., European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

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Responding to a request from Ukraines minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2% of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

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Ukraines ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Courts prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use the most unsavory means, including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

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I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons, Truss told Sky News.

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Isachenkov reported from Moscow, and Miller from Washington. Francesca Ebel, Josef Federman and Andrew Drake in Kyiv; Mstyslav Chernov and Nic Dumitrache in Mariupol, Ukraine; and other AP journalists from around the world contributed to this report.

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Follow the APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The situation at the borders of Poland and Romania worsened on Sunday as the security forces did not allow Telugu students to cross the border. (Representational image: Twitter/@IndiainUkraine)

Hyderabad: As many as 12 Hyderabadi students including girls, who are pursuing MBBS in Ukraine, were allegedly detained by the security forces just five kilometres away from the Romanian border of Ukraine. The security forces also snatched debit cards from them, it is learnt.

The situation at the borders of Poland and Romania worsened on Sunday as the security forces did not allow Telugu students to cross the border. At least eight Telugu students managed to reach the Poland border, but the security forces resorted to mild lathi-charge on them and made them return to Ukraine. The communication system has also not been working since Sunday morning.

Viswanath, a resident of Kacheguda, said his son Kunal was pursuing MBBS and was stuck in Ukraine following the Russian Armys invasion. "As many as 12 Hyderabadi students went to the Romanian border to board a flight. Just five kilometres away from the Romanian border, the security forces detained the students and their mobile phone signals were not working. My son called me and informed me that they were detained by security forces and were not allowed to reach the Romanian border. They walked at least 30 kilometres to reach the place last night," Viswanath said.

Kunal said the forces snatched their debit cards and asked to get permission from the authorities to cross the border. No Embassy official was available for help. The students also approached the consultancy persons and received no response from them, Viswanath said.

Similarly, eight students reached the Polish border on Saturday night. But the security forces caned the students and made them return to Ukraine.

Nageswara Rao, a resident of Attapur, said his daughter Reena and her friends were stranded at the Romanian border. "It is almost minus 5 degrees Celsius at the place and students are facing severe cold conditions. Reena told this morning that they were trying to contact embassy officials to get proper permission letters to cross the border in Romania," Nageswara Rao said.
Ramanathapuram: Eight fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested and a mechanised boat was seized by the Sri Lankan Navy off the Ramanathapuram coast, said police on Sunday.

The fishermen, along with the owner of the boats, had ventured into the sea on Saturday.

The fishermen have been identified as R Ramesh (40), who is the owner of the boat, Rodic (18), Ajith (25), Columbus (52), Iman (22), Linson (23), Buddhi (19), Israel (20).

Further details are awaited.
Bhopal: The plight of Indian students studying medicine in different universities in Ukraine following invasion of the country by Russia a couple of days ago has brought to focus the low MBBS course fees charged the medical institutions in the war-torn nation.

The medical universities in Ukraine charge a fee of Rs 20 lakh- Rs 25 lakh for MBBS course as against Rs one crore charged by private medical colleges in India, according to Prajjal Tiwari, a student from Madhya Pradesh who is currently studying medicine in Ternopil National Medical University in Ukraine.

Mr Tiwari who arrived in Delhi from Ternopil in Ukraine via Kazakhstan on Thursday said his university charges a fee of Rs 20 lakh for MBBS course.

He is a second year MBBS student of the university.

There are hardly 2118 MBBS seats in government medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh. Students aspiring to be doctors have only other alternative is private medical colleges which charge around Rs one crore as fee for MBBS course. Hence, such students opt to study in foreign universities where fees are low as compared to those charged by private medical colleges in our country, he said.

In fact, the MBBS fee in Ukraine universities is cheaper than many other medical colleges in foreign countries. That is why Ukraine attracts students aspiring to be doctors not only from India but also from other countries, Ashish Dhakad, director of Param Education involved in facilitating admission in medical universities of Ukraine for students from Madhya Pradesh, said.

Besides, the MBBS degrees in the universities of Ukraine are recognised by the Government of India, he added.

The students who pass out from medical colleges in foreign universities need to clear Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) for grant of licence to practice in India by the Medical Council of India.

According to Mr Dhakad, 600-700 students from MP go to 12 countries including Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Philippines every year to study medicine since fees for MBBS courses in these countries are much lower than those charged by private medical colleges in India.

Madhya Pradesh has 14 government medical colleges having 2118 seats and 11 private medical colleges having 1750 seats.

Students from India are heading for foreign universities to study medicine basically due to lack of adequate seats in medical colleges in India, Mr Dhakad said.
A tweet by the tourism department hailing Hussainsagar's 'heart-shape', citing a 2012 report by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), has been received with incredulity. (Photo: Twitter)

Hyderabad: A tweet by the tourism department hailing Hussainsagar's 'heart-shape', citing a 2012 report by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), has been received with incredulity.

The department tweeted: "As declared by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, #HussainSagar lake in Hyderabad is the world's largest heart-shaped lake and is called the "Heart of the World" #WonderfulTelangana #Hyderabad #TelanganaTourism," [sic].

However, the UN body had actually stated this way back in 2012. This made the tourism department Tweet appear like the department was trying to sell old wine in a new bottle.

In addition, the tweet also left out out the following part of the UN body's report  constant inflow of industrial effluents and the enormous dumping of domestic solid wastes into the lake Hussainsagar India have unfortunately left it highly polluted.

Apart from this, as environmentalist and founder-member of SOUL (Save Our Urban Lakes) Dr Subba Rao points out, the original shape of the lake was different, and the current one was formed due to encroachments.

Responding to the tweet, Dr Rao said "The state government is blind, as it can't see the state of the lake. And it is deaf as it is not hearing comments about the lake's pollution. And it also does not have a sense of smell. The lake emits methane, which is detrimental to climate change."

Dr Rao said the focus should instead be on understanding and restoring the natural functions of inland freshwater bodies like Hussainsagar.

The irony was not lost on twitter users either. One stated, "stop unnecessary comparisons and start doing works to improve the lake condition." Another netizen tweeted: "they reduce the lake to real heart shape by filling mud. World's dirtiest lake with all kinds of emissions." [sic]
Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his wife wife YS Bharathi pose for a group photo onboard INS Vela during their visit to Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. (DC)

Visakhapatnam: Some half a million people assembled on the shores of the Bay of Bengal to witness the enthralling Operational Demonstration held by Indian Navy as also the colorful International City Parade on Sunday evening at RK Beach, Visakhapatnam, in connection with the MILAN-22.

Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, who was the chief guest, said it was a historic day for AP, particularly Visakhapatnam, as the Indian Naval force exhibited its prowess in three-dimensional warfare and its latest acquisitions, many of which were Indian-Made.

Another historic event was the dedication of INS Visakhapatnam, a warship, it being the largest destroyer of the Indian Navy that added more teeth to the existing forces, the chief minister said.

Jagan said he felt proud INS Visakhapatnam carried emblems of Dolphin LightHouse and Dolphin Nose, the landmarks of Visakhapatnam. For the first time, the Andhra Pradesh government joined hands with the Indian Navy to organise this memorable event and welcomed the foreign delegates present in good numbers.

Operational Demonstration that followed after the CMs address, showcased various operations by the Indian Navy including special feats and sky diving by Marine Commandos, rescue operations by naval helicopters and fly-past by naval aircraft.

The sky diving demonstration was the show stealer, where six divers landed next to the dais and presented a memento to the chief minister.

The International City Parade included smart marching contingents from the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, the visiting navies, the NCC, SCC, the Sainik School Korukonda, the AP police Department, the AP fire services and Veterans.

The dazzling dance performances by cultural troupes and tableaux by AP Tourism celebrating the Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav kept the audience captivated. The spectacular Horn Pipe Dance show by cadets from the Sea Cadet Corps, dance on the theme 'Global Peace' by students of Navy Children School, the Tattoo Ceremony by the Indian Naval Band and a grand Dance Finale by artists showcased the cultural vibrancy of India.

The event culminated in a spectacular laser show, fireworks and illumination by naval ships at anchorage including INS Visakhapatnam.
Indias Defence Services Staff College, in the picturesque hill town of Wellington, has as its credo the Sanskrit phrase Yuddham Pragya, which can be translated as To War with Wisdom. The credo comes to mind as one examines the situation in Central and Eastern Europe where Russian President Vladmir Putin has sent the Russian Army in pursuit of war to punish Ukraine and to ensure that it does not step out of line with Russian interests. To go to war isnt the easiest of decisions. It means destruction and casualties, collateral and bad blood, in order to attain laid down objectives. Mr Putin must surely have weighed all this to decide in favour of war to achieve his intent; his perceived wisdom could probably justify all that. The option of war thus needs some analysis.

I admit I went wrong in assessing President Putin would not go to war and believing he would achieve everything he intended to by threatening to go to war; the classic strategy of brinkmanship. The West thought the same, too, but perceived that it could wriggle out of the situation it had created and continue to pursue its objective to see Russia pushed back.

The mistake was made not in 2021-22 but way back in 1991, when the Soviet Union broke up. The United States and Nato forgot some lessons of history. The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was but 70 years old. It was through it, and the utter lack of understanding of the human psyche, that the victorious Allies pushed vanquished Germany into a resurgence of extreme nationalism that ultimately led to the rise of Nazism. The victors must not exploit victory but manage it. That is the supreme wisdom which comes from an understanding of the term conflict termination. Its not as if everyone goes home taking the spoils of victory, but rather it must be ensured that victory does not sow the seeds of another war.

When Nato began seeking its eastwards march by absorbing some of the former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact nations, it was sowing those very seeds. No doubt Nato claimed that it was catering to the possibility of Russias return in a stronger avatar. That is exactly what has happened but more as a response to what Nato was seeking than anything else.

President Putin probably realised that it was now or never; opportunities do not always come sailing. Brinkmanship was an experiment to see if Nato would bite. US Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has said President Biden could end this by simply acknowledging Russias legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine becoming a member of Nato. Ms Gabbard was right, but probably didnt take into consideration a simple factor. This was the fact that after his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Biden would think many times before doing something that showed the US as weak, accepting a Russian perception. With low approval ratings, no US President could afford to do this.

The US never provided the leadership Nato deserved when its identified interests were hit, although how far is the Nato push on Ukraine a legitimate core interest is still debatable. The US and Nato fell back on economic sanctions, which Russia has weathered effectively over the last eight years. Even if the sanctions are to be intense and personal, Russia is banking on the immediacy of its action and subsequent return to diplomacy. Mr Putin, therefore, exploited the post-Afghanistan window of weakness which seems to have afflicted the US and Nato. He probably also knew all along that brinkmanship would not work as it actually enabled Nato to look strong while resisting Russian aggressiveness.

With war, Nato, the US and Europe as a whole are being seen to be hollow and dithering. Mr Putin also probably sensed that a military victory at this stage of the post-Covid pandemic drafting of the new world order would fetch Russia a much greater dividend and a position higher in the pecking order than being a mere supplicant of China.

How far does President Putin intend to go? Remember, war is not just a unidimensional entity to decide victors and losers. It has hundreds of shades of grey within the spectrum, and its results can be perceived in a hundred different ways, too. Given the asymmetry, Russia can simply smother Ukraine; that is if it were to choose old-world Soviet ways. The Soviets did it to the Chinese PLA in May 1969 at Damansky island on the Ussuri River. However, in 2022, calibration of coercion and intimidation is a far better tactic. Mr Putin is already advising the Ukraine Army to seize power so that negotiations can be simpler; it is not easy perceiving that but a defeated and surrendered Army may initially be much more pliant. However, from all indicators, calibration is not being judiciously applied.

Although information warfare is being played out to bring the horrors of war to the public eye in Ukraine and much of the world, there is reality, too, in the number of casualties. Ukraines President Vladmir Zelensky has made this a life-and-death issue, advising people to fight back. Even Mr Putin would not want an Iraq-type fightback, which could mire the Russian Army in a morass in Europe and prevent any resolution that he is seeking. For him, the political aim is simply regime change; to a more Russia-friendly one; one which will keep Ukraine outside Natos ambit. His military aim seems to be the suppression of Ukraines military forces and a paralysis of the public mind with huge doses of information warfare, conveying the impossibility of resistance against Russia. Yet, in doing so, Mr Putin also knows that there are limits of international acceptance. A shock and awe campaign, of the kind America waged in the Second Gulf War, may not be taken kindly today, two decades later. He is attempting a limited shaping of the battlefield through the use of cyber warfare, missiles and rocket artillery targeting command and control centres and airfields. There are images of residential blocks destroyed and civilian casualties, which wont do much good but could be an early strategy of psychological warfare. Ground incursions were made from different directions but do not seem to have been involved in major contact battles. This could change overnight if the Ukrainians push back militarily. Mr Putin should hope that they should not because an interminable asymmetric war in the heart of Europe 25 years after Bosnia got resolved isnt something anyone is looking to. Wars, too, have to be fought with wisdom.
As Air India ferries hundreds of Indians stranded in Ukraine, the cost of operating a two-way evacuation flight will be more than Rs 1.10 crore and the amount will go up depending on the duration of the flights.

The airline is operating the services with wide-body Boeing 787 plane, better known as Dreamliner, from neighbouring countries of conflict-ridden Ukraine, including Romania and Hungary.

It has already brought back hundreds of Indians. The flights have been chartered by the Indian government.

Also Read | Air India flights carrying 490 Indian evacuees from Ukraine land in Delhi

An airline source told PTI that the cost of operating a chartered flight with the Dreamliner is around Rs 7 to 8 lakh per hour and the total amount will depend "on where we are going and how far we are going".

The total cost will include expenses related to crew, fuel, navigation, landing and parking charges.

Also, considering that these flights are for relatively long duration, there will be two sets of crew onboard. The crew that operates the first leg of the flight will take rest in the return leg and will be replaced by another set of crew, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Follow live Ukraine Russia crisis updates here

Currently, Air India is operating flights to Bucharest (Romania) and Budapest (Hungary) and both are offline stations for the airline, which means it does not have scheduled services to these places.

According to flight tracking website FlightAware, the flight from Bucharest to Mumbai that landed on Saturday night was for a duration of nearly six hours.

The flight from Budapest to Delhi was for about six hours and another flight from Delhi to Bucharest took over seven hours. An Air India flight from Bucharest to Delhi took over 5 hours.

As the cost will be between Rs 7 to 8 lakh per hour, the total cost for a round trip will be more than Rs 1.10 crore. The figure is calculated under the assumption that overall duration of the to and fro flight is around 14 hours. The expenses will shoot up in case the duration is longer.

The government is not charging people for the evacuation flights. Some state governments have also announced that they will bear the expenses of people from their respective states who are returning from Ukraine.

The Dreamliner has more than 250 seats.

According to pilots who fly Dreamliners, the aircraft on an average consumes 5 tonnes of fuel per hour.

The source said that once the operations are complete, the exact cost will be worked out and then the airline will send the bill to the government for reimbursement.

Air India did not offer comments on queries about the cost involved in operating the evacuation flights.

According to the source, the overall cost will be comparatively lower if the chartered flight is operated to a scheduled destination as already factors like getting fuel would have been taken care of.

In evacuation operations, the airline operates a ferry flight from India to the destination concerned. Generally, a ferry flight refers to service wherein the plane does not have people onboard except the crew members.

Till now, a few Air India flights have returned with Indians, who were stranded in Ukraine, from Bucharest and Budapest. Indians crossed the Ukranian borders with Romania and Hungary, respectively, before they were flown out from these destinations.

On February 24, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, were stranded in Ukraine, which is now engaged in an intense battle with Russia. Since then, over 900 Indians have returned and there would be now around 15,000 Indians in Ukraine and its border areas.

Ukranian airspace is closed for civilian flights since February 24 amid the Russian offensive.

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OPEC+ revised down its forecast for the 2022 oil market surplus by about 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.1 million bpd, according to a base scenario in a technical committee report seen by Reuters on Sunday.

The data - part of a report the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) prepares for OPEC+ ministers - also shows stocks in the developed world standing at 62 million barrels below the 2015 to 2019 average by the end of the year.

In a previous forecast it had predicted the stocks would reach 20 million barrels above the same average by that point.

Ministers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia, a grouping known as OPEC+, meet on March 2 to decide whether to increase output by 400,000 bpd in April.

Sources from the group told Reuters their output deal is showing no cracks so far after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the group is likely to stick to a planned output rise despite crude topping $100 a barrel.

Data from a separate JTC report seen by Reuters on Sunday showed the group produced in January 972,000 bpd less than the targets outlined by the deal, compared with 824,000 less in December.

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Nearly three years after the union government announced subsidy for rooftop solar panel installation, Bescom is yet to finalise empanelled vendors, effectively denying citizens to go green.

In March 2019, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced the Soura Gruha Yojana and made electricity supply companies nodal agencies. Consumers get a 40% subsidy for up to three kilowatts of solar panel installation and 20% for above 3 kW.

Despite Bescom receiving 1,200 applications since 2019, the project has seen little movement. Officials said three tenders were called but didnt get much response. We had a 30 MW allocation for the financial year 2019-20 and floated a tender to identify the agency to instal the panels but the response was poor and no eligible bidders came forward, a Bescom official said, adding that the subsequent tender had the same result.

DH Radio | Solar and Wind: Karnataka's big renewable energy potentials

While Bescom finalised an eligible agency in January 2021, it could not get it onboard since the allocation for the financial year 2020-21 had expired. The electricity company has now called for the fourth tender and is hoping to seal the deal at the earliest.

Bescom Managing Director Rajendra Cholan said a work order had already been issued to instal panels up to 5.5 MW capacity. Initially, it was decided that consumers should pay escoms which, in turn, would appoint an agency to instal the panels. Going by this scheme, we issued the work order to instal panels up to 5.5 MW and work would begin shortly, he said.

Cholan said a few gaps in communication caused the delay, which has now been resolved, adding that frequent changes to guidelines have also hindered the process. After the first few applications, the MNRE guidelines changed, he said. They said we empanel the vendors and let consumers pay them directly. Allocations for various scams also changed multiple times. So we couldnt finalise the vendors.

Also Read | PLI scheme for domestic makers of solar module gets Rs 19, 500 crores allocation

Poor response

Bescom officials said the response to the programme had been lukewarm. The 1,200 applications we received amount to just 2.2 MW of energy, said a Bescom official. The poor utilisation prompted MNRE to slash allocation to Bescom from 300 MW to 10 MW.

Officials also said 300 MW was a high target.

A solar panel of capacity 1 kW can be set up on an area of 100 sq ft. Most of the applications we receive are from residential buildings and hence achieving 300 MW is nearly impossible, the official explained.

Must read | Opposition calls govt's funding for solar power PLI scheme 'rhetoric'

Cholan said Bescom was working out a programme to lure more consumers to solar energy. We could not hold many awareness programmes due to the pandemic. But going ahead, we plan to motivate more RWAs and citizens to opt for solar rooftops, he said, adding that Bescom is also developing a single-window system to simplify the subsidy application process.

Noticing the lapses in implementation, the MNRE last month announced that consumers are no longer required to get the panels installed via empanelled vendors. Consumers can directly avail themselves of the subsidy by furnishing the documents on a specially-designed portal or get the installations from empanelled vendors appointed by escoms. But the portal is yet to be launched, an official said.

Despite claims of challenges in luring consumers, citizens have set up rooftop solar panels amounting to 175.259 MW since 2014 without the subsidy. Bescom has helped instal a further 4 MW.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to voters to exercise their franchise.

In a tweet on the fifth phase of polling for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Prime Minister Modi said, "Today is the fifth phase of the festival of democracy in Uttar Pradesh. I request all the voters to exercise their franchise and cast their valuable vote."

Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Today is the fifth phase of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. My request to all the voters of this phase is to vote in large numbers and choose a strong government, who will ensure the development of the state as well as the security of the people of the state."

Also Read | Battle for Uttar Pradesh: Polling begins for fifth phase; fate of key constituencies like Amethi, Ayodhya to be sealed

Appealing to people to vote with full enthusiasm, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "The fifth phase of voting for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is being held today. In an appeal to all the voters who are voting today to vote with full enthusiasm. I especially urge the youth and women that they must participate in this festival of democracy."

BJP chief J P Nadda has appealed to voters in the 61 Assembly constituencies to exercise their franchise to form a strong government in Uttar Pradesh. Nadda also appealed to the first time voters to come forward to strengthen democracy.

Fifth phase polling is underway in 61 Assembly constituencies spread in 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

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For many Floridians, the launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center are hallowed ground. Cape Canaveral has been the primary backdrop for humanitys quest to escape the bounds of earth, to explore and even colonize nearby planets.

Just adjacent to the space center are two other treasures this area holds sacred: The broad, largely unspoiled expanse of the Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, teeming with an incredible diversity of wildlife and habitat. For six decades, these thriving remnants of Floridas past have flourished alongside the monument to mankinds future.

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But some of the states top environmental advocates fear that balance is at risk. Theyre worried that NASA may push ahead with plans to expand space operations without a thorough review of the impact on the two parks, which attract an estimated 1.5 million visitors a year.

One man can lay these fears to rest  NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. He should speak up now, committing to a full review of the SpaceX proposal  or guiding it to a better location.

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The project in question is undeniably an exciting one. Plans to expand private space exploration from KSC include the development of a new launch facility known as LC-49 for SpaceXs massive Starship, powered by the companys superheavy booster and towering nearly 400 feet tall. This is the vehicle that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk hopes will eventually carry human beings to Mars  and that he says may someday be capable of launching several times in a single day.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

As the Sentinels Kevin Spear detailed in a December story, LC-49 is very close to the wildlife refuge and the road that provides access to the southern end of the national seashore  well within the 3-mile radius that is usually closed to the public during launch activity. If SpaceX makes good on its aggressive plans, that could shut the public out of two significant tourism draws more often than not.

A pair of sandhill cranes explore a paved parking area near the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 24, 2021. Kennedy shares space with the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge, which is home to more than 1,000 species of plants, 117 species of fish, 68 amphibians and reptiles, 330 birds, and 31 different mammals. The refuge provides a favorable environment for the cranes as it contains shallow freshwater habitats for nesting, along with a variety of vegetation and prey to feed on. (NASA/Ben Smegelsky/NASA/Ben Smegelsky)

Charles Lee, of Floridas Audubon Society, says there are multiple environmental threats as well. The plans could wipe out as much as 175 acres of scrub jay habitat, erasing one of the last healthy colonies for the endangered birds and putting other rare creatures such as indigo snakes and gopher tortoises at risk. The water NASA uses to cool down launch facilities could wash pollutants into a series of wetlands and tidal marshes, and Lee says SpaceX operations in Texas have peppered nearby preserves with debris.

You could not have picked a worse spot than LC-49, Lee says  adding that he believes there are better options for a new SpaceX launch facility near the center of the Kennedy Space Center complex.

Even worse, many believe NASA plans to develop LC-49 without a thorough assessment of the environmental impacts and an opportunity for the public to weigh in. At the very least, Nelson should ensure that review takes place, even if it inconveniences SpaceX.

NASA director Bill Nelson. (NASA/Bill Ingalls) (NASA/Bill Ingalls/AP)

Perhaps more than anyone, Nelson knows whats at stake. His grandparents owned land that is now part of the Space Center, and he grew up roaming the beaches near Cape Canaveral. As a U.S. senator, Nelson served on the committee that oversaw NASA and was a crew member on a space shuttle mission. He also helped secure federal funding to re-route the road that accesses the national seashore so it wouldnt be closed as often by launch-related activity.

That gives him a unique understanding of Cape Canaverals historic balancing act between environmentalism, tourism and space exploration. Humans dont have to sacrifice this planet while reaching for the next  and Nelson should make that clear.

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.
As the battle for Indias biggest and politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh moves into the caste-ridden Avadh and Purvanchal (eastern) regions which account for 171 seats in the 403-member UP assembly, the role of the smaller and caste-based outfits is likely to be critical for the success of the bigger parties.

The electoral equations in the region, unlike the states western and the central parts where politics is dominated by specific castes and communities in a majority of seats, presents a far more complicated picture with a web of castes, especially the non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav Dalits, which are dominant in pockets and often decide the outcome of the polls.

It is the dominance of these cases, which include Rajbhar, Kurmi, Maurya, Chauhan, Pasi, Nishad and Nonia, which forces the bigger parties to make them their alliance partners in order to weave the winning combination.

Also Read | BJP banks on 'Hindutva', SP on caste equations in fifth phase of UP polls

The BJPs stunning victory in the region in 2017 assembly polls was largely the result of its alliance with a number of smaller, caste-based outfits like the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), which commands considerable influence among the Rajbhars and Apna Dal (AD), a Kurmi outfit. The saffron party had won 115 seats in the region, followed by the Samajwadi Party (SP), which had won 17, while the BSP had secured 14 seats. The Congress could manage only two seats while the others, mainly the BJPs allies, had bagged 16 seats.

The situation this time, however, has changed drastically. The BJPs 2017 ally, the SBSP, has now joined hands with the SP for the ongoing assembly polls. Although the Rajbhar community forms only 4% of the total electorate in the state, they formed 12% to 23% of the electorate in several districts in the Purvanchal region, especially in Varanasi, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Mau, Ballia and Ghazipur, thus becoming a deciding force on over two dozen seats.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav has also brought the little known Janvadi Party (Socialist), which wields considerable influence over the Nonia community, which are in sizeable strength on around a dozen seats in the region, under his party-led alliance. The SP also received a shot in the arm when the BJP heavyweight and a minister in Yogi Adityanaths government, Swami Prasad Maurya, joined it a few days before the announcement of polls. He is considered to be an influential leader among the Maurya community in Gorakhpur and its adjoining districts in the region.

Also Read | In Ayodhya and elsewhere in UP, desertion in BJP's Dalit-OBC support

If the SP succeeds in getting support of the Rajbhar, Nonia and Maurya communities, then along with the support of its core voters  Yadavs and Muslims  it may well have given itself a winning formula," opines S P Gaur, a Gorakhpur-based journalist.

Although the BJP has always been a strong force in the region, the party in 2017 assembly polls had managed to win only one out of the 10 seats in Azamgarh, four out of the nine seats in Jaunpur, three out of the seven seats in Ghazipur, two out of the five in Ambedkar Nagar and two out of the seven in Pratapgarh districts, clearly reflecting that it was not so strong in around half a dozen eastern districts.

The BJP had succeeded in sweeping the region in 2017 as it had the support of the SBSP, AD and leaders like Swami Prasad Maurya, who had influence over non-Yadav OBCs. It may now find it difficult to repeat its 2017 performance in the absence of its old allies, Gaur told DH.

No wonder, BJP leaders have been highlighting their partys Hindutva agenda in their public meetings along with showcasing the newly built expressways. Prime minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been referring to the development of Hindu religious places, including Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Mirzapur and Varanasi to woo the voters.

The BJP has publicly tried to downplay the exit of its senior OBC leaders and maintains that their departure will not have any impact on its electoral prospects. The party leaders, however, privately admit otherwise. In the 2017 assembly polls, the BJP had polled around 40% of votes while the SPs vote share stood at around 20%. The saffron party had managed to secure 44% votes of the OBCs in the eastern region. A dent in the OBC votes will certainly hit BJPs prospects in the region," said Lucknow-based political analyst R S Upadhyaya.

Draw solace

The BJP can, however, draw solace from the fact that it managed to keep its alliance with the AD intact and also brought in the Nishad Party, which commands influence over the Nishad (Boatmen, fishermen) community. "The alliance may help the BJP offset some of the losses," said Upadhyaya.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh polls: Why is BJP afraid of stray cattle?

Apart from the OBC, the BJP is also hard-pressed this time to maintain its hold on the electorally influential Brahmin community, which formed around 10% of the total electorate in Purvanchal and Avadh regions and even go up to 30% in over three dozen constituencies. The community appeared to be unhappy with Adityanath over what its leaders alleged persecution of the Brahmins in his regime. Although the Brahmins have been traditional voters of the BJP, migration of some of the high profile leaders of the community from the saffron party to the SP may make a dent in that vote bank as well. Many of them hail from Gorakhpur, the home town of Adityanath.

Just a few days before the polls, Pandit Hari Shankar Tewari, one of the tallest Brahmin leaders in Purvanchal and a six-term MLA from Chillupar seat in Gorakhpur district, joined the SP along with his two sons, one of whom a BSP MLA and another a former MP. The SP also managed to attract BSP Lok Sabha member Ritesh Pandeys father Rakesh Pandey, an ex-MP.

The influx of so many senior Brahmin leaders into the SP triggered unease within the saffron party prompting it to launch frantic efforts to douse the perceived anger in the community and bring them back into its fold. It formed a 16-member committee headed by the partys Rajya Sabha member Shiv Pratap Shukla to reach out to the community and apprise them about the various measures initiated by the Centre and the state government for the welfare of the community.

It remains to be seen which caste combination triumphs in the Purvanchal and Avadh regions but political analysts opine that they will witness a close contest this time.

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The United States, Britain, Europe and Canada announced new sanctions on Russia on Saturday - including blocking certain lenders' access to the SWIFT international payment system - following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

Below are details on the measures proposed so far:

Switching Off Swift

Washington and its partners started to deploy what was widely seen as one of the harshest sanction measures: barring banks from SWIFT - a step that will stop lenders from conducting most of their financial transactions worldwide and, according to the statement, effectively curb Russian exports and imports.

Also Read | India subtly changes stand, but not to go against Russia

The step, which will include restrictions on the central bank's international reserves, will be implemented in the coming days, the nations said in a joint statement that also vowed further action.

It was not immediately clear which Russian banks would be removed from SWIFT, but Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the move would ensure those selected were "disconnected from the international financial system" in a way that would "harm their ability to operate globally."

SWIFT is used by more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries.

Banks and Financial Firms

The United States and Britain announced restrictions that, combined with previous sanctions, would in effect kick the vast majority of Russian banking assets out of both countries. New targets included Sberbank and VTB Bank, Russia's two largest lenders.

US banks must sever correspondent banking ties - allowing banks to make payments between one another and move money around the globe - with Russia's largest lender, Sberbank, within 30 days.

Follow live updates of Russia-Ukraine crisis here

Officials in Washington also wielded their most powerful sanctioning tool, adding VTB, Otkritie, Novikombank and Sovcombank to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list - effectively kicking them out of the US financial system, banning trade with Americans and freezing their US assets.

EU leaders have agreed on sanctions targeting 70 per cent of the Russian banking market and important state-owned companies, including in defence.

Russia's large banks are deeply integrated into the global financial system and sanctions will be felt far beyond its borders. Data from the Bank for International Settlements showed European lenders hold the lion's share of the around $120 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 US-dollar share amounting to around 53 per cent of both, down from 76 per cent-81 per cent two decades ago.

Sovereign Debt and Capital Markets

Britain announced it would ban Russian sovereign debt sales in London. Russia has issued 4.1 billion pounds of sovereign debt in London since the beginning of 2020.

Also Read | Potent protest: Bars drop Russian vodka, promote Ukraine's

The coming package of EU measures 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," the bloc said. It will ban EU investors from trading in Russian state bonds.

Washington announced new restrictions on dealings in Russia's sovereign debt on Tuesday. Americans - already barred from investing in Russian sovereign debt directly - will be banned from purchasing it in the secondary market after March 1.

Even before the latest events, access to Russian bonds had become increasingly restricted.

US sanctions imposed in 2015 made future Russian dollar debt ineligible for many investors and key indexes. In April 2021, President Joe Biden barred US investors from buying new Russian rouble bonds over accusations of Russian election meddling.

The curbs have cut Russia's external debt by 33 per cent since early 2014 - from $733 billion to $489 billion in the third quarter of 2021.

Individuals

The US, the EU and Britain have already imposed asset freezes, travel bans and other curbs on Russian individuals.

Britain announced sanctions on more than 100 Russian individuals and entities, including an asset freeze and travel ban on Yelena Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank; Pyotr Fradkov, Promsvyazbank chairman; Denis Bortnikov, VTB deputy president; Kirill Shamalov, President Vladimir Putin's former son-in-law; and United Aircraft's Yury Slyusar.

Britain will also introduce legislation to limit deposits that Russian nationals can hold in UK bank accounts. The limit will be 50,000 pounds ($66,860) at British banks.

Also Read | Ukraine Crisis: How Indias abstention from UNSC vote is different from China's

Washington sanctioned Fradkov and Bortnikov on Tuesday, as well as Vladimir Kiriyenko, the son of a former prime minister.

On Thursday, Washington targeted others close to Putin, including Sergei Ivanov, CEO of Russian state-owned diamond mining company Alrosa; Andrey Patrushev, who has served in leadership roles at Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom; and Ivan Sechin, reportedly a deputy head of a department at energy company Rosneft.

Biden said on Thursday he would consider personal sanctions on Putin, a move Moscow has said would not harm the Russian president personally but would prove "politically destructive".

The EU has already imposed sanctions on five people who were involved in a Russian parliamentary election in annexed Crimea last September, and said it would blacklist all lawmakers who voted to recognise two regions controlled by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, freeze any assets they have in the EU and ban them from travelling to the bloc.

Energy Corporates and 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 deepened, with one possible option being to prevent companies from settling in US 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.

The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on the company in charge of building Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Curbing Technology

The EU has vowed to introduce measures to crimp Russia's technological position in key areas - from high-tech components to cutting-edge software.

The US Commerce Department said on Thursday it was implementing export controls that will severely restrict Russias access to semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, information security equipment, lasers, and sensors that it needs to sustain its military capabilities.

Similar measures were deployed during the Cold War when sanctions kept the Soviet Union technologically backwards and crimped economic growth.

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SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company's Starlink satellite broadband service is available in Ukraine and SpaceX is sending more terminals to the country, whose internet has been disrupted due to the Russian invasion.

"Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route," Musk tweeted.

He was responding to a tweet by a Ukrainian government official who asked Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations.

Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 26, 2022

@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars  Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space  Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people!" Ukraines vice prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, tweeted.

Internet connectivity in Ukraine has been affected by the Russian invasion, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country where fighting has been heaviest, internet monitors said on Saturday.

Also Read | Fresh sanctions: US, allies to cut off 'selected' Russian banks from SWIFT

While extremely costly to deploy, satellite technology can provide internet for people who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fibre optic cables and cell towers do not reach. The technology can also be a critical backstop when hurricanes or other natural disasters disrupt communication.

Musk said on January 15 that SpaceX had 1,469 Starlink satellites active and 272 moving to operational orbits soon.

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Former President Donald Trump on Saturday condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said he was praying for Ukrainians, marking a sharp shift of tone from earlier this week when he praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump delivered his remarks at the CPAC conservative gathering in Florida a few hours after the United States and allies announced sweeping new sanctions that would kick some Russian banks off the main global payments systems and limit the ability of Russia's central bank to support the rouble.

Earlier this week, Trump irked some Republican party members by describing Putin's actions in Ukraine, where cities have been pounded by Russian artillery and cruise missiles, as "genius" and "pretty savvy."

Also Read | Putin waves nuclear sword in confrontation with the West

Addressing an adoring crowd at CPAC, Trump expressed empathy for Ukrainians and this time praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, calling him "brave" as he stays in Kyiv, the capital.

"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all," Trump said.

Trump also used his pulpit at CPAC, which touts itself as the world's largest conservative gathering, to bash Democratic President Joe Biden, saying Putin took advantage of his being "weak" to attack.

Trump linked the invasion to the US 2020 presidential election, a fixation of his, again falsely saying that fraud was to blame for Biden's victory.

"As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president," he said, to which a woman in the packed audience responded: "You are the president!"

Trump also cited Russia's invasion of Georgia under George W. Bush and Crimea under Barack Obama before declaring: "I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country."

Trump did address his past praise of Putin, saying he was correct that Putin was smart because he was outfoxing world leaders. "The real problem is that our leaders are dumb, dumb. So dumb," he said.

Also Read | Why is Putin at war again? Because he keeps winning

In an interview released earlier on Saturday, Biden mocked Trump's comment that Putin is a "genius."

"I put as much stock in Trump saying that Putin is a genius than when he called himself a stable genius," Biden said.

During the four-day CPAC conference in Orlando, Florida, which closes on Sunday, conservatives have repeated the line that Putin decided to invade Ukraine because he knew Biden was "weak." Republican politicians have broadly steered clear of lauding Putin, however, and hot-button domestic issues, like mask mandates, have featured far more heavily than foreign policy.

Earlier on Saturday, J.D. Vance, a Republican candidate for an Ohio US Senate seat, said the American political class was fixated on the Ukraine conflict at the detriment of problems closer to home, such as record crossings at the Mexican border.

"I'm sick of being told that we have to care more about people 6,000 miles away than we do people like my mom, and my grandparents, and all the kids who are affected by this crisis," said Vance, a venture capitalist and author.
China's Wuhan wet market may be the source of origin of Covid pandemic and not the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) as previously speculated, a team of US scientists has revealed in two new studies.

The studies, not yet peer-reviewed, revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 was very likely present in live mammals sold in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in late 2019.

Scientists, including those from the University of Arizona, also suggested that the virus twice spilled over into people working or shopping there, the New York Times reported.

However, the team said they found no support for an alternate theory that the coronavirus escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan.

"When you look at all of the evidence together, it's an extraordinarily clear picture that the pandemic started at the Huanan market," Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona and a co-author of both studies, was quoted as saying.

Earlier analysis also suggested that the first known case of the coronavirus was a vendor at the Huanan market.

But no wildlife was left at the market by the time Chinese researchers arrived in early 2020 to collect genetic samples, the report said.

The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was an early object of suspicion when Covid first swept across Wuhan and was also shut later.

But, the link to the market seemed to weaken as the coronavirus spread, and questions arose about the research carried out at the WIV, where scientists studied coronaviruses, the report said.

In the studies, Worobey and his colleagues estimated the latitude and longitude of 156 cases of Covid in Wuhan in December 2019. The highest density of cases centered around the market.

The researchers then mapped cases in January and February. They used data collected by Chinese researchers from Weibo, a social media app that created a channel for people with Covid to seek help.

The 737 cases drawn from Weibo were concentrated away from the market, in other parts of central Wuhan with high populations of elderly residents.

The patterns pointed to the market as the origin of the outbreak, the studies found, with the coronavirus then spreading to the surrounding neighbourhoods before moving out farther across the city.

The researchers ran tests that showed it was extremely unlikely that such a pattern could be produced merely by chance, the report said.

"It's very strong statistical evidence that this is no coincidence," Worobey said.

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The European Union needs to prepare for millions of Ukrainian refugees arriving in the bloc, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Sunday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear-armed forces to be put on high alert.

Thousands of Ukrainian civilians, mainly women and children, have fled into neighbouring countries since Russia's invasion, the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two, began last Thursday.

At least 300,000 refugees had already arrived in the EU by Sunday and many more were likely to come, Johansson said.

Read | Ukraine and Russia agree to talks at Belarusian border

"I think we need to prepare for millions," she told reporters in Brussels, where the bloc's home affairs ministers gathered for a special meeting to discuss the fallout of the war in Ukraine.

Denmark said it was ready to take in Ukrainian refugees.

"I have signalled very clearly that the Danish door is open and that we are willing to help," Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye said.

Germany warned against putting up bureaucratic hurdles, while France said EU countries will consider "in the next hours and days" if they need to put in place a resettlement programme for Ukrainians fleeing the conflict.

Johansson praised European citizens for their solidarity and hospitality in the crisis.

"I am proud of how the European citizens at the borders are showing concrete solidarity with Ukrainians fleeing this terrible, aggressive war," she said.



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Western allies have announced sweeping new sanctions against Russia, including banishing its key banks from the main global payments system, drawing thanks from Ukraine on Sunday as its forces were repelling Russian troops advancing on Kyiv.

Russian forces pounded several cities with missiles overnight, setting an oil terminal ablaze in the town of Vasylkiv, southwest of the capital, Kyiv, its mayor said. The blasts sent flames and smoke into the night sky, online posts showed.

"The enemy wants to destroy everything," said the mayor, Natalia Balasinovich.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a special military operation on Thursday, ignoring weeks of Western warnings and saying the "neo-Nazis" ruling Ukraine threatened Russia's security - a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

Also Read | Why is Putin at war again? Because he keeps winning

The biggest assault on a European state since World War Two threatens to upend the continent's post-Cold War order.

Reuters witnesses in Kyiv reported occasional blasts and gunfire in the city late on Saturday but it was not clear where it was coming from.

"We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video message from the streets of Kyiv posted on his social media.

A US defence official said Ukraine's forces were putting up "very determined resistance" to the three-pronged Russian advance that has sent hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing westwards, clogging major highways and railway lines.

The United States and its European partners also said they would impose restrictions on Russia's central bank to limit its ability to support the rouble and finance his war effort.

"We are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies," the Western allies said as they escalated their punitive response.

"We will implement these measures within the coming days," according to a joint statement from the United States, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Britain and the European Commission.

Also Read | Putin waves nuclear sword in confrontation with the West

'THANKS TO FRIENDS'

After initially shying away from such a move largely because of concern about the impact on their economies, the allies said they committed to "ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system." They did not name the banks that would be expelled, but an EU diplomat said some 70% of the Russian banking market would be affected.

The decision - which the French finance minister had earlier called a "financial nuclear weapon" because of the damage it would inflict on the Russian economy - deals a blow to Russia's trade and makes it harder for its companies to do business.

SWIFT, or the "Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication", is a secure messaging network that facilitates rapid cross-border payments, making it a crucial mechanism for international trade.

Sanctions on Russia's central bank could limit Putin's use of his more than $630 billion in international reserves, widely seen as insulating Russia from some economic harm.

The new measures will prevent Russia from "using its war chest," said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the European Union's executive.

But because Russia's large banks are deeply integrated into the global financial system, such sanctions could have a spillover effect, hurting trading partners in Europe and elsewhere.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said in a Twitter post on Sunday: "Thanks to our friends ... for the commitment to remove several Russian banks from SWIFT."

Also Read | Vladimir Putin calls on Ukraine army to remove leadership in Kyiv

The Kremlin said its troops were advancing again "in all directions" after Putin ordered a pause on Friday. Ukraine's government said there had been no pause.

A Ukrainian presidential adviser said about 3,500 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded. Western officials have also said intelligence showed Russia suffering higher casualties than expected and its advance slowing.

Russia has not released casualty figures, and it was impossible to verify tolls or the precise picture on the ground.

'Determined Resistance'

The US official said Russia's forces had not made the progress that they wanted to, particularly in the north.

"They have been frustrated by what they have seen is a very determined resistance," the US official said, without providing evidence.

At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed and 1,115 people wounded so far, Interfax quoted Ukraine's Health Ministry as saying.

Interfax later cited the regional administration in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, saying 17 civilians had been killed and 73 wounded by Russian shelling.

Moscow says it is taking care not to hit civilian sites.

Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, won independence from Moscow in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union and wants to join NATO and the EU, goals Russia opposes.

Putin has said he must eliminate what he calls a serious threat to his country from its smaller neighbour, accusing it of genocide against Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine - something Kyiv and its Western allies reject as a lie.

UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said more than 150,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed into neighbouring countries - half to Poland, others to Hungary, Moldova and Romania.

US President Joe Biden approved the release of up to $350 million worth of weapons from US stocks, while Germany, in a shift from its long-standing policy of not exporting weapons to war zones, said it would send anti-tank weapons and surface-to-air missiles.

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Japan will join Western nations in removing selected Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system, the country's prime minister said Sunday, piling further pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

"In what was released this morning by the Western nations, steps are taken to isolate Russia from the international financial system and the world economy including exclusion of specific Russian banks from SWIFT," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

"Western nations have requested Japan participate. Japan will join this initiative," he added.

Explained | SWIFT and its role in Russia-Ukraine crisis

SWIFT's messaging system allows banks to communicate rapidly and securely about transactions, and cutting Russia off would cripple its trade with most of the world.

Embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday once again asked the international community to sever Russia from the SWIFT system.

Kishida's government has already announced a series of joint sanctions against Moscow, targeting financial institutions and semiconductor exports, working with its partners in the Group of Seven.

Follow live Ukriane-Russia crisis updates here

In addition to $100 million in loans already offered to Ukraine, Kishida said Tokyo would offer another $100 million in emergency humanitarian aid.

"In light of this emergency situation, Japan reiterates that we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine who are striving to defend their sovereignty, territory, motherland and families," he said.

He also announced Japan would seek to identify and freeze assets belonging to President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials.

Japan, a key US ally, has complex relations with Russia and did not sign a peace treaty after World War II because of a lingering dispute over four islands claimed by Moscow in the closing days of the conflict.

The islands, off the coast of Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, are known as the southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan.

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Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Thursday signed a decree declaring a state of emergency in the Baltic country in response to Russia's military attack on Ukraine.

The Baltic country's parliament was expected to approve the measure in an extraordinary session later on Thursday.

The measure, in effect until March 10, allows for a more flexible use of state reserve funds and increased border protection, giving border guards greater authorities to stop and search individuals and vehicles in border areas.

NATO member Lithuania borders Russia's Kaliningrad region to the southwest, Belarus to the east, Latvia to the north and Poland to the south.

World leaders expressed a raw outrage shrouded by an impotence to immediately come to the aid of Ukraine to avoid a major war in Europe, condemning Russia's attack on its neighbour as the European Union and others promised unprecedented sanctions to hit the Kremlin.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it a barbaric attack on an independent nation that also targeted the stability in Europe and the whole of the international peace order.

The EU will hold an emergency summit in Brussels, where NATO is also meeting after Poland and the Baltic nations bordering Russia and Ukraine called for an urgent session.

But no one promised to move in militarily and defend Ukraine as it could touch off a major European war, but NATO did decide to beef up its Eastern flank facing Russia.

President Vladimir Putin warned anyone listening that any interference would lead to consequences you have never seen in history.

Von der Leyen said that it's President Putin who's bringing war back to Europe.

So instead, most of the world  but not China  condemned and threatened to hit the Russian elites with, in the words of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the strongest package, the harshest package of sanctions we have ever implemented.

A major nuclear power has attacked a neighbour country and is threatening reprisals of any other states that may come to the rescue, Borrell said.

This is not only the greatest violation of international law, it's a violation of the basic principles of human coexistence. It's costing many lives with unknown consequences ahead of us. The European Union will respond in the strongest possible terms.

Von der Leyen said the massive and targeted sanctions she will put to EU leaders will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking the access to technologies and markets that are key for Russia.

She said the sanctions, if approved, will weaken Russia's economic base and its capacity to modernise.

And in addition, we will freeze Russian assets in the European Union and stop the access of Russian banks to European financial markets.

Like the first package of sanctions that were imposed when Russia recognised the two breakaway eastern Ukrainian republics, von der Leyen said all Western powers were walking in lockstep.

We are closely aligned with our partners and allies the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, but also, for example, Japan and Australia, she said.

The NATO alliance agreed at emergency talks early Thursday to bolster its land, sea and air forces on its eastern flank near Ukraine and Russia.

We have increased the readiness of our forces to respond to all contingencies, NATO ambassadors said in a statement.

And highlighting a widening rift in superpower relations, China stood alone in failing to condemn the attack and instead accused the United States and its allies of worsening the crisis.

And it put its friendship in practice Thursday by approving imports of wheat from Russia, a move that could help to reduce the impact of possible increased Western sanctions. Russia is one of the biggest wheat producers but would be vulnerable if foreign markets block shipments.

In a clear defense of Moscow, China called on parties to respect others' legitimate security concerns.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that all parties should work for peace instead of escalating the tension or hyping up the possibility of war, in language China has consistently used to criticize the West in the crisis.

Those parties who were busy condemning others; what have they done Have they persuaded others? Hua said.

One thing was clear  weeks of diplomatic cajoling, global crisscrossing of leaders and foreign ministers, and the threat of sanctions against Putin's inner circle had failed to persuade the Kremlin to take one of the most significant measures in Europe since the end of the Cold War.

Overall, more sanctions appear the only option for the foreseeable future. And from South Korea to Australia to Europe, governments were lining up to oppose Putin.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who had labored until the last minute for a diplomatic solution, said France firmly condemns Russia's decision to wage war, and promised support for Ukraine.

The turmoil from the beginning of a long-feared act of aggression rippled from Europe to Asia.

Stock markets plunged, oil prices surged, and European aviation officials warned of a high risk to civilian aircraft over Ukraine, reminding air operators that this is now an active conflict zone.

Russia's attack and uncertainty about the intensity of the Western response sent stocks tumbling and oil prices surging by more than $5 per barrel.

Market benchmarks in Europe and Asia fell by as much as 4%, while Brent crude oil briefly jumped above $100 per barrel in London for the first time since 2014 on unease about possible disruption of supplies from Russia, the No. 3 producer.

In New York, the UN Security Council held an extraordinary emergency meeting meant to dissuade Russia from sending troops into Ukraine.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' plea to give peace a chance came just as Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared on Russian TV to announce the military operation.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine. Moscow had massed more than 150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders.

On Monday, Putin recognised the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian forces there for what he called peacekeeping.

To avoid international civilian casualties, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said there is a risk of both intentional targeting and misidentification of civil aircraft and that the presence and possible use of a wide range of ground and airborne warfare systems poses a HIGH risk for civil flights operating at all altitudes.

Africa highlighted the global impact and diplomatic reach of the attack.

Few African nations have issued responses to the crisis but the director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention openly worried that global attention will now shift even further from helping the world's least vaccinated continent respond to COVID-19.

The conflict in Ukraine definitely will draw attention, political attention, towards that crisis, John Nkengasong said.

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North Korea on Sunday launched a suspected ballistic missile into sea, South Korean and Japanese officials said, in the North's apparent eighth round of weapons tests so far this year.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that the launch had happened without providing further details. Japan's Defence Ministry also said North Korea launched a possible ballistic missile.

A maritime safety warning from Japan's Coast Guard said "an object possibly ballistic missile" was launched from North Korea and that it probably landed in the sea. Vessels in the area were warned to stay away from objects that may have fallen from the air and to report them to authorities.

North Korea last month conducted seven rounds of missile tests in what some experts called an attempt to perfect its weapons technology and pressure the Biden administration to make concessions like relief from economic sanctions.

North Korea later halted testing activity after the start of the Winter Olympics in China, which is its last major ally and economic pipeline. Some experts had predicted North Korea would resume tests and possible launch bigger weapons after the Olympics.

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As the nation continues to carve out moments to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of Black Americans our countrys history, many would be surprised to know that each year there is an identified theme for the month-long celebration.

This years central focus is Black Health and Wellness.

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Americans are encouraged to look at the Black trailblazers of modern medicine, like Henrietta Lacks whose cancer cells were illegally retrieved during a biopsy and later discovered to be a medical anomaly due to their ability to multiply. Today, known as the HeLa immortal cells, they are responsible for countless scientific discoveries and medical advances, like the polio and COVID-19 vaccines.

Tony Jenkins is the Central Florida market president for Florida Blue and Chair Elect for the Orlando Economic Partnership board. - Original Credit: Courtesy photo (Michael LeGrand / Courtesy photo)

Throughout February, America has also been encouraged to have conversations about and addressing the growing health disparities facing the Black community.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans are more likely to die at early ages from all causes more than whites. This has been a long-standing, alarming statistic that plagues the Black community.

Your genetic makeup is no longer the leading factor for life expectancy. One of the greatest contributors to health disparities is tied to where a person lives. The ZIP code you live in can not only impact your ability to access high-quality, affordable health care but also affect your life expectancy by up 30 years due to lack of resources, economic opportunities and education.

Through my work at Florida Blue, and my own experience as someone raised by a single mother with limited income in a historically Black community, I have seen what a difference your neighborhood can make on your ability to maintain and improve your health.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

Making impactful change to address these disparities requires dedication and commitment, which is why Florida Blue recently named its first-ever Chief Health Equity Officer, Dr. Kelli Tice, to reaffirm our focus on improving the health of all communities.

Florida Blue launched the Growing Resilient Communities initiative last year to provide hyper-targeted purposeful support to five ZIP codes across the state plagued by generational poverty. In Central Florida, we are working alongside Lift Orlando, to drive uplifting transformation in The Communities of West Lakes and the surrounding neighborhoods in the 32805 ZIP code.

Our collective goal is to improve housing, education, workforce development and the overall health of this community, that is made up of culturally rich, vibrant and historic Black neighborhoods located west of Parramore and east of Washington Shores.

Construction is underway for the Heart of West Lakes Health and Wellness Center, a sprawling 30,000- square-foot facility located in the heart of the community. It will bring convenient access to more holistic health, financial, entrepreneurial and lifestyle services under one roof.

This facility is a direct result of a first-of-its kind large-scale collaboration with AdventHealth, Orlando Health, and Florida Blue.

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Partnerships like this are essential to driving health and community benefits for all. Central Florida businesses and organizations must come together to create sustainable impact that will add value to our community so that Central Florida can become much more than the worlds leading vacation destination, but also known for being one of the most inclusive and healthiest cities in the nation to live in.

Tony Jenkins is the Central Florida market president for Florida Blue, the states Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan, and Chair Elect for the Orlando Economic Partnership board.
Police detained more than 900 people at anti-war protests that occurred in 44 Russian cities on Sunday, raising the total since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 to over 4,000, independent protest monitoring group OVD-Info said.

Sunday's protests coincided with the seventh anniversary of the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov. Some of Sunday's arrests took place at an improvised memorial just outside the Kremlin at the site where Nemtsov was shot, a Reuters witness said.

The OVD-Info monitor has documented crackdowns on Russia's opposition for years.

Nemtsov was a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Moscow's support for pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, which ultimately led to what Putin labels a "special operation" to protect the two separatist regions although his troops are fighting in wider Ukraine.

Ukraine's Western allies have slapped unprecedented sanctions in response to Russia's land, sea and air invasion.

Putin ordered his military command to put nuclear-armed forces on high alert on Sunday as Ukrainian fighters defending the city of Kharkiv said they had repelled an attack by invading Russian troops.

More than 100,000 people protested in solidarity with Ukraine in Berlin on Sunday, after thousands rallied on Saturday in places from Sydney to Lisbon and Washington, and with more anti-war protest planned in the afternoon.

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Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to fighting in Ukraine on the fourth day of a Russian invasion of the country.

"Let the weapons fall silent," he said. "God is with those who seek peace, not those resorting to violence."

The Argentine pontiff also called for the "urgent" opening of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to escape the onslaught.

"I am thinking of the elderly, of all those at the moment seeking refuge, of mothers fleeing with their children," he said.

"They are brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open up humanitarian corridors and who must be welcomed."

The UN refugee agency UNHCR says more than 368,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded on Thursday.

Many of those escaping to neighbouring countries have crossed over into Poland, where the authorities have counted some 156,000 crossing since that date.

Others have also headed to Moldavia, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

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Some bars and liquor stores think they've found a potent way to punish Russia for invading Ukraine: They're pulling Russian vodka off their shelves and promoting Ukrainian brands instead.

I woke up yesterday morning, and I saw that Russia had invaded Ukraine. You wonder what you can do,'' said Bob Quay, owner of Bob's Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The US obviously is putting on sanctions. I thought I would put on sanctions as well.''

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So he rid his shelves of the old Soviet brand Stolichnaya and started promoting Ukraine's Vektor.

We have a sign above it that says: Support Ukraine.''

Quay announced the move on Facebook, and it blew up. We've got people coming in who've never been in the bar before.''

Stoli, owned by the Russian-born tycoon Yuri Shefler, is actually made in Latvia.

On its website, Stoli Group says it stands for peace in Europe and in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

The Southern Spirits liquor store in Indian Land, South Carolina, is doing a booming business in the Ukrainian vodka Kozak after pulling Russian brands off its shelves.

It's selling out a lot faster than we thought,'' said general manager Drew Podrebarac. It's been awesome.''

The Magic Mountain ski resort in Londonderry, Vermont, posted a video on Twitter showing an employee pouring Stolichnaya down the drain and saying: Sorry, we don't serve Russian products here.''

Governors entered the fray, too. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine directed the state's Commerce Department to cease the purchase and sale of Russian Standard, the only Russian vodka sold in Ohio (under the brand names Green Mark and Russian Standard). New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed an executive order requiring state liquor outlets to remove Russian-made and branded alcohol, as did Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

In Canada, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario on Friday announced that all products produced in Russia will be removed from LCBO channels,'' including 679 of its stores across the province

It also promised to accept the return of any Russian products and declared that it stands with Ukraine, its people, and the Ukrainian Canadian community here in Ontario."

In Grand Rapids, Quay said he may never sell Russian products again. And he's taken another step: I've ordered a Ukrainian flag, and that will be going up next week.''

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday congratulated members of special forces on their professional holiday, saying they fought "heroically" in Ukraine, while the Kremlin insisted it was ready for talks with Kyiv.

"Special gratitude to those who these days are heroically fulfilling their military duty in the course of a special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas," Putin said in a televised address.

The Russian president on Thursday ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Russian ground forces have pressed into Ukraine from the north, east and south but have encountered fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops, the intensity of which has likely surprised Moscow, according to Western sources.

Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies on Sunday that Russia was ready for talks with Ukraine, adding that a delegation from Moscow had already arrived in the Belarusian city of Gomel.

"We will be ready to begin these talks in Gomel," Peskov said.

Ukrainian authorities have refused to hold talks in Belarus which has allowed Russian troops passage to pro-Western Ukraine.

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President Vladimir Putin put Russia's nuclear deterrent on high alert on Sunday in the face of a barrage of Western reprisals for his war on Ukraine, which said it had repelled Russian ground forces attacking its biggest cities.

The United States said Putin was escalating the war in a "totally unacceptable" way, amid signs that the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two was not producing rapid battlefield victories, but instead generating a far-reaching and concerted Western response.

The Ukrainian president's office said negotiations with Moscow without preconditions would be held at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

"I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try, so that later not a single citizen of Ukraine has any doubt that I, as president, tried to stop the war," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The Kremlin said talks had started.

Read | Ukraine calls for Russia to lose UN Security Council seat

As missiles fell on Ukrainian cities, nearly 400,000 Ukrainian civilians, mainly women and children, have fled into neighbouring countries. Hundreds were stranded in Kyiv on Sunday waiting for trains to take them west, away from the fighting.

The capital remained in Ukrainian government hands, with Zelenskyy rallying his people daily despite Russian shelling of civilian infrastructure.

The World Health Organization said medical oxygen was running low. But a doctor said a blood bank where donors had come under fire on Saturday was again packed.

Only three days after it started, the invasion has triggered a Western political, strategic, economic and corporate response unprecedented in its extent and coordination.

The 27-nation European Union decided for the first time in its history to supply weapons to a country at war, and a source told Reuters it would send 450 million euros ($507 million) of weaponry to its eastern neighbour.

It also shut all Russian planes out of its airspace, as did Canada, and banned the Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik.

Germany, which had already frozen a planned undersea gas pipeline from Russia, said it would increase defence spending massively, casting off decades of reluctance to match its economic power with military clout.

British oil major BP announced it would give up its 19.75% stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft, writing off up to $25 billion.

World Bank President David Malpass said the Group of Seven economies would discuss Ukraine on Tuesday, and that the bank may be able to provide Ukraine with financial aid in days.

'Not deterrence but threat'

But Putin, who has called the invasion a "special operation", thrust an alarming new element into play when he ordered Russia's "deterrence forces" - which wield nuclear weapons - onto high alert.

He cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and the raft of economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the West.

"Not only do Western countries take unfriendly measures against our country in the economic dimension - I mean the illegal sanctions that everyone knows about very well - but also the top officials of leading NATO countries allow themselves to make aggressive statements with regards to our country," Putin said on state television.

He previously referred to his nuclear arsenal in a speech announcing the start of the invasion on Thursday, saying Russia's response to any country that stood in its way would be immediate and carry "consequences that you have never encountered in your history".

"This is not 'deterrence' on Putin's part - this is a threat," said Patricia Lewis, director of the Chatham House think-tank's international security programme.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said it was an attempt to pressure Kyiv during the talks, but that Ukraine would not be cowed.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told CBS: "President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable, and we have to continue to stem his actions in the strongest possible way."

A US defence official said Washington was trying to assess what Putin's announcement meant in tangible terms, but that it increased the danger from any miscalculation.

In the strongest economic sanctions yet, the United States and Europe said on Saturday they would banish big Russian banks from the main global payments system SWIFT and announced other measures to limit Moscow's use of a $630 billion war chest.

Rolling protests have been held around the world against the invasion, including in Russia, which has clamped down hard, detaining an additional 2,000 protesters on Sunday in 48 cities, bringing total arrests there to more than 4,000.

Tens of thousands of people across Europe marched in protest against Russia's invasion on Saturday, including more than 100,000 in Berlin.

Battle for Kharkiv

A Ukrainian state news agency said that, before daybreak, Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, sending a burning cloud up into the darkness.

Soon after, Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles rolled into Kharkiv, in northwest Ukraine, and witnesses reported firing and explosions. But city authorities said the attack had been repelled.

"Control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The armed forces, the police, and the defence forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy," regional governor Oleh Sinegubov said.

Reuters was unable to corroborate the information.

Ukrainian forces were also holding off Russian troops advancing on Kyiv.

"We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on," Zelenskyy said in the latest of several video messages from the streets of Kyiv.

He has declined to leave the city and has been marshalling combatants and civilians, many of whom have sought shelter in underground railway stations.

A UN relief agency said more than 368,000 refugees had crossed into neighbouring countries, clogging railways, roads and borders.

At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed in the invasion, Ukraine's Health Ministry said.

A United Nations agency reported 64 civilian deaths and a Ukrainian presidential adviser said 3,500 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded. Reuters was not able to verify the numbers.

The Russian Defence Ministry acknowledged that Russian soldiers had been killed and wounded, but said its losses were far lower than those suffered by Ukraine, the Interfax news agency reported. It said Russian attacks had hit 1,067 Ukrainian military sites.

Western officials say intelligence shows Russia suffering higher casualties than expected, but Moscow has not released figures.

No other answer

Ignoring weeks of frantic diplomacy and sanctions threats by Western nations, Putin has justified the invasion by saying "neo-Nazis" rule Ukraine and threaten Russia's security - a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

Putin has said he must eliminate what he calls a serious threat to his country from its smaller neighbour, accusing it of genocide against Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine - something Kyiv and its Western allies reject as a lie.

Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, won independence from Moscow in 1991 at the fall of the Soviet Union and has pushed to join the NATO Western military alliance and the EU, goals Russia vehemently opposes.

Germany, which is sending anti-tank weapons, surface-to-air missiles and ammunition to Ukraine, said on Sunday said it would boost defence spending to more than 2% of its economic output in response to the attack, ending its post-World War Two practice.

"There could be no other answer to Putin's aggression," Chancellor Olaf Scholz told lawmakers.

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Street fighting broke out early Sunday in Kharkiv as Russian troops pushed into Ukraine's second-largest city, according to a regional official, following a wave of attacks elsewhere targeting airfields and fuel facilities that appeared to mark a new phase of an invasion that has been slowed by fierce resistance.

The US and EU responded with weapons and ammunition for the outnumbered Ukrainians and powerful sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

Russian troops approached Kharkiv, about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. But until Sunday, they remained on the outskirts of the city of 1.4 million without trying to enter while other forces rolled past, pressing their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Early Sunday, Russian troops moved in and were engaged by Ukrainian forces, said Oleh Sinehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, who told civilians not to leave their homes. He gave no further details.

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Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

Elsewhere, huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the sky before dawn from an oil depot near an air base in Vasylkiv, where there has been intense fighting, according to the town's mayor. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said another explosion was at the civilian Zhuliany airport.

Zelenskyy's office also said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke by covering their windows with damp cloth or gauze.

We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, Zelenskyy vowed.

Terrified men, women and children sought safety inside and underground, and the government maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets. More than 150,000 Ukrainians fled for Poland, Moldova and other neighboring countries, and the United Nations warned the number could grow to 4 million if fighting escalates.

President Vladimir Putin hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

To aid Ukraine's ability to hold out, the US pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

Also Read | Potent protest: Bars drop Russian vodka, promote Ukraine's

The US, European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russia's central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

It was unclear how much territory Russian forces had seized or to what extent their advance had been stalled. Britain's Ministry of Defense said the speed of the Russian advance has temporarily slowed likely as a result of acute logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance.

A senior US defense official said more than half the Russian combat power that was massed along Ukraine's borders had entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US assessments.

The curfew forcing everyone in Kyiv inside was set to last through Monday morning. The relative quiet of the capital was sporadically broken by gunfire.

Fighting on the city's outskirts suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces. Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but Britain and the US said the bulk of the forces were 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the city's center as of Saturday afternoon.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine from the north, east and south is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraine's health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded during Europe's largest land war since World War II. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

A missile struck a high-rise apartment building in Kyiv's southwestern outskirts near one of the city's two passenger airports, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors. A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv were fighting Russian sabotage groups. Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and thousands killed.

Markarova said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to The Hague as possible crimes against humanity.

Zelenskyy reiterated his openness to talks with Russia in a video message, saying he welcomed an offer from Turkey and Azerbaijan to organize diplomatic efforts, which so far have faltered.

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British foreign minister Liz Truss said on Sunday she would press for further measures against Russia, particularly in cutting off their oil and gas supplies, at a meeting with her counterparts in the G7 group of rich nations.

"It doesn't end here," Truss told Times Radio referring to the West's move to block certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT international payment system.

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"I've got a meeting today with my G7 counterparts I am going to be pressing for further tightening against Russia, particularly including the access to Russian oil and gas," she said, warning Russian leaders they could be prosecuted for war crimes.

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Ukraine's president says Russia should be thrown out of the United Nations Security Council following its invasion of his country.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message Sunday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine amounts to an act of genocide, saying that Russia has taken the path of evil and the world should come to depriving it of its UN Security Council seat.

Russia is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, giving it veto power over resolutions.

Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and denounced the Russian invasion as state terrorism.

He dismissed as lies Russia's claims that it wasn't targeting civilian areas.

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The Russia-Ukraine conflict could last a "number of years" and the world needs to be prepared for Moscow "to seek to use even worse weapons", British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday.

"I fear this will be a long haul, this could be a number of years," Truss told Sky News.

"Russia have strong forces and we know the Ukrainians are brave, they are determined to stand up for their sovereignty and territorial integrity and they are determined to fight," she said.

The minister said that intelligence showed that Ukrainian forces were "continuing to resist Russian advances" and that there had not been "significant changes" overnight.

Read | Ukraine ready for talks with Russia, but not in Belarus

But she warned Russian President Vladimir Putin could deploy more deadly weapons.

"This could well be the beginning the end for Putin and I fear that he is determined to use the most unsavoury means in this war.

"I fear this conflict could be very, very bloody. We do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons," she added.

However, Putin "should be aware the International Criminal Court is already looking at what is happening in Ukraine and there will be serious consequences for him personally," she told Sky News.

Western allies on Saturday agreed on a new volley of financial sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including the exclusion of a number of Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank system.

The allies also agreed to impose restrictive measures to prevent the Russian central bank from "using international financial transactions to prop up the ruble", a senior US official said.

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Something about the Lake County Courthouse makes Mae Hazelton flinch whenever she passes by.

Its what happened inside, in the basement where three Black men were tortured by a racist Southern sheriff for a crime they didnt commit.

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Thats why Hazelton, born and raised in the time of Sheriff Willis McCall, was so horrified to learn in 2018 that local historians and politicians wanted to put the statue of a Confederate general in the very building where Walter Irvin, Charles Greenlee and Samuel Shepherd were handcuffed to pipes, beaten and made to step on broken glass.

Hazelton became equally horrified to learn that Lake Countys power brokers had been working  outside the publics view and without the publics input  to grease the skids for Edmund Kirby Smiths statue to take an honored place inside the Tavares courthouse once it left the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol.

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Our opinions were marginalized. Their minds were already made up, Hazelton said. There was this thought that, Theyre going to fuss for a while theyre going to be upset for a while and then theyll go away.

Mae Hazelton sits inside the Lake County historical courthouse in Tavares, Fla., Monday, February 14, 2022. Hazelton led the charge and was a steady voice of reason in the fight against the relocation of the Edmund Kirby Smith statue to Lake County. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel) (Rich Pope / Orlando Sentinel)

Hazelton didnt go away. She helped lead a long and ultimately successful fight to keep Smiths statue out of the courthouse, and to hold public officials accountable for excluding the public, particularly Lake Countys Black residents.

I did not give an inch, Hazelton said, not one inch.

Because she didnt give an inch in her fight against racism, and to promote open and transparent government, Mae Hazelton of Eustis is one of the finalists for the Orlando Sentinels 2021 Central Floridian of the Year.

Born to harsh reality

Arthua Mae Hazelton was born in Tavares in 1955. Her mother was a restaurant cook and her father, originally from the Bahamas, picked oranges in the regions once thriving citrus groves. Starting when she was 8, Mae Hazelton picked oranges on weekends, climbing up and down a ladder with a sack across her shoulder, weighted with fruit. She packed corn and celery, too, earning enough to pay for her school clothes.

Pickers like her father knew what it was like to live in Willis McCalls Lake County in the mid20th century. On Saturdays the sheriff would raid Black neighborhoods and round up men, forcing them to return to the groves.

Sunday was your day off and that was it, Hazelton said.

She attended an all-Black school, Cromartie Elementary, until integration began in the mid-60s. But it was later, at Tavares High School, that she came face-to-face with racial hatred.

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It happened in seventh grade when a teacher who recognized Hazeltons love for reading asked her to stay after class to discuss participating in a state spelling bee in Miami.

Afterward, as she was headed toward the school doors, Hazelton glanced at a group of white boys loitering by a bank of lockers. She quickly and instinctively averted her gaze, but it was too late.

What are you looking at, n-r? one of the boys asked.

Thats the day Hazelton began to understand hate.

I remember getting to the doors, tears streaming down my eyes, and I just wanted to go home.

She told the story slowly and reluctantly during a recent interview at the Lake County Courthouse, reminded of it by the buildings heavy wooden doors that look so much like the doors at Tavares High that day.

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Ugly history repeated

After high school, Hazelton served three years in the U.S. Army, then made a career in human resources positions, some with the Pentagon, that took her to places like Germany, Texas, Georgia and Virginia. She learned an important skill during those decades  how to dig up information.

That came in handy when, on June 29, 2018, she got a call from Michael J. Watkins, the pastor of her church in Tavares, Friendship CME. Watkins had been told of the countys plans to bring the statue of Edmund Kirby Smith to the Lake County Historical Museum, housed inside the courthouse.

Protestors hold signs and chants against the relocation of a Confederate statue in front of the Lake County Historical Museum in Tavares, Fla., on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. Lake County Commissioners last month endorsed moving the statue of Edmund Kirby Smith to the Lake County Historical Society. The statue of the Confederate general has been in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. (Stephen M. Dowell /Orlando Sentinel via AP) (Stephen M. Dowell/AP)

The larger-than-life statue of Smith, which had been in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol for nearly 100 years, was being replaced with a likeness of Mary McLeod Bethune, the Black educator who founded what is now Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach.

Hazelton saw the Lake County Courthouse, with its ugly history, as the worst possible spot for Smiths statue.

She could scarcely believe it was true. Smith had no connection to Lake County, and his family moved away from Florida when he was 12. More to the point, Smith was a slaveholder who fought on the side of the Confederacy.

Why would you want to put the statue of a Confederate general in a courthouse where Willis McCall beat, tortured theseyoung men? Where he hung them over pipes with broken glass to get confessions out of them? I grew up walking by this when Willis McCall was the sheriff here, where my heart just shuddered because he ruled with a reign of terror. Why would you want to bring that here? Why would you want to display it like King Tut?

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Taking her stand

So Hazelton began to dig. She demanded public records: Why were people in the dark about a Confederate statue coming to Lake County, at a time when other communities were rethinking the presence of such monuments?

Through emails and other documents, she discovered that Bob Grenier, president and curator of the Lake County Historical Society, had been quietly lobbying county and state officials since 2017, nearly a year before Hazelton and the public got wind of what was going on.

In January 2018, at the urging of state Sen. Dennis Baxley, Grenier wrote a letter to then-Senate President Joe Negron stating he regretted the statue of Smith was leaving Washington  and that all five of Lakes county commissioners were in favor of moving the statue to the courthouse.

Why would you marginalize Black voices and not want them to have some input in it? Hazelton asked, saying the issue was back-channeled.

After Greniers efforts became public, he wrote to the Florida Department of State, saying the opposition was an expected phase of negative reaction from people who are using the statue as a political vehicle. He said interest would fade after a couple more weeks.

Statue in the U.S. Capitol of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. (Architect of the Capitol)

He underestimated Mae Hazelton. Even after a 3-2 County Commission vote approving the statues relocation to the courthouse, Hazelton continued to turn the screws. The story went national, including a pivotal June 2020 CNN report featuring Hazelton.

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The following month, commissioners reversed their 2019 decision on a 4-1 vote, suggesting the state find another location for Smiths statue. Hazelton is OK with that.

I do not want historical artifacts destroyed. I do not want that, Hazelton said. You can display that statue wherever you would like but not here, not with the history here. It shouldnt be in Lake County at all.

The next fight

Hazelton isnt finished. The origins of the statues proposed move to the courthouse inspired a 2020 lawsuit, filed by a group called Lake County Voices of Reason and still pending in circuit court. The suit claims the county broke the Sunshine Law through its meetings with Grenier.

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Commissioners may have come around on the statue, but Lake County  like the rest of Florida  still hasnt reconciled its racist past, Hazelton said.

She sees promise in some parts of Lake. Black city council members. Police chiefs seeking advice from Black communities.

But Hazelton believes Lake still hasnt come to terms with the legacy of Sheriff Willis McCall, who was sheriff for nearly three decades starting in 1945. Suspended from office after being charged with murder in the death of an inmate, McCall finally lost re-election in 1972, but not by much.

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The attempt to bring a statue of a Confederate who had no connection to Lake made me feel like there were people who were intent on bringing us back to where we were beforethat beneath the layer of civility everything is OK, Hazelton said.

This is still Willis McCall territory.

Until the statue is finally placed somewhere else, shes not even convinced it wont end up in Lake County. It is, after all, the county of Dennis Baxley, who in 2017 was the lone vote on a state Senate committee to replace the Smith statue in Washington. And the county of Anthony Sabatini, the current state representative who in 2017 took to Facebook, asking other communities to send their Confederate statues to Lake.

History forgotten is history repeated, Hazelton warned. Im fighting for the future.
Ukrainian authorities on Sunday launched a website to help Russian families track down soldiers who have been killed or captured fighting in Moscow's invasion of the pro-Western country.

The site  200rf.com  contains pictures of the documents and corpses of Russian soldiers Ukraine said had been killed since President Vladimir Putin launched the attack.

It also has videos of soldiers Ukraine says it has captured.

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"I am talking to you in Russian because this site was created for you," Viktor Andrusiv, an adviser to the interior minister, said in a video posted on the site.

"I know that many Russians are worried about how and where their children, sons, husbands are and what is happening to them -- so we decided to put this online so that each of you could search for your loved one who Putin sent to fight in Ukraine."

Andrusiv said that over the past three days Ukrainian forces had captured almost 200 Russian soldiers and more than 3,000 Russian troops had died.

"We have documents, photos and videos of all of these people," Andrusiv said.

Also Read | Ukraine says ready for talks with Russia, but not in 'complicit' Belarus

The name of the site references the well-known term Gruz-200 (Cargo-200) that was used by Soviet military for corpses being flown back from the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Russia's defence ministry has so far given no details of any military losses in Ukraine since launching a multi-pronged attack Putin called a "special operation" to protect two separatist regions.

The head of the North Caucasus region of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, on Saturday became the first official to report the death of a Russian soldier in Ukraine.

He posted a tribute on his official Instagram page, paying homage to an officer he said had been killed during the "special operation to defend Donbas".

The Kremlin has launched a major propaganda campaign to control coverage of the war in Ukraine and has ordered media to use only Russia's official versions of events.

Moscow has long been accused of covering up losses suffered by its forces as they backed pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine and fought in Syria.

Lev Shlosberg, a prominent liberal politician, has suggested Russia's military was using mobile crematoriums to destroy evidence of those killed in Ukraine.

"There is no war. No dead. No tombs. People will just be no more. Forever," he wrote on his blog.

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Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday he was willing to "try" talks with Russia but was sceptical, as Kyiv and Moscow prepare to meet at Ukraine's border with Belarus on the fourth day of Russia's invasion.

"I will be honest, as always: I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try," Zelenskyy said in a video address. He added that if there was a "chance" to end war, he should take part in the talks.

Zelenskyy issued the video after speaking with Belarus leader and Moscow ally Alexander Lukashenko.

Russian troops have attacked Ukraine from many directions, including from Belarusian territory, after President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion in the early hours of Thursday.

Kyiv has refused to hold talks in Belarus -- where Moscow wants to meet -- saying the country was acting as a launchpad for the invasion.

Earlier, Zelenskyy's office said Ukraine was willing to meet Russia at its border with Belarus near the Pripyat River.

Belarusian state television has said the Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet at the Aleksandrovka and Vilcha border checkpoints.

Putin has said that a Russian delegation was currently in the Belarusian city of Gomel.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has turned down an American offer to evacuate from the capital city of Kyiv, insisting that he needs ammunition and "not a ride", and vowed to defend his country from Russia's military offensive.

Zelenskyy told Ukrainians that the capital was still under their control and the country's forces had withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks.

"The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride," Zelensky told the US, according to the Ukraine embassy in Britain.

Also Read | Blinken to Russian people: You don't deserve 'pointless war'

"Ukrainians are proud of their President," CNN reported, citing the embassy tweet on Saturday.

In a video posted on Saturday morning entitled "do not believe the fakes," Zelenskyy revealed that he is still in Kyiv.

"I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this," he said.

"That is it. That's all I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine," the 44-year-old leader added.

Also Read: Russian troops ordered to advance in Ukraine

Zelenskyy remains a "prime target for Russian aggression," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It echoed Zelenskyy's own words that his intelligence said he has become a key target, the report said.

Zelinskyy on Saturday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought India's political support at the UN Security Council to stop Russia's military offensive against his country.

Zelesnskyy has been making desperate appeals for help as Russian forces intensified their offensive in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other areas.

Also Read | News in Pics, Feb 26: Best shots from around the world

The US and its allies have decided to block assets of four large Russian banks, impose export controls and sanction oligarchs close to Russian President Vladimir Putin after he ordered a "special military operation" against Ukraine on Thursday.

More than 120,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russia's assault began Thursday, a UN official told CNN on Saturday, and there are queues at a number of border crossings.

US President Joe Biden is seriously weighing whether to remove Russia from SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world but has yet to make a final decision.

The UK is all set to impose direct sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced earlier in the week.

The European Union (EU) and the US are planning a similar freeze on their assets.

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The United States and Europe must "really stand together" in response to Russia's military aggression and "threatening rhetoric", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday, adding the alliance "does not want war".

"NATO does not want war with Russia, we don't seek confrontation," he told BBC World.

"We are (a) defensive alliance, but we need to make sure that there's no room for misunderstanding, miscalculation about our ability to defend and protect allies."

Also Read: Medical oxygen running out in Ukraine as war rages, WHO warns

NATO is to deploy its rapid response force for the first time to bolster its eastern flank in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The US and Europe "need to really stand together... to both the aggressive actions of Russia against Ukraine but also the threatening rhetoric coming from Moscow," said Stoltenberg.

"That's exactly what we do by strengthening NATO's military presence in the east."

Stoltenberg said Russia was "conducting a full-scale military invasion of a sovereign, peaceful nation" and that there was "no doubt" that President Vladimir Putin was responsible.

The step is the latest by NATO aimed at beefing up its defences after allies spearheaded by the United States rushed thousands of troops to eastern members as the Kremlin moved on Ukraine.

But NATO's "main responsibility and core task" remains to prevent an attack against a member country, said Stoltenberg.

"Ukraine is a highly valued partner, we support them, but Ukraine is not covered by the same type of security, absolute security... that applies for NATO allies."

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcoming efforts to open talks with Russia.

In a video message Saturday, Zelenskyy said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev offered to help organise talks and that we can only welcome that.

Diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed have so far faltered.

Zelenskyy offered Friday to negotiate a key Russian demand: that Ukraine declares itself neutral and abandon its ambition of joining NATO. But the movement to actually advance any diplomacy has appeared to sputter.

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When Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, life for everyone came to a standstill. However, one couple, Yaryna Arieva and her partner Sviatoslav Fursin decided to get married and trade the sounds of the church bells for the sounds of air raid sirens.

Arieva, who married her partner at Kyiv's St Michael's monastery, said that the sounds of the air raid sirens during the happiest moment of their lives was very, very scary.

The couple had initially decided to get married on May 6 and celebrate at a restaurant with a "very, very cute terrace" overlooking the Dnieper river, Arieva said, speaking to CNN.

Follow live updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis here

The Russian attack has spread across central and eastern Ukraine. On Vladimir Putin's orders, the army cornered the former Soviet republic from all sides and entered the country's cities with heavy ammunition, forcing thousands if not millions to flee the nation.

The couple met at a protest in 2019 and decided that they wanted to get married because they were unsure about what their futures held.

"The situation is hard. We are going to fight for our land," said Arieva. "We maybe can die, and we just wanted to be together before all of that."

After the wedding, Arieva and Fursin have decided to help defend the country by going to join the local Territorial Defense Center.

"We have to protect it. We have to protect the people we love and the land we live on," she said. "I hope for the best, but I do what I can to protect my land," she said.

Calling her partner her closest friend on the Earth she hoped to celebrate her marriage one day.

"Maybe they (Russia) will just get out from our country and we will have an ability to celebrate normally. I just hope that everything will go normal and we will have our land, we will have our country safe and happy without any Russians in it," said Arieva.

World leaders from across the world have condemned the actions of Putin, who has maintained that the move was necessary for the security of his country

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India has evacuated around 2,000 of its citizens from Ukraine after the conflict began and efforts are on to facilitate the exit of the remaining stranded Indians through various border transit points to the neighbouring countries, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday.

At a media briefing, Shringla said he held separate meetings with the ambassadors of Ukraine and Russia and shared with them the locations of the Indian citizens in Ukraine for ensuring their protection.

The foreign secretary said though the border crossings to Hungary and Romania are functioning, the exit point to Poland has been clogged with lakhs of Ukrainians and foreign nationals trying to leave the strife-torn through it.

Also Read: Medical oxygen running out in Ukraine as war rages, WHO warns

"This is a problem area," he said.

Shringla said that Indians who are near the borders with Hungary Romania and Slovakia are being guided towards the respective border points in phases.

"We are aware of a number of Indian citizens, particularly students, who continue to be in cities in the east and south-east of Ukraine. Unfortunately, these areas are live conflict areas and it is generally deemed unsafe for people to move around freely. We will try to find suitable evacuation modalities for them," he said.

The foreign secretary said that around a thousand Indians have already been flown out of Romania and Hungary and another 1,000 have been evacuated from Ukraine through the land routes.

He said approximately 2,000 Indian citizens were in Kyiv and many of them have begun to move to the western part of the country.

Shringla said the Indian embassy in Ukraine suggested that those who are located in the eastern areas including Kyiv should start moving westwards to avoid the areas of increasing conflict and that they should come near the border points.

"We have also contacted the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva. Our Permanent Representative in Geneva has spoken to the President of the ICRC," he said.

"The ICRC is commencing its operation in Ukraine. We have told them to please make sure that as and when they start their operation, they should be cognisant of the needs of our citizens and wherever possible escort them out," he added.

Shringla said India is going to share with the ICRC the locations of the main areas where Indians are concentrated.

India on Friday managed to set up camp offices in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western Ukraine to facilitate the transit of Indians to Hungary, Romania and Poland.

India also positioned teams of officials at Zahony border post in Hungary, Krakowiec as well as Shehyni-Medyka land border points in Poland, Vysne Nemecke in the Slovak Republic and Suceava transit point in Romania to coordinate the exit of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

India is using the land routes to evacuate its citizens as Ukraine has closed its airspace for civilian aircraft following the Russian attack.

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The BJP has given a call for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on Monday in protest against alleged rigging and attacks on opposition party members by ruling Trinamool Congress goons during elections to 108 municipalities across the state. BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya told reporters here that the shutdown from 6 am to 6 pm will exempt essential services like healthcare, milk supply and media.

"What happened today was not polling but a mockery of democracy. The elections have been reduced to a farce by the ruling party miscreants in almost every municipality in South and North Bengal.

Several of our agents and candidates were beaten up, but the State Election Commission turned a blind eye," Bhattacharya alleged.

Even voters and journalists were roughed up, he claimed.

The BJP leader said party workers will hit the streets on Monday and urge people to observe the bandh.

"Our MPs Arjun Singh, Sukanta Majumdar and Dilip Ghosh were not allowed to move around there is total lawlessness and the constitutional machinery has collapsed. In such a situation, we were forced to call for a bandh, Bhattacharya said.

Meanwhile, the TMC alleged that the bandh call by the BJP was aimed at creating disturbance in the state and causing hardship to people.

"After today's elections, the BJP has realised that it will be reduced to zero in West Bengal. Hence, it has resorted to bandh politics TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said.

CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said the saffron party had not "valiantly fought the TMC terror throughout the day like the Left.

"Now, the BJP wants to hijack the issue by suddenly calling for a Bangla Bandh... We don't support their proposed strike," Chakraborty said.

However, WBPCC president Adhir Choudhury, who faced a series of protests by TMC supporters in Baharampur Municipality area during his visit to polling stations on Sunday, said in-principle he was supporting the bandh call.

The TMC unleashed unprecedented terror during today's municipal polls. Had Congress been in a position to enforce it, we would have called for a bandh, too," Choudhury said.

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday said it was a "monumental blunder" for all of them to presume that Russia was just postering on Ukraine as he sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah's intervention in ensuring the return of people from the state stuck in war-hit Ukraine.

In a letter to Shah, the Chief Minister emphasised the need to reach out to them "in this hour of crisis" and take steps to evacuate Indians, especially people from Jharkhand, stuck there.

"While all of us were aware of the tensions brewing between Russia and Ukraine for quite some time, presuming it as just a posturing by Russia turned out to be a monumental blunder," Soren said, pointing out that Russia eventually invaded its neighbour.

Also Read | Govt working tirelessly to bring back Indians stuck in Ukraine: PM Modi

He said an estimated 20,000 Indians, including 18,000 students, are believed to be stranded in Ukraine. He said his office is "constantly being approached" by the relatives of those from the state who are stuck in Ukraine.

"They are in a state of panic and horror and compelled to move with limited stock of essential provisions to makeshift safety places like underground metro rail lines. Even the departmental stores are insisting on cash payments against essential procurements. Extreme inclement weather is adding to their pain," he said.

He told Shah, "I feel we must reach out to them in this hour of crisis and make best possible efforts to evacuate them back home."

The Chief Minister also shared a list of people from Jharkhand stuck in Ukraine along with their contact details with Shah, requesting him to instruct the central officials to take steps for their safe return to Jharkhand.

"Till such times, they could be accommodated in safe places with adequate supplies of essential items. An early response from you would certainly act as a supreme assurance to the anxious families," Soren wrote.

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Dont say gay wont work in schools

So Florida wants us to dont say gay in schools (House OKs dont say gay legislation, Feb. 25)? Alcohol prohibition didnt work either.

Just wait for the backlash from the kids.

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Rita Lucey Orange City

U.S. confusion emboldened Putins actions

America is suffering some sort of mental illness. Our president accurately predicted Vladimir Putins horrible attack on Ukraine in order to prepare all Americans for the coming trials and tribulations. During this time of a virtual attack by Putin on world democracies, former President Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and other lesser-known Republicans have actually praised Putin as a strong leader.

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Putin has been emboldened by the confusion and discontent that Trump and his allies continue to sow in America as they attempt to topple our democratic way of life. Shameless greed is on full display by a few. The sad part is that many ill-informed average Americans blindly follow their lead, not realizing that their lives will be severely degraded should they succeed.

James Stuart Emery Valrico

Revisiting stand your ground on Trayvon anniversary

Is my right to life secondary to that of a gun-toter?

The Feb. 24 article Have controversial laws led to more vigilantism? part of a series marking the 10th anniversary of the death of Trayvon Martin, fails to point out the logical and constitutional inconsistencies of stand your ground laws. First, among the bedrock principles of our country established in the Declaration of Independence is that all men have the inalienable right to life. Guns only take lives. Second, we are supposedly a nation of laws predicated on due process among other key elements. Yet stand your ground laws encourage gun-toters to be police, prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner in the blink of an eye. Where was Trayvon Martins due process, where was his inalienable right to life?

Todays world with insurrections, domestic terrorism, pandemics, economic inequality, divisive political discourse, and now war is rife with potential for stress such that a minor disagreement can end in tragedy thanks to gun laws that encourage gun-toters to shoot to kill first and ask questions, or even think, later.

Tom Gawronski Winter Park
Indian nationals, mostly students, who were evacuated from Ukraine heaved a sigh of relief as the Air India flight carrying them landed at the airport here in the early hours of Sunday.

Suriya Subhash from Maharashtra's Solapur, who was among the 250 Indian citizens brought back on the flight from Romanian capital Bucharest, said she was relieved to be back in her country after a "hectic journey".

"The situation is very bad there (Ukraine). People are stranded," she said.

The returnees belonged to different states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala etc.

They thanked the Indian government for evacuating them and saving their lives.

Also read: Air India's second flight carrying 250 Indian evacuees from Ukraine lands in Delhi

"The situation is not good in Ukraine. We are worried about our studies. But it is good to be back. I thank the government for bringing us back," said Susmita Rathore, a first year medical student.

"Air India has helped us. The Indian embassy fully cooperated with us," said another student Satyam Sambhaji from Maharashtra.

Another evacuee, Shraddha Shette, urged the government to bring back the remaining Indian students stranded in Ukraine.

"We are safe now, but other students stranded there are unsafe and they are facing issues. We are worried about them. The government should bring them back as well," she said.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said on February 24 that around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, were stranded in Ukraine.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

The third evacuation flight is also scheduled to reach India from Hungarian capital Budapest on Sunday.

Prior to the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, Air India had operated a flight to Ukraine's capital Kyiv on February 22 that brought 240 people back to India.

It had planned to operate two more flights on February 24 and February 26 but could not do so as the Russian offensive began on February 24 and the Ukrainian airspace was consequently shut down.

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Asserting that in difficult times India has given priority to the lives of its natives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the government is working tirelessly to bring back all citizens stuck in Ukraine.

Addressing an election rally in Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Modi pointed to the turmoil prevailing in the world and pitched for strengthening the country by making it "atmanirbhar" (self-reliant).

He also targeted his political opponents for making the country "nirbhar" (dependent) on foreign countries earlier for defence items.

Also Read | Study medicine in India, not smaller foreign nations, PM Modi says amid Ukraine crisis

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian airspace being closed for civil aircraft operations, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Romanian capital Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest.

It is time to rise above barriers of caste and religion and strengthen the country by making it "atmanirbhar", he told the rally.

"The previous governments led by dynasts kept India dependent (nirbhar) on foreign countries for its defence needs, but now the priority is "atmanirbhar", he said.

There is a difference between "rashtra bhakti" (devotion to nation) and "pariwar bhakti" (devotion to family), he said taking a swipe at his rivals.

Follow live Ukraine-Russia crisis updates here

The country celebrated three years of the Balakot air strike on February 26, but dynasts had sought proof of it then, he said.

India carried out the air strike on terrorist launch pads, days after the Pulwama terror attack in which around 40 security forces personnel were killed in 2019.

The prime minister also remembered freedom fighter Chandrasekhar Azad on his martyrdom day. He died on this date in 1931.

He was addressing an election rally in Basti where BJP candidates from Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarthnagar and Ambedkarnagar were also present.

These areas will vote in the sixth phase on March 3.

"In difficult times India has given priority to the lives of every Indian. We have left no stone unturned to rescue our people. Operation Ganga is underway to bring our sons and daughters back to India from Ukraine," the prime minister said.

"In these tough times it is essential to make the country strong. The people who have been involved in arms deals cannot strengthen the country. The dynasts who support terrorism cannot strength the country," Modi said while taking a swipe at the rivals.

With the elections in politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh reaching its fifth phase on Sunday, Modi came down hard on the opponents.

"Dynasts want the money in their lockers, constitution in their pocket and poor at their feet," he said.

Continuing with his tirade against the opposition parties, he said, "The previous governments focused on foreign products for their cut and commission. They made our armies dependent on foreign companies and destroyed the defence industry. But we are now making a defence corridor in Uttar Pradesh."

Talking about crude oil, he said that India doesn't have wells of oil and imports crude oil in large amounts.

"The previous governments didn't focus on ethanol as fuel that can be produced from sugarcane. We are developing infrastructure to produce ethanol and biogas from cattle dung. We are also trying to become self-reliant in edible oils. For this the government is buying oil seeds from farmers."

In an apparent dig at the Samajwadi Party, Modi said that they were with a party in 2017 and another party in 2019 and added "those who cannot stay with their friends can never stand with the people of the state".

The SP had an alliance with the Congress in 2017 assembly polls and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2019 parliamentary elections.

For 2022 state polls it has entered into alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal and a string of caste-based regional parties.

Without taking names, the prime minister alleged that the dynasts usurped crores of money which could have been used to build schools and bring development in the state.

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India is in touch with Russia as it is exploring options of evacuating its citizens stranded in war-torn eastern Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla had a meeting with Moscows newly-appointed envoy to New Delhi, Denis Alipov, and sought the Russian Governments support to safely evacuate citizens of India stranded in Kharkiv, Sumy and other places in eastern Ukraine.

Discussed topical bilateral and international issues and the ways to ensure safety of Indian students in #Ukraine. Expressed our full support to this end, Alipov tweeted after his meeting with Shringla. The Embassy of India in Moscow sent a team of officials to Russias border with Ukraine to start the groundwork for the evacuation of citizens of India.

Shringla also called in Kyivs envoy to New Delhi, Igor Polikha, to his office and shared with him locations of the clusters of citizens of India in Ukraine. He particularly sought assistance from the Ukrainian Government for the Indians, who reached the Ukraine-Poland border, but could not yet cross over to Poland.

Shringla also called in Kyivs envoy to New Delhi, Igor Polikha, and shared with him locations of the clusters of citizens of India in Ukraine. He particularly sought assistance of the Ukrainian Government for the Indians, who reached Ukraine-Poland border, but could not yet cross over to Poland.

Follow live Russia-Ukraine crisis updates here

India received reports about its citizens being assaulted and experiencing harassment at the overcrowded Ukraine-Poland border.

Polikha assured Shringla that the Embassy of Ukraine in New Delhi was in touch with the immigration authorities in the East European nation to facilitate safe and hassle-free passage of the citizens of India to Poland.

New Delhi has so far been able to evacuate nearly 2,000 Indians from Ukraine to Romania and Hungary. Over 1,000 of them have so far been flown back home by Air India aircraft chartered by the Union Government. Though the airspace of Ukraine remains closed in the wake of the invasion by Russia, New Delhi is planning to operate separate chartered flights over the next few days to bring back home Indians still stranded in Ukraine  numbering around 14,000 approximately  through the neighbouring East European nations, the Foreign Secretary told journalists on Sunday.

Also Read | Air India flights for evacuating Indians from Ukraine costing Rs 7-8 lakh per hour

India has a large number of citizens  mostly students  stranded in Kharkiv, Sumy and other places in eastern, south-eastern and north-eastern Ukraine  the areas, which have been witnessing intense fighting ever since the launch of military operations by Russia early on February 24. New Delhi has been able to start evacuating Indians from western Ukraine through neighbouring Romania and Hungary and trying to do so through Poland and the Slovak Republic. It, however, has not been able to help the Indians in eastern Ukraine  even as many of them have already spent three days in bunkers and underground metro stations, which are being used as shelters amid bombing by Russia.

We are aware of a number of Indian citizens, particularly students, who continue to be in cities in the east and south-east of Ukraine. Unfortunately, these areas are live conflict areas and it is generally deemed unsafe for people to move around freely. We will try to find suitable evacuation modalities for them, the Foreign Secretary told journalists a few hours after he called in Russias acting envoy to India.

The Embassy of India in Kyiv in its latest advisory issued on Sunday asked the Indians stranded in Kharkiv, Sumy and other places in eastern Ukraine not to venture towards railway stations as curfew had been imposed and intense fighting was going on.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu and requested him to facilitate transit of Indians stranded in Ukraine through his country. A team of the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs will reach Moldova to help the Indians, who would cross over from Ukraine through Moldova-Ukraine border and take them to Budapest in Hungary where Air India aircraft could fly them home from.

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was conspicuously silent, when American Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, sharing the podium with his Indian, Australian and Japanese counterparts in Melbourne on February 11, warned about the consequences if the international community remained a mute spectator to Russias aggression against Ukraine.

Jaishankar broke his silence at the Munich Security Conference about a week later. Even as the US has been trying to draw a parallel between China's belligerence against India and other nations in the Indo-Pacific region and Russia's military build-up around Ukraine, the External Affairs Minister rejected the argument, saying the situations in the two regions have not been analogous.

Also Read | Ukraine Crisis: How Indias abstention from UNSC vote is different from China's

Two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the launch of military operations in Ukraine, New Delhi, however, did send out a subtle but firm message to Moscow, underlining that the contemporary global order had been built on the United Nations Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. When the Security Council met in New York early on Saturday and voted on a resolution the US-sponsored to condemn Russias invasion into Ukraine, India abstained and its envoy to the UN, T S Tirumurti, told the council: It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it.

No, India did not echo the US and other nations in condemning Russia. But the subtle change in its stand on the issue was not lost on anyone around the Horse-Shoe Table at the UN headquarters in New York.

The strategic balance New Delhi maintains in its ties with Moscow and Washington DC has been under stress ever since US-Russia tension escalated over Ukraine. India has been avoiding siding with the US and the other western nations in condemning Russia, even as it has been calling for resolving the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue. Though New Delhi has been speaking out against Chinas aggression along its disputed boundary with India, it abstained from voting against Russia for its military build-up around Ukraine at the UNSC on January 31.

If we allow those principles (one country can't simply change the borders of another by force) to be challenged with impunity, even if it's half the world away in Europe, that will have an impact here as well. Others are watching. Others are looking to all of us to see how we respond, Blinken said at the news conference in Melbourne on February 11 after the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Quad  a coalition forged by India, Japan, Australia and the US to counter Chinas belligerence in the Indo-Pacific region. Jaishankar remained silent, even as Japanese and Australian Foreign Ministers, Yoshimasa Hayashi and Marise Payne, joined the US Secretary of State in slamming Russia.

Blinken raised the issue of Russia's military build-up around Ukraine, not only in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Quad but also discussed it separately in the bilateral meeting with Jaishankar, apparently in view of India's friendly relations with Russia and the decades-old defence cooperation between the two nations.

Also Read | India abstains from UNSC resolution that condemns Russia's 'aggression' against Ukraine

New Delhi, however, still refrained from calling out Putin even after he signed decrees in Moscow on February 22 to dispatch troops to Donetsk and Luhansk after declaring the two enclaves in Ukraine as independent republics. It, however, expressed deep concern over the escalation of tension along the Ukraine-Russia border.

But as the Kremlin went ahead and launched the military operations in Ukraine early on February 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modis government was left with no other option, but to review its stand and bring about subtle changes in its approach. It started with the Prime Ministers call to the Russian President late on Thursday. Modi tacitly conveyed New Delhis disapproval of Russias invasion into Ukraine and reiterated to Putin his long-standing conviction that the differences between Moscow and NATO could only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue. He also appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, thus gently nudging the Russian President to stop bombing Ukraine. He of course also sought Moscows support to evacuate Indias 16000 citizens spread across the war-torn cities of the East European nation.

Putin had the phone call with Modi just a few hours after he had a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was on a rare tour to Moscow, coincidentally on the same day Russia launched the military offensive against Ukraine. Russia has since long been the largest supplier of military hardware to India and has been maintaining low-key defence cooperation with Pakistan. But with the changes in the geopolitical landscape and New Delhis growing ties with Washington DC after the landmark India-US civil nuclear agreement of 2008, Moscow, too, responded to Islamabads overtures to improve bilateral relations.

Also Read | Air India's second flight carrying 250 Indian evacuees from Ukraine lands in Delhi

Jaishankar too had a series of phone calls with his counterparts in Washington DC and other western capitals on Thursday and Friday. Blinken nudged him to join the US and other nations in delivering a strong collective response to Russias premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine. We're in consultation with India today. We haven't resolved that completely, President Joe Biden told journalists in White House late on Thursday. He was replying to a question if India was in sync with the US stand that any nation that would countenance Russia's aggression against Ukraine would be stained by association.

The External Affairs Minister also received calls from British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, and European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell Fontelles, who too apparently prodded New Delhi to shed its cautious approach and condemn Russias invasion into Ukraine. He also had a phone call with Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who urged him to use all influence in Indias relations with Russia to force it to cease military operations into the East European nation. Earlier, Kyivs envoy to New Delhi, Igor Polikha, said that Ukraine was deeply dissatisfied by India's continued cautious approach over Russia's build-up around the East European nation.

All these contributed to a subtle change in New Delhis approach.

Not only did India tacitly remind Russia at the UNSC that no solution could ever be targeted at the cost of human lives, but the Prime Minister, himself, also spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the phone and expressed his deep anguish about the loss of life and property due to the ongoing conflict.

Also Read | Needed to stand up, not stand aside: Oppn leaders flay govt over stand on UNSC resolution on Ukraine

After Russia sent its soldiers into Ukraine and started aerial attacks on the country, the Modi Government could not have continued to make wishy-washy statements and avoid even tacitly criticizing Kremlin. India itself is facing territorial aggression by China and its soldiers are engaged in a stand-off with the personnel of the communist countrys Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) along the disputed boundary between the two nations in the icy heights of the Himalayas. It could not have condoned Russias military aggression into Ukraine. But Indias national interest and its strategic autonomy do not allow it to align with the US and the rest of the West against Russia.

After the US withdrawal set the stage for the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, Biden has now failed to thwart Putins onslaught against Ukraine. So, the lesson India can learn is that the US is not a credible partner that it can rely upon while dealing with the belligerence of China.

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Emotions ran high at the Delhi airport as the anxious wait of several parents to reunite with their children arriving from Ukraine ended in joy with the landing of the third evacuation flight on Sunday morning.

On the other hand, scores of parents, whose children are still stuck in the violence-hit country, are having sleepless nights as their children find themselves hiding in bunkers when sirens buzz.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport became a witness to a plethora of emotions as parents gave their children a grand welcome with flowers, cards and warm hugs upon their arrival here from the Hungarian capital Budapest.

Also Read: Air India flights for evacuating Indians from Ukraine costing Rs 7-8 lakh per hour

Air India's third evacuation flight, AI1940, which was scheduled to land here at around 7 am, reached a couple of hours late at 9.20 am. At around 2.45 am, Air India's second evacuation flight from Romanian capital Bucharest, brought back 250 Indian nationals to Delhi. The first evacuation flight, AI1944, had brought 229 people from Bucharest to Mumbai on Saturday evening.

As the returnees belong to different states, several states have established help desks and provided transport services from the Delhi airport to their homes.

Shashank Sharashwat, a first-year medical student, thanked the Indian government and the embassy for facilitating his return along with the others. Now, we are safe. The situation in Ukraine is quite tense, he said.

A majority of the 240 students that landed in the third evacuation flight were studying in the western city of the Uzhhorod, which is one of the cities least affected due to the Russian military operation.

Several of the students whom PTI spoke to said that the situation in the western cities of Ukraine was much better than the rest of the country. Elated to be back in the country, another medical student Abhijeet Kumar, too, thanked the Indian government for ensuring their return.

There is no violence in the west but we faced a lot of problems. People started panicking. Prices of groceries shot up and there was panic-buying, he said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan's Women and Child Development Minister Mamta Bhupesh received eight woman students from the state who arrived in Jaipur via Romania.

We are happy that due to the efforts of the Rajasthan government, our girls have been able to come back to their homes despite being in difficult circumstances, Bhupesh told reporters here.

She said she will receive some more students coming to Delhi from Ukraine, on behalf of the state government.

Also Read: Govt working tirelessly to bring back Indians stuck in Ukraine: PM Modi

One of the students that reached Jaipur said they lived in the safest part of Ukraine, but she feared for the well-being of her friends who were still stranded there.

Sameer Khan, a student who landed in Delhi, too, echoed similar sentiments towards the other Indian students in Ukraine.

Several students in Ukraine, hailing from Haryana and Punjab, narrated their ordeal to their parents back home, who have been making desperate appeals to the Indian government to speed up evacuation. Most of these students are in the eastern part of the war-hit country.

Senior Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa shared a video on his Twitter handle showing a group of Indian students stranded in Kyiv and are desperately seeking help.

@narendramodi ji I have received desperate calls for help from Indian students stranded in Kyiv, Ukraine. They are in need of food & to be evacuated from the city immediately. There are 174 students who have taken shelter in School No. 169, Kyiv, right next to Embassy of India, Bajwa tweeted.

Meena Sharma from Sonipat, whose daughter is a fourth-year student in Kharkiv, told the media that her daughter and many of her friends had neither eaten nor slept well for three days.

They are not getting any help there. We are having sleepless nights here. Our government should take them to a safer place and bring them back to India safely, she said.

Chandigarh-based Dinesh Dogra, whose daughter Simran, too, is stuck in Kharkiv, said she and her friends take shelter in bunkers when sirens buzz outside.

We pray when there are air raid sirens and shelling, Simran told the media over a video call.

We are worried about her safety and the well-being of other children with her. These days, we are not able to even sleep, Dogra said.

A video of two medical students, originally from Haryana who are now stranded in Ukraine, appealed to the Indian government to evacuate them. Their video has gone viral on social media. They said they were students of Ternopil National Medical University, Ukraine.

In the video, one of the students who identified herself as Mansi Mangla, said they reached the Ukraine-Poland border after a lot of difficulties, including walking for over 40 km.

When we reached the Polish border, we saw that the Russians and Polish were being allowed, but we were told to go back to the place where we study and nobody was ready to help, Mansi said.

Meghna Rathore, who accompanied Mansi, claimed that they spent the night in -5 degrees Celsius.

Now, neither can we go back nor are we allowed to go to Poland. What are we supposed to do, she asked.

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine had on Saturday tweeted asking the Indian citizens not to move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government officials.

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Tucked inside a bunker alongside a Ukrainian woman and her three small kids in the war-torn country, a 17-year old girl from Haryana has declined to leave Ukraine showing unassailable grit and courage to help the Ukrainian family in distress times.

As flights coordinated by the Indian government bring back stranded Indian students in hordes from Ukraine, Neha who is pursuing a medical degree in Ukraine, declined the opportunity she got to leave the war ravaged nation saying she may live or not, but she will not leave these children and their mother in such a situation.

A Facebook post by her aunt gives an account of the courage of the teenage girl who has chosen to risk her life to comfort a Ukrainian family. Neha had been staying as a paying guest at the house of a construction engineer in Ukraine along with his wife and three children. As war broke out, her landlord left the house for the frontlines after he volunteered to join the Ukrainian Army against the Russian invasion.

Neha, who felt a strong emotional connect for the three kids and their mother, decided not to abandon the family in distress and fear as sirens wail, blackouts blind and bombs ravage the city.

Also Read: Emotions run high at Delhi airport as parents welcome children from Ukraine; others await rescue

I may live or not, but I will not leave these children and their mother in such a situation, Neha was quoted telling her mother, a teacher based in Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana.

We keep on hearing blasts outside, but we are fine so far, Neha told a family friend.

Savita Jakhar, a close friend of Nehas mother wrote on Facebook, She knows that she may lose her life, but she is determined not to return in the given circumstances. I dont know what gives the girl so much strength to stand with the family.

She said, Its going to be 4 am. I feel restless as I could not sleep throughout the night. A 17-year-old daughter of a close friend is stuck in Kyiv where she went to pursue her bachelors degree...The owner of the house where she has been staying joined the army a couple of days ago. As of now, the girl is staying in a bunker with the house-owners wife and three children.

The post that has gone viral is drawing applause for the brave heart teenager girls empathy towards people of another nationality suffering the miseries of the war. Her mother has been insisting she returns, but Neha has decided to stay put in a warzone. Neha, whose father was in the Army and died a few years ago, shifted to Kyiv last year to pursue medical education.

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Contending that the need for a political party like DMK is more than ever in todays political scenario, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday declared that the partys journey in pursuit of social justice will cover the whole of India and termed as the first step his initiative to form the All India Federation for Social Justice towards achieving the goal.

In a letter to his cadre on the eve of the release of the first part of his autobiography by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Stalin said the book covers the first 23 years of his journey  from his birth in 1953 to his experiences as a prisoner during the Emergency under MISA in 1976  and expressed regret that he could not invite cadres for the event due to security reasons.

Incidentally, it was Rahul Gandhis grandmother Indira Gandhi who imposed an Emergency in 1975 and the DMKs government was dissolved in 1976.

Also Read | TN govt will bear flight expenses of students returning from Ukraine

Gandhi will release the first part of Stalins autobiography at a gala event on Monday evening with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, NCs Omar Abdullah, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD, in attendance. In the letter, the DMK chief spoke in detail about his arduous journey as a leader and recalled his father M Karunanidhis words that Stalin was the epitome of hard work, which he considered as a certificate to his contributions in public life.

Stalin described the DMK alliances Himalayan victory in the just-concluded elections to urban local bodies as peoples birthday gift as he turns 69 on March 1. He asked his cadre not to organize lavish celebrations on his birthday.

DMKs founder C N Annadurai had said while founding the party that its services would be needed for half a century. In the current scenario, the need is more than ever. The DMKs journey in pursuit of social justice will cover the whole of the Indian Union. The first step is the All India Federation for Social Justice, Stalin said in the letter.

Stalin had in January written to 38 leaders across the country to join the All India Federation for Social Justice to ensure equitable distribution of resources and development to all sections of society. Parties like Congress have joined the forum.

Terming the local body election results as peoples good conduct certificate for the nine-month-old DMK Government, Stalin said such a victory would not have been possible without groundwork by the cadres. The victory streak of the DMK alliance began in 2019 and it is continuing in 2022. We have hit a six in every ball. This scale of victory has been given to us by the people. The local bodies are the backbone of the democracy, Stalin said.

He also told his cadre to ensure the victory of the candidates announced by the party and alliance partners for the elections to choose the heads of the civic bodies.

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Disturbing accounts by Indian students stranded in Ukraine surfaced on Sunday morning with a Malayali student saying that they were beaten up by Ukrainian forces and were being kept from leaving the country.

Several Indian students, most of them from Kerala, were reportedly attacked at the Ukraine-Poland borders at Shehyni.

According to a video message from a Malayali student, Angel, the Ukraine military and police were beating them up and even driving vehicles towards the students who tried to cross over to Poland. The forces are also allegedly firing in the air.

Get live news updates from the Russia-Ukraine crisis on DH

"Even I was beaten up by the military personnel and pushed to the road. One of my friends who reacted was also beaten and pushed to the road," said Angel.

Students reached the border areas after walking several kilometres in extreme cold, and were left with little food and water, some of their parents said.

Even as the Kerala government appealed to the students to move to borders only as per directions of the embassy officials, many students were trying to move on their own as the situation in Ukraine was worsening, the parents said.

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Kerala government on Sunday decided to lift all restrictions imposed on cinema theatres and hotels and restaurants in the wake of Covid-19.

An official statement said that all theatres and hotels can accommodate customers as per the approved seating capacity. Upto 1,500 persons will be allowed at public functions subject to the ratio of 25 square feet per person.

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Seizure of centuries-old idols from various places by the Tamil Nadu Idol Wing for the past few years had generated much interest among the people as most of them were rare objects.

The Idol Wing seized 374 idols over the past couple of years and has now made their 3D pictures available online to showcase the rich art and culture of the state.

www.tnidols.com is a treasure trove that allows anyone from across the world to view the 3D photos of the idols that are made of metal, stone, and wood. As many as 36 metal objects were shifted to ICON Centre at Tiruvottiyur near Chennai while 265 idols were sent to the Government Museum in Egmore.

The Idol Wing with help from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology- Madras (IIT-M) has taken 3D pictures of all 374 idols, which are already live on the website. The Virtual Museum is a collection of digital images, and other data of historical, scientific, cultural interest that viewers can access through electronic media.

Using Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality unique cameras and a technique called Photogrammetry, the IIT-M 3D- Scanned the idols from different angles and stitched them together using new software. Photogrammetry employs a reverse process of photography that creates 3D models from 2D photos.

The outcome is 3D pictures or geometric models for AR and VR. We can use the same for 3D Printing also. Further, Invent Softlabs collaborated with the Idol Wing to create a website for the virtual museum in which they uploaded the 3D models from IIT, Madras. They have so far uploaded 374 photos or 3D models. We propose to do the uploading of the remaining models in a phased manner, the Idol Wing said.

The Idol Wing also has plans to turn the Virtual Museum into a Metaverse where visitors can interact in 3D Cyberspace. The officer said the long-term plan of the Idol Wing is to crowdsource images of all the antique idols available throughout Tamil Nadu from volunteers to upload them temple-wise, sub-division wise and district-wise.

Such an initiative will enable the devotees and lovers of ancient art and culture to access the 3D images from the comfort of their homes. An officer said using the collaborative effort of the community, the Idol Wing intends to welcome experts and students of history and culture to contribute information and content regarding the exhibits in the Virtual Museum and turn the website into a Wiki web page called Wiki-idol with a semi-closed editing system.

Like Wikipedia, the Idol Wings technical collaborator Invent Softlabs and a community of volunteers will maintain the free content and exhibits in the Virtual Museum, the Idol Wing said.

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Uncle Jim poses for photos during CPAC at the Rosen Shingle Creek and Westgate Resort in Orlando on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Tomas Diniz Santos/Orlando Sentinel) (Tomas Diniz Santos)

As the Conservative Political Action Committee conference wrapped up Sunday in Orlando, a straw poll revealed former President Donald Trump retained strong support among Republicans for another White House bid, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a clear second choice.

The poll included ballots by 2,574 attendees and showed 59% selected Trump as their preferred presidential nominee, stronger than his 55% support last year, the results distributed by the conference showed. DeSantis was the second-highest choice at 28%, also an improvement on his 21% total year.

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So much for him [Trump] fading, said Jim McLaughlin, the pollster who announced the results Sunday.

If Trump were to bypass another presidential run, CPAC attendees had a clear second choice.

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DeSantis was the runaway favorite in a field without Trump, garnering 61% of the vote  far ahead of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Donald Trump Jr., who tied for second with 6% apiece.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at The Rosen Shingle Creek on February 26, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. CPAC, which began in 1974, is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

The release of the straw poll results came after Trump addressed the conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort on Saturday night and strongly hinted hed run again in 2024. DeSantis opened the event Thursday with a speech that also touched on national topics.

There was some talk Sunday of Russias invasion of Ukraine, with Trump Jr., in a meandering 15-minute speech, criticizing President Joe Biden as weak as his father had the night prior.

Of course, it happened under this administration because, you know, the first thing a bully does, a bully like Vladimir Putin, he takes advantage of the weak  and no one is weaker  than Joe Biden, said Trump Jr., the conferences final speaker before a closing performance of God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood.

But the day was dominated by the straw poll, with conservative activists and media pundits alike wondering if Trump would maintain a stranglehold on conservative politics.

Gregory Howard, in town from Cincinnati, said he was pleased to see Trump atop the poll, and he thinks DeSantis as Trumps vice president would form the strongest GOP ticket in 2024.

I think DeSantis should run as vice president if hes asked to, which almost guarantees hell be president in 2028. I think thatd be great for our country, said Howard, 67.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

I dont want to see DeSantis run against Trump, he added.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responds to cheering supporters as he takes the stage at the 2022 CPAC conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla, Thursday, February 24, 2022. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

News reports have indicated tension between the two GOP favorites, citing Trumps frustration at DeSantis for not publicly stepping aside amid rumors he was eyeing a run for president himself.

There were public signs as well. Trump, who confirmed he received a vaccine booster shot, stated last month that politicians who sidestep questions about their vaccine status were gutless. DeSantis, who hasnt revealed if he received a booster, later said on a podcast that he regretted not pushing back against Trump over COVID shutdowns in the pandemics early days.

Still, the straw poll showed near-unanimous support for Trumps tenure as president, at about a 97% approval rate.

Folks were telling me things were going to fade from the president, McLaughlin said to a crowded room. I saw the speech last night and your reaction: Nothing has faded for the president.

In the same poll last year, 68% of attendees said they wanted Trump to run again, and 55% said the former president was their preferred candidate in 2024. DeSantis came in second at 21%, and was the top candidate in a separate poll not including Trump at 43%.

rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com
For the first time since 2016, urban local bodies in Tamil Nadu will get elected heads this week with the State Election Commission (SEC) announcing the elections for choosing them through the indirect method on March 4. They will be elected by 12,800 councillors who won the February 19 elections held to 21 municipal corporations, 138 municipalities, and 489 town panchayats.

While the new councillors will be sworn in on March 2, they will elect mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, presidents and vice presidents of corporations, municipalities, and town panchayats on March 4. With the ruling party alliance registering a landslide win in the elections, the DMK combine will form the council in all 21 municipal corporations, over 120 municipalities, and 400 town panchayats.

In total, indirect elections for 1,296 posts will be held on March 4 across the state, the SEC said in a statement. While nominations will be received in the morning, the elections will be held, if there is more than one contender, in the afternoon, it added.

Chennai, the state capital, will get its first woman mayor from the Scheduled Castes (SC) with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) being reserved for SC (women) by the Tamil Nadu government. The Chennai Corporation has had two women mayors in the past  Tara Cherian (1957-1958), and Kamakshi Jayaraman (1971-1972).

Also Read: Vote share vs seats won: Which is the 3rd largest party in TN?

Two municipal corporations located just outside Chennai  Tambaram and Avadi  will also have members from the same community as mayors. While Tambaram is reserved for SC (women), Avadi is SC (general). Of the 21 Corporations, two are reserved for SC (women), one for SC (general), and nine for General (women). The remaining nine are general category seats.

This is the first time that elections to urban local bodies are held for the first time since 2011  the civic bodies were bereft of elected representatives since October 24 after the Madras High Court granted a stay on the elections announced by the then AIADMK Government.

After three years, the government conducted elections to rural local bodies in 2019, and the elections to urban local bodies could not be held due to the Covid-19 pandemic and assembly elections. The DMK government, which assumed office in May 2021, has now conducted the long-pending elections.

Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO, said the councillors should ensure that they are accessible to the people in their respective wards, besides ushering in an area of transparency and accountability. He also demanded that area sabhas and ward committees be constituted in all 21 municipal corporations and 138 municipalities in line with an amendment made in 2010.

The new councillors should ensure greater transparency in the functioning of the urban local bodies. They should push for a live telecast of the council meeting and ensure that all details relating to works undertaken by the civic bodies like roads be placed in the public domain. Besides, the newly elected councillors should ensure quality in the works undertaken, Venkatesan told DH.

Infographics:

No. of municipal corporations: 21

No. of. Municipalities: 138

No. of town panchayats: 489

No. of posts for which elections will be held on March 4: 1,296

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Akhangsha Bhowmik, a fourth-year medical student in Ukraine's V N Karazin Kharkiv National University, is anxiously waiting to safely return home in Tripura capital Agartala.

She is among an estimated 50 medical students from the northeastern state who have been stranded in Ukraine after the Russian invasion.

"For the last three days, we have been hearing sounds of heavy bombing and shelling. The stored water has been exhausted and food is also getting over. We are going through difficult times," Bhowmik told PTI over a WhatsApp call from Kiev.

"The situation is worst in Kiev as there is no end to bombing and shelling. There is panic and uncertainty all around. I, along with six other medical students, have taken shelter in a bomb raid shelter, where the temperature is around three to four degrees Celsius," she said.

She appealed to the Government of India to evacuate them at the earliest as "things are rapidly turning worse".

Read | Indian students stranded in Ukraine 'beaten up' at Poland border

Sanjib Nath, a resident of Dharmanagar in North Tripura, is tensely waiting for the return of his 21-year-old son Dwaipayan, a medical student in a Kiev-based institution.

He had gone to Kiev on December 11 last year to pursue medical studies.

"Everything was fine until the Russian invasion. He had a scheduled flight to Delhi on February 26 but it got cancelled due to heavy bombing and shelling around Kiev," Nath said.

He said that his son and some of his friends from Tripura wanted to escape to Poland but could not and are now sheltered in a bunker.

Nath urged the Centre to evacuate his son and bring him back home.

"I would be grateful if our government brings back my son and others from the war zone immediately," he said.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has said that the issue of evacuating students from Tripura has been taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs.

"I am sure required help will reach the students soon until then I am requesting all to follow the advisory issued by GoI and Embassy of India, Ukraine," Deb had tweeted on Friday.

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Do you know how a plane takes off? How does a helicopter stabilises in air? How challenging the work inside an Air Traffic Control is? How has the Indian space odyssey zoomed from a bullock cart to Moon and Mars?

A visit to the Hall of Aviation and Space at the Nehru Science Centre in Mumbai might answer those questions.

It has everything under one umbrella encompassing the timeline from 15 October 1932, when the legendary JRD Tata landed in Mumbai to the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.

And never to miss - Wing Commander (Retd) Rakesh Sharma's messages from space in April 1984, when he famously said - saare jahan se accha in response to then Prime Minister; late Indira Gandhi question about how India looks from space.

The Nehru Science Centre collaborated with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to set up the new exhibition facility at Worli.

The new attraction is being inaugurated on Monday, coinciding with the National Science Day by J T Radha Krishna, Regional Executive Director (WesternRegional), AAI, Mumbai in presence of Ashok Kumar Verma, Airport Director, Juhu, Subhabrata Chaudhuri, Director, NSC, Umesh Kumar Rustagi, Curator 'G' & Head, Education Cell, NSC among others.

According to Rustagi, the exhibition is spread around 550 sq mts - and is an international-class facility.

Its a very unique exhibition that we have curated. Lot of efforts have gone into it. It captures the entire journey of Indian aviation and space sectors, we have tried to cover each and every aspect, said Saket Singh Kaurav, Curator D, Regional Science Centre, Bhopal.

The fields of aviation and space have huge potential and importance to inspire not only school students, our next generation, but also preparing next-generation pilots, air traffic controllers, airport managers, professionals for other aerospace-related fields, scientists, engineers and astronauts, Kaurav told DH on Sunday.

The Hall of Aviation and Space provides a platform for its visitors to explore the promising fields by using interactive exhibits, stories, models, artefacts, participatory visualisation tools, multimedia, films, diorama, scale down 3D models of aircraft, helicopter, spacecraft, rockets, and many more.

'Aviation' and 'space' are two sections the facility is divided in.

Kaurav said that the legends of India's space and aviation have been covered including JRD Tata, Vikram Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan, Rakesh Sharma and so on.

There are several models of aircraft - civil and military, space shuttles and satellites.

Over the years, Indias determined space programme has evolved with a focus on national imperatives, and social and economic well-being of the people. India uses its satellites for specific developmental objectivescivilian (earth observation, remote sensing, communication, meteorology) and defence purposes.

These encompass environmental degradation, soil erosion, monitoring fishery resources, flood and drought monitoring, mining, surveying mineralogical resources and ascertaining land coverage for wildlife parks. Space-based applications like tele-education and tele-medicine have enabled greater access to rural populations to these basic needs.

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Shivappa, 42, stays with his family in a 'sheet home' at Jalahalli in Bengaluru. A resident of Bengaluru, he does odd jobs and earns an average of Rs 9,000 every month.

Shivappa first applied for the Karnataka Chief Minister's one lakh housing scheme in Bengaluru four years ago. His application was abruptly cancelled when the government changed and brought about a few changes to the scheme.

He applied for a house again. This time, the process was digitised and he had to make a deposit of Rs 1 lakh upfront.

Shivappa says he took out a loan for the deposit  Rs 50,000 in a gold loan and the rest from a local moneylender.

Although he has been allotted a flat in a 14-storey apartment, he's uncertain about the future.

Also Read | Govt launches scheme for de-notified & nomadic tribes in education, housing, health sectors

Unlike other affordable housing programmes for urban areas in the past, such as the Centre's Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana or the Vajpayee Urban housing, the new housing schemes have a greater beneficiary contribution  from 10% to 66%.

This means beneficiaries like Shivappa can end up taking on a debt of anywhere between two lakh and seven lakh rupees for a house, depending on the government programme they opt for.

There are other issues. Many beneficiaries need to apply for bank loans to be able to afford the house. But the stringent documentation requirements of the bank has meant that few loans are actually disbursed.

For instance, one social activist says that the banks demand for income certificates are a problem. The banks insist on income proof of at least Rs 60,000 per annum.

If BPL families go for this income certificate, they stand to lose out on benefits like ration and education scholarships, the activist says. Even if they file a new affidavit, the certificate takes years to come, he adds.

Also Read | Disasters can wipe out affordable housing forever unless communities plan ahead

Comparing the current government housing projects to the ones in the past, A Narasimhamurthy, president of the Slum Janandolana, an organisation working for the rights of slum dwellers, says the burden on people has increased manifold.

Fifteen years back, people had to pay just Rs 40,000 for affordable housing. And there was a provision for Urban Local Bodies to chip in half the amount, further reducing the cost, he says.

The slight shift has coincided with the Central governments flagship Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), which was launched in 2015 and aimed to provide Housing for all by 2022.

So far, 115 lakh houses have been sanctioned in various states, with Rs 1.1 lakh crores spent so far. About 50% of the houses have been completed, with states like Delhi, Telangana and Kerala taking the lead when it comes to the implementation of the scheme.

In Karnataka, the progress of the PMAY scheme has been slow. When asked about this, Housing Minister V Somanna denied this.

Despite its overweening ambition, the PMAY-Urban scheme might actually fall short of Indias housing needs. As far back as 2012, a report of the Technical Group on Urban Housing Shortage had estimated that there was a shortage of 187.8 lakh houses, with 95% of this in low-income housing.

Also Read | Rules to be simplified for housing in Karnataka, says CM Bommai

Previous schemes

And previous efforts to tackle this crisis havent been effective.

Take the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Several of these affordable housing projects taken up in Bengaluru  distinct in their cream and green paint  now lie in shambles.

At Jaibhim Nagar, an affordable housing project taken up by the Karnataka Slum Development Board in East Bengaluru more than a decade ago, there are more than 3,000 residents living in cramped quarters.

Even now, many houses in these projects do not have electricity metres; the roofs and walls on the top floor of buildings invariably develop cracks. The sewage chambers are overflowing, with water stagnating between the buildings. Garbage is dumped in heaps at the end of compounds or streets.

Sagaymary, 65, was part of the first cohort to move into the area after being evicted from her shanty home near the Bengaluru cantonment railway station. Sitting in her tiny one room house, Sagaymary says the people here feel like they have been marooned on an island, out of sight of everyone else.

Also Read | Cabinet approves continuation of Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana  Gramin (PMAY-G) for another 3 years

Despite staying in a shanty earlier, Sagaymary says, they were right in the middle of the city and did not want for anything.

It isnt just infrastructure. Even today, the locality is present in the middle of nowhere, three kilometres from the nearest bus stop or medical clinic. Some women found employment as house help after a row of gated apartments came up nearby.

Other men in the locality arent able to find jobs or have to travel a long way to get to the city.

Far from the city, Jaibhim Nagar has reverted to a slum and is now like a prison for its residents.

Those living in a house are looking to live a dignified life. But there, they have just built cement slums, Narasimha Murthy says.

The government seems to have thought through some of these issues with the new schemes like the Chief Ministers one lakh housing schemes.

Also Read | Housing under PMAY: Karnataka govt asks banks to speed up loans

Sannachitaiah, Chief Engineer at the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited (RGHCL), the agency tasked with implementing the project, says the new project went from being a G+3 model to S+14 model; requirements for amenities like car parking, lift and approach road were relaxed but are present.

Since land was scarce, the project limits were increased from BDA limits to that of the Bengaluru Urban district.

Then, the income ceiling was relaxed too, from Rs 87,000 per annum to Rs 3 lakh per annum, ensuring more people were eligible for the project.

All of these revisions have led to an unavoidable delay, Sannachittaiah says.

But the one lakh housing project is not without its detractors.

A major point of contention is the lack of loans being sanctioned by the banks.

For the one lakh housing scheme, RGHCL has forwarded 5,644 loan applications with all the relevant documents. As of October last year, just 1,450 loans were sanctioned and 73 loans disbursed.

When asked about this delay, housing department officials say the stringent requirements from the banks is creating a bottleneck.

In turn, an official with the SLBC said they werent getting the necessary cooperation from the housing department. Many people think it is a free loan or some government scheme. When they realise it isnt, they dont show interest, he says.

Perhaps one of the worst-performing schemes under the PMAY is the in-situ development of slums.

The huge contribution from the beneficiary is a big reason for the lack of progress in the scheme, an official at the Karnataka Slum Board says, on condition of anonymity.

Just 14% of the proposed low-income houses under the scheme have been constructed. The bigger issue of lack of basic facilities is going unaddressed even in the new projects. Most of these projects end up becoming new slums, and in many ways worse than they were before, says Issac Amruthraj, who has been working with slum communities for more than two decades.

An official says the Board is given an average of Rs 75 crore to provide facilities in a year at its projects across Karnataka. To put this in context, the Board spent Rs 28.5 crore just on staff salaries in 2020-21.

Activists like Isaac see a clear shift in focus from low-income communities to those who are slightly better off.

Last year, there was a government order stating that title deeds be given to the three lakh odd families living in slums. So far, just 10,000 title deeds have been distributed.

Near Hosa Road in Kudlu, Bengaluru, at the Slum Quarters in Kaveri Badavane, Seena (44) is nervous about the new apartment complexes coming up around them. He along with a hundred other families moved here 14 years ago.

It has become easier to find work, he says, but the lack of proper documentation has left people nervous about being evicted again. Now there is talk of a lease and moving us to another project in Attibele, he says.

I have spent half my life struggling to build a life here, says Somalatha, 48, who works as a househelp in the apartment complexes nearby. We are not going to move again.

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Three years ago this day, the lives of more than 1.6 billion people were in danger when India and Pakistan teetered on the edge of a military conflict after the Balakot episode. In the hype and hoopla over Wg Cdr Abhinandans moustache and the electoral success of PM Narendra Modi, amplified by the jingoism of hyper-nationalist media commentators, it is forgotten that the two nuclear-armed neighbours threatened to shoot missiles at each other on February 27, 2019.

Kya humne apne nuclear bomb Diwali ke liye rakhe hue hain (have we kept our nuclear bomb for Diwali), was how Modi justified it, only weeks after the crisis. If things had not fortuitously fallen in place, the scenario would not have been of a Diwali celebration but, to cite Modis ominous evocation, of a qatl ki raat (a night of slaughter).

As Russia invades Ukraine and the Chinese military sits on Indian territory in Ladakh, it is worthwhile recalling the events of February 2019 that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of a night of slaughter.

On February 14 that year, a young Kashmiri boy drove an explosive-laden car into a bus carrying CRPF troopers near Pulwama in South Kashmir. More than 40 CRPF men died in the suicide attack, which was linked to Jaish-e-Muhammad, a Pakistan-based terrorist group.

Neither have questions about the quantity and source of explosives used in the blast been answered satisfactorily so far, nor has responsibility for the intelligence failure fixed on anyone senior in the hierarchy.

Faced with charges of corruption in the Rafale deal and dealing with the economic downturn unleashed by the sudden demonetisation and a flawed GST, the BJP was grappling with a tough electoral contest for Parliament in early 2019. With a largely pliant media furthering his political narrative, Modi grabbed the opportunity to order a retaliatory airstrike on Pakistan. The target was an Islamic seminary in Balakot, in Pakistans Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Though Indian and Pakistani armies have conducted cross-border military strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir for more than 25 years, the two sides had not used airpower after 1971. Even during the Kargil conflict of 1999, the Indian Air Force was strictly told by the Vajpayee government to stay on our side of the LoC. The airstrike on Balakot on the morning of February 26 thus crossed a thick red line.

The outcome of the Balakot airstrike has been clouded in doubt. Western observers, including satellite imagery experts, US government officials, and foreign journalists taken by the Pakistan military to Balakot, are convinced that the IAF missed the targets. The precision-guided munition is believed to have overshot the seminary, hitting the trees on the ridgeline. The evidence presented by the IAF to journalists  I was one of those privately shown those images  was not convincing, but no questions were raised then due to the prevalent nationalistic mood.

As expected, Pakistan launched its own retaliatory strike, near an Army establishment in Nowshera and Poonch in J&K. It claimed to have deliberately chosen an open area as it only wanted to send India a message but did not wish to escalate any further. With the Indian military on high alert, the IAF aircraft scrambled rather quickly to take on the PAF aircraft. An aerial clash ensued, which led to the shooting down of an Indian MiG-21 fighter jet, and the pilot, Wg Cdr Abhinandan, ejected in PoK and was taken captive. In the initial hours, as often happens in the fog of war, there were conflicting reports from both sides, which added to the confusion.

However, the confusion that took a toll was at the Srinagar airbase, where our own forces shot down a helicopter carrying six IAF personnel. More distressingly, the IAF kept quiet about the fratricide, hiding behind the excuse of an ongoing inquiry, to politically benefit the ruling party. The court-martial proceedings against two IAF officers held responsible for the incident began in Chandigarh only this Wednesday.

India had sent a strong message by choosing to hit a target inside Pakistan. But the IAF had missed the designated target, shot down its own helicopter, lost a fighter jet in an aerial skirmish, and its pilot was in Pakistani captivity.

At this point, the crisis seemed to spiral out of control. Media reports suggest that India then threatened Pakistan with a missile strike if the captured pilot was not returned immediately. The message was conveyed at the highest levels by intelligence officials. The accounts vary about the number of missiles that India threatened to fire  six, nine or 12  but Modis public speeches and Pakistani officials have established that the threat, at least in the Pakistani decisionmakers calculus, was real.

In turn, Pakistan threatened to rain three times the number of Indian missiles on our cities. It also conveyed this counter-threat to western capitals, which panicked and swung into crisis-control action.

In two closed-door roundtable events, I attended with US government officials in Washington DC that fall, strong western intervention with India at multiple levels  from foreign minister to foreign secretary to NSA to service chiefs  was confirmed. Despite these efforts, the threat of escalation persisted till Pakistan PM Imran Khan finally announced the release of the captured pilot. The Indian government subsequently put out a statement that the Indian Navy, including its nuclear submarines, were in an operational deployment mode during the period.

Nuclear brinkmanship

While both sides engaged in nuclear brinkmanship, they eventually pulled back in time. Many think that the danger of a nuclear conflict after Balakot has been overblown. That is a mistake. Robert McNamara learnt from Fidel Castro in 1992 that as US Secretary of Defence during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he and his advisers had been wrong in their conjectures: Soviet nuclear weapons were already stationed in Cuba in October 1962 and a US invasion of Cuba would have almost certainly met with a nuclear response from Moscow. Shaken after learning this, he said the revelation had been horrifying. Kennedy and Khrushchev had been lucky. As were Modi and Imran.

True, India and Pakistan are not the USSR and the US, which had hundreds of nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert. But India and Pakistan share a border, which leaves their leaders with little decision time once a missile has been fired. A missile fired from Pakistan will probably land before the warning of its launch reaches decision-makers in Delhi. Whether a missile carries a conventional warhead or a nuclear one will always be a matter of imperfect assessment in the dense fog of war, further amplifying the risks and dangers in South Asia.

Pakistan has always been seen as the reckless actor in the region, one that negotiates with the world by holding a gun to its head. In Indias case, handsome political reward by the electorate for aggressive military behaviour in recent years has created a perverse incentive for risky offensive action. As India moves closer to another general election in 2024, we need to ask ourselves, are we going to depend on luck when the next crisis confronts us, or are we willing to sleepwalk into the qatl ki raat?

(Sushant Singh is Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi)
For the majority of the visitors, especially the ones from outside Uttar Pradesh who throng the sprawling Gorakhnath Temple complex in the heart of Gorakhpur, the hometown of the northern states Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the place may appear to be like any other famous temple with the devotees bowing their heads before Baba Gorakhnath, the founder of the `Nath sect of Hinduism, and taking rounds of the Divya Jyoti (eternal flame).

The Peethadheeshwar (chief) is none other than Yogi Adityanath himself, but one doesnt get to see any sign of political activity inside the Peeth, which was established almost a thousand years ago and is now spread across more than 50 acres of land. The old-timers in Gorakhpur, about 300 km from Lucknow, however, know about the kind of political clout the temple has been having, especially in Poorvanchal or the eastern UP

region.

The first Mahant (religious head), who had taken the plunge in electoral politics, was Avaidyanath, who had successfully contested the assembly polls in 1962 from the Maniram seat in the Gorakhpur district and emerged victoriously. Avaidyanath later went on to become an MP from Gorakhpur and represented the constituency four times. After Avaidyanath, Mahant Digvijay Nath had contested the Lok Sabha polls in 1967 as a Hindu Mahasabha nominee from Gorakhpur and won.

Also Read | Smaller parties hold key in UPs Poorvanchal

He later chose Adityanath as his successor, who also represented the constituency in Lok Sabha for five consecutive terms since 1998.

The followers of the Peeth were spread not only in the country, but also outside, including Nepal. Lakhs of followers of the Nath sect throng the temple during the month-long Khichri Mela held in January every year. According to the temple office bearers, the royal family of Nepal used to send specially prepared khichri (a mixture of rice and cereal) for being offered there every year. The Mutt also runs several educational institutions and a hospital in Gorakhpur town.

The temple management rejects assertions that the Peeth had anything to do with politics and claims that its religious heads had contested elections only to strengthen and protect the interests of Hinduism. The people have faith in the Peeth and they see it as a protector of Hinduismas a centre of spiritual knowledgetheir support is not driven by political considerations, remarked a temple office-bearer preferring anonymity.

The clout of the Mutt could be gauged from the fact that Adityanath had his protege Radha Mohan Das Agarwal contest against the official BJP nominee Shiv Pratap Shukla in 2002 assembly polls. The saffron party had refused to give the ticket to Agarwal. Adityanath, however, got him elected.

Also Read | BJP banks on 'Hindutva', SP on caste equations in fifth phase of UP polls

There was a clear message that no one, not even BJP, could challenge Adityanath on his home turf. On other occasions also, Adityanath had opposed official nominees of the BJP and had even campaigned against many of them, especially in Deoria, Gorakhpur, Basti, Kushinagar and other adjoining districts in the Poorvanchal region. He also set up Hindu Yuva Vahini, an outfit, which did not hesitate in taking recourse to threats and intimidation to implement its hardcore Hindutva agenda and help him spread his political reach.

It was the Hindu Yuva Vahini, which helped Adityanath reach the position where he finds himself in now, says Sunil Singh, who was one of the founders of the Vahini, but later fell out with Adityanath and joined the SP. Singh, now a bitter critic of Adityanath, adds that the Peeth wields considerable influence over the people in the region and it is this influence that helps him in winning the polls.

Political clout

The Gorakshnath Peeth of course has immense political clout in the regionit has been like this since the time of Mahant Digvijay Nath and it still continues, says Ashok Mishra, a social worker and a resident of Deoria, barely 45 km from Gorakhpur. Even staunch critics of Adityanath refrain from mentioning the Gorakhnath Temple fearing backlash from the Hindus. Many opposition leaders also visited the temple in the past, Mishra told DH. Senior Congress leader and Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel paid obeisance at the Gorakhnath Temple a few days back.

Also Read | In Ayodhya and elsewhere in UP, desertion in BJP's Dalit-OBC support

Some, however, say that the Peeth tilted toward the Thakur community and was rooted in anti-Brahminism. The allegation gained ground during Adityanaths tenure and many, including the BJP leaders, alleged that the Brahmins faced persecution under the current dispensation. Adityanaths opponents have made it an issue in the ongoing assembly polls in the state.

The perceived electoral invincibility of the Peeth had, however, came under suspicion after BJP lost the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypoll to SP following anointment of Adityanath as CM of UP in 2018. The SP then had the backing of the BSP. But then, in 2019, BJP wrested the seat back.

It remains to be seen if the political influence of the Peeth succeeds in ensuring the victory of the BJP nominees in the region and a smooth sailing for Adityanath, who himself is contesting the Gorakhpur Sadar seat now.

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If youve slept, perchance you have dreamed about an ex and woken up wondering, What was that all about?

The good news for chronic analysers: An intense dream about a person you cared about months or even decades ago doesnt mean youre secretly pining for them. Deirdre Barrett, a dream researcher at Harvard University and author of Pandemic Dreams and The Committee of Sleep, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, said a number of factors can spark a dream about an ex-partner.

Triggers can include an anniversary of a death or a breakup or a divorce decree, she said. But dreams can also be a reaction to how we feel about our present relationships.

Instead of looking at dreams about exes as a sign of still being hung up on them or as a signal to look them up on social media, Barrett said to think of them as a chance to examine your current emotions and how youre coping with them.

The whole idea that we process deaths or breakups in an all or nothing way is deceptive, Barrett said. Life is a continuous getting over it. These things never fully disappear.

Here, Barrett and another expert parse the takeaways from three such dreams. To protect the privacy of both parties, we are using first names only for the dreamers and not naming their exes.

An ex-spouse reappears

Andrew, 47, had been divorced for three years when he had a dream about his ex-wife that stuck with him. At the time, Andrew, who is now in another relationship, had been considering reaching out to his ex, to whom he had been married for 10 years, to catch up.

In the dream, he was meeting his sister at his parents house for dinner, and they arrived to find his ex-wife in the backyard, sitting calmly at a picnic table. He and his family then went inside the house and looked through a window at his ex-wife.

Andrew said he woke up feeling like he had dodged a bullet, and later decided that contacting his ex would be a bad idea.

That Andrews dream provided enough insight to change his course of action, Barrett said, supports what is commonly known as continuity hypothesis: A theory that states that anxieties in our dreams may mirror the ones in our waking life.

He said hed been thinking it might be reasonable and even pleasant to start getting together with his ex occasionally, she said. But something in his dream made him abandon this plan.

Ian Wallace, a psychologist in Inverness, Scotland, and author of Decode Your Dreams: Unlock Your Unconscious and Transform Your Waking Life, was struck by the placid imagery: the calm face of Andrews ex and the picnic table.

The picnic table could symbolize that he now has the opportunity to make things easier and more pleasant for himself, he said.

Tap dancing for attention

Five years after Zach, 31, broke up with his on-and-off girlfriend of three years in 2014 because of issues related to dating long-distance, he had a dream about them meeting at what Zach described as a magic academy, like the one in the TV series The Magicians.

The two were on a great lawn, and Zach heard an old phonograph playing what he said might have been a love song in the distance. He began to tap dance, hoping his ex-girlfriend would see him, but she had fallen asleep on a blanket.

Later, he was in a room inside the academy. All of the rooms are locked by a magical spell that can only be broken by the occupant of the room, Zach said. When he heard a knock on the door, he opened it to find his ex-girlfriend there.

Zach, who is in another relationship, said he rarely dreams about his ex-girlfriend and that he woke up wishing that he was at the magical academy.

According to Barrett, each room being locked with a spell only its occupant can break could be associated with the issues that Zach and his ex faced by dating long-distance. That Zach woke up wishing he was at the academy could suggest an openness to reconnecting. I wouldnt be amazed to see this dreamer give it another chance, she said.

The dreams mystical quality, Wallace said, suggests that Zach is seeking a perfect relationship. In waking life, we can sometimes delude ourselves with magical thinking as we try to idealize a romantic relationship rather than engaging with practicalities, he said.

Rekindling a relationship

Right around the start of the pandemic, Justy, 34, said she started having one or two dreams a month about her ex-husband, whom she divorced in 2014 after two years of marriage.

In one dream, Justy, who is currently single, arrived at a hotel in the area where her ex grew up. There, she discovered that he was getting married to someone else. Soon she was surrounded by his family and friends, who told her that they wished it was her and him getting married again. Then, Justy and her ex were somewhere else, alone. He was holding her and saying that he wanted to be with her.

Justy said the dream stayed with her because of how emotional it felt, despite the fact that she and her ex-husband no longer share romantic feelings.

I think a big part of why these dreams started during the pandemic is theres this nostalgia for when I was married, she said. I really liked where my life was at and where my career was going.

The past two years have changed so much about our lives that past relationships may have an added appeal because new ones are harder to imagine, said Barrett. The dream may be more about a nostalgia for a time that her ex represents, rather than the person himself.

Past relationships may have an added appeal as brand-new ones are harder to initiate right now because of the pandemic, she said.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi termed the foot march taken out by Congress for Mekedatu as an event organised to prove one-upmanship between KPCC President D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Siddaramaiah.

Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, Joshi said Shivakumar is under the illusion that through Mekedatu padayatra he too can become a chief minister, just like Siddaramaiah did after taking padayatra to Ballari. Situation is different now and people can see through Congress leaders lies and understand that Congress leaders, who could not resolve the issue while in power will not be able to resolve it even after coming to power, he said and predicted that even after 2023 assembly elections Congress will continue to be an opposition party.

He said, inter-state water dispute is a complicated matter and should not be misused for political gains. Turning the table on Congress regarding the Mahadayi issue, the Union minister asked the Karnataka Congress to make its stand clear on the Goa Congress manifesto, which states that not a single drop of Mahadayi water will be released to Karnataka. At least, we are not saying that. BJP government will fight the issue in court and ensure that the State gets its share of water, he said.

Ukraine crisis

Joshi said the Union government is making all-out efforts to bring back all its citizens from war-stricken Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to presidents of both Russia and Ukraine and both the premiers have ensured the safety of our citizens. No country in the world is in a position to reject the legitimate demands of India, he said and added that External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and Modi will ensure that every India stuck in Ukraine is brought back to India free of cost.

"Parents of the students stuck in Ukraine can contact our helpline desk set up in Delhi and we will ensure that help reaches those kids," he said.

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The Karnataka government on Sunday said around 30 students hailing from the state have been safely evacuated from war-torn Ukraine.

According to the data available with the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), based on the submissions it has received so far, about 397 people were stranded in Ukraine with 129 among them from Bengaluru.

"The Embassy of India, Kyiv, has started evacuation of stranded Indian nationals from Ukraine. The evacuation flights operating under Operation Ganga have started evacuating stranded Indian citizens in Ukraine through bordering countries, ie., Romania, Budapest, Bucharest, etc. Around 30 students hailing from Karnataka have been safely evacuated," Nodal Officer and Commissioner of KSDMA Manoj Rajan said in a statement.

Also Read: Air India flights carrying 490 Indian evacuees from Ukraine land in Delhi

The first batch of 12 students reached Bengaluru International Airport from Mumbai at 8.40 am today.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, state Revenue Minister R Ashoka and nodal officer Rajan received the arriving students at the airport.

According to the statement, the second batch of 13 students, and a third batch of five students hailing from the state have reached Delhi and will reach Bengaluru later tonight, it said. They have been accommodated in Karnataka Bhavan.

"Overall, 30 students will reach Bengaluru today," the statement added. Expressing joy over her safe return, a woman student said: "They have brought us safely - Indian government, Indian Embassy, Karnataka government. They arranged flight tickets for us. Hope other students stranded in Ukraine too return safely. Though there was fear, the Embassy assured us a safe return."

Another student said, "We were evacuated through Romania border, as we were in western part of Ukraine, but don't know how authorities will evacuate those stranded in other parts like Kyiv." Expressing worry about friends back in places like Kyiv and Kharkiv, another student said, "They are actually in crisis as they hear bombing very often and are taking shelter in bunkers. Most of them are short of basic things like food and water."

Noting that authorities are facilitating the travel of students hailing from Karnataka to their respective destinations, the statement said the local tickets from Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru will be borne by the state government. The Nodal Officer and his team are in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to evacuate the remaining stranded students from Ukraine, it said.

The state government has opened a facilitation centre at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, to coordinate and support stranded students hailing from Karnataka, who are arriving there.

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The BJP is exploring the possibility to hold the Karnataka Assembly elections six months earlier than the schedule if the saffron party wins in Uttar Pradesh.

"If the BJP wins in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the party leaders in Delhi are keen on holding Karnataka elections along with Gujarat Assembly polls," a senior BJP leader told DH.

Top BJP leaders, who held a meeting recently, are of the view that a victory in Uttar Pradesh would give a massive boost to the party to work towards victory in Gujarat elections. If Karnataka Assembly polls are held, along with Gujarat, chances of winning in both the states are better, the leaders feel, sources in BJP told DH.

Also read | Pralhad Joshi calls Congress's Mekedatu yatra a 'one-upmanship march'

Gujarat Assembly elections are due in December this year while Karnataka's polls are to be held in April-May next year.

The tenure of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on May 24, 2023.

However, if the BJP is not able to form the government in Uttar Pradesh, then Karnataka's assembly polls will be held as per the schedule in April-May next year, a senior BJP leader told DH.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections result will be announced on March 10.

By advancing polls in Karnataka to hold it along with that of Gujarat, the BJP is keen on encashing hijab row and Hindutva agenda.

To counter anti-incumbency factor, it is better to hold Karnataka polls along with Gujarat, many BJP leaders are learnt to have expressed.

"If Karnataka polls are held alone, the BJP is not confident of winning polls due to anti-incumbency and corruption charges against some of the ministers," said the leader.

Though the party holds Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in good stead, some of his cabinet colleagues do not feel the same way.

Despite Congress being a divided house due to constant infighting and a tug of war between former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Pradesh Congress president D K Shivakumar, the party may like to encash anti-incumbency towards BJP-led government.

Since several BJP leaders, including some of the Ministers, could join Congress ahead of elections, the saffron party is planning to field at least 100 fresh faces. The party is also likely to replace around 50 MLAs with new faces, said a senior leader.

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U.S. provides 350 mln USD worth of weapons to Ukraine

Xinhua) 10:34, February 27, 2022

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Saturday that the United States is offering 350 million U.S. dollars worth of "lethal defensive" weapons to Ukraine to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian military operations.

Blinken said in a statement that U.S. President Joe Biden authorized him to decide on such a move. As such, he has authorized the Department of Defense to carry out the presidential drawdown, which will help Ukraine cope with "the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing."

The secretary said the latest sum was on top of the 60-million-dollar and 200-million-dollar immediate military aid to Ukraine that Biden delegated to him last year, bringing total U.S. security support to the Eastern European nation over the past year to more than 1 billion dollars.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Dubai, UAE (PANA) - As the African Union (AU) celebrates its 20th anniversary, Expo 2020 Dubai will dedicate Sunday, 27 February, to honour the works of the African people, celebrating the continent's day
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Minister of State for European Affairs visits London

Press release

On 27 February 2022, Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, T.D., will undertake a three day visit to London for a series of engagements, which will include participation in the 61st British Irish Parliamentary Assembly Plenary. Speaking ahead of the BIPA Plenary, Minister Byrne said,

I welcome the opportunity to meet and engage in person with members of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly. As Minister for European Affairs, I am committed to strengthening our relations with all our partners across Europe. BIPA is an important forum for building relationships between British and Irish parliamentarians. The main theme of the 61st plenary will be relations across our islands. I look forward to setting out Irelands perspective in a post-Brexit context, of the continuing importance of British Irish relations, particularly in relation to our joint commitments under the Good Friday Agreement, as well as our ambitions to develop them further as well as the current key issues in EU-UK relations

Minister Byrne will also meet UK ministerial colleagues, MPs and other interlocutors. On Monday afternoon, he will give a keynote address to the London School of Economics Law School setting out his perspective on EU-UK relations post Brexit:

I look forward to engaging with staff, students and guests of the LSE. We are now more than one year on from the end of the transition period and the beginning of this new phase in EU-UK relations. It is an opportune time to take stock of what has been achieved, as well as to examine the questions that persist.

Ministerial engagement will include bilateral meetings with Minister for Europe and North America, James Cleverly MP, Minister for Safe and Legal Migration, Kevin Foster MP and Tom Tugendhat MP, Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee.

ENDS

Press Office

27 February 2022

Notes to editors The British Irish Parliamentary Assembly seeks to promote co-operation and build relationships between political representatives in Britain and Ireland, providing a forum for discussion and a means to improve mutual understanding.

The plenary proceedings will be broadcast live on YouTube from 9.30am on Monday, 28 February from its website http://www.britishirish.org/.

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Where to Watch / Stream Farmer Seeking Love Online Theatrical release - Not available on any OTT Platform right now.

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The launch of Ireland's newest airline took place this week with an inaugural flight from Donegal to Dublin.

Emerald Airlines will facilitate the North-West region with daily flights to the capital, with Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton, marking its commencement on Friday February 25.

The flight is reportedly part of government-funded Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services between the two county's airports.

An honour to be on the inaugural flight of the new Government funded PSO route connecting @DonegalA to @DublinAirport & beyond  Four flights each day with Emerald Airlines operating under the @AerLingus Regional brand. An important day for the North-West region! @McHughJoeTD pic.twitter.com/RbuisUVcFU February 26, 2022

Minister Naughton said, "I would like to wish Emerald Airlines every success in operating and growing this route and providing the people and businesses in the North-West with daily air services to Dublin to attend medical and other important appointments as well as supporting the economy and tourism in the region."

According to the minister, the airline's launch marks a government commitment to ensuring continued connectivity to the North-West for the next three years.

She said, "Emerald Airlines will operate the public service obligation air service, under the Aer Lingus Regional brand, facilitating return trips from Donegal within the day, and further international connectivity from Dublin airport through Emerald Airlines partners."


Avila Naturalle Limited, a leading manufacturer of natural skincare products in Nigeria recently hits another remarkable expansion milestone as it launches its new Fashion brand on Friday, February 25, 2022, in Lagos. The event also witnessed the presentation of awards and special prices to its best-performing distributors rewarded its top-performing distributors nationwide. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT



Avila Naturalle Limited, a leading manufacturer of natural skincare products in Nigeria recently hits another remarkable expansion milestone as it launches its new Fashion brand on Friday, February 25, 2022, in Lagos.



Avila Fashion which was launched in Lagos during a dinner event to mark the grand finale of the companys annual distributors summit and excellence award (ANDSEA 2022) is inspired by the need to further ignite the feeling of happiness in people by offering good quality and affordable clothing that will not only meet their needs but also give a sense of class and style.



According to the President, Avila Naturalle, Mrs Temitope Mayegun, Avila Fashion offers exquisite designs with the modern family in mind. The brand combines bold statement masterpieces with creative touches to give people a variety of unique and elegant ready-to-wear garments. Avila Fashion is divinely inspired to further the companys vision to inspire a healthier and happier world by changing the narratives in modern fashion trends and clothing people with decent and imperial styles that boost self-confidence and make them feel like kings and queens.



Avila Fashion is aiming at becoming a continental brand name that will have several branches and outlets in cities across Africa and some countries of the world. The business is also aimed at meeting the growing demand for classy yet affordable clothing whilst competing favourably with other leading brands in the African fashion industry. The brands flagship style is catering for varying styles of clothing, including the Corporate, Smart Native, Contemporary Casual and Fast Fashion ensembles that offers beautiful, simple but classy options for every member of the family, Mayegun noted.



she added that the new Avila Fashion brand is in furtherance to the vision of Avila Group to be a global household brand that will inspire a healthier and happier world. Therefore, all the divisions of Avila, including the ones to come in the near future will ultimately make people the world over, live healthier and happier one way or the other.



The event also witnessed the presentation of awards and special prices to its best-performing distributors rewarded its top-performing distributors nationwide. The prizes include an all-expense-paid trip to Dubai to five top performers across the different distribution categories and other mouth-watering prizes.



The winners are Mrs Chinyere Orji who emerged as the Overall Best Diamond Partner in 2021; Mrs Taiwo Asambe as Best Overall Major Distributor, 2021; Barrister Precious Oyeogbe as Best Overall Mini Distributor, 2021; Monica Davidson as Best Overall International Distributor; and Mrs Mary Jane Ebogu as Best Overall Performer, 2021 Discount Promo.



Other winners that were also recognised and awarded at the ever are: In the Diamond Category - Top Diamond Partner-Northern Region-Mrs Adeola Adeyanju(Zaria); Top Diamond Partner-Southern Region-Mrs Esohe Omorogbe(Benin); Top Diamond Partner-Western Region Mrs Hafsat Balogun(Lagos) and Top Diamond Partner-Eastern Region- Mrs Precious Onyinye(Aba).



In the Major Distributor Category  Top Major Distributor -Northern Region-Mrs Margaret (Abuja); Top Major Distributor-Southern Region-Mrs Rosabel Ogbomo(Benin); Top Major Distributor-Western Region-Mrs Kemi Adesalu (Lagos); Top Major Distributor-Eastern Region-Mrs Ngumezi Chidimma(Owerri); Top Major Distributor-International- Ms Florence Ufedo Audu(Ghana).



In the Mini Distributors Category - Top Mini Distributor-Northern Region-Eunice Edi(Jos); Top Mini Distributor-Southern Region-Omorogbe Esohe Rachael(Benin); Top Mini Distributor-Western Region-Adegbite Adepeju Faizat(Ibadan); Top Mini Distributor-Eastern Region-Ngumezi Chisom(Owerri) and Top Mini Distributor- International- Miss Monica Davidson (Ghana).



Other Award Winners are: Mrs Adeola Adeyanju won Creativity Award 2021; Mrs Orimolade (M Hub Enterprises) won the Digital Innovation Award 2021; Mr Samuel Olayinka won the Customer-Centric Award 2021; Mrs Ade Esther won the Most Passionate Partner Of The Year; Mrs Adediwura Olufemi won the Most Dedicated Partner Of The Year; Mrs Victoria Onyeanula won the Most Diligent Distributor Award; Toyosi Famakinwa won the Social Media Savvy Award; while the Presidents Special Recognition Award went to Mrs Nkechi Emmanuel.



The distributors who were specially acknowledged during the Dinner and Award ceremony amidst glitz and fanfare were visibly excited about the companys gesture of appreciation, which they described as a good motivation to strive for better performance in the new year.



Contact:

Sylvester Iriogbe

Sylvester avilanaturalle.com

+2348065858814
ADA [ndash] Memorials services for Clifford Brent Hall, 63, of Ada are 10:00 A.M. Thursday, May 5, 2022 at Trinity Baptist Church, Doug Brewer will officiate. Mr. Hall passed away Monday, April 25, 2022 at a local nursing home surrounded by family. He was born August 8, 1958 in Shawnee, OK t
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."
There is an estimated 1,603 people living with dementia in Louth and each year more than 11,000 people develop the disease across the country  thats around 30 people every day.

Approximately 64,000 people are living with dementia in Ireland today and this number is expected to more than double to over 150,000 by 2045.

There are many forms of dementia, with the most common being Alzheimers disease, vascular dementia, mixed Alzheimers disease/vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body disease.

A collection of Top 25 Dementia Books, as compiled by Irelands librarians, has today been revealed.

The development of the specially curated selection offers a range of perspectives on life with the disease and follows on a need identified by people with dementia and their loved ones for greater information and support.

It has been created in partnership with colleagues from the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre, Dublin (DSIDC).

Through an initiative of the Healthy Ireland at Your Library programme, and supported by the Dementia: Understand Together campaign, led by the HSE, the books are now available in libraries across Louth, including Ardee, Carlingford, Drogheda, Dundalk and Dunleer.

The collection features an eclectic mix of titles on the subject of dementia, from slowing the onset of the disease to ways to improve our brain health, from first-hand accounts of people living with dementia to ways to improve life through nutrition, music, the arts, and more.

The introduction of the collection has been supported by the delivery of dementia awareness training. The training, delivered by the DSIDC, provided information on the different types of dementia and their symptoms. It also gave information and advice on creating a supportive environment and how best to assist and communicate with the person with dementia when visiting the library.

On behalf of public libraries, Colette Byrne, Chair of the Libraries Development Committee of the Local Government Management Agency, said:

We are delighted to announce details of this list of Top 25 Dementia Books which we hope readers will find both useful and engaging.

"It wasnt easy to settle on our final 25 and, with new books arriving all the time, we will continue to review and add to our listing as appropriate.

"These books speak to the experiences not only of doctors, psychologists, carers, but, most importantly, of people with dementia. We look forward to sharing our insights on the different books and to pointing readers in the right direction of the most suitable titles depending on the particular interest they might have.

Its all part of the Healthy Ireland at Your Library programme which is about providing enhanced health and well-being book collections, and a range of programmes and events, to support people in managing their own health.



For Fiona Foley, National Co-ordinator, Dementia: Understand Together in the Communities, libraries offer a key resource in supporting people with dementia to live full and active lives:

If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it is that we are social creatures and that social interaction is a vital part of our health and well-being.

"It is no different for people with dementia.

"Unfortunately, people with the condition may experience stigma and retreat from social interaction as a result of this.

"This can lead to isolation and feelings of loneliness for the person with dementia, their families and supporters.

"While this predates the pandemic, it is nowadays a feeling that we can all perhaps relate to.

"That is why this new initiative by Irelands libraries is so fantastic in extending a warm welcome to people with dementia to their local library as part of an inclusive community, and in providing training to staff to make the service as supportive and accessible as possible.

Finding out as much as possible about dementia, the supports available, the importance of staying socially active and keeping your brain exercised, can all help your health, well-being, and quality of life.

"The development of this Top 25 Dementia Book listing offers people who want to find out more about dementia a treasure trove of insights and suggestions.

If you or a loved one is worried about symptoms of dementia, you can speak to a dementia adviser at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland on Freefone 1800 341 341 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm).

For details of the Top 25 Dementia Books, as well as information on supports available, including a county-by-county service-finder, visit www.understandtogether.ie.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. High 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

A shower or two possible this evening with partly cloudy skies overnight. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
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WE believe that housing is a human right for everyone, said Gary Baus a member of People Before Profit Cork, at a housing rally in Grand Parade this afternoon.

As part of a day of national mobilisations, housing activists in Cork city held a housing rally to highlight the dereliction crisis, protest against the government's shortcomings and demand an end to the ongoing housing crisis, in Cork city and beyond.

Todays rally was the latest in a number of rallies organised by the National Homeless and Housing Coalition (NHHC).

The umbrella group, with branches around the country, is made up of political parties, NGOs, community groups, and trade unions.

Mick Kelleher, John O'Callaghan, Tom Flynn, Tommy Gould, TD and Conchuir O'Conghaile of Sinn Fein at the rally as Housing activists highlighted the issue of dereliction and demanded an end to the ongoing housing crisis.

Mr Baus said the event was held to highlight the ongoing housing crisis.

Average rents in Cork now exceed 1,500 a month. We need a rental sector that works for tenants, not landlords. The average house price in Cork is now over 300,000 which is unaffordable for most people. We need housing based on the needs of the people, not profit, he added.

Gary Baus, People Before Profit spoke at the rally as housing activists highlighted the issue of dereliction and demanded an end to the ongoing housing crisis.

Today's rally drew a small crowd which Gary said represents a start.

It was good and it is a start. There were maybe two dozen or so people there. The housing crisis is affecting everybody. For a lot of people, it is the number one issue. I am hoping to have another housing rally in Cork at the end of March and April.

Eithne Lynch and Louise Jordan of The Green Party at the rally as housing activists highlighted the issue of dereliction and demanded an end to the ongoing housing crisis.

During his speech, Mr Baus called for public housing to be built on public land and an end to evictions and bank repossessions.

I'm tired of losing my friends, neighbours, and community to the housing crisis. Some get evicted, some get priced out, and some leave the country altogether.

"Slowly everyone I know is feeling pressured out of this once affordable city. A whole generation of us is locked out of ever getting a mortgage or owning a home."

We are calling for public housing to be built on public land, an end to dereliction, an end to evictions, bank repossessions, and sell-offs to vulture funds. Most importantly we demand a national referendum on a constitutional right to housing. Ireland can provide everyone in need with a dignified place to live.

"Dereliction continues to blight Irish towns and cities, with over 1,400 properties in Cork city and county boarded up.

"We should build social housing at a cost price and tenants can pay rent according to their salary. This money goes back into the system, he added.
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Washington, MO (63090)

Today

Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. High 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 54F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Emporia, VA (23847)

Today

Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
At the behest of the country's government, Meta took its most significant action yet against Russian state media organizations amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. On Sunday, Nick Clegg, the companys recently promoted president of global affairs, said Meta was restricting some Russian accounts within the war-torn nation.

We have been in contact with the Government of Ukraine, and at their request we have also restricted access to several accounts in Ukraine, including those belonging to some Russian state media organizations.  Nick Clegg (@nickclegg) February 27, 2022

We have been in contact with the government of Ukraine, and at their request we have also restricted access to several accounts in Ukraine, including those belonging to some Russian state media organizations, said Clegg. Weve reached out to Meta to ask the company to clarify how its restricting those accounts.

Clegg noted Ukraine also asked Meta to limit Russias access to Facebook and Instagram. For the time being, the company denied that request, claiming people in the country have used its platforms to organize anti-war protests and access independent information. We believe turning off our services would silence important expression at a crucial time, he said.

 Confirmed: Facebook content servers are now restricted on #Russia's leading internet providers; the incident comes shortly after the restriction of Twitter as Russia clashes with social media companies over the invasion of Ukraine 



 Report: https://t.co/PzFZ662LyN pic.twitter.com/cOWMs731sO  NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 27, 2022
Following Western sanctions on Russias financial institutions in response to the invasion of Ukraine, customers of several of the countrys largest banks can no longer use their debit and credit cards in conjunction with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Among the affected organizations include VTB Group, Sovcombank, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, and Otkritie FC Bank, according to a press release from the Central Bank of Russia spotted by Business Insider .

Customers with those banks can still use their cards to make contactless payments, provided they support the feature. However, they wont work overseas, and they cant be used to make online purchases from retailers registered in countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia.
Weather Alert

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM CDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of Oklahoma and northern Texas, including the following counties, in Oklahoma, Alfalfa, Atoka, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Noble, Oklahoma, Payne, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Stephens and Tillman. In northern Texas, Archer, Clay, Wichita and Wilbarger. * WHEN...From 6 AM CDT this morning through Thursday morning. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Extensive street flooding and flooding of creeks and rivers are possible. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Showers and thunderstorms will develop Wednesday morning over a broad swath of the watch area. Another round of rain and thunderstorms is expected later in the afternoon and will last much of Wednesday night before ending Thursday morning. Storm total amounts of 2 to 5 inches are expected. Given recent rainfall, these additional amounts may cause flooding. - 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. &&
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The idea of a Europe that protects has become a totem of the times. It has found favor with many of the continents leaders, from former German chancellor Angela Merkel to the European Commissions former president Jean-Claude Juncker and his successor Ursula von der Leyen, who in 2020 thanked Greece for taking on the dubious role of European shield against migration. The mantra of protection, which many associate with French President Emmanuel Macrons rousing 2017 speech at the Sorbonne University, has logically been raised as a banner for Frances ongoing presidency of the Council of the EU.

For all the present talk about it, the notion is not entirely novel. It has been handed down like a political baton in Paris for the best part of the last three decades. Then president Francois Mitterrand used it in 1992 to warn against the wave of mainly Anglo-Saxon free-market ideology in Europe. In 1996, Jacques Chirac pushed for a Europe that reassures and protects, in the face of a disquieting future characterized by an increasingly globalized economy. On the eve of Frances previous EU presidency in 2008, Nicolas Sarkozy argued that we must not be afraid of the word protection and pledged to turn Europe into a means of protecting Europeans in their daily lives. Not to be outdone, Francois Hollande stated in 2016 that France was preparing a political initiative to fend off the threat of Brexit: a Europe that protects. It required that Brussels focus on security, the control of its external borders, the fight against terrorism [and] the defense of our continent.

The foil common to all these presidential pledges is the unruly nature of the outside world. They demonstrate that Paris has never quite bought into the idea of Brussels using the mere power of its markets to convince governments in the near abroad to form an ordered ring of well governed countries to the East of the European Union and on the borders of the Mediterranean. To misquote Rados?aw Sikorskis swipe at German foreign policy, France fears European power less than it does European inactivity in this respect  hence why a benign Europe is often cast as a threat to French interests on the global stage, rather than an auxiliary. The latest of Russias military incursions into Ukraine are unlikely to assuage any such fears. Particularly galling for Paris is the reliance of Europeans on US intelligence to track developments in their own backyard. Overall, the old continent has pottered through the crisis as though bent on conjuring up the familiar figure of Titians Princess Europa, defenseless in the face of foreign powers.

So what are the alternatives? The first is turning a defenseless power into a defensive continent. Despite their conflicting views of the Kremlin, far-right parties have long used this trope in their attempts to build transnational coalitions of European nationalists. When Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Frances opposition leader Marine Le Pen, Polands Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and several others met in Madrid at the beginning of 2022, they rallied under the banner of defending Europe. Not that the idea of a fortress Europe is a strict preserve of the far right: it was Brussels, after all, that appointed an EU Commissioner in 2019 to protect the European way of life, and Nicolas Sarkozy who created a ministry of immigration, integration, national identity and cooperative development in 2007. Nor is the perception that Europe is under siege a wholly novel one. If anything, Sebastian Munsters sixteenth century engravings would indicate that Europe first became a continent in its own eyes by distinguishing itself from an external environment which it identified as hostile. His early modern cosmographies accordingly represent the continent under the guise of Queen Europa, defender of the faith, balancing an orb and scepter.

Defenseless or defensive Europe? Princess Europa or Europa Regina? The difficulty lies in sidestepping the lure of these opposing but mutually sustaining narratives. The Europe that protects is the only palpable alternative at present  but what does it protect, against whom, and with what means? The French presidents proposal for a pan-European debate about the new security order in Europe is one way of framing the question. If the fate of Macrons Conference for the Future of Europe is anything to go by, however, it hardly guarantees an answer or even a willing public. In effect, Vladimir Putin yesterday rejected Macrons diplomatic overtures by recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk. Yet the French leaders instincts are not misguided. In the long term, what ultimately weds the continent to the twin narratives of closed and open Europe is a stubborn shortage of political imagination. This is never a fatality. Richard Youngs has developed the idea of protective security, the European Council on Foreign Relations that of protective Europe. Europeans experts have defended cooperative security to protect the basic rules of continental coexistence and others are rethinking global Europe.

Younger voices of the continent are also looking for new totems: replacing toxic narratives with one that reconciles the protection of the environment, the protection of its citizens and the protection of the European project  and substituting the ghosts of an imperial, masculine, geopolitical, and colonizing past with a green civilian superpower and a European Marianne. If it hopes to go beyond the sterile dichotomy between defensive and defenseless Europe, the French presidency of the Council of the EU could do worse than following up some of these ideas. In the meanwhile, cold geopolitical realities await. Putin has now effectively withdrawn unilaterally from the Minsk accords and is forcing a response from France and the West. But if a self-styled geopolitical Europe is unable to protect itself, what chance does it stand of crafting a Europe that protects?

Europe: Between Being Defenseless and Defensive  Opinion by Oliver de France  Carnegie Europe.

The Opinion can be downloaded here
Sunday, February 27, 2022

Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Author of the Award- Winning Book "Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies " (Nicholas Brealey)

If business leaders think or hope that The Great Resignation will end anytime soon, they are likely to be disappointed.

Indeed, according to Joblist's 2022 Job Market Trends Report:

Three out of four full-time employees are planning to quit their job this year.

79% of employed job seekers believe that they can make more money by switching jobs than staying put in the current market.

'Leading The Way'

The Washington Post reported that, "Goldman Sachs estimated last fall that more than half of those who had left the workforce during the Covid era's Great Resignation were over 55.

"An analysis released by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis found workforce exits are higher among baby boomers than pre-Covid trends would indicate, with a report last month finding womenmany of whom work in public-facing positions and are between the ages of 65 and 74 among the groups leading the way."

Reality Check

An informal survey of experts and observers yielded a wide range of opinions and predictions about the future of The Great Resignation.

'Likely Here To Stay'

Kevin Harrington is the CEO of Joblist, a job search platform. He noted that, "The pandemic was the catalyst for The Great Resignation phenomenon, but it's likely here to stay."

"Job openings are close to record levels, and with the rise of remote work and interviewing, it's never been easier for employees to switch jobs in search of greener pastures," he said.

"As long as the market rewards job switching, employees will continue to pursue this path in large numbers. I do not see this dynamic changing anytime soon," Harrington predicted.

A Seismic Shift

Robert Kelley is a professor of management at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. He noted that, "The Covid pandemic is producing a once in several generations seismic shift in the work worldfrom what work do we focus on, to who does that work, to where is the work performed, to how much life purpose do workers derive from their work.

"I prefer to see The Great Resignation as the first shock-wave of what I call the 'Big Sort' that will have trailing aftershocks. All echelonsfrom CEOs to front-line workersare sorting out their relationship with work and how work fits into their overall life-work balance, as well as how much they want to get paid for their work.

"Absent any other severe global disruption, I expect the Great Resignation to slow down as employees and customers return to business establishments which will probably coincide with Covid becoming endemic.

"So, the Big Sort's aftershocks will continue for a couple years or more till we return to a more stable employment environment," Kelly said.

Cyclical Effect

Brad Biren is a tax and elder law attorney with a specialty in crisis Medicaid planning. He believed that, "The Great Resignation will last eight years. This is due to the cyclical effect of normalization between generations.

"The youngest boomers will reach optimal retirement age in eight years. At that same time, the first members of Generation X will begin to enter the optimal retirement age (66 more or less).

"This change in workforce requires replacement. At that point, Generation Z, etc., will fill in roles that are now matured and consolidated around more specific and novel sectors. That is normalization through replacement attrition," Brien observed.

Never-Ending

Melissa Dexter is the chief people officer at Uprise Health, an employee assistance, mental health and managed behavioral health platform. She predicted that, "The Great Resignation is going to last forever, as it's a philosophical change in the perception of work as we have known it in our lifetime.

"It's not just a period of time. The way in which we work and how people perceive work has changedthere is no going back. Because of the pandemic, employees today are more aware than ever of their mental health needs, and employers now know they need to provide support and time away in order to keep employees happy and healthy," Dexter commented.

A Permanent Change

The HR Industry Trends Report from Trust Radius found that 76% of surveyed human resources professionals in the U.S. thought that change in the labor market accompanying the Great Resignation is permanentwith 43% considering the attrition movement itself a significant permanent change and 34% saying it will create some small but permanent changes.

Advice For Business Leaders

Listen To Your Employees

Kelly Rice, manager of human resource operations with HR platform Insperity, advised that, "If employers do not listen to their employees, resignations may continue. One specific thing does not usually lead to a resignation. Employees want to be challenged by their work, and with all the positions available, many are taking this opportunity to switch careers. Talented employees want the opportunity to learn something new, move into a new role or take on increased responsibilities.

Focus On Training

"Managers also make a large impact on employee satisfaction rates. Good leaders motivate employees, and businesses should focus training on this critical role. Throughout the pandemic, manager roles have evolved to include enforcing new policies and managing hybrid teams, on top of their regular duties," she pointed out.

"A great management team that is supported by senior leadership is more likely to stay with a company, and they can help mitigate the wave of resignations.?Businesses should focus on retaining their employees, listening intently to what they need to succeed and taking action.

"An organization with employees who enjoy the culture and the work they do is more likely to attract top candidates who align with the company's values," Rice concluded.

###
The University of Texas Systems board of regents has established a $300 million endowment fund to help seven system universities, including University of Texas at San Antonio and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, expand their free tuition programs for lower-income students.

The Promise Plus program will allow the universities  to increase the income threshold for program eligibility, potentially reaching more students. The other universities are University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Texas Permian Basin and University of Texas at Tyler.

All the talk about student debt, were attacking it on the front end, board Chair Kevin Eltife told regents at their meeting last week. Were going out of our way to commit every dollar we can to these programs to lower tuition and cover tuition for our students.

Regents emphasized that this funding would supplement federal and state financial aid programs.

In recent years, many universities and community colleges in Texas and across the country have launched similar tuition programs to increase college access for low-income students and to encourage enrollment for those who might be hesitant to take on massive amounts of student debt. Many universities structure these programs so they pay whats left on a students tuition bill after federal or state grants have been applied.

Current free tuition assistance programs vary by university within the system. UT-RGV offers the highest income threshold of any public university in the state, covering tuition and fees for students whose family income is $100,000 or less. UT-Tyler, UT-Permian Basin and UT-El Pasos current income ceiling is $60,000. UTSA recently announced it would increase its income ceiling to $70,000 starting this fall.

UT-Dallas program covers tuition and fees for families earning $25,000 or less. UT-Arlington used to have a similar program, but it ended in 2015 after funding cuts made it difficult to sustain, according to the Shorthorn student newspaper. They now offer three separate tuition guarantee programs that have varying income thresholds.

Eligible students must be Texas residents who are enrolled as full-time undergraduates and qualify for need-based aid. Universities also can determine additional criteria to qualify.

We know the state continues to grow, and our younger and more diverse populations will continue to require access to education that they need to contribute to a strong and competitive Texas economy, UT System Chancellor James Milliken said. It also means that our high-quality UT institutions will remain among the most affordable in America.

While some university leaders expressed gratitude for the new funding, its unclear how they plan to use the money to augment their current tuition assistance programs. According to a UT System news release, Milliken and Eltife will visit the seven universities to announce each universitys allocation over the next month.

The regents established a similar $167 million endowment for UT-Austin in 2019, which covered tuition and fees for students whose families earn up to $65,000 and provided financial assistance to students from families with incomes up to $125,000 who have demonstrated financial need.

The board used money from the states Permanent University Fund to establish that program. The Promise Plus fund instead uses money from a variety of financial investments that the system said produced higher-than-expected returns over the past fiscal year.

The UT System had the second-largest endowment in the country in 2021, topping nearly $43 billion. Last year, it saw its value increase by 34 percent from the previous year, according to a survey released earlier this month by the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. University endowments saw dramatically higher investment returns last year during the pandemic.

The system expects the Promise Plus fund to generate $15 million this year, which it will distribute to the seven universities. All schools will receive a minimum of $1 million and are expected to continue to continue allocating university money to these programs, too.

Disclosure: University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Texas Permian Basin and the University of Texas System have been financial supporters 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.
Ten-year-old Luke Altman stood tall as he led his grand champion steer, Murphy, in circles in the auction ring as buyers bid on the light tan Simmental.

The fifth grader from Shallowater, a city north of Lubbock, walked away from the junior market steer auction with the $109,000 that Murphy was auctioned off for plus thousands of dollars in scholarship money. The auction came during the last weekend of San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

The prize comes after a lot of hard work on Lukes part, committing a couple hours a day for the past year to care for Murphy.

Luke was all smiles Saturday morning but said he was bawling Friday night after Murphy was selected as the grand champion.

It feels really good, Luke said, almost at a loss for words as his loved ones stood behind him preparing to pose for photos with the youngster and Murphy.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor Robin Jerstad /Contributor Robin Jerstad /Contributor Luke Altman walks his grand champion steer through the ring during Saturdays auction. (Robin Jerstad /Contributor) Luke Altman walks his grand champion steer through the ring during Saturdays auction. (Robin Jerstad /Contributor)

Its very exciting, best friend Landon Wampler, 12, said of seeing Altman win. I cried, too.

Luke, who has been showing cattle for three years now, said he wants to put his winnings toward his college education. He said he would like to study something within agriculture. His father, Mark Altman, owner of 4A Cattle Co., said Luke probably will end up studying animal science or something similar.

Its unbelievable, Altman, 47, said of his sons accomplishment. Its so unreal, just watching him mature and grow and set goals like that. Its really impressive.  Watching him reach his goals is super humbling and just a blessing.

Luke plans to continue showing steers in the future, his father said.

Ronnie Urbanczyk, vice president of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo executive committee placed the winning bid on the grand champion. Urbanczyk said this is the first time in the history of the auction that an executive committee member bought the grand champion.

God has been really good to us, and this is just a good way to give back, he said. Urbanczyk, 64, owns Urban Concrete Contractors.

The record bid for a grand champion steer is nearly $120,000, set in 2019.

Next up on the auction floor was Queso, a Charolais cross raised by 16-year-old Stiles Patin from Thorndale, northeast of Austin.

The reserve grand champion went for $75,000, which Stiles said he hopes to put toward another steer to show next year. A group of 10 companies  including H-E-B and Rush Enterprises  had the winning bid for the reserve grand champion.

Stiles has been showing cattle since he was 9 years old. Although he has done well in past competitions, this is his first time to have raised one of the champion steers.

But winning a top prize has been a goal of his for years.

Never leave your dreams on your pillows, Stiles said. Thats kind of what Ive been trying to put out there. Because this has been a dream of mine ever since I was little. You just have to have ambition for it. This is definitely a big dream of mine, and it finally came true.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

Luke and Stiles were just two of more than 200 youth from across the state to auction off their steers Saturday morning, according to auction chairman Kirk McClelland.

The steer auction is the final one for the 2022 junior market livestock auction. Goats, lambs, turkey, chicken and barrows were auctioned off on Thursday and Friday.

McClelland said it is common for kids whose livestock is auctioned off to use the funds for a future animal to show or for their education.

Its really a neat deal, McClelland said of the auction. Im so proud to be a volunteer out here. Its fabulous. Every year, you see great things coming from these young people.

megan.rodriguez@express-news.net
Until 2002, San Antonio was the largest city in the United States without fluoride in its public water supply.

Fluoride reduces tooth decay in children and adults by 25 percent, according to the CDC. Data also show that prevention of tooth decay can be maintained at the recommended level of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of drinking water.

It had been a contentious topic amongst locals for 15 years until voters gave their final approval for adding it to the water supply by a narrow margin in 2000. Hesitation sprung from unfounded fears that it causes cancer, supposed communist plots to control Americans and that it is big government tyranny.

Today, San Antonio still has fluoride in its water. But there are some holdouts within Bexar County.

1,998,668 people  93 percent of the population that Bexar County water utilities serve  have access to water that meets the CDC's recommended level of fluoride. 160,772  or 7 percent  don't, according to the CDCs 2021 Fluoridation Status Report.

Bexar County outperforms the state in this regard, as 27 percent of the population served by water utilities in Texas do not have fluoridated water that meets the CDC's recommendation.

Among water utilities in Bexar County that do not add fluoride, most serve residents outside San Antonio city limits, such as Alamo Heights, Kirby and Live Oak. The city of Leon Valley explicitly states on its utilitys website that it does not add fluoride to the drinking water.

But the largest utility, in terms of population served, without fluorinated water is San Antonio Water System District Special Project (SAWS DSP) Northeast. It has 47,651 customers.

Portions of SAWS that don't currently meet the CDC's recommended level of fluoride are slated to receive fluoride in the future as the utility upgrades its systems, said Anne Kenny Hayden, the SAWS communications manager.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday tweeted a request that restaurants, bars and retailers across the Lone Star state pull Russian products from their shelves, as Russia and Ukraine battle for control of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, and Russians at home are being arrested over anti-war protests.

"Ive asked the members of the Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Package Stores Association & all Texas retailers to voluntarily remove all Russian products from their shelves," Abbott said. "Texas stands with Ukraine."
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WESTPORT  A new bakery will soon be coming to town.

Max Londons parents built the famed Mrs. Londons Bakery in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. in 1977. Now as the owner of the family business, London plans to expand the family name even further and make Westport its second location.

London said that while he and his team searched for a viable location for the business, they fell in love with Westport. He said the Westport location at 44 Church Lane will be set to open in the next couple weeks.

The downtown area really drew us to Westport, London said. The community seems great and its just a beautiful area.

He said they were trying to keep the bakerys second location within a three-hour drive of the original spot.

Westport is kind of right on the edge of that, he said. We landed here because we love it here. It just seems right.

Londons parents, Wendy and Michael, met at a New York City bakery before moving upstate to began their original location on Phila Street in 1977. London said there were many perks to essentially being raised in that shop.

I literally grew up in that bakery, London said. I got to see everything first hand and I got to taste everything first hand.

Londons parents closed the bakery around 1985 to focus on consulting and making bread at their Rock Hill Bakehouse, which they started in their farmhouse kitchen.

He said his parents supplied bread to all of the best restaurants in New York City and consulted for Whole Foods. During the late 1990s, the Londons made their return to the bakery and reopened Mrs. Londons Bakery on Broadway in Saratoga, where it has stayed since.

London said they decided to expand because they want to share their baked goods with even more people.

We take a lot of pride in what we do still with making everything from scratch and by hand still, London said. Thats not really being done a lot any more.

He said hes seen a lot of businesses outsource their baked goods.

I think that differentiates us, he said. Were still making things from scratch. Our team does a great job at believing that and taking it serious and we have a passion for that. We want to spread the love of baking and good food and expand.

London said the Westport location is slightly smaller than their New York location, but that makes the business more efficient. He said they will be able to make more menu items because they have two sites. Theyll also be able to make items like specialty cakes in Saratoga and deliver them to Westport.

Some of the go-to favorites on the sweet side of the menu include the almond croissants, chocolate croissants, pecan danishes, cheese danishes and the chocolate chip cookies. On the savory side, the bacon, ham and cheese quiche and the tuna salad on a croissant sandwich top the list of customer favorites.

Another one is Moms creamy tomato soup, London said. Everyone cant get enough of that.

London said it has taken nearly a year to find and open the Westport location, however, as they sit on the cusp of their grand opening, he is more than excited.

It means a lot having my family name on a business, my moms name, he said. They were the face of the business for a long time and Im carrying that on. I take a lot of pride in doing that and its really important to me.

serenity.bishop@hearstmediact.com
Several agri-exports from Russia and Ukraine are set to face significant disruption following new military action in the region, new AHDB analysis shows.

In particular, wheat, maize and sunflower oil exports from Russia and Ukraine will face challenges, according to Helen Plant, AHDB's senior analyst.

The region is one of the worlds largest producers of wheat and numerous vegetable oils.

Interfax, a Russian media source, reported earlier this week that commercial ship movements in the Sea of Azov are suspended.

Russia controls the Kerch Strait, where the Sea of Azov joins the Black Sea. Both countries export from the Sea of Azov, though most exports are from the Black Sea.

In addition, Ukraine has asked Turkey to prevent Russian ships leaving the Black Sea.

Turkey controls the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits but, as of Sunday 27 February, has yet to respond to Ukraines request.

"Were still likely to see disruptions to exports from the region and there are significant volumes of wheat, maize and sunflower oil left to ship this season," Ms Plant says.

"Given the importance of Russia and Ukraine to global grain exports and sunflower oil exports, prices for these commodities are rising rapidly."

(Source: AHDB)

Stocks in other major exporters are already expected to fall to low levels by the end of this season, the analysis shows.

This amplifies the global price impact, she explains, and thus the impact on values in the United Kingdom.

For grains, disruption in exports from Russia and/or Ukraine is likely to push more demand to other major exporters.

For wheat, this could be the EU-27 or US. The options for maize are less clear given the issues with South American crops of late.

However, for sunflower oil, she explains that Russia and Ukraine were expected to account for 78% of global exports this season.

Disruption could mean a need to switch to other vegetable oils, her analysis says. In turn, this would lead to support for rapeseed oil as well as rapeseed prices.

"The escalation may also have impacts beyond the global grain and oilseed trade and prices this season," Ms Plant says.

"It could also increase costs for UK farmers for the 2022 crops, through fuel and fertiliser prices."
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Grocer also donates 100% of proceeds from its private label Ukrainian vodka to the International Committee of the Red Cross

Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Mas, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, announces a donation of $250,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support Ukraine and its citizens as they fight to defend their country. As the grocer proudly stands with Ukraine and those who support peace, SEG will also donate 100% of the proceeds from its private label Ukrainian vodka to the cause for the next 31 days as a nod to Ukraine's official declaration of independence nearly 31 years ago.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220226005035/en/

Anthony Hucker, President and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, said, "At Southeastern Grocers, we are guided by doing the right thing; we recognize the people of Ukraine need our help, and they need it now. That's why we are immediately directing funds to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support the victims of the war in Ukraine. This decision is a natural extension of our belief that there is greater power in unity than there is in division; we believe that we are all stronger together."

SEG is proud to help those in need and to support the international arm of the American Red Cross to globally aid the citizens of the world. Through SEG's longstanding partnership with the American Red Cross, the grocer has aided the organization in countless disaster relief missions. With the generous support of its loyal customers, dedicated associates and valued vendor partners, SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation has donated more than $11 million to the American Red Cross to support communities in times of need.

About Southeastern Grocers

Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Mas, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S. SEG grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serve communities throughout the five southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Fresco y Mas, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and caring associates and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220226005035/en/

Contacts:

For SEG interviews or images contact:

Meredith Hurley

Director of Public Relations and Community

Cell: (904) 612-9441

media@segrocers.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE: PVG) ("Pretivm" or the "Company") today announced that all regulatory approvals required to close the previously announced acquisition of the Company by Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX/TSX/PNGX: NCM) ("Newcrest") by way of a plan of arrangement (the "Transaction") have now been received.



The receipt of approval under the Investment Canada Act on February 25, 2022 was the final regulatory approval required to close the Transaction and the Transaction is expected to be completed on or about March 9, 2022, subject to the fulfillment of the other customary closing conditions to the Transaction. Following completion of the Transaction, Pretivm expects to cease to be a reporting issuer and that its shares will be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE").

"We would like to thank our employees and contractors for their hard work and contributions to the successful development and operation of the Brucejack Mine and most importantly for embracing our values starting with Safety First" said Jacques Perron, President & CEO of Pretivm. "We continue to believe this transaction provides an excellent outcome for Pretivm and its employees, our shareholders, our First Nations partners and local communities in northwest British Columbia and was only possible with the support of all including our Board of Directors."

Additional information regarding the terms of the Transaction are set out in the Company's management information circular dated December 16, 2021 which is available under Pretivm's profile at www.sedar.com (http://www.sedar.com), on EDGAR at www.sec.gov (http://www.sec.gov) and on the Company's website at www.pretivm.com/investors/Newcrest-Transaction (http://www.pretivm.com/investors/Newcrest-Transaction).

About Pretivm

Pretivm is an intermediate gold producer with the 100%-owned, high-grade gold underground Brucejack Mine located in northwestern BC. We strive for operating excellence and our first priority is the health and safety of our employees, contractors and neighbouring communities. We are committed to the principles of sustainable development and conducting our activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Pretivm Contact

Pretium Resources Inc.

Troy Shultz, Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

(604) 558-1784

invest@pretivm.com (mailto:invest@pretivm.com)

Media Contact

Alan Bayless, Longview Communications and Public Affairs

604-417-9645

abayless@longviewcomms.ca (mailto:abayless@longviewcomms.ca)

Pretium Resources Inc.

Suite 2300, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street

PO Box 49334 Vancouver, BC V7X 1L4

(SEDAR filings: Pretium Resources Inc.)

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively herein referred to as "forward-looking information"), including the "safe harbour" provisions of Canadian provincial securities legislation and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "guidance", "projects", "assumes", "budget", "strategy", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "anticipates', "believes", "intends", "modeled", "targets" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information contained herein includes but is not limited to: the consummation and timing of the Transaction and its benefit to Pretivm, its shareholders, its First Nations partners and local communities in northwest British Columbia; the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the Transaction; Pretivm's expectation with respect to ceasing to be a reporting issuer and de-listing from the TSX and the NYSE following the completion of the Transaction; and discussion of future plans, projects, objectives, estimates and forecasts and the timing related thereto.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to materially differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, failure to close the Transaction on the expected timeline, or at all, including as a result of a failure to satisfy the remaining conditions precedent to the Transaction; the Transaction not providing the expected benefit to Pretivm and its stakeholders; changes in laws, regulations and government practices; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce and the operations and workforce of Newcrest; future price of gold and silver and other metal prices; market competition, the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in and such other risks as are identified in Pretivm's public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and in the United States through EDGAR at the Security and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov (collectively, the "Pretivm Disclosure Documents"). This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of our forward-looking information. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Our forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, many of which may be difficult to predict and beyond our control. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, we have made certain assumptions about, among other things: our business and operations and that no significant event will occur outside of our normal course of business and operations (other than as expressly set out herein); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce; our ability to obtain the required regulatory approvals in a timely matter, if at all; our ability to satisfy the terms and conditions precedent of the Arrangement Agreement in order to consummate the Transaction; Newcrest's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for operations in a timely manner, if at all; the adequacy of our and Newcrest's financial resources; sustained labour stability and availability of equipment; the maintenance of positive relations with local groups; favourable equity and debt capital markets; and stability in financial capital markets. Although we believe that the assumptions inherent in forward-looking information are reasonable as of the date of this news release, these assumptions are subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks and uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking information. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information contained in this news release.

Additional information about the risks and uncertainties concerning forward-looking information and material factors or assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based is provided in the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Forward-looking information involves statements about the future and is inherently uncertain, and our actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, those referred to in this news release and the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. For the reasons set forth above, readers and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX nor the NYSE has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 27, 2022 / The U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program continues to process and approve COVID EIDL small business loans in 2022. Eligible companies wanting to do an increase request or loan modification to their existing SBA loan (up to $2 million), and small businesses that have received a decline letter in the past six months or less, still can access funds. Recent research points to an estimated $115 billion in EIDL funds that may still be available.

Good news for eligible small business owners and companies that are still able to access SBA EIDL disaster loan funds in 2022. Image Credit: 123rf / Rikke.

"After doing some deep dive research, we've estimated there may be as much as $115 billion in COVID related SBA EIDL funds still available as of late February. This is only an estimate based on data we've uncovered," said Marty Stewart, Chief Strategy Officer of Disaster Loan Advisors (DLA).

The DLA Strategic Advisory Team are SBA loan consultants that specialize in assisting business owners with multiple company entities or locations, to help navigate the SBA EIDL loan program for maximum EIDL qualification. Companies that received prior SBA EIDL loans that need an increase or loan modification ( up to $2M maximum), as well as EIDL loan reconsideration requests for those businesses that have been denied.

Top 5 Questions Small Business Owners are Asking About the SBA EIDL Program

Is the SBA EIDL program out of money? How much SBA EIDL funds are remaining? Are there SBA EIDL funds still available? What is the amount of SBA EIDL funds available? What is the latest SBA EIDL funding update?

How Much Money Really is Left in the SBA's EIDL Program?

Andy Medici, Senior Reporter of The Playbook by The Business Journals, a division of American City Business Journals (ACBJ), in a recent article asked this exact question. How much is left in the SBA's EIDL program? According to Medici, the SBA's one-word response was "plenty."

"This coincides with the research our DLA Strategic Advisory Team just completed based on available SBA and other government data as of February 24th. I would say an estimated $115 billion is plenty of money still available, if that figure is correct," said Stewart.

When Stewart and the DLA Strategic Advisory Team did their research into answering this question, there were thousands of pages of SBA and other United States Government data to pour through.

3 Key Facts Uncovered in Researching the SBA EIDL Program

According to The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), there was a total of $475,000,000,000 in COVID relief funding allocated for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs).

allocated for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs). Due to a rescission of COVID-19 appropriations by The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, $13,500,000,000 was permanently rescinded from the main Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) fund.

from the main Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) fund. As of February 24th, 3,905,904 EIDL loans have been approved totaling $345,562,336,490 by the SBA .

The math appears to add up to an estimated $115,937,663,510 in funding that may still be available (as of 2/24/22) in the main EIDL fund, which is separate from the much smaller targeted advance fund.

SBA EIDL $2 Million Loan Modification Increase Requests

Even though the 12/31 SBA deadline is past for companies who have never applied to the SBA EIDL program before, many small business owners still have options in 2022, as long as funds are still remaining in the program.

"The first option is to do a loan modification or increase request. This typically needs to be done manually and in letter form. Sending a few paragraph email is not going to cut it. If you want to maximize your chances of success, and for the most money your business qualifies for, you need to do this very strategically and with expert help," said Stewart.

Maximum loan amounts have changed numerous times since the inception of the popular SBA COVID EIDL loan program started in March of 2020. As of September 2021, it was restored back to the original $2 million maximum for those small businesses that qualify for this size EIDL loan. Another favorable change in the program included expansion of eligible use of funds. COVID EIDL funds can now be eligible and used to prepay commercial debt and existing loans, and even to make payments on federal business debt.

SBA Disaster Loan Options if Your EIDL Loan was Declined

According to the SBA , loan applicants can request reconsideration. An applicant has up to 6 months after the date the SBA application was declined to request reconsideration.

"The second option is to do a reconsideration request within six months of receiving a decline letter from the SBA. Or, if you have been turned down again after filing for reconsideration, you have one last 30 day window to file an appeal. Again, sending a brief email is not going to be persuasive enough. For the best chance of success in winning an appeal and getting a yes, you need strategic expert help for best results," said Stewart.

Related SBA Program Updates

In related SBA news, several Bryce Covert articles that appeared in The Intercept, reported on the past Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Bank of America is refusing to forgive some PPP loans in full, giving small businesses little recourse. In fact, JPMorgan Chase , Bank of America , and PNC banks have all passed on an SBA policy that would allow small business owners some relief through the PPP loan forgiveness process.

About Disaster Loan Advisors

Disaster Loan Advisors is a trusted team of professionals dedicated to saving small businesses and companies from lost sales, lost customers, lost revenue to assist in rescuing your business from potential financial ruin from the COVID-19 / Coronavirus disaster, Delta and Omicron variants, and other declared natural disasters.

DLA specializes in assisting ownership groups with multiple business entities, multiple location restaurants and retail groups, and other complex situations that require an expert to be brought in to assess the situation and create the most strategic path forward.

Has Your Small Business or Company Suffered Financial Loss due to COVID, Hurricane Ida, or Other Natural Disaster? Was Your SBA Loan Application Denied for an EIDL Loan? Are You Looking for an Increase to Your Existing SBA EIDL Loan (up to $2 Million ) Need Strategic Guidance Before You Make Your Next Move?

CONTACT:

Disaster Loan Advisors

Elena Goldstein

Director of Media Relations

877-463-9777 ext. 3

elena.goldstein@disasterloanadvisors.com

Connect with Disaster Loan Advisors via social media:

Linkedin , Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and CrunchBase .

For a strategic exploratory conversation, schedule a free consultation call by visiting:

https://www.disasterloanadvisors.com/contact

SOURCE: Disaster Loan Advisors

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690598/SBA-EIDL-Disaster-Loans-115-Billion-Estimated-Still-Available
Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 27, 2022) - Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) (TSX: NCM) (PNGX: NCM) (Newcrest) is pleased to announce that it has received approval under the Investment Canada Act and that all regulatory approvals have now been obtained in relation to the acquisition of Pretium Resources Inc. (Pretivm) (TSX: PVG) (NYSE: PVG) by way of Canadian Plan of Arrangement (Transaction).

The Transaction is expected to complete on or about 9 March 2022 (Vancouver time). Following completion of the Transaction, Newcrest intends to provide a further update.

The Transaction, as announced on 9 November 2021, adds a large scale, long life and low cost mine to Newcrest's portfolio of Tier 1 assets, and is expected to increase Newcrest's annual gold production to well above 2Moz.[1],[2],[3] The combination of Newcrest and Pretivm will create the largest gold miner in the Tier 1 jurisdiction of British Columbia, operating both the Brucejack and Red Chris mines.

Authorised by the Newcrest Disclosure Committee

For further information please contact

Investor Enquiries

Tom Dixon

+61 3 9522 5570

+61 450 541 389

Tom.Dixon@newcrest.com.au



North American Investor Enquiries

Ryan Skaleskog

+1 866 396 0242

+61 403 435 222

Ryan.Skaleskog@newcrest.com.au



Media Enquiries

Tim Salathiel

+61 3 9522 4263

+61 407 885 272

Tim.Salathiel@newcrest.com.au

This information is available on our website at www.newcrest.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This document includes forward looking statements and forward looking information within the meaning of securities laws of applicable jurisdictions. Forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "objectives", "targets", "outlook" and "guidance", or other similar words and may include, without limitation, statements regarding estimated reserves and resources, certain plans, strategies, aspirations and objectives of management, anticipated production, study or construction dates, expected costs, cash flow or production outputs and anticipated productive lives of projects and mines. The Company continues to distinguish between outlook and guidance. Guidance statements relate to the current financial year. Outlook statements relate to years subsequent to the current financial year.

These forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance, and achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements, or industry results, expressed or implied by these forward looking statements. Relevant factors may include, but are not limited to, changes in commodity prices, foreign exchange fluctuations and general economic conditions, increased costs and demand for production inputs, the speculative nature of exploration and project development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licences and permits and diminishing quantities or grades of reserves, political and social risks, changes to the regulatory framework within which the Company operates or may in the future operate, environmental conditions including extreme weather conditions, recruitment and retention of personnel, industrial relations issues and litigation. For further information as to the risks which may impact on the Company's results and performance, please see the risk factors included in the Operating and Financial Review included in the Appendix 4E and Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2021 and the Annual Information Form dated 6 December 2021 which are available to view at www.asx.com.au under the code "NCM" and on Newcrest's SEDAR profile.

Forward looking statements are based on Newcrest's good faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other relevant environments that will exist and affect Newcrest's business and operations in the future. Newcrest does not give any assurance that the assumptions will prove to be correct. There may be other factors that could cause actual results or events not to be as anticipated, and many events are beyond the reasonable control of Newcrest. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements, particularly in the current economic climate with the significant volatility, uncertainty and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Forward looking statements in this document speak only at the date of issue. Except as required by applicable laws or regulations, Newcrest does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of the forward looking statements or to advise of any change in assumptions on which any such statement is based.

Reliance on Third-Party Information

This document contains information that has been obtained from third parties and has not been independently verified, including estimates relating to production for Brucejack. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of such information. This document should not be relied upon as a recommendation or forecast by Newcrest.

Endnotes

[1] Subject to market and operating conditions and should not be construed as guidance.

[2] Production Guidance is based on Pretivm's Technical Report on the Brucejack Gold Mine Northwest British Columbia dated 9 March 2020 filed by Pretivm on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (the Technical Report).

[3] Based on Newcrest's estimate of production contained in its release titled "Newcrest advances its global organic growth portfolio" dated 12 October 2021 which is available to view at www.asx.com.au under the code "NCM" and on Newcrest's SEDAR profile. Newcrest confirms that all material assumptions underpinning the production targets in that release continue to apply and have not materially changed. Mining depletion has occurred since the release, and was shown up to 31 December 2021 in the Annual Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Statement released on 17 February 2022 and available on www.asx.com.au under the code "NCM" and on Newcrest's SEDAR profile

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/115024
Project Canary, a Denver, CO-based climate tech and environmental assessment company, raised $111m in Series B funding.

Backers included Insight Partners (lead investor), Brookfield Growth, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), and Carica Sustainable Investments  the sustainable investing arm of the Hamilton James Family office, Quantum Energy Partners, Energy Impact Partners, and Frontier Venture Capital.

The company plans to use the funds to scale its core solutions and expand to new sectors.

Formed as a Public Benefit Corporation by CEO and co-founder Chris Romer, Project Canary is a SaaS-based data analytics company focused on environmental performance or the E in ESG for emission-intensive companies. The platform assesses and scores responsible operations and provide independent, measured emission profiles, including methane, via high fidelity continuous monitoring technology that helps companies take ESG action.

Project Canary provides independent, holistic environmental assessments and high-fidelity continuous monitoring solutions at the facility level to allow companies to measure and improve their operations and emissions profiles.

FinSMEs

26/02/2022
Albanys annual dog show brought the expected thundering of paws on seesaws, prancing of purebreds and harried handlers Saturday morning to Linn County Expo Center where hundreds of dogs and the humans who care for them were expected to compete for recognition.

Pam McGowan, a Sweet Home-based raiser of Vizslas, watched dogs kick up turf in the agility contest at the Linn County Kennel Club event.

Her dogs Titus and Glory were scheduled to participate in obedience competitions later in the day. Mostly Australian shepherds and border collies run the obstacle courses at agility, she said.

The dogs who need a job, she said.

The raising, feeding, grooming, seeking veterinary care and driving dogs to shows represents an inordinate amount of time, money and energy. But they find it rewarding, McGowan said.

Some people have trucks and ATVs, she said. Well, some people would rather have dogs.

Caspian and Freya took first in their competition where judges evaluate dogs for conforming to a rigid set of American Kennel Club standards. The pair of Saluki sight hounds exited the ring and paused in the sunlight for photos with their handlers.

Brittany Parton and Erika Rose, a sister team, drove the dogs from Gig Harbor, Washington, to Albany where they won winners dog and winners bitch  the official AKC titles  starting their drive at 3:30 a.m.

Its a long way to go for a day, Parton said.

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.

American Kennel Club in 2012 commissioned a study that showed Linn Countys dog show brings $1.5 million in spending over the course of a weekend to mid-valley restaurants, hotels and related businesses. Participants come from all around the Pacific Northwest.

Half a dozen at this years show said it was hard to socialize young dogs. Many dogs saw more of the inside of crates and empty arenas than they did other dogs.

With health experts distancing and isolation recommendations, dogs who normally are trained with the expectation theyre around people missed out on a large part of their education.

Meg, a petite black lab from Lebanon, had to leave a guide dog training program after she didnt meet obedience and temperament requirements. Shes now a pet and participates in agility competitions.

Shes also a COVID puppy, said handler Penny Steele.

Steele, a retired high school math and science teacher, said raising a guide dog was on her bucket list. Shes on No. 23. Each dog represents an intensive, year-and-a-half process of maneuvering in public spaces and constant rewards for not interacting with people and other dogs.

Some dogs career-change  thats the polite term at Guide Dogs for the Blind  into other service roles.

And some are career-changed into the life of a pet, Steele said.

She stays in the expensive and time-consuming world of dogs because she sees her trainee guide dogs placed with their human partners.

Once you see the match, you can say 'oh, yeah. I could do this for someone else,' Steele said.

Alex Powers covers business, environment and healthcare for Mid-Valley Media. Contact him at 541-812-6116 or alex.powers@lee.net.

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Corvallis turned out to support its Ukrainian sister city Uzhhorod Saturday afternoon, when about 100 demonstrators gathered outside the county courthouse to wave blue and yellow flags and call for attention to the besieged nation.

Misha Zyryanov may be the only local man who has lived in both cities. He instructed the crowd in this city to donate diesel generators, water filters, tourniquets and body armor to the other.

They have a lot of needs right now. The first need is Kevlar vests for volunteers who want to fight, Zyryanov said.

He spoke tersely in front of the crowd about growing up in Uzhhorod, a city of more than 100,000 in a mountainous western region of Ukraine on that countrys border with Slovakia. Somehow 30 years later, he said, he married an American woman and ended up in the Oregon town that signed on with Sister City International in 1992 to link itself with his home.

Zyryanov grew up with a Russian dad and Russian grandparents in a Ukraine that had considered itself Russian, he said. Then the Soviet Union collapsed, Ukraine declared independence in 1991 and Uzhhorod began to lean in to national identity.

His grandma never drank alcohol, he told the crowd, except to make one toast with friends: No more war  possibly a grim allusion to death.

I was a little kid and that sounded super outdated and barbaric, he said. Right now, barbarians are bombing our cities.

Zyryanov spoke to those who spent nights in the citys hotels traveling with Corvallis Sister Cities Association to work with childrens programs or train business leaders in Ukraine.

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Uzhhorod has become a hub of humanitarian aid, he said, where volunteers are overwhelmed distributing supplies and fighters headed to a front line that is contracting from Belarus on Kyiv. Those hotels now line their halls with mattresses, taking in refugees fleeing from the countrys war-torn east.

Nobody ever believed that a war with a count of deaths in the thousands could happen in the middle of Europe, he said.

Zyryanov told the crowd hes never seen a more united Ukraine. In an interview, he said he feels that unity in group chats and communications with family.

But he also feels betrayal. His said his brother is involved in military reconnaissance work at the front of the war with Russia and the gaps in communication when his brother takes a shift are stressful.

He thinks about U.S. military-involved wars in Iraq, Jordan and Serbia, he said, and feels disappointed that there is no Department of Defense response to his home country.

Saying nice words is not enough, he said. Economic sanctions are not enough.

Peggy Giles said shes traveled with the association 14 times, sponsoring children orphaned in Ukraine. Some of those children have grown and had kids.

They call me grandma now, she said. They're people just like you and me and their lives are being torn up.

Nearby, several Corvallis women talked about the implications of Russian war in Ukraine for Eastern Europe.

Iovanna Pandelova said she is from Georgia, where Russia has moved border fences without fear of international reprisal.

The same thing happened over and over, she said.

Another pointed to a red-and-white flag flown at times as a defiant symbol in Belarus. She expressed frustration with her home country that allowed in the Russian armies assaulting Kyiv and ground down dissent under president Alexander Lukashenko.

The country has bowed to the demands of Russian president Vladimir Putin and become untenable after Russian efforts to undermine Belarusian politics, said the woman, Irina.

Thats the idea, she said. Everyone who is a neighbor with Russia is to be poor.

Irinas last name is known but withheld out of consideration for her wishes to protect family in Belarus from retaliation.

Alex Powers covers business, environment and healthcare for Mid-Valley Media. Contact him at 541-812-6116 or alex.powers@lee.net.

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In light of Superintendent Marc Thielman's resignation from Alsea School District last week  ostensibly to focus on his run for governor but amid formal complaints and thousands of dollars in pending state fines  the questions become, does the move bolster his campaign? Is he even a credible candidate?

Political scientists who watch Oregon elections say it did not and he is not. Not surprisingly, Thielman disagrees, saying he's taking his fight for autonomy and local control to a bigger arena.

On his way to the ballot, Thielman left hundreds of thousands of dollars in state fines and suspended funding behind him on his way from Alsea, where he thumbed his nose at state health officials over masking mandates.

But he likely doesnt have enough financing, analysis shows, to secure the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

His visible battle against authority in the Coast Range could help broadcast Thielmans strategy of confrontational leadership and asking for government redress, critics acknowledge.

But that will not get him elected for governor, Pacific University politics professor and analyst Jim Moore said.

Takes money to run

The single largest indicator of support is funding.

Richard Clucas, a political science professor at Portland State University, said it takes a campaign a great deal of money to run for the highest office in Oregon. Grandstanding in local politics may secure issue-specific voters and the backing of relatively small political action and interest groups. But that's not likely enough.

While it doesnt assure election, more money in the war chest means more staff and more people to manage a complex, statewide campaign that often is won on recognition. Overwhelmingly, said analysts from three universities, funding is the single largest indicator of success.

You need people in the field, Clucas said.

And Thielmans run that began in July is coming into the May primary with too little, too late, say political scientists, to seriously contend for Oregons governorship.

So far, five Republican gubernatorial candidates rise to the top with more than $200,000 available to fund campaigns. In the most recent filings, Bud Pierce, oncologist and nominee for governor in 2016, and Sandy Mayor Stan Pullman had $219,517 and $298,795, respectively.

Political consultant Bridget Barton had just over $400,000, and Bob Tiernan, former state representative and former chair of the state Republican Party, had more than $531,000.

At more than $1 million, Christine Drazan, former minority leader of the Oregon House of Representatives, had the single largest coffer as of Friday, Feb. 25.

By comparison, Thielmans campaign had raised around $70,000 in cash contributions, with $38,884 remaining. Of that, $20,000 is from Thielman, who made a loan to his own campaign.

His campaigns largest contribution is $10,000 from Staton Companies, a Eugene-based industrial demolition contractor.

With Oregons primary about eight weeks away, it likely will take more recognition than Thielmans campaign can afford to earn. Thielmans more cash-flush contemporaries will be able to get their names out prominently before they appear on a debate stage.

In tendering his resignation from Alsea about six weeks out from when voters expect to start receiving ballots, Thielman said he will set his focus full-time on stumping and expanding funding.

It says that Im a very serious candidate and that Im going all-in to win, he said when asked how voters should view his resignation. You cant fight a two-front war when it comes to campaigning.

He added: Obviously money is a factor, but its not the only factor."

Cash, of course, doesn't only fund staffers, Clucas said. Campaign donations in Oregon have an anointing effect, signaling a candidates legitimacy to stalwart Republicans. Governors and candidates who make it through the primary typically raise a lot of money early, which discourages lesser-known candidates from running.

Money is like yeast. It rises, Clucas said.

Then theres the Alsea effect.

It takes a reputation to win

After an 11-year tenure as superintendent in Alsea, Thielman, who lives in Cottage Grove, is leaving the district with as much as $135,653 in state fines. That's on top of $270,000 in COVID-19 relief money the state Department of Education is withholding for openly defying state orders to keep masks on during the coronavirus pandemic.

The district also lost a mental health worker Benton County had sent to provide therapy to students.

At least one school board member has said Thielman never disclosed the district would risk funding by declaring masking optional. Thielman said he did, adding he was willing to roll the dice on state sanctions.

In an interview, he dismissed concerns that Alsea students or schools may be harmed by his defiance.

Thielman believes COVID-19 relief funding will thaw with the lifting of state masking requirements on March 19. The district he no longer helms can appeal fines brought by state Occupational Safety and Health, he said.

But in exchange for that, our children were freed up from the harm masking causes to their health and their education, Thielman said.

The candidate is using his fight against mask mandates to bring voter attention to personal autonomy and local control  causes Thielman puts at the front of his standing-up-for-the-people election messaging.

Thielmans dominant message so far has been one of autonomy. Campaigning rhetoric focuses on local control of law enforcement and emergency response funding, local control of state school funding, and individual control of how people wear masks or are vaccinated.

Its echoed in his public maneuvering in Alsea, where, he told Mid-Valley Media in early February, he would return his school district to local control, despite school districts having no public health rule-making authority.

The way he sees it, his rule-breaking in Alsea is the equivalent of blowing a whistle on government. He said confrontational responses by local government to larger governmental bodies shows constituents wont accept mandates he feels robs people of local control.

Its called a redress of grievances, he said.

Alsea is hardly the first district Thielman has left under less-than-ideal circumstances. He has been followed out the door by complaints in Wallowa in northeast Oregon and Yoncalla south of Eugene. He was cleared of fraud charges in Wallowa. In Yoncalla, parents led a recall effort against the districts school board after Thielman appeared in front of a school assembly.

Records requests to the state Government Ethics and Teachers Standards and Practices commissions did not reveal any complaints. As investigations are only acknowledged when they result in discipline, it's unclear if complaints have been filed at the state level.

In a Democratic-majority state, the spectacle in Alsea will be too much for general election voters, the political scientists agreed.

If he does make it through, hes burned his bridges with Democrat and unaffiliated voters, Moore said.

Carolyn Webb, a long-time Corvallis Republican and party organizer, agrees with Thielmans stance on mandated masking. But she said Thielmans battle against the state could play poorly with voters not close to the issue, learning about it for the first time through election coverage.

She acknowledged news media can make or break a candidate.

Im afraid hes getting broken day by day, Webb said.

John Detweiler has organized Republican voting efforts in Corvallis for 30 years. The state hasn't had a Republican governor in 35, although many hold out hopes in 2022. But not necessarily in Thielman.

I dont hear a lot of enthusiasm from the Republicans I know, he said about Thielman.

Detweiler stressed Oregon Republicans are not a monolith and those voters who are less concerned with mask mandates may be put off by Thielman for what they may perceive as the candidates damage to Alsea schools.

He suggested Thielman could have found a more expedient way to lead his district and not put off potential voters: If you want to let people not wear masks, keep your mouth shut. Collect the money and keep the district running.

Traditional Republican issues, such as lower taxes and fewer regulations, play differently when seen through the lens of local issues, Moore said. A confrontation in Alsea may fail to capture voters from Portland, Moore said.

Thielman casts himself as a fighter and responsive in a state mired with complacent leadership.

You have to risk criticism in exchange for good outcomes for students and parents, he said.

The muddy field of Republicans

Then theres a Betsy Johnson problem for lesser-known Republican candidates.

Outside candidates have outside chances, and Johnson, running unaffiliated but a known political player, could attract conservative-leaning voters in May. Shes drawn the backing of dependable champions of Republican candidates like Nike co-founder and mega-donor Phil Knight, filings show.

And polling showed voters who hear Johnsons campaigning can be swayed to her from Republican and undecided blocs, Willamette Week reported at the start of February.

Her run effectively may suck the oxygen out of the crowded Republican primary, where lesser-known candidates will have to be louder to be heard over the field, campaign watchers say.

Then theres the general election.

Moore said unaffiliated voters tend to vote with majority voting blocs for any given election. Rural Oregon unaffiliated voters are red voters; city unaffiliated voters are blue. But Republican and Democrat parties block unaffiliated voters from voting for their candidates in Oregon primaries, so some party-line voters effectively are excluded from the governor nomination in May.

With 50% of voters now identifying as unaffiliated in Oregon, Moore said, there are a lot of blue voters who are Democrat in all but name against whom a Republican nominee would have to contend in November.

In a perfect red-vs-blue vacuum, with no undecided voters or third-party candidates, Thielman would stand a chance, Moore said.

For any outside Republican to win, Lunch said, Johnson would have to draw undecided Democrats and the Democratic nominee for governor would have to come with baggage.

In states with a voter majority for one party, the minority party typically fronts many candidates for governor, Lunch said. Its seen with minority Democrats in Idaho and Wyoming, where the blue party counts many boutique, issue-specific candidates vying for higher office.

At some point, facing overwhelming odds, they stop running, Lunch said.

Were not at that point for the Republicans in Oregon, he said. Its not very likely, but its not impossible.

Thielman said hes not worried about appearing as a strictly school rights or health autonomy candidate. His platform of deregulation and promises of port and energy infrastructure development will gain him that broad appeal, even far from Alsea.

And he said he will keep leaning into controversy.

Thats part of being a leader, he said.

He said Alsea schools are more prosperous than when he arrived, pulling in more students and more funding. He said fines incurred at the district under his direction of the district board can be appealed. And frozen funding should thaw by mid-March.

Thielman offered his leadership philosophy in a phone call Friday.

He rejected the claim that he exchanged harm to Alsea schools for a political platform. Thielman said he would have picked the same fight any time.

Anyone who knows me knows the action I would have taken with the board would have been taken whether I was running or not, he said.

He called the fight in Alsea problem-solving.

Accomplishing that does not mean 100% of people are going to hug you, because there are people who do not benefit from solving the problem, he said. And those people are easy to identify because theyre serving themselves, not the people.

Alex Powers covers business, environment and healthcare for Mid-Valley Media. Contact him at 541-812-6116 or alex.powers@lee.net.

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With negotiations apparently at a standstill, the Benton County Board of Commissioners will consider using eminent domain to acquire the site of its proposed justice system campus, according to a news release.

The county is pursuing 28 acres of an 85-acre North Corvallis site known as McFadden Ranch. The news release says the parties were unable to work out a deal, so the county is moving forward with eminent domain.

Unfortunately, Benton County was not able to reach an agreement with the property owner, the news release states.

A so-called resolution of necessity is scheduled to be presented at the March 1 meeting of the Board of Commissioners. It includes a number of provisions and declares it necessary and in the best interest of the public to take the parcel for the justice system facilities, according to the news release.

The lengthy eminent domain legal process, which governments use to acquire private property they say is needed to serve a public purpose, could span 18 months or more, the news release says. If it succeeds, a jury will determine what the county is required to pay McFadden Ranch LLC to buy the land.

Federal law requires governments to pay fair-market value when they take a property in the name of a public good.

After a nearly two-year search for the right place to build more modern facilities, the Benton County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 21 unanimously selected the McFadden Ranch property on Second Street near HP Inc. over one on Reservoir Road near the Benton County Fairgrounds and the Grand Oaks neighborhood.

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.

The Board of Commissioners decision-making is driven by a tight timeline for its Justice System Improvement Program and corresponding May 2023 bond measure that would fund a large portion of the construction.

The overall justice system improvements are expected to run between $106 million and $136 million. County officials are planning a bond measure of up to $100 million to cover most of the project. The bond would cost property owners an estimated 80 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The county has around $26.25 million at hand.

The milestones to hit, which are predicated on previous steps in most cases, include securing new courthouse funding agreement by month's end, already-late crisis center construction, hiring a market strategist and a communication coordinator in March, requesting design consultant proposals in April, public polling in May and public engagement in June.

The resolution and eminent domain proceedings do not preclude the possibility of a negotiated sale, according to the news release. They may even encourage one.

The county views eminent domains inherent possibility of a negotiated settlement as an advantage, one that provides ample opportunity for the two parties to reach an amicable agreement, the news release states.

The three-phase improvement program is expected to take 10 years, beginning with a justice system assessment that was conducted from 2017 to 2018, and ending with the doors opening on the last of the proposed new facilities in 2027 or 2028. Proposed new facilities include a mental health crisis center, correctional facility, courthouse, sheriffs office and emergency operations.

Cody Mann covers Benton County and the cities of Corvallis and Philomath. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @News_Mann_.

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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Periods of rain. High near 50F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 38F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Manama, Bahrain, Feb. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The General Medical Council (GMC) in the United Kingdom has given approval for the medical graduates of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) to apply for registration to practice in the United Kingdom, without having to undertake the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) licensing examinations. PLAB examinations are administered by the General Medical Council to ensure that doctors who have received qualifications from abroad have the correct level of knowledge and skills to practice medicine in the UK.

RCSI Bahrain medical graduates can now apply for registration with the GMC through the Relevant European Qualification (REQ) pathway, thanks to the recognised medical degree awarded to them under the governance of RCSI in Dublin. This significant milestone will ease the process of accessing internship and postgraduate training opportunities for all RCSI Bahrain medical graduates in the UK, regardless of their nationality. Currently, 170 medical alumni are based in the United Kingdom, either working or training to international standards and availing of extended learning opportunities.

On this occasion, Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Duaij Al Khalifa, Bahrains Secretary General of the Higher Education Council (HEC) and Deputy Chair of the HEC Board of Trustees, affirmed the approval received as global recognition of the quality of higher education in the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the care of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. RCSI Bahrains achievement also testifies to the policies enforced by the HEC Board of Trustees to advance higher education outcomes, encourage Bahraini institutions to obtain international accreditations for their academic programmes and accomplish the initiatives of the national strategy for higher education.

President of RCSI Bahrain, Professor Sameer Otoom commented, Providing easier access to medical training in the United Kingdom is of great advantage for the numerous benefits it brings to our students, alumni and all healthcare facilities. Over the years, a number of our alumni have returned to their home country with unparalleled experiences and have made great strides in their fields of expertise. Creating a diverse body of internationally-trained medical professionals will enhance the knowledge base, research and quality of healthcare services for the benefit of all patients in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

-Ends-

About RCSI Bahrain

RCSI Bahrain is a constituent university of RCSI, which was established in Dublin, Ireland, in 1784. RCSI Bahrain, an independent private university, opened its doors to a cohort of 28 medical students in 2004. It is a not-for-profit health sciences institution focused on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. Today, the purpose-built campus is home to a student body of more than 1,300 across Schools of Medicine; Nursing and Midwifery and Postgraduate Studies and Research.

For more information, please visit www.rcsi.com/bahrain

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San Francisco, CA, Feb. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QTC, the native token of the Qitchain Network which facilitates searching and data storage on the blockchain, was officially launched on Gate.io and began trading at 10:00 on February 24, 2022 (UTC). As one of the worlds leading cryptocurrency trading platforms which has the longest history as well as the biggest real transaction volume, Gate.io prioritizes the security of blockchain assets of all users. Moreover, the platform has poured significant investment in providing both centralized and decentralized guarantees to maximize the safety of crypto properties for its users.



Officially Landing on Gate.io, QTC Has Reached a New Milestone

Specifically, this program contains 105 million QTC. Each data block with the size of 2M will be packaged for every three minutes. The QTC will be given as a reward for storage service providers who obtain account-keeping rights. The revenue will be halved when the height of the block reaches 420,000, and then, every time the height of the block increases by 700,000, the revenue will be halved again until all 105 million tokens have been issued. In addition, the purpose of QTC's entrance into Gate.io is to deliver rich returns to investors under the deflationary economic model.

The Qitchain Network is a platform enabling efficient information searching and storage on the blockchain distributed network based on the concept of Web3.0. Since QTC's mainnet was launched on September 15, 2021, its hashrate has grown from 15P to nearly 700P, representing a roughly 50-time increase. With a block reward of 75.00 QTC, the number of independent token-holding addresses has reached 105,000, and the overall market value is close to US$ 150 million.



Based on the Blockchain distributed search engine, QTC has grown into one of the most widely distributed networks with over 1,000 nodes in operation worldwide. Different from traditional centralized search engines, QTC has the advantages of protecting personal data privacy, preventing data loss, and offering decentralization in the blockchain world. The block browser upgrade will be completed in Q1 2022, at which time users can query more accurate and comprehensive data information on the block browser. When using QTC for searching, users' search history will be protected under user privacy, and users are afforded a non-Pay-Per-Click transparent experience.

Node is the most basic and important element in a distributed network system. The distributed search engine created by QTC is spread over different network nodes to prevent any centralized organization or individual from gaining access to any information which users are searching for. These nodes are equal, have the same structure, store the same data of the whole network, and faithfully record every digital asset transaction across the entire network. QTC aims to encourage more nodes all over the world to join the maintenance and construction of the mainnet and. To achieve this goal, the network will reward node guardians to the tune of US$ 3.5 million.

In the situation that appearance of a large number of NFTs and metaverse-related data, the demand for distributed storage and searching will also increase in the future. Therefore, Qitchain Network is positioned to serve the infrastructure of Web3.0 through its own advantages in technology and consensus, and provide distributed storage and information retrieval services that users can trust. This efficient, transparent and privacy-respecting architecture has the potentiality to become a leading player in the distributed search engine and information storage market.

About QTC

Qitchain is one of the best applications developed on Blockchain technology throughout the world. Currently, the trust will be widely suspected when there is only one gray line between real and fake. Blockchain is the technology that creates and guarantees the trust, QTC is a distributed search engine based on blockchain to help users quickly search the blockchain network.

Website: https://qitchain.net/

Media Contact

Qitchain Team

hello@qitchain.net


SAN DIEGO, Feb. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers of Gatos Silver, Inc. (NYSE: GATO): (a) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Registration Statement issued in connection with Gatos Silvers initial public offering (the IPO) conducted on or about October 28, 2020; and/or (b) securities between October 28, 2020 and January 25, 2022, both dates inclusive (the Class Period) have until April 25, 2022 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. Commenced on February 22, 2022, the Gatos Silver class action lawsuit  captioned Bilinsky v. Gatos Silver, Inc., No. 22-cv-00453 (D. Colo.)  charges Gatos Silver, certain of its top executives and directors, as well as the underwriters of the IPO with violations of the Securities Act of 1933 and/or Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



If you suffered significant losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Gatos Silver class action lawsuit, please provide your information by clicking here. You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchez of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at jsanchez@rgrdlaw.com. Lead plaintiff motions for the Gatos Silver class action lawsuit must be filed with the court no later than April 25, 2022.

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Gatos Silver focuses on the production, development, and exploration of silver- and zinc-rich mineral deposits. Gatos Silvers primary efforts are the operation of the Los Gatos Joint Venture in Chihuahua, Mexico with Dowa Metals and Mining Co., Ltd. In addition to commercializing lead and zinc concentrates, Gatos Silver performs additional definition drilling to define and expand mineralization of the Cerro Los Gatos deposit.

In the IPO, Gatos Silver sold approximately 24,644,500 shares of common stock at a price of $7.00 per share. Gatos Silver received net proceeds of approximately $156.1 million from the IPO, which were purportedly to be used to retire a portion of the Los Gatos Working Capital Facility, repurchase an 18.5% interest in the Los Gatos Joint Venture, fund near-term debt service needs, conduct a feasibility study for a 3,000 tpd production rate expansion of the Cerro Los Gatos deposit mine, and working capital and general corporate purposes.

The Gatos Silver class action lawsuit alleges that the Registration Statement and defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about Gatos Silvers business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose to investors: that: (i) the technical report for Gatos Silvers primary mine, the Cerro Los Gatos deposit, contained certain errors; (ii) among other things, the mineral reserves had been overestimated by as much as 50%; and (iii) as a result, defendants positive statements about Gatos Silvers business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

On January 25, 2022, 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, Gatos Silver estimates a potential reduction of the metal content of the mineral reserve ranging from 30% to 50% of the metal content remaining after depletion. On this news, Gatos Silvers stock price fell by approximately 69%, damaging investors.

By the commencement of the Gatos Silver class action lawsuit, Gatos Silver shares were trading as low as $3.20 per share, a nearly 54% decline from the $7.00 per share IPO price.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased Gatos Silver common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Registration Statement issued in connection with the IPO and/or securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Gatos Silver class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the class action lawsuit. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery of the class action lawsuit is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWD LLP: With 200 lawyers in 9 offices nationwide, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is the largest U.S. law firm representing investors in securities class actions. Robbins Geller attorneys have obtained many of the largest shareholder recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever  $7.2 billion  in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. The 2020 ISS Securities Class Action Services Top 50 Report ranked Robbins Geller first for recovering $1.6 billion for investors that year, more than double the amount recovered by any other securities plaintiffs firm. Please visit http://www.rgrdlaw.com for more information.

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MANSFIELD [mdash] Patricia Ann Thursby-Daniels, 77, of Mansfield, Texas, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, died Sunday April 10, at Mansfield Hospital in Mansfield, Texas. She was born May 30, 1944, in Elkhart, Indiana, to Robert James and Opal Mae (Allison) Thursby. On Feb. 14, 1965, she marrie
Governor Youngkin Announces Amazon to Create 500 New Jobs in Augusta County

~ New 1 million-square-foot non-sortable fulfillment center will pick, pack, and ship larger-sized customer items ~

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA  Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that Amazon will launch a new 1 million-square-foot non-sortable fulfillment center in Augusta County. The facility at 32 Trader Road in Fishersville will be responsible for picking, packing, and shipping bulky or larger-sized customer items such as patio furniture, outdoor equipment, or rugs.

The new facility is expected to be operational in spring 2023 and will add 500 new jobs to Amazons existing workforce of more than 30,000 full- and part-time employees in the Commonwealth.

Jump starting the economy is a top priority for my Administration, and we celebrate the 500 new jobs in Augusta County and a strengthened partnership with Amazon, said Governor Youngkin. Amazons new fulfillment center in Virginia is a testament to the Commonwealths exceptional infrastructure, competitive business costs, and long-term commitment that Ive made to make sure we are developing talent and training workers to make Virginia the best state for business.

This new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Augusta County will enhance Amazons supply chain and create 500 valuable jobs for the Shenandoah Valley, said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. Virginias position as a premier logistics destination is bolstered by continued investments from industry leaders like Amazon, which is catalyzing economic development in regions across the Commonwealth.

We are proud to expand our Virginia operations with this Fishersville fulfillment center, said Amazons Vice President of North America Customer Fulfillment Melissa Nick. This facility joins two recently launched delivery stations in Waynesboro and Louisa and will be vital to our ability to serve customers and provide great selection and fast Prime shipping speeds across the region.

Augusta County looks forward to welcoming Amazon to our business community, and we appreciate the companys recognition of the logistics and infrastructure benefits we offer for business, said Gerald Garber, Chair of the Augusta County Board of Supervisors. We value the companys investment in this location, as well as the commitment to create 500 new jobs to help fuel our economys growth.

It has been a great pleasure to work with the Amazon team and Augusta County to secure this major expansion by one of the worlds largest corporations, said Shenandoah Valley Partnership Executive Director Jay A. Langston, Ph.D. We are excited about the expanded logistics infrastructure that will exist as a result of Amazons location.

I was pleased to be a part of the negotiations that led to the decision by Amazon to locate its East Coast headquarters in Northern Virginia, said Senator Emmett Hanger. Now, I am really excited to be a part of the official announcement that this innovative company will be locating a major distribution hub here in Augusta County. Amazon offers very good pay and benefits packages and will be an excellent community partner with this new operation focused the on fulfillment of large or oversized shipments.

"The Valley is open for business, and I couldn't be more proud to welcome this kind of investment into Augusta County," said Delegate Chris Runion. "Building out a facility of this magnitude in our region speaks to the quality of life and attractiveness our community offers. I commend the Governor, and all those involved, in securing Amazon as a strong economic partner for the Augusta County and the Valley for years to come."

I welcome Amazon to Augusta County, and I look forward to partnering with them in this endeavor, said Delegate John Avoli. They have selected a great location that will serve the people of the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro area well by bringing 500 much-needed jobs. It speaks volumes about our community that one of the most successful companies in the world is choosing to expand here. I commend Governor Youngkin, Augusta County, and Amazon for negotiating an agreement that will greatly benefit our economy in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley.

Amazon first launched its Virginia fulfillment operations in 2006 in Sterling. The company has grown its operations network to include more than 30 fulfillment and sorting centers, and delivery stations in the Commonwealth. Amazon selected Arlington for its second corporate headquarters in 2018, resulting in the creation of more than 25,000 jobs.

Amazon announced a state-of-the-art robotics fulfillment center at Richmond Raceway in Henrico County in April 2021. In October 2021, Amazon launched a new delivery center in Stafford County, as well as a new cross-dock fulfillment center in Stafford County in November 2021.

Over the last decade, Amazons investments have led to an additional $34 billion being contributed to Virginias economy and have helped create over 96,000 indirect jobs on top of Amazons direct hiresfrom jobs in construction and logistics to professional services. More than 42,000 small and medium businesses and independent authors in Virginia are selling to customers through Amazons online marketplace.

Amazon offers highly competitive pay and benefits. The company provides a starting wage of $15 an hour and offers full-time employees industry-leading benefits, including full health, vision, and dental insurance, 401(k) with 50 percent company match, up to 20 weeks paid parental leave, and Amazons innovative Career Choice program, which pre-pays 95 percent of tuition for courses in high-demand fields. Since the programs launch, over 1,600 employees in Virginia have pursued degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming, and radiology, among others. In addition, Amazon has pledged to invest $1.2 billion to provide 300,000 U.S. employees with upskilling training for in-demand jobs over the next four years.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Augusta County and the Shenandoah Valley Partnership to secure the project for Virginia. The company is eligible to receive benefits from the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for new, full-time jobs created.

# # #
Pierre Gasly let it be known after the three days of testing that the new Formula 1 cars drive very differently compared to the cars of previous years. The driver lets us know that he had to work on his driving style here and there.

Lots of laps for Gasly

Gasly looks back on the three-day test in Barcelona with satisfaction. The AlphaTauri driver drove 187 laps over the three days, which amounts to almost three full race distances at the Circuit de Catalunya. The first test was mainly about the Frenchman getting to know the brand new 2022 cars.

"I must say, it feels quite different to drive these cars  it obviously is visually but also how it responds too, even the way you get into the corner and braking," Gasly revealed in a press release from his team. The 26-year-old driver reveals that he had to adapt his driving style slightly in the new AlphaTauri AT03.

Crash ended test earlier than hoped for

Gasly's test did not end as he had hoped beforehand. The Frenchman jammed his wheels and damaged his car. Despite the mistake, Gasly is satisfied with the course of the first week of testing and is looking forward to the second test in Bahrain.
Suddenly many Formula 1 fans heard an unfamiliar term: porpoising. During the winter tests in Barcelona several teams had to deal with this problem. Undoubtedly those teams are now working hard to have this problem solved by the next test in Bahrain.

Other air currents

Because of the new regulations the design of the Formula 1 cars is completely different, and with that also the aerodynamics. The airflows under the floor have changed, which can cause the cars to bump at high speeds on straights. Some teams were more affected than others. At Ferrari, for example, the porpoising was considerable.



Of course the specialists of all the teams immediately went to work to find a solution to the porpoising. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto told the Dutch branch of Motorsport.com that the problem is now a thing of the past. According to the Italian Ferrari has now got the porpoing under control.

Big steps

Despite the porpoising and the extra work done, Ferrari came out of Barcelona as one of the winners. In the paddock it even was the word that the Italians currently have the fastest car of the field. Binotto does not want to get too excited though. According to him this was only the beginning and the other teams will undoubtedly have made great strides during the second week of testing.
RTHK: West to banish some Russian banks from Swift

Western allies on Saturday agreed on a new volley of financial sanctions against Russia over its assault on Ukraine, including taking the key step of banishing a number of Russian banks from the Swift interbank system.

In a joint statement, the White House said the group of world powers were "resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies."

With Ukrainian forces resisting the Russian advance, Western officials say there is a genuine interest in ensuring President Vladimir Putin pays the maximum price for the invasion.

Chief among steps to do so was "ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the Swift messaging system," the White House said in the joint statement, which also included the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Swift's messaging system allows banks to communicate rapidly and securely about transactions, and cutting Russia off would cripple its trade with most of the world.

The move comes after embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday once again asked European nations to sever Russia from the Swift system.

Banks hit by the new measures are "all those already sanctioned by the international community, as well as other institutions, if necessary," said the German government's spokesman in a statement.

"This is intended to cut off these institutions from international financial flows, which will massively restrict their global operations," he added.

The allies also agreed to impose restrictive measures to prevent the Russian central bank "from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions," the joint statement said.

A US official said the move on Russia's central bank meant Moscow "can't support the rouble" and that the measures would make the country "a global economic and financial pariah."

Wealthy Russians connected to Putin's government will also no longer be allowed to use the so-called golden passport system to obtain European citizenship for themselves and their family members.

A working group will be set up between the United States and the EU to ensure "the effective implementation of our financial sanctions by identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and companies that exist within our jurisdictions," the joint statement added.

The group said it planned to additionally coordinate against disinformation and other forms of "hybrid warfare."

The Kremlin has so far brushed off sanctions already imposed by Western powers, including those targeting Putin personally, as a sign of Western impotence. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chinese FM elaborates on China's basic position on Ukraine issue

Xinhua) 10:40, February 27, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday elaborated on China's basic position on the Ukraine issue.

Wang also had an in-depth exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine during his phone talks with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell as well as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic counselor to French President Emmanuel Macron, respectively.

On China's basic position on the Ukraine issue, Wang stressed the following five points.

Firstly, China stands for respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and earnestly abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China's position is consistent and clear, and it also applies to the Ukraine issue.

Secondly, China advocates the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, he said.

China believes that a country's security cannot come at the expense of harming others' security, and regional security cannot be guaranteed by reinforcing and even expanding military blocs. And all countries' reasonable security concerns should be respected. The Cold War mentality should be completely abandoned.

Following the five consecutive rounds of eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Russia's legitimate demands on security should be taken seriously and solved in a proper way, Wang added.

Thirdly, China has been following the evolution of the Ukraine issue, and the present situation is something China does not want to see.

It is absolutely imperative that all parties exercise necessary restraint in order to prevent the situation in Ukraine from deteriorating or even getting out of control. The safety of ordinary people's lives and properties should be effectively safeguarded, and in particular, large-scale humanitarian crises have to be prevented.

Fourthly, the Chinese side supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. And China welcomes direct talks and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible.

The Ukraine issue has evolved in a complex historical context. Ukraine should be a bridge of communication between the East and the West, instead of the frontline of confrontations between major countries.

China also supports Europe and Russia in their efforts to hold dialogue on an equal footing over the European security issue, uphold the notion of indivisible security, and eventually form a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism.

Fifthly, China believes that the UN Security Council should play a constructive role in resolving the Ukraine issue and that regional peace and stability as well as the security of all countries should be put first.

Actions taken by the Security Council should reduce the tension rather than add fuel to the flames, and should help advance the settlement of the issue through diplomatic means rather than further escalating the situation.

China is always opposed to wilfully citing the Chapter VII in Security Council resolutions to authorize the use of force and sanctions.

Wang said that China, as a permanent member of the Security Council as well as a responsible major country, has always been faithfully fulfilling its international obligations and playing a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and stability.

When it comes to the peace and security issue, China is a major country with the best record, Wang said, adding that China has never invaded other countries, launched proxy wars, sought spheres of influence or engaged in any military bloc confrontation.

China adheres to the path of peace and development, and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang said.

China will continue to firmly reject all hegemonies and strong powers, and firmly safeguard the legitimate and legal rights and interests of developing countries, especially small and medium-sized countries, he added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Nothing is set in stone or really officially announced at this point, but Huawei Consumer Business Group Strategy Marketing Department Vice President, Li Changzhou chimed in on a community forum recently, kind of confirming that the Huawei Mate 50 family is eventually going to exist.

This is sort of a big deal not just for fans of the line, but potentially for Huawei in general and, depending on how you look at it, could even be considered a sort of "return to form" for the Chinese giant. Last year Huawei only introduced a single flagship line - the P50, which is sort of a step back from previous years, where the Mate lineup would offer a concurrent flagship assortment.

Li Changzhou did not share any specific info, as you might imagine. The community thread he hopped on to discussed the company's upcoming Spring 2022 Smart Office Live February 27 event, part of MWC 2022, which you can watch live here. He was answering an eager fan hoping to see a Mate 50 at the event. Roughly translated, the response reads: "The Mate 50 will come, but not right now. At present, there are still many other good products worth paying attention to."

That's good enough for us, and in any case, it's the closest thing to an official mention of the Mate line we've seen in a long time. Some reports have previously suggested that we could see a new Huawei Mate device some tine around June this year. Take these with a pinch of salt, but if that is the case, we can probably assume that any potential Mate 50 might be based on a second-generation Snapdragon 8 processor. Though, given the current state of legal affairs, it would have to be one locked to 4G connectivity. Unless, of course, something changes in the meantime. But that's all merely speculation at this point.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
Editors note: Vibes Max Tsiao was a member of Fouha Crafts, which won Company of the Year in the 2022 JA Guam student company competition.

Two weeks after taking home trophies in the 2022 JA Guam competition, several winners are continuing to ride high on their wins.

Seven teams with a total of 150 students from different high schools joined this years Junior Achievement competition. Each team was mentored by a sponsoring company and was responsible for coming up with a product that they had to be able to market and sell.

Awards were determined by a panel of judges who interviewed and evaluated the presentations, annual reports and products of each team.

Mark Wang, president of Fouha Crafts, was named President of the Year.

He also led his team in winning the Company of the Year, as well as placing first in six categories. The team, which had 20 members, was mentored by Title Guaranty of Guam.

With such a large team, the biggest challenge was to be able to keep everyone engaged throughout the four-month long program. This meant that we had to be able to effectively delegate responsibilities to each member as we were planning on taking on various initiatives and working with different business and community partners, Wang said.

The goal of JA is really about equipping students with hands-on learning experiences that they can apply to their future endeavors, so being able to identify areas to provide that kind of exposure was something that was very important to us. In the end, I think we were relatively successful in overcoming that initial challenge of engagement as our team had a 100% retention rate, he said.

Key lessons

In heading the Fouha Crafts team, Wang learned some key lessons about being a resourceful leader.

It is important for a leader to recognize that your team is your greatest asset and it is important to build strong relationships with each member in order to leverage everyones talents to move the team forward, he said.

Another member of Fouha Crafts, Sebastian Lee, won Vice President of Finance of the Year.

JA has taught me that finance is the backbone of a company. It is critical for my department to have a sound understanding of our financial position and all the money that is flowing in and out. The information that we provide helps with the decision-making of our marketing and production departments, Lee said.

Another member of Fouha Crafts, Justin Joseph, was named Vice President of Production of the Year.

Joseph was charged with leading his production team to produce over 200 pyramid pieces. However, he soon realized that if he wanted to keep up with customer demand, he needed to be able to scale the production process.

We adjusted and increased our production schedule from once a week to twice a week. Through communication and planning within the department, we were able to streamline our production process even further while also ensuring that we were upholding the quality of each product, Joseph said.

ExperiencesThrough the different obstacles the team had to overcome, the members of Fouha Crafts are grateful for the experiences that they have been able to have.





I would describe my JA experience as very rewarding. I think JA is a phenomenal program for students, which is why I would definitely return next year,, said Wang.

The real-world exposure and practical experiences that you get in launching and running your own business is something that is unparalleled. We were able to hop onto radio interviews, have meetings and correspondence with prominent business leaders and just overall able to reach a lot of people through our product and marketing efforts, he said. And its just those experiences all rounded together that I think makes JA such a great and memorable program.

Lee said being able to meet so many new people and learn how to communicate effectively made his JA experience awesome.

When asked about any advice he would give to participants interested in running for an officer position, Wang said they must communicate what value they bring to the team.

I think it is also crucial for a leader to articulate a clear vision and be able to get their team behind that kind of direction. Especially with the nature of JA programs, it is really important to be a leader who continuously has the foresight to look ahead and see how they can elevate the team to be at their best, Wang said.
Editors note: Vibes Grace Anne Dela Cruz is a member of the Governors Youth Advisory Council and the Island-wide Board of Governing Students. She joined the summit planning team in December and is chairwoman of the Youth Summit Details committee.

Members of several organizations are planning a March youth summit aimed at coming up with an action plan to achieve goals set by young leaders from around the island.

We, as youth, often get bombarded with and weighed down by the many problems and negative aspects of our community, preventing us from fully realizing the positive aspects of our community and each of our individual capabilities and strengths, said Nolan Flores, a 22-year-old member of I Minatrentai Tres na Kongressun Manhoben Guahan, or 33rd Guam Youth Congress.

With this youth summit, we hope to turn notions of hopelessness and powerlessness into concrete, actionable solutions that will bring benefits to our youth and our greater island community.

Other organizations participating in the conference include the Governors Youth Advisory Council, Guam Green Growth Youth Ambassadors, Manelu and the University of Guam.

Flores hopes that by working together, the organizations can maximize their individual efforts.

Although youth are active and effective within each of their various spaces, there is a lack of coordination and cooperation between them. We hope to bring youth together in a cooperative, solution-centered space, equip them with the tools and platform necessary to build the future they envision, and in a unified effort, begin building that future now.

Timeline

The groups have established a timeline that includes the summit in March, a conference workshop in early April, and the unveiling of a Youth Action Plan in late April.

March is fast approaching, but Im very confident in our planning team, Flores said. The teams next action is to start inviting youth and promoting the conference within the schools.

Flores encourages all youth to learn more about the conference and participate when it opens.

Christianna Ebio, a 20-year-old representative from Guam Green Growth Youth Ambassadors, said that any input is useful and that students, whether they have leadership experience or not, should speak out on the changes they would like to occur in our community.

I believe letting students know that just having their thoughts on the topics we discuss is valuable, Ebio said. They ultimately are contributing to the greater good of our futures. If they would like change, this is the opportunity to present your ideas and it is a start for them to come to life.
More households on Guam soon will have improved internet broadband infrastructure thanks to a $12.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerces National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

More than 30 million Americans lack access to reliable broadband, and the problem is worse in U.S. territories. In Guam, 32.5% of residents live in areas where there is no broadband infrastructure, and 19% of households dont have an internet subscription, said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo in a news release.

This is an incredible injustice, and today the Biden-Harris Administration reaffirms our commitment to reversing it, she said. These awards bring us one step closer to closing the digital divide in Guam and across the United States, ensuring that all Americans can access the internet in order to participate in our modern economy.

The award for Guam will be used to install quality middle-mile and last-mile broadband infrastructure in Hagatnna, according to the U.S. Department of Commerces announcement.

The infrastructure created by the Broadband Infrastructure Program will serve over 10,000 households, ensuring more Guam residents have access to the broadband they need and deserve, said Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

COVID-19 has shown our community how important broadband access is to ensure continuing education for our children and for families who are physically kept apart, said Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero in a joint release with the commerce department. Guam looks forward to broadening access to wi-fi available to our children, families, business and community.

As we remain steadfast in our commitment to better serve all Americans through robust infrastructure investments in communities across the country, we are humbled that our latest efforts in Congress have provided yet another avenue to address the longstanding resource gaps experienced by citizens in the Territories. In a digital age where connecting residents to the internet is akin to bringing electricity into peoples homes, our work in Congress will change lives for 10,000 households in Guam, said Rep. Michael F.Q. San Nicolas in the Commerce department's news release.

The Department of Commerce awarded a total of 13 grants as part of its Broadband Infrastructure Program. The grants, totaling more than $277 million, will be used to connect more than 133,000 unserved households and were awarded to 12 states and Guam.
District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood ruled on Saturday that funds from the Archdiocese of Aganas Catholic parishes and schools could be used to help pay survivors of sexual abuse.

In January 2019, the Archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy to allow it to restructure its finances to pay the plaintiffs in about 202 clergy sex abuse claims.

The church listed $22.96 million in assets, with $45.66 million in liabilities, according to PDN news files.

Attorney Edwin Caldie, who represented some of the survivors and other creditors, said that the parties currently are trying to agree on a settlement between what the claimants are asking and what the church can pay without losing its entire community.

Its complicated. The church chose to file for bankruptcy and so the bankruptcy code, all of the laws, federal laws, relating to bankruptcy, theyll guide and theyll help us figure out what that is, Caldie said.

Balance

Additionally, because the claims against the church are higher than it can pay, those involved have to figure out how to balance what the church can pay through bankruptcy, while ensuring as much as possible is paid to all victims.

According to Caldie, both the Archdiocese and the committee of survivors have proposed plans for reorganization.

Although Caldie believes that the committees plan is feasible, the church disagrees.

Thats going to be the starting point for our discussions now, with our mediator, to see if we can figure out common ground to settle.

The mediator in the case is bankruptcy judge, Robert Farif who is based in Hawaii.

Byrnes

Although the ruling wasnt in the Archdioceses favor, Archbishop of Agana Michael J. Byrnes said they will work with the creditors committee to compensate victims and survivors while still supporting their ministries, schools and parishes.

We were all inspired by the extraordinary courage of Mr. (Leo) Tudela and his heartfelt call for everyone to work together for the good of those who have suffered excruciatingly from clergy sexual abuse in our Church,  Byrnes said in a news release. On behalf of the entire Catholic Church on Guam, I sincerely apologize for the grave harm members of the Church inflicted on you in past years. I pray for each of you every day. Our entire Archdiocese prays for you at all our Masses.

Leo Tedula, now 78, was among 5 survivors to publicly accuse the Guam clergy of sexual assault back in May 2016.

He told senators in 2016 that he was sexually abused on three separate occasions by three people, including a priest, Father Louis Brouillard, connected to the Archdiocese of Agana when he came to Guam in 1956, according to PDN files.

Tudela was among four people who testified at an August 2016 legislative public hearing on Sen. Frank Blas Jr.s measure that eventually became the public law that lifted the time restriction on lawsuits for victims of child abuse.

At the time, criminal prosecution was impossible in most cases because of the statutes of limitations that were in effect.

The deadline to prosecute offenders expired decades prior, but Guam law has since changed to eliminate time limits on prosecuting future offenders.
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptor missile launcher, operated by the U.S. Army's 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in place at Andersen Air Force Base's Northwest Field in Yigo in November 2021. No immediate threat was assessed after a reported North Korea missile launch Feb. 27.
A 21-year-old man wanted in connection with the robbery of a Harmon store has been taken into custody, police said Sunday.

Santino Pius Addy, also known as Atty, was wanted for questioning in the robbery of the Route 8 Mini Mart.

At 5 a.m. Saturday, detectives took custody of Addy, who was apprehended by officers assigned to Central Precinct Command after a traffic stop in Sinajana.

Addy was interviewed and confessed to involvement in several open cases, according to police.

He was arrested on suspicion of:

Eight counts of robbery.

Four counts of terrorizing.

Assault.

Five counts of reckless conduct.

Eight counts of theft of property.

Seven counts of aggravated assault.

Seven counts of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Two counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

Two counts of conspiracy.

Two counts of burglary to a motor vehicle.

Theft by receiving.

Addy was booked and confined at the Department of Corrections.

Police said the crimes he was arrested in include:

Feb. 12:

Robbery, Guahan Court Condo, Toto

Robbery, Z Market Finegayen Road, Harmon

Theft of motor vehicle, 64 Chalan Antonio Won Pat, Sinajana

Feb. 18: Robbery, Naomi Market, Yigo

Feb. 19: Robbery, Dededo Retail Store, Dededo

Feb. 20:

Robbery, Fatima Mobil, Dededo

Robbery, Charley Raes Store, Inalahan

Theft of motor vehicle, Leon Guerrero Dr, Tamuning

Burglary to a vehicle, Leon Guerrero Dr, Tamuning

Feb. 21: Robbery, Route 8 Mini Mart, Mongmong

Feb. 23: Robbery, Charley Raes Store parking lot, Inalahan
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.




Haiti - Diaspora Covid-19 : Daily Bulletin #709





GLOBAL SITUATION 2019-2022:

Epidemiological situation:



Sunday February 27, 2022 the number of people infected worldwide with the Covid-19 coronavirus and its variants since the start of the pandemic (March 11, 2020) amounts to 435,099,899 cases (+1,334,797 in 24 hours ), the day before (+1,749,143)



Number of infected countries: 224



*Healings: 365,190,634 people have been cured of Covid-19 worldwide (+1,699,271 in 24 hours), the day before (+2,286,798)

*Deaths: 5,964,788 people died of Covid-19 worldwide (+6,397 in 24 hours), the day before (+10,179)

*Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries) in the world is currently 63,944,477 cases (-370,871 in 24 hours), the day before (-547,834)



Average cure rate in the world: 83.93% (+)



Average mortality rate in the world: 1.37% (=)



World: Number of daily confirmed cases





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 10.76 billion doses of vaccine injected (+20 million doses injected in 24 hours. Updated February 27, 2022 (latest data available).



HAITI:

Epidemiological situation:

Warning: The Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) did not make available after February 22, 2022 daily data on the Covid-19 situation in Haiti. Accordingly, the data below on the situation in Haiti are the latest available.



According to the Ministry of Public Health, +37 new cases in 48 hours of Covid-19 and its variants have been confirmed in Haiti as of February 22, 2022 (latest partial data available) for a total of 30,336 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 (+12 cases on February 20, 2022).



Heals: 25,206 (+21)



Cure rate: 83.08% (-)



Deaths: 820 deaths (+0)



Death rate: 2.70% (=)



5th Wave (Omicron Dominant):

Total of the 5th wave (starting December 27, 2021) amounts to 4,341 confirmed cases and 54 deaths



Haiti: Active Cases Trend: (less recoveries and deaths)





(Day-1)



Screening since the start of the pandemic: 178,471 tests (+377 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: 723 (+2); Petion-ville 612 (+2); Port au Prince 404 (+4); Tabarre 278 (+2); Cross-Bouquets 224 (+5)



Confirmed cases by department (2022 / 2021 / 2020):

West: 2022: 2,484 cases; (2021: 9.890); (2020: 6,945 cases)

North: 2022: 261 cases; (2021: 664); (2020: 677 cases)

Center: 2022: 211 cases; (2021: 1.001); (2020: 508 cases)

Artibonitis: 2022: 162 cases; (2021: 855); (2020: 593 cases)

Northeast: 2022: 147 cases; (2021: 404); (2020: 314 cases)

Southeast: 2022: 225 cases; (2021: 768); (2020: 274 cases)

South: 2022: 211 cases; (2021: 891); (2020: 262 cases)

North West: 2022: 241 cases; (2021: 383); (2020: 229 cases)

Grand'Anse: 2022: 136 cases; (2021: 861); (2020: 176 cases)

Nippes: 2022: 33 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: 27 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: 186 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 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): 80,560,293 cases (+27,986 in 24 hours), the day before (+85,727)

*Healings: 53,037,045 healings (+170,795 in 24 hours), the day before (+203,580)

National Cure Rate: 65.83% (+)

*Deaths: 972,930 deaths (+730 in 24 hours), the day before (+2,598)

National mortality rate: 1.20% (=)

*Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries): 26,550,318 (-143,539 in 24 hours), the day before (-120,451)

Tests: 947,533,088 last data available.



USA: Number of daily confirmed cases





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 552.83 million doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection in the United States (+400,000 doses in 24 hours). Update February 27, 2022 (latest data available).



DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

Confirmed cases since March 1, 2020: 574,071 cases (+295 in 24 hours) the day before (+318). First case (March 1, 2020)

Healings: 568,031 healings (+282), the day before (+522)

National Cure Rate: 98.94% (=)

Deaths: 4,368 deaths (+3 in 24 hours), the day before (+2)

Death rate: 0.76% (=)

Positivity rate over 4 epidemiological weeks: 5.76% (-)

Active cases: (excluding deaths and recoveries) 1,672 cases (+10 in 24 hours) the day before (-206)



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: +88 new cases in 24 hours (+51 compared to the previous day)

Santo Domingo: +87 new cases in 24 hours (+18 compared to the day before)

Santiago: +30 new cases in 24 hours (-10 compared to the day before)

San Jose de Ocoa: +23 new cases in 24 hours (-5 compared to the day before)

San Juan: + 22 new cases in 24 hours ()



Tests (since the 1st case): 3,103,088 tests (+7,179 in 24 hours), the day before (+6,736)



Vaccination: 15.25 million doses of vaccine injected since February 16, 2021, date of the first injection in the Dominican Republic (+10,000 doses injected in 24 hours). Update February 26, 2022 (latest data available).



QUEBEC:

Warning: Quebec health authorities no longer update data on the Covid situation on weekends. The figures below are therefore the latest available.



Confirmed cases since the first case (February 27, 2020): 918,821 (+1,542 in 24 hours), previous (+1,517)

Healings: 886,721 people (+2,298 in 24 hours), previous (+1,846)

Cure rate: 96.50% (+)

Deaths: 13,955 deaths (+24 in 24 hours), previous (+28)

Death rate: 1.51% (=)

Active cases: (excluding death and recovery) 18,145 cases (-780 in 24 hours), previous (-357)



Quebec: Confirmed case trend:







Test: 16,658,680 people tested since the first case (+18,485 in 24 hours)



Vaccination: 18,382,262 doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection (+14,825 doses in 24 hours), latest data available - MSSS as of February 25, 2022)



FRANCE:

*Confirmed cases since the first case (January 24, 2020): 22,646,732 cases (+53,623 cases in 24 hours), previous (+58,138)

*Healings: 20,620,312 healings (+155,338 in 24h), previous (+214,354)

National Cure Rate: 91.05% (+)

Deaths: 138,059 deaths (+101 in 24 hours), previous (+188)

Mortality rate: 0.60% (-)

Active Cases: 1,888,361 (-101,614 in 24h), previous (-156,404)

Test: 243,529,298 (last data available February 17, 2022)



France: Number of daily confirmed cases:





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 140.70 million doses of vaccine injected since December 27, 2020, date of the first injection in France (+600,000 doses injected in 24 hours. Update February 27, 2022 (latest data available)



Previous bulletin : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36055-haiti-diaspora-covid-19-daily-bulletin-708.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


















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Reporter

Daisy Nelson is an alumnus of the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. She was born and raised in Lake Havasu City. She is a multimedia journalist and layout designer. Follow her Twitter account @daisylaree_ to see her reporting process.
A MATHS tutor who has raised her schools grades by 20 per cent through tutoring small groups of pupils is to retire.

Rhuann Kaye, 59, has worked part-time at Langtree School in Woodcote since 2012.

She gives extra help to children who are just below meeting the target GCSE grade 4, which is equivalent to the old C grade, by taking them out of other lessons.

In 2012, 66 per cent of pupils achieved a C grade or above in maths.

In 2013, after Mrs Kayes first year, this had risen by 10 per cent and a year later the figure had gone up again to 87 per cent.

Since then the figure has remained above 80 per cent.

Mrs Kaye and her husband Phillip have lived in Goring for 30 years and they have two children who are now aged 29 and 27.

She graduated with a chemistry degree from the University of Oxford and spent four years working as a chemistry teacher.

She found the work overwhelming and felt she was not able to do enough to help every child without wearing herself out, so she left the job to work for the Inland Revenue in London. However, she didnt stay there long.

Mrs Kaye explained: My children were growing up and London felt too far away. I couldnt do anything with quick notice and I wanted to go to their rugby matches and things like that, so I left the job.

After three weeks she was bored, so decided to do some voluntary work at the former Huntercombe young offender institution in Nuffield.

Mrs Kaye said: I had well-behaved teenagers myself but I knew they were very lucky and that a lot of those kids in prison werent so lucky. Most had been excluded from school, which leads to mixing with older children on the streets.

I started volunteering there and did that for five years. I could see what a difference it makes when youve got someone one to one. Then it was turned into an adult prison and I wasnt as interested in working with adults.

I missed the kids, so I wrote to all the schools in the area and told them what I could do.

Mark Vity, head of maths at Langtree, was the first person to respond.

He said: We were pretty desperate for help so we got her in to assist in class and suss her out and quickly realised she was great.

Mrs Kaye began taking small groups out of other lessons for maths tuition and became a part- time member of staff.

Mr Vity said: At first, there was resistance as the children didnt want to miss subjects, particularly PE, but now theyre excited and jealous if they dont get to do it.

Thats a testament to Rhuanns work and how good she is. The pupils have benefited from all that experience she has and just from who she is in terms of forthrightness. She doesnt take any nonsense but shes also kind and forges amazing relationships with the children.

Mrs Kaye said: Whats different about a small group is that they dont mess about. If one of them did the other three would give them a bollocking because they want to get on and learn.

I use whiteboards and try to make it different from a lesson with books. Whiteboards are freeing because if they make a mistake you can just rub it off.

I try to get them to be doing things rather than listening to me. I can see what each of them is doing and if one person hasnt got it we go back a step and then go forward again.

One year I did teach in a classroom because they couldnt find a maths teacher and I found it completely different. I could see there were kids who didnt get it but I couldnt stop to help them and I found that really frustrating. Theyre really positive and kind kids. One of the things you see in a group of four is maybe they arent friends at the start but they bond quickly and work as a team.

The school is looking for a new maths intervention teacher to replace Mrs Kaye, working approximately six hours a week. You need to be flexible to work on different days of the week in different terms, so that the children do not miss too much of one subject.

Mrs Kaye said: I hadnt been in a classroom for years when I started. I find it very rewarding, much more than standing in front of a class.

Mr Vity said: We have amazingly well-behaved children here and when people come in for an interview they say theyre amazed that places like this still exist but its really difficult to get people through the door.

Years 11 pupils Freja McGourty, Ella Hatt and Harry Roberts are among those receiving extra maths tuition from Mrs Kaye.

Freja said: Its good to be able to focus on topics in a small group. I feel less pressure than in class and able to ask questions.

Ella said: Its so nice having a group of four because we know her so well, shes so nice and we dont feel any question is stupid.

Harry said: Weve had her since year 10 so we know her well. Shes always happy to go above and beyond and explain things in a way everyone understands. She always has a trick of how to remember something.

Mrs Kaye is leaving to spend more time with her husband, who retired last year.

For more information about the job, call the headteachers PA on (01491) 683382, email mtaylorlane

@langtreeschool.com or visit langtreeschool.com/vacancies
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Generation Park in northeast Houston has landed the latest industrial project aimed at meeting demand for supersize modern distribution centers.

Newly formed Chicago-based investment group Centris Industrial is preparing to break ground on two buildings spanning 1.3 million square feet in the master-planned business park near Beltway 8 and West Lake Houston Parkway. The business park is owned and operated by McCord Development.

Centris has closed on a $350 million equity partnership with investment funds advised by Chicago-based CA Ventures, global investment firms Davidson Kempner Capital Management and Monarch Alternative Capital, and New York-based Long Pond Capital. CA Ventures is a real estate investment management company with more than $13 billion in assets across the U.S., Europe and Latin America.

The formation of Centris is a product of the momentum CAs industrial and logistics arm has built since launching in 2018, Tom Scott, board chairman of Centris and chief executive officer of CA Ventures, said in an announcement. Centris plans to invest in industrial and logistics projects across the United States.

In addition to the Generation Park project, Centris plans a 468,600-square-foot building in Oakwood, Ga. Cost to build both is estimated at $170 million.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Walmart planning huge new distribution center in Houston as e-commerce competition intensifies

At Generation Park, one building is larger than 1 million square feet with clear height of 40 feet, parking for 552 cars, 191 trailer parking spaces and 191 dock doors on 72 acres, according to Centris. The second building, on a separate 15-acre tract, is 255,000 square feet, 32-foot clear height, parking for 262 cars, 58 trailer parking spaces and 43 dock doors.

Joe Trinkle, chief operating officer and Southwest market officer for Centris, is leading the development in Houston. He reports to Michael Podboy, chief executive officer of Centris.

Centris is responding to the Houston markets strong demand with speculative development, Trinkle said. Speculative projects are started before securing tenants, signaling developers confidence in a market.

It will be the largest industrial project to date in Generation Park, a 4,200-acre development that includes a lifestyle district with offices, apartments, retail space, a hotel, TechnipFMC company campus, a trail network and campuses for San Jacinto College and Lone Star College.

Nearly 2 million square feet of industrial space has been constructed at the site over the past six years, according John Flournoy, director of sales and leasing for McCord. About 4 million square feet is expected to be added over the next two years, he said. Future projects include a proposed Ikea fulfillment center, which is expected to be larger than the Centris project. Ikea bought 164 acres at Generation Park in 2018.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Industrial projects emerge on growing U.S. 290 corridor

The Centris development joins another speculative industrial project in Baytown, where Houston-based TGS Cedar Port Partners recently broke ground on a 1.2 million-square-foot building at its industrial park.

Centris and TGS Cedar Port are coming to market with the next large 1 million-square-foot spec buildings, Flournoy said. Theres enough demand that both will do really well.

The buildings could appeal to retailers that need to be near customers for same-day and next-day orders, Flournoy said. Having a building that is ready to go, with ample parking for a large number of employees will be a time-saver for tenants in the market, Flournoy said.

If youre a 1-million-square-foot tenant in the market place, you have very limited options other than build-to-suit, Flournoy said.

Among tenants that could occupy a building of that size are e-commerce retailers like Amazon and Walmart, Flournoy said.

In Baytown, Walmart recently agreed to occupy a 1 million-square-foot spec building in TGS Cedar Port Industrial Park developed by Dallas-based Hunt Southwest. When it broke ground in late 2020, the project was said to be the largest spec industrial building in Houston.

Nearby, Vancouver-based online furniture retailer Article recently reached a deal for a 507,000-square-foot build-to-suit warehouse in TGS Cedar Port.

The new Centris development will add to 15.9 million square feet in the construction pipeline in the Houston region, according to commercial real estate firm Transwestern. The area's industrial vacancy rate at year-end dropped to 5 percent from 7.8 percent at the end of 2020.

CAs industrial and logistics platform has more than 9.7 million square feet of industrial space under development in 11 markets across the U.S., including Dallas. Those properties will continue to operate separately outside of the new REIT.

katherine.feser@chron.com

twitter.com/kfeser
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When she first started out as a Montgomery County criminal defense attorney in 1989, Lydia Clay-Jackson, 71, would go all through her workday without seeing another Black person.

Her singularity was picked up by judges who took to referring to her as the Black lady. In response, Clay-Jackson took on a trademark accessory, and a new descriptor: the lawyer in the hat.

As a person of color, we have to live in the majority white world, but Caucasians never have to step one foot into our world. So, that perspective that we have is dual, she said as she discussed what a Black woman would bring to the role of a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Ahead of President Joe Bidens Friday afternoon announcement making good on a campaign promise to nominate the first African American woman to the nations highest court, Clay-Jackson and three other Black women lawyers in Montgomery County  Lorena Perez McGill, Tiana Sanford and Lisa Stewart  spoke in interviews earlier this month about how their perspectives enrich their professions.

Weve been waiting for a Black female Supreme Court justice, said Sanford, 39, a division chief at the Montgomery County Assistant District Attorneys Office.

If confirmed, Ketanji Brown Jackson, who serves as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Circuit, will replace Associate Justice Stephen Breyer upon his retirement in the summer.

These legal professionals share unique experiences. Using data from the American Bar Association, The New York Times in January estimated the number of attorneys who are Black and female make up about 2 percent of the national total.

Montgomery County has a Black population of about 6 percent, according to the most recent U.S. Census estimates. And the primary space these women move about as they practice law, the Montgomery County Courthouse, has long been filled with the specter of the Jim Crow era.

I could do that

Perez McGill, 52, an immigration attorney, moved to a career in law having witnessed her late mother uphold her ethics as a judge in the Dominican Republic. Perez McGill ran as a Democrat against state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, in 2018 and 2020.

Speaking in her south Montgomery County office suite, Perez McGill admitted she does a beauty routine followed by countless Black women trying to avoid bias about their appearance.

Whenever I need to go before a judge, even if it is on video nowadays, Perez McGill said before lowering her voice and concluding, I straighten my hair beforehand.

Both Perez McGill and Clay-Jackson are sworn members of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, which allows them to practice law before the Supreme Court justices.

Clay-Jacksons resume is a series of pioneering bullet points beginning in 1985 when she started a general law practice in Montgomery County. She said she was the only African American lawyer working off of the Interstate 45 and U.S. 59 stretches between Dallas and Harris counties at the time.

Taking on a misdemeanor prosecutor role at the Montgomery County Attorneys Office in 1988 made her the countys first minority professional hire. She was Texas first Black woman to be board certified in criminal law and was the first woman of color named president of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

Sanford, who describes herself as mission-oriented in her drive to be a lawyer, became the offices first Black chief prosecutor in 2015. But she is quick to point out the shortcoming this entails.

The moniker of the first Black or the only Black says more about the institution than it does about the Black woman because theres so many of us who are capable. Its due to a lack of access, not a lack of ability, Sanford said in a conversation at the DAs Office at the Lee G. Alworth Building in downtown Conroe.

As a special victims chief prosecutor at the DAs Office, Stewart, 38, thinks being Black better informs her understanding of certain cases. Stewart realizes kids with more pigmented skin may not bruise as easily but may still be victims of physical abuse, she said in her office at the Childrens Safe Harbor advocacy center in central Conroe.

A perk to her job, she added, is being an inspiration to those she advocates on behalf of.

It is an awesome moment to have a little Black girl see, like Oh wow. I could do that, Stewart said.

Broadening perspective

As far as a Black woman being forwarded for the Supreme Court, Perez McGill pushed back against the idea the nomination provided something novel.

Finally, the Supreme Court would start resembling the fabric of the United States of America and the fabric of the law that they are trying to interpret. Its not different. What was different was the Supreme Court and its finally trying to catch up, Perez McGill said.

Sanford, who works in diversity recruiting and retention for the Texas District & County Attorneys Association, signaled the need for broadening representation in law.

Those who interpret, those who amend, those who create these new laws, these norms that allow us to exist together in these spaces, need to reflect who we are, Sanford said, adding, For every white male thats qualified to sit on the Supreme Court, theres a Black female thats qualified to sit on the Supreme Court.

Similarly, Stewart argued for broader inclusion in the crafting of the law.

I dont think that monolithic perspective of how you interpret the law is helpful to our entire population, Stewart said. I hope people dont forget that there are extremely qualified people up for nomination and that the merits of their work is only enhanced by their experience and not because of their experience as Black women.

Surrounded by a personal collection of legal keepsakes in her homey law office near downtown Conroe, Clay-Jacksons eyes widened as she spoke about expecting to see the first Black woman nominated to the highest court in the land.

I anticipate (it) will give me the same type of feeling as when Barack Obama was sworn in as president, when Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice president, Clay-Jackson said as she recalled crying with her late father in seeing the first Black president take office.

Through the front door

The county courthouses grounds are covered by sprawling trees, one of which was reportedly used to lynch a teenager in the early 1900s. A little more than a dozen years later on a street across from the building, a 20-year-old was burned alive. A defendant in 1941, was shot dead in a courtroom before jury selection in his trial began.

Each of the slain were Black males.

Today, Clay-Jackson walks through the front door of the courthouse. But she knows there was once a time when she would be forced to come through the basement. When she brings this up during jury selection, she has heard the response, Oh, we dont need to talk about that anymore.

But she said because she is Black, and sometimes the defendant is also Black, she pointedly replies, We need to talk about that.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

twitter.com/jrgzztx


Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The talks, the first since Russia unleashed a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last week, would be held without preconditions and are the result of a phone call between Zelenskyy and the Belarusian president, the Ukrainian leader said.




Jay Jordan

Houston police officers on Sunday morning shot a carjacking suspect in northeast Houston, according to a tweet from HPD.

The shooting occurred at North Wayside Drive at Tidwell Road. The suspect was taken to a hospital. No officers were hurt.
A deputy in Fort Bend County shot and killed a man who wielded a knife during a confrontation following a highway wreck, according to officials.

Two vehicles collided around 4 p.m. along U.S. 59 in Beasley. One of the drivers refused to stop to exchange information, Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jacqueline Preston said.
A transgender woman was fatally shot Saturday inside her apartment in southwest Houston, police said.

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the apartment in the 6600 block of Dunlap. Her boyfriend initially called police at 8 p.m. after coming upon her body, according to police.

Police said the woman appeared to live alone, and the door was unlocked when officers arrived. They found multiple shell casings in the apartment.

According to a recent report from the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, last year was the deadliest on record for transgender and gender non-conforming people with at least 47 killed.

Anyone with information about the Houston case can call the Houston Police Department's homicide division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers 713-222-TIPS (8477).
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The hands of about two-thirds of the teens in a Texas Southern University auditorium shot up Saturday afternoon when asked whether they knew someone underage with access to a gun.

First Daughter Ashley Biden, who moderated the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston event, empathized with the recent rise in gun violence against Harris County youth, drawing from her own life and advocacy work experience.

I lost, personally, 15 students who were near and dear to me to gun violence so this has plagued my life and my community as well as yours, said Biden, who is a social worker by trade.

Houston advocates have rallied recently surrounding the shooting death of Arlene Alvarez, a 9-year-old who was mistakenly shot and killed by a robbery victim on Valentines night. Ashanti Grant, another Houston 9-year-old, is still recovering after being shot in the head during a road rage incident Feb. 8. Darius DJ Dugas, 11, was fatally shot Feb. 3 in northeast Harris County and 16-year-old Diamond Alvarez was killed in January.

Saturdays panel included U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, HISD Superintendent Millard House II, Houston Police Department Assistant Chief Yasar Bashir, Harris County Juvenile Probation Deputy Director Henry Gonzales, and Howard Henderson of TSUs Center for Justice Research.

Teens involved in organizing the project were able to connect virtually with the first daughter in the months leading up to the event, according to Kevin Hattery, president and CEO Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. Gun violence and safety was chosen as the topic for Saturdays capstone town hall. Panelists also discussed suicide prevention, guns in school and House Bill 1927, which allows most adults in Texas to carry weapons without a license or fee.

Gun violence education is needed to combat the idea of using the U.S. Constitution for justifying a lack of gun safety, said Jackson Lee, vice chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

The Second Amendment does not give someone the right to take your life away, she said. So you have to be bold in your standing for gun safety and gun control prevention of violence to not allow someone to batter you about constitutional rights.

Jasmine McGee, a Bellaire High School student, shared with House the safety concerns she has felt since 19-year-old Cesar Cortez was shot and killed on campus two years ago.

My school did nothing about it and when we rallied at HISD, they also did nothing, McGee said. So as the new superintendent, my question is, what will you do to ensure the safety of your students to make sure this doesnt happen again?

House replied: The No. 1 priority in our schools is the safety of our children, so anything that it takes.

Conversations like Saturdays are needed among students, families and district leaders, the superintendent said.

Its extremely important that we bring the adults and students to the table to ensure we do whats necessary, he said.

joel.umanzor@chron.com
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Anna Orlova woke up late in the morning on Friday and saw a terrifying message from her brother. He had taken shelter in the city in central Ukraine, called Cherkasy, where the two grew up and he still lives.

Orlova, a 36-year-old piano player and mother who moved to Beaumont to be with her husband, had been awake much of the night. Russia was invading her home country on the other side of the world. She called her brother, who hadnt want to leave their native land. He didnt answer.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston Ukrainians monitor news, fear for friends and family following Russian invasion

For minutes, Orlova didnt know if he was OK, until he returned her message.

In the same city, Mariia Lisovas family could hear the bombing. They couldnt get out of the country even if they wanted to. Her father, a carpenter, was 52 and not allowed to go because of his gender and age, she said. Her mother, who works at a gas station, didnt want to abandon him.

Lisova, 29, who manages a restaurant in Galveston, felt terrified and mad. They didnt know how long this would last. She saw their small country alone facing a giant army.

Max had been trying from the Houston suburbs to convince his 61-year-old mother get out of Kyiv, where he grew up. He hoped she could leave for Poland, or at least travel to his wifes parents house in a more rural part of Ukraine. She resisted at first, hoping the fighting would stop.

Max came to America three years ago, seeking a better life. His mom was a flight attendant. He studied computer science. Now his mom didnt feel safe traveling from her home. His wifes sister had taken shelter underground in Zhytomyr in western Ukraine, while her husband went out to help strengthen the citys defenses. (Max declined to give his full name out of concern he would get push back at work.)

He was so worried he wasnt sleeping.

On Saturday afternoon, the three were united among the more than 100 Ukranian people and supporters in the cold mist and rain in front of the Russian consulate building at the 610 Loop by Post Oak Boulevard. They held handmade signs. Stop this war! they shouted. Music played.

There were not a lot of ways to support Ukraine or help their families. They couldnt stop what they saw as a senseless war. They couldnt go get their relatives out themselves.

But they could share in their worry and hurt and anger. They could try to get people to pay attention. Lisova had left her 2-and-a-half-year-old with her husband to protest. Max was here with a baby in the stroller on his 33rd birthday. Orlova clutched handwarmers.

Mayor Sylvester Turner that afternoon issued a statement condemning the unprovoked and unjustified invasion, saying city buildings would be lit blue and yellow like the Ukranian flags people held.

I came here to stand for them, Orlova said. I feel that this is the thing that I can do for my family, for my country.

The trio stood scattered among the protesters. Drivers honked as they passed; strangers passing strangers in a sprawling city, united in a moment of connection.

emily.foxhall@chron.com
Cody Hooks

A video going viral on social media shows a man coming to his son's rescue after the bull rider is thrown and knocked unconscious during a Texas rodeo show.

In the video, Cody Hooks is thrown from his bull right out of the gate while participating in a recent rodeo event in Belton, Texas. The bull then turns and appears ready to charge at Cody, who is laying motionless in the dirt.
Update at 3 p.m. February 25: Arlie Francis, a close friend of Ellissa and Andrii Petrenko, says as of Thursday, February 25, the couple has not been able to reunite since leaving their home the morning of the invasion. Ellissa has relocated to western Ukraine and has not crossed the border to Poland.

Andrii is currently prohibited from leaving the country as Ukraine has imposed fight age restrictions on men 18-60. Francis says that the Petrenkos will regroup and reconsider their plans once they're able to join each other. As of Friday, the GoFundMe set up for the couple has raised $24,000 of the $30,000 goal.

Original story continues below:

As San Antonio watches the shelling of Ukraine at the hands of Russia more than 6,000 miles away, a woman from the Alamo City and her husband are fleeing their home amid the invasion in time to safely deliver their baby girl. Ellissa and Andrii Petrenko decided to leave their home near Kyiv in the early morning hours of Thursday, February 24, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin made a speech, declaring a "special military operation" in the sovereign nation.

According to a close family friend, Ellissa, 29, is set to give birth to the couple's first child at any moment. She's been traveling with friends for hours, stuck in the traffic jams that have been shown in photos across social media. Her goal is to cross into Poland, where she can hopefully fly back to the U.S. or find a place to deliver her child away from the dangers of the new war. Her husband, who waited for his mother to flee, is following close behind her.

Courtesy, Arlie Francis

Arlie Francis, a San Antonio man who says 34-year-old Andrii is "like a son" to him, spoke to MySA on behalf of the couple and their families. He said the pair met about two years ago while Andrii was in San Antonio for a conference. The couple clicked and embarked on a long-distance relationship for a year before getting married in January 2021. Ellissa moved permanently to Ukraine the following month. Andrii built a small home for them about 20 minutes outside of Kyiv's center.

They made the split-second decision to leave the new lives they were building in Andrii's country early Thursday morning. Francis says he was able to chat with the couple for about 30 minutes on the eve of the invasion that they didn't truly believe would happen.

Courtesy, Arlie Francis

"This is how fast things can change, we spoke with them for about 30 minutes yesterday and they did not believe at that point that Russia was going to invade," Francis says. "Everything changed, Andrii actually went to bed last night hearing planes overhead and bombs exploding not far from them and it was with that that they began to make moves for Ellissa to get to the western part of the country and across the border."

Francis says Andrii is also trying to get the rest of his family to safety. He did not travel with Ellissa because he was waiting on his mother's arrival from his hometown of Shostka, about 4 hours from Kyiv. Andrii's father chose to stay behind. Ellissa is traveling with close friends Sergei and Alina Lesnick.

"They're very much aware of planes overhead, falling bombs, a clamp down on the banking system, and a very, very frenetic, hyper-frightened atmosphere where everybody is trying to get out of the country as fast as they can," Francis adds.

Courtesy, Arlie Francis

Francis says trying to stay in contact with the couple while being faced with a barrage of images showing scenes of what they are enduring on the ground is "gut-wrenching."

"These are people that are walking away from their lives right now," he adds.

Ellissa's family launched a GoFundMe on Thursday where those who are interested in donating to the Petrenkos' travel and medical expenses can give.
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No one ever came to a Ukrainian orphanage to visit a little boy with cerebral palsy who couldnt speak. He spent his time in a crib and lived a sad existence.

In autumn 2020, Kelci Jagge, a wife and mother living in Saint Hedwig, outside San Antonio, saw a photograph of the child, Ruslan Manzhos, on a website run by Reeces Rainbow, a nonprofit that provides special needs adoption support. The boy captured her heart immediately.

On Valentines Day, Kelci and her husband, Theron Jagge, both 33, finally boarded an airliner with 4-year-old Ruslan to fly home as tensions were mounting in Ukraine because of imminent threats from Russia.

They got out just in time.

The Jagges adopted Ruslan in the days leading up to Russias invasion of Ukraine and went through a harrowing ordeal fraught with hurdles to take him home with them. Ruslan received the very last visa issued by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv before the embassy was evacuated because of the political turmoil.

I feel like the Lord really helped us get through all of this.  He helped us overcome all these obstacles, Kelci said. I dont think that Ruslan would have lived that much longer. We know that he was scheduled to be transferred to an institution before we traveled.

Ruslan has been in University Hospitals intensive care unit since he arrived in San Antonio on Feb. 16. He is recovering from pneumonia and going through withdrawals from medications he was given at the orphanage to sedate him, his parents said.

Once he is well, the Jagges will take him home to meet their other children, an 11-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy. The two boys will share a room decorated with travel landmarks and loaded with toys, stuffed animals, miniature cars and books.

Sam Owens /San Antonio Express-News

Ruslan was born prematurely and abandoned at birth at a Ukrainian hospital, the Jagges learned. He spent the first eight months of his life in a hospital because of his health issues. Then he was moved to the orphanage in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, not far from the Russian border. The orphanage was located very close to the occupied territory, Kelci said.

On ExpressNews.com: Ukrainians in San Antonio in despair over the invasion by Russian forces

After Ruslans picture captured their hearts, the Jagges signed up with an adoption agency in early 2021 and started going through the process.

They traveled to Ukraine to meet Ruslan for the first time in December.

When we got to the orphanage, they took us to the directors office, and the director kind of talked to us about all of his needs, said Kelci, who works as an interior designer. Honestly, they were kind of like trying to convince us not to adopt him.  (They said) Are you sure you dont want to meet another child? That was kind of sad, honestly. We kept telling them, Yes, yes, were sure  hes who we want to meet.

Soon the couple heard a stroller approaching the directors office. Then they saw Ruslan for the first time.

I just immediately started crying, Kelci said. Wed been staring at his picture for so long. Just to see him  it was surreal. He was kind of staring at us, sort of like, Whats going on? And we got to pick him up and hold him.

She learned that she and Ruslan share the same birthday  Jan. 9.

Sam Owens /San Antonio Express-News

The Jagges returned home to Texas while waiting for a court date to finalize the adoption. They returned to Ukraine for a Feb. 3 court proceeding, where the judge approved a waiver of the usual 30-day wait after a court ruling. Then the family began gathering all the required paperwork, medical records and a visa to take Ruslan home with them.

Meanwhile, political tensions were escalating while the Jagges were staying in Kramatorsk.

There were a bunch of journalists there. So there was a lot of buzz, I would say, Kelci recalled. And the people in Ukraine didnt seem too concerned, so we werent as nervous.  But things started to ramp up when we went back to Kyiv.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio cybersecurity experts prep for Russian attacks

The family faced a lengthy wait Feb. 11 at the U.S. Embassy, which hadnt received Ruslans medical records yet. The Jagges and Ruslan were the only visitors in the building. It was after 5 p.m., so only one worker and two guards were on duty. But at 5:20 p.m., Ruslan received his visa.

The embassy was evacuated the very next day, Kelci said.

She called the last-minute approval of Ruslans visa a miracle because I dont know how we would have ever gotten out without that.

The day after receiving the visa, the Jagges and Ruslan went to the airport with plans to fly home. But officials at the airports passport control division said the familys paperwork was invalid and dismissed the Ukrainian courts waiver of the 30-day waiting period as unacceptable. The officials would not allow the family to board their flight.

The Jagges called the embassy, their facilitator and a nonprofit known as Exitus, which helps trafficking victims and orphans get to freedom. The Jagges adoption team in Ukraine hired a lawyer to assist them. The attorney said she would appeal to a supervisor in the airports passport control offices. She gave it a 50-50 chance of success.

By the time (Feb. 14) rolled around, we started to get calls  major concerns about what was going on in Ukraine, Kelci said. Exitus was telling us that they were concerned about airstrikes in Kyiv.

By midday, the Jagges learned the appeal worked. The decision to prevent the family from leaving Ukraine was overturned. Exitus booked the family a flight on Turkish Airlines to take them to Istanbul.

They let us through, Kelci said. And that was, let me tell you, just like the biggest relief ever because we were concerned about what could happen that night. And our sons health was declining, and we were running out of medications.  So we just made it on the flight.

The plane took off, and the parents laughed with joy, delirious with happiness. The sense of relief was overwhelming, Kelci said.

On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Ukraines story may inspire; still, its one of horror

The family then flew from Istanbul to Atlanta, then boarded another flight to San Antonio. During the flights, as they got closer to home, Theron Jagge felt elation.

I couldnt really control my emotion at that point, said the husband and father, who works as a mobile service manager for technicians that assist 18-wheelers. Ive never felt a sense of relief like that. Ive never been so thankful in my life.

Once the family landed in San Antonio, they took Ruslan straight to University Hospital.

He was spiking a lot of fevers at that point, and he had a really bad cough, Kelci said. And we were out of medications also.  The pneumonia was my biggest concern at that point in time.

Sam Owens /San Antonio Express-News

Ruslans health has improved, but he will likely be hospitalized for at least another 10 days, his father said. He is expected to be released soon from the ICU to another hospital room.

On Monday, the 4-year-old boy will undergo surgery to receive a gastrostomy tube so he can be fed directly through his stomach. This is being done to avoid the dangers of him aspirating his food.

While the Jagges are safe, they are heartbroken over Russias invasion of Ukraine and the upheavals happening in Ruslans home country.

I was very upset this morning to wake up and see all the news of whats going on there, Kelci said. We have people that we love there. The facilitating team that helped us  I love them. I want them to be safe.

Beyond that, theres tens of thousands of orphans there. And then there are a lot of families here in the U.S. that are currently in the adoption process. There are families who are supposed to travel next week to get their kids. And so my heart is really broken for those families. They dont know when theyll be able to go; they dont know if their kids are safe. So, yeah, its definitely scary.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: As Ukraine suffers, only Russia at fault

Theron Jagge said seeing the news of whats happening in Ukraine evokes strong emotions.

Im in disbelief, to be honest with you, he said. I thought that this was just being blown out of proportion for a long time. Leading up to this point, I really thought that there would be a resolution. And now seeing places no more than a city block away from where we stayed for a long period of time in Kyiv, (theres) bomb sirens going off.

Im seeing videos now of Russian jets firing missiles on communities. And it makes me sick to think that there are so many innocent people over there that are just living their lives and now this war has crept up on their doorstep for what reason.

Theron said he and his wife received word Thursday from one of their translators in Ukraine that she was hiding in a subway tunnel with many other people.

That is just devastating to hear, he said. It really brings pain to think about what theyre going through. And it just shouldnt have to happen this way.

The Jagges expressed thanks to God and the many selfless people who worked tirelessly to allow them to bring Ruslan to his new home in Texas.

Kelci said she hopes her familys story educates others on the plights that orphans face, not only in Ukraine, but elsewhere in the world.

Im really praying that our whole situation encourages others to adopt and just brings awareness, she said.

pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare
Then as now, it began with lies.

On Sept. 1, 1939, Adolf Hitlers forces crossed the border into Poland. The German chancellor did so on the pretext that ethnic Germans were being persecuted. German operatives, disguised as Poles, even staged an attack on a German radio station, yelling anti-German threats into the microphone.

With that lie, the most devastating war in the history of the world began.

It is far too early to know how devastating this latest European war will turn out to be, how many will die, how many will be left homeless and stateless, how the repercussions will play out across the globe. There is, however, an ominous resonance in the lies from which it arose.

First, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed he had no intention of invading Ukraine, even as he massed troops on that countrys border. Then he announced Russia would recognize two separatist regions. Finally, shortly before Russian ordnance began to pound the smaller country, he announced a military operation aimed at peacekeeping and denazification.

Now, as then, lies. And now, as then, what strikes you is not just the utter brazenness of them, but the threadbare flimsiness of them. Hitler, granted, put some work into his lie, but at the end of the day, was anyone really expected to believe that Poland, which had more horses than tanks, had suddenly decided to attack its heavily armed neighbor?

Putins lies are even shoddier. He would have us believe his forces were needed to keep the peace in a nation that was at peace and to evict Nazis from a nation whose democratically elected president is a Jew. These are the kinds of lies you tell when you dont care what anyone thinks. Their very shabbiness is an expression of contempt.

And the fact that Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, J.D. Vance, Steve Bannon and other denizens of the American right either lionize this liar  Savvy, Trump called him  or dismiss the suffering of his victims  I dont really care what happens to Ukraine, said Vance  is a clear, albeit superfluous indicator of just how broken our own country has become.

Like Putin, much of the right bears allegiance not to truth, much less to democracy, but rather, to the brutish power of the strongman to do as he pleases, unfettered by such niceties. Thats what they very nearly imposed in 2016. It is what they promise in 2024. And if youre not frightened, youre not paying attention.

This moment has been a long time coming. A little more than a quarter century ago, a House speaker named Newt Gingrich declared politics war and an upstart cable network called Fox declared facts optional. It was called a conservative resurgence, but it was actually the foundation stone for the kingdom of lies our country has become.

No wonder Trump likes Putin and claims the feeling is mutual. Each recognizes himself in the other.

What they recognize, what they have in common, is that transactional disdain for the truth and, more to the point, for anyone naive enough to expect it. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented her Russian counterpart a red reset button, Russia accepted it, but kept right on being a thugocracy. TV pundits kept assuring us Trump was going to become presidential any second now, but to his last day, he remained a willful child. Now families seek refuge in Ukrainian subways, while Trump cheers their tormentor on.

Let no one be surprised.

What begins in lies tends to end in carnage.

Leonard Pitts Jr. is a columnist for the Miami Herald.
What will likely be the biggest heavyweight battle for governor of Texas in nearly 30 years is just days away from getting underway in Texas.

While Gov. Greg Abbott and Democrat Beto ORourke have been sizing each other up and jabbing at one another in nearly every corner of the state, both have unfinished business on Tuesday. But first they need to finish off a collection of underfunded primary challengers.

What little public polling there has been suggests neither Abbott nor ORourke has much to worry about on Tuesday, but that hasnt stopped an urgency from slipping into the stump speeches as they plead with supporters to go vote.

Weve got to get everyone turned out, ORourke told a crowd of supporters in McAllen in the Rio Grande Valley last weekend despite a recent University of Texas poll showing him winning the primary with 90 percent of the vote. Weve got to make sure we reach out to everybody.

The same poll had Abbott avoiding a runoff by holding on to 60 percent of the vote in his primary. Yet in El Paso earlier this week at a get-out-the-vote rally, Abbott warned his supporters that freedom itself is on the ballot.

KNOW THE CANDIDATES: Houston Chronicle voter guide / San Antonio Express-News voter guide

While it all sounds a little over the top, both campaigns see the primary as a critical dress rehearsal for the battle that lies ahead. Over the last few weeks, both campaigns have mobilized legions of volunteers and tested their get-out-the-vote machinery ahead of what has the potential to be the closest governor's race since Republican George W. Bush beat Gov. Ann Richards by 6 percentage points in 1994.

But while the practice run is important, both Abbott, 64, and ORourke, 49, are clearly itching to go after one another.

This is stage one of what will be a tremendous battle as we go forward to November 8, Abbott said in describing the March 1 primary election during a stop in El Paso this week just about 10 miles from ORourkes home.

The Green New Deal and the grid

Abbott is already honing his message against ORourke. In campaign speeches, he touts the states strong economy under his leadership and says ORourke is a danger to it because of his past comments on addressing global climate change.

While ORourke has never fully endorsed the Green New Deal proposal by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, he has in the past called it one of the best plans hes seen for trying to reduce carbon emissions. Thats been enough for Abbott to paint ORourke as a full-on supporter of the plan that would hit the fossil fuels industry hard  a backbone of the Texas economy.

Some people like Robert Francis ORourke want to crush jobs with the Green New Deal, Abbott said during his campaign speech in El Paso.

BACKGROUND: Like Sen. Ted Cruz, Gov. Abbott spells out the name of his foe: Robert Francis ORourke

ORourke is ready for that attack, saying in an interview with Hearst Newspapers that he has tremendous pride in the states energy sector and would do nothing to cut those jobs.

I would never talk about replacing them, ORourke said of oil and gas workers.

Instead, ORourke said he wants to expand clean energy jobs in addition to what the state already has in the oil and gas industry.

Meanwhile, ORourke has left no doubt that the failures of the energy grid will be a key point in his campaign to deny Abbott a third term in office. ORourke just completed a weeks-long run through the state that he called the Keeping the Lights On  blasting Abbott for allowing the electricity grid to fail, resulting in billions of dollars in economic damages, increased power bills and the deaths of at least 246 Texans.

During one stop earlier this month in Wichita Falls, Abbotts hometown, ORourke warned that it is a real struggle just to stay alive under the states all-Republican leadership, recounting the stories of Texans who froze to death during storms. Abbott and the Legislature were warned after a lesser energy crisis in 2011 that the grid wasnt properly weatherized, yet didnt act.

We are all paying the price for this guys corruption and his incompetence, ORourke said during another campaign stop in San Antonio.

FAILURES OF POWER: Texas politicians knowingly blew 3 chances to fix the failing power grid

Abbott has responded that he and the Legislature have taken steps since the winter storms to weatherize the grid and assure it will perform better going forward.

The power grid is more resilient, more stable, and stronger than it has ever been in the history of our state, Abbott said during a campaign stop in San Antonio earlier this month.

But before the two can fully focus on one another, they both have to get through a primary that is already suffering from expected low turnout. Just 8 percent of the 17 million registered voters in Texas had voted through early voting or absentee balloting as of Thursday heading into Tuesdays election.

Abbotts GOP rivals spend $17M

While both front-runners in the gubernatorial primary have vastly more money than their opponents, Abbott has the more competitive battle on his hands. Former Florida Congressman and one-time Tea Party movement hero Allen West and former state Sen. Don Huffines both jumped into the race last year with a message that sounded very much like a referendum on Abbotts handling of COVID-19.

Both argued that Abbott went too far early in the pandemic in restricting businesses and allowing cities and counties to require people to wear masks in public places. Abbott later changed course on both fronts and declared in the spring of 2021 that Texas would have no more mandates for COVID-19 despite more than 80,000 Texans now having died, according to state officials.

Both have also blasted Abbott for not doing enough to address the border, even as Abbott has sent 10,000 National Guard troops to the border to stop border crossings.

When Im your Republican governor, Texas will stop the illegal invasion at our border and Im not asking permission from the federal government, the 63-year-old Huffines says in television ads.

On the campaign trail, he said he would shut down all truck traffic coming to Texas from Mexico to force the Mexican government to do more to slow down illegal immigration into the United States.

Huffines is a Dallas native who runs a commercial real estate company. He served one term in the Texas Senate before losing re-election in the 2018 general election against Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson.

West, 61, has similarly talked tough on the border saying his campaign is about running for the safety and security of Texans and making sure the border is secured. Even before Abbott had deployed additional troops to the border, West was declaring hed send more soldiers to the border with a clear mission.

I will prepare, mobilize, and deploy the full strength of our Texas National Guard and Texas State Guard to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance missions along our border with the purpose of stopping the flow of persons and drugs along known infiltration routes, the Army veteran said.

West is an Atlanta native who spent one term in the U.S. House representing Palm Beach County until losing his re-election in 2012 to Democrat Patrick Murphy. West moved to Texas in 2014 and now lives in Garland.

Theres no doubt who has the financial edge in the primary. Abbott had already spent $50 million on his re-election campaign since 2019 and still had another $50 million in the bank heading into the final days of the primary. Huffines has spent almost $15 million and had just $650,000 remaining. West has spent $2 million and had just over $100,000 remaining.

Still, in West and Huffines, Abbott is facing the first real primary test of his political career. In two previous governors races and three races for attorney general, Abbott never faced more than token opposition.

In total, seven Republicans are challenging Abbott for re-election, but most of the other candidates have spent little on their races and have done little campaigning.

The same holds for ORourkes opponents in the Democratic primary. He faces four Democrats, none of whom have ever held any office and have done little campaigning.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
It is sad that Ukraine has been left alone to defend its territory and its sovereignty against Putins Russia , inspite of the fact that Russia is a much larger country with much more military capability than that of Ukraine.

by N.S.Venkataraman

As Putins Russia is dropping bombs in Ukraine and rushing in with tanks, destroying buildings, infrastructure and killing people, the one region which can appreciate the plight of Ukraine and the feelings of helplessness that it is undergoing is Tibet.

Around six decades back, China pounced on Tibet aggressively, massacred the innocent protesting Tibetans and mercilessly sent its army to occupy Tibet. Ukraine is now undergoing agony and suffering, similar to what Tibet underwent around six decades back.

The present approach and mercilessness of Putin is no different from that of leadership of China when it occupied Tibet.

Why Putin wrong ?

Putin says that he has to attack Ukraine to ensure that Ukraine would not join NATO ,as the presence of NATO forces in Ukraine would be a threat to security of Russia.

Some supporters of Putin point out that when a few decades back, Russia wanted to create a military base in Cuba, then President of USA John Kennedy protested and said that he would not permit this to happen. He ordered blockade of Cuba which could have resulted in a big war , but then Nikita Khrushchev led soviet Union withdrew its move. The argument is that the stand of Putin with regard to Ukraine is similar to the stand of US President Kennedy with regard to the Cuba issue earlier.

While the above details are factual , the fact at present is that Ukraine has not joined NATO and only discussions have been happening. Considering Putins opposition , NATO may not have pursued with the idea of including Ukraine in the NATO.

Obviously, Putin has used this so called threat of Ukraine joining NATO to justify its aggression against Ukraine. Putin is certainly wrong

Why world wrong?

It is sad that Ukraine has been left alone to defend its territory and its sovereignty against Putins Russia , inspite of the fact that Russia is a much larger country with much more military capability than that of Ukraine.

The ground reality today is that when Russia has attacked Ukraine and looks like occupying the entire country very soon, the world is simply watching.

Countries like USA and Western European countries do not want to involve themselves in checking the march of Russian troops into Ukraine by sending their forces and are leaving Ukraine at the mercy of aggressive Putin. USA and West European countries are paying only lip sympathy to Ukraine and are imposing some economic sanctions against Russia , which will not help Ukraine to save itself from going under Russian occupation. The imposition of some sanctions appear to be a face saving formula for USA and NATO. Countries.

An attempt was made to condemn Russia for launching attack on Ukraine in United Nations Security Council, even as it is well known that Russia would defeat the motion by exercising its veto power. Obviously, the move to condemn Russia in United Nations is a cosmetic step of USA and NATO countries to give a false impression that they are fighting against forces of aggression .

It is strange and surprising that China has not supported Russia in UNSC but abstained . China has no respect for sovereignty of several other countries and it is guilty of occupying Tibet and holding on to Tibetan territory. Chinas act is nothing but one of crocodile tears shed in the UNSC to send a false impression to the world that China has respect for sovereignty of other countries.

What is even more strange is that India also abstained from voting in UNSC, even as it called for cessation of aggression by Russia . In taking this decision to abstain, India has not adhered to principles of fairness and ethics in international relations but has acted only in self interest, so that it would neither displease Russia nor USA and western countries. Obviously, the world get an impression that India has no courage of conviction.

The world remain silent and unconcerned about the plight of Tibetans at the hands of China. Similarly , it appears that world would remain unconcerned with regard to the fate of Ukraine and its citizens.

Now what will happen to Ukraine ?

In all probability, Putin will have the last laugh with regard to Ukraine, just as China has the last laugh with regard to Tibet.. Ukraine will go under Russia for long time to come with a person loyal to Putin being imposed by Putin as leader of the Ukranian government.

At best, what USA and West European countries and Canada would do is to accept refugees from Ukraine who cannot return back to their motherland for long time to come.

It appears now that any country economically and militarily powerful can do whatever it want against any other country, unmindful of the so called world opinion.

After all this deplorable conditions of Putin invading Ukraine , let not anyone be surprised if the US President or British Prime Minister would shake hands with Putin after cooling off period. Meanwhile, Ukraine like Tibet would be virtually forgotten in the world.

With UNO totally failing to persuade Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and conclusively proving itself to be an impotent organization, is there any chance for countries which are victims of aggression in the world at any time?
High Point, NC (27260)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Author and journalist Maia Szalavitz speaks virtually to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office last week about on harm reduction techniques to address substance abuse. Szalavitz mined her own experiences in her latest book 'Undoing Drugs.'

District Attorney has Presentation from Harm Reduction Author Maia Szalavitz



Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington says her office does not prosecute for possession of 'personal use' amounts of drugs. But prosecutors acknowledge a gap between letting people go and getting them services. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Maia Szalavitz first experienced the use of "harm reduction" in 1986 when, in the throes of her addiction, an acquaintance advised her to sanitize a shared needle for intravenous drug use.

She later credits this person for saving her life, as she would have likely contracted HIV in that instance without the advisory.

Decades later, Szalavitz's book "Undoing Drugs: The Untold Story of Harm Reduction and the Future of Addiction" was published, driving home the formerly radical view that people deserve to live whether they get high or not.

The best-selling author and journalist has written about addiction, recovery, childhood trauma and empathy (including several books with Dr. Bruce D. Perry). Last year's "Undoing Drugs" is her latest look at addiction and the history and use of harm-reduction techniques.

Szalavitz spoke virtually to public health professionals and prosecutors at the Berkshire District Attorney's Office on Thursday.

Harm reduction principles are supported by District Attorney Andrea Harrington, who is bothered that there are evidence-based solutions that are not being embraced across the board, especially as the county has a seen a jump in overdoses eight times higher than the state overall.

"So our community, we have a significant opioid problem, 6 percent of the population here is addicted to opioids," she said. "According to recent statistics, we've seen a big increase in fatal overdoses. This office is responsible for investigations in all of those overdoses. We had a 44 percent increase here in this county, that was in 2021, of fatal overdoses and across the state, there was only a 5 percent increase so we're in a tough spot.

"I meet with the parents of people who have died of fatal overdoses here in this room and the big thing that they share with me is that it was the shame and stigma that their children felt prevented them from really getting the help that would keep them alive."

Harrington prioritizes drug abuse as a health issue. Rather than following the "war on drugs," a phrase for the strict policing and sentencing of drug-related crimes, she calls for allocating resources to address the issues that lead to substance use and to solutions for users.

"In this office, we do not prosecute possessions of personal use amounts," she said. "We think it makes a strong statement about the fact that we should treat substance use disorder as a public health issue and not a criminal matter so I feel proud of us that we've been leaders in that."

Harm reduction aims to reduce negative consequences associated with drug use. It applies the core of the Hippocratic oath to "do no harm" to addiction treatment and drug policy, Szalavitz said.

A local example of the approach is Berkshire Health System's Healthy Steps program that works with active-injection drug users to discard used needles and provide them with sterile supplies in hopes of preventing the transfer of HIV and Hepatitis C.

This method is well supported, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says syringe services programs reduce HIV and HCV infections and are an effective component of comprehensive community-based prevention and intervention programs that provide additional services.

"When we practice harm reduction as a philosophy, it's transformative because we all have gifts to give, and we all contribute to the world and yet, we all also do harm as well, even when we're trying not to," Szalavitz said.

"Harm reduction is a gift from people who use drugs to all of us, it says you matter whether you take drugs or not, it says you deserve to live, whether you get high or not, and it says you can contribute and you can reduce harm, and that's really what we all want to know, how to make a difference, to heal, to care to be cared for ...

"We mostly don't change overnight and we all take risks that can do harm but if we work together, we can minimize that and empower each other to do better."

Szalavitz was doing heroin with a friend in an East Villiage, N.Y., apartment more than 35 years ago when her worldview was changed. Her friend's girlfriend, who visited from San Franciso to ensure that her partner got help, taught Szalavitz to protect herself by not sharing needles and if there was no other option, sanitizing them with bleach.

Though she was a regular reader of the newspaper, Szalavitz said she had no idea that intravenous drug use put her at risk for the human immunodeficiency virus. She took the guidance to heart, becoming "compulsive" about sanitizing her needles, she said, and spreading the word to others.

She was furious that nobody had told her about the risks.

Shortly after the incident, Szalavitz's East Village friend fell ill with AIDS and she knew that the stranger's words had impacted her life greatly.

Szalavitz would later identify  and contact  the woman as Maureen Gammon in 2020 after a great deal of searching. Gammon worked to spread the gospel of harm reduction on the West Coast in the 1980s.

That simple gesture of compassion lead Szalavitz to take care of herself until she recovered and then go on to cover American harm reduction from its roots.

Szalavitz highlighted the origins of modern harm reduction, which originated during the AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) crisis, and the activists who helped shape the movement.

These include a Puerto Rica activist who incited hunger strikes in the Riker's Island jail's AIDS ward and got ACT UP NY to get involved with a needle exchange, a group of individuals from San Franciso who promoted the idea of cleaning needles with bleach to save lives, and working-class drug users in Liverpool, England, who publicized the principals of harm reduction.

She also asserted that cutting the medical opiod supply  which has been reportedly reduced by 60 percent since 2011  to reduce overdose deaths has actually done the opposite and risen the prevalence of fentanyl.

"Harm reductionist had predicted that this approach would backfire. For one, it drives people with addiction to street drugs, not recovery; taking away a drug does not cause somebody to recover; secondly, because smaller drugs are easier to smuggle, crackdowns tend to push dealers toward more potent and therefore more risky products," Szalavitz said.

"Our policy also increases disability and suicide among pain patients because cutting off medical opioids doesn't cure pain either, studies now show that forcibly tapering or ending opioid prescriptions can be deadly."

An assistant district attorney asked Szalavitz if there is anything that prosecutors can do in the courtroom to reduce the stigma and shame for addicts, expressing a feeling of having her hands tied.

"We're already dismissing the simple possessions and when we do that the case gets called, and obviously the commonwealth is not going to go forward, and then when the person turns around to leave, I always say 'Good luck, Mr. or Miss so and so,'" she said.

"Sometimes they say thank you, and sometimes they don't and it is frustrating because it is still a crime and there's not a public health treatment, and so it feels a little frustrating and not very helpful. l can dismiss them over and over again but the other thing that's hard is sometimes I dismiss their case, they walk out the door, and I don't see them again because they overdose."

Szalavitz suggested having outreach available in the courts or non-mandated support options for people whose cases are dismissed.

"People often don't stop because they fear that treatment is going to be horrible, and oftentimes, they're correct and they fear that they are basically going to give up the only thing that makes life worth living for them, and then have nothing," she had said earlier in the presentation.

"You're talking about population, at least 50 percent mental illness, at least 50 percent severe histories of childhood trauma, massive amounts of despair, this is not a population of people who are like, 'I need extra pleasure, and I'm really lazy,' So sort of recognizing that itself helps destigmatize, recognizing the pain that people are trying to deal with, however, ineptly."
Veteran Spotlight: A Vietnam Diary, Part IV

The following is the diary of a local Marine who served in Vietnam in 1968-69. The veteran wishes to remain anonymous but was willing to share the impressions he wrote down of his time there. This is the fourth in the series as transcribed by Wayne Soares, with minor editing for clarity. The first part can be found here, the second part here, and third here.

NOVEMBER 5, 1969: Firefight

We spent all day sweeping this huge valley. Intelligence told us the NVA was using the valley to store rice and weapons. Nothing threatening was found. While searching the huts in the villages, we typically found underground tunnels. They were always controversial within our unit. Some guys thought they lead to a tunnel complex while others felt they were used as an air raid shelter for the local inhabitants. We found only air raid shelters today.

It was early afternoon when we broke for chow. We had already searched most of the valley with negative results and after chow, we were going to search the rest of the valley. At about 1400 hours, we moved out to complete our search. A little while after, some guys found a large rice cache. It was a small hut, but on stilts, covered by straw and a large quantity of rice inside.

We argued what it was. The simple solution was to talk to the Vietnamese there. Only problem was, none of us spoke Vietnamese. Our captain called headquarters with the news and they said they would be sending a Chinook [helicopter] to pick up the rice. I couldn't understand why headquarters didn't send out an interpreter but it wasn't my call.

Since it would be dark in a few hours, our captain called for a remain overnight. We made our way into the jungle and found a spot to stay. After setting up, I sat quietly while other members of my platoon talked in low voices. Suddenly, the quiet was interrupted by a voice over the radio. The voice was loud and it sounded urgent. A whole bunch of VC were headed our way.

My adrenaline started to flow as we jumped up and took out positions. I threw my claymore bag of explosives over my neck and checked my M-79 and moved out. We cautiously came to a clearing in the dense jungle and hid behind a hedgerow.

We could see the VC talking around a hut. They were upset as they barked commands at an older man. There were approximately 50 villagers  men, women and children. I scanned the village quickly and saw the enemy had 25 soldiers that we could see. As I moved slowly to my right, I tripped a booby trap that they had set. For some unknown Godly reason, it didn't go off. I looked down and yelled, [expletive]. One of the VC soldiers saw me and started running at me with his rifle drawn. Then, all hell broke loose.

Gunfire erupted from our hedgerow, mowing down around 10 VC. I turned quickly to my right, and at that exact moment, I saw the heads of two Viet Cong soldiers coming towards me and I fired my M-79 instinctively. I heard a blood curdling scream as I watched the young Vietnamese girl slowly fall from the grip of the Viet Cong soldier to the ground. I stared at her blood-soaked body for what seemed like an eternity but must have been a second or two, then shot both of the VC that were advancing towards me, killing them both. When the gunfire ceased, I ran to the girl on the ground and never heard my captain's screams of "get back, get back."

I dropped to both knees. I looked into the young girls eyes, fixed in a vacant stare. I became overwhelmed with emotion as I began to weep uncontrollably. I tried to touch her with my trembling hands and could only get about two inches from her body. My captain came and stood next to me, not saying a word. Finally after a few minutes, he said softly, "let's go."

The helicopters came in for the extraction. I sat like a zombie on the ride back to base. My world will never be the same. I hate this [expletive] war and everything around it.
Antonov An-225, the biggest plane in the world was destroyed by Russian troops in the second air attack on the Hostomel (Gostomel) airport near Kyiv. The aircraft was burnt in the Russian attack.

Following statement issued by Ukroboronprom

Russians destroy An-225 "Mriya", it will be restored at the expense of the occupant

Russian occupiers destroyed the flagship of Ukrainian aviation  the legendary An-225 "Mriya". This happened at the Antonov airfield in Gostomel near Kyiv, where the plane was. It will cost over 3 bln USD to restore the plane, the restoration shall be time consuming.

Ukraine will make every effort to ensure that the aggressor state pays for these works.

Russia has hit the Mriya as a symbol of Ukraines aviation capabilities. An-225 "Mriya"  avia giant, which holds records for transportation of biggest commercial cargo and longest and heaviest in the history of aviation monoloading, lifting capacity. Unfortunately, these options are lost today, however they will be definitely restored. The occupiers destroyed the airplane, but they wont be able to destroy our common dream. Mriya will definitely be reborn. The restoration is estimated to take over 3 bln USD and over 5 years. Our task is to ensure that these costs are covered by the Russian Federation, which has caused intentional damage to Ukraines aviation and the air cargo sector.

Russia has destroyed our "Mriya" ( laterally translated as lathe dream), but the dream of Ukraine to get free from the occupier cannot be destroyed. We will fight for our land and our home until we win. And after the victory, we will definitely finish our new "Mriya", which has been waiting for this in a safe place for many years. Everything will be Ukraine! Yuriy Husyev said, General Director of Ukroboronprom.

At the time of invasion, the AN-225 Mriya was under repair at Gostomel Airport, so it did not have time to leave Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Ukraines military to overthrow their political leaders and negotiate peace.

by Anwar A. Khan

Russian air and land forces are already pressed into Ukraine from three sides in Europes first full-scale military conflict in decades, and also its first of the social-media era. Statements, video, and still images captured and distributed by officials, militaries, journalists, the public, and inevitably, provocateurs and propagandists, suggest that the three-way Russian advance is being contested yet moving ahead.

The fighting apparently began with Russian missile strikes around 9:30 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday last.

It is likely that you will see this unfold in multiple phases. How many, how long, we dont know. But what we are seeing are initial phases of a large-scale invasion, a U.S. senior defense official told reporters in Washington early on Thursday. Thus far, we have seen an advance on what are essentially three main axes of assault.

One is northward from Crimea toward Kherson; another southward basically from Belarus to Kyiv; and the third from Belarus southwest toward Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city.

These three axes are what we believe, clearly designed to take key population centers, the official said. Im saying theyre making a move on KyivThey have every intention of decapitating the government and installing their own method of governance.

We see the heaviest fighting in and around Kharkiv, right now, the official said.

Russian forces had fired more than 100 missiles, mostly short-range ones but also medium-range missiles and cruise missiles from warships in the Black Sea, the official said.

As well, They used approximately 75 fixed-wing heavy and medium bombers as a part of this initial onslaught, said the official.

The targets thus farhave been primarily focused on military and air defenseso barracks, ammunition warehouses, nearly 10 airfields targeted. We do not have a good sense of total damage, or casualties, the official said.

U.S. officials had not yet confirmed reports of Russian ground troops in Ukraine. But local reporting and social media, including from Ukrainian government sources, showed images across the country of downed aircraft, destroyed tanks, civilian casualties and captured Russian troops.

On Facebook, the Ukrainian Land Forces posted a video on Thursday last purporting to show Russian equipment being destroyed by the Ukrainian military. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense also claimed that troops destroyed three Russian tanks and two Russian soldiers had been captured.

CNN reported that Russian airborne forces had captured the Antonov airport outside of Kyiv, showing video of men in uniforms carrying weapons and equipment. The reporter, Matthew Chance, said the soldiers were setting up an air bridge to bring in more Russian forces. The New York Times also reported video footage of Russian military helicopters attacking the airport located in Hostomel.

Ukrainian military buildings and equipment were also attacked.

Emine Dzheppar, Ukraines first deputy minister of foreign affairs, tweeted a video circulating online purportedly showing a Russian military jet firing on a civilian location in Kharkiv.

As of midday Eastern time, 40 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and more injured, Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, told the New York Times.

The invasion is also being witnessed from space. An image captured by satellite company Planet purports to show black smoke billowing from Chuhuiv Air Base in Ukraines Kharkiv Oblast.

In Ukraines Chernobyl exclusion zone, Russian troops seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Mykhailo Podolyak, an aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. told Reuters. The site of the worst nuclear disaster in history is still contaminated from radioactive material.

Zelensky, in a tweet, said that he and French President Emmanuel Macron called for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but as of now its unclear how it would be enforced.

Since January, the Defense Department has alerted some 8,500 U.S. troops to be on stand by for the NATO Response Force and ordered another 5,000 to deploy to NATO countries like Poland in an effort to assure allies and deter Russian aggression as intelligence warned of the potential for an invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced that he had approved U.S. troops to head to Germany. The deployment involves 7,000 service members, most of them from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team and 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia. Other troops from Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, will deploy in the coming days to serve as enablers, mostly in transportation and artillery, a senior defense official said Thursday.

Once they arrive in Germany, the troops could be moved elsewhere in Europe to support a range of missions as needed, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

If the multinational NATO Response Force is activated, it is possible that these soldiers could also be used as part of that force because they would already be prepositioned in Europe, the senior defense official said. This new deployment brings the total number of U.S. troops responding to the Ukraine crisis, domestically and from around Europe, to around 14,000.

Biden has also spoken to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley about preparations for additional moves if necessary to protect NATO allies.

The U.S. continues to insist that no American troops will enter Ukraine to fight. This week Biden also announced repositioning of troops in Europe, including AH-64 attack helicopters and an infantry battalion task force with 800 troops. Six F-35s from Germany were being sent eastward, two each to Lithuania, Estonia, and Romania, the senior official said.

Ukraines armed forces earlier reported that at least 40 soldiers had died. The Ukrainian presidential adviser said up to 10 civilians had been killed. The mayor of Mariupol said three civilians had been killed there and emergency services in Kharkiv said a boy had been killed after shelling struck an apartment building. The local administration in Odesa said 22 people had died in a strike on a military base.

Since 2014, Russia has been conducting cyber warfare and kinetic operations against Ukraine in an attempt to halt Ukraines turn to Europe, prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, and promote Russias economic and geopolitical goals in the region.

Russia's reasons for exerting pressure on its smaller neighbor are deeply rooted in economics, history and culture. Russia has designs on Ukraines natural gas pipelines. Gas has long been an ...

Russian missiles pounded Kyiv on Friday last and troops advanced on the city as families were forced to evacuate or take cover in shelters.

The United Nations said it had reports of at least 127 civilian casualties - 25 killed and 102 injured - caused by shelling and air strikes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Ukraines military to overthrow their political leaders and negotiate peace.

War is killing, destructionand we experienced the Brobdingnagian havoc in 1971 to establish Bangladesh. Knowing everything, Uncle Sam deliberately supported Pakistan like a rogue state to annihilate us from own soil. We shall never pardon Uncle Sam under any setting!

The general people around the world dont want war under any setting. And everybody across the world wants this problem to be solved not by war, but by diplomacy. I categorically say I want peace in and around Ukraine and everywhere in the world.

-The End 

The writer is an independent political analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs
Several years ago, I posted what I believed was a totally uncontroversial article: Anyone Who Claims to Work 18 Hours a Day Is Either Lying or Stupid. Over the past month, though, I've been receiving panicked emails and DMs from the Philippines, where the article has become part of conversation about their presidential election. Here's a typical message:

Wondering if you are aware of Senator Imee Marcos, citing your article ... to gaslight her brother's competitor-candidate (current Philippine VP Leni Robredo) for President of the Philippines. They created a skit (entirely in Filipino) basically saying that Leni, who mentioned in an interview that she works 18 hours a day doing her work for the Office of the VP, is stupid for saying so.

I know nothing about the politics of the Philippines, but I do know this: Nobody works 18 hours a day on a consistent basis. Health care workers and emergency personnel do sometimes work 18 hours in a 24-hour period; so do entrepreneurs during crunch time. But nobody works 18 hours a day on average, because getting only 6 hours a sleep a night (and that's leaving no time whatsoever to eat or attend to bodily functions) simply isn't sustainable. Medicine.net explains:

You can survive on six hours of sleep but that would not be good for your long-term health. Getting less sleep can make you drowsy, which can increase your risk of sleep deprivation and sleep disorders, resulting in falls and road accidents. Doctors recommend that most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep to maintain positive mental health. Sleeping for six hours or less can have many short-term and long-term detrimental effects on your body.

In retrospect, though, I'm not sure that people who claim to work 18 hours a day on average are exactly "lying." People say "18 hours a day" not because they're being precise, but because their perception is that they're working so hard they don't have time to anything else. It's a little like saying "I just ate a ton of potato chips"--exaggeration for emphasis rather than an exact measurement.

The problem here, though, is that if somebody actually did work 18 hours a day on average, the quality of their work would quickly decline and end up doing damage rather than making things better. It's a lesson that some industries (the video game industry comes to mind) take a long time to learn.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said this week that President Biden would likely "make a decision about any cancellation of student debt before the conclusion" of a pause on student loans, set to expire late this summer. The news comes with roughly six months left until the midterm elections and as prominent Democrat politicians like Elizabeth Warren increased calls this week for the President to do more to ease the student debt crisis in the country. Do you believe President Biden should cancel all student debt and pass the costs onto taxpayers? Why or why not? Let us know in this week's poll question below.

You voted:
A video that is now going viral and has been shared by many verified handles on Twitter shows forces of Romania and Poland kicking and beating stranded Indian students, girls and boys alike.

A video allegedly shot by a student shows Indians sitting on a road, reportedly at the Ukraine-Poland border. In the video, border forces are seen kicking and harassing Indian students. Some posts also suggest that African students were also beaten and kicked by the forces at national borders.

Many students Ukraine-Poland border have sent out videos alleging that Ukrainian soldiers and police are forcing them back into Ukraine from the border of Poland by firing in the air and attempting to drive their cars into the crowd. Other videos show forced at country borders are beating Indian students, however, it's still not clear which country they belong to.

Angel, a Malayali student, can be heard saying in a video that she and her friend were pushed and beaten. Adding that the police tried to ram their vehicles into the group of students, Angel said that the Ukrainian soldiers did not care that students fell. This is too bad, this is not the way that the Ukraine government or military should treat foreign citizens. This is not how we expect help," she said.

Other images and videos showed a sea of students waiting at the border of Ukraine-Poland to cross over into the country.

Many students have taken shelter in bunkers and thousands of them are trying to cross over to other neighbouring countries on foot after being given an assurance of help.

21-year-old Shana Shaji of Kerala told PTI on Saturday, February 26, that they were only left with food for one day, and that they were hiding in a metro bunker.

An Ukrainian security officer kicks Indian students at the border crossing who are escaping the war! What is their fault? pic.twitter.com/SF1vE0IVLL  Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) February 27, 2022

Metro stations have turned into bunkers as people have taken shelter to escape bombardment amid the raging military conflict.

With Ukraine closing its airspace after Russia launched the military operation, the Indian government sent teams to the land borders with Ukraine in Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Romania to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.




As tensions escalate in Ukraine, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has opened the temple doors for the people of the war-torn country.

Additionally, the ISKCON members have begun a massive food relief effort in Hungary at the request of the Indian Embassy to provide fresh food and water for the students coming home.

Food relief effort

In the videos and photographs shared on Twitter, the members of ISKCON could be seen distributing fresh food and water for stranded Indian nationals who crossed over from Ukraine to Hungary. Reports said that ISKCON will be expanding this for the Ukrainian refugees coming in very soon.

ISKCON opens doors of its temples across Ukraine

Radharamn Das, the Vice-President of ISKCON, on Saturday said the ISKCON temples all over Ukraine are ready to serve people in need. Our devotees and temples are committed to serving those in distress. Our temple doors are open for service, Radharamn Das said in a tweet.



ISKCON has over 54 temples in Ukraine & our devotees & temples r committed to serve those in distress. Our doors r open for service. Hare Krishna!



To find nearest temples near you, please visit.https://t.co/iFnZQaPoqG pic.twitter.com/zlUGF84X9f  Radharamn Das   (@RadharamnDas) February 26, 2022





Radharamn Das said that ISKCON has over 54 temples in Ukraine and added that the devotees and temples are trying to serve others in whatever way they can.



Khalsa Aid provides free langar

This comes a day after Ravinder Singh, the founder of UK-based Sikh charity Khalsa Aid, said Sikh volunteers have been helping students with free langar.

"Guru Ka Langar on a train These guys were fortunate to get on this train which is travelling east of Ukraine to the west (to Polish border ) Hardeep Singh has been providing Langar and assistance to many students from different countries. What a guy," he wrote on Twitter.

#Ukraine: Guru Ka Langar on a train



These guys were fortunate to get on this train which is travelling east of Ukraine to the west (to Polish border )



Hardeep Singh has been providing Langar and assistance to many students from different countries.What a guy#UkraineRussia pic.twitter.com/CyWZnWVePz  ravinder singh (@RaviSinghKA) February 25, 2022

Ukraine agrees for peace talks

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to start peace talks with Russia, his office said on Sunday. Following a phone call with Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko, Zelenskyys office said he had agreed to send a delegation to a meeting on the Belarusian-Ukrianian border near the Pripyat river.

The talks would be the first to take place since Russia invaded Ukraine. His office said the talks would be held without preconditions. We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River, Zelenskyy said in a statement.
The world is witnessing an unfortunate time right now with Russian forces invading Ukraine, but the misery of a couple from Kerala knows no bounds.

Akhil Raghu has been taken hostage by Houthi rebels in Yemen while his wife, Jithina has taken shelter in a bunker at the Kyiv Medical University in Ukraine. The Malayali duo belongs to Padeetathil House at Cheppad village, near Haripad, in Alappuzha district.

Husband's ship was hijacked, wife stranded in Kyiv

25-year-old Akhil Reghu was a deck cadet with a UAE-flagged ship and 23-year-old Jithina is currently a final-year undergraduate.

couple kerala

Akhil, a resident of Avoor, was aboard the ship Rawabee -- owned by Liwa Marine -- that was hijacked from the Red Sea on December 31 last year, and has been under the rebels custody for nearly two months.

Jithina of Ramapuram has been left stranded in the Ukrainian capital after Russia launched a military campaign there two days ago. Akhils brother, Rahul, said that he has contacted the family a few times from the Sanaa port, where the ship is anchored under the control of rebels.

Reuters

"No move to rescue him"

He says that he is safe, but there has been no move to rescue him and the other 14 crew members, including six Indians, said Rahul, who too is employed with the UAE company on another ship, over the phone from Dubai. Akhil and Jithina were married on August 20 last year, and left for their overseas bases in September, Rahul said.

The family of the couple alleges that they have sent multiple memorandums to union ministers, MPs, and MLAs, but no action has been taken to rescue him.



Reuters

The ship -- carrying components of a Saudi Arabia field hospital from Yemens Socotra Island in the Indian Ocean to Jazan, south of Saudi -- was hijacked near the port city of Hodeidah, around 50km off the Yemen coast.

The cargo includes ambulances, medical communication equipment, tents as well as technical and security support equipments, the Saudi government has clarified. However, the rebels have said that the ship was carrying military equipment to fight the Houthis.



For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.
Newborn babies have been moved to a makeshift bomb shelter from a neonatal intensive care unit at a children's hospital in Dnipro, eastern Ukraine, the New York Times reported. Dr Denis Surkov, chief of the neonatal unit at Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Children's Clinic hospital, said in a statement: 'This is our reality'.

Heartbreaking video from bomb shelter

In a heart-wrenching video accessed by New York Times, docotrs and nurses can be seen cradling infants in a makeshift bomb shelter amid the war.

Reportedly, the video has been shot in Dnipro in eatern Ukraine, where a bomb shelter was set up for infants at a hospital. In the video, the babies can be seen looked after by the nurses in what appears to be the basement storeroom turned into a bomb shelter.



Newborn infants from the neonatal intensive care unit at a childrens hospital in Dnipro, in eastern Ukraine, were moved into a makeshift bomb shelter on a lower level of the building on Thursday. https://t.co/l8RAcFMTud pic.twitter.com/kWud9ktt2P  The New York Times (@nytimes) February 25, 2022





"This is the NICU. In a bomb shelter. Can you imagine?" Dr. Surkov was quoted as saying by the publication. "We were nervous, very confused."

Dnipro was the target of missile strikes as Russia began its invasion of Ukraine early Thursday morning.

Visuals of Russian invasion shared widely on internet

People in Ukrainian cities and villages have been sharing visuals of the Russian invasion since yesterday morning. Some videos shot on mobile phones by residents and shared by the media and individuals show Russian air assault troops coming in a large formation of helicopters, while others show fighter jets flying low and fast over residential neighbourhoods.



Missiles have targeted major Ukrainian cities including Kyiv. Russia's ground forces crossed into Ukraine from several directions and explosions were seen in cities along the coast. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims the invasion is to defend separatists in the east of the country against "genocide".


As the situation worsened in Ukraine after the Russian invasion, nearly 1,20,000 people have fled the country into Poland and other neighbouring countries.

Poland alone has reported more than 50,000 arrivals in two days, while thousands more have streamed further south into Moldova, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia.

As people continue to flee invasions, a humanitarian effort pioneered by Sikh organisation Khalsa Aid is helping them in this hour of need.

Most of those fleeing the invasion are women and children, as all men aged 18 to 60 are being told to stay and fight.

According to Ravinder Singh, founder of UK-based Sikh charity Khalsa Aid, Sikh volunteers have been helping people with free langar.

He shared a video on Twitter where Khalsa Aid volunteers are serving langar to refugees near the Ukraine-Poland border.

"We got this video from Hardeep Singh near Ukraine-Poland border. They have to walk 30 kilometers to reach Poland," he tweeted in Punjabi.

As of tomorrow @Khalsa_Aid will have relief teams on the ground in 4 countries to assist those fleeing the war in #Ukraine :



Poland, Moldova, Slovakia & Romania. #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineUnderAttack  ravinder singh (@RaviSinghKA) February 26, 2022

Our @Khalsa_Aid UK office is receiving 100s of calls from indian students in #Ukraine and from their loved ones from all over India.



We have several volunteers manning and processing the calls. We are unable to do much in Ukraine but we do have teams in most bordering countries  ravinder singh (@RaviSinghKA) February 26, 2022

In another tweet, he said that Khalsa Aid will deploy relief teams on the ground in four countries to assist those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The four countries where Khalsa Aid teams will help people are Poland, Moldova, Slovakia, and Romania.

Khalsa Aid has been serving fresh meals to students who took a train to Poland on Saturday.

Khalsa Aid has been at the forefront of providing humanitarian aid in times of conflict around the world.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.




Scientists have found evidence of the earliest ear surgery on a human from 5,300 years ago. Researchers from the University of Valladolid in Spain and Spanish National Research Council in Italy published a paper in the journal Scientific Reports, outlining learnings from a human skull that was excavated from the Dolmen of El Pendonis in 2018.

Dolmen of El Pendonis is situated in Burgos, Spain - a site most probably used by early people as a place to conduct funerals. Previous research indicates that the site was used for this purpose for 800 years between 3,800 and 3,000 BC.

iStock

Recently, scientists analysed a skull found at the site and found that it had evidence of a type of cranial surgery intended to treat an ear ailment. Not only was the surgery performed, but the woman who got the procedure done was able to survive it, even if for a few months.



Earliest proof of ear surgery

The skull of the woman aged between 35-50 was dated to 5,300 years ago, making it the earliest example of an ear surgery. In modern science, the procedure is called mastoidectomy. It is conducted to clean an area behind the area that may have become infected. Inability to deal with the problem can cause deafness in many people, or serious infections that can cause death.

Scientific Reports

Also read: What Happens To Our Brain When We're Dying? Scientists Solve The Riddle

At the same tomb of the patient, a flint tool was also discovered. It had evidence of having been reheated multiple times, implying that it may have been used as a cautery tool to stop the bleeding.

unsplash

In the woman's skull, scientists found evidence bone regrowth in the holes, suggesting the surgery may have been successful, even if for a short while. Did you know such complex procedures have such sophisticated history? Let us know in the comments below.



Also read: Octopus-Inspired Camouflage Tech Built By Scientists For Hiding In Plain Sight



For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Yirka, B. (2022, February 23). Earliest evidence of ear surgery 5,300 years ago. Phys.Org.
Hungarian PM checks borders amid Russia-Ukraine conflict

Xinhua) 10:43, February 27, 2022

People from Ukraine arrive at Beregsurany, eastern Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Currently, the flux of people leaving Ukraine was nothing like the migration wave of 2015, but Orban warned this could change in the future: "For the moment, the war is further back in Ukraine, but if the worst case scenario is to happen, it could spread to our immediate vicinity, and we will have to be even more disciplined."

BEREGSURANY, Hungary, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban checked a border station with Ukraine in east Hungary on Saturday and consulted with local authorities and border guards in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"The war is next door, so we have to be very disciplined," Orban said to journalists a few hundred meters away from Ukraine on the side of the road.

Currently, the flux of people leaving Ukraine was nothing like the migration wave of 2015, but Orban warned this could change in the future: "For the moment, the war is further back in Ukraine, but if the worst case scenario is to happen, it could spread to our immediate vicinity, and we will have to be even more disciplined."

Orban informed that he consulted with local mayors and officials, and promised the central government would provide them with everything they should need.

A white tent was set up on the curb of the road to provide the arriving Ukrainian women and children with water, food and blankets.

People from Ukraine arrive at Beregsurany, eastern Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Hao)

Two mobile heaters were also being set up to give some warmth to those arriving on foot.

About a dozen people were entering Hungary following Russia's special military operation in eastern Ukraine, many of them have relatives in Hungary, and many just transit through the country. Those on their own were seated in vans of the local authority and driven to a shelter provided by the city council of Beregsurany, a village in Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg county in eastern Hungary.

By Saturday morning, local authorities estimated that 1,600 people have crossed the border from Ukraine.

"When on Hungarian soil, we treat them as anyone else, they are also to be helped," Orban added.

He also reaffirmed that Hungary's position was completely in line with the Europe Union (EU)'s position about sanctions against Russia: "There is war: now is not the time to be 'smart', it is time to be united."

"Our border with Ukraine is over 130 kilometers long. In this situation Hungary's security must also be guaranteed, because for us that is the most important consideration. I made it clear that Hungary will not take part in this war, and it will not allow itself to be drawn into it," he also said.

People from Ukraine arrive at Beregsurany, eastern Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Hao)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
The excuses Putin uses to justify his wars, his toolbox of threats, coercive diplomacy, deception and Russian military force, are far too reminiscent of Hitlers tactics and rhetoric. Ukraine is the latest, but most extreme, example

by Yossi Melman

Vladimir Putin is not Adolf Hitler. Even the worst and cruelest dictators of the post war era cannot be compared to the Nazi dictator. Yet some of the measures taken by the Russian president, in his decision to invade Ukraine, are reminiscent of the tactics employed by the Nazi leader prior to September 1, 1939.

Its called salami slicing. Using a toolbox of threats, coercive diplomacy, military force and occasionally seduction, Putin, like Hitler, wants to change the European status quo.

Hitler was determined to cancel the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, which humiliated Germany and tore off significant chunks of its territory. Putin seeks to change the balance of power that was consolidated after the collapse of communism in 1991. He has been consistent, in words and in deed, in endeavoring to return to the bipolarity of the Cold War, when two superpowers  the United States and the Soviet Union  ruled the world, dividing it into spheres of influence.

The United States and the European Union took advantage of the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the weakness of the first Russian president, Boris Yeltsin. NATO absorbed former communist bloc countries and expanded its presence near the Russian borders.

Yet the inclusion of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia was motivated not by a Western expansionist whim and a desire for diplomatic, military and economic influence, but rather by the genuine desire of the people in eastern and central Europe and the Baltic region to be independent, free democracies and part of Western values.

Putins grand strategy to return Russia to its glorious imperial and Soviet Union days and reestablish it as a superpower began more than a decade ago, after he brutally suppressed the Chechen rebellion, with his typical immoral cynicism. Thus, he reversed the trend. It was the first time since the downfall of communism that a military force put an end to peoples will and hopes for independence within the borders of the former Soviet Union.

Then Putin began systematically to consolidate his power and his personality cult, to stabilize the nation and to rebuild the economy. He has done it by sending his political rivals and dissidents to jail or exile or murdering them, preferably with poison. He got rid of oligarchs with political ambitions, such as Boris Berezovsky, Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his partner Leonid Nevzlin, who threatened his power.

In their place Putin anointed lackeys and favored oligarchs, such Oleg Deripaska, Roman Abramovich, Igor Sechin and the Rotenberg family, one of whose members is Putins former judo partner.

Putin has a special talent for spotting the weaknesses of world leaders. In 2008 his army invaded Georgia and conquered the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Putin gambled that his aggression would be tolerated, and he was right. U.S. President George W. Bush, who was preoccupied with his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, together with the rest of the West, let it go.

Six years later, Putin sensed the softness of a different U.S. administration  this time of President Barack Obama. The Russian leader invaded Ukraine for the first time, conquering the Crimean Peninsula, and the separatist region of Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk).

Later, in 2015, he sent troops to Syria, reduced American influence and reshaped the Middle East. Putin did so after realizing that the U.S. presidents declarations of red lines and threats to use military force if the Syrian dictator continued to use chemical weapons were just hollow talk.

Since 2015 Israel has found itself challenged by the new reality of Russian troops and fighter planes on its Golan Heights border. This is one of the main reasons, albeit not morally justified, why Israel under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his successor Naftali Bennett is so cautious in its response to Putins new belligerence in Ukraine.

Obama and his vice president Joe Biden, as well as the EU, did impose sanctions on Moscow after 2014, but they were mild and had practically no effect on Russias economy. In their weak, almost submissive response, the U.S. and the West sowed the seeds of Putins blatant aggression today.

The excuses the Russian leader has used to justify his wars against Georgia and Ukraine are reminiscent of Hitlers fallacious rhetoric. Putin has talked about Russian irredenta and the need to defend oppressed Russian minorities in Georgia and Ukraine. He demands the creation of security zones along Russian borders in Europe and uses military provocations in the disputed areas to accuse his enemies.

Just a reminder: Hitler dressed his troops in Polish uniforms in order to cause violent clashes along the border as a justification to use military force to achieve his strategic goals. He was not deterred by the bloodshed and suffering inflicted on other nations and on his own people. Each time the world opposed his whims, the Nazi dictator promised that his new demand would be the last, only to rush to make new ones. In 1936, he unilaterally violated the Treaty of Versailles by deploying his Wehrmacht troops in the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland.

The West did nothing, and Hitlers appetite grew. In 1938 he declared the Austrian Anschluss, that countrys annexation to the Third Reich, and the world was silent. Six months later, threatening to unleash his army again, Hitler convened the Munich Summit. In their naivety and fear of war, the British and French Prime Ministers, Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier, respectively, were quick to appease Hitler. They gave him the Sudetenland without consulting with Czechoslovakia, to which the region belonged. Chamberlain declared peace in our times, only to realize that Hitler had lied to him. Within one year he conquered the rest of Czechoslovakia, and on September 1, 1939 he invaded Poland, launching World War II.

Kyiv is not Munich. But by means of appeasing diplomacy in the Chamberlain style, Biden and the Western leaders will only strengthen Putins lust for territorial gains. Russian ethnic minorities are also in the Baltic states, which Putin would like to use as a launching pad for his further conquests. Appeasing dictators is not the solution to a problem. It is the problem.

There are indeed signs that at last Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and even the reluctant German Chancellor Olaf Scholz understand this.

One can only hope that the sanctions already imposed and the ones still to come will be sufficiently crippling and paralyzing to stop Putin from further adventures that endanger the world.

It is not inconceivable that a determined and focused response from world leaders will cause Putin, who like many dictators is isolated in his palace and detached from reality, to realize that he has gone one bridge too far, and that in invading Ukraine he made a historic miscalculation.

Yossi Melman is an Israeli security and intelligence commentator and co-author of Spies Against Armageddon.
Amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a young couple from the second biggest country in Europe, who were due to get married later this year pulled the date forward, and have now joined the Ukrainian defence forces.

21-year-old Yaryna and 24-year Sviatoslav were all set to get hitched in May but after Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to invade their country, they changed their plans, and joined the army.

Instagram

Yesterday, the couple tied the knot at St Michael's Golden Domed Monastery in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. After 24 hours of exchanging wedding vows, the young couple joined the country's resistance force against the Russian invasion.

Their story was shared by CNN journalist Christian Streib.

A photo of the couple was posted on Streib's Instagram account where Yaryna and Sviatoslav can be seen getting married along with the caption: "Yaryna, 21 and Sviatoslav, 24 decided to move their May wedding forward and tie the knot today after Russia invaded their homeland last night."

In another post, the journalist shared a photo which showed the newlyweds holding AK-47s with the caption, "Yesterday, I posted a picture of a young Ukrainian couple who married the day Russia invaded their country. Today, Yaryna, 21, posted this picture on her Facebook page, proudly displaying the AK-47 assault rifles, received from the government, so she and her husband Sviatoslav, 24, can join the resistance and defend their country."

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Russia a day ago, and sent thousands of troops into its neighbouring country.

The UK, US, and European Union have announced sanctions against Russia for its incursion into Ukrainian sovereign territory. However, many believe that the sanctions against banks, airlines, and even private citizens, are not enough.

AFP

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the citizens of European countries to protest and demand stronger action from their governments. He said: "The invasion of Russia into Ukraine is not just an invasion, it's the beginning of the war against Europe.



"Against the unity of Europe. Against basic human rights in Europe. Against all rules of coexistence on the continent. Against the fact that European states refuse to divide borders by force. What are you going to do about it? How are you going to defend yourselves if you are so slow helping us in Ukraine?" he asked.

He also said he will not leave Kyiv despite his life being in danger. In a video message earlier on Friday, he said: "[The] enemy has marked me down as the number one target. My family is the number two target. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state. I will stay in the capital. My family is also in Ukraine."

ET

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At their March Board Meeting, downtown development district Rio Nuevo announced plans to fund and advance multiple real estate projects. The announcements come as Rio Nuevo reports it is back to pre-pandemic sales tax revenue and is seeing strong requests for new construction downtown.
If you liked the first bit of amendment training, just wait until you get to do all the other ones.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

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EU to close airspace to Russian airlines and fund supply of weapons to Ukraine - READ MORE

'Practical' reasons for not expelling Russian ambassador to Ireland, says Taoiseach - READ MORE

Coveney: EU sanctions to go ahead despite planned Ukraine-Russia meeting - READ MORE

Ukrainian and Russian diplomats to meet as Putin puts nuclear forces on alert - READ MORE

Russia unleashes wave of attacks on Ukraines fuel facilities and airfields - READ MORE

US and NATO condemn Putin's nuclear alert order

The United States and NATO on Sunday condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's order to put his nuclear forces on high alert as dangerous and unacceptable, while the White House said it has not ruled out imposing new sanctions on Russia's energy sector.

In issuing the order to prepare Russia's nuclear weapons for increased readiness for launch, Putin cited "aggressive statements" from NATO allies and widespread sanctions imposed by Western nations that have already disrupted his country's economy.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on CBS's "Face the Nation" programme that Putin's actions have escalated the conflict and were "unacceptable."

Thomas-Greenfield said the United States welcomed the news that Russian and Ukrainian officials would meet for talks on the border with Belarus, but that it "remains to be seen" if Russia is acting in good faith.

Asked if there is a threat of chemical and biological weapons being used by Russia, Thomas-Greenfield said of Putin: "Certainly nothing is off the table with this guy. He's willing to use whatever tools he can to intimidate Ukrainians and the world."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Putin, in his nuclear order move, was responding to an imaginary threat.

World's largest cargo plane burnt in Russian attack

The world's largest cargo plane, the Ukrainian-made Antonov-225 Mriya, was burnt in a Russian attack on Hostomel airport near Kyiv, Ukrainian state arms manufacture Ukroboronprom said on Sunday.

"The Russian occupiers destroyed the flagship of Ukrainian aviation - the legendary An-225 Mriya. It happened at the Antonov airfield in Hostomel near Kyiv," Ukroboronprom said on its Facebook page.

It said that the plane restoration would cost more than $3 billion and take a long time.

Worlds largest aircraft, the Antonov 225 pictured at Shannon Airport. The plane was burnt in a Russian attack on Hostomel airport near Kyiv, Ukrainian state arms manufacture Ukroboronprom said. Pic: Arthur Ellis

EU to close airspace to Russian airlines The European Union's chief executive has said the 27-nation bloc will close its airspace to Russian airlines, fund supplies of weapons to Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets in response to Russia's invasion. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that "for the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack". Ms von der Leyen added that "we are shutting down the EU airspace for Russians. We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, Russian-registered or Russian-controlled aircraft. "These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU." She also said the EU will ban "the Kremlin's media machine. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin's war and to sow division in our union". Ms von der Leyen added that the EU will also target Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko for supporting Russia's widespread military campaign in Ukraine. "We will hit Lukashenko's regime with a new package of sanctions," she said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press statement at EU headquarters in Brussels, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool Photo via AP)

Putin orders nuclear deterrence forces on high alert

The office of Ukraines president has said that a delegation will meet with Russian officials as President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces to be put on high alert.

Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Mr Putin directed the Russian defence minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading Nato members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Mr Putin said in televised comments.

The US ambassador to the United Nations responded to the comments from Moscow while appearing on a Sunday news programme.

President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable, ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.

And we have to continue to condemn his actions in the most strong, strongest possible way.

Ukraine agrees to hold talks with Russia at Belarus border

A Ukrainian soldier smokes a cigarette on his position at an armoured vehicle outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. Picture: AP Photo/Andrew Marienko

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said he hopes the world is seeing the first step towards the ending of war, ahead of the talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said on the Telegram messaging app that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border and did not give a precise time for the meeting.

The announcement on Sunday came hours after Russia announced that its delegation had flown to Belarus to await talks.

Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place somewhere other than Belarus, where Russia has placed a large contingent of troops.

The Kremlin said on Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats.

The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians, he said.

Police detain more than 900 people at anti-war protests across Russia Police detained more than 900 people at anti-war protests that occurred in 44 Russian cities on Sunday, raising the total since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine to over 4,000, independent protest monitoring group OVD-Info said. According to Reuters, Sunday's protests coincided with the seventh anniversary of the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov. Some of Sunday's arrests took place at an improvised memorial just outside the Kremlin at the site where Nemtsov was shot, a witness said. Police detain a demonstrator during action against Russia's attack on Ukraine in St. Petersburg, Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

'Action is expected'

A meeting of European foreign ministers is to take place today in Brussels at which action is expected in relation to the expulsion of Russian diplomats.

Earlier, speaking on RTE television, junior finance minister Patrick ODonovan said there is to be another meeting of the European Council of Foreign Ministers today with further penalties to be slapped on Vladimir Putin.

There are a number of different tactics that have been taken by the West and more will be announced tonight. The Minister for Foreign Affairs I spoke to him last night there is a meeting of the European Council of Foreign Ministers and I expect further sanctions to be announced tonight when the foreign ministers meet, Mr ODonovan said.

Read More EU to close airspace to Russian airlines and fund delivery of weapons to Ukraine

Ukrainians return to fight

While hundreds of thousands of refugees are leaving Ukraine amid Russias attack on the country, some Ukrainian men and women are returning home from across Europe to help defend their homeland.

Polands Border Guard said on Sunday that some 22,000 people have crossed into Ukraine since Thursday, when Russia invaded the country.

Thousands of people massed at Lviv's main train station on Sunday, attempting to board trains that would take them out of Ukraine and into the safety of Europe as the Russian invasion of that country continued. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

At the checkpoint in Medyka, in south-eastern Poland, many were standing in a line early on Sunday to cross into Ukraine.

We have to defend our homeland. Who else if not us? said a moustachioed man in front of a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers walking to the checkpoint to enter Ukraine.

They came from across Europe to return to Ukraine.

They spoke to the Associated Press (AP) in Ukrainian and in Russian. Members of the group declined to give their names, or only gave their first names, citing their security and that of their families.

A man in his 20s, who said his first name was Denis, said he had been working in Poland but was returning to Ukraine where his everything is.

Im on my own here in Poland. Why should I be here? So I go, for the homeland.

Read More Ukrainians return from abroad to fight Russian invasion

Russian troops enter Ukraines second largest city

Russian troops have entered Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv and fighting is underway in the streets, Ukrainian authorities have said.

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, said Ukrainian forces are fighting Russian troops in the city and asked civilians not to leave their homes.

Russian troops approached Kharkiv, which is located about 20km south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

But until Sunday, they had remained on its outskirts without trying to enter the city, while other forces rolled past, pressing their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning in the street.

The view from an apartment in a high-rise building which was struck by a missile in Kyiv on Saturday (@nabihbulos/Nabih Bulos/Los Angeles Times/AP)

Earlier, Russia unleashed a wave of attacks targeting Ukrainian airfields and fuel facilities.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early on Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the sky before dawn from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, where there has been intense fighting, according to the towns mayor.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said there was another explosion at the civilian Zhuliany airport.

Mr Zelenskyys office also said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke by covering their windows with damp cloth or gauze.

We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, the president vowed.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has updated its estimate on the number of refugees that have left Ukraine, saying the total stands at 368,000.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.
There are naturally immediate and long term effects on Russia due to this impasse, as well as on Ukraine. In short, it rests on the national economic security of both nations, rather than any perceived security threats associated with Russia.

by Victor Cherubim

While the West is saying little, perhaps, straddling on the principles of what they call as an unprovoked attack by Russia on Ukraine, the world is more concerned on The Power Politics and Practical Considerations, paramount in its mind.

Of course, the Ukrainians aim to halt Russian progress in Ukrainian cities and its people. Kyiv, the capital, is today and has been for three days been rocketed by air strikes from many sides, from the north through the Belarus border, from the south through Crimea, from the east of its border with Russia.

The current Ukraine crisis and its immediate cause is the ineffective implementation of the Minsk Agreement of 2015, which followed the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

What Ukraine authorities state to frustrate this incursion, into their heartland, they have destroyed bridges leading into the capital to further hold up the Russian troops? They are wanting to fight to defend their country and want to plot to hinder Russia in every possible known way. Local population are tearing down road signs in order to disorient Russian troop movements. They have tried to remove plaques, signs, with numbers and names of streets/cities/villages in their various regions. It is hard, if not impossible to defend their country, but they are willing and wanting to shed their blood in defence of their nation.

They want to take on the massive strength of Russia.

The world knows that this limited action that the citizens can make without outside help is for the time being only evacuation from their bombed out high rise flats, leaving their towns and cities, taking temporary shelter in underground basements and rail stations, flooding into crowded trains and buses to nearest neighbouring nations, like Poland, Rumania, carrying their young children and one trolley suitcase of their belongings.

The say in their hearts, we will do everything possible to clear Ukraine of the Russian Occupier, as soon as possible. The thought of leaving for relative safety in the West is very far from their minds, an impossible dream.

What is the world doing to help?

President Biden and United States, has decided not to get into the fray and escalate tension. United Nations Security Council met and Russia exercised it veto, with China and India, abstaining. NATO is President Putins worst nightmare, if unleashed from neighbouring Baltic States, sending hundreds, if not thousands of its troops towards the borders of Russia, knowing full well there will be collateral damage of massive proportions.

At the same time, we hear of Ukraines boast of 3500 Russian troops have been killed and 200 captured. Ukraine states that over the past three days, it has withstood the bombardment and unconfirmed reports state 100 percent of its territory is under Ukrainian Control.

That the morale of the Ukrainians is high, but the claim is that the young, war weary,

Russian soldiers who have been in joint exercise training over the past month outside Ukraines Borders, in the bleak weather, is said to be rather low. There is doubt in my mind that all the soldiers sent for this exercise are all young, excluding many battle hardy veterans and that the reports that they are dropping their weapons and dont want to fight, is preposterous.

Ukraines boast is that about 3.5 thousand people will return to Russia in body bags for burial, is fake news. But, at the same time, some Russian troops are reported to have retreated for a variety of reasons, including the futility of war.

The Mayor of the City of Lyiv, located on the West of Ukraine was quoted as saying in a slight signal of hope that: the Russians landed three (3) helicopters near Brody at 9 am today (26 February 2022) about 60 people. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are repelling them.

We are keeping the situation under control.

On the other side Ukraine denied reports from the Kremlin that movement of Russian troops have been halted for talks. To add insult, US is advising Ukraine against Ceasefire talks, inflaming the situation.

Whats happening in the UK?

Chelsea Owner, Roman Abramovich today (26 Feb.2022) today stepped down from his duties in charge of the Club, handing over the reins of the Club to its Trusties.

British Airways has stopped flights to Russia. Aeroflot, has been put on the Sanctions List

along with other Russian Banks in London.

A Cargo ship thought to belong to one of the Russian companies, hit by EU sanctions on Moscow has been intercepted in the English Channel by French authorities.

Commentators on Russia

Reporters such as Mark Galeotti of The Guardian states: Putin is deluded, if he thinks Ukraine will quickly fold.

Rodric Braithwaite states: Has Putin lost control?

Aurora Besotti states: Putin has been warned he could face the fall of his own support base should his continued efforts to overtake Ukraine fail.

President Volodymyr Zelinsky of Ukraine is reported as saying: Let us rapidly join EU and cut Russia from SWIFT, (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication).

It makes rapid, secure, cross-border payments system possible. Germany which was opposed to impose this sanction on Russia has agreed to join in.

There are naturally immediate and long term effects on Russia due to this impasse, as well as on Ukraine. In short, it rests on the national economic security of both nations, rather than any perceived security threats associated with Russia. Ukraine may be driven to seek refuge in Europe if the expedition fail?
The capture by Russian forces of the deactivated nuclear power station at Chernobyl in Northern Ukraine, on Thursday, is one of the most sinister incidents of the Russian invasion so far.

Power stations are always strategic objectives, as their closure would bring an economy down in no time.

To date, at least four active power stations are now under the control of the Russian invading forces.

But why Chernobyl? Since it is no longer feeding into the national grid it should have no particular strategic interest.

In describing it as a sinister move, let us remember the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990.

As the US led Coalition forces prepared to attack the Iraqi forces in Kuwait, the Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, threatened to set fire to Kuwaits oilfields.

When Operation Desert Storm was launched in January 1991, the Iraqis set off charges destroying 650 oil wells and damaging 75 more, with devastating environmental consequences.

The smoke plumes travelled 800 miles and it took 10months to bring the fires under control.

Taking control of the Chernobyl power station is a veiled threat to Western Europe that the Russians could uncap the concrete dome and trigger another environmental disaster.

If done under control, and with favourable winds, the resultant plume could stretch as far as Western Europe.

I am not suggesting that the Russians would do that, but they could, and the threat alone serves its purpose to put psychological pressure on the West.

Adi Roche, founder and voluntary CEO of the charity Chernobyl Children, has expressed her alarm that the 1986 disaster could happen again.

A spike in radiation levels at the power station has already been registered, initially attributed to ground vibration caused by the movement of heavy armour in the vicinity.

However, if a missile hits one of the adjacent stores containing radioactive material it could still cause an environmental disaster.

A satellite image shows helicopters and vehicles at Bolshoi Bokov airfield in Belarus. Russian troops are bearing down on Ukraine's capital, with gunfire and explosions resonating ever closer to the government quarter. Picture: Maxar Technologies/AP

The Russian and Belarussian forces that mostly passed west of Chernobyl rapidly swept south to attack Kyiv, while Russian forces had a setback in failing to capture an airport that they had planned to use.

Additional forces are being sent down the East bank of the Dnieper River from Belarus, but the operation in Kyiv is probably delayed, another day or two.

This pincer movement, foretold in theIrish Examiners analysis on February 15, could bring the war to a rapid conclusion.

Two other operations in the south and in the southeast are, also as predicted, close to a conclusion.

The attack from Crimea due North to Khersen in Southern Ukraine has been largely successful; the Ukrainian army has destroyed a key bridge and fighting is continuing.

However, the main objective has been achieved. The Russians have moved into Nova Kakhova where the hydro-electric power station on the Dnieper River is located.

Reuters reports that they have already unblocked the makeshift dam, blocking waters from the Dnieper from flowing into the western end of the North Crimea Canal.

Before the 2014 war, this canal carried 85% to 90% of the water supply for the two million inhabitants of Crimea.

It was filled in, in an overnight operation by Ukrainian forces, as a retaliation for Russia invading Donbas and annexing Crimea.

For the past eight years, the people of Crimea have suffered water shortages, especially during the summer.

The Russians dug deep water wells and conducted extensive de-salinisation. The extracted salt created a major environmental problem as it rendered soil infertile for cultivation.

In the meantime, following the Russians missile attacks on Odessa, Ukraines largest port, where two commercial ships were hit, the Ukrainian forces have had to close all ports on the Black Sea, effectively bringing to a halt Ukraines main export trade in grain, steel and sunflower oil.

The second operation, in the East is also going well for the Russians. They closed off the sea of Azov to commercial shipping.

On the Northern coast the Port of Mariupol is reported close to capture by the Russians and fighting is currently underway at Melitopol.

Damaged radar arrays and other equipment is seen at Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol, Ukraine, on Thursday. Picture: Sergei Grits/AP

Russian forces from Crimea are set to link up there with the forces which originated on Rostov-onDon. This will provide an important additional land link between Russia and Crimea.

The duration of the overall Russian operation will be decided in Kyiv; this depends on how long the Ukrainian Army can hold out there, what counterattack capability it may have and/ or if they have a plan to relocate the centre of Government elsewhere to continue the struggle.

In the absence of either possibility, the next question is what preparations have been made for a sustained defence of the city? Indications are that there are none.

To do so many blocks of buildings would have had to be destroyed to allow fields of fire, trench positions dug in parks and open areas, roads blocked off and mined.

President Zelenskys concern not to provoke a Russian invasion may have precluded these options.

Moreover, the vast bulk of the citys three million citizens remain in the city. It is not yet encircled, so people may still be able to flee, but the transport and network capacity would not be able to facilitate a mass evacuation.

The Russian commanders will not want to move forward from their present positions in the Western suburbs, until their forces have arrived in the East.

This will reduce their casualties, as FIBU (fighting in built-up areas) is especially tough for attacking forces.

Yesterday evening, US intelligence sources reported that only half of the Russian invading forces had arrived in Ukraine, while praising the Ukrainian resistance.

At the same time US president Joe Biden has offered Ukraine president Zelensky safe passage out of the country. Zelensky turned down the offer.

Making Bidens offer public does not inspire much confidence in Zelenskys Government to survive the next phase of the Russia operation.

On Sunday morning the Russians are reported to have entered Kharkiv, Ukraines second city.

People walk by smoldering destroyed Russian military vehicles on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Friday. The Russians are reported to have entered Kharkiv on Sunday.Picture: Vadim Ghirda/AP

During this relative pause in Kyiv, Putin has proposed talks with Zelensky, in Belarus. Zelensky is prepared to talk with Putin but not in Belarus. He has proposed other venues.

If all that has to be agreed is the venue, whats the problem? If Putin is genuinely proposing talks, he should agree to a ceasefire first.

At this point, this is not happening. The conclusion is that Putin is playing a cat-and- mouse game with Zelensky.

The coming hours will tell.

Colonel Dorcha Lee (retd) defence analyst
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A defiant President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces were repelling Russian troops advancing on Kyiv, as Western nations said they were cutting off a number of Russian banks from the world's main financial payments system.

It came as the Department of Foreign Affairs advised Irish citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia at this time.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU, along with the United States and other Western partners, plans to impose further sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, including cutting off a number of Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank payments system.

The measures, which will also include restrictions on the Russian central bank's international reserves, will be implemented in the coming days, the nations said in a joint statement.

On Saturday, Ms von der Leyen said: "First, we commit to ensuring that a certain number of Russian banks are removed from SWIFT.

"It will stop them from operating worldwide and effectively block Russian exports and imports."

Secondly, she said, "we will paralyse the assets of Russias central bank".

"And finally, we will work to prohibit Russian oligarchs from using their financial assets on our markets," she added.

Putin embarked on a path aiming to destroy Ukraine. But what he is also doing, in fact, is destroying the future of his own country.

EU foreign ministers will discuss the sanctions package at a virtual meeting on Sunday evening, the fourth time they come together in a week.

And finally, we will work to prohibit Russian oligarchs from using their financial assets on our markets.



Putin embarked on a path aiming to destroy Ukraine.



But what he is also doing, in fact, is destroying the future of his own country. pic.twitter.com/bcygxFjeyG  Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 26, 2022

The United Nations Security Council is also due to vote on Sunday to call for a rare emergency special session of the 193-member UN General Assembly on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which would be held on Monday.

Only 10 such emergency special sessions have been convened since 1950.

Germany to deliver defensive weapons to Ukraine

In a significant shift, the German government has said it will send weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine and supports some restrictions of the SWIFT global banking system for Russia.

Germany will supply Ukraine with defensive anti-tank weapons, surface-to-air missiles and ammunition, the government said on Saturday as Russia's forces continued to pound Kyiv and other cities on day three of its campaign.

As the capital faces a curfew until Monday, Reuters witnesses in Kyiv reported occasional blasts and gunfire in the city on Saturday evening, but it was not clear exactly where it was coming from.

The capital and other cities have been pounded by Russian artillery and cruise missiles.

A US defence official said Ukraine's forces were putting up "very determined resistance" to the three-pronged Russian advance that has sent hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing westwards, clogging major highways and railway lines.

"We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on," Zelenskiy said in a video message from the streets of Kyiv posted on his social media.

A Ukrainian soldier walks past the debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

'A turning point'

After facing criticism for refusing to send weapons to Kyiv, unlike other Western allies, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Berlin will supply Ukraine with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles from Bundeswehr stocks.

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It is our duty to do our best to support Ukraine in defending itself against Putin's invading army," Scholz said on Twitter.

Berlin also approved the delivery of 400 RPGs from the Netherlands and a request by Estonia to pass on old GDR howitzers to Ukraine. Finland had bought the howitzers in the 90s after the fall of the Berlin wall, and later re-sold them to Estonia.

Germany has a long-standing policy of not exporting weapons to war zones, rooted partly in its bloody 20th-century history and resulting pacifism.

Scholz had repeatedly referred to this policy in recent weeks when refusing to deliver lethal weapons to Ukraine.

A Ukrainian soldier smokes a cigarette on his position at an armoured vehicle outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Marienko )

Kyiv's ambassador to Germany on Saturday urged Berlin to join the Netherlands and supply Ukraine with Stinger air defence rockets.

"Damn it, it's finally time to help us," Andriy Melnyk told Reuters in an interview at the Ukrainian embassy.

Germany's offer in late January to supply 5,000 military helmets to Ukraine to help defend against a potential Russian invasion was dismissed by Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko as "a joke".

Meanwhile, the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have decided to close their airspace to Russian airlines, transport officials in the three countries say.

The legal formulation for the measure is underway and it wasnt immediately clear when precisely the ban would take effect.

-additional reporting from AP
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskys office has said Russian forces have blown up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city.

The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an environmental catastrophe and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

Huge explosions lit up the predawn sky south of Kyiv early on Sunday. One of the blasts was near the Zhuliany airport and the mayor of Vasylkiv, about 25 miles south of the capital, said an oil depot was hit.

Ukraines top prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, said Russian forces have been unable to take Kharkiv, where a fierce battle is underway.

The city of 1.5 million is located 25 miles from the Russian border.

Ukrainian soldiers look out from a broken window inside a military facility, after an explosion in Kyiv (Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo)

The United Nations says it has confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties, including at least 64 people killed, in the fighting in Ukraine that erupted since Russias invasion on Thursday  though it believed the real figures are considerably higher because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) relayed the count late on Saturday from the UN human rights office, which has strict methodologies and verification procedures about the toll from conflict.

OCHA also said damage to civilian infrastructure has deprived hundreds of thousands of people of access to electricity or water, and produced a map of humanitarian situations in Ukraine  mostly in northern, eastern and southern Ukraine.

The human rights office had reported early Friday an initial count by its staffers of at least 127 civilian casualties  25 people killed and 102 injured  mostly from shelling and airstrikes.

Civilian Members of a territorial defence unit fit their weapons to repel the Russian attacking forces in Kyiv (Mikhail Palinchak/AP Photo)

Skirmishes have flared on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital as the countrys president vowed to keep battling a Russian invasion that has led to his people seeking safety underground.

The Russian assault on Kyiv has led to a curfew being announced in the city, set to last through until Monday morning.

Even as journalists were forced inside, the relative quiet of the night in Kyiv was sporadically broken by gunfire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky promised to fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, as he continued to press for additional international help.

Fighting on the citys outskirts suggested that small Russian units are trying to clear a path for the main forces.

Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but the UK and US said the bulk of Russian forces were 19 miles from the citys centre as of Saturday afternoon.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential areas have been hit since the invasion began on Thursday, with air and missile strikes and Russian troops entering Ukraine from the north, east and south.

A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Ukraines health minister reported that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others had been wounded during Europes largest land conflict since the Second World War.

It is unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

In Kyiv, a missile struck a high-rise apartment building in the south-western outskirts near one of the citys two passenger airports, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors.

A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

Mr Zelensky reiterated his openness to talks with Russia in a video message on Saturday, saying he welcomed an offer from the leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan to organise fresh diplomatic efforts.

That came a day after Mr Zelensky offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: that Ukraine should abandon ambitions of joining Nato.

Sisters wait at a checkpoint run by local volunteers after arriving from Ukraine, crossing the border in Beregsurany, Hungary (Anna Szilagyi/AP)

Russian president Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine after he spent weeks denying this was his intention, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 soldiers along the countries borders.

He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about Nato, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Mr Putin has has not disclosed his ultimate plans for Ukraine, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

A burnt-out military truck in the street in Kyiv (AP)

A senior US defence official said more than half of the Russian combat power that was massed along Ukraines borders had entered Ukraine, and that Russia has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated.

Ukraines infrastructure ministry said a Russian missile was shot down before dawn on Saturday as it headed for the dam of the sprawling water reservoir that serves Kyiv, and Ukraine said a Russian military convoy was destroyed near the city early on Saturday.

Footage showed soldiers inspecting burned-out vehicles after Ukraines 101st brigade reported destroying a column of two light vehicles, two trucks and a tank. The claim could not be verified.

Highways into Kyiv from the east were dotted with checkpoints manned by uniformed Ukrainian troops and young men in civilian clothes carrying automatic rifles. Low-flying planes patrolled the skies, though it is unclear if they were Russian or Ukrainian.

Ukrainian soldiers on patrol in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

In addition to Kyiv, the Russian assault appeared to focus on Ukraines coastline, which stretches from near the Black Sea port of Odesa in the west to beyond the Azov Sea port of Mariupol in the east.

If the Russian troops succeed, Ukraine would be cut off from access to all of its sea ports, which are vital for its economy.

In Mariupol, Ukrainian soldiers guarded bridges and blocked people from the shoreline amid concerns the Russian navy could launch an assault from the sea.

Fighting also raged in two territories in eastern Ukraine that are controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Authorities in the city of Donetsk said hot water supplies to the city of about 900,000 were suspended because of damage to the system by Ukrainian shelling.

A damaged apartment building in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

The US government urged Mr Zelensky to evacuate Kyiv but he turned down the offer, according to a senior American intelligence official.

In a video recorded in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky declared: We arent going to lay down weapons. We will protect the country.

Our weapon is our truth, and our truth is that its our land, our country, our children. And we will defend all of that.

The conflict has driven thousands of Ukrainians from their homes in search of safety.

UN officials said more than 150,000 Ukrainians had left the country for Poland, Moldova and other neighbouring nations and estimated four million could flee if the fighting escalates.

Refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring Ukraine arrive to Przemysl, Poland (AP)

Officials in Kyiv have urged residents to seek shelter, to stay away from windows and to take precautions to avoid flying debris or bullets.

The US military has announced 350 million dollars (261 million) in assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armour and small arms.

Germany likewise said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the country, in a significant shift.

The US and its allies have beefed up troops on Natos eastern flank but so far have ruled out deploying troops to fight Russia.

A girl paints on a note book next to her mother as they shelter in the Kyiv subway (AP)

Instead, the US, the European Union and other countries have slapped wide-ranging sanctions on Russia, freezing the assets of Russian businesses and individuals including Mr Putin and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.

Mr Zelenskyy has appealed for tougher sanctions.

Among the possibilities that remain to block the Kremlins access to hundreds of billions in cash are sanctioning the Russian Central Bank, and cutting Russia from the Swift international payment system.

However, a senior Russian official shrugged off sanctions as a reflection of Western political impotence.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russias security council, warned that Moscow could react to the sanctions by opting out of the last remaining nuclear arms pact, freezing Western assets and cutting diplomatic ties with nations in the West.

There is no particular need in maintaining diplomatic relations, Mr Medvedev said. We may look at each other in binoculars and gunsights.
Russia has unleashed a wave of attacks on Ukraine targeting airfields and fuel facilities in what appeared to be the next phase of an invasion that has been slowed by fierce resistance.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early on Sunday south of the capital, Kyiv, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

Flames billowed into the sky before dawn from an oil depot near an air base in Vasylkiv, where there has been intense fighting, according to the towns mayor.

President Volodymyr Zelenskys office said another explosion was at the civilian Zhuliany airport.

The office said Russian forces had also blown up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city.

Ukrainian soldiers look out from a broken window inside a military facility, after an explosion in Kyiv (Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo)

The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an environmental catastrophe and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.

Terrified men, women and children sought safety inside and underground, and the government maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets.

More than 150,000 Ukrainians fled for Poland, Moldova and other neighbouring countries, and the United Nations warned the number could grow to four million if fighting escalates.

Civilian Members of a territorial defence unit fit their weapons to repel the Russian attacking forces in Kyiv (Mikhail Palinchak/AP Photo)

Ukraines ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv were fighting Russian sabotage groups. Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and thousands killed.

Ms Markarova said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to The Hague as possible crimes against humanity.

Ukraines top prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, earlier said that Russian forces have been unable to take Kharkiv. The city of 1.5 million is located 25 miles from the Russian border.

The United Nations says it has confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties, including at least 64 people killed, in the fighting in Ukraine that erupted since Russias invasion on Thursday  though it believed the real figures are considerably higher because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) relayed the count late on Saturday from the UN human rights office, which has strict methodologies and verification procedures about the toll from conflict.

OCHA also said damage to civilian infrastructure has deprived hundreds of thousands of people of access to electricity or water, and produced a map of humanitarian situations in Ukraine  mostly in northern, eastern and southern Ukraine.

The human rights office had reported early Friday an initial count by its staffers of at least 127 civilian casualties  25 people killed and 102 injured  mostly from shelling and airstrikes.

A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Skirmishes have flared on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital as the countrys president vowed to keep battling a Russian invasion that has led to his people seeking safety underground.

The Russian assault on Kyiv has led to a curfew being announced in the city, set to last through until Monday morning.

Even as journalists were forced inside, the relative quiet of the night in Kyiv was sporadically broken by gunfire.

Sisters wait at a checkpoint run by local volunteers after arriving from Ukraine, crossing the border in Beregsurany, Hungary (Anna Szilagyi/AP)

President Zelensky promised to fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, as he continued to press for additional international help.

Fighting on the citys outskirts suggested that small Russian units are trying to clear a path for the main forces.

Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but the UK and US said the bulk of Russian forces were 19 miles from the citys centre as of Saturday afternoon.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential areas have been hit since the invasion began on Thursday, with air and missile strikes and Russian troops entering Ukraine from the north, east and south.

A burnt-out military truck in the street in Kyiv (AP)

Ukraines health minister reported that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others had been wounded during Europes largest land conflict since the Second World War.

It is unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

In Kyiv, a missile struck a high-rise apartment building in the south-western outskirts near one of the citys two passenger airports, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors.

A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

Mr Zelensky reiterated his openness to talks with Russia in a video message on Saturday, saying he welcomed an offer from the leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan to organise fresh diplomatic efforts.

That came a day after Mr Zelensky offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: that Ukraine should abandon ambitions of joining Nato.

Ukrainian soldiers on patrol in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Russian president Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine after he spent weeks denying this was his intention, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 soldiers along the countries borders.

He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about Nato, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Mr Putin has not disclosed his ultimate plans for Ukraine, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

A damaged apartment building in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

A senior US defence official said more than half of the Russian combat power that was massed along Ukraines borders had entered Ukraine, and that Russia has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated.

Ukraines infrastructure ministry said a Russian missile was shot down before dawn on Saturday as it headed for the dam of the sprawling water reservoir that serves Kyiv, and Ukraine said a Russian military convoy was destroyed near the city early on Saturday.

Footage showed soldiers inspecting burned-out vehicles after Ukraines 101st brigade reported destroying a column of two light vehicles, two trucks and a tank. The claim could not be verified.

Highways into Kyiv from the east were dotted with checkpoints manned by uniformed Ukrainian troops and young men in civilian clothes carrying automatic rifles. Low-flying planes patrolled the skies, though it is unclear if they were Russian or Ukrainian.

Refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring Ukraine arrive to Przemysl, Poland (AP)

In addition to Kyiv, the Russian assault appeared to focus on Ukraines coastline, which stretches from near the Black Sea port of Odesa in the west to beyond the Azov Sea port of Mariupol in the east.

If the Russian troops succeed, Ukraine would be cut off from access to all of its sea ports, which are vital for its economy.

In Mariupol, Ukrainian soldiers guarded bridges and blocked people from the shoreline amid concerns the Russian navy could launch an assault from the sea.

Fighting also raged in two territories in eastern Ukraine that are controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Authorities in the city of Donetsk said hot water supplies to the city of about 900,000 were suspended because of damage to the system by Ukrainian shelling.

A girl paints on a note book next to her mother as they shelter in the Kyiv subway (AP)

The US government urged Mr Zelensky to evacuate Kyiv but he turned down the offer, according to a senior American intelligence official.

In a video recorded in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky declared: We arent going to lay down weapons. We will protect the country.

Our weapon is our truth, and our truth is that its our land, our country, our children. And we will defend all of that.

The conflict has driven thousands of Ukrainians from their homes in search of safety.

Had a phone conversation with @BorisJohnson. Grateful to the British Prime Minister for his position, new decisions to enhance the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian army. Agreed on further joint steps to counter the aggressor.    (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022

Officials in Kyiv have urged residents to seek shelter, to stay away from windows and to take precautions to avoid flying debris or bullets.

The US military has announced 350 million dollars (261 million) in assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armour and small arms.

Germany likewise said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the country, in a significant shift.

The US and its allies have beefed up troops on Natos eastern flank but so far have ruled out deploying troops to fight Russia.

People gather to catch a train and leave Ukraine for neighbouring countries (AP)

Mr Zelenskyy has appealed for tougher sanctions.

However, a senior Russian official shrugged off sanctions as a reflection of Western political impotence.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russias security council, warned that Moscow could react to the sanctions by opting out of the last remaining nuclear arms pact, freezing Western assets and cutting diplomatic ties with nations in the West.

There is no particular need in maintaining diplomatic relations, Mr Medvedev said. We may look at each other in binoculars and gunsights.
As Russia invades Ukraine, Im reminded of the warning Jesus expressed in Matthew 24:6 that the end of days will be filled with wars and rumors of wars.

I wish the invasion was only a rumor, but its clearly a reality.

The only consolation I have is -- and its a shallow one -- so far this isnt a conflict likely to be blamed on religion.

I say that because it seems that whenever war is contemplated, religion is accused of providing the kindling.

Theres always someone who resurrects the tired logic by claiming, Theres been more killing perpetrated in the name of religion than for any other cause.

I wish I had the column-writing skills to react to this statement as well as Rabbi Alan Lurie who writes that  an objective look at history reveals that those killed in the name of religion have, in fact, been a tiny fraction in the bloody history of human conflict.

As proof, he references the Encyclopedia of Wars by authors Charles Phillips and Alan Axelrod, who documented the history of recorded warfare in their 2004 three-volume set.

The rabbi concludes, From their list of 1,763 wars only 123 have been classified to involve a religious cause, accounting for less than 7 percent of all wars and less than 2 percent of all people killed in warfare.

While, for example, it is estimated that approximately one to three million people were tragically killed in the Crusades, and perhaps 3,000 in the Inquisition, nearly 35 million soldiers and civilians died in the senseless, and secular, slaughter of World War 1 alone.

Of course, these calculations really depend on how one defines the word religion.

If religion can be defined loosely as a zealous system of beliefs and values, then youd have to include the genocidal maniacs of the world whove made a religion of power.

Now is it just me, or do others see this zealous belief definition as a fit for Mr. Putin?

Because if you think that shoe fits, then youd also need to count the anti-religious fervor of Hitler in Europe, Stalin in Russia, Mao in China and Pol Pot in Cambodia. These men worshiped at the maniacal shrine of greed, in the church of xenophobia and in the temple of hedonism.

Include their efforts and youd be hard-pressed to accurately count the hundreds of millions of people killed in the last 75 years alone. While these men werent religious per se, they became expert practitioners of intolerance.

Sometimes in these discussions, Im tempted to inject a slight correction and reword the premise to say: there have been more people killed in the name of intolerance  not religion  than any other thing.

But if youre still among those who want to believe that religion is somehow responsible for the increased level of violence, then Id like to recommend the writings of historian and New York Times bestselling author Reza Aslan.

In response to a question put to him by CNN, Aslan made the point that religion only becomes violent when you bring violence into it.

He said, If youre a violent person, then your Islam, your Judaism, your Christianity, your Hinduism is going to be violent. There are marauding Buddhist monks in Myanmar slaughtering women and children. Does Buddhism promote violence? Of course not.

People are violent or peaceful and that depends on their politics, their social world, and the ways that they see their communities.

Nevertheless, if you insist that were being drawn into a war about religion, check out Aslans book, How to Win a Cosmic War. In addressing the question, How do you win a religious war? he gives the best answer Ive read yet:

By refusing to fight in one.

Contact Chaplain Norris at comment@thechaplain.net or voicemail (843) 608-9715.
Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Rain likely. High 59F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 42F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. High 59F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 43F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
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context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

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Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838493ae8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f46668)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838493ae8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f46668)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838491598)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f46668)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f46668)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82e315878)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838ee55c0)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838ee55c0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
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.
Johnson City, TN (37604)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High near 75F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 51F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Joplin, MO (64801)

Today

Showers and thundershowers this morning, then overcast during the afternoon with occasional rain. High around 60F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 58F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
System error

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context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

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Opinion Columnist

Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018.
System error

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context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838e93148)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8392591a8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838e93148)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8392591a8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838d97228)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8392591a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8392591a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82e314860)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e839152590)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e839152590)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
A 26-year-old Lake Villa, Ill., woman, already with three pending felony cases in Kenosha County, picked up a fourth felony charge this week.

Taylor L. Sanchez, of the 3700 block of North Hampshire Lane, now has three cases for battery to prisoners after she allegedly beat up a fellow inmate at the Kenosha County Jail on Feb. 21.

Two of Sanchezs three other pending cases involve alleged battery to other prisoners, while the third involves making a threat to a law enforcement officer. Sanchez is being held in jail on a $1,500 cash bond in the most recent case and has a total cash bond in all four of $13,000.

She is due back in Kenosha County Circuit Court on Tuesday for an adjourned initial appearance before Commissioner Larry Keating.

According to the criminal complaint, a Kenosha County Sheriffs Department deputy was dispatched to the jail for a report of a battery.

The deputy spoke to a correctional officer, who stated that Sanchez walked into a cell and began striking the victim multiple times with closed fists. Officers gave the victim ice and Tylenol for pain and swelling. The deputy observed multiple quarter-sized bumps on her forehead, as well as swelling and redness, along with a small scratch on her left elbow.

Sanchez reportedly claimed the victim stated, Im going to kill you from her cell, so she protected herself.

When asked how many times she struck the victim, Sanchez allegedly responded, I dont know, 2,708 times, and began laughing, according to the complaint. Sanchez said the victim did nothing physical to her, and also made comments about a second individual had told her to hit the victim.

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Most people would have to have a good reason to camp outdoors in Wisconsin in the middle of winter.

Some do because they are homeless.

Camping outdoors to help raise awareness for those who are homeless or in need of food is the intention of three Kenosha residents participating in the 2nd annual Freezin for a Reason.

From Sunday, at 2 p.m. until Monday at 9 p.m., the Rev. Jonathan Barker, Brandi Ferree and Sean Krajacic will be camping in front of Grace Lutheran Church, 2006 60th St., to raise awareness and donations for Grace Welcome Center, a ministry of Grace Lutheran Church.

Every winter we have guests come to Grace Welcome Center who are living outside or in their cars all winter and we often find people sleeping in our churchs courtyard, said Barker, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church.

During the event, residents are encouraged to drop off food and cash donations for the Welcome Center.

Ferree, a Grace Welcome Center volunteer, notes that the event raises awareness about food insecurity in Kenosha.

Every week the Welcome Center serves 135 Kenosha families. The food we offer not only provides nutrition but a sense of security and wellbeing for our community, she said.

The first Freezin for a Reason event held last January was organized by County Supervisor Andy Berg.

According to Barker, last years event brought in 8,483 pounds of food donations and raised and just a little over $12,000.

According to Barker, this years items list includes: jelly, syrup, pancake mix, hamburger and tuna helper, canned tuna and chicken, beef stew, mayo, spaghetti sauce, soup, rice, pasta, macaroni and cheese, zero below sleeping bags, winter boots (size 11, 12, and 13), and ski gloves.

The goal this year is to fill a whole room from floor to ceiling with donated food, he said.

Grace Welcome Center is a breakfast program that is open to the Uptown community every Thursday and Friday from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. and is open as a food pantry on Tuesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Financial gifts will go to replacing the parking lot at Grace Welcome Center. Our parking lot is what enables guests to come through our drive-thru pantry each week, Barker said.

Donations can be sent to Grace Welcome Center, Attn: Parking Lot Fund, 2006 60th St., Kenosha WI 53140 or given online at: https://gracekenosha.com/donations/ designated for Freezin for a Reason.

Its so important to remember that not all of our neighbors have a place to stay on these cold nights. We all get to go home after two days and one night to warm homes but theres people in our community that dont have that luxury and have to do this night after night, Barker said.

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Each day I am inundated with reminders of why doctors are leaving clinical practice. My peers are exhausted by pandemic patients and pandemic controversies. They feel unappreciated and overworked doing what was originally their passion. Many feel they are part of an industrial machine, turning out widgets in the form of patient visits or procedures. They want to leave. Should I? Wouldnt it be easier to be a dog-walker, park ranger, or a dog-walking park ranger?

For each day I am treated with a reminder of how terrible it is to be a doctor, I am going to try to find a reason why I should not leave today.

Yesterday I stayed because I like the doctoring part of my job. This is the part where I figure out what is wrong with someone, operate, and see how they are doing after.

Today, I am going to stay for practical reasons. I cant make this much money walking dogs. I actually get paid to be a neurosurgeon. Some days I think, Can you believe I get paid to do this? This is amazing! Other days I think, There is no amount of money you could pay me to do one more minute of call. Still, I would have to walk a lot of very important dogs to come close to my current income.

There are other professions with similar compensation. My Google search found several examples, none of which was an easy lateral shift. Most required skills I do not possess, venture capitalist, actor, law partner. Most, like neurosurgery, require years of training, long hours, and sacrifices.

Should I just retire? I heard about the financial independence retire early (FIRE) movement recently. This is the delayed gratification technique where one lives like a resident after residency and works extra to earn and save so they can retire early, like at 41 years old. Since I was in my 30s when I finished residency and in my 40s when I heard about FIRE, the best I might be able to accomplish is FIR or FIRABE (a bit early) or FIREFANS (early for a neurosurgeon). It is the rare person in my specialty who can invest in early-career hyper-productivity without suffering burnout and divorce.

Now, I have the distinct privilege of being happily married to a gainfully employed Matt. Whenever I have asked Matt if he wanted me to work more so we could have more money, his response has been something like, Hell no. Its just money, Matt says. What I failed to invest in FIRE, I invested in time with my people, and that has made me rich. I am probably close to FIR and definitely do not wish the E in my FIRE to stand for elderly. Matt and I have a financial planner and a financial plan that has me working at this for a bit. I also just learned what a wedding might cost for our two daughters (what!?).

Today I will stay.

Barbara Lazio is a neurosurgeon.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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It starts with an invocation. A prayer. A plea for redemption. This is how the Sabbath Town Halls, Sufi Naqshbandi, and Bahai community gatherings begin and end.

Around the world, communities of faith are much more than a sanctuary. They provide a space for healing and hope. As religious exemptions, hesitation, and resistance for vaccinations and public health policies have taken on a new fervor, the critical role of faith-based institutions in supporting public health policies has become lost in the message.

Exemptions based on faith, a form of vaccine hesitancy, resistance, or refusal, have increased in number and appear to have taken an urgency that has risen the level of the U.S. Supreme Court. Currently, one in ten Americans refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine because of their religious beliefs, undermining progress toward safety in the pandemic. The recent protests by the so-called freedom truckers convoy in Canada also involve faith-based resistance towards vaccinations and public health policies.

Yet worldwide, communities of faith also serve a central role in promoting vaccination among the previously hesitant. By allowing members to voice their concerns and address questions that strike deeply at values and belief systems, the dialogue within religious and spiritual communities is critical in the efforts to improve vaccine acceptance.

We observe how prayer gatherings, youth services, and diverse forums can promote critical dialogue about health-related decisions, public health safety, and vaccinations through our own work with three communities, distinct in culture and geography.

Early in the pandemic, the Sufi Naqshbandi community in Karachi, Pakistan, Black church leaders in Los Angeles, USA, and the Bahai community of Winnipeg, Canada, went online, creating prayer gatherings, youth services, and spaces to critically discuss and promote community safety and vaccination.

To quell fear of vaccinations amongst members, the Naqshbandi leadership promoted sadaqah, a voluntary means of charity in Islam, including feeding those who suffer from food insecurity. Sadaqah allowed members to surround themselves with good energy, protecting them from any perceived harmful side effects of the vaccine. By utilizing an existing protection practice the Naqshbandi were able to provide members with a tangible solution for their fears in order to increase vaccine acceptance.

Black church leaders used Facebook live streams and included headlines such as The Role of the Gatekeepers. The sessions would always open and end with a prayer, led by a Pastor. Physicians of color, some of whom were congregants, spoke about their own personal experiences with COVID-19 in the hospital, and dispelled myths about vaccines and infertility. This peer-to-peer intervention served as a powerful indication that this pandemic and vaccine effort were, indeed, far removed from a long history of medical racism.

The Local Spiritual Assembly of the Winnipeg Bahai community held regular prayer gatherings for people struggling from the social impacts of the pandemic. While addressing questions about vaccines and public health mandates, discussions led by Local Assembly members centered around the importance of the harmony of science and religion, and a notion of the common goodhow personal medical choices about vaccinations could also involve what is best for the well-being of the entire community.

A majority of Americans, Canadians, and Pakistanis state that religion is an important part of their lives. For these individuals, religion is a way of life and their leaders are often a more trusted resource than doctors or public health institutions. These three communities are examples of a larger story about how faith-based communities can support public health policies, now more than ever, by catalyzing the internal dialogue with members.

Many religious leaders globally have also appealed for people to get vaccinated and support public health policies. In August 2021, Pope Francis urged Catholics to consider it as an act of love and a simple yet profound way to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable. Similarly, the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, numerous Rabbis, among other Faith leaders the world over, have framed vaccinations as a spiritual imperative that benefits our interconnected communities worldwide.

Centering the conversation on fringe lawsuits and forms of resistance, such as the one presented to the Supreme Court or the freedom convoy, or offering statistics without understanding the stories may give the perception that religion is at odds with public health imperatives. But given the commitment of numerous religious groups to safeguard the health of their community and society as a whole, such examples may eventually prove otherwise.

Vaccination, like prayer, may in fact offer as much hope as redemption.

Maryam Chloe Pervaiz is a graduate student. Andrew Hatala is an anthropologist. Tara Vijayan is an infectious disease physician. Richard Handley is a physician-executive.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Gimme five, the TV doctor said to his little patient as he entered the exam room. As I watched this scene in an evening TV program, I was reminded of one of my pediatric practices most gratifying stories, which happened over 20 years ago.

Before the days of cellphones, the internet, and social media, I had become the local expert on support groups. After realizing how what I learned from support organizations was critical to my patients outcomes, I decided to create a computerized database of all the support groups pertaining to children.

With the help of a friend who was a child life specialist in our local childrens hospital and a true believer in the power of shared knowledge, we created Support Group Network.

We continued to expand the database to include all areas of medicine, not just childrens disorders. I would routinely receive inquiries from other doctors who would want to know if a support group existed for even the most obscure diseases.

Nowadays, this information is available within a split second through a Google or Facebook search. However, obtaining this information required a trip to a research library back then. Even then, the information may not have been current.

When our database was installed on an office computer, doctors offices would have immediate access to useful contact information on thousands of support groups. Unfortunately for us, our timing was poor since it was just as Google was coming on to the scene and within a year, our product became obsolete. If we had been only there a few years before, who knows what would have happened? You know what they say, timing is everything!

In my personal experience, however, my familiarity with the existence of particular support groups was life-changing for many patients.

In one specific case of identical twin boys born with a syndrome that included craniofacial, hand, and feet abnormalities (Apert syndrome), they were at an age where the structural deformities of their hands interfered with their normal school performance. As a result, they were forced to attend a school with special aides to assist them in their toileting since their fingers were webbed.

I was aware of one support organization, the Childrens Craniofacial Association, located in Dallas, Texas. It is an excellent resource for families whose children have facial or limb abnormalities. Their team of hand surgeons offered to reconstruct the boys hands, and there were funds and facilities to fully cover the expenses for the hospitalization and the parents living expenses.

When the boys returned to Florida following their surgery, they were excited to show me their four fully functional fingers. They were now able to learn to write like other children. And for the first time at age 9, they could go to the bathroom independently. Their newly acquired confidence was palpable. They enthusiastically had to relearn many tasks that most children would have learned gradually throughout their toddler and early childhood years.

From then on, I would greet them by saying, Gimme four! in honor of their newly reconstructed fingers. They loved it! And it made me a lifetime believer in the power of support groups.

Daniel P. Kraft is a pediatrician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

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Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838976900)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e83897d3a8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838976900)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e83897d3a8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e83894e6b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e83897d3a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e83897d3a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82e315020)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e83894bf38)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e83894bf38)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
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An Irish minister has said that he is proud of his party colleagues who have called for the expulsion of the Russian ambassador.

Fianna Fail TD Thomas Byrne, who is the minister for European affairs, said today (Sunday February 27) the expulsion of Russian diplomats from EU countries was under discussion.

It comes amid growing pressure in Ireland for Yury Filatov to be expelled from the country over the actions of Russia in Ukraine.

On Saturday evening, nearly 40 Fianna Fail TDs, senators and MEPs signed a petition calling on Mr Filatov to be ejected from Ireland.

The list included TDs Jim OCallaghan and Dara Calleary, as well as senators Lisa Chambers and Fiona OLoughlin.

The chair of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and senior Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan also tweeted a call for the ambassador to be forced to leave Ireland.

Im very proud of my Fianna Fail colleagues who have taken consistently a proud stand for Ukraine, for democracy and against the autocracy in Russia over the years, particularly in the European Parliament, but also in the Dail and yesterday, Mr Byrne told the BBC on Sunday.

He indicated that such action was being discussed in the EU, but cautioned such a move would lead to a response from Russia.

Its under discussion, theres no question, but itll be done on a European level.

I think well have much greater effect if we all make a move together.

There are certain factors we have to take into account.

You must keep lines of communication open, but also you must ensure that your own diplomats in Russia are not kicked out either because then youre at a disadvantage, obviously then dealing with Irish citizens or other European citizens who may be there.

So, this is certainly under discussion at a European level. My preference will be to deal with this as part of a common approach.

According to the Sunday Independent, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told the paper that he expects Ireland to expel some Russian diplomats as part of the next set of EU sanctions, but will stop short of expelling Mr Filatov.

Mr Coveney told the paper that not having a line of communication to Moscow would be a mistake.
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context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

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Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8387a3048)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8387814c8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8387a3048)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8387814c8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8387db738)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8387814c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8387814c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82e315398)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838bef890)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838bef890)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 59F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low near 50F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
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ARISS contact scheduled for students at Carter G. Woodson Middle School, Hopewell, VA, USA

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between astronauts on-board the International Space Station (ISS) and USA students at the Carter G. Woodson Middle School located in Hopewell, Virginia.ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on-board the ISS.

The Carter G. Woodson Middle School is a diverse, urban public school that serves about 1,000 students in grades sixth through eight (ages 10 to 14 years).The school is named for Carter G. Woodson, a son of former slaves, who was born in Buckingham County, Virginia in 1875. He served as an educator in numerous capacities and, in 1912, became the second AfricanAmerican to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. An advocate of black achievement, Woodson was the founder of the association for the Study of Negro Life and History and he is considered the father of Black History Month.

During the school year prior to this ARISS contact, students in sixth grade science have spent a large portion of the year discussing the interrelationships existing between Earth and other celestial bodies. The schools STEM curriculum includedcourses in space exploration of the solar system, characteristics of each planet, the technology of space exploration, and potential careers involving the study and exploration of space. The school has partnered with members of the Richmond AmateurRadio Club who have provided instruction and hands-on (kit-building) activities about the inner workings of radios, radio technologies, electronics and amateur radio communications (including the communications systems used on the ISS). Students have also learnedabout types of communication of several artificial Earth-orbiting satellites.

This will be a telebridge contact via amateur radio and students will take turns asking their questions of Astronaut Thomas Marshburn, amateur radio call sign KE5HOC. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to as applicable for each ARISS contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.

Amateur radio operators in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA will use call sign K6DUE to serve as the ARISS relay amateur radio groundstation (telebridge station).

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 28, 2022 at9:43 am EST ( Virginia, USA), (14:43:53 UTC, 8:43 am CST, 7:43 am MST and 6:43 am PST) .

The public is invited to watch the livestream at: https://youtu.be/KmFtTluF3aQ

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What made you want to live in space?

2. How do you not run out of food and where does it come from?

3. Have any animals ever been on board the ISS?

4. How do you return to Earth?

5. What meals do you eat in space?

6. What is your helmet made of and how does it work?

7. How many miles does the ISS travel in a day?

8. What do you do when you are not performing experiments or working on equipment?

9. When you return back to Earth, do you experience any side effects from being in space for 6 months?

10. What scientific discoveries have you made on board the ISS?

11. What have you learned while on board the ISS?

12. What is a goal you have during your mission?

13. What kind of weather do you experience on board?

14. How do you get water?

15. What equipment do you need for a spacewalk?

16. What does the moon look like from the ISS?

17. Do you have doctors on board to help when you get sick or injured?

18. How long does it take to get used to sleeping on a wall?

19. How did it feel traveling up to the ISS?

20. How do you train to live in a low gravity environment?

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and NASAs Space communications and Navigation program. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before, during and after these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org .

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status.

Check out ARISS on Youtube.com.
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk announced Saturday that the company's Starlink internet satellites are now active in Ukraine as the country suffers power outages due to Russia's invasion. Musk is shown here at the construction of the Tesla Gigafactory near Berlin on September 3, 2020.
Ukrainians are fleeing in droves. But they're waiting more than 60 hours at the border
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to put Russia's deterrence forces, which includes nuclear arms, on high alert are part of a wider pattern of unprovoked escalation and "manufactured threats" from the Kremlin.




By Baek Byung-yeul







Woojung Education & Culture Foundation, set up by Booyoung Group  a construction company  in 2008, has awarded 350 million won ($300,000) in scholarships to 89 international students studying in Korea for the 2022 spring semester, it said Sunday.







The foundation grants scholarships twice a year to foreign students from Asian and African countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Kenya. Since 2010, 2,115 students from 41 countries have benefited with a total of 8.3 billion won in scholarships.







"We hope the scholarships can help students achieve their academic goals, giving them opportunities to become global leaders. Students will also play a crucial role in bridging their home countries with Korea," a Booyoung official said. "Booyoung will continue to stay active in supporting future talent in education and culture."







The construction company used to hold an award ceremony twice a year at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul. However, it hasn't held the event since early 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.







In addition, Booyoung Group donated digital pianos and other school supplies to elementary schools in developing countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Rwanda.
South Korea should boost self-defense capability



Russia's invasion of Ukraine seems to serve as a prelude to a new Cold War and a new world order. The United States, which has long served as the world's policeman, is now facing serious challenges from Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine which could upend the post-Cold War order.



The Ukraine crisis has significant implications for South Korea which is surrounded by major powers such as the U.S., Russia, China and Japan. Our country has a painful history of frequent invasions. It suffered 35 years of Japanese colonial rule until the end of World War II. Then it was devastated by the 1950-53 Korean War.



Russian President Vladimir Putin started war with the former Soviet republic in an apparent bid to prevent Ukraine from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and overthrow a pro-Western regime in Kyiv. His military campaign is in defiance of the U.S.-led global order, not to mention the infringement of Ukraine's sovereignty and violation of international rules.



The ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe speaks volumes to South Korea which is facing constant security threats from North Korea. We need to learn a lesson from the Ukrainian case: Any country will end up with a tragic fate if it cannot defend itself. Putin and Russia should bear full responsibility for the barbaric and brutal invasion.



Yet Ukraine is paying the price for not having its own self-defense capability after it signed the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances in 1994. The country, which gained independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, abandoned its nuclear arsenal in return for security guarantees under the memorandum. But it has neither boosted its military readiness against potential military threats from Russia, nor formed any security alliance with other countries.



Ukraine has pushed to join NATO since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014. But the country failed to do that in the face of strong objection from Russia. Ukraine has well recognized the importance of a military alliance with NATO. But it is too late to thwart the Russian attack with the help of the U.S. or the EU. The situation in Ukraine highlights the need for Seoul to improve its traditional security alliance with Washington as well as beef up its self-defense capability.



Geopolitical risks have been growing on the Korean Peninsula since the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea failed to strike a denuclearization deal during their second summit in 2019. The North has continued to test-fire its ballistic missiles. South Korea is increasingly caught up in the escalating Sino-U.S. rivalry. However, the Moon Jae-in administration is being criticized for putting more priority on improving ties with North Korea and China than on strengthening the alliance with the U.S.



The presidential candidates of the ruling and opposition parties should see the big picture of the rapidly changing world order. They should refrain from triggering ideological and partisan conflicts over security issues. They need to present viable policy options to ensure the country's survival amid the emerging new Cold War between the U.S.-led Western democracies and their rivals including China, Russia and North Korea.


KPC News is available 24/7 online at kpcnews.com. Browse stories, view photos and videos or view the e-edition of your local newspaper any time online.
Shahid Al Hafed, 26 February 2022 (SPS) - This February 27 marks the 46th anniversary of the proclamation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), an event that comes in a context marked by diplomatic and military victories for the Sahrawi people, who are determined to continue its struggle to assert the undeniable reality of the SADR.



The constitutive milestone of the Sahrawi Republic dates back to February 27, 1976, when the SADR was proclaimed in Bir Lahlou (liberated territories), the day after the last Spanish soldier left the Sahrawi territory. Since then, the SADR has continued to achieve success on the international scene and has attracted multiple adherents to its just cause.



However, more than four decades later, the Sahrawi issue remains unresolved and Sahrawis continue to demand their right to self-determination, against the backdrop of continued violations of the rights of Sahrawi civilians by the Moroccan occupier.



Thus, the Sahrawi people will seize, once again, the opportunity of the 46th anniversary of the announcement of the creation of the SADR, to reaffirm that the Sahrawi Republic "is an existing fact and that no one can question or deny it.



Today, the SADR, a founding member of the African Union (AU), is present at many regional, African and international events. The most recent was the summit that brought together AU and European Union (EU) leaders on February 17-18 in Brussels.



Moreover, the participation in the EU/AU summit of a large Sahrawi delegation led by SADR President Brahim Ghali has been described as a "great diplomatic and political victory" for the Sahrawi issue.



On the legal front, the Sahrawi cause has made new gains, notably when the EU Court, in two rulings of 29 September 2021, annulled the new EU-Moroccan agreements that illegally included the part of Western Sahara under Moroccan occupation.



Following previous rulings by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) in 2016 and 2018, the Court ruled that the new EU-Moroccan agreements were concluded in violation of international law, without the consent of the Sahrawi people, and that these agreements do not apply to Western Sahara because the Sahrawi territory has a separate and distinct status from the Kingdom of Morocco.



The celebration of the 46th anniversary of the proclamation of the SADR comes after more than a year of the resumption of the armed struggle, following the breaking of the 1991 ceasefire by the Moroccan occupier through its aggression on November 13, 2020 carried out in El-Guerguerat against Sahrawi civilians who were demonstrating peacefully.



The return to arms constitutes for the Sahrawi people a new opportunity to reaffirm its inalienable right to independence and freedom.



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Hoosier physicians and other health care providers generally can prescribe ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 in willing patients and it won't be considered malpractice in most circumstances, according to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.

In a 10-page official opinion, Rokita said the off-label use of ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 is similar to the widespread use of other prescription drugs to treat medical conditions not explicitly listed on their FDA-approved labels.

Rokita said that under federal law authorized health care providers may prescribe medication for an off-label use when they judge it's medically appropriate for their patients.

At the same time, Rokita said off-label use, while common, is not necessarily safe, and any provider should be cognizant of the risks and benefits of off-label prescription medications, and communicate that information to the patient, to reduce the provider's liability should some sort of harm occur.

"The mere act of prescribing a medication off-label will not generally be considered malpractice; a patient must also establish that by doing so, he or she was harmed, and the health care provider deviated from an accepted standard of practice," Rokita said.

Regarding ivermectin and hydroxychloroquin, two anti-parasitic drugs, Rokita said there's no consensus among scientists and public health experts concerning the safety and efficacy of either treatment in connection with COVID-19.

As a result, Rokita said it's reasonable to believe prescribing them off-label to treat COVID-19 likely would fall within the standard of care expected from a health care provider, so long as the provider advises each patient about the off-label use and potential risks.

"The office of the attorney general sees no reason, based on the studies available at this time, to distinguish off-label prescribing of medications for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 from the off-label prescribing of medications for other illnesses and conditions," Rokita said.

Rokita does caution, however, that providers considering prescribing ivermectin, which also is approved to treat animals, including livestock, make sure they're giving their patients the correct dose.

"The higher animal dose could be toxic or even deadly to humans who ingest it," said Rokita, a Munster native.

Meanwhile, Rokita noted Indiana's COVID-19 shield law enacted last year provides broad legal immunity to health care providers in connection with COVID-19 treatments, unless the provider's actions constitute "gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, fraud, or intentional misrepresentation."

He said prescribing hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin or another FDA-approved medication for an off-label use to treat or prevent COVID-19 would be covered by the shield law, and health care providers should not incur any legal liability for responsibly doing so.

However, unless action is taken in the weeks ahead by the Republican-controlled General Assembly to extend the protection, Indiana's COVID-19 shield law is due to expire April 1, or sooner if Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb ends the state's COVID-19 public health emergency before April 1.

Either way, Rokita emphasized his official opinion "should not be construed as advocating or discouraging the prescribing or use of any particular medication or course of treatment for the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19."

"The office of the attorney general provides legal advice, not medical advice," he said.

The Indiana Department of Health declined to specifically respond to a request for comment on the attorney general's opinion.

Instead, the state health agency simply provided a link to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration website titled: "Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19."

Records show Rokita's Feb. 23 opinion on the issue was requested by five state lawmakers who said they've received questions from health care providers or their constituents about legal liability associated with prescribing drugs off-label to treat COVID-19.

The lawmakers were state Sens. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton; Eric Koch, R-Bedford; and Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville; and state Reps. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour; and Elizabeth Rowray, R-Yorktown.

An official opinion by the attorney general has no force of law but typically will be taken into consideration by an Indiana court if there's a pending lawsuit relating to the issue.
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Should a proposed 15-week abortion limit making its way through the Legislature go into effect in July, Floridians can expect a dramatic fallout.

That could look like a burst of activity at clinics, increased travel to other states for procedures, an intensification of legal challenges and a heavier burden on the poor.

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Florida has 56 clinics, with 43 of them licensed to do the second trimester abortions that would become illegal should the proposed measures go into effect, according to the Florida AHCA.

Only a sliver of Florida counties  17 of Floridas 67  have abortion clinics and their administrators are preparing for a law change that would reduce the cutoff for abortions from 24 weeks.

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The Florida House voted for a significant limit on abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest. The Senate could send the measure to Gov. Ron DeSantis desk as early as next week.

In Mississippi, where a newly passed law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy is being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court, the only abortion clinic in the state has never been busier. The patient load has nearly doubled and the clinic has expanded its hours of operation, according to a New York Times report.

We already are looking at how it could affect everything from staffing to scheduling to how much medication to order, said the director of a Florida abortion center who asked not to be named. We know who this will affect. People who can afford it will always get an abortion even if they have to travel. Its the poorest who will be affected the most.

[ RELATED:Heres who Floridas 15-week abortion ban will affect ]

The bills short-term effect

Almost 5,000 women in Florida terminated their pregnancies in 2021 starting 12 weeks after their pregnancy began, which is equivalent to about 14 weeks after the first day of their last period, according to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. They did so for a number of reasons  from the discovery of a fetal abnormality to a delay from challenges saving up money and arranging travel for the procedure, to a pure lack of knowledge or fear of admitting they were pregnant.

Now, Florida appears poised to join other states, including Texas, with more restrictive abortion laws. As the bill goes to the Senate next week, Florida womens health providers are bracing for the immediate repercussions: Angst. Confusion. Misinformation.

Not everyone comes to the table understanding how or when they got pregnant, said Dr. Maureen Whelihan, an obstetrician-gynecologist with Elite GYN Care of the Palm Beaches. For our patients, this is going to generate a lot more angst, a lot of anxiety about what this means for them and for their daughters.

Miscalculation is increasingly more common, she said. Some women have irregular periods, while others have medical conditions or contraceptive methods that give them irregular periods. Patients are not as savvy about their reproductive health as one might think they should be. Now there will be a burden on them to be smarter earlier on, and I think thats the wrong direction.

Whelihan said she would like to see more obstetricians/gynecologists consulted about how changes will affect women and babies. Any time that legislation happens that restricts our ability to discuss options with a patient is never good. Ultimately its the female patient that suffers.

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Rep. Erin Grall, the abortion bills sponsor, said she thinks the debate over restrictions involves more than just a womans choice to have an abortion.

Once a woman becomes pregnant, two uniquely independent human beings exist, the Vero Beach Republican said during the House debate. Ive never understood the my body, my choice rhetoric when it comes to terminating a life.

Dr. Samantha Deans, associate medical director of Planned Parenthood of Southeast and North Florida, said the legislation  if passed into law  is certain to bring initial confusion.

I already hear people who say, abortion is going to be illegal soon, and that type of rhetoric leads to patients not knowing they have options, Deans said. Even doctors can feel confused about what they can realistically offer their patients, depending on how close they are to the cutoff.

Womens health providers say the 15-week ban on abortions wont stop those who can afford to go outside the state for procedures. It will affect women who barely scrape together enough for the procedure and cant afford time off from work, child care and travel expenses. Unlike states such as Mississippi, leaving Florida could require traveling hundreds, if not thousands, of miles.

Floridas Planned Parenthood branches already are preparing to help with costs to fly patients to other states to get abortion care and have begun to strengthen relationships with abortion providers in states such as North Carolina, Washington, D.C., Illinois and New York.

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The bills long-term effect

Patients seeking abortions after 15 weeks will have three options if the bill goes into effect: travel to another state to get an abortion if they can afford it, continue with an unwanted or unhealthy pregnancy, or seek second-trimester abortions from someone who isnt a qualified practitioner.

People who are under 50, which is a lot of the population, they dont know what it actually means to be in a time where abortion is unsafe and difficult to access, said Dr. Sujatha Prabhakaran, a practicing OB-GYN in Sarasota. They dont remember or know people who suffered severe medical consequences or died trying to get the care that we can do in a really safe way.

Prabhakaran also worries the 15-week cutoff wont give patients enough time to fully consider whether an abortion is right for them. Most of the patients that come to see us are very firm in their decision, Prabhakaran said. But some of them need to talk with us about the process and procedure, and then need time to talk with their families  or just to consider it for themselves.

Obstetricians say they have seen patients in their second trimester who believe their pregnancy is viable and are planning their futures with their potential child when they get a devastating diagnosis. Having fewer options could affect an entire family.

When a woman cannot access abortion care, you are changing the trajectory of her life, said Elizabeth Nash, state policy analyst for The Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research and advocacy organization.

Kevin Cho Tipton, a critical care nurse in Miami public hospitals, said hes seen plenty of patients who arrive at the ER in a state of emergency from trying any number of methods to terminate their pregnancy.

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When you put people in situations where they dont have access to care, theyre forced to seek care outside of what would normally be safe.

[ RELATED: Floridas 15-week abortion ban will affect women in the Caribbean and Latin America, too ]

The health risks involved

Women in their second trimester are more likely to get an abortion due to a serious fetal abnormality, according to data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

Under the Florida bill, if a fetal abnormality is discovered after 15 weeks, two doctors would need to certify the baby wouldnt survive long after birth before an abortion would be allowed.

What concerns me is that there are abnormalities that are non-lethal but life-altering, said Orlando perinatologist Dr. Cole Greves, who specializes in treating complex prenatal disorders.

Greves said 90% of his patients who come to him because of a fetal abnormality are more than 15 weeks pregnant, mostly because amniocentesis, ultrasounds and blood tests that reveal that type of information are done later in gestation. The women come seeking information on how and if those abnormalities can be treated.

I present the options but its not for me to decide or for government officials to decide, its for families to decide. That is whats most upsetting to me about restricting choices and access to care.

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Greves, who is chair-elect for his district for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the impact of the bill would be felt immediately in his practice. It would change the counseling I would give patients and restrict the options that I present to mothers.

The breadth of the effect

Floridas 15-week abortion cutoff will have a more dramatic impact than the same law in states such as Mississippi.

Along with women from Florida, state clinics perform abortions on women from nearby southern states, such as Georgia, which limits abortions after 20 weeks, or Mississippi, where there is only one overwhelmed abortion clinic. Women also come to Florida from the Caribbean Islands and Latin America, where abortion is illegal in some countries or territories.

Florida has been important for abortion access for a long time, said Nash, of The Guttmacher Institute. Continuing that access is important, even for those who live in Florida because traveling outside the state can be difficult.

For islanders who come from outside the U.S., particularly where the quality of health care lags, the more stringent time frame can become formidable.

Elena Senises, the administrator at the Miramar Womens Center, said women come to South Florida because of its proximity and they have family here to stay with. However, by the time they get an appointment, book a flight and arrive in South Florida, they often are further along in the pregnancy than 15 weeks. She worries about their options going forward. When you put more obstacles on these women, it will have repercussions.

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Legal challenges ahead

Even if the Florida governor signs the 15-week abortion ban bill into law in March, Florida attorneys foresee legal challenges that could create a temporary hold on it taking effect in July.

In Mississippi, legal challenges to a 15-week abortion ban have placed a hold for four years on that states law. However, similar legal challenges in Texas did not result in a delay in their newly passed six-week ban that took effect in September 2021.

Abortion advocates and opponents closely are watching the outcome of a challenge to Mississippis 15-week ban in the U.S. Supreme Court that could overturn the courts landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade. A decision in the abortion case is expected in late June or early July.

If the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade, advocates could still challenge Floridas 15-week ban or other bans on the basis that these restrictions violate Floridas state constitution and the right to privacy in medical decisions, said Kait Thomson, director of government relations and community engagement at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.

Similar abortion measures to Floridas 15-week ban also passed this week in West Virginias House and the Arizona Senate.
SHERIDAN, Wyo. - Two students from Sheridan County have been selected to represent the state in a virtual program that will give them an insight into how our American political process works.

Next month, Cameron Reckard and Tamica Smith will be part of the U.S. Senate Youth Program Washington Week, in which 104 students interested in public service careers will attend virtual meetings and briefings with senators, U.S. Supreme Court justices, cabinet leaders and senior members of the national media.

Reckard, a junior at Sheridan High School, serves as the Student Council Junior Class president and is involved in a number of school and community organizations. He says the U.S. Senate Youth Program is a chance to understand a little more how our government works.

We can always learn about it in school. But as anyone who really has ever learned anything will tell you, experiencing it firsthand is completely different than reading about it in a textbook.

Smith, a senior at the Arvada/Clearmont High School in Sheridan County, is an active member of numerous student organizations, including serving as the president of Student Council and president of National Honor Society. She says the media aspect of the event excites her.

I feel like the media is a different level of politics in and of itself. And a lot of the ideas behind the media convey and change between state level as well as national level.

Both students say they hope to inspire other youth in their communities to become involved in local issues.

I really believe that the youth should be involved in politics in any way they can, said Smith, whether it's just by the everyday interactions, reading the news, watching the news, or actually taking a step forward to participate in their local government activity.

I would definitely love to be able to make a change in this world, Reckerd said, whether that's through directly a public office position, or in a way that doesn't necessarily involve holding public office. I still want to be able to make a positive impact on the world.
Kyiv on heightened alert as Russian forces close in on all sides
Andriy Nazarenko, who visited his extended family in Wheatland for the holidays, left Jan. 14 to return to the Ukraine. On Friday, he confirmed he was safe and taking cover in Ternopil as Russian forces invaded his homeland.

Turned off lights and sitting quiet in our homes to hear siren to run in a basement, Andriy wrote the Kenosha News. We are in western Ukraine and only hear bombing and hide in bomb shelters.

The only things happening here in the Ternopil area are hundreds of cars arriving from the east. There is not enough housing for thousands of refugees, he communicated on Saturday. Local authorities announcing and siren that means Ternopil can be attacked also anytime. So everyone must be ready, know where to hide.

First visited in 1992

Andriy, 41, first came to Wheatland by way of Chicago in January 1992 with a group of 124 orphans on a missions-sponsored trip. Of that group of orphans, 56 found families and stayed in the U.S.

Andriy stayed with Carlene and Tim Lois of Lily Lake, who vowed to adopt him. Sadly, government red tape and the ouster of officials favorable to U.S. adoptions thwarted the effort.

But, it could not sever their connection. They wrote letters, never losing touch. And in 2003, Andriy was able to return to the U.S. for the first time. He has visited regularly ever since.

He has no family there (in the Ukraine), Carlene said Friday. He calls us mom and dad. Our children call him their brother.

Carlene said it seems strange now that during his most recent trip they didnt even talk about the idea that Andriy stay here. She wishes he would have.

They (the Ukrainians) were being told not to worry about it, she said. They really didnt think there was a huge threat.

Anxiety and worry

When the news broke that Russia had invaded Ukraine this past week, they waited anxiously to hear from Andriy.

At 5:45 a.m. Thursday, they received this message: Mom and Dad, we are safe at this moment.

This is terrifying, just terrifying, Carlene said, choking back tears.

Andriy wrote to the Kenosha News Friday that Ternopil has been somewhat sheltered from the invasion thus far because it surrounded by other big cities in western Ukraine.

But, he said everyone is anxious and preparing for what they now believe will be long weeks ahead.

We are all in stress and always must be ready to leave when hear sirens, he wrote. That is how we probably need to live for next 10, 20days.

At 4 p.m. in Kenosha Friday, he posted We #Ukrainians ask #NATO to close the sky over Ukraine.

Helping many orphans

Andriy has the added responsibility of helping the orphans he serves through Orphans Future, an organization he helped found to help young adults transition to independent living when they graduate from the orphanage.

In subsequent emails to the Lois family Andriy said he was busy preparing to accept orphans from occupied areas of the Ukraine.

He is an amazing man with a big heart, Carlene said. We just hope and pray that they stay safe and can continue to do the wonderful work they are doing.

A spokesperson for the Lviv State Regional Administration told CNN trains carrying children evacuated from eastern Ukraine were scheduled to arrive in the Lviv region of western Ukraine on Friday.

One train from the Luhansk oblast region reportedly carried 41 children age 4 and younger, many of them orphans. Another with 106 children from Donetsk oblast and a third with 18 special needs children from Lysychansk in the Luhansk oblast were also reportedly en route to Lviv.

Andriy said is thankful for the messages and prayers being sent his way.

He has been able to stay in contact with other orphans who came to the United States 30 years ago, a handful of whom were adopted by other families in Kenosha County. He said they too have reached out in prayer.
These are the 7 senators likely to decide whether Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson wins confirmation to the Supreme Court.
For the first three weekends in February, Pennsylvania FFA members gather for the Agricultural Cooperation Establishes Success conference.
Cattle fitted with GPS collars stand in a corral waiting to be released onto pasture in Oklahoma. Virtual fencing utilizes GPS collars to contain livestock within a pasture boundary, without a physical fence.
Shanghai promotes community libraries

Xinhua) 10:46, February 27, 2022

SHANGHAI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China's economic powerhouse Shanghai is actively increasing its library resources, as local authorities are committed to encouraging learning habits.

According to the Shanghai Association for Science &Tech, the program aimed at establishing libraries at people's doorsteps is expected to bring reading resources to within a 15-minute walk of any part of the city.

Currently, 131 community libraries are in use in Shanghai, and more than 20 others are under construction. The public reading sites are distributed across all 16 Shanghai districts.

Some of the libraries are affiliated with community services centers, parks, schools and shopping malls, and a number of them are referred to as science cafes or science houses, rather than libraries.

A community library in Shanghai's bustling financial zone of Lujiazui in the Pudong New Area has become a popular place for children's science activities.

Yi Xiaojing, a community official in Huangpu District, said that with the improvement of living standards, residents' spiritual needs are increasing. The public libraries are social venues to meet the people's needs.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Uncle Jim poses for photos during CPAC at the Rosen Shingle Creek and Westgate Resort in Orlando on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Tomas Diniz Santos/Orlando Sentinel) (Tomas Diniz Santos)

As the Conservative Political Action Committee conference wrapped up Sunday in Orlando, a straw poll revealed former President Donald Trump retained strong support among Republicans for another White House bid, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a clear second choice.

The poll included ballots by 2,574 attendees and showed 59% selected Trump as their preferred presidential nominee, stronger than his 55% support last year, the results distributed by the conference showed. DeSantis was the second-highest choice at 28%, also an improvement on his 21% total year.

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So much for him [Trump] fading, said Jim McLaughlin, the pollster who announced the results Sunday.

If Trump were to bypass another presidential run, CPAC attendees had a clear second choice.

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DeSantis was the runaway favorite in a field without Trump, garnering 61% of the vote  far ahead of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Donald Trump Jr., who tied for second with 6% apiece.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at The Rosen Shingle Creek on February 26, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. CPAC, which began in 1974, is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

The release of the straw poll results came after Trump addressed the conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort on Saturday night and strongly hinted hed run again in 2024. DeSantis opened the event Thursday with a speech that also touched on national topics.

There was some talk Sunday of Russias invasion of Ukraine, with Trump Jr., in a meandering 15-minute speech, criticizing President Joe Biden as weak as his father had the night prior.

Of course, it happened under this administration because, you know, the first thing a bully does, a bully like Vladimir Putin, he takes advantage of the weak  and no one is weaker  than Joe Biden, said Trump Jr., the conferences final speaker before a closing performance of God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood.

But the day was dominated by the straw poll, with conservative activists and media pundits alike wondering if Trump would maintain a stranglehold on conservative politics.

Gregory Howard, in town from Cincinnati, said he was pleased to see Trump atop the poll, and he thinks DeSantis as Trumps vice president would form the strongest GOP ticket in 2024.

I think DeSantis should run as vice president if hes asked to, which almost guarantees hell be president in 2028. I think thatd be great for our country, said Howard, 67.

I dont want to see DeSantis run against Trump, he added.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responds to cheering supporters as he takes the stage at the 2022 CPAC conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla, Thursday, February 24, 2022. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

News reports have indicated tension between the two GOP favorites, citing Trumps frustration at DeSantis for not publicly stepping aside amid rumors he was eyeing a run for president himself.

There were public signs as well. Trump, who confirmed he received a vaccine booster shot, stated last month that politicians who sidestep questions about their vaccine status were gutless. DeSantis, who hasnt revealed if he received a booster, later said on a podcast that he regretted not pushing back against Trump over COVID shutdowns in the pandemics early days.

Still, the straw poll showed near-unanimous support for Trumps tenure as president, at about a 97% approval rate.

Folks were telling me things were going to fade from the president, McLaughlin said to a crowded room. I saw the speech last night and your reaction: Nothing has faded for the president.

In the same poll last year, 68% of attendees said they wanted Trump to run again, and 55% said the former president was their preferred candidate in 2024. DeSantis came in second at 21%, and was the top candidate in a separate poll not including Trump at 43%.

rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com
Washington, February 27: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton have spoken out in support of Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They backed Ukraine and its leader amid attacks from Russia in a message via Twitter on Saturday. "In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine's future," the tweet read. It continued, "Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine's people as they bravely fight for that future."

According to Fox News, the supportive message from the British royals came just hours after Zelenskyy posted a video to social media showing himself walking around the streets of Kyiv after a night of artillery fire in different parts of the city, telling the nation "I'm here." 'We Stand with People of Ukraine': Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Russian-Ukraine Conflict.

Zelenskyy said in a short video address to Ukrainians, "We will defend our country," and said that there's a lot of false information online. "There's a lot of fake information online that I call on our army to lay down arms, and that there's evacuation. I'm here. We won't lay down our arms. We will defend our country," Zelenskyy said. He added, "Glory to Ukraine."

Despite Russian forces moving closer to the centre of Kyiv, Zelenskyy declined an offer from the United States to be evacuated from the city. As per Fox News, William and Kate first met Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska in 2020 during the Ukrainian president's two-day official visit to the United Kingdom.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, February 27: Ukrainian-American actor Milla Jovovich has shared that she is "heartbroken and dumbstruck" over the Russian military operation in her home country. According to Page Six, Jovovich recently shared a lengthy Instagram post about trying to "process the events" in her birthplace. She wrote, "My country and people being bombed. Friends and family in hiding." Priyanka Chopra Condemns the Situation in Ukraine, Urges People To Help the Citizens of the Country (Watch Video).

The Resident Evil star went on to explain that she has close ties to both Russia and Ukraine. "My blood and my roots come from both Russia and Ukraine. I am torn in two as I watch the horror unfolding, the country being destroyed, families being displaced, their whole life lying in charred fragments around them," she added. "I remember the war in my father's homeland of former Yugoslavia and the stories my family tells of the trauma and terror they experienced. War. Always war. Leaders who cannot bring peace. The never-ending juggernaut of imperialism. And always, the people pay in bloodshed and tears," Jovovich concluded. The 46-year-old actor also included a link to organizations that are aiding the people of Ukraine.

Milla Jovovich's Note

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Milla Jovovich (@millajovovich)

Jovovich was born in the country's capital, Kyiv to a Russian mother and Serbian father and spent much of her early childhood in Moscow, her mother's native city. In 1980, when she was five, the family left the Soviet Union and moved to London before eventually settling in Los Angeles.

As per Page Six, other celebs who have spoken up in support of Ukraine include Ashton Kutcher who is married to Ukrainian-born actor Mila Kunis.

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A visual from the rescue operation in Damoh (Photo/ANI)

Damoh (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 27 (ANI): A seven-year-old boy, who fell into a borewell in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district and was taken out after a 6-hour rescue operation, was declared dead when he was taken to a health centre.

Priyansh was taken to the health centre in Patera block where doctors declared him brought dead.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: 'PM Narendra Modi Must Impress Upon President Vladimir Putin That This Is a Dangerous Path', Says Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi.

According to Block Medical Officer Ashok Barona, the boy died about two hours ago.

"Today at 11:30 am Dharmendra Athya's son Priyansh Athya fell in borewell in Barkheda village. The boy died of suffocation. He was brought to the hospital at 6:30 but was declared dead. Police have been informed for postmortem procedures," said Barona.

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The police are investigating the matter further.

Earlier in the day, the boy fell into a 15 to 20 feet deep uncovered borewell in Damoh district. The borewell is about seven inches in diameter.

Priyansh, went to the farm along with his family where he fell into the borewell.

Earlier on Friday, a four-year-old boy fell into a borewell in Madhya Pradesh's Umaria district.

He was pulled out on Friday after efforts for more than 16 hours but was declared dead by doctors. (ANI)

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Raipur, Feb 27 (PTI) Two women Naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday morning, a senior official said.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 50 Cases of Mouth Cancer Detected in Firozabad in 20 Days During Screening.

The gunfight took place in a forest near Jabeli village under Naimed police station area around 6 am when a joint team of different security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 5th Phase: Voting Begins on 61 Seats in UP, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya Among Prominent Candidates.

Acting on a tip-off, personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had launched the operation on Saturday night towards Jabeli, Durdha and Mosla villages, located over 450 km from the state capital Raipur, he said.

On Sunday morning, the patrolling team came face-to-face with a group of armed ultras, leading to the gun-battle, he said.

After the exchange of fire stopped, bodies of two female cadres were recovered from the spot along with a 12 bore gun, a 9 mm pistol, cordex wire, explosives materials and other Maoist-related items, he said.

Reinforcement was rushed to the area and search operation was still underway, he added.

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Jaipur, Feb 27 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the speedy and safe return of students stuck in Ukraine.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: 'PM Narendra Modi Must Impress Upon President Vladimir Putin That This Is a Dangerous Path', Says Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi.

Gehlot urged the prime minister that the Centre should immediately contact the government of Ukraine to bring back the students to India.

Referring to his conversation with Ajay Singh, an Indian student living in Ukraine, the chief minister informed Modi that Indian students are not getting a safe route to Romania and Poland.

Also Read | Delhi: Rape Graph on the Rise in National Capital, Most Victims Target of Men Known to Them.

He said state government officials are receiving messages from the students and their families living there that a large number of them had gathered at the Romanian border and were unable to find a way forward from there.

Gehlot told the PM that the students are facing extreme cold conditions on the Romanian border.

Due to the current situation in Ukraine, children and their parents living in India are going through mental stress.

To solve this problem, state government officials are in constant contact with the Ministry of External Affairs and these students, Gehlot said.

The chief minister urged PM Modi to approach the Ukrainian government for a safe passage to Poland and Romania.

Gehlot has also written to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, drawing his attention to these problems.

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New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Indian nationals, mostly students, who were evacuated from Ukraine heaved a sigh of relief as the Air India flight carrying them landed at the airport here in the early hours of Sunday.

Suriya Subhash from Maharashtra's Solapur, who was among the 250 Indian citizens brought back on the flight from Romanian capital Bucharest, said she was relieved to be back in her country after a "hectic journey".

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 Phase 5 Live Updates: Polling Begins For Fifth Phase of UP Vidhan Sabha Polls.

"The situation is very bad there (Ukraine). People are stranded," she said.

The returnees belonged to different states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala etc.

Also Read | Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Speaks to PM Narendra Modi, Seeks Political Support at UNSC.

They thanked the Indian government for evacuating them and saving their lives.

"The situation is not good in Ukraine. We are worried about our studies. But it is good to be back. I thank the government for bringing us back," said Susmita Rathore, a first year medical student.

"Air India has helped us. The Indian embassy fully cooperated with us," said another student Satyam Sambhaji from Maharashtra.

Another evacuee, Shraddha Shette, urged the government to bring back the remaining Indian students stranded in Ukraine.

"We are safe now, but other students stranded there are unsafe and they are facing issues. We are worried about them. The government should bring them back as well," she said.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said on February 24 that around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, were stranded in Ukraine.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

The third evacuation flight is also scheduled to reach India from Hungarian capital Budapest on Sunday.

Prior to the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, Air India had operated a flight to Ukraine's capital Kyiv on February 22 that brought 240 people back to India.

It had planned to operate two more flights on February 24 and February 26 but could not do so as the Russian offensive began on February 24 and the Ukrainian airspace was consequently shut down.

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Ahmedabad, Feb 27 (PTI) Gujarat reported 162 fresh COVID-19 cases and two deaths due to the infection on Sunday, increasing its tally to 12,22,511 and the toll to 10,928, a state health department official said.

Also Read | Mumbai Police Register FIR Against Union Minister Narayan Rane and His MLA Son Nitesh Rane for Defaming Kin of Late Disha Salian.

With 386 patients getting discharged during the day, the recovery count rose to 12,09,534, leaving Gujarat with 2,049 active cases, including 23 patients on ventilator support, he said.

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Ahmedabad reported the maximum 79 cases, followed by 35 in Vadodara, nine in Surat, seven in Rajkot, among other districts. The two COVID-19 fatalities occurred in Vadodara, he said.

A state government release said 28,118 people received their COVID-19 vaccination jabs during the day, increasing the total number of doses administered so far in Gujarat to 10.29 crore.

The COVID-19 tally in adjoining Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu stands at 11,408, including four deaths so far, and the number of people discharged until now is 11,403, leaving the Union Territory with an active caseload of one, a local official informed.

Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 12,22,511, new cases 162, death toll 10,928, discharged 12,09,534, active cases 2,049, people tested so far - figures not released.

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New Delhi [India], February 27 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested an urgent intervention for Indian students stranded in Ukraine.

In his letter, Vijayan said that many people (mostly young students), who have taken refuge in bunkers are going without food and water, and are in a thoroughly disturbed mental state.

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"Those who have taken refuge in bunkers in places of eastern Ukraine like Kiev, Kaekhiv and Sumi are in urgent need of food and water. Urgent help for evacuating them through Russia is required," the letter read.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that a large number of students have walked to the Poland border braving freezing cold, but the Ukraine officials are not allowing them to cross the border.

Also Read | After Omicron Variant of COVID-19, Risk of BA.2 Subvariant Is Rare, Says Study.

"There are reports that force is being used against them. Step for sending officials from our embassy, who can effectively communicate with the Ukraine officials at the border may be taken immediately," he requested.

He also urged the Centre to take immediate steps for opening the route through Moldovia.

Meanwhile, a total of 25 Indian students from Ukraine will be arriving at Thiruvananthapuram today by two flights.

For this, the Chief Minister, in his letter wrote, "I also take this opportunity to thank the Government of India and Ministry of External Affairs for steps taken so far."

Notably, the fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

"Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet.

Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. (ANI)

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Bhopal, Feb 27 (PTI) The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh reached 10,38,588 on Sunday with the detection of 392 cases, while the death toll remained unchanged at 10,727, an official said.

Also Read | Mumbai Police Register FIR Against Union Minister Narayan Rane and His MLA Son Nitesh Rane for Defaming Kin of Late Disha Salian.

The positivity rate, or cases per 100 tests, reduced to 0.5 per cent from 0.7 per cent the previous day, he pointed out.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: 54.53% Voter Turnout Recorded in Fifth Phase of Polling.

So far, 10,24,010 people have been discharged post recovery, including 869 during the day, leaving the state with an active tally of 3,851, the official said.

Bhopal and Indore, the two worst coronavirus-hit cities of Madhya Pradesh, registered 52 and 23 cases, respectively, during the past 24 hours, he said.

With 65,593 samples examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 2,78,31,295, the official added.

A government release said 11,33,88,311 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state, including 6,732 on Sunday.

Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 10,38,588, new cases 392, death toll 10,727, recoveries 10,24,010, active cases 3,851, number of tests so far 2,78,31,295. PTI ADU

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New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Sunday, official sources said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was part of the meeting which was also attended by top government officials.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: 'PM Narendra Modi Must Impress Upon President Vladimir Putin That This Is a Dangerous Path', Says Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi.

Modi presided over the meeting immediately upon his return from Uttar Pradesh, where he addressed rallies as part of the BJP's campaign for the state assembly polls.

A large number of Indians, mostly students, are stranded in Ukraine following Russia's attack on the country. India has begun evacuating them, and over 900 people have been brought back since Saturday.

Also Read | Delhi: Rape Graph on the Rise in National Capital, Most Victims Target of Men Known to Them.

Modi has also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, with India calling for dialogue to defuse the crisis.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
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Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds light and variable..

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New Delhi [India], February 27 (ANI): Immediately on his return from Uttar Pradesh today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a high-level meeting on the Ukraine issue.

The Prime Minister was in UP for the ongoing campaigning in the assembly elections.

Also Read | Maharashtra: Decision on Face Mask Rule Will Be Taken Carefully Though COVID-19 Wave Almost Flattened, Says Health Minister Rajesh Tope.

The Prime Minister today said that the government will do whatever possible to bring back all the citizens stranded in Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Sunday said that the government of India has launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, adding that thousands of Indian citizens have been flown out of the conflict-ridden country.

Also Read | After Omicron Variant of COVID-19, Risk of BA.2 Subvariant Is Rare, Says Study.

Putin on Thursday morning said special military operations are being launched "to protect" the people in the Donbas region.

Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi had chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in New Delhi.

At the meeting, he had said that the topmost priority of the government is the safety and security of Indian nationals.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

The India Government is bearing the cost of evacuation given the emergency situation prevailing. Indian Embassy in Kyiv as well as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a number of advisories prior to the situation developing, requesting Indian citizens to leave Ukraine. (ANI)

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Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 27 (ANI): Taking a swipe at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav for "wishing his death" in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said till his death neither will people of Kashi leave him nor will Kashi leave him.

Addressing 'BJP's Booth Vijay Samelan' in Varanasi, which was also known as Kashi in ancient times, the Prime Minister said, "I do not like to criticize anyone personally nor do I want to criticize anyone. But when I was publicly wished for my death in Kashi, I really felt very happy, my heart felt very relaxed. I felt that even my staunch opponents were seeing how much love the people of Kashi had for me. Those people have fulfilled my wish. This means that till my death neither the people of Kashi will leave me nor will Kashi leave me."

Also Read | Maharashtra: Decision on Face Mask Rule Will Be Taken Carefully Though COVID-19 Wave Almost Flattened, Says Health Minister Rajesh Tope.

PM Modi's remarks come on a statement by the SP chief after the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in December last year.

"Bahut achhi baat hai. Ek Maheena nahin, do mahina, teen mahina wahin rahein. Woh jagah rahene wali hai. Aakhri samay par vaheen raha jata hai, Banaras mein (It is a very good thing. Not just one month. He should stay there for two months, three months. That's the place to stay. When the end nears, that's where one stays - in Banaras)," Yadav had said.

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PM Modi further said that the party has given him the meritorious benefit of serving Kashi, sitting at the feet of Mahadev and Mother Ganga.

"The workers of BJP work for the country. For all of us, it has always been party above individual and country above party. We win elections but at the same time we win the hearts of the people," the Prime Minister said.

Talking about Varanasi, he said that the path of development on which the city is going forward will open the way for the country to be free from poverty and crime.

The Prime Minister also offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

Elections for the fifth phase are currently underway in districts -- Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli.

Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

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A total of 240 Indian nationals have taken off from Hungary for Delhi (Photo/Twitter: Jaishankar)

New Delhi [India], February 27 (ANI): The third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga, informed External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Sunday morning.

"The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," Jaishankar tweeted.

Also Read | Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Speaks to PM Narendra Modi, Seeks Political Support at UNSC.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 200 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

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In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.

"Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added.

The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation and basic amenities is relatively safer.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.

Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks. (ANI)

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Kaushambi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 27 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday offered prayers at his residence as the voting for the fifth phase of Assembly polls in the state got underway and said that the people of the constituency will make the "son of Sirathu win" with a big margin of votes.

Maurya is contesting from the Sirathu Assembly constituency in the Kaushambi district as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJ) nominee. Polling is underway in 61 constituencies, including the Sirathu Assembly seat, spread across 12 districts of the state.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 5th Phase: Voting Begins on 61 Seats in UP, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya Among Prominent Candidates.

Speaking to reporters here, Maurya said, "I believe that the people of Sirathu will help bloom Lotus and make the son of Sirathu win with a big margin of votes. The BJP government has been working for the welfare of the 24 crore people of UP. That is why people have made up their mind to make the Lotus bloom."

The Deputy Chief Minister also hit out at the Samajwadi Party and said that the "cycle which is flying high in the sky of arrogance, will fall in the Bay of Bengal".

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 Phase 5 Live Updates: Polling Begins For Fifth Phase of UP Vidhan Sabha Polls.

"On March 10, with the blessings of the people, the cycle of Akhilesh Yadav (the SP chief), which is flying high in the sky of arrogance, will fall in the Bay of Bengal. His bicycle had flown to Saifai first and now it will go to the Bay of Bengal," he said.

Polling is underway in Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi and Raebareli.

Besides Maurya, voters will decide the fate of the state minister Sidharth Nath Singh, Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra and others today.

As many as 692 candidates are in the fray in the fifth phase whose political fate will be decided by around 2.24 crore electorates. The polling will conclude at 6 pm today.

Polling for four phases of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has already concluded and the fifth phase is underway today.

Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

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Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], February 27 (ANI): Amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing back Indian students safely from war-hit Ukraine.

The chief minister said that with the efforts of the Central government, students are coming back to their homeland safely. Three students of Uttarkhand are one of them who returned to their homeland.

Also Read | Mahashivratri 2022: Ujjain City in Madhya Pradesh to Light Up with 21 Lakh Diyas on Auspicious Occasion.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all the officers associated with this. We are making continuous efforts for other students who are yet to be brought back," said Dhami while speaking to ANI.

Dhami on Saturday said a total of 188 students from Uttarakhand are stranded in Ukraine.

Also Read | Major Power Outage in South Mumbai Hits Local Train Services From Churchgate to Andheri.

Earlier on Friday, a number of explosions were heard in the capital city of Ukraine as the Russian special military operation entered the second day, local media reported.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions -- Donetsk and Luhansk -- as independent entities. Later, Putin ordered special military operations "to protect" the people in the Donbas region.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations and imposed sanctions on Moscow.Amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, several airlines are operating special flights, including Air India.

A special evacuation flight of Air India carrying 250 Indians landed at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Sunday. Air India's AI-1942 has been operated as a special charter flight from Bucharest to Delhi Airport. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) ITU APT Foundation of India has written to Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to open the high frequency range of E band for supporting 5G network and delicensing V band for wi-fi services as part of the next phase of telecom reforms.

The second set of telecom reforms are expected to be in place by May. The reforms will focus on ease of doing business, reduce cost of doing business and promote affordable connectivity across the country.

Also Read | Realme V25 With 64MP Triple Rear Cameras To Be Launched on March 3, 2022.

The non-profit industry body has also recommended delicensing use of 1,100 megahertz spectrum in the 6 Ghz frequency range for promoting wi-fi services in the country.

Telecom operators have been demanding allocation of both E and V band spectrum through auction, while other set of internet service providers have sought delicensing of the these bands as per sector regulator Trai's recommendations and global practice.

Also Read | Weather Forecast: Rain, Hailstorm Lash Delhi; IMD Predicts More Rainfall in North West India.

ITU APT Foundation of India (IAFI), in a letter dated February 24, said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has been recommending delicensing of the V band since 2015.

"Various economists have pointed out that de-licensing of V band could unleash an unprecedented economic growth and increased GDP. The estimated Economic Value of WiFi in the unlicensed spectrum bands (including V band) in India is expected to be about Rs 12.7 lakh crores (for GDP at current prices) in 2025," IAFI said.

The industry body said delicensing of spectrum is the most transparent and equitable way of spectrum allocations and fully in alignment with the Supreme Court judgement in the 2G case.

The apex court in 2012 had ruled that spectrum allocation for commercial use should be done at market determined price in a fair and transparent manner.

IAFI said delicensing of 6 Ghz band will open new opportunities for innovators and manufacturers to develop products and technologies and also increase opportunities for smart home and industrial products being manufactured in India for export markets.

The 6GHz band is currently extensively used by satellites for uplinking of broadcasting channels as well as by VSAT players for providing data connectivity, and is currently not used for mobile operations.

The government is yet to open access of E and V bands for the industry.

IAFI said the V band offers a wireless solution that can speedily help meet aspirations of the PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) initiative.

"This band has short links lengths due to oxygen absorption characteristics of these frequencies and that make it almost interference free and ideal for deploying large number of short links. We, therefore, recommend urgent delicensing of V band for wifi," IAFI said.

According to the industry body, spectrum in E band, which is radiowaves in the 70-80 Ghz band, is being used for 5G backhaul services in several countries for connecting mobile tower antennas.

"Automated online licensing for V band for DoT licensed operators is important for expediting the 5G rollout by the mobile operators...We therefore recommend urgent opening of E band for backhaul on an automatic basis only for licensed operators," IAFI said.

IAFI is recognised as an international/regional telecommunications organization by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington [US], February 26 (ANI): American tech giant Apple is exploring the possibility of integrating a fully functioning Mac within a keyboard, reminiscent of home computers of the 80s, such as the Commodore 64 and Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

As per Mac Rumours, the concept was revealed by the US Patent and Trademark Office in a new Apple patent application called 'Computer in an input device,' which describes a thicker Magic Keyboard-style chassis with "all the components of a high-performance computer" integrated under the hood.

Also Read | India vs Sri Lanka Stat Highlights 2nd T20I 2022: Men in Blue Register 7th Consecutive Series Win at Home.

Reportedly, the patent describes the premise for such a device, which could be plugged into a separate external display via a single I/O port designed to receive both data and power, and wirelessly paired with a trackpad or mouse for additional input.

By including the computing components in the keyboard, the company suggests this could allow a user to carry a single device that can provide a desktop computing experience at any location having one or more external displays.

Also Read | PSG vs St-Etienne, Ligue 1 2021-22 Free Live Streaming Online: How to Get Match Live Telecast on TV & Football Score Updates in Indian Time?.

In some embodiments, the device includes a trackpad "coupled" to the enclosure, while in others the device is foldable and the keyboard area includes an "accessory display" showing graphics or the keyboard itself is virtually displayed from a projector contained inside the enclosure.

As per Mac Rumours, the rest of the patent explores in detail various configurations of internal computer components within the space afforded by the keyboard chassis.

For the unversed, Apple has filed patents for keyboards in the past, including one that uses a touchscreen panel similar to the Touch Bar that extends to the entire keyboard layout, but this is the first patent to suggest actually incorporating a computer into the keyboard itself.

As with any filed patent, the technology is unlikely to appear in any product soon, if at all, but it does offer an interesting look at how Apple is considering Mac designs that could ultimately replace or be offered alongside the Mac mini, which allows users to bring their own display, keyboard, and mouse. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Berlin [Germany], February 27 (ANI): German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday said that in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war of aggression, the country will send anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to Ukraine.

"We are living in a different world after #Putin's war of aggression. We are appalled by this breach of international law, but not paralyzed. That is why we will send anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to the Ukrainian soldiers who defend their country," said Baerbock.

Also Read | Russian President Vladimir Putin's Invasion of Ukraine Not Going As per Plan Due to Kremlin's 'Overconfidence'.

Earlier, Germany said it will supply Ukraine with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 anti-aircraft Stinger missiles in the wake of the ongoing conflict in Kyiv.

"The German government has taken this decision on Saturday, and the weapons from the German army's stocks will be delivered to Ukraine as soon as possible," Anadolu Agency reported citing the government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit as saying in a statement.

Also Read | Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Speaks to PM Narendra Modi, Seeks Political Support at UNSC.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russia's military assault on Ukraine has been "a turning point" for Europe, threatening the international order established after World War II, Anadolu Agency reported.

"In this situation, it is our duty to do our best to help Ukraine defend itself against Vladimir Putin's invading army. Germany stands side by side with Ukraine," Scholz said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the supply of weapons shipments from Germany, posting praise for Scholz on Twitter: "Keep it up, Chancellor @OlafScholz! Anti-war coalition in action!" (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Hari Kumar met with Admiral Ramson Godwin Mwaisaka, Commander of Tanzania Navy (Twitter: Spokesperson of the Indian Navy)

Visakhapatnam [Andhra Pradesh], February 27 (ANI): Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Hari Kumar met with Admiral Ramson Godwin Mwaisaka, Commander of Tanzania Navy on Sunday on the sidelines of MILAN 2022.

Taking to Twitter, Spokesperson of the Indian Navy, said, "Adm R Hari Kumar #CNS met Rear Adm Ramson Godwin Mwaisaka Commander Tanzania Navy on the sidelines of MILAN 2022 & held discussions on issues of mutual interest."

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: President Vladimir Putin Praises His Special Forces for 'Heroically Carrying Out Their Military Duties'.

The biennial multilateral naval exercise Milan 22 was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt at Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

The eleventh edition of MILAN is being hosted by the Eastern Naval Command at Vishakhapatnam for the first time. The participation from Friendly Foreign Countries includes 13 ships, 39 delegations and one Maritime Patrol Aircraft. This large congregation gives significance and potency to the word 'MILAN' which means "meeting" or "confluence" in Hindi. A Special Day Cover and a movie on the MILAN exercise was released by the Chief Guest to mark the occasion.

Also Read | Vladimir Putin Places Russian Nuclear Deterrent Forces on Highest Alert.

"MILAN endeavours to promote "Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration" between like-minded Navies. This is achieved by professional interaction and experience sharing at the harbour and enhancing interoperability, including multilateral operations at sea", stated the Navy's official release.

The harbour phase of the exercise will culminate on February 28, followed by the sea phase from 1 March to 4 March.

The event was attended by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, as well as Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Chiefs of Navies, Delegation Heads of participating countries and the Commanding Officers and crew of all participating ships. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing, Feb 27 (PTI) China's new Long March-8 rocket placed 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket.

The rocket blasted off at 11:06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into pre-set orbits, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Russian Forces Blow Up Gas Pipeline in Kharkiv.

These satellites will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation.

The mission marked the 409th flight of the Long March carrier rockets.

Also Read | Russian President Vladimir Putin's Invasion of Ukraine Not Going As per Plan Due to Kremlin's 'Overconfidence'.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
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Brussels [Belgium], February 27 (ANI): EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on Saturday (local time) said that he had convened a virtual meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on Sunday to adopt further measures in support of Ukraine against Russian aggression.

"I am convening a virtual meeting of EU Foreign Ministers tomorrow at 18.00 to adopt further measures in support of #Ukraine, against aggression by #Russia. I will propose a package of emergency assistance for the Ukrainian armed forces, to support them in their heroic fight," Borrell tweeted.

Also Read | Russian President Vladimir Putin's Invasion of Ukraine Not Going As per Plan Due to Kremlin's 'Overconfidence'.

Meanwhile, President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the European Union will facilitate supplying military assistance to Ukraine.

"EU defence in action in support to Ukraine Will facilitate deliveries of military aid from EU to Ukraine. Democratic Ukraine will prevail," Michel tweeted.

Also Read | Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Speaks to PM Narendra Modi, Seeks Political Support at UNSC.

Earlier, the European Union condemned Russia's action.

"The European Union (EU) condemns in the strongest possible terms the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by armed forces of the Russian Federation. We also condemn the involvement of Belarus in this aggression against Ukraine and call on it to abide by its international obligations," the EU said in a statement.

The EU also called on the international community to demand from Russia the immediate end of this aggression, which endangers international peace and security at a global scale, according to the statement. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Islamabad, Feb 27 (PTI) Pakistan on Sunday reached out to Ukraine to resurrect its relationship, days after Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Moscow where he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin who had ordered a special military operation in eastern Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and "underscored the importance of de-escalation".

Also Read | Anastasiia Lenna, Former Miss Ukraine, Takes Up Arms To Fight Off Russian Army? Photoshoot With 'Air Soft Rifle' Goes Viral (See Pics).

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Qureshi noted that Prime Minister Khan, during his recent visit to Moscow, had regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine as Pakistan had hoped diplomacy could avert a military conflict.

The foreign minister stressed that conflict was not in anyone's interest and that developing countries were always hit the hardest economically in case of conflict. The foreign minister underlined Pakistan's belief that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, the FO said.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: President Vladimir Putin Praises His Special Forces for 'Heroically Carrying Out Their Military Duties'.

He "shared Pakistan's perspective in detail, reiterating serious concern at the situation, underscoring the importance of de-escalation, and stressing the indispensability of diplomacy".

He discussed the evacuation of Pakistani citizens and students in Ukraine with his counterpart.

"He appreciated the role played by the Ukrainian authorities in the evacuation process and asked for continued facilitation and smooth border crossing at the earliest possible," the FO said.

The two ministers agreed to remain in contact as the conflict raged on despite calls by the international community to stop hostilities.

Pakistan enjoyed close ties with Ukraine but Islamabad was caught in crosshairs as Russia launched a blitz against its neighbour after Khan had landed in Moscow on a two-day visit, creating an awkward situation for the visitor.

There were reports that he might cut short the trip but it went ahead as per plan and the meeting between Khan and President Putin lasted for three hours.

A statement issued by Pakistan noted that the prime minister in the meeting stressed that conflict was not in anyone's interest and that developing countries were always hardest hit economically in case of conflict.

"He underlined Pakistan's belief that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, according to the statement.

(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 27 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Sunday said that the government of India has launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, adding that thousands of Indian citizens have been flown out of the conflict-ridden country.

As intense fighting is underway in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv, Shringla held a special briefing on 'Operation Ganga' and said,"Under Op Ganga, thousands of our citizens have been flown out of Romania and Hungary and another thousand have been evacuated from Ukraine through the land routes. Thousand of our students crossed over from Ukraine into zones conducive for their evacuation by air route back to India."

Also Read | Ukraine Agrees for Talks With Russia in Belarus, Says Head of Russian Delegation Vladimir Medinsky.

The government of India has launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine.

The India Government is bearing the cost of evacuation given the emergency situation prevailing. Indian Embassy in Kyiv as well as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a number of advisories prior to the situation developing, requesting Indian citizens to leave Ukraine.

Also Read | Russia Closes Airspace for Carriers From Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia.

"4000 of our nationals left before the conflict pursuant to these advisories. We estimated at that time 15,000 of our citizens were left in Ukraine when Op Ganga commenced. Since the air space in Ukraine was closed after the conflict commence, we identified land evacuation options through four neighbouring countries- Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia," said the Foreign Secretary.

Specific border crossing points were identified with each of these countries and the MEA had deployed teams, Russian-speaking officers to go there and assist in the evacuation process.

"We had also asked our Embassy in Kyiv and they established a 24X7 control room and we had done the same in our ministry in Delhi," said Shringla.

He also said that flights for these evacuees are being organized and the details will be shared in a short while, adding "I will show you the flights which we have planned over the next 24-48 hours."

Shringla further said that border crossing to Hungary and Romania are functioning, however, the exit point to Poland has been clogged as lakhs of Ukrainian and foreign nationals are trying to leave the country from that point.

"This is a problem area. We have tried to calibrate the evacuation plans taking into account the experience on the ground, certain border crossings are more effective, some are obviously problematic. Those who are near the borders with Hungary, Romania and Slovak Republic are guided towards respective border points in phases," said Shringla.

Talking about the difficulty regarding the ongoing military operation of Russia in Ukraine, he said, "Our Embassy in Kyiv is operational, obviously, austerities in the area are making regular activity difficult. We are aware of the number of Indian citizens, particularly students, who continue to be in cities in the east of Ukraine and southeast Ukraine. Unfortunately, these areas continue to be in conflict areas and it is generally deemed unsafe for people to move around freely. We will try to find suitable evacuation modalities for them. Once feasible, our Embassy in Kyiv will try to maintain contact, we have also tried to maintain contact daily. We keep issuing advisories to them as we go along." (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
An active terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT was arrested by J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) in Anantnag district, officials said on Sunday.



Police said during that surprise checking, movement of a suspicious person was noticed, & he was apprehended by the alert police party. pic.twitter.com/unahPCcrUc IANS Tweets (@ians_india) February 27, 2022

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Moscow, February 27: Russia has closed its airspace for planes from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia, including transit flights, the country's Federal Agency for Air Transport announced on Sunday.

"Due to the unfriendly decisions of the aviation authorities of Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Estonia, restrictions are being introduced on air carriers of these states and/or those registered there to operate flights to destinations on the territory of Russia, including transit flights through the airspace of Russia," it said. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Rejects Talks With Russia in Belarus.

The four countries earlier introduced restrictions on Russian air carriers. The Russian agency has said its response is in line with the international law, Xinhua news agency reported. Some European countries, including the UK, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Poland, have also decided to close their airspace to Russia.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 27, 2022 06:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, February 27: Ukraine is releasing inmates and criminal suspects with a military background so they can join the fight against Russia's "special operation" in the country, an official in Ukraine's Prosecutor General's office said on Sunday, RT reported.

Moscow attacked its neighbour on Thursday, arguing it was defending the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, which broke off from eastern Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev. Ukraine condemned the move, claiming it was an act of unprovoked aggression. Anastasiia Lenna, Former Miss Ukraine, Takes Up Arms To Fight Off Russian Army? Photoshoot With Air Soft Rifle Goes Viral (See Pics).

Service record, combat experience, and repentance are among the factors considered in each individual case, Andriy Sinyuk, a prosecutor at the Prosecutor General's office told a TV channel on Sunday. "It's a complicated issue decided at the highest level," he said, the report said.

Sinyuk was quoted as saying that Sergey Torbin, a former combat veteran, was one of the inmates released. Torbin previously fought in the conflict with the DPR and LPR. He was jailed for six years and six months in 2018 for his role in the murder of civil rights activist and anti-corruption campaigner Kateryna Handziuk, RT reported. The woman was doused with acid in July 2018 on a street outside her home and died in the hospital with severe burns later that year.

Sinyuk said Torbin handpicked former inmates for his squad after his early release. He added that another ex-serviceman, Dmitry Balabukha, sentenced to nine years in jail for stabbing a man to death at a bus stop after an argument in 2018, had also been released, RT reported. The Ukrainian government is actively arming civilians as Russian forces are approaching its capital. The media reported renewed fighting in Kiev's outskirts on Sunday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 27, 2022 11:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, February 27: Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed the countrys nuclear deterrent forces on "special" alert on Sunday, RT reported. The move was announced during Putin's meeting with Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.

"Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. I'm speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well," Putin stated. Russia President Vladimir Putin Puts Nuclear Deterrent Forces on High Alert.

The move comes in response to "hostile" rhetoric by top NATO officials, he said, RT reported. Putin earlier on Sunday praised his special forces for "heroically carrying out their military duties" in a new televised address, Daily Mail reported.

Putin gave his "special gratitude" for troops involved in the "special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas" - a reference to the Kremlin's propaganda line that it intervened in Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists who were at risk of 'genocide' at the hands of the legitimate government, the report said.

Putin spoke to mark the annual day of Special Operations Forces (SOF), as his huge forces appeared to be stepping up their battle to crush Ukrainian resistance amid mounting Russian losses.

Russian forces on Sunday entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv - as Ukraine's president today said his country were ready for peace talks.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 27, 2022 08:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
A man who was extremely intoxicated became abusive to a garda when she approached him, Portlaoise court heard last Thursday.

Peter Tobin, 62, of Grawn, Ballingarry, Thurles was charged with intoxication and engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at the Dublin Road, Portlaoise on January 13 this year.

Mr Tobin appeared via video link from Limerick prison where he is serving a sentence.

Sgt JJ Kirby told the court that it was a nasty incident. He had witnessed the incident himself when he was out walking his dog on the Dublin Road.

Mr Tobin was extremely drunk and was out in the middle of the road. Later on at Downeys when Garda McCabe approached him he told the garda, Ill rape you and your mother, f*** you, you gay b******* and murderous c****.

Mr Tobin said it was his first time ever in Portlaoise. He was trying to get a train and he had missed it. He said he was very sorry.

Judge Staines said it was an appalling way to speak to anybody.

Noting his plea, she sentenced him to two months in Limerick prison.
Adnoc Logistics & Services (Adnoc L&S) and Atlantic Gulf & Pacific International Holdings (AG&P), a leading downstream LNG platform, have signed a charter agreement to utilize Adnoc L&Ss LNG Carrier Ish as a Floating Storage Facility (FSU).



Under the terms of the agreement, starting Q3 2022, AG&P will use the carrier for the first LNG Import Terminal in the Philippines at Ilijan in Batangas Bay (PHLNG). The agreement, which is valid for 11 years with the option of extension by 4 years, strengthens an existing relationship between the two companies and builds on a previous agreement between the two companies to provide another FSU in India, signed in 2021. It continues Adnoc L&S ongoing drive to diversify its customer base and enhance revenue streams.



The vessel is part of a fleet of eight LNG vessels operated by Adnoc L&S and is currently under contract to Adnoc LNG, a subsidiary of Adnoc. Upon the conclusion of its contract with Adnoc LNG, the Ish will be deployed to AG&P as a floating storage facility, extending the vessels life by at least 11 years and up to 15 years, and bolstering Adnoc L&S recently established FSU revenue stream, while providing PHLNGs customers with resiliency of supply.



Capt. Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of Adnoc L&S said: This agreement builds on our existing partnership with AG&P and demonstrates our continued focus on maximizing value from our 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 incremental 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 supply, operations and maintenance of the FSU will be undertaken by Adnoc L&S while the conversion of the LNG Carrier (LNGC) to FSU will be completed by AG&P subsidiary, GAS Entec. PHLNG will be the 5th FSU-based LNG import terminal in the world, after those in India, Malta, Malaysia, and Bahrain. The integrated PHLNG offshore/onshore import terminal will have an initial capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).



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&Ps PHLNG import terminal.



The Ish is part of Adnoc L&S diverse fleet of more than 200 vessels, which, when combined with its 1.5 million square meter logistics base in Abu Dhabi and its integrated logistics capabilities, make the company the regions leading marine logistics provider.



The Ish was built in 1995 in Japan and has a capacity of 137,315.444 cu m of LNG. At the time of its inauguration was one of the largest LNG vessels in the world.  TradeArabia News Service
The entrance to an established housing estate in Laois has no stop sign, with speeding traffic a concern.

The Glenbarrow estate on the Ballyfin road in Portlaoise requires multiple works to make the rules of the road clearer to motorists.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley has highlighted the problems to Laois County Council.

"The road markings are gone completely. A stop sign is gone completely on the ground and needs to be repainted. The main road in has no parkings at all. That has caused problems where cars are coming around the corner at a good speed," she said.

She requested the works in a motion to the February meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.

"That the council reinstate the road markings and install road markings and a yield sign at the junction along the main spine road in the estate," her motion read.

The work will be done, the area engineer Wes Wilkinson told her.

"The road markings on the entrance to Glenbarrow will be refreshed in the coming weeks. A new yield line and sign will be installed in the coming weeks also," he said.

"That is great, the residents will be happy, thank you," she said.
More jobs may be in the pipeline for Laois, with the sale of a prime industrial site.

A piece of prime Laois industrial enterprise land is about to be sold for 1million to a multinational construction company.

Laois County Council is proposing to sell 3.42 hectares of serviced land it owns in J17 National Enterprise Park near Portlaoise, beside the M7 motorway.

The land will be sold for 1,060,200 plus VAT, if councillors approve the sale.

The buyer is Kirby Group Engineering ULC, Raheen Business Park, Limerick.

The sale will be considered at the February meeting of Laois County Council on Monday, February 28.

Founded in 1964, Kirby is a leading Mechanical and Electrical engineering contractor with operations in Ireland, the UK and Northern Europe. The company, with a turnover of 360m, delivers high-value engineering and construction services and directly employs over 1,200 highly-skilled professionals.

It is the latest and biggest land deal to be done by Laois County Council at J17 National Enterprise Park.

They bought the 28 hectare site at Togher from Supermacs Ireland Ltd for 1.75million four years ago. Their intention was to build roads and services on it and then market it and sell off individual sites to create jobs in Laois, to a mix of expanding Laois businessses, and national and international companies.

So far some 270 jobs have been created all going well with the companies who invested.

The council has sold 1.56ha to Laois company Aubren for 325k, over 2ha for 925,000 to Glanbia Cheese EU for a mozzarella factory with an option to purchase more land; 3ha to Mountmellick company Midland Steel for 562,400 plus VAT; while Laois company Alpha Drives bought 0.6ha for 112,463.

The council state that J17 National Enterprise Park is focused on heavy, light and ICT industry, trade warehousing, distribution, logistics and other uses associated with the transport industry. Located directly on the M7/M8 national motorway network it enables easy access to Cork, Limerick and Dublin including Dublin Airport and Port within 1 hour.
Laois County Council is inviting companies to bid for the contract to prepare a green energy roadmap for the Midland counties that have relied for decades on fossil fuels as the main source of energy.

The Local Authority is taking the lead role as the contracting authority in the process of recruiting alternative energy consultants to deliver the win the contract which is split in two parts - the second of which is optional.

Firstly, the successful consultants will have to prepare a "Technical Options and Assessment Document" for renewable energy potential for Local Authorities in Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath.

This may be followed by the subsequent preparation a Local Authority Renewable Energy Strategy (LARES) for each of the Four Authorities by means of a variation to the relevant County Development Plans will also be required.

The Laois council's tender says this first document which will gather data on a regional basis in relation to the capacity of the Midlands region to deliver on a number of renewable energy options.

Prospective bidders for the contract say the they will be required to support each county to achieve and, where considered possible, to exceed the national targets and commitments to renewable energy.

They're being asked to maximise the opportunities for renewable energy development whilst safeguarding the environment and existing amenities, including residential amenities.

A policy framework will have to be prepared to support where appropriate potential renewable energy projects and to guide renewable energy development to preferred locations.

The plan will also have to meet the objectives to decarbonise the economy within the region.

Bidders have been told they will be required to review the capacity of the landscape to take renewable energy installation.

The optional part of the process may also involve some planning on a county basis. This could included proposing what renewable resources are viable for future development within each county.

Map of the renewable energy resources available within the county may also be prepared.

Tender documents say that Local Authorities have increasingly delivered wind-energy strategies in response to the statutory

requirement to have regard to the DEHLG Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006, as well as the increased development of wind farms across the country.

However, the tender invite says there is now a growing trend for local authorities to prepare renewable energy strategies, which have a broader focus than solely wind energy.

The document says a European Commission has set forth requirements on Ireland to generate energy from renewable

such as wind, solar, aerothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases.
A small Laois school has got the goahead to fix defects with the building under an emergency repairs programme, according to Laois Offaly TD Sean Fleming.

The Minister of State in the Department of Finance said the Minister for Education Norma Foley has cleared funding for Mayo National School in Crettyard.

He said this funding is approved under the Emergency Works Scheme 2021 to repair Fabric Defects to the school building. Minster Fleming added that the work can now proceed as a result of this announcement once tenders are received and a builder is approved.

The TD said he looks forward to the school putting arrangements in place to ensure these repairs are carried out as soon as possible.

"I compliment the Board of Management, Principal, the school community and all involved in this very busy school for their ongoing work on behalf of their pupils," he said.

There is no figure on the grant allocation as the works have yet to be priced.

In the region of 35 boys and girls attend the school which is located not far from the Carlow and Kilkenny borders.
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Scoil Mhuire Community School, Clane; Oaklands Community College, Edenderry; St Marys Secondary School, Edenderry; Colasite Chiarain, Leixlip; Confey College, Leixlip; St. Farnans Post Primary School, Prosperous.

Students wishing to apply should visit social.clcu.ie/bursary2022, complete the application form and submit it to their school by Friday, March 11. The six schools then go through an internal process where they choose three finalists to put forward for the bursary award.

In April, three finalists from each of the six schools will be asked to pre-record a video interview which will be assessed by the Pat Jones Student Bursary panel. Full details about the application process are available by visiting social.clcu.ie/ bursary2022.

Martin Fitzgerald, community development officer for Croi Laighean Credit Union commented, We are delighted to launch our annual Pat Jones Student Bursary award. Since its launch, the bursary has had a huge impact on recipients.

How to enter

Sixth year students can apply for the Bursary by visiting social.clcu.ie/bursary2022. The closing date for applications is Friday March 11 next, and all applications must be sent to the students secondary school.
Donegal County Council is looking to recruit temporary beach lifeguards for the summer bathing season.

The local authority wants junior and senior lifeguards to work at various beaches around the county.

The pay for junior lifeguards is 14.56 an hour while senior lifeguards will get 16.48 an hour.

According to the council, applicants will be required to pass a pool test carried out by Water Safety Ireland prior to being appointed, and must have a Beach Lifeguard Certificate.

The pool test includes a requirement to be able to swim 200 metres freestyle in under four minutes; to do a 100m tow with a can-buoy/rescue tube in under four minutes, as well as surface dive and deep water resuscitation manoeuvres.

Positions on Bundoran and Rossnowlagh beaches close to the Leitrim borderbegin full time June 1; posts on all other beaches begin at weekends only from June 4 and subsequently operate on a full time basis from July 1.

The closing date for applications is March 7.

More details are available HERE
A MIDDLE-AGED Limerick man has admitted to possessing and distributing category one pictures and videos under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998.

A detective garda assigned to the divisional protective service unit in Henry Street told Limerick Circuit Court that he conducted a search under warrant at the mans address in February, 2015.

He told Thomas Rice BL, instructed by state solicitor Padraig Mawe, that two devices were seized and sent to Dublin for examination.

The detective garda said a total of 268 images and 28 videos were found. And that 45 pictures and six videos were shared through Yahoo Messenger and a further 35 pictures and eight videos over Skype.

They were category one offences  adults having sex with children, said the detective garda.

The court heard the accused made admissions when the gardai carried out the original search and when he was arrested three year later.

He said he was sorry for what he had done, that he was 100% wrong and it would never happen again, said the detective garda.

When asked about the three year delay between the search and the man being arrested, the detective said it was down to the delay in the devices being examined in Dublin.

Unfortunately there is a delay, said the detective garda.

Yvonne Quinn JC, who represented the defendant, said her client is a first time offender. She said the salient points of a psychiatric report are that he has a history of mental health problems  serious anxiety and depression.

It was a relief to him that this investigation started. He is extremely ashamed and deeply remorseful. He has had this hanging over him for a long number of years. He has not come to adverse garda attention since. He is regretful and remorseful, said Ms Quinn.

In sentencing, Judge Tom ODonnell said these cases are always very difficult to deal with. He said there is a person behind every picture and video.

The detective garda saying they were category one offences  young children with adults  is an aggravating factor. The sharing of the video clips and photos with others is an aggravating factor, said Judge ODonnell.

The judge said a mitigating factor was that there is a delay in the system. He said the accused was caught red-handed in February 2015.

I accept matters have to take a course but the devices were sent to Dublin for analysis in 2015. It was not completed until 2018. The gardai sent a file to the DPP for directions. He was charged in 2020. There must be a better way of dealing with these matters. A lapse of five years to being charged is inordinate. It will be seven years this month since the computers were seized, said Judge ODonnell.

He said due to the seriousness of the categories it was deserving of a custodial sentence.

I have listened to the mitigation. It is a period of seven years since the seizure of the computers. I feel it is too long to impose a custodial sentence. It would be disproportionate, said Judge ODonnell, who stressed that he didnt want to give the impression for one moment that this court takes lightly the possession and distribution of child pornography.

These are serious criminal offences, said Judge ODonnell, who imposed two and half year suspended prison sentences on each of the offences to run concurrently.

The defendant is to be added to the sex offenders register. A destruction order for both laptops was granted.
THE mother of a 16-year-old boy who had threatened to kill her on two separate occasions, has pleaded in court for him to be given a last chance to turn his life around.

If he starts going in and out of jail now, that is his life. I dont want that for him, she told Judge Carol Anne Coolican at Newcastle West court.

I do love my son with all my heart, she said. But she added: At this moment in time, I dont trust my son. She was afraid, she said, that he would do what he had done before and it would be for the best if her son stayed with her sister and husband.

The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was in court to finalise charges which had been adjourned from a previous court for a probation report.

But he was also facing two new charges of threatening to kill his mother.

Inspector Pat Brennan told the judge that on March 20 last year, while he was being detained in Oberstown Children Detention Campus, the teenager was on the phone to his mother who told him of her plan to marry her partner. (who was not the boys father).

He became extremely angry and threatened that when he got out he was going to kill her stone dead, threatened to cut her throat, threatened that he was going to burn down her house with her inside and that he was going to stab her partner, the inspector said.

The following day, March 21 last year, the boy rang his mother again and became extremely angry and volatile. The accused threatened her life and called her a whore, Inspector Brennan said. The accused again said he was going to kill her and cut her throat, he continued, and again threatened to burn down her house with her and his grandmother in it.

Judge Coolican said that if the accused were not a minor, she would not be accepting jurisdiction and adjourned the hearing to find out if the boys mother wanted to make a statement.

When the hearing resumed later in the day, the mother said: I do love him even though what he did was wrong. Maybe, she said, she had done something wrong when rearing him but Judge Coolican said: You are not on trial.

The mother said it would be best if her son went with her sister who was prepared to give him one chance. If he wasnt good for her, the mother said, her sister would send him straight back. I dont want him to be a jailbird, she said.

Pleading for his client, the boys solicitor Michael ODonnell said the woman had been an outstanding mother to her son and said the boy was fortunate his aunt was willing to take him under her wing. He had spent time in Oberstown last year, Mr ODonnell said, and did not wish to return there.

Judge Coolican thanked the mother for being so eloquent and articulate despite what has happened in the past.

You are very brave, she said.

But she noted that the probation report was troubling and stated that the boy had expressed no remorse for previous charges going back to 2020 and was a high risk. I have to take into account the gravity of the behaviour, she continued. She also noted the circumstances of the boys background and that he had been referred to a number of services but had received limited support.

Her concern was that there was a pattern of behaviour which had escalated in frequency and intensity. She was also concerned about putting the mother at risk.

She ruled to adjourn all charges for one year, on condition the boy stay with his aunt and stay away from direct contact with his mother. I do hope X will take this last chance which I hope will not put you (his mother) in jeopardy, the judge said. Addressing the boy, she said. She loves you. She wants you to do well in life.

She described his behaviour as appalling and dangerous. If you continue down this road, it cannot end well for anyone.

The boy was remanded on continuing bail to February 15, 2023 .
Ireland will close off its airspace to all Russian aircraft, as the invasion of Ukraine continues.

This morning (Sunday February 27), the Irish Foreign Affairs minister confirmed that Ireland will move to shut off the countrys airspace to Russian planes.

Minister Simon Coveney tweeted: Shocking Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight. Ireland will move to shut off Irish airspace to all Russian aircraft.

The minister also called on other EU countries to do the same.

Shocking Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight. #Ireland will move to shut off Irish Airspace to all Russian Aircraft. We encourage other EU partners to do the same. We also support new wide-ranging sanctions to be agreed today at EU FAC & new assistance package for #Ukraine. https://t.co/tL7UriHsah  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) February 27, 2022

Various European countries  including the Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania  have already decided to close their airspace to Russian airlines.

The UK has made a similar decision.

We encourage other EU partners to do the same, Mr Coveney said.

We also support new wide-ranging sanctions to be agreed today at EU FAC [Foreign Affairs Council] & new assistance package for Ukraine.

Overnight, Russian troops entered Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv and fighting is under way in the streets, according to Ukrainian authorities.

It comes as the US, European Union and UK have agreed to block selected Russian banks from the Swift global financial messaging system in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Relieved agreement reached on Russia SWIFT sanctions. I said on @morningireland yesterday, @MichealMartinTD gave Irelands strong support to this and for the strongest possible sanctions against Russia at #EUCO  Thomas Byrne (@ThomasByrneTD) February 26, 2022

Restrictive measures will also be imposed on Russias central bank.

Thomas Byrne, the Irish minister for European affairs, tweeted late on Saturday that he was relieved a decision on Swift had been agreed.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland has told Irish citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia.

In an update to travel guidance, the department said: Due to the ongoing disruption to flight services to and from Russia, the Department of Foreign Affairs is advising citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia at this time.

Further flight cancellations and uncertainty on travel routes from Russia are expected in the coming days.
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The Tanzania Energy Symposium at Expo 2020 Dubai presented opportunities and spearheaded discussions on investment, financing and strategy in upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas projects.

It also discussed petroleum supply and storage infrastructure, electricity generation, transmission and distribution, rural electrification and renewable energy.

Inaugurated by Tanzania President, Samia Suluhu Hassan on February 27 as part of the countrys national day celebration, the symposium was held on the theme Promoting Tanzania as East Africas Energy Hub.

Hosted by The Tanzania Ministry of Energy, it brought together NOCs, IOCs, investors, financiers, traders, EPC+F, developers, governments, and agencies, for a showcase of investment opportunities in the fast-growing nation.

Ahead of the Symposium, January Y. Makamba, the Tanzanian Minister of Energy, said: Tanzania is strategically located to serve East and Central Africa, and we are determined to make this desire a reality. One way of doing so is by attracting high calibre investors in the energy sector, where we have potential to meet the growing energy demand within the region and abroad, through projects such as LNG.

The symposium culminated with Tanzanias national day weekend festivities in and around the countrys pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, which staged a special celebration February 26.

The Tanzania pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is themed around building a favourable environment for industries to thrive, including how the country aims to achieve its vision of becoming a trading hub that connects Africa to the world.-- TradeArabia News Service
Over 700 medical students from India are desperately waiting for evacuation in Ukraines north-eastern state of Sumy, just 48km from the Russian border, while Indias evacuation effort focuses on those who have managed to reach Ukraines western borders.

According to one of the students at Sumy State University who spoke over the phone, there was no indication from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) on the evacuation plans until Sunday night.

We have been advised to switch off our lights and be prepared to run into a bunker when we hear a siren," said Niranjana Santosh, a 22-year-old from Thrissur in Kerala, who came here for medical studies five years ago.

The students have been sharing images of bombings and videos of them in bunkers on social media and pleading for help from the MEA, which has advised them to stay safe.

On Sunday, one of the students said the situation was getting worse again".

The Indian embassy in Kyiv on Sunday evening cautioned students against venturing out.

Based on the inputs, intense fighting is underway in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv. It is reiterated, Indian nationals in these cities and other cities where curfew has been applied are not advised to venture towards railway stations until curfew has been lifted and considerable civilian movements are renewed," an MEA statement said.

The students are scared and desperate for help, Santosh said, adding they have little food left. Our contractors are trying to feed us; they have found a little food, which we can adjust for some days," she said.

News reports from Ukraine speak of intense battles in Sumy and Kharkiv.

Sumys municipal administration has urged residents to stay home as fighting erupted on its streets, Reuters reported on Saturday.

The Sumy State University has shut all classes.

Due to the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, from 26 February, the educational process at Sumy State University was stopped, and the holidays were announced for two weeks, until 13 March inclusive. Any changes in the educational process will be announced additionally on the official website of the university and official channels on social networks. All university employees (except for the infrastructure facilities involved in life support) are transferred to remote operations", the university said in a statement.

The students have been told that the closest city for their evacuation lies in Russia. Indias evacuation mission Operation Ganga has been supporting its nationals who have walked to Ukraines western borders of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, from where 4,000 students were evacuated until Sunday. Most of the extra flights deployed to bring back the students are flying to these countries. MEA has not yet shared plans about evacuating those in Ukraines eastern cities bordering Russia.

According to a Press Trust of India report, the total number of Indian students in Ukraine could be as high as 40,000.

Intense competition for medical seats within India and steep fees charged by private colleges have forced several Indian students to seek education in countries such as Ukraine, China, Russia and the Philippines.

A student from the Sumy state university told Mint that the cost of studying, including tuition and living expenses, is 5 lakh per annum, while in India, the same student would have paid 10 lakh to 1 crore in a private medical college.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has discouraged prospective medical students from studying in smaller countries" and called for more private medical colleges in India. However, some people from the medical profession in India said the statement misses the systemic issues plaguing medical education in India.
On Sunday evening, a special flight landed in national capital Delhi's airport which brought back Indian who were stranded in the war-torn country, Ukraine .

On 24 February, foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said that around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, were stranded in Ukraine, which is now engaged in an intense battle with Russia

See pictures here

View Full Image On Sunday evening, a special flight landed in national capital Delhi which brought back Indian who were stranded in the Ukrainian airport (ANI)

View Full Image The Indian government has stated that it will do whatever possible to bring back all its citizens stranded in the war-torn nation. (ANI)

As the Russian troops advance in Ukraine, the Indian government has stated that it will do whatever possible to bring back all its citizens stranded in the war-torn nation.

Following the closure of Ukrainian airspace, India is facilitating the evacuation of stranded Indians from Ukraine through its land border crossings with Romania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

View Full Image The first evacuation flight carrying 219 Indians from Bucharest landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

Air India is ferrying hundreds of people.

The first evacuation flight carrying 219 Indians from Bucharest landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

The second flight with 250 nationals arrived in Delhi in the early hours of Sunday.

The third Air India flight with around 240 Indians had also left for Delhi from Hungarian capital Budapest.

The fourth evacuation flight carrying 198 passengers leaving the Romanian capital Bucharest left for India on Sunday.

India has named the evacuation mission 'Operation Ganga'.
New Delhi: Amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi today wrote a letter to the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar urging him to take immediate steps to repatriate thousands of Indians from his parliamentary constituency Wayanad stranded in Ukraine .

"A letter has been sent to the Union Minister of External Affairs urging him to take immediate steps to repatriate thousands of Indians from Wayanad stranded in Ukraine," tweeted Gandhi.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighboring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.
LONDON : Ukraine's government has raised almost $8 million in cryptocurrencies after posting appeals on social media for donations of bitcoin and other digital tokens, according to blockchain analysis company Elliptic.

Ukraine's official Twitter account made the appeal for cryptocurrency donations on Saturday following the country's invasion by Russia, posting digital wallets addresses for tokens including bitcoin and ether.

Ukraine's Vice-Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov Tweeted the wallet addresses https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497549813205848068. "Stand with the people of Ukraine. Now accepting cryptocurrency donations," wrote Fedorov, who is also minister of digital transformation.

The donations came as Russian military vehicles pushed into Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv on Sunday and explosions rocked oil and gas installations on a fourth day of fighting in the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two.

By 1030 GMT Sunday, the wallet addresses had received crypto worth $7.9 million across almost 11,500 donations, London-based Elliptic said. The company tracks the movement of digital coins on the blockchain, a public ledger that records crypto transactions.

Ukraine's ministry of digital transformation did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Its crypto crowdfunding appeal is unprecedented. Though some states such as El Salvador have embraced cryptocurrencies, Ukraine's appeal for direct donations is among the first of its kind. It was not clear what Kyiv would use the funds for.

Crypto donations to Ukrainian volunteer and hacking groups have also spiked since Russia launched its invasion on Thursday, Elliptic said this week.

The donations to such groups, some of which have supplied equipment to government forces, grew strongly in January as Russia massed troops near Ukraine's border ahead of its invasion.
Competing aviation sanctions and the narrowing of airspace available for commercial travel over Russia and Eastern Europe are adding strain on the global aviation industry, which is just starting to emerge from two years of travel restrictions related to Covid-19.

Airlines have had to reroute planes to avoid Ukraine and parts of Russia, while a handful of countries, including the U.K., have barred Russian planes from their airspacetriggering reciprocal bans by Moscow in most cases. Sharper Western sanctions on Russia and a widening conflict in Ukraine threaten to cut off more Russian airspace, a crucial corridor for many long-haul flights, particularly between Europe and Asia. The plane maker Airbus SE, meanwhile, could be caught up in restrictions over sales of planes and parts. The European Union is planning to ban such sales as part of sanctions aimed at punishing Russian President Vladimir Putin for the invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday, the U.K. banned Russian commercial jets, including those of flag carrier Aeroflot-Russian Airlines, from its airspace, part of the U.K.s sanctions. On Friday, Russia responded by banning British carriers from its skies. Germanys Deutsche Lufthansa AG said late Saturday it wont use Russian airspace for the next seven days due to the current and emerging regulatory situation." Eight other countries, including Poland and Bulgaria, have issued similar bans, followed by reciprocal action from Russia, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24

Delta Air Lines Inc. said Friday it would no longer sell seats on flights operated by Aeroflot or allow the Russian national airline to sell tickets on Delta flights. The airline didnt cite a reason for the change.

Delta said it is withdrawing its code-sharing service with Aeroflot effective immediately, ending a marketing agreement under which airlines sell tickets on each others flights. The move affected the sale of tickets on a handful of Aeroflot-operated flights out of Moscows Sheremetyevo International Airport, and it removed Aeroflots right to sell tickets on Delta flights from Los Angeles and New York. Delta doesnt operate flights to Russia or Ukraine. Efforts to reach Aeroflot werent successful.

There were also unexpected repercussions for Aeroflot on the ground. Manchester United, the British soccer club, said it would withdraw its sponsorship agreement with the Russian airline. The carrier had been the teams official airline sponsor since 2013 and provided chartered flights for the team. In light of events in Ukraine, we have withdrawn Aeroflots sponsorship rights," the club said in a statement on its website. We share the concerns of our fans around the world and extend our sympathies to those affected."

Early Thursday in Europe, the continents air-traffic control coordinator warned commercial traffic to avoid Ukraines airspace. European authorities have since expanded that warning to include Moldova, Belarus, all operations in Russia within 200 nautical miles of the Ukrainian border and airspace in southwestern Russia. The restrictions dont restrict flights to or from Moscow itself. The changes forced a handful of airliners to change course midflight.

Some airlines have canceled flights out of caution. Japan Airlines Co. said it has canceled a weekly return flight between Moscow and Tokyo, citing safety precautions. The Dutch flag carrier, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, part of Air France-KLM SA, said it has scrapped its daily evening flight to Moscow in line with a new policy that prohibits crews staying overnight in Russia.

The U.S. cargo operators United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp. said they were preparing contingency plans for operations to Russia, without specifying actions being considered. Both, along with the express carrier DHL, a unit of Deutsche Post AG, said operations to Ukraine have been suspended.

The creeping airspace restrictions highlight the integral role Russia plays in global air travel. The quickest route for flights between Europe and the Pacific Rim is flying across Siberia. In the 1950s and 1960s, much of Russian airspace was kept closed by the Soviet Union. It wasnt until the thawing of relations between the Soviets and the West in the 1970s that Siberian airspace was opened to Western and Asian carriers, which at the time would make a stop for fuel in Moscow.

Since then, aircraft have been able to fly the distance directly, and the route has become a critical part of the global flow of trade and passengers between Asia and both Europe and the U.S. The route has provided a steady stream of revenue for Russian authorities, who charge fees for the use of the airspace and control access tightly. Almost 195,000 commercial flights passed through Russias airspace in 2021, according to the countrys federal air transportation agency. As with most routes, traffic has been reduced during Covid-19 travel bans. Before the pandemic, that number reached 301,000.

Losing the right to fly through Russian airspace would definitely have an operational impact," said a spokesman for the National Air Carrier Association, a trade group whose members include cargo carriers such as Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc.

For British and Russian carriers, the fallout has been immediate. British Airways canceled a flight to Moscow scheduled to take place Friday and said it would be canceling its regular three-times-a-week service to the Russian capital. It cautioned that flights to destinations including India, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand will be forced to reroute to avoid the airspace, lengthening those flights.

A British Airways Boeing 787 en route to London from Bangkok, which typically flies over Russia, was rerouted midflight on Friday, taking a sharp left turn over Kazakhstan to fly through Azerbaijan and Georgia airspace before crossing the southern part of the Black Sea close to Turkey.

Among sanctions that the European Union plans to approve is a ban on the sale of aircraft and spare parts to Russia. That could disrupt planned sales of jets by Airbus. The company has 14 A350 wide-body aircraft still due for delivery to Aeroflot. We are analyzing the impact of the sanctions," a spokesman for Airbus said. We will comply with all sanctions and applicable laws once they are in force."

Airbus rival Boeing Co., meanwhile, has design centers in Russia that employ more than 2,000 under contract. The company said its operations in Russia have continued.
KYIV (UKRAINE) : Russian and Ukrainian officials prepared to meet for the first talks since Moscow began its invasion four days ago, as Ukraines defenders held on to the countrys capital, Kyiv, and pushed back Russian troops in urban combat in its second-largest city, Kharkiv.

In a sign of growing tensions with the West over Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the countrys nuclear-deterrence forces to be put on alert.

Russia sent a delegation to the southern Belarusian city of Gomel on Sunday, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he refused to meet in a country that has become a launchpad for Russias attacks. He did, however, speak by phone to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko later in the day, and agreed to have his envoys meet with the Russian delegation on the Ukrainian-Russian border, according to a statement by the Ukrainian presidency. Mr. Lukashenko committed that no Russian military activity will be carried out from Belarus during the talks, Kyiv said.

It is not clear to what extent the planned negotiations could end the Russian invasion, which has encountered much stiffer resistance from Ukrainian forces than many, in Russia and in the West, had expected. Mr. Putin has urged Ukrainian troops to stage a coup against the countrys democratically elected president. Russian officials said shortly after the war began that they would talk to Kyiv only once Ukrainian troops surrendered arms.

Early on Sunday, Russian troops pushed deep into Kharkiv, which lies close to the Russian frontier. Many of these light-infantry troops were ambushed and killed or captured by Ukrainian forces hours later, however.

Footage shared by Ukrainian forces on Sunday morning showed five Tigr-M armored vehicles with Russian Z" markings destroyed on a Kharkiv street, with Ukrainian soldiers helping themselves to Russian ammunition and equipment, including several antitank rockets. A Tigr-M was also seen burning at another Kharkiv intersection. Kharkiv residents said the city appeared to be under firm Ukrainian control by the afternoon. We are finishing up cleansing the city from the enemy," Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Synehubov posted on social media.

Ukrainian authorities have ordered Kyiv residents to stay indoors until Monday morning while they hunt for Russian infiltrators, who engaged in several shootouts with Ukrainian troops and civilian volunteers overnight. No shooting was heard during the day. Kyiv continues to hold out. There are no Russian troops in Kyiv," the citys Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a video address.

The thud of explosions from Russian airstrikes and artillery continued in Kyiv through Sunday. A black plume rose on the citys horizon from the major fuel depot in the town of Vasylkiv, south of the capital, that caught fire after it was hit overnight. Residents of areas northwest of Kyiv, near the Chernobyl nuclear-disaster exclusion zone, said that Russian armor continued to pour in from Belarus for an expected major assault on Kyiv.

Oleksandr Markushin, the mayor of the town of Irpen, northwest of Kyiv, said that battles on Sunday resulted in the defeat of a Russian tank unit there. Video posted by Ukrainian officials from Irpen showed smoldering Russian armored vehicles and corpses in Russian uniform. Local residents said a different, much larger column of Russian armor was moving toward Kyiv from the west.

Ukraines government projected confidence, saying that heavy resistance throughout the country had thwarted Mr. Putins plan to overthrow the countrys leadership and destroy its command-and-control capabilities in a lightning strike.

These three days have forever changed our country and the world," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Sunday morning. These will be trying times ahead. But now we are no longer the only ones to believe in our victory. And that is why we are receiving the aid that was unthinkable three days ago."

Several countries that had previously declined to supply Ukraine with sophisticated weapons to help offset Russias military advantage have changed their mind in recent days. Antitank and antiaircraft missiles already supplied to Ukraine by the U.S., the U.K., Poland and the Baltic states before the wars breakout have already helped to redress the balance, Ukrainian officials have said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that a Russian delegation had already arrived in Gomel, Belarus, on Sunday morning and was ready to start negotiations with Ukraine. The Russian delegation includes presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky; Russias deputy ministers of defense and foreign affairs; Leonid Slutsky, the head of the International Committee of Russias State Duma; and Russias ambassador to Belarus, Boris Gryzlov, Mr. Peskov said.

Mr. Medinsky told RIA that Russias representatives were ready for negotiations at any time.

Every hour for us is a saved life," the agency cited him as saying.

In Kyiv, residents spent the night in bomb shelters and basements, as explosions rocked the city. Ukraines military said it had intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Kyiv from Belarus.

We are afraid, trembling all night," said a shopkeeper, Lena, who slept along with her colleague in the back of a grocery store in central Kyiv. Please tell me it will be all right." She kept the store open so that neighborhood residents could buy food.

Ukrainian officials and witnesses said that one of the Russian airstrikes hit a childrens hospital in central Kyiv, Okhmatdyt, during the night, killing one child and injuring others.

The night was hard. What they are doing to us is revenge. It is terrorism," Mr. Zelensky said in a speech Sunday. They have consciously chosen to hit civilians and everything that renders life normal. Power stations, hospitals, kindergartens, housing blocksthey are all targeted daily."

Mr. Zelensky on Sunday announced the creation of a new International Legion of the Ukrainian army, along the lines of the International Brigades that helped defend the Spanish republic in the 1930s civil war there. Existing legislation allows foreign citizens to join the Ukrainian military, and Mr. Zelensky urged potential volunteers to contact military attaches of Ukraines embassies abroad. Its not just a Russian invasion of Ukraine, its the beginning of a war against Europe. Against the unity of Europe. Against basic human rights in Europe," he said.

In the town of Vasylkiv 20 miles south of Kyiv, part of a large fuel depot burned through the night after being hit by a Russian airstrike, painting the sky orange, residents said. Ukrainian officials said that fighting with Russian troops attempting to take over Vasylkivs strategically important military airfield had hampered firefighters efforts. We are facing an ecological disaster," the governor of the Kyiv region, Oleksii Kuleba, said in a social-media post.

The U.S. and European governments escalated their economic sanctions against Moscow in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Western governments said they would cut off a number of Russian banks from the Swift network, an international payment system that facilitates cross-border transactions. The U.S., the European Union, the U.K. and Canada also said they would take measures to prevent Russias central bank from deploying its foreign reserves to support Russias currency and economy.

Meanwhile, international aid for Ukraines defense is multiplying, ranging from private financial donations to government pledges to send arms. Germany said it would deliver antitank and Stinger missiles to Ukraine, reversing Berlins previous opposition to sending arms.

Germany on Sunday also announced a major shake-up of its defense and security policies in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine, ranging from heavy investments in its military to the creation of strategic energy reserves, showing how Mr. Putins war on Ukraine is sending shock waves throughout Europe.

Fierce Ukrainian resistance has so far largely frustrated the massive Russian invasion unleashed by Mr. Putin with the aim of overthrowing Ukraines elected government and ending its alignment with the West. Military analysts warn, however, that Russia could resort to more destructive tactics targeting Ukrainian cities with indiscriminate shelling if its troops advances continue to be beaten back.

A rapid Russian victory in the biggest war in Europe for decades would drastically change the geopolitical balance on the continent, giving Mr. Putin control of strategically vital swaths of the former Soviet Unions territory and placing Russias armies on the doorstep of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

European and U.S. officials are increasingly concerned that Mr. Putins broader goal of revising the ending of the Cold War, restoring Moscows former sphere of influence in Europes east, wont stop at Ukraine, a fear that could force a rethink of NATOs military stance and Europes energy supplies, which depend in large part on Russia.

Mr. Zelensky has constantly reinforced that message, saying that Ukrainians are fighting and dying not just for their own country but for all of Europe.

If Ukrainian resistance leads to a long and bloody waror forces Mr. Putin to seek to end the fighting without achieving his goalsthe setback could threaten both his hold on power in Moscow and his drive to restore Russia as a global power.

Mr. Zelensky, in an address on Saturday, said Russia has failed in its quest to quickly replace him with a puppet regime and that Ukrainian soldiers were holding the line throughout the country. He called on Ukrainians abroad and foreign volunteers to join the fight. Everyone who can, come back to defend Ukraine," Mr. Zelensky said. All the friends of Ukraine who want to come join us, come here toowe will give you weapons."

Ukrainian civilians fleeing westward have been stuck in long lines of cars near the border with Poland. Many people have abandoned their vehicles and walked to the border for many hours in chilly weather, carrying children and a few belongings.

On Saturday, before the curfew kicked in, the biggest lines in the Ukrainian capital were at the recruitment centers for the Territorial Defense force that was accepting all volunteers. At one sports facility converted for this purpose, several hundred volunteers, commanded by career military officers, loaded crates of ammunition into civilian vehicles and sped off to their positions.

Outside, hundreds more aspiring recruits, including women, patiently waited their turn in a line that snaked around the building. I never expected so many would turn up. The whole city has risen up now," one of the officers at the site said. A bit too late, but better late than never."

Concerned about Russian infiltrators and spies, members of the Territorial Defense didnt allow photography and didnt provide their names. The volunteers said they had no choice but to fight now that Russian forces were on Kyivs doorstep.

A Russian rocket hit a building near my home this morning. This was the last straw for me, and now its time to take up arms. Everyone in this city who wanted to escape has already fled," said one of the new recruits, a 35-year-old IT specialist.

There is nowhere to run and no point in hiding. We just have to repel the invaders and send them back where they came from," said another, a human-resources specialist.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that Washington would provide up to $350 million in additional military aid to Ukraine, including lethal defensive assistance" to help Kyiv resist Russian armored and airborne forces.

The weapons Washington intends to provide to Ukraine include Javelin antitank weapons, Stinger antiaircraft missiles, small arms and ammunition, U.S. officials said. The U.S. has previously sent Javelins among other battlefield systems. In January, the U.S. also gave approval for Latvia and Lithuania to deliver American-made Stinger antiaircraft missiles to Kyiv.

Mr. Biden authorized the fresh delivery of military aid Friday night and approved up to $250 million for overall assistance to Ukraine. A person familiar with the matter said the administration has asked Congress for $6.4 billion in additional funding for Ukraine aid and defense needs.
The 9th Arab Aviation Summit (AAS), the regions leading aviation industry event, will be held in Ras Al Khaimah from February 28 to March 2 Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre.



Organized by PLM Middle East, the event will bring together global experts to discuss the theme Roadmap to Recovery as the industry prepare for a post pandemic economy.



Speakers at the summit include Maen Razouqi, CEO, Kuwait Airways, Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, Mikail Houari, President for Africa and Middle East, Airbus, Athanasios Titonis, Chief Executive Officer, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, Kamil Al-Awadhi, Regional Vice President Africa & Middle East, (IATA), and, Kuljit S. Ghata-Aura, President, Boeing Middle East, Turkey and Africa.



Endorsed by Arab Governments and previously held in many Arab counties, AAS 2022 will be hosted by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) for the second year in a row and supported by global industry partners such as Airbus, CFM, Air Arabia and Alpha Aviation Academy amongst others.



The Executive Chairman of PLM Global and also CEO of PLM Middle East, Pedro Rodrigues, said: "This will be a golden opportunity for Madeira and Alentejo to promote themselves as tourism destinations to new markets and segments, with the intermediation of PLM. Our knowledge of the region and its protagonists allows us to help our Portuguese partners to find and consolidate business opportunities and develop new projects. That is also what we will do now at this Arab Aviation Summit.



"This Summit will bring together global experts to rethink aviation and tourism for the future, and understand how the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic crisis can help the industry prepare for future global disruptions, adapt and emerge stronger and more resilient.



During the Summit, industry experts will discuss the role aviation and tourism will play towards economic recovery post the pandemic, talk about best practices taken from the pandemic and how the industry has shown resilience to elevate the tourism and aviation sector. A white paper, based on deliberations of participants, will be created post the Summit which attendees and the wider industry will be able to reference.



This year PLM Middle East teams were responsible for the design, production, content, logistics, protocol and business & investment acceleration (BIA) of the summit. In the scope BIA, Alentejo Tourism Region and Madeira Promotion Association will be debuting at the summit.



Hailed as the voice of the industry, the Summit marks the partnership of the three key players in the travel and tourism industry: Public sector, Private sector, and Media. Organized annually, the event highlights the trends, insights and opportunities driving the continuous growth and development of the Arab aviation and tourism industry.  TradeArabia News Service
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A district judge has denied a motion that would allow the man suspected of killing Gracie Alexandra Espinoza to move to San Antonio for better opportunities, according to court documents.

The defense for Joel David Chavez III filed a motion to modify terms of release to have the travel restriction lifted. Chavez was arrested and indicted on Sept. 8 on two counts of murder for the death of Gracie and their unborn child.
A women holds a child and a dog in a shelter inside a building in Mariupol, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. Street fighting broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country's south as the prospect of peace talks remains uncertain. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan is to to be pressed into exploring the prospect of re-opening a series of disused railway lines along the Dublin to Sligo routeway.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Peggy Nolan said she was keen on securing the full backing of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal local authorities with a view to strengthening those pleas to the Green Party leader over the coming weeks.

The Fine Gael local politician said the fiscal off-shoots for counties like Longford were endless.

What it will do for tourism doesn't not need to be stated, she said.

It will certainly throw up economic benefit and it will certainly help the gridlock on our roads.

Independent Cllr Gerry Warnock described the move as a no brainer but said he still harboured concerns about the future planned development of rural Ireland.

You only have to look at the doubts that surround the N4 project, he said.

At the drop of a hat they (government) seem to be able shelve a key project such as that.

There is all this talk about regional development, but as far as I can see, that is all it is.
Pressure is growing on the Irish Government to expel the Russian ambassador, as protests continued in Dublin against the invasion of Ukraine.

Longford TD Joe Flaherty and Roscommon Senator Eugene Murphy are among a group of Fianna Fail backbench TDs, Senators and MEPs who are supporting the calls for the Russian ambassador to Ireland, Yury Filatov to be expelled.

Longford man with 62 previous offences is changed person, court hears A recovering alcoholic with over 60 previous convictions who broke a car window in Longford town to steal an Apple ipad and rucksack just over a year ago has been told to return to court in June with compensation.

On Saturday (February 26) afternoon, dozens of protesters once again gathered outside the Russian Embassy in south Dublin to call on Russia to end the attacks on Ukraine.

Labour TD Ivana Bacik and Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher were among the crowd.

Russian ambassador with his coterie of friends and advisers in Dublin should pack up and go. #WeStandWithUkraine. https://t.co/dpci6ksSCD  Charlie Flanagan (@CharlieFlanagan) February 26, 2022

It comes amid growing calls for the Russian Ambassador to be expelled from Ireland.

Members of the governing coalition parties joined in calls from Sinn Fein and other opposition parties to have Yury Filatov removed from the country.

By 6pm on Saturday, 35 Fianna Fail TDs and senators had signed a petition calling on Mr Filatov to be expelled.

Earlier, the chair of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and senior Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan, had also tweeted a call for the ambassador to be forced to leave Ireland.

Growing pressure on the Government to expel the Russian Ambassador  heres the latest version of the petition signed by Fianna Fail TDs and senators pic.twitter.com/V1FcUwH1sd  Dominic McGrath (@McGrathDominic) February 26, 2022

A protest was also held in Dublin city centre on Saturday, as crowds gathered on OConnell Street to oppose the Russian action in Ukraine.
A well known Longford company will play a key role as construction work is poised to commence in the coming weeks on the expansion of the Zoetis production facility on the IDA Ireland Business and Technology Park off the Sragh road in Tullamore.

Kiernan Structural Steel are an important trade partner for this exciting new development will bring up to 100 new high quality jobs to Tullamore and provide a significant boost to the local economy.

A total of 17 new jobs have already been added since the expansion was officially announced on 5 October and recruitment in advance of the new facility coming onstream in 2023 is continuing. Zoetis is the worlds leading animal health company.

The expansion in Tullamore will strengthen the companys global manufacturing network, comprising an existing 29 manufacturing sites around the world, ensuring that the company will meet growing demand from customers worldwide as well as support its future growth in veterinary biopharmaceuticals.

Planning permission has been granted for the Zoetis Tullamore expansion by Offaly County Council and it is hoped that the new expanded facility will be complete and ready for production by the end of 2023.

Plans for the construction project have also progressed well. Fencing to secure the site boundary in terms of 24/7 security is now underway and general site preparation work has already begun.

The removal of scrub and hedging within the site under the supervision of an ecologist is being carried out sensitively in advance of the nesting season and bird and bat boxes have been deployed appropriately within the site.

Construction work will begin in earnest in early March with bulk excavations and the laying of foundations. Jacobs Engineering have been appointed as Construction Managers for the project and key trade partners include PJ Hegarty Building, Kirby Engineering Electrical, Jones Engineering Mechanical, Ardmac Cleanrooms, Kiernan Structural Steel, Siac Cladding and Mercury Fire Protection.

Kiernan Steel of Longford will commence work on site in mid-April to prepare for the erection of structural steel in early May.

SIAC Roofing and Cladding will begin installation of the Kingspan cladding once the structural steel work is complete.

This will be a neutral mid-grey colour for the main building and white for the administration and laboratory building. It is aimed to have this work completed by August. This will allow for the full facade to be completed in October.

Longford man with 62 previous offences is changed person, court hears A recovering alcoholic with over 60 previous convictions who broke a car window in Longford town to steal an Apple ipad and rucksack just over a year ago has been told to return to court in June with compensation.

All building work should be substantially complete by June 2023 with operational commissioning works complete by December 2023. At peak, (October/November 2022) we expect that some 450 contractors and services personnel will be working on the construction project.

In the early stage of the project, over March to May 2022, some rock breaking may be required in areas of the site in order to facilitate drainage works, foundation laying and so on. Sophisticated vibration and noise monitoring systems are being set up to monitor site activity in order to minimise and obviate any potential for disturbance.

An environmental and site management plan has been put in place to deal with and resolve any issues that may arise, including from the outset, road sweeping, dust, or other, during the construction project.

Final landscaping and tree planting will commence in late 2023 during the planting season. This work will ensure that any view of the expanded facility will be minimised to neighbours on the Sragh Road.
IFA President Tim Cullinan said recent comments by Minister Hackett that farmers having to go part-time because of reduced payments should be welcomed is an astonishing position.

The reality is that many farmers are forced to work off farm because of the drop in their incomes arising from reduced direct payments.

Tim Cullinan said this would be a shocking comment from anybody, never mind a Minister in the Department of Agriculture. The Minister is effectively celebrating the fact her policies are making farming unviable.

The Minister is correct that part-time farmers should be supported. Many of these farmers are actually working more than 40 hours on their farms, but also have to work off farm in order to survive, he said.

The Minister has now revealed the real Green agenda which is to destroy farmer viability, he said.

This comes on top of the actions of Green MEP Ciaran Cuffe writing to the banks asking them not to lend to young farmers. It shows they are completely hostile to anyone trying to make a living from farming, he said.

Minister McConalogue must clarify immediately if he too feels we should welcome the destruction of farm viability, he said.

IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said direct payments make up a huge percentage of drystock farmers incomes.
(The Center Square)  The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved Entergy Louisianas request to add a new surcharge on customer's bills for the next 15 years to recoup costs from storm damage over the past two years.

Commissioners voted 4-1 to allow Entergy to impose a surcharge on Louisiana customers to help recoup $3.2 billion in repair costs from hurricanes Ida, Laura, Delta and Zeta and winter storm Uri.

The plan leverages low-interest bond financing with the surcharge as collateral, rather than traditional bank financing, which the company argued will result in significant savings for ratepayers. Entergy is expected to ask for another $1.4 billion in reimbursements from ratepayers later this year to recover additional costs associated with Hurricane Ida.

The approved rate increase is expected to cost customers around $8 a month based on a 1,000-kWh customer, beginning this spring and lasting for 15 years.

Entergy issued a prepared statement to Baton Rouge's WBRZ-TV about the situation.

"On Feb. 23, the Louisiana Public Service Commission approved Entergy Louisianas request to finance $3.2 billion in storm costs using low-cost bonds through a process called securitization. Securitization permits the costs to be financed with generally lower-cost capital and is projected to save customers billions over the long-term as compared with other methods of financing, the company wrote.

The costs being financed are related to restoring the electric system after 2020 hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta and the February 2021 winter storms (approximately $2.2 billion), with the remainder being related to replenishing reserves for future storms (approximately $290 million) and creating an escrow addressing a portion of restoration costs following Hurricane Ida (approximately $1 billion).

Entergy said existing surcharges for Hurricane Gustav are expected to expire in August, and the new charges would begin as early as May, though its contingent upon when closing on the financing occurs.

Entergy Louisiana is continuing to advocate for federal disaster relief, and to any extent the company is reimbursed for a portion of storm costs, it will reduce future bill impacts related to Ida, the company wrote to WBRZ. In addition, the company is continuing to seek federal aid to bolster existing grid resiliency plans and, ultimately, accelerate efforts to strengthen and harden the electric system ahead of future storms. Doing so will help us restore power quickly and safely and avoid costly restoration efforts; however, it is a long-term commitment and one that will take time.

Foster Campbell, an Elm Grove Democrat representing north Louisiana on the commission, was the only member to vote against the surcharge, arguing Louisianans who were not impacted by the storms should not be forced to pay for the damages.

Im having a hard time telling a million people in north Louisiana why they have to pay for all this storm damage when it didnt occur there, he said.

Campbell also pointed to Entergy CEO Leo Denaults compensation going from $10 million to $14 million during these troubled times and $1.5 billion in dividends paid out by the company over the past two years in opposing the surcharge.

Entergy wont pay one quarter when its all said and done, he said. Its all paid by ratepayers.

Republican Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, from Metairie, argued all of the states energy consumers should shoulder the burden together, The Associated Press reported.

We are one state of citizens, he said.
Chelsea will not be affected financially, at least in the short term, should their owner Roman Abramovich be placed on the UK's Russia sanctions list.

The Russian oligarch has been named as one of 35 prominent Russians based in the UK who could have their assets frozen or taken away completely.

The British government announced that sanctions would be imposed on three billionaires who are closely linked to Russian president Vladimir Putin after his country's invasion of Ukraine, with Abramovich one such person who has a close relationship with Putin.

There is nothing to suggest any sanctions have been imposed on the Chelsea owner at the moment, however, with sources close to him insisting he has been involved in no wrongdoing.

If sanctions were to be imposed, though, it's believed that there would be no immediate effects on Chelsea financially.

The UK government is likely to come to an agreement that would avoid any significant impact on Chelsea, which employs hundreds of people.

The club would be able to continue functioning as a business and receive money from the Premier League as well as UEFA, and therefore pay staff accordingly.

Abramovich has had to plough several millions of euros into the club following loses during the COVID-19 pandemic and, were he to be named on the sanctions list, he would be unable to further fund the club, although the short-term future of Chelsea is secure.
Russia Ukraine Crisis: How many Russian tanks have been destroyed?

Russia Ukraine Crisis: How many Russian tanks have been destroyed?

While thousands of Ukrainian citizens are fleeing the country after Russia launched a military attack on Thursday, others in Ukraine are trying to push back the Russian army and have already destroyed over 100 tanks.

How many Russian tanks have been destroyed?

According to the United Nations, at least 240 civilians lost their lives as of Saturday.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, confirmed that Ukraine's military forces had destroyed 102 Russian tanks, as well as 536 armoured vehicles.

"We are defending our homes, we are defending our families, we are defending democracy, we are defending our choice to be sovereign, but we are also defending Europe," she said according to CBS.

What is the latest in the Russia and Ukraine conflict?

In the early hours of Sunday, the Governor of Kharkiv, Oleh Sinegubov, reported that Russian troops had entered the city that is located in northeast Ukraine and close to the borders with the neighbouring country.

"The Russian enemy's light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre," he said per Reuters.

"Ukraine's armed forces are destroying the enemy. We ask civilians not to go out."

Meanwhile, the Russian government stated that they are ready for peace talks to take place in Belarus, but Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not willing to meet in the Belarusian city of Gomel as the Kremlin suggested, despite being open to hold talks.

"We will not lay down any weapons," Zelenskyy stated in a video that he posted on Saturday.

"We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth.

"A lot of fake information has appeared on the internet saying that I allegedly called on our army to lay down its arms and that evacuation is underway.

"Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this.

"This is what I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine!"
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...
With India abstaining to vote at the United Nations Security Councils recent resolution against Russia for invading Ukraine, many foreign diplomats have started dissing Indias position.



 Reuters

In response, JNU Professor and noted author Dr Anand Ranganathan dissed those diplomats in the most appropriate way.



With Russias recent invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing war causing a crash in major economies of the world, the United States sponsored a resolution at the United Nations Security Council that deplores in the strongest terms Russias aggression against Ukraine. India, decided to abstain from voting and was one of only three countries to do so.

 Reuters

Diplomatic experts will tell you why it is important for us to look after our own interests. However, if certain foreign diplomats are to be believed, Indias decision to abstain from voting has been disappointing & disgraceful.



Responding to a British diplomat who found Indias response to be disappointing, Dr Ranganathan wrote Not one of you, or your friends in the EU, condemned China when it provoked us, tried to invade us, and killed our soldiers. NOT ONE.

Not one of you, or your friends in the EU, condemned China when it provoked us, tried to invade us, and killed our soldiers. NOT ONE.



A thousand diplomats wont be able to convey what Kulbhushan Kharbanda did in Lagaan in one sentence: Ye gore apne baap ke bhi sage nahin hote. https://t.co/5XfMwZvtWB  Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) February 26, 2022

Back in 2020 & 2021 when Chinese troops crossed into Indian territory and killed soldiers in an act of aggression of foreign land, most western powers, especially the United Kingdom and the United States, verbally stated that it was an unfortunate incident. Dr Ranganathan rightly points out that no western country condemned China nor was a resolution introduced. We were left alone to defend ourselves.

 Reuters

Pointing the inherent hypocrisy that most European and American diplomats have, Dr Ranganathan quoted Kulbhushan Kharbandas character from Lagaan, Raja Puran Singh, and said A thousand diplomats wont be able to convey what Kulbhushan Kharbanda did in Lagaan in one sentence: Ye gore apne baap ke bhi sage nahin hote, which translates These white folks arent loyal to their own fathers.



 Columbia Pictures

Other users on Twitter also chimed in, and called out the blatant hypocrisy.



Ek aur entitled gora milahttps://t.co/JvHMhaO2y4  Mirchi 87.58 (@Pepper_Talks) February 26, 2022

The west & NATO after abstaining to help ukraine after provoking the war, are lecturing India.

Its a waiting game, they are playing to graner support from world before they get into action.

These comments are nothing but part of their game.

We are not playing this dirt game.  Mahesh kumar (@MKbiradar83) February 26, 2022

Please dont blame others for your problems!

Its your own doing sir!

Watch it! https://t.co/UDsvEfYKyw  Dr Narain Rupani ( surgeon ) (@DrRupani) February 27, 2022

Have truer words ever been spoken, especially when it comes to Indias foreign relations, especially with the west?
A 17-year-old girl from Haryana, who is studying medicine in Ukraine, has refused to leave the war-torn country in spite of getting an opportunity of being evacuated. The reason? She has decided to stay back and look after the children of her landlord.



 Reuters

With the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, several Indian students who had gone to Ukraine for their studies, have been requesting the government to evacuate them.



 Reuters

Students all across the country are hiding in metro tunnels and makeshift underground bunkers to stay safe from the incessant bombings from Russian Air Force, and the on-ground movement of Russian Tanks and the army.



One Savita Jhakar took to Facebook and shared an anecdote about a 17 year old medical student from Haryana, who has been identified as Neha.

 Facebook/Savita Jhakar

In spite of getting numerous advisories to leave the country and that a war was imminent, Neha decided to stay back and take care of a family with whom she was staying while she was pursuing her bachelors degree.



 Reuters

Several Ukrainians have joined the armed forces to defend their nation against the invading Russian forces. So, the head of the family, with whom Neha was staying, also went to join the Ukrainian armed forces, leaving behind his wife, and 3 young children.



 Reuters

A student of MBBS, Neha rented a room at the home of a construction engineer in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, as she could not get hostel accommodation.



When the war finally broke out Neha decided that instead of leaving for Romania like most other students and her batchmates, she would stay back and help the wife and the children of her landlord, in any way she can. Plus, because she is a medical student, she can be of help in other areas as well.

 Reuters

Savita, who is in Copenhagen, maintained that Nehas family members and acquaintances have been trying to convince her to return to India, but she has plainly and firmly refused to do so.



 Reuters

Neha went to Ukraine last year when she secured her admission to a medical college there. A few years prior that, she had lost her father, who was in the Indian Army.



I may live or not, but I will not leave these children and their mother in such a situation, Neha told her mother, who is a teacher based in Haryanas Charkhi Dadri.
NAIROBI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Kenyatta Tuesday called on the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other World Bank constituent financial institutions to provide more support to the private sector to spur Kenya's economic growth.

Kenyatta who spoke in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, during a meeting with IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop said his government has come a long way in creating an enabling environment for investors in different sectors.

"Kenya has the potential to accelerate its economic growth and I am confident that with your partnership we can achieve that goal," he said in a statement issued by the presidency.

Kenyatta said IFC, the World Bank's private lending arm, has the potential to help in making Kenya a lucrative investment hub through supporting the private sector in implementing the Government's Big 4 Agenda.

Diop who led a high-level delegation briefed the President on the involvement of IFC in different economic sectors under the government's development blueprint, dubbed the Big 4 Agenda covering manufacturing, food security, affordable housing and universal healthcare.

"I will have roundtable discussions with stakeholders in the pharmaceuticals and housing sectors to see how best we can collaborate to ensure realization of affordable healthcare and housing for the Kenyan people," Diop said.

Kenyatta and Diop also discussed a plan that Kenya is keen on implementing to manufacture vaccines.

Kenyatta appreciated the role IFC has been playing in supporting Kenya's private sector, noting that the Big 4 Agenda has opened even more opportunities for increased collaboration through the country's Public-Private Partnership programme.

"We believe there is still a role that you can play in enabling the private sector to participate more in support of our provision of affordable housing, universal healthcare, food security and manufacturing through Public-Private Partnerships," he said.

Diop assured the President of his institution's commitment to continue supporting Kenya's development agenda through private sector financing.

He said IFC intends to achieve its goals by providing inclusive financing and boosting recovery by developing the capital markets.

"We look forward to working more closely with the private sector in Kenya which is already vibrant and enable it to contribute more significantly in the achievement of the country's development goals as well as promote intra-Africa trade. It is time for Africa, as a continent, to begin trading within itself," Diop said.

Diop said his institution is keen on providing financial support to the private sector in implementing environmental adaptation and mitigation projects. 
For 165 years, the Kentucky Educators Association has helped unite, organize and empower teachers across the commonwealth to advocate for themselves and their colleagues, said local KEA representative Danielle Ellis.

Ellis, Daviess County Public Schools Center for Academic Improvement teacher, is the KEA president over the Second District, which includes Daviess, Henderson, Hancock, Union, Webster, McLean, Hopkins and Christian counties. She said the group represents educators at the state level, throughout their district and within their individual schools.

There are 12 KEA districts in Kentucky.

The Kentucky Educators Association is an affiliate of the National Education Association and has chapters in every school district in the state. It is also one of the biggest professional groups in Kentucky, according to KEA.org.

Ellis said KEA programs also offer specific programs and incentives for educators, like a student loan forgiveness program and a Day of Learning each year during the legislative session for its more than 43,000 members. Through the Day of Learning, members have a chance to go to Frankfort and meet with legislators and see how the process works.

There are also professional development opportunities, she said.

Each school facility within DCPS and Owensboro Public Schools has access to a KEA representative should an educator have questions or need assistance, she said.

You will always have guidance, should you need it in difficult situations, she said.

Another large part of the state organization is working to enact legislative changes for students and teachers.

A very important time for the group is the Kentucky legislative sessions, and KEA focuses on issues that can impact public education. KEA has advocates at every House and Senate meeting advocating for students and teachers, Ellis said.

The group also keeps educators up to date on bills being introduced that could potentially harm or help public schools, she said.

Working together to achieve common goals for educators is what KEA is all about, she said.

Current priorities and concerns for the group, Ellis said, are ensuring quality public education for every student in Kentucky and ensuring that public school educators are provided fair compensation, secure retirement and resources to adequately do their jobs.

That includes, according to the KEA 2022 Kentucky General Assembly Legislative Budget Priorities report: Meaningful pay increases for all educators; significant increases to the SEEK formula for funding public schools; fund all-day kindergarten; continue funding all pension systems; funding for whole child services including physical, mental and emotional health; increase resources for student and educator mental health services.

The impacts of the global pandemic have highlighted just how important our public school systems are and the everyday impact they have on our communities, KEA representatives wrote in the report. More than ever, Kentucky is relying on its public schools to educate, feed and physically and emotionally support every student. Faced with that reality and a continuing surplus, now is an opportunity for the General Assembly to fully fund its constitutional obligation to maintain a strong system of public schools.

Other investments should include, the report states: Creating a minimum starting salary of $40,000 for new teachers; guaranteeing a living wage of at least $15 an hour for all hourly school employees; funding for textbooks and school technology; reinstating and fully-funding cost-of-living adjustments for Kentucky Retirement System participants; investing in new school facilities; continuing investments in high-speed broadband; funding for teacher scholarships; hiring more school social workers and increasing salaries; and investing in a robust National Board Certified Teacher support program.

Increasing funds to the state education budget would have a positive effect on the economy, according to the report.

Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315
KRATIE, Cambodia, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia inaugurated a Chinese-funded stretch of National Road No. 7 on Monday, which connects rural and urban areas in Northeastern province.

Linking between Kratie provincial town and Sambour district, the 93.5-km-long and 11-meter-wide road was built by the Shanghai Construction Group under the grant aid from the Chinese government, and it took 24 months to be completed.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian presided over the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by more than 1,000 people.

Speaking at the event, Hun Sen said the construction had been made after the road had been devastated by floods in past years and that the road would greatly contribute to improving the livelihoods of local people.

"China's grant aid for the repair of this road has importantly contributed to connectivity in Cambodia's northeastern region," he said. "COVID-19 has disrupted but cannot stop our development."

He also thanked the Shanghai Construction Group for building the road in good compliance with technical standards.

Ambassador Wang is confident that the road will play an important role in reducing poverty in the northeastern region of Cambodia effectively.

"It is a new testament to the development of China-Cambodia friendship and the community with a shared future between China and Cambodia," he said. "China is very pleased to assist Cambodia in its socio-economic development and to further deepen the ironclad friendship with Cambodia." 
Owensboro probably wouldnt exist today if it werent for the Ohio River.

Legend has it that Bill Smeathers came to what was then called Yellow Banks in the late 1790s and opened a tavern about where the VFW post is today.

He is said to have traded with passing keelboats.

The railroads didnt reach Owensboro until 1871, when the Owensboro & Russellville made its first run  to Livia, 14 miles from Owensboro.

And trucking began competing for the transportation dollar in the mid-20th century when improved roads made that a viable form of transportation.

Today, all three play a vital role in Owensboros economy.

Brian Wright, president of the Owensboro Riverport, says in Fiscal 2020-21, barges carried 920,000 tons of goods in and out on the riverport.

Thats the equivalent of 38,300 truckloads, he said.

And the railroad carried 170,000 tons, equivalent of 7,000 truckloads, Wright said.

CSX did not respond to questions about its role in the Owensboro economy.

But the Association of American Railroads says on its website that in a typical year, freight railroads haul around 1.7 billion tons of raw materials and finished goods.

It says that redesigned railcars have helped increase average tonnage.

In 2020, the average freight train carried 3,817 tons, up from 2,923 tons in 2000.

Statita.com says that 9.96 billion tons of freight was shipped by trucks in 2014.

The numbers increased every year until 2020, when the volume dropped to 10.23 billion tons from 11.84 billion in 2019.

Wright said hes seen a lot of changes during the pandemic.

Truck driver shortageTheres a national shortage of truck drivers with a commercial drivers license thats expected to reach a shortage of 100,000 drivers by next year.

And the Riverport is partnering with Owensboro Community & Technical College to provide training for drivers seeking the licenses.

That shortage, Wright said, has some companies turning away from trucks to railroads for shipment.

Theres a strong interest in establishing inventories closer to their facilities, he said. Thats more relevant than it was three years ago.

Wright said there is some concern that by 2045, Americas highways may not be able to handle all the shipments that companies need.

In Fiscal 2021, we brought in more aluminum by rail, he said. Rail shipments were 63% of our aluminum business. Before that it was 50-50. And, in 2018-19, it was 91% by barge.

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission says on its website, More than 184 million tons of cargo are transported on the Ohio River each year, with coal being the most commonly transported product.

The river also led to the distilling industry in Kentucky.

Early farmers could produce 90 bushels of corn to the acre.

But there was no market for it.

Corn sold for 16 cents a bushel in the 1820s.

And whiskey was 30 cents a gallon.

One bushel of corn made 3 gallons of whiskey.

That meant a fivefold profit.

So, the corn was turned into whiskey and shipped down the river to New Orleans and other markets.

The Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis Railroad reached Owensboro on Dec. 3, 1888.

Thats the same east-west line thats still in use today.

Where the train tracks run through Owensboro today is where the city limits were in the 1880s.

City officials wouldnt let the tracks pass through town, so theyre just outside where the city limits were more than 130 years ago.

Despite changes in technology, all three forms of transportation are important to Owensboro today, Wright said.

Keith Lawrence, 270-691-7301, klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com
The Owensboro Riverport Authority is considering partnering with city and county government to install a new river gauge at the facility.

The riverport does monitoring of river levels. But the ports gauge has to be checked manually by security, president and CEO Brian Wright told board members last week.

The riverport sends its readings to the National Weather Service. The current gauge doesnt work below 23 feet or above 33 to 36 feet, Wright said.

The gauge readings are used by the community and the riverport.

We rely on this a lot, and I get a lot of calls from farmers about river levels, Wright told board members.

There are automated river gauges at the lock and dams in Cannelton and Newburgh, but the readings in those places are not the same as in Owensboro. Wright said the riverport could continue doing readings from a manual gauge, but said the readings can sometimes be inaccurate, and there may not always be staff available to check the gauge.

In a later interview, Wright said he would be working with city and county officials on potentially splitting the cost of the gauge. The Army Corps of Engineers is only involved with gauges at federal dams.

The cost of a gauge would be about $26,000, and annual maintenance would be about $6,000. Wright said a grant for half the purchase cost is available. Local governments would need to apply for the grant.

The gauge would be more reliable without people needing to check it.

One way or the other, we believe it is in the best interest of the community, Wright said.

County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly said Friday that county officials have not yet discussed the proposal.

Mattingly said a gauge would be beneficial in alerting county officials to high river levels that will cause flooding on waterways like Panther Creek.

It benefits the riverport tremendously, because they are always (watching) the level of the river for loading and unloading, Mattingly said. For the county, it gives us forewarning if there are going to be issues of flooding.

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 7, 2022

Contact: press@michigan.gov

Following Gov. Whitmer's Push to Help Michiganders Affected by Pandemic, Federal Government Grants Expanded Waivers for Michigan

LANSING, Mich. -- Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) granted her request on behalf of the state of Michigan to expand the eligibility for waivers for Michigan workers who received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

"Michiganders should not be penalized for doing what was right at the time they applied for federal pandemic benefits," said Governor Whitmer. "Coupled with the waivers we applied earlier, we are looking to help Michiganders who needed unemployment benefits to pay their bills, keep food on the table, and continue supporting small businesses. I look forward to working with our legislative partners to continue putting Michiganders first and keeping more money in their pockets."

The new guidance follows Governor Whitmer's meeting with USDOL Secretary Marty Walsh to discuss the need for waivers, and UIA Director Julia Dale's meeting with USDOL Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Richard Cesar, to advocate for waivers for Michigan's workers. This is in addition to Whitmer's continued efforts to push leaders in Congress to provide a solution for Michigan workers affected by the pandemic.

"I appreciate Governor Whitmer sharing the challenges Michiganders were facing and the need for broader overpayment waiver flexibility," said U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. "We're hopeful the guidance issued by DOL today will enable states like Michigan to prevent any further undue hardship for claimants."

The USDOL's Employment and Training Administration updated its waiver guidance to approve five new scenarios under which states who have adopted the federal provisions for consideration of a waiver may apply blanket waivers for recovery of overpayments:

An individual responded "no" to being able and available for work and the state issued payment for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation without adjudicating the eligibility issue.

An individual was eligible for payment and the state issued payment at a higher rate Weekly Benefit Amount under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.

The individual responded "no" to being unemployed, partially unemployed or unable or unavailable to work due to the approved coronavirus-related reasons, and the state paid Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. When asked to self-certify, the individual did not respond or confirmed that none of the approved coronavirus-related reasons applied and the state issued payment, resulting in overpayment for the week.

The individual submitted required proof of earnings used to calculate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Weekly Benefit Amount and the state incorrectly processed the calculation resulting in a higher weekly benefit amount under the PUA program.

The individual submitted proof of self-employment earnings to establish eligibility for Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation Program and the state incorrectly processed the information, resulting in overpayment.

UIA is reviewing how the categories would apply to claims in Michigan and determining how quickly the waivers could be issued.

"This is an important next step in the UIA's proactive efforts to resolve outstanding issues for any Michigan claimant now being asked to repay benefits through no fault of their own," UIA Director Julia Dale said. "We appreciate the USDOL's swift action to provide much needed relief through expanded waivers for Michigan workers who received federal pandemic unemployment benefits."

In July, UIA issued approximately 350,000 waivers to ensure that Michiganders who received overpayments through no fault of their own were not required to repay such assistance they received during the pandemic to the federal government. The UIA is evaluating how many other claims might qualify for waivers under the USDOL guidance announced today.

As UIA makes waiver determinations, they will notify claimants by letter and through their MIWAM accounts of any change in the status of their cases.

"We ask that claimants remain patient and reply to any correspondence from UIA in a timely manner so we can get through these cases and provide relief to those facing repayment," Dale said.

Michigan was among numerous states that were following often changing federal legal guidance, but which subsequently identified workers who are not eligible for benefits. Michigan was at the forefront of seeking the legal authority from DOL and Congress to issue waivers so that eligible Michiganders are not negatively affected for following the established rules when they applied.

As part of its proactive approach to the waivers issue, UIA endorsed a National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA)?letter sent to Congressional leaders?that encourages Congress to pass legislation that allows states to waive non-fraudulent pandemic related unemployment compensation overpayments. Director Dale also has held numerous conversations with DOL on the regional and national level to seek guidance on issuing waivers to workers.

Waivers will not be applied to claims where UIA determines fraud is involved. UIA will continue to pursue efforts to reclaim fraudulent payouts by working with the Unemployment Insurance Fraud Response Team established by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in December and through collaborations with local law enforcement agencies.

###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 9, 2022

Contact: Press@Michigan.gov

Kurt Weiss, Weissk1@michigan.gov

Gov. Whitmer's 2023 Budget Puts Michiganders First, Invests Heavily in Students & Classroom Learning

Budget will create good-paying jobs, cut taxes for seniors and families, and make vital investments in the economy, education, infrastructure, public safety & public health?

LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer today released her fourth executive budget recommendation, once again making strong investments in education and putting Michiganders first by putting money back in their pockets and delivering on the issues that matter most to Michigan families. State Budget Director Christopher Harkins outlined the recommendations this morning to a joint session of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

The budget recommendation invests in the success of students and teachers, accelerated Michigan's economic momentum and supports our workforce, rebuilds the state's roads, bridges, and pipes, improves the health of residents, and bolsters public safety.

"Just two weeks ago, I delivered my State of the State address, where I outlined the bipartisan accomplishments of the past three years and shared my vision for the future. I laid out plans to cut taxes for seniors and working families by rolling back Michigan's retirement tax, giving more than 500,000 households an average of $1,000 a year, and raising the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit, putting an average combined refund of $3,000 back in the pockets of 730,000 working families," said Gov. Whitmer. "The budget I put forward today delivers on those tax cuts and makes strong investments in the kitchen-table issues that make a real difference in people's lives."

"This is a fiscally responsible budget that provides the type of investments that will move Michigan forward, with very strong support for our schools and for our economy," said State Budget Director Christopher Harkins. "With the added revenues available to us and the strong support we have received from the federal government, this is a unique opportunity to transform our state for years to come. I look forward to working with?the legislature over the next few months to ensure we get a budget into place by the June 30 deadline that makes the most out of this opportunity."

The budget plan accounts for the vision announced in Governor Whitmer's State of the State address to roll back Michigan's retirement tax and cut taxes for working families by raising the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit. Given current revenue projections, these tax relief measures are responsibly absorbed into the base budget without creating projected shortfalls and without creating future budget constraints.

The budget recommendation totals $74.1 billion, including a general fund total of $14.3 billion and a school aid budget totaling $18.4 billion. It provides a significant amount of one-time funding while maintaining balance in future years and does not utilize one-time funds for ongoing purposes.

Enhancing Education

The budget recommendation provides for a school aid budget that marks the biggest state education funding increase in more than 20 years-without raising taxes.

$580 million to increase base per-pupil funding from $8,700 to $9,135, a five percent increase that equates to $435 per student.

$222 million to fully fund supports for economically disadvantaged students by providing an additional 11.5% of the base per-pupil amount per student and eliminating proration, increases total to $746.5.

$150 million to increase supports for special education students by increasing the reimbursement of costs for special education students by five percentage points, bringing the reimbursement rate up from 31% to 36%.

$31 million for additional supports for vocational education and career and technical education. This includes an increase in state reimbursed costs, additional funding for equipment purchases, and additional funding for millage equalization payments.

$5 .3 million for increases for intermediate school district funding, English language learners supports, and students in rural and isolated districts. This amount represents a 5% increase in combined appropriated levels.

$1. 6 billion for educator retention programs that make sure our educators have the supports they need and the recognition they deserve for the work they do , i nclud ing :

$1.5 billion for payments to eligible teachers, administrators, and support staff who continue working in their school district over the next four years.

$50 million annually for teacher onboarding and mentoring programs.

$75 million for innovative approaches to addressing regional educator retention needs.

$600 million for educator recruitment programs to ensure the teacher talent pipeline continues to provide the education system with the best possible educators. Programs funded include scholarships for future educators, stipends for student teachers, training opportunities to create and improve school leaders, and expanded programs in school districts to recruit, train, and retain teachers from their communities.

$3 61 million for student mental health to ensure students with mental health needs can be identified and provided with the right support.

$66 million for school safety programs , build ing off existing school safety grant opportunities for districts and implement ing cross-sector approaches to prevent mass violence through partnerships between schools, public safety, mental health professionals, and communities.

$72.6 million for pre-K education programs , includ ing $56 million for the Great Start Readiness Program, which provides free preschool for income-eligible four -year- olds , to increase the full-day allocation from $8,700 to $9,135 per student and provide start - up funds for new programs and classrooms . The budget also includes increased funding for early identification and intervention services for younger children through the Early On Program as well as through home visitation and early childhood collaborative efforts.

$1 billion for the c reation of a school infrastructure modernization fund to provide $170 million annually in future years , awarded to districts for significant infrastructure projects to offset the cost for districts .

$50 million for before and after school programs to help students with unfinished learning needs, provide a safe place outside of school hours, and provide the extra-curricular activities that foster academic success.

$94.4 million for literacy-related programs and activities in Detroit Public Schools .

A 5% ongoing increase plus a 5% one-time increase for university and community college operations as well as $200 million for campus infrastructure, technology, equipment and maintenance (ITEM) funds.

Allow Michigan National Guard members to transfer tuition benefit s to their children and dependents.

"Governor Whitmer's education budget proposes major new investments in students, staff, and schools," said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. "The budget will improve our children's educational experiences across the state and will restrengthen public education by providing $4,000 to every school staff member over a two-year period and help to hire and train thousands of new teachers. The governor's budget puts students first and will help them in their classrooms and in their lives."

"Governor Whitmer's bold plan is the most transformational investment in public education we have seen in decades. The governor's budget proposal attacks Michigan's acute educator shortage head-on, and her plan will make a real difference in recruiting, retaining and respecting educators to help every student succeed," said Paula Herbart, president of the Michigan Education Association. "By addressing the educator shortage, as well as investing in mental health and school safety, the governor's proposal provides us critical tools to make Michigan a global leader in education."

"This is a budget that invests in students with the greatest needs," said Peter Spadafore, Executive Director of the Middle Cities Education Association. "By making school funding more equitable for economically disadvantaged students and those with special needs, we can ensure that districts have the resources necessary to give all our children a high-quality public education. We look forward to working with the governor and legislature to support a school aid budget that prioritizes Michigan students."

"Governor Whitmer's proposed education budget is yet another major step toward a better future for schools across Michigan at every level by proposing significant increases in essential funding for higher education and continuing to build toward equity in preK-12 funding," said David Hecker, President of AFT Michigan. "Investing in mental health services for students directly in schools has always been a priority for AFT Michigan and we're very pleased that Governor Whitmer is leading on this issue and making it a priority in her executive budget. Our community public schools can and should be places where students can grow and be confident in themselves both academically and mentally, while being able to access services when they struggle with either."

Growing Our Economy and Investing in Workers

The budget recommendation calls for funding centered on economic and workforce development, including:

$500 million deposit into the Strategic Outreach and Reserve Fund to provide funding for economic development projects that invest in Michigan's future and attract transformational projects that keep Michigan at the forefront of manufacturing.

$50 million for Electric Vehicle Rebates to provide a $2,000 point-of-sale rebate for the purchase of a new electric vehicle and a $500 rebate for at-home charging equipment for a new or used electric vehicle .

$40 million to provide aid to communities that have experienced significant economic impacts from the departure or disinvestment of large-scale employers and their workforces from their communities.

$500 million to provide hero pay for our f rontline w orker s in support and recognition of the ir sacrifice during the pandemic.

$230 million for Transformational Education Infrastructure to promote new collaborative approaches among higher education institutions and other partners in health science and medical education, and the electrification of vehicles and mobility.

$200 million for the Michigan Regional Empowerment Program to support the growth, development, diversification, and resiliency of regional economies through a competitive grant program.

$88 million to strengthen Michigan's Unemployment Insurance System.

$25 million for the Mobility Futures Initiative to support a statewide effort advancing Michigan's position in the rapidly evolving mobility sphere.

$85.8 million for innovative workforce development programs for a range of new investments in Michigan's workforce to address businesses' needs for talent and to ensure Michigan residents have the skills, training, and opportunities they need for good-paying jobs.

Fund the Office of Rural Development to help rural communities meet workforce, education, infrastructure, and connectivity needs through a $10 million investment for rural development engagement and support.

A major investment of $200 million is recommended for the Michigan Regional Empowerment program to provide matching funds for regional empowerment programs that support the development and resilience of regional economies across the state.

A further $30 million in support for economic development in food and agricultural industries plus $10 million for rural development grants.

"While many people were able to stay home, grocery store workers showed up every day from the beginning of this pandemic to make sure Michigan families had the food and supplies they needed," said John Cakmacki, president of UFCW Local 951. "Our members have paid out of pocket for child care and protective gear, and they have lost sick time and in some cases their health and even their lives. They deserve to be acknowledged and rewarded for their efforts, and we thank Governor Whitmer for doing so."

"Governor Whitmer's bold budget proposal is exactly what Michigan needs right now, and it is reflective of her continued commitment to working people," said Ron Bieber, President of the Michigan AFL-CIO. "Our heroic frontline workers put their lives on the line every day to ensure the health and safety of all of us, and this budget proposal is a major recognition of their service. With $3 billion allocated for direct pay to workers in the form of bonuses, wage increases, and raises for so many that risked their own safety through the pandemic, the Michigan AFL-CIO is committed to continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Governor Whitmer in advocating for Hero Pay at the state capitol."

Improving Public Health

The budget recommendation calls for funding centered on the health of Michigan families, including:

$243.3 million for increased access to dental services for Medicaid enrollees that replicates the success of the Healthy Kids Dental program for adults by procuring Healthy Kids Dental, HMP dental, and fee-for-service adult dental services through a single combined managed care contract. Another $4.3 million is provided to increase Medicaid reimbursement for outpatient hospital and ambulatory surgical centers.

$8.3 million to provide ongoing increase for family independence payments, $100 per month per child ages five and under to assist low-income families with the unique costs of caring for very young children.

$10.5 million for a child welfare services rate increase, which increases state rates to residential child caring institutions serving foster children by 5% and private residential juvenile justice providers by 12%.

$20 million for to address racial health disparities.

$50 million for statewide nutritional and food bank support to assist with infrastructure improvements to distribute food more efficiently to families in need of assistance, including the creation of an emergency stockpile of food in each food bank warehouse.

$25 million for student loan reimbursement for behavioral health providers.

$325 million for a new State Psychiatric Facility Complex, funds construction on a single campus, serving to replace facilities for the Hawthorn Center and Walter Reuther Hospital to increase inpatient capacity and improve efficiency of services provided.

$15 million to the Jail Diversion Fund to be used by the Mental Health Diversion Council to distribute grants to local entities to establish and expand jail diversion programs in partnership with local law enforcement and behavioral health services providers, ensuring that individuals with mental illness receive appropriate treatment.

"Governor Whitmer's budget will improve long-term health outcomes for millions of Michiganders," said Dr. Michael Maihofer, President of the Michigan Dental Association. "Research from the University of Michigan has shown that investments in dental care have a strong impact on improved oral health, and also help Michiganders seek new and better jobs. This is a much-needed investment that will help improve health outcomes for thousands of Michigan families."

Rebuilding Our Infrastructure

The budget recommendation calls for historic investments in Michigan's infrastructure, including:

$578 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to provide resources for several Michigan infrastructure projects that will continue to fix roads, bridges, railways, and local and intercity transit, while also providing capital improvements at airports.

$480 million in fiscal year 2022 to increase road and bridge construction for state and local roads, highways, and bridges.

$150 million to support projects that are economically critical, carry high traffic volumes, increase the useful life of key local roads, or will be completed in conjunction with bridge replacement projects.

$66 million for generators for pump stations to ensure reliable generator backup power is available at all 164 MDOT-owned pumping stations, increasing public safety measures for highway flooding events.

$60 million for rail grade separation to support projects at key congested local rail crossings that impede efficient movement of commercial and passenger vehicles and jeopardize timely public safety response in an emergency.

$3.9 million for the Michigan Automated Weather Observation System Replacement Plan to increase public safety by replacing the state's automated weather observations, some of which are 30 years old.

$5 million to fund and staff the newly formed Michigan Infrastructure Office to effectively and efficiently implement federal infrastructure funding and serve as an interagency coordinating body across state government and stakeholder groups.

"Governor Whitmer's budget will make Michigan's roads safer for Michiganders as they commute to work, drop their kids off at school, or run errands while helping to protect the hard-working folks risking their lives in work zones," said Geno Alessandrini, Business Manager for the Michigan Laborers Union. "Fixing local roads with the right mix and materials will support good-paying construction jobs and continue growing Michigan's economy."

"We applaud the Governor's continued call for increased investments into our state's infrastructure. Michigan's infrastructure has been disinvested and ignored for too long," said Rob Coppersmith, Executive Vice President, Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association. "We look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature in making these once in a generation investment but also look into the future and find long-term sustainable solutions to our infrastructure needs."

Investing in Safe Communities

The budget recommendation calls for funding centered on safe communities, including:

$50 million for first responder retention, to provide payments to law enforcement officers and public safety personnel, including state troopers, conservation officers, firefighters, EMTS, and local and state corrections employees who have performed hazardous work related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

$9.2 million for a state police trooper recruit school to graduate 50 new troopers in addition to the 120 troopers that are anticipated to be hired and trained using existing attrition savings.

$1 million for state police trooper recruitment to help broaden the racial, ethnic, and gender makeup of the Michigan State Police to make it more representative of the communities it serves.

$48 million for community technical assistance for lead line replacement projects.

$40 million for home plumbing to provide grants to households earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level to make minor home plumbing repairs to ensure safe drinking water and help make homes eligible for weatherization assistance.

$34.3 million for high water infrastructure grants to local units of government for high water level and climate resiliency planning and infrastructure needs, focused on addressing flooding, coastline erosion, transportation networks, urban heat, and storm water management

$69.3 million for cleanup of contaminated sites and to improve the ability to identify, assess, and cleanup sites of legacy contamination plus additional funds for rapid response

$10 million to begin the conversion of the state government fleet to electrical vehicles.

$1.6 million for food and agriculture preparedness and response to address gaps identified during the pandemic, helping create and maintain disease response plans.

"Law enforcement officers have stepped up from Day 1 of the pandemic to keep Michigan safe," said Rob Figurski, President of the Michigan Association of Police Organizations. "Investing in retention is the smartest use of tax dollars to support law enforcement. Keeping experienced officers in the profession needs to be our collective priority."

The budget recommendation also proposes a $51.8 million deposit to the Budget Stabilization Fund, which would bring the rainy day fund balance to nearly $1.5 billion.

There is $49.8 million included to provide a 5% increase in both ongoing and one-time statutory revenue sharing to help counties cities, villages and townships.

# # #

Copies and more details of the governor's recommended budget are available at www.michigan.gov/budget. Join the conversation on Twitter at #mibudget.
Dear Savvy Senior,

What is the best way to deal with older drivers who probably shouldnt be driving anymore? My dad, whos 86, is bound and determined to keep driving as long as hes alive.

Backseat Daughter

Dear Backseat,

For many families, talking to an elderly parent about giving up the car keys can be a very difficult and sensitive topic. While theres no one way to handle this issue, here are a few suggestions that can help you evaluate your dads driving and ease him out from behind the wheel when the time is right.

Take a Ride

To get a clear picture of your dads driving abilities, a good first step, if you havent already done so, is to take a ride with him and watch for problem areas. For example: Does he have difficulty seeing, backing up or changing lanes? Does he react slowly, get confused easily or make poor driving decisions? Does he drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate or drift between lanes? Also, has your dad had any fender benders or tickets lately, or have you noticed any dents or scrapes on his vehicle? These, too, are red flags.

If you need some help and your dad is willing, consider hiring a driver rehabilitation specialist whos trained to evaluate elderly drivers and provide safety suggestions. This type of assessment typically costs between $200 and $400. To locate a professional in your area, visit AOTA.org/older-driver or ADED.net.

Transitioning and Talking

After your assessment, if you think its still safe for your dad to drive, see if he would be willing to take an older driver refresher course.

These courses will show him how aging affects driving skills and offers tips and adjustments to help keep him safe. Taking a class may also earn your dad a discount on his auto insurance. To locate a class, contact your local AAA (AAA.com) or AARP (AARPdriversafety.org, 888-227-7669). Most courses cost around $20 to $30 and can be taken online.

If, however, your assessment shows that your dad really does need to stop driving, you need to have a talk with him, but dont get carried away. If you begin with a dramatic outburst like Dad, youre going to kill someone! youre likely to trigger resistance. Start by simply expressing your concern for his safety.

For more tips on how to talk to your dad about this and evaluate his driving skills, the Hartford Financial Services Group and MIT AgeLab offers a variety of resources to assist you. Visit TheHartford.com/lifetime and click on Publications on the menu bar, then on the We Need to Talk guidebook.

Refuses to Quit

If your dad refuses to quit, you have several options. One possible solution is to suggest a visit to his doctor who can give him a medical evaluation, and if warranted, prescribe that he stops driving. Older people will often listen to their doctor before they will listen to their own family.

If he still refuses, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles to see if they can help. Or call in an attorney to discuss with your dad the potential financial and legal consequences of a crash or injury. If all else fails, you may just have to take away his keys.

Alternative Transportation

Once your dad stops driving, hes going to need other ways to get around, so help him create a list of names and phone numbers of family, friends and local transportation services that he can call on.

To find out what transportation services are available in your dads area contact Rides in Sight (RidesInSight.org, 855-607-4337), and the Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116), which will direct you to his area agency on aging for assistance.
China works to meet demand for elderly nursing care beds

Xinhua) 11:04, February 27, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- As a country poised to address the issue of its aging population, China is now moving to tackle problems in elderly care, especially the proportionate lack of nursing care beds for seniors.

China has a considerable population of elderly people with disabilities, yet the huge demand for professional elderly care services has yet to be met.

To bridge the gap, China's State Council recently released a plan that specifies a host of supportive measures to boost the supply of nursing beds in elderly care institutions, and to raise their proportion in such institutions to 55 percent by 2025 -- a target outlined in China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).

Support will be delivered to approximately 1,000 public elderly care institutions to increase the number of nursing beds, and more of the central government budget will be invested in projects to construct new nursing care facilities for the elderly and upgrade care services, according to the newly released plan.

Efforts will be made to guide local authorities to implement differentiated subsidies for ordinary beds and nursing beds, improve protocols to verify eligible nursing beds, and establish regulations for the evaluation of the standard and quality of long-term care services, according to the plan.

While the supply of nursing beds for the elderly in professional institutions will be increased, community and home-based care services are also encouraged.

Many localities have piloted at-home elderly care services, offering such things as elderly friendly facilities, nursing beds and monitoring equipment.

Institutions are encouraged to provide professional care services directly to homes, which will also help meet demand.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid donated by India arrive in Torkham dry port of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Hamidullah/Xinhua)

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of humanitarian aid donated by India had arrived in Torkham dry port in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province via Pakistan, a local official said on Saturday.

"About 2,500 tons of wheat, which is part of 50,000 tons of wheat donated by India and laden in 42 trucks, arrived in Torkham port Saturday morning. The shipment will be transported to different provinces and distributed among the economically vulnerable families," the official told reporters.

The Pakistani government recently agreed to allow the overland transportation of humanitarian assistance from India to Afghanistan. 

Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid donated by India arrive in Torkham dry port of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 26, 2022. The first batch of humanitarian aid donated by India arrived in Torkham dry port in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province via Pakistan, a local official said on Saturday. (Photo by Hamidullah/Xinhua)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday, while Ukraine's embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow as Putin's troops and tanks drove deeper into the country.

Citing aggressive statements by NATO, Putin issued a directive to increase the readiness of Russia's nuclear weapons  a step that raised fears that the invasion of Ukraine could boil over into nuclear war, whether by design or mistake.

The Russian leader is potentially putting in play forces that, if theres a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Amid the mounting tensions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office announced that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border, where a Russian delegation was waiting Sunday.

But the Kremlins ultimate aims in Ukraine  and what steps might be enough to satisfy Moscow  remained unclear.

The fast-moving developments came as scattered fighting was reported in Kyiv, battles broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, and strategic ports in the country's south came under assault from Russian forces.

With Russian troops closing in around Kyiv, a city of almost 3 million, the mayor of the capital expressed doubt civilians could be evacuated.

Across the country, Ukrainian defenders were putting up stiff resistance that appeared to slow Russia's advance.

In the southern port city of Mariupol, where Ukrainians were trying to fend off attack, a medical team at a city hospital desperately tried to revive a 6-year-old girl in unicorn pajamas who was mortally wounded in Russian shelling.

During the rescue attempt, a doctor in blue medical scrubs, pumping oxygen into the girl, looked directly into the Associated Press video camera capturing the scene.

Show this to Putin," he said angrily. The eyes of this child, and crying doctors."

Their resuscitation efforts failed, and the girl lay dead on a gurney, her jacket spattered with blood.

Nearly 900 kilometers (560 miles) away, Faina Bystritska was under threat in the city of Chernihiv.

I wish I had never lived to see this, said Bystritska, an 87-year-old Jewish survivor of World War II. She said sirens blare almost constantly in the city, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) from Kyiv.

Chernihiv residents have been told not to switch on any lights so we dont draw their attention, said Bystritska, who has been living in a hallway, away from windows, the better to protect herself.

The window glass constantly shakes, and there is this constant thundering noise, she said.

Meanwhile, the top official in the European Union outlined plans by the 27-nation bloc to close its airspace to Russian airlines and buy weapons for Ukraine.

For the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The EU will also ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets, she said.

The U.S. also stepped up the flow of weapons to Ukraine, announcing it will send Stinger missiles, for shooting down helicopters and other aircraft, as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday. Germany likewise plans to send 500 Stingers and other military supplies.

Also, the 193-member U.N. General Assembly scheduled an emergency session Monday on Russia's invasion.

Putin, in ordering the nuclear alert, cited not only statements by NATO members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, including Putin himself.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said in televised comments.

U.S. defense officials would not disclose their current nuclear alert level except to say that the military is prepared all times to defend its homeland and allies.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told ABC that Putin is resorting to the pattern he used in the weeks before the invasion, which is to manufacture threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggression.

The practical meaning of Putins order was not immediately clear. Russia and the United States typically have land- and submarine-based nuclear forces that are on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.

If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile submarines to sea, then the U.S. might feel compelled to respond in kind, said Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists.

Earlier Sunday, Kyiv was eerily quiet after explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one airport. A main boulevard was practically deserted as a strict curfew kept people off the streets. Authorities warned that anyone venturing out without a pass would be considered a Russian saboteur.

Terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault. Food and medicine were running low, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Authorities have been handing out weapons to anyone willing to defend the city. Ukraine is also releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight, and training people to make firebombs.

Right now, the most important question is to defend our country, Klitschko said.

In downtown Kharkiv, 86-year-old Olena Dudnik said she and her husband were nearly thrown from their bed by the pressure blast of a nearby explosion.

Every day there are street fights, even downtown, with Ukrainian fighters trying to stop Russian tanks, armored vehicles and missile launchers, Dudnik said by phone. She said the lines at drugstores were hours long.

We are suffering immensely, she said. We dont have much food in the pantry, and I worry the stores arent going to have anything either, if they reopen." She added: I just want the shooting to stop, people to stop being killed."

Pentagon officials said that Russian troops are being slowed by Ukrainian resistance, fuel shortages and other logistical problems, and that Ukraine's air defense systems, while weakened, are still operating.

But a senior U.S. defense official said that will probably change: We are in day four. The Russians will learn and adapt.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The number of casualties from Europe's largest land conflict since World War II remained unclear amid the fog of war.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was not clear whether those figures encompassed both military and civilian casualties.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov gave no figures on Russia's dead and wounded but said Sunday his country's losses were many times lower than Ukraine's.

About 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday, according to the U.N. refugee agency.

Along with military assistance, the U.S., European Union and Britain also agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT system, which moves money around thousands of banks and other financial institutions worldwide. They also moved to slap restrictions on Russias central bank.

Russia's economy has taken a pounding since the invasion, with the ruble plunging and the central bank calling for calm to avoid bank runs.

Russia, which massed almost 200,000 troops along Ukraine's borders, claims its assault is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have also been hit.

___

Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns and Hope Yen in Washington; Francesca Ebel, Josef Federman and Andrew Drake in Kyiv; Mstyslav Chernov and Nic Dumitrache in Mariupol, Ukraine; and other AP journalists from around the world contributed to this report.
Mother of multiple award-winning dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale, Madam Elsie Avemegah better known as Shatta Mama has appealed to Ghanaians to help her rent an apartment.

According to Shatta Mama, two weeks ago she was evicted from the East Legon apartment Shatta Wale claimed to have bought for her six years ago.

Speaking to this portal, the overly dejected mother of the self-acclaimed dancehall king indicated that she is currently homeless and the only option she has is to appeal to the general public to help her rent a new apartment.

" Yes, I have been evicted from the East Legon apartment Shatta Wale got for me... Almost two weeks now I have nowhere to stay...I'm currently homeless...All attempts to reach Shatta Wale to settle the debts the landlady claims I'm owing have proved unsuccessful," Shatta Mama told Hotfmghana.com.

A teary Shatta Mama astonishingly added that "Since my son is not helping me, I will please appeal to the general public to help me rent a new apartment. They can either give me money to rent or can dash me an apartment. I only need a place to call my home. The embarrassment is too much."

---Hotfmghana.com II Contributor on Modernghana.com
An Educational Leadership Scholar at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. G. K. T. Oduro has said, for Ghana to achieve an inclusive development, quality education must be the pivot around which national development should revolve.

He noted that "Not just education but quality education."

Prof. Oduro made these remarks when he delivered a public lecture as part of the 69th Anniversary celebration of the Past Students Association of Keta Senior High School (KETASCO) under the theme "Education for sustainable development."

The former Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Oduro, however spoke on the Founders Day lecture on the sub-theme Harmonizing school rules for inclusive and equitable education in Ghana at the GNAT Hall, Accra on the 21st of February, 2022.

The Educational Leadership Scholar shared his view on the topic within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which fundamentally seek to make life meaningful to everybody, irrespective of age, gender, economic status or geographical location.

"It is my view that the pivot around which the 17 SDGs through which the UN seeks to ensure meaningful life for all revolves is Education," he stated.

According to Prof. Oduro, the issues of inclusiveness and equity within the context of quality education are of merit because " the basic school pupil of today, the SHS student of today and the University student of today constitute the hope of our countrys future."

He added, "students represent the backbone of our countrys sustainable development". He added, all of us whether employed within the public and civil service as teachers, lecturers, doctors, soldiers, policemen, engineers, accountants etc. of today, will grow old and retire.

"It is the students of today who will take over from us. Without ensuring inclusive access to quality education and promoting equity in terms of resource distribution among schools located within the rural less-endowed and urban endowed geographical divides, there would be challenges getting adequate competent graduates from our schools to replace us in the various sectors of our nations economy."

This according to him, "Will adversely affect sustainability of our countrys development initiatives."

In dealing with issues regarding rules and regulations in schools, he underscored the fact that," The provision and delivery of quality school education depends largely on rules and regulations. This is because no human institution can be progressive without having rules that govern its operations and regulate its human resource".

In his view, rules are principles that regulate the conduct of people and prescribe acceptable and unacceptable behaviour necessary for accomplishing an institutions mission.

He argued that, in the school environment, there are rules to control behaviors of students, teachers and related staff, all geared towards the accomplishment of each schools mission.

The former Pro Vice Chancellor was not oblivious of the fact that, in the 21st Century, however, some schools have encountered legal challenges for enforcing school rules leading to the debate as to whether school-specific rule formulation and enforcement should be encouraged.

Some people hold the view that the practice where each school has its own rules is outdated. He cited the case involving the Rastafarian students at Achimota School (an issue which raised serious human rights concerns in the country) and the confusion occasioned by Muslim girls fasting at Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast.

With reference to the above issues, Prof. George Kwaku Toku Oduro averred that, the GES has been urged to harmonize school rules that will govern every schools operations in the country.

According to him, Article 28 (4) of the 1992 Constitution provides that No child shall be deprived by any other person of medical treatment, education or any other social or economic benefit by reason only of religious or other beliefs. In the case of Achimota, did the school err in enforcing its school rules, he questioned.

Dovetailing into the issue of harmonizing school rules, Prof. Oduro drew the attention of the gathering to the fact that "Rules and regulations governing educational operations are formulated at two levels: the macro and micro- levels."

He expounded that, at the macro level, policy makers (in our case, the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service) have the responsibility of ensuring that rules are in place for effective and efficient functioning of schools within the broad framework of the 1992 Constitution.

He stressed these rules include spelling out conditions for becoming and operating as a school, designing curriculum, staff recruitment and promotion, conditions for transfers and study leave, teacher behaviour standards, conditions for student admission, placement, promotion and dismissal, standard expected behaviour of students, distribution of teaching and learning logistics and other rules that are generic by nature.

"Macro level rules are binding on all teachers and students, as well as auxiliary staff irrespective of whichever school one finds him/herself in and school managers are expected to enforce them."

In dealing with the micro-level rules, he said, they are school-specific, made within the broader framework of macro-level rules and enforceable within each specific school. " They are formulated by the Governing Board of each school and implemented by the management of each school".

Prof. Oduro indicatedthat, "School-specific rules in Ghanas public educational institutions have since the inception of school education in the country promoted contextual values linked to a schools identity, vision and motto."

According to him, such rules have promoted healthy competition among schools in terms of discipline and provided schools individual identity through their prescribed school uniforms, study habits, cultural context, moral values etc.

"It is these school specific-rules that have sustained the identity and performance culture of schools such as KETASCO, Adisco, Kwabotwe, Holico, Wey Gey Hey, Achimota, SWESCO and others."

He continued, "Prominent sons and daughters of our dear motherland, have studied under these school-specific rules without a feel of discrimination in terms of religion, gender, tribe, politics, etc because they cherished the motto of the schools and committed themselves to obeying the rules.

"You adapted yourself to the school culture which provided you the right ambience for maximizing the purpose for which you chose to attend the school". "In effect, when you come to KETASCO, you must do what DZO LALIS DO, provided the said action does not negate the development of your personality."

In concluding, he paid a glowing tribute to the KETASCO Governing Board, the Headmaster and his management team, teachers, students and the Alumni Association for the groundbreaking performance put up by the school during the 2021 National Science and Maths Quiz.

"Your contestants, especially Francisca, were fantastic and strongly demonstrated the spirit behind your motto Dzo lali  Fly Now or Never !!!"

"Again, Remember rules and their enforcement are a necessary evil in the provision of inclusive and equitable education in Ghana provided education school rule makers and school rule administrators adopt a more inclusive approach to rule formulation and eschew all forms of discrimination in the application of school rules."
The Institute of Leadership and Development ( INSLA) has called on government to establish a central laboratory for testing of food products in Ghana.

The Institute also urged political parties, civil society organizations and the media to help put pressure on the government and force policy makers to set up the central food testing laboratory.

The Institute made the call on Thursday when it engaged cross sections of political parties and the media in a roundtable discussion on the negative effects of Trans-fatty Acid ( TFA) foods and the need to minimize its consumption and subsequent elimination.

In his address Mr. Issah Ali, the INSLA Project Manager was of the view that the central laboratory when established will go a long way to help in the fight against TFA foods and promote the consumption of quality and healthy food products in the country.

He bemoaned the situation whereby Ghana lacks the capacity to pick food items from the market centers to tests at laboratories.It is sad that Ghana has no central laboratory to test food items to ascertain whether the food products contain TFA or not and something serious must be done to curb this challenge, he noted.

INSLA has called on political parties to play critical roles in forcing the government to formulate and implement policies to help eliminate Trans Fatty Acid ( TFA) foods in Ghana.

As key stakeholders, political parties must demand from the government and push policy makers to do the necessary investments needed to help the country curb the menace of TFA foods from the markets.

Mr. Issah Ali, called on participants particularly those from political parties to force the sitting government to critically take action in the fight against TFA foods in the country.

The INSLA Project Manager noted that his outfits is working within the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) framework set by the World Health Organization ( WHO) to formulate and enforce laws to shape and influence policies.

He bemoaned situations whereby most of the foods purchase and consume from the markets rather worsens our health conditions than to make us healthy . He therefore advocates for the need for Ghanaians to start patronizing and consuming quality and healthy food products as advocated by the goal 2 of the SDGs.

When we promote healthy lifestyles we must not discriminate against any individual or religion if we are to achieve our objectives of limiting or totally eliminating TFA foods from our markets and food joints, he entreated.

The INSLA Project Manager further touched on the REPLACE document which was formulated by inter sectorial agencies to quickly address production of TFAs or industrially produced oils which are very unhealthy and dangerous to our health.

The REPLACE, Mr. Issah Ali explained serves as a roadmap for countries to implement actions to reduce and eliminate industrially produced Trans-fatty Acid foods which also outlines strategic action areas to support the prompt , complete and sustained elimination of industrially.

On his part, Mr. Benjamin Anabila, the INSLA Director disclosed that the goal of the engagement was to create awareness on the negative impact of TFA and advocate for its elimination with the replacement of healthier oils and fats through the implementation of Ghana's Public Health Act and WHO's REPLACE Trans Fat Technical package in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders.

He therefore emphasised on the importance of their engagement with the political parties representatives which is for the purpose of policy making and education as well as informing them to include the project in their respective parties itineraries and programs to help eliminate the canker.

As political parties , Mr. Anabila pointed out, "you need healthier members and healthy citizens to promote your agendas and sustain our democracy respectively. Preventing and reducing heart diseases and stroke is a shared responsibility and the time to act is now."
27.02.2022 LISTEN

Lecturers at the C.K Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences have rejected the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of UTAG to suspend their strike action over poor conditions of service.

Following a referendum on NECs decision on the matter on Friday, 64% of the lecturers kicked against a suspension of the strike, while 35% voted to suspend the strike and return to the lecture halls.

1% did not answer the question.

The University Teachers' Association of Ghana, in a quest to honour the court's order, Vice-Chancellors pleas, the education committee of Parliament, amongst other relevant bodies, temporarily suspended its almost 7 weeks old strike.

The suspension decision was arrived at a National Executive Meeting to give the government until March 4, 2022, to finalise negotiations concerning their working conditions.

While that is ongoing, all the 15 public universities in the country are to vote for or against the suspension of the strike.

Lecturers at the University of Education Winneba (UEW), the University of Ghana (UG), University of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have all voted against the suspension.

The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), and the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) have voted in support of the suspension of the strike.

The referendum is expected to end by Monday, February 28, 2022, for the decision to be taken whether the strike should resume or remain suspended. A total of 8 universities voting for the suspension will cause the strike to remain. The reverse, however, will mean the strike should resume.

Despite the disparity in voting by members, several universities have already announced the resumption of academic activities.

citinewsroom
27.02.2022 LISTEN

First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu has accused Speaker Alban Bagbin of having become intolerant to other views different from his since becoming the Speaker of the eighth parliament.

Indeed, Mr Speakers last description of my ruling as illegal, unconstitutional and offensive is most unfortunate, Mr Osei-Owusu said in a statement, adding that it is the epitome of Mr Bagbins intolerance of differing views.

Mr Osei-Owusu had ruled against a private members motion to have COVID-19 funds probed and expenditure probed, which Mr Bagbin later described as unconstitutional, illegal and offensive and also accused his deputy of having the penchant to setting aside his (Bagbins rulings).

Mr Osei-Owusu, however, said: Mr Speaker should have the courage to accept that others may hold a different view from his own even if they are subordinate to him.

Read Mr Osei-Owusus full statement below:

RESPONSE TO RT. HON. SPEAKERS COMMUNICATION ON 23 RD FEBRUARY 2022 BY THE FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER, HON. JOSEPH OSEI-OWUSU

Ladies and gentlemen, I have had to resort to the media to respond to the formal statement by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin, to the House in the full glare of the media, because, I, unlike the Speaker, do not have the privilege of the use of order 53 (1) (e) which the Speaker has frequently resorted to in the 8th Parliament.

On Wednesday, 23rd February, Mr Speaker, once again, issued one such formal communication by Mr Speaker.

In the said formal communication, Mr Speaker purported to comment on the "error" which, in his view, I committed when I permitted the Deputy Majority Leader to raise a preliminary objection to a Motion Mr Speaker had earlier admitted and which was advertised on the Order Paper for the 23rd of February.

Mr Speakers complaint is that I should not have allowed the motion to be moved after same had been seconded but rather I should have allowed it to be moved before the motion he had earlier admitted was seconded.

I have read that Mr Speaker said that he had directed and actually instructed me to allow the Deputy Leader to move his motion before it was seconded.

Whilst I do not doubt Mr Speakers statement, I must confess that I heard otherwise and I, indeed, so ruled and stated that the objection be moved after secondment.

The Hansard will bear me out that I stated clearly that Mr Speaker said the motion or the preliminary objection be moved after secondment.

Indeed, if this was an error, it was an error I shared with the Minority, which also confirmed what I thought I heard Mr Speaker say.

But, Mr Speaker did not end it at pointing out my purported miscommunication or misapprehension of his "order"; rather, he continued to comment on what he says has become the penchant of the honourable First Deputy Speaker to overrule my rulings is to say the least, unconstitutional, illegal and offensive.

This is where I find Mr Speakers communication to the House most unfair and totally un-reflective of my conduct as the First Deputy Speaker in the 7th and 8th Parliament.

Mr Speaker proceeded to cite, as an example, my ruling on the motion by the Majority to declare the purported vote to reject the 2022 budget by 137 of the 275 Member House of Parliament as falling short of the number required to take a decision and therefore unconstitutional, null and void.

In fact, in his statement from the chair, subsequent to that ruling, he described my conduct as tantamount to insubordination.

On that occasion, I characteristically elected not to comment on Mr Speaker's statement in public in order not to create the impression that there's tension between him and his Deputy.

There is, however, no doubt that in putting the question when the record showed that there were less than half of all members of Parliament in the chamber, Mr Speaker had contravened Order 109(1) of the Standing Orders and, more importantly, Art 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution.

The purported decision of the house was a nullity and I rightly so declared it.

Ladies and gentlemen, admission of a motion by the Speaker is an administrative exercise. When the Speaker admits a motion and forwards it through the process to the Business Committee and same is programmed and advertised on the Order Paper, that marks the end of that process.

The admission of the motion is complete, A fait accompli. I cannot, by any stretch of imagination, see how that can be called a ruling of Mr Speaker and how I can overturn any such ruling.

I hold the view, however, that once the motion has been advertised on the Order Paper and placed before the House, a member is entitled to raise an objection to question its legality or otherwise.

When any such objection is raised and is argued, as was the case on Tuesday the 22nd of February, the presiding officer, whether it is Mr Speaker himself, any of his deputies or a member elected to preside, that presiding officer is duty bound to make a ruling after that objection has been argued.

On 22nd February, when Mr Speaker invited me to take the chair, he, Mr Speaker, had already admitted the motion to raise the preliminary objection and had, indeed, directed when that motion should be taken.

After I heard arguments from the proponents of the motion and adversaries, I was convinced that the objection was well-placed and I, therefore, sustained it.

It was never a review of any decision earlier taken by Mr Speaker to admit the motion to set up a special committee, as he seems to suggest in his formal communication.

I relied on Order 191 of the standing orders in coming to the decision I arrived at. I am still convinced that the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has the mandate and character as the Committee sought to be set up by the motion earlier admitted by Mr Speaker.

To say that my ruling is offensive, illegal or unconstitutional because he would have ruled differently, is, in my view, a rather dangerous approach to democracy.

Mr Speaker and I have worked in different capacities since the 6th Parliament. In the 6th Parliament, while he was the Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Committee, I was the Ranking Member of the same Committee.

We worked closely together on a number of Bills and we had different views on a number of issues during our work. We each, strongly, argued our positions and when we could not reconcile our different positions, we agreed to disagree, but we each respected the others right to his view.

In the 7th Parliament, we were the two deputy speakers to the then-Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Mike Oquaye.

On and out the floor of Parliament, we held different views on a number of issues. Holding a different view on issues from Mr Speaker, therefore, is not new to him. Since becoming the Speaker, however, Right Hon Bagbin appears to think that holding a different view from himself is unbecoming and insubordinate of a Deputy Speaker.

Indeed, Mr Speakers last description of my ruling as illegal, unconstitutional and offensive is most unfortunate and epitome of intolerance of differing views.

Ladies and gentlemen, l would like to place on record that the Speaker, a Deputy Speaker or a member presiding, exercises the same powers and applies the same Standing Orders and Constitutional provisions to manage the House whiles on the Chair.

It is NOT the case of the President and his Vice, as Mr Speaker suggests. As many times as I have the opportunity to preside, I will apply the Standing Orders and relevant constitutional provisions as I understand them and, if need be, be guided by precedent.

I have never entertained any application for a review of a ruling of Rt. Hon. Speaker and I will never do so.

Finally, in Mr Speakers last communication to the House, he stated, in fact, the Hon. First Deputy Speaker was in my office, and I am telling you what I told him before leaving for the airport.

Yes, I went to Mr Speakers office to inform him that I am leading Ghanas delegation to the Pan-African Parliament Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the morning of 23rd February, but it is not true that Mr Speaker commented on my ruling in my presence at that meeting neither did he say any of the things in his statement to me.

Rather, he said he had had complaints that I had overruled the minority's motion but he has now obtained copies of the proceedings of the 22nd and he is now going to look at it. He then moved on to discuss other things relating to our work as a Parliament.

Indeed, he said he had not read the proceedings as at the time I met with him, so I am surprised to hear that he said he commented on it to me. I have never shied away from showing my disagreement with Mr Speaker if need be, in my view, that is what democracy is about and that is what it ought to be.

Mr Speaker should have the courage to accept that others may hold a different view from his own even if they are subordinate to him.

Thank you.

Classfmonline.com
Ghanaian students living in the city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine, have arrived safely in Romania.

They were evacuated following the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integrations arrangement for Ghanaian students to leave Ukraine.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, due to the difficulty in airlifting the students as a result of the shutdown of Ukrainess airspace, it arranged for them to be evacuated by land through Belarus, Moldova, Hungary and Slovakia.

The students who have arrived in Romania will be catered for by the Romanian government according to arrangements made by Ghanas Foreign Ministry.

In a tweet by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Saturday, 26 February 2022, the association confirmed the safe arrival of the students in Romania.

---classfmonline.com
The Very Reverend Professor Johnson Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, President, Trinity Theological Seminary (TTS) has applauded the Police for their efforts at checking false prophesies by some Ghanaian pastors.

He said unguarded prophetic pronouncements had created panic and put the lives of many in danger and cautioned pastors and other Christian leaders to be wary of such misleading prophecies some of, which boarded on national security.

Prof Asamoah-Gyadu, speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the inauguration of the 80th Anniversary Planning Committee of the Seminary, said there had been a public outcry about the operations of such errant pastors and prophets necessitating the need for the Police to act.

The Ghana Police Service in a statement in December 2021 cautioned religious leaders in the country to be measured in their utterances, particularly the way they communicated prophecies.

You cannot hide under the guise of a prophetic gift to insult people and exploit the vulnerable and gullible all in the name of prophecies, he said, stressing that the police have a mandate to put them to order and that is what they are doing.

He said: If God has revealed to you that someone is going to die, did He also tell you to make the revelation on radio and Television and put his or her entire family in a state of panic and fear?

Prof Asamoah-Gyadu noted that after the Police had cautioned them, they had quietened, and said if it was really God who was speaking through them, they would have spoken nonetheless.

He said though there were some charlatans parading as prophets and dishouring ministry, there were some honest prophets with true prophetic giftings in the country.

Touching on the strides the Seminary had chalked in the last 80 years, he said it had produced most of the chaplains in the country's Senior High schools, Universities and other educational institutions, regimental organisations, including the security services.

He said nearly all the senior pastors and clergies in the Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian Churches, among others had been trained at the Seminary with most of them having stints as lecturers at the Seminary.

As a faith-based educational institution, Prof Asamoah-Gyadu said, TTS continued to play a key role in the moral upbringing of the populace even at a time when moral decadence had sunk low in society.

He said through the training of the clergy, Ghanaians, especially the youth, were encouraged to be responsible and spiritually sound adults to contribute meaningfully to nation building.

The Rt. Rev. Dr Paul Boafo, Chairman of the Governing Council, TTS, who inaugurated the Committee, called on the members to work assiduously for the good of the Seminary and carry out their mandate with diligence.

The Rt. Rev. Samuel Kofi Osabutey, Immediate Past Methodist Bishop of Accra and Chairman of the 17-member Anniversary Committee, said as part of activities earmarked for the year-long celebration, a legacy project, to be immortalised, would be undertaken with a thanksgiving service in December.

The Trinity Theological Seminary, founded in 1942 in Kumasi, is the premier and leading ecumenical theological tertiary institution in Ghana and the West African sub-region.

GNA
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban inspects a border station with Ukraine in east Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022.(Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BEREGSURANY, Hungary, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban checked a border station with Ukraine in east Hungary on Saturday and consulted with local authorities and border guards in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"The war is next door, so we have to be very disciplined," Orban said to journalists a few hundred meters away from Ukraine on the side of the road.

Currently, the flux of people leaving Ukraine was nothing like the migration wave of 2015, but Orban warned this could change in the future: "For the moment, the war is further back in Ukraine, but if the worst case scenario is to happen, it could spread to our immediate vicinity, and we will have to be even more disciplined."

Orban informed that he consulted with local mayors and officials, and promised the central government would provide them with everything they should need.

A white tent was set up on the curb of the road to provide the arriving Ukrainian women and children with water, food and blankets.

Two mobile heaters were also being set up to give some warmth to those arriving on foot.

About a dozen people were entering Hungary following Russia's special military operation in eastern Ukraine, many of them have relatives in Hungary, and many just transit through the country. Those on their own were seated in vans of the local authority and driven to a shelter provided by the city council of Beregsurany, a village in Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg county in eastern Hungary.

By Saturday morning, local authorities estimated that 1,600 people have crossed the border from Ukraine.

"When on Hungarian soil, we treat them as anyone else, they are also to be helped," Orban added.

He also reaffirmed that Hungary's position was completely in line with the Europe Union (EU)'s position about sanctions against Russia: "There is war: now is not the time to be 'smart', it is time to be united."

"Our border with Ukraine is over 130 kilometers long. In this situation Hungary's security must also be guaranteed, because for us that is the most important consideration. I made it clear that Hungary will not take part in this war, and it will not allow itself to be drawn into it," he also said. 

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks to journalists after checking a border station with Ukraine in east Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022.(Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
For many people, familiarity breeds trust. Hospitals and clinics can be places of mistrust or uncertainty, in part because they are outside people's daily lives. Instead, people around the world may place more trust in prayer, worship, and other forms of religious practice and healing when facing physical or mental distress.

Anthropologists have long explained that biomedicine faults on trust because of its focus on fixing bodies as opposed to caring for whole people. This is partly because in many cultures health is perceived as a state of equilibrium. Fixing a part of the body does not necessarily restore balance as the patient perceives it.

It is not uncommon for people to believe that the cause of their illnesses is a result of curses or punishment from a deity or witchcraft.

Individuals may also prefer care from non-medical providers who are part of their culture, speak their language and understand the social issues related to their illnesses. Thus, many people trust cures that are socially or spiritually linked , such as traditional herbs, incantation, prayers, or soothsaying.

Some South Africans have rejected biomedicine because of historical aggressions from clinics and mistrust of clinical care. This includes discrimination under apartheid as well as persistent systemic failures, such as long waiting times, drug stockouts, inadequate equipment and poor doctor-patient relationships .

But not much is known about what happens to people's health in the long term once they abandon biomedicine. We wanted to know more about how people coped with chronic illness.

We interviewed 88 people recruited from a large disease surveillance study in Soweto, South Africa . Anyone who participated in the larger surveillance study was invited to participate in qualitative interviews. Forty-eight of the people we interviewed had been diagnosed with a chronic illness; the others had never been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Those with chronic illness revealed that they did not rigidly adhere to one system of care but moved between church healing, spirituality or biomedicine.

Social and spiritual factors influenced the choices that people in this study made to attain health or healing. Recognising the central role of prayer and spirituality in healing is crucial for clinicians and healthcare providers to understand why treatment focused on self-care and physical repair may not be effective.

God, church water and spirituality

God was at the centre of the participants' conceptualisation of health, illness or death. There was a common belief that God was a supernatural being who determined what happened to people's lives. Individuals were not able to attest to visible signs of healing brought about by prayer, faith or spirituality. But they still trusted and had faith that they were or would be healed:

I do tell myself that I was not born with high blood pressure, I was not born with diabetes. I know God will heal me.

Almost half of participants believed that illnesses were linked to cultural or spiritual causes  such as bad spirits, curses, bad luck or being bewitched  and that only spiritual interventions and prayers would heal a person.

As a result, people mentioned that they had developed faith and a close relationship with God  through prayers and reading the Bible individually or communally, and drinking church water for healing and wellbeing.

For example, drinking church water or what some called holy water or tea, locally called indayelo, emerged strongly as one way of attaining healing in Soweto. Church water was described as a liquid mixture of water, oil, tea and some herbs, prayed over by a church minister, pastor or omama bomthandazo (mothers/women of prayer). This was served at church or prepared for participants to take at home. This was a common practice among members of the Zion Christian Church.

Church water was said to be helpful in calming the body, or it induced vomiting. This process of ukukhipha inyongo, which means excreting gall or bile, was associated with eliminating disease within the body.

Other than trusting in God and drinking church water, some of the study participants coped through practices like spending time alone and meditating.

Our findings confirmed that mistrust of hospital care in Soweto influenced some people to seek alternative care. An elderly man managing diabetes and hypertension said:

I went to the clinic this month and the pills were finished, the Metformin pills for diabetes were not there. I decided to use traditional medicine and church water.

Other participants revealed that they had stopped taking hospital medication because they trusted in the church to heal them.

Thinking about how and where people heal is a fundamental goal of the healthcare system. Yet, because so much self-perceived healing occurs outside of the hospital and clinic, state programmes must recognise that the overuse of metrics and outcomes to mark the health or sickness of the nation overlooks how people feel heard, heal and live well. Recognising the many ways people live with multiple conditions is also crucial to look beyond clinical metrics and recognise how and why people depend on family members, neighbours, or institutions such as the church to live well and stay healthy.

Socio-cultural nuances and biomedicine

Our study sheds light on the role of socio-spiritual factors in people's understanding of illness and health, and how they influence the choices people make to attain health or healing.

Recognising the role of socio-cultural nuances  from prayer to ritual  may not only enhance mental health for people with chronic illnesses, but may also truly improve physical outcomes. For example, a study among cancer patients found that patients who reported a greater overall religiousness and spirituality had better physical health, greater ability to perform their usual tasks and fewer physical symptoms of cancer and treatment. Spirituality has also been important in helping patients retain social roles and relationships in the face of illness.

Thus, integrating socio-cultural nuances within biomedicine could afford patients a more complete form of care, bringing together biological, psychological, social and spiritual approaches.

Emily Mendenhall receives funding from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant nos R21TW010789 and is affiliated with Elsevier for her work as Editor-in-Chief of SSM-Mental Health.

Edna N Bosire and Lindile Cele do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

By Edna N Bosire, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Georgetown University (USA) & Kamuzu University of Health sciences (Malawi); Researcher, DPHRU, University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) & Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, East Africa., University of the Witwatersrand And

Emily Mendenhall, Professor, Georgetown University And

Lindile Cele, Research associate, SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand
If Ghana is broke, Ken Ofori-Atta, it is whose fault? Mahama was doing better, and the NPP government promised Ghanaians to make it better and reduce taxations because the NDC government is corrupt and has mismanaged the economy.

We witnessed several demonstrations against the NDC and since the common Ghanaians believed in your promises, the NPP won the 2016 elections. Unfortunately, the NPP has proved to be dishonest and the most corrupt political party in the history of Ghana. This is something many wouldn't like to admit.

The NPP rather has introduced multiple taxations than any Ghanaian political party. They failed the fight against corruption, as of now, we have Eugene Arhin, Charles Bissiw, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Paul Adom-Otchere, and many others involved in serious corruption in the NPP government.

Therefore, why should the incompetence and the failure of the NPP government to fight against corruption become the common Ghanaians' problems? The common people have the right to reject the E-Levy.

I consider Nana Akufo Addo to be the luckiest among all the Ghanaian leaders, simply because he is the only president who hasnt achieved anything in the country, yet Ghanaians continue to entertain him. Many are scared because of the tyranny type of government he has adopted.

What the NPP government or Akufo Addo has to understand is, they are responsible for the current political and economic disasters in the country, therefore, the government should find solutions to pay those they owe but not to force E-Levy on the common Ghanaians to pay their debts.

You will hear the voices of Ken Ofori-Atta and Nana Akufo Addo asking Ghanaians to accept the E-Levy but when you asked them where are the missing COVID 19 funds or why such huge debt if there is nothing to show what the monies were used for? The government pretends to be deaf with no explanations.

Why is the NPP treating Ghanaians as fools? The answer is simple the party didn't genuinely win the 2020 elections. That's why everything is falling apart in that country. You don't have the skills and wisdom to rule a country, yet you have forced your way to win the election, this is how the results will be.

In any good country, the people need to say enough is enough and ask for the resignation of the Finance Minister. That's true Ken Ofori-Atta should step down. This is how it is in any developed and some developing countries.

Since the common Ghanaians have failed to ask for the resignation of Ken Ofori-Atta, the blind corrupt NPP government feels so proud and wants to force the E-Levy on the people.

I dont think any of the NPP politicians, including the president himself deserve to continue taking salaries because the governments leadership for the past five years has been a waste. They have denied the common people that gave them power everything, including jobs.

Therefore, why should the people give Caesar what he doesnt deserve? Ghanaians will be happy to pay every tax if works are available in the country.

Akufo Addo is just as desperate as his relative, the Finance Minister, trying every cunning method to pass this fraudulent E-Levy. Ken Ofori-Atta is now telling Ghanaians without E-Levy it will be hard for payments to be done in the country, who cares?

Mahama didnt ruin Ghana the way it is today but what was done to him during his era cant be compared to how people are treating Akufo Addo today, despite the carnage and destruction done to the country politically and economically.

Ghanaians have every right to reject the E-Levy, I will advise the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Bagbin must not yield to Akufo Addos greed and selfishness to ruin his relationship with the common Ghanaians that now look upon him as their savior but not the president.

I will also advise the common Ghanaians not to be worried or feel pressured with every cunning method and foolish excuses the Ken Ofori-Atta will come out with to force this fraudulent E-Levy.

You are Ghanaians, you gave them that power, therefore, you have the right to tell the Finance Minister, If Ghana is broke, let the Ministers cut their pays to save the country.

Was the Dark Continent named Africa because such stupid things happening in Ghana are never accepted in developed countries? I don't understand. It's the right of the common Ghanaian to reject the E-Levy.
The Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Dr. Kojo Asante, has commended Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for his decision not to reverse the rulings of the his deputy, Joe Osei-Owusu, which were against his earlier rulings.

According to the Senior Research Fellow, the action by the Speaker shows for the way for ensuring harmony and peace in this hung parliament.

Speaking on Citi FM and Citi TVs news analysis show The Big Issue, Dr. Asante said given the weight of rulings of a Speaker of Parliament, partisan politics must not be made to take centre stage in rulings that are given.

I have to commend Bagbin for the restraint. For me, that is the path that they have to go to correct the way that they are engaging in parliament. On two occasions he has refused to overturn a ruling of his deputy that has overturned his earlier ruling. He has showed restraint and I think that opens the door for talking and discussions on how best to deal with this matter [chaos in parliament, he said.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, last Wednesday took on his first deputy, Joseph Osei Owusu over the latter's decision to dismiss a private member's motion seeking to probe the government's COVID-19 expenditure.

According to him, such actions are illegal and offensive and must not reoccur, especially when he had already admitted the motion.

The penchant of the First Deputy Speaker [Joe Osei Owusu] 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 Hon. Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, he said but Mr. Osei Owusu has in a statement said Bagbins comment takes a rather dangerous approach to democracy and indicates intolerance to divergent views.

Dr. Asante, while commenting on the development said, extra care must be taken with regards to rulings made in parliament by the Speaker of Parliament or anyone presiding as speaker.

We have to be careful so we dont play Ping-Pong with it. [Ruling] has to show consistency. If we introduce unnecessary politics into it just to secure something for our benefit, it is going to be a problem, so I am happy that Bagbin took that approach, he added.

citinewsroom
27.02.2022 LISTEN

The National Union of Ghanaian Students, NUGS, has confirmed that their colleagues in the city of Chernivtsi-Ukraine, have arrived safely in Romania.

They are receiving care from the Romanian government following arrangements with Ghanas Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We have confirmed very reliably that Ghanaian Students who were in the City of Chernivtsi-Ukraine have arrived safely in Romania  and are being catered for by the government of Romania as per arrangements made by the @GhanaMFA. Their food, shelter, and basic needs are all being taken care of. Train to Hungary safely on the move as well.

Meanwhile, according to NUGS executive in Ukraine, 21 students are at the Hungarian border getting ready to enter Hungary, whiles about 150 students have set off from Ukraine to Hungary including about 400 Nigerians.



Speaking with the Honorary Consular-General in Budapest and the Ghana Ambassador in Prague, they preferred the students remain in one place (something like a refuge status). This is to help them to know their total number and arrange for air tickets.

However, if a student already has a ticket, they can be taken to the airport and flown to Ghana.

Early on, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said a list of students in Ukraine has been obtained and efforts are far advanced to evacuate them.

Following the closure of the Ukraine airspace, it has become challenging to airlift our compatriots from Kiev and other parts of the country. Hence, the only viable means is by land to neighboring countries such as Moldova, Belarus, Slovakia, and Hungary.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry also indicated that relevant Ghanaian missions and Honorary Consuls are on standby to help the students who have already begun their road trip to Hungary and Romania.

The officials of relevant Ghanian diplomatic missions and Honorary Consuls are on standby to facilitate the passage of students who had commenced their journey by road to Romania and Hungary.

The Ministry urges Ghanaians in Ukraine, to keep calm as measures are being finalised to ensure their safe evacuation.

citinewsroom
Former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, MFWA, Prof. Kwame Karikari, has asked media houses that have political affiliations to declare their stance to enable a clear distinction between political stations and professional media houses.

According to him, some media houses have resorted to propaganda, abusing press freedom.

Taking his turn at a roundtable discussion on 'Exploring the Boundaries of Freedom of Speech' organized by Citi TV and the National Media Commission, Prof. Karikari stated the political affiliation of some media has influenced news content, demystifying journalistic professionalism in Ghana.

How do we promote greater professionalism in the media? If media organizations will be sincere with themselves and the public, they must define the character of their media organization. Say, I am for party A or B for us to know they are partisan, and we will not demand professional standards from them.

Speaking on the recent arrests of Journalists, he indicated that the law enforcers are acting in the right direction, citing a constant abuse of press freedom.

From where I am observing the media, there has been too much recklessness, too much abuse of press freedom, too much unprofessionalism. So, to some extent, if the law that exists is being used to caution, what we have to ensure is that the law enforcement agencies are legitimately enforcing the law.

Citinewsroom
27.02.2022 LISTEN

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would be willing to hold talks with Russia but rejected the Russian proposal for a meeting to be held in Belarus, a staging ground for Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

We've heard a lot of talk about a meeting between Ukraine and Russia that might end this war and bring the peace back to us. Quite often [Minsk] is mentioned as the place for these negotiations, Zelensky said in an address posted on the presidency website on Sunday morning.

The location was not chosen by [Ukraine] nor by [Belarus]. It was chosen by the Russian leadership.

Belarus has played a key role in Russias invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops invaded through the Belarus border with support from Belarus government, according to Ukrainian officials. The Biden administration has sanctioned nine Belarusian defense firms for their support of the invasion.

Addressing Belarus directly, Zelensky said: If there were no aggressive actions from your territory, we could talk in Minsk, your city. When you were neutral, we talked in Minsk. That's why we're not talking in Minsk now.

In 2015, Ukrainian and Russian officials met in the Belarus capital to draw up the Minsk Agreements, which included a fragile ceasefire in two areas of Ukraine taken over by pro-Russian separatists the year before.

Of course, we want peace and want to meet. We want to end the war. Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul and Baku were offered to Russia. Any other cities are fine with us as long as there are no missiles flying from this country, Zelensky said.

Source: CNN
Abidjan, Cote d'IvoireThe three-day international symposium (from February 23-25) on inter-religious dialogue - which was jointly organized by the Higher Council of Imams, Mosques and Islamic Affairs (COSIM) and the Ivorian branch of the King Mohamed Foundation of African Oulema, has ended with solemn announcement of a peace declaration.

The Abidjan Declaration - as the document is named, will serve as a roadmap for various African religious heads, authorities governing religious entities, and policy makers on religious affairs in their efforts at achieving inter-religious peace and harmony on the continent.

The declaration seeks to remind religious leaders that the universal values advocated by religions - such as inter-religious dialogue, solidarity, fraternity, tolerance, openness to others and respect for human dignity - are the basis for dialogue between civilizations.

The signatories to the declaration undertake to ensure that culture of dialogue among believers in all regions shall be established and be sustained in keeping with the laws of member countries - such as freedom of worship and of conscience.

It also condemns all forms of hate speech and acts of violence being perpetrated by a few individuals and groups - which endanger social stability - often leading to loss of lives and properties.

The document also urges African religious leaders and policy makers to unite and be steadfast against any threats of religious bigotry that may threaten social cohesion and stability on the continent, while advocating for the need to accord every individual equality before the law - regardless of his or her religious affiliation.

The document also calls on religious authorities to pool their efforts to help find solutions to the acute challenges in the health, environmental, and economic spheres.

The declaration also touches on climate change by urging the need for a joint effort at protecting biodiversity for the greater good of present and future generation - based on clear, universally accepted guiding principles.

Story by Alhassan Y. Al-Waiz, Special Correspondent
French deputies have given the green light to a law allowing citizens to change their name more easily.

The Assemblee nationale overwhelmingly passed the bill which makes it easier to replace the surname received at birth with the one of the other parent.

But it can only be done once.

The law - championed by the LREM deputy Patrick Vignal - allows an adult to go along to their town hall from 1 July and ask to take or add the name of his or her other parent.

Under the old legislation, the Ministry of Justice had to sanction the request which could only be made if the surname had been discredited, had pejorative connotations or was in danger of dying out.

Vignal, a deputy in the Herault region of southern France, hailed the law as a symbol of social progress.

"We parliamentarians must be the best advocates and representatives of our fellow citizens," he added.
The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate of Ghana Health Service has ranked Sekyere Kumawu District Health Directorate second in the 2021 holistic assessment performance ranking of districts.

The exercise placed Ahafo Ano South West Health Directorate first on the table, with Sekyere Kumawu occupying the second position and Oforikrom Municipal Health Directorate last on the table.

Mr. Lawrence Adinku, District Health Director, Sekyere Kumawu was happy about their performance for the year under review and was grateful to the entire workers of the District Health Directorate.

Speaking to the media, he thanked the District Chief Executive for the area, Hon. Samuel Addai Agyekum for his visionary step, support and commitment to Health related issues in the district.

He said, to him, the second position of his District on the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate table is just the beginning of greater things to come.

Mr. Lawrence Adinku further lauded Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Kodua, Kumawumanhene for his unflinching support to the welfare of Kumawu District Health Service.

It was his prayer that his District would be first on the table in subsequent years.
The Executive Director of the Youth Advocacy on Right and Opportunities (YARO), a nongovernmental organisation in Tamale, Mr. Douri Bennin Hajei, has revealed that resistance to the access of Adolescent Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services by the youth was still high in communities despite several years of sensitizations.

According to the Director, stigma attached to the family planning and the reproductive health services, scares the youth away from going to health facilities to access the aforementioned services.

He therefore urged the media to champion advocacy on the issues, to help minimise stigma surrounding it, and also increase youth access to the family planning and reproductive health in the communities.

"What we observed is that resistance to reproductive health and family planning services is still high," Mr. Hajei said.

Mr. Hajei noted that the organisation was implementing a number of youth led social accountability mechanism towards improving youth access to reproductive health services and family planning.

"Currently YARO is is implementing a number of youth led social accountability mechanism activities towards improving youth access to reproductive health services and family planning inn28 health facilities in Northern Ghana specifically Sagnerigu Municipality, Nadowli Kaleo, Yendi and Sissaala East Municipality," Mr Hajei stated.

He continued, "This project is supported by other partners under a USAID funded project called the Mementum Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) project. The project is training youth health volunteers who are leading the project implementation. The use of the Community Score Card in implementing this project is providing YARO and its partners the opportunity to understand the challenges of young people when it comes to accessing reproductive health and family planning services at the various health facilities across Northern Ghana."

He indicated that through the sensitization of young people, YARO and its partners were reducing stigma that are related to the youth accessing reproductive health and family planning services.

He appealed to parents and other stakeholders to support the the youth who are willing to access RPH or planning.

He also urged health institutions to make available adolescent corners in their facilities and also make it accessible to the youth, especially, the adolescents.

The MGL project calls on the media to help sensitize opinion leaders and adults in communities not to stigmatize young people in their quest to access reproductive health and family planning services.

About YARO

The Youth Advocacy on Rights and Opportunities (YARO) is a citizen-led, Youth, Women and child Centred Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1999 The organization exist to promote the wellbeing and rights of women, the youth and children in Ghana through the design and implementation of innovative and culturally sensitive development interventions that meet the needs of the target groups.

YARO facilitates the growth and development of communities in the areas of Education, Health, Governance, Agriculture & livelihood, and youth empowerment. Our programmes benefit over 500,000 young people, women, children, and other vulnerable groups (PWD and PLHIV).

YARO engages stakeholders (Young People, Women, Ministry of Agriculture, Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Service, Community leaders) to find solutions to challenges in vulnerable communities to bring about development.

Currently, it is recognized among the leading Citizen Centred Development organizations in Ghana with operational offices in the Northern, Upper West and Upper East, Savana and North-East regions of Ghana.
Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2022 shows a night view in Kiev, capital of Ukraine. (Xinhua/Li Dongxu)

KIEV, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Kiev is still under the control of Ukrainian forces as of Sunday morning, the Kyiv City State Administration said in a statement.

"The situation in Kiev is calm, the capital is completely controlled by the Ukrainian army and defense. There were several clashes with sabotage groups at night," said Mykola Povoroznyk, first deputy head of the administration.

According to Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency, a curfew is implemented here until 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) Monday, and the movement of private vehicles without special passes is prohibited during the period. 

Photo taken on Feb. 27, 2022 shows the empty street in the early morning in Kiev, capital of Ukraine. (Xinhua/Li Dongxu)

Photo taken on Feb. 27, 2022 shows the empty street in the early morning in Kiev, capital of Ukraine. (Xinhua/Li Dongxu)

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2022 shows a night view in Kiev, capital of Ukraine. (Xinhua/Li Dongxu)
The Municipal Chief Executive for Effutu, Hon Zubairu Kassim on Saturday, February 26, 2022 led residents of the Municipal wide in a clean-up exercise.

The exercise was aimed at making the Municipality the cleanest in the Central region and also to create awareness with respect to the hosting of Ghana's 65th independence celebration in the Central region.

The exercise, which was conducted in all the eighteen electoral areas, brought together all Assembly Members, health professionals, security officers, electoral area coordinators, Assembly staff and the general populace to clean the frontage of homes, drainage system, clearing of weeds to make the Municipality clean.

According to Hon Zubairu Kassim, it was very necessary to have residents committed to making sure their environments are always clean.

I personally supervised and participated in the sweeping and cleaning on the streets and the desilting of drainage systems, he indicated that the move was necessary to show leadership by example as a way of motivating the residents to keep their surroundings clean always, Hon Zubairu said.

He mentioned that the Municipality is well-positioned as one of the major traveler and tourist hubs in the Central Region.

He added that the Effutu is the unofficial gateway to Central region hence the need to keep it neat and attractive to both tourists and investors at all times.

He indicated that the clean-up exercise was going to be held periodically to sustain the hygienic conditions always.

I will make sure that the streets especially the major ones are well swept once every month in order to keep it neat and tidy at all time, Hon Zubairu underscored

He hinted that, aside from the sweeping and desilting, plans were far advanced by his administration to beautify Winneba with painted pavement.

He wanted to decorate same with flower pots at vantage points for beautification purposes.

The Effutu MCE urged residents to desist from dumping refuse on the streets and endeavor to make the Municipality the cleanest in the region.
27.02.2022 LISTEN

A Ghanaian non-profit making entity, Ronkon Foundation has donated an amount of GH16,000 and 10 cartons of bottled water to the Weija Leprosarium to aid it's activities.

The donation which forms part of the foundation's objectives is aimed at improving lives at the Leprosarium as well as the vulnerable children and adults, less privileged, disabled and orphans in the various communities.

The exercise which happened on Tuesday, 22nd February, 2022 was it's first donation since inception in 2020.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Ronkon Foundation, Mr. Roger Owusu Nkansah stated that the donation was in line with his birthday celebration.

He added that giving back to the leprosarium would serve as a source of motivation to others to emulate.

"I heard about the Leprosarium about ten years ago through the media. I learnt that they were not living in good conditions, they have bad shelter, lack of proper food among others.

"So I decided to do this donation with my hardworking and dedicated members on my 40th birthday, we had initially wanted to give them food items but we also realized that it won't go well, that was why we did only the cash. I am sure other individuals or entities would also follow to help the needy and disabled in our societies," the CEO, Mr. Roger Owusu Nkansah added.

He, however, lamented the poor treatment from the government, adding that there should be a proper mechanism to facilitate the well-being of individuals at the Leprosarium.

Director of Operations at Ronkon Foundation, Mr. Stephen Tsetsekple revealed plans of other worthy activities to be carried out later in the year.

"Just as we did to the Weija Leprosarium, we are also looking at donating to the school of the blind in Mampong in June and in September we also do same to the school of deaf also in Mampong," he said.

"We are also trying to organize some charitable activities to support the less privileged in the various communities," he added.

The management of the Weija Leprosarium in an interaction expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the foundation.
India's actual Covid-19 fatalities are likely to be seven times higher than the official estimate of 510,000 deaths, a French expert said. The government rejected the study, asserting it followed globally acceptable practice for a proper body count.

Population scientist Christophe Guilmoto pegged India's Covid-19 mortality at between 3.2 million and 3.7 million by November last year when India's official virus toll was 459,000.

If his calculations are accurate then India would have the world's highest number of virus casualties and 27 times more than the French coronavirus toll of 139,489.

Quality samples

The government in Delhi blasted Guilmoto's study for basing it on limited surveys.

But the expert insisted the analysed sample numbers provided good quality data for India, which has posted 42.9 million coronavirus infections since March 2020.

When we don't have the same quality data for the whole population, we have to extrapolate from a sample, Guilmoto told RFI.

The scientist said he sampled four sets of populations and using a mathematical process reached his conclusions.

Sometimes, samples come from surveys but there have been no surveys devoted to Covid mortality in India where we had only Sero-surveys so what you want to do in that case, you use sub-samples, he said.

India's reaction

The Indian government in a statement dismissed Guilmoto's argument as fallacious.

This exercise runs the risk of mapping skewed data of outliers together and is bound to give wrong estimations, thereby leading to fallacious conclusions, the statement added.

Based on globally-acceptable categorization, government ... has a comprehensive definition to classify Covid deaths which has been shared with states and the states are following it, it added.

Even with the new figure, India would still rank 19th in the world when calculating fatalities in proportion to population, analysts say.

Guilmoto, a demographer at the Marseille-based Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, joined India's Centre de Sciences humaines research group in Delhi during India's devastating Delta surge last spring.

Second claim

Rajib Dasgupta from Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University advised researchers to crunch data with extreme care.

It is a general caveat that estimations and models are prone to errors and all good modellers specify their assumptions, he said but added a court ruling on state dole-outs for relatives of Covid victims revealed the magnitude of the pandemic.

The actual claims disbursed for Gujarat (state) turned out to be at least eight times the official toll and more than two and a half to three times for Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, Dasgupta, a community health expert, told RFI.

Guilmoto's report came a month after researchers led by Toronto-based epidemiologist Prabhat Jha put India's Covid toll at 3.2 million but that estimate too was rejected by the government as fallacious, ill-informed and mischievous.

The French demographer endorsed India's data collection system and said his effort was only to help find the missing pieces.

It is not new for me as when we provide new estimates to governments or local authorities, they are a little bit uneasy because they have been collecting data which are showing something different.

We are only trying to encourage the statistical system to be strengthened in India, Guilmoto added.

An Omicron-driven winter surge was largely uneventful and attributed to India's high-paced vaccination drive which hit the mark of one billion doses in November 2021.

Some 780 million Indians have taken both doses and the ailing elderly are offered a booster shot from a growing tray of antidotes now in India.
The Reverend Okoh Lamptey of The Divine Healers Church, District A West 2, has appealed to the citizenry to pray for peace in Russia and Ukraine.

 Let's be together in prayer for both countries, the leaders of the countries, and the citizens as well, he said, stressing, the war would disturb world peace.

He said this during the Church's Founders' Day Celebration on Sunday in Accra.

The Reverend Okah said without understanding and the fear of God, there would not be peace and asked Christians to pray without ceasing for understanding for world leaders.

He called for prayers and support for Ghanaian nationals in Ukraine, especially students and also asked that prayers be offered regularly for members of Parliament and Ghana.

GNA
A youth group within the Eastern region - "Action Movement Youth" (AMY), is calling on His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo to give Yilo Krobo and its environs a mango processing factory.

Yilo krobo is one of the few leading mango farming districts in Ghana which makes it a hub for high demand of the best mangoes in varieties found in Ghana.

The district has begged for a Mango Processing Factory under the Nana Addo's gov't Flagship Programme since 2017, till date yet they do not get a hen coup from the government according to the group.

Yilo Krobo has never benefitted from any programme of this government. We already have the resources, we need a factory to process it, is this too much to ask? The convenor quizzed.

Several calls have been made yet, the gov't is still adamant .

Somanya and Okwenya have been leading mango farming communities which is the major occupation of the inhabitants since time immemorial, people come from far and near to patronize, but we need a processing factory to turn the raw materials into finished goods.

We are appealing to the government to consider establishing a mango processing factory in the Yilo Krobo municipality.

The District is endowed with the cultivation of mangoes which could be processed for export as well as creating jobs for the youth in Yilo Krobo.

We hope for the swift response and intervention from the President and Minister of Trade and Industry.

Thank you.

Youth Convenor

Moses Tettey Dometey (BOLA RAY JNR)

President of AMY Group

HP: 0246969345

(26/02/2022)
27.02.2022 LISTEN

Social media and the Internet, at large, is replete with a gamut of chronology of events on the reasons for the Russian invasion on Ukraine including but not limited to the following;

The 2013 overthrow of the former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yakunovych which the West is believed to have tacitly fomented for his Eastward tendencies, the secession of Crimea to, now, become part of Russia.

Also, the open support of Russia to the East of Ukraine in the areas of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Odessa to achieve their objective of becoming independent from Ukraine has created an unimaginable tension between the two nations and brought about this notorious invasion much to the protest of Moscow itself.

What ought to be held responsible is one that points to the continued expansionist activities of the Former Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

The character and nature of NATO and USSR, though defunct, which was to clamour for membership and support of more nations, as it were, has continued to expressly show in their foreign diplomatic relations with other nations all in the name of monopoly of the world's politico-securo-economic power.

The point fundamentally is, Russia does not want Ukraine which is a bordering nation and was an important part of the USSR, though former, to have any inclination towards America and its allies that make up NATO. Why?

The above is essentially so because your enemy's friend is your enemy as well. In effect, if Ukraine becomes part of NATO, it has become the friend of Russia's enemy which is a fertile ground for America and its allies to set up military bases and assemble their military arsenals such as ballistic missiles and etcetera very close to Russia. A situation, Russia fears could undermine its very existence.

If the validity of the above is not in doubt, then one can easily appreciate the reason why Russia has become very apprehensive and adopting every measure, legitimate or otherwise, to curtail Ukraine from joining NATO.

However, the point really is, Ukraine is a sovereign country and has every legitimate right to decide which nations or international organisations it wants to associate with which is a reflection of the view Hobbes, Bodin and Austin on sovereignty as something that Ukraine has which is determinate, definite, absolute, indivisible, perpetual, unlimited and unrestrained by law.

It will therefore require an intellegent foreign diplomacy to resolve this because of the benefit of experience we have on the ravages of both the First and Second World War and I believe NATO is dragging its feet in the show of military support in order to douse the tension and prevent further escalation primarily to protect humanity.

Any unintelligent move could spark up collateral damages worst than any world war ever experienced due to technological advancement which has enabled all the Blocs to manufacture weapons which can annihilate the entire population of the world.
Kwaku Boateng

27.02.2022 LISTEN

"Abronoma Akufo-Addo told Ghanaians that we are sitting on money but we are suffering when he was in opposition. So why is he now trying to impose e-levy on us?" Kwaku Boateng of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC has stated.

Commenting on the proposed tax, the NDC Communicator emphasised the Akufo-Addo led government has failed woefully, hence the decision to hang on to the e-levy which has strongly been opposed by many Ghanaians.

Speaking on Bryt FM with Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma, Mr. Kwaku Boateng popularly called 'OMAN' queried the whereabout of the money and the natural resources which the then NPP presidential candidate Akufo-Addo referred to when in opposition in 2016.

"I am asking where has the money and the resources the NPP was claiming Ghana had during Mahama's regime gone to Or is it that Ghana no longer have those natural resources again?" he quizzes.

The Aspiring New Juaben North Communication Officer added the NPP deceived Ghanaians with unsubstantiated accusations during the era of former President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC but has failed to deliver despite having 'the men'.

On the issue of government's claim of using proceeds from the oil sector to fund the free Senior High School policy, Mr. Boateng indicated that the proceeds from the oil extraction over weigh the 'little' money been spent on the policy.

On the NPP's ongoing internal primaries, he accused the NPP of being known for electoral violence describing it as undemocratic.

However, Mr. Kwaku Boateng appealed to party members to consider him as the party's Communications Officer in the party's upcoming internal elections scheduled to take place before the end of the year.

He pledged to ensure both the Member of Parliament and the Municipal Chief Executive are put on their toes in order to deliver on their mandates.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has disclosed that at least 220 Ghanaians who were living in Ukraine are expected to return home following evacuation efforts by the government amidst the turmoil in that country.

According to her, 24 of the stranded citizens are already at the airport in Romania ready to board a Qatar Airways flight to Accra.

Addressing the press on Sunday, the Minister said the government is committed to assisting all those who are willing to return home to do so.

I am pleased to inform you that, a good number, over 220 of our compatriots have exited Ukraine and should be with us in Ghana soon, and we are earnestly facilitating the safe return of a lot more, the Minister said.

24 have arrived in Bucharest, Romania, and our officer on the ground is procuring tickets for them to leave tomorrow [Monday] enroute to Accra.

She indicated that the Ghanaians being evacuated from Ukraine are headed for Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Czech Republic by bus, and Ghanas diplomatic officers, honorary consuls and student leaders are facilitating their smooth entry into the various countries, their stay and arrangements for return to Ghana.

As at midday, today [Sunday] information gathered is that over 460 students have left Ukraine enroute to Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Czech Republic. The students will be received by our diplomatic missions, honorary consuls and officials of the students union and associations.

According to the Minister, the government is only assisting persons who are willing to return home.

Meanwhile, the Minister says the scheduled meeting with relatives of Ghanaians stranded in Ukraine is to allay their fears and assure them of the governments commitment to ensure their safety amidst the chaos.

That meeting is to take place on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at the Accra International Conference Center.

citinewsroom
France on Sunday joined more than a dozen European countries to close its airspace to Russian aircraft.

The move will take effect from Sunday night, said French transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari.

To the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe responds with total unity, he added.

Earlier, Germany and the Scandanavian countries  Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland  said they would ban Russian aviation from their skies in protest over the invasion of Ukraine.

Jeppe Kofod, the Danish foreign affairs minister, said he wanted a EU-wide ban.

"Russia's unprovoked, despicable attack on Ukraine must be met with strongest possible international sanctions and condemnation," he added.

Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic had already taken the measure. On Saturday, Austrian Airlines said it was cancelling flights to Russia and avoiding Russian airspace for at least seven days. However, Swiss International Air Lines says it is maintaining flights for the moment.

After Britain banned Russian flights last week, Moscow retaliated with a similar restrictions on British planes.

The British carrier Virgin Atlantic said avoiding Russia would add between 15 minutes and an hour to its flights between the UK and India and Pakistan.

France's move to lockdown its airspace came as the Russian president Vladimir Putin told his military commanders to put the country's nuclear deterrence wing on a special mode of combat duty in response to what he called aggressive statements by Nato countries.

Warning

Putin's order, which was announced by the state-run Tass news agency, came during a meeting with his defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the general staff of the Russian armed forces.

The United States described the new footing as an unacceptable escalation.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, told CBS's Face the Nation: It means that President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable and we have to continue to stem his actions in the strongest possible way.

On Thursday, Russian forces advanced into Ukraine and four days later, troops were on the outskirts of the capital Kyiv in the face of spirited resistance from Ukrainian fighters.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday his compatriots would continue to repel the invaders and he called on volunteers from around the world to join Ukrainians in what he described as a fight to save Europe and European values.

Putin has warned foreign countries not to interfere in his military venture. He said it would lead to consequences they had never seen.

Anti-air missiles and other advanced missile systems have been deployed in Belarus and the navy has been sent to the Black Sea to prevent a western intervention in Ukraine.
Sexual violence against females with disability has not received the needed much attention from society, yet they are more likely to experience physical, emotional, sexual and other forms of gender-based violence.

The challenges are not necessarily limited to females with disability, but their neglect often reflect the lack of social attention, legal protection, and support to ensure their holistic wellbeing.

Maame Asaabea (not her real name) is a 28-year-old physically disabled mother of twins, who was once sexually abused at her hometown.

She recounts how men in her circles assumed that because she is disabled, she may not be attractive enough to be proposed to.

Some of the men think I need sex, so they offer to do me a favour by wanting to sexually abuse me, in the community where I live now, I feel threatened by the presence of one man who monitors me consistently. Sometimes, late at night, around 11 p.m. he will knock on my door and say; Hello Asaabea, I think you need to be serviced, she said.

Maame Asaabea, who uses two elbow crutches due to her fragile legs, gave birth to her twins in January 2021, after she was sexually abused by a neighbour at her hometown.

She lived at Anum in the Eastern Region during her infancy until she completed Senior High School and relocated to Accra to live with a relative in search of a meaningful job to fend for herself.

One Easter Monday, Asaabea paid her family a visit at Anum and decided to see a classmate to exchange pleasantries and discuss life's matters.

On her way to her friend's place, she met another childhood male neighbour, Mr Atsu, who was going her way and offered to give her a lift. On their way Mr Atsu asked to give Asaabea a treat before dropping her at her mate's home, to which she agreed.

At Mr Atsu's residence, he offered Asaabea a fruit juice, which the poor lady drank but started feeling weak afterwards and insisted that Mr Atsu took her to her mates' home immediately, but he turned a deaf ear and raped her. Asaabea could not defend herself and went back home feeling terribly abused.

Asaabea's complaints to her family was not given the needed attention because her Auntie thought she was not sexually attractive to be raped by a vibrant man like Mr Atsu, until her family realised she was pregnant.

Mr Atsu was confronted but he denied raping Asaabea so her family advised that she aborted the pregnancy, but she kept it and gave birth to the twins. Asaabea now lives on donations from family, friends and benevolent people in her neighbourhood.

Like Asabea, the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights of many females with disabilities are ignored by society and even family members.

A research by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service indicated that women and girls with disability are three times more likely to be victims of physical and sexual abuse compared to others.

A good sexual and reproductive health is said to be the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system.

This implies that all persons, including females with disability, must have access to accurate information, safe, effective, affordable, and acceptable contraception of their choice with the know-how to protecting themselves from sexually transmitted diseases.

The World Health Organisation and the United Nations Population Fund guidance on promoting sexual and reproductive health for persons with disabilities, estimates that 10 per cent of the world's population  650 million people  live with a disability.

Persons with disabilities are identified in the new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as, those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments, which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Females with disabilities have the same sexual and reproductive health rights and needs as other people, yet they often face barriers to information and services. The ignorance and attitudes of society and individuals, including healthcare providers, contribute to most of these barriers and not the disabilities per se.

Mrs Christiana Nkrumah, the Vice Chairman of the Ghana Disability Forum (GDF), explains that in most cases in Ghana, people who abuse females with disability are their close relations, persons who cater for them and even leaders they look up to in their churches.

She said the victims live with the abuse without reporting for fear of stigmatisation and losing financial support from the abusers who are mostly their caretakers.

Empowering them financially and with adequate information on their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) with a source of livelihood, would enable them to voice out, stand up to their rights and minimise sexual abuses against them, she said.

Mrs Nkrumah called for extensive education for females with disability and the need for proper reporting mechanisms and conducive environments to encourage them to report sexual abuses and any form of violence.

She stressed the need for the public to be enlightened on the SRHR of persons with disability (PWDs) and how to support and protect them from such violence.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, the first legally binding international treaty on disability, which came into force on May 3, 2008, states that the SRHR of PWDs deserve attention because their needs have been so widely and so deeply neglected.

Historically, PWDs have been denied information about sexual and reproductive health and rights and this calls on governments to consider their needs.

In Ghana, existing services like the Domestic Violence Call Centre, created by the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection, can be expanded to accommodate SRHR concerns of females with disabilities, but increasing awareness is still the first and biggest step.

Beyond that, much can be accomplished through resourcefulness and involving PWDs in programme design and monitoring.

Disability is everyone's business, and the Government must work with development partners, non-governmental and civil society organisations to eliminate specific forms of discrimination against PWDs as regards their reproductive rights, household and family formation.

This feature was produced with the support of the Africa Women's Journalism Project, in partnership with the International Centre for Journalists, with support from the Ford Foundation.

GNA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Saturday that the United States is offering 350 million U.S. dollars worth of "lethal defensive" weapons to Ukraine to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian military operations.

Blinken said in a statement that U.S. President Joe Biden authorized him to decide on such a move. As such, he has authorized the Department of Defense to carry out the presidential drawdown, which will help Ukraine cope with "the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing."

The secretary said the latest sum was on top of the 60-million-dollar and 200-million-dollar immediate military aid to Ukraine that Biden delegated to him last year, bringing total U.S. security support to the Eastern European nation over the past year to more than 1 billion dollars. 
February 27, 2022

The MoA Week In Review - OT 2022-018 (NOT Ukraine)

Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:



Other issues:

This is a first:

Covid-19:

Myanmar:

Inside the global drive to fund a revolution in Myanmar - Japan Times

Use as open thread for NOT Ukraine related issues ...

Posted by b on February 27, 2022 at 12:36 UTC | Permalink

Comments
In closing, I want to say that there needs to be a change made in county government. Let someone else have a shot at delivering results instead of continuing another 14 years of the same, lackluster decision making. Ill provide some history and a few current facts as to why Im the right person for the job and the change that is needed.

I was born and raised in Midland Countys Precinct 2. I began my education at Greenwood and later graduated from Midland High School in 1988. After graduation, I was recruited to play football at the US Air Force Academy and afterwards served this great country for nine-plus years stationed in Colorado, California and Texas.

My wife Sharla and I decided to plant roots back in Midland, where we started businesses focused on the oil and gas industry. Running our companies has heavily contributed to my understanding of the impact local government can have on the lives of business owners and the community as a whole.

My love for West Texas is what has driven me to continue a life of service as a 12-year trustee for Greenwood ISDs school board, where Sharla and I raised our three children, Krista, Jake, and Katelin. We have been married for 28 wonderful years and are members of First Presbyterian Church.

This is my home. I am a lifelong Midland County resident, and I see and feel the issues facing our county like many of you. I felt the impact of being without reliable supplied water last year during the freeze. I feel the bumps when hitting potholes on my way to work, and I see the lack of resolve to tackle these problems.

Thats why Im running for Midland County Commissioner. I am not a career politician, Im a veteran who brings a business approach to solving problems and has a record of getting things done.

The military taught me a lot. Most importantly, it taught me to work together with others to accomplish a difficult mission for a common good. This is a lesson that I have carried with me since my military days and employ in my day-to-day life. Whether it be the operations of my own businesses or the decisions that are made on Greenwood ISD school board. When people come together, work hard and put politics aside, its amazing what we can accomplish.

Im ready to get to work on day one. Im ready to lead and Im ready to act. Im ready to get results and get dirt moving to fix the issues facing our county and precinct. I want this county to be the best place in Texas to live, work and raise a family. I will deliver the conservative leadership that will continue to move the county forward in the years to come. The current commissioner has been in charge for 14 years and the lack of results speaks for themselves. Things just arent getting done. Lets give someone else a shot at delivering results. My resume and experience speak for themselves. Its time for a change in county government and a vote for me will bring that much-needed change.

I ask for your vote in the Republican primary for Midland County Commissioner, Precinct 2. Election Day is March 1. Vote Jeff Somers for Midland County Commissioner, Precinct 2, and lets get some great things done.
SHANGHAI, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Tong Jisheng beams with pride as he reminisces how a woolen blanket gifted to visitors from the United States in 1972 created a business boom for the Shanghai-based manufacturer.

The blanket, 1.55 meters wide and 2.3 meters long, featured traditional Chinese auspicious flower patterns including peony and chrysanthemum. The blankets were given to the U.S. delegation as a gift during the historic visit of then U.S. President Richard Nixon to China.

It became well-known soon afterward and won the hearts of young consumers at that time, Tong, chairman of Shanghai-based Orient International (Holding) Co., Ltd. (OIH), recalled.

The blanket heralded the start of the manufacturer's trade with the United States and 50 years on, OIH, the parent company of the manufacturer, has seen its annual trade volume with the United States reaching some 10 billion yuan (about 1.58 billion U.S. dollars) in recent years with the expansion of business.

In 1998, a subsidiary of OIH set up a joint venture with an American company in Shanghai to produce carpets used in automotive vehicles. Thanks to the continuous and rapid development of China's automobile industry, the joint venture has established six factories in China successively.

In 2017, the two parties established a global joint venture in Detroit that grew into a major supplier of automotive soft decoration, with nearly 20 factories and four R&D centers across the world.

"It is worth mentioning that since the outbreak of COVID-19, our factories in North America have used surplus production capacity to produce masks for their own use or donate them to local community hospitals and schools, further strengthening the understanding and trust between the two sides of the joint venture," Tong said.

The first China International Import Expo held in 2018 also created new opportunities for OIH to promote trade with the United States amid the continuous opening of the Chinese market and the accelerated unleashing of consumption potential.

Currently, the United States is OIH's largest market. Medical equipment imported by OIH from the United States over the past four years is in use across China and the company's textile products have become best-sellers on mainstream American e-commerce platforms.

"Our cooperation with the United States began 50 years ago starting from a blanket," said Tong. "In my view, both Chinese and American people want to live a happy and stable life, to buy cheap and quality goods, and to share the wonderful history, culture and products of other countries."

Statistics from Shanghai Customs and the municipal commission of commerce show that in 2021, the import and export trade between Shanghai and the United States reached 508.1 billion yuan, an increase of 5.48 percent over the previous year.

During the period, 521 new U.S.-invested enterprises were established in Shanghai, with an actual foreign investment worth 613 million U.S. dollars.

The investment is not one-way. From 2012 to 2021, Shanghai-based companies registered 1,310 investment projects in the United States, with investment from the Chinese side totaling some 24.5 billion U.S. dollars.

This shows that market players in the world's two largest economies attach great importance to each other and value each other's market, said Chen Jing, president of the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The China-U.S. trade and economic cooperation are highly complementary and enjoy broad prospects and potential for development, Chen said, adding that the extensive and in-depth economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, accumulated over the past 50 years, has spurred companies on both sides to form a community of common interests and become a ballast stone for bilateral ties. 
Western allies to expel some Russian banks from global system; Ukraine vows to fight on
BCs Tales of the Pacific | A primer for the war in Ukraine
Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2020 shows the construction site of Shanghai Library East in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

SHANGHAI, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's economic powerhouse Shanghai is actively increasing its library resources, as local authorities are committed to encouraging learning habits.

According to the Shanghai Association for Science & Tech, the program aimed at establishing libraries at people's doorsteps is expected to bring reading resources to within a 15-minute walk of any part of the city.

Currently, 131 community libraries are in use in Shanghai, and more than 20 others are under construction. The public reading sites are distributed across all 16 Shanghai districts.

Some of the libraries are affiliated with community services centers, parks, schools and shopping malls, and a number of them are referred to as science cafes or science houses, rather than libraries.

A community library in Shanghai's bustling financial zone of Lujiazui in the Pudong New Area has become a popular place for children's science activities.

Yi Xiaojing, a community official in Huangpu District, said that with the improvement of living standards, residents' spiritual needs are increasing. The public libraries are social venues to meet the people's needs. 
MOSCOW, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country's deterrence forces to be placed on "a special mode of combat duty" in a Sunday meeting with top defense officials.

Senior officials of leading NATO members issued "aggressive statements" against Russia, Putin said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov.

Putin said Western countries are imposing "illegitimate sanctions" against Russia's economy.

The decision to put the deterrence forces on combat duty was made as Russia has been conducting "a special military operation" in Ukraine since early Thursday.

Russian forces had destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday morning.

Russia has blockaded several cities in eastern and southern Ukraine. 
Mike Sutter /San Antonio Express-News

Pad thai is delicious at any time of the year. Spring, summer, or fall, the stir-fry dish is a favorite for many.

In San Antonio, there are plenty of local restaurants that serve up the rice noodle-based meal, but it can be daunting for those who don't know where to find the authentic, delicious dish. It certainly was for local Redditor @soleario21, who started a thread asking the community to help find a spot that serves the best in the city.
NEW ORLEANS - Mules don't parade in most cities. Mules also don't usually trot to pounding disco while adorned with glitter. But in New Orleans a few days before the pinnacle of Mardi Gras? It happens.

The pandemic shut down Mardi Gras in the city in 2021, a rare occurrence in the event's 165-year history, but the party is back in a big way this weekend, and Madison Blanchard LaBombard, holding the reins of Hank the mule in one hand and carrying an American flag high in her other, couldn't be happier. She and her riding group are part of eight parades just this weekend.

"New Orleans is not the same without Mardi Gras," she said.

Still, there are visible changes: Parade routes are shorter and, breaking with tradition, most now follow the same route instead of spreading into different neighborhoods. Some of the biggest musical stars have stayed away. So have too many tourists: Hotel occupancy this carnival season is about 80 percent of what it was in 2020, according to the city's tourism bureau, though the full hit won't be known until after Tuesday.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a Democrat, cited dangerously high COVID-19 case rates in her decision last February to call off parades and limit public gatherings - a precaution to avoid repeating the dismal outcome of Mardi Gras 2020, which became the nation's first superspreader event of the pandemic. In its wake, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and French Quarter Festival, two other blockbuster events on the annual calendar, were scratched. Both are set to return this year.

The absence of Mardi Gras struck "a huge economic and emotional blow," said Kelly Schulz, senior vice president of communications for the visitors bureau, New Orleans & Company. In 2019, the city broke records as 19 million tourists spent $10 billion. "Pretty much all of that was lost" in 2020 and 2021, Schulz said. Rebuilding has been slow.

For a city whose economy depends on restaurants, cocktails, parading and jazz, pulling the plug on Mardi Gras a second year in a row seemed out of the question.

"The reputation that New Orleans has as a good-time town traces back to Mardi Gras," said Errol Laborde, a local Mardi Gras historian who believes the mayor had little choice but to allow the festivities. "It's that reputation that ultimately sells the city year-round - not just for people coming to Mardi Gras, but for people booking conventions and others making long-term travel plans. That reputation is very, very valuable to the city."

But with the coronavirus a continuing public health threat, precautions and other issues have made this Mardi Gras very different. In December, the city announced it was trimming routes of its biggest parades due to a police shortage. The number of officers on the force is now under 1,100, according to the Police Association of New Orleans. That's far below the city's goal of 1,600 officers.

To compensate, the police department instituted 12-hour shifts for this final weekend through Tuesday, Mardi Gras Day. The state sent 100 troopers as support. The federal Department of Homeland Security even gave Mardi Gras a heightened assessment rating, making the city eligible for extensive assistance from the FBI and other agencies.

New Orleans remains the strictest city in the South for coronavirus mandates, with either proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test required to enter bars, restaurants and indoor event spaces. Indoor masking is still a requirement, too. A spokeswoman for the mayor said the city will reevaluate its policies after Mardi Gras concludes.

The new normal has changed what the revelers on floats are tossing to the crowds. In addition to the usual plastic medallions, stuffed animals and other trinkets, spectators at the Krewe of Muses parade on Thursday caught boxes of coronavirus rapid tests, courtesy of the health department.

One of this season's greatest comebacks was Krewe of Endymion, the mammoth parade that can last nearly five hours. Double- and even triple-decker floats moved toward downtown Saturday night, each a confection of blinking lights, LED graphics, animated king-size figures and more than 3,000 masked riders. Among the scores of children and adults lining the route to experience the sensory overload was Anita Radosta, born on Mardi Gras day in 1946. This weekend is "a blessing," she said. "It's in your heart and soul."

For a city where tradition is paramount, it's significant that pandemic repercussions continue to affect the 185-year-old Antoine's, a French Quarter landmark and the oldest family-run restaurant in the country. Its dining rooms are lined with photographs of Mardi Gras krewes dating more than a century.

Rick Blount, who represents Antoine's fifth generation, said his workforce is down to less than half the 285 people he employed during Mardi Gras 2020. Just days ago, one social club's party of about 1,200 people had to be trimmed to 750 because he simply didn't have the staffing.

He's mystified about why many people aren't returning to work at his establishment and others across town. He partially blames the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, as well as Cantrell's decision to cancel Mardi Gras last year.

The city's economy was like "a fire hose" that was suddenly turned off, Blount said. And it can't easily be turned back on. "It's only dripping," he said. "Over time, it'll drip faster. It'll continue to improve, but you have to grow a whole new economy from scratch."

Antoine's has faced tough times before. Like New Orleans itself, the restaurant survived the Civil War, Reconstruction, Prohibition, the Great Depression and two World Wars. Not to mention a succession of deadly hurricanes, notably Katrina in 2005 and Ida last August. Blount was "thrilled" the city made what he felt was the right decision to accommodate Mardi Gras this year.

Rebirth, he noted, is the story of New Orleans.

"Every time I want to feel sorry for myself, I have to laugh at myself and say, 'C'mon, how hard can it be?'"
BEIRUT, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday called on countries in the Arab world to help Lebanon overcome its unprecedented crisis, the Council of Ministers said in a statement.

He made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit at the Grand Serail.

"We are waiting for our Arab brothers to stand by Lebanon and spare our country the dangers by helping us bear the burdens that have exceeded our capabilities," the statement quoted the prime minister as saying.

Mikati added that his government is trying to solve Lebanon's multiple problems, but needs the great support of Arab countries.

For his part, Aboul-Gheit said Lebanon has taken a great role in the region in sparing no efforts to support every activity that enriches joint Arab action in all fields.

Lebanon is going through its worst financial crisis as the government has been incapable of adopting practical solutions because of differences among political parties on issues, such as the investigation into the Beirut port blasts and the diplomatic crisis with Gulf countries. 
The legend of the horned rabbit of the West High Country News

The election for the future of the internet Lowy Institute

Amazons $31B ad business, explained Trung Phan, SatPost

The Real Reason the Pandemic Killed Small Restaurants Slate

#COVID19

The Huanan market was the epicenter of SARS-CoV-2 emergence Zenodo (an open-science project commissioned by the EC and hosted by CERN). From the Abstract: Geographical clustering of the earliest known COVID-19 cases and the proximity of positive environmental samples to live-animal vendors suggest that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan was the site of origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the geographical clustering, this GIF is slow to load but worth watching:

This screen provides indrect support for the freeze-thaw-loogie model:

(The long thread I took these tweets from is worth a read. It includes critiques.) The second in a pair of papers:

SARS-CoV-2 emergence very likely resulted from at least two zoonotic events Zenodo. From the Abstract: We show that the SARS-CoV-2 genomic diversity prior to February 2020 comprised only two distinct viral lineagesdenoted A and Bwith no transitional haplotypes. Novel phylodynamic rooting methods, coupled with epidemic simulations, indicate that these two lineages were the result of at least two separate cross-species transmission events into humans. The first zoonotic transmission likely involved lineage B viruses and occurred in late-November/early-December 2019 and no earlier than the beginning of November 2019, while the introduction of lineage A likely occurred within weeks of the first event. These findings define the narrow window between when SARS-CoV-2 first jumped into humans and when the first cases of COVID-19 were reported. Hence, as with SARS-CoV-1 in 2002 and 2003, SARS-CoV-2 emergence likely resulted from multiple zoonotic events.

* * *

Repurposing FDA-approved drugs may help combat COVID-19 Medical Xpress. You dont say.

Repurposing the drug, ivermectin, in COVID-19: toxicological points of view European Journal of Medical Research. From the Abstract: This narrative reviews the toxicological profile and some potential therapeutic effects of ivermectin. Based on the current dose recommendation, ivermectin appears to be safe with minimum side effects. However, serious questions remain about the effectiveness of this drug in the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

* * *

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Transmission Within Households  Four U.S. Jurisdictions, November 2021February 2022 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC. Multicomponent COVID-19 prevention strategies, including up-to-date vaccination, isolation of infected persons, and mask use at home, are important to reduce Omicron transmission in household settings. Obviously the time to let er rip!

Risk of Long Covid in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 after two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine: community-based, matched cohort study (preprint) medRxiv. From the Abstract: The study sample comprised 3,090 double-vaccinated participants (mean age 49 years, 54% female, 92% white, median follow-up from infection 96 days) and matched control participants. Long Covid symptoms were reported by 294 double-vaccinated participants (prevalence 9.5%) compared with 452 unvaccinated participants (14.6%), corresponding to an aOR for Long Covid symptoms of 0.59 (95% CI: 0.50 to 0.69). There was no evidence of heterogeneity by adenovirus vector versus messenger ribonucleic acid vaccines (p=0.25). As above.

* * *

Coronavirus FAQ: Im a one-way masker. What strategy will give me optimal protection? NPR. One-way masker now an identity? Lordie. The strategy for optimal protection is  hear me out  for everybody to mask. This wouldnt be so hard to see if so much effort had not been spent on obscuring it. Artwork:

The subtext is clear: As shown by little drops of sweat and a nervous expression, it is now the masked-up who must live in fear; or, to generalize slightly, mutualists must live in fear of libertarians. This is clarifying, although I wouldnt have expected the clarification to have come from the totebag crowd. Or maybe I would!
(Natural News) Like many of you, I have been spending a great deal of time keeping up with coverage of Russias horrifying invasion of Ukraine. I am very upset with the Russians for choosing to invade the whole country, because now a line has been crossed that will never, ever be able to be uncrossed. From here on out, there will be endless wars and rumors of wars, and countless numbers of people are going to die. In the future, some historians may look back and determine that the coming Chinese invasion of Taiwan was the start of World War III, and others may point to the coming conflict between Israel and Iran. But to me, February 23rd, 2022 was the start of World War III, and nothing will ever be the same again.

(Article by Michael Snyder republished from TheEconomicCollapseBlog.com)

Since most of you have been closely following news coverage of the war, I am not going to rehash the basic facts here. The Russians are winning victory after victory, and it appears that the battle for Ukraine could be over in a matter of days.

But once the battle for Ukraine is over, the real war will begin.

The following are 22 observations about the new world war which just started in Ukraine

#1 Now that Russia has invaded Ukraine, any hope for peace between the United States and Russia is gone forever.

#2 The conflict between our two nations will continue until one side or the other is totally defeated.

#3 Both sides are armed with nuclear weapons, and it is just a matter of time before somebody decides to use them.

#4 As he launched the invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin actually warned other countries that he could use nuclear weapons against them if they attempted to intervene.

#5 The Biden administration, the Ukrainians and the Russians all lied to us over and over again.

#6 We should all be very angry at Vladimir Putin. He completely destroyed the last hope that the world had for peace when he launched a full invasion of Ukraine. If he would have kept his forces in just Donetsk and Luhansk there still would have been the possibility of a diplomatic solution.

#7 Joe Biden says that he is considering hitting Russia with the biggest cyberattack in history. That would be an act of war.

#8 If we launch a cyberattack against Russia, they will retaliate with a cyberattack of their own, and we are extremely vulnerable.

#9 The Russians have more than 1,000 different ways of making us feel pain, and they are not afraid to play dirty.

#10 I think that Volodymyr Zelensky is perhaps the stupidest head of state that I have ever seen.

#11 Zelensky pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table when the Russians knew full well that he wasnt holding any cards. Now he is going to lose his entire country.

#12 It appears that Zelensky actually believed that the United States and other western powers would come to his aid if the Russians invaded. After what we have witnessed over the past year, that was an incredibly foolish thing to believe.

#13 Biden and his minions had a plan for what they wanted to accomplish in Ukraine, and that plan failed dramatically.

#14 At this stage, I think that the Biden administration will try to turn the rest of the world against the Russians and will try to suffocate the life out of them economically. But that isnt going to work, because Russia is very self-sufficient when it comes to food, energy and other essentials, and Putin has also signed very extensive trade agreements with China.

#15 I dont think Putin would have made this move if he didnt have an understanding with China behind the scenes. The Chinese are allowing the Russians to invade Ukraine, but in return I believe that there is an agreement for the Russians to support China when the Chinese finally invade Taiwan.

#16 Now that the Chinese have seen how weakly the western powers have responded to the invasion of Ukraine, I that that makes an invasion of Taiwan much more likely.

#17 If the Chinese decide to pull the trigger, they will almost certainly do it while there is still plenty of time left in Bidens term in office.

#18 Putin is not as smart as I thought he was. He is going to win the battle for Ukraine, but now his country can never have positive relations with western nations ever again.

#19 The global energy crisis is going to get a whole lot worse. Russia exports a tremendous amount of energy, and European nations gobble it up like addicts. This conflict threatens to dislocate the flow of global energy to a degree that we havent seen since World War II.

#20 Many warned that our disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan would embolden the Russians to move against Ukraine. Those that issued such warnings have been proven right.

#21 The U.S. military is in the worst condition that I have ever seen in my entire lifetime. At this point, the U.S. military is not at all prepared to fight the Russians or anyone else for that matter.

#22 Many people out there love to criticize President Trump, but even he understood that you dont mess with the Russians. Unless they are messing with you, the best thing to do with the Russians is to just leave them alone. All throughout history, those that have chosen to pick a fight with Russia have ended up regretting it. The Russians will do whatever it takes to win, and they are absolutely ruthless.

This is truly a sad day, because this didnt have to happen.

As I have detailed in other articles, it would have been so easy to reach a diplomatic agreement that would have kept the Russians entirely out of Ukraine.

Unfortunately, there is no use talking about that any longer, because the time for diplomacy has passed.

Hopefully many of you are starting to grasp the gravity of what we are facing. For years, I have been relentlessly warning that war with Russia was coming, and now it is here.

I tried to warn everyone about what would happen if we stayed on the path that we were on, but now it is too late.

There is nothing more than can be done, because World War III has already started.

From this point forward, global events are going to escalate rapidly. I would encourage all of you to prepare accordingly.

Read more at: TheEconomicCollapseBlog.com
(Natural News) In retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, those who pull the puppet strings of Geriatric Joe have reportedly presented him with a menu of options for carrying out massive cyberattacks against Russia.

Four anonymous insiders told NBC News that fake president Joe Biden could be just days away from hitting the launch button on an array of preselected targets that Joes handlers believe would most cripple Vladimir Putins military operations in Ukraine.

You could do everything from slow the trains down to have them fall off the tracks, one person who claims to have been briefed on the matter said.

While no final decisions have yet been made, United States intelligence and military cyber warriors are said to be proposing the use of American cyber weapons on a scale never before contemplated.

Among the options: Disrupting internet connectivity across Russia, shutting off electric power, and tampering with railroad switches to hamper Russias ability to resupply its forces, three of the sources said.

This could all just be saber-rattling, of course, as it is currently unknown whether or not the American war machine has that type of capability. It is also a fact that Russia has the ability to disconnect itself from the worldwide internet, which could easily be used by the military-industrial complex to make such a claim.

Still, the news is getting out there and China Joe is the guy who will apparently be pulling the trigger.

Can anything from the current regime be believed?

Reports suggest that if a cyberattack were to be launched, the goal would not be to destroy Russia, but rather just to cripple its military systems. This, the deep state claims, will somehow fall short of an act of war.

As you may recall from last summer, Biden and 30 world leaders converged to discuss NATOs Article 5, also known as the mutual self-defense clause. It was determined at that meeting that the impact of significant malicious cumulative cyber activities might, in certain circumstances, be considered as amounting to an armed attack. Biden also declared that Article 5 is a sacred obligation that is rock solid and unshakable.

Based on this, any cyberattack against the U.S. caused by, or even just blamed on, Russia is considered an open game for NATO retaliation.

It is almost as if all of this was planned for well in advance of the now-invasion, much like how the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) plandemic was planned for years in advance of its actual launch.

According to the anonymous sources who spoke with NBC, even if the U.S. does carry out cyberattacks against Russia, it would never even acknowledge doing so. And if Russia can turn off its internet presence worldwide with the flip of a switch anyway, then is there really anything substantial to any of this?

The answer is probably not, but that does not mean that the American people will not once again become victims of a false flag that claims Russia did this so we did that.

Our response will be harsh and measured, but not so severe as to encourage Putin to take more drastic steps, said one U.S. official about the matter.

Up until now, U.S. cyber operations have been largely focused on intelligence gathering, information operations, and targeted strikes, many of them for counterterrorism purposes. Should cyberattacks be launched in Russia, it would represent a turning point for that part of the U.S. government.

Cyber weapons are going to be used in a way we havent used other weapons, claims James Lewis, a cyber expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It gives us options we didnt have before.

More related news coverage can be found at Collapse.news.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Joe Bidens depraved, feckless leadership has emboldened not only criminal activity within the U.S. government, but his incompetency has also empowered tyrants and dictators around the world. One of Bidens most recent negotiations with Vladimir Putin was a total disaster. Shortly after speaking with Putin in June 2021, Biden spoke at a press conference in Geneva, giving away serious intel on U.S. infrastructure.

According to Biden himself, he handed Putin a detailed list of the 16 most vulnerable infrastructure targets on U.S. soil.

Biden muttered to the media about the list, how he warned Putin not to tamper with these sites exclusively because doing so would cripple the United States. In publicizing this list, its as if Biden thought he was doing something noble to defend Americans. By detailing the most vulnerable infrastructure sites on U.S. soil, Biden gave Putin the perfect list to conduct cyberattacks in the future.

I talked about the proposition that certain critical infrastructure should be off limits to attack. Period. By cyber or any other means, Biden said of his meeting with Putin. I gave [Putin] a list of 16 specific entities, 16 defined as critical infrastructure under U.S. policy from the energy sector to our water systems.

Biden allows experts to determine which infrastructure sites are off limits and which ones are fair game for potential cyberattacks

In the same breath, Biden implied that almost every other infrastructure site is fair game in a future conflict. Biden said that both he and Putin agreed to enlist cybersecurity experts who would work on specific understandings about whats off limits.

Biden should promise to defend the U.S. against all cyberattacks and not give foreign nations the implied authority to take on sites of lesser value. Worse yet, why would the U.S. president make the most important sites known? For this meeting alone, Bidens negotiating style is non-existent. He has repeatedly given away leverage to other countries like Russia and China, while weakening Americas standing around the world.

While the intentions and mission of Vladimir Putin are still unknown in Ukraine, its very possible that the Russian military could go forward with strategic cyberattacks in Europe and in the United States. If the U.S. and NATO interfere with Putins special military operation in Ukraine, which is allegedly being conducted to de-militarize and de-Nazify the government there and protect the people of Donbass from the genocidal acts of the Kyiv regime, then cyber-attacks are a likely result.

Thanks to Bidens brazen incompetence, these cyberattacks could take out the most important infrastructure sites across the country, threatening energy, electricity and water supplies.

No matter what the case is in Ukraine and no matter how Putin justifies the bloodshed, Biden has made America more vulnerable to future cyberattacks by handing Putin a list of the most important infrastructure sites. These sites include infrastructure in the energy and water supply sector.

If the U.S. government does get involved militarily in Ukraine (something that should be debated), it will ultimately be at the detriment of the American people and could ultimately lead to ongoing struggles and world war.

Meanwhile, Biden is making no effort to protect the American energy supply. One of Americas biggest imports from Russia is oil. However, Biden wont lift his ban on oil and gas leases in the outer continental shelf, and he wont open pipelines that could help the U.S. stay energy independent at such volatile times. Americans are vulnerable in many ways, thanks to this underhanded regime.

Sources include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

FirstPost.com
(Natural News) Independent conservative Canadian news site True North has announced it plans to sue the Ottawa Police after one of their journalists was allegedly pepper-sprayed by officers while covering the crackdown on Trucker Convoy protestors in the countrys capital city.

(Article by Ashley Sadler republished from LifesiteNews.com)

In a February 18 tweet, True North journalist Andrew Lawton, host of the Andrew Lawton Show, said he had been pepper-sprayed by police officers despite being several feet away from their front line and having obeyed every order to move back.

Police just pepper sprayed me. I was several feet away from their front line and had obeyed every order to move back. pic.twitter.com/A43nQNEvDI  Andrew Lawton (@AndrewLawton) February 18, 2022

In another tweet posted Friday, fellow True North journalist Candice Malcolm announced that the independent news agency had hired a lawyer and would commence legal action against the police for assault and targeting a working journalist.

Addressing her comments to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has generated widespread disapproval on both sides of the political aisle for invoking the controversial Emergencies Act against the peaceful Freedom Convoy truckers, Malcolm added, you dont get to beat up journalists in this country. See you in court.

The news comes as Rebel News director Ezra Levant announced that his conservative news agency would file legal action against the police as well after female reporter Alexa Lavoie was beaten by officers and shot with a tear gas canister at point-blank range.

4. I have spoken with Alexa and with legal counsel. We will sue the police on Alexas behalf. I know the rest of the Media Party is delighting at Trudeaus brutality and martial law. But we still believe in peace and freedom. Help me https://t.co/hh5yPCJSAS.  Ezra Levant ?? (@ezralevant) February 19, 2022

Ottawa Police have downplayed officers actions during the crackdown on Freedom Convoy protestors over the weekend.

In a February 19 tweet the Ottawa Police said their officers did not use tear gas against protestors, despite video and photographic evidence to the contrary, then later acknowledged they used a chemical irritant against individuals whom they asserted were being aggressive and assaultive on officers and refusing to comply with the orders to move.

Police did not used gas on protesters yesterday. They have not used gas on protesters today.  Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 19, 2022

Meanwhile Trudeaus invocation of the Emergencies Act, coupled with the actions of the Ottawa Police, have drawn international outcry.

Supporters of the Trucker Convoy have compared Trudeaus crackdown to the infamous 1989 Tiananmen Square student protest in Beijing, China, in which Chinese Communist troops fired upon protestors.

Make no mistake; this is Canadas Tiananmen Square moment. Justin Trudeau is an absolute tyrant. https://t.co/8N7SEXB54F  Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) February 18, 2022

Read more at: LifesiteNews.com
Sunday, February 27, 2022 by: News Editors Tags: Canada , COVID , fascism , freedom , Liberty , Tyranny , vaccines This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) The fight for Canadas freedom continues despite what Justin Trudeau and the legislature have done by approving the Emergencies Act to continue. The Liberal government won the vote 185-151 with the support of the New Democratic Party.

(Article by J.D. Rucker republished from TheLibertyDaily.com)

Canadian psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson took to social media to remind Canadians of what the Emergencies Act was intended to do and to ask them if they believe the Trudeau regime is using it for that purpose.

Canadians, you have no idea what was done today in the name of  what? Safety? Punishment? Whats the rationale, even hypothetically? The Emergency Act was reserved for events that threatened the very existence of the state. If you think that current events qualify, think again.

Canadians, you have no idea what was done today in the name of  what? Safety? Punishment? Whats the rationale, even hypothetically? The Emergency Act was reserved for events that threatened the very existence of the state. If you think that current events qualify, think again.  Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) February 22, 2022

Western leaders have been silent despite clear human rights offenses against the Freedom Convoy and their supporters. The government has cracked down hard, making hundreds of arrests of peaceful protesters, freezing bank accounts of donors, and establishing a de facto police state in the nations capital.

But the fight continues. Events have been popping up in other cities across the country. Donations continue to come in through alternative means. The complicit corporate media is doing everything they can to switch the narrative but many if not most Canadians are waking up to the realization that their government is not working on their behalf.

It all started with an idiotic vaccine mandate for truckers crossing the U.S. border. Since the vaccines do not offer protection against infection nor do they prevent someone from spreading the disease, the mandates have become increasingly unpopular. But thats not stopping people like Trudeau and Joe Biden from pressing forward with them anyway.

Free people across the globe and throughout the United States have watched the Canadian situation closely. The universal vaccination agenda must be stopped, so seeing how the people and government of Canada react is telling.

Read more at: TheLibertyDaily.com
(Natural News) Emails that were recently released by the House Oversight Committee showed that National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and his boss at the time, the National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, exchanged emails in 2020 in which they quickly agreed to suppress the theory that the COVID-19 pandemic virus may have come from a lab. Although they did not discuss their motivation, many believe that it was political.

On February 1, 2020, Fauci and Collins were joined by nearly a dozen other scientists in a conference call with the Director of the Wellcome Trust in London, Sir Jeremy Farrar. In the call, they were told that it appeared that the virus had leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and may have been genetically engineered.

Fauci and Collins exchanged emails in which they unanimously and quickly agreed that they would suppress this evidence and do their best to stop others from promoting the theory of a lab leak.

Part of the reason may have been a desire to preserve their relations with China, but it is likely they were also concerned about what would happen if their own gain of function research carried out at the same lab were tied to the deadly virus.

In the viruss early days, those who dared to suggest that it had escaped from the Wuhan Institute Of Virology were swiftly labeled conspiracy theorists, but the new emails indicate that there was a conspiracy to keep people from discussing this idea.

As Nicholas Wade of the City Journal explains: The latest emails dont prove such a conspiracy, but they make it more plausible, for two reasons: because the expert virologists therein present such a strong case for thinking that the virus had lab-made features and because of the wholly political reaction to this bombshell on the part of Francis Collins, then-director of the National Institutes of Health.

He explained how on February 1, 2020, four virologists emailed Fauci about the viruss genomic sequence, which had been shared three weeks earlier. Virologist Kristian G. Andersen of the Scripps Research Institute said the genome was inconsistent with expectations from evolutionary theory. The four virologists agreed unanimously that the virus was not natural and could have escaped from a lab. In particular, the furin cleavage site possessed a type of precision not usually found in nature.

Farrar admitted his concerns about the political fallout if these preliminary findings about the viruss lab origins proved to be true in his 2021 book, Spike: The Virus Versus the People, writing: With extremely tense U.S. relations and an unpredictable American president determined to see a biological threat through the distorting lens of nationalism, it didnt feel too melodramatic to wonder if an engineered virus, either accidentally leaked or intentionally released, might be the sort of thing countries could go to war over.

Why did scientists change their minds so quickly?

Three days after the conference call, Farrar sent Fauci a draft of a paper that had been signed by several colleagues entitled The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2, which dismisses the lab leak theory, insisting the viruss origins were natural. Andersen signed the paper, completely disregarding the evidence that had initially led him to believe the virus was engineered. Farrar claimed in his book that intensive analysis ruled out a lab leak, but it doesnt add up that such a thorough scientific investigation could have been carried out in the three days between Andersen expressing his concerns about a lab leak and the study stating the opposite.

One possibility is a fear among some scientists of Faucis considerable power. Indian journalist Madhav Das Nalapat claims that the careers of scientists who supported the lab leak origin theory of COVID-19 were threatened by Fauci and his cronies. He said that several scientists and health experts in the U.S. and Japan had insisted to him that the natural origin theory did not hold water.

Then I asked them, Whats wrong with you guys? Why are you silent? But they said, If we speak out, Dr. Fauci and his gang will destroy us, will destroy our reputations, will destroy our careers. We do not dare to speak out, he stated.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) While listening to Hillary Clinton babble on Thursday at the New York state Democrat Convention, mocking those whom she called conspiracy theorists who believe she spied upon President Donald Trump, how many criminals, or murderers, do you know of whod just bluntly admit to their crimes?

(Article by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeline.com)

With reports coming out that Joe Biden and Barack Obama knew of that spying as well, Clintons remarks come as reports continue to grow that shell be running for POTUS in 2024, with Joe Biden hugely unpopular even among Democrats. With Kamala Harris reportedly even more unpopular than Biden and the Democrat party seemingly falling apart and totally changing their entire COVID narrative in an attempt to grab voters as mid-term elections approach, ordinary Americans have grown tired of their shenanigans.

And while Hillary would surely call the Clinton body count a conspiracy theory despite the ever-growing pile of bodies piling up over many, many years, just as the globalists who unleashed the COVID bioweapons upon America and the world are calling those crimes upon humanity a conspiracy theory, as wed reported on ANP just days ago in this story titled The Ticking Time Bomb About To Explode And The Summoner Of Death Vax Theory  CDC And Big Pharma Drop Alarming Warnings Hinting Conspiracy Theorists Were Right All Along, attorney Dr. Reiner Fuellmich is going after the globalists for intentional, premeditated murder in court, what is nothing less than genocide.

With a typical ploy of the globalists being diverting attention away from their crimes and plans by redirecting attention away by either unleashing something even bigger upon the world (that cant be directly traced back to them, of course) or by talking about something else entirely, such as Hillary claiming Thursday Its funny, the more trouble Trump gets into, the wilder the charges and conspiracy theories about me seem to get, the globalists are also very much like abusive spouses or abusive employers, always blaming their own abusive behavior upon their victims.

And with such a person/corporation very rare to admit and/or check/stop their own behavior, instead ratcheting up the crimes and misconduct as were witnessing now from Justin Trudeau in Canada upon his own citizens as seen in the horrific 1st video at the bottom of this story, as well as this linked video showing an elderly woman with using a walker being trampled by Trudeaus goons horses, one commenter mentioned its well past time for Canadians to bust out the pitchforks and torches.

Back in August of 2016, CBS Las Vegas put out this story titled The List of Clinton Associates Who Allegedly Died Mysteriously  Check It Out, a story which were not surprised has since been removed from their website but had been saved here at Archive.com.

A story which wed reported on numerous times on ANP, including in this August 2020 story prior to the stolen election titled Expect The Clinton Body Count To Skyrocket As Americans Are Tracked, Whacked And Stacked And The Nightmare Marriage Between Communism & Crazy Win In November  Remember! Democrats Had 72-Kinds Of Law Abiding Americans Listed As Potential Terrorists, the names of former Clinton associates or enemies who met their untimely ends seemed endless.

Reporting back then names that included: James McDougal, a key witness in the Ken Starr investigations who was the Clintons convicted Whitewater partner who died of an apparent heart attack while in solitary confinement; Mary Mahoney, a former White House intern murdered back in July of 1997, her death happening soon after she was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the White House; Vince Foster, the ex-White House counselor and colleague of Killary at Little Rocks Rose Law firm; Ron Brown, the Secretary of Commerce and former DNC Chairman who allegedly died in a plane crash but of whose death a pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole in the top of Browns skull resembling a gunshot wound; Danny Casolaro, an investigative reporter who was investigating Mena Airport and the Arkansas Development Finance Authority who allegedly slit his wrists while in the middle of an investigation; as well as the deaths of Kevin Ives & Don Henry, who died in a case now known as The boys on the track case tied to Mena, Arkansas, the numbers of mysterious deaths that appear to be somehow tied to the Clintons goes on and on.

Also believed to include the murder of former DNC staffer Seth Rich, who was killed soon after thousands of DNC emails were leaked to Wikileaks, a leak that upended the 2016 election while also being one stake in Julian Assanges coffin as soon after those emails were released, the witch-hunt for Assange by the Hillary/Obama deep state got kicked into overdrive, does anyone believe well ever get any truth from the mouths of Hillary, Obama, Biden, the DNC or the MSM in 2022? Remember, they called all of us, including us here at ANP, Russian propagandists at the behest of Hillary.

Helping to explain why Biden and Congress and the MSM and most of what people call the establishment have absolutely horrific trust ratings among the American people, just like those domestic abusers we mentioned earlier as well as criminal employers, the globalists who nobody trusts, yet whod love to rule over us, will simply continue to heap the abuse upon their victims, the American people and people of the world, just expecting them to take it while NEVER admitting their crimes upon humanity.

Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com
(Natural News) Iceland on Wednesday, Feb. 23, rescinded all Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mandates in place in the country. Authorities in the Nordic nation argued that natural immunity from COVID-19 is necessary to end the pandemic.

The Icelandic Ministry of Health announced the rollback of COVID-19 mandates in a Feb. 23 statement. Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic. 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, its statement said.

Icelanders will no longer be required to comply with curfews or limit public gatherings to under 200 people effective Feb. 25. COVID-19 measures for travelers at Icelands borders will also be lifted regardless of whether individuals are vaccinated or unvaccinated.

Health Minister Willum Thor Thorsson confirmed the lifting of restrictions during a Feb. 23 cabinet meeting. We can truly rejoice at this turning point, but nonetheless  I encourage people to be careful, practice personal infection prevention measures and not to interact with others if they notice symptoms, he said.

Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir told reporters on the same day: We are returning to normal life, but the virus is still with us. She added that Iceland may re-impose new restrictions if the situation calls for it.

This was not the first time Iceland lifted COVID-19 restrictions, having done so in the summer periods of 2020 and 2021. However, the Feb. 23 announcement signaled the first time Reykjavik lifted border restrictions. The island nation also stood out among its European neighbors by refusing to implement vaccine passports.

According to the ministry, the decision to lift all restrictions in Iceland was based on the recommendation of Chief Epidemiologist Thorolfur Gudnason. The official said in a memorandum that he believes a widespread herd immunity  akin to up to 80 percent of the Icelandic population being infected  can lead the country out of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Related: WHO: Omicron variant could spell end of pandemic in Europe.)

Iceland follows trend of European countries that drop restrictions

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, Iceland has a COVID-19 caseload of 118,684 as of Feb. 25. Sixty-one Icelanders in total have died of the disease as of the same date.

Icelands lifting of COVID-19 mandates followed a trend in the European mainland, where countries are easing restrictions. Slovakia announced that majority of restrictions in the country will be lifted beginning Feb. 26. From that date onward, individuals will no longer be required to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter restaurants or attend in-person events.

However, Slovakias lifting of mandates is not absolute. Some areas will still have capacity limits in place, and face masks are still required in public transport and indoor settings.

Poland also announced on Feb. 23 that it will lift COVID-19 restrictions from March 1. Polish Health Minister Adam Niedzielski confirmed the lifting of all economic restrictions such as capacity limits in shopping centers, restaurants and other establishments. This lifting is not absolute either  as mask mandates would still be in place for indoor settings and public transport, and those infected with COVID-19 must quarantine for seven days.

Niedzielski cited a downward trend in cases for this decision to lift restrictions. This aligned with remarks he delivered during a Feb. 9 press briefing, where he claimed that the beginning of the end of the pandemic is near. The health minister predicted a significant decrease in infections that time, which could put the Polish government in a position to ease restrictions.

From my point of view, and as often as I have been a pessimist, I am now optimistic. We have the beginning of the end of the pandemic, he said.

More related stories:

Welcome to the life we knew before: Denmark is abolishing ALL COVID-19 restrictions.

12 European countries roll back covid restrictions, Israel scraps green pass.

End of COVID-19 tyranny: European countries move to ease pandemic rules.

Poland declares the beginning of the end of COVID pandemic.

Austria announces end of COVID mandates beginning March 5.

Watch Jeffery Jaxen and Del Bigtree discuss Thorolfur Gudnasons August 2021 statement about herd immunity being unachievable with the COVID-19 vaccine.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

Head over to Pandemic.news for more stories about countries lifting COVID-19 restrictions.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

TheEpochTimes.com

Government.is

Coronavirus.JHU.edu

InfoWars.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Barack Hussein Obama is once again sticking his nose in affairs that do not concern him.

In response to Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, Obama claimed that the event violates the basic principles of human decency, calling the military operation a brazen attack.

Even though Obama bombed not one, not two, not three, but seven different countries during his occupation of the White House, the Usurper-in-Chief now has the gall to chastise Putin for invading one that just so happens to have questionable ties to both himself and the Bidens.

For exercising rights that should be available to all people and nations, Ukrainians now face a brutal onslaught that is killing innocents and displacing untold numbers of men, women and children, Obama added, conveniently leaving out the transgenders and other LGBTQ+s he so adorningly pushed on Americans throughout his tenure.

In 2016 alone, Obama dropped an average of three bombs per hour on targets all over the world, killing far more people than Putin has with his calculated targeting of certain Ukrainian military outfits. Over the course of 2016, Obama dropped a total of 26,171 bombs on people.

Is Obama the worlds most cringeworthy hypocrite?

It turns out that Obama was one of the most gruesome killers the American White House has ever seen. He murdered more people than any other president, some say, with his aggressive eight-year war machine.

For the guy to now be talking about human decency is simply laughable, but there are sure to be millions of his unquestioning supporters who lap up every word that this phony warmonger spews into these types of foreign affairs.

Hilariously, Obama was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, for which he congratulated himself numerous times. He also sold a record $115 billion in weaponry to Saudi Arabia throughout his White House occupation, expanding the military-industrial complex to new heights.

Many agree that Saudi Arabia is one of the worlds most oppressive regimes. The Muslim nation has repeatedly destabilized entire regions of the world, as well as created leadership vacuums for rogue fighters to thrive.

The seven countries that Obama bombed include Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Obamas legacy builds upon one that began much earlier in 1980, bringing the total number of Muslim-predominant countries bombed by the American military-industrial complex to 14.

The death toll from all modern wars in the Middle East may be as high as 4 million dead Muslims and Arabs, reported Baxter Dmitry from Newspunch.

Repeated military campaigns have destabilized the Middle East, giving rise to terror groups like ISIS, allowing for sectarianism to blossom, and necessitating further bombing, in what has been described as a perpetual protection racket.'

It is simply hypocritical beyond words for Obama to be blabbing his mouth about human decency when he is one of the worlds most fearsome killers, at least in terms of being able to hit the bomb button from whatever safe hideaway he chose to lounge in during his illegitimate presidency.

Obama is mad because Putin is removing the illegal government that Obama installed after undermining the legitimate government, suggested someone who reads Newspunch.

Please dont forget that hes cutting off Bidens family from a steady stream of illegal income, added someone else about what Putin may be doing.

I wouldnt be surprised if Russia exposes some material showing how Hunter and Joe bilked Ukraine out of millions. Also of note: it was a logical move that was expected. Did these dingbats really think Putin was going to let NATO park weaponry that could hit them in a matter of four minutes?

The latest news about Obama can be found at Evil.news.

Sources include:

Newspunch.com

NaturalNews.com
The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022. (Photo by Tu Haichao/Xinhua)

WENCHANG, Hainan, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket.

The rocket blasted off at 11:06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into preset orbit.

These satellites will then be released in 12 groups. They will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation.

The mission marked the 409th flight of the Long March carrier rockets.

The Long March-8 used for Sunday's launch is a modified version of the medium-lift carrier rocket and is 48 meters long with a takeoff weight of 198 tonnes. It uses non-toxic and pollution-free propellants with a 3-tonne capacity for sun-synchronous orbit.

Compared with the original model, the modified model does not have side boosters but can launch multiple satellites with different orbital requirements.

The Long March-8 is the new generation of China's carrier rocket. Research and development started in 2017. The original model performed its debut mission at Wenchang coastal launch site on Dec. 22, 2020.

Designed and built by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., the rocket fills a gap in China's launch capability to the sun-synchronous orbit and meets the needs of more than 80 percent of launch missions for medium and low-orbit spacecraft.

Xiao Yun, chief commander of the rocket, said an assembly and test plant for the Long March-8 family is being built outside the Wenchang launch site. Once completed, it is expected to shorten the launch interval of the Long March-8 rocket to seven days, enabling 50 launches a year. 

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022. (Photo by Tu Haichao/Xinhua)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022. (Photo by Tu Haichao/Xinhua)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022. (Photo by Tu Haichao/Xinhua)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Hu Zhixuan)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022.

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. (Xinhua/Hu Zhixuan)
(Natural News) Russia is selling its crude oil at record discount rates as the country prepares for the possibility of tough sanctions from Western nations following the beginning of its war with Ukraine.

The crude oil from the oil-rich Ural Mountains region was offered at $11.60 a barrel below Dated Brent, which is one of several internationally recognized benchmarks for assessing the price

Bloomberg reporters Sherry Su and Alex Longley noted that this is the deepest discount for Russian oil in at least 11 years, if not longer. Despite the significantly cheaper oil price, there were no bids. A large tender that was put up for sale separately also went without being bid on. (Related: Germany halts Nord Stream 2 pipeline project with Russia over Ukraine incursion, putting citizens at risk of freezing.)

Singaporean commodities trading company Trafigura Group and Russian energy company PJSC Lukoil both tried to offer Urals crude with a $6.30 per barrel discount. Neither of their bids ended up getting sold.

Russian oil isnt the only oil market being affected. Kazakhstan-owned Caspian Pilepine Consortium Blend oil, which harvests oil from Caspian Sea reserves, tried to trade oil with a discount of $1.50 per barrel.

Norways Johan Sverdrup oil, which is similar in quality to oil from the Urals and is often used as an alternative, has also started trading oil at a discount of around $1.50 per barrel as well.

Russia-U.S. tensions over Ukraine have contributed to the collapse in Urals differentials, wrote energy consulting company Facts Global Energy in a note. It seems that after many European refiners went on a Urals buying spree in December/January, those that have a choice are now shying away from Urals.

Companies with investments in Russian oil started offering discounts on Monday when Urals oil was offered at Dated Brent minus $4.60 per barrel. Analysts noted that this was the largest discount on Urals oil since the spring of 2020, when oil demand plummeted at the beginning of the global Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdowns.

Traders avoiding handling Russian oil for fear of sanctions

The United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and the European Union have all announced sanctions against Russia and have warned of more sanctions to be passed in the coming days if the war continues. Because of this, oil traders are actively choosing to avoid trading in Russian crude for fear that they might face the consequences of violating the sanctions.

Igho Sanomi, founder of Nigeria-based energy trading company Taleveras, said he is expecting restrictions against Russia to be very deep.

Were expecting most European banks will pull out of financing any commodities from Russia. Letters of credit are being stopped, financing in general toward Russian commodities is being stopped, he said.

I hear that refiners are stepping back from buying Urals, and many shipowners are saying they are unsure if they will call at Russian ports  Black Sea or Baltic, said one European refineries investor to S&P Global. Another trader from the Middle East reportedly told the outlet that extreme events like open conflicts did not happen very often but were very disruptive to the market.

Reluctance to purchase Urals oil also comes from the fear many traders have of the oil they purchased being disrupted en route, especially if the ongoing conflict in Ukraine spills over into the Black Sea. Some shipowners have told media outlets that they are extremely cautious about traveling to terminals in the region.

S&P Global Platts, which organized the bid for Urals oil at a discount of $11.60 per barrel, remarked that it will not publish bids, offers, trades and market values for oil loading in the Black Sea.

But if Platts does end up selling oil at that steep discount, it may do at a massive loss as foreign rates from Russias Baltic Sea terminals have soared since the beginning of the conflict, according to the Baltic Exchange in London.

Buyers are looking to source crude from safe suppliers, said Lars Barstad, CEO of the management unit of Frontline Ltd., one of the worlds largest owners of supertankers. He added that the markets for supertankers are similarly reacting to the conflict and the increased rates out of the Black Sea.

Traders that used to rely on Russian oil are now looking for suppliers in the Middle East, West Africa and Brazil. Barstad has seen this development due to the rise in rates for chartering giant supertankers like the ones his company is renting out.

But financial analysts noted that the lack of trading partners with the West provides an opportunity for other potential trading partners to step in.

Financial analysts have noted that Russias sudden lack of trading partners with the West provides an opportunity for other potential trading partners to step in and buy Urals oil.

The conflict will result in a significant shift in trade flows, at least temporarily, with less risk-averse Asian buyers stepping in to buy Urals and Russian products, said Livia Gallarati, an analyst for energy consulting company Energy Aspects Ltd. Which means Urals and products differentials have to correct lower to clear east.

More related stories:

Ukraine failed to prep, now having to ration gasoline as citizens desperately try to flee Kiev.

Biden regime blames Russia-Ukraine conflict for rising inflation, deflecting from the many decades of corrupt monetary policy that actually caused it.

State and federal regulations cause gas prices to surge in California.

Russia-Ukraine crisis will put even more strain on the global food supply, driving up prices of wheat and corn around the world.

Rising gas prices to hit $7 a gallon if crude oil cost spikes and tension between Russia and Ukraine escalates.

Listen to this episode of the Health Ranger Report, a podcast by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he talks about the real story regarding Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin and NATO.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Bloomberg.com

SPGlobal.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The Canadian government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is so angry at the Freedom Convoy truckers and their supporters for daring to question his COVID-19 vaccine order that officials are literally implementing payback policies that are going to hurt all citizens.

Though Trudeau revoked the emergency authority he assumed earlier this month to crush the Freedom Convoy protest, the damage has already been done to Canadian liberties and the precedent sent.

One of the measures Trudeaus government used against the protesters and their supporters was to freeze bank accounts so they couldnt access funds to live. Now, a Canadian institution has adopted a policy that could literally lead to starvation.

Federal bank @FCCagriculture was compiling blacklist of account holders suspected of sympathizing with #FreedomConvoy. Consequences included suspension of loans, Canadian journalist Holly Doan reported via Twitter.

Quoting her tweet, Canada-based National Post correspondent Rupa Subramanya added, Farm Credit had begun compiling a list of names of account holders suspected of involvement with Freedom Convoy protests against vaccine mandates. Consequences for customers named in police blacklists included suspension of loans.

Farm Credit had begun compiling a list of names of account holders suspected of involvement with Freedom Convoy protests against vaccine mandates.Consequences for customers named in police blacklists included suspension of loans.

Farm Credit Canada yesterday did not comment. https://t.co/koCwpyP4FU  Rupa Subramanya (@rupasubramanya) February 24, 2022

Translated: The Canadian agricultural finance system is moving to deny loans to farmers, which means there will be less food production  which will produce higher food prices, lower food availability and higher food insecurity.

Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face: What sense does that make?

None, of course. Its just the Trudeau governments latest petty move to punish political opponents of the regime, only, its going to affect the whole of the country.

Responses to Subramanyas post indicated similar sentiments.

Sorry you cant grow food any more because you donated to the people who get your food to market when they asked you to doesnt sound like freedom.  Negative Nelly (@TryingToSmile3) February 24, 2022

Banks cancelling farms / trucks loans for exercising their freedomshmmm looks and smells like Germany 1936. pic.twitter.com/avn2GsqzPk  BFranklin1709 (@Benjamin100bill) February 25, 2022

Good move, remove the hope of people, you make them berserkers. People without hope are dangerous, ie see them going to the homes of RCMP/Liberals and butchering them. I am not condoning, just pointing out the stupidity of Trudeau and the elite. Cities have about 3 days of food.  Benjiman Sisko (@SiskoBenjiman) February 24, 2022

Of course truckers who park in the wrong place and honk their horns are immediately excised from the financial systemhttps://t.co/fSCXSzYwzj  It Took ?? Truckers to Take On Klaus Schwab ?? (@Dishhco_Volante) February 24, 2022

Interesting that truckers have more liability than big Pharma? ?  McCryptoshi (@mccryptoshi) February 24, 2022

Fair enough. Dont do business with them then. Roll on decentralised lending and an end to the monopoly of the compromised elites  More Locks (@MoreLocks2) February 24, 2022

Great way to generate confidence in the banking system when disagreements on policy results in government financial attacks

Cryptocurrency anyone?  Ron Woods (@ronjwoods) February 24, 2022

@MHoffort What are you thinking? You and @FCCagriculture live and die by the farm and related communities. Are you absolutely tone deaf?  Brian (@BNSim) February 24, 2022

I think they are forgetting how many working-class there are. ? Do they really want a war?  Darlene (@albertadar58) February 24, 2022

Truckers haul food. Truckers haul supplies. They will have the last word. ????  Ellen Fox (@travelnfox) February 24, 2022

The government of Canada has quickly become despotic, but only Canadians can take it back.

Sources include:

CitizenFreePress.com

NaturalNews.com
In Mexico, gangs increasingly control legitimate fishing businesses, which are used to launder illegally obtained marine species. The prospect of violence pushes fishers, like these guys preparing their nets off the coast of Baja California, to carry out organized criminal gangs' orders.

Cartels Going Exotic

Mexican drug organizations are branching out into wildlife smuggling. According to a soon-to-be-released Brookings Institution analysis, they're tightening their grip on the country's authorized fisheries and using them to launder unlawfully obtained marine species.

Previously, the cartels were tied to the trafficking of marine species, including totoaba and rosewood, a wood prized for high-end furniture and musical instruments. However, according to the Washington, D.C.-based think tank analysis, criminal organizations have recently increased their trafficking of animal species, typically to China. Chemicals that can be turned into fentanyl or methamphetamine are occasionally given to cartels in return.

"Instead of selling lemonade, they'll be selling lemons and sugar to cartels, who will then turn it into lemonade," says Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior scholar at Brookings and the report's author.

Her results are based on 73 interviews conducted in Mexico, China, the United States, and worldwide with current and past politicians, environmental groups, fishermen, and others. All of this was done under the guise of anonymity.

She claims that jaguar body parts are likely being smuggled out of Mexico for use in traditional Chinese medicine. She also says that reptiles, sea cucumbers, abalone, and shark fins are transported from Mexico to China, sometimes via the United States.

Exposing Wildlife Trafficking

According to Steve Carmody, chief of investigations at the Wildlife Justice Commission, a charity organization in The Hague, Netherlands that attempts to expose illicit wildlife trafficking networks, the study was "well done." He referred to the report's findings as a "wake-up call to governments and policymakers."

Related Article: Poacher's Remains Discovered After Elephant Trampled Him to Death in South Africa

Infiltrating Other Industries

According to Felbab-Brown, organized crime invaded the fishing business in stages. To begin, gangs took control of poachers who unlawfully took protected species like totoaba, a large fish prized for its swim bladder in traditional Chinese medicine. Next, the cartels went after small-scale fishers of low-value seafood like corvina, forcing them to sell their catch exclusively to the cartels.

According to the research, cartels like the Sinaloa cartel and, to a lesser extent, the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion have lately taken control of significant firms with fishing fleets or that process high-value species like scallops and lobster for export. Cartels use these legitimate firms to launder stolen marine species. According to the article, the Sinaloa cartel is "supposedly establishing its own official legal seafood processing factory and firm, as well as employing personnel for its activities." Even those catering to international visitors, Restaurants are also forced to buy their seafood only from cartels.

Felbab-Brown outlines how the Sinaloa gang has purchased up Mexico's permits for geoduck clams, a big mollusk distributed to Chinese purchasers, during the last five years. They gained control of the legitimate geoduck clam fishing activities due to this. In addition, the cartel orchestrated illegal clam fishing and laundered the proceeds.

Organized Crime

The influence of organized crime extends far beyond the illicit wildlife trade, according to Juan Carlos Cant, Mexico director of programs for Defenders of Wildlife, who was not involved in the investigation.

A cartel abducted the son of a seafood processing facility owner in Baja California Sur as leverage to force the plant to process the cartel's seafood, according to Felbab-Brown. The son was released when the work was finished, and the owner was paid-but just half the market amount.

Demand in Mexico, as well as in the United States and elsewhere in Central America, drives a lot of wildlife poaching, frequently for the bird and reptile pet trade or feathers. However, according to Felbab-Brown, the China link is expanding. She attributes most of the blame to government inactivity.

The Secretaria del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Mexico's environment ministry, did not reply to a request for comment from National Geographic.The problem isn't limited to Mexico. According to Clare Perry of the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency, who investigated the totoaba trade and was not involved with the paper, there has been a lack of collaboration among Mexico, China, and others in countering the tendencies documented by Felbab-Brown. "There is little indication, for example, that China is attempting to limit demand for totoaba," she adds, and data from customs seizures suggests that legitimate fisheries are increasingly being exploited to transport illegal goods.

International Problem

Mexico isn't the only country with a problem. According to Clare Perry of the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency, there has been a lack of coordination among Mexico, China, and others in addressing the tendencies observed by Felbab-Brown, who examines the totoaba trade and is not involved with the article. "For example, there is no evidence that China is seeking to control demand for totoaba," she says, adding data from customs seizures shows that legitimate fisheries are increasingly being used to carry illegal commodities.

Also Read: Pangolins Rescued From Illegal Trafficking Suffer From Signs of PTSD

For more animal news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Indonesia's island of Sumatra on Friday morning, killing seven people and injuring at least 85. In neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore tremors were felt, and neighboring cities in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia and Pekanbaru, Riau, shook violently.

At least four people, including two children, died in the Pasaman district, and three died in the adjacent West Pasaman district. At least 410 houses and buildings were damaged, the National Board for Disaster Management said.

The horrendous earthquake in Indonesia

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck near the west coast of Indonesia's Sumatra Island on Friday, killing at least seven people.

"At this point, there is information that two people have died and 20 have been injured," Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Management Agency, told the media. The earthquake also damaged some homes and other buildings, as per Bloomberg.

Authorities have released photos showing a collapsed house and a school with a blown ceiling in West Pasaman County.

The 17,000 islands of Indonesia are experiencing earthquakes because they straddle the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is the arc of volcanoes and fault lines that cause frequent earthquake tremors.

At least 15 aftershocks occurred after the quake damaged several homes, many offices and other buildings, Dwikorita Karnawati, head of BMKG, said in a virtual briefing. It occurred on land at a depth of 10 km, and there was no danger of a tsunami.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a powerful, shallow earthquake struck the northern islands at a depth of 12 km (7.5 miles). Residents said the quake occurred minutes after the less serious quake recorded by the USGS of magnitude 5.0, according to DW.

Faults along the island of Sumatra can be particularly active and dangerous. In 2004, a powerful 9.1 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck the northern tip of Sumatra, killing 226,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and nine other countries.

Read more: Researchers Discovered a New Type of Earthquake Triggered by Hydraulic Fracturing

Neighboring countries are being affected by the earthquake

According to the Meteorology, Climate and Geophysical Agency, the earthquake that shook neighboring buildings in Singapore and Malaysia occurred at 8:39 am local time, about 17 kilometers northeast of the regent.

In Malaysia, the Malaysian Meteorological Agency (MetMalaysia) issued a warning on Twitter at 10:12 am about the shaking. It is said that shaking was felt in Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor.

Malaysian student Zhen Li, 17, was taking an online class in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur at her home when she felt shivering. She said that she felt the chair move in the middle of their math class, she told The Straits Times.

Police and the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) said they had received multiple calls from citizens reporting the quake. No injuries have been reported, SCDF added.

Police said on Facebook that citizens who were indoors and felt vibrating were advised to hide under a table and stay away from glass and hanging objects. We also recommend that you do not use elevators or open flames in the event of a gas leak.

Lynn Chua, 44, from Singapore, told that she was having breakfast when the table began to shake around 9:45 am on Friday morning. She and her husband also felt two rounds of tremors, each lasting about 5 seconds. It all happened within a minute.

Also read: 6.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Tonga's Coast Days After Massive Volcanic Eruption
According to Germany's energy plan, rooftop solar will be necessary on new business buildings and near-mandatory on new residential ones.

German solar has been developing at a slower pace than the rest of the world, but with yearly deployments due to triple, it is expected that by 2030, green energy would account for 50% of home heating and 80% of the power.

The current low feed-in tariff is a stumbling block to rooftop solar installation. The FiT is expected to be increased to encourage more deployment.

Green Party in Charge

With the Green Party in charge of the climate, agriculture, and environment ministries, the new administration will provide clearance for agri-voltaic installations.

Will they, however, make sufficient land available?

The government has already set up funds to expand the transmission network.

The continued involvement with gas power is likely the most severe issue since although coal has a decommissioning deadline and the net-zero aim for 2045 suggests that gas will not be part of the energy mix by then, there is a lot of talk about Nord Stream 2.

The German industry community is enthusiastic about Nord Stream 2, seeing the gas supply as beneficial to their bottom line.

Germany is unlikely to cancel the pipeline, despite Russia's increasingly aggressive measures toward Ukraine.

It may not need to because the US may successfully strangle it.

Related Article: From Sunlight to Fuel: Scientists Plans to Make Fuel by Converting CO2 Into Solar Energy



Going Green

The OECD's third-largest economy, Germany, has been a leader in implementing ambitious environmental legislation in recent decades at home and abroad.

The country's strong ecological framework not only makes it a leader in environmental protection and sustainable development but also serves as a model for how a cleaner, lower-carbon economy may coexist with growth.

Hopes for Germany's current administration have been high among environmentalists.

Growing concern over climate change, bolstered by the country's worst floods in 500 years, helped the German Greens treble their parliamentary seats in the most recent elections.

A pledge to dramatically develop renewable energies, allocating 2% of the national territory to the cause; an aim to phase out coal by 2030, eight years sooner than previously envisaged; and a plan to weaponize foreign policy to push climate change adjustments abroad are among the initiatives.

Environmental Standards

Germany, for example, has set standards for an environmentally sound, dependable, and economical energy supply in its Energy Concept.

Expanding renewable energies and improving energy efficiency are significant components of this.

The European nation wants to increase the share of renewables in electricity generation from 17% today to more than 80% in 2050 while phasing out nuclear power generation by 2022.

By 2020, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would be decreased by 40%, and by 2050, they would be cut by at least 80%.

In terms of energy efficiency, Germany plans to cut primary energy usage by 20% by 2020 and 50% by 2050 compared to 2008.

The Energy Concept includes almost 100 concrete measures in electricity, heat, and transportation.

Also Read: Study Shows How Urban Experimentation May Help Develop Better Sustainable Policies

For more news about making the environment sustainable, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
The US weather forecast indicates an arctic air coming from an arctic front that will cause a new round of heavy snowfall and winter weather conditions in the northeast US on Sunday, Feb. 27.

US meteorologists highlighted the risk of dangerous travel as the arctic front travels from Canada into the region.

Hotspots for Snowfall

Based on the weather forecast, snow showers are likely to affect Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Maine, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

In Canada, the southern areas of Ontario and Quebec will be affected by snowfall.

According to AccuWeather forecast, snow showers are specifically likely to hit Buffalo, Syracuse, and Watertown in New York. In addition, snowfall may occur in the cities of Boston, Bangor, Providence, and Portland.

However, the forecast reveals the accumulation of snow is not expected to be substantial.

Although snowfall has been forecasted to be not that substantial, the occurrence of poor outdoor visibility is still possible. The snowfall in mentioned hotspot areas can still cause potential disruption to road, rail, air, and sea travel in the next 24 hours.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Weather Service (NWS) stated that the strong cold front will batter the Northeast US region on Sunday afternoon and evening.

Nevertheless, the occurrence of snowfall can still not be ruled out for Sunday morning.

Also read: Intense Arctic Blast Will Bring Cold Air to the US

Snow Squalls and Travel Hazards

The forecast said the arctic front may bring wind gusts and snow squalls that can pose a threat to travelers.

As a result, meteorologists are advising to take precautions during road travel, notably on highways and major routes.

Experts reportedly issued a warning that encountering snow squalls on a highway is not safe, advising motorists to take an exit and find an alternative route whenever possible.

Under circumstances where a driver is unable to take an exit, they are recommended to slow down their vehicles, as per AccuWeather.

A snow squall is short-lived but consists of intense bursts of heavy snowfall. Snow squalls can quickly reduce visibility, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Weather Service (NWS) as cited by CBS News.

Furthermore, snow squalls also bring gusty winds and can last approximately between 30 minutes to an hour.

In the past, this weather phenomenon has been associated with dangerous travel conditions as road visibility can change with little to no warning in a short span of time.

Current Flight Disruption

As the arctic air, along with its winter conditions, has been forecasted to pose danger to travel, flight disruption has been reported across the United States.

According to the FlightAware aviation company's site, there have been 172 canceled domestic and international flights across the US.

From previous winter storms and the arctic front in the Northeast, the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City and the Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston city were the most affected airports in the region as thousands of flights were canceled and delayed.

Related article: Winter Storm Aftermath: US Gradually Recovers, Arctic Air to Leave Midwest and Northeast
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MOSCOW, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects since the start of operations, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Sunday.

Russia continued its strike against Ukraine's military infrastructure on Saturday using air- and sea-launched cruise missiles, Konashenkov told a regular briefing, reiterating that the Russian military takes all measures to ensure the safety of civilians.

The Russian armed forces have completely blockaded the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk in southern Ukraine, he said.

He added that a total of 471 Ukrainian service members have been detained and will be sent to their families after paperwork. 


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Moscow to re-examine relations with states imposing sanctions: Medvedev

Xinhua) 11:12, February 27, 2022

MOSCOW, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday that the current sanctions against Russia could be a reason to review relations with all states that have imposed them.

"Sanctions are a good reason to review all relations with those states that have imposed them, and to interrupt dialogue on strategic stability," Medvedev said in a post on his Vkontakte page.

These restrictions will not change anything, including Moscow's decision to conduct a military operation and to protect Donbass, he wrote, adding that the operation would be carried out in full until the final results are achieved.

Medvedev said that the sanctions were imposed due to the "political impotence" of Western leaders and their "inability to change Russia's course," and were also used as a means to justify "their shameful decisions."

The West is also threatening to seize the money of Russian citizens and Russian companies abroad, Medvedev wrote, noting that this will bring about a symmetrical response, namely seizing funds of foreigners and foreign companies in Russia.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
People sit at a teahouse in the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People visit the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People dine in a restaurant at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People visit the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People dine in a restaurant at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People dine in a restaurant at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People visit the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People visit the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

A visitor takes photos at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People visit the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Photo by Liu Huan/Xinhua)

A man interacts with a cat at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People dine in a restaurant at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People enjoy the night view at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People walk out of a library at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

People visit a library at the Shancheng Alley in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 26, 2022. Located on the bank of the Yangtze River and built along mountain and cliff, Shancheng Alley used to be a footpath for local residents. It retains many historic buildings which date back to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Chongqing government has been renovating the Shancheng Alley area while maintaining its historical and cultural characteristics since 2018. Now the area is attracting local residents and tourists with its new vitality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)
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.
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In a Sunday message to families, Superintendent Jennifer Ivory-Tatum said the district is "working with our attorneys to assess the impact of continuing to require masks."
SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a suspected ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Sunday.

The JCS said it detected the ballistic missile launched from Pyongyang vicinity at 7:52 a.m. local time without providing any details.

Following the latest test, South Korea's presidential office Blue House convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Council presided over by National Security Office chief Suh Hoon.

The DPRK conducted seven missile tests in January, including a hypersonic missile on Jan. 5 and Jan. 11 each, two railway-borne short-range ballistic missiles on Jan. 14, two tactical guided missiles on Jan. 17, a long-range cruise missile on Jan. 25, a surface-to-surface tactical guided missile on Jan. 27 and an intermediate- and long-range ballistic missile on Jan. 30. 
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Jim Nowlan is a former Illinois legislator, state agency director, aide to three unindicted governors, chair of the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission, professor and community newspaper publisher.
Ray Elliott is an author and former high school teacher who lives in rural Urbana. He can be reached at rayelliott23@att.net.
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(Newser)  That their boss, Madbird founder Ali Ayad, sometimes signed his name Alex Ayd or Ali Ayyad could have been a red flag. That he required employees to work on commission-only for the London-based design agency for the first six months might have been another. But as the BBC reports in an investigation, the more than 50 people he hired across London, Dubai, India, Uganda, and beyond from September 2020 through February 2021 were "young adults looking for work and living through a pandemic. Many felt they had no choice but to accept the terms in their contracts." And Ayad was an infectious boss: Self-described as having cut his teeth as a creative designer at Nike, where he met Madbird co-founder Dave Stanfield, he had glowing LinkedIn recommendations and 90,000 Instagram followers. His team was pitching like crazy and thought they were so close to landing deals. Then Gemma Brett did a Google search.

The 27-year-old had only been with the company two weeks, but decided to Google the headquarters she'd get to work at once the pandemic was over. The address was linked to a residential address, and she confirmed it had no Madbird connection. Worried, she opened up to Antonia Stuart, who was trying to generate business for Madbird in Dubai. They discovered most of Madbird's past work was actually stolen from other firms. They alerted their peers, and that's when the BBC stepped in to probe. What they found was wild: Dave Stanfield didn't exist. Neither did other senior employees. Some employees who appeared on company Zooms didn't exist. Ayad had never worked at Nike. A photo of a page in GQ that showed Ayad modeling was a fake. Ayad denied knowing anything. Then the BBC tracked him down. (Read the full piece to read the two theories on why Ayad started Madbird.)
People from Ukraine arrive at Beregsurany, eastern Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Currently, the flux of people leaving Ukraine was nothing like the migration wave of 2015, but Orban warned this could change in the future: "For the moment, the war is further back in Ukraine, but if the worst case scenario is to happen, it could spread to our immediate vicinity, and we will have to be even more disciplined."



BEREGSURANY, Hungary, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban checked a border station with Ukraine in east Hungary on Saturday and consulted with local authorities and border guards in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"The war is next door, so we have to be very disciplined," Orban said to journalists a few hundred meters away from Ukraine on the side of the road.

Currently, the flux of people leaving Ukraine was nothing like the migration wave of 2015, but Orban warned this could change in the future: "For the moment, the war is further back in Ukraine, but if the worst case scenario is to happen, it could spread to our immediate vicinity, and we will have to be even more disciplined."

Orban informed that he consulted with local mayors and officials, and promised the central government would provide them with everything they should need.

A white tent was set up on the curb of the road to provide the arriving Ukrainian women and children with water, food and blankets.

People from Ukraine arrive at Beregsurany, eastern Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Hao)

Two mobile heaters were also being set up to give some warmth to those arriving on foot.

About a dozen people were entering Hungary following Russia's special military operation in eastern Ukraine, many of them have relatives in Hungary, and many just transit through the country. Those on their own were seated in vans of the local authority and driven to a shelter provided by the city council of Beregsurany, a village in Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg county in eastern Hungary.

By Saturday morning, local authorities estimated that 1,600 people have crossed the border from Ukraine.

"When on Hungarian soil, we treat them as anyone else, they are also to be helped," Orban added.

He also reaffirmed that Hungary's position was completely in line with the Europe Union (EU)'s position about sanctions against Russia: "There is war: now is not the time to be 'smart', it is time to be united."

"Our border with Ukraine is over 130 kilometers long. In this situation Hungary's security must also be guaranteed, because for us that is the most important consideration. I made it clear that Hungary will not take part in this war, and it will not allow itself to be drawn into it," he also said.



People from Ukraine arrive at Beregsurany, eastern Hungary, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Hao)
(Newser)  In early February, the story of Paul Bishops false teeth swept the British media and much of the globe. Nobody could resist the story. It offers humor, mystery, and the reassurance that there are diligent, honorable lab technicians looking out for us. The story also makes for catchy headlines. Shocked Brit Gets False Teeth in Post 11 Years After He Vomited Them into Bin, says The Mirror. Fangs for the Memories! exclaim the punsters at the Daily Mail. However, as Matt Reynolds, senior writer for Wired writes, The tooth . . . was not exactly as it seemed.

Reynolds did not get to the exact truth of the matter, but he certainly tried, and this puts him in an elite small minority among journalists. The basic story goes like this: back in 2011, Bishop and some mates traveled to the resort town of Benidorm, Spain. After drinking all day, he felt the urge to vomit, and so he did, in a trash bin. His upper dentures went out with the rest of the mess, but he was too muddled to care. Over a decade later, Bishop received an unexpected package from Spain. It turned out my teeth went to some landfill, and because its classed as body parts, the Spanish government wont allow them to be destroyed, he explained to the Independent. Evidently, a lab tech in Spain eventually discovered the dentures and was able to match them to their owner using a DNA database.

Such databases do exist for use by law enforcement, but not for lost dentures. Besides that, Reynolds uncovered issues with the envelopes postmark and stamps, the nonexistent lab technician, and just about every other detail besides the fact that Paul Bishop wears dentures and likes to party in Spain. The big takeaway from the Wired story is that this bizarre tale ran rampant in major news publications for a week, but nobody checked a single detail. Reynolds concludes with the following thoughts: Bishops dentures are destined to become part of viral news lore. The truth behind the teeth simply doesnt matter enough. (Read more hoax stories.)
(Newser)  As Ukrainians continue to resist the invasion of their country by Russian forces, the nation's capital keeps coming up in conversations in an entirely different way, involving language, pronunciation, and a long, "touchy" history between the two neighbors. Quartz notes the Kyiv conundrumor is it the Kiev conundrum? And besides the discrepancy over the spelling, how exactly do you say it, anyway? First off, Ukrainians do prefer the former, Kyiv, and it's pronounced "KEEV," to most closely align with how locals say it. The alternate spelling and pronunciationKiev, or "Key-EV"is the Russified version, and the one that was mainly used in the city in modern times before Ukraine's independence in 1991.

Wales Online notes that Kyiv's name is thought to have originated from Kyi, a legendary prince from the Polans tribe who's said to have helped found the city sometime around the sixth century. The Russians always called the city Kiev, and so when Ukraine ended up under Russia's thumb, that was the spelling and pronunciation that became the norm. As soon as Ukraine broke free from the Soviet Union three decades ago, however, the Ukrainian government began lobbying to shift to the transliteration from the Ukrainian Cyrillic version. "It is a touchy subject, because (Vladimir) Putin has used Russian speakers in Ukraine to deny Ukraine's sovereignty," a Russia and Ukraine historian tells Quartz.

USA Today lists some of the other place names in Ukraine that have suddenly started popping up on nightly news chyrons, and how to pronounce them. One generic word that you might hear quite a lot: "oblast," which means "region" (and which is pronounced "OH-blust). As for that chicken Kiev you're making for dinner this weekend? Even though the Associated Press has officially switched over to "Kyiv" in references to the city, the news group's style guide gives dispensation to keep using the old way to describe the meal. (Read more Kyiv stories.)
(Newser)  The US and its European allies agreed Saturday to shut certain Russian banks out of SWIFT, a major messaging system critical in making global financial transactions. The leaders, including President Biden, had been dismissive this week of the likelihood they'd take this step to hurt Russia's economy after its invasion of Ukraine. "Even beyond the measures we are announcing today, we are prepared to take further measures to hold Russia to account for its attack on Ukraine," the nations said in a joint statement, the Hill reports.

In addition to curbing access to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication system, the allies said they're taking steps to keep the Russian Central Bank from using its reserves to mitigate the sanctions imposed by other nations after the attack. The US cannot on its own expel Russia from SWIFT, and Biden said this week that European nations don't want to go that far, per CNN. Germany and Italy especially have been reluctant, per NBC News; the European economy is more closely connected to Russia's and could suffer from a SWIFT expulsion. But positions in Europe have hardened as Russia's attack has progressed; Germany changed its mind Saturday on sending Ukraine arms.

The decision is a major escalation in sanctions and carries risks, per the Washington Post. Russiawhich has reminded the world it has nuclear weaponscould argue its money is being held ransom by the allies. The allies also announced new limits on Saturday so-called golden passports, which allow wealthy, well-connected Russians to become citizens of other countries. They can then keep access their financial systems and avoid the pain of sanctions. In the US, investors gain citizenship through the EB-5 and E-2 programs. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  Three new studies cast doubt on the notion that COVID originated in a lab leak in China, reports Nature. Instead, two of the studies suggest it's all but certain that the coronavirus began at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China, per CNN. The third is less definitive on that but thinks COVID spilled over from animals that possibly were sold at the market. When you look at all of the evidence together, its an extraordinarily clear picture that the pandemic started at the Huanan market, Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, tells the New York Times. He co-authored two of the studies. To CNN he adds, "It's no longer something that makes sense to imagine that this started any other way."

However, all three studies are "preprints" and have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals. Researchers analyzed early COVID samples in humans and used a process known as "spatial analysis" to conclude that the market was ground zero for the outbreak. But the coverage makes clear the matter is far from settled. I think what theyre arguing could be true, Jesse Bloom, a virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, tells the Times. But I dont think the quality of the data is sufficient to say that any of these scenarios are true with confidence.

If the market was, in fact, the source of the outbreak, which animal might be the culprit? Virologist Kristian Andersen of the Scripps Research Institute in California, who also co-authored two of the studies, floats the idea of raccoon dog, which Nature describes as "a squat dog-like mammal used for food and for their fur in China." The animals were sold in a section of the market where positive COVID samples were collected, and they have previously been shown to be capable of harboring coronaviruses. (Researcher Worobey has been zeroing in on the Huanan market for a while now.)
(Newser)  Vladimir Putin on Sunday again raised the prospect of invoking the nuclear optionand not as a metaphor. In a televised address, the Russian leader announced he was putting the nation's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert, reports the AP, which sees the move as a "dramatic escalation of East-West tensions." In his speech, Putin said "aggressive statements" by NATO powers amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced him to put the nuclear forces in a "special regime of combat duty." (The development comes as Ukraine and Russia agreed to their first talks since the conflict began.)

Second time: As Axios notes, this is the second time Putin has rattled his nuclear sword amid the conflict. When he first sent troops over the border, he reminded the world that Russia was a leading nuclear power and warned that any nation interfering would face "consequences that you have never encountered in your history."

As Axios notes, this is the second time Putin has rattled his nuclear sword amid the conflict. When he first sent troops over the border, he reminded the world that Russia was a leading nuclear power and warned that any nation interfering would face "consequences that you have never encountered in your history." Elaborating: Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said Sunday.

Not to worry? Last week, Vox spoke to three analysts who said the chances Putin would go nuclear were slim to none. I think there is virtually no chance nuclear weapons are going to be used in the Ukraine situation, says Matthew Bunn of Harvard Kennedy School. That's the gist of the piece, though Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, adds, "I'm more worried than I was a week ago."

Last week, Vox spoke to three analysts who said the chances Putin would go nuclear were slim to none. I think there is virtually no chance nuclear weapons are going to be used in the Ukraine situation, says Matthew Bunn of Harvard Kennedy School. That's the gist of the piece, though Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, adds, "I'm more worried than I was a week ago." Then again: Sen. Marco Rubio, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, didn't exactly set people's mind at ease about the Russian leader's state of mind with this tweet on Friday night: "I wish I could share more, but for now I can say its pretty obvious to many that something is off with #Putin," he wrote. "He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different & significant ... It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago."

(Read more Vladimir Putin stories.)
(Newser)  The mother of Trayvon Martin used the 10th anniversary of her son's death Saturday to urge those who sought justice for her family to continue to fight, per the AP. I never do anything on the 26th, I never even plan anything on the 26th of February, Sybrina Fulton said at the weekly meeting of the National Action Network, the civil rights organization founded by the Rev. Al Sharpton in Harlem. She told an audience that included Sharpton and Mayor Eric Adams that she wanted to be there to support her supporters. Adams, a New York state senator at the time, was among several Black lawmakers who wore hooded sweatshirts to a 2012 legislative session to call attention to the 17-year-old's death in Sanford, Florida.

Trayvon Martin had been wearing a similar sweatshirt when he was fatally shot on his way back from a store while visiting his father in a gated community in the Orlando suburb. George Zimmerman, a member of the communitys neighborhood watch, confronted the teenager and shot him after reporting him to authorities as a suspicious person. Zimmerman, who told authorities that Martin had attacked him, was acquitted of second-degree murder in 2013. The shooting refocused attention on race and justice in the United States. Another consequence: "Stand your ground" laws have since proliferated around the nation, as the AP explains in a separate story.

When the 17-year-old was fatally shot, Florida was still one of the few states with the law that removes the duty to retreat before using deadly force in the face of danger. Now, upward of 30 states have some form of the law and recent research indicates they are associated with more deathsas many as 700 additional firearm killings each year, according to a study published this week in the journal JAMA Network Open. The study found that stand your ground laws in those states could be associated with a national increase of up to 11% in homicide rates per month between 1999 and 2017. The largest increases, between 16% and 33%, were in Southern states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana, the study found.

(Read more Trayvon Martin stories.)
(Newser)  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene received applause when she spoke Saturday to an organization of white nationalists in Floridaa group that also cheered Vladimir Putin. But others, including the head of the Republican National Committee, were less impressed with her appearance Friday night before the America First Political Action Conference, USA Today reports. "White supremacy, neo-Nazism, hate speech and bigotry are disgusting and do not have a home in the Republican Party," RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Saturday. But Greene held her ground.

The Georgia Republican tweeted that she wouldn't be caught up in "the guilt by association game in which you demand every conservative should justify anything ever said by anyone theyve ever shared a room with." The event's organizer is Nicholas Fuentes, a Putin backer who's been subpoenaed in the investigation of the attack on the US Capitol, per the Guardian. Greene added, "I'm also not going to turn down the opportunity to speak to 1,200 young America First patriots because of a few off-color remarks by another speaker, even if I find those remarks unsavory."

Fuentes joked about the Russian president to the meeting, saying, "Now theyre going on about Vladimir Putin and Russia, and Vladimir Putin is Hitlerand they say that's not a good thing." He added that he shouldn't have said that, then laughed. The America First crowd at one point broke into chants of "Putin! Putin!" At the Conservative Political Action Conference elsewhere in Orlando laterwhere former President Donald Trump singled her out to cheersGreene told reporters, "Putin is a murderer and he should never have invaded Ukraine."

GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, who's on the outs with her party, denounced Greene and Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, who spoke to the America First meeting virtually. "All Americans should renounce this garbage and reject the Putin wing of the GOP now," Cheney tweeted. So did a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee. "In any other world, Greene speaking at a white supremacist conference where attendees have defended Vladimir Putin and praised Adolf Hitler would warrant expulsion from the caucus," Ammar Moussa said in a statement. (Read more Marjorie Taylor Greene stories.)
(Newser)  (This file has been updated with developments on the peace talks.) The Russian advance on Ukraine continued on Sunday, but so did Ukrainian resistance. Meanwhile, the two nations have agreed to their first talks since the conflict began. Key developments from the fourth day of fighting:



Talks: Ukraine has agreed to send a delegation to a site near the Ukraine-Belarus border to meet with Russian officials, reports CNN. The delegations will meet "without preconditions" near the Pripyat River, said the office of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Earlier, Zelensky rejected a Russian offer to meet in Belarus, because he doesn't view that pro-Kremlin nation as neutral. It was not immediately clear when the talks would take place. (The development comes as Putin placed his nuclear forces on high alert.)

Ukraine has agreed to send a delegation to a site near the Ukraine-Belarus border to meet with Russian officials, reports CNN. The delegations will meet "without preconditions" near the Pripyat River, said the office of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Earlier, Zelensky rejected a Russian offer to meet in Belarus, because he doesn't view that pro-Kremlin nation as neutral. It was not immediately clear when the talks would take place. (The development comes as Putin placed his nuclear forces on high alert.) Kharkiv: Russian troops entered Kharkiv, the nation's second biggest city, only to be met with a fierce pushback. After hours of what the Washington Post describes as "heavy street fighting and back-and-forth rocket firing," Kharkiv's governor announced that the city remained under Ukraine control. Still, the battle marked Russia's biggest "urban incursion" yet.

Kyiv: After overnight shelling, the capital was "eerily quiet" on Sunday and still under Ukraine control, per the AP. Residents hunkered down where they could, in homes, parking garages, subways, etc. The past night was toughmore shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure," Zelensky said. "There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldnt consider as admissible targets.

After overnight shelling, the capital was "eerily quiet" on Sunday and still under Ukraine control, per the AP. Residents hunkered down where they could, in homes, parking garages, subways, etc. The past night was toughmore shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure," Zelensky said. "There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldnt consider as admissible targets. Now what: Barring a breakthrough in talks, Russia's military offensive is only expected to intensify around the nation, reports the New York Times. It notes that most of the approximately 150,000 Russian soldiers deployed to the region were engaged in battles to some degree. Fighting has been reported at southern port cities such as Odessa on the Black Sea.

(Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  Saturday Night Live dispensed with the jokes to open its latest show, opting instead to pay tribute to Ukrainians amid Russia's invasion. In lieu of a comedy skit, the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York performed a "Prayer for Ukraine," reports NPR. Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong introduced the choir, then returned after the performance for the traditional "Live from New York ..." announcement. See the video.

USA Today notes that the show didn't steer entirely clear of Ukraine humor. During "Weekend Update," Colin Jost said Vladimir Putin went through with the invasion "even though it was obviously going to be a colossal mistake." Putin "couldn't back down after all of that build-up," said Jost. "Kind of like how NBC still had to go through airing the Winter Olympics." (Read more SNL stories.)
(Newser)  Days after calling Russian President Vladimir Putin "smart" in his launching of an attack on Ukraine, former President Donald Trump expanded on his assessment, portraying that intelligence as at least partly relative. "The problem is not that Putin is smartwhich of course, he's smartbut the real problem is that our leaders are dumb. They've so far allowed him to get away with this travesty and an assault on humanity." Trump's comments were part of his address Saturday night to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, the Guardian reports.

When he was president, Trump said, the US was "powerful, cunning and smart." Now, it's "a stupid country," he said, per Insider. That was a theme of the speech: that the invasion of Ukraine wouldn't have happened if Trump were still in the White House and, falsely, that he should be because, "as everyone understands," the presidential election was crooked. The CPAC audience of roughly 5,000 cheered Trump's speech, during which he described the attack as "an outrage and an atrocity." But criticism from other quarters had quickly followed Trump's praise of Putin's "genius" strategy on Tuesday, and the Saturday speech prompted more.

Sen. Mitt Romney said Sunday that he sees Putin differentlyas "a small, feral-eyed man." On CNN's State of the Union, per the Hill, the Utah Republican said, "The world recognizes the difference between good and evil here" and will fight for freedom. A Democratic National Committee spokesperson said, "After spending four years selling out Ukraine, the defeated former president took the stage at CPAC to double down on his shameless praise for Putin as innocent Ukrainians shelter from bombs and missiles at the hands of Russia." Asked by a reporter how he would have headed off the Russian attack if he were in office, Trump declined to say. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
People were entering Hungary following Russia's special military operation in eastern Ukraine. Hungarian prime minister checked a border station on Saturday and consulted with local authorities and border guards in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. #GLOBALink





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
(Newser)  From Moscow to Siberia, Russian anti-war activists took to the streets again Sunday to protest their nation's invasion of Ukraine, despite the arrests of hundreds of protesters each day by police. Demonstrators held pickets and marched in city centers, chanting "No to war!" after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces to be put on high alert, stoking fears of a nuclear war. "I have two sons and I don't want to give them to that bloody monster. War is a tragedy for all of us," said 48-year-old Dmitry Maltsev, who joined the rally in St. Petersburg, the AP reports.

Protests started Thursday in Russia and have continued daily, even as police have moved swiftly to crack down on the rallies and detain protesters. In St. Petersburg, where several hundred gathered in the city center, police in full riot gear were grabbing one protester after another and dragging some into police vans, even though the demonstration was peaceful. Footage from Moscow showed police throwing several female protesters on the ground before dragging them away. According to the OVD-Info rights group, police detained at least 2,063 Russians in 48 cities on Sunday, bringing the total over the past four days to more than 5,000.

Anti-war demonstrations were held Sunday in other countries, as well, including Belarus, whose government supports Russia's invasion. Marchers in Minsk, the capital, carried Ukrainian flags, and flowers are being left outside Ukraine's Embassy, per the AP. Rallies were held in at least a dozen cities. Human rights advocates reported more than 170 arrests. Hundreds of people protested on Sunday in Paris, per the AP. In Nice, hundreds chanted slogans against the war along the Promenade des Anglais and called for NATO nations to protect them from Russian bombs. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
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Red Ball Express drivers, like these men from the 666th Quartermaster Truck Company, drove more than 20,000 miles while supporting the advance of US forces across France. (National Archives, 208-AA-32P-3) (National Archives)
Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.
After five years in jail, Eli Simpson's case could finally go to trial. What took so long?
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the first plenary meeting of the 33rd session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, started its 33rd session Sunday to prepare for the upcoming fifth annual session of the 13th NPC, which will open on March 5.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the session's first plenary meeting. A total of 157 members of the NPC Standing Committee attended the meeting.

Lawmakers reviewed the work report of the NPC Standing Committee. The work report will be submitted to the annual assembly of the legislature in March for deliberation.

Lawmakers also reviewed the draft agenda for the NPC annual session, the draft name list of the annual session's presidium and secretary-general, and the draft name list of members invited to sit in on the annual session as non-voting participants.

They deliberated a draft decision on the ranks for active-duty soldiers of the People's Liberation Army, a draft decision to establish a Chengdu-Chongqing financial court, and a report on the implementation of a decision by the NPC Standing Committee regarding the litigation procedure of intellectual property cases.

Lawmakers also reviewed a report on certain deputies' qualifications, as well as personnel-related bills.

Li also presided over a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee after the first plenary meeting. 

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the 110th meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Expatriate businessmen, who are members of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), should be allowed to contest chamber polls, opined prominent expatriate entrepreneurs and investors in the Kingdom. Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Dr Varghese Kurian, Chairman of VKL Holdings and Al Namal Group, said that such an opportunity would serve expatriate businessmen a new role and involvement in boosting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and entrepreneurial culture.

Expatriate businessmen are a major contributor to the economy of the Kingdom and they have a prominent role in developing key sectors of the economy, he said, adding that the Chamber is now managed by very-able and capable Bahraini businessmen, who have done remarkable contributions to the Bahraini economy and society. The main role of the chamber is to provide a platform for businesses to grow while boosting economic growth. To ensure this, expatriate businessmen must also play an active role to boost the economy, promote businesses and create new jobs.

There is no expat versus citizen debate ongoing here. We expatriates must join the citizens to promote economic growth and this has to be done in great unity, Dr Varghese pointed out. We, expatriate businessmen, are highly grateful to the chamber for offering us membership and considering us as an integral part of the community. But, I think the expatriate businessmen can contribute further to the Chambers growth by becoming elected representatives for different segments.

Many chambers and businessmen forums in the region including Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry allow expatriates to contest elections as well as to be nominated to the boards of management. I request the Chamber to enact such steps here as well so that expatriate businessmen are well represented at the decision-making levels of the chamber.

He said the increasing role of expatriate businessmen in the economic development process must be attributed to the great support offered by the Kingdoms leadership. I thank His Majesty and HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for the support offered to expatriate businessmen.

Dr Varghese hailed the newly-introduced Golden Visa Scheme, pointing out its significance to attract expatriate investors as well as retaining expatriate talent in the Kingdom.

Since its inception in 1939, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has played a prominent role in shaping the Kingdoms national economy along with creating a vigorous private sector.

The Chamber has kept abreast of the fast-paced economic and social developments, and consolidated its efforts to stimulate the growth and expansion of the private sector and empower its role in the economic development of the country alongside the public sector. Chamber elections are held once every four years.

According to the Elections Committee for the 30th Session of Board of Directors of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the last day for amending the voters list is March 14, 2022. Elections will be held on March 19, 2020. To view the voters list, please visit the link: https://bahrainchamber.bh/filemanager/uploads// Voters_Table.pdf.

The Elections Committee decides to include the names and amend the data for registration in the election list within a maximum period of one day from the date of submitting the request.

Members are informed of the committees decision by phone, fax or e-mail. Receiving requests from the chambers members to be nominated for board membership will commence from March 3 to 13, 2022. The Elections Committee reviews the requests and notifies the applicants by fax or email.

Members have the right to appeal the elections committees decision within two days, if they were not included in the candidates list. The committee shall decide on the appeals outcome and notify the member about the matter by fax or e-mail no later than the following day of the date of appeal.

Election Committee Chairman Adel Hussein Al Maskati earlier reaffirmed adhering to the provisions of the Chambers Law and the Executive Regulations to guarantee the proper conduct of the electoral process and the integrity and transparency of the elections.
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BROOKFIELD  One of Brookfields early-20th Century African-American residents was an inventor named Anna Mangin.

Possibly born Anna Matilda Barker in October 1844, the woman who would grow up to become one of the handful of Black women who received U.S. patents between 1885 and 1898 was known as Annie Mattie Nahar growing up in Nantucket, Mass.

The first record of her on the island off the Massachusetts coast was in 1855 as a 10-year-old living with the family of Abraham and Elizabeth Nahar.

As noted by the Nantucket Historical Association, its unclear whether she was the Nahars biological daughter or if she had been placed in their care by Elizabeths brother, Charles Bennett Ray.

Ray was an abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor. He was also the first Black person to enroll at Connecticuts Wesleyan University, though his enrollment in 1832 was revoked following protests from white students.

In 1864, 20-year-old Annie Nahar left Nantucket for New Orleans, where she spent four years working as a teacher. After that, she spent two years teaching in San Antonio before returning to New Orleans to continue her work as an educator, according to the Nantucket Historical Association.

While in Louisiana, she met a man from New York named Andrew Fitch Mangin and married him in 1877.

They had a son  Andrew Fitch Mangin Jr.  two years later, and remained in New Orleans for some time before moving north to the Woodside neighborhood of Queens, N.Y.

It was there that Anna Mangin invented a utensil she called a pastry-fork and was awarded a patent for it in March 1892.

The utensil was designed to allow a person to mix butter or lard with flour without having to touch the ingredients with their hands. It could also be used for making drawn butter and thickening, beating eggs, mashing potatoes, and preparing dressing for salads, according to the patent.

Following her husbands death in 1907, Mangin remained in New York until about 1920, when she and her son moved to Brookfield, according to the Nantucket Historical Association.

Mangin  who died in 1931 at the age of 86  spent the last years of her life as a Brookfield resident.

According to U.S. Census records, she and her son lived on farmland at 199 Iron Works Hill in 1930.

Following his mothers death, Andrew Mangin Jr. remained in Brookfield. In 1940, he was working as a handyman and living at 152 Iron Works Hill, according to that years federal census.

Like his mother, he spent the last years of his life in Brookfield and died at the age of 75 in August 1954.

This story is part of a series of pieces on historical Black residents from the Danbury area in honor of Black History Month.
The Chinese Embassy in Russia shared a "US bombing list" posted by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Twitter on Saturday, saying "Never forget who's the real threat to the world."

China does not seem to be helping Russia with the Western financial sanctions on Moscow over its aggression in Ukraine, a senior Biden Administration official has said. The latest time suggests that Chinas not coming to the rescue, the official said during a conference call on Saturday, according to Sputnik News Agency. I think it was reported that China was actually restricting some of its banks to provide credit to facilitate energy purchases from Russia, which suggests that much like has been the pattern for years and years, China has tended to respect the force of US sanctions, the official said further.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Russia shared a US bombing list posted by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Twitter on Saturday, saying Never forget whos the real threat to the world. The list includes all the countries that have been targeted by the US since the end of WWII. These countries represent roughly one-third of the people on Earth, Sputnik reported.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Ukraines breakaway regions  Donetsk and Luhansk  as independent entities. Later, Putin ordered special military operations to protect the people in the Donbas region.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russias military operations and imposed sanctions on Moscow.

On Saturday, the United Kingdom, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and the United States agreed on additional sanctions over the Ukraine crisis. According to the US administration official, the EU is in the process of finalizing the list of Russian banks that will be excluded from SWIFT.
Despite this year's nearly 20% increase in oil prices, China has clearly opted to increase its crude reserves, according to sources.

Despite rising oil prices this year, China has continued stockpiling crude oil, disregarding US recommendations for a global coordinated release of strategic reserves. The report by Reuters suggests that China increased its crude buying shortly after Vladimir Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing earlier this month. Trading sources told Reuters they didnt know if China was aware of Russias invasion of Ukraine earlier this week, which pushed oil prices beyond $100 a barrel.

Despite this years nearly 20% increase in oil prices, China has clearly opted to increase its crude reserves, according to sources. The Chinese buildup of oil reserves is an insult to the US administration, which in November encouraged key oil-consuming countries to release crude from their strategic reserves in an attempt to cut oil prices.

In a concerted effort with other major oil-consuming nations, US President Joe Biden indicated at the end of November that the Department of Energy will release 50 million barrels of oil from the SPR in an effort to cut high gasoline prices. South Korea and Japan, in a similar step, indicated they would soon contribute oil from their strategic reserves. South Korea wants to release 3.17 million barrels of oil reserves in the first quarter of 2022, while Japan expects to auction 629,000 barrels of crude oil from its national reserves in February.

Meanwhile, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, oil prices soared over $105 per barrel, prompting President Biden to suggest that another release might be on the way. Biden exclaimed that they are actively engaging with governments throughout the world to elevate a collective release from key energy-consuming countries Strategic Petroleum Reserves.
The Indian embassy in Ukraine Saturday night said it is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the eastern regions of the country.

Indian embassy in Ukraine on Saturday (local time) said that the embassy is closely monitoring the developing situation, especially in Eastern regions of Ukraine and are in constant touch with the authorities on the safety of Indian citizens.

Closely monitoring the developing situation, especially in Eastern regions of Ukraine. In constant touch with the authorities on the safety of our citizens. To all Indians who remain in Ukraine, we are with you, India in Ukraine tweeted. The embassy also said, Indian citizens have successfully been evacuated from Ukraine through Romania and shortly through Hungary. Working to open up more borders with neighbouring countries for our citizens. Please stay patient and safe.

Earlier, the first flight from Romania carrying Indian students, who had left the conflict situation in Ukraine, reached Mumbai as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russias military action in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a televised speech earlier on Friday that he wants to hold talks with Russia over its military action.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to send a Russian team to the Belarusian city of Minsk for talks with Ukraine, as per Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Representatives from the Russian Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, and Presidential Administration will make up the Russian delegation, he added. According to the Xinhua news agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a televised speech earlier on Friday that he wants to hold talks with Russia over its military action.

The objective of Russias operation, according to the Kremlin spokesman, is to assist the Luhansk Peoples Republic and the Donetsk Peoples Republic, including by demilitarising and denazifying Ukraine, which is an important component of the problem for Ukraines neutral status.

In a phone discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, Putin confirmed talks in Minsk. Putin told Sputnik News Agency, Russia is ready to engage with Ukraine at a high level. Meanwhile, the Chinese President, Xi Jinping stated that Beijing backed a peaceful resolution of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine through discussion.

Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, said during a press conference that his nation has no plans to occupy Ukraine and that Moscow is ready to begin discussions as soon as Ukrainian soldiers laid down their guns. According to Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, Russian soldiers have blockaded the Ukrainian capital of Kiev from the west and are continuing to undertake duties in the territories of neighbouring towns.
The United States and its allies on Saturday (local time) announced to remove Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system in response to Moscows invasion of Ukraine. We commit to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally, the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, said in a joint statement. We commit to imposing restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions, read the statement.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the allies would stop Russia from using its war chest, by paralysing the assets of its central bank. They also agreed to freeze its transactions and prevent the central bank from liquidating its assets. She added there would be a crackdown on so-called golden passports that let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems. We commit to ensuring that a certain number of Russian banks are removed from SWIFT. We will paralyze the assets of Russias central bank. This will freeze its transactions, said the president of the European Commission.

SWIFT is the acronym for the Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. The Belgian-based co-operative is used by thousands of financial institutions in over 200 countries, including Russia, and provides a secure messaging system to facilitate cross-border money transfers. The statement said that the leaders are committed to acting against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine and the harmful activities of the Russian government.

Specifically, we commit to taking measures to limit the sale of citizenshipso-called golden passportsthat let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems, the statement said.

The leaders, in the statement, said that they are committed to launching a transatlantic task force this week that will ensure the effective implementation of their financial sanctions by identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and companies that exist within their jurisdictions. As a part of this effort, we are committed to employing sanctions and other financial and enforcement measures on additional Russian officials and elites close to the Russian government, as well as their families, and their enablers to identify and freeze the assets they hold in our jurisdictions. We will also engage other governments and work to detect and disrupt the movement of ill-gotten gains, and to deny these individuals the ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world, the statement said.

The leaders further reiterated their support for the Ukrainian people in this dark hour. The Biden administration has already sanctioned five Russian banks, including Sberbank and VTB Group, which collectively account for about half of the countrys banking assets. Russia had over 360 licensed banks at the start of the year. By targeting the central bank, the U.S. could complicate the enactment of monetary policy while removing a potential source of cash for the government.
EAST HAVEN  East Haven Police Departments loyal K-9s will soon have their own memorial to honor their service.

A memorial stone, engraved with the names of K-9 officers who served in the department since 1965, was delivered to the police department after a years-long process.

The process began with K-9 Bears handler Joe Peterson, a former East Haven officer who wanted Bears hard work to be recognized.

Bear, who was bought by the department in 2001 and graduated from training that December, worked with East Haven Police, Connecticut State Police and neighboring police departments until his retirement in 2007.

During his tenure, Bear earned multiple awards, including a dedicated service medal from his department and a citation from the United States Police K-9 Association. After his time on the force, Bear lived with Peterson, who went on to become a police officer in Branford before his retirement. Bear died in 2012.

He was just an unmatched police dog. He was one in a million, Peterson said Thursday.

After his dogs death, Peterson began advocating for a memorial in honor of Bear. The department already had headstones for the dogs buried there, but it lacked a memorial for all of the dogs who served, he said.

Peterson said he asked the previous town administration in passing but was not getting anywhere. When Mayor Joseph Carfora was entering office, Petersons efforts increased. Eventually, Town Council Chairman Joe Deko agreed it was a great idea and promised to create the memorial.

Peterson gave a list to the administration with all of the dogs names, though he admits to accidentally leaving off King, who served from 1969 to 1970. King is included on the final memorial, along with the other dogs, including those on active duty.

The stone was bought with money donated by East Haven Memorial Funeral Home, which is co-owned by Deko and James Integlia.

Phone calls to Deko and Carfora were not returned Thursday.

Work on the memorial was delayed by the pandemic and then delayed in 2021 by issues with stenciling, a glue shortage and the stone being stuck on a ship in New York, Peterson said.

During the back and forth over the years following Bears passing, a woman in Branford bought a memorial brick for Bear. The brick, which reads For Bear who honorably served EHPD from 2001-2007 with a paw print, was donated by Carolyn Sires and has yet to be placed.

He said the other people that helped him were Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter director Laura Burban, East Haven animal control officer Sean Godejohn and Branford Police Department Lt. Phil Ramey.

Peterson said he was thankful that Branfords Police Department worked to honor Bear, who he affectionately refers to as his child, and always kept him in the loop on what they were working on.

Back in East Haven, the stone to honor all of the departments K-9s has been unveiled by the police department, with the delivery announced on Facebook on Feb. 18.

Capt. Joseph Murgo said in a statement that the department has always considered the K-9 program an extremely valuable component to its law enforcement operation, citing the dogs work in locating missing and endangered people and apprehending suspects.

Murgo said the canines can also detect narcotic odors, which have aided in the fight to combat the opioid epidemic.

We are so proud of the fact that past and present K-9s will be forever memorialized on East Haven Police Department property, Murgo wrote in an email. Special thanks to Mayor Joe Carfora, Town Council Chairman Joe Deko, East Haven Memorial Funeral Home, and John Nolan and family from Nolan Monuments in Hamden, CT who donated the engraved stone to the Town of East Haven.

The department plans to hold a ceremony in late spring when the ground thaws and the concrete base for the stone can be poured near the other memorials outside of the department.

Capt. David Emerman, the K-9 unit supervisor, said he is proud of the work the K-9 teams have done over the years to keep residents safe.

Our K-9 teams have played a vital role in protecting officers and citizens alike and their memory and dedication will continue to live on forever, Emerman said.

Peterson, who acknowledged that he was persistent and starting to get rude about the delayed project that he just wanted done, said he was humbled.

I wanted to know he was on there before I passed, Peterson said. I am grateful, humbled and excited that he will finally get the recognition he deserves and he will be remembered once Im gone.

christine.derosa@hearstmediact.com
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WEST HAVEN  Lately, some things in West Haven dont seem to add up.

Months after a scandal broke surrounding the alleged theft of federal funding intended to help the city respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, decision-makers have questioned how there was such a significant breakdown in oversight and financial controls in the city. However, more recent allegations mean that something else doesnt add up  the expenditures themselves.

Former Democratic state Rep. Michael DiMassa, who worked as an administrative assistant in City Hall, was arrested in October 2021 and charged with wire fraud after allegedly using phony invoices to steal from the citys $1.2 million allotment in federal CARES Act funding.

Initially, he was charged with stealing $636,000 from the fund; financial documents obtained by the Register show DiMassa and former Finance Director Frank Cieplinski  who abruptly left City Hall and his position Thursday  signed off on invoices for pandemic-related work provided by Compass Investment Group LLC, a company founded by DiMassa and alleged accomplice and former City Hall staffer John Bernardo earlier that year. According to court documents, city officials said Compass Investment Group never was authorized to do any work.

DiMassa did not respond to a request for comment on the allegations.

Financial documents provided to the Register through a Freedom of Information request detailed how the city reportedly spent the remainder of roughly $500,000 left in the fund, including the facilitation of testing centers and vaccination clinics, increased cleaning and outfitting public buildings with precautionary measures to promote social distancing, as well as hiring an out-of-state marching band for a parade.

However, when two more alleged accomplices of DiMassas were arrested earlier this month, officials alleged that a further $431,982 was stolen from the citys Coronavirus Relief Fund by DiMassa. It is alleged in court documents that two companies operated by the same person  L&H Company LLC and JIL Sanitation Solutions LLC  received the cumulative amount over five paychecks for work that never was provided.

The first indication residents of West Haven received that something may be amiss was when Mayor Nancy Rossi announced in a YouTube address that she had reviewed the citys COVID-19 expenditures and found several large expenditures that cause me great concern, and that several appear improper and may be potentially fraudulent. Two weeks later, DiMassa was arrested.

Since announcing that she personally had reviewed expenditures and made the discovery of potential fraud, Rossi has remained tight-lipped, saying she has been advised to not comment on ongoing investigations. The state Office of Policy and Management also ordered a forensic audit of the citys finances and financial practices, which Rossi has cited as another ongoing investigation that she will only comment on once auditing firm CohnReznicks findings are released in a report.

However, following the arrest of L&H Company and JIL Sanitation Solutions owner John Trasacco in alleged connection with the CARES Act scheme, Rossi confirmed that the account had been overcharged and said it was one of the primary factors that led her to review the citys spending.

It is over the allotment, and actually that was one of the things that drew my interest back in September, she said. It was one of the things I looked at and started digging deeper.

Before she was mayor, Rossi was a certified public accountant. A common criticism of Rossi since DiMassas arrest, as details of a systemwide breakdown in controls and oversight have been exposed, is that the mayor should have recognized the signs of potential fraud months prior. Rossi has defended herself that she is the mayor and supervises the finance department but does not review every expenditure, which is the duty of the finance department.

Former Republican councilman Barry Lee Cohen  who currently is suing the city over what he said were violations of the states absentee ballot process in his narrow defeat in the citys 2021 mayoral election  said he had called on Rossi to take action immediately following DiMassas arrest and the revelations of alleged fraud.

He questioned why that suddenly happened now. The mayor should have immediately placed the finance director on administrative leave, Cohen said, adding that had invoices been being reviewed properly, that would have substantially reduced the alleged fraud of what is now nearing $1.2 million stolen from those West Haven residents that need it most.

Rossi declined to elaborate on the circumstances of Cieplinskis departure Friday, saying she does not discuss personnel. Attempts to reach Cieplinski were unsuccessful.

Rossi said that, after reviewing the CARES Act expenditures, she immediately turned the information over to city attorneys and to auditors.

I dont know how that slipped through, any of that, she said. I recorded what I found as soon as I found it.

Bridgette Hoskie, the City Councils chairwoman of the finance committee, said there are several things pertaining to the CARES Act account that she does not know for certain to this day.

I dont think well know until things are audited, and I think it shows we needed to make a change, she said. We need an overhaul of the finance department.

Recently, in collaboration with the states Municipal Accountability Review Board, the city approved the hire of a purchasing director. Previously, the city had one employee in the office splitting their day between the risk management department and purchasing. The intent is to eventually staff the purchasing office with three employees so that purchase orders can be adequately reviewed and items can be put out to bid properly.

I really cant wait for the forensic audit, said Rossi. I have to believe its not going to be a good report, but its a necessary report to move West Haven forward.

The allegations in court documents about payments made to Trasacco were unreleased by the city following a Freedom of Information Act request for all invoices and spending related to the CARES Act.

I wasnt aware they were left out, said West Haven Corporation Counsel Lee Tiernan when asked about the exclusion of those invoices. If you said to me in my household budget I save for a car, so theres a car fund, and you said to me buy a car and I bought a motorcycle, you cant get reimbursement from the car account because theres no motorcycle account. Its a definitional thing.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
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EAST HAVEN  If former East Haven Police Department K-9 Bear was told to track someone, he was going to find them, said former handler and police officer Joseph Peterson.

Bear, a German shepherd bought by the department in 2001 at 14 months old from the Czech Republic, worked from 2001 to 2007, winning competitions, medals and hearts along the way.

Peterson remembers entering the New York Municipal Police Work Dog Academy for a six-month long training with the pup in 2001.

We were down there when they hit the trade centers. We were training in the Bronx, New York, so my dog Bear was quite sentimental to me right from the get-go, Peterson said Thursday.

Even in training, it was clear to Peterson that his furry partner was going to be special. The retired East Haven officer said Bear had an amazing nose and nobody could hide from him, even while he was still in training.

He was just one in a million, Peterson said.

Halfway through the six-month training, the pair entered a tracking competition.

Bear would be completing what is known as a three-legged track. Each leg was a quarter of a mile and had a piece of evidence Bear had to find before turning to the next leg, Peterson said. The canine found all the evidence and earned 169 out of 170 points, earning him first place out of 40 competing dogs.

After graduating in December 2001, Bear got right to work. In one night alone, Bear and Peterson completed three successful tracks, the New Haven Register reported at the time.

In one of these cases, the crime-fighting duo helped New Haven police track five people who allegedly ran from a stolen car after crashing into several parked vehicles. Bear sniffed the car and then tracked a half-mile path to where the men were hiding in bushes.

Hours later, police found another stolen car and let Bear sniff the drivers seat. The canine led police to the second floor of an apartment building, to various windows throughout the building, then to a third floor stairwell where the suspect was.

The same night, Bear helped North Branford Police track his first aggressive suspect, who had multiple warrants out for his arrest, on a 140-foot path in the woods. The suspect did not stay still as commanded and grew aggressive, so Bear did as he was trained: he bit into the persons thigh until they were handcuffed.

Bear also helped find missing persons, including those who wanted to harm themselves.

Peterson said the pair was called in during a rainstorm, an hour after a woman was reported missing, and Bear still found her with the help of a pillow.

I put Bear on the scent and he tracked her through the center of town, through an apartment complex and he cut a corner around the building, then a dumpster, Peterson said. The next thing I knew, I heard a scream and like when you catch a fish, the line goes tight. I knew he was biting somebody, so I screamed no.

Bear had caught the woman by the leg. She had a knife next to her, Peterson said. He pulled Bear off and noticed she had written DNR (do not resuscitate) on her chest three times in marker, he said. The woman had to go to the hospital due to Bears bite.

I walked over to the mother and said Im sorry, Peterson said. I explained to her, I couldnt see what she did towards the dog. She had a knife in her hands. The mother hugged me and said I dont care the dog bit her, my daughter is alive.

Bear continued helping the East Haven Police Department, the state police, other local departments and even the FBI with cases until his retirement in 2007.

Not all of those cases were happy or safe, Peterson said. Some even resulted in Bear being injured.

Peterson remembered driving by the Krauszers convenience store on Foxon Road shortly before 2 a.m. with Bear one day when he noticed a vehicle parked and running. After running the plates and learning they should be on a different vehicle, Peterson approached the car. The suspect, who also had multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest, did not comply with Petersons requests, he said.

Peterson told the suspect he was going to search him and found a cellphone and a bag containing 16 small bags of crack cocaine, the Register reported in 2005. As soon as Peterson removed the items, the suspect allegedly hit Petersons face with his elbow, then fled on foot into some woods behind the store. Peterson called for backup, and then he and Bear took chase.

When Peterson found Bear, he was being punched and kicked in the face, head and body. Bear was ultimately OK and only suffered from a bloody nose, Peterson said.

On another case, Bear was trying to track a gun at a construction site and fell into a concrete footing, where he landed on a rebar, Peterson said. Bear was brought to an animal hospital for treatment, but he still managed to recover the gun, which was found in the dirt where he first searched, his handler said.

The K-9s keen sense of smell led the duo to receive letters of recognition from the East Haven Police Department and the departments Dedicated Service Medal. The pair was recognized by the United States Police Canine Association in 2004 for tracking and apprehension and in 2003 got the patrol dog award for outstanding performance in the detection and prevention of crime.

When he wasnt busy fighting crime, Bear spent time visiting schools and children. Peterson described him as friendly and beyond playful.

Bear ultimately retired in 2007 due to medical issues. He was diagnosed with a bowel overgrowth and a gastrointestinal virus that caused him to hemorrhage.

The canine lived with Peterson and his family until his death in 2012.

He was my best friend, Peterson said. He was my child. He was with me 24/7.

Following Bears death, Peterson tried to get the dog a spot on the memorial honoring three K-9s buried outside of the police station. In 2019, he approached the towns new administration and worked to get a monument to all of the departments dogs created.

Three years later, a memorial stone has been unveiled by the department, set to be placed in late spring.

Peterson said he wanted to know that once he died, Bear would still be remembered. To this day, Petersons love for his partner turned family member remains strong.

Bear is home with me. He was cremated. Bears being buried with me. Thats how much I love my dog. Thats how much I miss my dog, Peterson said. I am grateful, Im humbled, Im excited that he will finally get the recognition he deserves, that he will always be remembered long after Im gone.

christine.derosa@hearstmediact.com
BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers on Sunday began discussing a draft decision on the ranks for active-duty soldiers of the People's Liberation Army.

The draft was submitted to an ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for review.

The ranks of soldiers consist of several ranks for non-commissioned officers and those for conscripts, said the draft.

It also stipulates that other management systems, including the conferment of military ranks, and the training and assessment for soldiers on active duty, shall be prescribed by the Central Military Commission. 
Contributed Anton Sovetov, a 44-year-old Yale University employee from New Haven has been missing since Feb. 4. (Contributed photos)

NEW HAVEN Yale and New Haven police are seeking help from the public in their search for missing Yale University employee, Anton Sovetov, who has been missing since Feb. 4.

Sovetov, 44, of New Haven, is a graphic designer who works in the Yale Office of Public Affairs & Communications. He is a 2016 graduate of the Yale School of Art and joined the university staff in 2017. He is about 6-foot-2, weighs approximately 200 pounds, and has a beard and short brown hair.
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NEW HAVEN - Gov. Ned Lamont and lawmakers stood in solidarity with Ukraine Sunday, gathering with an impassioned group of parishioners at St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church as they called for boycotting Russian products, imposing tough economic sanctions and increasing the supply of weapons from the United States.

To those gathered Sunday, Lamont stressed boycotting oil from Russia and all other products and imports  not just vodka.

When you see evil, you confront it, Lamont said with the fervor of one at a Sunday pulpit. He said when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, happened, We were all American, and now, in this situation, Were all Ukrainian.

We stand up for Ukraine, we stand up for freedom, we stand up for human rights, Lamont said. I guarantee you this is going to be a victory.

It was unclear Sunday if the state had taken any formal steps to stop the importing of Russian products.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, who attended the prayer service, said she looked up at one point and there was a stained glass window depicting St. Michael Archangel in a battle with Lucifer.

Thats what were in  a battle with Lucifer, she said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lucifer is a Biblical reference to the devil. The world is going to fight for Ukraine.

The message that came across strongest Sunday morning is that New Haven, Connecticut and the world are in solidarity with Ukraine, a peaceful, sovereign nation invaded days ago without provocation by Russian troops on Putins orders.

On a day like this were all Ukrainian, said Myron Melnyk, church member, activist and member of Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Without the American leadership of today, Ukraine would be in much worse shape. I want to thank the president and Congress for the sanctions. He said the sanctions have been increased in recent days.

At St. Michaels after the service, parishioners, some draped in the yellow and blue Ukrainian flag, displayed signs that read: Stop Putin, Putin is a criminal, Peace and Freedom, and Stand with Ukraine. One sign showed a close up photograph of Putins face with a bloody handprint and read, Bloody Killer.

Many parishioners wore buttons of yellow with blue lettering that read: Im proud to be Ukrainian.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a longtime friend to the church and advocate for freedom of Ukraine, has been trying to fight Putins aggressive moves there for at least eight years.

Blumenthal called this a hybrid war that includes fighting and cyberattacks. He said Putin has succeeded in turning the world against him, and now theyre cracking down on his wealth with strong sanctions. Hes a KGB thug. He understands only force - economic and military.

Blumenthal called for even stronger sanctions and the boycott of Russian goods and imports to make Russia a pariah in the world economy.

He has no moral high ground, which is why hes put his nuclear operations on high alert, Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal said he visited Ukraine about six weeks ago and the people met there are now probably cowering in the basements of their homes.

He said Putin has underestimated the Ukrainian people, failing to recognize how resolute they are.

What we need to do is move forward, Blumenthal said, calling Putin a criminal who should be held accountable. Everyone should know your solidarity is making a difference.

The Sunday gathering of lawmakers came togehter after DeLauro called to say she wanted to come and pray with parishioners, Melnyk said. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, who attended a prayer service at St. Michaels during the week, joined DeLauro in the sanctuary for prayer on Sunday.

Elicker said he only understood one word of a prayer service Sunday morning, but it didnt matter because he understood the feeling of sorrow.

Elicker said when a dictator seeking power takes one step, that step will be followed by another and another. He said we need to combat that together as a nation.

He said the Ukrainian flag will soon be raised on the New Haven Green to underscore support.

Elicker said the nation needs to show our willingness to come together because if we dont sacrifice now that dictator will take another step.

DeLauro, chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, said shes pressed for the weapons Ukraine will need. She has also stressed economic sanctions. We must cripple the Russian economy, she said.

She added: The world is going to fight for Ukraine.

Oleksii Antoniuk, a Yale University student whose family is still in Ukraine, said

Its incredible, the international solidarity is so strong, Antoniuk said.

Parishioner Christine Gawron said the attack on Ukraine is devastating she has the highest respect for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's handling of the situation.

God Bless him. Hes truly rallying every body in the entire country and world, Gawron said.

Her sister, Marybeth Gawron, called the sanctions imposed on Russia as weak, useless.

But, she said, Its very heartwarming to see so much support from non-Ukrainian Americans.

Parishioner Barbara Ellis said shes enthusiastic about how the world has come together for Ukraine.

Thats so heartwarming, Ellis said. She said even countries who dont like us, are taking strangers from Ukraine into there homes.

Who does that? Ellis said.

Parishioners referred to Putin as evil and a madman.

Barbara Schwartz, a member of the church for 87 years, said she has no relatives left in Ukraine, but, I pray for the people who are there.

I just feel so heartbroken for those people, Schwartz said. Its so sad to see millions and millions of people trying to run out of the country. Here, all we can do is pray.
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A man holds his daughter after she and her mother fled the conflict from neighbouring Ukraine at the Romanian-Ukrainian border, in Siret, Romania, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. Since Russia launched its offensive on Ukraine, more than 200,000 people have been forced to flee the country to bordering nations like Romania, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, and the Czech Republic  in what the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said will have "devastating humanitarian consequences" on civilians. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
As scheming for the 2023 general elections heats up following new dates approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, C...

As scheming for the 2023 general elections heats up following new dates approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay, on Sunday, said former President Goodluck Jonathan will be denigrating himself if he falls to pressures to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sagay, who claims there were strong speculations that those behind the plot to bring Jonathan into the APC want him to serve as President for one term and then hand over to Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State who is the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), said, Now we are hearing from the sides, former president, Goodluck Jonathan wants to join APC. Why would a man who had been president before denigrate himself to that level?.

I hear that the conspiracy is to bring in Jonathan as APC presidential candidate and Buni as the vice-presidential candidate.

If APC wins, Jonathan will go away after four years and Buni becomes the president. That is the rumour Im hearing now.
ABUJA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria will hold next presidential election on Feb. 25, 2023, one week later than originally scheduled, the country's electoral body announced on Saturday.

Elections for the country's bicameral legislature will be held on the same date, Mahmood Yakubu, head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told the media in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Governorship and state legislature elections will be on March 11, 2023, also a week later than the original date, March 4, the INEC said.

On Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari signed an amended electoral act, ahead of next year's general elections in the most populous African country.

During a short signing ceremony at the State House in Abuja, Buhari said the re-worked electoral act holds a lot of promises for improving the election processes in Nigeria, with the introduction of new technology, and efforts to engender clarity and transparency.

The INEC said it decided to adjust the dates of the 2023 general elections to ensure compliance with the provisions of the new law. 
The Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York has announced that the Consulate will start the issuance of passports with 10-year validity t...

The Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York has announced that the Consulate will start the issuance of passports with 10-year validity to its nationals.

The Consul-General, Ambassador Lot Egopija, who disclosed this at a virtual 4th Town Hall for Nigerian nationals within the New York jurisdiction, said the headquarters (Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs) had communicated the development to the Consulate.

Last month (January) we were informed that 10 years passport will be brought to New York.

We have been asked to prepare for the take-off to issue 10 years passport. We know to qualify for the 10 years passport, that applicant must have a National Identify Number, he said.

Egopija, however, urged Nigerians who have not enrolled for NIN to do so, noting that information was displayed at the Consulate as that would be a prerequisite for getting the passport.

He said that the Nigerian Government had already designated some vendors to register Nigerians in diaspora for NIN.

The Nigerian envoy told the nationals that the Consulate had continued to do its best to improve services in the areas of passport issuance, renewal, and delivery, calling on their support to address challenges in the timely delivery of passports.

According to him, the purpose of the meeting is to interact with them nationals on the achievements of the Consulate so far, to discuss challenges and harvest suggestions on the way forward.

A Nigerian community leader, Francis James, who anchored the meeting, commended the Consul-General for his achievements.

This statement is from comments people post and make about the services rendered by the Consulate-General. It doesnt mean that we dont have any issue, but the CG has acknowledged that and talked about areas of progress.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the only Consulate in the diaspora who consistently hold Town Hall to discuss with Nigerian citizens and I think the CG deserves a lot of commendation.

We do appreciate you, your willingness to listen to the Nigerian community and to continue to engage them, James said.

Some Nigerians also raised issues on passport issuance, timely collection of passports, renewal of passports, Emergency Travel Certificate, among others.

No fewer than 150 participants joined the first Town Hall in 2022. The 5th edition of the meeting is slated to hold in May.

(NAN)
A train carrying some Ghanaian students in Ukraine has been reportedly attacked by some Russians in Ukraine, according to Africanews. The...

A train carrying some Ghanaian students in Ukraine has been reportedly attacked by some Russians in Ukraine, according to Africanews.

The students, however, were said to have escaped unhurt.

The International news organisation quoted a member of the Ghanaian Parliament representing North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to have disclosed this in an interview with a local TV on Saturday.

Ablakwa, a ranking member of the Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, spoke on the backdrop of a growing plea on the government to evacuate Ghanaian students from Ukraine.

Ghanaian students have since Thursday, when Russia launched attack on Ukraine, appealed to the Ghana government to evacuate them.

The lawmaker said, however, that the Government of Ghana has finally decided to evacuate Ghanaian students from Ukraine.

The Ministry through its Mission in Berne, Switzerland and the Honourary Consulate in Ukraine are in touch with the Ghanaian students in Ukraine through their leaders, he said.

A list of students has been compiled to facilitate an evacuation exercise, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration had said in a statement on Friday, February 25.

The Ghanaian government had before now asked its citizens in Ukraine to find shelter, adding that arrangements were ongoing to evacuate them from the war-torn country.




The Police in Lagos State arrested Olamilekan Daniel, a National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member, Thursday night. The detainee cu...

The Police in Lagos State arrested Olamilekan Daniel, a National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member, Thursday night.

The detainee currently works as a software developer with a PR/Communications firm (name withheld) in the State.

A police team picked the intern after complaining about his hairstyle, labelling him a Yahoo boy (internet fraudster).

Daniel was slapped, assaulted and taken to Araromi Police Station at Adamo in Ikorodu where he was asked to pay for his freedom.

The personnel have been identified as CP Strike Team, Anti-Cultism and Anti-Kidnapping Unit (Ikorodu annex).

A friend of Daniel, Patrick, recounted the ordeal to DAILY POST at the weekend, revealing that the victim is very traumatized.

Daniel is a corps member serving in Lagos, his family are based outside the State. He was forcefully taken from Adamo street in Ikorodu, he said.

He and others were in a car looking for fuel and food when they were stopped. The police ordered all out, searched them and the car but found nothing.

One then shouted This one na Yahoo boy, see him hair. Daniel told them he had a legitimate job but they didnt listen. He was beaten and his shirt torn.

They took him away and kept him in detention, was not allowed access to his family. At the police station, they demanded N150,000, later reduced it to N100,000 then N50,000.

Explaining that he didnt have money to pay, the policemen mocked him and said he will remain there till Monday for refusing to cooperate.

After several calls by friends and colleagues to the authorities, Daniel was released. The Chief Officer at Araromi Police Station apologized and gave him N500 for transport.

Daniel mentioned that they were about 14 of them detained unlawfully as at 8pm on Friday. Their families dont know they are there.

One was picked from a keke and, from what I heard, would be taken to Ikeja on Saturday. We dont know what will become of those guys, they are helpless, he narrated.

It was learnt that the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, got furious after his attention was drawn to the incident.

The source said an officer called the Strike Team to convey Alabis order for Daniels immediate release. The Command is expected to investigate the matter.

Nigerians are being detained arbitrarily despite countless promises by the leadership of security agencies to curtail the illegality.
The federal government says arrangements are in place for Nigerians arriving from Ukraine through the borders in Romania and Hungary. ...

The federal government says arrangements are in place for Nigerians arriving from Ukraine through the borders in Romania and Hungary.

Gabriel Aduda, permanent secretary, ministry of foreign affairs, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on Thursday, many residents have been forced to flee to neighbouring countries.

Aduda said due to the challenges faced by Nigerians crossing into countries bordering Ukraine, especially the Polish border, the government has taken steps to also arrange for accommodation and feeding, pending evacuation.





The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is fully abreast of all the challenges Nigerians crossing into countries bordering Ukraine, especially the Polish border, are facing and we are taking adequate measures to assuage the challenges, the statement reads.

The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs has spoken with his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, on these unsavoury developments and both are working on alleviating the suffering of Nigerians, including deploying the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to the border to ensure easier access to all Nigerians and other nationals.

For now, movement to the Hungarian Zahony border and Romanian Suceava, Tulcea, Satu Mare County & Maramures borders is advised, as they have approved visa free access to all Nigerians coming from Ukraine and arrangements for accommodation and feeding, before evacuation is arranged.





The ministry also urged relatives of Nigerians in Ukraine to remain calm as the federal government us working very hard to get them all home safely.

On its part, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) asked Nigerians to contact the Romanian embassy if they encounter difficulties.

The Nigerian Embassy in Romania wishes to inform Nigerians arriving from Ukraine that arrangement has been put in place to receive them at the Romanian entry points, the commission said in a statement.

The Embassy hotlines are: Consular Officer, +40747309174; Head of Chancery, +40786091964.

On Friday, Valerii Kirdoda, the Ukrainian ambassador to Nigeria, had said Nigerians would be safely evacuated as soon as the airspace is made open for flights.
BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- In a few days, China's national legislature and the country's top political advisory body will convene their annual sessions in Beijing, the third of its kind since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first was in 2020. The event, usually held in March every year, was postponed to late May that year due to the outbreak.

Leaders, who are deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) themselves, cut short their participation in group deliberations with fellow national lawmakers. But President Xi Jinping said he must see and talk with one group of them in particular -- those from Hubei Province. And he did.

Hubei and its provincial capital Wuhan in particular were where the epidemic took a heavy toll. To Xi, the NPC deputies from Hubei represent the province's nearly 60 million people.

"The people of Hubei and Wuhan have made great contributions and sacrifices to ensure the epidemic was brought under control," Xi told the Hubei delegation when he joined them for deliberation on May 24, 2020.

By then, Wuhan had gone through unprecedentedly rigorous quarantine measures. With the highest concentration of cases nationwide in early 2020, the city of 10 million was locked down for 76 days to stem the spread of the virus. The lockdown was lifted on April 8, 2020.

"Wuhan is truly a heroic city, and the people of Hubei and Wuhan are truly heroes," Xi said.

Before the lockdown was lifted, Xi visited Wuhan in March 2020, praising people there as "heroic people" and attributing the hard-won success of epidemic control measures to their sacrifice, devotion and perseverance.

The people of Wuhan demonstrated the strength and spirit of China and the Chinese people's love for their family and nation in sticking together through thick and thin, Xi said.

At the group deliberation of the NPC session, Xi conversed with Luo Jie, who was head of a hospital in Hubei.

Xi said he was impressed by Luo's account that the hospital organized a 10-member team just to save an 87-year-old patient from COVID-19.

Xi had earlier summed up the experience at Luo's hospital as a fitting embodiment of China's COVID-19 response principle -- putting people first and doing whatever it takes to save lives.

In Hubei, more than 3,600 COVID-19 patients over 80 years old recovered, among whom the oldest was 108.

Overall, this people-first principle and the quick and effective responses have become an essential part of the Chinese way to battle the virus, helping China to minimize deaths and infections while enabling it to reboot the economy as soon as possible.

"The measures you have taken and the lessons learned are all invaluable experience in epidemic response. This is a major contribution of Hubei," Xi told the Hubei delegation at the NPC session. 
Yes. Gov. Hochul chose Mr. Benjamin, and she's stuck with him through the election.

No. The state should have the option to remove someone under criminal indictment.

Vote

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KIEV, Feb. 27 (Xinhua)-- An explosion on a gas pipeline occurred in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv on Sunday, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported.

According to the report citing sources from the Kharkiv Regional Civil-Military Administration, the Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in the city's Danylivka district in the early morning.

There is yet no second source confirming Russia's role in the blast. 
On Fat Tuesday, Rex, king of Carnival, rides forth on a golden float to greet his cheering subjects. Everybody knows that.

What most people dont know is that the make-believe monarch that the crowds will be cheering this Tuesday is a real-life hero.

He is James J. Reiss III, a banking executive who, in an earlier life as a Marine Corps helicopter pilot, received the Distinguished Flying Cross  the nations fourth-highest military honor  for what the award citation calls superb airmanship, inspiring courage and loyal devotion to duty in the face of hazardous flying conditions.

Friends said Reiss seldom brings up the August 2004 incident, which happened when he was called to respond to an attack on a control point near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to the citation, Reiss dodged rocket-propelled grenades and volleys of automatic-weapon and small-arms fire to deliver devastating machine-gun and rocket fire into the enemy compound. Due to his decisive and courageous actions, the enemy was decimated and the border control point was saved.

He doesnt talk about that stuff. He just doesnt, Rex organization spokesman Ben Dupuy said. He connects with people and has tremendous confidence, but he doesnt brag.

As Rex, Reiss will lead a 26-float parade through the streets of New Orleans with the title "School of Design Sesquicentennial," a theme that celebrates the krewe's 150th anniversary. He spoke about his upcoming reign recently, sitting with his wife, Erica Ballard Reiss, in their well-appointed Uptown living room. The couple has three children. At 50, Reiss is one of the youngest Rex monarchs in modern history.

Nearby were statuettes of Rex pages flanking a robed Rex official on horseback, and an array of the krewe's doubloons on a nearby tabletop. One of those doubloons is from 1968, when Reiss grandmother, Alice Peak Reiss, retired after 14 years as a designer of floats and costumes for the Rex organization.

As co-chairman of the Mayors Mardi Gras Advisory Council, James Reiss has served on the boards of Lighthouse Louisiana (formerly Lighthouse for the Blind), Audubon Charter School and the Military Order of Foreign Wars, and he was a founding board member of the New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy.

A University of Mississippi graduate who closed out his 14-year Marine Corps career as a captain in 2005, Reiss is executive vice president of the wealth-advisory division of First Horizon Bank. In the Rex organization, he has been a high-ranking official and a board member of the Pro Bono Publico Foundation, which the krewe formed after Hurricane Katrina to support local schools and students.

Pro Bono Publico, which in Latin means for the public good, is the krewes motto. With its most recent round of grants totaling $1.5 million, the foundation has awarded more than $10 million in grants since its founding in 2006.

Last October, Reiss was busy planning this years parade and ball when he was called to a meeting where he was told that he had been picked to be this years king.

I was completely blindsided and thrilled to death, he said. I was blown away by this honor and still am.  I always thought I was a possibility, but much later in my tenure with the Rex organization.

Reiss grew up watching Rex on St. Charles Avenue after running to Jackson Avenue from his Prytania Street home to catch the Zulu parade. For 10 years, he wore the same Evel Knievel costume.

On Tuesday, he will be more elegantly attired, in tunic, tights and wig, topped off with a crown. The sesquicentennial parade will feature additions that will include the return of walking figures inspired by creations from Viareggio, Italy, and a riderless float pulled by mules. On this float, which was inspired by an 1892 creation, Hercules and Zeus support the krewes coat of arms.

The krewes anniversary has made Reiss think about its creation, which happened during Reconstruction.

The men who organized Rex did it to give back to the city at a time when it really, really needed it, he said. Here we are, 150 years later, and we find ourselves in an almost-identical situation -- tough economic times due to the COVID pandemic and a very divided world were living in politically. I think Rex gives people something they can coalesce around and celebrate together.

Reiss will be riding through a city whose residents have been eager to hit the streets to enjoy parades after a parade-free 2021. Crowds during early parades have borne this out.

Every single person Ive spoken to has said the same thing, that the pent-up demand just amongst the riders and the tourists and the locals is off the charts, which I think is wonderful, said Reiss, who is determined to be in that number, if only for a day.

Erica has made sure that I try to remember that this is really about having fun and that Im a pretend king for the day, he said. You have to throw yourself into that kind of fantasy world for a day. If Im having fun and enjoying the whimsical fantasy of the whole thing, I hope that rubs off on people who are watching the parade and enjoying the day.

And when his reign ends, Reiss said hell be ready for that, too.

Every (Ash) Wednesday morning I tend to be at the office first thing, he said. I dont know that thatll be the case this year, but I have a feeling that when I wake up Wednesday morning, realitys going to set in pretty quick, and Im going to have to put my reality hat back on.
The year was 1881 and in the Deep South, memories of the Civil War and Reconstruction were still fresh. Perhaps that is why a gesture by the Rex organization was so profound that the national press took notice of it.

Dr. Stephen Hales, writing in "Rex: 150 Years of the School of Design," explains, As the great armies of the North and South de-mobilized following the Civil War, elite militia units, often with fine bands and drill teams, remained organized in many cities.

"These elite units liked to travel, and often made reciprocal visits to distant cities. Seeing an opportunity to use Carnival as a means to the important end of healing wounds and improving relations between the North and the South, Rex leaders extended invitations to participate in the 1881 Carnival to several northern units.

The visit of the 71st Infantry New York National Guard was especially poignant since they had faced Louisiana regiments in the Battle of Bull Run. Members of the Rex organization contributed $5,000 to underwrite some of their travel expenses.

The Northern visitors were received with hospitality and enthusiasm. Before they participated in the Rex parades on Monday and Tuesday, they attended a reception at the Washington Artillery Hall, where they were saluted in speeches by dignitaries including Mayor Shakspeare and Rex President Albert Baldwin.

Later they marched to their quarters aboard the steamboat Robert E. Lee, the site where a concert in their honor was attended by General P.G.T. Beauregard on the Thursday after Fat Tuesday.

Meals were taken at Delmonico Restaurant. The visitors received invitations to several balls, where their uniforms would serve as admit cards.

Hales says, Before their departure, the visitors made a special trip to the Greenwood Cemetery, where they paid tribute to fallen Confederate soldiers buried there.

Their trip to New Orleans was the subject of a book published in 1881. titled "A New Invasion of the South: Being a Narrative of the Expedition of the 71st Infantry, National Guard Through the Southern States to New Orleans." Author John F. Cowan was impressed with the celebration. No one could spend Mardi Gras in New Orleans without believing in the genuineness of the happy disposition of the people.

Seeing Mardi Gras for the first time, Cowan wrote, There can be no question of the seriousness of the New Orleans Carnival. It costs a great deal of money and a great deal of timeIt is a huge business speculation, sustained by the leaders of trade, fostered by the wealth and fashion of the city and invariably successful.

"There is nothing of the cheap tinsel or advertising humbug about itThe entire city gives itself to the intoxication of the hour. All business is practically suspended, and all classes join in the general joyousness.

"The organizations that control the Mardi Gras festivities are composed of the leading gentlemen of Louisiana. They give their influence and money towards it, and their example is flowed by every citizen, however humble his rank or short his purse strings.

Rex leaders presented a special banner to the 71st NYNG to take with them as they returned home. Cowan reported, ... the beautiful emblem from His Majesty for the Seventy-firstshould be sacredly preserved as a memento of the visit and the honor conferred upon the regiment.

"It would surprise the people in the North to learn of the magnificent reception their representative soldiers were having in the far South and their hearts would go out towards those of the Southern brothers in recognition.
La Veuve is a meddling and not particularly welcome visitor in Beartrice Albans home in The House That Will Not Stand. She claims that the corpse of Albans husband, Lazare, groped her. Its a spirited way of suggesting that hes not entirely departed, or that his affairs are not ready to be laid to rest.

You may be the wealthiest colored woman in New Orleans, but you built this house on sand, lies and dead bodies, La Veuve says. Soon, it will lose its foundations and come crumbling down on you like a boot crushing a fat head cockroach.

Its a feisty moment, but Beartrice has more pressing concerns than the taunts of her longtime rival. Her husband died the night before, and its complicated because she is not his only wife.

Marcus Gardleys rich comedy-drama is set in New Orleans in 1813. A cast of all Black women mostly play free women of color whose lives and wealth were shaped by the placage system, in which white men had mistresses or second wives who were Black. Beartrices daughters are of a marrying age, and she doesnt want them to live the life shes led  even though shes enjoyed wealth and relative autonomy, and her husband lived with her instead of his white wife. But with new laws replacing the French colonial laws and customs, Beartrice isnt sure if shell inherit his riches. The times are changing, and the drama unfolds in a fast and spirited pace at Le Petit Theatre. The show opens Friday, March 4, and runs through March 20.

The House That Will Not Stand is driven by a host of strong Black women, who are determined, calculating and funny, which spills out in sacrilege, sexual innuendo and sarcasm. Its not a period piece, but Gardley has situated the drama at a historical crossroads, and the world has become quite uncertain for free women of color in Beartrices position.

Beartrices daughters are thinking about their futures. Maude Lynn is a bit innocent and more inclined to live by her mothers edicts. Agnes is looking out for herself and is tempted to go to a masked ball to seek her own arrangement with a desirable and wealthy white man. Odette is younger and is caught between the aspirations of her sisters.

Makeda is an enslaved woman whos been a servant to Beartrice. La Veuve has offered her a more promising future, but Makeda also is aware that changes are afoot and the free women of color may not be able to make good on their promises.

The House That Will Not Stand premiered in 2014 and had a successful run at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2018. At Le Petit, the show is being directed by abigail jean-baptiste, who is based in New York.

What resonates so strongly is that it has so many historical references, but the story of family and grief and mourning, colorism, mixed families, motherhood and sisterhood are all things I think about a lot, jean-baptiste says. I was excited to dig into (it) as a creative after seeing it as an audience member (in New York).

Working with a cast of New Orleans women  including Troi Bechet, Tommye Myrick and Jarrell Hamilton  gives the production local grounding the New York production could not have.

You give this script to people who know this history because it is their own and its like, Oh, well actually, thats not how that went, jean-baptiste says. Which is magical  being able to question the piece, we found more meaning.

Gardleys drama is inspired by Federico Garcia Lorcas The House of Bernarda Alba, which addressed repression and a matriarch who doesnt want her daughters forming relationships during a prolonged period of mourning. But in Gardleys work, theres much more humor, including relief that Lazare has finally freed the women, at least of his presence.

The humor spills out in dialogue, and even the pronunciation of the word praline seems like a layered joke about whos speaking and in what time period.

The comedy is really important because it allows there to be double meanings behind everything, jean-baptiste says. The biting humor of it also allows you to get into their survival tactics. These women find ways to laugh, ways to leverage information, leverage humor to survive in this terrifying reality. Even though Black women are the center, Gardley doesnt let that tell a false narrative that meant everything was fine and dandy.

The piece employs sounds as consequential markers, from drumbeats of ancestors to the waltzes at the ball to a storm that erupts in the night. Theres also a bit of magical realism, but its Beartrices grit and will that shape her last stand at the home shes ruled.

The House That Will Not Stand starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 6, and runs on select dates through March 21. Tickets $35-$70 via lepetittheatre.com.
Louisiana State Police confiscated five guns and made several arrests around Bourbon Street on the agency's first night of patrolling the 2022 Mardi Gras season in New Orleans.

Taking guns into Carnival celebrations and other large crowds could endanger parade revelers and first responders, State Police warned. For example, a teenager teenager was shot Thursday at the Krewe of Muses parade while trying to break up a fight along St. Charles Avenue.

As Carnival festivities continue, State Police reminded the public that Louisiana outlaws:
The truth is, every time most Black people hear that theres a law enforcement officer shooting death, we gasp and think, Not again.

We know its a White officer and a Black person, suspect or not.

Until its not.

Responding to a known crack-house noise complaint in Marrero, a couple of Jefferson Parish Sheriff deputies shot and killed Daniel Vallee. The officers found Vallee, 34, in an SUV and, according to the sheriffs office, he refused their requests to get out.

What exactly happened next we dont know because we werent there  and the bodycam video footage hasnt been released. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto told journalists that Vallee honked his horn and a deputy fired then another deputy fired. Who did what, we dont know.

The incident was disappointing and shocking enough when the news broke. Then we heard that the deputies have been fired and arrested on manslaughter charges. Then a bunch of Black folks gasped when we saw the photographs.

Vallee, 34, is White. Isaac Hughes, 29, and Johnathan Louis, 35, are Black.

Vallees family dont think race was a factor, but they want stronger charges.

Michelle Charles, co-founder of the Gretna/Algiers Chapter of the NAACP, is one of the fair-justice advocates who pushed for body cameras in Jefferson Parish for years. It was only last year that Lopinto announced that his deputies would start wearing body cameras. Deputies started wearing the cameras in December. It was only five days after the Vallee shooting death that deputies were arrested and fired  based on body camera video.

Charles and others have wanted to see improved policing in the parish, including holding irresponsible deputies accountable when necessary. This is one of those necessary instances. And its an unfortunate one. The race of the victim and the race of the deputies has caused some to wonder whether the deputies would have been charged if they were White. I cant imagine that they wouldnt  now that theres video. Charles is pleased that the officers have been arrested based on what we know. Still, she told this newspaper's Michelle Hunter, "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.

Thank goodness there were cameras. Without those cameras, Lopinto would have relied on what the deputies said happened and its highly likely that he would have believed them and theyd be working today. Instead, theyve been arrested on manslaughter charges and fired. Lopinto said a review of the video shows that the officers actions were not justified.

I dont much care for the idea of justified homicide and justified shooting death whether the gun is in the hands of a law enforcement officer or a citizen. But thats why law enforcement agencies have training, guidelines and policies, and thats why the rest of us have at least some local and state laws governing our use of guns.

We ought to hold law enforcement officers to a higher standard when it comes to protecting and serving the community, especially when it comes to using guns.

Philip Stinson, a Bowling Green State University professor who has tracked nonfederal, on-duty officers charged with murder or manslaughter in the United States since 2005, reported there arent many officers charged and even fewer who are convicted.

In 2017, seven were charged. In 2018, 10. In 2019, 12. In 2020, 16.

If you see a trend, youre right.

In 2021, 21.

We dont really need to know the races of these officers because the key point is how many officer-involved shooting deaths result in charges. Though the number of officer arrests is increasing, there are still too many such deaths.

Weve become used to seeing on-duty officers shooting and killing people. Weve become used to this happening more and more. Weve become used to seeing that these incidents involve White officers and Black people far too many times.

But when the officers are Black and the facts show they didnt handle themselves as they should have, they, too, should be held accountable.

We all want fewer officer-involved deaths. We want to gasp less often. We want to see more officers  Black, White, Latino, Asian or otherwise  do the right thing,

We all want fewer officer-involved deaths.

We want to gasp less often.
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.
Chinese FM calls for stronger vaccine support for developing countries

Xinhua) 11:32, February 27, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a UN General Assembly high-level thematic debate titled "Galvanizing Momentum for Universal Vaccination" via video link, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday said it is impossible to be completely safe as long as there is an immunization "gap" in the world, calling for stronger vaccine support for developing countries.

Wang made the remarks during a UN General Assembly high-level thematic debate titled "Galvanizing Momentum for Universal Vaccination."

Stressing the responsibilities of major countries, Wang said it is necessary to strengthen COVID-19 vaccine support for developing countries, especially African countries.

He called on all parties to improve epidemic prevention and control measures, and promote research on mutant viruses and drug development cooperation on the basis of increasing the vaccination rate.

It is necessary to effectively help developing countries strengthen public health systems, adhere to true multilateralism, and improve the global health governance system, Wang said, calling for attention to coordinating epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development.

China has so far supplied more than 2.1 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries. One in two vaccines used globally is "Made in China," Wang noted.

It is also the first to support vaccine intellectual property rights exemption and the first to transfer technology to developing countries.

China is willing to continue to work with all parties to strengthen vaccine cooperation and jointly build a community of health for all, Wang said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
People wearing face masks walk on a street in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai)

Anti-pandemic supplies including rapid test kits, masks, protective suits are provided by various sectors in Hong Kong to support the battle against COVID-19.

HONG KONG, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Various sectors in Hong Kong have continued efforts to support the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic as the situation is getting tense.

China Merchants Group, through its charitable foundation, provided public housing residents and frontline staff with 175,000 sets of rapid test kits, 328,000 N95 masks and 68,000 protective suits.

China Resources Power donated 1,000 sets of rapid test kits and 6,800 bottles of alcohol hand sanitizer to a public bus company in Hong Kong for their frontline employees. Minsheng Commercial Bank International Holdings Ltd. donated 10,000 sets of rapid test kits to communities in New Territories North.

Aerial photo shows people working at the construction site of Tsing Yi mobile cabin hospital in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Lui Siu Wai/Xinhua)

Meanwhile, the construction of two community isolation and treatment facilities built with assistance from the mainland at Penny's Bay and Kai Tak Pier began on March 19. And on Feb. 23, Sinotrans Limited, a logistics operation platform, mobilized all resources to ship the first batch of 140 isolation rooms from the mainland to Hong Kong.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Saturday that the HKSAR government had received 350,000 boxes of proprietary traditional Chinese medicines donated by the mainland.

Various medical supplies have also arrived in Hong Kong in batches, including more than 10 million N95 and KN95 masks and more than 10 million rapid antigen test kits. These medicines and materials have been distributed to different organizations and the public, the spokesman said.

Hong Kong reported 17,063 new COVID-19 cases and 66 deaths on Saturday, official data showed. 
Washington, D.C. -- On Thursday, Feb. 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced upcoming funding and grant opportunities for meat and poultry processors.

The $215 million total includes $150 million in grants for startups and expansions in meat and poultry processing; $40 million for workplace development and training; and $25 million for technical assistance for applicants and others seeking resources related to meat and poultry processing.

Funding for the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program has been taken from American Rescue Plan Act coffers. Grants up to $25 million each are available for construction, expansion of existing facilities, equipment acquisitions, and other related purposes.

The USDA is especially interested in receiving applications from small farms and ranches; beginner farmers and ranchers; tribes and tribal producers; socially disadvantaged producers; veterans; and others from underserved communities and populations.

To provide more information about the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program, the USDA will host two webinars: one on February 28 at 2 p.m. with a program overview and a follow-up on March 7 at 2 p.m. about the application process and requirements.

To register for a webinar, find application materials, or submit a question, visit the MPPEP website.

Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on April 11, 2022, through www.grants.gov.

NIFA's workforce training funds will primarily be allocated to community, junior, and technical colleges with programs specifically for meat and poultry processing. A Request for Applications will be published in April.

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HealthDay News -- Mass cullings have been implemented as a highly contagious form of avian flu has swept across the eastern half of the United States in recent weeks, killing both farmed poultry and wild birds.

Its very concerning, given how quickly this thing is accelerating, Henry Niman, a biochemist in Pittsburgh who studies the genetic evolution of viruses, told The New York Times.

I think we could see historic levels of infections," added Niman, who has been tracking the outbreak's spread across the United States.

It's likely the virus is being spread by wild birds returning from winter feeding grounds, according to experts, and many fear the worst will come when spring migration peaks in a few weeks, the Times reported.

Poultry growers are being urged by federal officials to report sick or dying birds and to take preventive measures such as preventing contact between their farmed flocks and wild birds.

Its important to note that avian influenza is not considered to be a risk to public health and its not a food-safety risk, Mike Stepien, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, told the Times.

The virus -- called Eurasian H5N1 -- has not jumped to humans but is being closely watched by scientists because it's closely related to an Asian strain that has infected hundreds of people since 2003.

That strain doesn't spread efficiently among humans, but when it does it has a death rate of 60%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And it can decimate a country's poultry industry.

Right now, turkey farmers in Indiana and Kentucky are the most worried. Several farms in those states have been shuttered in the past two weeks after officials discovered the virus among birds that spend their entire lives crammed into massive containment sheds. Farmers say they have been stunned by how efficiently the virus kills, with animals dying hours after the initial infection, the Times reported.

Everyone is on super-high alert and trying to be as prepared as possible because we all remember the devastation of 2014 and 2015, Dr. Denise Heard, a veterinarian with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, told the Times.

The 2014-15 outbreak sent poultry and egg prices soaring and cost the industry more than $3 billion  though the federal government compensated farmers for lost flocks. In the end, nearly 50 million birds were killed by the virus or destroyed to prevent its spread, a vast majority of them in Iowa and Minnesota.

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on the avian flu.

SOURCE: The New York Times

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Scranton, Pa. The United State Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Vicki Hackenberg, 57, of Bloomsburg was sentenced by United State Chief District Judge Matthew Brann to 12 months of imprisonment for perpetrating a bank fraud and money laundering scheme that included nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

The PPP is designed to help small business facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, PPP funds are offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses.

According to the United State Attorney John Gurganus, Hackenberg pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy involving her codefendant, Darryl Corradini, and others. The conspirators allegedly used the accounted to receive over $135,000 in fraudulently obtained funds and over $296,000 from a PPP loan that was obtained with false and forged documentation. That documentation included false information and certifications about CGM Reaty LLCs employee payroll obligations, and intention to use the funds for approved purposes, when in fact CGM Realty LLC had no employees or legitimate business operations. Forges IRS documentation also was included with the PPP application, containing false information about CGM Realty LLCs nonexistent payroll obligations. Over $350,000 was then used to purchase Bitcoins, a type of cryptocurrency.

The case was investigation by agents with the Internal Revenue Services Criminal Investigations Divisions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021 the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters effort to investigation and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit www.justic.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: www.justice.gove/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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With the end of the public-health emergency looming, a new report reveals millions of children in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are at risk of losing insurance, some for administrative reasons.

More than half of Pennsylvania children are insured through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). They've been able to maintain stability in their coverage thanks to the continuous-coverage requirement from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Laura Stephany, health policy manager for Allies for Children, said when the public health emergency ends, it will put many Pennsylvania kids at risk of losing insurance due to procedural policies such as the state not having an up-to-date address.

"If a family is low-income, and they don't really have the best housing security because of the economic crisis that's been going on for the past two years, they're more likely to move around a lot and to be missed," Stephany explained. "We really want to ensure that the most vulnerable families don't fall through the cracks."

The report was released by the Georgetown Center for Children and Families. The public health emergency is set to expire April 15 but could be extended past July. Since the start of the pandemic, 192,000 additional Pennsylvania children have enrolled in Medicaid coverage.

Tricia Brooks, research professor in the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, said there are policies states can implement now to help minimize coverage disruption.

She urged states to slow down the process, to ensure efforts to prevent automatic disenrollment are thorough.

"States should start by maximizing the use of existing data sources to confirm ongoing eligibility for as many people as possible now to reduce the backlog of pending actions," Brooks suggested.

Pennsylvania advocates recommended Gov. Tom Wolf's administration utilize the 12-month period permitted by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services for the eligibility and renewal process. Phone calls, emails and text messages could also help reach families at risk of losing coverage.

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BOGOTA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Colombian authorities seized 1.5 tons of cocaine hidden in the town of San Bernardo del Viento, Cordoba department, Minister of Defense Diego Molano reported on Saturday.

No arrests were made during the operation, but the drugs are believed to belong to the criminal group the Gulf Clan.

"With the seizure of 1.5 tons of cocaine by the Colombian Police and the Colombian Navy in San Bernardo del Viento, the criminals of the Gulf Clan lose 51 million U.S. dollars and lives have been saved," the minister wrote on Twitter.

According to authorities, the drugs were hidden in 61 sacks that the Gulf Clan had intended to take out of the area on speedboats to North America.

The drugs were taken to the headquarters of Marine Brigade Number One, where officials from the prosecutor's office confirmed their total weight of 1,518 kg. 
Northwest Health-Porter Hospital has added three new board members to help oversee it.

Northwest Health CEO Ashley Dickinson welcomed Audra Peterson, Dr. Tarek Braik and Dr. Omar Barakat to the board of trustees for the hospital at 85 E U.S. 6 between Valparaiso and Chesterton.

These leaders bring a valued perspective to the hospitals board of trustees, Dickinson said. "Their unique professional experience and areas of interest will be instrumental in guiding the hospitals mission and vision.

Peterson is a Chesterton resident who serves as executive director of career and technical education at the Porter County Education Services. In that role, she manages career and technical programs for all the high schools in Porter County, as well as at Hobart High School.

Barakat serves as a vascular and interventional radiologist with Radiologic Associates of Northwest Indiana. The Hinsdale resident also is a member of the medical staff at Northwest HealthPorter Hospital.

Braik also serves on the staff of Northwest HealthPorter Hospital as an oncologist and hematologist.

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In the last month, Northwest Indiana has made significant improvements in the number of those hospitalized or killed by coronavirus on a weekly basis, data shows.

State health records indicate a total of 932 Hoosiers were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday in Indiana, according to the Indiana Department of Health. On Jan. 25, it was reported that a total of 3,206 Hoosiers had been hospitalized, showing a large decrease in a month's time.

Currently 10.2% of ICU beds are in use by coronavirus patients with 20.2% of ICU beds in the state available.

The compounding losses of life also have appeared to be on a decline across the board.

As of Friday, a total of 27 more people died from COVID-19 in Northwest Indiana in a one-week period, according to data from the Indiana Department of Health.

Comparatively, on Jan. 29, the number of those who died from coronavirus in Northwest Indiana in a week's period totaled to 100 people.

Statistics updated Friday showed that there have been a total of 1,692 coronavirus-attributed deaths in Lake County, 523 in Porter County, 347 in LaPorte County, 66 in Newton County and 136 in Jasper County.

Last Friday, Lake County reported 1,676 deaths, meaning an additional 16 people have died of the virus in the county in a seven-day period, statistics show. In a one-week period, Porter County reported six new deaths and LaPorte County recorded five more. Neither Newton County and Jasper County had any additional deaths from coronavirus in the last week.

In total, COVID-19 has killed a total of 21,922 Hoosiers since the start of the pandemic, indicating an additional 255 deaths statewide in the last seven days, Friday data showed.

Several counties have shifted to the orange and yellow designations on the color-coded map indicating the rate of infection in Indiana residents, with three counties currently in the best blue designations for the first time in 2022.

The color-coded classifications for Indiana's 92 counties now only has four counties in the red rating. The red rating indicates an uncontrolled spread of coronavirus, which is classified as 200 or more positive cases per every 100,000 residents. Currently, 41 counties are in the orange rating, and 44 are in the yellow rating.

Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper and Newton counties have shifted to the yellow rating, indicating 10 to 99 new cases per 100,000 residents each week.

Across state lines, a total of 7,766 residents in Calumet City and 6,765 residents in Lansing have tested positive for the virus.

State health officials are urging Hoosiers age 5 and up to reduce their chances of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death by getting vaccinated against COVID-19, or by getting a COVID-19 booster shot for those previously vaccinated, as soon as possible.

The free COVID-19 vaccine is available, in most cases without an appointment, at 1,488 locations across the state, including retail pharmacies, health clinics and hospitals.

Records show that 56.6% of Hoosiers age 5 and up, the state's eligible population, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including 55.7% of eligible Lake County residents, 61.4% in Porter County, 56.2% in LaPorte County, 41.2% in Newton County and 46.3% in Jasper County.

So far, a total of 1,709,866 people have received a booster shot statewide.

A complete list of COVID-19 vaccine sites is available online at ourshot.in.gov.

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Hoosier physicians and other health care providers generally can prescribe ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 in willing patients and it won't be considered malpractice in most circumstances, according to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.

In a 10-page official opinion, Rokita said the off-label use of ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 is similar to the widespread use of other prescription drugs to treat medical conditions not explicitly listed on their FDA-approved labels.

Rokita said that under federal law authorized health care providers may prescribe medication for an off-label use when they judge it's medically appropriate for their patients.

At the same time, Rokita said off-label use, while common, is not necessarily safe, and any provider should be cognizant of the risks and benefits of off-label prescription medications, and communicate that information to the patient, to reduce the provider's liability should some sort of harm occur.

"The mere act of prescribing a medication off-label will not generally be considered malpractice; a patient must also establish that by doing so, he or she was harmed, and the health care provider deviated from an accepted standard of practice," Rokita said.

Regarding ivermectin and hydroxychloroquin, two anti-parasitic drugs, Rokita said there's no consensus among scientists and public health experts concerning the safety and efficacy of either treatment in connection with COVID-19.

As a result, Rokita said it's reasonable to believe prescribing them off-label to treat COVID-19 likely would fall within the standard of care expected from a health care provider, so long as the provider advises each patient about the off-label use and potential risks.

"The office of the attorney general sees no reason, based on the studies available at this time, to distinguish off-label prescribing of medications for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 from the off-label prescribing of medications for other illnesses and conditions," Rokita said.

Rokita does caution, however, that providers considering prescribing ivermectin, which also is approved to treat animals, including livestock, make sure they're giving their patients the correct dose.

"The higher animal dose could be toxic or even deadly to humans who ingest it," said Rokita, a Munster native.

Meanwhile, Rokita noted Indiana's COVID-19 shield law enacted last year provides broad legal immunity to health care providers in connection with COVID-19 treatments, unless the provider's actions constitute "gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, fraud, or intentional misrepresentation."

He said prescribing hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin or another FDA-approved medication for an off-label use to treat or prevent COVID-19 would be covered by the shield law, and health care providers should not incur any legal liability for responsibly doing so.

However, unless action is taken in the weeks ahead by the Republican-controlled General Assembly to extend the protection, Indiana's COVID-19 shield law is due to expire April 1, or sooner if Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb ends the state's COVID-19 public health emergency before April 1.

Either way, Rokita emphasized his official opinion "should not be construed as advocating or discouraging the prescribing or use of any particular medication or course of treatment for the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19."

"The office of the attorney general provides legal advice, not medical advice," he said.

The Indiana Department of Health declined to specifically respond to a request for comment on the attorney general's opinion.

Instead, the state health agency simply provided a link to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration website titled: "Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19."

Records show Rokita's Feb. 23 opinion on the issue was requested by five state lawmakers who said they've received questions from health care providers or their constituents about legal liability associated with prescribing drugs off-label to treat COVID-19.

The lawmakers were state Sens. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton; Eric Koch, R-Bedford; and Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville; and state Reps. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour; and Elizabeth Rowray, R-Yorktown.

An official opinion by the attorney general has no force of law but typically will be taken into consideration by an Indiana court if there's a pending lawsuit relating to the issue.

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After consolidating much of the domestic steel industry in late 2020, Cleveland-Cliffs pulled in record revenue of $20.4 billion and record profits of $3 billion last year.

Despite record hot-rolled steel coil prices and the best financial performance in the company's 175-year history, Cleveland-Cliffs then stunned workers by announcing it would indefinitely idle Blast Furnace No. 4 in East Chicago, idle production at its Northshore Mining operations in the Iron Range in northern Minnesota and permanently close its Mountain State Carbon coke plant.

So why is Cleveland-Cliffs acting the way steelmakers often have in the past after they've lost tons of money?

The Cleveland-based steelmaker faces declining steel prices, a glut of new capacity that will come online in the United States in the next few years and increasing international pressure to reduce carbon emissions, said Charles Bradford, an analyst with New York City-based Bradford Research Inc.

Cleveland-Cliffs consolidated so much of the domestic industry it can significantly shape market conditions and is seeking to prolong elevated prices, announcing it would increase the prices for carbon hot rolled, cold rolled and coated steel products by a minimum of $50 per net ton when it was restricting supply by idling the 2.1 million ton per year blast furnace at its Indiana Harbor Works.

"Prices have plummeted in the United States," Bradford said. "They were $2,000 a ton and now they're around $1,300 a ton. That's a huge decline. There's a margin squeeze. They're trying to tighten up the market."

Prices rose so much in the United States it became highly profitable to ship steel to the U.S. market again, increasing the supply and putting downward pressure on prices. Imports rose 43% last year, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Cleveland-Cliffs is somewhat insulated from fluctuations in spot prices as it has longer-term contracts with customers, including many in the automotive industry.

But that business has been greatly disrupted by the worldwide semiconductor shortage.

"With the semiconductor problems, they made a million or two million fewer vehicles than last year," Bradford said. "It's a big problem."

Another major issue is global environmental concerns over integrated steelmaking, which burns the fossil fuel coke  a purified form of coal  in blast furnaces to make iron, a precursor to steel.

Smaller, less costly, more technologically advanced and more nimble mini-mills have already been gaining market share for years. The number of blast furnaces in the United States has fallen from 186 in 1973 to 57 in 1990 to just 15 currently, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. That number will fall to 14 when the last blast furnace at the old LTV mill is idled in a few months, ending more than a century of iron-making there.

Steel companies have announced plans to slash their carbon footprint and have been investing more in less carbon-intensive electric arc furnaces as blast furnaces age out of use. Cleveland-Cliffs predecessor ArcelorMittal USA, for instance, chose to avoid the expense of refining Blast Furnace No. 3 at Indiana Harbor Works, which now leaves Blast Furnace No. 7 as the only one left at a mill that had five blast furnaces burning around the clock to make molten metal just over a decade ago.

"They might not have much choice if coal goes away," Bradford said. "Electric cars also might not need as much steel as conventional cars."

The United Steelworkers union is concerned about the further loss of capacity at what had been the largest steelmaking complex in North America, combining the former LTV and Inland steel mills.

"They're not calling it a permanent shutdown and it's not being destroyed but we're continuously losing blast furnaces," USW District 7 Director Mike Millsap said. "For the long term of the industry here, we'd always like to have more blast furnaces."

The union is relieved that no layoffs will take place but does not want to see the steelmaking capacity in Northwest Indiana continue to shrink, Millsap said.

"We know they're looking to better utilize capacity but the steelworkers would like to keep as much capacity open as we can," he said. "When they have to take No. 7 down for preventative maintenance, they're really going to have to time it right. It's going to take a lot of planning by the company over how they can spread it out over to blast furnaces at Burns Harbor."

Cleveland-Cliffs CEO, Chairman and President Lourenco Goncalves said the roughly 185 workers at the No. 4 Blast Furnace would be moved to other places at the mill, which currently has more vacancies than displaced workers.

The company remains committed to blast furnace production, he said.

"So long as there is a vibrant automotive industry in this country, we're going to have blast furnaces," he said. "Our automotive market share is growing. Even with the microchip shortages, our market share is going up, not going down."

Cleveland-Cliffs is looking to optimize its footprint at Indiana Harbor Works, where both blast furnaces had operated under capacity, Goncalves said. The company just invested $100 million in Blast Furnace No. 7 last fall so it can be fed with more hot-briquetted iron made in Toledo instead of more carbon-intensive iron ore.

After the project, Blast Furnace No. 7 is also now more productive.

"Indiana Harbor No. 7 has enough capacity to make up for the lost 2.1 million fewer tons per year," he said. "Now it will run the way it should be run. This is the biggest blast furnace in the three Americas."

Goncalves said the mill would operate more efficiently and cost-effectively going forward.

"Indiana Harbor No. 7 and No. 4 were both suboptimal when both in operation," he said. "So Blast Furnace No. 4 is being taken out of the picture. It's not affecting employment. We're growing our market share. We're hiring more employees to meet our needs. There's no need for a complex of inferiority in Indiana. Indiana has the best, more efficient furnaces in the world."

No automotive plant in the world relies on electric arc furnaces, which currently cannot produce high enough grades of steel to meet automaker's specifications, Goncalves said. Blast furnaces remain vital to serving the automotive customers that have long been the bread-and-butter of Northwest Indiana's steel mills.

"Indiana Harbor No. 7 is the ultimate beast. It's our flagship," Goncalves said. "We have no bias against blast furnaces. This is an improvement. Ingot casting went away and was replaced by continuous casting. This is a normal evolution. The previous owners may have closed blast furnaces but they didn't know how to make money as well. We're making money like they never did before."

Cleveland-Cliffs will go from running eight blast furnaces to seven in the United States after idling No. 4 in a few months.

"We need to remove emissions from the footprint but see a long life for integrated steelmaking at Cleveland-Cliffs," Goncalves said. "There are no basic oxygen furnaces in Japan and South Korea, which both produce cars. You need blast furnaces for automotive. We're a major supplier of automotive, the biggest by a lot. We're looking to supply the automotive industry with the highest-quality steel, the best quality of steel in the world with a low level of emissions. We will continue to grow."

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U.S. Steel recently named a new member of its board of directors.

The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker, one of the Region's largest industrial companies and the founder of the city of Gary as a mill town more than a century ago, elected Terry Dunlap to its board of directors. Dunlap brings a wealth of experience in the steel industry to the role.

He is a principal of Sweetwater LLC, a Pittsburgh-based consulting firm that focuses on the manufacturing and technology sectors. He previously spent 31 years with the S&P 600 specialty metals manufacturer Allegheny Technologies, serving as executive vice president of flat-rolled products for the Pennsylvania-based company from 2011 until he retired from the leadership role at the end of 2014.

Dunlap also served as president of ATI Allegheny Ludlum from 2002 to 2014 and Group President of ATI Flat-Rolled Products from 2008 to 2011.

Most recently, he served as interim chief executive officer and president of TimkenSteel Corp., an Ohio-based manufacturer of high-performance alloy steel bar and tubing, from 2019 to 2021.

Dunlap, who graduated with a degree in marketing from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, currently serves on the board of directors at Matthews International and Ampco-Pittsburgh Corp. He previously served on the board of directors of TimkenSteel Corporation and as past president of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Foundation Board, where he's still a board member.

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A national exhibit in Romeoville explores how 20th-Century work trends shaped the nation.

The Way We Worked: A Traveling Exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution is visiting the Isle a la Cache Museum through May 8. The exhibit focuses on the work that Americans and immigrants performed during the 20th century to build the nation.

Created by the National Archives and adapted for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services, The Way We Worked exhibit is coming to the museum through funding from The Nature Foundation of Will County.

Among items featured are display panels, photos, audio, video and childrens activities.

The bulk of the exhibit consists of photos from all around the country and throughout the last 150 years or so, said Tina Riley, facility supervisor at the Forest Preserve District of Will Countys Isle a la Cache. Some are iconic images that people will recognize. Others show the diversity of the individual workers, workplaces and types of jobs that have been undertaken over the years.

The exhibit also features stories of the people who shaped the nations work experience through the years, she said. Explored are cultural phenomena including labor laws and the Great Migration, where millions of African-Americans moved from the South to find better opportunities.

Some artifacts also highlight changes in the ways people communicate, ranging from a shorthand textbook to a Blackberry.

My favorite item is the Gregg shorthand textbook because it is the same one that my maternal grandmother used in her correspondence secretarial course in the early 1940s, Riley said. She spent time teaching me some shorthand, using that same book, when I was growing up.

Items in the exhibit provide older and younger generations with a glimpse into the past, with some evoking fond memories.

The textbook is now a keepsake for me that brings back memories of a wonderful time with my grandma and reminds me of her determination to learn new skills that would help her improve her job prospects, Riley said.

While most of the materials come from the National Archives, the exhibit includes local contributions such as photos of women who worked at the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site when it was in operation from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

The Romeoville Area Historical Society is lending the Forest Preserve District photos and other artifacts to complement the exhibit. Some are of Romeoville businesses that once operated along Romeo Road, including the former restaurant/bar that the Forest Preserve purchased and converted into the Isle a la Cache Museum.

They help to connect the topics in this national exhibition to our local communities, Riley said. The local exhibits highlight former businesses and workplaces in Romeoville, uniforms of local members of the military, items that represent our Riverview Farmstead and Joliet Iron Works sites, and photos of some of the women who once worked at the steel mill, in honor of March being Womens History Month.

In addition to the displays and activities, the Forest Preserve District will offer 14 programs throughout the exhibits three-month run, beginning with a Zoom webinar called Will County Works: On the River Feb. 24. A Steel and Stone Hike at the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site is planned for May 8.

Program details are listed in the event calendar on the forest preserves website, reconnectwithnature.org.

The Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E. Romeo Road, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free.

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The LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra returns to the Holdcraft Performing Arts Center in Michigan City for an afternoon of Verdi and Tchaikovsky, March 13, at 3pm. Join the LCSO to experience the rousing opening of Verdis Overture to La Forza del Destino, the sounds of cello soloist Hannah Collins in Tchaikovskys Rococo Variations and culminating with the composers Symphony No. 5. The LCSO will fill your senses with their musicianship and cellist Collins, the De Linkprijs winner for contemporary interpretation, through diverse forms of musical expression. For tickets: LCSO.net or call 219/362.9020. Tickets also available at Roxy Music and at the door.

The Chesterton Art Center will host its first Family Art Days on Saturday, March 12, from 10am-2pm. Explore the work of Cathy Feeman, a local artist whose work highlights ideas of familial and cultural history and the impact of storytelling. With guidance from the Chesterton Art Center team, families can explore Feeman's exhibit, then move on to the classroom to create a mixed media accordion book inspired by her work. Reservations are required for a one-hour timeslot for each guest with a limit of eight guests per hour. Family Art Days is a quarterly program encouraging families to visit and explore current exhibits followed by the creation of art. These events are free, and all ages are welcome. www.chestertonart.org/

Join the Munster Community Park Social Center on a tour of the exciting and educational National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen. This trip, aimed at honoring Cinco de Mayo, will feature one of the countrys largest Mexican art collections, including more than 18,000 seminal pieces from ancient Mexico to the present. Opening its doors in 1987, the goal was to establish an arts and cultural organization committed to accessibility, education, and social justice. Over the years, the institution has grown, its audience has broadened, and its reach now extends across the United States and beyond, hosting close to 150,000 visitors annually. Following the museum tour, guests will stop for lunch at the nearby and well-known La Vaca restaurant. www.townplanner.com/general-information/my-community/

Regions Got Talent, the third annual talent competition featuring individuals aged 18 and under and hosted by the Regional Performing Arts Company, is Northwest Indianas first competition that focuses solely on the rising talent of young performers. Performances from Northwest Indiana youth will include everything from singing and dancing to magic and ventriloquism. Talented individuals who find themselves holding the winning title are awarded cash prizes and trophies and will be featured in a performance at Regions Got Talent 2023. The live finals will be held March 11 at Wheeler High School Auditorium where a winner for both the Junior and Senior divisions will be chosen. www.regionsgottalent.com/

As always, please visit the South Shore Arts Regional Calendar for organizational contacts and updates on current exhibits, concerts, plays, and other arts events at www.southshoreartsonline.org

John Cain is executive director of South Shore Arts and the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra.

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Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam meets with the deputy head of the health commission of Guangdong province and mainland epidemiologists on the fight against COVID-19 in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 27, 2022. (Information Services Department of the Government of the HKSAR/Handout via Xinhua)

HONG KONG, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam met with the deputy head of the health commission of Guangdong province and mainland epidemiologists Sunday on the fight against COVID-19 in Hong Kong.

Lam expressed gratitude to the central authorities and Guangdong province for their support for the anti-COVID efforts in Hong Kong following their inspection of the local anti-epidemic work.

She was also grateful for the constructive advice given by the delegation of mainland epidemiological experts, including the "Communicable Disease Public Interface" platform being launched online for patients to report their information.

At the meeting, Lam and the participating officials discussed with Zhang Yurun and members of the expert delegation the recent improvements to the HKSAR government's COVID-19 testing-related measures with regard to the risk assessment and optimum use of testing resources.

These included wider adoption of rapid antigen tests and persistent "restriction-testing declaration" operations targeting buildings with higher risk.

The participants agreed that it is necessary at present to strengthen the multi-tiered approach of providing treatment based on the patient's conditions to reduce severe and death cases so that medical resources could be more effectively allocated to imminent cases.

Lam said the mainland's rich experience in combatting COVID-19 helped Hong Kong fully examine its existing anti-epidemic strategies and measures so as to adjust them considering Hong Kong's actual circumstances in pursuit of the goal of "dynamic zero infection."

"We will continue to leverage the staunch support of the central authorities to stabilize the epidemic as soon as possible for safeguarding the lives and safety of the public at large," she said.

Hong Kong recorded 26,026 new COVID-19 cases and 83 deaths on Sunday, showed official data. 
MERRILLVILLE  The Indiana Immunization Coalition (IIC) will be at two Merrillville schools to provide immunizations, an opportunity for families to prepare their children for the 2022-23 school year.

The immunization clinics will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at Merrillville Intermediate School, 1400 W. 61st Ave., and also from noon to 2 p.m. at Merrillville High School, 276 E. 68th Place on March 15.

Parents should register online at https://patients.vaxcare.com/registration and enter code IN65942. In addition, a screening questionnaire is available on the Merrillville Community School Corp. website, www.mvsc.k12.in.us, that can be downloaded, completed and brought in to save time.

Parents who want their students to participate in the immunization clinic should complete the online registration form by March 14. The completed online registration will serve as confirmation of a scheduled appointment for the student to receive their immunizations during the school day.

The coalition accepts all forms of insurance, and there is no cost for those without insurance.

Students who participate in the clinic will be vaccinated with all recommended vaccinations that are due at the time of the clinic, unless the IIC is contacted for specific vaccine refusal 48 hours prior to the clinic via email to clinic@vaccinateindiana.org or phone 317-628-7116.

Vaccines that may be administered include DTaP/Tdap, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HiB, HPV, Influenza, MMR, Meningitis, Polio, Rotavirus, Varicella, Flu and Covid-19.

IIC will not initiate the COVID vaccine series without explicit parental request, but they will complete the COVID series if it has already been started. If a child has started the COVID vaccine series and parents do NOT want them to complete the series, parents should send an email to clinic@vaccinateindiana.org within 48 hours prior to the scheduled immunization clinic.

Anyone can get immunized at these clinics. Children do not have to be students at these schools to receive immunizations.

For more information, contact the IIC or Merrillville Community School Corporation Nursing Coordinator Tina Foreman, 219-650-5307, ext. 7539.

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HAMMOND  Students at the Science Olympiad are put to the test in many ways, from solving mysteries to finding difficult ways of doing simple tasks. They may even be asked to defy gravity.

So it was for Thomas Ashcraft and Michael Pelc, one of three Munster High School team that entered gravity vehicles.

These handmade crafts dont leave the ground, but they can travel. Ashcraft and Pelc were judged on how far their vehicle went and if it strayed off course, along with design and time. Luckily for the Munster duo, their vehicle went far and straight.

The boys, who also had to build their ramp, used yardsticks for the chassis and purchased rubber and plastic wheels.

I enjoy that were able to create innovative solutions to problems, said Ashcraft, 17, a junior.

One solution was using wing nuts to slow down the vehicle.

I like the collaboration and teamwork, said Pelc, 17, a senior.

The teens added that the project involved its share of correcting mistakes, as their vehicle was the fourth version of the original craft for a project that took several months.

Each vehicle was limited to 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) to travel a straight course of 3.5 meters, or 11.4 feet.

While the preceding competitors vehicle strayed, the Munster craft stayed in place. Pelc attributed that to adding weights while still keeping the regulation weight.

Munster was among 11 middle schools and 11 high schools entered in Saturdays Science Olympiad regional at Purdue Northwest. The PNW campus was one of seven regional sites, with winners advancing to the state finals March 12 at Purdues West Lafayette campus.

Elsewhere among the competitions held at multiple sites on the PNW campus, Veer Jheveri, a 15-year-old Munster High School sophomore, brought his miniature catapult to see if it could reach the targeted destination.

Coming off competition the previous weekend at the University of Michigan, Jheveri said he did not have a good day at the Science Olympiad. To adapt, he said, I changed the length of my elastic to change the strength of my catapult.

Undaunted, the MHS student said, I love physical science, and this is application-based physics.

Jheveri hopes to study mechanical engineering in college.

Awaiting judging on his Rube Goldberg project was Rafael Santellano, 12, a seventh-grader at St. Thomas More School in Munster. His project involved a complicated means of one marble moving another.

The tough part, Santellano said, was trying to get everything working together in unison.

Working with his partner, eighth-grader Jack OShea, Santellano said he enjoyed seeing what we could accomplish, working together and how we made everything work. I enjoy building things and learning how to make things work the way I want them to work."

From St. Patrick School in Chesterton, Riley Pacilio, 12, and Gabriella Raffin, 11, were cleaning up their forensic entry. Using different materials in a laboratory setting, the girls had to investigate the source of an industrial explosion.

It was fun, said Raffin. It was a lot of science experiments and a lot of mixing of stuff.

Chemistry is one of my favorite subjects, Pacilio added. Lots of analysis.

Back at school, the girls got to analyze the regurgitated food of an owl. Inside the fur were another animals bones, including the skull. The girls described the experience as gross, but a lot of fun.

Mission Possible was the Rube Goldberg project for Zoey Pigors and Natalia Bernal, both 11 and sixth-graders at Clark Middle School in St. John. Their project involved using one marble to hit other objects, which would then strike another marble and knock it into its ending position.

Both girls said they enjoy science.

You get to do different things and you just continue to discover. Bernal said.

Its a learning experience that you can do anything with, Pigors said. Theres a lot of things to learn. I love the process of making things and the mathematical problems it takes to get to the final part.

Paxton Martinez, 14, an eighth-grader at Discovery Charter School in Porter, built a musical instrument that could play Yankee Doodle.

Martinez made the instrument from a plastic serving bowl, wood, screws and ukulele strings. He numbered the strings to represent notes and tightened the screws to create different tones.

"I like to explore things, said Martinez. I like the different reactions that can happen.

Turning to more current issues, the Science Olympiad featured a cybersecurity challenge, in which students addressed a security breach and did risk assessment.

Working together were Munster High School seniors Mikyla Farnell and Madeline McFeely, both headed for Purdue West Lafayette. They both enjoyed the cyber challenge, a first for them.

Upon hearing that women comprise only 5% of the cyber field, Fernell commented, Im definitely interested. Cybersecurity is very big right now.

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For transgender Catholics across the United States, retaining their faith can entail complex calculations. They face rebukes from some fellow Catholics, including many bishops, yet find full acceptance in some premises of the church.

A small but growing number of parishes have formed LGBTQ ministries or support groups and warmly welcome transgender people on their own terms. Yet within the past two years, at least six Catholic dioceses have issued guidelines targeting trans people with restrictions and refusing to recognize their gender identity.

"Many of our bishops are anti-science. ... They are cold and cruel," said Sister Luisa Derouen, a retired nun who has ministered to transgender people. "You can't respect people and deny their existence at the same time."

The latest policy targeting trans Catholics was issued by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in January. It bars church personnel from using trans people's preferred pronouns that reflect their gender identity.

Objecting to trans-supportive "gender theory," the policy stipulates that "all interactions and policies, parishes, organizations, and institutions are to recognize only a person's biological sex."

Among other measures, it says parishes, schools and other Catholic organizations in the archdiocese must require people to use bathrooms associated with their birth gender and adhere to dress codes on the same basis.

And a broader policy issued in July by the Diocese of Marquette, which encompasses Michigan's Upper Peninsula, said pastors should deny trans, gay and nonbinary Catholics the sacraments  such as baptism and Communion  "unless the person has repented." It was signed by Bishop John Doerfler.

But in some other parishes around the country, a different, more welcoming face of the church is on display.

Just a few weeks before the Marquette policy was issued, the Church of Our Lady of Grace in Hoboken, New Jersey, celebrated its annual Pride Mass in support of the LGBTQ community. Delivering part of the homily at the invitation of the priest, Alexander Santora, was Christine Zuba, a transgender woman from New Jersey.

"We are not disordered, confused or a fad," Zuba said, sharing with other worshippers the decades-long journey that led her to come out six years earlier at age 58. "We are not trying to defy God, nor to play God."

"By staying visible, not only outside these walls but inside our churches, we change hearts and minds, one person at a time," she concluded. "Once in a while we may get thrown out, but if that happens, we're not going away. We're coming right back in."

Santora, a priest for 40 years, said the other worshippers rose and applauded.

"Our church was opened in 1878," Santora said. "I wanted Christine to be on that pulpit."

A lifelong Catholic, Zuba said she knew from age 4 that she was different. When she finally decided to come out five decades later, she was grateful that a nearby parish, Saints Peter and Paul in Turnersville, New Jersey, welcomed her. She serves there as a eucharistic minister.

Yet she knows that much of the Catholic hierarchy, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, rejects the concept of gender transition.

"These bishops and priests don't understand that when they turn someone away, they're losing parents, children, groups of friends who say this is not the church we want to belong to," Zuba said.

Lynn Discenza, a 64-year-old transgender woman, grew up in a churchgoing Italian American family in West Hartford, Connecticut, and gave seminary a try before pursuing a career in aerospace design.

She considers herself fortunate, after transitioning two years ago, to be part of a welcoming Catholic church in the area  Saint Patrick-Saint Anthony Church in Hartford. She is a co-leader of its LGBTQ ministry.

Particularly moving, Discenza said, was a Nov. 21 observance marking the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, which commemorates people killed due to anti-trans violence. She thanked the other worshippers for their support, and they responded with applause.

The pastor, Timothy Shreenan, highlighted the commemoration in the church bulletin.

"We must always stand up against hatred in all its forms, and not allow others' fears (or phobias) to be a reason for hatred," he wrote. "Rather, we must continue to learn more about the experience of others and to become more tolerant and accepting of one another."

Discenza hopes that grassroots activism on behalf of greater inclusivity will accelerate as more parishes add LGBTQ ministries.

"The change is going to come from the ground up, and some of the old bishops will die away," she said.

For young transgender Catholics, the conflicting approaches of individual churches and clergy can pose challenges to both them and their parents.

Eli Musselman of Philadelphia, who turns 19 in March and came out as transgender almost four years ago, said he felt a strong connection with his faith as a boy and many of his friends supported him.

But the pastor of the family's longtime parish declined to refer to him with masculine pronouns and he had anxiety attacks in church due to some parishioners' "nasty looks," prompting the family to switch to a parish that made them feel at home.

"A place that had once been a safe haven for me had become a place of dangers," said Musselman, now a freshman at the Jesuit-run St. Josephs University, where students and most professors, with one hurtful exception, have been supportive.

"But since coming out," he added, "my spirituality has grown. ... I feel whole for the first time in my life."

"I lost some really good friends," said his mother, JoEllen Musselman. "I felt I was constantly making apologies to people, and I got tired of that."

After embracing Catholicism as a convert after her marriage, she now has mixed feelings. Though determined to remain active in the church and advocate for greater inclusivity, she remains skeptical about the topmost Catholic leaders.

"They're flawed," she said. "If it wasn't for Christ, the church would collapse, because we humans screw everything up."

At the highest level of Catholic leadership, Pope Francis' position can best be described as two-sided.

On one hand, he has personally ministered to trans Catholics, receiving them in the Vatican and encountering them as an archbishop in Argentina, and he has said the Catholic Church must accompany them. However, he has repeatedly denounced "gender theory" and what he calls the "ideological colonization" in some schools that teaches children they can change their biological sex at will.

Francis spoke at length on the issue during a 2016 press conference, stressing the need to avoid "gender ideology" but reasserting the need to minister to trans Catholics. "But please don't say 'The pope sanctifies trans!' Please!"

Luisa Derouen, the retired nun who has ministered to more than 250 transgender people since 1999, received permission from her superiors in 2014 to write about that work. But that was on condition she not identify herself or her congregation, the Dominican Sisters of Peace. She did so under a pseudonym, which she ultimately abandoned in 2018 to publicly speak out on behalf of trans people and "give witness to their dignity and worth as human beings."

In a recent interview, Derouen said friction over transgender inclusion is likely to intensify.

"There has never been a time in the American church when Catholic hierarchy has had less moral credibility," she said. "The people in the pews are taking responsibility for doing their own homework and recognizing that we are all God's people."

Michael Sennett, a 26-year-old transgender man, sees that happening at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where he is communications director.

The unwelcoming attitude of some bishops discourages him, but he's heartened by advances, including the formation of a support group called LGBTQ+ Catholics.

"Overall I marvel at the progress," Sennett said. "People are speaking up as never before, joining forces.  The laity is finding more power."

***

Associated Press correspondent Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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INDIANAPOLIS  The post-Cold War era has essentially ended now that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine, an independent, democratic nation, on Wednesday. Europe is now experiencing its first fighter-jet-to-fighter-jet, tank-to-tank military invasion since World War II. There is speculation a full-style incursion could end tens of thousands of lives, and generate a brutal counter-insurgency.

Why should Hoosiers care about a war in a faraway place?

First, Putin appears to be detached from reality and on the course of a war criminal. Tom Nichols of The Atlantic writes of the kleptocratic dictator after he addressed the world on Monday: "Putins slumped posture and deadened affect led me to suspect that he is not as stable as we would hope."

Carl Bildt of European Council on Foreign Relations, added, If I compare with his speech in March 2014 when he annexed Crimea, this was far more rambling, all-over-the-place and unhinged. And also more dangerous. Now he questions the very existence of Ukraine as a nation. Its a man with immense power whos lost contact with reality.

Putin blamed the events that led to an independent Ukraine on Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev and when he announced the invasion Wednesday night, he talked of eliminating phantom Nazis from this neighboring state. It was chilling.

While former president Donald Trump applauded Putin's "genius" for placing "peacekeepers" in Ukraine, terming it "wonderful," the reality is that Putin is an unstable dictator who commands the world's second largest nuclear arsenal, and he used terrifyingly subtle words threatening to use them when he announced the invasion on Wednesday.

Russia is the second largest producer of oil. The $4 and $5 a gallon gas prices out on our West Coast are only days away from becoming a reality in Indiana after President Biden and allies announce further sanctions.

Then there are the cyber attacks that have already hit a number of Indiana counties over the past year (LaPorte, Lake and Lawrence), cities (Gary and Carmel), school districts (Eastern Hancock), hospitals (Greenfield), utilities and corporations.

Or as Dan Coats, former director of national Intelligence, told the Indianapolis Economic Club in June 2021, Every day, foreign actors  the worst offenders being Russia, China, Iran and North Korea  are penetrating our digital infrastructure and conducting a range of cyber intrusions and attacks against targets in the United States. In regards to the state actions, Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor  no question.

Once malware and ransomware escapes into the ether, there's no telling where it will end up or the damage it can do.

NBC News foreign correspondent Keir Simmons describes an emerging hybrid war already engaging the United States. What kind of battle this is? Simmons asks, then answers, A battle on all fronts.

Former U.S. Navy Admiral James G. Stavridis added, Putin may play a series of cyber cards that could lead to horizontal action against the U.S. and NATO assets. We could find ourselves in a dramatically escalated cyber warfare.

If you're on an IT staff for a Hoosier municipality, school or university, hospital, utility or corporation, you might be lying awake at in the middle of the night wondering what is going to come flying out of Putin's Pandora's box.

Robert Kagan of the Brookings Institute and Council on Foreign Relations expects that unless the U.S. and NATO can ramp up the costs to Putin, he wont stop at Ukraine, just as he didnt stop after annexing Georgia and the Crimea, while taking over Belarus.

The most immediate threat will be to the Baltic states, Kagan explains. Once Russia has completed its conquest of Ukraine, that question will acquire new urgency. One likely flash point will be Kaliningrad. The headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet, this city and its surrounding territory were cut off from the rest of Russia when the Soviet Union broke up. Since then, Russians have been able to access Kaliningrad only through Poland and Lithuania. Expect a Russian demand for a direct corridor that would put strips of the countries under Russian control.

The one uncalculated aspect of this dramatic incursion is if this becomes a Putin overreach  think LBJs Vietnam in 1965, Brezhnevs 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, or Bush43s 2003 Iraq move that toppled Saddam Hussein and ignited a five-year insurgency. They were swamped by horrific optics, thousands of body bags and domestic unrest. All of these American and Russian leaders commanded sophisticated militaries; all ended up fighting brutal, asymmetric guerrilla insurgencies.

Or as former general and CIA director David Petraeus observed, Putin lacks the troops and the popular support needed to succeed in taking over the country for any significant period of time.

While Putin has up to 190,000 invasion troops, he won't have enough to occupy a sprawling nation of 40 million people, many who say they are willing to take up arms to defend their democracy and their freedoms.

The element I am concerned about is the type of insurgency that morphs into a prolonged terror campaign, and then results in the kind of genocide we witnessed in Bosnia in the early 1990s. This could unleash millions of refugees across Europe.

What we are witnessing is an end to an era of relative peace in Europe. Or as British author Robert Graves put it in his 1929 autobiography, Goodbye to all of that.

Brian Howey is publisher of Howey Politics Indiana. Follow him on Twitter @hwypol. The opinions are the writer's.

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President Donald Trump and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are on the same page is something only a science fiction writer would have typed before the summer of 2019.

Yet, here we are: Mr. Trump said last month on Meet the Press that hed talk to Iran with no preconditions. Mr. Ahmadinejad, Irans former president, in an interview with The Times on Friday , proposed direct talks between the two nations. In New York on Thursday, Irans foreign minister said that he was willing to meet directly with American senators to chart a course out of the crisis sparked by the United States withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.

Talks would offer a welcome shift of venue for decision making away from the Strait of Hormuz, where military commanders are waging a dangerous game of shoot down the drones, seize the oil tankers.

On Friday, Gibraltars Supreme Court ruled that Gibraltar could continue to hold an Iranian tanker seized on July 4 and suspected of attempting to smuggle oil to Syria in contravention of European Union sanctions. Within hours, Iran announced that its forces had seized a British-flagged oil tanker, the Stena Impero, as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.
The chandeliers presented an unusual challenge for the actor and comedian Jeff Hiller.

At 6-foot-5, Mx. Hillers head grazed, surpassed and occasionally collided with the various light fixtures that dangled from the ceiling of A & E Bowery Lighting on New Yorks Lower East Side.

As Mx. Hiller, 46, who uses a gender-neutral courtesy title, maneuvered around the store, he tugged a few pull cords, testing them. How do you know which switch goes to what light? Mx. Hiller asked Shelly Huang, the stores proprietor, who responded with a hearty laugh. Ms. Huang seemed to have taken a liking to Mx. Hiller.

So, too, have viewers of HBOs Somebody, Somewhere, the new HBO comedy in which Mx. Hiller plays Joel, a sweet, gay, church-loving 40-something living in Kansas.

Mx. Hiller, who hails from Texas, related to the character. I know that guy: queer but also like, I love my church! Mx. Hiller said. And I like that guy. Mx. Hiller himself was raised Lutheran and said he missed church maybe three times during the first 25 years of his life.
New York City Ballet announced on Saturday that it was promoting three dancers to the role of principal, replenishing its roster of male dancers after a series of retirements.

Harrison Ball, Jovani Furlan and Peter Walker were elevated from soloists to principal dancers, the company said in a news release. The promotions come as the company concludes its winter season, which was delayed because of disruptions caused by the spread of the Omicron variant, but then proceeded uninterrupted.

The City Ballet veteran principal Ask la Cour retired in the fall; and another, Gonzalo Garcia, retires on Sunday. Amar Ramasar, who was temporarily fired and then reinstated after a nude photo-sharing scandal, will leave in the spring. Last year, Unity Phelan and Indiana Woodward were promoted; four female principals have recently left the company.

Furlan, who joined the company in 2019 as a soloist from Miami City Ballet, said he was informed of the promotion on Saturday, but he had had a sense it might be coming because he had recently been partnered with some of the top principal dancers at the company, including Tiler Peck and Sterling Hyltin.
In a showroom in the NoHo section of Manhattan, a laptop sat on a table, tucked behind a rack of knitwear by the Ukrainian label 91 Lab. The computer streamed CNN silently. Ominous footage from the streets of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, caught the eye of Alina Bairamova, the fashion industry coordinator for Ukrainian Fashion, a showcase for Ukrainian designers.

Im sorry, Ms. Bairamova said, adding that the scene was very near her mothers house.

The footage was from the previous day, and Ms. Bairamovas mother, who works at a veterans hospital in Kyiv, was safe. Still, it had been a horrific few days.

She applied lip balm. For dehydration, she said. From crying.

Ms. Bairamova, 46, arrived in New York on Feb. 17 with one suitcase and a Ziploc bag of toiletries. She was expecting a 10-day work trip spent wooing buyers and promoting the six designers in a showcase called Ukrainian Fashion.
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SAN ANTONIO  Charles Anderson slowly approached the altar at the Gift Chapel at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston and zeroed in on a century-old grainy photo of 63 Black soldiers. He quickly spotted his distant cousin, Sgt. William C. Nesbit, and ran his hand over his relatives stoic expression.

The photograph showed Sergeant Nesbit and 62 other members of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry at a military trial for their alleged roles in a deadly riot in Houston in 1917 that left 19 people dead. Mr. Andersons cousin and 12 others were later found guilty and hanged on a gallows near Salado Creek, which runs through San Antonio, in what military officials now call one of the most unjust military trials in the nations history. In all, the riot resulted in three trials, 110 convictions and 19 executions.
Biden administration officials said on Saturday that there would be new restrictions by the United States and its allies against selling rubles to Russia, undercutting the countrys ability to support its currency in the face of new sanctions on its financial sector. That, in turn, could cause inflation  and while administration officials did not say so explicitly, they are clearly hoping that could fuel protests against Mr. Putins rule in Russia.

We know that Russia has been taking steps since 2014 to sanctions-proof its economy, in part through the stockpiling of foreign exchange reserves, said Emily Kilcrease, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. The central bank sanctions will limit their ability to leverage this asset, along with constraining their ability to conduct monetary policy of any sort to manage the economic damage from other sanctions.

The United States and its allies also announced steps to put pressure on Russias elites, including creating a task force that the White House said would identify, hunt down and freeze the assets of sanctioned Russian companies and oligarchs  their yachts, their mansions and any other ill-gotten gains that we can find and freeze under the law.

The idea is to strike those who are closest to Mr. Putin and undermine their ability to live in both Russia and the West. In another new move, the United States and its allies said they would seek to limit the sale of so-called golden passports that allow wealthy Russians who are connected to the Russian government to become citizens of Western nations and gain access to their financial systems.

While the steps are some of the harshest taken yet, the announcement falls short of a blanket cutoff of Russia from SWIFT, which some officials see as a nuclear option of sorts. Such a move would have essentially severed Russia from much of the global financial system.

And some experts say that it may only drive Russia to expand the alternative to the SWIFT system that it created several years ago when it began trying to sanction-proof its economy. But Russias equivalent system is primarily domestic; making it a competitor to SWIFT, officials say, would require teaming up with China.

The moves on Saturday came on the same day that Germanys chancellor, Olaf Scholz, announced that his government was approving a transfer of antitank weapons to the Ukrainian military, ending his insistence on providing only nonlethal aid, such as helmets.
DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least seven farmers were killed and 14 others were injured on Saturday by lightning strike in Tanzania's southern highlands region of Rukwa, police said on Sunday.

William Mwampaghale, the Rukwa regional police commander, said the lightning strike that was accompanied by a heavy downpour killed five farmers in Luwa village in Nkasi district on Saturday at 3 p.m. local time.

"The five farmers were struck by the lightning when they were planting beans in their farm," Mwampaghale told a news conference, adding that 14 others were injured after the lightning struck a hut in which they had taken shelter after the rains started to fall.

In another separate incident, said the police official, a man and his son died after they were struck by lightning while farming in the same village, adding that the incident occurred on Saturday evening. 
A caravan of truckers that left California for Washington, D.C., on Friday to protest coronavirus mandates arrived in Las Vegas early Saturday with only five trucks in its ranks, the organizers said, prompting them to scrap the convoy and direct members to merge with other anti-mandate groups heading to the capital.

The caravan, named Freedom Convoy USA 2022, was one of several in the United States, modeled after the Canadian protests, that drove off this week toward Washington to demand, among other things, an end to the pandemic national emergency that began in March 2020, and an end to government rules requiring masks and vaccinations.

According to its Facebook page, the Freedom Convoys route started in Los Angeles on Friday and was scheduled to make stops in Salt Lake City, Denver and other major cities before arriving in Washington on March 1 in time for President Bidens State of the Union address. But it appeared that the group couldnt hold on to its supporters for long.

There are two other convoys that have massive turnouts, and are in progress to the D.C. area as we speak, the organizers wrote on Facebook early Saturday, referring to two groups called the Peoples Convoy and the Texas Convoy.
South Korea faced its deadliest day yet of the pandemic, reporting 112 deaths in a 24-hour period, as the nation battles a coronavirus surge fueled by the Omicron variant. Health authorities reported that there were 643 patients hospitalized in severe or critical condition on Saturday, up from 408 patients a week earlier.

The surge in South Korea, currently one of the worst in the world, intensified over the last week, reaching a record of 171,452 cases in a single day on Wednesday. Since then, case numbers have remained at a high level, with the government reporting 166,207 cases on Saturday. South Korea, a nation of about 50 million people, is now reporting more cases each day than the United States, a once unimaginable development.

Despite having 86 percent of its people fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data, South Korea has recorded a 201 percent increase in the average of daily cases over the past two weeks.
Through intense fighting in the streets of Kyiv and other cities on Sunday, Ukraines defense forces and civilian volunteers resisted Russias invasion for a fourth day, battling for control of the capital as international pressure mounted on Moscow and support for Kyivs besieged government grew.

Here are the latest developments:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance this week under which more than two-thirds of the country will no longer be advised to wear masks.

The new recommendations, announced on Friday, direct counties to assess their risk level based on Covid-related hospital admissions, hospital capacity and local case rates. Only in counties where those criteria point to high risk do people need to wear masks, according to the C.D.C.  and only about 30 percent of Americans live in counties where that is currently the case.

We want to give people a break from things like masking when our levels are low, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things get worse in the future, said Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the C.D.C. We need to be prepared, and we need to be ready for whatever comes next.

Public reaction to the change was mixed.

Several scientists said it was justified by case rates, which have fallen 65 percent in the past two weeks and are back to where they were before the Omicron surge, though still very high by pre-Omicron standards. (As of Friday, the country was reporting an average of 72,754 new infections per day  and deaths, which lag infections by several weeks, are still averaging more than 1,800 per day.) But many people at high personal risk, including Americans who are disabled or chronically ill, fear that the relaxed precautions will endanger them.
The ballet has not been officially canceled. The statement says: This project is extremely important to the Bolshoi Theater, a significant amount of work has been already done by now, and we hope to be able to realize this project. Mr. Ratmansky is quoted too, saying when the time comes, I hope to return to Moscow to complete the production.

But after watching the brutality of the invasion, he said he was not sure when that would be. Much of his family lives in Ukraine. I doubt I would go if Putin is still president, he said.

On Wednesday night he had gone to sleep in his room at the Metropol Hotel, across a plaza from the Bolshoi, worried by the ominous reports he was seeing in the international media of massed Russian troops along the border with Ukraine. But, he said, he was not expecting the full-scale assault that would follow hours later. I thought nothing was going to change, he said, there has been conflict with the separatists along the border since 2014. His wife, Tatiana, woke him up on Thursday morning, calling him from New York with the news. The first thing I did was call the Bolshoi and arrange to leave.

In addition to The Art of the Fugue, Mr. Ratmansky has another, even larger project that now seems unlikely to be completed any time soon: a lavish, historically informed production of the 1862 Petipa ballet The Pharaohs Daughter, for the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg.

The Pharaohs Daughter was to have its premiere in mid-May, but Mr. Ratmansky has informed the Mariinsky that, given the situation, he would not be able to return to finish the ballet in April as planned.
A week ago, the Vienna Philharmonics three-night stop at Carnegie Hall, which began Friday, was remarkable mostly for signifying a major step in the slow return of international orchestras to New York. Then Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Viennese had been set to be conducted by Valery Gergiev, a frequent magnet for protests at Carnegie Hall over his close ties with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. Both Carnegie and the Philharmonic had previously been outspoken about separating Gergievs politics and his artistry, even though his artistry is inseparable from the government.

Come Thursday, when phrases like the whole world has changed started to surface, Gergievs relationship with Putin became untenable, as Clive Gillinson, Carnegies executive and artistic director, told The New York Times. Gergiev was dropped from Philharmonic concerts; so was Denis Matsuev, the planned soloist in Rachmaninoffs Second Piano Concerto, who had publicly endorsed Putins policies in the past.

Gergiev has not commented on the invasion, even as many classical musicians who didnt need to have. (Until Saturday, the star soprano Anna Netrebko, another Putin supporter, was also silent before she posted a face-saving statement to Instagram saying she was opposed to this war, with a defiant coda that forcing artists, or any public figure, to voice their political opinions in public and to denounce their homeland is not right.) If Gergiev doesnt speak out, he faces more cancellations: from the Teatro alla Scala in Milan; the Munich Philharmonic, where he is the chief conductor; and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, which had been planning a festival in his honor.
This weekend, Saturday Night Live faced two questions of significantly different orders of magnitude: Would the show try to find topical humor in the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

And, of far less importance to the global order, but still a noteworthy matter within the S.N.L. realm: How would it address the return of John Mulaney?

To answer the first question, the show avoided an opening comedy sketch altogether and instead began with a performance by Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York, which sang the hymn Prayer for Ukraine. At the conclusion of the performance, cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong took the stage behind an arrangement of candles which were shown to spell Kyiv.
Dale Peck, writing in The Village Voice, took Dr. Bersani to task for all but ignoring the realities of the AIDS crisis and the changes gay men needed to make in light of it, while Denis Donoghue, writing in The New York Times, warned that his program in Homos seems to me a regression to apartheid, and one enforced this time round by homosexuals.

Dr. Bersani, who spent most of his career at the University of California, Berkeley, was often labeled a queer theorist, as was Dr. Butler. But his work long preceded the fields development, and ranged far beyond it.

His earliest writing, beginning with journal articles in the late 1950s and his first book, Marcel Proust: The Fictions of Life and of Art (1965), examined modern French literature through a reading of Freudian psychoanalysis, while at the same time outlining the limitations of Sigmund Freuds work.

In both Freud and in the character of Marcel, the protagonist of Prousts In Search of Lost Time, Dr. Bersani found an insistence that humans are motivated by a desire to fill a psychic lack by grasping, understanding and ultimately asserting power over the world.

This desire, he argued, was not innate, but rather was drilled into us by society. In fact, he said, humans are digressive and frivolous by nature, and through much of his work he attempted to build a form of literary criticism that followed suit  one that saw literature not as a riddle to be solved but as an enigma to be admired and enjoyed, if never grasped.

There was a playfulness, Mikko Tuhkanen, a professor of English at Texas A&M University and a leading scholar of Dr. Bersanis work, said in an email. He was irritated by the dead seriousness of a lot of scholarship on, for example, modernist texts. The exegetical (as he called it) commentary on James Joyce, for example, annoyed him to no end: the effort to break the enigmas that the Master has left us with.
Barr offers an extended apologia that tries to square his position on putting people to death with his religious faith. Pope Franciss revision of the Catholic Churchs Catechism, denouncing the death penalty as inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person, sends Barr into a paroxysm of hairsplitting: The term inadmissible has no established meaning in moral theology, and is certainly too vague and indirect to be read as an attempt to extinguish this vast body of established teaching, even assuming it could be.

This is a pattern in Barrs book: He nitpicks his way to desired conclusions by carefully navigating a lawyerly path around finely drawn distinctions, all the while lobbing bomblets at anyone he defines as an enemy. For all his urbane affect, Obama was still the left-wing agitator who had patiently steered the Democratic Party toward an illiberal, identity-obsessed progressivism, Barr writes; no doubt actual left-wing agitators, who have regularly denounced Obama for centrism, would like to have a word.

Barrs version of Trump, meanwhile, contains multitudes: The former president may have an imprecise and discursive speaking style, even a tendency for madcap rhetoric, but Barr also believes Trump has a deep intuitive appreciation of the importance of religion to the health of our nation. Barr muses that the country would have benefited and likely seen more of the constructive, problem-solving style of government that President Trump previewed on election night, if only he had been met by a modicum of good faith on the other side.

By good faith Barr is perhaps imagining something like his own generous interpretations of Trumps behavior, which he goes to great and often tortuous lengths to rationalize in his book. When Barr learned about the consequential phone call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, who was then Ukraines President-elect, Barr said he argued for the swift release of the transcript  largely because it showed that Trump, according to Barr, had ultimately done nothing wrong on the call.

Yes, Barr allows, telling Zelensky that American military aid was conditional on a Ukrainian investigation of the Bidens was foolish, but a quid pro quo is inherent in almost all diplomacy. Besides, even if such an investigation into the presidents opponent would have yielded political benefits for Trump, it would also arguably advance Americas anticorruption agenda, Barr says. Making room for such intricate rhetorical contortions is partly why this book is nearly 600 pages long.

There are also numerous places where Barr offers what looks at first to be a blizzard of detail but nevertheless makes some strange omissions. He devotes page upon page to the question of voter fraud, which he repeatedly declares to be a real threat, with nary a word about voter suppression. He characterizes the inspector generals report on the Mueller investigation as damning while neglecting to discuss that the same inspector generals report declared that the F.B.I. had adequate reason to investigate ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Barr also stays mum on the fact that a bipartisan report from the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee concluded the same thing.

By the end of One Damn Thing After Another, its clear that Barr has something else in common with Trump  a shrewd ability to recognize when certain people are no longer useful for his purposes, and a willingness to dispense with them accordingly. Barr slips in a description of Robert Muellers trembling hands and tremulous voice, wondering if Mueller might have an illness  a striking (and expedient) bit of gossip for Barr to float about an old friend. The last chapter has Barr throwing Trump under the bus, albeit gently and with the utmost decorum. Barr laments Trumps stubborn problems of tone, faulting him for needlessly alienating a large group of white-collar suburbanites, and declares that its time to move on from the loser of the 2020 election by recovering something like the old Reagan coalition.

But Barr faces a quandary, which is to explain how Republicans can ditch Trump while keeping his fervent base. The result is like the deus ex machina moment in an ancient Greek play, when a hopeless situation is resolved by the sudden appearance of a god on a crane. The Republicans have an impressive array of younger candidates fully capable of driving forward with MAGAs positive agenda and cultivating greater national unity, a wistful Barr insists. MAGAs positive agenda combined with national unity? Until I got to that point in his book, I wouldnt have pegged Barr as someone so thirsty for a fairy-tale ending.
Mr. Putins portrayal of Russia as a victim of the Wests political, ideological and military aggression has resonated deeply with many on social media. It dovetails with Chinas narrative that the United States and its allies are afraid of Chinas rise and the alternative world order it could create.

For its part, the Chinese government, Russias most powerful partner, has been more circumspect. Officials have declined to call Russias invasion an invasion, nor have they condemned it. But they have not endorsed it, either.

Under Xi Jinping, its top leader, China has taken a more confrontational stance on foreign policy in recent years. Its diplomats, the state medias journalists and some of the governments most influential advisers are far more hawkish than they used to be.

Together, they have helped to shape a generation of online warriors who view the world as a zero-sum game between China and the West, especially the United States.

A translation of Mr. Putins speech on Thursday by a nationalistic news site went viral, to say the least. The Weibo hashtag #putin10000wordsspeechfulltext got 1.1 billion views within 24 hours.
BISHKEK, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Voters in two constituencies in Kyrgyzstan's capital head to the polls Sunday morning for a rerun of the parliamentary elections as the previous results were declared invalid.

A total of 120 polling stations are open in the capital Bishkek in the Pervomaisky and Sverdlovsky constituencies. Over 200,000 voters are eligible to vote.

The Central Election Commission registered 52 candidates for the rerun.

The country held parliamentary elections on Nov. 28, 2021. However, the voting results of the two constituencies were declared invalid because voters who chose the "against all" option won the majority in the two districts.

The "against all" vote, also known as "none of the above," is a ballot option designed to allow voters to indicate disapproval of the candidates in a voting system. 
Ukraines gas pipeline operator said on Sunday that the transmission of natural gas through its system was continuing normally and that it had not recorded a drop in pressure after an explosion in the area of Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city. The Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine added that it was unable to visually inspect the site because of military activity in the city.

Ukraine is one of the major transmission routes for Russian gas to Europe. Concerns about a disruption from fighting or by intent have driven European gas prices to high levels, putting pressure on consumers and energy-intensive businesses.

Even before the fighting, Russian gas flows through Ukraine had dropped as Gazprom, the Russian monopoly, kept volumes low by historical standards. Since Friday, the flow of gas from Russia to Ukraine has returned to the full amount agreed under long-term contracts, at around 110 million cubic meters per day.
Image

Just a Bite

Dear Diary:

My friend had gotten a promotion at work, and I was taking him out to dinner to celebrate.

He chose a restaurant near Union Square that we hadnt been to before, a small place with a limited menu. The special that night, pork Milanese, sounded delicious. Thats what I ordered when the waiter came to our table.

Im afraid I sold the last one, he said, nodding toward the table adjacent to ours.

The woman sitting directly next to me shrugged sheepishly.

Sorry! she said. Ill give you a bite when it comes.

We all laughed. The waiter suggested I order the pork off the regular menu, and I did.

When our neighbors meals arrived, I made sure not to look their way for fear the woman might think I had misunderstood her joke to be a genuine offer.

After a few minutes, I felt her nudge me.

Get in here! she said, sliding her plate toward me so I could stab a bite. It was delicious.

When my meal arrived moments later, I asked if she would like to try it.

Well, its only fair, she said, taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully.
Several days a week, on the way from my home to the nearest coffee shop, I pass a cemetery. Among hundreds of others lie the graves of my father, grandmother and grandfather. Its an almost daily reminder of their lives but also that I will join them someday, perhaps even in that same graveyard. Its an unbidden memento mori in an ordinary day.

We as a culture tend to strenuously avoid the fact of human mortality. Of course, we all know that we will die. But those of us who live in places that feel safe and who are relatively healthy, with friends and family who are relatively healthy, can arrange our lives to avoid thinking about death. With the blessings of modern medicine, people are living longer and when death comes it often happens in medical spaces, far from where most of us live and spend our time.

Gone are the days when graveyards frequently circled churches, a bygone reminder of the intrinsic connection between our mortality and our practices of faith. Cemeteries are often no longer near cities at all. In a Times profile of Colma, a small California town where many of San Franciscos dead have been buried or reinterred, John Branch wrote, Colma exists mostly because the deceased, like so many present-day workers in San Francisco, could no longer afford to live in the city. As prices rise for urban spaces, burial grounds are moved farther out of town, and urban dwellers are left with few palpable reminders of death. Death itself, like cemeteries, becomes a distant and forgotten reality.

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which begins the Christian penitential season of Lent. On Ash Wednesday, churchgoers usually kneel and our foreheads are marked with ashes in the shape of a cross. An Ash Wednesday service was one of the first liturgical services I ever attended. And it hit me hard. We, the living, gathered to name the fact of death. The priest marked the foreheads of children, even newborn babies. It felt so true and countercultural, and also incredibly sad.
Over the past two months, the Moscow-Beijing alliance has moved from hypothesis to reality, thanks to the shared goal of challenging American dominance. While Chinese elites are hardly excited about Russias reckless invasion of Ukraine (the Chinese hold dear their commitment to nonviolation of state sovereignty), there is no doubt they will stay on Moscows side. Look at how Beijing refused to officially describe Mr. Putins war as an invasion. President Xi Jinping may be the biggest beneficiary of the current crisis: America not only looks weak; it also now finds itself bogged down in Europe and unable to focus on Asia.

Many countries see the conflict between Russia and the West as one between old imperialists that hardly affects them. Of greater and more immediate concern is the way that sanctions imposed by the West will drive up energy and food prices. The West can win over skeptics of its efforts to combat Mr. Putin only if it succeeds in showing those outside Europe that what is at stake in Kyiv is not the fate of a pro-Western regime but the sovereignty of a newly born postimperial state. Some already understand that idea: Kenyas ambassador to the United Nations captured what is happening in Ukraine when he said, The situation echoes our history. Kenya and almost every African country was birthed by the ending of the empire.

What does the end of peace mean to Europe? The consequences will be dire. War in Ukraine has the frightening potential to heat up frozen conflicts on the continents periphery, including elsewhere in the post-Soviet space and the western Balkans. The leaders of the Republika Srpska may read a victory by Mr. Putin in Ukraine as a signal to dismantle Bosnia. Russia-friendly leaders in the European Union, too, will feel emboldened by Mr. Putins victory. The invasion of Ukraine has united Europe, but it will also hurt its self-confidence.

But more fundamentally, the events of the past week will necessitate a radical rethinking of the European project. For the past 30 years, Europeans have convinced themselves that military strength was not worth the cost and that American military pre-eminence was enough to dissuade other countries from pursuing war. Spending on defense fell. What mattered, the received wisdom intoned, was economic power and soft power.

Now we know that sanctions cant stop tanks. Europes cherished conviction that economic interdependence is the best guarantee for peace has turned out to be wrong. Europeans made a mistake by universalizing their post-World War II experience to countries like Russia. Capitalism is not enough to temper authoritarianism. Trade with dictators does not make your country more secure, and keeping the money of corrupt leaders in your banks does not civilize them; it corrupts you. And Europes embrace of Russian hydrocarbons only made the continent more insecure and vulnerable.

The most destabilizing effect of Russias invasion could be that many around the world start to agree with Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky. At the Munich Security Forum this month, he stated that Kyiv had made a mistake abandoning the nuclear weapons it inherited from the Soviet Union. The United States unwillingness to defend a friendly country like Ukraine can make at least some American allies believe that nuclear weapons are the only way to guarantee their sovereignty. Its not hard to imagine Chinas neighbors also thinking this way. The fact that a majority of South Koreans now favor their country obtaining nuclear weapons suggests that Mr. Putins moves in Ukraine put at risk the worlds nuclear nonproliferation regime.

In 1993 the great German poet and essayist Hans Magnus Enzensberger predicted that the Cold War would be followed by an age of chaos, violence and conflict. Reflecting on what he observed in Yugoslavia and the urban riots in the United States, he saw a world defined by an inability to distinguish between destruction and self-destruction. In this world, there is no longer any need to legitimize your actions. Violence has freed itself from ideology.

Mr. Enzensberger was right. He was just too early.

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It has been a long eight years since Russia annexed Crimea and Russian-backed separatists started a war in the Donbas region. Now, the 1.5 million people who fled from there to more peaceful areas of Ukraine are again at risk of losing their lives and their homes. It feels as if all hope for peace is gone.

I know many Ukrainians who are ready to fight and defend their freedom. What is going on now, it is very scary, but Ukrainians will fight for independence until victory, one wrote to me. Another said, It is the last chance to stop the dictator. Theyre saying it all over social media, too. Those who can are joining the army. Others are building shelters, offering first aid and food. Ukrainians abroad are posting on social media, calling for sanctions and air support, and fund-raising for humanitarian efforts.

But I cant see anyone eager to be on the frontline for the opposite side. Maybe its because the term brotherly nation, which the Kremlin has abused for years, means something real to Russians with parents, siblings and friends on the other side of the border.

Or maybe its because of the fear and sadness over what comes next  fewer freedoms and more pain. My elderly parents in Russia are stocking up on essentials like flour and rice. Theyve lived through several economic crises and seen the consequences of prior rounds of sanctions. People are lining up at banks to take out their cash, fearful that the ruble will crash. The war will almost certainly hit the economy, deepening already extreme inequality in a country where the average government pension last January was less than $200 a month.

Ive gotten messages from fellow Russians saying not to worry, this war is politics between Russia and the West and might end soon. Or that the news is tiring, especially since the West has its own propaganda. Others have suggested that this war was the only option, given that Russians have been dying in the Donbas region for eight years  echoing a billboard in St. Petersburg showing a photo of Putin with the words they left us no option. Its not that all of these Russians are necessarily big supporters of Mr. Putin. Many are simply exhausted, scared or have been subjected to a steady stream of propaganda.
Last week, before Russian threats toward Ukrainian borders turned into an all-out invasion, one part of the American media landscape questioned why we werent supporting the invaders.

Hating [Russias president, Vladimir] Putin, has become the central purpose of Americas foreign policy. Its the main thing that we talk about, the Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson said on Tuesday. It might be worth asking yourself, since it is getting pretty serious: What is this really about? Why do I hate Putin so much? Has Putin ever called me a racist? Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him?

Interviewed on The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump described Mr. Putin as smart and savvy. Then on Wednesday night, as reports of Russian explosions across Ukraine rolled in, Mr. Trump repeated his admiration for the Russian leader. J.D. Vance, a Republican candidate for Senate in Ohio, said during a Feb. 19 podcast interview with Steve Bannon, Mr. Trumps former White House chief strategist, We did not serve in the Marine Corps to go and fight Vladimir Putin because he didnt believe in transgender rights, which is what the U.S. State Department is saying is a major problem with Russia. Mr. Bannon, for his part, hailed Mr. Putin as anti-woke hours before Russias assault on Ukraine.

The American political right was long associated with Cold War hawkishness. But in recent years the trend has shifted toward fawning praise for autocrats, even those leading Americas traditional adversaries, as well as projecting our own culture wars overseas. Where once Russia and other autocracies were seen as anti-democratic, they have now become symbols of U.S. conservatism  a mirror for the right-wing worldview.
As the lights go up, we discover two women half-buried in sand  which is one more woman than stingy Samuel Beckett offered in Happy Days. But Becketts semi-subterranean Winnie faced only the terrors of eternity. For Angela and Odessa, the main characters in Charly Evon Simpsons sandblasted, which had its world premiere Off Broadway on Sunday, the problem is closer to home.

A lot closer: not even arms length, you might say. Because less than a minute into the action, it is that appendage that falls off Odessas body like an overripe fruit from a tree.

Kudos to the prosthetic designer, Matthew Frew, for the lifelike limb, and to Simpson for the bolt of surreal humor at the start of a play that wants to be a Beckettian comedy about Black women in extremis. If it doesnt succeed, its not for lack of trying.

For me, it tries too hard. The central metaphor  that Black women are literally falling apart  is assiduously explored, but the issues that might give it heft are left, like Angela and Odessa, buried in the sand. Random racist violence and the increased rate of infant mortality are name-checked only.
Scattered showers were falling across the Pacific Northwest on Monday as meteorologists expected an atmospheric river to bring heavy rain and flooding across the region through the middle of the week.

The brunt of the storm system, which was described as a stream of water vapor, was pummeling the mountains of northern Oregon and Western Washington, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Several inches of rain were flooding some of the rivers that flow off the mountain ranges.

Amounts like that, combined with pretty high snow levels, can push our rivers up significantly, Dustin Guy, a meteorologist at the Weather Service in Seattle, said on Sunday.

By Monday afternoon, areas between Seattle and Portland, Ore., had received about three inches of rain, which caused some snowpack to melt, increasing the chances of flooding along some rivers in the region, said William Churchill, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center.
RACELAND, La. Almost six months after Hurricane Ida lifted the roof off Brett Gabriels house, filling it with rain water, rebuilding feels nearly as out of reach as it did the day of the storm.

Between gutting the mold-covered walls and replacing the waterlogged floors in his home about 45 miles southwest of New Orleans, it will cost more than $150,000 to make the house livable for Mr. Gabriel and his wife, according to an adjuster he hired. But after his insurance company sent its own adjuster to inspect the damage, the company offered just $21,000  enough to replace the roof, with $6,000 left over.

The insurance policy was supposed to be a safety net, said Mr. Gabriel, who slept in the house for months after the storm, even as he developed a cough and headaches that he blamed on the black mold climbing up the walls. Although the state in January provided them with a travel trailer, they said its barely large enough for them to sleep comfortably, and they still spend their days in their damaged home.

At the small church a few minutes away where Mr. Gabriel is a pastor, almost everyone in the congregation with homeowners insurance had the same experience, he said.
Watching that Floyd video, youre thinking, the only thing that could have snapped any one of those officers out of it would have been for another one of them to intervene, said Chief Kelly McCarthy of Mendota Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, whose department has begun to use the training. Dallas, Seattle, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., and all of New Jersey are also participating.

Active bystander training is not new  the airline industry and hospitals have used it to empower co-pilots and nurses to speak up to prevent mistakes, and it has even been used to help stop sexual assault on college campuses.

Its use in policing began in New Orleans in 2016 after a number of officers faced criminal charges, including a rookie who went to prison for helping cover up a fatal beating perpetrated by his training officer.

But other departments had been slow to adopt such programs, for many reasons. The paramilitary structure of law enforcement agencies discourages questioning the chain of command, and departments have a long track record of retaliating against whistle-blowers. Officers who break the culture of silence risk being passed over for promotions or even being fired themselves, as Cariol Horne in Buffalo was after she stopped a white officer from choking a Black suspect.

To overcome these barriers, trainees are told that the program is not about ratting out their comrades but stopping them from committing misconduct in the first place. They are told to think of officers in need of intervention as humans who get tired and stressed and make mistakes, and of themselves as helpers who can respond to warning signs of mental illness, addiction or suicide.

Intervention, the premise goes, is just one more way that officers take care of one another.

We get an opportunity to redefine this whole freaking thing about the thin blue line, redefine what it means to have each others back, said Jerry Clayton, the sheriff in Ann Arbor, Mich. Its so hypocritical to criticize the community around no snitching  an unwritten rule on the street that officers say prevents them from solving crimes  and then we turn around and say, I cant talk about that thing that happened.

Michael S. Harrison was the chief who started the training in New Orleans in 2015 with the help of Ervin Staub, a psychologist and Holocaust survivor who has studied the dynamics of bystander intervention.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Brunei will have a national budget deficit of about 2.53 billion Brunei dollars (1.87 billion U.S. dollars) in the financial year 2022-23, a government minister has said.

According to the local daily Borneo Bulletin on Sunday, Haji Mohd Amin Liew, minister at the prime minister's office and second minister of finance and economy, has proposed a national budget of 5.7 billion Brunei dollars for the upcoming financial year, which will begin on April 1.

Government revenue for the same period is expected to reach 3.17 billion Brunei dollars, in which the revenue from the oil and gas sector is estimated at 2.25 billion Brunei dollars, the minister has told the Legislative Council's budget deliberation session.

The minister was quoted as saying that due to increased expenditure following the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic since August 2021, Brunei recorded an estimated budget deficit of 1.52 billion Brunei dollars in the current financial year 2021-22, compared to 3.24 billion Brunei dollars in the previous year. (1 Brunei dollar equals 0.74 U.S. dollar) 
Then, in 2020, several of Mr. Paxtons top aides  high-ranking lawyers in the attorney generals office with conservative credentials  accused him of bribery and abuse of power in connection with his actions on behalf of a real estate developer and campaign donor. Some of the officials, who have since been fired or resigned, have said the developer, Nate Paul, also hired a woman recommended to him by Mr. Paxton.

Last week, four of the former officials, who filed a whistle-blower suit against Mr. Paxton over their firing, said the attorney general had been lying about their allegations as he campaigns for re-election.

A spokeswoman for the F.B.I. declined to comment. Both Mr. Paul and Mr. Paxton have denied any wrongdoing.

Even with the swirl of accusations, Mr. Paxton has not been as weak a candidate as some in Texas political circles thought he would be.

People thought that Paxton would be vulnerable, said Nathan McDaniel, a Republican political strategist based in Austin. But what I see voters want is a fighter, someone who is going to sue Google or the Biden administration as Mr. Paxton has done, repeatedly in the case of President Biden. In recent days, Mr. Paxton also took aim at the parents of transgender adolescents, issuing a formal opinion that certain medical treatments should be investigated as child abuse.

I dont think personal woes matter as much to the electorate as you might think they do, Mr. McDaniel said. Now, if hes in prison, thats a whole different thing. But is that going to happen? I dont think so.

In an interview, Mr. Gohmert predicted that Mr. Paxton would face corruption charges in federal court soon after the primary, leaving Republicans without a chance to replace him before the November general election if he were to win the primary.
The British oil giant BP said on Sunday that it would exit its nearly 20 percent stake in Rosneft, the Russian state-controlled oil company, making it one of the first large companies to abandon Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

BP, which is based in London, has worked in Russia for over 30 years, but the attack on Ukraine represents a fundamental change, the companys chairman, Helge Lund, said in a statement on Sunday. It has led the BP board to conclude, after a thorough process, that our involvement with Rosneft, a state-owned enterprise, simply cannot continue.

As Russia grows increasingly toxic in the worlds eyes  harsh sanctions are piling up, planes flying from Russia are being blocked from other nations airspace and protests are spreading  BPs decision could encourage other companies to follow its lead.

Also on Sunday, Norways sovereign wealth fund said it would divest its Russian investments. Furthermore, companies that do business in Russia are bracing for repercussions on their bottom lines, as sanctions are poised to hobble Russias economy.
A growing number of countries announced on Sunday that they were closing their airspace to Russian planes in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union commission, said the E.U. would ban all Russian aircraft after Canada and several European countries such as Belgium, Denmark, France and Italy had announced similar decisions on Sunday.

There is no room in Dutch airspace for a regime that applies unnecessary and brutal violence, the infrastructure minister for the Netherlands, Mark Harbers, said on Twitter on Sunday.

As more and more airspace was closing to Russian planes, the United States said citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available.
More than 300,000 Ukrainians have fled to the European Union since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on Thursday, and the bloc is bracing itself for the arrival of up to four million Ukrainian refugees, E.U. officials said on Sunday.

The European Commission, the blocs executive arm, will ask member nations next week to grant temporary asylum to all Ukrainians coming to the bloc for up to three years, the blocs commissioner for home affairs, Ylva Johansson, told reporters on Sunday. Member nations will have to agree, but Ms. Johansson said after a meeting of interior ministers on Sunday that an overwhelming majority was in favor.

Seven million Ukrainians are expected to be displaced as a consequence of the Russian invasion.

Ukrainians can stay visa-free in the European Union for up to 90 days, and they can move freely between member nations. According to the commission, many have already left the first country they arrived in and headed to countries with big Ukrainian diasporas, mainly the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

So far, a limited number of Ukrainians have applied for asylum, Ms. Johansson said, with most joining their relatives who already live in the European Union. But things will change, and we need to be prepared for much higher number of people trying to come, she added.
BERLIN  In an extraordinary address to a special session of Parliament on Sunday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a significant increase in military spending, reversing the countrys longstanding policy that has favored deterrence over conflict.

Mr. Scholz announced a one-time increase of 100 billion euros ($113 billion) for defense spending and a pledge to spend more than 2 percent of Germanys economic output annually on defense. He also proposed enshrining that threshold in the countrys Constitution, ensuring that future governments follow it.

The moves were part of an astonishing  and sudden  reversal to decades of German foreign policy that has come as European nations join together to oppose Russias invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Scholz described the Russian military action as having created a new reality that requires a clear response.

Over the past 24 hours, Germanys foreign and military policy have undergone startling changes. The government announced on Saturday that it would send 1,000 shoulder-launched anti-tank rockets and 500 surface-to-air Stinger missiles to Ukraine, pushing aside a long-held government policy not to send weapons to conflict zones. Germany also announced that it had allowed the Dutch government to send Ukraine 400 German-made anti-tank weapons and the Estonian government to send nine Cold-War-era howitzers, transfers that it had blocked for months.
A Ukrainian deliveryman in the English town of Basildon watched the first days of the Russian invasion of his country on television before deciding he had seen enough.

On Friday the deliveryman, Oleksandr Bilyy, packed his car, said goodbye to his wife and headed to his homeland, hoping to join the fight.

Nothing will change if I stay in my house, Mr. Bilyy, 39, said in a telephone interview as he raced toward the English Channel. Were ready to kill some Russians. Every last Russian on our land.

Mr. Bilyy is forming part of an early vanguard of Ukrainian citizens in Britain who are answering a call by President Volodymyr Zelensky to help defend Ukraine.
The White House avoided a heated response to President Vladimir V. Putins announcement that he was putting Russias nuclear forces on alert, casting it as another example of Mr. Putins moves to imagine a threat and escalate the confrontation with the West.

Officials were still debating whether to alter the status of American nuclear forces. But for now, according to two government officials, they were trying to avoid being lured into a spiral of escalation, taking the position that American nuclear forces are on a constant low level of alert that is sufficient to deter Russian use of nuclear weapons.

At no point has Russia been under threat from NATO, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said on Sunday after Mr. Putin ordered the alert. We have the ability to defend ourselves.

But the longer-term U.S. response will almost certainly depend on what the Russian nuclear forces do in the next several days, as the commanders of the Russian strategic forces try to demonstrate that they are responding to Mr. Putins vaguely worded order, delivered for the cameras, to move Russias deterrence forces to a level of special combat readiness.
Before Russia invaded Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky was often derided as a comic turned unlikely politician. But with the help of social media, he has become the leader Ukraine did not know it needed.

Dressed in an army-green T-shirt or fleece, unshaven and wan, Mr. Zelensky has inspired Ukrainians to fight for their country  and Europeans to see Ukraine in a different light, as a victim of aggression fighting bravely for independence, freedom and democracy.

Mr. Zelenskys decision to remain in the capital, Kyiv, while its under Russian attack  and his familys decision to stay in Ukraine  has moved many, particularly in contrast to the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, who fled Kabul as soon as the Taliban were on the outskirts, demoralizing what was left of the Afghan army.

He and his team have also made excellent use of social media, with impassioned speeches showing his presence on the streets of Kyiv going viral. Ordinary Ukrainians are reporting on events in Ukraine on TikTok, and some people are making videos hailing Mr. Zelensky and showing Ukrainians doing what they can to push back Russians  filling bottles meant for Molotov cocktails, volunteering to fight, being issued with automatic weapons and vowing to defend their country.
TEL AVIV  On the day Russia invaded Ukraine, Israels prime minister, Naftali Bennett, did not mention Russia once. Mr. Bennett said he prayed for peace, called for dialogue and promised support for Ukrainian citizens. But he did not hint at Moscows involvement, much less condemn it  and it was left, as preplanned, to Mr. Bennetts foreign minister, Yair Lapid, to criticize Moscow in a separate statement that day.

The pairs cautious double act embodied the bind in which the war in Ukraine has placed Israel.

Israel is a key partner of the United States, and many Israelis appreciate longstanding cultural connections with Ukraine, which, for several months in 2019, was the only country other than their own with both a Jewish president  Volodymyr Zelensky  and a Jewish prime minister. But Russia is a critical actor in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, Israels northeastern neighbor and enemy, and the Israeli government believes it cannot risk losing Moscows favor.

For much of the past decade, the Israeli Air Force has struck Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese military targets in Syria without interference, trying to stem the flow of arms that Iran sends to its proxies in both Syria and Lebanon and to limit a military buildup on its northern border.

Israel also wants to leave itself enough room to act as a go-between in the conflict. After Ukrainian requests, Mr. Bennett has offered at least twice to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, most recently on Sunday  when Mr. Bennett rushed abruptly from a cabinet meeting to speak with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for 40 minutes. And Israeli officials, including Mr. Bennett, shuttled between their Russian, Ukrainian and American counterparts on Sunday afternoon, two senior Israeli officials said, a mediation that may have contributed to Ukraines decision to meet with Russian officials on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.
Atrocities against civilians. Hundreds of casualties, with the toll rising. Millions of refugees. Thriving cities besieged and reduced to rubble.

These horrors of war go on for Ukrainians, but they have also put up an unexpectedly fierce resistance to the weekslong Russian invasion. Joined by civilians who have picked up arms, Ukrainian forces have held on to Kyiv, the capital, and forced the Russian military to change its strategy, shifting its attention to the east.

But even with some of the victories came unimaginable terror. Retreating Russian troops left a trail of bodies in the northwestern suburbs of Kyiv. In the town of Bucha, evidence unearthed by local officials, residents and journalists suggested the Russians had killed civilians recklessly and sometimes sadistically, in part out of revenge.

Those killings emerged after a maternity ward and a theater where civilians were sheltering in the besieged port city of Mariupol were bombed. While Russia has claimed victory there, the last remaining Ukrainian fighters have holed up with civilians in a steel plant, refusing to surrender. All through the war, Russia has kept up attacks on the southern part of Ukraine. On the outskirts of Odesa, at least eight people were killed when two cruise missiles struck a residential neighborhood. Among the dead was a 3-month-old child, said Andriy Yermak, the head of the presidential administration.
Construction work will commence in the coming weeks on the expansion of the Zoetis production facility on the IDA Ireland Business and Technology Park off the Sragh road in Tullamore.

This exciting new development will bring up to 100 new high quality jobs to Tullamore and provide a significant boost to the local economy.

A total of 17 new jobs have already been added since the expansion was officially announced on 5 October and recruitment in advance of the new facility coming onstream in 2023 is continuing. Zoetis is the worlds leading animal health company.

The expansion in Tullamore will strengthen the companys global manufacturing network, comprising an existing 29 manufacturing sites around the world, ensuring that the company will meet growing demand from customers worldwide as well as support its future growth in veterinary biopharmaceuticals.

Planning permission has been granted for the Zoetis Tullamore expansion by Offaly County Council and it is hoped that the new expanded facility will be complete and ready for production by the end of 2023.

Plans for the construction project have also progressed well. Fencing to secure the site boundary in terms of 24/7 security is now underway and general site preparation work has already begun.

The removal of scrub and hedging within the site under the supervision of an ecologist is being carried out sensitively in advance of the nesting season and bird and bat boxes have been deployed appropriately within the site.

Construction work will begin in earnest in early March with bulk excavations and the laying of foundations. Jacobs Engineering have been appointed as Construction Managers for the project and our key trade partners include PJ Hegarty (Building), Kirby Engineering (Electrical), Jones Engineering (Mechanical), Ardmac (Cleanrooms), Kiernan (Structural Steel), Siac (Cladding) and Mercury (Fire Protection).

Kiernan Steel of Longford will commence work on site in mid-April to prepare for the erection of structural steel in early May. SIAC Roofing and Cladding will begin installation of the Kingspan cladding once the structural steel work is complete.

This will be a neutral mid-grey colour for the main building and white for the administration and laboratory building. It is aimed to have this work completed by August. This will allow for the full facade to be completed in October.

All building work should be substantially complete by June 2023 with operational commissioning works complete by December 2023. At peak, (October/November 2022) we expect that some 450 contractors and services personnel will be working on the construction project.

In the early stage of the project, over March to May 2022, some rock breaking may be required in areas of the site in order to facilitate drainage works, foundation laying and so on. Sophisticated vibration and noise monitoring systems are being set up to monitor site activity in order to minimise and obviate any potential for disturbance.

An environmental and site management plan has been put in place to deal with and resolve any issues that may arise, including from the outset, road sweeping, dust, or other, during the construction project.

Final landscaping and tree planting will commence in late 2023 during the planting season. This work will ensure that any view of the expanded facility will be minimised to neighbours on the Sragh Road.
Pope Francis is urging people across the world to make Ash Wednesday a day of fasting for peace in Ukraine.

He made the call following days of worldwide tension and unrest as Russian president, Vladimir Putin, launched troops into Ukraine.

The pope commented during a General Audience this week, stating "once again the peace of all is threatened by partisan interests".

He said, "My heart aches greatly at the worsening situation in Ukraine. 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. 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.

He continued: "I pray that all the parties involved refrain from any action that would cause even more suffering to the people, destabilising coexistence between nations and bringing international law into disrepute."

His appeal extends to non-catholics and atheists as well.

He stated, "And now 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 to make next March 2, Ash Wednesday, a Day of Fasting for Peace. I encourage believers in a special way to dedicate themselves intensely to prayer and fasting on that day. May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war."
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Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2022 shows a street view in Donetsk. javascript:; (Xinhua)

MOSCOW/KIEV, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian forces have been instructed to resume their advance into Ukraine "in all directions" after Kiev refused to hold negotiations, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.

All units were ordered to mount an offensive in accordance with the operation plan, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said during a briefing Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered a halt to military operations in light of expected negotiations with the Ukranian leadership, local media reported citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Ukrainian side said that Kiev refused to negotiate with Russia because the conditions proposed were "unacceptable," and were "an attempt to force the country to surrender."

Troops from Lugansk have advanced up to 46 km and captured the settlements of Schastia and Muratovo, while troops from Donetsk have advanced another 10 km from the frontline, according to the ministry.

The ministry also said Saturday that Russian Airborne Forces were protecting the Chernobyl nuclear power plant jointly with Ukraine's National Guard, according to local media.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday that the current sanctions against Russia could be a reason to review relations with all states that have imposed them.

Medvedev said this was a reason to end all dialogue with the West on strategic stability, and vowed that the sanctions wouldn't change Moscow's decision to conduct the ongoing military operation and protect Donbass.

He also noted that Russia may respond symmetrically to measures taken against Russian citizens and companies abroad, namely by seizing funds of foreigners and foreign companies in Russia.

Additionally, Russian aviation authorities said there would be a "mirror response" to the measures currently carried out by countries choosing to ban flights for Russian aircraft. Moscow vowed to close its airspace in retaliation.

During a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow is ready for negotiations with "all constructive forces" to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.

However, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said Saturday on Facebook that the siege of Kiev is the primary purpose of Russia's offensive against Ukraine.

The department said that Russia plans to encircle and block Kiev to "demilitarize" Ukraine and force the Ukrainian leadership to change its political course on Russian terms. 

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2022 shows a damaged window in Donetsk. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

A journalist passes a damaged building in Donetsk, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

A man pours well water into a bottle in Donetsk, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)
Missile strikes have hit an oil terminal and a gas pipeline, as Russian forces continue to attack areas around Kyiv. Russian troops have also entered the second-largest city of Kharkiv. Follow DW for the latest.
Ukraine says it was ready to negotiate with Moscow with representative meeting at the Belarus border. Russia has put its nuclear deterrence forces on alert, according to President Vladimir Putin. DW has the latest.
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A total of 471 Ukrainian servicemen have been detained and will be sent to their families after paperwork, he added. 
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Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military command to put nuclear-armed forces on high alert on Sunday as Ukrainian fighters defending the city of Kharkiv said they had repelled an attack by invading Russian troops.
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KIEV, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Another disturbing night fell on Kiev, after the Russian forces on Saturday decided to resume their advance in Ukraine due to the breakdown of expected talks between the two countries.

For residents who have undergone days of turmoil, stocking necessities and seeking shelter, nights never seem tranquil enough for a sound sleep.

Vera, a 30-year-old local who only gave her first name, told Xinhua that her family had hardly slept for three days. "How can one sleep when explosions and sirens are constantly heard?" she asked.

Vera's house has an underground parking lot. Whenever there was an air raid alert, she and her family would rush over for shelter.

"It's especially difficult for a child. Almost every time my daughter cries," she said.

The security of her own family was not Vera's only concern. Working as a gynecologist in one of the capital's private clinics, she had to suspend her appointment and offer consultations by phone, as it became dangerous to move around the city.

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a halt to military operations in light of expected negotiations with the Ukranian leadership, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told local media.

In response, Kiev refused to join the negotiating table as the conditions proposed were "unacceptable," said Oleksiy Arestovich, advisor to the head of Ukraine's presidential office.

Since the Ukrainian government decreed a state of emergency starting on Feb. 24, a series of crossfires, explosions and shellings have rocked the capital city. On Friday, a residential building at Lobanovsky Street was hit by a missile and set ablaze, according to a Telegram video posted by Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Living in a nine-story building in Kiev, 43-year-old plumber Bogdan said that occupants of the block are using a long-deserted basement as a bomb shelter.

"We took it (rubbish) out with the whole house for several hours in a row, then we put electricity in the basement. Now we spend the night there with the children," said Bogdan, a father of two sons.

At first, Bogdan was able to convince his kids that "it's almost a hike -- we sleep on mats and in sleeping bags."

"But yesterday the trick didn't work -- my elder son cried for half the night because he was afraid that a rocket would hit the house," Bogdan said. "I don't think my children deserve this."

According to Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko, 198 Ukrainians have been killed in Russia's operation against Ukraine. Most Kiev residents took to underground metro stations with their pets to stay safe amid the airstrikes.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday in a video message that Ukraine has successfully beat off "enemy attacks," but battles are ongoing across the country.

"From time to time, we think of leaving the city," said Vera, "but we do not know where to run." 
While hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians flee their country, some Ukrainian men and women are returning home from across Europe to help defend their homeland in the face of Russia's invasion.Poland's Border Guard said that some...
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Opalesque Industry Update - The hedge fund industry experienced net outflows in December with $20.4 billion in redemptions, equivalent to a -0.44% reduction in industry assets, according to the Barclay Fund Flow Indicator published by BarclayHedge. Nevertheless, a $39.8 billion trading profit in December brought total industry assets to nearly $4.80 trillion as the month ended. A steady string of nine consecutive months of inflows, together with strong trading profits, increased hedge fund assets in 2021 by almost 23%. "It is not at all unusual to see net outflows kick up in December as investors realize profits, harvest losses and rebalance their portfolios before the close of the calendar year. The previous five years all saw net outflows in December, and, in percentage terms, the outflows in 2021 were unexceptional," reflected Ben Crawford, Head of Research at BarclayHedge. "Investor interest in hedge funds has been so robust and consistent throughout 2021 that even this modest end-of-year outflow serves only to accentuate the trend by contrast: Even after a $20 billion outflow in December, aggregate industry inflows exceeded outflows by more than $200 billion." Redemptions were the norm across most hedge fund subsectors in December. Among the subsectors that did see monthly inflows, Equity Long-Only funds added $6.3 billion, 2.1% of assets, Balanced (Stocks & Bonds) funds took in $1.4 billion (+0.2% of assets), Equity Long/Short funds saw $1.3 billion in inflows, (+0.8% of assets), Convertible Arbitrage funds brought in $866.2 million, (+2.5% of assets), and Emerging Markets - Asia funds added $190.7 million, (+0.1% of assets). Subsectors on the redemption side of the ledger in December included Multi-Strategy funds with -$22.3 billion in outflows, (-4.5% of assets), Event Driven funds which saw -$2.6 billion exit, (-0.9% of assets), Emerging Markets - Global funds experienced -$2.2 billion in outflows, (nearly -1.0% of assets), Macro funds with -$1.8 billion in redemptions,(- 0.9% of assets), and Fixed Income funds which saw -$1.7 billion in outflows, (-0.2% of assets). The managed futures industry posted a second consecutive month of redemptions in December with -$1.7 billion in outflows. Three of four CTA subsectors tracked did see inflows for the month, however. Hybrid CTAs brought in $368.2 million, (+1.8% of assets), Discretionary CTAs added $108.3 million, (+0.6% of assets), and Multi Advisor Futures Funds took in $47.3 million, (+0.4% of assets). Nevertheless, December's asset gains in these three subsectors were swamped by redemptions from Systematic CTAs the world-over. The Systematic subsector saw -$2.2 billion exit during the month, equivalent to shrinkage of -0.7% of sector assets. 2021 calendar year results For the year, the hedge fund industry experienced $200.7 billion in net inflows in 2021. A $215.0 billion trading profit over the 12-month period brought total hedge fund industry assets to the $4.80 trillion mark, up from $4.69 trillion at the end of November and $3.91 trillion a year earlier. Almost two-thirds of the hedge fund subsectors tracked had net inflows over the calendar year 2021. In dollar terms, the Fixed Income subsector was by far the largest contributor with $71.7 billion in inflows. Jockeying for second and third place on the podium were Sector-Specific funds and Multi-Strategy funds, swelling $45.4 billion and $42.3 billion respectively. In percentage terms, the picture was a bit different. Convertible Arbitrage funds had the largest proportional growth, expanding AUM by 21.25% in 2021. Merger Arbitrage and Sector Specific funds also enjoyed robust AUM growth of 16.14% and 15.83% respectively. Multi-Strategy funds grew 11.91% and both Emerging Markets-Asia and Option Strategies funds ended 2021 with more than 10% additional investor capital than they started the year with. Hedge fund subsectors with the largest 12-month redemptions through December included Balanced (Stocks & Bonds) funds with -$15.6 billion in outflows (-2.8% of assets), Macro funds shedding -$12.8 billion, (-6.7% of assets), Equity Long-Bias funds experiencing -$8.8 billion in redemptions, (-2.5% of assets), Emerging Markets - Global funds with -$6.5 billion in outflows (-5.3% of assets), and Equity Market Neutral funds with -$3.8 billion in redemptions, (- 6.6% of assets). The CTA industry added more than $4.6 billion in new assets in 2021. A $23.0 billion trading profit over the period brought total industry assets to $346.6 billion at year end, up from $302.7 billion a year earlier. Three of four subsectors posted robust 12-month inflows over the course of 2021. Discretionary CTAs brought in $3.0 billion (+23.8% of assets), Hybrid CTAs scooped up $1.8 billion in inflows, (+19.2% of assets), and Multi Advisor Futures funds added $1.1 billion, (+10.3% of assets). The lone managed futures subsector recording net redemptions in 2021 was Systematic CTAs with -$214.2 million in outflows, a drop of about -8 basis points in AUM. Article source - Opalesque is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Ottumwa, IA (52501)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 60F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low around 50F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Hungary offers capital as venue for Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Xinhua) 14:23, February 27, 2022

BUDAPEST, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto has offered Budapest as a venue for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine on late Friday night on his Facebook account.

"Due to a dispute on the possible location -- in Minsk, Warsaw -- of peace talks, I recommended Budapest to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and to Andriy Yermak, chief of cabinet of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky," Szijjarto said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.

He added that neither party rejected the proposition during the telephone conversations.

Budapest can serve as a safe place for both the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating delegations, the top Hungarian diplomat said.

"The sooner talks begin, the sooner there will be peace and the fewer people will have to die in the war," he said.

Szijjarto was speaking from the airport in Brussels, where he participated in an extraordinary meeting of European Union (EU) foreign ministers.

From Belgium he was traveling to New York to discuss the conflict with United Nations (UN) leaders.

The Ukrainian president on Friday reiterated his call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold talks to stop the conflict.

"Fighting is going on all over Ukraine. Let's sit down at the negotiating table," Zelensky was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying.

Putin said Moscow is ready to negotiate with Ukraine, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency tweeted on Friday.

On Thursday, Putin authorized "a special military operation" in Donbass.

At least 137 Ukrainians were killed and more than 300 injured in the military operation, Zelensky said earlier.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Photo provided by Adam Wittbrodt Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Photo provided by Adam Wittbrodt Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Photo provided by Adam Wittbrodt Show More Show Less 5 of 5









A Midland family lost everything and three pet cats Saturday morning when a fire started in the kitchen in their Parsons Court home, which is a complete loss.

Denise Wittbrodt Fry and her husband escaped. Their two children, ages 14 and 9, werent home at the time of the fire.
Midland County commissioners could continue an effort to form a countywide public transit system. The board will be considering this measure Tuesday after the City of Midland recently approved a study for feasibility.

The Midland City Council voted to approve a grant application for the feasibility study on Monday, Feb. 14, regarding a possible merger between Dial-A-Ride and County Connection of Midland.

Now, the Midland County board of commissioners will consider a resolution of support for the state's Transportation Planning grant, which would fund a study into creating a joined transit system.

This agenda item, along with several others, will be discussed during the board's regular meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday in the County Services Building. The meeting will also feature an update on behalf of the We Hear You Coalition with Sharon Mortensen, Diane Brown Wilhelm, Alysia Christy and Perry Holmon.

It has been determined that a feasibility study is needed to see whether a collaboration toward the formation of a transit authority would be cost-effective and/or provide "more robust" transit services to all Midland County residents.

The Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) Passenger Transportation division has submitted a grant application for $65,000 in the Section 5304 Federal Transit Planning funds, according to the resolution. This includes a required 20% match provided by the State of Michigan to allow Dial-A-Ride and Midland County Connection to conduct the study.

This item is listed as a new business item on the Tuesday agenda. The county board of commissioners will also consider the approval of another grant agreement with MDOT. Under the Section 5310 agreement, Midland County Connection is eligible for $170,000 in funding designated for operating and mobility management expenses.

In other business, there is a request to replace the county's information technology backup system. The finance committee of Midland County is recommending that the board waive a county policy as it pertains to sealed bids for the purchase of Avalon Technologies solution as requested by the IT/GIS director.

The purchase will cost $160,000 and, if it is approved, funds will come from general capital improvements.

The board will consider a reappointment to the advisory council of Region VII Area Agency on Aging. Christopher Lauckner could serve a second term on the Region VII Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council if approved.

The appointment term is from April 1, 2022 through the spring of 2025. The role and purpose of the Advisory Council is to provide consumer input to the Area Agency

According to the agenda, the bylaws of the advisory council give no limitation on the number of terms an individual can serve; therefore, the board may nominate Lauckner as the current delegate or may recommend that another individual make an application.

Following the Tuesday regular meeting, the board plans to meet in a closed session to discuss "labor negotiations."

The Midland County Services Building is located at 220 W. Ellsworth Street.

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Midland City Council approves grant request for Dial-a-Ride, County Connection collaboration study
Vail City Council has made their decision when it comes to Vail Resorts and a local herd of bighorn sheep  and those in support of the company's affordable employee housing development plan aren't too happy. [...]
Palestine, TX (75801)

Today

Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
NEW YORK, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has eased mask recommendations for the bulk of the country under a new framework that immediately affects about 70 percent of Americans.

"The new guidelines, which took effect Friday, reflect the administration's view that the United States has entered a different, potentially less dangerous phase of the pandemic," reported The Washington Post.

The new guidelines suggest that 70 percent of Americans can now stop wearing masks, and no longer need to keep social distance or avoid crowded indoor spaces. The change follows a relaxation of restrictions by most governors responding to nosediving case counts and public pressure.

"The shift reflects the reality that after more than two years of living with the virus, most communities have greater protection against severe disease because of widespread immunity gained from both vaccinations and infections, as well as the increased availability of treatments, testing and higher-quality masks," said the report.

Under the new framework, counties are guided to determine the need for restrictions after assessing three factors -- new COVID-19-related hospital admissions over the previous week and the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, as well as new cases per 100,000 people over the previous week.

Based on these factors, counties can calculate whether the risk to their residents is low, medium or high. According to the CDC, only areas of high risk should require everyone to wear a mask, but unvaccinated people should wear masks even in low-risk areas.

Meanwhile, Americans will still be required to wear face coverings on public transportation including buses, trains and planes, until a decision is made around March 18, when the order is set to expire.

The agency had endorsed universal masking in schools since July, regardless of virus levels in the community, but the new guidelines recommend masking in schools only in counties at high risk.

"The new guidelines are being released as the coronavirus is in retreat across the country," reported The New York Times.

"We're well past the surge," Linsey Marr, an aerosol scientist at Virginia Tech, was quoted as saying. "We don't need to be operating in emergency mode anymore."

Most states have eased rules for mask-wearing, and some, like New Jersey, have announced plans to lift mandates even in schools, and others are poised to end indoor mask mandates in the coming weeks.

Under the CDC's previous criteria, 95 percent of the counties in the United States were considered high risk, whereas under the new criteria, fewer than 30 percent of Americans are living in areas with a high level of risk.

"An official recommendation from the CDC may hold some sway in districts that have been more cautious," said the report. 
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - During her meeting with Libyan officials, the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, has stressed the importance of maintaining calm and consensus in order to achieve the interest of all Libyans, as the political crisis in the country deepens
According to a new supply chain report published today, TSMC has squeezed out Samsung with its advanced manufacturing process and took all orders for Apple's fifth-generation mobile communication (5G) related radio frequency (RF) chips, which is expected to be applied to the next-gen iPhone 14 launching later this year.

The industry believes that it will be a trend for RF-related Netcom chips to be upgraded to 6nm process wafers. TSMC's 6-nanometer process belongs to the 7-nanometer family, and it was also the advanced process that accounted for the largest share of TSMC's revenue that year.

TSMC's 6nm RF process was first announced at the TSMC Technology Forum in 2021. At that time, it emphasized the need to support 5G smartphones, provide advanced RF technology to support the 5G era, and improve the size and power consumption of chips derived from 5G smartphones.

According to TSMC last year's technical forum information, the 6nm RF process provides significantly reduced power consumption and area for 5G RF transceivers below 6GHz and millimeter wave bands, while taking into account the performance, functions and battery life required by consumers. Enhanced support for WiFi 6/6e performance and power efficiency. For more, read the full report by Taiwan's United Daily News (UDN).

UDN posted a second report this morning about Apple's entry into designing it's own 5G / RF chips is putting pressure on the likes of Qualcomm, Broadcom and Skyworks. Not only will theses suppliers lose business as Apple uses its own 5G/RF chips, but Apple has aggressively poaching their engineers. The report noted that roughly 20% of Broadcom's business is from Apple while it's 60% of Skyworks business.

Qualcomm has predicted that Apple's fastest 5G will likely come to market in 2023.
In April Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple Orders a 10-part anthology series titled 'The Crowded Room,' a gripping anthology series that will explore the true and inspirational stories of those who have struggled and learned to successfully live with mental illness.

Last Thursday, Deadline reported that "Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried is set to play the female lead opposite Tom Holland in "The Crowded Room," Apples seasonal anthology series from A Beautiful Minds Akiva Goldsman and New Regency.

Today we're learning that the cast is quickly filling out with four new actors being announced. Holland, who is also executive producing, is starring as a man named Danny Sullivan. The Hollywood Reporter writes that Emma Rossum has been chosen to play the role of Sullivans mother, who is always looking for a man to fulfill her dreams of salvation.

Seyfried is playing a clinical psychologist faced with the most challenging case of her career, who is also trying to balance her life as a single mother.

Today, a Deadline report adds that an additional three actors were cast. Sasha Lane (Conversations with Friends) Christopher Abbott (Catch-22) and Emma Laird (Mayor of Kingstown) round out the cast of The Crowded Room.

(Click on image to Enlarge)

Lane will play Ariana, Dannys closest friend and ally, together they seek revenge for the pains of their past.

Abbott portrays Stan, Dannys lawyer and a Vietnam veteran processing the trauma from his past.

Laird is Isabel. Dannys friend from high school, who recognizes his talent and heart in a way no one else does.

Archive: Apple TV News
Last month, Display industry consultant Ross Young claimed that display panels for the third-generation iPhone S3 began production and predicts that the new iPhone will debut in April, reported MacRumors. Although Mark Gurman had made that prediction days earlier, many considering Young a good source for rumors.

One of Young's latest rumors point to Google delivering a foldable smartphone in Q4, with volume production starting in Q3. Other rumors suggest that Google is expected to release their first-gen foldable smartphone in the US$1,400 range. In comparison, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 currently sells for between $1424 and $1900 (at Best Buy).

It's back! Looks like Google's foldable Pixel will start panel production in Q3'22 and launch in Q4'22.  Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) February 14, 2022

Many experts expect Google's foldable phone to look like the Galaxy Z Fold. It will be an infolding phone with a 7- to 8-inch display and a cover display attached to the outside.

On the other hand, Patently Apple covered a foldable smartphone patent from Google back in April 2021 illustrating a different form factor than Samsung's as illustrated in their patent figures below. Only time will tell which form factor that Google has finally decided on.

Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi have released foldable phones, but they were mainly for domestic use in China. Google is likely to enter North America and Europe, so Google and Samsung are expected to compete directly in the global premium smartphone market.

Googles smartphone market share is only 1 percent, but Google must have concluded that it is worthwhile to enter the foldable phone market, as it has just started.

Google is also expected to unveil its first smartwatch, Pixel Watch, in May. Samsung Electronics and Google jointly developed Ware OS3, a smart watch-only OS, for the Galaxy Watch 4 in 2021. Samsung even gave up its own OS Tizen, which had been used for eight years, for the development and installation of Wear OS3.

In 2021, 1.3 billion non-foldable smartphones were shipped according to IDC. In a secondary report, IDC reported last week that the Worldwide market for foldable phones will only reach 27.6 million units by 2025. So Google entering the market is perhaps a marketing move, but it's not going to put a dent in the market, especially against Apple.

While Apple has a string of patents covering possible future foldable iPhones, the company is unlikely to enter this segment until consumers show more interest in this category.

At present, all indicators point to Apple's next-big thing being a mixed reality headset that will help lay the groundwork for the coming metaverse mega market. In December, Bloomberg reported that the metaverse opportunity could be close to an $800 Billion market.
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
Last Monday Patently Apple posted a report titled "The Netherland's Antitrust Authority has issued Apple its Fourth Fine Since December for not opening up the App Store's Payment Options. Today Apple was handed their fifth fine.

Reuters is reporting that "The Dutch antitrust watchdog fined Apple 5 million euros ($5.7 million) on Monday, the fifth such penalty in successive weeks in a row over access to non-Apple payment methods for subscriptions to dating apps.

The ACM has been levying weekly fines of 5 million euros since Apple missed a Jan. 15 deadline to make changes that the watchdog had mandated.

It said the U.S. company had not made any new proposal to comply with its ruling in the past week.

"We have clearly explained to Apple how they can comply...," the watchdog said in a statement. "So far, however, they have refused to put forward any serious proposals." Apple declined comment on Monday.

Of course one of the problems associated with complying with the ACM is that it would set a precedent. Once Apple complies with one European country on this issue, other EU member countries would make similar demands in a nanosecond. It's a political mine field issue that Apple legal has to carefully maneuver.
Samsung has announced the next generation of its lovely Galaxy Book notebook lineup: The Galaxy Book2, boasting Intels Evo specification and the use of Intels first discrete Arc GPUs, as well as the luscious OLED displays that wowed us in prior iterations.

Samsung announced four notebooks at MWC 2022, including the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 (starting at $1,249.99), the Galaxy Book2 Pro ($1,049.99), and the Galaxy Book2 360 ($899.99). A fourth, the Galaxy Book2 Business, will launch later this spring, Samsung said.

According to Samsung, the four notebooks are designed for security, mobility, performance, and seamless connectivity. All of them will use Intels new 12th-gen Alder Lake chips and Windows 11, which will offer a total of 1.7X performance improvement over the prior generation, according to Samsung executives. The Galaxy Book2 series are also the first consumer PCs to meet Microsofts secured-core PC specifications, adding what is otherwise enterprise-class security to the consumer space.

Editors Note: Weve gone hands-on with the new Samsung Galaxy Book2, which weve added in the video below:

Samsungs Galaxy Book2 devices include Samsungs followon to the 2021 Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360, which earned itself a PCWorld Editors Choice award.

Samsungs Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, in various colors. Samsung

As it has done previously, Samsung continues to quietly push its own ecosystem, as well as ways that its notebooks interact with Windows. So, for example, you can use Samsungs recently-introduced Galaxy Tab S8 tablets as a second screen for your PC, or track your laptop using the Samsung SmartThings Find capability. Samsung uses the Smart Switch onboarding process to help transfer files from an older Galaxy Book to the new models, and Samsung includes its own proprietary utilities for digging out files that youve stored on your PC. Samsung has its own version of single sign-on, too, focusing on the Galaxy line of tablets, phones, and PCs. Both this capability and Samsungs Link to Windows are just improved versions of what Windows 11 already supplies, though in the latter case Link to Windows provides a superior version of Windows Your Phone capabilities.

Samsungs Galaxy Book2 Pro. Samsung

From a hardware standpoint, two things stand out. First, theres Samsungs continued use of the superb AMOLED display technology, which helps blacks disappear into the bezel of the screen. The key is that Samsung has also increased the available screen brightness by a third to 500 nits across the Book2 Pro, Book2 Pro 360, and Book2 360. That should be enough or nearly enough to work outside or in a brightly lit room. Secondly, Samsung has also added Intels first Arc discrete graphics to the Galaxy Book2 Pro. (But not the non-Pro version, as fully 360-degree tablets from any manufacturer typically have slightly downgraded specs versus their clamshell cousins.)

Both the Galaxy Book2 Pro and Pro 360 ship with either 13.3-inch or 15.6-inch display options; the Book2 360 ships only with a 13.3-inch display. That only matters if you prefer a separate number pad to the right-hand side of the keyboard, as thats only available with the 15.6-inch option. They all ship with Samsungs integrated charger, which allows you to charge these laptops up to forty percent in just thirty minutes.

The 15-inch versions of the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 and Pro include a number pad. Here, a user is touching the embedded fingerprint reader in the power button. Samsung

Not all of the new Galaxy devices support Samsungs S Pen, unfortunately. The Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 ships with an S Pen inside the box, but the Book2 360 only supports it if you choose to buy it separately. The Galaxy Book2 Pro, however, does not include it or support it at all.

Samsung provided us with a list of the specifications of its new devices, which weve listed here. Nothing strikes us as particularly unusual, though the use of just a single Thunderbolt 4 port (versus the growing number of two-port devices) is a little odd. Note that most Book2 models have a second (non-Thunderbolt) USB-C port, however, which means that youll have to pay attention to which port offers the higher I/O speeds.

The use of a 1080p webcam (as opposed to the more normal 720p webcams used by competing devices) is refreshing. Samsung widened the field of view (87 degrees versus 77 degrees in the older Galaxy Book) and added auto framing, which hunts for your face, and new Face Effects to make you look your best. The Book2 speakers pump out sound at 5W, bolstered by AKG and Dolby Atmos.

Below are the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro specifications. Though Samsung didnt list the processor in these specifications, were told that both Core i7-1260P and Core i5-1240P options are available. Like all of the new Galaxy Book2 laptops, performance will be governed by an intelligence modem which will adjust the fan speed and thus performance depending upon the ambient noise, posture, and system load. Well have to see what that means in the real world.

Samsungs Galaxy Book Pro specifications. Samsung

Samsung has also included the specifications of the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, below. Samsung has only told us of a Core i7 option with the Core i7-1260P inside.

The specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360. Samsung informed us Sunday after publication that theres a mistake on this graphic and that the display will be a basic AMOLED screen for U.S. customers.

Samsung

We also have a summary of the Galaxy Book2 360 specifications, too. Note that the weight is a big heavier than the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360.
Ukraines honorary consul in Guinea has been suspended for gross negligence for urging the junta to make clear its position on Russias invasion of Ukraine.



Charles Amara Sossoadouno, a Guinean citizen, had made the call on social media in the hours after the invasion began on Thursday.



Guineas Foreign Minister Morissanda Kouyate said the decision to suspend him was taken at a later crisis meeting about the conflict, where the situation for around 800 Guineans living in Ukraine was also discussed.



He said Col Mamady Doumbouya, Guineas interim president, wanted all necessary measures to be taken to support them.



No more was said about the conflict.



Like Mali and Burkina Faso, Guinea had been suspended from the West African body Ecowas following a military takeover, which took place last September.



Col Doumbouya has since set up a transitional government, promising to hand over to civilian rule.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told President Joe Biden 'I need ammunition, not a ride,' when offered the chance of a US-backed evacuation.



Zelensky said in response to the offer of refuge: 'The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,' according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation, who described Zelensky as upbeat.



He spoke as Biden authorized the release of $350million of military assistance to Ukraine after taking his latest weekend break to Delaware as Russian troops began to invade Kyiv.



Invading Russian forces closed in on Ukraines capital on Saturday, in an apparent encircling movement after a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country.



A second Russian Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane was shot down near Bila Tserkva, 50 miles south of Kyiv, according to two American officials with direct knowledge of conditions on the ground in Ukraine. Each of the two planes can carry up to 200 troops, although a death toll has not been shared.



Earlier, Zelensky said in a televised speech: 'This night they will launch an assault. The enemy will use all of their power on all fronts to break our defense. This night we have to stand ground. The fate of Ukraine is being decided now.'



This came after a video showed him in his military tent drinking coffee with his men, he personally coordinated the defense of Kyiv.



He spoke Saturday morning in Kyiv, having survived the night, and said: 'There's a lot of fake news online that I called on our army to lay down arms, & that there's evacuation. I'm here. We will defend our state.'





There's a lot of fake news online that I called on our army to lay down arms, & that there's evacuation. I'm here. We will defend our state President Zelensky@AP reports, when asked to evacuate Kyiv by the US he replied: I need ammunition, not a ridepic.twitter.com/8GbtLhOc98  Stefan Simanowitz (@StefSimanowitz) February 26, 2022

Source: Dailymail









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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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned four new vessels for the Ghana Navy.



The four aluminium offshore vessels, christened Ghana Navy Ship Volta, Ghana Navy Ship Densu, Ghana Navy Ship Pra and Ghana Navy Ship Ankobra are to enable the Navy to provide dedicated security to the countrys offshore oil and gas installations.



At a ceremony on Friday at the Sekondi-Takoradi Naval Base in the Western Region, President Akufo-Addo said the acquisition of the vessels was a manifestation of the commitment of Government to retool and re-equip the Ghana Armed Forces to enable them to perform their duty of protecting the territorial integrity of Ghana.



He stated that with the increase in terrorism and violent extremism from the Sahel, and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, government was determined to spare no efforts to guarantee the nations territorial integrity and ensure the safety of Ghanaians.



The President noted that the provision of effective maritime security was of utmost importance because Ghanas economy was highly dependent on offshore resources, which held enormous potentials for the countrys food security and employment generation efforts.



Therefore, the Ghana Navy, as the lead maritime security agency, deserves all the support it needs to enable it carry out its duties efficiently and effectively, he said.



President Akufo-Addo disclosed that the Government was in the process of acquiring two more offshore patrol vessels with high endurance limits, to enable the Navy to maintain constant presence at sea.



He said the Government would also procure more patrol vessels to respond to the myriad of threats along Ghanas coastline, stressing that financing for the acquisition of these ships has been already provided for in the security sector retooling programme initiated by the Akufo-Addo Government.



The President was hopeful that the four commissioned vessels would empower the Navy in collaboration with other services to protect Ghanas maritime domain, which will, in turn, serve as a boost for the fisheries and shipping sectors as well as for offshore oil and gas production.



He reaffirmed his confidence and that of the nation in the competence, dedication and professionalism of the officers, men, women and civilian staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.



Their loyalty to the Republic and to the maintenance of its constitutional order continues to be exemplary. I am glad to note, in particular, the achievements of the Navy in the fight against piracy, fuel smuggling and other maritime crimes, he said.



President Akufo-Addo reassured the security services that his government would not waiver in its quest to empower the security and intelligence services.



On your part, the Ghanaian people expect you to superintend over the judicious and productive use of these assets, so as to help secure the integrity, peace and stability of our nation, he added.



The four River Class 40-meter vessels, named after some of Ghanas famous rivers, were acquired through a public-private partnership between the Ministry of Defence, Israel Shipyards Ltd, Ghana Commercial Bank and two international oil companies.

Source: GNA









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by Xinhua writer Sun Ding

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Partisan battles are brewing on U.S. Capitol following President Joe Biden's announcement of his pick for the first African American woman on the nation's Supreme Court.

Republicans have immediately gone after Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who currently sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, over things like her support from progressive and left-wing groups and her elite educational background.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell underlined in a statement on Friday that he voted against confirming Jackson to the D.C. Circuit last year.

McConnell alleged "Jackson was the favored choice of far-left dark-money groups" and vowed to carefully review the nomination "during the vigorous and thorough Senate process."

Biden announced his nomination of Jackson to the Supreme Court from the White House on Friday and introduced her as "a daughter of former public school teachers, a proven consensus builder, an accomplished lawyer, a distinguished jurist."

He stressed that the U.S. government and courts "haven't looked like America" for too long, while expressing hope that elevating Jackson to the Supreme Court could "inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level."

Since the Supreme Court was established in the United States in 1789, 115 justices have served on the bench. Of them, 108 were white men.

Jackson, 51, has been viewed as a potential candidate for the Supreme Court after being confirmed by the Senate last year with bipartisan support to the D.C. Circuit, often referred to as the second most powerful court in the United States.

Born in D.C. but raised in Miami, Jackson received her law degree from Harvard University and graduated cum laude in 1996. Earlier in her legal career, she worked as an assistant federal public defender in D.C. and served as vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission for four years.

Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the three Republicans siding with Democrats to approve Jackson to serve on the D.C. Circuit, appeared to be displeased by Biden's decision not to nominate Judge J. Michelle Childs of the U.S. District Court in South Carolina.

"If media reports are accurate, and Judge Jackson has been chosen as the Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice Breyer, it means the radical Left has won President Biden over yet again," Graham, a veteran lawmaker from South Carolina, tweeted on Friday.

"I expect a respectful but interesting hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee," he suggested. "The Harvard-Yale train to the Supreme Court continues to run unabated."

Biden's promise to select an African American woman for the Supreme Court went back to early races of the Democratic Party presidential primaries in 2020.

During a debate day before voting began in South Carolina, where six in 10 Democratic voters were African American, Biden said he's "looking forward to making sure there's a black woman on the Supreme Court" to ensure various representation.

The former U.S. vice president eventually won a commanding victory in the Palmetto State's primary, which turned his campaign around and arguably set him on a path to win the White House race.

Congressman James Clyburn, who reportedly suggested Biden pledge to put the first African American woman on the Supreme Court before the critical primary, had advocated Childs, who attended public schools rather than Ivy League institutions, to get the nomination.

"I am very, very concerned that we take on this elitist kind of atmosphere when we pretend that the only way you can demonstrate leadership qualifications is to go to certain schools... I don't think that's right," Clyburn said last month, who is the third-highest ranking House Democrat and an influential African American legislator.

Nevertheless, Clyburn praised Biden's Supreme Court choice in a statement on Friday and said Childs "continues to make all South Carolinians proud."

The progress to vet Jackson in the Senate has begun, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair and Democrat Dick Durbin, with the hope of hearings held in the coming weeks and a confirmation vote "as soon as possible."

Justice Sonia Sotomayor has recently delivered a warning about intensifying partisanship that she says puts the Supreme Court's independence on the brink of crisis.

"As norms of the nomination process are broken, more senators, congressional representatives, governors, mayors, local politicians, and the media question the legitimacy of the court," Sotomayor said in a virtual appearance for New York University Law School earlier this month. "The threat is greater and unprecedented than any time in our history."

"The more partisan the voting becomes, the less belief that the public is likely to have that Congress is making a merit-based or qualifications-based assessment of judicial nominees," the liberal justice said on the Senate confirmation process.

Biden's nomination of Jackson for the Supreme Court came about a month after Justice Stephen Breyer, a longtime liberal, said that he is set to retire this summer after nearly three decades on the bench. Jackson clerked for Breyer in the 1999-2000 term.

Court watchers have argued Jackson is expected to vote very similarly to Breyer. Her ascension won't change the Supreme Court's ideological balance, in which conservatives have a 6-3 majority over liberals.

This year, the Supreme Court will rule on cases involving a series of major issues, including abortion, affirmative action and gun control.

It requires a simple majority of votes in the 100-seat Senate to confirm Jackson to be the next Supreme Court justice.

The Senate is evenly split between the two parties. Democrats can approve the nomination without Republican support, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting a tie-breaking vote.

The Supreme Court is the final appellate court of the U.S. judicial system, with the power to review and overturn lower court decisions, and is also generally the final interpreter of federal law, including the country's constitution.

The justices have life tenure and can serve until they die, resign, retire or are impeached and removed from office. 
Baroness Catherine Hoey, UK Prime Ministers Trade Envoy to Ghana, says the lack of international certification in gold trade is making it difficult for countries to directly buy gold from Ghana.



She said the UK had an interest in buying gold directly from Ghana but the country could not do so due to the lack of London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) certification.



Bareness Hoey made the remarks when she paid a courtesy call on Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources at his office in Accra on Friday, February 25, 2022.



The LBMA is the international trade association for the global Over the Counter (OTC) bullion market for precious metals.

The Organisation works with miners, investors, fabricators, refiners, manufacturers, consumers and central banks from around the world, acting as the voice of the worlds precious metals market, and the contact point for regulators, investors and clients.



Bareness Hoey urged Ghana to work towards securing the certificate to facilitate gold trade between Ghana and the UK.

UK can't buy gold from you directly. We always have to go to Dubai. The whole idea is to get accreditation for Ghana...It seems you're missing out on a lot of money and we need you to get the certification, she said.



Bareness Hoey said the UK was also exploring investment opportunities in Ghanas tourism space among other trade areas.



We want to get more UK tourists to come to Ghana, she said.



Mr Jinapor said the LBMA certification was a priority for the Government, adding that the absence of the certificate was hindering Ghanas ability to participate in the entire gold value chain at the global level.



He said securing the LBMA certification had been difficult for the country due to the cumbersome nature of the requirements set by the Organisation.



Mr Jinapor said the Government had set up a committee to explore ways the country could attain the certificate.



A committee has been set to try and navigate this LBMA but it's been really difficult. For instance, the LBMA outfit insists that the refinery must have worked continuously for three years, and they must satisfy certain requirements.



The question is if you don't give them the authorization to sell to the market you ask them to sell, how do they fulfill this three-year mandatory requirement?



Mr. Jinapor said the appointment of Bareness Hoey as Trade Envoy to Ghana would bolster the trade relations between Ghana and the UK and called for more engagements to strengthen the relationship.

Source: GNA









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The Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, addressing Ghanaians on Sunday has indicated that about 220 Ghanaian students in Ukraine will return to the country soon.



"I am pleased to inform you that two hundred and twenty (220) of our compatriots have exited Ukraine and should be with us in Ghana soon. We are earnestly facilitating the safe return of a lot more".



According to her, over 460 Ghanaian students are already in transit to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.



We hope for better days as the Ministry further engages our diplomatic Missions and Honorary Consulates to extend consular assistance to our compatriots. We are earnestly facilitating the safe return of a lot more...These numbers are bound to increase in a few days as we observe a team spirit being displayed by our people, our citizens and our students. They are reaching out to one other, setting up groups, WhatsApp chats, sharing important phone numbers of Consular officers and other personalities who could be of assistance".



Read her full text below



Since the Russian Federation and Belarus started military operations in Ukraine on the 24th of February, 2022, hundreds of lives have been lost through bombardments. Normal life in Ukraine has also been disrupted for the rest of its citizens, including for those of our compatriots living in Ukraine. The Government of Ghana remains concerned for the safety and security of our people currently in Ukraine.



As you will recall, Ghana, in her capacity as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council had supported calls and efforts to dissuade the Russian Federation from using force to address what it said were its security concerns related to NATO expansion. We encouraged dialogue and peaceful resolution of the differences between Russia and other parties.



We also warned of the humanitarian consequences of any conflict. With the security and safety of our compatriots in mind, we actively monitored the massing of over 100, 000 Russian and Belorussian troops on the borders of Ukraine. Like the rest of the world, we accepted the word of Russia that they did not intend to attack Ukraine.



On 24th February, 2022, we were stunned by news of the bombardment and invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. I would like to state, at the outset, that Ghana will continue to condemn, unreservedly, this unprovoked attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a United Nations Member State and calls on Russia to withdraw and end the war.



Russia bears responsibility for the security and safety of our citizens and we call on her leadership to respect humanitarian law. Government is determined to ensure the security and safety of all our citizens in Ukraine. The ongoing military operations have put the lives of our compatriots in danger and we have called on Russia to end the war and withdraw.



Members of the Media,



Ladies and gentlemen,



GHANAS INTERESTS IN UKRAINE



Relations between Ghana and Ukraine have been steady and in 2021, the Government of Ghana granted approval to the government of Ukraine to establish a resident diplomatic mission in Ghana in accordance with article 2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.



Economic and trade exports between Ghana and Ukraine have been quite encouraging as major exports from Ghana include manganese, aluminium ore and cocoa powder, whereas major imports to Ghana from Ukraine included hot-rolled iron bars, raw iron bars and cold-rolled iron. Practical steps were underway to further enhance our relations. However, the current crisis is bound to affect, for now, any meaningful strategic outcomes.



EFFECTS OF THE CRISIS ON GHANAIAN NATIONALS IN UKRAINE



Members of the Media,

Ladies and gentlemen,



Following the attacks by Russian forces on Ukraine, the latter closed its airspace to civilian flights. The country is considered a high risk to flight safety due to the use of weapon and military equipment. Also, the European Union (EU) aviation safety agency has warned the risk in flying in airspace near to Ukraines border, including Russia.



Ghanaian students like all foreigners including our compatriots in Ukraine have, therefore found themselves in a very precarious situation. Consequently, based on the overall objective of government to ensure the safety of our citizens in the ongoing crisis, directives were immediately issued to five of our relevant Diplomatic Missions in Europe as well as our Honorary consulate in Ukraine to immediately commence steps to evacuate our willing compatriots.



The deteriorating military situation in Ukraine directly impacts on the safety and security of Ghanaian nationals, including about 1000 students in that country, 27 of these students are on the government of Ghana scholarships (scholarships secretariat), while the rest are predominantly self sponsored students. Let me state categorically that although most of the students went there on their own, government has a responsibility to all of them to ensure their safety and that we will do.



Following the closure of Ukrainian airspace, it had become a challenge to airlift our compatriots from Kiev and other parts of the country, thus, leaving the only viable option of evacuation by land to neighboring countries such as Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Czech Republic.



Consequently, my Ministry collaborated with the Ghana Diplomatic Missions in Bern in Switzerland, Prague in the Czech Republic, Ankara, Turkey, and the Vatican, Holy See, Ghanas Honorary Consuls in Ukraine, Hungary, Romania as well as Ghanaian communities and student unions in Poland, Hungary and Romania to facilitate the evacuation of our nationals after being conveyed from Ukraine by road to the closest borders of the European Countries mentioned earlier.



May I, however, add that information received indicates that there are still three cities in Ukraine where students cannot be evacuated from due to the high risk situation identified there, as reported by our Honorary consul. These cities are: Kharkov (hotspot on the way), Sumy (hotspot on the way), and Dnipropetrovsk (locked down).



Another challenge which our compatriots are faced with is the fear of crossing at borders close to Russia for obvious reasons. We had requested our Diplomatic mission in Moscow to assist with their passage as it will be unreasonable and dangerous to now start looking for another border to access. Unfortunately, there are reports of incursions at the border called Suny which has posed a challenge for about 85 of our compatriots who sought to exit that side of Ukraine into Russia.



STEPS TAKEN



Ladies and gentlemen,



We can confirm that an unknown number of Ghanaian Students are reported to have left Ukraine a week or so ago following Bern Missions advice as the situation was getting dire.



The Ghana Mission to Berne issued the statement below, which is also available on the twitter handle of the Ministry:



The Government of Ghana has noted with grave concern the security and safety of our nationals including the over 1000 students in Ukraine following the Russian military operations across in that country.



We urge our nationals to limit their movements in public places as they obtain adequate essential goods and remain in their homes or move to government places of shelter.



Please be assured that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, this diplomatic mission as well as our honorary consul are directly engaged with the relevant authorities in Ukraine to ensure your safety and security.



Furthermore, officials of the Ministry held a meeting with the leadership of the Ghana and Ukrainian NUGS to brainstorm on the way forward including plans of evacuation.



A list of our students was compiled to facilitate a Government-facilitated evacuation and this information of a possible evacuation was conveyed to the students through our relevant Diplomatic Missions, Honorary Consul and student union leaders, to prepare them for the exercise.



Having assessed the situation, the students commenced movement by road to the various borders where officials of Ghanas relevant Diplomatic Missions and Honorary Consuls are on standby to facilitate their passage into countries such as Romania, Poland and Hungary.



We need to appreciate the fat that coordinating evacuations in vast country such as Ukraine with students and Ghanaians spread all over the country comes with difficulties especially with restricted movement due to curfews, lockdowns etc.



Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration have held productive meetings with diplomats of the Russian and Turkish Embassies in Accra to discuss the pathway to an incident-free evacuation exercise. Both meetings resulted in an agreement to facilitate passage of our compatriots, should the need arise.



Other meetings were held with the officials of the Scholarship Secretariat and a Ghanaian security institution all in a bid to promote multi- stakeholder engagement towards a successful evacuation of our compatriots.



The Ministry has requested five European countries bordering Ukraine (Moldova, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia) to facilitate easy passage into their countries by our compatriots. Fortunately, the Government of Moldova has officially indicated it willingness to facilitate the passage of Foreign Nationals based on a structured exercise.



Steps are being taken to secure the contact numbers of parents or guardians of our students to enable the Ministry engage them as we seek to ensure the safety of our compatriots and allay their fears.





CONCRETE OUTCOMES



The Ministry has despatched officials from our missions to various borders to assist our compatriots when they cross into neighbouring countries.



Due to the effective collaboration with the Hungarian authorities, the Government of Ghana has, secured passage through Hungary, on a visa-free basis for Ghanaian students who are in possession of Ghanaian passports. We are told the Hungarian government is also providing coordinated assistance to enable our nationals reach airports in Budapest or Debrecen. The Government of Ghana is grateful to the Hungarian Government.



This effective collaboration has also led to the Romanian Government according a warm reception to our compatriots. As is the case in humanitarian exercises, women and children have been given priority. The Government of Ghana is equally grateful to the Government of Romania for its Philanthropic gesture.



Indeed, the goodwill displayed by these friendly nations is a testament to the sound bilateral relations that exist between us and goodwill that Ghana enjoys in the comity of nations. We call in other friendly nations to extend similar assistance to our compatriots.



So far, official information indicates the following:



As at 12:00hrs GMT today (27th February), information gathered was that about over four hundred and sixty (460) students had left Ukraine enroute to Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Czech Republic. The students will be received by officials of our Diplomatic Missions, honorary consuls and officials of the Ghana students associations.



We are pleased to provide the breakdown of those who have exited Ukraine as follows:



24 have arrived in Bucharest Romanian and our officer on the ground is procuring tickets for them to leave tomorrow enroute to Accra. 48 are being processed at the holding area and another 60 going through border formalities.

38 having crossed into Poland are with our officials. We are currently also making arrangements for those who are willing to be assisted to get on flights.



25 persons enroute to Prague from Slovakia were assisted by the Honorary Consul and will be received on entry by the Mission in Prague.

25 just this morning arrived in Hungary and are being sheltered at the Pentecostal church in Budapest.

Eighty-Five (85) of our compatriots are being assisted by our Embassy in Moscow to cross the border town of Suny into Russia which as indicated earlier has posed serious difficulties.



Ladies and gentlemen,



These numbers are bound to increase in a few days as we observe the team spirit being displayed by our compatriots, reaching out to each other, setting up group WhatsApp chats, sharing important phone numbers of consular officers and other personalities who could be of assistance and the cascading effects of the initiatives.



A most gratifying and heart-warming message We are safe now, could not have come a better time. We hope for better days as the Ministry further engages our Diplomatic Missions and honorary consulate to extend consular assistance to our compatriots.



Government has also put in place the necessary package to facilitate transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical support, etc to ease any burden on our compatriots.



Ladies & Gentlemen,



With all the collaborative efforts, I am pleased to inform you that two hundred and twenty (220) of our compatriots have exited Ukraine and should be with us in Ghana soon. We are earnestly facilitating the safe return of a lot more.



We wish to use this platform to debunk the unsubstantiated reports, such as one alleging that a bus conveying some Ghanaians to the eastern part of Ukraine was shot at. At such delicate times such as this, let us all endeavour to steer clear of sensationalism and unconfirmed reports that only serve to heighten tensions at these times.



Our Diplomatic missions in Bern, Ankara, Prague, Moscow, and the Vatican are working around the clock in a coordinated manner to secure the safety at all times of our citizens and their evacuation. As stated earlier, I have ordered the despatch of officers of some of our Diplomatic Missions to meet with our citizens who are being evacuated to facilitate the processes and handle any outstanding challenges. Together we can do this.



I would use this medium to express gratitude to Missions and Honorary Consuls working closely with the Ministry to ensure the desired outcomes, I would also thank all those who have offered various forms of assistance such as religious bodies and student groups, all working together with government in an outstanding demonstration of support for a cause which requires our wholehearted commitment and show of unity of purpose.



Thank you all for your attention, I shall now take questions and comments.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Ghanaian students living in the city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine, have arrived safely in Romania.



They were evacuated following the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integrations arrangement for Ghanaian students to leave Ukraine.



According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, due to the difficulty in airlifting the students, as a result of the shutdown of Ukraine's airspace, it arranged for them to be evacuated by land through Belarus, Moldova, Hungary and Slovakia.



The students who have arrived in Romania will be catered for by the Romanian government, according to arrangements made by Ghanas Foreign Affairs Ministry.



In a tweet by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Saturday, 26 February 2022, the association confirmed the safe arrival of the students in Romania.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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NPP Member of Parliament(MP) for Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro, Sylvester Tetteh, has disclosed that the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) is "scouting for a new candidate" in the Assin North constituency.



The Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson is currently facing a legal battle over his nationality which can affect his seat in Parliament.



A Cape Coast High Court in July 2021, ruled that Mr Quayson cannot hold himself as MP since he held dual citizenship when he filed to contest the polls.



Subsequently, the Supreme Court has ordered a substituted service on James Gyakye Quayson following the fact that all efforts to serve him had proved futile.



Sly Tetteh speaking to this during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show on 'Kokrokoo' said because NDC suspects they might lose the seat, they have already started looking for a new candidate to replace James Gyakye Quayson.



" . . the man is very calm and gentle but he's being manipulated by the NDC. The aspect is that while this man is facing a tough challenge in Parliament, NDC is scouting for a candidate to replace him; I'm credibly informed..." he indicated.



Listen to him in the video below









Meanwhile, Sylvester Tetteh, has advised the Assin North MP to change his lawyers.



"This is the time he needs proper non-partisan legal representation. If he continues using NDC lawyers, they will disappoint him . . .go for lawyers who will help you," he advised.



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









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Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has denied saying that he granted permission to Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament Sarah Adwoa Safo to absent herself from Parliament on health grounds.



Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday February 24, he revealed that he has received several calls from the media on this issue.



It is important I defuse some fake news which is being circulated that I granted interview to say that Honourable Adwoa Safo received permission from me to absent herself from parliament on health grounds. I want it to be known by all that I have not granted any such interview anywhere, I have not said anything like that anywhere.



The votes and proceedings of the house are so loud that she is absent without permission for all those days. That is the votes and proceedings of the House, it is not the speaker who determines who is present and who is absent, no. The votes and proceedings will capture those wo are present , those who are absent and those who are absent with permission.



The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay had said Adwoa Safo asked permission to be away for sometime.



Adwoa Safo had asked permission to be away for sometime, he said when asked about the whereabout of the Gender Minister.



When asked again why members of the NPP are worried about her absence if indeed she asked permission to be away, he answered why shouldnt people be worried. We are in parliament where the numbers are almost at par except that we have one person majority over the NDC.



People need to vote for E-levy or any matter that will come to Parliament. Parliament is sharply divided over many issues and the vote is critical. We need every single vote to add to our numbers and therefore, party leadership, government and even the President, we are worried about it.



We want our numbers to be in a situation where we can take advantage of our majority, he told TV3s Evelyn Tengmaa in an interview on Wednesday February 23.



Some members of the NPP believe Adwoa Safo is sabotaging the government. For instance, the MP for New Juabeng South, Michael 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.



The MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has also revealed that the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare gave him 120,000 to be deposited into the bank account of 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 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 her rampant absence 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.

Source: 3news.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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Former Head of Monitoring Unit of the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu, has asked the Government of Ghana to mind her business in the current attack by Russia on Ukraine.



Dailymail.com reported that Russia has "launched an all-out war on Ukraine with simultaneous attacks coming from south, east and north, by land and by air".



According to them, "missiles and bombs rained from the sky, tanks rolled across the border, troops parachuted down on eastern regions and explosions were seen across the country after Vladimir Putin gave the order to attack''.



Hundreds of Ukrainian troops are said to have been killed in the clashes.



The Russia and Ukraine conflict has to do with geopolitics with Russia, under the leadership of her President Vladimir Putin, disliking the idea of Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).



Reacting to what many fear will cause a ''third world war'', Charles Owusu opined that Ghana can make no significant impact in the ongoing war.



To him, the government should effectively manage the country in order to relieve Ghanaians.



Although dreading the consequences of Russia's action on the world economy, particularly on Ghana, he however believed should the government put the right measures in place, the country will survive.



He advised President Akufo-Addo and his government to focus on resolving the economic challenges confronting Ghanaians as well as addressing the concerns of Ghanaian students in Ukraine than meddling in the Russia/Ukraine impasse.



"There's nothing Ghana can do about what is going on in Ukraine. There's nothing that Ghana can do. We can discuss and debate on it but, in terms of impact, we can't make any impact," he stressed on Peace FM's flagship programme ''Kokrokoo''.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed gratitude to 11 countries including Ghana for backing a resolution that was vetoed by Russia on Friday, February 25, 2022.



In a tweet, Mr Zelenskyy said the veto of Russia was a bloodstain on its plaque in the Security Council, the map of Europe and the world.



The resolution, written and presented by the United States and dozens of its allies, strongly condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine and called on Moscow to withdraw its troops immediately and provide safe access for humanitarian relief work.



Eleven member countries voted in favour of the resolution. China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained. Russia, which has veto power as one of five permanent members of the council, voted against it.



The draft resolution is now expected to be taken up by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly.



Russia, you can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices, said the U.S. ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. You cannot veto the truth. You cannot veto our principles. You cannot veto the Ukrainian people. You cannot veto the U.N. Charter. And you will not veto accountability.



Russia is a Security Council veto power, along with the United States, China, France and Britain.



China's abstention comes just weeks after Beijing and Moscow declared a "no limits" partnership, backing each other over standoffs on Ukraine and Taiwan with a promise to collaborate more against the West. read more





Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia thanked the Security Council members who did not support the draft, which he described as anti-Russian.



"Your draft resolution is nothing other than yet another brutal, inhumane move in this Ukrainian chessboard," Nebenzia said after the vote.



There was a rare round of applause in the Security Council chamber after Ukraine's U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya held a moment of silence during his statement to remember those killed.



"I'm not surprised that Russia voted against. Russia is keen on continuing its Nazi-style course of action," he said.



The UN Security Council is made up of 15 countries. China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States are permanent members and have veto powers while Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, United Arab Emirates, are non-permanent members.















Source: twitter/graphiconline









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With the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games just around the corner, Xinhua correspondents visited Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of Paralympic Games, where a flame lighting ceremony of the Beijing Games will be held.

To many, the Paralympic Movement is a much harder journey. It's one that's still on a journey.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Accused Susie Zhao Killer Gets Hearing; Trial Pushed Back to September

February 27, 2022 Connor Richards Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

Warning: The following article contains graphic details involving murder and sexual assault.

The man accused of killing professional poker player Susie Zhao had a pretrial hearing last week and received a new trial date.

Jeffery Bernard Morris, 61, faces two counts of felony murder in Michigans Oakland County Circuit Court for the alleged killing of Zhao, whose badly burned and mutilated body was discovered in a state recreation area in July 2020.

As PokerNews reported last month, Morris trial was initially slated to begin in 2021 but underwent a series of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in counsel and a clerical error as the case was bound over to the Circuit Court.

Morris, wearing an orange jumpsuit and with a cloth mask pulled over his chin, appeared at a pretrial hearing via Zoom on Thursday, Feb. 17, during which Oakland County Circuit Judge Martha Anderson scheduled a new trial date for Sept. 26. Before the new date was set, the trial had been scheduled to start on June 16, according to court documents.

The Oakland Press reported that the later date had been requested by defense attorney Michael McCarthy, who replaced Pamela Johnson as Morris counsel in December 2021.

My predecessor had the case for well over a year, said McCarthy, who in his request for a later date also noted that Morris had raised investigative issues  that apparently werent raised before.

Zhao, who grew up in Michigan after immigrating from China as a young child, was a regular in the Los Angeles poker scene and made appearances on the Bicycle Casinos Live at the Bike cash game stream. The 33-year-old accumulated $222,671 in live tournament earnings, including a 90th-place finish in the 2015 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event for $73,805.

Susie Zhao

Oakland prosecutors allege that Morris, a convicted sex offender with a violent criminal history, met Zhao at Sherwood Motel in Michigan in July 2020, where she was sexually assaulted, bound and lit on fire before she died. Zhao had recently moved back to Michigan after living in LA.

Morris was charged with first-degree premeditated murder in September 2020, while a second murder charge was later added as details emerged in the case. He remains in custody in Oakland County Jail.

PokerNews will continue to monitor the Zhao murder trial as the case moves forward.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
As Russia invades Ukraine, Im reminded of the warning Jesus expressed in Matthew 24:6 that the end of days will be filled with wars and rumors of wars.

I wish the invasion was only a rumor, but its clearly a reality.

The only consolation I have is  and its a shallow one  so far this isnt a conflict likely to be blamed on religion.

I say that because it seems that whenever war is contemplated, religion is accused of providing the kindling.

Theres always someone who resurrects the tired logic by claiming, Theres been more killing perpetrated in the name of religion than for any other cause.

I wish I had the column-writing skills to react to this statement as well as Rabbi Alan Lurie, who writes that  an objective look at history reveals that those killed in the name of religion have, in fact, been a tiny fraction in the bloody history of human conflict.

As proof, he references the Encyclopedia of Wars by authors Charles Phillips and Alan Axelrod, who documented the history of recorded warfare in their 2004 three-volume set.

The rabbi concludes, From their list of 1,763 wars only 123 have been classified to involve a religious cause, accounting for less than 7 percent of all wars and less than 2 percent of all people killed in warfare.

While, for example, it is estimated that approximately 1 million to 3 million people were tragically killed in the Crusades, and perhaps 3,000 in the Inquisition, nearly 35 million soldiers and civilians died in the senseless, and secular, slaughter of World War 1 alone.

Of course, these calculations really depend on how one defines the word religion.

If religion can be defined loosely as a zealous system of beliefs and values, then youd have to include the genocidal maniacs of the world whove made a religion of power.

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Now, is it just me, or do others see this zealous belief definition as a fit for Mr. Putin?

Because if you think that shoe fits, then youd also need to count the anti-religious fervor of Hitler in Europe, Stalin in Russia, Mao in China and Pol Pot in Cambodia. These men worshiped at the maniacal shrine of greed, in the church of xenophobia and in the temple of hedonism.

Include their efforts and youd be hard-pressed to accurately count the hundreds of millions of people killed in the last 75 years alone. While these men werent religious per se, they became expert practitioners of intolerance.

Sometimes in these discussions Im tempted to inject a slight correction and reword the premise to say: there have been more people killed in the name of intolerance  not religion  than any other thing.

But if youre still among those who want to believe that religion is somehow responsible for the increased level of violence, then Id like to prescribe the writings of historian and New York Times bestselling author Reza Aslan.

In response to a question put to him by CNN, Aslan made the point that religion only becomes violent when you bring violence into it.

He said, If youre a violent person, then your Islam, your Judaism, your Christianity, your Hinduism is going to be violent. There are marauding Buddhist monks in Myanmar slaughtering women and children. Does Buddhism promote violence? Of course not.

"People are violent or peaceful and that depends on their politics, their social world, and the ways that they see their communities.

Nevertheless, if you insist that were being drawn into a war about religion, check out Aslans book, How to Win a Cosmic War. In addressing the question, How do you win a religious war? he gives the best answer Ive read yet:

By refusing to fight in one.

Readers: Chaplain Norris Burkes returns to Charleston to speak at two events.
THE GREATEST INVENTION: A History of the World in Nine Mysterious Scripts. By Silvia Ferrara. Translated from the Italian by Todd Portnowitz. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 304 pages. $28.

The story of writing is still being written.

Writing is an entire world to be discovered, but it is also a filter through which to observe our own world: language, art, biology, geometry, psychology, intuition, logic, writes Silvia Ferrara, a professor in the Department of Classical Philology and Italian Studies at the University of Bologna.

Writing has much to say about who we are, especially as creatures capable of experiencing and inspiring emotions, of possessing a need to communicate.

Ferrara, who balances a scholars sobriety with the effervescence of an enthusiast, describes writing as a cultural product rather than an innate ability. In her telling, its invention as a structured system developed through a progression of gradual, cumulative, coordinated actions  not to mention some fortuitous circumstance. It was also the work of a great many people.

This book recounts an uncharted journey, one filled with past flashes of brilliance, present-day scientific research, and the faint, fleeting echo of writings future.

The earliest writing systems, in syllabic form, date to approximately 5,000 years ago. Ferrara explores the creation of scripts (some yet to be deciphered) from China, Cyprus and Crete to Mesopotamia, Egypt and Mesoamerica, finding the origins of distinctive ones as images, icons and logograms.

She also relates how learning to write and read are literally mind-altering, examines why writing (a useful technology if not a necessity) came about and celebrates the enduring power of the alphabet.

In many respects the book is as much a detective story as a history, and Ferrara is a skilled, tireless investigator. So much so at times that The Greatest Invention slips perilously into technical jargon and risks deflecting all but the most scholarly readers. Intended to popularize the text (somewhat) and make it more accessible, her fondness for pop culture references too often has a cutesy or diminishing effect. Nor is her writing style especially propulsive.

Fortunately, her strengths win out. Ferraras eagerness to relate her story is evident on every page. Her expertise is unquestioned. And she surprises with her conclusion that, for all its myriad developments over the course of hundreds of thousands of years, our communication and all the structures weve developed to facilitate it, has hardly changed at all.

And the purpose remains the same.

The heart of writing beats in the brain and in human language, in the imagination, in our need to anchor ourselves to the earth that sustains us, in our deep desire to name  ourselves, and everything around us, Ferrara says.

Even she is amazed by the extraordinary amount of time we invest in trying to understand others, putting ourselves in their shoes, empathizing, acting as a mirror for their emotions and intentions."

This tendency has been a major force in the development of our social intelligence, (which) hinges on the exchange of information: storytelling, forging alliances, establishing and disrupting social equilibriums, gossip. And yet theres an order to it.

An order ably communicated by this passionate philologist.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

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A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday elaborated on China's basic position on the Ukraine issue.

Wang also had an in-depth exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine during his phone talks with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell as well as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic counselor to French President Emmanuel Macron, respectively.

On China's basic position on the Ukraine issue, Wang stressed the following five points.

Firstly, China stands for respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and earnestly abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China's position is consistent and clear, and it also applies to the Ukraine issue.

Secondly, China advocates the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, he said.

China believes that a country's security cannot come at the expense of harming others' security, and regional security cannot be guaranteed by reinforcing and even expanding military blocs. And all countries' reasonable security concerns should be respected. The Cold War mentality should be completely abandoned.

Following the five consecutive rounds of eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Russia's legitimate demands on security should be taken seriously and solved in a proper way, Wang added.

Thirdly, China has been following the evolution of the Ukraine issue, and the present situation is something China does not want to see.

It is absolutely imperative that all parties exercise necessary restraint in order to prevent the situation in Ukraine from deteriorating or even getting out of control. The safety of ordinary people's lives and properties should be effectively safeguarded, and in particular, large-scale humanitarian crises have to be prevented.

Fourthly, the Chinese side supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. And China welcomes direct talks and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible.

The Ukraine issue has evolved in a complex historical context. Ukraine should be a bridge of communication between the East and the West, instead of the frontline of confrontations between major countries.

China also supports Europe and Russia in their efforts to hold dialogue on an equal footing over the European security issue, uphold the notion of indivisible security, and eventually form a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism.

Fifthly, China believes that the UN Security Council should play a constructive role in resolving the Ukraine issue and that regional peace and stability as well as the security of all countries should be put first.

Actions taken by the Security Council should reduce the tension rather than add fuel to the flames, and should help advance the settlement of the issue through diplomatic means rather than further escalating the situation.

China is always opposed to wilfully citing the Chapter VII in Security Council resolutions to authorize the use of force and sanctions.

Wang said that China, as a permanent member of the Security Council as well as a responsible major country, has always been faithfully fulfilling its international obligations and playing a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and stability.

When it comes to the peace and security issue, China is a major country with the best record, Wang said, adding that China has never invaded other countries, launched proxy wars, sought spheres of influence or engaged in any military bloc confrontation.

China adheres to the path of peace and development, and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang said.

China will continue to firmly reject all hegemonies and strong powers, and firmly safeguard the legitimate and legal rights and interests of developing countries, especially small and medium-sized countries, he added. 
JaMariya Mason-Price, a senior at Claflin University in Orangeburg, had just awakened when she received the warning.

Stay in your dormitory, the Feb. 16 email and text message said. The school is investigating a bomb threat.

Mason-Price, 21, was taken off guard. The Hemingway native wouldnt be able to attend her courses. She wouldnt be able to go outside and enjoy the day.

She wasnt entirely surprised, she said. Mason-Price had noticed chatter on social media about bomb threats at historically black colleges and universities. Still, its disconcerting when it happens on your own campus, she said.

Claflin University is one of many HBCUs to receive a bomb threat in the last two months. Officials immediately shut down all campus activities and asked students, faculty and staff to evacuate academic and administrative buildings, according to a notification issued by the presidents office. This same ordeal has been carried out 60 other times at Black schools and churches around the country since the beginning of 2022, prompting the FBI to launch a highest-priority hate-crimes investigation.

Campus, local, state and federal law enforcement agents responded the threat at Claflin, and an all-clear was issued by late that afternoon.

"The same inexhaustible resilience that brought us through a global pandemic and previous challenges in our 153-year history persists today, President Dwaun J. Warmack wrote in his memo.

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces are coordinating efforts with 20 field offices across the country.

These threats are being investigated as racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism and hate crimes," the FBI said in a press release. "We are working closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners; coordinating with the targeted institutions; and meeting with academia and faith leaders to share information.

So far, no explosive devices have been found, but the large number of threats has caused the FBI to pursue leads aggressively. No arrests have been made.

Colleges and universities in Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and now, South Carolina, have been threatened with violence, causing campus disruptions.

Its causing students to be very fearful, and its not good for the learning environment, South Carolina NAACP Director Brenda Murphy said, calling on elected officials in the state to speak out forcefully against such threats. Were not headed in the direction wed like to be, she said, referring to todays political and ideological divisions. Theres some regression which we are very concerned about.

Threats of violence against African American institutions are nothing new, but they have become especially worrisome to some Black leaders.

"We've had these challenges before," Howard University President Wayne Frederick told CNN on Feb. 1. But "since I've been here (as a student) in 1988, it has not been this widespread and also, I think, this overt."

Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party and strategist for the Movement for Black Lives, said HBCUs and independent Black institutions are targeted because they represent independence and resilience for African Americans, which challenges white supremacist ideology.

"The mere existence of Black schools, Black churches, Black political organizations and Black business are a threat," he said. "We see upswings in these attacks as backlash to Black resistance, the exercising of independent Black political power, the influence of Black social movements."

One infamous bombing attack on Black people was part of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. White pilots dropped either flaming balls of turpentine or possibly sticks of dynamite onto the Greenwood neighborhood, adding to the mayhem on the ground. The destruction was triggered by attempts to prevent a lynching. Ultimately, more than 35 square blocks of the prosperous Black neighborhood in Oklahoma, known as Black Wall Street, were destroyed, dozens of people killed and around 10,000 left homeless.

In 1963, members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. The terrorist attack killed four girls and injured perhaps 20 others. The Klansmen had placed 19 sticks of dynamite beneath the east-side steps of the church and detonated the bomb during an active Sunday morning.

During the 1960s, bombings of the homes of Black activists or civil rights sympathizers, and of Black institutions, were so common that the city came to be known as Bombingham.

The violence was not limited to Alabama. Throughout the South during the 1960s, opponents of integration targeted Black institutions and individuals in an effort to instill fear and assert control over the social order.

The use of violence, particularly bombings of venerable Black institutions, has always been a tactic utilized by white supremacists over generations, said Bobby Donaldson, director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina. If somebody wants to target the entity thats the heart and soul of Black America, Black churches and Black colleges would be those targets.

South Carolina is no stranger to racially motivated bombings and arson.

In 1952, white supremacists responding to Black activism in the Briggs v. Elliott school equalization case burned the Lake City church of the Rev. Joseph DeLaine, an NAACP leader. This was but one example of such violence during the 1950s and 60s. It persisted through coming decades.

More than 30 Black churches were burned in 1995 and 1996, over the course of about 18 months  six of them in South Carolina. The cluster of attacks prompted Congress to pass the Church Arson Prevention Act in 1996, and to set up the National Church Arson Task Force.

The Black church has remained a target of white extremists, including Dylann Roof who, in 2015, murdered nine parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston.

Given the churchs central position in the Black community, and the importance of higher education to Black uplift, its no wonder these institutions remain preferred targets of those opposed to racial progress, said Tamara Butler, director of the Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston and a graduate of Xavier University, a New Orleans-based HBCU.

Butler called the recent bomb threats against HBCUs a full-on attack on education.

What you actually have done is drawn attention to the fact that they are important, she said.

Assailants likely view Black empowerment as a threat, and probably have been emboldened by right-wing opponents of critical race theory and racial conciliation, Butler said.

Their animus is the result of prejudice and misinformation, she added. Many HBCUs cater not only to African Americans but also to students who belong to marginalized and minority communities, including Latinos, Asian Americans and poor Whites. And lately, enrollment at many HBCUs has been on the rise, which observers attribute to intensified focus on civil rights issues, a hunger for solidarity in the face of political and social challenges, the relative affordability of Black schools compared to other universities and increases in financial support from federal and private sources.

Mason-Price, who majors in both English and mass communications at Claflin, is a resident assistant. So when she received the message about the bomb threat, she followed instructions to remain inside and shelter in place. (Everyone who didn't live on campus was told to leave school property.) She locked her dormitory's doors and checked on other students, making sure they were in their rooms.

Shes as determined as ever to earn her degree and enjoy the college experience, though now shell be just a little more aware of her surroundings, she said.
The General Assembly has, for decades, neglected the most basic responsibilities of government.

The evidence is all around us: crumbling roads and bridges, highways littered with trash, unequal access to quality public education, some of the worst health care outcomes in the country, inadequate public transportation options, overdevelopment that exacerbates flooding and poverty and homelessness that persist in times of economic growth and worsen in times of decline.

Now a windfall of revenues from the economic recovery and federal infrastructure and pandemic aid has given the General Assembly a historically unique opportunity to invest in the states future.

Instead, the Legislature and the governor seem to be pretending that job growth will magically solve all of the above problems.

They are spending their time and our money providing benefits to higher income residents who need it the least by cutting the tax rate, promising one-time tax rebate bonuses that will do nothing to address the long-term well-being of South Carolinians, devising ways to take away tools for effectively addressing the next pandemic, tackling problems that dont exist such as the teaching of critical race theory in our schools in order to motivate their core voters and manipulating district lines to ensure their reelection.

In almost every case, this shameless dereliction of duty to serve all South Carolinians is a product of Republican control.

The only remedy is the one available on Election Day.

PHILIP JOS

Charleston

Report is shocking

Many thanks to The Post and Courier for establishing the investigative reporting fund, which has already produced several very valuable special reports.

However, the recent report, Captive No More, about Chris Smith is so shocking and gut-wrenching it is difficult to read.

It is hard to believe that slavery of a black person exists in the 21st century in South Carolina, in a county seat no less, within sight of the county courthouse. And in plain sight.

That Mr. Smith suffered so long with so many blind eyes watching is shameful.

The expose written by staff reporter Jennifer Berry Hawes is magnificent reporting.

Brutality and inhumanity are recounted in the painful detail needed to convey the horror visited upon Mr. Smith.

Thanks to the lawyers who volunteered to help and the officials in the governors office who finally came to the rescue.

If ever there were an incentive needed to donate to the newspapers investigative reporting fund, this is it.

FRAN MEANEY

Charleston

Putins bad actions

Every Christmas I get my wife a few scarves for a present. I start early in the fall looking for something special.

This past Christmas, I found a truly fantastic scarf with a cat on it. She is, and always will be, a cat lover. The design is simple, beautiful and, in my opinion, the prettiest scarf I have ever given her.

The problem is that the scarf is a Pavlovo Posad made in Russia.

Last weeks actions by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine make me wish that the scarf were made somewhere else.

Tuesdays actions by Russia remind me of what happened in 1938 in Europe.

When German dictator Adolf Hitler wanted to unite all Germans into one nation, he turned his attention to the 3 million Germans living in part of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland. The region was later transferred to Germany by participants at the Munich Conference.

PAT KILROY

Goose Creek

Disabilities hidden

Being a 21-year-old with disabilities means sometimes just being alive can hurt.

I have a degenerative bone disease called rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, a nerve disease.

Its excruciating to have to wake up and stand for hours at my job.

I end up leaning on the counter for support. Sometimes I get told off.

Some employers dont seem to want to help young people because we may not look sick.

Im constantly tripping and hurting myself. I dont want to stay in poverty just because some major employers arent willing to help.

Most people with these disabilities want to live normal lives and have the American dream of a nice home and a white picket fence.

ASHLEY STEWART LEITNER

Charleston

Thanks, DMV staff

I recently had to visit the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Ladson for my ID card. I am elderly and use a walker.

I praise the staff there for the kindness and help they showed in helping me with necessary forms and guiding me to the proper window for a new photo.

In a matter of minutes, I was on my way home with a new card.

PATRICIA CLEARY

Goose Creek
Ask a group of freshwater anglers their dream fishing destination and in all likelihood more than one will mention traveling to the Amazon River to fish for peacock bass.

The Amazon is an exotic equatorial locale inhabited by a variety of dangerous wildlife, giant anacondas and toothy piranhas quickly come to mind, as well as the beautifully colored peacock bass, a fish that battles like an MMA fighter and destroys fishing tackle.

In these days of COVID-19, traveling to the Amazon can almost be as challenging as the fishing itself. But Mount Pleasant businessman Jason Bundy and two of his longtime friends from Charleston, Jim Abdella and Mark Cook, managed to overcome numerous obstacles and make a December trip to do battle with the peacocks.

The peacock fishing was spectacular, and Abdella landed a beautiful Amazon redtail catfish that was one of the trips highlights. But Bundy returned home frustrated by one species that has managed to elude him.

"Jim, Mark and I caught hundreds of fish of various species, ranging from peacock bass, piranha, payara, arawana and several species of catfish. I hooked four arapaima and caught zero. I got my butt handed to me by the arapaima. I am now 0 for 7. I have never been beaten by any fish seven times. They are a tough one and I hope that I will land one someday," Bundy said of an air-breathing species that can weigh several hundred pounds.

Along with the fish, there were other challenges as well.

"I've been to a lot of countries and this was the most challenging and frustrating trip ever," Bundy said, adding that the airlines canceled or rescheduled flights at least six times. In pre-COVID times, anglers heading to the Amazon would fly first to Miami and then catch a flight to Manaus, Brazil, before heading out to the fishing destination.

But two major U.S. airlines have eliminated Manaus as a direct destination, forcing anglers to fly to Sao Paulo, 4 hours flying time beyond Manaus, then catch another flight to Manaus. Factor in flying time and layovers, Bundy, Abdella and Cook spent an extra 11 hours travel time on the journey to Brazil and an extra 15 hours on their return. Bundy said that in addition to a valid passport, travelers also must have a negative COVID test within 72 hours of departure, something that cost them approximately $275 each in the U.S. and $28 for the COVID test in Brazil.

You need stout fishing tackle for the peacocks. Bundy's fishing rigs consist of Shimano Curado reels with a 7.5-1 retrieval ratio spooled with 65-pound test braided line and medium-heavy rods.

"You need the high speed retrieval. The faster the lure across the surface, the better chances of a strike. Peacock bass are so predatory and territorial. They strike not out of hunger but because you're there. Your lure just makes them mad. These fish are incredibly strong, incredibly powerful. You need a rod with good backbone so you can horse them out of the roots," he said.

"And you really need the heavy line. My first trip to Brazil, about 30 years ago, I was looking at the IGFA records and I thought I could set a record. I took 30-pound test. When I got into the boat the guide grabbed my rod and started popping the line back and forth and said no. He grabbed one of his rods and tried to hand it to me but I said I was going to use my rods. Five fish in a row hit and popped the line on the strike. The guide cleared his throat and I looked back and he was holding one of his rods with the 65-pound test line."

Peacocks not only can snap the heavy fishing line, they often break or straighten the hooks on lures, so anglers use 5X strong hooks on their large, 6- to 8-inch topwater baits with props on both ends to make a big surface racket. Bundy said large jigs worked well when water levels were high. And no swivels, snaps, leaders or other attachments. It's best to tie your lure directly to the heavy braid.

Picking the right outfitter is crucial to fishing success. Bundy has used numerous outfitters for peacock trips to Brazil and through experience has learned not to take all of the outfitters at their word. He generally carries 10 to 12 rods and reels for him and his friends to use, something that really came into play on a December 2020 trip to the Amazon.

"An outfitter who had been after me for years to use his outfit said 'I know many other people will come to me through you.' He supposedly had all the gear and said you don't need to bring anything. We had eight fishermen and he had only six rods and reels. Luckily, I bring my own gear so I was able to help everybody. I was pretty frustrated.

"I asked him what was his plan. (It was) to let one person fish for half a day, then switch rods and let the other person fish half a day and watch. That was unacceptable. Honestly, it was horrible, embarrassing," Bundy said.

On the December 2021 trip, Bundy used an outfitter who had negotiated an agreement with an indigenous Amazon tribe that owns the fishing rights on the river. They took a float plane from Manaus to the camp, which consisted of four floating two-man cabins pulled onto a sandy shore, along with a floating dining hall and floating accommodations for the crew.

The cabins have two bunks, shower, toilet and air conditioning. Bundy said meals are excellent, something different each day. He said it's easy to gain weight because of the cuisine even though you are working so hard while fishing. After dining the anglers gather around the campfire before heading to bed.

"I like this because you fly into remote areas and you are the only ones fishing that area. So there's very little fishing pressure," Bundy said. "If the fishing is bad one day, you will come back the next day and they will move the camp while you're out fishing. They'll beach these two-man cabins on a sandbar someplace. We usually swim in the river but didn't this time because there were more caiman (a relative of the alligator) than I've ever seen in my life, and they were large caiman. So no swimming this time."

Two anglers and a guide fish out of shallow-draft aluminum boats equipped with a fuel efficient outboard and a trolling motor, sometimes making a 45-minute run from camp.

"You see a tremendous amount of wildlife. I've seen jaguars. I've seen anacondas. Beautiful birds, toucans. We've had monkeys throw stuff at us," he said.

Adventures like this don't come cheap, but Bundy said you get what you pay for. Less expensive trips are $4,000-4,500 for seven days while the high-end camps that are more remote go for $5,000-6,000. When you factor in airfare, tips and miscellaneous expenses you probably should budget $8,000-$8,500.

"The fishing pressure is completely different in these remote locations. You pay more, but it's pretty spectacular fishing. On one of my trips we caught 1,786 peacocks alone, and another 1,300-1,400 other species. That's six fishermen over a seven-day period," Bundy said.

Bundy's biggest peacock thus far is 22 pounds.

"That has a lot to do with the guide service," he said. "If you're going really remote you've got a better chance at the beast. If you're going where everybody else is fishing, the beast has learned its lesson."

Bundy, who has been to Brazil 18 times, said the most recent trip tops them all.

"It was the most amazing trip I have ever had," he said. "Not necessarily by the number of fish, but most certainly because I got to share it with my two best lifelong friends."
There have been contradictions about our local government's strategy on COVID-19 testing and limitations for those who have come in close cont Read more




WENCHANG, Hainan, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket.



The rocket blasted off at 11:06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into preset orbit.

These satellites will then be released in 12 groups. They will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Steve has noted how Americas energy policiessuppressing fossil fuels and spending vast sums to develop inherently unreliable wind and solar energyplay into the hands of the Russians. While we waste trillions of dollars on expensive and unworkable energy sources, we simultaneously feed Russias export economy by buying Russian oil and gas. Meanwhile, if our green dreams are realized, we will allow them to run their economy on a far more efficient basis, with regard to energy, than our own.

There is a real irony in the fact that we purport to sanction Russia while at the same time we and our European allies are financing Putins adventurism:

[I]n just the 24 hours immediately following Putins recognition of the so-called Peoples Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk the European Union, U.S., and United Kingdom bought a combined 3.5 million barrels of Russian oil and refined products, worth more than $350 million at current prices, and another $250 million worth of Russian natural gas.

With respect to our strategic position vis-a-vis Russia, our current energy policies are literally insane. But they might be even worse with regard to China. China is a far more serious economic competitor than Russia. Russia is pretty much a basket case apart from its oil and gas exports. But if the U.S. actually does try to transition from fossil fuels to wind and solar, it will effectively give the Chinese Communist Party control over our economy.

Wind and solar consume a considerable amount of petroleum, but much more of other materials. Who produces or processes a large majority of the minerals that go into wind and solar energy production? China. But it gets worse. Wind and solar are weather-dependent, and neither will ever produce electricity as much as 50 percent of the time. If you ask a greenie how we are going to overcome this inherent problem of intermittency, his answer will be batteries.

Do batteries remotely adequate to the task exist? Of course not. The entire battery capacity of the world is a drop in the bucket compared to what would be needed to electrify everything, as environmentalists say they want to do. My colleague Isaac Orr created this simple chart to show the absurdity of the battery theory. It contrasts electricity consumption in just one of fifty statesMinnesotain just one of many countries, with the total projected battery capacity of the world in 2030:

And that is electricity consumption today, not electricity consumption if we electrify everything, starting with automobiles. Suffice it to say that batteries are not going to make the Green New Deal viable. But in the meantime, trillions of dollars will be wasted by the U.S. and other developed countries. If we want green energy, we need vast amounts of battery storagevaster by many orders of magnitude than what has ever been produced.

So if there is to be an enormous increase in the production of lithium ion batteries, where will the lithium come from? Oh, guess what. The Chinese Communists are ready to sell it to usor, more likely, produce the batteries and sell those to us, until such time as they decide to switch our economy off: China targets lithium trove near Everest as battery demand soars. The subhead: Discovery comes as demand for electric car batteries soars.

In the race to dominate the worlds resources of green metals, Beijing has increased domestic production while rapidly buying up some of the most profitable mines abroad. The Himalayas could be next on their radar, after scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) suggested that the Qiongjiagang peak was home to an ore deposit with more than a million tonnes of lithium oxide.

***

It is not known how much the new deposit could be worth, but soaring demand has pushed the price of lithium to record levels. The consulting firm McKinsey has predicted that the market for lithium batteries will grow to at least $360 billion by 2030, with an average growth of 20 per cent a year.

The Chinese have a lot of lithium, but most of the worlds supply comes from South America. So the Chinese have entrenched themselves as processors of this mineral, as they have with regard to other minerals needed for solar and wind production:

While Beijing relies heavily on importing ore from abroad, it has positioned itself as an integral part of the development process with around two thirds of global supply passing through its refineries.

***

Chinese companies are also buying up rivals, having acquired 6.4 million tonnes of lithium reserves and resources worldwide, according to S&P Global.

Lithium is actually pretty common, and we have a good bit of it here in the U.S. In fact, Donald Trump issued an executive order placing lithium on the list of critical materials. The [Trump] administration said reliance on foreign imports of these materials constituted an extraordinary threat to the US economy and national security. Well, it is, pretty obviously. But that has all gone by the boards in the Biden administration. Is there any prospect that a major mining project will be approved while Joe Biden is president?

Just kidding.

I actually dont think that Joe Biden was the Manchurian Candidate. I dont think he consciously intends to sell out the American people to Vladimir Putin and the Chinese Communist Party. But the Democrats energy policies are so outrageous that if Biden were a secret agent in the service of the Russians or the Chinese, he wouldnt have to change a thing.
The United States, the European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom on Saturday agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial network and to impose restrictive measures on its central bank in retaliation for Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The joint statements in Washington and Brussels late Saturday sent a powerful signal of how western capitals intend to respond to the Russian aggression and pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek diplomatic measures to the crisis.

The U.S. and its allies said the new round of financial sanctions is meant to hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin.

Putin embarked on a path aiming to destroy Ukraine, but what he is also doing, in fact, is destroying the future of his own country, Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission President said.

We are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies. We will implement these measures within the coming days, the statement by western capitals read.

First, we commit to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system. Second, we commit to imposing restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions.

This, they said, is to ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally. Russias central bank has more than $600 billion in reserves, according to Wall Street Journal.

They also expressed commitment to launching a transatlantic task force that will ensure the effective implementation of their financial sanctions by identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and companies that exist within their jurisdictions.

As part of this effort, we are committed to employing sanctions and other financial and enforcement measures on additional Russian officials and elites close to the Russian government, as well as their families, and their enablers to identify and freeze the assets they hold in our jurisdictions.

We will also engage other governments and work to detect and disrupt the movement of ill-gotten gains, and to deny these individuals the ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world.

What is SWIFT and How does it affect Russia

Swift is a global financial network used by banks that allows the smooth and rapid transfer of money across borders. It stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).

Founded in 1973 and based in Belgium, SWIFT links more than 11,000 financial institutions in nearly 200 countries, making it the backbone of the international financial transfer system.

But Swift is not your traditional High Street bank, the BBC explained. It is a sort of instant messaging system that informs users when payments have been sent and arrived.

The system sends more than 40 million messages a day, as trillions of dollars change hands between companies and governments.

SWIFT is a cooperative company under Belgian law. On its website, it says its owned and controlled by its shareholders [financial institutions] representing approximately 3,500 firms from across the world.

The system is overseen by the G10 central banks, as well as the European Central Bank, with its lead overseer being the National Bank of Belgium.

According to Al Jazeera network, the Russian National SWIFT Association has the second-most users after the U.S., with some 300 Russian financial institutions belonging to the system. More than half of Russias financial institutions are members of SWIFT, the network said.

With the new sanction, the wests aim is for Russian companies to lose access to the normally smooth and instant transactions provided by SWIFT. At the same time, payments for Russias valuable energy and agricultural products will be severely disrupted.

Banks would be likely to have to deal directly with one another, adding delays and extra costs, and ultimately cutting off revenues for the Russian government, experts told the BBC.

But, BBC noted that removing Russia will likely hurt companies that supply goods to and buy from Russia, particularly Germany.

Russia is the European Unions main provider of oil and natural gas, and finding alternative supplies will not be easy. With energy prices already soaring, further disruption is something many governments want to avoid.

Companies owed money by Russia would have to find alternative ways to get paid. The risk of international banking chaos is too large.

At the moment, it is not known which Russian banks will be removed from SWIFT but this is expected to become clear in the coming days.

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The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has denied ever deactivating the National Identification Number (NIN) of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore.

NIMC issued the denial in a reply to PREMIUM TIMES Freedom of Information (FoI) enquiry over Mr Sowores claim and its implications on the rights of many voiceless citizens.

The agency described Mr Sowores claim as bizarre in its February 21, 2022 reply to this newspaper, allaying concerns that many Nigerians could be suffering similar fate.

NIMC refutes and repudiates the bizarre allegation that the NIN assigned to Mr Omoyele Sowore had been surreptitiously deactivated by the commission, the reply signed by an assistant director at the agency, Olufemi Fadare, on behalf of the director, legal, regulatory & compliance service department, reads.

But Mr Sowore insisted on Saturday that his NIN was deactivated and was only enabled after his threat to sue NIMC, adding that neither the NIMC nor any of the relevant government agencies had officially replied to his letters on the issue.

NIMCs clarification on the issue came weeks after Sahara Reporters reported on January 12, 2022, that Mr Sowores national biometric data had been deactivated by the NIMC.

The report said Mr Sowores voter card, driving licence and passport were also disabled.

As a result of this, Sowore will not be able to use any of the national documents to carry out any transaction within and outside the country as the cards cannot be read biometrically, the report stated, describing the development as the latest attack on the activist.

Mr Sowore, who said he learnt of the development while trying to use his national identity card for a bank transaction on January 12, had said he did not get any prior warning before it happened.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Sowores lawyer, Tope Temokun, subsequently issued a seven-day ultimatum to NIMC to reactivate his NIN or face legal action.

He sent copies of the letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), National Security Adviser, State Security Service (SSS) and the Chief of Defence Staff.

Days after the seven-day ultimatum lapsed, however, Mr Sowore announced that his NIN had been reactivated as a result of his threat to sue the agency.

PREMIUM TIMES enquiry

PREMIUM TIMES wrote NIMC on February 1, 2022, to seek clarifications on the issue, considering that many Nigerians, particularly the voiceless ones, could be suffering similar wanton deactivation of their NINs, going by Mr Sowores claim.

This newspaper sought to know if the agencys enabling law, the NIMC Act, made provision for the deactivation of a Nigerians NIN, and the legal grounds that could warrant such deactivation.

PREMIUM TIMES also sought to know the laid down procedure for deactivating a persons NIN, and if the deactivation could occur without the knowledge of the holder.

Do you see a conflict between such deactivation and the rights of the concerned person?

Do Nigerians and other eligible residents with NIN need to regularly check the status of their NIN to be certain it is still active? PREMIUM TIMES also asked in its FoI letter addressed to the NIMCs director-general requesting answers within seven days as provided for in the FoI Act.

NIMCs reply

The agency, in its reply dated February 21, 2022, but received via e-mail on February 24, dismissed Mr Sowores claim.

The agency explained that enrollees data are never deactivated for any reason until their death.

It added that even with the death of a person, the family must send an official notification request for the NIN of the deceased to be rested.

In response to your letter under reference, the NIMC hereby categorically states that NIN of enrollees are not deactivated for any reasons.

NIN is only rested when the holder of the NIN dies and same is done upon an official notification request by the family of the deceased, the agency stated.

Describing Mr Sowores claim as bizarre, NIMC said the activists records were intact in its database and the verification platform.

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Mr Fadare, the NIMC official who signed the reply to this newspapers enquiry, said Mr Sowores grievances could have arisen from routine intermittent connectivity glitches in the agencys verification service.

He stated, NIMC refutes and repudiates the bizarre allegations that the NIN assigned to Mr Omoyele Sowore had been scrumptiously deactivated by the commission.

A quick dive into our systems revealed that Mr Sowores records are well and functional on the National Identity Database (NIDB) as well as on the verification platform. Needless to state that his grievances could well be a matter of routine connectivity which causes downtime that affects the NIMC Verification Service NVS) intermittently.

My NIN was deactivated, Sowore insists

Our reporter reached out to Mr Sowore for his comment on the clarifications offered by the NIMC on Saturday.

He insisted that his NIN was deactivated by the government, which he said was likely targeting him to prevent him from renewing his passports, opening bank accounts or obtaining other official means of identification.

This is an issue that I made public after a bank official told me my NIN had been deactivated. It was not a connectivity issue at all.

The official told me they rarely get such responses except the person is officially targeted to prevent them from renewing their passports, opening bank accounts, drivers licences and other official IDs, Mr Sowore said.

The activist, who turned 51 earlier in the month, also said he was told by an official of another bank that there was a renewed clampdown on my accounts from the SSS.

I then wrote officially to NIMC giving them seven days to reactivate my NIN or face legal action.

They did not respond but I heard from the bank two weeks later that my NIN had been reactivated

And that Immigration had also released access to my international passport as a form of National ID but that my passport had since expired, Mr Sowore said.

He noted that he had since used his NIN for an online application for a new bank account and it worked. But he said his PVC (Permanent Voter Card) still remains deactivated.

In all these, none of the federal agencies contacted responded to my inquiries or requests in writing, the activist added.

Until now, no relevant government agencies had officially responded to Mr Sowores outcry.

The spokespersons for NIMC and National Immigration Service (NIS), the government agency that issues passports to Nigerian citizens, contacted last month could not provide answer.

Sowore and Buhari administration

Mr Sowore has been targeted by Nigerian security agencies on many occasions since his arrest by the State Security Service (SSS) after declaring, in August 2019, to lead a #RevolutionNow protest against what he considered to be the Buhari administrations poor handling of the security situation, economy, and corruption in the country.

He and a protester in Osun State, Olawale Bakare, who was also arrested by the SSS regarding the protest, are currently facing charges of treasonable felony at the Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly planning to topple the Buhari administration with the demonstration.

Apart from seizing Mr Sowores passport, the court also restricted his movement to Abuja as part of his bail conditions.

But he continues to lead protests and participate in other anti-government demonstrations in Abuja. On different occasions, he ended up being manhandled or detained by the police during such public.

He had also, on numerous occasions, raised the alarm over repeated coordinated attacks on him by alleged hired thugs during protests and appearances in court.

Mr Sowore also announced a fresh arrest by the police on Thursday. He said he was released a few hours after his arrest.
Armed groups have killed many people, including a father and his son, in separate attacks in Mashegu, Lavun and Wushishi local government areas of Niger State.

Many residents were displaced in the attacks which occurred between Friday and Saturday.

Residents said that in Mashegu Local Government Area, the villages attacked were Sahon-Rami, Igbede, Chekaku, Ubegi, Maishankafi and Poshi.

The media aide to Mashegu local council chairperson, Mohammed Isah, told Daily Trust newspaper that the Chief of Staff to the council chairperson, Umar Ubegi, and his father were killed during the attack.

He said the village head of Poshi community was also killed as well as seven others in Sahon-Rami and Maishankafi.

They moved from one village to the other on motorcycles, killing and kidnapping people. They also rustled cows belonging to villagers. About 13 communities were sacked and people have fled.

Tension is high in our local government now. These people have been operating since Friday. But only one village was attacked on Friday which was Sahon-Rami. The remaining villages were attacked today (Saturday), he told the newspaper.

In Lavun council area, ten villages were reportedly attacked, leaving no fewer than three persons dead while three others were kidnapped.

The villages attacked in Lavun Local Government Area were Egbako, Dabban, Kupa, Ndaruka, Tsogi, Mawogi, Yemi, Managi, Kanko and Gogaga.

A resident of Egbako, one of the communities attacked, Yakubu Mohammed, said they started the operation around 12 p.m., moving from one village to another unchallenged.

For now, we have only discovered the dead bodies of three persons. They also went away with three others, he told the newspaper.

The latest attack in the state followed that of Shiroro Local Government Area where four officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Galadiman Kogo community after they ran over on an explosive. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the terrorists also killed six residents of the town during an earlier night raid last Sunday.

The known phone contact of the police spokesperson in Niger State, Wasiu Abiodun, did not connect Saturday and Sunday morning to comment on the latest incidents.

Attacks by armed groups have continued in the North-west and in Niger State despite repeated assurances by the government to address the challenge.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently directed the military to respond robustly to killings and kidnappings by bandits in Niger State.
At least 62 people were killed last week (February 20-26) by non-state actors across Nigeria.

The victims included nine security personnel: four policemen, four personnel of the civil defence and one officer of the anti-drug agency, NDLEA. The remaining 53 were civilians.

The figure signifies an increase when compared to the previous week where 49 people, including three policemen, were killed.

The killings occurred in eight different incidents recorded in five of Nigerias six geopolitical zones. There were no reported killings by non-state actors in the North-west, the region that is worst hit by banditry and attacks by armed groups that are separate from Boko Haram.

PREMIUM TIMES compiled last weeks incidents from media reports. Thus, unreported cases are not included.

Below are the recorded incidents:

One in Ebonyi

An operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was shot dead in Ebonyi State, Nigerias South-east, by gunmen.

The operative was killed, Sunday morning, during an attack on an NDLEA team on duty along the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.

Another officer of the agency reportedly sustained serious injuries from the attack.

21 in Anambra

Gunmen killed a businessman, Gab Ofoma, who was the chairman/CEO, Ofoma Associates Limited.

Mr Ofoma, an indigene of Umunnealam, Umudim, Nnewi, was shot dead on Sunday while heading back to his base in Port Harcourt after he visited his home Nnewi.

The incident happened around the Ukpor-Lilu-Orsumoghu-Azia-Mbosi Road, which connects Anambra and Imo states.

Also in Anambra, suspected cultists opened fire on mourners, while disrupting a funeral ceremony in the state.

The incident, which left 20 people dead, occurred at Ebenebe community in Awka North Local Government Area.

Two in Imo

Two policemen were killed, on Monday, after gunmen attacked the Isu divisional police headquarters in Imo State.

The officials were killed when policemen on duty engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle, as the gang threw Improvised Explosive Devices into the station.

10 in Niger

Four officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Galadiman Kogo in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

The terrorists also killed six residents of the town during an earlier night raid on Sunday.

Two in Osun

Two persons were confirmed killed during the ad hoc ward delegate congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held across Osun State on Wednesday.

According to the police, one of the victims, Toib Mutallib, was killed by suspected political thugs that stormed his ward in Agberire, a community in the Iwo Local Government Area of the state.

Seven in Edo

Gunmen on Thursday attacked four banks and a divisional police headquarters in Edo State, Nigerias South-south and killed two police officers and five persons.

The gunmen laid siege on Uromi town in Esan Northeast Local Government Area of the state.

One in Taraba

Gunmen in the early hours of Saturday killed one Levi Gbashi, an aide to Governor Darius Ishaku, in Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State.

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The incident happened at Ityopaa Village when he and others were about to leave the venue of the burial they attended in the village.

18 in Niger

Armed groups killed at least 18 people, including a father and his son, in separate attacks in Mashegu, Lavun and Wushishi local government areas of Niger State.

Many residents were displaced in the attacks which occurred between Friday and Saturday.
At least eight worshippers, including a pastor, were on Sunday abducted from a Baptist church in Gidigori in Rafi Local government Area of Niger State.

Residents said the incident occurred after the Sunday morning service of the church at about 11 a.m.

The Secretary to the State Government, Ahmad Matane, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES but said there was no information yet regarding the identities of the victims.

But a resident of the village told PREMIUM TIMES that the Sunday service was over but the pastor and some church officials were having a meeting when the gunmen invaded and whisked them away.

The source said the gunmen specifically targeted the church on the outskirts of Gidigori and did not bother to enter the town during the operation.

The incident has caused panic among residents with many now living in fear, the source added.

Gidigori is part of the larger troubled areas bordering the restive Birnin Gwari Local Government in Kaduna and Zamfara State.

Officials in Niger said over 151, 380 people, mostly peasant farmers, were displaced in the state by the activities of bandits in the last two years.

The displaced persons were registered in 13 local government areas of the state, with Rafi council area topping the chart with 28,987 displaced persons.

Attacks on vulnerable peasant communities have continued even after President Muhammadu Buhari directed the military to respond robustly to killings and kidnappings by bandits in Niger State.
Benjamin Kuti moved to the United Kingdom in 2008 to study Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering on the advice of his mother.

Mr Kuti is known as Oluomo Blessed one of Derby on Twitter where he enjoys large following by Nigerians at home and abroad looking to work in the health sector.

According to him, the name Oluomo of Derby came from his aunt who was fascinated by the progress he had made living in Derby.

She said to me; Benjamin, if you leave Derby, things might not go well with you.

Mr Kuti studied at the University of Derby, England. After four years, he graduated and began work at Rolls Royce, Derby, as a computational engineer.

I came to Derby to study and after studying, I decided to stay back. You know how life is; God just lifts you from one place to put you somewhere and everything has been as good as gold.

At Rolls Royce, his earning was not enough to pay his bills and send money home to his family in Nigeria. Like Oliver Twist, he wanted more to meet his needs and that of his family. So in 2016, he took a part-time job as a cleaner for a care home to augment what he earned at his full time job.

Working as a cleaner is often regarded as a job for the uneducated, especially among the Nigerian elite.

At the care home he worked on weekends. Little did he know it was going to be the start of something great.

Not long into his new cleaning job, Mr Kuti found himself recommending others for a similar job at the home he worked at.

They were always recruiting people, always short of staff. I said to myself, there are a lot of people willing to work in London.

He made a call to his friend about the opportunity and asked him to come down to Derby to take the job.

I spoke to the management, I spoke to Sally, who said if I had people I should bring them down. She was going to train them and they needed people, Mr Kuti said. I brought folks down, the first week they employed one person. The guy was so good that Sally asked if she could get another person just like him. I recruited two more people for them, he narrated.

Mr Kuti had an epiphany at this point. I said to myself, hold on, I actually just gave three people to this home, why dont I start doing this as a part-time job?

He continued to work on weekends while recruiting for the care home.

The manager requested a payment invoice. I asked if the money was not to be paid to my account and she said no, explaining all that was needed.

A typical Nigerian, Mr Kuti consulted with the elders (his uncles) who advised him on what to do and the rest is history.

Sally, Mr Kutis manager at the care home, would later call to inform him that she was being moved to another branch and would be needing him to bring five more people. Then I realised this was a new place God was taking me to.

With this new job as a recruiter, Mr Kuti was now earning half his monthly pay in a week. It was time for him to leave his white-collar job.

According to him, he derived more satisfaction from the smiles on peoples faces when he found them jobs.

I feel what made me happy the most was that I was giving opportunities to people; people were happy, people who have not worked in a while. And most of the people I recruit are Nigerians, knowing that we must help ourselves, he said.

Responding to how he was able to suppress the African pride that accompanies a degree to work as a cleaner, Mr Kuti said, Once you travel out of Nigeria, your mindset changes so much. You learn and unlearn a lot here; taxi drivers, cleaners etc over here own properties.

Over here, it does not matter who you are, everyone gets equal respect. My mindset had changed already to the fact that at the end of the day, I am not committing any crime, I am only trying to put food on my table. I also understand my situation, so it is either I get out there and get something done or keep on complaining, he added.

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This was not something I planned.

He added that if he had stayed back at his former place of work, his pay would probably have increased but not as much as he earns now.

What started off as a part-time job, is now a business paying about 18,000 pounds weekly. It is now known as Genuine Care; a partnership between Mr Kuti and his Sudanese friend.

I am recommended to care homes who need staffers who I in turn help to recruit people who are ready to work. I employ a lot of Nigerians, knowing how difficult it is to settle in when you get here and I am where I am today because someone helped me too.

Mr Kuti added that Nigerians abroad are a family. if something happens to me here, it is the Nigerians here that will help me first before calling my family in Nigeria.

Some Nigerians on social media say that helping another Nigerian in a foreign land can be a great undoing. Mr Kuti affirms this statement but believes that kindness always wins.

It is very much true but the bottom line is for us to try to be good in our own little way.

There was a lady who came to Derby from London, someone called and said she needed help. The guy who brought her from Nigeria was abusing her and there were many stories around her. I told the person who contacted me that I had a job and if she wants to come, there are no problems.

I did something I would not ordinarily do and I regretted it. She came from London, I rented a room at 350 pounds and an upfront for the next month which made it 700 pounds. We agreed on how she would repay. After six months, I think she got too comfortable. She went to one of the managers at the home where she was posted to and asked why her pay was being sent to me and not to her who does the job.

Mr Kuti immediately got an email from the manager asking if the lady was not aware of the contract agreements.

I called her and she denied it. She said the manager was making it up; I told her it was not true and asked why it had to be her.

At this point, Mr Kuti knew it was time to let her go. If he did not, his story would have been that of using reggae to spoil blues.

Comparing the affection between Nigerians abroad who are mostly not related and the animosity and antagonism back in Nigeria, Mr Kuti said, Tribalism killed our parents generation and if we are not careful, it will also be our undoing.

Abroad, it is very unlikely to see someone you know and so we are always glad to see anyone with the same skin colour or who looks like us. It is a foreign land and we know we are all we have so the question of my Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo brother never plays out.

Mr Kuti nurses a political ambition, but moving back to Nigeria is a dilemma that he needs 10 years to resolve.

When you have lived abroad for a while, you find it difficult to live in Nigeria  the poor healthcare, the bad roads  unlike here where I can access health services in a blink. And we have our leaders coming abroad for healthcare.

He said he believes Nigerians are not demanding enough from the government, a factor, he said, contributes to the state of the country.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said an eight-year-long conflict in Eastern Ukraine had already made three million people be in need of humanitarian assistance on both sides of the contact line.

Mr Griffiths, who also serves as the humanitarian affairs chief, told journalists that the UN and its partners had been responding to that need for many years.

He spoke to journalists on Saturday at the UN headquarters in New York about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

This year alone, for example, UN-coordinated humanitarian convoys delivered over 150 tonnes of assistance to the most vulnerable people in the non-government-controlled areas in the Donbas, he said.

Women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, those living close to the contact line and those living in the non-government areas are currently the most in need.

They continue to require food, shelter, health care, water and sanitation and protection, the senior UN official said.

He painted a grim picture of shelling of urban centres across Ukraine and unconfirmed reports of human casualties and damage to residential infrastructure, expressing extreme concern over the impact of the ongoing escalation.

We are concerned about reports of population movementfleeing in search of safety and protection, Mr Griffiths said.

He said that hundreds of thousands of people were on the move in Ukraine and out of Ukraine, as we speak.

The UN emergency coordinator echoed the Secretary-Generals position in stressing that UN humanitarians were committed to expanding their presence.

We have not left. We are not leaving Ukraine, he said.

As people there are bunkered down, Mr Griffiths said that the UN was scaling up its efforts to help meet the needs of those effected, and we have been doing this for some weeks.

At this alarming phase of escalation, he flagged that the safety and security of all UN staff and their dependents was a top priority.

We are currently facilitating the temporary relocation of non-essential UN staff and eligible family members within Ukraine, said the Emergency Coordinator.

In the meantime, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCHA) has set up an inter-agency operation centre in Geneva and will be launching an appeal.

It will bring together the needs of the region outside Ukraine, under the leadership of the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, as well as for those within the country.

Turning to the UN chiefs announcement on Thursday that 20 million dollars would be released from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to increase an immediate response, Mr Griffiths said that it was imperative for the scale of needs in these very, very extraordinary circumstances.

In the coming days, we will launch two coordinated emergency appeals in response to Ukraines escalating humanitarian needs, including rising internal displacement, and the needs of people seeking refuge in countries neighbouring Ukraine.

He explained that donors were needed to mobilise financial resources, which will be outlined in a few days.

The most important point, Mr Griffiths said, was the safety of UN humanitarian workers and their humanitarian partners. He said humanitarian response is guided by humanity, neutrality, operational independence and impartiality.

The senior UN official said 50 per cent of the wheat used by the World Food Programme (WFP) comes from Ukraine, which illustrates that the effects of the crisis are spooling out before us, and we have yet to see where it will lead.

(NAN)
A podcast producer, Liborous Oshoma, has apologised to the Managing Director, Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Umana Umana, over an alleged libelous publication.

Mr Oshoma, in one of his recent podcasts, talked about the disgraced police officer, Abba Kyari, and how some officers have been accused in the past of stealing cash recovered from crime suspects.

The podcast went on to mention a few instances, including the case of a man, Umanah Umanah, arrested around 1990 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly running a fraudulent investment scheme, otherwise known as wonder bank.

Mr Oshoma, a lawyer, however, wrongly used the photos of the MD of OGFZA as if he was the same person who ran the Port Harcourt Wonder bank, but he quickly apologised when his attention was drawn to the publication which the federal government official said was defamatory.

Even before seeing the letter from Iboro Otongaran, the SA Media to Chief Umana Okon Umana, we had immediately taken steps to correct the error complained of the moment we noticed same; unfortunately, the video had been shared by some people and couldnt be retrieved, Mr Oshoma said in a statement on Wednesday.

We state with all sense of responsibility and humility that the usage of Chief Umana Okon Umanas photograph in place of the Umanah Umanah of the defunct Wonder Bank based in Port Harcourt is highly regrettable.

We highly regret this mix-up and state with humility that it wasnt intended, as it was an honest mistake. We regret all inconvenience this may have caused the Distinguished former Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, he said.

Mr Umanas photos have been removed in the amended podcast.

The other Umanah, who is not related to the federal official, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2020 in Uyo for allegedly running another Ponzi scheme.
BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers held group discussions on Sunday to deliberate the work report of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

The work report will be submitted to the annual assembly of the legislature in March for review.

The deliberation was attended by members of the NPC Standing Committee and members of NPC special committees.

The attendees agreed that since the previous NPC annual session in March 2021, the NPC Standing Committee has scrupulously performed its duty prescribed by the Constitution and laws, and made new progress in various aspects of its work.

The NPC Standing Committee promoted the implementation of the Constitution by improving related laws and carrying forward the constitutional spirit, according to the group discussions.

The attendees noted that the NPC Standing Committee accelerated legislation in key areas and provided strong legal guarantee for boosting high-quality development, promoting reform and opening up, safeguarding national security, and improving environmental protection and people's wellbeing.

By exercising its supervision power, the NPC Standing Committee promoted the work of the government, the National Supervisory Commission, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, they said.

The NPC Standing Committee also developed whole-process people's democracy while keeping close ties with deputies to people's congresses and the people.

Members of the NPC Standing Committee endorsed the work report and agreed to submit it to the upcoming NPC annual session for review.

The attendees proposed suggestions on modifying the work report and on improving the work of people's congresses. 
An official of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions (NASU) has hinted at the possibility of the union embarking on an indefinite strike any moment from March.

This is as another universities workers union- National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Nigerian government to either meet its demands or be faced with a two-week warning strike.

The leadership of NAAT also threatened that if the government failed to accede to its request after the expiration of the two-week strike, the union would embark on an indefinite strike.

Meanwhile, the ongoing one-month warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has entered its 13th day, may not be called off before the one month declared elapses as the conciliation efforts have yielded no fruitful gains yet.

SSANU speaks

On Thursday, through the Joint Action Committee (JAC), both SSANU and NASU issued a directive to all their branches to be red alert for a possible showdown with the government.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, the national vice president of SSANU, Abdussobur Salaam, said the Nigerian government has failed to implement any of the eight items in the agreement it signed with the union in February, 2021.

According Mr Salam, none of the implementation timelines exceeded three months, saying if the government was committed to the agreement, the whole issues would have been resolved latest by July, 2021.

He said: There was a memorandum of understanding that was reached with an agreement. Everything has a timeline. There was no timeline there that exceeded three months. The government cannot deny that we have not been writing letters on renegotiations.

The official said despite multiple letters addressed to the government and visits to the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, there have been no responses apart from promises that have not translated into anything for our members

Issues at stake

Parts of the items in the said agreement, according to Mr Salam, is the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, payment of earned allowances, usurpation on non-academic career positions by vice-chancellors, inclusion of university staff school into the university community, non-payment of minimum wage arrears, and funding of state universities.

He said university vice-chancellors have continued to defy a court order declaring that the teachers of universities staff schools are integral members of the university community.

He added that the government has only paid less than N8 billion of the N30 billion it agreed upon.

He said: The memorandum of understanding we had was that the renegotiation will be concluded within six weeks. And that was as far back as February, 2021. And if you count six weeks from that time we will be talking about sometime in May or maybe April. But here we are, a year later, we have not even been invited for one meeting despite our reminders.

The issue of our earned allowances of N30 billion which we agreed should be paid to the three non-teaching staff unions of SSANU, NASU and NAAT is also there. At the end of the day what the government did was to pay a sum of N22 billion and then allocate 25 per cent of that, which is less than N8 billion to the three unions. So, at the end of the day, that has also caused a lot of grievance on campuses.

Also, for an act that was signed for national minimum wage in 2018, there are still arrears not yet paid by the universities. And on the usurpation of non-teaching staff functions by academic staff, we have situations where the condition of service, an established position in various universities is being upturned by vice-chancellors and by the governing councils. And you now have positions that are career positions of our members being subverted by academic staff. So, these are the issues that we have brought forward.

Mr Salaam added that despite a court order directing that teachers of universities staff schools should be seen and treated as integral members of the university community, we still find a situation where vice-chancellors have continued to treat our members with a lot of contempt in defiance of the court order.

We also have the issue of funding and allocation to state universities. And the understanding we got from the National Universities Commission was that there would be a stakeholders meeting with all proprietors of state universities, that is the state governors, with a view to discussing the issue of funding of state universities. It was clearly and explicitly stated, he added.

He said due to reduced subventions, some universities cannot pay salaries for as much as seven months.

He further queried: We keep asking ourselves that when accreditation exercises are being conducted, why do they focus on facilities in the universities and not the major component of production, which is the workforce?

Mobilisation

Reacting to the labour ministers claim that the unions were yet to formally notify him of any strike, Mr Salaam said the unions were still consulting their various organs.

Until we finalise with the organs, we would not tell the minister of a certain date, he said, adding that; But we have written a letter to let the government know that we cannot be blamed if we go ahead with the strike action.

He said the unions will be done with consultations within the next few weeks.

NAATs position

Meanwhile, addressing a briefing in Abuja on Friday, the NAAT president, Ibeji Nwokoma, said each branch of the association would hold congresses between March 15 and 16 to appraise the governments response to the demands placed before it.

Mr Nwokoma said a two-week warning strike would be declared on March 17, 2022 at the expiration of the two week grace if there is no favourable feedback from the government.
A State High Court in Uyo, Thursday, admitted as exhibit the confessional statement made to Nigerias secret police, SSS, by Uduak Akpan, the suspected killer of Iniubong Umoren.

The court dismissed Mr Akpans claim that he made the statement under duress.

Mr Akpan, who is being prosecuted for allegedly raping and killing Ms Umoren, whom he had lured with a fake job offer, made the statement to the SSS on June 10, 2021.

Ama Okeke, a call data analyst with the SSS, testified that the allegation of involuntariness made by Mr Akpan was untrue and argued that Mr Akpan made the statement voluntarily and that the session was recorded.

Mr Okeke, who was the last prosecution witness in the murder trial, told the court that Mr Akpan after writing the statement was asked to read the same by himself after which he (Mr Akpan) appended his signature.

The defence counsel, Sampson Adulla, in the penultimate hearing, had objected to the admissibility of the accused persons statement as an exhibit alleging that it was made involuntarily.

To support his submission, Mr Okeke told the court that Mr Akpan made the statement voluntarily in line with his agencys standard interview for suspects and backed up his argument with a video of the interview which the court admitted as an exhibit.

Ruling on the matter, after citing relevant legal authorities, Justice Bassey Nkanang said, a confessional statement does not become inadmissible if the accused person that made it denies ever making the statement or retracts the confession on Oath.

One significant piece of evidence that stood out was the 1st accused persons categorical assertion that the statement was not his own and he did not write it, meaning he had denied the entire statement.

Mr Nkanang, therefore, dismissed the objection of the defence counsel, Mr Adulla, admitted the statement as evidence and marked it as an exhibit.

The case was adjourned to March 16, 2022, for further hearing.
Russian troops have attacked Kharkiv, Ukraines former capital, but are being battled by Ukrainian troops, Al Jazeera quotes regional governor Oleh Sinegubov as saying

The Russian enemys light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre, Mr Sinegubov said. Ukraines armed forces are destroying the enemy. We ask civilians not to go out.

Videos published by Ukraines State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection showed several light military vehicles moving along a street.

Russian troops have also blown up a natural gas pipeline in Kharkiv, Ukraines state communications service said.

A mushroom-shaped explosion was shown in a video it posted on the Telegram messaging app.

Al Jazeera also reported that Russian missiles have hit the Ukrainian town of Vasylkiv, southwest of Kyiv, setting an oil terminal ablaze,

The enemy wants to destroy everything around, Mayor Natalia Balasinovich was quoted as saying in a video.

It was not immediately clear how important the pipeline was and whether the blast could disrupt gas shipments outside the city or country. Despite the war, Ukraine continues to ship Russian natural gas to Europe.

The United Nations says it has confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties but believes the real figures are considerably higher because many reports of casualties remain to be confirmed.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) relayed the count from the UN human rights office, which has strict verification procedures about the toll from conflict.

OCHA also said damage to civilian infrastructure has deprived hundreds of thousands of people of access to electricity or water and produced a map of humanitarian situations in Ukraine  mostly in northern, eastern and southern Ukraine.

Civilians fighting for Ukraine

A Ukrainian company in charge of building and maintaining roads is removing road signs that could be used by invading Russian forces to find their way around the country.

The enemy has poor communications, they cannot navigate the terrain, the company Ukravtodor said in a Facebook update. Let us help them get straight to hell.

It posted an edited photo of a standard road sign in which directions to nearby cities have been replaced with profanities.

Russia commenced an attack on Ukraine Thursday after it recognised two breakaway regions in the east of Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin claims the attack is to denazify Ukraine.

The attack has been condemned by many countries including the U.S. and its allies, many of whom have imposed sanctions on Russia.
As part of efforts to prevent importation of the Wild PolioVirus (WPV) into the country, the Nigerian government said it has reconstituted the Expert Review Committee on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunisation (ERC).

The new effort is in response to the recent outbreak of WPV in Malawi and Nigerias experience with a circulating variant of poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2).

The executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this in a statement obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday morning.

Mr Shuaib said the ERC will provide expert advice and guidance on strategies and approaches for polio eradication and routine immunisation.

He explained that the committee reviews the countrys situation by taking into consideration population-based and laboratory studies, programmatic approaches, cost information, and other issues so as to provide practical advice to the country.

He said the ERCs expert advice contributed immensely to the countrys achievement of WPV-free status in August 2020.

He said: Consequently, it has become imperative to reactivate the committee following the recent outbreak of WPV in Malawi and the outbreaks of circulating variant of poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2) in Nigeria.

The ERC is expected to work with the NPHCDA to come up with multi-stakeholder plans to strengthen surveillance, build population immunity, mitigate against and control all forms of polioviruses.

What is Polio?

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease, which mainly affects young children.

It is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, through contaminated water or food and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis.

Africa was certified polio free in August 2020 following the elimination of the virus in Nigeria. Nigeria was the last African country to eliminate the virus which can be prevented with adequate vaccination.

Resurfaced?

While Africa is still celebrating its Polio free status, Malawi recently declared an outbreak of polio after a young child in the countrys capital, Lilongwe, developed the disease in the first case of polio in Africa in more than five years.

A statement issued by WHO shortly after the case was detected linked the strain found in the child to one circulating in Pakistan where the virus remains endemic.

Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the countries endemic with the wild poliovirus.

WHO said the new case detected in Malawi did not affect Africas status of being polio-free

ERC

Mr Shuaib said the reconstituted 12-member expert committee is chaired by a public health expert, Akin Osibogun, and has members drawn from the academia, media, donors, and development partners including WHO, CDC, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Members include Dorothy Esangbedo, Shuaib Bello, Clara Ejembi, Sade Ogunsola, B.S.C. Uzochukwu, Ilayisu Zubairu, Muhammad Dallatu, Mannir Dan Ali, Steve Cochi (CDC), Aidan OLeary (WHO), and Jay Wenger (BMGF).

The reconstituted ERC has a renewable tenure of two years and will be inaugurated at a date to be announced soon, he said.
A prosecution witness has narrated how a former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dibu Ojeriende, allegedly diverted N341.9 million from the National Examination Council (NECO) to set up a personal printing press, school and acquire other assets.

Mr Ojerinde served as the registrar of NECO between 1999 and 2007 before becoming the chief executive of JAMB in April, 2012.

The witness, Jimoh Olatunde, testified at the High Court of Niger State in Minna, where Mr Ojerinde is being tried on 10 counts of official corruption and abuse of office, a statement by ICPC said on Sunday.

According to the statement signed by the spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Azuka Ogugwa, the witness appeared before the court on Thursday.

The first prosecution witness, Mr Olatunde, testified that about the over N341.9million stolen money, N216 million was deceitfully withdrawn from the NECO account for payments for 17 fictitious printing contracts, which was in actual sense, used for establishing the printing press for Mr Ojerinde.

The witness, who is a former deputy director and Head of Treasury at NECO, said: We follow due process for the award of the contracts strictly on paper but I am confirming to this court that I know what went on underneath despite perfection of all the documents and processes.

Let me give you an instance, between 2004/5 most printing contracts were awarded to these 17 companies owned by a friend of Prof. Dibu Ojerinde. He was the one in charge of all printing materials in NECO.

He brought a handwritten bill of N246, 914, 890 when he wanted to establish a printing press for Prof Dibu Ojeriende and I was directed to pay 87.6 per cent amounting to N216, 297.443 only. We perfected all the documents through the award of fictitious contracts to the 17 companies.

Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Ebenezer Shogunle, Mr Olatunde told the court how he acquired properties in Minna for Mr Ojerinde under various aliases, including Muri Lamidi and a fictitious address in Kontagora, Niger State.

The witness further referred to a multiple storey building known as Tejumola House, Ojodu, Lagos, which was acquired in 2003, in the name of Doyin Ogbohi Industries Ltd from Intercontinental Bank for N27 million and Sapati International School, Ilorin, Kwara State, which was built at an initial contract sum of N98.6 million.

The witness, who took responsibility for all the illegal withdrawal of funds from NECO, being the Head of Treasury as of the time the alleged fraud took place, told the court that assets were acquired with stolen public funds.

A total of 18 documents including correspondence addressed to the witness as Client Representative by the various contractors used for the projects as well as Bills of Quantities were tendered and admitted in evidence.

The witness also tendered some documents to show that several shares in some blue-chip companies acquired for the former JAMB boss were transferred to MadibasTrust, an entity created to consolidate.

While being cross-examined by defence counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the prosecution witness tendered a list of 17 companies which he said were used to siphon funds from NECO to acquire some of the companies and assets for the benefit of the defendant.

The matter was adjourned until March 7 and 8, 2022 for the continuation of the hearing following a complaint of backache by the witness and further cross-examination by the defence counsel.

Mr Olatundes testimony came about two weeks after a prosecution witness, Peter Oyewole, told the Federal High Court in Abuja how the former JAMB registrar allegedly acquired choice assets through associates while in office.

Mr Ojerinde is facing 18 charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja where the ICPC accused him of diverting N5.2billion in public funds during his time as the chief executive of NECO and JAMB.

A long road to trial

Mr Ojerindes troubles began after his exit as ex-JAMB chief on August 1, 2016.

His successor, Ishaq Oloyede, after assuming office began to remit unspent revenues to the tune of N5 billion, a feat that was never thought to be possible in the previous years.

This sparked suspicion around Mr Ojerindes handling of the organisations funds during his time as the JAMBs head.

Investigations by the ICPC subsequently traced many properties acquired in different states allegedly with proceeds of funds diverted from NECO and JAMB to him.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in April 2020, how multi-billion-naira worth of assets allegedly linked to the proceeds of the alleged fraud was confiscated from him by the ICPC.

The assets seized from him, included schools, filling stations, and houses located in different parts of Ilorin in Kwara State, Ibadan and Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Ile Ife in Osun State, and Abuja.

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ICPC had arraigned him at the Federal High Court in Abuja in July 2021 on 18 counts involving diversion of N5.2 billion in public funds during his time as the registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO) till his time as JAMBs chief executive.

He had contemplated going into a plea bargain agreement. But this could not materialise as talks over the issue quickly collapsed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said that Ukraine and Russia would conduct the first diplomatic talks since the Kremlin-launched invasion, with delegations from both countries meeting at the Ukrainian border with Belarus.

The two countries would meet near the Pripyat River without preconditions, Al Jazeera quotes Mr Zelenskyys office as saying.

The announcement came after Mr Zelenskyy had earlier said he would not attend negotiations in Belarus, a close ally of Moscow where thousands of Russian troops massed in the lead-up to last weeks invasion.

He later said: We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River.

Mr Zelenskyy, however, did not give a precise time for the meeting, but noted that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a confidant of Mr Putin, has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory.

Russia on Thursday launched a military attack on Ukraine.

Now, Kyivs outgunned forces are fighting to hold onto the capital city and many other parts of the country.

Hostilities remained intense on Sunday with street fighting in Ukrainian cities and an announcement from Russian President Vladimir Putin that he had put his nuclear deterrence forces on high alert.

Mr Putin attributed the move to aggressive statements from the West against Russia.

Washington has called the order an example of manufacturing threats that dont exist.

PREMIUM TIMES reported Sunday how Russian forces pushed into Kharkiv, sparking a battle for control in Ukraines second-largest city.

By afternoon, the city was reportedly quieter, with the sounds of bombardment fading from downtown and Kharkivs governor announcing the city remained under government control.

On the fourth day of fighting, the United Nations refugee agency said that 368,000 people have fled Ukraine while about 3 million require humanitarian aid.
The federal government on Sunday advised Nigerians fleeing Ukraine to move to Hungarian or Romanian borders for easy access.

The Ministry of Foreign affairs said in a statement that Hungary and Romania have approved visa-free access to all Nigerians coming from Ukraine.

For now, movement to the Hungarian Zahony border and Romanian Suceava, Tulcea, Satu Mare County, and Maramures borders is advised, as they have approved visa free access to all Nigerians coming from Ukraine, the statement by Gabriel Aduda, permanent secretary of the Foreign Affairs ministry, read.

Mr Aduda said arrangements for accommodation and feeding before evacuation have also been arranged.

The official added that Nigerias foreign affairs minister is working with his counterpart in Ukraine to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

Mr Aduda said the two countries have deployed the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) to the border to ensure easier access to all Nigerians and other nationals.

The federal governments directives come at a time many Nigerians are trying to flee war-torn Ukraine.

There are over 4,000 Nigerian students studying in Ukraine, apart from Nigerians who live in the eastern European country.

Russia launched a military attack on Ukraine on Thursday and has sustained it despite sanctions by the U.S. and its allies.

Four days into the crisis, the situation remains tense with major Ukrainian cities like Kyiv and Kharkiv already targeted. Russia, however, says it is only targeting military facilities.

Russia and Ukraine are expected to commence unconditional talks near the Belarusian border soon.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Nigerian government earlier issued an advisory to its citizens in Ukraine, saying they are responsible for their personal security and safety.

The government has now assured of adequate measures to assuage these challenges faced by Nigerians in Ukraine.

The federal government enjoined families of Nigerians in Ukraine to remain calm as it continues working very hard to get them all home safely.
His Highness, Alhaji Bayeros indignation that Air Peace could have the temerity, audacity and effrontery of refusing to put a rein on its aircraft for just one hour, even when the craft was already taxiing, is borne of the BMS syndrome discussed above. The Emir most probably couldnt countenance this It is the audacity of the blue blood. This audacity is in spite of the fact that all we see are mere red blood corpuscles, just like that of a common beggar on the street.

The spat between the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, and Air Peace, one of Nigerias major airlines, has once again, among other issues, brought to the front burner the twin issues of the delay and cancellation of scheduled flights in the country. More fundamentally, it has also pointed the searchlight on and serves as a throwback to the awesome powers enjoyed by Nigerian and African traditional monarchies, provoking in its wake a discourse on the relevance of the Nigerian monarchy. Embedded in it is the need to look at the African big man syndrome, otherwise known as the BMS. In it, the bigman, whether in politics, business or society at large, who is endowed with wealth, position or power, is a sacral object, venerated above ordinary mortals and is expected to be treated as a super-human object.

Last week, Isa Bayero, a cousin of the revered monarch, Sarikin Kano, had petitioned the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) seeking punitive action against Air Peace for what Bayero termed disrespect to the monarch and by extension, the people of Kano. According to the petition, on February 24, ten members of the royal entourage of His Highness, comprising himself, four business class passengers and an additional five economy class passengers, on a return Air Peace flight No. P47776 from Banjul to Lagos, which was delayed in Banjul by over an hour, were refused boarding of the connecting flight to Kano  a flight that was about to take off while they had just arrived at the International Airport  due to their late arrival in Lagos 30 minutes before departure. Bayero, also known as Isa Pilot, then put a call through to Allen Onyema, Chief Executive Officer of the airline, to help delay the flight about to depart but, according to him, he (Onyema) flatly refused and avowed (sic) that he will not do that. I personally took this as an insult and a flagrant show of disrespect to His Highness and the Kano people at large.

The airline denied Bayeros claim. Oluwatoyin Olajide, Chief Operating Officer of the airline, labeled Bayeros narrative as deliberate falsehood. The airline, according to its statement, said that if they had agreed to stop and delay the aircraft, which was set to take-off, for another hour, and open its doors for the Emir to walk in, there would have been a very serious uproar in the media nationwide against both the airline and the Emir. They maintained that Air Peace, took this decision to defend the image of our highly revered Emir (Bayero) of Kano and not as an insult as insinuated by Isa Bayero because if passengers were delayed for an hour after boarding and ready to fly and then to see the Emir and his entourage walk in, considering the pulse of the general public lately due to the complaints of delays, it would not have done justice to the image and character of the Emir. It also claimed that Onyema actually attempted to help but could not since the aircraft had begun taxiing off.

As a convenient point of departure, the Emirs right as a passenger of Air Peace must be strongly protected. The malaise of flight delays and cancellation has taken such a boorish dimension that airlines now trample on the rights of citizens with magisterial discourtesy. A product of the European Union 14 Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004, where the European Parliament, on February 11, 2004, established common rules on denied boarding, cancellation or long delay of flights, and the Civil Aviation Act, 2006, Nigerias obligations under international aviation agreements are sacrosanct. The rules state that traveling by air confers certain rights on passengers. These include the right to full value of the passengers money, right to book and confirm tickets and which can be done with an airline of passengers choice, right to the provision of a conducive airport environment before, during, and after flights, right to seek redress for all irregularities during flight, right to be fully informed about flight status, right to be treated with respect and dignity, irrespective of race or physical condition, among others.

In the Nigerian aviation world, and this includes Air Peace, the menace of the rights of passengers being trampled upon without a single care is on the upswing. Domestic flights are run with impunity, without an iota of regard for passengers. Whimsical delays of flights and cancellations at the drop of a hat have also become incidences. Passengers have, by the very fact of flight delays and cancellations, failed obligations of presence to partners, lost contracts, prestige and honour therefrom. Yet, Nigerian airlines escape what should be huge legal liabilities due to scant occurrences of these peremptory treatments of air passengers being subjected to legal actions that ultimately attract huge damage payments and restitution. Apart from the subsisting ancient dread of litigations, Nigerians subsume their rights under theological beliefs and fatalities.

The truth is, if indeed Air Peace delayed His Eminences flight from Banjul to Lagos and Emir Bayero feels that his rights as a passenger have been trampled upon, I expect him to be in court by now to sue Air Peace for this unconscionable denial of rights. Groveling before Oyeama for an aircraft taxiing off to be stopped for the sake of propitiating the god of His Highness bigmanism is certainly not a substitute to seeking redress for the violation of rights. Moreover, how do you expect passengers who were not parties to your delay in Banjul to suffer delay of their own flights for one hour, when they are not parties to the airlines liability?

The bigman in Nigeria is literally a god and believes, as Ebenezer Obey sang in one of his evergreen vinyl recordings, that whatever money  and power  fail to swing, is as dead as dodo. It is a syndrome that has landed us in this social and political cul-de-sac that we have found ourselves. Wealth, power and position are wielded to render norms, rules and laws useless. Whereas in saner societies, the feeble, weak, sick, old get prioritised due to their inabilities, here the powerful and money-mongers get opportunities because of their abilities. Bigmanism perforates the theory of the inalienable rights of man and equality before law and God. This theory is what the Yoruba describe through the aphorism of aparo kan o ga japaro kan lo; the thesis of the equality of quail. In qualifying this equality however, they say that such equality of quails is only put in abeyance when one quail climbs the furrows to the top of the heap, ahead of others.

From the time of independence, many African countries have been plagued by the challenges of poverty, hunger, corruption, economic and social insecurity, illiteracy, unemployment, violence, armed conflicts, inequality and discrimination, all of which resulted from poor leadership. Many of these leaders, including the traditional royal elite, are associated with BMS. Although a political science term, BMS is a leadership disorder.

This thesis of the equality and inequality of quails has, from time immemorial, conferred on natural rulers magisterial and fatherly roles in traditional societies. Taking its cue from the biblical times when monarchies took over from theocratic states, until the advent of colonial powers, monarchs ruled in most parts of Africa. Due to the awesome powers at their disposal, many of the kings were tyrannical, despotic and considered themselves as Gods deputies on earth. Even when they conquered Africa, seeing the entrenched influences of royal fathers on the continent, colonialists continued the system of ruling the natives through their kings. In Nigeria, except in the South-East, where this failed, it was a huge success.

To be fair to natural rulers, from ancient times, they have performed commendable roles as bridges between their subjects and government and as liaisons between the people and their cultures. But today, that institutions they represent are mostly relevant only as pieces of antiquity. Many of the occupants of the stools are vacant upstairs about the ancient roles their forefathers performed and most of them are everything but royal in their comportments. Most of them live off public funds and bear nil roles or responsibilities in the development or prosperity of their domains. In the South-West, for instance, many of those who scramble to become kings today do so not strictly for their projected roles in the lives of their people but to use the stools as opportunities to corner lands, collect bribes and join the ranks of bigmen who wield huge powers over the ordinary people.

Today, natural rulers are neither custodians of values, virtues nor culture. We have traditional rulers who engage in embarrassing vices unbecoming of their titles, beating their wives, doing drugs and all manners of malfeasances. One of them, always donning odd wears that bear no link with his office or custom, once wrote on his Instagram page: You think Kings cant Swag!! 21st Century Kings like me will catch you unawares!!! You got it all wrong by thinking kings are just old raggedy, sad looking, cant dance, working with voodoo, scary looking, cant have fun and only boring!!!

From the time of independence, many African countries have been plagued by the challenges of poverty, hunger, corruption, economic and social insecurity, illiteracy, unemployment, violence, armed conflicts, inequality and discrimination, all of which resulted from poor leadership. Many of these leaders, including the traditional royal elite, are associated with BMS. Although a political science term, BMS is a leadership disorder. BMS, from the psychoanalysts view, is a chronic deficiency of positive personal and societal values. When perpetrated or perpetuated in a society, BMS is a system of corrupt, autocratic and totalitarian persons who have formal powers entrusted in their hands. The power the big man has is the power to trample on lesser people and ride roughshod over them. The big man captures power for his selfish purposes and for patronages. At the political level, some of the symptoms of BMS are tribalism, coercion, corruption, nepotism and a hunger/thirst to hold on to power at all cost and ad-infinitum.

At the traditional royal stool level, BMS also manifests. The power in the hands of a royal father who is afflicted by the BMS makes him believe he can turn day into night. The reverence and superhuman belief that traditional rulers used to enjoy stemmed from the beliefs that they had spiritual powers. Unfortunately however, most of them are pastors and Imams with blind spiritual eyes, apologies to King Odewale, in his attack of Baba Fakunle in The Gods Are Not To Blame. They are also mostly symbolic heads with no real powers.

From the immediate post-colony however, politicians who resent traditional rulers trying to compete with them, have embarked on humiliating them with dethronement and the constitutional freezing of their roles. A few months ago, Rivers States emperor, Nyesom Wike, at the governors quarterly meeting with traditional chiefs, publicly tongue-lashed and ridiculed one of them. His crime was that he shook his head while the emperor was speaking. The governor said the monarch used to be a small errand boy who oscillated around him and his friends a few years before. Youd think hes an elderly person. Very small young man this boy. I know when I was in school; he was running around us, going on errands. Now hes dressing (like) Usman Dan Fodio (Sokoto caliphates founder). Then he begins to breach protocol. He thinks when hes shaking his head like this, Id be happy. Thats fakethats fake You just (go) and wear something that is bigger than you to breach protocol, he thundered.

Until we put a stop to the tyranny of the Nigerian BMS and the bigmans belief that any of its members can get away with impunity, Nigeria will continue to wriggle in the maggots of underdevelopment and plagues of poverty, hunger, corruption, economic and social insecurity, illiteracy, unemployment, violence, armed conflicts, inequality and discrimination. All of these are traceable to the Big Man Syndrome.

The last time monarchs were assigned any crucial role in the constitution was during the First Republic when in July, 1960, Sir Adesoji Aderemi became the governor of the Western Region. The dethronement of the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, in 1996, during the military government of Sani Abacha, and the recent dethronement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano by Governor Abdulahi Ganduje further accentuate the helplessness of traditional rulers in the hands of the political authorities and the growing extinction of the veneration of their stools.

Bigmanism in Africa renders time subservient to the bigman and deploys it in constant service to him. In other words, whenever the bigman comes to an event is when the event begins. The bigman arrives late to catch trains  if he ever condescends to entering such at all, flights and comes late to events, believing that his bigmanism will come to his aid. Being a bigman is sine qua non to having power over life and death in Africa. When the bigman arrives train terminuses in Europe and America, however, he complies, knowing that that clime has no respecter for persons.

On its face value, we can argue that the British monarchy, as well as Arabian Sheiks and emirates, are also variants of the traditional African bigman. However, apart from their relevance in those climes, those monarchies bring a lot to the table, unlike in Africa. The bigman in those societies try to de-sacralise their persons and offices. That is why you witness the president of America rolling his sleeves and getting down to work, Joe Biden taking bouquet of flowers to his vice on her birthday, and prime ministers entering trains and even riding cycles. Not so for the Nigerian bigman. It is a taboo for them to be seen like ordinary human beings.

His Highness, Alhaji Bayeros indignation that Air Peace could have the temerity, audacity and effrontery of refusing to put a rein on its aircraft for just one hour, even when the craft was already taxiing, is borne of the BMS syndrome discussed above. The Emir most probably couldnt countenance this, having been told stories of how his forefathers ordered their beautifully adorned royal horses to be leashed with reins. It is the audacity of the blue blood. This audacity is in spite of the fact that all we see are mere red blood corpuscles, just like that of a common beggar on the street.

Coming from a Northern feudal oligarchic system, where the Emir is a demigod whose word is law and the talakawa are propelled by a philosophy of fatalism that enables them to be in continuous servitude, you can then put in context the emirs disdain at the Air Peace managements audacity. In an attempt to escalate feudal support for the Emirs fate and collectivise the people of Kano as victims of the crime of Air Peace, Isa Bayero, in the petition, painted the refusal of Air Peace to stop the aircraft for Bayero to mount like his royal horse as a flagrant show of disrespect to His Highness and the Kano people at large. The question to ask is, could Bayero have ordered Delta Airline or British Airways to wait for him while he wears his royal apparel?

Until we put a stop to the tyranny of the Nigerian BMS and the bigmans belief that any of its members can get away with impunity, Nigeria will continue to wriggle in the maggots of underdevelopment and plagues of poverty, hunger, corruption, economic and social insecurity, illiteracy, unemployment, violence, armed conflicts, inequality and discrimination. All of these are traceable to the Big Man Syndrome.

Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist.
In 108 years since the Amalgamation, there have been only six headcounts in Nigeria, three under colonial rule and three more since it ended. The 1991 census occurred 27 years after that of 1963. The 2006 count took place 15 years after 1991. It is already 16 years since the 2006 headcount and there will be none before the country votes in 2023. The results of the 1962 and 1973 headcounts were suppressed.

A democracy counts and accounts for three things. First, the people; second, the votes; and third, the peoples money. For the first, we conduct a census. The second is done through elections; while the third is the focus of public accounts. Through legitimacy conferred by counting votes, government acquires the mandate to administer money on behalf and in favour of the people.

The drama in Nigeria has historically been in the counting of votes, which happens every four years but the real story is that Nigeria has never been able to count its people and this is not about to change anytime soon. To understand why Nigerias elections are historically rigged, it is essential to unravel why and how the country has been congenitally incapable of counting its people.

Nigerias constitution authorises only the Federal Government to undertake a census. For this purpose, Section 6 of the National Population Commission Act empowers the Commission, also known as the N-Pop-C, to undertake the enumeration of the population of Nigeria periodically, through censuses, sample surveys or otherwise and to establish and maintain a machinery for continuous and universal registration of births and deaths, throughout the Federation. The Commission last issued official census figures for the country 16 years ago in 2006. Its still unable to register most births in Nigeria. The problem is not necessarily that Nigeria has been unable to count its people for over one-and-a-half decades. It is actually that the country has never been able to count its people at all.

Pre-colonial headcounts were limited; colonial headcounts were dubious; and post-colonial headcounts have been mostly farcical. Lets begin with the first.

Headcounts in Nigeria predate the Amalgamation of 1914. In pre-colonial Nigeria, there were six attempts at counting in and around the Colony of Lagos, beginning in 1866. Subsequent headcounts followed in 1871, 1881, and 1891. The 1901 count was the first effort to make estimates for Nigeria as a whole. The merger of the Colony of Lagos with the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, was followed by yet another estimated count in 1911, which was described as very defective to the extent that the British administrators in charge admitted that the census figures were only preliminary and of little value for comparative purposes.

If the estimates for the pre-colonial period were inadequate at best, the ones undertaken during colonial rule were decidedly dubious. Colonial headcounts were mostly for military conscription, taxation or subsidising the costs of imperial rule. The subjects usually found ways to resist them. As a result, colonial headcounts were always short. They achieved one thing though: They created demographic baselines that have  for good or ill- shaped the gradients of presumed demographic growth.

Since Independence, Nigerias headcounts have degenerated from the dubious to the farcical. The first post-colonial headcount was in 1962. About this, the Chief Federal Census Officer claimed that the figures recorded throughout the greater part of Eastern Nigeria during the present census are false and have been inflated.

The 1921 Census was the first to take place following the Amalgamation but it yielded inaccurate data owing to the difficulties arising from the hearty dislike which many tribes feel towards enumeration, and to the shortage of European staff due to World War I.

The next census, ten years later in 1931, occurred in the shadow of the Great Depression globally and a locust invasion in the Bornu, Kano, Zaria, Sokoto and Adamawa Provinces, essentially covering all of what is currently North-East and North-West Nigeria. In the East, the popular unrest led by the women against extension of tax measures in Aba, Onitsha and Owerri in 1929-1930 precluded any counting. In the end, active counting was confined only to Lagos, Egba, Ibadan and Owo divisions in the West and some 201 villages in Northern Nigeria.

The upshot, as Samuel Aluko later recalls, was that [T]he Government Statistician commented that there was good reason to suppose the census figures to be slightly defective in the Northern Provinces and much in defect in the Southern Provinces. He estimated that the figures were probably understated by about five per cent in the Northern Provinces, ten per cent in Lagos and in the Abeokuta, Benin, Cameroons, Ijebu, Ogoja, Ondo, Oyo, and Warri Provinces of Southern Nigeria, and fifteen to twenty per cent in the Onitsha, Owerri, and Calabar Provinces of Eastern Nigeria.

Two things are clear, so far, from this narrative. First, until 1931, censuses in Nigeria were largely inaccurate as they did not meet all the accepted characteristics of a census. Second, the 1931 census established an undercount in South-East Nigeria, which has persisted nearly one century after.

In 1941, the Second World War precluded any headcount in Nigeria. The next headcount took place over four years, from 1950 to 1953, and firmly established the politicisation of headcounts in Nigerian history. The count for Lagos took place between 1950 and 1951, followed by that for the Northern Region in May to July 1952. The Western Region (including the Mid-West) followed in December 1952 to January 1953. The count for the East did not occur until May to August 1953. While the counting was still to be concluded, however, the colonial authorities allocated representation for the 1953 elections, granting 50 per cent of the seats in the federal parliament to the Northern Region. From resistance, therefore, different parts of the country moved to co-opt and corrupt the census.

Since Independence, Nigerias headcounts have degenerated from the dubious to the farcical. The first post-colonial headcount was in 1962. About this, the Chief Federal Census Officer claimed that the figures recorded throughout the greater part of Eastern Nigeria during the present census are false and have been inflated. The figures for the five divisions of Awka, Brass, Degema, Eket, and Opobo, which have recorded increases of over I00 and I20 per cent, can certainly be rejected out of hand. In respect of the Western Region, the Chief Census Officer reported that of the 62 census districts provisional total figures are available for only five, due, in my view, to weakness in the census organisation in the Region.

Democracy many depend on numbers but Nigerias numbers are hardly good for democracy. That may say something about Nigerias version of democracy. Even more, a government that does not count its living will not care to account for its dead.

This was a reference to the fact that the census took place in the shadow of the state of emergency in the West, declared by the then Federal Government and popularly resisted in the region. Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, then Federal Minister of Economic Development said, it is useless to give out any figures to the public under the present circumstances The fact is that there have been inaccuracies and under no circumstances will I release false figures. I shall do my duty and if in the end we cannot arrive at any reasonably accurate figures, as the Census Officer has suggested, there can be no alternative but to do the whole thing again.

True to Waziri Ibrahims word, the census was re-done in 1963 but by common consent, the 1963 census figures were arrived at by negotiations rather than by enumeration. Ten years later, in 1973, the provisional figures were produced but the whole process broke down at the final evaluation stage because of charges and counter-charges of deliberate falsification of data to gain economic, political, and/or ethnic advantage. Moreover, the provisional figures, when compared with projected figure from 1963 census, resulted in negative growth rates in some sections of the country. In the end, that census was also suppressed after the enumeration stage and so no data were published.

Ostensibly, between 1953 and 1963, Lagos achieved an annual rate of growth of 9.5 %, Western Nigeria, 7.5 %; Eastern Nigeria 5.3 %; Northern Nigeria 5.I %; and Midwestern Nigeria 5%. The assumed population growth rate from 1963 to 1976 was 2.5 per cent and, since 1977, 3.2 per cent. By 2020, the population was still said to be growing at 3.2 per cent. However, in the 27 years from 1963 to 1991, the population supposedly grew by 32.9 million, from 55.6 million to 88.5 million, a growth of 59.1 per cent, representing an annual growth rate of 2.1 per cent, a far cry from the supposed rate of 3.2 per cent. By the last census 15 years later in 2006, the annual population growth rate emerged as 2.8 per cent.

In 108 years since the Amalgamation, there have been only six headcounts in Nigeria, three under colonial rule and three more since it ended. The 1991 census occurred 27 years after that of 1963. The 2006 count took place 15 years after 1991. It is already 16 years since the 2006 headcount and there will be none before the country votes in 2023. The results of the 1962 and 1973 headcounts were suppressed.

Democracy many depend on numbers but Nigerias numbers are hardly good for democracy. That may say something about Nigerias version of democracy. Even more, a government that does not count its living will not care to account for its dead.

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer and teacher, can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu.
Those who have been clamouring for a shift in focus in favour of the younger generation have more than a point. Old men are great advisers. Young men are great do-ers. In terms of the requirements of the nanotech age, every nation that wants to be up there among the stars needs a leader who is not just well educated but also healthy and physically fit. The healthier, the better.

One of these days, His Excellency is going to put all of us in trouble, said G1. The governors security aides all had G prefixes and were identified by their number.

Yes, o, I was thinking so, too, when he ordered us to stop in that bush for him to pee, replied G2.

G1 continued moaning: How will I defend myself if anything happens? Would anyone believe me if I said the governor was killed while peeing?

The story was that the governor had a condition that made his doctors advise him to stop drinking but that he couldnt follow their instructions. Just half a glass of wine was all that was needed to trigger their bosss urinary urgency. If a toilet was not close by, or if the official convoy was travelling between cities, Oga would order them to stop, no matter how dense the jungle. If the driver did not stop in time, Oga would jump out of the car with urine dripping down his legs. His aides found out that he had had the condition for many years before assuming the governorship but it was a closely guarded secret known only to close aides and, of course, his local specialists and foreign doctors.

Why would such a man put himself through the hassle of contesting for public office and the rigours of the job? It must be because the law permits him to get away with hiding his ailment from the electorate and under-serving the people in the long run. The more one thinks about the matter, the more the question pops up: Why havent we thought it necessary to enact legislation making medical certification compulsory for office-seekers?

Very soon, the Nigerian Senate will vote on the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution. I dont think they will make tertiary education and a minimum of a first degree compulsory for whoever wants to contest for the post of governor or president. In their collective wiseness, too, they will not approve any suggestion, such as is being made here, that medical certification be made compulsory for all elective offices.

All applicants for civil service and private sector positions at whatever level are required to pass medical examinations. A medically unfit employee is a liability. Youd think that elective political posts ought to attract greater scrutiny because they affect the lives of millions of people. But, no; the higher you go, the lesser the requirement.

In some oil companies, graduates are employed as drivers, while the decisions that affect the operations of those companies and even the nation at large are taken by elected politicians without tertiary education. But, educated or not, an elected political leader can still be managed (as we say in Nigeria) if he is, at least, healthy. It is a double whammy when you elect a person who is wanting in health and erudition. That is why a requirement for medical certification is one of the most urgent amendments that ought to be inserted in the Nigerian constitution.

The issue of ensuring that those who put themselves forward for elective office are not carrying any medical baggage that could impede their performance and shortchange the electorate is even more apposite in matters of national security. The most recent example of this is the situation in Gabon that almost toppled the political order of the country.

When some soldiers attempted to take advantage of the ill-health of President Ali Bongo to stage a coup, only the solid coalition of beneficiaries of the Bongo dynasty saved the day. President Bongo had suffered a stroke during a visit to Saudi Arabia for an investment conference in October 2018. After initial treatment in Saudi Arabia, he was transferred to Morocco. Everything about his condition was a closely guarded secret. As usual with such situations of ultra secrecy, rumours took over. The political tension in Gabon boiled over with the failed coup.

President Bongo has had to quickly get off his wheelchair to make a few crucial public appearances, just to reassure his people that he is still in charge. Not that he is indispensable, though. Tongues are still wagging, especially in opposition circles, that Mr Bongo is not really a Gabonese. The story being peddled is that he is actually a Biafran child adopted by Gabons second president, El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, who ruled the country for 42 years, from 1967 until his death in 2009.

We are not saying that a medically certified candidate cannot fall ill in office. Anyone can fall ill. But falling ill is totally different from having a condition precedent. The constitution ought to make it mandatory that anyone seeking public office should publicly disclose his state of health and submit himself for medical examination to be conducted by a duly constituted panel of the Nigerian Medical Association.

A French historian who has written authoritatively on Gabonese politics, Francois Gaulme, confirms that Ali Bongo was viewed as an outsider by many people: He wasnt born in the presidential palace, but almost. He was about eight when his father became president The fact that he went to the best schools in Libreville and didnt learn the local languages was something he would get criticised for later on. He was sent to a private school in the upmarket Paris suburb of Neuilly, and later, to the Sorbonne, where he studied law. This international upbringing led many in Gabon to view him as an outsider.

People will always have divergent views about their leader. They will tolerate a leader who is up and about, even if it is mostly motion without movement. But when their national purse is being depleted to restore a medically unfit leader to health, all sorts of stories will come out, including different versions of his paternity.

We are not saying that a medically certified candidate cannot fall ill in office. Anyone can fall ill. But falling ill is totally different from having a condition precedent. The constitution ought to make it mandatory that anyone seeking public office should publicly disclose his state of health and submit himself for medical examination to be conducted by a duly constituted panel of the Nigerian Medical Association. Dont tell me that Nigerian politicians will find their way around it. Simple checks and balances professionally supervised by the NMA will frustrate their tricks.

What about the right of candidates to their privacy? Aha, anyone who wants to enjoy privacy in such matters should not seek public office. If one of the conditions for being electable is full disclosure of your medical condition, the choice to contest or not, is yours. The least the people can demand is that you are at least healthy enough to serve them, even if what you eventually do is serve yourself.

Between 2007 and 2017, six of the twelve African leaders who died in office did so while seeking medical attention abroad. President YarAdua was a lucky exception only because his demise came in the wake of returning to the country after months in a Saudi hospital. The issue of his ill-health and how it affected the politics of the country reverberated when President Buhari spent months in a London Hospital.

President Mugabes second home was in Singapore because that was where his doctors were. One year before his demise, I was desirous of interviewing him during my visit to Harare. My attempt failed because back-room channels warned that his successor might not be well disposed to the old man talking to a foreign columnist.

But I digressed. Former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos went on regular medical pilgrimages to Spain. Like Nigeria, Angola is blessed with oil riches but its people live in abject poverty. Rich country, poor people, sick politicians.

President Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin had two surgeries during a visit to Paris in 2017. On his return home, he did a totally unAfrican thing  he disclosed his health status to his people. A statement released by the presidency disclosed that the president, who was 59 years old at the time, underwent two procedures: one procedure was due to doctors finding a lesion in his prostate, while the second operation was in his digestive system. The statement said the president was fully recovered and was fully exercising his constitutional duties. Different presidents, different strokes.

Dont get it twisted, not all old men are afflicted by ill-health and not all young men are healthy. However, it is reasonable to expect, in the natural degeneration of mortal beings, that there will be a world of difference between an old young man, a young old man, and an old old-man.

Those who have been clamouring for a shift in focus in favour of the younger generation have more than a point. Old men are great advisers. Young men are great do-ers. In terms of the requirements of the nanotech age, every nation that wants to be up there among the stars needs a leader who is not just well educated but also healthy and physically fit. The healthier, the better.

Wole Olaoye is a public relations consultant and veteran journalist. He can be reached on wole.olaoye@gmail.com, Twitter: @wole_olaoye; Instagram: woleola2021.
It is nearly impossible to identify all of the evil in these last days, but I have managed to identify some of the most dangerous ones that all of us are now battling. Sadly, it will get worse. Given the signs of the last dayswe are the ones who must rise up to confront these evils by sticking with Jesus in every possible way, and in some of the ways I am going to discuss The question here is, is it possible to overcome all of these evils and still live victoriously in Christ? Yes!

Christians Need To Intercede Against a Third World War

Are you aware that the Bible prophecies that Russia, in collaboration with some other nations like China, will lead a major bloody war in the last days that would set the Middle East on fire, and by extension, the whole world? See Ezekiel 38. Could this be the trigger for this prophesied war? Except God intervenes, as weve been praying, this war is inevitable, and may eventually snowball into the third world war. The days ahead are very dangerous for the world. That was exactly how Hitler began. It is always one nation at a time. Then they will slowly move to the next nation, triggering retaliatory actions from other allies; But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times will come 2 Timothy 3:1 (AMP)

We Are Living In the Most Dangerous Time Ever In the History of Mankind

It should not be a news to you that we are living in the most dangerous time ever in the history of mankind. And the earlier you and I recognise this stark reality, the better for our Christian journey on earth. Right from the beginning of man, there have always been evil and trouble on earth. Why? Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4-4) whose main agenda is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). In fact in Job 14:2, the Bible says, man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of many troubles. Therefore, the world has never been free of evil, troubles and crises. In fact, some very evil seasons have existed on earth in the past  such as during the reign of wicked General Titus and Nero; Hitler, and many others who troubled the world. But as bad as those days were, what we are experiencing now is on another level totally. Therefore, our focus today is to identify the current types of evil in our society and to discuss the mitigation and escape strategy for the child of God.

What Every Christian Must Do To Finish Well

See friends, you can never pray these evil and troubles away from the world. I heard some people praying for peace for the whole world. You are praying in error and that prayer can never be answered. Why? Jesus himself, in Matthew 24, says, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. It is therefore important for us to identify the main types of evil in the world today that you are I must run away from if we will be finishing well.

False pastors and dangerous churches pretending to be genuine (And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many  Matthew 24:11). We have left the era of using what men preach to determine the truth. Not all false pastors preach errors. Some preach the truth publicly but are deadly privately. They are the most dangerous; False doctrines: New age humanism, universalism (doctrine of inclusion), feminism, hyper-grace and extreme and lopsided prosperity doctrines (someone was teaching on latent energy); Redefined marriage institution (marxist theories of socialism within the marriage, which pulls down the Biblical model of Christ-Husband and Wife); The love of money and pleasure (2 Tim 3:2); A sexualised culture (intense sexual adventures and experiences outside of the confines of marriage) Rabbi Jonathan Cahn did an extensive work on this; Persecution of believers  whether actively or passively  to force them to modify biblical beliefs; Famine of the solid word of God in churches (Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD  Amos 8:11).

The Holy Spirit is faithful and will always help you to develop the power to rise above temptations and every single evil of these days. The Bible says we should redeem the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). You must redeem the time at your end too. Another translation says, Make good use of every opportunity.

Kingdom Strategies that Will Sustain You and I Through These Terrible Seasons

It is nearly impossible to identify all of the evil in these last days, but I have managed to identify some of the most dangerous ones that all of us are now battling. Sadly, it will get worse. Given the signs of the last days that we discussed last week, we are the ones who must rise up to confront these evils by sticking with Jesus in every possible way, and in some of the ways I am going to discuss below. The question here is, is it possible to overcome all of these evils and still live victoriously in Christ? Yes! Let me now tell you some of the kingdom strategies that will sustain you and I through these terrible seasons:

Be watchful and sensitive, test all Spirits. Take full responsibility over who and what comes into your space. Dont assume that everyone who wears collar and quotes the Bible is of God; Matthew 24:4. In 1 John 4:1, the Bible says, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world; Make faithfulness to Jesus your number one goal (Matthew 24-45); Stay rooted in the word of God: Reading, studying and meditating every day on the word. Avoid, like plague, every preacher and teacher who never glorifies Christ in their messages; Stay in deep intercessions and particularly pray in tongues every day, and pray the Pauline prayers (Ephesians 1:15-19) on yourself and family very regularly; Surround yourself with faithful men and women and genuine God lovers; You must never attend any church or serve any pastor who is not like Christ in word and in deed. Never elevate results (crowds, cars, planes, miracles and prophecies) above truth, love, faithfulness, humility, etc.; Never, ever live in sin. Develop a soft conscience, be teachable and repent of any known sin every time you miss it.

If you do all of these, you will never fall away with these evils. The Holy Spirit is faithful and will always help you to develop the power to rise above temptations and every single evil of these days. The Bible says we should redeem the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). You must redeem the time at your end too. Another translation says, Make good use of every opportunity.

Ayo Akerele, a leadership and system development strategist and minister of the word, writes from Canada and can be reached through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com.
The police in Zamfara State have rescued seven kidnap victims in Dansadau axis of Maru Local Government Area of the state.

The victims, according to the police spokesperson in the state, Mohammed Shehu, are from Chibade village in Rijau area of Niger State.

Niger State in the Nigerian North-central zone, like Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kebbi States in the North-west, has, for years, been under attacks by bandits, featuring the killing and displacement of thousands of people and rustling of domestic animals.

Mr Shehu in a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday said the victims were rescued by the Tactical operatives of the command in collaboration with the military deployed along the Dansadau axis.

The victims during debriefing informed the Police that, on 21st February, 2022 Bandits in large number, stormed their village (Chibade) and abducted seven of them to unknown location in Dansadau forest of Zamfara State.

Joint Police and Military operatives while on a coordinated bush clearance around Dansadau axis, successfully rescued the affected victims and brought them to Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau where they recieved medical check.

All the victims will be handed over to the Commissioner of Police Niger State Police Command for further appropriate action, Mr Shehu said Im the statement.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Ayuba Elkana, assured members of the general public of the polices commitment to rid the state of all form of criminal activities.
Tragedy struck at the Obalende-Oworonshoki axis of Lagos on Saturday when a vehicle suffered a brake failure and killed two persons.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday by Olusegun Ogungbemide, the commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), one male and a female lost their lives in the auto crash that occurred at the Carwash section of the road.

The incident involved 26 persons: 19 persons were injured and five vehicles were involved  Toyota (RAV4), Honda, MAZDA BUS, Mercedes-Benz Truck, DAF Trailer.

Mr Ogungbemide said the injured victims were taken to Bariga General Hospital, while the five vehicles were towed off the road to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Office in Ojota.

The vehicle that had the brake failure was not stated but when this newspaper reached the commander, he said a trailer was said to have caused the incident. He said investigation is still ongoing to verify the claim.

According to a witness identified as Yemi, who spoke with this newspaper, the accident was caused by a trailer.

The incident was very terrible, I was driving down the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on that route, coming from Anthony heading home, he said.

I learnt he was in the highest speed and he crushed about four cars, a Lexus, Honda, Accord and about two other cars.

Then another small truck had an accident and hit some people.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kelby Sanders

Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) transits San Diego bay upon its return to homeport. Lake Champlain, part of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group, returned to Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 14, following a deployment to the U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleets in support of regional stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global humanitarian organization, Alight , has sent a team of aid workers to Poland. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee the country and many more to seek shelter underground or with family in safer parts of the country. It's Alight's hope that the fighting will end soon and Ukrainians can return home, but the organization is mobilizing to support Ukrainian families if they cannot.

Alight's response team of seasoned humanitarian and emergency response workers has been deployed to Poland, which has received the most Ukrainian refugees. It includes members of Alight's humanitarian team that responded to the Yugoslav Wars in the 90s and 00s  the last widescale conflict in Europe. The team has been authorized to do the doable and allocated funds to act immediately to satisfy the needs of refugees they encounter. They are talking to Ukrainian families and organizations responding to understand the best ways Alight can help.

"Alight stands with the people of Ukraine," says Alight CEO Jocelyn Wyatt. "If Ukrainian families can't go home, Alight will help them to find peace and safety wherever they shelter. We're listening to what they need right now, and we're working to make sure they have all the essentials."

After 40+ years doing this work, Alight knows that families won't just be worried about their basic needs. They'll be thinking of loved ones. And they'll be wondering what comes next, what this all means for their lives. So, beyond ensuring basic needs, Alight will do everything we can to help people cope with the situation and grapple with what to do next.

"I can imagine what Ukrainian families are going through right now," states Alight Emergency Response Team Leader Igor Radonjic. "My family experienced the horrors of war in the Balkans in the 1990s and I was forced to flee myself. Our team will meet families where they are and amplify what they tell us so that people around the world can help Ukrainian families in the most meaningful ways possible."

The response team is also connecting with local actors and organizations that are also helping Ukrainians, to see where we might coordinate and amplify each others efforts.

To stay abreast of Alight's response and to make a donation for Ukrainian refugee families and fuel our rapid response effort, please visit www.wearealight.org .

ABOUT ALIGHT

Established in 1978 by founder Neal Ball, Alight , formerly known as American Refugee Committee, provides health care, clean water, shelter, protection and economic opportunities to more than 3.5 million people in over 20 countries each year. Alight believes in the incredible creativity, potential and ingenuity of the displaced and works to shine a light on their humanity, the tremendous amount of good that's already happening and the possibilities to do more. In 2020, Alight received the prestigious 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the tenth consecutive year, celebrating a decade of impactful work.

SOURCE Alight
"The expansion of the TCL 30 Series shows our commitment to democratize technology so more people have access to reliable, high-performing, innovative smartphones," said Aaron Zhang, CEO at TCL Communication. "The TCL 30 Series portfolio is our way of giving consumers around the world the freedom to showcase their unique style through feature-packed technologies and connected experiences, inspiring them to get the most from life."

Level up your creative flair

TCL 30 Series contains innovative camera features across the line-up that will showcase everyone's unique style and creative flair.

The TCL 30 5G, TCL 30+, TCL 30, and TCL 30 SE all feature a 50MP AI triple camera, while the TCL 30 E has a dual camera with 50MP main lens. And for those that love group selfies, an ultra-wide front camera is available on TCL 30 5G and TCL 30+, so everyone can comfortably get in shot, bottling precious moments with loved ones.

Social media enthusiasts will relish Steady Snap, pausing time and clearly capturing subjects in motion; Intelligent AI detection, which detects up to 22 different scenes; AI HDR video, adjusting exposure and optimizing details; Low Light HDR for well-balanced shots in low light; and One Shot, providing different image types from one snap. Whether taking mouth-watering shots of their favorite meals, peculiar pet pictures, stylish portraits or awe-inspiring landscapes, these features enhance photos so anyone can level up their photography skills.

Get lost in rich and vibrant views

Screen quality is more important than ever, with so many passing the time on long train or bus journeys watching clips and movies on their smartphones. That's why the TCL 30 Series features rich, immersive displays that offer quality and eye care, with incredible value.

With 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED screens on TCL 30 5G, TCL 30+, and TCL 30, as well as a 6.52-inch mini-notch display on TCL 30 SE and 30 E, details are crisply highlighted and colors are boosted, enhancing every scene so customers can feel closer to the action. Dual speakers are also featured on the TCL 30+ and 30, so customers can immerse themselves in their own world, whether watching movies, gaming, or listening to music.

As TCL spends more time on the phones connecting with others and the online world, it can have an adverse effect on eye health. To manage eye-care and eye fatigue, all TCL 30 Series smartphones are equipped with TCL's pioneering NXTVISION technology, which works to boost the screen experience while safeguarding eyes. Moreover, TCL 30 5G, TCL 30+ and TCL 30 are certified by TUV Rheinland, hardware-level blue light reduction of 30%, delivers comfort without distorting colors.

Battery power that lasts longer-than-a-day

All five phones feature long-lasting battery power. The TCL 30 SE and TCL 30 E come with 5000mAh of power, whilst TCL 30 5G, TCL 30+, and TCL 30 have 5010mAh battery power, relieving battery anxiety with better than day-long battery life. That means more time reading, watching, video calling, and photo taking, and less time looking for a power outlet.

The TCL 30 5G, TCL 30+ and TCL 30 all support 18W fast charging - each device giving customers quick power when they need it. Additionally, all phones are supported by AI smart charging, which intelligently learns sleep patterns based on daily charging routines to reduce battery deterioration, extending long-term battery life.

With you on every adventure

Whether updating your social status on the go, at the beach taking selfies with friends, staying up to date with the latest trends or hitting the town for a night out, the TCL 30 Series matches smart styling with impressive durability and features.

Weighing only 184g, the strikingly sleek 7.74mm design on the TCL 30 5G, TCL 30+, and TCL 30 means each device easily nestles in your hand, a small bag, or pocket. The trio have the incredibly slim designs when compared to others with the same battery capacity, so there are no compromises to the battery or the screen. With a soft, tactile finish against premium fiberglass on the back, the phones are resistant to scratches, sweat, bumps and warping, while the scratch-resistant glass on the front keeps screens looking clear and scuff-free.

Ultra-fast 5G connectivity and performance

Customers will enjoy TCL 30 5G's ultra-fast connectivity and performance, perfect for streaming content - from HD movies to fast paced games, video calling loved ones and downloading apps. TCL 30 5G joins a range of 5G TCL products across multiple categories, including smartphones, tablets, and CPEs, as part of TCL's mission to make a truly connected world.

Colors

The TCL 30+ and 30 are available in Muse Blue and Tech Black, while the TCL 30 5G comes in Dreamy Blue and Tech Black. The TCL 30 SE and 30 E are available in demure Space Grey and a rich Atlantic Blue. The TCL 30 SE is also available in Glacial Blue.

Pricing and availability

TCL 30 5G: from 249, availability in Europe in April 2022 , coming to select regions

in , coming to select regions TCL 30+: from 199, availability now in Europe , coming to select regions later

, coming to select regions later TCL 30: from 179, availability now in Europe , coming to select regions later

, coming to select regions later TCL 30 SE: from 149, availability now in Europe , coming to select regions later

, coming to select regions later TCL 30 E: from 139, availability in Europe in April 2022 , coming to select regions later

Prices vary by country.

To learn more about TCL's upcoming announcements, and for details on the products covered in this release, please visit: http://www.tcl.com/global/en.html

Media Contact:

[email protected]

About TCL Electronics

TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is one of the world's fastest-growing consumer electronics companies and one of the world's leading television and mobile device manufacturers (TCL Communication is a wholly owned subsidiary of TCL Electronics). For nearly 40 years TCL has operated its own manufacturing and R&D centers worldwide, with products sold in more than 160 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. TCL specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics ranging from TVs, mobile phones, audio devices and smart home products as part of the company's "AI x IoT" strategy. For more information on TCL mobile devices, please visit: http://www.tcl.com/global/en.html .

TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Alcatel is a trademark of Nokia used under license by TCL Communication.

SOURCE TCL Communication Technology Holdings Ltd.
Kiev, Feb 27 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine has successfully beat off "enemy attacks," but battles are ongoing across the country.

"We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks," Zelensky added on Saturday in a video message.

Battles are still ongoing in many cities and districts of Ukraine, said the President, Xinhua news agency reported.

"But we know that we are defending the country, the land, the future of children."
Colombo, Feb 27 : The Sri Lankan Central Bank presented the cabinet of ministers earlier this week a set of proposals to overcome the current foreign exchange and fuel shortages, local media reported.

Governor of the Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal presented the proposals at a special cabinet meeting convened to discuss solutions to the fuel shortages. The Central Bank recommends reducing the working days to four days a week and allowing employees, who are desk bound, to arrive at work at 9 a.m. and leave by 3 p.m.

The Central Bank has also recommended that the use of private vehicles must be discouraged and the government should launch a media campaign to encourage people to reduce the use of fuel, Xinhua news agency reported.

The proposals also recommend that the country's two main state-owned banks, the People's Bank and Bank of Ceylon, should stop issuing loans to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, and the price of fuel should be increased.
Abuja, Feb 27 : Nigeria will hold next presidential election on February 25, 2023, one week later than originally scheduled, the country's electoral body has announced.

Elections for the country's bicameral legislature will be held on the same date, Mahmood Yakubu, Head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told the media on Saturday in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Governorship and state legislature elections will be on March 11, 2023, also a week later than the original date, March 4, the INEC said.

On Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari signed an amended electoral act, ahead of 2023 general elections in the most populous African country, Xinhua news agency reported.

During a short signing ceremony at the State House in Abuja, Buhari said the re-worked electoral act holds a lot of promises for improving the election processes in Nigeria, with the introduction of new technology, and efforts to engender clarity and transparency.

The INEC said it decided to adjust the dates of the 2023 general elections to ensure compliance with the provisions of the new law.
Washington, Feb 27 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the US is offering $350 million worth of "lethal defensive" weapons to Ukraine to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian military operations.

Blinken on Saturday said in a statement that US President Joe Biden authorised him to decide on such a move, Xinhua news agency reported.

As such, he has authorised the Department of Defense to carry out the presidential drawdown, which will help Ukraine cope with "the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing." The Secretary said the latest sum was on top of the $60 million and $200 million immediate military aid to Ukraine that Biden delegated to him in 2021, bringing total US security support to the eastern European nation over the past year to more than $1 billion.
Beirut, Feb 27 : Lebanon and Algeria have signed two legal agreements on the extradition of criminals and judicial cooperation in the criminal field, the National News Agency reported.

The agreements constitute "a fruitful beginning of cooperation to boost ties between the two countries," Lebanese Justice Minister, Henri Khoury said on Saturday, adding "future bilateral agreements will develop for the benefit of the two countries." For his part, Algerian Justice Minister, Abdul Rashid Tabbi said the signed agreements provide a comprehensive framework that will protect the two countries from criminal threats, Xinhua news agency reported.

Tabbi also called for Arab justice Ministries to finance a fund created for the support of Lebanese judges amid the current economic crisis in the country.

Arab justice Ministers and diplomats gathered on Saturday in Lebanon to attend an award ceremony of the best doctoral thesis in the Arab world in the field of law and justice.
Beirut, Feb 27 : Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called on countries in the Arab world to help Lebanon overcome its unprecedented crisis, the Council of Ministers said in a statement.

He made the remarks on Saturday during a meeting with visiting Arab League Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit at the Grand Serail, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We are waiting for our Arab brothers to stand by Lebanon and spare our country the dangers by helping us bear the burdens that have exceeded our capabilities," the statement quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

Mikati added that his government is trying to solve Lebanon's multiple problems, but needs the great support of Arab countries.

For his part, Aboul-Gheit said Lebanon has taken a great role in the region in sparing no efforts to support every activity that enriches joint Arab action in all fields.

Lebanon is going through its worst financial crisis as the government has been incapable of adopting practical solutions because of differences among political parties on issues, such as the investigation into the Beirut port blasts and the diplomatic crisis with Gulf countries.
Kabul, Feb 27 : The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has expressed concerns over the safety of Afghan nationals in Ukraine as clashes between the Russian and Ukrainian troops entered day three.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Saturday said on Twitter that it was in close contact with several regional "governments and international organisations in this regard." The Islamic Emirate "is concerned for the safety of Afghan citizens and students in Ukraine and is utilising all available facilities and communication channels to safeguard its citizens and evacuate them to safety," MoFA's Spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said.

Russian troops launched an all-out attack on several cities of Ukraine, TOLOnews reported.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, said he is making diplomatic efforts to help the Afghan nationals stranded in Ukraine clashes.

"Over the past several days, the diplomats of Ukraine, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Sri Lanka are attempting to address the problems of the Afghan citizens and students in Ukraine," he said in a series of tweets.

As the clashes between Russia and Ukraine have been intensified, the concerns over the fate of the Afghans living in Ukraine are rising.

"We are concerned. There are problems in some cities including Kiev," said Shaharyar Waziri, a representative of the Afghan refugees in Ukraine.

"As the Islamic Emirate has a problem of recognition, the diplomats of the former government should lobby and ask countries such as Poland to reopen its border for the Afghans," said Hamid Aziz Mujadidi, a university instructor.

There is no information about the exact number of the Afghan nationals living in Ukraine. With Russia's attack on Ukraine, many world countries have evacuated their citizens.

"Through diplomatic sources and the Qatar-based political office, it (Islamic Emirate) needs to share the concerns at a high level and share it with the Foreign Ministry of Russia," said Naseer Ahmad Haidarzai, an international relations analyst.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
United Nations, Feb 27 : Reena Ghelani , the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Director in the operations and advocacy division -- who led a UN delegation that recently visited Kabul to assess the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan -- said that at least four million Afghan children are expected to be affected with malnutrition, of whom 137,000 will lose their life in 2022.

The delegation made the visit to Afghanistan after many Afghan citizens complained about the unfair distribution of aid provided by the UN agencies, TOLOnews reported.

"We report against our target and deliveries, and we need to be out there talking to people more and hearing their complaints -- we certainly need to hear if there are problems out there and this is part of the mission that we went on," Ghelani told TOLOnews in a special interview.

"...I spent most of my time and all of us... talking to Afghan people about those exact issues and hearing from them directly so that we can make sure that we are targeting correctly," she added.

Economists believe that giving direct cash to the people would help the Afghan economic system.

"If the aid was provided in cash, it would help the value of the Afghan currency and would solve the cash problems in the markets," said Abdul Naseer Rishtia, a university professor.

"The government should assess the aid provided by the UN. The contracts of the UN organisations should be shared (with the government) and the government must investigate it to see if the aid is provided to the people who deserve it," said Muzamil Shinwari, an Economist.

The UN delegation warned that at least 18 million Afghans are facing food insecurity and that nine million of them are in dire need of food.

"The time is now. We have no time to wait. We have to get the economy going and we need to give people hope today," Ghelani said.

With millions of Afghans suffering from several crises that have hit Afghanistan after the fall of the former government, the UK earlier announced that it will co-host a UN conference on the Afghan humanitarian situation.
Bhopal, Feb 27 : Generally the transgender community would be seen visiting houses and offices to get money ('badhai') at different festivals or traditional occasions, but a group of transgenders in Madhya Pradesh's Panna district have taken up the responsibility to run an Anganwadi centre.

According to Madhya Pradesh's Public Relation department, a group of transgenders have adopted an Anganwadi centre -- a child care facility.

For this, they (transgenders) have earned praises from the local people, district administration but also from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said a Public Relation department official on Saturday.

"A group of 'Kinnars' (transgenders) have adopted an 'Anganwadi kendra' -- a child care centre in Panna district. A first such kind of step has come up in the state," the officer told IANS.

The transgender community came forward to adopt an Anganwadi childcare centre, nearly a month after Chief Minister Chouhan during a visit to Panna district, had appealed people to adopt Anganwadi centres.

Earlier, Chouhan had appealed effluent and educated people to adopt Anganwadi centres to make them better.

A group of transgenders based in Panna district have come forward to adopt an Anganwadi centre and their initiative received praises.

Knowing about this initiative, the Chief Minister said, "Kinnar samaj's (transgender community) step to adopt an Anganwadi is praiseworthy and wonderful." Shabnam Bano, popularly known as Shabnam Mausi, was the first Indian transgender who was elected as the MLA in Madhya Pradesh.
Varanasi, Feb 27 : Nearly 41 prisoners and some unidentified persons have been booked for alleged violence in Varanasi jail.

The FIR was lodged on the complaint of jailor Virendra Kumar Tripathi under relevant sections of the IPC, Criminal Law Amendment Act and Prison Act.

Violence had erupted in the jail following the death of prisoner Rajesh Jaiswal due to cardiac arrest.

The inmates went on a rampage causing utter chaos in the district jail. They indulged in brick batting causing damage to the ambulance of the jail, among other things and also assaulted the prison guards.

Heavy police force was called in to bring the situation under control.

Rajesh, an accused in a case of alleged fraud, was arrested by Chetganj police in September 2021.
New York, Feb 27 : The US has said it is "okay" with India's "distinct" relationship with Russia and suggested it use its "leverage" with Moscow to protect a rules-based international order.

Speaking to reporters in Washington before the Security Council met in New York on Friday, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that India and Russia shared a relationship and Washington has asked every country with leverage to use it to uphold international norms.

India abstained on a Security Council resolution proposed by the US and its allies condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Asked if the aftermath of the Russian invasion has strained India-US relations, Price took a conciliatory approach in contrast to the rhetoric in the Security Council that came later in the day, saying that New Delhi's distinct relationship with Moscow is "okay".

He said, "We share important interests with India, we share important values with India", and added, "We know India has a relationship with Russia that is distinct from the relationship that we have with Russia. Of course, that is okay." While "we have a broad strategic partnership with India", he noted that the relationship India has with Russia is in "the defence and security sector".

"What we have asked of every country around the world is that they use that leverage to good effect to uphold those norms, those rules that have been at the centre, again, of unprecedented levels over the past 70 years of security, stability, and prosperity", he said.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Sunday to consider a resolution from the US and its allies calling for an emergency session of the General Assembly to take up the Ukraine crisis.

When a vote on that comes up, attention will be focused on India, which had abstained on a procedural vote involving the Ukraine issue last month and on Friday on the resolution condemning Russia.

Washington had placed a lot of importance on the Russia resolution and wanted to present a picture of global solidarity against Moscow.

While the three Asian countries on the Security Council -- India, China and the United Arab Emirates -- abstained, the resolution received 11 votes but was nullified by the veto of permanent member Russia.

US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield made the voting appear as a litmus of the countries' standings.

"There is no middle ground," said before the vote.

After the vote, she was critical of India, saying without naming it or the other two countries, "This vote showed which countries truly believe in supporting the core principles of the UN and which ones deployed them as convenient catchphrases. This vote showed which Security Council members support the UN Charter and which ones do not." Both Russia and the US had lobbied India to take their respective sides.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

"India has a relationship with Russia that we certainly don't have. India and Russia have a relationship, including in the defence and security sector, that we don't have. And again, we have asked every country that has a relationship, and certainly those countries that have leverage, to use that leverage in a constructive way," Price said.

While India has had historically close ties with Moscow and received the benefit of the Soviet veto during the Bangladesh War of Independence, India has moved closer to the US and the West in the post-Cold War era.

An important element of the ties with the US is India's membership of the Quad, a group that includes the US, Japan and Australia which face a common challenge from China.

Jaishankar attended the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Quad in Melbourne earlier this month and also held bilateral talks with Blinken.

Price said that during the bilateral meeting, Blinken shared "our fervent belief that countries around the world, especially those countries that have a level of influence, of clout, of leverage with the Russian Federation needed to use that to good effect, needed to use that to protect the rules-based international order." The rules-based international order, the core elements of which are respecting the sovereignty of nations and not resorting to aggression "worked to the benefit of the United States, that have worked to the benefit of our European allies, that have worked to the benefit of India and, quite frankly, have worked to the benefit of the Russian Federation over the course of some 70 years," Price said.

Asked if Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Moscow on the day Russia launched the invasion signalled a "realignment of forces," Price said, "We communicated to Pakistan our position on what was then the threat of a Russian invasion and what is now the ongoing Russian invasion against Ukraine." "Just as India does, Pakistan knows precisely where we stand on this. These are, again, rules, norms, guidelines that benefit India, Pakistan, the United States, and Russia as well," he added.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Lucknow, Feb 27 : The wife of a government doctor allegedly shot herself at her house, minutes after making a video call to her husband.

The incident took place on Saturday.

The victim, Anju Verma, 49, was a teacher at a government school in Barabanki and was undergoing treatment for depression. Her husband Sameer Verma is a radiologist at Balrampur Hospital.

The mother-in-law and sons of the deceased were present in their house in Indira Nagar, when she took the extreme step.

According to police, Anju made a video call to Sameer and told him that her disease would not be cured and she did not want to live anymore. She then disconnected the call abruptly.

She used Sameer's licenced revolver to shoot herself. Hearing the gungunshot, her mother-in-law reached the room and informed Sameer about the incident. Anju was rushed to the Trauma Centre of KGMU, where she was pronounced dead.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP), North Zone, Prachi Singh, said, "No suicide note was recovered from the scene and the body has been sent for autopsy. Investigation is underway." Anju was undergoing treatment for depression for the last two years, she said.

The ADCP added that after disconnecting the call, Anju took out the revolver which was kept in an almirah when her family members were not in her room.
Seoul, Feb 27 : North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Sunday.

The JCS said that it detected the ballistic missile launched from Pyongyang vicinity at 7:52 a.m. local time without providing any details, Xinhua news agency reported.

Following the latest test, South Korea's presidential office Blue House convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Council presided over by National Security Office chief Suh Hoon.

North Korea conducted seven missile tests in January, including a hypersonic missile on January 5 and January 11 each, two railway-borne short-range ballistic missiles on January 14, two tactical guided missiles on January 17, a long-range cruise missile on January 25, a surface-to-surface tactical guided missile on January 27 and an intermediate- and long-range ballistic missile on January 30.
Washington, Feb 27 : The White House has announced that the US, joined by European nations and Canada, will remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, the payment system used for most international financial transactions.

This is a major move to escalate the West's economic sanctions against Moscow for its ongoing military operations in Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.

The White House on Saturday said in a joint statement that in concert with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, UK and Canada, the US is supporting the expulsion of "selected Russian banks" from SWIFT "within the coming days", so as to "further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies." Kicking those Russian banks out of SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide, "will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," said the statement.

In addition, restrictive measures will be imposed to "prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves" in ways that undermine the impact of the Western sanctions, said the statement.

Measures will also be taken to limit the sale of the so-called "golden passports" to prevent "wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government" from becoming citizens of the aforementioned countries and to ensure that those individuals are unable to "gain access to our financial systems." The leaders of those countries also vowed to launch in this coming week a joint task force to enforce the implementation of the financial sanctions.

The joint statement also called on other governments to "detect and disrupt" the flow of those Russian elites' gains and deny their ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world.
Islamabad, Feb 27 : Police in Pakistan's east Punjab province have arrested four terrorists in separate operations in the provincial city of Lahore, sources said.

The counter-terrorism department of the province's police force launched the operations after getting on intelligence inputs regarding the presence of high-profile terrorists in their sleeper cells in the city, Xinhua news agency reported.

The terrorists were arrested on Saturday from their hideouts, and arms and ammunition were also seized, the sources told Xinhua news agency.

The arrested terrorists have been shifted to some unidentified place for further investigations.

Identities of the captured militants were not revealed, but the sources confirmed that they were members of a banned outfit.

The insurgents were involved in deteriorating the law and order situation in the country, and were planning further attacks, said the sources.

The Pakistani police and security forces have accelerated operations against terrorists in the wake of a new wave of terror activities in the country.
Agartala, Feb 27 : Even as growth has been impacted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Tripura Finance Minister and experts said that better GST collection and efficient resource mobilisation would boost the economic situation or at least normalise the position.

The latest report of Tripura's Economic Review (2019-20) said that the average annual growth rate in real terms or constant prices of the Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) for 2018-19 was 11.3 per cent. The growth rate declined in 2019-20 to 9.6 percent and is expected to further reduce to 5.9 per cent due to the lockdown and slowdown of the economy because of Covid-19 in 2020-21.

The report said that the expected growth in Per Capita Income is also affected due to the lockdown and the slowdown of the economy.

"Tripura has opportunities to augment investment from neighbouring country Bangladesh for further generation of income and employment opportunities," the Economic Review said.

It said that the various flagship programmes and central sector schemes along with more private sector investments especially in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry and forestry will definitely enhance production and the income of the people in Tripura.

Tripura Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who holds the finance, power and rural development portfolios, said that the state is currently in a comfortable position economically.

He said that the budget session of the Tripura assembly will begin on March 17 and a growth oriented budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year would be tabled in the House.

"Our government (BJP govt) had begun in March 2018 with a huge debt burden left by the previous Left government but with efficient resource mobilisation and better tax collection, the health of our economy is now much better compared to four years ago," Dev Varma told IANS.

Writer and economist Sekhar Datta said that saddled with a big debt burden and interest payment liability exacerbated by reduced devolution from the Centre, the Tripura government is planning to enforce a slew of cost control measures to keep the finances of the government steady.

He said: "As it is, the government had inherited a debt burden of Rs 11,000 crores from the previous government after coming to power in 2018 but over the past four years the debt burden rose sharply up to Rs 17,000 crores till March last year and if anything, this has risen further over the past year." Datta told IANS: "Ahead of the budget session of the state assembly a high level meeting to take stock of the FRBM (Financial Responsibility and Budget Management) was held earlier this week as per the central act of 2003 and an alarming picture emerged. What has rattled the financial administration of the state is the fall in devolution of central funds on grants-in-aid and even on centrally sponsored schemes." According to an action programme finalised in the recent meeting, the state government will curb expenses on many heads through specific measures, he said.

According to Datta they include austerity measures, avoidance of land acquisition for projects, outsourcing of service personnel should not be excessive, existing manpower for the same job to be declared surplus, mobilisation of extra-budgetary resources including off budget borrowing, revenue generation areas would be expanded.

Tripura University's (central varsity) Economics Department head Professor Indraneel Bhowmik is very optimistic about an improving economic situation in Tripura in particular and in the country in general.

"As the GST collection was better in recent times in the country, all the states including Tripura would be benefited with this positive development. More allocation in capital expenditure by the government would boost growth," he told IANS.

Bhowmik, however, said that if the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues instability would also persist. The world economies will be affected including India.

Tripura University's Economics Department Professor Dr Salim Shah said that prices of essential commodities even in the rural areas have increased manifold leading to harder living conditions for the common men.

"The unemployment rate increased hugely, economic activities slowed down and there is no clinical symptoms of better health for the economy during the Covid pandemic crisis period," Shah told IANS.

He said that agriculture is the prime growth sector till date, then electricity, gas and water supply, then construction. Services and trade are in a poor state till date.

"Growth rate of agriculture,forestry and fishing was 13.72 per cent in 2018-19 over 2017-18 and it has been maintained in 2019-20 at 13.87. However, the rate declined to 12.41 in 2020-21.

"The growth rate of secondary and industrial sector has continuously declined during the last three years -- from 15.86 per cent in 2018-19 over 2017-18 to 13.96 per cent in 2019-20 to only 8.57 per cent in 2020-21." Shah said that for trade, hotels and restaurants, growing sectors in Tripura in the recent past when the state started getting importance as an international business corridor, the growth picture is really gloomy for the last 3 years -- with growth rates of 12.52 per cent in 2018-19 to 11.13 per cent in 2019-20 to 5.10 in 2020-21.

The opposition Left parties however, blamed the state government for the deteriorating Tripura economy through bad governance and economic mismanagement.

The previous Left Front government's Finance Minister and veteran CPI-M leader Badal Chowdhury said that the BJP government as part of its economic mismanagement has incurred huge expenses in the non-productive sectors.

"Tripura (during the Left regime) was first among the few states in India that had enacted the FRBM. The Left Front government was always careful in curbing wasteful expenditure and had taken a series of measures to generate revenue without burdening the people," Chowdhury told IANS.

An official document said that agriculture and allied sectors have been playing a pivotal role in the Tripura economy.

There has been a continuously declining relative share of the industry and secondary sector over the years. Relative share of the secondary sector to the state's Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) has come down to 12.8 per cent from 24.1 per cent during the period from 2006-07 to 2015-16.

The composition and dynamics of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) also reveal the concern over employment generation and accommodation of the educated youth in gainful economic activities.

The adverse process of development of the state is well reflected through the respective compound annual growth rate of the various sectors -- 18.7 per cent for the primary sector, 10.6 per cent for the tertiary sector and 5.3 per cent only for the industrial sector during 2006-07 to 2015-16.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Jaipur, Feb 27 : Rajasthan has joined the list of states whose debts are hovering around a precarious level of 40% of the gross state domestic product (GSDP). However, government officials say that the states Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) has stayed under the permissible limit and a silver lining hence shall be seen soon.

Says Brijesh Kishore Sharma, director (Budget), Rajasthan government, "The FRBM in Rajasthan stays under permissible limit. There is no doubt that deficits have gone up and one of the reasons for the same is the Uday scheme. Had it not been there, revenue and fiscal deficits will not have surged. We have to pay interest of around Rs 8000 crore on loans we have taken under it. It is one of the major substantive reasons for rising deficits. Next, COVID has been one of the major reasons for shrinking revenues and rising expenditure. However, despite this pandemic challenge, we have kept the FRBM under the permissible limit. During normal times, the government has kept it at 3 per cent, then the govt increased it during the pandemic and hence we are under the permissible limit at 4.5." In the coming time, we can see a silver lining with normalcy returning. The virus impact is reducing and hence a boost to the economy is expected soon, he added.

The state government presented its annual budget recently.

As per this budget announcement, "The estimated fiscal deficit amounts to Rs 58 thousand 211 crore 55 lac which is 4.36% of the GSDP." The budget document says, "Fiscal variables (without COVID-19 effect) to Gross State Domestic Product in 2020-21 have touched 3.20 per cent while debt and other liabilities to Gross State Domestic Product in 2020-21 was 40.51%." It adds that "Fiscal deficit almost remains within touch of the FRBM Act, 2005 norms.

"If the effect of additional borrowing is excluded, then the fiscal deficit (without the COVID-19 effect) remains 32,468 crore which is 3.20 per cent of 37,654 crore (3.77 per cent) for the year 2019-20. Thus, the fiscal deficit almost remains within touch of the FRBM Act, 2005 norms," says the Economic Review 2021-22 document released by the state government.

In 2017, the FRBM panel suggested a ceiling for general government debt (both Centre and states) of 60% of GDP by FY23. And within this overall limit, a ceiling of 40% was adopted by the Centre, and 20% by the states. However, there Rajasthan is amongst those states whose aggregate debt reached a 15-year high of 31.3% of the GDP in FY21 and is seen to be at roughly the same level in FY22.

The respective budget estimates suggest that states with the highest debt-GSDP ratio in FY22 are Punjab (53.3%), Rajasthan (39.8%), West Bengal (38.8%), Kerala (38.3%) and Andhra Pradesh (37.6%).

State BJP president Satish Poonia told IANS, "The debt on Rajasthan has been continuously increasing under the Congress government's rule due to financial mismanagement. It has, in three years, increased by Rs 4.34 thousand crore; every person of the state is under a loan of Rs 52 000." "The Ashok Gehlot government alone took 25 per cent of the loans taken by all other governments during the last thirty years, which is affecting the governance of the state." Speaking on the latest budget, he said, "Debt to GDP ratio has increased to 59.03%. Also, fiscal deficit has increased to 4.36% which violates the FRBM limit of 3%.

The primary deficit has increased over the years. The state has failed in fiscal discipline and managing public finances. The interest payment has increased to Rs 28,83,811 lakh which is around 10 per cent of the total revenue expenditure of Rs 2,38,46,579 which is a cause of serious concern, he added.
Los Angeles, Feb 27 : Hollywood star Sean Penn, who is in Ukraine filming a documentary about Russia's invasion, released a statement after appearing at a press briefing in the capital of Kiev, where he listened to government officials talk about the crisis.

"Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn't relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind," Penn said.

"President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle. Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost." This week, Newsweek reported that "Penn has visited the Office of the President and spoken with deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk, as well as local journalists and members of the Ukrainian military".

The Office of the President issued a statement praising the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker, noting that the director had come to Kiev to record events that were unfolding in Ukraine "and to tell the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our country".

The documentary is a Vice Studios production in association with Vice World News and Endeavor Content. Penn last flew to Ukraine in November 2021.

He started preparing for his documentary by visiting with the country's military.

Penn's non-profit organisation Community Organised Relief Effort (CORE) was set up in response to the Haiti earthquake of 2010 and also deployed teams to aid with Covid testing and vaccines across the country.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : A radioactive waste disposal site near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv has been hit by a Russian airstrike, but the storage facilities were not damaged, officials say. A preliminary assessment found no evidence of a leak, BNO reported.

The incident happened at about 1.20 a.m. local time on Sunday when a radioactive waste disposal site of the State Specialised Enterprise "Radon" was hit by missiles.

"Notification was announced by telephone by Radon personnel, who are in the shelter", the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate (SNRIU) said in a statement. "It is currently not possible to assess the extent of the destruction." Officials later added that the storage facilities itself were not affected by the impact, BNO reported.

SNRIU said the automated radiation monitoring system at the site had failed, but measurements taken with portable devices in Kyiv found that radiation levels were normal. There is no threat to the public, the report said.

Earlier, a radiation spike had been recorded near Chernobyl's nuclear power plant which has been seized by Russian forces, BBC reported.

Invading Russian troops took control of the plant -- the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986 -- on Thursday, Ukraine said.

Radiation levels increased about 20-fold on Thursday, monitoring stations there reported, BBC reported.

But experts say another major nuclear disaster there is "extremely unlikely".

The rise was caused by heavy military vehicles stirring contaminated soil in the 4,000-sq-km (2,485 sq-mile) exclusion zone surrounding the abandoned plant, Ukraine's State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate reported.

The biggest spike was recorded close to the damaged reactor. Radiation levels are continuously monitored there -- measured as a dose that you would receive per hour in a location.

Close to the reactor, normally receive a dose of about three units -- called microsieverts -- every hour. But on Thursday, that jumped to 65 microSv/hrs -- about five times more than you would get on one transatlantic flight, BBC reported.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
United Nations, Feb 27 : The Security Council is to meet on Sunday in a hastily convened session to vote on a resolution to convene an emergency meeting of the General Assembly to take up the Ukraine crisis.

Attention will be focused on how India votes on the resolution after having abstained on the two previous Ukraine-related votes in the Council.

The office of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesperson said the Council will meet on Ukraine at 3 p.m. local time (Monday 1.30 a.m. in India).

At the meeting to be held in the aftermath of the Russian veto on Friday of a Council resolution condemning Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the US and its allies are expected to present a resolution for the 193-member General Assembly to take up the issue.

The resolution would be considered a procedural matter on which permanent members do not have a veto and is expected to pass easily.

After the Russian veto of the resolution condemning its invasion of Ukraine, US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield had said on Friday that a similar resolution would be presented to the Assembly.

Unlike in the Council, no country has veto power and a resolution condemning Russia and demanding that it withdraw its invading troops is almost certain to pass.

Only a simple majority of 97 votes will be required for it and it is expected to get at least that given the voting pattern in the Council where all the African and Latin American countries voted for the resolution there.

Only the three Asian countries, India, China and United Arab Emirates, abstained.

But several Asian countries that are not members of the Council backed it.

India had also abstained on a procedural vote in January on the Council considering the Russian threat to Ukraine.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)
New Delhi/Moscow, Feb 27 : Thousands of Russian customers have been barred from using Apple Pay and Google Pay services after the US imposed heavy financial sanctions on the country for invading Ukraine.

Customers at several banks in Russia reported they were unable to use their bank cards with Google Pay and Apple Pay.

According to a statement by Russia's Central Bank, customers of banks that fell under the sanctions (VTB Group, Sovcombank, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, Otkritie) will not be able to pay with cards of these banks abroad.

"Also, the cards of these banks will not be able to be used with Apple Pay, Google Pay services, but standard contact or contactless payment with these cards is available in full throughout Russia," the Central Bank informed.

Google Pay and Apple Pay aren't as popular in Russia as they are in the US, The Verge reported late on Saturday..

Russia's most popular mobile payment service was the Russia-owned Sberbank Online, followed by YooMoney (formerly Yandex Money) and QIWI, two other Russian payment service providers.

Last reported figures showed that 29 per cent of Russians use Google Pay while 20 per cent use Apple Pay.

The US has put sanctions on Sberbank and VTB Bank, two of Russia's biggest financial institutions, while the UK froze the assets of five Russian banks.

The White House has also announced that the US, joined by European nations and Canada, will remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, the payment system used for most international financial transactions.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Ukraine landed a significant blow on Russia after it allegedly killed a large group of bloodthirsty Chechen special forces dispatched to assassinate the country's president Volodymyr Zelensky, Daily Mail reported.

The armed group -- famed for their barbaric violence and human rights abuses -- are said to have been obliterated after their convoy of 56 tanks was blown to smithereens near Hostomel, just northeast of Kyiv, by Ukrainian missile fire on the second day of the Chechens' deployment. It is unclear how many died -- but the number is likely to run into the hundreds, the report said.

Among those said to have been wiped out was Chechen general Magomed Tushaev. He was commander of the 141th motorised national guard brigade -- Chechen head of state Ramzan Kadyrov's elite force, Daily Mail reported.

Tushaev had also been pictured with Kadyrov, in a measure of his importance to the Chechen regime, which shot to notoriety in the west for hunting down, torturing and killing gay men, Daily Mail reported.

Kadyrov is even believed to have visited his doomed squadron in a Ukrainian forest before their alleged deaths.

The terror squadron's reported killings are a crushing psychological blow for Vladimir Putin's stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. The Russian premiere had dispatched the group to capture or kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, knowing full well that the fighters' brutal reputation would strike further fear into the hearts of besieged Ukrainians, Daily Mail reported.
Russian forces hit 821 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects -- spokesman

Xinhua) 14:26, February 27, 2022

MOSCOW, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 821 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Saturday.

"In total, the Russian Armed Forces hit 821 military infrastructure objects of Ukraine. Among them: 14 military airfields, 19 control points and communication centers, 24 S-300 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 48 radar stations," Konashenkov said, according to a statement published by the ministry.

Seven combat planes, seven helicopters and nine drones have been downed, he said, adding that 87 tanks and other armored vehicles, 28 multiple launch rocket systems, and 118 special military vehicles have been destroyed.

"The Russian Navy destroyed eight military boats of the Ukrainian Navy," the spokesman said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Germany has announced that it would close its airspace to Russian aircraft amid Moscow's military action in Ukraine, thus joining a growing list of European countries that have already imposed restrictions on Russian airlines. Moscow has vowed a reciprocal response, RT reported.

Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure announced that Transport Minister Volker Wissing "supports the blocking of German airspace for Russian aircraft" and had "ordered everything to be prepared for this".

Additionally, German airline Lufthansa cancelled all upcoming flights to Russia and announced that "flights that are in Russian airspace" would "leave it again shortly", RT reported.

Germany is the latest in a string of European countries which have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft, including the UK, Poland, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic, among others.

Russia responded by closing its own airspace to the countries, the report said.

On Sunday, Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transport said the "unfriendly decisions of the aviation authorities of Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Estonia" had meant Russia would be introducing its own flight restrictions on those countries, the report said.

Germany also joined the European Commission, France, Italy, the UK, Canada, and the US on Saturday in announcing a new round of sanctions against Russia, revealing that "selected Russian banks" would be "removed from the SWIFT messaging system", the report said.

It was also reported that Germany would be sending anti-tank weapons and surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine "as soon as possible".
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The White House, along with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Canada, announced that they would expel certain Russian banks from SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world, pledging to "collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin", CNN reported.

"This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," they wrote in a joint statement released by the White House, also pledging "restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions," and restricting the sale of "golden passports" that allow Russian oligarchs to avoid the brunt of sanctions already levied.

The US and European officials have also discussed targeting the Russian Central Bank with sanctions, according to two people familiar with the talks, a step without precedent for an economy of Russia's size, CNN reported.

But the moves made for a dramatic escalation of the West's attempts to isolate and punish Putin, and appeared to come together quickly over the past hours and days. At a press conference Thursday, Biden was pressed on why he had avoided removing Russia from SWIFT or sanctioning Putin personally. Less than 48 hours later, he'd done both.

Targeting the central bank would strike at the heart of Putin's years-long efforts to insulate his economy from sanctions, CNN reported.
Seoul, Feb 27 : Senior South Korean and US government officials handling North Korea affairs had phone consultations on Sunday on Pyongyang's latest missile test, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and his American counterpart Sung Kim shared their assessments of the North's move and expressed "deep concern and regret," it said.

Earlier in the day, the North lobbed a ballistic missile into the East Sea in its eighth show of force this year, Yonhap news agency reported citing the South's military.

Noh and Sung agreed that the allies will maintain a firm combined defence posture and continue diplomatic efforts to engage North Korea in dialogue on the basis of their close coordination, the ministry added.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Russian forces have entered Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, local officials say, BBC reported.

The head of the Kharkiv regional administration, Oleg Sinegubov, said that light military vehicles had "broken into the city".

Prior to his statements, footage had appeared to show some Russian military cars driving around on the streets of the north-eastern city, BBC reported.

Sinegubov has urged residents to stay inside, saying Russian troops appeared to be in the city centre, BBC reported.

"Do not leave shelters! The Armed Forces of Ukraine are eliminating the enemy. Civilians are asked not to take to the streets." There are now reports of fighting in the streets of Kharkiv. Russian troops had broken into the city in the past hour, local officials say.

Social media footage appears to show some Russian units in the city. There are also pictures appearing to show at least two Russian "Tiger" vehicles on fire in the city, BBC reported.

Kharkiv officials this morning have warned locals to stay in shelters and off the streets.

A loud explosion was also heard earlier in the city, where a gas pipeline is said to have been hit.

Residential areas in Kharkiv were also attacked, according to emergency services. A woman was reportedly killed and dozens were evacuated from a nine-story building, BBC reported.

At least six civilian deaths were also reported in the town of Okhtyrka, north-eastern Ukraine, according to the region's mayor.
Patna, Feb 27 : Hasanpur MLA Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday launched 'Nyay Yatra' (campaign for justice) for his father and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad who is currently in jail in connection with the fodder scam.

Tej Pratap Yadav's youth wing Chatra Janshakti Parishad (CJP) is using e-rickshaws for the campaign to gain sympathy of people of Bihar. The members of CJP will travel in e-rickshaws in every block of their respective districts seeking "justice" for Lalu Prasad.

The e-rickshaws are decorated with the photograph of Lalu Prasad and a weighing scale 'taraju' with a caption 'Saja Nahi Shajish' (Conspiracy not punishment).

Though Tej Pratap Yadav had started several such campaigns in the state which were just limited to photo sessions, the members of CJP are claiming that as 'Nyay Yatra' is related to Lalu Prasad, it might achieve the aim.

"Opposition parties have conspired and sent Lalu Prasad to jail. We are reaching out to people of Bihar seeking support for a leader who always fought for the interest of marginalised sections of society," he claimed.
Even on the verge of elections in five states, Union Budget 2022 was surprising for its restraint in not resorting to populist measures. Yet, while much of the debate focused on whether the decision to expand capital expenditure (at the cost of revenue expenditure) was the right one in the current time, what has received relatively less attention are implications of the Union Budget on the fiscal health of the states.

The combined debt of states has reached a 15-year high of 31.3 per cent of the GDP in FY21 and is expected to be roughly at the same level in FY22. In view of the pandemic and consequent economic slowdown, the 15th Finance Commission expects the debt-GDP ratio to peak to 33.3 per cent this coming fiscal.

This is higher than the target of 20 per cent to be achieved by 2022-23 as per the recommendations of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, it needs to be seen in the context of the current crisis and the role of the Centre in stifling state finances.

In a federal country such as India, that too a relatively centralised one, the Centre's actions have a direct impact on states. A significant portion of the revenue of the states comes from the Constitutional responsibility of tax devolution to states by the Centre.

Yet, despite the increase in the state share of devolution to 42 per cent of the divisible pool by the 14th Finance Commission, a level that was retained by the 15th Finance Commission, the actual share of devolution of taxes has been lower. As a share of gross tax revenue, it stood at 29.8 per cent in Budget 2022. To put this into perspective, it was 28.7 per cent in 2011-12 (before the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations).

Part of the reason is the significant increase in cesses and surcharges. The Constitution provides for cess to be levied by the Centre, meant for specific heads of expenditure such as war or natural calamities. Yet, for some time now, it has become a go-to for the Centre to raise revenues -- increasingly being the basis of even social sector expenditure.

For health for example, in March 2021, the Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) -- a single non-lapsable reserve for the share of health from the proceeds of the 4 per cent Health and Education Cess in place since FY19.

The PMSSN is going to be used to fund the National Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, emergency and disaster preparedness during health emergencies, and any future programme aimed at progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or targets set by the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017.

Add to this the further constraining of state revenues with the implementation of the Goods and Service Tax (GST). The state's decision to give up their revenue-raising rights was legislatively protected for the transition period of five years (2017-2022) on the assumption of a constant annual growth of 14 per cent over the 2015-16 revenue base. Any shortfall was to be funded by the Centre through a compensation cess -- additional taxation on sin/luxury goods.

The economic slowdown in 2019-20 followed by the pandemic has meant a shortfall in cess collection. To compensate states, the Centre decided to borrow from the market and provide them as back-to-back loans to the states in lieu of compensation cess for shortfall in their revenues.

This has implications on the gross fiscal deficit of states. As noted by the latest RBI report on state finances, had the entire amount of compensation cess been given as grants, it would have improved states' revenue receipts.

Another example is the Centre's role in controlling borrowing by the states. Considering the pandemic, the Centre agreed to raise the borrowing limit of states to 4 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for 2022-23. This was based on the condition that 0.5 per cent of this would be on the states implementing power sector reforms.

There is no question that power sector reforms are needed, but given the current capacity of the states, this again may not have been the best way to do that.

Similarly, despite much hype on significant increases in capital expenditure in Budget 2022, part of the increase was because of an allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore to assist states to increase capital expenditure through a 50-year interest-free loan -- over and above the normal borrowings allowed to them.

This doesn't directly increase state liabilities, but it should be seen against the backdrop of Article 293 of the Constitution, according to which states need permission from the Centre to borrow if they are indebted to it. The increasing use of loans to states (interest-free as they may be) has a direct consequence on continuing the Centre's control over state borrowings.

Typically, states have been relatively more fiscally prudent -- the Centre's fiscal deficit target is estimated to be 6.9 per cent this year and projected to be 6.4 per cent in the coming fiscal, only declining to below 4.5% by 2025-2026. For states, the combined gross fiscal deficit has remained below the limit of 3% of the GDP limit since 2005-06, barring a few years.

Apart from external factors such as the global financial crisis in 2009-10 and the Covid-9 pandemic, a large part of the failure of the states to meet their fiscal deficit targets was the implementation of the Ujjwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme for the financial and operational improvement and revival of power distribution companies.

The 15th Finance Commission report pointed out that the impact of UDAY increased the total debt-GDP ratio in states from 22.6 per cent in 2011-12 to 24.3 per cent in 2016-17.

Even with respect to welfare provisioning, the decision by the Centre to expand welfare through Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) further adds a fiscal burden on states, which need to provide corresponding state shares. The Centre has consistently played a significant role in tying the hands of the states.

This is not to absolve states of all fiscal wrongdoings. The farm loan announcements during election time in the past played havoc on state finances. As per estimates, some of the current poll promises, including free electricity, basic monthly income, and so on, are likely to be fiscally unsustainable. For example, according to some reports, carrying out electoral promises with respect to electricity could cost Uttar Pradesh an annual financial burden of more than Rs 12,000 crore.

But the fiscal health of states must be seen in the context of the severe constraining of state revenues by the Centre and their own increasing expenditure responsibilities being increased by the pandemic. In the past, in the face of decreased revenue receipts, states imposed expenditure contraction to adhere to fiscal deficit targets. The first to be cut is usually development expenditure -- social security and welfare, education, rural development and housing.

The pandemic has meant that the revenue expenditure of states has increased sharply to expand measures to provide safety nets: from providing food grains at cost, cash transfer schemes, purchase of medical equipment, insurance covers, among others.

A recent RBI report on state finances has pointed out that several states have spent substantial additional funds for Covid-19 relief. In fact, three states, namely, Odisha, Kerala and Karnataka, had announced relief packages of more than Rs 20,000 crore amounting to 0.1 per cent of the GDP. This has resulted in a significant increase in revenue expenditure, further worsening the debt-to-GDP ratios in states.

With states now starting to put out their state budgets, all eyes will be on how they are able to balance their weakening fiscal health with their need to ensure that the basic needs of their citizens are met. Let's hope that states can find a better balance than the Centre.

(Avani Kapur is a Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, where she leads the Accountability Initiative.)
Moscow, Feb 27 : The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Sunday.

A total of 471 Ukrainian servicemen have been detained and will be sent to their families after paperwork, he added, Xinhua news agency reported citing Igor Konashenkov.

The Russian forces were instructed to resume their advance into Ukraine "in all directions" after Kiev refused to hold negotiations, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.

All units were ordered to mount an offensive in accordance with the operation plan, Igor Konashenkov said during a briefing Saturday.
Moscow, Feb 27 : Amid increased sanctions imposed on Russia over its military invasion into Ukraine, the Russian space agency has announced suspension of Soyuz rocket launches, the media reported.

Roscosmos has said that it is halting all cooperation with European partners on space programmes, Space.com reported.

Russia's Soyuz rockets are used by European launch provider Arianespace to launch satellites from the Guiana Space Center near Kourou, French Guiana in South America.

The recent Soyuz rocket to launch from Guiana Space Center lifted off on February 10 carrying 34 OneWeb internet satellites.

Russia has been working closely with US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) on various space projects.

However, following invasion into Ukraine, Russia has been met with several sanctions threatening the long standing space partnerships.

"In response to EU sanctions against our enterprises, Roscosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners in organising space launches from the Kourou cosmodrome and withdrawing its personnel, including the consolidated launch crew, from French Guiana," Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said in a Twitter statement on Saturday, according to a translation from Russian.

According to a second Twitter statement from Roscosmos, Russia is also recalling 87 Russian workers from French Guiana who support Soyuz rocket launches for Roscosmos and the Russian companies NPO Lavochkin, Progress RCC and TsENKI, the report said.

Roscosmos' announcement will also likely delay Arianespace's next Soyuz launch of Galileo navigation satellites into orbit for the European Union's Galileo constellation. The satellitesA were scheduled for early April, the report said.

But, Russia's decision to halt Soyuz launches with Europe will not interrupt any services for users of the Galileo satellites or of the EU's Copernicus Earth observation satellite programme, Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Space, was quoted as saying in a statement.

"I confirm that this decision has no consequences on the continuity and quality of the Galileo and Copernicus services," Breton said.

"Nor does this decision put the continued development of these infrastructures at risk." Arianespace, based in France, also uses its own European Ariane 5 heavy-lift rocket and Vega rocket for smaller launches from French Guiana.

Breton noted that the EU and its member states are "ready to act decisively" in order to "protect these critical infrastructures in case of aggression", and that it will "continue to develop Ariane 6 and Vega C to ensure Europe's strategic autonomy in the area of launchers".

The ESA has been working closely with Russia's space programme to launch the European ExoMars rover mission to Mars later this year.

Further, Rogozin also announced on Saturday that it was "inappropriate" for any continued participation of the US in the Russian Venus mission. It was slated to launch sometime in the 2020s, the report said.

Earlier, NASA had asserted that civil cooperation between the US and Russia in space, particularly with regard to the International Space Station (ISS), will continue.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Seoul, Feb 27 : The South Korea's presidential National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday expressed "grave regret" over North Korea's launch of a "ballistic missile", calling for Pyongyang to immediately stop acts that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula.

National security adviser Suh Hoon presided over the NSC meeting, shortly after North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile that marked the North's eighth show of force this year, Yonhap news agency reported.

South Korea's military said the North's ballistic missile flew around 300 km at an altitude of 620 km.

NSC members "expressed deep concern and grave regret over North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile today, despite the fact that South Korea and the US have made joint efforts for a diplomatic solution," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.

"Firing a ballistic missile at a time when the world is striving to resolve the war in Ukraine is not desirable for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, region and the world," the NSC said.

The NSC also called for North Korea to swiftly respond to offers for dialogue by South Korea, the US and the international community, according to the statement.

The North's latest launch came at a sensitive time for South Korea, which is set to hold a presidential election on March 9.

The NSC emphasised that it will make utmost efforts to protect security ahead of the presidential election.

In January, the North conducted seven rounds of missile tests, including an intermediate-range ballistic missile launch.

Some analysts have said North Korea could engage in more provocative actions down the road as it issued a veiled threat last month to lift its yearslong self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests.

North Korea appeared to have refrained from missile tests during the recently concluded Winter Olympics in Beijing, its traditional ally and key economic supporter.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the role of Indian scientists in the fight against Covid-19 was praiseworthy and due to their hard work, it was possible to manufacture the 'Made in India vaccine'.

"Today, I will like to praise the role of Indian scientists in the fight against Corona, and because of their hard work, the manufacturing of 'Made in India vaccines' was possible which gave a great relief to the world. This is the gift of science to humanity," he said in his 86th episode of the monthly radio address of 'Mann Ki Baat'.

Talking about the 'National Science Day' on February 28, he said that this day is also known for the discovery of the Raman Effect. "Along with CV Raman ji, I pay my respectful tribute to all the scientists who have contributed significantly in enriching our scientific journey," he said.

Modi also said technology has secured an important place in our lives in the realm of ease and simplicity. "Which technology is good and what is the better use of that technology, we are well acquainted with all these subjects. But, it is also true that the basis of that technology, the underlying science, is something that we neglect in conveying to the children in our families," he said.

On this Science Day, I urge all the families to definitely start with small efforts to develop a scientific temperament in their children, the Prime Minister said.

"Now, for example -- poor vision... after wearing glasses, vision improves with clarity... children can easily be explained on the science behind it. It's not that one should restrict oneself to just looking at the glasses and enjoying. Now you can simply explain to the child on a small piece of paper," he added.

Referring to the various mobile applications, he further said that nowadays, there are also many apps through which the children can locate the stars and planets, or can identify the star which is visible in the sky and can also know about it. "I will also tell our startups that you should employ your skills and scientific character in the work related to nation-building. This is also our collective scientific responsibility towards the country. Like, nowadays I see that our startups are doing very well in the world of virtual reality and in the era of virtual classes, one such virtual lab can be designed keeping children in mind." "We can also make children experience a chemistry lab sitting at home through virtual reality and request the teachers and parents to encourage all the students and children to ask questions and together with them find the right answers to those questions," Modi added.
Ghazipur/Varanasi, Feb 27 : Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Mahendra Nath Pandey has launched a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, saying that the previous SP governments gave open support to terrorists.

In an exclusive interview to IANS, Pandey, Lok Sabha MP from Chandauli, spoke on various issues, including the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the electoral battle in Purvanchal (eastern UP) as well as political claims made by Akhilesh Yadav.

Here are some excerpts from the interview: Q. At the start of the UP election campaign, the BJP cornered Akhilesh Yadav on improved law and order situation. But later suddenly raised terrorism as a major issue. Why? A. Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav's governments openly supported terrorists, so it is our duty to raise this issue before the people. It is a fact that several leaders of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress openly shielded terrorists.

Of the 38 accused persons sentenced to death in the 2008 Ahmedabad blast case, six belong to Azamgarh and out of them two have direct links with the Samajwadi Party. The previous SP governments led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav lifted the ban on a terror organisation like the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and withdrew terror cases against its activists. What does this indicate? Q. How do you see SP posing a challenge to the BJP in areas where elections are due, especially in Purvanchal? A. After becoming MP from Azamgarh, Akhilesh Yadav has visited his constituency only twice. He has not even spent money from his MPLAD fund. He considers Azamgarh like a princely state. Both Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav played partisan politics with the development of Purvanchal.

The BJP has built the Purvanchal Expressway and has undertaken many development projects here. In 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won only one seat in Azamgarh but this time it is going to win four to five seats here.

Q. If you claim to win four to five seats in Azamgarh, then what is your analysis for the entire state? A. The BJP will form a strong and decisive government again in Uttar Pradesh by winning more than 300 seats and is going to provide the benefits of the double-engine government (that is, BJP government in the state and at the Centre) to the people of the state.

Q. But Akhilesh Yadav has claimed that the SP has already won more than 100 seats in the first two phases of the state election? A. Akhilesh Yadav can say anything... who can stop him from making such claims. He might score a century by both bowling and batting, but after the election results on March 10, he will know the reality.

Q. In 2014 and 2017 you used to say that people of all parties are joining the BJP, but this time that is not the case.

A. You are talking about two leaders quitting the BJP but you must keep in mind that many more have joined the party. Former Congress leaders R.P.N. Singh, Jitin Prasada have recently joined the BJP. They joined my party quitting the SP, BSP and the Congress to serve the country and felt that they can work together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda, Yogi Adityanath and the BJP for the betterment of the society. This has further strengthened the party.

Q. Be it former cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya, Om Prakash Rajbhar or other former BJP leaders who have left the party, all of them are claiming to make a dent to the BJP? A. Those who have left the party have only harmed themselves. BJP gave a ticket to Swami Prasad Maurya's son twice even though he lost elections but what happened to him in the Samajwadi Party? He kept pleading to the Samajwadi Party for a ticket to his son but was refused.

He even had to choose another Assembly seat, which clearly shows his plight. As far as Om Prakash Rajbhar is concerned, he is going to lose both the seats by a big margin. His son is going to lose the deposit this time. The community which he claims to belong to is standing firm with the BJP.

Q. Despite being a tall leader from the Brahmin community, allegations are that the Brahmin community is upset with the BJP.

A. Look, the Brahmin community is not angry with the BJP. The opposition parties are raising such issues deliberately to counter the popularity of the BJP, so this allegation has fallen flat.

Till the fourth phase of elections, brahmins have voted unanimously for the BJP and also encouraged others to vote for the party. They are happy with the work done by Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Q. The last few phases are a big test for the BJP in your area (Purvanchal). What are your expections? A. In eastern UP, BJP had performed exceptionally well in 2017 and the NDA alliance will perform even better this time because my party has fulfilled the promises it had made.

Cultural, social and developmental works which have far-reaching effects, whether it is the construction of a grand temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, Vishwanath Dham Corridor and Maa Vindhayavasini Corridor, all these development projects benefit thousands of devotees across the country and the world. But especially in Purvanchal, it is the centre of religious, spiritual as well as economic development. The people of Purvanchal are very excited about this development and people here will vote in favour of BJP in large numbers.

Q. But what about rebel candidates in eastern UP? A. The BJP is a party of workers. The sitting BJP MLA from Mughalsarai is a respected party worker and the candidate who got the ticket is also our party worker. Everyone is working together in the campaign, the talks of rebellion are now over and the party will win with a big margin of votes.

Q. What is a Varanasi model and why is BJP so confident about it? A. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated his life for the progress of the society. The development happens by taking along all the people of the society. This model has been presented by the Modi-Shah duo but the caste-based and dynastic parties are not able to come to terms with this reality. Even today opposition parties are not able to rise above caste lines, muscle power and family-ruled politics.

Q. But despite the Varanasi development model, BJP is raking up the Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura issue? A. It is our duty to tell our achievements to the people. The opposition must tell what work they had done when they were in power? The opposition has supported and encouraged dreaded gangsters such as Mukhtar Ansari, Atiq Ahmed, corrupt leaders like Azam Khan and organised Saifai party functions.
Chennai, Feb 27 : Actress Amy Jackson, who has acted in several Tamil films including the Rajinikanth-starrer '2.0', has urged people to help children who are suffering in Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion.

On Instagram, the actress posted pictures and a video clip from the New York Times that showed newborns moved from a Ukrainian hospital's neonatal Intensive Care Unit into a makeshift bomb shelter.

The shelter, the video said, was on the lower level of the hospital's building in Dnipro, a city that was the target of Russian missile strikes.

Posting a picture that read, 'The children of Ukraine need peace, desperately, now', the actress wrote. I can not even begin to imagine what the children, parents and people of Ukraine are going through. We are with you Ukraine. Urgent funds are needed... Please donate through the link in my bio." Amy Jackson, who made her debut in Tamil cinema with director Vijay's Madrasapattinam, went on to become one of the top actresses in the Tamil industry. The British actress has played the female lead in a number of Tamil hits including the Dhanush-starrer 'Thanga Magan', the Vijay-starrer 'Theri' and the Vikram-starrer 'Thaandavam'.
Los Angeles, Feb 27 : Ukrainian film and TV bodies have begun calls for a boycott of Russian media and the severing of business ties with Russian entities.

Russia's film and TV industry has been steadily growing in recent years, with events such as the Key Buyers Event -- an annual content showcase organised by Russian film promotion body Roskino -- drawing 200 international buyers last year.

Now, many of those relationships will be tested on a global stage as Ukraine's media organisations ask for a boycott of all business dealings with Russia, reports variety.com.

The organisers of Kiev Media Week, a 10-year-old international film and TV market serving Eastern Europe, has called for a ban on Russian propaganda.

In a letter issued widely on Saturday to international media, including 'Variety', the group asked supporters of Ukraine to stop broadcasting any Russian channels from their respective countries.

"Putin's regime escalated the current war with all the weapons available, which means the media sphere to be a battlefield worldwide," reads the letter.

"Therefore, we call on the international media community to resist the poisonous russian (sic) propaganda and unite the efforts to switch off russian (sic) TV broadcasting in your countries." Kiev Media Week organisers have thrown their support behind Ukraine's Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, which on Saturday revealed plans for a unified media strategy across all of Ukraine.

In a bid to ensure "reliable and truthful information relating to Russia's war against Ukraine", media groups including 1+1 media, StarLightMedia, Media Group Ukraine and Inter Media Group have begun broadcasting a single newscast called 'United News'.

"We objectively and promptly provide comprehensive information from different regions of the country 24/7," reads the statement. "We are ready to provide TV providers with our signal, and thus, ask you to help spread this information." The group has asked its partners to "turn off all Russian news channels so that Russia's outright propaganda does not go beyond Russia itself." Supporters are asked to block or turn off the broadcast of these channels on European satellites.

The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy has also asked YouTube to block Russian TV channels on the platform.

These channels include First Channel, Star, TNT, Russia Today and Ren TV. "All of them are tools of Russian propaganda, on which the Kremlin fakes and disinformation are broadcasted," reads a statement on the ministry's verified Facebook page.

"Consuming information from them is dangerous for infoprostoru and Ukraine, and the whole world." Elsewhere, the Ukrainian Film Academy, speaking on behalf of the country's film community, has also issued a separate call for a ban on Russian cinema through a series of six requests.

The group, which has begun a Change.org petition, asks the European Council to exclude Russia from the Eurimages cinema fund and to terminate all co-production agreements.

It also asks festivals to bar Russian-made or co-produced movies. The International Federation of Film Producers Associations has been asked to prohibit accreditation for the Moscow International Film Festival.

The group is also asking producers to terminate any business dealings with "business entities of the Russian Federation" and "not to transfer intellectual property rights to any films to the territory of the Russian Federation".

Meanwhile, distributors are being asked to examine their contracts with the Russian Federation. "The films are illegally distributed to the legal territory of Ukraine, namely: the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea, and the so-called 'DPR' and 'LPR.' By issuing such licenses (in particular, making kmd keys for cinemas), you are in fact violating Ukrainian sovereignty." Finally, members of the CEPI (the European Audiovisual Production Association) Dond CFP-E (European Federation for Commercial Film Producers) have been urged to "cease any cooperation with audiovisual producers who support aggression against Ukraine, in particular the distribution of audiovisual works in the member countries with the participation of actors and public figures supporting the russian crime".

Ukrainian forces are bracing for a second night of Russian attacks on the capital. The invasion has so far killed 198 Ukrainians, according to recent figures from the BBC.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Hyderabad, Feb 27 : First batch of 15 students of Telangana, who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, reached here on Sunday.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport as parents and other family members received the students who landed here from Mumbai.

These students were part of 218 evacuees, who reached Mumbai on Saturday night by the first evacuation flight of Air India, which had taken off from Bucharest.

Officials from the Telangana government received the students at Hyderabad Airport. Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, Vikas Raj and MLA Prakash Goud were among those who welcomed the students.

The students thanked the government of India and the state government for ensuring their safe evacuation.

They said they crossed the border to reach Romania and from there they boarded the flight. The students said the Indian embassy and the authorities of their universities rendered all the assistance for their return.

"We were in the west side of Ukraine which is a safe zone as the war happening on eastern side. We crossed the border to reach Romania by bus. We were somewhat scared but thanks to the efforts of the Indian embassy and our university authorities, we reached Romania safely and from there boarded the flight," said one of the students.

The students said their friends remained stranded. Some were still in hostels while some were in bunkers. Another student said many students could not come back due to high travel charges ranging from Rs 70,000 to Rs 90,000.

Minister for industries and information technology K.T. Rama Rao expressed happiness over arrival of the first lot of students from Ukraine. "We are receiving multiple requests from parents and students. Will ensure all of them are attended to as early as possible," he said.

According to officials at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi, a total of 23 students from the state have returned to India. Some more students will be reaching Hyderabad later in the day.
Kolkata, Feb 27 : A mother in Barasat, near Kolkata, received a frantic call from her son stranded in war-hit Ukraine. "I'm stuck inside a bunker on our college campus," the young man whispered into the mobile.

Abanti Bhadra got the call from her son Anindya, who is studying in a medical college at Vinnytsia in west-central Ukraine.

For the last seven days, the anxious parents were updated with the developments of the war-like situation in Ukraine. Anindya was hopeful that Russia would not invade Ukraine, but all that changed in the last three days as Russia hit Ukraine with its full military might.

Anindya told his mother that the small town of Vinnytsia wore a deserted look with only a few people seen in queues in front of shops to stock up their daily groceries.

Warning sirens sounded in and around the town. The students inside the medical college campus started calling up their parents to take advice as to how to get out of the war zone.

Anindya, 21, sent photographs from the bunker, and told his mother to show them to his father too.

Many stranded students have already reached India with the help of the Indian Embassy in Ukraine; many more are trying to leave the country as soon as possible.

Shibani Biswas, mother of Tiyasa Biswas, another medical student stranded in Ukraine, advised her daughter to move towards the Poland border in a rented car. But 14 km ahead of the border, their car was not allowed to advance. So, they resume the long journey on foot.

Anubhav Chandel, another student from Dum Dum near Kolkata, is also trying to reach the Poland border with four of his friends. Chandel said, "The journey may be risky but we want to get out of this nightmare." A few days back, a meeting was held between the students and the professors of the medical college to take stock of the situation and make the foreign students aware of the future course of action on the basis of ground reality.

An Indian Embassy advisory said that Indian nationals, especially students living close to the Romanian and Hungarian border checkpoints, are being advised to depart first in an organised manner, in coordination with teams from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Anindya's parents are in touch with the state control room opened by the West Bengal government to help evacuate stranded people from the war-hit country.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27 : The first batch of 11 students from war-torn Ukraine reached the safety of their homes at Kochi airport where they were received by parents, friends, and Kerala government officials. Four students from Ukraine have reached Kozhikode airport also. According to Kerala government sources, 83 Keralite students have reached New Delhi and Mumbai.

Athira, a student who arrived from Kiev while speaking to IANS said, "We thank the Indian embassy for the evacuation and bringing us safely home. We expect all the stranded students in Ukraine to be brought back home at the earliest and hope that the Government of India will do that with immediate effect. We faced several ordeals within the bunkers without food and water and thank god for the safe return home." A second-year student, Athira told IANS that her academics will not be affected as classes will continue online and practicals will be conducted once the students are back in Ukraine.

The parents of several students were seen hugging their children at Kochi International airport.

Naveen, a student from Ukraine who is in the third year of MBBS, told IANS, "I thank the Prime Minister and Government of India and the Union Minister, V. Muraleedharan for bringing us back to our home state safely. I will return back to Ukraine once the situation becomes normal." Officer on Special Duty to the Kerala government in New Delhi and retired IFS officer, Venu Rajamony appealed to students from Kerala in Ukraine not to travel towards border cities of Ukraine unless they receive a message from the Indian Embassy there.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : There are signs that Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine is not quite going as per the plan, The Guardian reported.

It is too early to describe the Kremlin's operation to seize and subjugate Ukraine as a failure. The war has only just started. Putin may yet prevail. The Russian military enjoys overwhelming superiority over Ukraine's armed forces. It has numerous combat aircraft, a vast navy and 1,50,000 deployed troops, the report said.

And yet by Saturday, it was clear Putin's blitzkrieg operation to remove Ukraine's pro-western government had run into unexpected difficulties. Evidently, there were logistical issues. Re-supplying troops in a vast enemy country was proving a challenge, The Guardian reported.

So was seizing Kyiv, Ukraine's defiant capital, home in normal times to three million people. The Kremlin's original plan, according to Ukrainian intelligence, was to encircle the city with land forces and, during a night operation, to fly in 5,000 elite paratroopers.

They would storm the Mariinsky presidential palace, detain or kill Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and take control over key government buildings, including the foreign and defence ministries. Having mopped up resistance, and arrested key figures, Moscow would install a pro-Russian puppet administration.

This has not happened. Instead, Kyiv remained under government control this weekend after Ukrainian forces repulsed a series of attacks, the report said.

Meanwhile, Russian parachutists who tried to seize an airfield in the city of Vasylkiv, as a bridgehead to grab Kyiv, were beaten back.

There are also numerous interviews with Russian soldiers who have surrendered. On Thursday, Kremlin forces captured Sumy, 60km from the Russian border. By Saturday, however, locals appeared to have taken some of the city back, and to have captured a young Russian conscript, who appeared dazed and confused, The Guardian reported.

The invasion has caused a vast human exodus, with tens of thousands seeking refuge in the west of the country and beyond. It has also prompted a wave of patriotic feeling. From Lviv to Dnipro in the centre and Kharkiv in the east, volunteers have been picking up weapons, making molotov cocktails or removing road signs to confuse the invaders.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that women in India are reaching new heights in different fields and they are dispelling old myths.

Referring to the International Women's Day on March 8, he said that the women in the country have taken the lead everywhere whether it is Skill India, Self Help Group, small or big industries.

"From Parliament to Panchayat, women are reaching newer heights in different fields. In the Army too, daughters are now taking responsibilities in new and bigger roles and are protecting the country," he said in his monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat'.

He also said that on Republic Day in January, the daughters were flying modern fighter planes. The country also lifted the restrictions on the admission of daughters in Sainik Schools, and daughters are taking admissions in those schools all over the country, he added.

Noting that in the recent years, thousands of new startups began in the country and about half of these startups have women in director roles. "In the recent past, decisions like increasing maternity leave for women have been taken. The country is trying to give equal rights to sons and daughters by fixing a common age for marriage," Modi said further.

"All these major changes happened because of our social campaigns like the success of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'... today the sex ratio in the country has improved while the number of girls going to school has also improved and now it is our responsibility that our daughters do not drop out of school," PM Modi said.

Similarly, women in the country have got freedom from open defecation under the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' while the social evil like triple talaq is also coming to an end, he further said.

"Ever since the law against triple talaq has come into being, there has been a reduction of 80 per cent in triple talaq cases in the country. This change is coming because women themselves are now leading the change and progressive efforts in our country," Modi said.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Vladimir Putin, an amateur historian, had forgotten one of the great lessons of the second world war -- that the best Soviet soldiers were Ukrainian, commentators have noted, The Guardian reported.

Ukrainian officials have pointed to the increasingly erratic behaviour of Putin himself. Speaking before the invasion, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official said Russia's president lived in a strange parallel reality. He had succumbed -- like dictators before him -- to believing his own version of the world, the report said.

"Putin thinks that Ukraine's government is corrupt, western and irredeemably Russophobic," the official said.

"He understood the Ukrainian people, by contrast, would welcome Russia and intervention. He considers us to be rural Russians." Putin's spy agencies had told him what he wanted to hear, he added, The Guardian reported.

The official continued: "We have always understood Russians better than they understand us." Other commentators noted that Putin, an amateur historian, had forgotten one of the great lessons of the second world war -- that the best Soviet soldiers were Ukrainian, The Guardian reported.

It is impossible to know if there is growing unhappiness within Putin's national security council over the decision to go to war. On the eve of the invasion last week all of its members signed off on Putin's plan to recognise the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics as independent, an act that pushed the button on military action, the report said.

Western defence attaches have claimed that Valery Gerasimov, Putin's most senior commander and the chief of the general staff of Russia's armed forces, had warned the president that invading Ukraine might not be straightforward. And so it has proved. For now, though, Russia's military and political leadership are firmly behind the operation.
Kanpur : , Feb 27 (IANS) A CRPF jawan's wife, who went missing five days ago from Panki Ratanpur Colony in Kanpur, was strangled to death by her lover.

The woman's body was found dumped in a drain located near Bhaupur Maitha of Kanpur Dehat and the accused has been arrested.

CRPF jawan Inderpal had gone to Mainpuri for election duty, while his wife Geeta Devi, 34, was at home.

On February 20, Inderpal made a call on his wife's mobile phone, but it went unanswered. Apprehending something untoward, he informed the Panki police who reached his house and found that the victim was not at home.

Inderpal returned home on February 21 and lodged a missing complaint with the police station.

Investigations began and when the police checked the call detail record of the woman's mobile, the last call was received from a person named Mukhtar, a car mechanic and a resident of Rura Jamalpur area of Kanpur Dehat.

When the police grilled him, he confessed to his crime. Mukhtar told the police during interrogation that he had a love affair with Geeta. He was upset these days, as Geeta had started talking to someone else.

Mukhtar took her for a drive, strangled her to death and threw the body in the drain.

Police station in-charge Anjan Kumar recovered the body from the drain in Bhaupur Maitha area.

According to the police station in-charge, it also came to the fore that apart from Mukhtar, two other people were also present in the car. "Now, we are trying to trace two other aides who helped Mukhtar in eliminating Geeta," he said.
Chennai, Feb 27 : Actress and 'Bigg Boss Tamil' participant Samyuktha Shanmuganathan has announced that she is a part of director Sundar C's upcoming family entertainer which is now being shot in Ooty.

Taking to Instagram, Samyuktha, who shot to fame after her participation in the Tamil television reality show 'Bigg Boss (Tamil)', said, "I'm so happy and grateful to be a part of such an amazing team captained by our Sundar C sir along with our incredibly handsome heros Jiiva, Jai and Srikanth and our pretty darlings DD Neelakandan, Aishwarya and more of our fantastic crew. Ooty. Shooting in progress.This is going to be sooo lit." The yet-to-be-titled family entertainer is being produced by director Sundar C's wife, actress Khushbu.

Only recently, actress and anchor Divya Darshini, popularly known as DD, had announced on social media that she had joined the sets of the family entertainer.

On Twitter, DD said, "Ooty, family drama, brothers & sister play, confusion and comedy. Idelam sonnale you will know who is the master. Yes, happily part of Sundar C sir's film along with our handsome heroes Jiiva sir and actor Jai. Wait for the gala family entertainer soon."
Srinagar, Feb 27 : Nature shapes every creature and it is impossible to remain insulated from modifications when the climate is changing globally. Even the famous saffron and walnuts of Kashmir could not escape this law of nature. Only knowledge, attitude and practice -- these three steps are crucial to bring in a positive result.

Jammu & Kashmir, with its immense potential for the productivity, quality, and expansion of horticulture crops such as saffron and walnuts, can act as a catalyst for the growth of these crops in India.

The results achieved would be beneficial not only for these agricultural production sectors, but it could also serve as a model for other parts of the world to adapt to climate change with the right policies and measures adopted in its cultivation and production to counter the effects brought on by climate change.

Jammu and Kashmir is a region enriched with various agricultural production, which is also the predominant sector of its economy, supporting nearly 80 per cent of the population. Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh are the three agro-climatic zones; each has its own unique geo-climatic conditions that influence cropping patterns and productivity (J&K Development Report).

Climate change has brought in significant changes in the production and quality of these crops and in the lives of farmers who rely on these crops' produce. According to the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Jammu and Kashmir's Annual publication 2013-14, climate change has affected the production of major crops in the region such as rice, maize, wheat, barley, pulses, and oilseeds, along with various fruits.

The low precipitation and high temperature due to the rapid increase in the temperature due to climate change have brought down the produce and market of horticulture crops.

Two horticulture crops -- saffron and walnut -- are suffering due to the adverse impact of climate change.

Pampore, a small town known as India's "saffron town/capital", has suffered badly due to climate change. Jammu and Kashmir is the major production state of walnut in India, but its production has decreased due to the region's high temperature and less rainfall.

Comprehensive knowledge of the causes and management strategies for various physiological disorders in tropical and subtropical fruits will not only help fruit growers produce higher-quality fruit, but it will also help researchers come up with new ways to control these disorders through biotechnological interventions, breeding strategies, or understanding the physiological basis to overcome them.

The threat of climate change can be converted by innovative research methods in agriculture, such as the development of heat-tolerant cultivars and adjustment in production system management.

To overcome the challenges and issues brought in the agricultural sector by climate change, from sensitisation and awareness on the topic to innovative research & technology can be helpful and bring back the lost production and quality of a crop.

Once the knowledge is gained and passed on, all the stakeholders involved, from the local community to policymakers, adopt a certain acknowledgment attitude. Everyone involved would then do the practice of adapting to new changes and bringing in the new methods adopted to counter/reduce the effect of climate change damage on these crops.

Acknowledging the adversarial effect of climate change on agricultural production should be the first step in overcoming the challenges. Once we recognise the differences, we will be at a better stage to develop the solutions. Getting stakeholders' attention to the growing challenges can help establish policies and measures that can produce desirable results when implemented efficiently and effectively. The best methods such as greenhouse technologies, and developing heat-tolerant measures could save the agriculture and horticulture crops. Still, acknowledging the issues and challenges posed by climate change is essential before these practices.
Bengaluru, Feb 27 : Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that measures are being taken to bring the remaining students stranded in Ukraine back home safely.

Speaking to media persons after paying floral tributes to former Chief Minister K.C. Reddy's statues on his death anniversary on Sunday, Bommai said, the students who were in the western part of Ukraine have arrived in India through Romania. They are being brought to Bengaluru from Mumbai and Delhi. Disaster Management department is taking care of their travel and other needs to reach home.

"We are in constant touch with the Union Minister for External Affairs to bring the remaining students back safely," he said.

"Helplines set up by the Union and State governments are in touch with the students and their parents. Most of the students are stranded in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. The war is going on in the same region," he said.

Most of the students have taken shelter in Underground Metro stations and bunkers, he explained.

"We have requested the External Affairs Minister to make arrangements for food and water for these students. The Union Minister has assured all the measures for their safety and transit to India. State government officials are in constant touch with the authorities in this regard," Bommai said.
Wenchang, Feb 27 : China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket.

The rocket blasted off at 11.06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into preset orbits, Xinhua news agency reported.

These satellites will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation.

The mission marked the 409th flight of the Long March carrier rockets.

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, February 27, 2022.
Kiev/Moscow, Feb 27 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday rejected Russia's offer of holding negotiations in Belarus, suggesting alternative cities including Budapest and Warsaw for talks.

Zelensky made the remarks in a video address posted on his Telegram channel shortly after the Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation has arrived in Belarus and will be ready to start negotiations with Ukraine in the city of Gomel, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We're saying no to Minsk. Other cities can be a place to meet," the president said. "Of course, we want peace, we want to meet, we want for the war to end. Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku -- we have suggested all that to Russia," he added.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a delegation including representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and other government agencies has arrived in Belarus.
Chennai, Feb 27 : Stunt sequences for director P.S. Mithran's much-awaited action thriller 'Sardar', featuring Karthi in the lead, are to be shot in the forests of Kodaikanal and Mysore.

Sources close to the unit of the film say that shooting for the film, which has Karthi essaying two roles in it, is currently underway in Chennai at a brisk pace.

Soon after this schedule, the unit has plans to shoot in the forests of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and Mysore in Karnataka.

"The film's stunt choreographer Dilip Subburayan has plans to can some major stunt sequences in the forests," says a source.

Recently, the unit of the film released the looks of Karthi in the film, much to the delight of fans. The film has triggered huge expectations in the industry. In fact, its digital rights have already been procured by Aha even before the film's completion.

Produced by S Lakshman Kumar for Prince Pictures, the film will feature Raashi Khanna as the female lead and will have actors Simran, Rajisha Vijayan, Murali Sharma, Chunky Pandey and Munishkanth in important roles.
Moscow, Feb 27 : Russia has closed its airspace for planes from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia, including transit flights, the country's Federal Agency for Air Transport announced on Sunday.

"Due to the unfriendly decisions of the aviation authorities of Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Estonia, restrictions are being introduced on air carriers of these states and/or those registered there to operate flights to destinations on the territory of Russia, including transit flights through the airspace of Russia," it said.

The four countries earlier introduced restrictions on Russian air carriers. The Russian agency has said its response is in line with the international law, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some European countries, including the UK, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Poland, have also decided to close their airspace to Russia.
Kiev, Feb 27 : An explosion on a gas pipeline occurred in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv on Sunday, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported.

As per sources from the Kharkiv Regional Civil-Military Administration, the Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in the city's Danylivka district in the early morning, Xinhua reported citing Ukrinform news agency.

There is yet no second source confirming Russia's role in the blast.
Moscow, Feb 27 : The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects since the start of operations, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday.

Russia continued its strike against Ukraine's military infrastructure on Saturday using air and sea-launched cruise missiles, Konashenkov told a regular briefing, reiterating that the Russian military takes all measures to ensure the safety of civilians, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Russian armed forces have completely blockaded the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk in southern Ukraine, he said.

He added that a total of 471 Ukrainian service members have been detained and will be sent to their families after paperwork.
Imphal, Feb 27 : Amid the incidents of violence, the stage is all set for the first phase of Assembly elections in BJP-ruled Manipur on Monday for 38 of the 60 Assembly constituencies where the electoral fate of 173 candidates, including 15 women, will be decided.

Election Officials said that a large contingent of Central Armed Police Forces personnel were deployed in all the 38 poll-bound Assembly constituencies while the 9,895 polling personnel have already reached their designated 1,721 polling stations.

To hold a Covid-safe election, mandatory sanitisation of the polling stations was done in different parts of the state and other measures, including the use of masks and sanitizer by everyone, was strictly followed.

In the first phase, 12,22,713 voters including 6,29,276 women electorates would decide the fate of 173 candidates, including 15 women.

The poll-bound Northeastern state witnessed several incidents of violence in the past few days killing two people and injuring many, including a candidate and a candidate's father. In the over two-months long campaign, which ended on Saturday afternoon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his Tripura counterpart Biplab Kumar Deb, National People's Party (NPP) supremo Conrad K. Sangma, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rajya Sabha Member Jairam Ramesh took part were seen canvassing for their respective party candidates.

Development, militancy, illegal trade of drugs, repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 (AFSPA), women empowerment, rising unemployment and corruption were the main issues highlighted by the political parties in their campaign.

In the Monday's polling, the electoral fate of Chief Minister and BJP candidate N.Biren Singh, his cabinet colleague Thongam Biswajit Singh, NPP candidate and Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh, senior BJP leader Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, Congress' Ratankumar Singh, Lokeshwar Singh, Saratchandra Singh, sitting party MLA Akoijam Mirabai Devi are at stake.

Firebrand women leader and Janata Dal (United) candidate Thounaojam Brinda, who was the Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters),is also contesting in the first phase of polling from the Yaiskul constituency.

The BJP, which had secured 21 seats in the 60-member Assembly in the last Assembly polls in 2017 and wrested the power for the first time, stitching together a coalition government with the support of four NPP MLAs, four Naga People's Front (NPF) members, the lone Trinamool Congress MLA and an Independent member. However, this time the BJP, NPP and the NPF are contesting separately and have put-up candidates against each other.

The NPP, the dominant party of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, has been an ally of the BJP in both the Northeastern states (Meghalaya and Manipur) since 2017, has put up 38 candidates while the BJP fielded in all the 60 seats in the Manipur elections.

Congress, which governed the state for 15 consecutive years (2002-2017) and emerged as the single largest party by securing 28 seats in 2017 poll, this time formed a Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA) after forging a pre-poll alliance with four Left parties and Janata Dal-Secular.

The second phase of polling will be held in 22 seats on March 5. Votes will be counted on March 10.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : A woman from Uganda was held at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by the customs officials for smuggling heroin worth Rs 7 crore.

A customs official said that the woman reached at the IGI from Naroibi Airport by Air India flight. Later, she was handed over to the police official.

"We recovered 69 capsules weighing 946 grams filled with Narcotic substance (heroin) from her. The seized capsules are valued at Rs seven crore," said an official.

The official said that during the security check, the woman was acting awkwardly, and was perturbed. Due to this she became a suspect and the officials searched her luggage thoroughly and recovered the heroin capsules.

The official said that it was clear that the woman had violated provisions of section 8 of the NDPS Act, and had committed offence punishable under section 21, section 23 and section 29 of the Act.

The customs official produced her before the court and moved a plea requesting the court to send her to judicial custody. The customs official told the court that she was not required for further interrogation. The court after hearing their contention remanded her to judicial custody. She was later lodged in Tihar Jail.

The official said that further investigation in the matter is underway.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27 : Maoist Allungal Sreedharan, who was the mastermind of Pulpally police station attack (Kerala) of November 24, 1968, along with Vargheese, Philip M. Prasad, and K. Ajitha, passed away on Friday in Idukki district.

Sreedharan had changed his name to Mavady Thankappan and was living in the high ranges of Kerala in Thodupuzha after the police station attack. He suffered brutal police beatings along with Ajitha, Philip M. Prasad, and other Maoist leaders, while Vargheese was shot dead by police in the Pulpally forest while escaping.

Sentenced to life in connection with the case, he went underground in the high range district of Idukki and settled there under a different name. Except for his wife and two close friends, nobody knew that the ordinary farm hand working with them in the cardamom plantations was the legendary rebel.

Jiji Vargheese, CPI-M local secretary of Parathode, told IANS: "We did not know that it was Allungal who was with us. He was associated with the CPI-M and was in the party local committee for several years. It was after his death that his close friend informed the party and we communicated the message to Ajitha who instantly recognised the former firebrand leader." In later years, Sreedharan bought a small cardamom plantation and was living a simple life along with his wife and two children. He passed away at the age of 86 due to age-related ailments.

Ajitha, who participated in the attack at the age of 18, told IANS: "Allungal Sreedharan was a bold comrade who had participated in the Malabar Special Police camp attack in 1968. We were not in touch with him after the incident and never knew whether he was alive or had passed away." The attack of the Malabar Special Police camp at Pulpally in Wayanad was the first guerilla attack carried out in Kerala.
London, Feb 27 : English Premier League side Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has said that he will be handing the daily functioning of the club to trustees in a bid to reportedly distance himself from day-to-day functioning following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Ahead of Chelsea's Carabao Cup final clash against Liverpool on Sunday, the Blues owner released a statement on the Chelsea website confirming he would be handing over the reins of the foundation.

However, in Abramovich's statement, there was no mention or condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich said his decision is in the best interest of the club.

"During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the Club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities," said Abramovich in an official statement.

"I have always taken decisions with the Club's best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values. That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea's charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC. I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the Club, players, staff, and fans," he added.

As per the club website, there are six trustees who will take over the role of decision-making. They are: Bruce Buck, John Devine, Emma Hayes, Piara Powar, Paul Ramos and Sir Hugh Robertson. Buck is the current chairman of the club and he heads the charitable foundation.

The Russian businessman is the sole proprietor of the club since June 2003. Since he bought the club, he has helped Chelsea secure five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, two Champions League crowns, and two Europa League trophies.
Kolkata, Feb 27 : Though there were sporadic incidents of violence, brisk polling was recorded in 108 municipalities spread over 21 districts across West Bengal in the crucial civic body elections on Sunday. According to the latest information, 65 per cent polling was recorded till 3 p.m.

The voting started at 7 a.m. and will conclude at 5 p.m.. Early visuals from the polling booths showed long queues as people turned up to exercise their franchise. The voting is being held for 2,171 wards of the 108 municipalities and the counting of votes will take place on March 2. Over 95.6 lakh voters will be deciding the fate of 8,160 candidates.

East Midnapore recorded the highest polling percentage of 75.7 followed by Murshidabad with 73.9 per cent polling. Birbhum and East Burdwan recorded more than 70 per cent polling till 3 p.m. Darjeeling recorded the lowest polling percentage with only 47.8 per cent reached the polling centres. Purulia also recorded a low polling percentage with only 58.7 per cent voting was recorded till 3 p.m.

The State Election Commission has deployed a total of 44,000 police personnel, with at least one, armed police at every booth. As many as 135 observers, including 10 special senior observers and 108 general observers are keeping a close watch on the polling.

The SEC said voting is not being held for 103 wards as only one candidate was in the fray. They were declared winners uncontested.

The BJP alleged that there were incidents of violence in several places in the state, saying that the ruling Trinamool Congress was responsible for booth jamming, proxy voting and threatening the opposition. Some outsiders were found in queues at some polling booths in Barrackpore and Dum Dum municipalities in North 24 Parganas district, the BJP alleged.

In Bhatpara municipality, the pocketborough of BJP MP Arjun Singh, the situation was tense as sporadic clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters.

Singh had heated arguments with Trinamool Congress members when he went to some wards in Bhatpara Municipality.

A BJP candidate smashed an EVM, alleging rigging by TMC members, in one of the wards. The TMC denied the allegations of foul play.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Delhi witnessed a heart-wrenching incident on October 19, 2021 when a 22-year-old woman was stabbed seven times by a man just near her house, raising questions over the safety of the women in the national capital.

What was more unfortunate was the man who killed the woman was her friend.

Profusely bleeding due to the stab wounds, the woman was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead. She died because of excessive blood loss.

The incident is one of the many gruesome crimes that happen on almost every day in the national capital. It is not just the strangers who harm the women, there is a whopping number of cases of cruelty by husbands or in-laws.

Recently, the residents bore witness to another brutal act of assault and gangrape at Kasturba Nagar area of the Shahdara district in the national capital.

The incident, that sent chills down the spine of the people, occurred on January 26 when the victim woman was allegedly attacked by a group of people, including women, who chopped off her hair, tore her clothes, blackened her face, and then paraded her on the streets wearing a garland of slippers. For the heinous crime 20 people have been so far arrested including 4 minors.

Source privy to the investigation had conveyed to the IANS that the victim woman, a mother of a two-year-old child, used to live in the same locality till she got married a few years ago and then moved to some other area. A man who used to live in her neighbourhood and was in a one-sided love with her. She had spurned his advances many times, however, they were turned down by the victim woman.

Last year the same man had allegedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. His family blamed the victim woman for their son's death and wanted revenge. Those who have been arrested include all the family members of the deceased boy that already knew the woman as she used to live in the same locality.

According to the data compiled by the Delhi Police, during the year 2021, as many as 1969 women were raped in the national capital, 21.69 per cent more than the previous year. In 2020, the figure stood at 1618.

Not just rape, every figure of crime against women has an upward variation. The molestation of women rose by 17.51 per cent and eve-teasing by 17.51 per cent. However, the Delhi Police termed the rise in figures of crime as "due to conscious policy of Fair and Truthful Registration".

Special Commissioner of Police, Devesh Chandra Srivastava says that every police station now registers criminal cases in all complaints disclosing cognizable offence with an objective that no crime, especially crime against women and children, goes unreported.

"Maximum attention is paid to solve the incidents of rape and other crimes against women. In such cases, about 60 per cent of the accused are arrested within the first week," the Special CP said in the annual report of the Delhi Police.

It won't be wrong to say that the proactive initiatives and fair registration have contributed towards more robust reporting of crime against women.

Pertinent to mention here that the percentage of worked out cases increases with the passage of time, as absconding accused are also arrested.

To prevent heinous crimes taking place, the measures adopted by Delhi Police include night patrolling, mobile women police team, presence of women in PCR vans and deployment of women cops around girls colleges and schools etc.

"Informing the Civic or government agencies about dark patches in the city and directing Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) to ensure safety of lady employees while they are commuting to and from their work places to their homes, also help in curbing crimes," said the Special C.P. Srivastava.

But even as stringent laws are in place coupled with proactive approach of Delhi Police and a high solving rate of rape cases (95.48 per cent), molestation of women cases (90.98 per cent) and insult to modesty of women (85.75 per cent), the crime against women is not declining.

One of the surprising reasons is that most of the time, the person committing a heinous crime is known to the victim woman.

Shockingly, during the year 2021, in aboutt 98.78 per cent of rape cases, the accused were known to the victim while strangers were involved in only about 1.22 per cent cases.

According to the Delhi Police, of all the rape cases reported last year, 13 per cent times the accused was a relative of the victim, 11 per cent times a neighbour, 46 per cent times a family or a friend and 1 per cent time an employee or a co-worker.

Notably, the investigation of sexual abuse cases is being monitored by the Ministry of Home Affairs through Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO). It allows real-time monitoring and management of sexual offences to complete investigation in the prescribed time limits.

Amongst all states, Delhi stands at fifth position followed by Andaman and Nicobar, Goa, Gujarat and Uttarakhand. The Capital cops say that emphasis is on to complete the investigation of every case of sexual assault, within two months.

With even after 10 years of the brutal gangrape of Nirbhaya and no decline in rape cases, the time has come that the concept of 'gender sensittization' is taken seriously! (Ujwal Jalali can be reached at ujwal.j@ians.in)
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Airline major Air India's will operate more flights to Romania and Hungary to bring back stranded Indians, heading to these countries from war-torn Ukraine.

The airline operated a direct flight from New Delhi to Bucharest on early Sunday morning, while another one departed for the Romanian capital the afternoon.

Besides, the airline will operate one flight from New Delhi to Budapest in the evening.

These flights are operated as special government charters to bring back stranded Indians, who managed to find their way out of the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.

On early Sunday morning, an Air India flight successfully brought back 250 Indian students from Bucharest.

On Saturday, AI's Bucharest to Mumbai flight with 219 passengers landed back at 7.50 p.m.

As Romania and Hungary share land borders with Ukraine, many Indian nationals, including students have made their way.

Air India operated two flights, one each from Delhi and Mumbai to Bucharest and Budapest as special government charter flights.

These flights have been mounted on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which have capacity of 254 passengers per plane.

"Air India has always been playing a pivotal role, standing by the nation during any crisis and now, inspired by the common mission shared by the Tata group and AI of serving the nation and its people first," the airline had said.

"Our employees are only too eager to respond to the call of our nation, driven by our values and conviction that if we do not do it then who will?" Earlier Air India was operating direct special flights to Kiev but it had to stop these operations due to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued over the closure of Ukrainian air space.

In fact, one of Air India's flight bound for Kiev from New Delhi returned to the national capital's IGI Airport after NOTAM was announced at Kiev airport on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the airline had carried out the first of its special flight operations ferrying Indian citizens from Ukraine.

Apart from Air India, other Indian operators were expected to start special flight services to Ukraine.

Last week, the Centre removed the restrictions on the number of flights and seats between India and Ukraine, evidently to facilitate the return of Indian students and professionals stranded in the east European nation due to the ongoing tensions with Russia
Bengaluru, Feb 27 : Indian has successfully tackled diseases like TB, cholera, malaria, and plague and now, its war against polio has been most successful, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Sunday.

In his remarks after launching the Pulse Polio campaign at his home office 'Krishna', he said: "Though India has been freed from polio, the polio immunisation programme is held for three days every year. We have witnessed the adverse effects of polio 25 years ago. Polio was responsible for disability among a large section of the people and it has also proved fatal. A war was launched against it and it has been controlled after oral vaccines were developed." "The Prime Minister too has launched the campaign today. His scientific vision and emphasis for hygiene through Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has contributed to keep many epidemics away. Yoga has been taken to the international level and Yoga is helpful in keeping everyone healthy," he added.

"The Prime Minister laid maximum emphasis for the vaccination campaign to control even Covid and it helped in managing the first and second waves of the pandemic successfully. The vaccines were developed in India and they were exported to other countries too. The credit for this success should go to the scientists, 130 crore people of the country and Prime Minister Modi who provided it free of cost," Bommai said.

Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar and others were present on the occasion.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday praised his country's special forces for "heroically carrying out their military duties" in a new televised address, Daily Mail reported.

Putin gave his "special gratitude" for troops involved in the "special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas" - a reference to the Kremlin's propaganda line that it intervened in Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists who were at risk of 'genocide' at the hands of the legitimate government, the report said.

Putin spoke to mark the annual day of Special Operations Forces (SOF), as his huge forces appeared to be stepping up their battle to crush Ukrainian resistance amid mounting Russian losses.

The Kremlin has so far not declared any fatalities from the fighting, although the head of the Dagestan regional government recently offered his condolences to the family of a slain paratrooper in what may have been a case of going off script.

Russian forces on Sunday entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv - as Ukraine's President said his country were ready for peace talks.

Footage shared on social media Sunday morning showed Russian's army trucks rolling through the city of 1.41 million people, which sits in Eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia, Daily Mail reported.

Soldiers were also seen marching through Kharkiv on foot, with a very dramatic clip showing Russians slowly advancing along a road before running and firing their guns as Ukrainians opened fire on them.

Another clip shared online shows an army vehicle said to belong to the Russians ablaze, with locals saying it had been torched by Ukrainians seeking to defend their city, the report said.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The Ukrainian government has seized on unsubstantiated rumours that an unnamed MiG-29 fighter pilot dubbed the 'Ghost of Kyiv' has downed several Russian jets by sharing a macho propaganda video containing footage from a videogame, Daily Mail reported.

Twitter is alight with clips that allegedly show a Ukrainian jet soaring through the skies over several cities and shooting down six Kremlin planes in dogfights on the first day of Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggressive war against the former Soviet republic.

However, one video which got nearly 5 million views and spawned the rumours has been thoroughly debunked as a clip from the 2008 videogame Digital Combat Simulator, Daily Mail reported.

Despite this, Kyiv is now openly promoting claims that the unnamed pilot exists, in an apparent bid to rally the besieged nation behind an urban hero and fuel support for Ukraine's war effort, the report said.

Posting a 38 second video on Sunday, the government's official Twitter account said: "People call him the Ghost of Kyiv. And rightly so - this UAF ace dominates the skies over our capital and country, and has already become a nightmare for invading Russian aircrafts." The video starts with a cartoon illustration of the "Ghost of Kyiv", before using the debunked footage of a downed Russian jet. Text then appears on the video, which reads: "Ukraine probably got its first ace since World War II. This is the anonymous pilot of the MiG-29, nicknamed the Ghost of Kyiv", Daily Mail reported.

"In the first 30 hours of the Russian invasion in February 2022 he shot down six Russian military aircraft. As of February 26 - 10 military planes of the occupiers. To become an ace pilot, you need to shoot down five planes. And the Ghost of Kyiv shot twice as many," the report said.
New York, Feb 27 : Space agency NASA has announced that James Webb continued on its path to becoming a focused observatory as the team has successfully worked through the second and third out of seven total phases of mirror alignment.

With the completion of these phases, called Segment Alignment and Image Stacking, the team will now begin making smaller adjustments to the positions of Webb's mirrors.

"After moving what were 18 scattered dots of starlight into Webb's signature hexagonal formation, the team refined each mirror segment's image by making minor adjustments, while also changing the alignment of James Webb's secondary mirror," the space agency said in a statement.

The completion of this process, known as Segment Alignment, was a key step prior to overlapping the light from all the mirrors so that they can work in unison.

Once Segment Alignment was achieved, the focused dots reflected by each mirror were then stacked on top of each other, delivering photons of light from each segment to the same location on NIRCam's sensor.

During this process, called Image Stacking, the team activated sets of six mirrors at a time and commanded them to repoint their light to overlap, until all dots of starlight overlapped with each other.

"We still have work to do, but we are increasingly pleased with the results we're seeing," said Lee Feinberg, optical telescope element manager for Webb at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

"Years of planning and testing are paying dividends, and the team could not be more excited to see what the next few weeks and months bring," Feinberg added.

Although Image Stacking put all the light from a star in one place on NIRCam's detector, the mirror segments are still acting as 18 small telescopes rather than one big one.

The segments now need to be lined up to each other with an accuracy smaller than the wavelength of the light.

The team is now starting the fourth phase of mirror alignment, known as Coarse Phasing, where NIRCam is used to capture light spectra from 20 separate pairings of mirror segments.
Guwahati, Feb 27 : Six students from Assam, who were stranded in war hit Ukraine, have been evacuated by the External Affairs Ministry and they have arrived in New Delhi and Mumbai in separate flights on Sunday, officials said.

Officials of Assam Bhawan in Mumbai and New Delhi have received the students and have taken necessary arrangements to send them home.

An official of Assam Government said that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other state government officials are in constant touch with the MEA for hassle free evacuation and safe travel of the students, stranded in war hit Ukraine.

The students, who have been evacuated are residents of Guwahati, Gohpur and Sualkuchi, have been studying medicine in different universities and colleges in Ukraine. The air tickets of these home bound students have been arranged by the Assam Government.

There are many other people, mostly students, from different northeastern states, including Meghalaya and Tripura, stranded in Ukraine. Chief Ministers and officials of the northeastern states are also in touch with the MEA to evacuate the people of these states from Ukraine.
Chennai, Feb 27 : The 41st edition of the annual Natyanjali festival where dancers from across the country will participate will be held in Tamil Nadu's Chidambaram from March 1, a statement said.

The festival will be held on the premises of Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar Trust in Chidambaram, the Secretary of Natyanjali trust said in a statement, adding that dancers from across the country would participate and present classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, and Kathak.

The event will commence with devotional music, followed by a dance performance by Anusha Raj of Mysuru. On Maha Shivratri day, the programme will begin at 6.15 p.m. and go on till 11 p.m.

About 500 artistes including solo dancers and dance troupes will participate in the festival, the statement said.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Russia said on Sunday that, after some back-and-forth, Ukraine agreed to dispatch a team to Belarus for talks to end the Russian military campaign in the country, RT reported.

Kiev "confirmed" the planned talks in Gomel Region, which is close to the borders of both Russia and Ukraine, Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told reporters.

Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin and former Culture Minister, added that the parties are now deciding on the logistics and the exact location of the summit, with "maximum security" for the Ukrainians, RT reported.

"We guarantee that the travel route will be 100 per cent safe. We will be waiting for the Ukrainian delegation," the Russian chief negotiator said.

The Russian team arrived in Gomel on Sunday, where it said talks were planned with the Ukrainians.

Kiev later said it wanted to negotiate on "neutral ground", arguing that Russian troops were using Belarusian territory to stage attacks on Ukraine. Minsk, however, denied that its forces were participating in the Russian operation, RT reported.

The Russians initially said their team would stay in Belarus until 3 p.m. local time. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko over the phone, asking to move the deadline, according to Lukashenko's spokeswoman, Natalia Eismont, the report said.

She said the Belarusian leader then spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who agreed to move the planned negotiations to a later time.

Zelensky confirmed the call with Lukashenko on social media, but has not commented on the talks.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed the countrys nuclear deterrent forces on "special" alert on Sunday, RT reported.

The move was announced during Putin's meeting with Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.

"Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. I'm speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well," Putin stated.

The move comes in response to "hostile" rhetoric by top NATO officials, he said, RT reported.

Putin earlier on Sunday praised his special forces for "heroically carrying out their military duties" in a new televised address, Daily Mail reported.

Putin gave his "special gratitude" for troops involved in the "special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas" - a reference to the Kremlin's propaganda line that it intervened in Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists who were at risk of 'genocide' at the hands of the legitimate government, the report said.

Putin spoke to mark the annual day of Special Operations Forces (SOF), as his huge forces appeared to be stepping up their battle to crush Ukrainian resistance amid mounting Russian losses.

Russian forces on Sunday entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv - as Ukraine's president today said his country were ready for peace talks.
Bengaluru, Feb 27 : A beautiful memorial for late film star Ambarish, that attracts visitors from neighboring states too, would be built, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Sunday.

In his address after performing the Bhoomi Puja for Ambarish's memorial at Kanteerava Studio, he, recalling his association with the star, said: "I used to call Ambarish as Ambarish only. It is the same even now. Ours is a 40-year-old friendship. We used to eat and roam around together, did usual things. and also unusual things." Expressing his grief at the demise of Kannada film icons Dr Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Shankar Nag and Puneeth Rajkumar, Bommai said that a memorial for Puneeth would be built soon. The date for presenting the 'Karnataka Ratna' award to Puneeth would be announced, he said.

"Ambarish's life is like an open book. He lived on his own terms. One who lives according to his own terms and his conscience is the real hero. Ambarish never compromised with his conscience. It was a God's gift. He was born with leadership qualities. Though he started his cinema career as a villain, he emerged as a superhero as he was a born hero," he said.

Terming Ambarish "a friendly man who was ready to do anything for friendship", Bommai narrated his own experience when Ambarish used to join them abandoning his shooting immediately on hearing the car horn from the friends. "The producers had even come home and requested us not to come when Ambarish was shooting for their movie," he recalled.

"Ambarish had special affection for the poor and farmers. But he had no penchant to stick to power. Whether in power or not, Ambarish always detested power in politics. Such people are very rare. When the Cauvery water dispute erupted he quit the Union ministry without thinking even for a minute. Ambarish is the only politician who gave up power during Cauvery agitation," Bommai said.

"He had a strong attachment for Mandya. His presence was electrifying wherever he was. Ambarish had a big role in making Kannada film industry's presence in other states. He had friends in every place. He was fondly called the Ajatha Shatru. He was loved by everyone," he added.

Bommai recalled an event in Bijapur where over 5 lakh people turned out to have a glimpse of Ambarish, as he lauded Ambarish's wife Sumalatha and son Abhishek for carrying forward his legacy.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : With focus on implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will chair a regional conference of ministers of the north east tates on Monday in Guwahati.

In a statement, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said that the Union Minister will be setting the roadmap for the north east States, keeping in line with the guidance received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Webinar on 'Post Union Budget 2022 - Leaving No Citizen Behind', held on February 23.

During the webinar the Prime Minister had said, "A clear roadmap must be built so that States/UTs can achieve the target within the stipulated time frame. Priority should be given to North-Eastern border States, hilly regions and aspirational districts." "Difficult terrain, heavy rain and snowfall coupled with erratic supply of construction material greatly impacts the progress of the mission work in the border regions of the north-east. Reaffirming the commitment towards public health and well-being of the people living in rural areas, the Union Budget 2022-23 fund allocation for JJM has been increased from Rs 45,000 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 60,000 crore in 2022-23. For SBM (G) Rs 7,192 crore have been allocated in the Budget 2022-23," the ministry said.

'Har Ghar Jal' is a flagship programme of the Union Government being implemented in partnership with States and Union Territory (UTs), aimed at providing tap water connection to every rural household in the country by 2024. Manipur, Meghalaya and Sikkim aim to achieve Har Ghar Jal in 2022.

The deadline set by Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland is 2023, and Assam aims to meet the goal in 2024.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) is another flagship programme being implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

All the States in the country achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by October 2, 2019, when villages across India had declared themselves ODF. In its second phase, SBM-G is focusing on ODF sustainability and to achieve solid and liquid waste management in all villages by 2024-25 to transform the villages to ODF Plus.
Moscow, Feb 27 : More than 4,000 scientists and journalists have signed an open letter slamming Russia's military invasion of Ukraine.

The letter, posted on the trv-science.ru website, describes the Russian invasion as 'unfair' and 'senseless', and so far has garnered 4,100 signatures.

"We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, declare a strong protest against the hostilities launched by the armed forces of our country on the territory of Ukraine. This fatal step leads to huge human losses and undermines the foundations of the established system of international security," they said.

While making Russia solely responsible "for unleashing a new war in Europe", they said, "there is no rational justification for this war".

They wrote that Ukraine as a country remains "close" and that it "does not pose a threat to the security" of Russia.

Further they lamented that the war spells doom on scientific cooperation between the two countries as well as in the continent. They feared international isolation which may result in "scientific, cultural and technological degradation".

"Having unleashed the war, Russia doomed itself to international isolation, to the position of a pariah country. This means that we, scientists, will no longer be able to do our job normally: after all, conducting scientific research is unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries." "War with Ukraine is a step to nowhere," they warned.

The authors asked for the war to be revoked on an immediate basis.

"We demand an immediate halt to all military operations directed against Ukraine. We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. We demand peace for our countries." Meanwhile, the military invasion ordered by Russian president Vladimir Putin on February 24, has affected Ukraine's academic activity among others, as "students and faculty had to urgently leave their places".

In a statement, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, has appealed to the global academic community to support colleagues in Ukraine.

"We call [on] universities, academic institutions in Europe and around the world to stand up with Ukraine against [P]utin's regime, against ruining the fundamentals of peace, security and democracy in Europe and in the world."

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Indian citizens in areas of war-torn Ukraine where a curfew has been imposed were asked not to venture towards railway stations until and unless the curfew is lifted, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine said in its latest advisory.

"Based on the latest input, intense fighting is underway in Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kyiv. It is reiterated, Indian nationals in these cities, and other cities wherever curfew has been applied, are NOT advised to venture towards railway stations until curfew has been lifted and considerable civilian movement is renewed," the advisory read.

The armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensified in the early hours of Thursday after Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military installations and posing a serious danger to the Indian citizens residing there.

Since then, India began evacuating its citizens from the war-torn region.The Indian Embassy, in a separate advisory earlier, had asked its nationals to move out of regions of active conflict and proceed towards the western regions.

It said that Indian nationals are being evacuated from Ukraine through Romania and Hungary. "We are continuously exploring and working to open up more borders with neighbouring countries for our citizens," the advisory read.

It said that Ukrainian Railways is also operating special trains for evacuation of people free of charge, on a first come first serve basis at the railway station and for which tickets are not required. The Embassy added it is closely monitoring the developing situation especially in eastern regions of Ukraine.
Kolkata, Feb 27 : On a day when BJP called for a 12 hours bandh alleging widespread violence during the municipal polls in 108 municipalities across West Bengal, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar summoned state election commissioner Sourav Das to give a detailed report. However, the ruling Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of creating disturbance in the state.

"There has been widespread violence in the state and everybody is a witness to it. We would like to call for a 12 hour bandh - from 6 a.m. in the morning till 6 p.m. in the evening - on Monday. This is the first day of the week and I know it will cause hindrance to a lot of people but for the future of West Bengal and to save democracy I think people will understand," state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar said.

There were reports of violence from several parts of the state including Bhatapara and Kankurgachi in North 24 Parganas, English Bazar in Malda district and Jalpaiguri district. Police have made preventive arrests of 786 people and arrested 51 people for indulging in violence. According to the state election commission, there were more than 1000 complaints and action has been taken on the basis of the complaints.

However, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar was not convinced with the action taken by the State Election Commission and has asked commissioner Sourav Das to report to him about the details of the election before 10 a.m. on Monday. "Today I have seen how democratic values have been throttled. I am hurt to find that West Bengal has turned out to be a gas chamber of democracy".

"People are losing faith in democratic process. I am aghast and cannot believe that the electoral process could be so polluted. It was a war where the entire administration and the police machinery was on side along with the dispensation that is in power and the state election commission headed by the state election commissioner has abdicated its authority. I await his response and I expect that he will heed law and the constitution," the governor said.

"This is not the time to look for alibis. This is not time to act smart. This is the time to discharge his constitutional obligations. I expect the state election commissioner to abide by his constitutional obligation so that the purity of the election process is maintained. It is my duty to protect the constitution and I shall do everything to discharge my duties," the governor added.

Meanwhile, speaking to media, state DGP Manoj Malviya said, "There have been sporadic incidents but there is no report of any widespread violence. The election has been conducted peacefully and the police and the administration have discharged their duties impartially".

"The BJP was nowhere to be found all through the day and now they are calling for a bandh. This is only a ploy to create disturbance and stop the developmental work of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said.

When asked about the bandh, the DGP said, "There has been a standard instruction from the Chief Minister that the state government is against bandh and we will not allow this in our state. There will be police all over the state and all kinds of transport, private and government offices will remain open. Anyone who tries to go against the law will be strongly dealt with".

The state however recorded a polling percentage of little more than 76 till 5 p.m. East Midnapore recorded the highest polling percentage of 84.1 followed by Birbhum and Murshidabad with 83.2 and 83 per cent respectively. Apart from that Alipurduar Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Nadia South and North Dinajpur and East Burdwan recorded more than 80 per cent of polling till 5 p.m. in the evening. Darjeeling recorded the lowest polling percentage with only 54.1.

Early visuals from the polling booths showed long queues as people turned up to exercise their franchise. The voting was held for 2,171 wards of the 108 municipalities and the counting of votes will take place on March 2.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has warned the West against imposing tough sanctions on Moscow, saying that such measures could push Russia into a "third world war", RT reported.

"Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector. Gas, oil, SWIFT. It's worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a third world war," Lukashenko said on Sunday, as quoted by local media. He added that a nuclear conflict could be the final outcome, the report said.

Russia's military attack against Ukraine, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, has been condemned by Western nations and prompted a new wave of tough sanctions against Moscow.

In the latest move against Moscow the EU, UK, Canada and the US said "selected Russian banks" would be cut off from the SWIFT international payments system - a measure Russia has warned in the past would be regarded as a declaration of war.

Despite the threat of further measures, Lukashenko stressed that both Russia and Belarus will "survive" any sanctions, RT reported.

"We have experience. We discussed this theme with Putin more than once. We'll survive. It is impossible to starve us to death," he said.

Retaliatory measures being developed by Moscow and Minsk will be "very tangible," but it is important to think them over "very carefully," Lukashenko said, not to self-harm, the report said.

The Belarusian leader has also said if the West moved to put nuclear weapons in bordering countries, he would ask Putin to "return" its own nuclear weapons to Belarus.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : In order that the Future Retail Limited (FRL) business could continue, Reliance also extended working capital support due to which FRL has been able to pay its statutory dues, pay interest and one time settlement amount to banks to continue its business operations.

FRL owes Reliance towards this working capital support. In August 2020, the Boards of FRL and other Future companies and RRVL approved the Scheme of Arrangement for transfer of retail and logistics business of the Future Group to RRVL on a slump sale basis for an aggregate consideration of Rs 24,713 crore.

Future Group was in acute financial difficulty and stress. FRL had defaulted in payment of dues to its creditors and landlords for the leased premises.

Amazon's litigation was delaying the implementation of the scheme and the creditors and landlords of premises were getting edgy.

Due to continuing defaults, the landlords had initiated termination of the lease agreements and repossession of the premises. Around December 2020, Reliance came to know of the above scenario of the landlords terminating store leases and the prospect of stores getting shut.

If this had continued the Scheme would have been jeopardised, the value of FRL would have been destroyed; (iii) FRL would have gone into insolvency and all consequences of insolvency would have ensued.

It was in the interest of all stakeholders of FRL (including banks, creditors, employees etc) that FRL business continues and its value is preserved.

Since the Scheme was in public domain, several landlords approached Reliance and Reliance signed leased agreements with these landlords, wherever possible.

Reliance sub-leased all these premises to FRL so that its business could continue. FRL has not paid the lease rentals on these premises to Reliance that Reliance has incurred in this respect.

These bona fide actions of Reliance have only been to (i) preserve FRL's value (ii) FRL not going into insolvency; (iii) FRL continuing to do business; (iv) thousands of employees continue in employment; (v) progress the implementation of the Scheme.

In spite of the above support, FRL has incurred losses of over Rs 4,445 crore during calendar year 2021.

It is essential for preservation of FRL's value that it does not continue incurring huge losses. FRL should continue to be a going concern, while reducing its operating losses.

Reliance has taken over possession of those premises which were sub-leased to FRL. All of these stores are loss-making. The balance stores will continue to be run by FRL. In this way, FRL's operating losses will be reduced and it can continue as a going concern.

Reliance will evaluate and use such of these premises which are found to be commercially viable. In doing so, Reliance will re-employ the thousands of store staff, who would have otherwise lost their jobs.

These actions of Reliance preserve value of FRL, will allow the scheme to continue and will be beneficial to bankers and creditors of FRL. When the scheme is implemented, Reliance will pay the consideration in accordance with the terms of the scheme, which is the interest of bankers and creditors of FRL.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Congress on Sunday expressed grave concern on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and said that the UN charter must be upheld by all countries.

"The outbreak of hostilities and military conflict between Russia and in Ukraine is a matter of grave concern for the world. The Indian National Congress, while expressing its anguish, is of the considered view that the international community must work together for cessation of armed conflict and early restoration of peace to save human lives and prevent further aggravation of the crisis," Congress Foreign Cell Chairman and former Union Minister Anand Sharma said in a statement.

"The path of diplomatic negotiations must be embraced in all sincerity for a negotiated resolution of all issues between Russia and Ukraine, respecting the Minsk Pact and Russia-NATO agreements and earlier understandings," he added.

Meanwhile Russia said on Sunday that, after some back-and-forth, Ukraine agreed to dispatch a team to Belarus for talks to end the Russian military campaign in the country, RT reported.

Kiev "confirmed" the planned talks in Gomel Region, which is close to the borders of both Russia and Ukraine, Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told reporters.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Srinagar, Feb 27 : An active terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT was arrested by J&K Police in Anantnag district, officials said on Sunday.

Police said during that surprise checking, movement of a suspicious person was noticed, and he was apprehended by the alert police party.

He has been identified as Shahid Thoker, resident of Nossipora Keegam, Shopian. Incriminating materials and a pistol was recovered from his possession.

"As per police records, the arrested terrorist is a categorised terrorist as he had recently joined the terror fold of proscribed terror outfit LeT," police said.

A case has been registered and further investigation into the matter is in progress.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The Customs officials on Sunday said an Indian woman at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has been arrested for smuggling gold valued at Rs 33 lakh.

A Customs official said the woman had arrived at the IGI on February 25. She was intercepted on suspicion and her luggage was checked.

"The detailed examination of the baggage and search of the woman resulted in the recovery of the brown powder weighing 905 grams which was concealed inside the undergarments and jeans worn by her," said the Customs official.

The official further said that gold weighing 724.5 gram was recovered from the powder, adding the recovered gold was valued at Rs 33,11,403.

"The recovered gold has been seized under section 110 of the Customs act. The passenger has been placed under arrest in terms of section 104 of the Customs Act," said the official.

Further probe into the matter is underway.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Sunday spoke to his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Hungary and expressed gratitude for providing support so far in evacuating Indians from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border.

"Called up Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto.Thankful for the evacuation support provided so far. Requested further cooperation on the Hungary-Ukraine border," he said, in a tweet.

He also dialled his Moldovan counterpart Nicu Popescu to seek support for facilitating entry of Indian nationals on Ukraine-Moldova border.

"Appreciate his ready response & strong support. MEA representatives will accordingly reach there tomorrow," he said, in another tweet.

Poland, Romania and Hungary are allowing Indian students who escape from Ukraine to enter without any visa.

So far, around 1,000 students have been evacuated from Ukraine while more will be airlifted by Monday via neighbouring countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday said that till now four flights have come back with Indian students evacuated via Romania and Hungary and two flight sare likely to depart Sunday night or by Monday morning to evacuate more students.

"The Government of India has launched 'multi-pronged' Operation Ganga to evacuate our citizens stranded in Ukraine. This evacuation process will be at government cost," Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday.

A special flight carrying Indian students stranded in Ukraine arrived at Delhi airport on Sunday evening from Romanian capital Bucharest.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who was at the airport to receive the returning Indian students, said that every student stuck in Ukraine is being brought back.

"PM (Narendra) Modi is himself monitoring the situation and we have sent teams to the neighbouring countries of Ukraine. The MEA has also set up a control room regarding the ongoing situation," he added.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Ukraine is releasing inmates and criminal suspects with a military background so they can join the fight against Russia's "special operation" in the country, an official in Ukraine's Prosecutor General's office said on Sunday, RT reported.

Moscow attacked its neighbour on Thursday, arguing it was defending the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, which broke off from eastern Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev. Ukraine condemned the move, claiming it was an act of unprovoked aggression.

Service record, combat experience, and repentance are among the factors considered in each individual case, Andriy Sinyuk, a prosecutor at the Prosecutor General's office told a TV channel on Sunday. "It's a complicated issue decided at the highest level," he said, the report said.

Sinyuk was quoted as saying that Sergey Torbin, a former combat veteran, was one of the inmates released. Torbin previously fought in the conflict with the DPR and LPR. He was jailed for six years and six months in 2018 for his role in the murder of civil rights activist and anti-corruption campaigner Kateryna Handziuk, RT reported.

The woman was doused with acid in July 2018 on a street outside her home and died in the hospital with severe burns later that year.

Sinyuk said Torbin handpicked former inmates for his squad after his early release. He added that another ex-serviceman, Dmitry Balabukha, sentenced to nine years in jail for stabbing a man to death at a bus stop after an argument in 2018, had also been released, RT reported.

The Ukrainian government is actively arming civilians as Russian forces are approaching its capital. The media reported renewed fighting in Kiev's outskirts on Sunday.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : More than 72 hours after the start of the all-out invasion on February 24, Russia has failed to inflict a quick defeat to Ukraine's armed forces or gain a foothold in any of the country's key cities, media reports said.

As of February 27, all the biggest cities - Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Mariupol, Kherson - are still under full Ukrainian control, despite Russia's massive and costly effort to seize or isolate them, Kyiv Independent reported.

If Russia aimed to take the Ukrainian capital in a shock and awe operation, it failed, the report said.

The situation tends towards hard, dragged-out war rather than a demoralizing blitz run the Kremlin likely counted on, judging from their immediate rush toward Kyiv, the report added.

Upon Ukrainian estimates, the Russian forces have employed in combat nearly 50 per cent of its combined Russian-Belarusian military force of over 150,000 troops.

After days of fierce fighting, the Russian forces still failed to enter Kyiv via two key axes in the northwest (via the cities of Bucha, Hostomel, and Irpin) and the north via the Obolon district. Multiple attempts to break Ukrainian defences have failed as of early February 27, although the streets of Kyiv have seen fierce clashes with small Russian sabotage groups infiltrating the city.

As of early February 27, Russia has also failed to establish control of three key airfields near Kyiv: Hostomel in the northwest, the Kyiv airport in the city, and Vasylkiv in the south, despite extremely fierce efforts to ensure a safe landing ground for its airborne groups, Kyiv Independent reported.

Fierce and effective Ukrainian resistance seen elsewhere has seriously slowed the Russian military down, and in many locations engaged exhausting confined warfare.

After the first 48 hours of advancement, the Russian military started indicating poor coordination and planning, as well as troublesome fuel supply, the report said.

Massive missile strikes and all-out advances decisively failed to demoralise the Ukrainian military in the first hours of the attack or strip it of effective air defence, which has also demonstrated surprisingly high effectiveness since the very start. "Moving and taking small towns and automobile communications remain the occupying power's foremost tactics," the Ukrainian General Staff asserted.

"Thanks to massive civilian and military resistance, attempts the take the large cities have failed. The enemy's main goal, which is to block Kyiv, remains unsuccessful." The report said Russia's hostilities feature massive civilian harm, including via massive indiscriminate use of multiple launch missile systems like BM-21 Grad in numerous locations, from Kharkiv Oblast's Okhtyrka to Mariupol, the northern suburbs of which were desolated in Russian missile attacks.

In general, multiple pieces of evidence, particularly verifiable pictures and videos posted elsewhere on social media indicate grave destruction and loss of life in affected areas, the report added.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Ukraine will not "capitulate" to Russia, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said on Sunday ahead of negotiations, RT reported.

The two delegations are due to meet at an undisclosed location in Belarus, close to the borders of both countries.

"There is nothing bad in talks as such and, if the outcome of these talks will be peace and the end of war, that should be welcomed. But I want to make it very clear: we will not surrender, we will not capitulate, we will not give up a single inch of our territory," Kuleba said in Kyiv.

He said that Ukraine agreed to send a delegation to the border "to listen to what Russia wants to say" and to say what Ukraine thinks of "this war and Russia's actions".

Russian President Vladimir Putin explained the military offensive against Ukraine by the urgent need to "demilitarise" the country, to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, and to ensure that Russia would not be placed under threat by NATO from Ukrainian territory. Ukraine and the West consider the attack completely "unjustified" and "unlawful".

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday evening held a high-level meeting to review the progress of evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and others were present in the meeting.

Modi chaired the meeting immediately after returning from an election campaign in Uttar Pradesh.

Sources said that Modi reviewed the evacuation of Indian nationals including students from Ukraine.

It is learnt that the Prime Minister was informed that over 1,000 students have returned by various flights including the last one which arrived in the national capital in the evening.

Sources said that the Prime Minister was further informed that two more flights will be taking off by Monday morning to bring back Indian nationals.

On Thursday, Modi chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting in Delhi wherein he said that the top-most priority of the government is safety and security of the Indian nationals.

Earlier on Sunday, foreign secretary Shringla said that till now four flights have come back with Indian students and two are likely to depart on Sunday night or by Monday morning to evacuate more students.

"The Government of India has launched 'multi-pronged' Operation Ganga to evacuate our citizens stranded in Ukraine. This evacuation process will be at government cost," Shringla said.

Government has advised Indian nationals to move towards westward to reach Uzhhorod in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary and from there they can take a train to reach the Romanian capital Bucharest and from there, they will be airlifted.

Earlier, External Affairs minister Jaishankar spoke to his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Hungary and expressed gratitude for providing support so far in evacuating Indians from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border.

Jaishankar also dialled his Moldovan counterpart Nicu Popescu to seek support for facilitating entry of Indian nationals on Ukraine-Moldova border.

Poland, Romania and Hungary are allowing Indian students who escape from Ukraine to enter without any visa.
Faridabad, Feb 27 : In a latest development in the suicide case of a Class 10 student of Delhi Public School, Greater Faridabad, the police on Sunday said that they have arrested the academic head of the school identified as Mamta.

She was placed under arrest and later presented before the court which remanded her to judicial custody.

The class 10 student had allegedly committed suicide by jumping off his residential building on Thursday.

The deceased had left a suicide note behind the incident in which he had alleged that he was being bullied and mentally harassed by his classmates over his sexuality.

In his suicide note, he had accused the school authority. His suicide note read that it was school authority which killed him.

"You're powerful (mother), don't care what people sat about my sexuality, kindly handle relative, Grand father... The school has killed me. Higher authority is also responsible," read the suicide note.

The family had alleged that they had approached the school administration several times but no action was taken on their complaint.

Her mother who also teaches at the school had got an FIR lodged in this regard.

The police had said that they had recovered the suicide note in which the student had accused school authorities and class fellows.

Last year, his two school mates had made comments on his sexuality due to which he fell into depression.

The boy then spoke to his mother who approached the school principal, however, no action was taken by the school authorities.

The victim suffered mental trauma due to this and had been taking medicine since then. After the lockdown, the school was again opened for the board exams. The boy approached a female teacher and sought her help to clear Science exam. However, he was allegedly scolded by the teacher.

"Her mother told us that he was suffering from dyslexia due to which he was unable to solve a few questions. It was the reason he wanted to take help. But his teacher scolded him which led to more mental trauma," the police had said.

Police said the female teacher also accused the boy and his mother for troubling her.

On Thursday night the boy jumped off his house whe his mother was not home. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

Later, a team of crime Branch of Faridabad visited the crime scene and collected a few evidence.
Beregsurany : , Feb 28 (IANS) Hungarians living in rural villages came together to help people fleeing over the border with Ukraine as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues.

"We have been shocked by what happened in Ukraine, we never thought it could actually happen," Gusztav Furedi, a volunteer with the Hungarian charity Transcarpathian Coordination Office, told Xinhua news agency.

"What you see here is a response to all the difficulties, problems and fear that are present in Ukraine," he added.

Reception points have been set up by volunteers, welcoming people from Ukraine with hot drinks and food, and organising free ongoing transport, Xinhua news agency reported.

Furedi said the majority of people coming from Ukraine belonged to the Hungarian ethnic minority of Transcarpathia, and spoke Hungarian, so there was no need to provide interpreters.

The Transcarpathian Coordination Office is also ready to provide legal counsel to refugees hoping to apply for asylum in Hungary, he added.

The majority of the Ukrainians were taken to relatives or friends at the border station, but those traveling alone were taken in vans to Beregsurany's cultural centre, which the city council has turned into a temporary shelter.

Other villages such as Takos also participated in the effort, turning their gymnasiums or cultural centres into temporary shelters.

Most of the refugees are reluctant to speak to the press, let alone give their names. These included a man who had crossed over the border with his wife, daughter, daughter-in-law and three children.

"Our journey took us nearly 10 hours, and we also waited four to five hours at the border control," he said.

Meanwhile, his wife told Xinhua that the family was going to stay with relatives in Csegod, a small Romanian village close to the border with Hungary.

One young mother of three did not want to leave the welcome point at the border without her husband, fearing that he would be drafted for military service.

She was later reunited with him at the village shelter, nearly eight kilometre from the border.

Ukraine imposed a ban on adult men leaving the country on Thursday evening, meaning that the overwhelming majority of people crossing the border now are women and children.

Lajos Csafit, a driver from Mezoladany, told Xinhua that he began driving people from the border station to the shelter in Mzeoladany three days ago.

"We went to the store and bought the things women and children need, also food and beverages, and left them here at the cultural centre," he said.

Csafit pledged to provide accommodation for five families at his own home.

"We will welcome them immediately if needed," he added.

"When the armed conflict broke out in Ukraine, we went to the border immediately to ask people what they needed the most after crossing to Hungary," Istvan Herka, Mayor of Beregsurany, told Xinhua.

On the first day, the Ukrainians just passed through to Budapest or the surrounding area, and did not require shelter. However, from the second day onwards, some began arriving with no immediate place to go.

"So we turned the cultural house into this shelter to keep them warm, where they typically spend three to five hours," Herka said.

"In the next few days, we expect the number of people coming from Ukraine to increase, as there are more than 3,000 cars waiting now at the other side of the border, and according to the news, peace is still far away," he added.
Tehran, Feb 28 : Iran's Chief Nuclear Negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani will return to Austrian capital Vienna to continue talks aimed to resolve remaining issues, official news agency IRNA reported.

Bagheri Kani was back to Vienna on Sunday evening "with a specific agenda to follow the negotiations aimed at resolving (remaining) problems in a run for an agreement," the report said on Sunday.

In its latest meeting, Iran's Supreme National Security Council reviewed the process and results of negotiations in Vienna, and stressed the need to fulfill the legal and logical demands of Iran within the red lines of the Islamic republic, according to the report.

On Saturday evening, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian wrote on his Twitter account that Iranian officials are "seriously reviewing draft of the agreement".

"Our red lines are made clear to western parties. Ready to immediately conclude a good deal, should they show real will," he said.

Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments in 2019 and advance its halted nuclear programs.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Austria's capital Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the US indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal.
Moscow, Feb 28 : Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country's deterrence forces to be placed on "a special mode of combat duty" in a meeting with top defense officials.

Senior officials of leading NATO members issued "aggressive statements" against Russia, Putin on Sunday said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov.

Putin said Western countries are imposing "illegitimate sanctions" against Russia's economy, Xinhua news agency reported.

The decision to put the deterrence forces on combat duty was made as Russia has been conducting "a special military operation" in Ukraine since early Thursday.

Russian forces had destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday morning.

Russia has blockaded several cities in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Jakarta, Feb 28 : At least 10 people were killed and nearly 13,000 others displaced after a 6.1-magnitude quake rocked Indonesia's western province of West Sumatra, officials have said.

The earthquake hit Indonesia on Friday, officials added on Sunday.

Octavianto, Head of the Operation Unit of the Search and Rescue Office of West Sumatra province, said rescuers had discovered one more body, bringing the death toll to 10, while five others were still missing, Xinhua news agency reported.

The search for the missing persons was hampered by thick mud as well as fears of further aftershocks, he added.

"The mud is very thick, hampering our movement, and the landslide area is about 3 square kilometre. Besides aftershocks may happen and trigger other landslides," Octavianto told Xinhua through phone.

Search for the missing in the landslide in Malampah village, Pasaman district, will resume on Monday with more than 50 rescuers, according to him.

Pasaman district and Pasaman Barat district were the hardest hit by the tremor, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

The number of evacuees jumped to nearly 13,000 on Sunday, Head of the Operation Unit of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency of West Sumatra province, Jumaidi, told Xinhua, adding that the displaced people stay now in more than 35 evacuation centres.

He added that some emergency relief aids have arrived in the quake-affected areas.
The study is particularly important because it involves a simple intervention with low barriers to implementation for providers and patients that does not require changes in the patients underlying therapy.

A patient-activated, reliever-triggered inhaled glucocorticoid strategy, combined with usual care, reduces asthma exacerbations and improves asthma control and quality of life in African American and Hispanic/Latinx adult patients with poorly controlled asthma. The results of the Person Empowered Asthma Relief (PREPARE) trial are being presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and are being simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The resulting paper, Reliever-Triggered Inhaled Glucocorticoid in Black and Latinx Adults with Asthma, funded by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute through a grant to the Brigham and Womens Hospital, compared the addition of a patient-activated reliever-triggered inhaled

glucocorticoid strategy (hereafter referred to as intervention group) to usual care alone. The real-world study recruited 603 African American and 598 Hispanic/Latinx patients with clinically diagnosed asthma, aged 18-75 years old. The study was conducted in primary care and specialty practices across the continental United States and in Puerto Rico.

Patients who were recruited had to meet one of the following stipulations: be prescribed daily inhaled glucocorticoids with or without long-acting 2-agonist (LABA) and an Asthma Control Test (ACT) score of 19 or lower, which indicates asthma is not well controlled, or an asthma exacerbation leading to overnight hospitalization or use of systemic glucocorticoids within the past year. The annualized rate of severe asthma exacerbations was used as the primary endpoint in the study. Patients received one instructional visit and monthly questionnaires over a period of 15 months.

The annualized rate of severe asthma exacerbations was 0.69 in the intervention group compared to 0.82 in the usual care group, which translates to a 15.4% lower risk of severe asthma exacerbations in the intervention group. In the intervention group, ACT scores improved 3.4 points compared to 2.5 in the usual care group. Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI) scores, which indicate asthma-related quality of life, also increased by 0.12 points for the intervention group compared to 0.08 points in the usual care group. Additionally, the rate of work/school/usual activity days missed was 13.4 in the intervention group and 16.8 in the usual care group.

Whats unique about this study is weve focused exclusively on patient populations that face significant disparities in asthma outcomes, said Juan Carlos Cardet, MD, who is presenting this study on behalf of the research team at the AAAAI meeting. Elliot Israel, MD, FAAAAI, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the principal investigator and author of the study, pointed out that the study is particularly important because it involves a simple intervention with low barriers to implementation for providers and patients that does not require changes in the patients underlying therapy.

Patients only needed to attend a single visit for the study, and the effectiveness of the intervention group persisted for 15 months. The strategy being studied with this research could be easy to implement in populations with disproportionately high asthma morbidity, compared to other strategies that require a greater amount of time and resources.

Of the patients in the study, 12.2% experienced serious adverse events. Adverse events were experienced at a similar rate between the two different groups, with the most common adverse events being asthma, infection or infestation, and cardiac events. In the intervention group, 11.8% of participants were hospitalized compared to 11.5% in the usual care group. The study did not find any statistically significant safety signals in the intervention group.

Post hoc analyses were performed looking at medication use and survey results from the study period. The data showed that in the intervention group, patients used 1.1 more inhalers containing inhaled glucocorticoid in a year compared to the usual care group. In the intervention group, patients refilled fewer quick-reliever metered-dose inhalers than usual group patients, and reported fewer months using quick-reliever nebulizers compared to usual care patients.

Visit aaaai.org to learn more about asthma. Research presented at the AAAAI Annual Meeting, February 25-28 in Phoenix, Arizona, is published in an online supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 7,100 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAIs Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.
Samsung 837, the South Korean tech companys flagship experience center in Manhattans fashionable and retail-forward Meatpacking District, has added a new location  only this new shopping paradise is in the metaverse. Called Samsung 837X, the digital twin flagship is a fully immersive and explorable experience that features quests, NFT prizes, product drops, events and live performances for users, visitors, and Samsung fans. The Decentraland-Samsung brand experience is a blockchain-powered virtual space that consumers can connect to and explore simply by using their desktop browser. Decentraland, is a digital playground where members, after connecting their crypto wallets, are able to purchase plots of lands as NFTs. For access to full features, users get to design their avatars, including hairstyles, clothing, and accessories.

Once inside the world of Decentraland, users can buy and sell exclusive digital assets and explore the immersive experience using their personal avatar. The Samsung 837X digital twin store was designed explicitly to deliver metaverse-based interactions that fuse contemporary pop culture with Samsungs distinct product and technological innovations. There are three worlds contained with Samsung 837X, each connecting thematically and experientially to the Samsungs core initiatives and brand pillars of Sustainability, Customization, and Connectivity. Within each ever-evolving experience, visitors avatars can go on exciting quests, collect NFT wearables and other digital assets, or simply play around and have fun.

Samsung recently used the 837X metaverse space as a satellite location for its Unpacked 2022 event, an annual reveal of the companys latest and greatest products.During Unpacked 2022, Samsung unveiled the next generation of Galaxy S devices, including the first reveal of the Galaxy S22 phone and Galaxy Tab S8. The 360-degree immersive environment is the perfect store-as-stage for Samsung, and the company streamed the big Unpacked event on Facebook, Twitch, TikTok, as well as in the digital twin. 837X features a Connectivity Theater, which serves as a direct link to Samsungs stage, relaying news and details from events regarding the companys latest products. To attend Samsungs event, consumers were able to sign up by either using their crypto wallet or simply logging in as a guest. After arriving at the event, attendees were able to also personalize their avatar with hairstyles, clothing and accessories, all of which could be purchased within the virtual flagship. Along with live product drops, Samsungs metaverse hub also featured quests within its Sustainability Forest that led to exclusive NFTs, and a live mixed reality dance party on the Customization Stage.

+++

This article originally appeared in the PSFK iQ report, Retail Strategies for the Metaverse.
Published:

25 February 2022



Illustration of Octagon Library dome [Ref. QM SB 13/63]

Aristotle was born in 384 in the city of Stagira in Macedonia, and died in Euboea, Macedonian Empire Northern Greece 322 B.C. His name means "the best purpose" in Ancient Greek.

His father was the personal physician at the court of the King of Macedon Philip II. From a very young age his father taught him biology and the beginnings of medical information. When he reached his early teenage years both his parents died. He then came under the guardianship of Proxenus of Atarneus.

At the age of seventeen he was sent to Athens as a pupil to continue his education at Plato's Academy, the renowned philosopher of the day. During his time at the Academy, he probably experienced the Eleusinian Mysteries (an initiation rite into the cult of Demeter and Persephone) as he described the sights one viewed at the event. He studied biology, mathematics and all branches of philosophy. Aristotle remained at the Academy till he was thirty-seven years of age.

After the death of Plato and at the request of Philip of Macedon, Aristotle left Athens and became tutor to Alexander the Great. He taught Alexander to love and respect the great qualities which the Greeks most admired, such as wisdom and freedom of ideas. In the year of 336 B.C. King Philip was murdered and therefore Alexander had to give up his studies to take the throne and become king.

After the death of King Philip and Alexander ascending the throne, Aristotle went back to Athens and began teaching and setting up his own school. His ideas were very different to that of Plato. Plato was interested in what mans life ought to be, but Aristotle thought more about what it was actually like, and how to solve some of the problems that men faced in their lives. Aristotle had the characteristics of a modern-day scientist. He looked at the facts of the real world that he could see and tried to work out new ideas from these facts. Logic, which lays down the rules of reasoning, began with Aristotle and has come down to the present with very few changes. Aristotle said of his teacher Plato:

Of course such an examination is contrary to us, given that those who introduced those ideas were our friends. However,  for the preservation of the truth, we would seem to be obliged not to spare our own sentiments, since we are philosophers. Hence the famous Latin dictum attributed to Aristotle (freely paraphrased from the Greek of the Nicomachean Ethics): amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas, Plato is a friend, but truth is a better friend.

At his school, the Lyceum, he taught astronomy and science using the latest scientific instruments and astronomical charts. He wrote and produced works on physics, metaphysics, ethics, politics, and rhetoric. He established his own library with many hundreds of books on papyrus scrolls. Though Aristotle wrote many elegant treatises and dialogues for publication, only around a third of his original output has survived, none of it intended for publication.

Aristotle was a polymath of ideas and writing. Besides the sciences he wrote books on the art of public speaking and poetry, and he also studied the great Greek plays of his time. He became an expert and many budding playwrights approached him for ideas. He and his pupils were often seen walking under the trees during their discussions, and from this habit they became known as the Peripatetics, from the Greek word meaning to walk about. This meaning to walk about is also used in the aboriginal language in Australia.

After a trip to Lesbos with Theophrastus he met and eventually married Pythias, Hermias daughter (or possibly niece), with whom he had a daughter (also called Pythias) and a son, Nicomachus (named after his father). In 323 B.C. Aristotle retired at the age of 61 and left Athens for his mothers home in Chalcis on the island of Euboea. Within a year he had died at the age of 62.

Aristotelian Legacy

After the death of Aristotle, Theophrastus was his successor in the Peripatetic school. Under his tutelage Theophrastus had learnt among other disciplines, botany. After the death of Hermias, Aristotle had travelled with his pupil, collaborator and friend, Theophrastus, to the island of Lesbos, where together they had researched the botany and zoology of the island and its sheltered lagoon. Theophrastus continued with his research into botany and he became known as the father of botany.

There are limited documents and biographical reports of Aristotle. Dante called him master of those who know in the Divine Comedy. There are poems, letters and other material passed down from Stagira, Delphi and Athens that give us a vague impression of his personality. The best known text we have for this period is Diogenes Laertius Lives and Opinions of the Eminent Philosophers (220 CE). Diogenes has this to report about Aristotle He spoke with a lisp, and he also had weak legs and small eyes, but he dressed elegantly and was conspicuous by his use of rings and his hair-style.

Books in Our Collection

Aristotelis De rhetorica, libri III : De rhetorica ad Alexandrum. De poetica / En recensione Immanuelis Bekkeri (1837) [Ref. PA3893.R3 ARI]

De anima libri tres / ad interpretum Graecorum auctoritatem et codicum fidem recognovit commentariis illustravit Frider. Adolph Trendelenburg (1833) [Ref. PA3892.A2 ARI]

Aristotelis De arte rhetorica libri III : Ad optimorum librorum fidem accurate editi (1831) [Ref. PA3893.R3 ARI]

Politicorum libri octo ad codicum fidem / edidit et adnotationem adiecit Carolus Goettling

(1824) [Ref. PA3893.P8 ARI]

Every Friday our Special Collections librarian Anne-Marie will be introducing you to each of the writers featured in the Octagon in this blog series.
Published:

18 February 2022



Bookplate from Platonis et quae vel Platonis esse feruntur vel Platonica solent comitari scripta graece omnia ad codices manuscriptos recensuit variasque inde lectiones [Ref. PA4279 PLA VOL.1-2]

We are not sure about the exact dates of his birth but in their research modern scholars have traced events in his life and believe he may have been born between 424 and 423 BCE. He was born into elite Greek society from an aristocratic lineage; his father, Ariston, descended from the Kings of Athens and Messenia, and his mother, Perictione, is said to have been related to the sixth century Greek statesman, law maker and lyric poet, Solon. Plato grew up during the Peloponnesian War when the greatness of Athens was declining.

Early Life

We have a glimpse from ancient writings describing Plato as a bright, modest child who excelled in his studies. Apuleius also tells us that Speusippus, who was a Greek philosopher as well as being Platos nephew, praised Plato for his quickness of mind and modesty and the first fruits of youth infused with hard work and study. Plato was instructed in grammar, music and gymnastics. He also studied music under Damon, son of Damonides, a Greek musicologist of the fifth century. He must have thought highly of Damon, as his name is evoked many times in The Republic. The Greek philosopher, Dicaerchus, mentions that Plato took part in the Isthmian games as a wrestler. Platos education included philosophy and he would probably have had his own tutor from Athens. His curriculum would include the doctrines of Cratylus and Pythayorus as well as Paramedides. For Plato, this laid the foundations and thinking into metaphysics (the philosophy of existence and the nature of being) and epistemology (the theory of knowledge).

But Plato is best known for being a pupil of the Greek philosopher Socrates. He began to write down the words of Socrates and gave a vivid picture of his life. Plato also noted that Socrates walked barefoot in the Agora, or marketplace of Athens, and would talk to anyone who would listen. In two of his works, the Apology and Phaedo, you will find the accounts of Socrates trial by the Athenians and his death.

Quotation from the Apology:

Men of Athens, I honor and love you: but I shall obey God rather then you, while I have the strength, I shall never cease from practice and teaching of philosophy, exhorting anyone whom I met after any manner and convincing him saying, Oh my friend, why do you who are a citizen of the great and mighty and wise city of Athens care so much about laying up the greatest amount of money and honor and reputation and so little about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement pf the soul, which you never regard or heard at all? [..]

Travelling to Italy and Egypt

Later in life during his middle age and after the death of Socrates, Plato made the sudden decision to travel to the Near East: Egypt, Italy and Cyrene which lies in present day Libya. While in Egypt he learnt of a water clock and later introduced the invention to the Greeks and Greece itself. Leaving the Egyptian shores, he sailed back to Europe and to Italy. While in Italy he studied the work of the great mathematician Pythagoras from his disciples and eventually realized the huge importance mathematics would have in the world. Through talking and discovering more about the work of Pythagoras Plato formed his idea "that the reality which scientific thought is seeking must be expressible in mathematical terms, mathematics being the most precise and definite kind of thinking of which we are capable. The significance of this idea for the development of science from the first beginnings to the present day has been immense." (G C Field, The philosophy of Plato (Oxford, 1956))

He found that in Italy and Sicily he was disgusted by the sensuality of life there, and the peoples pursuit of physical enjoyment and sexual pleasures, and he had fled back to Athens within a year.

According to Seneca Plato died on the same day he was born aged 81, but there are a variety of accounts that give a different age. There is one story, based on a mutilated manuscript, that suggests Plato was lying in bed whilst a young Thracian girl played the lute to him.

Works

Platos Dialogues are dedicated to Socrates, making him the chief speaker, and are imaginary conversations on philosophy. In these conversations he puts forward his own ideas by taking up Socrates examples and tries to find the answers to questions like What is justice?, What is beauty?, What is goodness?. The most important work was The Republic.

He wrote 27 dialogues and a few epistles, or letters, all of which were part of his teaching to his students, Aristotle being one of them, although most of his teaching was oratory. Plato founded the academy on the outskirts of Athens and his contributions to the theories of education were highlighted by the way he ran and taught within the academy and what an educated person should learn. His curriculum was logic, and legal philosophy including rhetoric. Although Plato had met Pythagoras, he made no mathematical discoveries himself, but had a strong belief that mathematics provides the finest training for the mind and was exceptionally important in the development of the subject. Over the door of the academy was inscribed: Let no one unversed in geometry enter here. The academy went on for more than 800 years, until its closure by Justinian.

Plato is also referred to as the founder of Western Political Philosophy. He believed in the Theory of Forms which stated that ideas were more timeless and absolute than the physical world. The legacy of Plato would eventually be established throughout the known world through Aristotle as tutor to Alexander the Great.

Books in our collection

Platonis et quae vel Platonis esse feruntur vel Platonica solent comitari scripta graece omnia ad codices manuscriptos recensuit variasque inde lectiones / diligenter enotavit Immanuel Bekker ; Annotationibus integris Stephani, Heindorfii, Heusdii. Wyttenbachii, Lindavii, Boeckhiique

The Oceana of James Harrington, esq : and his other works: with an account of his life prefix'd / by John Toland. To which is added, Plato redivivus; or, A dialogue concerning government

Further Resources

https://www.worldhistory.org/plato/

https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Plato/

Every Friday our Special Collections librarian Anne-Marie will be introducing you to each of the writers featured in the Octagon in this blog series.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 02/27/2022



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[ Spoiler Warning: This report contains spoilers on Memphis and Hamza's relationship and if the : Before the 90 Days couple is still dating and engaged or maybe even married].

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So are Memphis and Hamza still together now? Did they get married or has the : Before the 90 Days couple split?

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

: Before the 90 Days' fifth season featured Hamza Moknii worrying he and Memphis Smith were rushing into marriage, so did the couple wed, and if so, are they still together now? What do spoilers reveal about Hamza and Memphis' relationship now -- are they still together?Memphis is a 34-year-old from Muskegon, MI, and Hamza is a 28-year-old from Kairouan, Tunisia.After being single for four years and dating around quite a bit, Memphis -- who called herself spontaneous and fun -- met a "special" guy named Hamza eight months prior to filming : Before the 90 Days.Hamza apparently inspired Memphis to leave her wild days in the past.Memphis is a single mom to a 13-year-old daughter named Kennedi, whom she welcomed from a relationship that took place 14 years ago, as well as a six-year-old son, whom she shares custody of with her ex-husband.Memphis said she works hard to support her children and put herself through school for over eight years to obtain her Master's degree and become a nurse practitioner.Memphis was so proud of her life but wanted to share it with a man, and dating American men online apparently wasn't working out for her.Memphis said Hamza gave her "butterflies" that she never felt before and he's "very considerate."Memphis said feeling loved and cared for is how she determined she wanted to be with him long-term.The only problem was the couple's language barrier since Hamza only speaks a little English and she doesn't speak any Arabic. She joked about how the only words they both knew was "sexy time."Memphis planned to fly to Tunisia and take "sexy time" to a whole new level. She said she was truly in love with Hamza and wanted to skip getting engaged and go straight to getting married.Memphis intended to spend one week with Hamza in person, get married during Week 2, and then spend the third week honeymooning and enjoying being newlyweds.While Memphis' friends were a little worried and skeptical about Memphis skipping the K-1 visa and going straight to a spousal visa, Memphis was convinced she had found her perfect match and the man of her dreams.One of Memphis' pals pointed out how Hamza could be after a green card, but Memphis said Hamza wanted to start a new life, and a better life, with her. She dubbed Hamza consistent, but her friends apparently disagreed with her spontaneous choices and feared Memphis getting hurt."I'm going to do what I want to do regardless, because I feel like this is right in my gut and in my heart," Memphis explained.Memphis' mother Deborah, however, told the cameras that she thought Hamza probably had an ulterior motive -- and she wasn't sure Hamza would be a good stepdad.Memphis claimed she had told Hamza he must get a job in the United States in heating and cooling, so she didn't plan on supporting him financially for very long.Memphis then shared how she had been in 12 different foster homes until the age of 19. Memphis' mother struggled with a crack addiction when Memphis was nine years old and her biological father was in prison.Memphis felt her childhood played a part in her desire to feel secure with a man. She thought being married would fill a hole she had in her heart, and Memphis looked forward to having a stable and complete family."I just hope in my heart the decision I am making is the right one," Memphis noted.Memphis believed her choices would benefit her kids in the long run because they'd have a stable father figure and she'd be happy with a man whom she shared an "amazing connection" with.But her foster sister Ingrid said in a confessional, "Memphis is a hothead and can be very intimidating, so I am very concerned that Hamza is not ready for Memphis."Memphis craved emotional and physical intimacy, but Hamza still lived at home with his mother, his "everything."Hamza therefore hoped to find a job in America and help his mother financially, but his mother and sister Rawia were concerned about the way Memphis dressed and her different culture.And Hamza apparently lied to Memphis, saying his "old-fashioned" mother would be okay with them sleeping together, and she was pissed off upon learning the truth.Memphis thought they needed to have sex before marriage to make sure they're compatible in the bedroom.The next morning, Hamza's mother discovered Memphis and Hamza were in the same room together, and so she seemed to assume Memphis had spent the night with her son. She appeared angry and disappointed.But Memphis soon later learned Hamza had lied about his age and he's only 26 years old. He had told Memphis he was 28 at the time so she'd think he's more mature. Memphis lamented about feeling fooled and "betrayed."The lie made Memphis question whether she even wanted to go through with marriage, and she wondered what else her fiance could be lying about.But after Hamza promised Memphis he hadn't lied about anything else, the couple headed to an embassy two hours away to get the ball rolling on their marriage.Memphis didn't think Hamza was prepared for their meeting and she accused him of not "being a man," and Hamza complained, "Memphis nags me a lot. I do not like her attitude at all."Hamza began having second thoughts about marriage, but Memphis gave him the ultimatum that they needed to wed or else she'd be done with him.The couple then made love in a hotel room, and Memphis revealed "it was very fast and furious.""But I really feel so much more relieved because he did perform for me last night. He definitely showed me that he can do what he needs to do to satisfy me, so I was very happy," she noted.On the right track, Memphis then broached the topic of getting a prenuptial agreement so that if she and Hamza ever got a divorce, he wouldn't be able to take any of her money."Why you no trust me?" Hamza asked."It f-cking happens! People split up!" Memphis explained."Me no divorce," Hamza responded. "Why problem?""No, you don't know. You may change your mind," Memphis said.Memphis felt the need to protect herself going into this marriage, and she told Hamza, "If you do not sign the contract, I do not want to marry you."Hamza said he's never heard of a prenup before and they don't exist in Tunisia. He apparently felt "insulted" since a marriage should be built on trust and respect."Your possessions do not mean anything to me," Hamza insisted."Good! But will you sign papers?" Memphis asked."Okay," Hamza replied, although he felt very uneasy and noticed new problems kept popping up for his relationship.Once Memphis received the paperwork -- an affidavit of eligibility to marry -- Memphis told Hamza that she wanted their finances to be 50/50 in America and to work as a team.But Hamza said he felt humiliated and Memphis was making him feel "weak."Hamza began wondering if he could spend the rest of his life with a woman who was able to hurt him so badly. He didn't like how Memphis allegedly made a big deal out of "petty problems" and exaggerated their issues.Hamza's mother Hayet asked him while he was picking out his tuxedo for the wedding, "Are you sure about [the wedding]? Why are you in a hurry?"Hamza seemed unsure, and Memphis still had yet to tell him about how she had slept at her ex-husband's house when she and Hamza first got involved.Memphis claimed she and her ex hadn't engaged in any sexual relations since their divorce, but she feared Hamza would get very jealous over the situation.When Hamza learned the truth, he admitted they may be rushed into marriage, which Memphis disagreed with. Memphis appeared furious, in fact.In late February, Hamza posted a cute photo with Memphis and captioned it with five red heart emojis, but Memphis recently hinted she and Hamza may have split. For example, the pair have unfollowed each other on Instagram.On February 17, Memphis posted a slideshow of selfies on her Instagram account and captioned them, "Peace & Prosperity."She added, "Thank you everyone for the kind words! Spreading Love and Kindness! You never know what people are going through behind closed doors! Kindness Rocks."And a few days earlier, Memphis uploaded a cryptic quite about grieving."Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength," Memphis wrote. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."Memphis also advised her fans on February 1 to not let anyone "destroy and break [their] spirit."Memphis previously shared in her Instagram Story about how she prays to God her son and daughter will learn from her mistakes, and she suggested karma will get back to a person who puts another through "sh-t."In late January, Memphis said the "stress" in her life had her hair falling out.But around that same time, Instagrammer John Yates posted a screenshot of a photo from Hamza's Instagram account.In the comments of Hamza's selfie, Memphis' mother Deborah Smith Price wrote, "Hello handsome son in law," seemingly giving away that Memphis and Hamza had gotten married.Hamza replied, "Thank mam," along with four red-heart emojis.John went on to post screenshots of a man named Travis' alleged tweets from January 8 through January 9.Travis claimed to be Memphis' ex-boyfriend, and he reportedly bashed Memphis by saying he'd never want to have kids with her and his reasoning for letting her go should be obvious based off the footage that has aired on : Before the 90 Days' fifth season.While Travis appeared to note Memphis is "a good woman" who just picks "bad men" and makes bad decisions, he accused her of being wrapped up in her ex-husband."Her ex husband is the love of her life, not this new guy [Hamza]. She stayed overnight at her ex husband's when we lived together," Travis tweeted, according to John's screenshot.He later wrote to a fan, "I was with Memphis for a year but thank God we don't have a child together... I wish her the best, but Hell No, I didn't want a baby with her."Travis apparently went on to post a big "spoiler alert," writing about Memphis, "She is bipolar [and]] was pregnant with his baby. She had the baby a few months ago."Travis was referring to Hamza and pointed out to Twitter users that : Before the 90 Days, although it's just airing now, filmed about a year ago.Travis therefore suggested Memphis had plenty of time to get pregnant and deliver a child before the premiere of : Before the 90 Days' fifth season.After John posted Travis' tweets, Memphis apparently reached out to John in a DM to scold him for sharing unflattering information about her on Instagram.In a post captioned, "Cause I just don't care anymore," John uploaded an alleged screenshot of his conversation with Memphis.Memphis allegedly wrote to him, "I think it is sad that you post things from people who obviously are desperate and want some acknowledgement because their life sucks so bad!""At the end of the day, I do not have to go online and talk bad about people," she continued."Especially, with ill intention! Trav is very bitter and all my friends and family know it and thought it was quite funny that he is so desperate for 'clout' that he has to tell lies!"Memphis sarcastically applauded him and said, "But I guess keep doing you and spreading the hate! Good job."John apparently replied to Memphis, "I didn't say anything -- I used question marks cause I was just reporting on things that was said. Everyone else is saying you already had a kid and are married."Memphis later seemed to confirm her relationship status by responding to John, "I don't care about the married and kid thing!"She confirmed how she had an issue with John calling attention to Travis' tweets when Travis is allegedly "so desperate for attention.""I really wish people would try to look beyond some of the things because at the end of the day, it is TV. Where is the disclaimer that states that the show is a certain percent true events? Just wondering!" Memphis complained."I'm not trying to be rude or anything. It is just saddening to me!"John told Memphis that she had chosen to sign up for the show and he's just doing his job. He felt he was being "very considerate" of her, only to be personally attacked.John concluded -- referencing her alleged marriage and the baby again -- "All I did was repost [your] own mother calling Hamza her son in law... It's clear that [Travis is] legit as you just confirmed his existence, but at no point did I ever say you were married and had a baby.""Everyone else has -- I haven't," he noted. "People are looking up your baby registries right now."Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
Places To Go

See and hear for yourself this winter

Snowy owls:

Multiple birders recommended Chums Corner, along Commerce Drive. Scan the ground as well as rooflines.

Note: Owls should be viewed responsibly to ensure they get their daytime rest. Project SNOWstorm recommends the following:

 Do not approach the owl

 Stay in or behind your car, at a distance of at least 75 yards

 Leave if the owl seems stressed or there are too many other people gathered

Ducks and other water birds:

Multiple birders recommended Medalie Park/Logans Landing, when the water is open.

Doug Cook also recommended the channel between Betsie Bay and Betsie Lake.

Bald eagles:

Doug Craven recommended looking up along any open water, including bays of Lake Michigan or streams feeding into smaller lakes.

Hawks:

Hans and Lucy Voss recommended looking for movement along fields. They frequent the fields near Meijer in Williamsburg.

Irruptive finches and other songbirds:

Kirk Waterstripe said to look near fruiting trees and shrubs, especially crabapple, wild grape, Michigan holly, and cranberry viburnum.

Songbirds also frequent bird feeders. Nate Crane recommended the Traverse City location of Wild Birds Unlimited as a resource for backyard bird watchers.

For more local birding hotspots, visit ebird.org or read Waterstripes excellent Birders Guide to the Traverse City Area, available at grandtraverseaudubon.org.
PJ Edwards, the founder of El Refugio, spoke via Zoom to the Young Democrats of the University of Georgia Wednesday evening. Edwards, a UGA alum, serves as the board chair of the non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the families of immigrants who have loved ones in the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia.
Down to the basics In small towns across the state's rural landscape, economic development translates as having water and sewer plants - that work. As Alderson Mayor Travis Copenhaver says, "Business won't even consider you if you don't have solid infrastructure."
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Two Chinese paramililtary policemen patrol in front of the iconic Potala Palace in the Tibet Autonomous Region capital Lhasa, in a Sept. 9, 2016 file photo.

A Tibetan shouted slogans and attempted to self-immolate in an apparent protest in front of the iconic Potala Palace in the Tibet regional capital Lhasa this week but was thwarted by Chinese police, sources in the region and in India told RFA Saturday.

Immediately after the incident Friday morning outside the Potala, police took away the Tibetan, whose identity, condition and whereabouts remain unknown, the sources said.

Right after this incident took place, the Chinese police blocked all the streets in front and around Potala Palace. And today there are more Chinese soldiers deployed in front of the Potala Palace than usual, a source inside Tibet, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid potential legal danger, said Saturday.

The massive hilltop Potala that dominates the Lhasa skyline was the winter palace of historic Dalai Lamas from 1649 until 1959, when the current Dalai Lama fled to India after an uprising against Chinese rule over the formerly independent Himalayan region, triggering a crackdown in which the palace was shelled and thousands were killed by Chinese troops.

A second source from the large Tibetan exile community in India confirmed having heard of the Potala incident but also had no further details.

So far, 157 Tibetans are confirmed to have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest Chinese rule in Tibetan areas, and another eight have taken their lives in Nepal and India.

The previous report of a self-immolation was that of a 26-year-old man named Shurmo, who set himself ablaze in September 2015 in the Tibet Autonomous Regions Nagchu (Chinese, Naqu) county. His death was confirmed only in January of last year.

Fridays aborted self-immolation bid occurred in the run up to the March 10 anniversary of the 1959 rebellion, known as Tibetan National Uprising Day, a period when the Chinese government usually tightens control and surveillance.

High-technology controls on phone and online communications in Tibetan areas often prevent news of Tibetan protests and arrests from reaching the outside world.

Tibets exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is reviled by Chinese leaders as a separatist intent on splitting Tibet, which was invaded and incorporated into China by force in 1950, from Beijings control.

The Dalai Lama himself says only that he seeks a greater autonomy for Tibet as a part of China, though, with guaranteed protections for Tibets language, culture, and religion.

Chinese authorities maintain a tight grip on the region, restricting Tibetans political activities and peaceful expression of ethnic and religious identity, and subjecting Tibetans to persecution, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings.

Translated by Tenzin Dickyi for RFAs Tibetan Service. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine broke out in Minsk and other cities as Belarusians cast ballots in a referendum on constitutional changes to tighten Alyaksandr Lukashenka's grip on power.



Video posted on social media showed several people in different places around the country being detained on February 27 as they held various demonstrations against the invasion.



More than 300 people were detained, mostly in Minsk, according to the Vyasna human rights group, which listed the names of the people arrested on its website.

The referendum would change the constitution to allow Lukashenka, 67, to rule until 2035, offer him a new lever of power, and abolish a section of the document defining Belarus as a "nuclear-free zone," possibly paving the way for the return of Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus.



Speaking at a polling station on February 27, Lukashenka said that he could ask Russia to return nuclear weapons to Belarus.



"If you (the West) transfer nuclear weapons to Poland or Lithuania, to our borders, then I will turn to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to return the nuclear weapons that I gave away without any conditions," Lukashenka said.

Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the referendum was Lukashenka's attempt to strengthen his grip on power and called on Belarusians to use the vote to protest the war against Ukraine.



"All over the country, Belarusians gather to protest against the war in Ukraine, Belarus's involvement in it, against the Lukashenka regime," Tsikhanouskaya said on Twitter.



Lukashenka proposed the constitutional changes following domestic and international backlash over his violent crackdown on dissent after the August 2020 presidential election that he claims gave him a sixth consecutive term. The opposition says the vote was rigged.

The Crisis In Belarus Read our ongoing coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election, widely seen as fraudulent.

One person sent a picture to RFE/RL of a ballot they said they submitted.



Both yes and no were marked on the ballot along with a message to free blogger and RFE/RL consultant Ihar Losik, who in December was handed a 15-year prison sentence after being accused of using his popular Telegram channel to "prepare to disrupt public order."



Deemed illegitimate by much of the West, Lukashenka now depends on support from Putin, who has exploited that weakness to extract further concessions that the Kremlin hopes will be cemented under a final union state.

Lukashenka, a former communist-era collective-farm manager, has a history of tampering with Belarus's constitution.

In 1996, he significantly expanded his own powers as president and reduced the powers of parliament, while in 2004 he lifted restrictions on the number of presidential terms that can be served.



In 2016, Lukashenka first mentioned a possible third round of constitutional changes, announcing the need to "create a group of wise men, lawyers who will analyze our fundamental law."



That talk largely vanished until the aftermath of the disputed 2020 presidential election, when tens of thousands took to the streets in some of the biggest protests in Belarus's post-Soviet history.

Lukashenka eventually unveiled his plans for a referendum on the changes that give more powers to the All-Belarus People's Assembly, a periodic gathering of loyalists that currently has no governing status under the law. He said it could provide a "safety net" in case "the wrong people come to power, and they have different views."



The revamped All-Belarus People's Assembly, if the changes are approved as expected, would act as a parallel structure next to parliament, holding wide-ranging powers to approve foreign, security, and economic policy. It would also be able to propose changes to the constitution, draft laws, and select members of the Central Election Commission and judges of the top courts.



According to the proposed amendments, a sitting president automatically becomes a delegate of the 1,200-seat assembly and may chair it if elected by other delegates.



The proposed changes also would give Lukashenka immunity from prosecution and put in place a limit of two terms in office, each for five years. However, the restrictions would only apply going forward, meaning Lukashenka could rule until he is 81 years old.



The amendments would also prohibit anyone who temporarily left the country in the last 20 years from becoming president, a change aimed directly at opposition members, many of whom were forced into exile to avoid political persecution.

With reporting by Tony Wesolowsky
Protests broke out at several locations across Belarus on February 27 against the invasion of Ukraine. Crowds chanted "Glory to Ukraine!" and "No to war!" before police came and made hundreds of arrests. Participants uploaded numerous videos. The protests came as Belarusians cast ballots in a referendum on constitutional changes to tighten Alyaksandr Lukashenka's grip on power.
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
4 Demonstrators in Berlin demand that Russia be disconnected from the SWIFT financial system on February 25. A group of Western nations led by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have agreed to block access for "selected" Russian banks to SWIFT.
Street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops are squeezing strategic ports in the country's south following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

The capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict curfew kept people off the streets.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on February 27 that the night had been brutal, with shelling of civilian infrastructure and attacks on many targets.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city can't be evacuated because the routes out are blocked, telling the AP in an interview, "Right now, we are encircled." A curfew he ordered will be extended until at least 8 a.m. on February 28.

Klitschko confirmed to the AP that nine civilians in Kyiv had been killed so far, including one child. He said six Russian soldiers had been killed on the night of February 26.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed for the first time that there had been casualties among Russia's forces.

"Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded of our comrades," the Defense Ministry said on Telegram.

WATCH: Mobile-phone footage showed a column of Russian troops with military vehicles opening fire as they advanced through the streets of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on February 27.

The situation in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, was dramatically different. Russian forces have entered the city, and the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, Oleh Sinehubov, said that Ukrainian forces were fighting them. He asked civilians not to leave their homes.

"Control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The armed forces, the police, and the defense forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy," Sinehubov wrote on Telegram.

Videos posted online by Ukrainian officials showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and a light vehicle burning on the street.

Reuters quoted a witness in Kharkiv as saying Russian soldiers and armored vehicles could be seen in different parts of the city and firing could be heard.

Live Briefing: Russia Invades 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.

Strategic ports in the country's south came under pressure following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

In the port city of Odesa, Russian forces wounded the head of the regional defense forces, who has been hospitalized in critical condition. RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service said the information was confirmed by the press service of the Odesa regional military administration.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine announced on February 27 that all checkpoints on Ukraine's borders with Russia, Belarus, and Moldovas Transdniester region would be temporarily closed beginning on February 28.

The decision also applies to checkpoints in Zhulyany and Boryspil airports in Kyiv and checkpoints at the airports in Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv among others. Ukrainian citizens will still be able to enter the country, the border guard service said.

The developments came as Zelenskiy's office announced that Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine.

Zelenskiys office said the two sides would meet at an unspecified location and did not give a date or time for the meeting.

The talks are to be held without preconditions and are the result of a phone call between Zelenskiy and the authoritarian leader of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Zelenskiys office said in a statement.

"We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," the statement said.

Zelenskiy expressed skepticism about the talks, saying, "As always: I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try."

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that a Russian delegation had arrived in Belarus for negotiations. The delegation consists of officials from the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and other Russian entities, including the presidential staff, TASS reported.

Meanwhile, an explosion hit the southeastern part of Kyiv just after midnight on February 27 and left a glowing red light over a military fuel depot in Vasylkiv, a city just south of Kyiv. There were no immediate reports on damage or injuries in what could be the start of the final battle for Kyiv and the Ukrainian nation.

WATCH: An explosion and fire tore through a fuel depot of the Ukrainian air base at Vasylkiv, south of Kyiv, on February 26. RFE/RL correspondent Maryan Kushnir was on the scene but could not immediately confirm the cause.

Russian forces used artillery, and reportedly ballistic missiles, to hit the fuel depot at the Ukrainian air base. The explosion shook windows for kilometers and the reflection of the flames was seen as far north as Kyivs center

The air base has been the site of major fighting for days now, as Russian forces have tried to take control. As of February 27, the base reportedly remained under Ukrainian government control.

There were also reports of a blast heard to the west of Kyiv city center and air-raid sirens.

Amid reports of clashes near Kharkiv, Zelenskiys office said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in the city, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke by covering their windows with damp cloth or gauze.

Ukraine's army said it held the line against an assault on the capital but was fighting Russian "sabotage groups" that had infiltrated the city, where people hunkered down in homes, underground garages, and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale assault by Russian forces.

"We will fight until we have liberated our country," Zelenskiy said in a video message on February 27.

He said Moscow was bombarding residential areas in Ukraine.

"The past night in Ukraine was brutal, again shooting, again bombardments of residential areas, civilian infrastructure," Zelenskiy said.

Zelenskiy also said his country has filed a complaint against Russia at the UN's highest court that settles legal disputes between states. It was unclear on precisely what grounds the case was being brought to The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency meeting on February 27 to discuss the crisis.

For her part, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on February 27 that there could be no talks with Russia over Ukraine while Moscow has troops in the country.

"Now, if the Russians are serious about negotiations, they need to remove their troops from Ukraine. They cannot negotiate with a gun to the head of the Ukrainians.... So frankly, I don't trust these so-called efforts of negotiation," she told Sky News.

She said the conflict could last a "number of years" and the world needs to be prepared for Moscow "to seek to use even worse weapons."



"I fear this will be a long haul. This could be a number of years," Truss said.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Canada, and the United States agreed to block access for a number of Russian banks to the SWIFT banking system, as well as imposing "restrictive measures" against Russia's central bank for Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

In a joint statement on February 26, the leaders said the measures -- which will restrict the Russian central bank's international reserves and thus hinder its ability to support the ruble -- will be implemented in the coming days.

Experts have said blocking access to SWIFT would be a major step up in the intensity of Western sanctions against Moscow.

The latest moves came as Western experts were saying that Ukrainian forces had put up tougher-than-expected resistance in three days of pitched battles across the country.

In a Facebook post, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Resnikov encouraged his soldiers after what he described as "three days that have changed our country and the world forever."

He said that Russia had not succeeded in capturing Kyiv as they had planned and added that Ukraine was now expecting help from other countries that seemed impossible three days ago. He said Europe needs Ukraine to fight.

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said on February 26 that 198 people have been killed and more than 1,000 others have been wounded in the Russian offensive.

Russia has not released casualty figures.

The United Nations says it has confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties, including at least 64 people killed, in the fighting in Ukraine -- though it believes the real figures are considerably higher."

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says more than 368,000 people have fled to neighboring countries, while over 160,000 are estimated to be displaced within Ukraine.



Pope Francis called for the "urgent" opening of humanitarian corridors to allow even more to leave and said those who make war should not be deluded into thinking that God is on their side.

"Those who make war forget humanity. It does not come from the people," the pope said.

He said he was moved by images of elderly people seeking refuge and mothers escaping with their children. "They are brothers and sisters, for whom we must urgently open humanitarian corridors. They must be welcomed," he said.

Poland's border guards on February 27 said that more than 156,000 people had crossed into the EU member from Ukraine in the days since Russia invaded.

The Russian state prosecutor's office warned on February 27 that anyone providing financial or other assistance to a foreign state or international organization directed against Russia's security could be convicted of treason, facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.



"Each fact of providing financial or other assistance...will be legally evaluated," the prosecutors office said in a statement.

With reporting by RFE/RL correspondents Mike Eckel and Todd Prince, AP, Reuters, AFP, BBC, and dpa
Xi and the heroic city in his thoughts

Xinhua) 16:18, February 27, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- In a few days, China's national legislature and the country's top political advisory body will convene their annual sessions in Beijing, the third of its kind since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first was in 2020. The event, usually held in March every year, was postponed to late May that year due to the outbreak.

Leaders, who are deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) themselves, cut short their participation in group deliberations with fellow national lawmakers. But President Xi Jinping said he must see and talk with one group of them in particular -- those from Hubei Province. And he did.

Hubei and its provincial capital Wuhan in particular were where the epidemic took a heavy toll. To Xi, the NPC deputies from Hubei represent the province's nearly 60 million people.

"The people of Hubei and Wuhan have made great contributions and sacrifices to ensure the epidemic was brought under control," Xi told the Hubei delegation when he joined them for deliberation on May 24, 2020.

By then, Wuhan had gone through unprecedentedly rigorous quarantine measures. With the highest concentration of cases nationwide in early 2020, the city of 10 million was locked down for 76 days to stem the spread of the virus. The lockdown was lifted on April 8, 2020.

"Wuhan is truly a heroic city, and the people of Hubei and Wuhan are truly heroes," Xi said.

Before the lockdown was lifted, Xi visited Wuhan in March 2020, praising people there as "heroic people" and attributing the hard-won success of epidemic control measures to their sacrifice, devotion and perseverance.

The people of Wuhan demonstrated the strength and spirit of China and the Chinese people's love for their family and nation in sticking together through thick and thin, Xi said.

At the group deliberation of the NPC session, Xi conversed with Luo Jie, who was head of a hospital in Hubei.

Xi said he was impressed by Luo's account that the hospital organized a 10-member team just to save an 87-year-old patient from COVID-19.

Xi had earlier summed up the experience at Luo's hospital as a fitting embodiment of China's COVID-19 response principle -- putting people first and doing whatever it takes to save lives.

In Hubei, more than 3,600 COVID-19 patients over 80 years old recovered, among whom the oldest was 108.

Overall, this people-first principle and the quick and effective responses have become an essential part of the Chinese way to battle the virus, helping China to minimize deaths and infections while enabling it to reboot the economy as soon as possible.

"The measures you have taken and the lessons learned are all invaluable experience in epidemic response. This is a major contribution of Hubei," Xi told the Hubei delegation at the NPC session.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
As the Russian government remains silent about the number of losses it has incurred in its invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv is appealing directly to families of Russian soldiers to identify their relatives captured or killed in the four-day-old war.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry issued the appeal on February 27, directing relatives of Russian soldiers to online platforms where they can search through photos and videos of Russian soldiers captured or killed by Ukrainian forces.

The initiative, called Ishchi Svoikh (Look For Your Own), appears aimed in part at undermining morale and support for the war in Russia, where officials and state media have refrained from disclosing details of Russian casualties and military assaults against Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv.

Vadym Denysenko, an adviser to Ukraines interior minister, said the Russian government had been unresponsive about facilitating the return of Russian soldiers remains.

For that reason, we have been forced to appeal to you, citizens of Russia, so that you can find those who were killed on our territory -- and killed because he illegally crossed our border based on an illegal and despicable order by your president, Denysenko said in the video appeal, which the Ukrainian Interior Ministry posted on its official YouTube channel:

Russian authorities moved swiftly against the initiative's site, which was blocked by the government's media regulator the same day at the request of Russia's Prosecutor-General's Office.

The Russian Defense Ministry has yet to release information about the number of Russian soldiers killed, wounded, or captured since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Live Briefing: Russia Invades 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 Ukrainian military on February 27 said that Russia had lost around 4,300 military personnel, though that figure did not include a breakdown of the number killed, wounded, and captured.

A day earlier, the Ukrainian military said that more than 3,500 Russian soldiers had been killed, though it was not possible to independently corroborate that claim.

Ruslan Leviyev, the founder of the nongovernmental Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), an open-source investigative group focused on the Russian military, said his team estimates that at least 500 Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict so far.

The [Russian Defense Ministry] itself is not acknowledging a single loss -- not prisoners of war or those killed in action. Its as if there arent any at all, Leviyev told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA.

Shortly after Leviyevs interview on February 27, the Russian Defense Ministry issued its first admission of casualties, but gave no numbers on how many the Russian military had suffered.

Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among our comrades, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov was quoted by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

WATCH: Amid claim and counterclaim about Russia's war in Ukraine, open-source intelligence analyst Ruslan Leviyev says Russia has suffered at least 500 killed so far.

'Mama And Papa, I Didn't Want To Come Here'

The URL for the website launched by Ukraine for Russians to identify their killed or captured relatives is called 200rf.com -- a reference to "Cargo 200, a code for the bodies of soldiers being returned. The bulk of the images, videos, and official documents of Russian soldiers are posted on an associated channel on the encrypted messaging service Telegram.

The photographs and videos include extremely graphic images of soldiers killed in battle, as well as on-camera interrogations of captured Russian soldiers.

In one post, a purported Russian POW is shown being allowed to inform relatives about his whereabouts. In another, a different alleged POW is asked if he has a message for his mother and father.

Mama and papa, I didnt want to come here. They forced me to, the man says.

RFE/RL was unable to verify what kind of pressure the men in these videos may have been subjected to prior to giving on-camera statements.

Denysenko, the adviser to Ukraines interior minister, claimed in his appeal to families of Russian soldiers on February 27 that Ukraine is treating war prisoners very humanely.

No one is treating them badly. If necessary, we provide medical care. But your government took your relatives telephones away. They dont have any way to contact you, Denysenko said.

He added that as a paid service, parents could submit their own DNA information via the website for a test to determine the identity of soldiers killed in action.

A Lone Confirmed Death

Since the start of the war, there has been just one official confirmation of the death of a Russian soldier, but it did not come from Russias Defense Ministry. Instead, it came from the Moscow-appointed head of Russias volatile North Caucasus region of Daghestan.

Sergei Melikov, who had headed the region since October 2020, said in an Instagram post that Russian officer Nurmagomed Gadzhimagomedov, a native of Dagestan who served in Russias airborne troops, had died in combat and that he received the tragic news with great regret.

Melikov did not disclose how Gadzhimagomedov died.

With reporting by Current Time, Siberia.Realities, RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, and Mark Krutov of RFE/RLs Russian Service
Alejandra Sotelo-Solis was in fifth grade at Kimball Elementary School when she made the bold assertion. Asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she said one day she would be the mayor of National City.

I dont know if at 11 years old you know (mayors) work on budgets or sit on regional boards, she said.

What she did know, however, is that a mayor is a head figure.

Now 39, Sotelo-Solis fulfilled her longtime goal on Tuesday, when she was sworn in as the citys first Latina mayor. The oath of office Sotelo-Solis recited was led by none other than her former fifth grade teacher.

As soon as she finished the oath, the crowd at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center burst into a chant in Spanish that means Yes we can. Si se puede, the crowd roared repeatedly.

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It was a symbolic and historic moment for National City, where about 60 percent of the citys roughly 60,000 residents are Latino.

I feel totally humbled, amazing, and ready to get to work, Sotelo-Solis said in a recent interview, smiling from ear to ear.

Having spent the past 10 years on the dais as a councilwoman  while raising three girls with husband Arturo Solis, a Sweetwater Union High School District trustee, and running a small grant-writing business named La Pluma Strategies  its no surprise Sotelo-Solis feels ready.

Being able to do all of that  in heels and lipstick  has put me and gotten me ready for the job, she said, with an eagerness in her voice. Im ready.

Her victory in the mayoral race  she drew 46 percent of the vote in a field of four candidates  is an accomplishment that was a long time coming for Sotelo-Solis.

Sotelo-Solis, a Sweetwater High School graduate who received her bachelors degree in political science from UC San Diego, ran unsuccessfully for mayor twice before, including at age 27 in 2006, when then-Councilman Ron Morrison won.

Now its her time.

Noting she intends to create a 100-day plan, Sotelo-Solis said her priorities include housing and jobs.

Also on her list of priorities is to unite the City Council, which has feuded over the past year on some issues, including term limits for the mayor, a councilmans building code violations and city funds for the National City Chamber of Commerce.

With a woman as mayor, Sotelo-Solis said, she anticipates the city will see a different style of leadership than in the past.

I feel were more about a team effort, she said, referring to female leaders.

To unite the City Council, she plans to take a step that is simple, yet symbolic: to bring together council members for a photo to hang inside City Hall.

We havent taken a group photo of the City Council in years, she said.

Councilwoman Mona Rios, who won a re-election bid in November, said she was excited about the future of National City under the leadership of Sotelo-Solis, a close ally who she described as a trailblazer.

She will inspire us all to dream more, learn more, do more and become more as we work together to move National City forward, Rios said.

Also on Sotelo-Solis team are sitting Councilman Jerry Cano and  in an unusual scenario  former Mayor Ron Morrison, who termed out and ran successfully for a City Council seat.

While Sotelo-Solis and Morrison havent always seen eye to eye  theyve bickered on the dais in the past  both have said they intended to work together.

I will do my very best to make this thing work, said Morrison, who already has met with his successor to discuss a range of topics, mostly procedural city matters. If the council fails, if the city fails, we all fail. We dont want this.

Morrison said his new seat on the council represents an opportunity for Sotelo-Solis to tap into his institutional knowledge and professional relationships.

Im hopeful she will use that as we try to move the city forward, he said.

As the city transitions power, Morrison said, it may take him time to adjust. He said its something hes joked with Sotelo-Solis about, telling her to not misconstrue it as a dig if he accidentally pulls into her new parking space at City Hall.

He said he anticipates a challenge for Sotelo-Solis will be to balance the desires of residents with the interests of community groups she has aligned herself with over the years.

What can happen all too often in politics is when you have a lot of outside interests invested in your political career, sometimes you have to do the thing thats most difficult in politics, and thats to tell them no, he said. Thats always a tricky road.

PRIORITIES

There are many ideas Sotelo-Solis wants to look into  from mentorship and apprenticeship programs to boost the citys workforce to the impacts of marijuana businesses to decide whether National City should follow in the steps of other cities and allow recreational pot shops.

Then there is housing.

She wants the City Council, as the policy-making entity, to look into possible regulations to address the housing crisis.

Its a pressing issue for National City, where voters in November narrowly rejected a ballot measure intended to limit annual rent increases and allow evictions sparingly. Measure W, which was defeated by 155 votes, was placed on the November ballot as a citizens-driven initiative.

It speaks volumes as to the desire of our community wanting something now, Sotelo-Solis said of the efforts behind Measure W, which she backed.

Im ready to get an advisory group of both like-minded and diverse perspectives, Sotelo-Solis said. I need renters, I need owners I want everyone to tell me: what is it that the city really needs to do to be more attractive not only for development but for what we currently have?

One idea Sotelo-Solis has in mind is for the city to consider whether to regulate so-called granny flats, perhaps by requiring an annual building code inspection and a fee to cover the enforcement costs. The fee, she said, could be a source of revenue for the city.

Although she supported Measure W, which was fiercely opposed by landlords and property owners, Sotelo-Solis said she feels she can work with all sides, including renters and tenants, to address the issue. She said she wants all groups at the table.

After all, she said, a key task for her as an elected official is to balance her values with the values of the larger community.

We all make up National City, she said, and my decision-making should incorporate all of that.

She added: Ive been able to sleep like a baby the last 10 years because Ive done that.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who endorsed Sotelo-Solis when she launched her mayoral campaign in February, said she was delighted with the new leadership.

Alejandra is National City, said Gonzalez, whose district includes the South Bay city. No one has ever been more representative of the community she serves. Im so proud to have this Latina in leadership as a public servant to a community that embraces her spirit and her values.

With Sotelo-Solis sworn in, the City Council has 60 days to fill the seat she held as a councilwoman. The options are to appoint someone or call for a special election in November that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. On Tuesday, the City Council decided to make applications for the vacant seat available to the public.

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Argentina is in the list of at least top ten countries with the largest investment flows to Armenia. Based on the potential existing in the two economies, there are reasonable expectations that its possible to increase the trade volume. The political dialogue between Argentina and Armenia is developing harmoniously, with a determination to look for new areas for cooperation, Santiago Andres Cafiero, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, said in an exclusive interview to ARMENPRESS.

- This year Armenia and Argentina celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations. How do you assess the current level of relations between the two countries? In your view, how is the political dialogue developing?

- On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, on January 17 we exchanged letters with my counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan where we both highlighted the historic friendly ties connecting our nations and the common vision to the future from the general horizon of friendship and cooperation.

In this respect, I found it appropriate to remind that Argentinas recognition of Armenia as a sovereign and independent state took place in 1920. Later, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, we established diplomatic relations in early 1992. Firstly, Armenia opened its embassy in Argentina in May 1994, and then my country opened its embassy in Armenia in May 2010.

Argentina positively assesses the bilateral relations with Armenia, which have firm grounds and are based on the long-term traditions of friendship and cooperation between our nations. In this context, the political dialogue is developing harmoniously, with a will by our side to constantly deepen the ties and search for new areas of cooperation.

- The COVID-19 pandemic affected the economic ties of all countries in the world. It also negatively affected Armenias trade turnover volumes. The commercial ties of Armenia and Argentina are quite modest, but do you see a potential for boosting those ties and in which sectors? Which areas of Armenias economy are interesting to the Argentine businessmen aimed at establishing new ties?

- I agree with your view concerning the negative consequences the pandemic left and still leaves, in all terms, including on the relations of countries. If we talk about the economic relations generally, over the past decade Argentina has been positioned in the list of at least ten leading countries with the largest investment flows to Armenia. In the whole Eurasia, Argentina managed to have such a positioning only in Armenia, and I think this fact should be highlighted. On the other hand, its true that our trade exchanges are still modest. But based on the potential that we see in our two economies, we have reasonable expectations that we will be able to increase the volume of our trade. In this sense, the establishment of the Argentine Chamber of Commerce in Yerevan in September 2021, which was promoted by our embassy, will be an important tool to continue the development of trade, will serve as a bridge between the businessmen of the two countries, will promote the small and medium entrepreneurship and will involve young experts.

With the same logic, in August 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Enterprise Armenia and Argentina Investment Agency and International Trade, which will enable to strengthen the joint trade-economic initiatives. In other words, even during the pandemic we managed to take targeted steps directed to the growth of our trade exchanges.

- Armenia and Argentina are developing their cooperation also in multilateral international platforms. Argentina chairs this year the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva led by Federico Villegas. Recently Armenias representative Andranik Hovhannisyan has been elected as Vice President to the Council. How would you describe the partnership of the two countries in multilateral platforms and what prospects do you see for deepening that cooperation?

- Our countries share values and visions which are reflected in multilateral sector by concrete steps aimed at fighting poverty, reducing inequalities, creating dignified work, which will lead to an equal economic development. These are just some of the directions. There are common positions and a wide range of opportunities in all these initiatives so that we can work together with our Armenian friends. In this respect, in the moment of international relations, as it is today, with so many challenges facing the international community, multilateralism becomes a priority, like ever before, as the most important and useful tool which those countries must use that have inclination and commitment to give answers to the most urgent issues such as global warming, the fight against gender inequality or the preservation of international peace and security.

In the search for solutions to these and other issues our countries have common views and deep commonalities, which, undoubtedly, could create smart and effective proposals in various areas where these issues are being raised and discussed.

- There is an Argentine school, a square in Yerevan. The busts of Argentine General, politician Manuel Belgrano and National Hero of Argentina, General Jose de San Martin are erected in Yerevan. There is a Buenos Aires Park in one of the districts of Yerevan. Despite the long distance, the cultures of the two countries are very close. How do you assess the current level of humanitarian ties, and what new joint initiatives can we witness in the future?

- Its a pleasure for me to know about the presence of Argentina in Armenia. Here as well, like in Buenos Aires and Cordoba, there are public places connected with Armenia, such as the section of the Acevedo street, between Cordoba and Sante Fe avenues, has been named Armenia in 1983, on the occasion of the visit of Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Vazgen I to Argentina.

A section of one of the most traditional and oldest neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, Palermo, hosts many structures connected with Armenia and is the traditional center of the community. The Armenian center, the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral and various stores are located there. All these are very popular and respected structures.

In its turn, in Cordoba, the main residence of the community is in Pueyrredon district, where the St. George Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Evangelical Maranata Church and the Sahak Mesrob school dedicated to bilingual education are located.

All these institutions, alleys, parks and schools openly highlight the deep connection that testifies to the relations between our countries both at spiritual and material level. Everything seems to hint that we only have a way to deepen and strengthen this in the future, the continuation of promotion of these ties depends on us.

- Argentina is a warm and caring home for quite a large Armenian community. How do you assess the communitys role in the deepening of the bilateral relations, the strengthening of spiritual and cultural ties?

- The strong Armenian community plays a very important role in the development of the relations of the two countries. The contacts, exchanges between peoples, travels and visits keep alive the communication with the country of origin, and at the same time, spread the traditions, the way of thinking and many expressions of the rich Armenian culture in Argentina. Therefore, their contribution to the national construction is reflected in many areas and has been very significant.

I also know that the talk is about a very well organized community that has many institutions which try to preserve the traditions and culture, in which there are newspapers, churches and schools which teach and spread the Armenian language.

Of course, the community is very important capital in our bilateral relations.

Interview by Narine Nazaryan
Ombudsmen of Armenia and Artsakh Kristine Grigoryan and Gegham Stepanyan issue statement on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Sumgait massacres. As reports Armenpress statement runs as follows:

"The February 20, 1998 decision of the Council of People's Deputies of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast to combat through peaceful means for the right to life of the Armenians of Artsakh, and their right to live free in dignity and security in their own homeland, few days later found its response in the city of Sumgait, located in the distance of 27 kms from Baku. On February 27-29, at the direct provocation of the Azerbaijani authorities and organized by them, the Armenian population of the city was subjected to torture, mutilation, arson of people (both alive or after death), gang rape, while their property was destroyed and looted.

As a result of the massacres committed on the grounds of nationality the rights of the 20.000 Armenian residents of Sumgait, to life, to be free from torture and discrimination, to freedom and security, to private property, to fair trial, other rights were directly and irrevocably threatened.

Although the Sumgait massacres were documented by the relevant Soviet authorities, the perpetrators and the organizers of the crime have not been brought to justice.

The anti-Armenian massacres of Sumgait instigated a series of crimes against humanity committed by Azerbaijan- a practice which continues to this day. Within the context of this consistent policy during the period of 1988-1991, thousands of Armenians were killed, while another 500,000 thousand were forcibly displaced from the cities of Gandzak (Kirovabad), Baku, and other cities in Azerbaijan, as well as in the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Aiming to forcibly suppress the right to self-determination of the population of Artsakh, and to annihilate them, Azerbaijan launched a war against the Armenian population lasted 1991-1994, during which the vivid evidence of the genocidal actions of the Azerbaijani authorities is the massacre of the Armenian population in the village of Maragha in the region of Martakert in April 1992, as a result of which more than 50 peaceful civilians were killed and Armenians were completely annihilated from the village.

The Republic of Azerbaijan fully inherited, further improved the policy of Armenophobia of Soviet Azerbaijan, aimed at the forceful displacement of Armenians from Artsakh, and the annihilation of the Armenian people in its cradle. The practice of glorifying murders purely on ethnic grounds, which was instigated with the Sumgait massacres, became the signature of the Azerbaijani authorities. As a result, the region was enriched with heroes such as Ramil Safarov, Mubariz Ibrahimov, and others who were taking revenge against the civilian population during the April war of 2016 and were beheading and dismembering Armenian servicemen in the style of terrorist organizations, and as a result were encouraged at the highest levels of the Azerbaijani state.

The Armenophobia disseminated in the Azerbaijani society by their authorities over the years got its worst manifestation during the September 2020 war unleashed by Azerbaijani against Artsakh, during which the peaceful civilians, kindergartens, schools and hospitals became the primary targets of Azerbaijani army.

The war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during the 44-day aggression, the gross violations of international humanitarian law and human rights are documented in the reports of the Human Rights Defenders of Armenia and Artsakh, in the reports of several human rights organizations, and have been raised by the representatives of various international organizations.

Impunity breads and perpetrates new crimes based on ethnic hatred.

The Armenophobia of the Azerbaijani authorities does not bypass Armenian cultural and religious heritage: An attempt is made to apply the methodology of complete displacement of Armenians and the destruction of the medieval Armenian heritage of Nakhichevan in the regions of Artsakh that have fallen under Azerbaijani control. A working group has even been officially set up with the clear aim of destroying Armenian religious, historical and cultural monuments and falsifying their identities.

Armenophobia, the evidence of which is growing daily, is being implemented by the authorities of Baku as a method to form the collective identity of the Azerbaijani population. However, history has repeatedly demonstrated that an identity based on hatred on ethnic and national ground firstly destroys its bearers, it threatens the normal, peaceful and secure life of the people of the region and disrupts the development and progress of societies.

As a first step to quit this policy, we call on the Azerbaijani authorities to show political will, to assess with credibility the anti-Armenian massacres in Sumgait, Gandzak (Kirovabad), Baku, and other places, and to refrain from a policy of denial; to bring to justice those who committed violations during and after the 44-day war against the civilian population, and those who committed and organized the torture and mutilations of captured and killed Armenian servicemen, to release immediately the Armenian POWs and other captives still held in Azerbaijan, and to stop the acts of vandalism committed against the Armenian historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh.

We call on the international community to give a proper legal assessment of the violence committed in Sumgait in February 1988, based on fundamental principles of international law and international norms, as well as take effective measures to assess and stop the continued policy of Armenophobia in Azerbaijan.

We pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the massacres of Sumgait and other settlements, and stress that impunity for commitment of human rights violations and crimes leads to new and more heinous crimes."
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London, KY (40741)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High near 70F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

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The California Highway Patrol canceled an Amber Alert Sunday for a 2-year-old boy missing in Sunnyvale after he was located nearby.

Officers responded at 3:51 a.m. after receiving a report of a child abduction and vehicle theft at the Travel Inn at 590 North Matilda Ave., Sunnyvale police said. They determined that Jacob Jardine was inside his mothers SUV when it was stolen as she was unloading groceries, according to the tweet from the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.

Jacobs mother, Melissa Jardine, was idling her car due to the cold, and had just rounded the corner from her room when she saw her car speeding off, heading south on northbound North Mathilda Avenue, said Capt. Craig Anderson of the Sunnyvale police.

The identity of the person who stole the vehicle was not known, police said, and they released no initial information indicating whether the abduction was intended or a result of vehicle theft.

An officer found the 3-foot-tall child and the missing car about 4 miles from where hed been abducted.

As a precautionary measure Jacob has been taken to a local hospital, Sunnyvale DPS tweeted early Sunday evening. He appears to be unharmed and healthy.

The Amber Alert had been in effect for Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Alameda counties.

On Sunday morning, police said they were searching for 29-year-old Luong Tammy Huynh, saying they thought she might have information that could help them locate the toddler. Huynh was staying with a friend at the motel where the Jardines had been residing for the past week, police said.

Surveillance footage from the motel shared on Twitter showed Huynh near the vehicle and in the internal hallway of the motel, police said.

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At the very least, she may have seen or heard something, Anderson said.

Police asked that anyone who knows Huynh or has recently seen or spoken with her contact them at 408-730-7100.

Gwendolyn Wu and Anna Buchmann are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com, anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com
A top environmental activist says the California Democratic Party just whiffed on a great chance to energize young voters for whom climate issues are top of mind  right at the moment that voters under 30 are tuning out President Biden.

The state party had an opportunity not just to virtue signal where it stood on climate change, police reform and health care, but to show its core supporters that it places its values above money.

Instead, party activists say, Democrats blew a chance to make a big national statement about money and politics  because it let money guide its politics. Again.

Sasan Saadat, political lead at the youth-led Sunrise Bay Area, points out what the state party  the nations largest  could have done last week: refuse to accept campaign contributions from fossil fuel companies. Not only would that have sent a strong message in California, it would have sent a signal nationally in the way that big trends move west to east.

Instead, heres what the partys executive board actually did during a closed-door meeting: It banned contributions from most fossil fuel companies  including PG&E and Sempra  but not Southern California Edison. The partys stated logic behind that: SoCal Edison transmits electricity to customers and provides no gas services, unlike the other two utilities, according to portions of the partys report obtained by The Chronicle.

That ignores the fact that Edison derives some of that electricity from hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a practice that environmental activists condemn because of its ability to pollute groundwater and release the greenhouse gas methane.

It also ignores the fact that the California Democratic Partys platform backs an immediate moratorium on fracking.

The Democratic Party, Saadat told me, has made our job a little bit harder by equivocating on the issue that should be, to any rational young person, so obvious: Why would we take money from the arsonists of our planet?

It is another example of how Democrats are struggling to square what they say with who is giving them money in the hope they do something different.

While the state partys actions wouldnt have affected the myriad other ways that Democratic candidates  or left-leaning organizations and unions  raise money, the partys loophole-filled new guidelines could have consequences. The message could depress enthusiasm among the tuned-in political activists who do the grassroots work that keep Democrats entrenched in power in California.

Creating rules that keep the door open to campaign contributions from fossil fuel companies  as well as major health care companies and law enforcement organizations  has some activists predicting that the nations largest Democratic Party will alienate its base voters, the ones it is counting on to vote in November.

Apathy is a problem Democrats do not need, especially when top prognosticators say theyre going to lose the House and possibly the Senate.

Bidens approval rating has tanked nationally over the past eight months. That dive should be even more alarming to Democrats because now Biden is nose-diving in deep blue California, too, according to a Berkeley IGS poll out this month. In February, 47% approved of Biden  down from 59% last summer.

Young voters  who were initially dubious of candidate Biden before rallying for him at the last minute  are collectively shaking their heads after seeing him in the White House for a year. Only 34% of California voters under 30 approve of Biden, while 53% disapprove, according to the Berkeley survey.

Yet that wasnt the state Democratic Partys only swing-and-miss last week.

Whiff No. 2: The state party that professes to support Black Lives Matter and stand for racial justice said it would review campaign contributions from law enforcement organizations on a case-by-case basis instead of banning them outright. Who would make that decision? The partys five top executives. The party voted down a proposal to create a set of criteria for making that call.

Activists say they expected more after symbolic actions Democrats took in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020. Days after Floyds death, Democratic office-holders in both Washington and Sacramento knelt to honor Floyd and other others who have been killed while in police custody.

Between 2017 and 2020, The Chronicle reported that the state party had accepted $1.8 million from four police unions and other organizations representing law enforcement employees. Even though the party has not accepted contributions from either law enforcement or fossil fuel sources since 2020, many Democratic activists wanted to codify that trend.

Last fall, when the state party was discussing a ban on donations from law enforcement organizations, Alicia Garza, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter, told the executive board: This party cannot claim that it believes that Black lives matter and put that sign in its window, and then allow police association money to flow in through the back door.

After the partys decision this week, Garza told me what the partys decision meant after the Democratic Party, both state and nationally, spent two years thumping its chest about being supportive of Black Lives Matter.

The amount of effort that has gone into having to get to this initial step should show you how much power police associations have, Garza, a principal in the Black Futures Lab think tank, told me. Is it a complete and total victory? Absolutely not. Is it a David versus Goliath (struggle)? Absolutely. So this is one point for David.

Yet Garza wasnt satisfied with how the party plans to determine which law enforcement money is from acceptable sources and which isnt. State party leaders were struggling with what it views as two different constituencies  people of color and organized labor.

The partys report that was shown Sunday to executive board members before they voted said the state party wanted to uplift the voices of those most impacted by failures in law enforcement  specifically Black and brown communities. At the same time (the state party) should always uplift and empower the voices of working people in our party.

Garza said she was not comfortable with party leaders deciding which donations are acceptable. Do I think that the Democratic Party is in a battle for its future right now? Yes, I do, she said.

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Garza said that this party is going to have to figure out: Is it police associations that are going to carry you to victory? Or is it the communities that have set a mandate for you about what it is that they want to see from their party?

Time will tell which side they decide to be on, Garza said.

And that leads us to Whiff No.3: The state party, whose platform affirms that it advocates legislation to create and implement a publicly funded single-payer system voted to not accept campaign contributions from for-profit health care companies.

But that means it can still accept contributions from nonprofit health care companies like Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health, which oppose single-payer. That loophole is exasperating to Jeanna Harris, a registered nurse and state party delegate who lives in Los Angeles.

Shes felt that frustration before with the state party before. Two years ago, she co-wrote a resolution calling on the party to stop accepting contributions from law enforcement groups and to not endorse candidates who dont make that pledge. Needless to say, that didnt happen.

For more than a year, Harris has focused her attention on the effort in the Legislature to pass single-payer health care legislation. That effort died last month. The partys new rules only compounded that pain.

This is going to hurt (Democrats) for 2022, Harris said. People on the ground are so tired of politics and so tired of promises and no action. I dont think were going to have a good voter turnout. The community doesnt feel too excited right now.

Saadat, the environmental organizer, understands the plight that the state party is in if it completely shuts the door to some of these longtime donors. If that funding goes away, it must replace millions of dollars elsewhere. Party leaders are ramping up the partys small-dollar donation program to try to backfill what might be lost.

But Saadat ultimately believes the loopholes the party allowed create more harm than the money is worth.

This could have been a clear victory, Saadat said. This could have been a moment where the Democratic Party took a took a side and that side was with young people for the future, with working families and was true for transformative racial justice.

Instead, Saadat said. They delivered a muddled message.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
(Adds Russian, French, Kenyan comment)

By Michelle Nichols and Jonathan Landay

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscow's troop build-up near Ukraine spilled into the United Nations Security Council on Monday, with both countries accusing each other of being "provocative."

Russia failed to stop the U.S.-requested council meeting on the build-up, allowing for a public face-off over what the United States and other nations called a threat to international peace and security.

The council is unable to take any action https://www.reuters.com/world/can-un-do-more-than-just-talk-about-russia-ukraine-crisis-2022-01-31 beyond talking about the situation as Russia is one of the council's five veto powers, along with the United States, China, France and Britain.

"The threats of aggression on the border of Ukraine ... is provocative. Our recognition of the facts on the ground is not provocative," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the 15-member council.

"The provocation's from Russia, not from us or other members of this council," she said, echoing a central argument from the Washington as U.S.-Russia relations have hit a new low.

Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia of having more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders with Russia and Belarus preparing "to conduct offensive action into Ukraine." She said that Washington has seen evidence that Moscow plans to deploy 30,000 more troops in Belarus by early February.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said there was "no proof" Moscow was planning military action against Ukraine and that Russia had consistently rejected such accusations.

"Our Western colleagues are talking about the need for de-escalation. However, first and foremost, they themselves are whipping up tensions and rhetoric and are provoking escalation," Nebenzia said.

"The discussions about a threat of war is provocative in and of itself. You are almost calling for this. You want it to happen. You're waiting for it to happen, as if you want to make your words become a reality," he added.

Story continues

The United States needed at least nine votes to proceed with the council meeting after Russia called a procedural vote. Ten members voted in favor, Russia and China voted no, while India, Gabon and Kenya abstained.

Nebenzia said Russia was not "scared" to discuss Ukraine, but didn't understand the reason for the meeting, saying Moscow has never confirmed how many troops it has deployed.

CHINA BACKS 'QUIET DIPLOMACY'

The discussion centered on whether the build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine is a threat to international peace and security - which the Security Council is charged with maintaining - and whether the situation warranted a public council meeting.

"What is urgently needed now is quiet diplomacy, not megaphone diplomacy," China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun said.

The Security Council has met dozens of times over the crisis in Ukraine since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

Nebenzia described the crisis as "domestic" and said it could only be improved by implementing the Minsk agreements, which aim to end a separatist war by Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine. Moscow has long said it is not a party to the conflict.

French U.N. Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere said Russia's military build-up represents "threatening conduct."

"If Russia does not choose the path of dialogue and respect for international law, the response will be robust and united -any fresh infringement of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine by Russia will have massive consequences and a severe cost," de Riviere told the council.

Russia has demanded sweeping security guarantees in talks with the United States, including a promise NATO never admit Ukraine.

Kenya's U.N. Ambassador Martin Kimani urged Russia, the United States and NATO to resolve their differences, recalling how Africa suffered during the Cold War.

"Our internal divisions and fragilities were weaponized on the altar of geopolitical rivalry. It confirmed the truth of the African saying that recognizes when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers," he told the council.

The United States had described Monday's meeting as a chance for Russia to explain itself.

"We didn't hear much," Thomas-Greenfield told reporters later. "We hope that they continue along the route of diplomacy."

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols, Jonathan Landay, Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; editing by Mary Milliken and Grant McCool)
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Nina Kozhokarus mother woke up Thursday morning on the outskirts of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv to the beats of artillery: The Russian invasion of Ukraine had begun.

Since then, Kozhokaru, a mother of two who lives in San Ramon, said shes slept three, maybe four hours. Her mother has been sheltered in an underground garage turned bomb shelter, but after starting to feel sick from the cold, she returned to her ninth-floor apartment to get warm as fighting erupted in the area.

On Saturday afternoon, Kozhokaru and her family joined hundreds of others in the plaza across from San Franciscos Ferry Building to express rage and sorrow at the invasion of their home country and demand more action from the U.S. and other Ukrainian allies against Russia. Kozhokaru stood, crying and wrapped in a Ukrainian flag, as her 6-year-old daughter held a sign painted with a blue and yellow heart and the words Grandma in Kharkiv.

Its heartbreaking, said her husband, Andrii Kozhokaru.

On the third day of Russias military action in Ukraine, hundreds of Ukranians alongside supporters from other countries, including Russia, rallied in San Francisco to call for Western allies to step up sanctions against Russia as Russian troops pressed closer to Kyiv, Ukraines capital. The rally with an open microphone lasted nearly four hours. Many who spoke reiterated that they felt Ukrainians were fighting not only for themselves and their country, but against further westward initiatives by Russia.

Jana Asenbrennerova/Special to The Chronicle

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Cold War-era Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is directed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit since the invasion began Thursday with air and missile strikes and Russian troops entering Ukraine from the north, east and south.

The conflict has driven more than 150,000 Ukrainians into neighboring countries. Those remaining have taken refuge in subways or basement bomb shelters as Kyivs mayor imposed a curfew, or have taken up arms as volunteers.

Many are connected to the Bay Area, which more than 13,700 people born in Ukraine call home, according to 2019 American Community Survey data. The diaspora is clustered around San Francisco, Fremont, northern San Jose and the Peninsula.

Anastasia Popova of San Jose, who is half-Ukranian, organized the rally through Facebook and said she didnt expect so many to show up.

We want the world to protest with us, to raise awareness and state that people are not alone, she said.

As the rally was still ongoing Saturday, Western allies announced that they would ban some Russian banks from the SWIFT financial service that connects banks around the world.

Nataliya Anon, who lives in Marin County and runs a nonprofit that since 2017 has given financial support to children who lost one or two parents in the conflict in eastern Ukraine that predated Russias invasion, made three specific demands. She wanted a no-fly zone over Ukraine, the U.S. to stop buying gas and oil from Russia, and allies to increase military, humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine.

There is still time to act, she said, her voice intense with emotion as the crowd formed a circle around her on the plaza. Ukraine is fighting not only for itself. Americans, Putin wont stop in Ukraine. What will be next? The world needs to help Ukraine.

Jana Asenbrennerova/Special to The Chronicle

It was personal for Anon: She said friends and family members were in western Ukraine trying to cross the border and escape the country.

Its so tragic, she said, choking back tears.

Anon said she came to the rally because she wanted to challenge Russians in attendance to urge people they know at home to put pressure on their government to stop the military offensive. People around the world have taken to the streets to protest Russias military actions, including more than 1,000 in Moscow and other Russian cities who were arrested.

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People with Russian and other backgrounds who attended Saturdays rally in San Francisco said they stood in solidarity with Ukrainians. San Francisco resident Rasa Mattis, draped in a Lithuanian flag with the Ukrainian colors painted on her face, said she is Russian and Lithuanian, with family in both countries.

We are going to be next, she said of her relatives in Lithuania. We feel it so deeply.

Margarita Osipov was the first from the crowd to come to the microphone to speak before the dozens holding signs that declared Hands off Ukraine and Stop Putin, stop war, my family wants to live. Osipov she had barely slept for the past few days, watching increasingly dire news from her homeland.

Jana Asenbrennerova/Special to The Chronicle

Yesterday I woke up hating Russians, she said, adding that her husband is Russian.

Today, I see you here, speaking Russian and supporting us, she told the crowd. Thank you for helping me not to hate you.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter@mallorymoench
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An Oakland Fire Department ladder truck crashed into an apartment building near Lake Merritt in Oakland Saturday, tearing through the the ground floor entryway and injuring three firefighters.

The accident occurred at around 12:45 p.m. on the corner of Grand Avenue and Perkins Street after a ladder truck en-route to a structure fire veered to avoid colliding with another vehicle, according to Oakland Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hunt.
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A Salinas police officer was fatally shot while on duty Friday night, leaving city leaders and fellow officers reeling from the tragedy.

Officer Jorge David Alvarado, a five-year veteran of the Salinas Police Department, was conducting a traffic stop when he was shot and killed at around 10:45 pm Friday.
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It didnt take long for Leonard Powell to see how a home makeover can spiral out of control.

What started as a five-month construction job at the 79-year-olds Berkeley home dragged on for more than a year. Budgets were blown on stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and a new front door painted a trendy shade of teal. Then came the permitting hassles to convert the home, where he and his wife, now deceased, raised six kids, back into a duplex.

Except Powell never wanted to gut his home of nearly five decades; he felt powerless as a confusing web of officials forced him to make the updates.

Its ludicrous, Powell said. Theyre trying to steal my house.

From San Francisco to San Jose, Sacramento to Riverside, lawyers who have fought similar cases say California has seen an increase in little-known health and safety receiverships. This legal process allows cities to petition courts to install receivers, who then take control of properties that local governments decide are problematic. The homeowner is not only billed for all improvement costs, but also has to pay receivers fees and legal costs that in Powells case total hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It all started for Powell when the city ordered him to fix code violations such as broken windows and unsafe wiring after police reported substandard conditions while serving a search warrant. Then a court appointed a receiver at $250-an-hour to manage the work that left Powell with $683,276 in loans and on the brink of losing his home.

As land values soar in fast-gentrifying neighborhoods like Powells corner of the Lorin district, near the Ashby BART Station, state lawmakers have quietly made the receivership process easier, allowing the small industry to sell cities a cheap way to address properties perceived as a nuisance. The Army vet and former postal worker is one of few Black homeowners left who paid off his house in the area once cordoned off by racist redlining maps  that is, until officials pushed him into perilous debt with the ever-expanding renovation.

Theyre basically flipping these houses and making money, said Joshua House, a San Leandro native and attorney with libertarian public interest law firm the Institute for Justice, who has advised on Powells case. Berkeley brags about being anti-gentrification, and yet this is sort of forced gentrification.

Losing control

It was July 2014 when Berkeley police arrived at Powells house on Harmon Street to serve a search warrant and arrested a guest at the home, court records show. Police then searched the property and discovered 20 pieces of suspected crack cocaine, a scale and other indicia of an intent to distribute.

Powell said his kids and grandkids frequently hosted guests, but he prohibited drugs in the house. His attorneys say no criminal charges appear to have been filed.

Still, the incident drew the citys attention to the property, which Powell said hed struggled to keep up after a family tragedy and his retirement in 2001.

He didnt actually live here, nor was he pushing drugs out of this house, Powell said of the guest. But thats what set it off.

Health and safety receiverships, which were added to Californias building codes in 1988, are often advertised for cases where tenants languish under slumlords, squatters set fire to foreclosed homes or other extreme situations. But then there are the unknown number of cases involving homeowners like Powell, who still live in their homes, have paid off mortgages and are accused of more subjective mental health issues, hoarding or petty drug charges.

They just go drug house! House said. And the judge is like, No one wants to live near a drug house, so they put it in receivership.

Two months after the police were called to Powells home, court records show that then-Berkeley City Attorney Laura McKinney asked code enforcement officials about follow-up actions to label Powells property a nuisance: This relates to a drug house, she wrote. McKinney declined to answer questions about Powells case.

A formal city letter ordering Powell to fix 33 code violations arrived in October 2014. Inspectors cited minor offenses such as missing siding and a loose toilet, plus bigger issues including inadequate heating and venting.

Its not that Powell didnt care about the house. He and his wife, Myrtle, spent years turning the old two-story duplex on a roomy lot into a five-bedroom, two-bath home fit for six kids. They painted the exterior battleship gray and hired a high school friend of Powells to replace knob-and-tube wiring. Powell played Mozart to nurture the junipers out front.

Things went downhill at the 1,965-square-foot house, Powell said, when Myrtle died in 1997 after suffering a heart attack at home. Powell struggled to move on and settle into retirement on his $2,500-a-month pension  a common dilemma for cash poor longtime California homeowners, whose property values have soared even as their incomes stagnate.

After the notice from the city, Powell contacted the city about a senior loan programs and showed the property for repair estimates, but he had not obtained permits for the work. For the city, the process was moving too slowly. Powell had never heard of a receivership until another letter five months later informed him that hed be participating in one.

The violations are so extensive and of such a nature that the health and safety of residents or the public is substantially endangered, city attorneys argued in a legal filing asking a judge to appoint a receiver to take full and complete control of the property.

So began the seven-year saga of Powells $100,000 home renovation. Which became a $225,000 renovation. Then $475,000, then $700,000. With a judge poised to rule this spring on who should pay hundreds of thousands in administrative and legal fees racked up contesting the process, its a quagmire that court records show has now cost more than $1.1 million. Appraisers have said the home is worth up to $1.3 million.

I think they were using my house as kind of an ATM machine, Powell said. You know, the guy is Black, hes old, were the adults in the room.

The city of Berkeley did not respond to requests for comment. In one 2019 report to the City Council, City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley wrote that, Unexpected costs during receivership created a challenging situation for all parties involved, and the city made good faith efforts to assist Mr. Powell with staying in his home.

The receiver appointed in Powells case, Bay Area Receivership Group President Gerard F. Keena II, declined to answer specific questions about the ongoing case. He said that receivers are bound by strict city permitting requirements and must get court approval for spending.

These are very difficult cases, said Keena, who has also worked on receivership cases in San Francisco, San Jose and other nearby cities. There are sometimes some unintended consequences.

Whack-a-mole

Health and safety receiverships started to get more common in California after a 2005 court ruling that cities can pass related fees onto homeowners estates. The change offered a new incentive for cities to use the service offered by a handful of specialty consultants. It also added the potential for the final bill of homeowners, like Powell, to quickly multiply.

In recent years, state lawmakers have moved to expedite the process and give receivers more power, including demolishing buildings. Thats what happened to Sacramento homeowner Wanda Clark, who was cited for code violations related to an unfinished addition on her property and saw her home demolished in a compromise to get out of a court-ordered receivership.

This is the most sad thing Ive been through in my life, Clark told the Sacramento Bee in January. Im 71 years old, and now Im homeless.

Those working in the field say no state agency tracks the number of health and safety receiverships happening in California, but that up to 100 such cases now start statewide each year. Public records show that dozens of cases have been filed in recent years in the hot spot of Sacramento, plus San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Richmond, Vallejo and other Bay Area cities.

Different types of receivers can be appointed to oversee failing businesses. In other areas, home receiverships have also been lauded as a cost-effective way to turn abandoned houses into entry-level homes in depressed areas. But critics say the same logic often doesnt apply to the California housing market, where scarcity and unaffordability loom larger.

The problem, say advocates lobbying cities including Berkeley to limit the practice, is that impacted homeowners may be shut out of the market entirely if they lose their homes. Officials also have wide discretion on which properties to target in a state famous for construction red tape and DIY home renovations.

As long as those incentives exist, House said, its going to be sort of like whack-a-mole.

The red line

In Berkeley and beyond, todays questions about uneven code enforcement follow a long history of housing segregation and ongoing concerns about discrimination in home lending, appraisals and displacement.

Powells house was built in 1910, six years before Berkeley became the first American city to enact single-family zoning. The move was designed to ward off perceived threats to quality of life and property values, but the Berkeley Historical Society notes that it also reinforced segregation ... keeping virtually all Asian and Black residents in South and West Berkeley.

By the time Powell was born in Atlanta in 1942, World War II was transforming the Bay Area. Thousands of Black workers, many from the South  including Powells uncles and father  moved here seeking stable jobs. Around 8,000 Black residents moved to Berkeley in the 1940s, East Bay for Everyone housing activist Darrell Owens found in an analysis of gentrification in Berkeley.

Black newcomers faced endless hostilities, Owens wrote, from deed restrictions barring non-white property ownership to higher-interest loans.

Powell graduated from Oakland Tech in 1959, then spent six years in the Army, mostly intercepting Soviet communications. By the time he got back to the East Bay, met Myrtle in college and got married in 1970, putting down roots proved hard to do: Nobody wanted to rent to a family, Powell said.

Stability seemed within reach when the couple heard about the house on Harmon Street from a firm focused on distressed properties. It was painted pastel pink inside and out  hippie youngsters had made a deal with the landlord, Powell recalled  but the family could finance it for $200 a month to start.

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In February 1974, the Powells moved into the house that the bank said was worth around $55,000.

We were comfortable, Powell said. It was a home.

Many of the neighbors were other Black families, which wasnt a coincidence.

On bank lending maps from the 1930s, the neighborhood was shaded yellow and red, denoting high-risk areas for home loans, due to Infiltration of Orientals and some Negroes, according to archives at the University of Richmond.

A long wait

By the time Powells case started winding through the courts  decades after civil rights laws barred some explicit forms of housing discrimination, but amid growing fears of displacement  his home was worth around $800,000. It was a windfall he planned to pass down to his 26-year-old granddaughter.

Before the receiver was officially appointed in his case in 2017, Powell asked the judge to halt the process. Hed signed for the $100,000 loan from the city, submitted pictures of repaired windows, and told the court he simply cannot afford a receiver.

The judge disagreed, saying a reasonable time had already passed, and appointed Keena, a Berkeley resident and former corporate restructuring executive. In May 2017, the new receiver filed an estimate projecting the overall budget to range from $202,500 to $225,000.

Then came the onslaught. By November, asbestos, lead and foundation issues were discovered, along with the unpermitted conversion from a duplex. Keena hired city-approved building contractor Habitat for Humanity to do the work and warned the court that up to an additional $435,000 in bridge financing may be required.

In June 2018, a construction estimate including all of the city and state building department specifications  Energy Star appliances, solid-wood cabinetry, high-end plumbing fixtures, $10,000 in new permits and so on  pushed the construction budget to around $675,000. That didnt count $184,947 paid to Keenas firm in 2019, or tens of thousands of dollars in interest and fees that would continue to balloon.

With the estate bleeding money, Keena recommended that Powell consider selling the property as is, or a high-interest option like a jumbo reverse mortgage. Powell took out a $583,276 mortgage, plus the citys $100,000 loan.

This is the conclusion of the conspiracy to rob me of my home; a conspiracy that has included forgery, months of attrition and a patina of legality, Powell wrote in one of several letters objecting to the process. He called a letter from Keena an invitation to me to stupidly collude in the robbery.

Despite an initial budget to pay for Powell to stay in a hotel during the renovation, he said he ended up sleeping on his sons West Oakland basement floor for several months. Watching the work from a distance was painful.

I would come by and start crying, he said. They tore out my junipers. I mean, what the hey?

Who pays?

As court appeals dragged on, Powell moved back into the house with his granddaughter and her mother, whose boxes of dialysis supplies line the new kitchen and entryway. The upstairs unit has been rented off and on, providing much-needed income to pay the new mortgage, but Powell still worries hell lose the house if hes stuck with the full receivership bill. His sons have also taken out risky loans to try to keep the house.

This spring, seven years after the city first petitioned the court for a receiver, a judge will decide a question with big implications for the family and others in similar situations: Should Powell have to pay for everything, or should other parties like the receiver or the city also chip in?

In hundreds of pages of legal filings, the city has argued that state law shields it from any debt related to receivership cases. Keena contends that the city should pay him more than $291,000 in additional fees if Powell cant, because the case has dragged on and the citys own building requirements went well beyond just the health and safety violations.

Attorneys from global law firm Gibson Dunn took on Powells case pro bono last year after a partner heard about it from a neighborhood advocacy group. They argued in a December court filing that, the Receiver mismanaged the estate and is personally liable for the consequences. The city should also bear some responsibility, Powells attorneys wrote, after it egregiously overstepped its enforcement role.

All that leaves Powell in limbo a little bit longer, counting down to his 80th birthday in March while he watches Deep Space Nine reruns with his granddaughter. Some days he flips through old family photos of the house that he struggles to recognize as his own.

This kind of thing, Powell said, is not supposed to happen in the 21st century.

Lauren Hepler is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hepler@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LAHepler
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In the hills overlooking the Napa Valley, a wealthy family has waged a long effort to clear trees from an expansive piece of land and plant grapes. Any vintner can see the potential: The property sits in the Atlas Peak appellation, prized for its high elevation and volcanic soils, producing wines that routinely sell for $100 a bottle or far more.

But 17 years after the family bought the property, known as Walt Ranch, the dispute over their plans has proved existential, raising questions about who should decide land use in the nations wine mecca and whether the valleys abundance should face limits.

Now that debate  the subject of a Napa County Board of Supervisors hearing Tuesday  has exploded after a supervisor with connections and support in the wine industry voted in favor of the vineyard deal without revealing that he and his family had, in the previous months, acquired a financial stake in the property next door.

At the heart of the tension is a 2,300-acre swath of land on the east side of the valley. Walt Ranchs owners, Dallas billionaires Craig and Kathryn Hall  he a real estate mogul, she the former U.S. ambassador to Austria  paid $8 million for the undeveloped parcel in 2005, with big dreams.

Nearly from the beginning, though, environmental groups opposed the Halls and sought to block them from planting vines. The project, these groups argue, would remove too many trees, ruin animal habitats and deplete the water supply, among other concerns.

Nonetheless, in December, the Halls seemed poised to win their fight. County supervisors tentatively approved the Walt Ranch development by a 3-2 vote. Early this month, final approval seemed certain  until a Napa resident Beth Nelsen came forward with what they considered a bombshell.

Nelsen discovered that the father-in-law of Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza, who had voted in favor of the project, bought land adjacent to Walt Ranch last year through a limited liability company, or LLC. Pedroza had not publicly disclosed the purchase.

The supervisor, according to records reviewed by The Chronicle, later helped secure a $2.7 million loan with his wife, using their Napa home as collateral. Pedroza said in an email that the Oct. 12 loan was a personal guarantee for the property adjacent to Walt Ranch. A personal guarantee is defined as a promise to assume a debt in case of default.

Critics of big development in the Napa Valley seized on the revelations, saying approval of the Walt Ranch project would set a precedent and increase the value of nearby properties.

And while Pedroza asserted he had no financial interest in his father-in-laws property  and said he faced no conflict of interest before tentatively approving Walt Ranch  he recused himself from the final vote, which was delayed to Tuesday in light of the allegations.

Now, that vote is likely to be delayed further. Attorneys for Napa County will recommend Tuesday that the Board of Supervisors push another vote to March 22.

Pedrozas recusal has not satisfied the supervisors critics, who contend his actions since last year prove the county privileges the interests of the wine industry over those of residents and the environment. The Halls supporters, meanwhile, say that blocking the Walt Ranch development would effectively impede all but the wealthiest landowners from planting vineyards in Napa in the future.

Whatever the outcome for Walt Ranch, all factions see a watershed moment, the fulcrum of a much larger divide over land-use issues that go to the core of Napas identity: Does the valley have too many vineyards? If agriculture has made the region what it is, could it also be its undoing?

For practically all of Napas modern history, a vocal contingent of residents has argued that vineyards were spreading too far, harming the natural landscape.

The Walt Ranch project galvanized this side in a new way, because of the sites size, its remote location on Atlas Peak and the status of the Halls, who own more than 3,000 acres of land in Napa and Sonoma counties and run Hall Winery in St. Helena.

The couple met resistance as soon as they began seeking permits to plant grapes on their new property. Environmental groups objected to their plans to clear approximately 14,000 trees to make way for vineyards and said these plantings would deplete the groundwater supply.

Meanwhile, neighbors in a nearby housing development, Circle Oaks, said that growing a vineyard there would diminish their quality of life by adding traffic, noise and lights to a tranquil place.

This is a massive conversion of otherwise undeveloped, intact, heterogeneous ecosystems into a monocrop, said Ross Middlemiss, staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity in Oakland, which has fought the Walt Ranch development in court.

Public debate around Walt Ranch has dragged on for years, a constant presence in the opinion pages of local newspapers. The Halls fought for their right to plant, arguing that their plan to put vines in an area zoned for agriculture was appropriate. They and the county commissioned studies to show the impact that a vineyard might have on wildlife, erosion, the water supply and other factors.

In late 2016, after four days of hearings, the Board of Supervisors, including Pedroza, voted to approve the proposal. But that was hardly the end of it. Groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity appealed the decision.

In 2019, a state appellate court found that the Walt Ranch permits had not adequately addressed greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming. That sent the project back to the Halls, requiring them to prove to the county that they had a plan for mitigating those emissions.

The Halls amended their initial plans for Walt Ranch: They asked for 209 acres of grapevines, down from their originally proposed 356 acres, and said they would put 650 acres into a conservation easement while planting more than 32,000 trees.

The Halls declined an interview with The Chronicle, but Kathryn Hall said in an email that they reduced the planting size to 9% of the property.

That compromise was a step in the right direction, said Middlemiss, but didnt go far enough. Does the world need more $300 bottles of Cabernet? he asked. At what cost?

Nevertheless, it looked all but guaranteed that a vineyard at Walt Ranch would proceed, based on the board meeting in December, when the supervisors tentatively approved it. The Feb. 8 meeting, in which the board would issue final approval, was viewed as a formality.

Then Nelsen made their discovery.

In May 2021, she found that Vinedos AP LLC  headed by Pedrozas father-in-law, Esteban Llamas, a vineyard manager for E. & J. Gallo Winery  had purchased 400 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to Walt Ranch for $2 million.

Should the Walt Ranch project win approval, neighboring properties like Vinedos AP could stand to gain in value. The precedent set by Walt Ranchs approval would probably make it easier for an undeveloped parcel like Vinedos AP to be converted to a lucrative vineyard, too.

Pedroza said he had no ownership, and thus no financial interest, in his father-in-laws property. In an interview with The Chronicle, he praised Llamas for realizing the American dream, to be able to go from being a farm worker to having your own vineyard. He said his father-in-law hoped to plant vines on the property and retire there. (Llamas did not respond to a request for comment.)

Pedroza sought guidance from the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which ensures that public officials act in a fair and unbiased manner. In informal correspondence, Senior Commission Counsel Erika Boyd told Pedroza that California law does not consider a father-in-law to be immediate family. Therefore, Boyd wrote, you do not have a financial conflict of interest in a property owned by Llamas.

Still, Pedroza recused himself from the upcoming Walt Ranch vote, citing a desire for public confidence in the final decision. He maintains there was no conflict of interest, despite acknowledging he signed a personal guarantee on the loan for the neighboring property. We do not have any equity, he said.

Yet other documents link Pedroza to his father-in-laws land: The property deed was sent to the supervisors home, and he signed property tax checks on Dec. 10, four days before casting his vote in favor of Walt Ranchs tentative approval. Pedroza had previously stated that his involvement with his father-in-laws company ended on Nov. 1.

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Pedroza confirmed to The Chronicle that he signed the checks, saying he was an authorized signer on the account to be able to pay bills. Napa County Treasurer-Tax Collector Bob Minahen said this sort of arrangement was not uncommon. We accept money from anybody, he said. If you want to pay your neighbors bills, were more than willing to accept that.

Pedroza once worked for Poppy Bank of Santa Rosa, which provided financing for the property next to Walt Ranch. He said he acted as a consultant for the bank while it opened a Napa office, but said the relationship ended last year. Poppy Bank did not respond to a request for comment.

California public officials are prohibited from making decisions involving parcels adjacent to properties in which they have a financial interest, according to Fair Political Practices Commission regulations.

An agency spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of Pedrozas case, but said seven complaints had been filed against Pedroza. Those complaints are now under review as the commission determines whether to open an investigation. Six of the complaints were filed anonymously; Nelsen filed the seventh.

Pedrozas critics also noted he has received political contributions from Craig Hall as well as from Peter Read, who sold the land to Llamas. Since the 2016 election, the two men have contributed $35,000 and $23,100, respectively, records show.

When you look at the history of my fundraising activities, Ive supported people that have donated to my campaign and Ive voted against individuals and businesses that have supported my campaign, Pedroza said. Theres a track record here.

Pedroza defended his actions, pointing out instances in the past where he had recused himself from decisions based on conflicts of interest. I understand the concerns around money in politics, he said. But theres a body of work here that I can point to that shows what I stand for and what my values are.

The debate over Walt Ranch has become about much more than one supervisor and one vineyard. What happens, many residents believe, could have a lasting impact on the future of the valley.

To the developments supporters, this is a potentially dangerous moment for the wine industry. Its already had a chilling effect, said Stu Smith, owner of Smith-Madrone Vineyards in St. Helena. By mounting more than a decades worth of complaints, lawsuits and appeals, he said, environmental groups have intimidated everyone except the wealthiest people from any development in the hills.

The opposition has sent a message, Smith said: If you want to plant a vineyard, come with an open-ended checkbook for the fight.

For years, Smith has wanted to plant a 7-acre vineyard on his Spring Mountain property, which now has 34 acres of vines, but the potential litigation costs have spooked him. I dont have enough money in my lifetime to risk going through with those 7 acres, which I would dearly love to plant, he said.

Halting Walt Ranch could intensify the ridiculous stringency of new plantings in Napa Valley, said Dario Sattui, owner of Castello di Amorosa and V. Sattui wineries in Calistoga and St. Helena.

Hes been trying to plant 25 acres of vines in an unforested, flat area of Carneros. Four years and hundreds of thousands of dollars later, We still dont have a permit, and thats not fair, he said.

Those who oppose Walt Ranch see this battle as particularly significant, too. Pedroza has become a symbol of the pro-development political establishment, which some want out of office.

Were after new supervisors that are more environmentally conscious, said Mike Hackett, a Napa resident and environmentalist. We have two candidates that are much closer to the middle and are certainly way left of what Alfredo Pedroza is.

Michael Honig, proprietor of Honig Vineyard and Winery in Rutherford, sees this moment as crucial for other development battles being waged in Napa Valley, including one he is leading against a Frank Family Vineyards property in Rutherford.

I think the pendulum has gone too far to the development side, but this could force it back, Honig said. The day of reckoning is here.

Esther Mobley and Jess Lander are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com, jess.lander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @esther_mobley, @jesslander
Younger Americans may be surprised by Russias blitzkrieg in Ukraine, slightly larger than France that was seated as member of the United Nations in 1945 and seceded from the Soviet Union more than 30 years ago.

Those who have been around longer will recall Russias similar macro-aggressions, including invasions of Poland and Finland (1939); taking control in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and East Germany (1944-47); annexation of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia (1945); armed intervention in Hungary (1956); stationing of nuclear missiles in Cuba (1961); invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968); invasion of Afghanistan (1979-89); incursion into independent Georgia (2008); and armed annexation of Ukraines Crimea and Donbass regions (2014-2021).

The U.S., while also active militarily, has not taken possession of sovereign soil since the 1890s.

Vladimir Putins move proves modern Russia is trapped by its own unimaginative, brutal, failed history.

Jonathan Polansky, Fairfax

A war like not other

I fear the over aggressiveness of our moment in history. From the age of Pericles, pandemics have fostered an exaggerated aggressiveness between nations.

We have declared electronic-based war on Russia, its economy and its banking system in the form of sanctions. The obvious retaliation for Vladimir Putin would be a counter cyber war against us. There has never been a cyber war and no one knows what course it would take. These are dangerous times, calling for diplomacy and restraint.

Darrell Salomon, San Anselmo

Codifying sympathizers

During World War II, Norway created a name for its citizens who sympathized with or enabled their Nazi enemies. The word is quisling. Perhaps we should create one for Americans who sympathize with and enable our enemy, Vladimir Putin. How about a tucker? Or a trumpling?

Paul Williams, Portola Valley

S.F. should get permit

Regarding City-run bike share may come to S.F. (Bay Area & Business, Feb. 23): San Francisco taking over Lyfts Bay Wheels bike share program offers a valuable teaching moment.

Since bike sharing is a commercial enterprise, city staff should follow the permitting process required for new businesses. As Chronicle readers know, navigating this byzantine maze can take years. Since Lyfts contract runs out in 2027, city staff may have just about enough time to get the necessary approvals and permits.

Jon Bashor, El Cerrito

Dont consider race

Underlying the recall of three San Francisco school board members was policies that resulted in bias against Chinese Americans.

If you recall, the San Francisco school district was forced to remove race as a consideration for school assignments as the result of a 1994 lawsuit in which it failed to provide a federal court with any justification for capping Chinese American enrollment.

Yet, the board is again using race as a factor in its zone-based school assignment policy. This ignores federal and state prohibitions against considering race. Count this as another misstep for the remaining board members.

We need new language. We need to differentiate between government-sponsored racial segregation and what has happened since court-ordered desegregation. Theres nothing illegal about what we should now refer to as racially identifiable school populations. What is illegal and morally reprehensible is the race-based social engineering the school board is engaged in.

Further, the board has tried to close the achievement gap by eliminating eighth-grade algebra and merit because Black and Latino students havent done well enough despite decades of state and local resources directed to them. What the board should do is address reasons why these folks dont do well.
When news broke last month that San Francisco is allowing people to use drugs inside the new Tenderloin Treatment Linkage Center, the mayors spokesperson sent out an email calling the decision an emergency initiative ... about doing everything we can to help people struggling with addiction. Critics accused the city of running a supervised drug consumption area, which is currently illegal under state and federal law.

Whatever authorities want to call it, providing users with safe places to consume drugs is a good idea.

In recent years, drug overdose deaths have risen more sharply in California than most other areas the country. During the 12-month period ending September 2021, 11,331 Californians died from an overdose, compared to 8,767 during the same period the previous year  a 29.2% increase, compared to 15.9% for the country as a whole.

Why such significant increases? Fentanyl.

Overdose deaths from fentanyl, a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than heroin, rise sharply beginning in 2016, overtaking overdose deaths from other types of opioids. In California, the number of deaths attributed to the drug increased from 239 in 2016 to 3,946 in 2020. In the Bay Area, fentanyl continues to wreak havoc, most notably in the Tenderloin. According to the Chronicles reporting, in the first eight months of 2021, police seized 56 pounds of the drug just in the Tenderloin, compared with 12 pounds in all of 2020.

Policy discussions about how to solve the crisis abound at the highest levels, but often missing are the voices of drug users themselves. Over the past seven years, Ive interviewed hundreds of drug users. The consensus from people who use drugs is that they need supervised injection facilities, also called overdose prevention sites.

With the widespread availability of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, there is no reason that someone using opioids should die. The No. 1 rule of using hard drugs is never use alone so that there is someone around to administer naloxone when there is an overdose. That is what supervised injection sites offer; they create spaces where drug users know someone is watching over them, so that no one ever has to use alone.

It once looked like California would be the first state legalize such facilities, until former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill that would have done so in 2018, just months before leaving office.

Finally, in November, New York City opened the countrys first supervised injection sites. Since then, the two locations  one in Harlem and the other in upper Manhattan  have been busy saving lives. According to figures provided by the sites, during their first two months in operation, there were 5,849 visits, 123 overdoses, and zero deaths.

The evidence suggests that the benefits of what the New York City sites and San Franciscos Tenderlon Linkage Center are doing are multifaceted, while the potential downsides are minimal. A tower of academic papers tells us that supervised injection not only saves lives, but also reduces the spread of infectious disease, improves health outcomes, creates pathways to treatment, and does not encourage drug use.

Supervised injection will not end the crisis. It is not a silver bullet. But opening facilities in specific areas disproportionately affected by overdose deaths  the Tenderloin and Los Angeles Skid Row, for example  will slow the rapid increase in deaths and possibly begin its gradual reversal.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department signaled it might allow supervised injection, departing from the Trump administrations hard-line position against the measure.

In California, a supervised injection bill introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener advanced out of its first Assembly committee in January, and while Gov. Gavin Newsom has not said if he favors the bill, he has expressed support for the concept in the past.

The idea can feel counterintuitive, and this should be acknowledged and met with education.

Beyond the data, supervised injection can best be explained with a compare and contrast exercise. Imagine a woman in a dirty back alley, injecting drugs with a used needle she found on the ground. She cooks her drugs with puddle water because that is all that is available and dangerously rushes her dose, looking over her shoulder afraid of police. Down the lane, a man leers at her.

Meanwhile, at one of New Yorks new injection sites, another woman receives a clean syringe from a smiling program manager, sits down in a sterile environment, takes time to cautiously measure her drugs, checks their purity with test strips supplied by the facility and injects them there under the attentive care of staff, who are ready to respond in the event of an overdose.

One can fairly oppose supervised injection based on morals or ideology, but it is beyond debate that the second picture is better than the first. Out of shadows cast by the war on drugs, the second woman has better control over what she puts into her body, and though she is using drugs, is treated like a human being while doing so.

California needs supervised injection facilities, and not only to reduce overdose deaths. Drug users are people, and they deserve better than a back alley.

Travis Lupick is a journalist and author, most recently of Light Up the Night: Americas Overdose Crisis and the Drug Users Fighting for Survival. Twitter: @tlupick
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With increasing heat and drought across the West, one of the largest tree die-offs in modern California history reached new heights last year and, in combination with wildfires, has left much of the states once sprawling green forests browned, blackened and in critically dire shape.

An estimated 9.5 million trees died from bugs, disease and dehydration in 2021, according to new aerial survey data from the U.S. Forest Service. The losses were slightly less than what was recorded in surveys two years earlier but still well above what scientists consider normal. The run of mortality since 2010 now exceeds 172 million trees.

The epidemic, which started last decade in the southern Sierra Nevada and has since spiraled throughout the state, is contributing to the changing character of Californias 33 million acres of forests. The timberland, notably conifer forest, has become increasingly prone to losing biodiversity, giving way to encroaching shrubs and grasslands, and burning up in wildfire.

Already, dead pines and firs and have provided fodder for scores of fires, and in doing so, compounded the increase in tree mortality. Last year alone, a few hundred million trees may have died from flames in California, according to burn severity data from the Forest Service.

Our forests are at mortal peril, said Hugh Safford, a recently retired Forest Service regional ecologist and now chief scientist at Vibrant Planet, a company that works on climate issues. They are absolutely at mortal peril.

Beyond the harm done to the flora and fauna of the forest, the die-off threatens to blunt many of the benefits that these wildlands provide, such as supplying clean water, producing high-quality timber and absorbing carbon to help limit global warming.

To me, the only question is if we can get our (act) together in time (to save the forest), Safford said.

A leading cause of the die-off is the changing climate. Frequent drought over the past decade, much of it tied to warming temperatures, has not only created conditions ideal for fire, but also has weakened trees and made them more susceptible to insect infestation and disease.

The tens of millions of dead trees counted in the Forest Service surveys, which do not include burned trees, are often deprived of water to the point where they can no longer survive adversity, the main foe being bark beetles.

Making matters worse, scientists say, is the overcrowding of Californias forests. A century-old policy of fighting wildfires, instead of allowing them to burn, has thwarted a natural process of forest thinning. The subsequent build-up of vegetation has created both a dangerous amount of tinder for fire and a situation detrimental to the health of the trees.

The forest is in such a high density and is facilitating mortality because the trees cant live when theyre competing with their neighbors, said Scott Stephens, a professor of fire science and ecologist at UC Berkeley. Theyre just not able to weather episodes of difficulty anymore.

Last year, in the southern and central Sierra and as far north as Lake Tahoe where lifeless trees blanket mountainsides in deathly apricot hues, the epidemic continued, with significant losses in Fresno and Tulare counties, according to the Forest Service survey data.

The most concerning toll, though, was even farther north, where dead trees  hard to find just a few years ago in the much moister terrain  now pepper the slopes of the Klamath, Trinity and northern Sierra ranges. Siskiyou County recorded the most deaths of any county in 2021, with about 10% of the total.

The Northern California forests have not had the episodes of mortality that weve seen in the south, but if we have continued drought in the north, were going to see the same, which is very worrisome, Stephens said.

Nearly two-thirds of the trees that died in 2021 were firs, often infested with fir engraver beetles, according to the survey data. Sugar and ponderosa pine, early victims of the die-off, also continued to perish, largely because of mountain and western pine beetles.

In the East Bay, an unusual routing of 75,000 hardwood trees was recorded last year, which included acacia and eucalyptus. Scientists studying the deaths believe it may be the work of fungi in tandem with drought. Mortality is extensive at the East Bay Regional Park Districts Anthony Chabot, Reinhardt Redwood and Tilden parks.

The surveys are designed to broadly assess forest conditions on federal, state and private lands in California. Theyre conducted annually by planes crisscrossing the state, though a full count of dead trees was not completed in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The surveys show that increased tree mortality began at the start of the last decade and peaked at the end of the five-year drought. In 2016, 62 million trees died.

The numbers have since fallen, but theyve remained much higher than the 1 million annual deaths from age considered typical. If the current year continues to see little precipitation, after two previous dry years, scientists say the pace of loss will inevitably pick up again.

Were always hoping for the fabulous February (rain) and the March miracle, said Sheri Smith, regional entomologist for the Forest Service and one of the managers of the aerial surveys. But if it ends up dry again, I have no doubt well start to see an increase in tree mortality.

The drought-driven die-off, observed across 1.3 million acres last year, comes on top of  and is partly responsible for  the havoc that wildfire wreaked on trees in 2021.

While there is no official tally of dead trees across the 2.6 million acres that burned in California, the Forest Service estimates that more than 100 million trees died in the northern Sierras Dixie Fire alone. The 963,000-acre blaze may be the most destructive, in terms of trees killed, in California in decades.

The loss from that fire dwarfs any insect and disease mortality over the past couple of years, said George Gentry, senior vice president of the California Forestry Association, which represents the timber industry.

Logging companies, as a matter of course, regularly deal with variability and less-than-stellar forest conditions, often removing trees to halt pathogens or harvesting trees before theyre toppled by bark beetles. Gentry, however, says theres not much that can be done when timberland is completely burned over.

While fire has historically benefited Californias wildlands, helping clear overgrowth and reinvigorate landscapes, many of the recent blazes, like the Dixie Fire, have burned hotter than in the past, making them more destructive than restorative.

Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times

State and federal officials continue to pledge to improve forest health and boost forest resiliency.

Manual tree thinning and intentionally lighting fires to bring back more sustainable conditions remain among the most effective strategies, though such work has been sparse given the scope of the problem.

In January, in what the federal government called a paradigm shift to lessen wildfire risk, the Forest Service unveiled plans to spend an additional $655 million in each of the next five years on forestry projects, on top of the roughly quarter million dollars it currently spends annually. California is expected to receive a major chunk of the windfall.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, at the same time, has boosted state spending on fire prevention, recently proposing a $1.2 billion two-year wildfire package that includes $482 million to reduce the buildup of vegetation.

The two governments have agreed to jointly treat 1 million acres of forest in California each year by 2025.

Im mildly optimistic for the first time in my career, said Malcolm North, a research ecologist with the Forest Service and professor of plant sciences at UC Davis, who has long advocated for more tree removal and prescribed burning.

North, however, said that while commitments from state and federal authorities will help lessen fire danger, at least somewhat, more work will be needed to help forests withstand forces of drought, disease and insect infestation.

Wildfire is not the only problem were facing, he said. If you want to make the forests able to survive these other stressors with climate change, you really have to reduce competition among the trees.

A new scientific paper authored by North, with help from several others including Stephens at UC Berkeley, calls for removing as much as 80% of the trees in parts of Californias forests. The seemingly hawkish target, outlined in the journal Forest Ecology and Management, is based on the premise that this is how much vegetation needs to be cleared to give trees the space they need to grow strong and resilient.

The research cites timber surveys from 1911, before modern forestry and wildfire suppression, that found forests were six to seven times less dense than they were a century later, with trees twice as big.

The studys recommendations, though, have not been universally welcomed. Some suggest that the level of clearing proposed is excessive and would result in widespread disturbance to forests, notably wildlife, as well as unleash damaging amounts of carbon from trees into the atmosphere.

Chad Hanson, a research ecologist and co-founder of the nonprofit John Muir Project who is skeptical of forest interventions, downplays the severity of the tree die-off. He says big swaths of mortality in the Sierra provide unique habitat for birds, insects and other animals and have long been part of the natural process.

Its good to have a mix of live trees and dead trees, Hanson said. Its about where that mix is.

Most researchers, though, believe the equilibrium of the forest is wildly off. North and others, noting that current forest management policies arent working, insist big changes are needed to protect Californias wildlands, both for their intrinsic value and their value to people.

Theres a whole suite of ecosystem services associated with forests, North said. Its really important to hold on to those.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
I consider myself a Disneyland pro. Ive lived in California my whole life, and since my first visit to Disneyland at 12 years old, Ive made semiregular trips. Ive developed my favorite tips and tricks, and I have a firm rule of never waiting more than 30 minutes for anything. Waiting around in lines is not my idea of a vacation.

Until a few weeks ago, Id never been to Disney World, however. Rich with points from canceled pandemic trips, I booked a last-minute flight to Orlando, Florida. I figured my usual Disneyland know-how would serve me just fine in Disney World.

I was mostly right  but in some ways, I was very wrong.

If youre planning your first trip to Disney World, youre going to need some help. Ive compiled a list of the most important things I learned on my trip  some of which werent covered by any of the usual YouTube channels or blogs. Although its sprinkled in with Disneyland knowledge, Ive tailored it to also work for any Disney World first-timer.

Genie Plus is only really worth it for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios

First, lets go over the dreaded Genie Plus. Its the paid system you can use to bypass lines, and it has a whole bunch of complicated rules you can read about in AllEars thorough breakdown. Once youve booked your trip, Disney marketing will try to pressure you to buy it for every day of your park tickets. Its $15 per person, per day ($20 at Disneyland), and thats not worth it in two of the four parks.

Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

There simply arent enough attractions in Epcot and Animal Kingdom to need Genie Plus. I had no issue getting on rides in Epcot, even later in the day, by monitoring wait times and heading over when lines died down. I did pay for Genie Plus on the days I went to Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. When I woke up in the morning, I purchased Genie Plus, and at 7 a.m., I booked my first Lightning Lane (the new term for FastPass). There are a ton of big-ticket attractions in each of those parks, and its tough to get it all done without at least one skipped line. It made those two days a little easier, and an extra $30 total for my trip was within my budget. It may not be for your family, though, and at least you can pretty safely skip paying for Epcot and Animal Kingdom days.

Dont miss rope drop

If you want any hope of riding your favorite rides, you absolutely must rope-drop the park (aka get there before the posted opening time so you can be among the first let in). If youre staying at a Disney hotel, youre allowed in 30 minutes prior to the posted opening  and you absolutely should sacrifice a little sleep to do so. Youll get a crucial jump on the general admission crowds.

The first two hours at any Disney park are the most critical; youll be in lines far ahead of most visitors and can get four or five rides done in the time it takes latecomers to do one. When I rope-dropped Magic Kingdom on a very busy day in February, I was able to eat breakfast and then ride Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Pans Flight (this was my Lightning Lane selection) all before noon. I had a relaxing lunch break before walking onto Carousel of Progress, the PeopleMover and Jungle Cruise (my afternoon Lightning Lane choice). I even did Haunted Mansion a second time.

Genie Plus has generally made lines much worse later in the day. By midmorning and early afternoon, people will be redeeming their Lightning Lane return times. That means those guests will be allowed onto the ride before people in the standby line. Popular rides, even those with long lines, are worth toughing out first thing in the morning before the influx of Lightning Lane riders, who will be prioritized over you. (Side note: I learned the hard way that the absolute worst time to get in line is after a broken-down ride opens up again. Every single person with a Lightning Lane that was valid during the closure could then use their pass. It was a nightmare. Avoid at all costs.)

Photo by Olga Thompson/Walt Disney World Resort via Getty Images

Regardless of your allowed entry time, make sure you allow plenty of time to arrive at the admission gates beforehand. Luckily, unlike at Disneyland, security at Disney World is a breeze. You dont need to open bags for inspection unless you are bringing a stroller; even backpack wearers can just walk through the TSA-style scanner. Things are faster at the ticket gate, too. Unlike Disneyland, where you must have your photo taken to match up with your ticket on the first day of your visit, Disney World just requires a fast fingerprint and ticket scan.

Make a list of must-dos

Before you arrive in Orlando, write down your partys must-do attractions, shows and/or restaurants, and make a rough plan that prioritizes those. I put many things in the fun if I get to it, but not essential to the success of my day category. If, like me, you live in California and have visited Disneyland before, there are rides that arent necessarily must-dos in Disney World. Pirates of the Caribbean is significantly worse than its Disneyland counterpart, for example, and do you really need to ride Dumbo and the teacups in Florida? The answer is no.

Heres my real-world example: In Animal Kingdom, my must-dos were Kilimanjaro Safaris, Avatar Flight of Passage and Dinosaur (Expedition Everest, sadly, was closed for refurbishment). I got there at rope drop and waited about 30 minutes on standby to do Flight of Passage, then 10 minutes to enjoy a safari and walked onto Dinosaur. I also wanted to eat at Satuli Canteen in the Pandora-themed land, so I placed my lunch order in the app while waiting in line for a ride, setting an 11:30 a.m. pickup time.

I was done with all three of my must-do rides by 10:30 a.m., and I had a leisurely rest of my day to enjoy sightseeing.

Tom Nebbia/Corbis via Getty Images

The hardest decision youll likely make is which Disney World hotel to book

If you want to stay at a Disney-branded hotel in Disneyland, you have three choices: Paradise Pier (expensive), the Disneyland Hotel (more expensive) or the Grand Californian (most expensive). In Disney World, you have nearly three dozen choices, ranging from value to deluxe. Each has an overwhelmingly long list of pros and cons.

For a first trip to Disney World, I think the most important consideration is convenience. Which park do you want to be closest to? Youre going to lose valuable time each day in transit to the parks, so weigh your hotel choice in the direction of proximity a little more than you usually might. I ended up staying near Epcot because it gave me access to that park, Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk dining area. It was easy to take a bus or boat to the theme parks each day, and in the evenings I could walk to Epcot for a drink and dessert. On a future trip, I might stay farther from the action, now having a firmer grasp on Disney Worlds layout and transportation system.

Marc Perrella/Getty Images

Disney transportation looks confusing but is actually pretty easy to manage

Unlike sweet, compact little Disneyland, Disney World is a behemoth. For scale, San Francisco is about 46 square miles; Disney World is about 42. I understood this intellectually, but it didnt really hit me until I was there. I love walking  I think its the best way to see a new place and omits the stress of figuring out transit  but things are much too spread out at Disney World to comfortably walk from park to park, especially when youre already on your feet all day.

Take some time before your trip to acquaint yourself with which modes of transportation are accessible from your hotel. If you stay on Disney property, the easiest method will likely be the free shuttle buses. I never had any difficulty with the system, although I regularly ride city buses in the Bay Area, so anything more convenient, timely and clean than that is a big win in my book. If you are staying at a Disney hotel, you can even look at the hotel section of your Disney World app to find the next departing bus times. I also loved taking the boat (also free), but it can come infrequently and be a bit slow depending on how many stops it makes. For speed in the mornings, I preferred the bus. For more leisurely times and coming home at the end of the night, I took the boat when available.

The Skyliner gondolas are more of a ride than an efficient mode of transit, with the slowest trip times during busy mornings and evenings. If youre worried about making it to park opening for rope drop, I dont recommend it. The monorail can also take awhile, especially if its very busy and you cant get on the first train that pulls up. So give yourself at least a half-hour buffer if you need to be somewhere at an exact time.

The most important thing to know about Disney transportation is that it is not a unified system: boats, buses, gondolas and trains go to destinations, not to one another. So dont expect to take a bus and then a train, like you might with your work commute. Pick the one mode of transit that will get you from A to B, and stick with it.

You dont need a MagicBand

Disney used to mail you a MagicBand if you booked one of their hotels, but these days youll need to pay about $15 for one (which adds up quickly if your party is large). The MagicBand can be used to get into the theme parks, scan into a Lightning Lane, open your hotel room door and more. But all those things can also be done with your smartphone, and thats what I did because I am cheap.

The Disney World app includes all the functionality of the Magic Band on your phone; its just like using Apple Pay or a mobile boarding pass for an airline. Just make sure you turn Bluetooth on so the app can interface with ticket and door scanners. My phone eats through its battery faster when Bluetooth is on, so I would turn Bluetooth on when needed and flip it off when I was done scanning.

Allow yourself to be done for the day

Because of the cost of a Disney vacation, people often understandably feel pressure to maximize each day and force their families on a long, hot march from line to line. These people are often the unhappiest youll see in the parks, and I wonder if they really feel it was worth it in the end.

One of the nicest days of my trip was when I decided to head back to my hotel at 1 p.m. I took a three-hour nap, woke up totally refreshed and enjoyed an evening of eating and watching fireworks in Epcot. If I had spent those three hours dragging myself around a theme park, I would have had a much worse day.

Give yourself and your party a break when you need one  its your vacation, after all. Kick back, pay too much for an ice cream sundae and relax.
Jason Turek, a fourth-generation farmer in the town of Genoa, did not mince words when sharing how he thought a proposed 40-hour overtime threshold would affect agriculture in Cayuga County and New York.

"I would describe it as putting a farm into hospice," said Turek, who has 130 employees at his vegetable farm. "It's an exit plan is what it is."

Turek's comments are in line with what many farmers have said about lowering the overtime threshold from 60 to 40 hours. A three-member wage board recommended a phased-in schedule that would lower the number of hours needed for overtime pay over a 10-year period.

The wage board's recommendation will be forwarded to state Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, who will make a final determination. Reardon could accept the plan or reject it. Farmers like Turek are hoping for the latter.

The debate over overtime pay for farmers heated up in 2019 when the state Legislature passed the Farm Laborers Fair Practices Act and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it into law. The law included a provision that set the overtime threshold at 60 hours a week, but a wage board would determine whether it would remain at that level or lowered to 40 hours a week, the standard in many other industries.

Several farmworkers advocated for the change. Crispin Hernandez, a member leader for the Workers' Center of Central New York, said he worked at a dairy farm where he was expected to work 70 hours without a day of rest.

"The law that was passed offers basic rights," Hernandez said. "Workers like us, people of color are doing the work that used to be done by African Americans who then were first enslaved and later paid but exploited. Now it's us immigrants. We can work 50-60 hours a week if that's what employers need, but we need and deserve overtime pay after 40 hours."

Rodolfo Mendez, a worker at Pindar Vineyards on Long Island and member of RWDSU Local 338, the first union representing farm laborers in New York, said he works 53 hours a week but does not get overtime pay. The threshold, he said, is "unreasonably high."

"We work hard every day to ensure that our employer is successful because we know that if they are not successful, neither are we," Mendez said. "By helping our employers thrive economically, we are also securing our own financial security. A lower overtime threshold would change the lives of farmworkers. We deserve fair pay for our labor, and a guarantee that as workers we are fully equal in the eyes of the state."

At the end of 2020, the three-member wage board  New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher, former New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes and former Buffalo Urban League President Brenda McDuffie  said they needed more time to explore whether the overtime threshold should be changed. Reardon kept the 60-hour standard in place for one more year and reconvened the wage board in 2021.

The wage board did not make a recommendation before the end of 2021. Instead, it announced plans for more virtual hearings in January.

Turek was one of several farmers who testified at the hearings. He told The Citizen that he felt the wage board  Hughes and McDuffie voted for the recommendations, while Fisher opposed the lower threshold  made up its mind before the hearings.

Jon Patterson, a sixth-generation dairy farmer in the town of Aurelius, agreed.

"We're pretty devastated and disheartened with what came down," said Patterson, who watched the hearings with his wife. "I think that this is going to be very devastating to agriculture if it goes through and to the rural economy. We do an awful lot of business in the rural community. If we either downsize or go out of business because of this, there's going to be a ripple effect that's widespread."

Patterson has 25 full-time and 10 part-time employees at his farm. They have been able to make the existing 60-hour threshold work over the last few years. But he thinks lowering it to 40, even if it's over a 10-year period, will hurt his employees who want to work as many hours as they can. Those who work part-time jobs, he said, come to the farm to supplement their income or because they like the work.

He expects that it will have some impact on his business, but acknowledged that his operation isn't the same now as it was 10 years ago.

"We're either going to have keep getting bigger, which comes along with a lot of challenges, to help dilute these added costs, or we're going to have to downsize and lay people off to be able to figure out what level are we going to be sustainable at. That's our goal  to be sustainable for the next generation if they want an opportunity to be here."

A study released by Cornell University found some farmers would either shutter their operations or move to another state. Turek, who has a farming business in South Florida, wants to remain in Cayuga County. But he admitted that moving to Florida "may be a possibility at some point."

"We're really going to have to go forward looking case by case and decide if it's the best move we can make for the farm," he said. "There is no expansion plan. Under the current set of circumstances, you'd be silly to try to grow more or do more given what's going on here."

Patterson and Turek think that it would be better if the overtime threshold for farmworkers was set by the federal government. If there was a federal standard, they say it would "level the playing field" for farms.

For now, the Cayuga County farmers hope Reardon, along with Gov. Kathy Hochul, will listen to the concerns expressed by farms across the state. They extended invitations to both state officials to come visit their farms and speak with employees.

"We'd love to let these guys get their feet on the ground and hear what is going on," Turek said.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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The Town of Throop is hoping to use federal funds to help expand water service.

Throop Supervisor Eric Ridley remotely addressed the Cayuga County Legislature during a Feb. 22 meeting about creating a new water district for Centerport, Reyer and Sine Roads using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds from both the county and the town.

Throop already has two water districts. Ridley said Throop has been engaging with the Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority about bringing water to a section of Centerport Road, adding that there have been water issues in that area for years. A report was conducted in 2009 and brought forward to the town, but the project did not move forward at the time.

"So upon taking office I was contacted by several people that live along that route who brought in samples of their water and frankly, as some of you know who have either seen the samples or spoken to me at any length, it's pretty disgusting water that really should be rectified if possible," he said.

The proposed project would serve about 35 properties.

Water infrastructure is a dedicated allowable use under ARPA, Ridley said, which "doesn't require any sort of massaging of the language or being creative in how a project is classified, so obviously this project would fit very well."

Several different forms of funding can be applied for, in addition to the potential ARPA money.

Ridley said his $400,000 request of the county represents "plus or minus 3% of the total ARPA award to Cayuga County, and Throop's population is just over 3% of the county."

Cayuga County's total ARPA funding will be about $14.8 million.

He also talked about a plan to contribute Throop's own ARPA funds as well.

"The town is not coming to you to ask for something that we would not dedicate funds ourselves to," he said. "I am more than willing to bring before my board a 50% allocation of our ARPA funds. It represents just shy of $100,000."

Ridley said that ideally, the county water and sewer authority would lead the project in terms of construction, because there would be "pretty significant savings there."

"As you know, we've been working through funding sources and trying to figure out if we can also get pubic funding while also having the project not be competitively bid and not pay prevailing wage, which the CCWSA would be able to do, which would then make this project very affordable for the residents, and would bring them clean water," he continued.

Jeanine Wilson, the executive director for the county water and sewer authority, said the authority may be able to "hold the cost down a bit" with its own construction services but noted that residents of the potential water district have not yet voted on the project.

"It's not ready to go to vote yet. The application needs to be done for the funding, and then when all of that information is there, the people would vote on it at a district formation. It has not been formed as a district because we haven't gotten all of the information at this point. They definitely would want to know how much it would cost before they voted on it," Wilson said.

If the project was completed, the authority would handle the operation, maintenance and billing for that service area.

Ridley said that if residents vote the project down "based on the numbers that they see and whether or not they can afford it, because that is what it's going to come down to," then the county would get its money back.

A resident of the area was at the meeting with some samples of the raw "that's pulled from their well," Ridley said.

"It really is a terrible situation that they're in that impacts their health and safety and also their quality of life," he said.

Legislator Jim Basile raised a concern about the $400,000 being asked of the county for the project based on the relatively small number of people it would serve.

"I look at it as a public health matter rather than dollars and cents," Ridley said. "I can't think of a better project than the health and safety of the people who live in a place where probably a lot of us wouldn't bath our kids in the water that comes out of the tap."

The Legislature has not yet decided on the disbursement of its ARPA funds.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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Feb. 27, 1997

AUBURN  Keeping tabs on apartment renters  even destructive ones  in the city is not the job of government, the city says.

A proposal by a local landlords group to have the city record the names, addresses and any building code violations racked up by tenants renting from private landlords should not be done by the city, said its corporation counsel, Michael McKeon.

But landlords feel such a record would give them the ability to check the background of prospective tenants and to protect their rental properties.

"I see it as an issue and something for them and not for government to do," McKeon said. "I would say for us to do it leaves the potential for liability exposure."

The Finger Lakes Real Estate Investors Association, a group of area landlords that banded together about eight years ago to improve housing stock in Auburn, has discussed with McKeon the possibility of having the city keep records on tenants.

The discussion surfaced because of a proposed city nuisance abatement law that could shut down buildings for up to a year if building residents are convicted of two crimes within 12 months.

 Compiled by David Wilcox

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AUBURN  For Amy Heath and Tina Lader, the Creative Arts Market is a way for them to socialize and get out, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The market event, at the Presbyterian Event and Retreat Center, 108 South St., Auburn, featured the work of various artisans and craftspeople Saturday. Set to be held every second and fourth Saturday through June, the event began in late January. The building had formerly been the historic Case Mansion, but it was reopened in 2017 by the First Presbyterian Church as the event and retreat center.

Heath and Lader, who are niece and aunt, respectively, both had goods displayed on tables at a corner of one spot at the center. Lader's business, also by her husband Rick, was Mountain Morning Farm, while Heath was running Amy's Artful Creations. Heath's spot included items such as Chakra sets, stone grids and macrame hangers.

There was also a table with knitted, crocheted and sewn goods from Lader's daughter Taylor Peters. Lader's table had honey from her and Rick's farm of the same name in the hamlet of Borodino and syrup from Sherwood Road Sugar Shack.

Lader and Heath said they started selling crafts since their children were young but now that their children are out of the house, their businesses are things for them to do. They said people had been coming in and out of the market all day.

The two also participated in the market event at the center earlier this month. That was the first craft show either of them had done since the pandemic began, although Lader had been involved in farmers' markets. Heath said they were both happy being out and talked about why they've been a part of the market event.

"It's mainly just socialization and fun money. The kids are all grown, we need some fun money," Heath said.

Saturday's event was the third market event at the center. The events have featured luncheons, with The Rev. Banu Moore busy making food Saturday. Moore, who is originally from Turkey and is co-pastor of the Presbyterian church with her husband, the Rev. James Moore, said the church supports community arts. The church had formerly hosted events in collaboration with the Finger Lakes Art Council before the pandemic, Banu Moore said, but the council eventually went to Willard Memorial Chapel.

While preparing vegetables, garlic bread and more with volunteers, Moore said the church wanted to showcase local art and help artists and crafters generate income. She added that she feels it is important to "buy local, support local community, buy local art," she said.

"The more we support our community, the more our community is nurtured and grows and art is an essential part of that," Moore said.

Other displays included items such as sweaters, hats and bottles from Ancient Archive Design, with Patrizia Lafler and her daughter Anna Lafler, 11, holding down the fort. Another room featured an array of work from various artists. Deborah Morales had repurposed items such as stuffed animals/dog tug toys  with help from her daughter Catalina Morales  while Deborah's friend Carmen McLean, originally from Mexico, had indigenous items from the country. The business MiMi Repurposed it! from Marianne "MiMi" Langtry also showed off different repurposed goods.

Cathy Hamilton, who had just bought a gnome ornament made out of a pine cone from Langtry, said she has attended the craft market event every time it has been held so far.

"It's such a beautiful building and I like to help out the church and the community," Hamilton said.

Retired architect Ron Bachta displayed various wooden pieces cut by a scroll saw, with shapes made to look like fairies, dragons, cats and more. Bachta said he found time to focus on crafting once he retired around 18 years ago.

He said his efforts require patience and a vision of how a rough piece of wood could "turn into something that's functional and useful and beautiful."

Bachta said Saturday's market attendance was slow but it was better at the previous two events. He is optimistic about the market's future.

"This is just the beginning," he said. "Who knows where it could go?"

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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ROME  For years, a global choir of right-wing politicians has sung the praises of Vladimir Putin. They looked up to the Russian strongman as a defender of closed borders, Christian conservatism and bare-chested machismo in an era of liberal identity politics and Western globalization. Fawning over him was a core part of the populist playbook.

But Putins savaging of Ukraine, which many of his right-wing supporters had said he would never do, has recast the Russian president more clearly as a global menace and boogeyman with ambitions of empire who is threatening nuclear war and European instability.

For many of his longtime admirers  from France to Germany and the United States to Brazil  it is something of an awkward spot. The stain of Putins new reputation threatens to taint his fellow travelers, too.

It will be a decisive blow to them, said Lucio Caracciolo, editor of the Italian geopolitical magazine Limes, who considered Putins invasion an irrational, and potentially, a politically suicidal move.

He said that members of the international ultraright who enjoyed a special relationship and financial support from Putin were in serious trouble.

They put all their eggs in the same basket, Caracciolo said. And the basket is collapsing.

Perhaps no one demonstrates the quandary more than Matteo Salvini, Italys leading right-wing politician, who has been an unapologetic Putin fanboy.

He wore shirts with Putins face on them in Moscows Red Square and in the European Parliament. He said he preferred the Russian president to the Italian one. He incessantly echoed Putins calls to end the sanctions already on Russia for its annexation of Crimea. He mocked those who alleged he was in Putins pocket by saying, I esteem him for free, not for money.

Like some other right-wing leaders, he is now seeking to thread the narrowest of needles by condemning the violence, or even Russia, but not Putin by name, or condemning the violence but making excuses for it with anti-NATO talking points.

While some of his cohort have admitted that they perhaps assessed Putin incorrectly, Salvini has not been ready to make such a concession.

On Thursday, he wrote on Twitter that he firmly condemned any military aggression, and then dropped off flowers at the Ukrainian Embassy. He eventually came around to acknowledging that Russia was the military aggressor but still seems to have trouble bringing himself to utter criticism and Putins name in the same sentence.

I am let down by the human being who, in 2022, tries to solve economic and political problems with war, Salvini said in a radio interview. (Salvinis spokesperson, Matteo Pandini, insisted that he had also said Putin started a war and so Putin is wrong but could not point to where he had said it.)

The Italian finds himself in familiar company when it comes to European leaders who are now struggling to countenance their past support for Putin with the war of choice he is waging on their continent. The cast of former Putin apologists wrestling with apologies reads like a Whos Who of the populist ascendancy of 2018.

In France, Putins war has prompted a politically painful, and possibly costly, about-face before presidential elections in April. Far-right candidates who spent years praising the Russian leader and weeks downplaying the risk of an invasion reassessed Putin and the electoral benefit of being in his corner.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party  which received a loan from a Russian bank  declared that Russias annexation of Crimea was not illegal and visited Putin in Moscow before the last presidential elections in 2017. While she opposes NATO, Le Pen denounced Putins military aggression Friday, saying, I think that what he has done is completely reprehensible. It changes, in part, the opinion I had of him.

Her far-right rival in the presidential campaign, Eric Zemmour, has in the past called the prospect of a French equivalent of Putin a dream and admired the Russians efforts to restore an empire in decline. Like many other Putin enthusiasts, he doubted an invasion was in the cards and blamed the United States for spreading what he called propaganda.

But Thursday he, too, denounced the invasion, saying Russia was neither attacked nor directly threatened by Ukraine in a speech given at a lectern that, to make things extra clear, displayed a sign reading, I fully condemn the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

In Britain, Nigel Farage, a key proponent of Brexit, had not believed that Russia would invade Ukraine.

Well, I was wrong, he wrote on Twitter on Thursday, although he maintained that the European Union and NATO had unnecessarily provoked Russia with expansion. Putin has gone much further than I thought he would.

Other right-wing forces around Europe have sought to square the circle by condemning the violence but shifting the blame away from Putin.

Alexander Gauland, a key figure in Germanys far-right Alternative for Germany party, known by its German initials AfD, told the daily Neuer Osnabrucker Zeitung on Thursday that the invasion was a result of past failures and put the blame on NATOs eastward expansion after the Cold War for violating Russias legitimate security interests. Putin has been more popular in the formerly communist-ruled eastern part of Germany, where the AfD has its political base.

Petr Bystron, a foreign affairs spokesperson for the party, visited Moscow with a delegation of its lawmakers last year. He issued a statement in which he regretted current developments but added, We must not now make the mistake of attributing sole responsibility for this development to Russia.

It is a sign of their ideological closeness to Putins aggressive nationalism, said Hajo Funke, a prominent German scholar of the countrys far right.

Putins supporters are by no means limited to Europe.

In the United States, former President Donald Trump, whose term in office was marked with solicitousness to the Russian leader that confounded his Western allies, said Wednesday that Putin was very savvy and made a genius move of declaring regions of Ukraine as independent states as a predicate to move in the Russian military.

Those remarks left Trump an outlier in the Republican Party of which he is the de facto leader. But he was not totally isolated.

Trumps media cheerleader, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, urged Americans to ask themselves what they had against Putin and echoed the Kremlin as he denigrated Ukraine as not a democracy but a puppet of the West and the United States that was essentially managed by the State Department. After the invasion, he, too, moderated, warning of a world war and saying Vladimir Putin started this war, so whatever the context of the decision that he made, he did it.

The last major leader to visit Putin before the war, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, who was once told by Putin that he expressed the best masculine qualities, has decided instead to hold his tongue. But he perhaps showed his hand when he rebuked his vice president for saying that Brazil opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But it was perhaps Putins old friends who seemed most stunned by the attack.

Silvio Berlusconi, a former prime minister of Italy who wore furry hats with the Russian in his dacha in Sochi and received a big bed from Putin as a gift, has condemned the violence but had not said anything publicly about his old pal. Its not clear whether he had reached out to Putin, but he apparently told his partys members in a phone call that he was putting his international relations at the service of peace and the defense of Europe.

I spoke to Berlusconi last night. He is very worried and is almost terrified by what is happening, Giorgio Mule, an undersecretary of defense in Berlusconis party, said on Italian radio Friday. He added, He just doesnt see in Vladimir Putin the person hed known.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
In January 2022, there were 312,745 locally-made new energy passenger vehicles (NEPVs) registered across the Chinese mainland, representing a 115% year-on-year hike, according to the data compiled by Gasgoo Auto Research Institute.



However, the monthly NEPV registrations plunged 35% compared to the previous month, mainly because the auto market cooled down before the Spring Festival holiday.

To be specific, the Jan. homegrown NEPV registrations were composed of 240,702 battery electric vehicles (BEVs), 72,041 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which included 14,325 range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs), as well as 2 fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).

Last month, the seven key startups (including Tesla) all faced a month-on-month decrease. Of them, the U.S.-based EV manufacturer posted the biggest decline, but it still outsold all Chinese startup rivals. Compared to the month-ago rankings, XPeng and Li Auto were still the top 2 Chinese NEV startups, while NIO surpassed HOZON Auto to the second runner-up place.



Tesla saw its monthly registrations of China-made vehicles tumble to 19,610 units in January from 70,219 units in December 2021. Aside from the holiday reason, the plunge in Chinas domestic registrations also partially resulted from the higher importance attached to the export business. The Giga Shanghai typically prioritizes overseas shipments in the first half of each quarter, before ramping up locally deliveries in the latter half of the period, Tesla's CEO Elon Musk said last year.

Model Y; photo credit: Tesla



In response to China's NEV subsidy policy, Tesla announced at the end of Dec. 2021 it would bump up prices of the Model 3 and Model Ys RWD versions. However, it is hard to evaluate how much the price rise affected the sales as the frequent price change has already been regarded as a typical move of Tesla.

Last month, XPeng still ranked highest among Chinese NEV startups by monthly registrations. The P7, which accounted for 51.6% of the startup's totals, ranked thirteenth among all locally-built NEPV models. Besides, the P5, which hit the market in Sept. 2021, contributed to 31% of the company's total volume, resulting in 11,922 units in its cumulative registrations.

After taking the honor of No.1 Chinese NEV startup by 2021's full-year sales, XPeng lifted its annual delivery target to 250,000 units for the year of 2022, indicating the company should deliver around 20,000 vehicles per month on average.

XPeng's deliveries are expected to be further increased with the advent of the G9, the company's fourth production model unveiled at the Auto Guangzhou 2021. The model is expected for large-scale delivery in September and is anticipated to account for 14% of XPengs annual deliveries.

In addition, XPeng's supercharging network has already covered 337 cities across Chinese mainland, including 333 prefecture-level cities and 4 direct-administrated municipalities. The widespread coverage of charging facilities may help XPeng earn more consumers who fear for the range trouble.

Li Auto saw its monthly registrations in January drop 11.9% from the previous month, but rocket 150.2% from the year-ago period still without new products added.

In terms of Jan. registrations, the Li ONE, Li Autos sole model currently for sale, ranked fourth among all locally-built NEPV models, while topped the other models owned by Chinese NEV startups.

Last year, Li Auto recorded an annual registration volume of 91,424 vehicles, which were all produced at the companys Changzhou plant. With an initial production capacity of only 100,000 units per year, the Changzhou manufacturing base is urgent to be upgraded to raise outputs. Currently, new assembly lines are under construction, aiming to doubling the factorys capacity.

Besides, the development of Li Auto will be supported by the municipal government of Beijing, where the automaker is building its second vehicle plant. According to the 2022 development plan Beijings authorities issued in early January, the capital of China will promote Li Autos construction this year.



Compared to the previous month, NIO's Jan. registrations only dropped 2.9%. With 5,525 units registered, the ES6 was still NIOs biggest sales contributor.

There were 31 ET7s registered last month. However, the scale delivery of the model will not kick off until March 28.

In January, NIO announced the launch of its 800th battery swapping station in China, as a result of the cooperation with the world's top furniture retailer IKEA. Moreover, the startup also expanded its battery swapping network on expressways by signing an agreement with Zhejiang Commercial Group Co., Ltd. in the month. Although increasingly more players are tapping the battery swap business, NIO has already reaped the first-mover advantage.

HOZON Auto recorded a registration volume of 9,826 units last month, 99.8% of which were contributed by the NETA U and the NETA V. The latter was the runner-up among the models developed by Chinese NEV startups.

As the startup's first production model, the NETA N01 only had 23 units registered in January, indicating its insignificant presence due to the lack of new versions.

Last month, HOZON Auto hit an outputs milestone of 100,000 vehicles, meaning the startup has made substantial progress in such capabilities as manufacturing, quality control, procurement synergy, as well as operation and management.



Leapmotor posted a 12.1% decrease month-over-month in Jan. registrations. The T03, serving as the startups largest sales contributor, had a refreshed version (the 2022 T03) put into the market at the end of December 2021. Some industry insiders said the advent of the new product is a response to the recent subsidy decline as it features a higher price range.

WM Motor's monthly registrations tumbled 37.8% over a month earlier to 2,687 units in January, 1,034 units of which were from the E.5, a model purposely built for mobility services. The decrease partly resulted from consumers complaints about the range reduction and fire incidents.
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KYIV, Ukraine - Yuri Shuklin has never fired a gun, not a real one at least. His war experience, he said, comes from playing video games such as "Call to Action." "Maybe it's funny, but in some movies and video games, they have nice [battlefield] tactics," he said.

By Saturday, he had signed up to fight the Russian forces pressing on this capital.

In Ukraine, there's precedent for Shuklin's screen-to-reality sense of confidence: President Volodymyr Zelensky was an actor and comedian, whose only political experience before getting elected was playing the role of Ukraine's president in a satirical TV series. Now, those savvy communication skills, his ability to sway audiences via social media, a healthy dose of grit and defiance - and not least of all, his readiness to die if necessary - has transformed him into an unlikely champion for Ukrainians and the world.

Shuklin, who once never cared about politics, is among Zelensky's devotees.

"This man did not jump away to some other country like previous presidents," said the tall and lean 31-year-old mechanic. "He can show us the way."

Until three days ago, when the Russians invaded, Zelensky's political tenure was mixed, even considered by many on the decline. He was criticized for not pushing forward essential anti-corruption and judicial reforms. Ukrainians felt he was weak in his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and too quick to seek compromise with Moscow.

Zelensky, 44, at times downplayed the threat of Russia crossing into Ukraine and at others warned of Russia seizing Ukrainian cities. He denounced the United States and European governments as alarmist in their repeated warnings of an impending assault. There was no meaningful effort to bolster defenses along Ukraine's border with Russia. Nor was there preparation for evacuations and other contingencies to protect Ukrainians.

As a wartime president, however, Zelensky has risen remarkably to the challenge. His messaging has been consistent and sharply directed at Moscow. In videos posted on social media he has appealed directly to Russian citizens, gracefully urging them to protest Putin's onslaught on Ukrainian democracy.

In another video, wearing a green military-style pullover, he called for Ukrainians to take up arms. "We are alone in defending our state. Who else wants to fight with us? Honestly, I don't see anyone," he said.

He has portrayed himself as the primary target of Moscow, describing himself as "target No. 1" and declaring that Putin wants to "destroy Ukraine by destroying the head of state."

"I've always thought he is a person who has a profound sense of right and wrong," said a senior adviser to Zelensky, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly. "He will never acquiesce when he thinks something is wrong."

"Right now, he's very focused. He's very driven. He thinks Ukraine can prevail if everyone takes the same stand he is taking." Asked if Zelensky was prepared to die fighting, the adviser answered without hesitation: "Yes."

Zelensky has also astutely used imagery to his advantage. Instead of hiding in a shelter, he has shown himself walking in Kyiv or visiting with soldiers, wearing a bulletproof jacket. Virtually every day, a new video emerges on social media showing his defiance of Russia.

"For all the talk of Russian information warfare, Zelensky had proven to be a master communicator," Colin Clarke, director of research at The Soufan Group, an intelligence and security consultancy, said in a tweet. "His messages have conveyed strength, empathy & fortitude. A case study in effective communication during war and a profile of courage on a level I can't recall."

"Zelensky is becoming as much of an internationally recognized hero as Putin is a global pariah. The contrast could not be more stark," Clarke added in a subsequent tweet.

Zelensky has been unshakable diplomatically, refusing Western demands to set aside Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO, a key goal of Putin. But most Ukrainians have been impressed by an action Zelensky has not taken: He and his family haven't fled the country, despite the threats to their lives.

That is unlike one of his predecessors, Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after being ousted following Ukraine's 2014 revolution and was tried in absentia.

On Friday, after the United States offered to transport him to a safe place, Zelensky retorted: "I need ammunition, not a ride."

It's not just Ukrainians who are impressed by Zelensky's actions. Afghans on social media have applauded his decision to stay, bitterly noting that their former president Ashraf Ghani fled the country as the Taliban reached the capital Kabul last August.

"The war has transformed the former comedian from a provincial politician with delusions of grandeur into a bona fide statesman," Melinda Haring, deputy director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, wrote in Foreign Affairs on Friday. "Grave as Zelensky's failure to reform Ukraine may be, in the midst of Putin's intransigence and aggression, the president has shown a stiff upper lip."

On Friday, Ukrainians who have joined the campaign to fight the Russians expressed a sense of solidarity with their president.

Down several flights of stairs under a small business in Kyiv, groups of Ukrainians, young and old, sat hunched over piles of glass bottles, carefully filling each one with Styrofoam and fuel to help transform it into a molotov cocktail, or petrol bomb.

Among them was Valerii Valiiev, 17, a college student who left his dormitory earlier this past week and has joined the war effort by contributing to the molotov production. He hopes that even if they can't cause significant damage to a Russian tank, they will at least block the tank crews' vision and harm their breathing.

Several hundred have already been crafted in this bunker alone, he said.

Helping assemble these weapons is part of how Valiiev, a law student, is contributing to the battle for Ukraine, which he said has unified civilians of all backgrounds behind Zelensky.

Before the war, Valiiev wasn't the president's biggest fan, worrying about corruption and who he perceived as some pro-Russian appointees.

"But today he is the hero," he said of Zelensky, describing him as the pride of the nation. He appeared weak before, Valiiev said. "But now he is strong."

Shortly after taking shelter in a bunker early Saturday morning, Nazar Cherniha, 34, heard an enormous boom and screaming from outside. When he emerged from safety later, he saw that an enormous chunk of the apartment building across the street was missing. A missile had struck the building, ripping the walls off multiple apartments in the upper half of the high-rise and injuring many civilians inside.

The incident left Cherniha enraged and ready to "struggle with my hands" against the Russians, he said. "After tonight I am not scared anymore. Fear disappeared."

Before the war, Cherniha was "not a fan" of Zelensky, he said. But now he is rallying behind him. His videos proving he is still in the capital are "a very good sign we are all together."

Zelensky made the right choice when he decided "to be in Kyiv to stay with us and to fight for our country," he said.

On the ground near the site of the strike, decades-old family photos were scattered on the ground. A child's scooter sat crumpled by the sidewalk. One man knelt in the middle of the street, slowly cleaning up the debris as cars drove around him.

"I did have a lot of questions about Zelensky before, but now I can say nothing bad about him," said Nataliya Cherniha, 61, his mother, staring at the debris. "The people have really come together, and such a unity can't possibly be defeated."

- - -

The Washington Post's Shane Harris in Washington contributed to this report.
A private 60-acre island near Darien, CT, is on the marketagain. The price of the estate has also been cut again, yet remains a jaw-dropping $100 million.

When the sprawling property known as Great Island initially landed on the market in 2016, it was listed for a whopping $175 million. At the time, it was one of the most expensive homes in the country.

Two years later, the island's price was dropped to $120 million, but no buyer stepped forward to stake a claim.

Now it is back at nearly half of its original asking price. Will a third price slice prove to be the charm for a buyer?

According to the agent representing Great Island, it's impossible to top "the largest private island ever to be offered for sale on the East Coast."

Exterior of home on Great Island, CT Realtor.com

Aerial view Realtor.com

Main manor Realtor.com

Equestrian facility Realtor.com

This is the largest piece of land being offered in the Northeastwith over a mile of shoreline on Long Island Sound, said the listing broker, Jennifer Leahy of Douglas Elliman.

It is a beautiful piece of property with a world-class equestrian facility that has been owned by the same family for three generations," she adds. "They have enjoyed the property and are now ready to pass it on to the next family who will be stewards of the estate.

Great Island is anchored by a 13,000-square foot ancestral manor that was built in 1905. It's currently owned by the descendants of William Ziegler, who made his fortune in the baking soda industry. Ziegler and his family used Great Island as their second home for decades.

While a nine-digit price tag is certainly reserved for an elite pool of buyers, the asking price includes a number of additional structures on the fabled property.

The sale includes a stone house manor, 19th-century white farmhouse with pool, rental units above the equestrian facility, a beachside cottage, seaside bungalow, and a boathouse, Leahy said.

Located about 45 miles from New York City, the gated estate is accessed via a manmade bridge. It comes with its own private beach, as well as a deep-water dock. For horse aficionados, it also features a world-class equestrian facility featuring an 18-stall granite stable, indoor and outdoor rings, a polo field, paddocks, and riding trails.

As for a new owner, Leahy has cast a global net for equestrians who would appreciate a waterfront estate.

"It could also be a developer or just a family looking for some privacy," she notes. "We are seeing big trades for waterfront and equestrian properties and have had a lot of interest in the property from people all over the world.

The post Private Island Price Cut: Once $175M, Connecticut's Great Island Is Now Available for $100M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
Chinese, German FMs hold phone talks over Ukrainian situation

Xinhua) 16:23, February 27, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock via video link on Jan. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone talk with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO's eastward expansion, Russia's legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, during which they exchanged views on the current situation in Ukraine.

Wang said that China pays close attention to the development of the situation in Ukraine, and supports all efforts that are conducive to de-escalating the situation and achieving a political settlement.

On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, he noted, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO's eastward expansion, Russia's legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.

Noting the Cold War has already ended, the senior Chinese official said it is necessary for NATO to reconsider its position and responsibilities, adding that the Chinese side believes the Cold War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be completely abandoned. China supports NATO, the European Union and Russia to resume dialogue and seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism so as to achieve lasting peace and stability on the European continent, he said.

People from Ukraine rest at a temporary resettlement site in Przemysl, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

Wang also noted that China does not approve of solving problems by sanctions, and even more strongly opposes unilateral sanctions not based on international law. Practice has already proved that rather than solving problems, sanctions can create new ones, he said, adding that sanctions will not only lead to a "lose-lose" situation or "multiple losses" in economy, but also disturb the process of a political settlement.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has always faithfully fulfilled its obligation of safeguarding world peace and stability, Wang noted, adding China believes that if the Security Council is to take action, it should facilitate a political settlement of the current crisis rather than instigate new rivalries and confrontations.

In view of this, Wang said, China has prevented the Security Council from citing expressions that involve the authorization of the use of force and sanctions, when discussing draft resolutions on the Ukrainian issue.

China will continue to play a constructive role in seeking and realizing peace, Wang said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
"Where did you sleep the night before the big storm?"

Every person Michelle McManimon with Catholic Charities speaks to seems to know immediately what day she's referencing. The big storm dumped more than a foot of snow on Flagstaff as temperatures dropped to the single digits.

It also means something different to Coconino County's unhoused population. Many who typically camped outside found a warm spot in the shelter Tuesday night, while others, like 62-year-old Rose and her husband, hunkered down in the husk of an RV to wait out the storm. Alongside their nine cats, they somehow managed to keep warm in their RV without hookups.

"Ever wanna know if you got a strong marriage? Go live like that all year," she said.

And she's not alone. Rose is one of the dozens of people without a traditional home who slept in Coconino County Tuesday. Others retreated to Flagstaff's wildland outskirts, huddled with sleeping bags along the empty streets of downtown or tucked into the backseat of their car.

Some of them were counted as part of an informal census of those living in the street in the following days. The annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to better understand the issues facing the local unsheltered population. It can also be shared at the local, state and national levels in order to determine funding for local homeless services.

Trained city and county employees worked alongside local service agencies, and volunteers journeyed out into the streets, backs of grocery stores, alleyways and wooded areas to speak to people starting Thursday. They went out again on Friday and over the weekend. The schedule was already pushed back twice this year due to rising COVID-19 cases and bad weather.

They will make one more attempt on Monday.

The PIT count is an important, albeit imperfect, tool.

A report documenting Coconino County's unsheltered population is expected to be released later this year. Volunteers and advocates already know it likely won't be entirely representative due to both the winter season and recent storm, according to Sarah Rendon, program manager at Catholic Charities.

Others go to Phoenix for the winter and then return for the summer, temporarily inflating Maricopa County's unhoused population.

"It is difficult to conduct a count like this in northern Arizona in the winter because folks are very resourceful and thankfully oftentimes find a way to get out of the cold," Rendon said.

Organizers need to know where people slept on one designated night. In this case, it was Feb. 22 -- the night of the storm. Many people who typically are unsheltered may have gone to the shelter due to the extreme conditions or found somewhere to stay.

"I believe that skews an accurate count of how many individuals are typically sleeping unsheltered in our community at any given time," Rendon added.

Rendon estimated they interviewed more than 100 families and individuals across the far-reaching county as of Saturday.

Experts predict the numbers have increased in recent years.

The last count was conducted in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation in 2021. Volunteers interviewed 86 unsheltered people in both 2018 and 2019. That number dropped to 65 in 2020. That year, more than half the respondees said they had been without a home for more than six years. The reasons varied from job loss to financial struggles, divorce and other reasons.

Any person experiencing homelessness who completes the survey was given a bag stuffed with Better Bucks, hygiene items, snacks and other items.

PIT volunteers also provided some with items to meet their specific needs. Rose got a new pair of gloves to keep her hands warmed as she held a sign asking for gas money outside of the McDonalds on the east side of the city. Items like that, along with socks and hand warmers, are the ultimate currency out here. Others were connected with resources or updated on the hours when they could pick up their mail at Catholic Charities.

One man struggled to remember the last time he had a home. He was tucked away on the hill behind San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church with a battered black guitar and his dog, Pumpkin. A makeshift shelter kept him dry on the hillside and the dog helped keep him warm at night.

"I can't remember I ever had one," the man said before returning to the guitar.

Finding him was an endeavor in itself. He wasn't one of the men "flying signs" -- panhandling -- at the interstate exit or busking for change downtown. He was hidden among the hillside, shocked when McManimon found him all the way up there. She was searching for anyone on the side of the hill, stumbling across abandoned camps littered with old books, forgotten clothes and half-buried sleeping bags. Then she heard him singing.

He described himself as an "urban camper" and painted a bleak picture of his life with each answer to McManimon's standardized questions read from her paper. He was in the Navy, but said he hardly remembered it as he was "a drunk," he told McManimon. He was a street drunk for 33 years.

He says he's been clean for eight now, though.

When asked if he was interested in housing, the man said he simply wasn't interested.

"Right now this is the most perfect place in the world," he said, gesturing to the busting city below him. "But it'll be cold tonight."

Reporter Bree Burkitt can be reached at 928-556-2250 or bburkitt@azdailysun.com.

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The largest plane ever built has been destroyed at an airport outside Kyiv, Ukraine Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said Sunday.

This was the worlds largest aircraft, AN-225 Mriya (Dream in Ukrainian), Kubela tweeted. Russia may have destroyed our Mriya. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail!

The Antonov An-225 Mriya was built in Ukraine in 1985 when the nation was still controlled by the Soviet Union. It has six turbofan engines and is the heaviest aircraft ever built. It was created as a strategic airlift cargo craft, carrying Soviet space orbiters, but was later purchased by Antonov Airlines. Its since been used to airlift oversized cargo and large loads of emergency aid during natural disasters.

On Feb. 25, the Russian military claimed it has taken control of the Antonov airport just outside Kyiv. Taking possession of the airport in Hostomel, which has a long runway allowing the landing of heavy-lift transport planes, would mean Russia can airlift troops directly to Kyivs outskirts. Hostomel is just 4 miles northwest of the city.

Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Friday that the Russian airborne forces used 200 helicopters to land in Hostomel and killed more than 200 troops belonging to Ukraines special forces. Konashenkov claimed that Russian troops suffered no casualties. That contradicts Ukrainian claims that Russian troops sustained heavy casualties in the fighting there.

Rumors immediately swirled that the Mriya had been destroyed in the battle. Although Kulebas tweet confirmed the planes demise, Antonov says it is still gathering information on the massive planes fate.

Currently, until the AN-225 has been inspected by experts, we cannot report on the technical condition of the aircraft, the companys official Twitter account wrote Sunday. Stay tuned for further official announcement.

Arsgera/Getty Images

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Vice Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Ho Hai (C) presents award to the HCMC Medical University Hospital

Speaking at the event, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the city Le Hoa Binh said that the municipal authorities highly appreciated outstanding contributions and efforts of healthcare professionals in protecting and caring for peoples health.



The Vietnam medical achievement award aims to highlight technological applications and creative renewal of healthcare workers in order to take care of patients.



The award not only encourages medical workers to launch creativities in the health sector but also pays tribute to the healthcare force for their hard work, challenges of the living conditions and activities of everyday life in caring for and helping patients to maintain their mental health and encouraging them during the treatment.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the city Le Hoa Binh hands over award to the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases

The organization board presented ten Vietnam medical achievement awards with a total worth of VND500 million (US$22,000), including:

1. Dr.Home application for post-Covid syndrome treatment of the Rehabilitation Hospital specialized in work-related issues in medical rehabilitation

2. Hospital Sisters Health System of the Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital





3. Mode of telemedicine of the Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine

4. Mode of Covid-19 community-based treatment by HCMC Medical University Hospital

5. Covid-19 support hotlines 1022 of Ho Chi Minh City Medical Association

6. The expansion of Covid-19 treatment hospital by the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases

7. Hospital cooperation and Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy saved the life of a pregnant woman with Covid-19 at the HCMC Medical University Hospital

8. Carrying out skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding from the first hours of birth for mothers infected with the virus and their newborn infants at Tu Du Maternity Hospital

9. Hemodialysis at Covid-19 quarantine facilities by Le Van Thinh Hospital



10. H.O.P.E Center raising babies whose mothers were infected with Covid-19 when their families have not picked them up opened by Hung Vuong Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital





By Thanh Son  Translated by Kim Khanh
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The ASX enjoyed a strong session on Monday despite chaotic commodity prices and foreign currency moves, as investors finalised their portfolios for the end of the month.

The Russian Rouble dropped 30 per cent during the day to less than US$0.01 and less than EUR0.01- the lowest it has been since the Soviet Union ended. And Brent crude went over $US100 per barrel again during Asian trade.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.7 per cent higher, up 51.3 points, at 7049.1 points. It gained 1.1 per cent in February, or 77.5 points.

Russias rouble faces a catastrophic tumble. Credit:Bloomberg

Burman Invests chief investment officer, Julia Lee, said the ASX had a strong session given US futures slumped on Monday, suggesting declines of up to 2.4 per cent overnight.

Dont forget that its the end of the month and that tends to distort the performance, she explained.

Financial markets were also jittery as they waited to see the impact of SWIFT banning certain Russian banks, Ms Lee said. And economists were now revising down their expectations of a 50 basis point increase in US interest rates this month, which has helped certain sectors.

We are seeing the technology space come back a bit, and the bond-proxy property space. With these interest rate expectations wound back we are seeing those prices bounce back higher.

Major miners added the most points to the index with BHP gaining 4.4 per cent to $46.66, Rio Tinto up 3.2 per cent, and South32 closing at a new high of $4.81, up 4.1 per cent. Fortescue declined 2.4 per cent after going ex-dividend.

Gold miner Newcrest gained 3.4 per cent while Lynas Rare Earths closed at a four-week high of $10.23. Oil producers also improved with Woodside up 2.1 per cent and Santos up 1.5 per cent.

The big banks dragged on the index and insurers tumbled as traders worried about the costs of flooding on the north-eastern seaboard. IAG dropped 4 per cent, Suncorp dropped 3.2 per cent, and QBE dropped 2.5 per cent.

Dominos Pizza fell 4 per cent to a 15-month low of $78.95 after a downgrade by a formerly bullish analyst.

Vitamin pill maker Blackmores gained nearly 10 per cent to $82.65, recovering from last weeks declines.
While there is no data yet on hospitalisations by age group for the school term, the number of people in the wider community sent to hospital continues to trend down. The disease is circulating, and some schools have been hit hard. About 80 students at Kemps Creek Public near Badgerys Creek have been affected by an outbreak, leading the school to offer a remote learning option, which most accepted. Two year groups at Carlingford West also learnt remotely. Craig Petersen, head of the Secondary Principals Council, says the past two years had been severely disrupted by COVID, which affected schools and their communities in complex ways that went beyond attendance and the HSC. Credit:Janie Barrett But its far from the chaos predicted. Craig Petersen, from the Secondary Principals Association, says staff absences have not been nearly as bad as I was afraid they might have been. Even instances of students COVID-19 have not been as great as we were afraid they might have been. School authorities have learned from the past two years, and one of the lessons has been to pay less attention to the cacophony of conflicting voices and more to trusted experts.

They have watched their counterparts in the northern hemisphere tackle these challenges first. They developed contingency plans, which have been fortified by vaccinations. And they have been guided by the consensus among paediatricians that if childrens health, both physical and mental, was to be the priority, they needed to get them back into the classroom. NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says planning and collaboration have been integral to the low rates of COVID infections in NSW schools. Credit:Dean Sewell Our success in managing COVID-19 in schools is the result of meticulous planning and collaboration between the NSW Department of Education, NSW Health and our school communities, said Education Minister Sarah Mitchell. In the 2020 lockdown, when so much was unknown, many decisions made by principals, politicians and education bureaucrats about the operation of schools were influenced by high parental anxiety, with many pulling their children out of school even before the government introduced remote learning.

Independent principals, in particular, went their own way due to the demands of parents and lack of knowledge about the new disease. In hindsight, some realise that made their jobs more difficult because they found themselves in the crossfire of conflicting parent views. School sectors now work together, knowing parents will be more confident if they arent bickering over the best way forward. They are also emboldened by two years of experience. The first time around we used a hammer, this time we have a scalpel, said one. Students of Cammeryagal High School in Crows Nest return to on-site classes last year. Credit:James Alcock As they prepared to open schools during the Omicron outbreak, the question facing everyone but the extremes of the debate was not whether face-to-face lessons should resume, but how. Most parents, who saw how difficult lockdown was for their children, supported them. It was a measure of how far the community has come in both understanding COVID and appreciating the importance of schools for children since the early days of the pandemic.

I think parents are less demanding than they used to be, said one independent principal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Theres much less anxiety. The NSW Teachers Federation called for rigorous COVID-19 testing and risk assessments, but stopped short of calling for the beginning of first term to be postponed, even while Queensland delayed its school year by a fortnight. Lacey Dennis (left) with her mum Marybeth Sheen (right) from the Mt Druitt community at the Willmot vaccination hub. Credit:Kate Geraghty The option of vaccinating children and giving boosters to teens also helped assuage fears. So far, 79 per cent of 12- to 15-year-olds have had two doses, and 47 per cent of five to 11-year-olds have had one. Schools developed contingencies such as emergency staffing strategies, which in the case of independent schools would involve parents at a last resort, and remote learning plans in case of a significant outbreak. Some schools have had to use them.

Virginia Moller, the chief executive of Steiner Schools Australia, said some schools were struggling to find staff with the qualifications they needed. It is very difficult for Steiner schools, they are managing but theres a shortage of teachers, she said. School authorities also have three years of robust research and hospitalisation figures to support the message, which is still loudly questioned by some on social media, that COVID-19 is, in the vast majority of cases, mild in children. Robust, long-term studies show they are less likely to catch and transmit it than adults. Weve had a lot of people with fairly strong views about the risk to children, and I think thats permeated peoples minds. Dr Nick Coatsworth Australian research shows that in term 4 last year, 3 to 4 per cent of people exposed to a positive case in school and early childhood centres caught the virus, compared to about 70 per cent in residential settings. Parents worry about their kids, its part of the job. But some have worried more than they needed to, thanks to commentators citing overseas data that has little relevance to an Australian context, such as paediatric illness in Brazil and India, where many children are already sick from malnourishment, or from the United States, where vaccination coverage among adults is patchy.

Nick Coatsworth, the former Commonwealth deputy chief medical officer, says parental concern is natural, and the responsibility lies with the medical and academic community to do its utmost to provide a balanced view of risk, and thats where weve fallen down a bit, he says. Weve had a lot of people with fairly strong views about the risk to children, and I think thats permeated peoples minds. Dr Nick Coatsworth discusses children going back to school. Credit:Jamila Toderas . This puts pressure on governments to spend money on interventions that are more about reassuring parents than mitigating risk, Dr Coatsworth says. One example is rapid antigen testing in schools, such as the system used by NSW this year in which parents were supplied with two tests per week for each child. It wound up this week. Its fine to bring those interventions in, Dr Coatsworth says. You can go for expensive interventions in the short term, and then do what NSW is doing and pull back on them when its clear the doom and gloom predictions arent happening. Dr Coatsworth says authorities have also become better at, to be honest, the political fallout of taking a position that schools go back.
Fish and chips have been a grab and go British classic for nearly 200 years. The earliest references are found in Charles Dickens novels, Oliver Twist and Tale of Two Cities, while the original recipe for batter-fried fish was printed in an 1845 cookbook by Victorian chef Alexis Soyer.

Still, the origins are actually even a couple of centuries older. The chips, or fries, are actually from Belgium, and the fried fish arrived with Jewish immigrants from Spain and Portugal. Londons first fish and chips shop opened in the 1860s. Chippies, as the shops are affectionately called, began as the working mans grub, but crossed all class barriers in time.

During World War II, Winston Churchill referred to fish and chips as good companions, and recognizing the role the dish played in morale, did not ration it. As a capper, when the Brits landed on D-Day, they called out, fish, to which the response was, chips, as means of identifying an ally. It is a worthy legacy for the humble fish and chips.

The combo has staying power and created some iconic sway with Doug Evans. Owner of Jitters Lunchbox, which Evans feels simply fell into his lap, the longtime chef had set his mind set on opening a chippy. Evans partner and wife Melodie Platt is Welsh, and her appreciation of the dish and its practical place in a community were instilled by her father.

Evans Fish and Chips opened in late October, but word-of-mouth praise and pics on social media keep the bell on the red shop door dinging with new customers daily.

Ive been pleased with the reception of the community, Evans said. Everyone has been super kind, and were doing more business than I anticipated.

Located south of the tracks in downtown Flagstaff in Primo Delis old spot, the shotgun space mimics a traditional British chippy. The efficient footprint is a bit cramped for seating beyond a short, L-shaped bar, but appeals to take-out customers. Patio seating is in the works. Decked in simple white and steel with sea blue accents and painted board menu with boat cleats, the idea is straightforwardchoose from basic items or grab something from the display case and get back to other work at hand.

Like its UK counterparts, the shop also serves late night, post-pint clientele. Close to campus, it is also a growing destination for the college crowd.

This was a new angle for our mountain town, and Evans understood that.

This is unfamiliar cuisine, he said, so I approached it with a bunch of research, trials and taste-testing with people who know.

Expats emerged and have stopped in regularly to commend the authenticity.

Evans Fish and Chips streamlined choices include the namesake Icelandic cod, shrimp, Mahi Mahi, battered sausage or chicken and chips. The Dorado comes from Evans two stints working in Maui, and though most ocean fish doesnt lend itself to freezing, dolphinfish delivers. Pacific Seafood supplies. In addition, the display tempts with sausage rolls or pies in flaky pastry, which are ready to eat or can be reheated well.

Evans runs a scratch kitchen, and two local industry reliables operate the fryers and stir up sauces. Eric Richards, previously executive chef at Twin Arrows, also manages the shop. Adam Cockrill, with two decades experience of his own, is detail oriented.

Friends and family pitch in as needed, and Evans said, Its a bit of a dance back there, but I couldnt ask for more qualified cooks.

The batter for fish must be light and crisp surrounding moist, tender flesh. Evans worked to create a dry batch blend that can be mixed fresh as needed. Carbonation is activated with water for an airy coating.

The fries are thickly hand-cut from Kennebec potatoes. They are washed, but not peeled, to save the space and water necessary for a massive tumbler to perform the task. They are soaked, dried and fried at a low temp before the final fry.

Evans was unable to locate proper English sausages, so he stuffs his own. The handmade pies are filled with steak and ale, chicken curry or specials, like Kiwi mince and cheddar. Recipes from British cookbooks are responsible for the flavors, while mushy peas challenged Evans. Marrow peas are used in Britain, but it is difficult to find them or even whole, dried peas in the US. Split peas tend to puree, not offering the textured product sought across the pond.

The sauces complete the dish. Malt vinegar is the standard choice, but a lively tartar, creamy British curry or fired-up red dragon (a nod to the Welsh coat of arms) sauces are also available for dipping.

Unsurprisingly, the cod and chips is the bestseller alongside the steak and ale pie.

People buy the food, leave, and then, return to tell us how good it is, Evans said, just as a customer reappeared to rave about the Scotch egg and pies.

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E-scooter riders may represent a two-wheeled trend thats just the latest irritation to those annoyed by delivery riders, phone-starers and the headphone-deaf on our pavements but, in reality, they are thoroughly deserving of admiration and gratitude.

I declare my bias upfront  I received one as a Christmas gift and, to my surprise, quickly became a huge enthusiast. But even an objective observer would agree they dont contribute to either traffic jams or the production of poisonous fumes, they dont take up valuable space on public transport, and they champion a form of transport thats clean, green, whisper-quiet and eminently sustainable.

Theres so much to love about e-scooters. Credit:Bradley Kanaris

They also dont place any unnecessary burdens on the health system by wearing helmets (mostly), travelling at speeds (usually) under 20kph and being (invariably) hyper-conscious of pedestrians who own the footpaths.

In addition, theyre rarely aggressive, tend to ignore jeers from foot-travellers (Walking not good enough for you, eh?) and provide endless exercise for off-leash dogs who love to give chase.
Growing up in a remote part of central west NSW, Rachel Farrelly would spend two hours travelling by bus to get to school each morning.

The daily routine was so gruelling that, by the time she was eight, her parents made a life-changing decision: they would ditch traditional school and teach their children from home, about 40 kilometres southwest of Orange.

Rachel Farrelly, a Gunu Gunu woman who grew up an hour outside of Orange in central west NSW, is set to become Australias first Indigenous female surgeon. Credit:Janie Barrett

I loved it. There was way more freedom, but it was still really tough, she says, crediting the discipline needed for home-schooling as the ideal training ground for what came next: more than a decade in medical school, including seven years specialising in orthopedic surgery.

After sitting her fellowship exam later this year, Dr Farrelly, a Gunu woman who was raised on Wiradjuri country, is set to become Australias first Indigenous female surgeon.
In Brisbanes leafy inner north-west, residents along the now raging Ithaca Creek helped others to lay sandbags or, if they were not on hand, tarps held down with concrete blocks.

Umbrella-toting and rain jacket-clad groups milled at the bottom of many steep creek-adjacent streets.

Flooding along Ithaca Creek in Bardon and Red Hill. Credit:Matt Dennien

Kids played in gumboots with a sense of awe.

We have a beach house, laughed one.
Maskless commuters returned to Melbournes CBD on Monday morning after rules were loosened, and many say the return to in-person work has begun in earnest.

The mandate to wear masks in offices and other indoor environments was removed at 11.59pm on Friday, while the public health recommendation for Victorians to work from home was also scrapped.

Masks are now only required in certain settings, including on public transport, in ride-share vehicles, in hospitals and indoor areas at care facilities. Those employed in hospitality, retail, courts, justice and correctional facilities and at events with more than 30,000 people must still wear masks.

A major migration back to the office was expected on Monday, but most of the commuters travelling through Flinders Street Station said it was not the first day they had physically gone into work recently.
While the elective surgery waiting list is always a political football in state election years, the growing issue of delayed and deferred care warrants an urgent bipartisan approach. Traditionally, state governments have sought to neutralise concern about public hospital waiting lists with elective surgery blitzes in the lead up to an election.

But exactly how Victorian hospitals will catch up on this unprecedented waiting list in a new COVID normal environment remains unclear. And unfortunately, its likely to take years, not months.

If you are one of the 80,000 people waiting for a procedure, this is undoubtedly great news. Before COVID-19, Victorias waiting list generally hovered around 45,000 people. So, there are clearly enormous numbers waiting longer than usual for treatment today.

Today is a big day for our public health system. After many months of operating at reduced capacity to ensure the sickest Victorians were prioritised for care, public hospitals have been given the green light to resume all types of elective surgery.

But a blitz will be much harder, perhaps impossible, to execute this year. One reason for this is our genuinely exhausted workforce. Asking healthcare workers to work huge amounts of overtime, at weekends and at night, as they have been for the past two years, is not feasible after a Code Brown where many were asked to defer much-needed leave. Many had already been without a break since 2019.

The recent Code Brown followed an extreme two years. Healthcare workers watched in horror as this insidious virus killed their patients despite their best and most valiant efforts. At the same time, they feared for their own health and that of their families. And thousands ended up sick with COVID-19 themselves.

We cant ask our people to work any harder. There are real fears for our workers health and wellbeing and any hospital chief executive will tell you theyre worried about losing good staff. In New South Wales, nurses and paramedics recently went on strike over their working conditions and burnout. Our public hospitals also need to retain the ability flex up for any future surges from COVID-19 as well as the flu, which has been largely non-existent due to social distancing. Its a fine line to walk given were still learning about COVID-19 and could be hit by a new variant at any moment.

Another way of cutting the waiting list is to contract private hospitals to assist. While this might work in the longer term, private hospitals will be catching up on their own waiting lists in Victoria for some time. They, too, have been working at reduced capacity to ensure we had the resources and personnel for COVID-19 patients.

The other issue is funding. While the states have always been seen as the health system managers, the pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime event that warrants more Commonwealth investment. The consequences of delayed and deferred care could far exceed the toll of COVID-19 in coming years.
Victorian health authorities are warning of a potentially life-threatening mosquito-borne virus that has been identified in livestock along the Victorian-NSW border.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been found in pigs in Echuca, as well as in NSW border regions and southern Queensland.

Japanese encephalitis virus has been detected in mosquitoes in Echuca Credit:Dave Hunt

While there have not been any confirmed human cases of the virus in Victoria so far, the Health Department said there have been several encephalitis cases across the state.

Those most at risk of contracting JEV include those working in regional areas, people who are in contact with pigs, and people camping or spending outdoors in regions where the virus has been found.
The Premiers chief of staff is among 1027 people to test positive for COVID-19 overnight, resulting in Mark McGowan requiring ongoing rapid antigen tests.

Of the new cases, 1021 were locally acquired and 324 were self-reported.

Mr McGowan said his chief of staff, and the Minister for Water Dave Kelly, were among the cases.

[My chief of staff] was at the office on Friday, but we were wearing masks, he said.
He noted Australias low immigration levels over the past two years  while borders were closed  mean there was quite a lot of room ... to take in more places in other migration streams too. Australia is taking in 10,000 Afghan refugees over the next five years, who will be allocated spots in the existing annual humanitarian visa program, which has 13,750 places each year. Another 5000 places in the family visa program are also being allocated to Afghans. Loading However, during the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015, the government added 12,000 spots on top of the regular humanitarian intake. Liberal MP Jason Falinski, whose grandparents were Polish Jews who fled to Australia in the 1950s, said hed like to see an approach similar to the Syria program.

We should be doing as much as we possibly can, he said. Given my familys own personal history, Im just so grateful to be in a country thats open and helping people. Angie Bell, the member for Moncrieff, noted visas of all types for Ukrainians were being given priority. I believe the best and most effective model to assist those from Ukraine is to grant visas where citizens have temporary safe harbour here in Australia as we did during the Balkan conflict of the early 90s, she said. Colleague Dave Sharma backed a generous humanitarian response to the crisis, although he recognised it was very early days for those who had fled the conflict.

They probably dont have in their minds that theyd want to resettle and make a new life just yet, he said. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said his government would be willing to assist the federal government to resettle Ukrainian refugees. We have a proud Ukrainian community here in Victoria  and we would work alongside that community to welcome any Ukrainian families seeking either temporary shelter or a new home here, he said. Victorian Liberal senator Sarah Henderson and colleague Fiona Martin, the member for the Sydney seat of Reid where St Andrews is located, both said it was too early to say how many Ukrainians would need Australias help but the country would do its part to share the load.

Human rights advocates Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch say the immediate problem is how well Ukraines European neighbours can cope with the huge influx of people. This is an emergency situation with a lot of people in acute need and Poland will definitely need support, Human Right Watchs Australia director Elaine Pearson said. Once urgent needs were addressed, attention should turn to how traditional resettlement countries like Australia, the US and Canada can help, Amnestys Australian refugee adviser Graham Thom said. He cautioned that Australia needed to expand its annual humanitarian intake to manage the influx of Ukrainian refugees, after quarantining thousands of the places for Afghans fleeing the fall of Kabul. This was exacerbated by cuts to the humanitarian program in 2020 that reduced it by 5000 places to 13,750 spots each year.

Already there is an enormous squeeze on Australias program and so that really limits our ability to respond to the crisis in Ukraine, Dr Thom said. Loading [The government] should certainly be expediting any family reunion applications and bringing people under family reunion visas as a matter of urgency. Then it needs to look at how do we expand our humanitarian program to actually deal with the situation, the global situation weve got at the moment with both Afghanistan, Ukraine, as well as the rest of the global refugee population out there that still needs resettlement as a vital protection component. Labor backed the Prime Ministers announcement, with shadow Home Affairs minister Kristina Keneally saying it was important to consider a range of options to help Ukrainians fleeing and those already in Australia.
In that same theater 92 years later, during the I Heart Pluto Festival celebrating the discovery, Alden Tombaugh reflected on his fathers legacy of inspiration.

When he speaks about his father, it isnt the discovery of Pluto that he remembers most, its his dads love of sharing astronomy with others, particularly children.

It makes me enthusiastic about the future to think that people are still interested in that process and becoming involved in planetary science or any type of astronomy and the scientific method in and of itself, said Tombaugh, a former banker and contractor.

That same finding that brought astronomical fame to Flagstaff and the Tombaugh family has provided Lowell Observatory with a tradition they hope to continue for generations to come by celebrating one of the citys defining scientific moments.

Kevin Schindler, who has been the historian at Lowell Observatory since 2015, hopes young children who see what happened there will be inspired by the work of Clyde Tombaugh, who died in 1997.

Inspiring a new generation

Children like Cameron Dick, 11, whos interested in black holes and theoretical physics. He lives in a city where science is in the backyard and events like the I Heart Pluto Festival provide an outlet for new generations of Arizonans interested in science.

Aaron Dick, Camerons father, said he hopes his children take away an appreciation of science and learning about research and how to do research.

At Lowell, just a mile up the road from the theater, visitors follow a path of descriptive signs and busts, named the Pluto Walk, leading to the room where Clyde Tombaugh spent hours peering into the heavens.

Schindler said the discovery of Pluto  even though Pluto now is designated a dwarf planet  has shaped Flagstaff and northern Arizona.

Flagstaff and even Arizona, you could say, is the home of Pluto, and I think theres a lot of pride that goes with that, he said. If youre from Flagstaff, youre from the home of Pluto, and you know, its important both scientifically but also culturally, because the community does embrace that heritage.

When Schindler speaks of Tombaughs discovery, its with admiration and awe that it still moves young people nearly a century later.

He was 24 years old when he discovered this planet, Schindler said, and so when he was younger, he spent a lot of nights by himself on the farm, building his own telescopes. He just found it interesting, so I think its inspiring to think that anybody could achieve this.

He gave her the moon

James Christy, who was an astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, was among the I Heart Pluto celebrants at the Orpheum on Feb. 18.

In 1978, nearly a half century after Tombaughs discovery, Christy noticed a discrepancy on some of the slides picturing Pluto  a discrepancy that later would prove to be Plutos largest moon.

The astronomer emphasized the most important piece of his tale: how he chose the moons name.

Christy wanted to combine Char, the diminutive for Charlene, his wifes name, with on, an ending used for newly discovered particles. But because planets and their moons traditionally are named after figures in Greek and Roman mythology, Christy told his wife Charon wouldnt work. But a quick look in a dictionary saved the day: Charon was the ferryman of souls across the River Styx in Greek mythology.

Where Pluto stands today

In 2006, astronomers at the meeting of the International Astronomical Union voted to demote Pluto to dwarf status, arguing it didnt meet the unions criteria for being a full-size planet because it has not become gravitationally dominant  known in astronomy circles as clearing the neighborhood around its orbit.

That decision has been widely debated, particularly at Lowell Observatory.

The decision, Schindler said, was made on the final day of the unions meeting, when fewer members were present.

Thats just not how science is done, he said. Science is done by acclamation, not by voting, but based on the evidence.
While the civilian resistance in Kyiv was cheered around the world, Russian forces entered the eastern city of Kharkiv, made significant advances across the south, and destroyed an oil depot outside the capital as well as a gas pipeline in the east. Ukrainian troops escort a man who they suspect is a Russian agent in Kyiv on Sunday. Credit:AP Ukrainian authorities estimated 198 people had been killed and more than 1000 injured in the opening stage of a war that is escalating by the day, with the Pentagon saying Russia still has almost half its invasion force outside the country ready to be sent into Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected a Russian offer of talks in Belarus on Sunday, saying Minsk itself was complicit in the Russian invasion, but he left the door open to negotiations in other locations. Searching for economic levers to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the assault, the United States and its NATO allies launched new financial penalties including a freeze on the Russian central bank reserves in major Western economies.

Putin embarked on a path aiming to destroy Ukraine. But what he is also doing in fact is destroying the future of his own country, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. We will paralyse the assets of Russias central bank. This will freeze its transactions. It will make it impossible for the central bank to liquidate assets. Loading Economists said the freeze could prevent the Bank of Russia supporting the value of the national currency, the rouble, on global markets, creating the conditions for runs on the banks and hyperinflation alongside a separate move to cut Russia out of the SWIFT network that underpins bank transfers.

Mr Morrison promised funds for weapons that would be delivered by the US and NATO allies. Russia must pay a heavy price. They must pay a heavy price, and we will continue to add to that price as we consider every single option that is in front of us. Ive taken nothing off the table, he said. The commitment followed a dramatic shift in support from NATO members over the weekend including a pledge from Germany to send 1000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles, after Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier resisted Ukraines pleas for weapons. Belgium said on Saturday it would send 2000 machine guns and thousands of tonnes of fuel while the Netherlands said it had already delivered sniper rifles and helmets and would send 200 Stingers. Agence France-Presse reported the Czech Republic was delivering 30,000 pistols, 7000 assault rifles, 3000 machine guns, several dozen sniper guns and about a million cartridges.

A young refugee in a makeshift shelter of a hotel in Siret, Romania. Credit:AP Mr Morrison criticised China for helping Russia at a time when others were condemning the invasion, but he warned against conflating the attack on Ukraine with a potential move by China to take Taiwan. Loading I think it would be unhelpful to engage in that speculation. The situations are very, very different. The situation in Taiwan and the situation in Ukraine. So I want to put Australians at ease in not conflating those two issues, he said. Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong backed the stronger measures against Russia, saying the opposition wanted to see a continued ratcheting up of sanctions, but she also said the Chinese government was in a unique position to pressure Russia to stop.

China is a global leader. It is a permanent member of the Security Council, one of five. It has a special responsibility to make a clear statement that defends the principles around the sovereignty, around territorial integrity, Senator Wong said. In a sharp criticism of the Chinese government, Senator Wong accused it of being inconsistent with its stated goal of respecting the sovereignty of nations because it had not condemned the invasion. Russia had assembled more than 150,000 troops outside Ukraine before the invasion, according to briefings by Pentagon officials in Washington DC on the weekend, and had since deployed more than half his combat power inside the country. This suggests Mr Putin could send thousands more troops into Ukraine, although the Pentagon did not place an estimate on the number. The Pentagon said the amphibious assault involved four LST vessels  landing ship tanks capable of putting tanks and troops ashore  to the west of Mariupol and said Russia had another six similar vessels in the Black Sea.

In the north of the country, however, the invasion has been slowed by resistance from the Ukrainian armed forces and local citizens. We continue to believe, based on what we have observed, that this resistance is greater than what the Russians expected, and we have indications that the Russians are increasingly frustrated by their lack of momentum, said a senior US defence official in a briefing. The US assessment suggests Russian forces have so far failed to gain control of the air, with Ukrainian warplanes intercepting attacks, and have not destroyed Ukrainian command and control. George Washington University assistant professor of economics Steven Hamilton said the attempt to freeze the reserves at the Russian central bank could prevent it from buying roubles on foreign exchange markets, which could lead to a fall in the currency and hyperinflation.

The worlds governments have basically done everything they can to cripple the Russian economy, Dr Hamilton told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. They are effectively taking Russias wallet away. Stanford University research fellow Michael Bernstam said the move could prompt Russian citizens to rush to get US dollars. There will be a huge panic, a run on the dollar. The exchange rate will collapse, he told The Washington Post. Russias central bank had an estimated $US640 billion in foreign exchange reserves stored in banks around the world before the invasion, leaving it vulnerable to the drastic freeze announced by the US, UK, EU and Canada.

Australian Ukrainian leaders said they did not know of anyone who had flown to Ukraine to join the fight but they welcomed the military aid and called for tougher financial measures against Mr Putin and the billionaires around him. Theres no point negotiating with the guy, hes got to be cut off at the knees, said Stefan Romaniw, vice-president of the Ukrainian World Congress. Mr Romaniw, whose father left Ukraine during World War II and later settled in Melbourne, said in response to the Ukrainian governments call for volunteers he did not know of any Australians who intended to go to the conflict zone. However, he welcomed the military support from Mr Morrison. Ultimately, any sort of aid to assist the Ukrainian army would be great, he said. Australia is going with the allies and thats what weve always suggested.
The NSW government will dump $75 million worth of Russian assets from a state investment fund to protest against President Vladimir Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Treasurer Matt Kean said NSW will sell all holdings of Russian assets from its NSW Generations Fund, acknowledging the plight of Ukraine and the Russian people protesting the violence.

At the same time, the government is reviewing all state-managed funds, worth $112 billion, to ensure environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.

The Ukrainian flag is carried along Elizabeth Street in Sydney during a Stop War in Ukraine rally on Saturday. Credit:Steven Siewert

Vladimir Putins illegal invasion has put at risk global security, and he is personally responsible for consequences of this war, he said.
The Andrews government has been discussing with business groups the possibility of mandatory COVID-19 third vaccine doses for workers in a range of industries to protect against future waves of coronavirus infections.

The Franchise Council of Victoria, the Australian Retailers Association, and Restaurant and Catering Australia have confirmed the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions has been seeking feedback from industry groups on how making the COVID-19 booster mandatory may affect their staff.

The discussions are occurring as the government calls an end to $450 payments to Victorians who miss shifts while waiting for PCR test results, with Industry Support and Recovery Minister Martin Pakula saying PCR testing is not a major feature of the new phase of the pandemic.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the government was working with industry groups to boost third dose vaccination rates. Credit:Eddie Jim

On Friday, Health Minister Martin Foley confirmed the government was working with business groups on ways to increase third-dose vaccination rates in the workforce, and said while there were no immediate plans for further mandates, we dont rule it out.
In what could be one of the most significant shake-ups in rugby league history, at least two clubs have discussed breaking away from the NSWRL after an emotion-charged annual general meeting on Friday.

Sources with knowledge of the situation told the Herald there was a move among Sydney clubs to break away from the NSWRL after a boardroom stoush that led to chair George Peponis leaving the state body and heavy-hitting director Nick Politis handing in his resignation immediately after.

Its expected the idea of walking away from the NSWRL will be floated among the Sydney clubs this week. The pitch will be for the NRL to channel funds directly to the clubs, rather than provide the NSWRL an annual $20 million grant, which it then distributes.

If the radical move meets with support from the other clubs, the NSWRL would be left controlling only the State of Origin side and country rugby league.
Medyka, Poland: Dragging suitcases and carrying children, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have rushed to the borders as invading Russian troops pressed on towards Ukraines capital of Kyiv.

At least 150,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries since the Russian invasion started, the United Nations refugee agency said on Sunday AEDT. Some walked many kilometres through the night while others fled by train, car or bus, forming long lines at border crossings. They were greeted by waiting relatives and friends or headed on their own to reception centres organised by neighbouring governments.

A refugee who fled the conflict in Ukraine crosses the border at Palanca, Moldova on Saturday. Credit:AP/Aurel Obreja

The numbers and the situation is changing minute by minute, said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. At least 150,000 people have fled, they are refugees outside of Ukraine ... At least 100,000 people  but probably a much larger number  have been displaced inside Ukraine.

The agency expects up to 4 million Ukrainians could flee if the situation deteriorates further.
Loading Russia has claimed that its troops are targeting only Ukrainian military facilities and said Ukraines civilian population is not in danger. The Kremlins ultimate aims in Ukraine  and what steps might be enough to satisfy Moscow  remained unclear. The Biden administration has not responded in kind, the New York Times reported, with The White House maintaining the existing US alert status. The US ambassador to the UN reminded the Security Council that Russia was under no threat and chided Putin for another escalatory and unnecessary step that threatens us all.

Hours after Putins nuclear announcement, the top official in the European Union said the 27-nation bloc would close its airspace to all Russian planes, including commercial aircraft and private jets owned by oligarchs. The EU also announced it would purchase and send more weapons to Ukraine. For the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The EU will also ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets, she said. Locals prepare Molotov cocktails in a backyard in Kyiv ahead of the arrival of Russian forces. Credit:AP On Sunday street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, and strategic ports in the countrys south came under pressure from the invading forces. Ukrainian defenders put up stiff resistance that appeared to be slowing the invasion.

Meanwhile, Turkey called Russias invasion of Ukraine a war on Sunday in a rhetorical shift that could pave the way for the NATO member nation to enact an international pact limiting Russian naval passage to the Black Sea. Under the 1936 Montreux Convention, Turkey has control over the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits that connect the Mediterranean and Black seas and can limit the passage of warships during wartime or if threatened. Loading Putin, in giving the nuclear alert directive, cited not only statements by NATO members  who have rushed to reinforce the military alliances members in Eastern Europe  but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, including against the Russian leader himself. Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Putin told his Defence Minister and the chief of his militarys general staff to put nuclear forces in a special regime of combat duty.

Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country, Putin said in televised comments. US defence officials would not disclose their current nuclear posture, except to say that the military was prepared at all times to defend its homeland and allies. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Putin was resorting to a pattern he used in the weeks before launching the invasion, which is to manufacture threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggression. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN Putins nuclear move was dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric.

The practical meaning of Putins order was not immediately clear. Russia and the US typically have land- and submarine-based nuclear forces on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not. If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile submarines to sea, then the US might feel compelled to respond in kind, said Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists. Around the same time as Putins nuclear move, Zelenskys office announced that the two sides would meet on the Belarusian border. A precise time was not announced. Ukrainian officials initially rejected talks in Belarus, saying any discussions should take place elsewhere, since Belarus had allowed its territory to be used by Russian troops as a staging ground for the invasion. Zelenskiy on Sunday said on his Telegram channel that he had spoken with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko but provided no other details.

Kharkiv under siege Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometres south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine. Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian vehicles abandoned nearby. An armoured personnel carrier burns after fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraines second city. Credit:AP The images underscored the determined resistance from Ukrainian forces. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to defend their country, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing homemade Molotov cocktails to fight Russian forces.

Ukraine was also releasing prisoners with military experience to fight for the country, authorities said. Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence. The fighting in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the countrys coastline. A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also reported fighting near Odessa, Mykolaiv and other areas. Loading Cutting Ukraines access to its ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It could also allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometre bridge. Ukrainian military deputy commander Lieutenant General Yevhen Moisiuk sounded a defiant note in a message aimed at Russian troops. Unload your weapons, raise your hands so that our servicemen and civilians can understand that you have heard us. This is your ticket home, Moisiuk said in a Facebook video.

Casualties Loading The number of casualties from Europes largest land conflict since World War II remains unclear amid the fog of war. The Russian military said on Monday (AEDT) that some of its troops were killed and some were wounded, admitting for the first time since the invasion that it had suffered casualties. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said there are dead and wounded among our comrades, without offering any numbers, but adding that Russias losses were many times fewer than those of Ukraines forces.

It was the first time Russian military officials mentioned casualties on their side. Russia has not released any casualty figures. Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the number of killed and injured Russians exceeded 4000. AP reports that number at 3500 Russian troops. Konashenkov also said that since the start of the attack on Thursday, the Russian military has hit 1067 Ukrainian military facilities, including 27 command posts and communication centres, 38 air defence missile systems and 56 radar stations. Konashenkovs claims and Ukraines allegations that its forces killed thousands of Russian troops could not be independently verified. A man carries his one-month-old as he arrives in Poland after crossing the border in Kroscienko on Sunday. Credit:Getty Images Ukraines Health Minister reported on Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

Ukraines UN ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted on Saturday an appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3500 Russian troops had been killed. Loading The UN refugee agency said on Sunday that about 368,000 Ukrainians had arrived in neighbouring countries since the invasion started on Thursday. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees. Military assistance The West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition, while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions.

Over the weekend, the US pledged an additional $US350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armour and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons. Loading The US, the EU and Britain also agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide. They also moved to slap restrictions on Russias central bank as Singapores foreign minister announced the city state would impose controls on exports to the country. The financial pressure contributed to a plunge in the value of the Russian rouble on Monday, with the currency sliding to a record low of less than US1. In an emergency move, Russias Central Bank raised a key interest rate from 9.5 per cent to an unprecedented 20 per cent on Monday, and authorities told export-focused companies to sell foreign currency.
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A man carries his one-month-old baby as he arrives in Poland after crossing the border at Kroscienko. Estimates vary, but at least 156,000 people had crossed into Poland in the first four days of the war. Credit:Omar Marques/Getty Images
Orlando: About 20 minutes into his highly anticipated speech at Americas largest annual conservative gathering, Donald Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin while denouncing his attack on Ukraine as a catastrophic disaster.

As Ukraine resisted Russias military advances for a third day, Trump appeared on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida, where he revved up his base ahead of Novembers midterm elections, hinted again at another presidential run and blamed Joe Biden for the Ukraine crisis.

Donald Trump says Russian President Vladimir Putin is smart, and the two understood each other. Credit:AP

The former president praised Putin as smart in contrast to NATO and its allies, which had issued weak sanctions that would do little to deter his aggression. Describing the attack on Ukraine as appalling, he added that the world would not be on the cusp of another lengthy war if he had not lost the US election in 2020.

The problem is not that hes smart  which of course hes smart  but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb. Putin is playing Biden like a drum Its not a pretty thing to watch, Trump said.
General Instructions

Note: If you are claiming the moron deduction as an employee or partner, or you are claiming this deduction on Schedule M (Form 1040), do not use Form 8830. Instead, complete the worksheet in Pub. 5587231.62 Morons in Your Own Home (Including Morons Who are Related to You by Marriage).

Purpose of Form

Use Form 8830 to figure allowable expenses for losses incurred through contact with morons on Schedule C (Form 1040) and any carryover to 2021 of contact not deductible in 2020.

Who May Deduct Expenses for Contact with Morons?

Generally, you may deduct any and all expenses that apply to the daily hazards of commerce and interpersonal communication with morons.

Specific Instructions

Part I

Lines 1 and 2

To determine the volume of moronic behavior on lines 1 and 2, you may itemize transgressions suffered, or any other reasonable method, if it accurately reflects the scope of idiocy entered on line 7.

Moronic behavior of a personal nature is not deductible.

Line 47

Enter the total number of times you were misdirected by service personnel.

Example. You have been misdirected 3 times a day for 250 days during the year. You were also misdirected on 50 Saturdays twice a day. Enter 850 on line 47.

Line 513

For intermittent contact with morons in 2020, you must prorate the number of moronic encounters. Cross out the preprinted entry on line 513. Multiply by 3 the number of days of moronic contact and enter the result.

Part II

Line 820

If the gross contact from your trade or business is with morons, enter on line 820 the number from Schedule C, line 29, plus any net gain or (loss) derived from morons and shown on Schedule D or Form 479743x.

Part III

Lines 935 Through 937

Enter the cost or other basis of your encounters with morons, or, if less, the fair market value of non-contact with morons on the date when you first wanted to choke some idiot. Do not adjust this amount for moronic conduct of a personal nature or changes in the fair market value of non-moronic behavior after the year you first became aware that some people are morons. Instead see the instructions for line 949.

Line 949

If no moronic acts were suffered after you began paying attention to your own actions, multiply line 938 by the percentage on line 939. Enter the result on line 949.

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. We ask for the information on this form to carry out the Internal Revenue laws of the United States. The time needed to complete this form will vary depending on individual circumstances involving contact with morons and the extent of moronic conduct of a personal nature. The estimated average time: Recordkeeping: 300 min.; Learning about the law or the form: 8 years; Preparing the form: 16 hrs., 3 min.; Copying, assembling, and sending the form to the IRS: 4 hrs.

If you have comments concerning the accuracy of these time estimates or suggestions for making this form simpler, we would be happy to hear from you. See the instructions on Form 8830sq.

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday, February 26, the Council of Ministers welcomed the members of the Committee of Kingdom Relations of the Dutch Senate to a meeting in the Government Administration Building. The delegation consisted of 15 persons and was escorted by the Dutch Representative of the Netherlands in Philipsburg (VNP), Mr. Chris Johnson. Both parties concluded that it was a fruitful and open conversation about various discussion points, including the relations within the Kingdom along with the COHO and the 12.5% personnel-related cost-cutting measures.

The visit of the Senate was added to a slew of recent positively experienced mainly in-person visits of which the last one being the recent visit of the State Secretary Van Huffelen to Sint Maarten. The Senate was mostly interested in ways and means to continue to strengthen and foster relationships between the Dutch and the Sint Maarten Government, and how the Senate could assist Sint Maarten in this process. Having a better understanding of the historical, demographical, financial/economic, and political reality on the island is one of the foundation blocks of being able to build a more trustworthy partnership.

The Council of Ministers reconfirmed its commitment to the national reform measures and indicated to the delegation that most of these were already included in its National Development Plan. However, the potential of the island needs to be more highlighted and better profiling of the strengths of Sint Maarten within the Caribbean through politics should occur. Upon request, clarification was provided regarding the absence of capital expenditures to invest in the prison and financial management, though approved yet not forthcoming. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, the same period that the current Council of Ministers assumed office, further negatively impacted the absence of the approved funds, resulting in no financial means for capital investments.

The meeting continued with the Senate posing various questions to the Ministers present which provided Ministers the opportunity to explain the impact of the cost-cutting measures on education, the ten-year vision of the country where creative arts, safeguarding food security and agriculture, being more resilient to natural disasters - in particular, flooding - and improving infrastructure in general, were emphasized.

In its closing words, the Council of Ministers reemphasized its willingness to commit to the reforms yet stressed that imposing while a consensus has to be sought does not aid in building open and trustworthy relations. Neither does a one size fits all approach for all the countries within the Kingdom or applying a negative generalized perception of all politicians on Sint Maarten. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts and a pledge to continue the open dialogue.

After the meeting with the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister and Minister of Justice joined the delegation at the VNPs office where a presentation on the Prison was provided; this continued with an update on the reconstruction projects followed by a tour displaying the actual progress of some of these projects. The Prime Minister and the director of the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB), Mr. Claret Connor, were able to further elucidate en route via the landfill, the John Larmonie Center shelter, and the Caribbean Heritage travel exhibit, then via the Sint Medical Center (SMMC) and The ew General Hospital that is currently being built, along the lagoon to witness the cleaned-up lagoon after the removal of the shipwrecks.

Although the visit of the Kingdom Relations Committee occurred over the weekend, the Prime Minister deemed it important to invest the necessary time and opted to attend the different elements of the delegations program as she equates the investment of this relationship with the long-term (financial/economic) well-being of the citizens of Sint Maarten.
~Best Rum Distillery in the Caribbean~

PHILIPSBURG:--- If there is one thing the Caribbean is known for as much as its beaches, it's its rum. Caribbean rum producers have spent centuries perfecting the process of distillation, aging, and blending, and many of the world's best rums come from the Caribbean.

Today, USA Today awarded St. Maarten's Topper's Rhum Distillery 1st place in the 10 Best Caribbean Rum Distillery contest for the third year in a row. This prestigious competition is amongst some of the most famous rum brands in the world, such as Bacardi, Brugal, Angostura, Cruzan, Mount Gay, Appleton Estate, and Barbancourt.



USA TODAY's 10Best.com provides travelers with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content worldwide. At its core is a team of well-traveled and well-educated experts, who in their fields are known for their discriminating tastes.

Topper's Rhum, a truly locally made product, is a world-class, multi-award-winning, premium rhum that is handmade, bottled, and packaged with precision right here in Cole Bay, St. Maarten. Topper's Rhum only uses all-natural premium ingredients and no preservatives. They are committed to producing the world's best-tasting rhum and flavored rhum spirits using the highest quality standards. They are re-inventing rhum by continually innovating and delivering unique products to their customers worldwide.

The distillery is set in an iconic waterfront building that accommodates the distillery, restaurant, bar, gelateria, and gift shop. During their hands-on tours, guests taste over 20 samples of Rhum, rhum cakes, rhum infused Italian gelato, waffle cones, as well as cook and taste food prepared with Topper's Rhum. They will learn the history of rum and a behind-the-scenes look at how they ferment, distill, blend, age, and expertly bottle their handcrafted rhums.

Topper's Rhum is environmentally conscientious and well known for their signature reusable swing-top bottles. This official St. Maarten rhum is the only international multiple award-winning spirits distilled, blended, and exported from St. Maarten. They currently export to 7 countries and 28 states in the USA. Their products are also sold online throughout the world at buyrhum.com. Topper's Rhum has already won over two dozen international medals awarded by the most prominent rum tasting contests.

Through their continuing expansion overseas, they notably promote and market St. Maarten internationally. Topper's Rhum Distillery is one of the top unique places to visit on St. Maarten, according to the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau.

Topper's Rhum distillery is open for rhum tastings and shopping from 9:00 am  10:00 pm daily. Tours are every day at 10:00am, 11:30am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm. Call 721-520-0008 or book online at www.toppersrhumtours.com.

For more information about the Topper's Rhum Distillery, please contact the Topper's Rhum Press Officer at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit their website www.toppersrhumtours.com
Psalm 5:11. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exalt in you.

Good Morning Excellency, Governor Drs. Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Members of Parliament, the St. Maarten Police Force, the Police Academy of the Netherlands, invited guests, ladies and gentlemen, and a special and proud good morning and welcome to you 18 cadets.

It is an honor to be here with you today, to share in this special occasion signifying the completion of your training and official entry into the justice chain. I welcome the opportunity to briefly express my gratitude to you as we know this line of work is not an easy one and can be very dangerous. Nevertheless, you have so bravely taken up the mantle to protect and serve. Your service to your country is unmatched. A task that will require endurance, leadership, and sometimes most importantly compassion.

I hereby thank the Police Academy of the Netherlands, Instructors, KPSM Management, support staff, and families of these cadets for standing by them and supporting them as they made the decision to undertake this profession of becoming a Law Enforcement Officer.

What a proud day this must be for you. Today it is official today you graduate prepared to accept the challenges in modern-day policing. Each day, whether in uniform or not, you wear a badge of honor to serve the community of St. Maarten. That means you will, today, take an oath that confirms that you will honor, respect, protect, serve and enforce the law impartially. You are a representation of the Korps Politie Sint Maarten which means you have been entrusted with an incredible amount of authority that comes with an incredible amount of responsibility. Wear this proudly and with dignity.

This graduation has been themed reflecting in diversity and indeed we can see this in our cadets. From gender to place of birth to the differences in reasons for joining the police force, but ultimately still being one family. Each of you will have different experiences, encounter different cases and experience different emotions. As you go into our community, you will witness different and at times horrific tragedies from vehicle accidents, suicides, homicides, robberies, matters of domestic violence and the list go on. You will be the first responders on the scenes of these different serious matters of society.

There is no doubt, you have signed up for a stressful career and call of duty, and for that, we as a community are forever grateful.

As Minister of Justice, I will continue to work on ensuring that every challenge met in this Ministry is dealt with in the best interest of all workers within the justice chain, fostering a better work environment. As I have always stated; challenges are opportunities to learn and to grow. As you take on your demanding careers I encourage you to see challenges as such.

In closing, I wish to share two quotes that are diverse in themselves:

"I'm continually trying to make choices that put me out of my own comfort zone. As long as you're uncomfortable it means you're growing."

Ashton Kutcher

"Don't be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered."

Michelle Obama
PHILIPSBURG:--- On January 24th, 2022 the national budget was passed by a majority in Parliament. The Government via a note of amendment labeled the budget as urgent and in doing so eliminated the 6-week period afforded to the Ombudsman to examine any ordinance passed by parliament. Five weeks have since passed.

Reflecting on the budgets handling, it must be recalled that the handling turned into a totally unnecessary disputation, because the government, aided by a majority in parliament defied all rules and worse yet defended their actions with frivolous arguments, MP Wescot stated in a recent release.

First, we had the debacle with the legal advice sought by the very same parliament, which was clear; parliament should not approve a budget with a deficit without the approval by the Kingdom government to have a deficit budget.

Then we had the ramming through of the budget and adding insult to injury, the coalition MPs came with amendments to a budget that was at the time not legitimized. And the government to keep the coalition intact accepts this.

Some MPs then wanted to make believe that passing the budget was necessary in order to guarantee governments operations, conveniently forgetting that we were halfway through 2021 before there was an approved budget. How did we survive then? MP Wescot asked.

On February 4, we learned via the media that the request by the Government of St. Maarten for a deviation from the budget norms was approved by the Kingdom Council of Ministers, which in the view of the government and its parliamentary support was a major victory. At what cost?

It did not take long to find out that what the St. Maarten government had so vehemently rejected under Knops rule as the financial supervision of the COHO organization, had now been accepted without any further explanation.

That approval entails financial supervision by and on behalf of an organization that in itself gives no hard commitment for any financial input, except in the 2 instances already dictated by the Netherlands, namely the prison and tax reform. In an ironic way, this is a form of taxation without representation; the control exercised by a non-political body over the actions of a government. The government of St. Maarten is painting a picture of it being in control. Nothing is further from the truth.

What is true is that government has no alternative to the current situation, yet they are expecting parliament to relay their concerns to the other parliaments in the Dutch Kingdom, MP Wescot further elaborated.

MP Wescot has therefore asked the Prime Minister whether the budget 2022 has been ratified by the Government of St. Maarten and if not, why not? Furthermore, the MP wants to know if the Government still considers the completion of the 2022 budget process urgent, if so why is the ratification process so slow; what was the FORMAL response by the Kingdom Council of Ministers regarding the request for the deviation? What is the amount of the allowed budget deficit for 2022?

On a final note, the MP said she is looking forward to receiving the formal communication between the Kingdom government and the Council of Ministers of St. Maarten.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Eighteen enthusiastic new police officers of the Class of 2019 took their oath in front of Minister of Justice Anna Richardson at a ceremony held on Friday in front of the Walter R. Kramers Building (Philipsburg Police Station). They received their diplomas from Mr. De Boer and R. Appelhof of the Netherlands Police Academy and had their epaulets changed from that of a cadet to officer by family members.

Governor Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Richardson, new Chief Prosecutor Hieke Buist addressed the graduates and wished them all the best on their chosen path. They thanked the graduates for answering the calling to work in the judicial field.

Chief of Police Carl John, the other KPSM management team, and representatives of the Dutch Police Academy also congratulated the graduates and expressed heartfelt thanks to family members for their support of the officers during their training.

A new batch of recruits will commence the same intensive training (BPO-5) as of March 1, 2022.

By undertaking this new training method, KPSM aims to further raise its personnel to the highest possible level and lay the foundation for a professional police force that meets the highest standards

The ceremony was also attended by Members of Parliament, other members of the Council of Ministers, government department heads, representatives of various associations and communities, fellow colleagues, relatives, and friends.

KPSM management team thanked the ceremony organizers and expressed gratitude to extend to the Department of Communication and "Your Vision Production" who made it possible for the ceremony to be viewed live via the Police Facebook.

KPSM Press Release.
PHILIPSBURG:--- As a part of an ongoing investigation, the Alpha Team has arrested a woman with the initials S.M.F. (34) on February 22, 2022. She is suspected of being a facilitator in the importation of illegal narcotics into St. Maarten.

In relation to this investigation, police searched the suspect's residence and confiscated several items. She was transported to the Philipsburg Police Station where she is held pending further investigation.

The Alpha Team is a joint multidisciplinary team consisting of the Police KPSM, Customs, Immigration, Royal Military Police, and the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard.

KPSM Press Release.
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
Professor Stuarts article Hope through action in this warming world is a rallying cry for optimism and climate action to stop or slow global warming. She argues against defeatism and fatalism and sites climate policy changes in the U.S. and U.K. as reasons for hope. Unfortunately, professor Stuart failed to address the major obstacle to worldwide climate action. The biggest hurdle is the well-known socio-economic principle, The Tragedy of the Commons. This theory of human behavior applies equally to individuals and nation-states. The name comes from the historic over grazing of common pasture lands in England. Each farmer knew instinctively that when he added an animal to his herd, he gained 100% of the benefit. The cost to him of grazing, however, was a smaller fraction spread across the entire common. Thus, the self-interest decision for each farmer was obvious, buy more livestock. The inevitable tragic result was overgrazing that destroyed the common pastures.

This is how China, India and Russia currently view climate change. Each country gains 100% of the benefit of more power plants, factories and automobiles, while the CO2 pollution cost is a fraction spread over the entire globe. Consequently, these countries make only hand waving gestures to slow climate change. China produces almost double the CO2 emissions of the U.S., and collectively, they produce nearly three times our CO2 emissions.

Does this mean that climate defeatism and fatalism is the right course of action? Not at all. But instead of futilely struggling to stop global warming, we should focus our efforts on mitigating climate change effects. When Holland was threatened by flooding from the sea, the Dutch didnt try to stop sea level from rising. They built dikes to keep the ocean from invading their country. We should follow their example.

Our city council wants Flagstaff citizens to reduce our carbon footprint by eliminating natural gas for heating our homes and apartments. Implementing this policy would be a fools errand, costing each homeowner and renter thousands of dollars while having zero impact on global warming. Instead of wasting money, we should invest in energy and water initiatives that will mitigate the effects of global warming. That way, every dollar spent will directly help our community, especially the poor and middle class who can least afford higher heating costs.

TOM PEARSON

Flagstaff

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This Spitzer false-color image is a composite of data from the Spitzer Space Telescope. This image is a view of Kepler's supernova remnant taken in X-rays, visible light, and infrared radiation.

A supernova is what happens when a star has reached the end of its life and explodes in a brilliant burst of light. Supernovae can briefly outshine entire galaxies and radiate more energy than our sun will in its entire lifetime. They're also the primary source of heavy elements in the universe. According to NASA , supernovae are "the largest explosion that takes place in space."

Various civilizations recorded supernovae long before the telescope was invented in the 17th century. The oldest recorded supernova is RCW 86, which Chinese astronomers spotted in A.D. 185. Their records show that this "guest star" stayed in the sky for eight months, according to NASA.

Related: When will the sun die?

The Crab Nebula , arguably the most famous supernova, was first spotted by Chinese and Korean astronomers who recorded this star explosion in their records in 1054. Native Americans may have seen it as well, according to rock paintings found in Arizona and New Mexico. The supernova that formed the Crab Nebula was so bright that those early astronomers could see it during the day.

Other supernovae that were observed before the telescope was invented occurred in the years 393, 1006, 1181, 1572 (studied by famed astronomer Tycho Brahe) and 1604. Brahe wrote about his observations of the "new star" in his book, " De nova stella ," which gave rise to the name "nova."

The term "supernova" was first used by Walter Baade and Fritz Zwicky at Mount Wilson Observatory , who used it in relation to an explosive event they observed, called S Andromedae (also known as SN 1885A), located in the Andromeda Galaxy . The scientists suggested that supernovas happen when ordinary stars collapse into neutron stars .

When stars die

On average, a supernova will occur once every 50 years in a galaxy the size of the Milky Way , according to research by the European Space Agency . This means a star explodes every 10 seconds or so somewhere in the universe, according to the U.S. Department of Energy .

About 10 million years ago, a cluster of supernovae created the "Local Bubble," a 300-light-year long, peanut-shaped bubble of gas in the interstellar medium that surrounds our solar system.

Related: Giant, galactic bubble is driving star formation, new study finds

Exactly how a star dies depends in part on its mass. Our sun, for example, doesn't have enough mass to explode as a supernova. (Though the news for Earth still isn't good, because once the sun runs out of its nuclear fuel, perhaps in a couple billion years, it will swell into a red giant that will likely vaporize our world, before gradually cooling into a white dwarf .) But with the right amount of mass, a star can burn out in a fiery explosion.

A star can go supernova in one of two ways:

Type I supernova: star accumulates matter from a nearby neighbor until a runaway nuclear reaction ignites.

Type II supernova: star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity.

The Hubble Space Telescope has caught the most detailed view of the Crab Nebula in one of the largest images ever assembled by the space-based observatory. (Image credit: NASA/ESA and Jeff Hester (Arizona State University).)

Type II supernovae

Let's look at the more exciting Type II first. For a star to explode as a Type II supernova, it must be several times more massive than the sun (estimates run from eight to 15 solar masses ). Like the sun, it will eventually run out of hydrogen and then helium fuel at its core. However, it will have enough mass and pressure to fuse carbon.

Next, gradually heavier elements build up at the center, and the star forms onion-like layers of material, with elements becoming lighter toward the outside of the star. Once the star's core surpasses a certain mass (called the Chandrasekhar limit), it begins to implode. For this reason, these Type-II supernovae are also known as core-collapse supernovae.

Related: Star-smash supernova? New type of stellar explosion possibly seen

Eventually the implosion bounces back off the core, expelling the stellar material into space, forming the supernova. What's left is an ultra-dense object called a neutron star, a city-sized object that packs the mass of the sun in a small space.

Type II supernova sub-categories are classified based on their light curves, which describes how the intensity of the light changes over time. The light of Type II-L supernovae declines steadily after the explosion, while the light of Type II-P supernovae stays steady for a longer period before diminishing. Both types have the signature of hydrogen in their spectra.

Stars much more massive than the sun (around 20 to 30 solar masses) might not explode as a supernova, astronomers think. Instead they collapse to form black holes .

This Chandra X-ray photograph shows Cassiopeia A (Cas A, for short), the youngest supernova remnant in the Milky Way. (Image credit: NASA/CXC/MIT/UMass Amherst/M.D.Stage et al.)

Type I supernovae

Type I supernovae lack a hydrogen signature in their light spectra and are generally thought to originate from white dwarf stars in a close binary star system . As the gas of the companion star accumulates onto the white dwarf, the white dwarf is progressively compressed, and eventually sets off a runaway nuclear reaction inside that eventually leads to a cataclysmic supernova outburst.

Astronomers use Type Ia supernovae as "standard candles" to measure cosmic distances because all are thought to blaze with equal brightness at their peaks.

Type Ib and Ic supernovae also undergo core-collapse just as Type II supernovae do, but they have lost most of their outer hydrogen layer. In 2014, scientists detected the faint, hard-to-locate companion star to a Type Ib supernova. The search consumed two decades, as the companion star shone much fainter than the bright supernova.

Related: 20-year-old supernova mystery finally solved

Watching a supernova

Recent studies have found that supernovae vibrate like giant speakers and emit an audible hum before exploding.

In 2008, scientists caught a supernova in the act of exploding for the first time. While peering at her computer screen, astronomer Alicia Soderberg expected to see the small glowing smudge of a month-old supernova. But what she and her colleague saw instead was a strange, extremely bright, five-minute burst of X-rays.

With that observation, they became the first astronomers to catch a star in the act of exploding. The new supernova was named SN 2008D. Further study has shown that the supernova had some unusual properties.

"Our observations and modeling show this to be a rather unusual event, to be better understood in terms of an object lying at the boundary between normal supernovae and gamma-ray bursts," Paolo Mazzali, an Italian astrophysicist at the Padova Observatory and Max-Planck Institute for Astrophysics, told Space.com in a 2008 interview.

Additional resources

For more on supernovas and their discovery, check out " The Supernova Story " (Princeton University Press, 1994) by Laurence Marschall. You may also want to consider reading A.G.W. Cameron's " Stellar Evolution, Nuclear Astrophysics, and Nucleogenesis " (Dover Publications, 2013). And for an accessible book about the entire life cycle of a star, check out " The Life and Death of Stars " (Cambridge University Press, 2013) by Kenneth Lang.

Bibliography
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reveals that Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus are both available to play in Saturday's Premier League clash against Everton.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus are both available to play in Saturday's Premier League clash against Everton at Goodison Park.

Grealish has missed the last three games with a shin injury, while Jesus has been ruled out of the last five matches with a minor muscle problem, which he sustained on international duty with Brazil earlier this month.

However, both players were pictured in training on Thursday with the rest of the first-team squad, though there was no sign of academy graduate Cole Palmer, who has been out for over a month with an unspecified problem.

When asked by reporters in his pre-match press conference about updates on both Grealish and Jesus, Guardiola simply replied: "They are ready and so important for us.

"[Jesus is] so important in many aspects we don't have. For the inspiration, the movement in behind, the actions in the final third. He and Jack are back."

Guardiola has also confirmed that Oleksandr Zinchenko is in contention to play, despite Russia's invasion in his native Ukraine.

With Liverpool not playing in the Premier League this weekend, due to their involvement in the EFL Cup final against Chelsea, Man City could move six points clear at the summit with a win over Frank Lampard's Everton.
Shahid Al Hafed, 27 February 2022 (SPS) - The Sahrawi people continues its struggle for independence and continues to gather more support for its just cause, as it prepares to celebrate on Sunday the 46th anniversary of the establishment of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), with as much determination and resolve to achieve its goal.



February 27, 1976 marked the beginning of the process of building the Saharawi state, when the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario) decided to proclaim the birth of SADR after the withdrawal of the Spanish colonizer following the signing of the Madrid Accords on November 14, 1975.



Despite the contempt of the Moroccan occupier towards the Saharawis and its attempts to obstruct international efforts for the decolonization of the last colony in Africa, the Saharawi people have remained, over the years, committed to its just cause, continuing their struggle for the recovery of its inalienable right to self-determination, by peaceful means, until the flagrant violation by the Moroccan regime of the ceasefire agreement, on November 13, 2020, which forced it to resume the armed struggle.



The SADR has led, since its inception, "battles" at all levels to achieve independence and put an end to the plundering of its wealth by the Makhzen, thus deploying immense diplomatic efforts to make the voice of its people heard throughout the world, with the result in resounding victories at the diplomatic and legal levels.



The most recent of these victories was the participation of the SADR, represented by its president Brahim Ghali, in the 6th African Union (AU)-European Union (EU) Summit, held recently in Brussels, consecrating the SADR as an inescapable reality in spite of the fallacious declarations and the maneuvers of the Moroccan occupier.



On the legal side, the decision of the European Union (EU) Court last September, annulling the two Moroccan-EU fisheries and agriculture agreements, extended to the occupied Western Sahara. Such a decision requires that "the Sahrawi people, sovereign over its wealth, must be consulted before any economic transaction", through its only legitimate representative, the Polisario Front.



A decision that reinforces the ruling made in 2016 by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which states that the EU-Moroccan association agreements do not apply to Western Sahara, insisting on the "separate" and "distinct" status of this territory, included on the UN list of non-self-governing territories.



In an equally important move, the U.S. Congress decided to limit aid and military funding to Morocco if the Kingdom did not commit to "finding a mutually acceptable political solution in Western Sahara.



The outpouring of solidarity and support shown by the free peoples in favour of the Saharawi people has continued to increase, reflected in the numerous visits made by foreign officials, politicians and associative actors in the Sahrawi Republic but also in the refugee camps, in addition to the meetings, conferences and mobilization campaigns organized in particular in the European capitals in order to include the Saharawi issue in international foras and put an end to this conflict that has lasted too long.



The Sahrawi refugee camps have recently received the visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras, Torres Zelaya Gerardo Jose Antonio, who reaffirmed the solidarity of his country with the Sahrawi people and their just cause, in addition to the visit of the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Francesco Rocca, who called for raising the international community's awareness of the humanitarian situation of refugees.



Numerous forums and events were also organized with the participation of delegations from different countries and various affiliations in solidarity with the Saharawi people.



Several activities also organized by political parties and human rights organizations held almost every month around the world to highlight the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and alert the local authorities to the need to respect international law through the organization of a referendum on self-determination.



The mass rallies observed in many capitals and major cities, including Spain, Germany, Italy, Australia and Austria, are another form of solidarity with the Sahrawi people to enable it to exercise its sovereignty over its territories and natural resources.



062/T
Enlisting the help of contractors and his former boss at the state Department of Administrative Services, Konstantinos Diamantis mounted a fast and furious defense in the summer of 2020 against an accusatory memo produced by the building trade unions ahead of a meeting with Gov. Ned Lamont.

The unsigned memo accused Diamantis of using fear mongering and threats to engineer an emergency declaration that fast-tracked the replacement of a structurally unsound school in Tolland without competitive bidding  then provided the town with bid specs, a contract and a suggested construction manager.

None of those things were true, Diamantis replied in four-page rebuttal that, along with a letter solicited from the main contractor on the Tolland project, were delivered to the governors office. What happened next, however, is unclear.

Lamont said Friday he never saw the initial building trades memo or the letters responding to it.

Today, the question of who saw the building trades memo or took its claims seriously is relevant to the broader question of when the administration had reason to examine the school construction grants office, which Diamantis directed until his dismissal on Oct. 28, 2021.

But at the time, the conflict between Diamantis and the union was a dispute confined to the small world of construction in Connecticut. A subtext to the unions complaints was the suspicion that Diamantis, then the state official in charge of school construction grants, was disparaging the use of project-labor agreements that guarantee, among other things, the use of union labor.

Union officials have declined to comment on the accusations laid out in the memo. In addition to Diamantis, they have been forcefully rebutted by Melody Currey, the former DAS commissioner who made the emergency declaration for Tolland, and the contractor that rebuilt the school, DAmato Construction.

I was very shocked by the July letter, which is probably why my response was so vehement, Diamantis said.

Seventeen months later, Diamantis still is offering a vociferous defense against allegations that he steered contracts, only now the stakes are higher. Hes been fired, the FBI is investigating, audits are under way, and Diamantis complains the media is confusing details and making him a villain.

Diamantis, 65, is a lawyer and former Democratic state representative from Bristol, a struggling industrial city with a history of bare-knuckles politics. He is a weight-lifter of broad shoulders and average height, often brusque by his own account, arrogant in the view of others.

He is the father of five daughters, one a central figure in the troubles that has reached far beyond his family: Anastasia Diamantis.

It is a tangle that has contributed to the forced retirement of Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo Jr. over his hiring of Anastasia Diamantis and the decision by Melissa McCaw to resign last week as the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. She is leaving a job overseeing Connecticuts budget for a job as finance director in East Hartford.

Diamantis was fired in October over questions pertaining to Colaneglos hiring of Anastasia Diamantis to a $99,000-a-year executive assistant job while the chief prosecutor was lobbying Diamantis and McCaw for their help in securing raises for top prosecutors. The FBI investigation became public on Feb. 2.

Diamantis was McCaws deputy secretary at OPM as well as the director of OSCGR, the Office of School Construction Grants & Review. When McCaw named him to the politically appointed job of OPM deputy in 2019, she consented to one of his conditions: that he retain his civil-service school construction job and move it from DAS to OPM.

Lamont held a press conference Friday to announce McCaws departure and address efforts underway to examine how the OSCGR was run under Diamantis and reforms already made to increase oversight. The office was returned to DAS after Diamantis was fired.

Never saw it

The controversy over the school construction program binds Diamantis to the governor who authorized his firing.

Diamantis is defending himself against allegations of dishonesty; Lamont, engaged in a reelection campaign, against the suggestion his administration was negligent in overseeing school construction grants, an important yet relatively obscure function of state government.

The governor said he never saw the trades accusatory memo or the point-by-point rebuttal produced by Diamantis on July 22, 2020, after Lamont met with the unions for a clear-the-air talk about a variety of construction issues. Lamont and union officials say the complaints about Diamantis didnt come up during that meeting.

Lamont is resolute on the question of the memo produced under the letterhead of the Connecticut State Building Trades Council, an association of construction unions that endorsed his reelection in December.

Never saw it. Never came up. Never distributed. Didnt see it. Lamont said.

The same was true of the letter from Diamantis, who also was the deputy secretary of the Office of policy and Management under McCaw, which brought the school construction function from DAS to OPM.

No, sir, Lamont said, when asked Friday if he saw the rebuttal. Thats why I have an OPM secretary.

Diamantis does not know who in the administration saw the building trades memo or his rebuttal, other than the gubernatorial adviser who he says accepted it: Jonathan Harris, who had accompanied Lamont to the meeting.

Harris, who left the administration in December, was vacationing out of the country last week and could not be reached. But Diamantis said he assumed his rebuttal was persuasive; no one in the administration followed up with him.

I cant tell you what happened with my documents that I gave. All I know is nothing negative happened, he said.

Months earlier, a warning

Two months before the July 2020 meeting, a demolition contractor, Stamford Wrecking Company, complained to McCaw and Josh Geballe, then the commissioner of DAS, that OPM had interfered with competitive bidding on hazardous materials abatement on school projects in Groton.

The complaint centered on whether municipalities could hire from a state emergency bidder list of four companies under a state contract that set some parameters on price, though the final cost was up to bidding or negotiations by the towns. Stamford Wrecking was not among them.

Diamantis said the list, as well as an expert in his office, helped municipalities guard against the cost overruns common to hazardous abatement during.

We were not interfering with contracts at all, Diamantis said. All that was happening was letting the towns know that you can use state contracts for hazmat abatement.

Stamford Wreckings complaint initiated nearly a year-long review by lawyers at OPM and DAS over the propriety of using the list, which had been compiled by the procurement office at DAS, not the school construction unit overseen by Diamantis.

It only had four contractors, and Diamantis said he had argued that it should be broadened.

Noel Petra, the deputy commissioner of DAS assigned to review school construction practices, said the list was intended for small, emergency jobs, but DAS slowly had allowed wider use over over the years.

Separate from the hazardous abatement issue are the broader complaints from municipal officials since Diamantis dismissal. They say that he urged them to hire certain contractors, including one that employed his daughter Anastasia Diamantis, Construction Advocacy Professionals.

Diamantis declines to respond to those allegations or talk about how his daughter came to moonlight for a construction management company while she also was a state employee. For now, he said, his focus is on rebutting claims that he ever undermined competitive bidding.

The only overall school construction project exempted from competitive bidding on his watch was the reconstruction of Birch Grove Elementary in Tolland, which was abruptly closed after the failure of its foundation due to contamination by pyrrhotite, a mineral that expands and causes uncontrollable cracking when present in concrete.

Currey said the emergency declaration was made by her in consultation with DAS legal staff. Its initial impact was to allow Tolland to skip bidding and hire DAmato Construction of Bristol to immediately begin work constructing a temporary modular school complex.

The union memo suggested that DAmato was an odd choice since it had no history of school construction. Edward DAmato Jr., the vice president of the multi-generational family business, immediately sent a letter to Lamont saying the union had misrepresented his companys 60-year history and how it was hired in Tolland.

His son, Tony DAmato, the operations manager and third generation of DAmatos in the business, said the union claim was insulting.

I just personally take a little bit of offense in the fact that they paint school construction as a specialty, he said. Theres nothing specialized about it. Were a builder. Weve built every different type of building from the ground up. The school is no different than that.

DAmato Construction was hired by Tolland for demolition, then kept to the install the modular units and, ultimately, the new school in record time.

I was happy to be part of it, DAmato sad. For the folks who work here, it was the project of a lifetime.

DAmato is currently building a school in Bristol, a joint project with Downes Construction of New Britain that was awarded by competitive bidding. The use of the emergency bid list for demolition was an issue, due to what Diamantis insisted was a misunderstanding. The demolition work eventually went to bid.

DAmato said his company has not been approached by the FBI. The federal subpoena demanded documents of DAmato and a dozen other companies that did school construction or worked on the reconstruction of the State Pier in New London, a project supervised by Diamantis.

Diamantis was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992, the same year as Currey, the commissioner who would hire him in 2015 during the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to oversee the school construction grants program at the Department of Administrative Services. Diamantis left the legislature after losing a Democratic primary in 2006.

By reimbursing a portion of the costs, the state plays an influential role in the construction and remodeling of local schools, offering guidance about standards and costs. Currey said she thought his predecessor overseeing school construction grants had been arbitrary in dealing with municipalities.

Diamantis had co-chaired an Appropriations subcommittee overseeing school construction grants, and he had been a town attorney, Currey said.

I wanted somebody who followed the rules and somebody who would adhere to the proper procedures and protocols, and as an attorney would know what those proper protocols and procedures were in relation to all aspects of doing construction, Currey said.

And that somebody, she said, was Kosta Diamantis.
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A Caroline House Benefit Concert is going to take place March 10 at the Fairfield Theatre Company, at 70 Sanford St.

The fundraising goal for the event is $50,000.

General admission tickets are $35 with doors opening at 7 p.m. and VIP tickets are $85 with doors opening at 6 p.m. The show will start at 8 p.m.

VIP includes an open bar, beer, wine and appetizers.

Purchase tickets, become a sponsor, or donate to the cause at thecarolinehouse.org/events/chbenefitconcert.

The Caroline House is a language school in Bridgeport that has been empowering under-served women and children on the East Side since November 2005.

Fairfield University program ranked

The Fairfield University online graduate education program ranked among the top 30 percent of the Best Online Graduate Education Programs by the U.S. News & World Report magazine.

The school rose 74 spots in the 2022 U.S. News Best Online Graduate Education Program Rankings, to a 102nd place tie in the Best Online Masters in Education Programs category out of 337 schools.

The methodology used for the ranking is broken into categories for engagement, expert opinion, faculty credentials and training, services and technologies, and student excellence.

Resident shares photo of a snow squall

Fairfield resident Matt Podolsky recently emailed a photo of one of the two snow squalls to Hearst Connecticut Media on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 8:45 p.m.

Trinity Spiritual Center welcoming French speaker

The Trinity Spiritual Center in Southport is hosting Raphael Liogier, a French sociologist, author, speaker, practitioner and philosopher.

Mark Grayson, the centers director, will speak with Liogier in an in-person and livestreamed discussion The SpirChallenges of Modernity, at 3 p.m. on March 6.

Liogier is the author of The Anguish of the Void. The book asserts that the rising violence around the globe that many people see as a product of religious fundamentalism, or political polarization, is symptomatic of a larger problem.

The event will be open to all people with advance registration and costs $25.

Register at tsc_raphael_liogier.eventbrite.com.

The Trinity Spiritual Center is located at 651 Pequot Ave. in Southport.

Call 203-255-0454 with any questions.

Sacred Heart University Community Theatre to host book author

The Sacred Heart University Community Theatre and the Fairfield Public Library are partnering to host a One Book One Town, event with author TJ Klune. It will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the theater, located at 1420 Post Road.

The event is free. Registration is required.

Visit fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/ for details.

Klune is the author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, this years One Book One Town selection.

The award-winning book is the story about caseworker, Linus Baker, who is sent to the isolated Marsyas Island Orphanage to report about its charges  children who have been blessed and cursed by their magical powers.

Fairfield University hosts movie screening, Q&A

Jason Berry, a journalist and filmmaker, will introduce his movie, City of a Million Dreams, and host a question- and-answer session after the screening at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The in-person event will take place in the Fairfield University Barone Campus Center Dogwood Room, at 1073 N. Benson Road in Fairfield.

The event is free and open to the public, and will be livestreamed for virtual attendance.

Register at fairfield.edu/undergraduate/academics/centers/center-for-catholic-studies/.

The movie is a documentary that illustrates how the citys jazz funerals, and Sunday second line parades absorb the pain of death, and the legacy of racism, and soars to a joyful, and transcendent rebirth.

Young professionals organization celebrates birthday

The members of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Fairfield Emerging Leaders Organization recently celebrated its seventh birthday, which also raised money for scholarships.

The annual event is an opportunity to meet new people, and network with many local, and emerging leaders.

The organizations mission is to provide a platform for young professionals to engage in business sponsored activities, and connect individuals, who will enhance professional skills, while promoting social, and civic opportunities for the enrichment of the community at large.

The organization has awarded $19,000 in scholarships since 2015.

People, who are interested in learning more, can call 203-255-1011.

Fire school to offer CPR/AED certification classes

A number of community classes are going to take place at the Fairfield Regional Fire School, located at 205 Richard White Way.

Anyone with questions regarding any of the courses can call 203-254-4708, or email frfs@fairfieldct.org.

The CPR/AED - First Aid Certification, will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 13. It costs $100 per student.

The Heartsaver Layperson CPR/AED Certification will be 7 to 10 p.m. on April 21, for $50 per student.
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GREENWICH  Like other Ukrainian-Americans, Olga Litvinenko, who represented Connecticut in the Miss USA pageant, has been watching the news of her native land with horror and dread.

Litvinenko, a Greenwich resident who came to the United States from Kyiv as a child, has been glued to her phone.

Its been really stressful, we have family there, so were worried. Our great aunt, shes not picking up the phone. Every minute that goes by, it gets more worrisome, said Litvinenko, who competed in the 2017 Miss USA Pageant as Miss Connecticut. She currently runs a fragrance business.

Litvinenko was planning to visit Ukraine this winter, joining her mother, Tamara, who was already in the eastern European country this month. The plan was to reconnect with family in Ukraine. Their late father, Yuri Litvinenko, died in April of 2021, and he is buried in the capital city of Kyiv.

Then the clouds of war began to form in the east.

Her mother was able to leave Ukraine Feb. 14 and return to their home in Greenwich before a Russian attack commenced this week. Tamara Litvinenko also brought back two rescue dogs from Ukraine, which complicated the paperwork for her journey back to the U.S.

Luckily we were able to get her on a flight, her daughter said.

Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling, as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee.

Litvinenko, a graduate of Greenwich High School and Syracuse University, has been keeping the news on every minute, every second, the former Miss Connecticut said.

We have family, we have friends, and were worried about everybody, she said of the attack by Russian armed forces. Theyre going for Kyiv. Everybodys nervous.

Invading Russian forces closed in on Ukraines capital Friday. The assault, anticipated for weeks by the West, amounts to Europes largest ground conflict since World War II.

Litvinenko said she has been disturbed to hear from friends in Ukraine who are running out of food. But, Litvinenko said, she was impressed by the number of volunteers who are on the ground and ready to fight and the determination of the Ukrainian people.

Very, very brave, she said. Yes, theyre proud, but simultaneously, nobody wants this. We all want peace. The Ukrainians want a peaceful independence, having their own country. Its a devastating time, extremely stressful. And theyre fighting on their own.

Litvinenko came to the U.S. after her parents won a Diversity Immigrant Visa, also known as the green card lottery. Shes now determined to help the country of her birth. A Ukrainian support group, Razom, has been air-lifting supplies and medicine to Poland from New Jersey, destined for Ukraine. Litvinenko said she was planning to assist in the relief effort herself in coming days.

What else could we do? she said. They could use the help, they certainly need it, but theyre not going to back down.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
STAMFORD  Nine months after its first meeting, Stamford's Affordable Housing Trust Fund gave out $1.7 million for two housing projects.

The fund, founded in 2020 to manage the city's affordable housing money, at its recent meeting allocated $1.35 million to a home ownership project in the South End and another $375,000 to house people experiencing homelessness. The city money will fund about 67 percent of the first project and 75 percent of the second.

Both projects are meant to target people on the lowest end of the economic spectrum, though in different ways. The home ownership initiative proposed by the nonprofit Housing Development Fund will build 25 two- and three-bedroom condominiums for purchase. Pacific House plans to build three "shared housing" apartments, creating 25 units for individuals and families at risk of homelessness.

"This is what the trust fund was created for: To spend ... money for a good cause," Land Use Bureau Chief Ralph Blessing said to the board's other five members.

Consultants from HR&A, the group behind the housing affordability study that has been in the works since 2019, say existing current housing programs  mainly Stamford's Below Market Rate initiative  have helped bolster the number of households in Stamford making between $35,000 and $49,999. At the same time, the number of households in other low- and moderate-income brackets shrank, 2020 Census data shows.

By statute, creating housing for people disadvantaged by Stamford's red hot housing market is the Affordable Housing Trust Fund's prerogative. Early findings from the city's affordable housing study indicate that Stamford's existing affordable housing programs most markedly helped residents who make roughly half of the area's median income  defined as $151,800 in 2021 for a family of four.

The urge to create new housing for Stamford's neediest guided much of the board's decision-making process, especially when deciding how much money it should allocate, members said. Board of Representatives member Robert Roqueta, D-4, nudged the trust fund a larger chunk of Pacific House's project over HDF's development because of the different target populations.

"I feel a greater affinity (toward) fund(ing) a project that's taking people off the street," Roqueta said. While both projects would add to Stamford's affordable housing stock, Roqueta said he felt that housing people was more urgent than transitioning people from renting to home ownership.

Even though the trust did not fully fund either project, it did give away about 90 percent of the money in its coffers. Before the approvals, the trust fund had approximately $1.9 available to give away  with more coming  according to documents presented to trust members.

The Affordable Housing Trust Fund gets money from select zoning and building-related transactions: "fee-in-lieu" money and linkage fees. While linkage fees mostly come from building permits, developers set fees to the city in lieu of providing on-site affordable housing for residents.

Until the fund's creation in 2020, developers came to the zoning board with partner organizations eager to use the linkage fees and fee-in-lieu funds for affordable housing projects. But the strategy led to part of the available money sitting in Stamford's bank accounts, according to the chief land use official.

The old process, he said, also made it difficult for the zoning board to weigh the merits of different projects against each other since funds from a developer were a necessary ingredient in their calculations.

"The fee in lieu funds and the linkage fee funds  they've been literally sitting around in a city account since I started working here," Blessing, who joined city government in 2016, said. The new trust fund finally changed that.

"Congratulations," he added, "We spent $1.725 million tonight."

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
Contributed / Getty

STAMFORD  Police said they arresteda man on Saturday after a crash knocked out electricity to a neighborhood in Springdale.

Police arrested 45-year-old man at around 7:30 a.m. after he drove his Ford work van into a utility pole on Church Street. The pole split in half, knocking out power around the area, police said.




The United States and NATO have laid bare their irresponsibility by adding fuel to the fire and intensifying tensions leading to military conflicts.

Russia will now face the harshest of sanctions imposed by the US and its allies. On Saturday the US, the UK, EU and Canada announced to limit Russian banks' access to the Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication system.

Removal from the SWIFT system is a very severe blow for any country, something akin to what some have called a "financial atomic strike". There have been precedents. In the past, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iran were removed from SWIFT, following which their economies suffered unprecedented serious consequences.

US President Joe Biden had said on Thursday that US-Russia relations have suffered a "complete rupture", which is unprecedented. But the latest move taken by the US and its allies will not only deal a big blow to Russia's economy, but also send shock waves across the SWIFT and the whole financial market.

The SWIFT association is based in Brussels, and their activities are subject to relevant Belgian laws. The National Bank of Belgium plays a leading role in supervising the SWIFT's daily activities. Also, as Belgium is a member of the European Union, the association must comply with relevant EU laws. So, generally speaking, the EU has a huge say in this organization. At the EU's emergency summit on Thursday, 27 members had varying positions on whether or not to remove Russia from the system. That means, the EU members have quite different interests and economic exchanges with Russia.

Also, SWIFT's activities are overseen by a board of 25 directors, one of them from Russia. So various countries involved have quite different interests.

Besides, the consequences of removing Russia can be too serious. It will lead to the obstruction of all financial and economic activities related to Russia. Given that the European Union is Russia's largest trading partner, if Russia is hit, the EU, too, will be hurt.

Moreover, in 2015, Russia had set up a System for Transfer of Financial Messages, which can replace the SWIFT system to a certain extent.

Unless all parties concerned make efforts to restore peace, they will all end up paying heavily. And this extends to the SWIFT system as well.

The author is deputy secretary general of the One Belt One Road Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.


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Whether recruiting new business to Gage County or helping make the Sunland more appealing to potential residents and companies, the NGage economic development group is out to enhance the area.

Trevor Lee has been the executive director of NGage for around two years. During that time, he said securing land for future development has been one accomplishment that stands out.

Were running out of room in the industrial park, so to be able to find 340 acres in less than two years is a big win for the organization, he said. The industrial park kicked off in the 1980s, and it was 10-15% full. Initially it was around a 200 acre industrial park. Were down to around 48 acres that are remaining out there. Those are 48 acres we would consider to be shovel ready, so they have critical infrastructure in place or within close proximity for roads, water, sewer, electric, fiber.

NGage secured 80 adjoining acres to the industrial park, in addition to two parcels of land northwest of Beatrice near Koch Nitrogen on West Hickory Road.

The 80 acres that NGage secured in the industrial park with a purchase option in 2021 is the last 80 acres that can be developed in the current industrial park, Lee said.

The Hickory site was secured in 2020.

Weve got rail access, so it would be nice to see what the feasibility is to develop a rail park in that area, or at least sites that can be served by rail, Lee said. That positions us well to attract certain companies that need that infrastructure that doesnt exist in many places in this side of the state.

I think those sites right now are more attractive to existing businesses that need to grow. Weve seen a lot more growth than we have recruitment over the last several years. With these sites its not necessarily so we can go recruit a large company that needs 100 employees. Its more opportunity capital for the project that might be 10 years down the road.

NGage is a joint economic development venture between the city of Beatrice and Gage County where both organizations agreed to contribute up to $150,000 annually to fund the economic development group.

NGage Board President Andrea Schafer said the structure has worked well for the last 10 years.

Its been fantastic, she said. I was part of that original group handpicked to start a new organization by Mayor Dennis Schuster and (County Board member) Matt Bauman, and they thought meticulously about what that contract would look like and how this partnership would work, and they did a really nice job of working through how we can be funded, what this board looks like going forward and I think it has served us really well.

Lee said NGage has also recently worked on its strategic plan in 2021, which hadnt been updated in a few years.

The timing of that was really good due to COVID sort of being in the rearview mirror at that point, he said. It allowed the board to sort of take a step back and analyze the work that we do. Nothing really changed, but we kind of reorganized priorities. Day to day I feel like we spend more time on the quality of life, attraction and retention. Then in the background were still doing recruitment with activities such as securing ground, environmental studies, not really for today, but for tomorrow.

Lee said childcare has emerged as an area that needed focus, and NGage is participating in the Communities for Kids program.

Its a three year program with the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation that allows us as a community and an area to take stock of how were doing in terms of the availability of child care, access to resources for early childhood wellness, development and all those things that we feel directly correlate to quality of life, Lee said. Anything we can do as an organization to champion projects or initiatives that make Gage County a more attractive place to stay or return falls within that category.

While Lee said hes enjoyed his time in Gage County, he announced his resignation earlier this month with plans to move to central Nebraska.

This would be my third job as an economic development director, and by far its been the best, he said of NGage. Just as far as the working environment and the relationships with the city and county. Weve got a board that has our back, which is rare to have. Weve got a wonderful board thats very engaged and they are as hands on or hands off as needed, which is rare. Thats been really enjoyable and the companies we work with have been fantastic and supportive of the organization and me.

Lee accepted the position as president of the Economic Development Council of Buffalo County in Kearney and his last day at NGage will be March 31.

Lee was hired by NGage in February 2020 after being at the helm of Valley County Economic Development in Ord for seven years prior.

The NGage Executive Committee has set plans in motion to search for Lees replacement. Lee will provide support for the search while some day-to-day tasks may be contacted out to assist with the transition due to a staff shortage.

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PM Nicolae Ciuca announced that he is analyzing all possibilities for supporting the Ukrainian people which was seriously affected by the Russian aggression, mentioning that together with the Cabinet members, he donated blood and decided that Ukrainian injured can be treated in Romanian hospitals, Agerpres reports.

"We made a series of measures at a government level and we are continuing to analyze all possibilities, from an institutional standpoint, to do all we can to support the Ukrainian people, which is seriously affected by the Russian aggression. I appreciate and I would like to thank the civil society for their outreach, so that together we can support the Ukrainian citizens that need it. And today, along with a part of the Cabinet members, we arrived at the Military Hospital to donate blood, we appreciate that there is a great need for it, through personal example, to be alongside those that need blood. And currently we need a lot of it", PM Nicolae Ciuca said on Sunday.He said that he decided to offer the possibility for Ukrainian injured to be treated in Romanian hospitals."Just as I announced this morning, at the level of the Ministry of Health, we decided to offer the possibility for the injured in Ukraine to be treated in Romanian hospital and of course, based on the requests from the Ukrainian side, to also be able to support with blood," Ciuca added.
The Minister of National Defence, declared for AGERPRES on Sunday that he does not believe that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, will resort to nuclear weapons.

"In general, reality has convinced us that Vladimir Putin and his Government are using the official communication for propaganda as well. Many times the statements that were made from the Kremlin, through the official authorized voices, were not true or did not follow those decisions that were taken. So, firstly, we need to see if something like this will truly happen, if nuclear warheads will be moved, as Moscow said. Secondly, of course, nuclear warheads were used lately as main elements of determent, so that I believe that madness has its limits, I do not believe this is about the attempt of using these grave military elements," Dincu explained.In his opinion, the Russian president is more likely resorting to a "psychological threat"."My opinion is, seeing as how many countries from the vicinity have solidarized, especially from the European area, and what Vladimir Putin is trying to do is to disengage those from the area with this threat. I believe it will rather remain a psychological threat," the Minister of National Defence said.President Vladimir Putin announced on Sunday, during the fourth day of invading Ukraine, placing the "determent force" of the Russian army on high alert, which can contain a nuclear component, AFP reports."I am commanding the Ministry of Defence of the Chief of Staff to place determent forces of the Russian army on a special high alert," Putin declared, during a meeting with his military leaders, broadcasted by the public television.
The Minister of Economy, Florin Spataru, announces that he maintains permanent connection with Navrom Bac so that the Ukrainian transfer on the Danube to be quick and smooth, as well as with the authorities in Galati, where hundreds of refugees are already receiving shelter, food and all they need to be safe, Agerpres reports.

"I remain present in the Government task-force, but I am in permanent connection with the authorities in Galati, where hundreds of Ukrainians are already receiving shelter, food and all they need to be safe. I requested information regarding the number of Ukrainian students, who are studying at the "Dunarea de Jos" University in Galati and regarding their families' situation, who have already arrived in the university campus. 770 places are available in student dorms, 361 already occupied by the Ukrainians that arrived these last days in Galati. The Galati City Hall, the Galati County Council, the Prefecture Institution and representatives of the Universities are doing all they possibly can so that the refugees are safe and all Ukrainian citizens, that will soon arrive, to be received in the same conditions," the Minister wrote on Facebook on Sunday.He added that he is in contact with the volunteers that are granting support to Ukrainian refugees that are arriving in Romania through the border crossing point of Isaccea."Furthermore, I maintain constant communication with Navrom Bac so that the transfer of Ukrainians, that arrive through the border crossing point in Isacceea, either through Galati, to be smoother and quicker. Romania's Government is managing the situation in the national territorial perimeter through humanitarian support for Ukrainian citizens, especially for women and children, who arrive in our country. On the other hand, Romania is supporting the forces that are on the barricades in the areas of Ukraine, that are being attacked by the Russian army, with ammunition, bulletproof vests, medicine and food," Spataru also wrote on his social network page.
In January, Western Ranch Supply selected its first Future Generation Youth of the Month, Hayley Stahl from Winnett. Stahl is an outstanding leader in her community and is always ready to lend a helping hand. She has organized a toy drive for The Operation Shoe box, that sends shoe boxes full of toys around the world to kids before Christmas who might not receive a gift during the holidays. Winnett currently does not have a FFA program and Stahl has campaigned in her school and at board meetings to get this program implemented.

The Ag Ambassador competition has competitors prepare speeches, record a timed radio spot, social media, and do an interview in front of a panel of judges. Outside of Ag Ambassadors Stahl has signed up individually to compete in livestock judging at the NILE.

Western Ranch Supply is proud to announce a well deserving young lady as our first, Future Generation Youth of the Month. Western Ranch Supply wants to help Stahl continue her dream in agriculture by gifting her $500.

It is Western Ranch Supplys privilege to help young agriculturalist who will be the next generation leaders in agriculture. If you know a well deserving youth like Hayley please send in your nominations at sales@WesternRanchSupply.com.

Western Ranch Supply was incorporated in 1954 and is now owned by Keith Robinson, Rob Erickson, and Shayne Vandivort, with three locations in Montana along with delivery services in Montana, Wyoming, and western North Dakota.

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The Government decided to send on Sunday, in Ukraine, a second batch of aid - fuel, bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition and military equipment, food, water and medicine, with a total value of 3 million Euro, the Government spokesman, Dan Carbunaru, announced, Agerpres reports.

Furthermore, the Government announced its availability to take on injured Ukrainians in Romania's health network."The Task-force session is in full swing. (...) Romania's Government decided that after the first batch of aid reached Ukraine, which consisted of medicine and sanitary equipment donated by our country, today it will send a second batch of aid, with a total value of 3 million Euro, which consists of fuel, bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition and military equipment, food, water and medicine. Romania's Government announces its availability to take on injured Ukrainians in hospitals within the military and civilian network in our country," Carbunaru declared, at Victoria Palace.
Romania will supplement the military and humanitarian support granted to Ukraine, as a response to the invasion of Russian troops, president Klaus Iohannis announced on Sunday, Agerpres reports.

"Romania is joining its partners in supporting new sanctions and for strengthening our shared response in front of Russia's invasion in Ukraine. Ad additional military and humanitarian support will be sent to Ukraine," Iohannis wrote on Twitter.The Government decided on Sunday to sent in Ukraine a new batch of aid - fuel, bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition and military equipment, food, water and medicine, with a total value of 3 million Euro, according to the Government spokesman Dan Carbunaru.Furthermore, the Government announced its availability to take on injured Ukrainians in Romania's health network.
President Klaus Iohannis is thanking the Romanian people that were involved during these days to help the Ukrainian refugees, showing solidarity with the neighboring country, Agerpres reports.

"Alongside its partners and allies, Romania continues to support Ukraine in its effort of rejecting the invasion of the Russian Federation! Our country will send a new bath of aid for Ukraine: ammunition, fuel, helmets, military equipment, food and medicine. The Romanian people's outreach is exemplary, as well as the involvement of volunteers to help those that are forced to seek refuge from war-torn areas. I am grateful to them and I thank everyone! Full solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people!" Iohannis wrote on Facebook, Sunday.The Government announced its decision on Sunday of sending a second batch of aid for Ukraine - fuel, bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition and military equipment, food, water and medicine - with a total worth of 3 million Euro.
Over 1,260 offers for support for Ukraine have been centralized until Sunday morning, on the Government's open platform, the Executive spokesman, Dan Carbunaru, said, Agerpres reports.

"Until this time, on the platform announced Yesterday by the Romanian Government and which is managed by the chancellery of PM Nicolae Ciuca "Together we help more", until 06:00 in the morning, there were already 1,269 offers of support from the civil society, economic agencies, other volunteer categories, which consist in food, water, medicine, lodging, transportation, other forms of support, which will already be distributed in accordance with the existing needs towards the situation in Ukraine," Carbunaru said, at Victoria Palace.He mentioned that the Government will announce when these forms of support will reach the areas where they are needed.
ST. LOUIS  Demand for help to pay winter heating bills is soaring, said one of the regions most prominent utility-bill assistance organizations.

Heat Up St. Louis, a nonprofit that works across 44 counties in Missouri and the Metro East, says inquiries for aid this year have leapt by 60% compared to a year ago  swelling to 56,000 from 35,000 at the same time last winter. That marks a record level of requests for heating assistance.

Its just awful, said Gentry Trotter, founder of the energy assistance initiative. Seniors are scared to open their bills.

The jump comes as many individuals continue to face economic hardship amid the coronavirus pandemic, and after natural gas prices rose substantially heading into this winters heating season  with December rate adjustments raising bills for St. Louis-area gas customers by an estimated 25%.

There is not uniform agreement, however, on the extent and scope of residents struggles.

Spire, the St. Louis-based gas utility, said its data on financial assistance seemed to match last years, with about 20,000 to 25,000 customers looking for help, said Adriane Yates, Spires director of customer business service.

The company, though, looks solely at numbers from government assistance programs, whereas Heat Up St. Louis deals with multiple pots of funding that people can turn to in times of need.

But other consumer advocates agree that its hard to get a good read on the level of need and numbers that reflect it.

Im frequently frustrated that I cant get to the bottom of it, said John Coffman, a lawyer who advocates on utility issues for the Consumers Council of Missouri. He said that hes often left missing data that would help identify vital details.

Confusion about tracking utility payment issues has prompted a push to standardize the way that companies report related information, and also how they define key terms, like disconnections and overdue bills.

Missouri utility regulators and watchdogs met on Friday to discuss the issue. Coffman says its part of a nationwide trend, as the pandemic has helped expose complications in cataloging and tracking relevant data. He said that in some cases, if the information is publicly released at all, it can be delayed by months  meaning it fails to reflect current past-due balances or disconnections.

He also said the lack of apples to apples numbers and terminology from different utilities in the state makes it trickier for regulators to identify statewide trends or take sweeping action.

Consumers across the country face a mix of high natural gas prices and personal finances that, for many, were destabilized during the pandemic.

Even though employment has increased in the past several months, there are a lot of folks who are still struggling to make ends meet at this point in the pandemic, said John Howat, a senior policy analyst who focuses on energy and utility issues at the National Consumer Law Center.

And he said theres no near-term relief in sight, with natural gas prices projected to remain high for the foreseeable future  costs that utilities like Spire will pass along directly to customers, dollar for dollar, on a delayed basis.

Spires regional customers saw their rates driven higher in December by a 59% jump in gas costs  which figured to raise overall bills by about 25%  largely as a result of costs that the company incurred last winter, when a freak storm across much of the central U.S. knocked out supply and caused a simultaneous boom in gas demand and prices.

Multiple experts and officials are encouraged, though, by increased financial assistance funding that has come available during the pandemic, despite barriers that can hinder access to them in some places, and challenges connecting with some people who havent relied on a safety net before.

The good news is that right now, this year, theres more money available than theres ever been, said Coffman, referencing federal and state resources for assistance.

In St. Louis, at least, some are confident that current amounts of utility assistance funds will be sufficient. But others, like Heat Ups Trotter, are still nervous about meeting existing needs.

Theres never enough money, said Trotter. You can always use more.

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Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger 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

On the day Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that the state and its cities and counties had signed a memorandum of agreement that formalized a $457 million settlement from manufacturers of opioid pain pills, I asked Schmitts office a simple question.

Could I please have a copy of the agreement?

Theres an old saying in journalism: If your mother says she loves you, check it out.

This saying is, in some ways, the basis for the states Sunshine Law, the open records and meetings act that allows journalists, and citizens in general, to keep a watchful eye over their public officials. In Missouri, the person more responsible than anybody else in enforcing the Sunshine Law is the attorney general.

But when it comes to actually following it, Schmitt is absent without leave.

As Ive explained in two previous columns, the reason the memorandum is so important, is that it gives a full picture of how that $457 million came to be, and how it will be divided among various government entities, to eventually battle the opioid crisis. That full story of the settlement is much different than the grandiose picture Schmitt paints when he talks about it, so the document is important.

Missouris Sunshine Law says that a government body has three days to respond to a request, either providing the document or documents requested or explaining their delay or denial. I asked for the memorandum of understanding on Feb. 18, the same day Schmitt told the public of its existence. I copied his Sunshine Law coordinator, Megan Werdehausen, and his spokesman, Chris Nuelle.

Keep in mind, its a document that involves every county and most cities in the state. It is in the hands of many people. Some of those people did what good government officials do, they gave me a copy when I asked for it.

But not Schmitt.

A week later, Werdehausen responded to my request in a two page letter. The earliest we expect responsive records, if any, to be available is on or about March 2, 2022, the letter said, before listing eight items that were getting in the way of providing the record that several other people had already given to me.

The only item missing in the list was the one that mattered: Mr. Schmitt, who is running for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race, doesnt like you. He also doesnt care about the Sunshine Law, except when he is citing it in frivolous lawsuits against school districts.

OK, to be fair, I made that last paragraph up. But its true.

Schmitt has filed massive requests under the Sunshine Law with various school districts, accusing them of hiding from the public information about mask mitigation rules or critical race theory. But those lawsuits, too, are political statements directed toward Republican primary voters.

Hypocritically, Schmitt is ignoring another public document request that I filed related to those lawsuits. Last month, when Schmitt sued many school districts in the state, including most of the ones in St. Louis, he obtained the help of private lawyers to represent some of the parents joining the lawsuits. Thats a highly unusual action. One of the lawyers, Mark C. Milton, is heavily involved in Republican campaign finance matters, so I filed a Sunshine Law request asking for Schmitts agreement with Milton.

To Schmitts offices credit, it responded to this request. It said there was no such agreement. Many attorneys I spoke with said that was highly unlikely, so I filed a second Sunshine Law request, asking for all correspondence with Mr. Milton and the other private lawyers.

The office responded to that request and estimated I would have the records by Feb. 7.

That date has come and gone. Schmitts office hasnt responded to any of my follow-up requests seeking the documents.

This is the state of the Sunshine Law in Missouri: The man in charge of making sure the public can keep an eye on public officials is ignoring it. He believes the Sunshine Law is a political weapon, not a public accountability tool.

That leaves all of us in the dark.

From City Hall to the Capitol, metro columnist Tony Messenger shines light on what public officials are doing, tells stories of the disaffected, and brings voice to the issues that matter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
CLARKSON VALLEY  A former Rockwood School District administrator is facing a felony charge after being accused of stealing a familys dog, prosecutors said Saturday.

Alexandra Krinski, 39, an assistant principal at Crestview Middle School, was charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court Feb. 9 with one count of stealing an animal, prosecutors said Saturday.

A district spokeswoman on Sunday said Krinski resigned last week. Krinski declined to comment on the case. Her lawyer, Jason Korner, said it was just a mix up.

My clients never been in trouble a day in her life, Korner said. She was just trying to take care of a dog that she thought was not being cared for.

The trouble began when Lexi, an 8-year-old German shepherd, started escaping from her home on Fox Chapel Lane. Her owners, Brittany and Tim Davis, say Lexi has gotten out a handful of times. Their yard has an invisible electric fence, but sometimes, Lexi decides freedom beats a shock from the collar.

And the Davises yard abuts the middle school, at 16025 Clayton Road, accessible through an opening in the fence at the rear of the school.

At least twice, once in December and again last month, Lexi ended up there, in Krinskis hands.

The first time, Krinski took her to a veterinarian. Korner said Krinski thought Lexi didnt look healthy. The vet said the dog was OK but wasnt getting the care it needed, Korner said. Charging documents say the vet checked the dogs microchip and gave Krinski the Davises contact information.

But when the Davises came to pick up Lexi, charges say, Krinski said she liked the shepherd. Krinski told Brittany Davis she would have kept Lexi had the dog not been microchipped, Brittany recalled in an interview with the Post-Dispatch on Saturday.

Korner said Krinski just meant she wouldnt have had a choice: Lexi wasnt wearing a collar with identification.

And Korner said it was Krinskis intention, again, to take Lexi to a vet, when the shepherd got out on Jan. 3.

She was concerned about the welfare of this dog, Korner said.

That day, Tim Davis got a text saying Lexi was at the school again, and he replied that his wife would be there in five minutes to pick her up.

But Brittany Davis couldnt find the dog at the school. Administrators told her Lexi had been let go, according to the Davises and charging documents.

Brittany was suspicious. She hunted through online records to find Krinskis name, address and even the make of her car.

This is going to make me sound a little crazy, she told a reporter Saturday as she recounted the tale.

She then drove to the school, and waited. When she had to go to pick up her kids from elementary school, she called her husband to take her spot.

Tim Davis said as soon as he arrived he saw a car matching Krinskis drive to the front of the school and he saw Lexi being loaded into the back seat. He shot video.

Then Brittany Davis took over again. She figured out Krinskis likely route to her home in Eureka, caught up, and followed her.

I see my dog sitting in the backseat, she said on Saturday. It was like something out of a movie.

She also called police as she drove. Officers told her to back off, and she did. Still, she kept heading to Krinskis home. When she arrived, police were already there.

She said Krinski told officers she didnt know who owned the dog, now missing both her ID collar and her shock collar.

Officers made Davis verify her ownership by calling Lexi, Brittany Davis said, and let her take Lexi home (which she shares with Karma, a 3-year-old pomsky, and Winnie, a 1-year-old Australian shepherd).

The Davises now allow Lexi outside the fenced part of their property only when someone is with her, they said.

And they were torn about pressing charges. An apology would have solved it, Brittany Davis said.

A lapse of judgment, she said, we all have them.

But there was no apology, and the couple said they also thought an educator should be held to a higher standard.

If youre willing to steal a dog, what else are you going to do? Tim Davis asked.

Korner said he reached out without success to a prosecutor to try and resolve the case, perhaps with diversion, a form of probation.

My client feels terrible that any of this happened, he said.

But he said to prove theft, prosecutors will have to show that Krinski intended to permanently deprive the Davises of their dog.

I can tell you this case will be resolved, either through diversion or a jury trial, Korner vowed.

Still, it seems unlikely St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell will drop the charge.

While this fortunately is not a case involving violence against a person or an animal, a dog is a family member for most people, so we take these matters seriously, he said in a statement.

Krinski has been summoned to appear in court March 23.

UPDATED Feb. 27 with Krinski's current status. A school spokeswoman said Krinski had resigned last week.

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St. Louis County police responded to a call after an alarm sounded at 10:46 a.m. at a business in the 9300 block of Lewis and Clark Boulevard. A male victim in his late teens was shot at the scene, police said. The victim was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, warned conservatives Sunday that the Left is trying to replace the Declaration of Independence with The Communist Manifesto and wants to remake America in the image of Karl Marx, co-author of the 1848 political tract.

If the Left wants to remake America, theyre going to have to take it from our cold, dead hands, Schmitt told the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering of conservatives held this year in Orlando, Florida.

The attorney general didnt explain Sunday how Marx, a German philosopher who died in 1883, is influencing contemporary U.S. politics, but he has frequently warned about socialism and communism on his social media accounts.

Schmitt is known more in Missouri for filing dozens of lawsuits than fighting Marxists. For example, hes sued to block the Biden administration from requiring vaccinations and local school boards from enforcing mask mandates.

Schmitt, during his speech, pointed to those lawsuits as an example of his willingness to fight for Americans freedoms. Other than garnering headlines, the results have been mixed, and former employees of the attorney generals office told the Post-Dispatch some of the lawsuits are uncharted territory.

Schmitt closed his speech with Lets go fight. Lets go win. Lets go, Brandon.

The Lets go, Brandon phrase is a political slogan the originated at a NASCAR race where some in the crowd chanted [expletive] Joe Biden and an NBC reporter told viewers they were saying Lets go, Brandon, referring to Brandon Brown, the driver who was being interviewed.

Schmitt, so far, has won the endorsement of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a former presidential candidate.

But U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who preceded Schmitt as attorney general and will be Missouris senior senator beginning in 2023, has thrown his support to U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville.

Schmitt was one of two Missouri Senate candidates to score a coveted speaking appearance at CPAC.

Eric Greitens, the former Missouri governor who resigned from office in disgrace in 2018, spoke on Thursday.

The Republican contest has attracted more than a dozen candidates. In addition to Greitens, Hartzler and Schmitt, other major candidates, based on polling and fundraising, include U.S. Rep. Billy Long, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, and St. Louis lawyer Mark McCloskey.

In his Thursday CPAC appearance, Greitens also was sharply critical of both RINOs  Republicans in name only  and the Left, which he described as the enemy ... actively trying to destroy our country.

Greitens, based on recent polling, continues to lead the GOP field of Senate candidates.

Former President Donald Trump spoke Saturday night at the popular conservative gathering.

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Thursday at 9:41 p.m. marked the end of an era for Heskett Station, as workers there described it. It was the last time North Dakotas oldest coal-fired power plant would ever burn lignite.

Operations Supervisor Lonnie Moody anticipated a somber mood inside the control room that evening. He started working at the plant 30 years ago unloading lignite coal that arrived by rail, and he planned to be there as it shut down, he told the Tribune in an interview the day before.

I want to see it go off, he said.

The retirement of Hesketts two coal-fired units did not come about suddenly. Montana-Dakota Utilities announced in 2019 that it planned to stop operating Units 1 and 2 north of Mandan, as well as another coal-fired power plant, Lewis & Clark Station near Sidney, Montana.

Moody knew Hesketts coal units were aging -- one is nearly 70 years old -- and that the economics no longer favored coal-fired power at the site. Still, the plant ran well. He was on vacation the day the news came down that the units would retire in a couple of years.

My phone was blowing up, he said.

Joe Geiger remembers that day, too. He also was a supervisor at the plant, and has since moved on to a new job within MDU that includes implementing the retirements.

I think everyone was understanding of the decision, he said. As an employee of the facility, it was still a difficult message to receive.

MDU had planned to stop running the coal units by the end of March, but recent developments sped the timeline up several weeks. A mechanical failure caused Unit 2 to come offline Jan. 30. That factored into the companys decision to shut down Unit 1 on Thursday to comply with federal air regulations, spokesperson Mark Hanson said.

History

Hesketts Unit 1 fired up for the first time in 1954 with a 25-megawatt capacity. It was the largest coal plant in the state in those days.

MDU took out a full-page ad in The Bismarck Tribune ahead of the facilitys dedication the following year, inviting the public to an open house for tours, doughnuts and coffee. Attendees could enter a drawing that promised a DeLuxe Hotpoint Electric Range for a grand prize. MDU named the $6.5 million power plant for company founder R.M. Heskett.

The plant was meant to complement electricity produced at hydropower dams going in up and down the Missouri River, the Tribune reported in articles about the plants construction during the 1950s. When water levels were low and the dams output lacking, Heskett was meant to fill the gap.

The Bismarck-Mandan area was growing for a number of reasons, including the discovery of oil in Tioga in 1951. The oil boom brought a number of energy-related businesses to the state, many of which chose the capital city and its neighbor for their headquarters.

The expansion of agriculture, industry, distribution services and small businesses of all kinds resulted in greatly accelerated demand for electric power in western North Dakota, the Tribune reported ahead of Hesketts dedication.

MDU installed a larger unit with a 75-megawatt capacity at the site in 1963. Heskett made up the oldest still-operating coal-fired power plant in North Dakota until this week. Basin Electric Power Cooperatives Leland Olds Station has that distinction now. It began operating in 1966.

Utilities built a number of larger coal plants in the decades after Heskett came online, primarily further north alongside the mines that feed them. Lignite coal has a high moisture content, making it inefficient to transport long distances by train.

Coal traveled only a short distance by rail to Heskett from the Beulah Mine, operated by Westmoreland Beulah Mining. Coal production is stopping at the mine while a multiyear reclamation process begins, Public Service Commissioner Randy Christmann said.

An executive of Westmoreland Mining Holdings told the Tribune that "while coal extraction may be winding down, our full-scale operation to restore the land to pristine condition will be ramping up significantly."

Chief Operating Officer Joe Micheletti added that the mine has employed 26 people who, in recent years, have supplied Heskett with about 400,000 tons of coal annually.

About 50 people worked at Heskett before its coal retirements were announced.

You spend so much time in there, Moody said. It gets to be like family.

Whats next

Heskett Station will no longer burn coal, but it will continue to send power into the grid via an existing gas-fired unit and another one planned for the site. Both are peaking units. They will sit at the ready much of the time, waiting for a spike in electricity demand before firing up.

Already, construction workers have begun moving dirt for the new unit west of the coal facilities, Hanson said. The unit is slated to come online by the end of the first quarter of 2023, doubling the gas plants 88-megawatt capacity.

MDU installed the first gas unit in 2014, with fuel transported by a pipeline that taps into a larger line at St. Anthony in southern Morton County. The gas comes from the Northern Border Pipeline, which starts in Canada and picks up a significant amount of gas produced in western North Dakotas Bakken oil fields.

MDU has cited low-cost natural gas, the low price of power on the market and rising coal costs as factors in retiring Hesketts coal units.

The decision to retire these units was made in the customers best interest, said Geiger, who now works as MDUs director of generation.

MDU recently entered into an agreement with Minnkota Power Cooperative to purchase power from the coal-fired Milton R. Young Station to help bridge the gap between Hesketts coal retirements and its new gas unit.

Hesketts retirements come as the coal industry has struggled amid an influx of natural gas and renewable energy across the United States. Heskett marks the second coal plant to shutter in recent memory in North Dakota. Great River Energys Stanton Station stopped operating in 2017.

Seven workers will stay on at Heskett to support its gas units. Five employees have accepted other positions within MDU, and seven have short-term assignments, Hanson said. Nearly 30 more will continue to work the next few months to prepare the site for dismantling.

Moody said a number of Heskett workers have left in the years since MDU announced the plants closure. Both he and Geiger said the company has tried hard to help employees find other jobs.

Ultimately, finding gainful employment was one of my higher priorities. Staying with MDU was also a very high priority, Geiger said. The fact that I was able to accomplish both of those goals by moving into that position was hugely beneficial to my family.

He said workers in the coming months will remove hazardous materials and any environmental contaminants, then dismantle just about everything at the site, including the two tall smokestacks. The process is known as decommissioning.

All the structures will come down with the end result being a newly graded site, Geiger said.

Moody expects he will retire around the time decommissioning starts. He said the closure of the coal units will be life-altering for a lot of people.

Its going to be weird to spend 30 years of your life at a place thats going to get erased, he said.

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ST. LOUIS  Hundreds gathered here Saturday in solidarity with Ukraine and against its invasion by Russian forces.

A crowd bearing signs, Ukrainian flags and other items in Ukrainian blue-and-yellow lined Kingshighway on the western edge of Tower Grove Park, eliciting thousands of honks from passing cars.

Their signs conveyed simple messages: of love and support for Ukraine. Against war and Russian aggression. And harsh, sometimes profane words for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, whose regime instigated the invasion just days ago.

Many in attendance were Ukrainian Americans who emigrated from the country. They denounced a war in their homeland that endangers friends and family members still there. Many also shared a sense of disbelief, saying it was jarring to see a ground war between European neighbors erupt in the 21st century, particularly ones that some said are like brothers.

Katya Bulsonova, a St. Louis resident who moved from Ukraine in 2013 and helped organize Saturdays protest, said she thought barbarism was an era long gone.

But it looks like its not, she said.

She still has family in the country and was shocked by the conflicts escalation to war.

You feel numb inside, she added. It always aches when its your family and your country.

Oleg and Svetlana Vakula, of Wildwood, moved to the area more than two decades ago and returned from a visit to Ukraine just days ago. They said nobody in their homeland anticipated lives upended by an invasion.

No one believed it, said Svetlana. We couldnt believe that it was going to happen.

Oleg, who served in the Ukrainian military, said Ukrainians expected the conflict would remain confined to separatist regions in the eastern part of the country but not reach Kyiv and other areas. He was hopeful the Russian ranks could not sustain an occupation.

Another unifying emotion Saturday was scathing criticism of Putin. Rally participants called his tactics bullying, his message propaganda and the invasion a threat to the world. Some said the international community needs to forcefully stand up to him.

If he does it here, he can move on, said Svetlana Vakula. The world needs to stop him.

Others said his conduct is the equivalent of terrorism.

Putin equals Bin Laden, said Roman Kasyanchuk, of St. Charles, who emigrated from Ukraine in 2013. His seventh-grade son, Maksym Kasyanchuk, called Putins actions war crimes.

Some clarified that their anger was not directed toward Russia, at large, but to the actions of its leader.

Its not Russia, as a whole, said Sam Alexander of St. Louis, who lived in Ukraine from 2016 to 2018 while she worked with the Peace Corps. Its Putin.

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HILLSBORO  A lawsuit petition has been sealed here involving the attempted sale of five apartment complexes subsidized with more than $18 million in low-income housing tax credits.

Teresa Pupillo, an attorney representing buyer Wilshire LLC, of Fenton, argued in court records that the disclosure of their complaints would be harmful because they involve a special sale contract with confidential and sensitive business information.

On Nov. 29, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Darrell Missey allowed the petition to be sealed, closing off specific details of the allegations from public view. Missey was later tapped to lead the Missouri Department of Social Services Childrens Division and is no longer overseeing the matter. Judge Brenda Stacey last week denied a Post-Dispatch request to unseal the petition.

Patrick Werner and Forrest Nye, as well as several limited partnerships, are listed as defendants in the lawsuit.

Its a pack of lies, Nye, 77, said Friday from his desk at Nye Management in Doe Run.

He declined to say more, other than a possible countersuit was in the works. Attorney Mark Bishop, representing Nye and Werner, couldnt be reached.

While details are limited about the allegations, their official responses to the lawsuit are viewable in court records. Allegations include breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and fraudulent misrepresentation. The records say Stephen Voyles, on behalf of Wilshire, negotiated with Nye and Werner to purchase several apartment complexes. Those deals appear to have hit a notable snag.

The properties in question are Woodcrest Village, in De Soto, Hunters Ridge, in Hillsboro, Wildwood Apartments, in Arnold, Windcrest Village, in Ste. Genevieve, and Oak Knoll, in Festus. According to the Missouri Housing Development Commission, about 200 of the units are supported by $18.4 million in state and federal low-income housing tax credits. The tax credits are awarded to developers as incentives to build or refurbish affordable housing.

Nye and his firm, Nye Management LC are listed as the general partner for the tax credits, according to the Missouri Housing Development Commission, which oversees and awards projects funded through federal and state tax credits. Robert Muchow and Capital Partners Series XIV, XI and XII  not named in the lawsuit  are listed as the limited partners for most of the tax credits, with Doe Run Partnership LLC and Nye having the remainder.

On Friday, no managers were present at any of the five properties, according to spot checks by a reporter. A message left for one manager wasnt returned. Residents at all the properties said management was slow to respond, if they do at all.

All but one of the parking lots were covered in ice. Residents at Woodcrest Village in De Soto said their parking lot was partly cleared by a family member who was concerned for the safety of a loved one.

We havent had a manager for a long time. Maintenance isnt getting done, said Patricia Newburger, 74, who had a sign on her front door: Welcome to Grandmas.

She said her stove doesnt hold temperature, burning everything. Several other tenants came out to voice concerns. One said a ceiling light fixture fills with water after heavy rains. Another, Lisa Puckett, among a group of three women, said she turned off the water to one of her toilets about a year ago because it otherwise leaks all over the floor.

We have nice places, said Puckett, 53, a school bus driver, who pays $366 a month in rent. They just dont fix them.

They said management isnt on site, but their rent checks are being cashed every month. They wondered about holding off rent, but were concerned about legal implications.

But Ashley Dennis, 35, didnt care.

She said she stopped paying her $435 rent at Windcrest Village in Ste. Genevieve months ago. She shares the three-bedroom apartment with her husband and three children. She said a washer on the floor above her overflowed. She showed pictures of what looked like black mold in her apartment. She said she lost a lot of food when her refrigerator went out. When it went out again, she said she bought a new refrigerator on her own for $1,200.

I am looking to move because you cant get anything done here, she said.

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LONDON  BP is abandoning its stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft in an abrupt and costly end to three decades of operating in the energy-rich country, marking the most significant move yet by a Western company in response to Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

Rosneft accounts for around half of BPs oil and gas reserves and a third of its production and divesting the 19.75% stake will result in charges of up to $25 billion, the British company said, without saying how it plans to extricate itself.

I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine and my heart goes out to everyone affected. It has caused us to fundamentally rethink bps position with Rosneft, BP Chief Executive Bernard Looney said.

The rapid retreat represents a dramatic exit for BP, the biggest foreign investor in Russia, and puts the spotlight on other Western companies with operations in the country including Frances TotalEnergies and Britains Shell, amid an escalating crisis between the West and Moscow.

It also underscores growing pressure from Western governments on their companies to curtail operations in Russia as they widen a net of economic sanctions against Moscow.

British Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, who on Friday had expressed concern over BPs Rosneft, welcomed the decision.

Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine must be a wake up call for British businesses with commercial interests in (President Vladimir) Putins Russia, Kwarteng said on Twitter.

Rosneft blamed BPs decision on unprecedented political pressure, Russian news agencies reported, saying 30 years of successful cooperation had been ruined.

Susannah Streeter, senior investment analyst at British retail stock broker Hargreaves Lansdown, said it will be highly difficult for BP to recover anywhere near what was considered to be the full value of Rosneft.

Last week, Looney said that BP was sticking to its Russian business and would comply with any Western sanctions on Moscow.

Earlier, Putin put Russias nuclear deterrent on high alert in the face of Western reprisals for his invasion of Ukraine, which included blocking access to the SWIFT international payment system for some Russian banks.

And Norways $1.3 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the worlds largest, will divest its Russian assets after the Ukraine invasion, its prime minister said.

Dividend blow

BP said its move and financial hit will not impact its short and long term financial targets within its strategy to shift away from oil and gas to low-carbon fuels and renewables energy.

But Hargreaves Lansdowns Streeter said a write down of this magnitude is likely to limit the extent to which BP can continue to accelerate its transition towards renewables.

Looney and his predecessor as CEO Bob Dudley will both step down from the board of Rosneft, which BP acquired a shareholding in as part of its $12.5 billion TNK-BP stake sale in 2013.

BP held a board meeting on Friday and another on Sunday where the decision to quit Rosneft, as well as two other joint ventures BP has with Rosneft in Russia, was taken, a spokesperson for the company said.

It will take an $11 billion foreign exchange non-cash charge after the exit from Rosneft, which BP will no longer include in its accounts. BP said it also expects a second non-cash charge of up to $14 billion, for the carrying value of Rosneft.

BP received revenue from Rosneft in the form of dividends which totalled around $640 million in 2021, roughly 3% of its overall cash flow from operations.

The company currently has around 200 employees in Russia, most of whom are local staff, the BP spokesperson said.

Many other Western energy companies have operations in Russia, including TotalEnergies which holds a 19.4% Novatek stake and 20% of the Yamal LNG project.

In the current environment any European or American company with assets in Russia must be considering similar moves, Eurasia Group analyst Henning Gloystein told Reuters.
Regarding Watch Now: Biden outlines Americas response to Russias attack on Ukraine (Feb. 24): As an avid reader, President Harry Truman noted cycles of global turbulence. Incidents appearing to be novel reflected age-old political and cultural tensions. So, in light of the Ukraine crisis, what can we learn from the Truman era?

First, as a Missouri senator, the question for Truman was: What role, if any, should America play in a military crisis abroad? Americans stayed out of World War II until Pearl Harbor was bombed. Polls taken before Russias invasion suggest Americans prefer to avoid being involved in Ukraine.

Second, the Lend-Lease Act of 1941 made America the great arsenal of democracy by lending or leasing to any nation vital to the defense of the United States, resulting in unprecedented national debt. For Truman, while the war was barbarous (and has the Cold War among its legacies), it also vanquished the Axis powers.

Third, Russian leader President Joseph Stalin agreed that liberated nations would create democratic institutions of their own choice. Truman learned that Stalin wanted control over neighboring freed states. The question is: If Putin, a modern-day Stalin, succeeds, when and where would postwar expansion stop?

If we dont learn from the past, we are destined to repeat it. President Joe Biden told Americans recently, I will not pretend this will be painless. The consequences of sanctions, energy supply issues, cyberattacks, and a flood of refugees will be felt beyond Ukraines borders.

John Schafer  Hannibal
Regarding The worst sunrise in my life: Ukrainians wake to attack (Feb. 24): A case can be made that Russias actions violate international law, but we need to look at the actual circumstances. In my opinion, given the U.S. governments numerous illegal invasions, most clearly the invasion of Iraq, based on lies, the U.S. is in no place to condemn Russia. But can principled observers?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has characterized the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a serious threat to Russia. Ukraines leaders have reiterated their calls for NATO membership.

Putin is obviously not Mahatma Gandhi. But I dont think any Russian leader would have accepted these conditions. Imagine what the U.S. would do if Mexico was moving toward entering into a military alliance with China.

Indeed, we dont need such hypotheticals. President John F. Kennedy was fully prepared to invade Cuba if he couldnt get Russian missiles out peacefully through negotiations in 1962.

Francis A. Boyle  Champaign, Ill.

Professor of International Law, University of Illinois College of Law
One side effect of the improved relations between Israel and Arab states is that it made it easier for France to sell a lot more Dassault Rafale jet fighters than anyone expected. Increased Iranian and Chinese aggression expedited and escalated sales to Arab states, India and Indonesia. As of 2022 Rafale is closing in on 500 sold, most to export customers. This means Rafale is likely to match or even exceed the sales of the Eurofighter Typhoon.

The problem with Typhoon is dependence on the original European customers, who comprise over 80 percent of sales. Despite the increased threat from Russia, Typhoon sales in Europe have not increased. New fighters for European states tend to be the American F-35. Overseas Rafale is getting a lot of the export sales that Typhoon might have had if Eurofighter had been as aggressive and flexible as Dassault. Rafale can operate from carriers and costs less than Typhoon. Dassault has been working in the Middle Eastern and Asian markets for nearly two decades. That persistence pays off in these markets, something Eurofighter realized too late.

Typhoon was developed and built by a consortium of the largest European defense firms Typhoon was a replacement for the Cold War era Tornado fighter, which was a contemporary of the Su-27, F-15 and F-16. Typhoon development began in the 1980s and first flight was in 1994, after the Cold War unexpectedly ended. This reduced the urgency to get Typhoon into service, which didnt happen until 2003. The Typhoon turned out to be a pretty good warplane and this was discovered early on. By 2008 there were 135 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters in service, and they have been in the air for a combined 35,000 hours as of the end of 2007. Half those hours were flown in 2007, as the Eurofighter entered regular service in several nations. About 20 percent of those flight hours were for flight testing, but the rest were for day-to-day operations. The future looked bright. But since then, competition from American and Russian fighters for export sales and the lack of European enthusiasm for more purchases dimmed sales prospects. Typhoon got into combat in 2011 over Libya and performed well, but the demand from export customers and local ones was just not there. A sale to Qatar was important to the Europeans. Typhoon has since been modified to operate as a fighter-bomber and can carry up to seven tons of weapons. Normally it carries a combination of smart bombs, missiles and additional fuel tanks and can stay in the air for two to four hours per sortie depending on the mission. A new AESA radar has been developed for Eurofighter and the Kuwaiti Typhoons received this as well as a maneuverability upgrade. By 2022 nearly 600 Typhoons were in service or on order.

Dassault was more patient than Eurofighter. This was demonstrated when Egypt sought to buy another twelve Rafales after receiving the last of the 24 it had ordered in 2015. The French Finance Ministry looked at the Egyptian economy and eight billion dollars worth of French weapons Egypt had ordered since 2014 and expressed concern about the Egyptian ability to handle any more debt and pay for another billion dollars worth of Rafale fighters. But French politicians, eager to get the sale, pointed out that Egypt had new natural gas deposits and their economy was growing at 6 percent a year. Egypt had better relations with Israel and Saudi Arabia, which had helped finance some of the French weapons debt. The first 24 Rafales cost nearly $6 billion, but that included establishing training and maintenance infrastructure for Rafales so more sales would increase the chances that Rafale would eventually replace many of older Mirages and F-16s Egypt has been using. By buying more Rafales Egypt would be able to provide maintenance and upgrade facilities in the region, lowering costs for other Arab Rafale users. The Finance Ministry agreed to withdraw its objections. The prospect of selling more Rafales to Middle Eastern nations, including Qatar, which is at odds with its fellow Arab oil states over how to deal with the growing Iranian threat, becomes easier with Egypt as a major Rafale user.

Egypt received its first 24 Rafales a few at a time, providing an opportunity to train pilots and support personnel. The first three arrived in July 2015, four months after Egyptian pilots and maintainers arrived in France for training. The Egyptian Rafales required a few modifications, mainly the removal of the hardware and software required for the aircraft to deliver nuclear weapons as well as the NATO communications equipment. This was replaced with what communications gear is currently standard in Egyptian warplanes (largely F-16s). Egypt wanted to receive all 24 Rafales before considering ordering more so France completed delivery by 2017. The manufacturer said it could be done and it was. As expected, this helped obtain more export sales from nations eager to upgrade their air forces.

Egypt has a long history of buying from the French and in 2015 had about a hundred Mirage Vs and Mirage 2000 fighters in service. These two predecessors to the Rafale had served the Egyptian air force well, seeing action most recently in the 2014 bombing of Libya. But these Mirages were getting old and would have to be retired by the mid-2020s. Egypt has a large force of American F-16s, but the U.S. has lots of rules that prevent some countries from buying more and the rules change all the time. France is less judgmental when it comes to selling warplanes and demonstrated that in Egypt.

The UAE (United Arab Emirates) was hesitant at first and that first sale to Egypt was needed to encourage others to buy an aircraft that has not been selling well. After 2015 Egypt more than doubled its original order, to 54 aircraft. The UAE now has 80 on order and Qatar ordered 36. At one point India might have ordered 128 but local politics reduced that to 36, which may well more than double because an Indian made fighter has proved to be a failure and Dassault stands by ready to help with that. That readiness to make deals was key to Indonesia ordering 42 Rafales. The French air force and navy only ordered 180 Rafales, a quarter of those going to the navy because Rafale was designed to also operate from aircraft carriers.

Rafale costs between half and a third less than a Typhoon. Its design was based heavily off the Mirage 2000 and like most other Dassault fighters it has the Delta Wing configuration. Rafale has a maximum speed of 2,130 kilometers an hour and a range of over 3,700 kilometers. It is equipped with a 30mm cannon and can carry nine tons worth of weapons. It is a battle tested aircraft that has already seen service with French Forces in Afghanistan, Mali, Libya and Iraq. Development began in the 1980s, with the first prototype flying in 1986. At that point Rafale was to enter service in 1996. The end of the Cold War in 1991 disrupted those plans and an improved Rafale design entered service in 2001.

Until 2015 export buyers for the Rafale were scarce. The Rafale was up against stiff competition from Typhoon, Swedish Gripen NG, American F-18E and Russian Su-30. In 2013 Brazil passed on buying the Rafale and instead went with the cheaper Swedish Gripen NG.

France has had nothing but hard times trying to find export customers for Rafale and that had consequences. In 2009 the production rate was reduced from 14 a year to 11 and that was further reduced later. This was to slow down the delivery of Rafales, mainly because the Defense Ministry has decided that other things were more important. The new emphasis (and spending) was on peacekeeping and anti-missile defenses. Another reason for slowing down Rafale production was the lack of export orders. Since 2015 production has increased and the manufacturer points out that it has the capability to increase production quickly. By late 2017 over 170 Rafales had been built and over a hundred more were on order. Five years later and sales had nearly doubled and now approach those of Typhoon, something no one ever expected. Rafale production will continue through the 2020s,when the older Rafales will need refurbishment and upgrades.
By Alberto Fajardo

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Five tiny robots designed and made in Mexico will blast off for the moon later this year, part of a first-of-its-kind scientific mission that envisions the two-wheeled bots scrambling across the lunar surface while taking sophisticated measurements.

The so-called nano robots developed by researchers at Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM) will work together like a swarm of bees, the senior scientist told Reuters, once they make the nearly 240,000 mile (386,000 km) trip from earth aboard a rocket from closely held U.S. firm Astrobotic Technology.

The mission is poised to launch on a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket and would be the first American spacecraft to land on the moon in nearly 50 years.

"This is a small mission where we'll test the concept, and afterwards we'll undertake other missions, first to the moon and then on to asteroids," said Gustavo Medina Tanco, a UNAM scientist who heads the Colmena project, which means "beehive" in Spanish.

Medina Tanco explained that the bots, made of stainless steel, titanium alloys and space-grade aluminum, are equipped to gather lunar minerals that could be useful in future space mining.

On a recent tour of UNAM's space instruments lab, Colmena team members tested a launch device for the wafer-thin almost 5-inch-diameter (12 cm) disk-shaped robots, which are designed to communicate with one another as well as with an earth-based command center.

The bots are scheduled to launch in June on Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, originally developed for Google's Lunar-X-Prize.

During their month-long mission, the nano robots will take first-ever lunar plasma temperature, electromagnetic and regolith particle size measurements, according to an UNAM article on the project published earlier this month.

Medina Tanco expressed pride about the upcoming mission, that also included contributions from some 200 engineering, physics, math and chemistry students.

"No one has done this, nobody, not just in Mexico," he said.

"We can make a difference in the technology and for international cooperation that can then lead to important joint ventures to study the minerals or undertake other scientific exploration."

(Reporting by Alberto Fajardo; Writing by David Alire Garcia; editing by Diane Craft)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile off its eastern coast around 7:52 a.m. Sunday, South Koreas military told Stars and Stripes in a text message after the launch.

Our military is  tracking and monitoring related trends in preparation for additional launches, the message said.

It flew about 186 miles at a peak altitude of 385 miles, according to South Korea's military. The Japan Coast Guard said the missile splashed down into the East Sea/Sea of Japan.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said it was consulting with regional allies about the test.

The United States condemns this launch and calls on [North Korea] to refrain from further destabilizing acts, the command said in a statement on Sunday. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or that of our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation.

Its the first launch by the communist regime since Jan. 30, when it test-fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam.

That launch marked a turning point in what had already been a turbulent year for North Korea  the Hwasong-12 was the longest-range missile fired by the country since 2017 and was the seventh round of tests in January.

Foreign policy experts from South Korea theorized North Korea would refrain from angering China, its closest ally, by not conducting weapons tests as Beijing hosted the Winter Olympics Feb. 4-20.

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as Russias invasion of Ukraine, according to a statement that day from South Koreas Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pyongyang has continued to aim bellicose statements at the U.S. and South Korea through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and state-run news agency.

It is a universal knowledge that the failure of the situation on the Korean Peninsula to easily be out of the whirlwind of aggravated tension just lies in the U.S. hostile policy toward [North Korea], the North's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement on Feb. 2.
Montana paid a civil liberties advocacy group $60,000 last year as part of a settlement after the state initially refused to release hundreds of documents related to its preparations for possible protests against the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline.

State records show the settlement between the Montana Division of Criminal Justice, Department of Disaster and Emergency Services with the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana was approved as of Sept. 29, 2021. The case was dismissed in October. The more than $60,000 covered the ACLUs attorneys fees and other court costs.

The ACLU sued the state in February 2020, alleging that the two agencies responded to 2018 requests for public records by producing heavily-redacted documents and attempting to impose a gag order on what they did provide. The organization also claimed the state refused to provide required legal justifications for withholding other records.

The Department of Justice, which handled the states defense in the case, maintained that the documents qualified as confidential criminal justice information, which are exempt from disclosure under Montanas right-to-know laws.

But during negotiations held through 2020 and 2021, the state slowly released large batches of information it had previously withheld, ACLU attorney Alex Rate said, culminating in the settlement in which the state agreed to pay the groups attorneys fees.

The state initially released less than 50 pages of emails and other documents related to the ACLUs request. It claimed the rest was confidential criminal justice information, but after a year and a half of litigation, the DOJ ultimately turned over hundreds of documents to the civil liberties organization.

Department spokeswoman Emilee Cantrell noted that the lawsuit began under the administration of former Attorney General Tim Fox. Current AG Austin Knudsen was sworn into office in January 2021. Records that the state documents initially produced were accompanied by a letter stating that they are provided as an accommodation" but DOJ was not waving CCJI statutes in releasing the documents.

"Documents that are at one time confidential criminal justice information may be later deemed public information if their release will not jeopardize the integrity of criminal investigations or ongoing law enforcement efforts," Cantrell wrote in an email. "Releasing the documents at the time ACLU sought them could have compromised law enforcement efforts and put public safety at risk. Precedent does not support the release of information involving an ongoing law enforcement effort, whether its related to actual criminal activity or not."

The vast majority of the previously withheld records, which the ACLU shared with the Montana State News Bureau, consist of relatively mundane material, ranging from email exchanges planning future meetings to publicly available news articles and law enforcement training manuals from as far back as 2013. Rate acknowledged in an interview Thursday that there was little revelatory information in what the state had fought to conceal.

But he said the case was worth pursuing to vindicate the important principles of our constitutional right to know, and the fact that the state was relying on confidential criminal justice information statutes presupposes that there was criminal activity underway, and there certainly wasnt.

President Joe Bidens administration rejected the proposal for the controversial pipeline last year, citing its potential to exacerbate global climate change and other environmental concerns. It had gotten the green light in 2017 as one of then-President Donald Trumps first acts in office, after the Obama administration had earlier shelved the project over similar environmental worries.

While a coalition of state attorneys general had attempted to challenge Biden's decision in court, a federal judge in January dismissed the lawsuit, citing a brief filed by TransCanada stating that the project is dead.

Indigenous groups and other opponents of the Dakota Access pipeline in North Dakota staged massive protests during a six-month span beginning in 2016, which resulted in the arrests of 761 people, according to the Associated Press. In its complaint, the ACLU alleged that public-records requests it filed with federal agencies in 2018 showed that Montanas DCI and DES were coordinating with federal and local agencies to clamp down on possible protests over the Keystone XL project.

Rate said an earlier batch of documents the ACLU obtained from a federal records request in 2018 revealed a concerning level of coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement to surveil and thwart would-be protestors of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Those documents, which showed that state and local Montana law enforcement agencies were coordinating with federal officials to plan tactical responses to possible large-scale protests against the pipeline, were first reported on by the Montana Free Press in 2018.

The documents subsequently released by the state show significant coordination between law enforcement in Montana and TransCanada, the company behind the Keystone XL proposal. Emails also show private security contractors working for TransCanada attended trainings and provided presentations to law enforcement and other government officials in 2017 and 2018 as planning for the pipeline ramped up.

Law enforcement officials from more than 20 different agencies were also involved in planning and attending trainings ranging from protection of protesters First Amendment rights to dealing with improvised explosive devices, investigating arson and vandalism and riot control in response to civil unrest, the emails show.

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YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  China denounced as provocative a U.S. Navy warships trip through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, at least the second visit to the area by the Navy this year.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson, homeported at Yokosuka, steamed through the contested waterway on Saturday, according to a news release that day from the 7th Fleet.

The ship is transiting through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state, 7th Fleet spokesman Lt. Nicholas Lingo said in the release. The ships transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows.

Navy warships regularly steam through the approximately 110-mile-wide strait that separates China and Taiwan. The Chinese government routinely condemns those operations as provocative.

Beijing considers Taiwan, a functioning democracy, a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland, possibly by force.

Saturdays transit elicited a response from Beijing, with a spokesperson for Chinas Eastern Theater Command calling the Ralph Johnsons passage a provocative act, according to a report from Reuters on the same day.

Taiwans Ministry of National Defense monitored the transit and said the ship sailed from south to north toward the East China Sea, according to Taiwans Military News Agency.

The Ralph Johnsons trip is at least the second by a Navy warship this year, following another transit by guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey on Jan. 22.

Last year, the 7th Fleet conducted almost monthly trips through the strait.

The transits are considered routine, but the Ralph Johnsons trip came two days after Russia began an invasion of Ukraine and amid concern over Chinas ambitions toward reunifying Taiwan.

Russia spent months gathering troops and military equipment along its border with Ukraine, and global leaders such as U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that failure to correctly respond to the crisis could impact Taiwan as well.

If Ukraine is invaded the shock will echo around the world and those echoes will be heard in East Asia and they will be heard in Taiwan, Johnson said during the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 19.

Taiwan scrambled fighter jets Thursday in response to nine Chinese aircraft entering its air defense identification zone, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense said on its website.
KHARKIV, Ukraine - In a downtown government office building, men and women in military fatigues carried rocket-propelled grenades through hallways lined with ornate white crown molding. Others had AK-47s with loaded clips slung over the shoulders. Sandbags rested along windows - protection in case of potential blasts.

One of the city's public buses pulled up to the building. There were hundreds of boxes of bullets inside.

This was the scene of the makeshift Ukrainian Territorial Defense headquarters in the eastern city of Kharkiv on Saturday morning - right around the time artillery strikes from the Russian military hit the area for a third straight day. Even as the smell of sulfur wafted through the streets, more than 100 people waited in line to join the civilian reserve force.

Ukraine's Territorial Defense, which is believed to have more than 130,000 volunteers, has been conducting weekend training sessions for months in preparation to help defend its turf from Russia. Now that the attack has started, Ukrainians across the country are mobilizing and turning to the Territorial Defense to arm them and send them into the fight. Anyone between 18 and 60 can join.

"What's there to be afraid of?" said 19-year-old Yevgeniy Belinkyi, who was waiting to enlist in Kharkiv. "When I'm sitting around, I'm scared. And here there's nothing to fear. Here, I know what's happening, and I hope my loved ones will be all right."

"I will make sure they are all right," he said.

It's the sort of civilian insurgency that Ukraine is counting on to help fend off a Russian military that has significantly more manpower and firepower. President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted Thursday: "We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country. Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities."

But arming civilians, many of whom have little training, risks exacerbating the violence in Ukraine's cities and potentially giving the Russian military more pretext to fire indiscriminately.

In Kyiv, a line stretched down the block at a police station to receive weapons and bullets that officials handed out after brief background checks. Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky said in a video message that volunteers in Kyiv alone were given more than 25,000 automatic rifles, about 10 million bullets and rocket-propelled grenades and launchers.

Nearby, dozens of people huddled in a decades-old underground bunker to assemble molotov cocktails, or petrol bombs, carefully stuffing old wine and champagne bottles with packing material and flammable liquid before delivering them to groups of local defense forces nearby.

Across Kyiv, informal checkpoints and roadblocks have been installed. In some places, piles of tires or sandbags have been tossed in the roads to slow traffic. Messages on the Telegram app suggested citizens should remove road signs, so that Russian tanks might get lost.

Ukraine's Territorial Defense, now a division of the country's armed forces, has already been praised by Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov for helping hold off the Russian assault on Kyiv since Friday. In the northeastern city of Sumy, 90 miles north of Kharkiv, a civilian defense force seized a Russian armored vehicle and interrogated the soldier in it, according to social media videos verified by The Washington Post.

At the Kharkiv headquarters, a man in camouflage and armed with an assault rifle, tried to organize the growing crowd of volunteers. He asked those with military service experience to get in line on the right and everyone else to line up on the left. He said he worked in an office until the start of the Russian invasion.

"I just want to offer free hands," one woman told him. "I can mop the floors."

He told her to line up on the left.

Men and women with military experience were ushered inside one group at a time. Many brought their own firearms with them. People edged around each other in the hallway. Some carried water or cartons of food while others carted in boxes of ammunition.

One group of men filed into the bed of a construction truck. The line of those waiting to sign up outside started cheering and wished them luck.

"They're off to the front," said Boris Redin, a pro-democracy activist who uses a blue-and-yellow tent on Kharkiv's main square as his headquarters.

"Everything that Russia always threatened us with is now happening," he said. "Now we're simply forced to fight back and defend ourselves. But we'll do it with fun and pleasure."

In the western city of Lviv - just 55 miles from the border with Poland and considered one of the safest areas in the country because of its distance from Russia - Oleksii Palyhi, a lanky 22-year-old with a heart tattooed on his cheekbone, had never imagined himself having anything to do with the military. His experience with weapons was taking potshots at bottles with an air rifle. After he dropped out of his university physics and astronomy course, a lung condition exempted him compulsory conscription.

"I was trying to avoid it," he said. But now things are different.

"We need to defend our motherland," he said.

Nearby, 70-year-old Orest Gaworsky, had gathered a group, writing down their names and phone numbers to submit. He was happy with his new comrades.

"There are no losers here," he said of the crowd. In 2015, he served as a civil volunteer in the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region, where the Ukrainian military has been engaged in an eight-year conflict with Russian-backed separatists. Gaworsky's vehicle was hit in an explosion there.

"I'm too old to run with a gun," he said. "But I can sit and shoot."

"We will shoot, we will make molotov cocktails, we will do everything," he added. "We'll fight them with pitchforks!"

___

Morris reported from Lviv, Ukraine, and O'Grady from Kyiv. The Washington Post's David L. Stern in Mukachevo, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
KYIV, Ukraine  From a hotel on a posh street in Barcelona, a 22-year-old Ukrainian in a red beanie and big black headphones is helping take down some of Russias most powerful websites  including state media and even the official page of the Kremlin.

Alex Horlan would prefer to be at home, preparing to confront the Russian invasion of his homeland with a gun. But when he got stuck in Spain after Ukraines airports closed last week, he tapped into his expertise in cybersecurity to launch his own war against Russia online.

The attacks he and others are helping to carry out on Russian websites are part of a wide information war in the background of the much larger conflict here, as Ukrainians target Russian websites to rewrite the narrative Moscow is presenting to Russians back home.

We are creating an IT army, Ukrainian vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted last week.

Horlan is a cybersecurity expert who recently launched an app called Disbalancer that helps take down scam websites by overwhelming them with online traffic. He has redirected his teams efforts in recent days to instead target Russian websites he says are spreading dangerous disinformation about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The pages they are most eager to shut down, if only temporarily, are any that suggest the Russian invasion is not a war or that Russia is in fact helping the Ukrainian people, Horlan said.

A lot of people are dying right now and the Russian people must know it because if they dont know that, they cant even try to help, he said.

Historically, its been Russia that has faced accusations of hacking Ukraine. But as much of the country hunkers down at home or in bunkers, the war is increasingly playing out not just in the sky and on the ground but also on residents laptops and phones, with much of the coordination happening on the Telegram app.

The war within the war is important. Thousands of people are joining Horlan and others efforts to target the Russian sites, with around 2,000 logging into his app at any given time, he said. The main challenge is that many are losing WiFi when air raid sirens force them to retreat to underground bunkers.

We have two types of warriors, said Liuba Tsbulska, a Ukrainian analyst and activist who has tracked Russian disinformation for eight years. First, military warriors, those who defend us physically. And we have information warriors, those who fight against Russian disinformation, Russian special forces psychological information operations and so on.

She said the goal of those campaigns is to demoralize society, to spread panic, to basically bread them down psychologically so they would stop supporting the army and start thinking about surrendering.

The Russian disinformation campaign, she said, has been intensifying since the Russians invaded Ukraine last week. But so has the Ukrainian response. Volunteers are gathering information on attacks and casualties to fact check and challenge Russias version of events, she said, posting messages on Telegram and other Russian social media platforms. Others work to educate international audiences or produce patriotic content.

Some also target Russian military and intelligence officers, flooding their emails and other platforms with messages. Volunteers are reaching out to the mothers of Russian soldiers to convince them to call for Putin to bring their boys back home.

In Kharkiv, after reports that Russian troops and armored vehicles entered Ukraines second largest city early Sunday, one local Telegram channel with more than 400,000 subscribers urged people to continue to document the adversarys movements as a way to aid Ukraines forces in the area.

In one message, the Truha Kharkiv channel asked citizens to carefully film and send information about the movement of Russian troops to our channel. This is vital to the defense of our city.

Another message instructed citizens on how to make molotov cocktails.

Videos posted to social media of Ukrainians interacting with Russian troops in some cities have also served to debunk Russian propaganda claims.

In one from Melitopol, a southeastern city that came under Russian control, a man scolds Russian troops, asking, What are you doing here? Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense had alleged that elderly residents greeted Russian soldiers waving red flags.

On Sunday, Telegram founder Pavel Durov warned users to carefully consider the information they read about Ukraine on Telegram, noting they do not have the physical capability to check all publications on channels for accuracy.

In the capital on Sunday, the streets were eerily quiet. The only vehicles driving appeared to belong to members of the security forces, intelligence organizations and Kyivs territorial defense forces, composed of civilians who signed up to fight and were issued weapons to protect their neighborhoods.

Their objective was to find Russian saboteurs who had infiltrated the city. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a video address, said that Russian units had entered Kyiv and that he was target No. 1 followed by his family. A 36-hour curfew, starting Saturday night and ending Monday, was intended to flush out these saboteurs, Ukrainian officials said.

They urged residents to report suspicious people in their neighborhoods, including anyone wearing red armbands that they said was how the saboteurs identified each other.

In the late morning, a group from the territorial defense forces deployed in the citys center stopped an ambulance after receiving information that saboteurs were using ambulances to sow chaos, according to a hotel security guard who witnessed the stop. The militiamen checked the vehicle and let it go, satisfied that it contained medical personnel.

Later in the afternoon, Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraines Interior Ministry declared on his Telegram channel that a group of Chechen saboteurs who were moving around Kyiv in an ambulance had just been shot by the valiant Ukrainian military intelligence officers in Kyiv, partly shot, partly detained!

His claim could not be independently verified.

Andriy Kozinchuk, a psychologist and veteran who is now serving in the territorial defense, said that he and his colleagues were forced to deploy their weapons on Saturday night. The main task was to prevent the sabotage groups activities, he said.

On the questions of saboteurs in Kyiv, Tsbulska said it could be possible that Russia is sowing disinformation to inflict fear into residents and distract the government. There have been Russian-origin messages on Telegram declaring the Chechens were coming to kill Ukrainians, she said.

But she also said its possible the threats are real. Russia, she said, has a history of using unconventional military tactics such as disguising their soldiers in enemy uniforms or sending spies and covert operatives into enemy territories.

They apply different techniques, and disinformation is one of the main parts of this war, she said.

Lina, an employee at the guards hotel, said the Russian disinformation campaign is still going on in Donetsk, where her father lives. She recently contacted her fathers neighbor to ask him to go next door and knock on her fathers door and check if he was safe.

There is no war, Lina recalled the neighbor saying. The Russians are not fighting you.

She told him she was in the basement to keep safe from the bombing. But he still refused to believe her, and so I kept my mouth shut, she said. We have different views.

Khurshudyan reported from Khirkiv, Ukraine.
KHARKIV, Ukraine  The father of two preschoolers was driving them to their grandparents' house on the fertile plains of eastern Ukraine when, he said, a Russian convoy opened fire.

His car's tires blew out. The engine started smoking. And Victor's shoulder radiated with pain as a bullet lodged within. "I knew immediately that I was wounded," said the 40-year-old, who declined to give his last name.

On Saturday, he was being treated at a hospital for a punctured lung and a cracked rib, a civilian victim of Russia's invasion. But exactly how many Ukrainians have suffered a similar fate  or worse  was unknown, three days into a conflict that has continuously upended expectations.

Although images of smoldering apartment buildings and unsuspecting cyclists cut down by incoming fire have ricocheted across social media, the cumulative toll has been obscured by a bevy of factors, including the inability of international observers to do their work, a sprawling conflict zone in Europe's largest nation, a government in disarray as it fights for survival, and a steady drip of misinformation.

To those tasked with helping to protect the lives of noncombatants, the result has been a frustrating void at a time when civilian casualties are undoubtedly increasing.

"It's an incredibly worrying situation. We don't have any idea of the full scale of the consequences right now," said Mirella Hodeib, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kyiv. "Only that they're rising exponentially."

Hodeib spoke from a bunker in Ukraine's capital city as combat continued unabated aboveground. The organization has a 600-member staff in Ukraine, Hodeib said. But nearly all have had to take shelter, with conditions too dangerous to effectively track how Ukrainians are faring while Russian troops advance and warplanes fire their missiles.

"A lot of the staff are themselves victims of this conflict," she said. "They've been living in the shelters with small children and no water or electricity for days and days now."

With conditions so grim, many international organizations that normally supply independent monitoring of conflict's costs  and, critically, document potential war crimes  have left the country entirely.

Although Ukraine's government remains standing, its grip is admittedly shaky: President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that regime change is Russia's aim, that he is being personally targeted and that his people will have to do everything in their power to prevent Kyiv from falling.

Ukraine's health minister, Viktor Liashko, said in a statement posted to Facebook Saturday that a total of 198 Ukrainians have been killed in the fighting, up from 137 a day earlier, with more than 1,000 wounded. Three children, he said, were among the dead.

But the statement was short on details, and it may undercount the true toll. One senior Western intelligence official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, described Ukraine's tally as "awfully low."

"My sense is there are a lot more losses all around," he said.

The scale of suffering in just one relatively small community in eastern Ukraine gave a glimpse Saturday of the potential toll nationwide.

At the Okhtyrka Central District Hospital, situated in a city of under 50,000 people, an official said doctors had treated more than 200 patients  all of them civilians.

Most, said hospital deputy chief Khoruzhenko Vita, had "severe injuries such as fragment penetration wounds and severe burns."

The hospital, he said, was experiencing a shortage of medicine and other supplies. In three days of war, at least 10 people had died. "Today we lost a little girl, 8 years old," he said.

Confusion and controversy over war's actual toll are an almost inevitable feature of conflict, with combatants using the shroud of mass violence  and the chaos that comes with it  to skew reality to suit their needs.

In this war, Russia has claimed that it is not targeting civilians, and only aiming for Ukraine's government and military. But Zelensky has insisted that's a lie, and the evidence suggests civilians have paid a heavy price.

Just how heavy is something that the U.S. military said Saturday it wasn't in position to know. The United States, like many Western nations, closed its embassy in Kyiv earlier this month as the threat of a Russian invasion intensified.

"It is very difficult for us to be 100 percent sure and certain of civilian casualties, even in operations that we conduct," said a senior U.S. defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the department's analysis of the conflict. "And it is nearly impossible for us to have that certitude in an operation in which we are not participating."

The United Nations, too, has acknowledged the difficulty of establishing reliable counts or of documenting violations of the international laws of war.

The U.N.'s High Commissioner for Human Rights has 55 staffers on the ground in Ukraine looking for evidence of abuses. But, said spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, their task has been complicated by the poor security situation. And not only that.

"What's really hampering their ability to corroborate information is the information war that has taken hold," she told reporters in Geneva. "We're getting many reports that are, at closer look, completely false. So they're being very careful."

The U.N. office said Saturday that it had documented 240 civilian casualties, including at least 64 dead, while acknowledging that is almost certainly an undercount.

Human Rights Watch, too, has had to tread cautiously. The organization has investigated numerous cases involving the suspected use of cluster munitions  banned due to their highly indiscriminate nature. The organization said it has proved one case, outside a hospital in the Donetsk region. The attack killed four people and injured 10.

Painstaking analysis of photos  including verifying their geolocation and reverse imaging to make sure they were new  plus interviews with witnesses helped to cement the facts, said Rachel Denber, HRW's deputy director for Europe and Central Asia.

"When you combine what people tell you firsthand and the images, that creates a pretty incontrovertible case," Denber said.

But Denber said the Ukraine conflict has presented serious difficulties for any organization trying to offer comprehensive monitoring. The organization has operated for years in Ukraine, investigating alleged abuses as fighting has simmered in the southeast.

The situation now is very different.

"One challenge is just the sheer scale of the hostilities. They're happening all over the country, nationwide, simultaneously," she said.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had been providing detailed reports on violence in the southeastern Donbas region since conflict began there in 2014.

But the group announced Thursday it was evacuating its staff from Ukraine, with Secretary General Helga Schmid citing the need to protect "the safety of the dedicated women and men who serve as impartial eyes and ears of the international community."

Organizations that remain in Ukraine said their operations will be limited as long as cities are being shelled and staff members are put at serious risk while doing their jobs. Hodeib, of ICRC, said her organization is seeking guarantees from the combatants that humanitarian workers won't be targeted.

Those involved in trying to catalogue civilian deaths in conflicts that long predate the one in Ukraine say that achieving an accurate count is possible, even if the very nature of war makes it challenging.

They also say it's critically important in holding leaders to account and forcing militaries to be more disciplined in protecting civilian lives.

"We hear all the time about precision bombing. But civilians are still getting killed," said Hamit Dardagan, co-founder of the Iraq Body Count, which has been tracking civilian casualties since the 2003 U.S. invasion. "So something's not working. I don't know how you can say you're taking every measure to mitigate civilian harm but then you're not measuring civilian harm."

Of course, militaries aren't always trying to protect civilians. Atrocities in which civilians are deliberately targeted are a feature of war, as well, said Neta Crawford, who co-directs the Costs of War project.

Russia, she said, has a recent track record of indiscriminately killing civilians, including in Chechnya. And that may be part of the aim in Ukraine.

"It's intimidation," said Crawford, who chairs the political science department at Boston University. "What you're trying to do is show that the Ukrainian government cannot protect civilians, so go with the people who have the power on the ground."

But it was unclear if that strategy would succeed. Rather, the civilian deaths, Crawford said, may be strengthening Ukraine's resolve.

In a video released late Saturday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko recited a litany of suffering among Ukrainians since Thursday, including a dead child and an apartment building whose top five floors were devastated by an alleged Russian missile.

He then urged Ukrainians to gird themselves for the fight ahead.

"This is barbarity and savagery," he said. "Russia is crushing our right to decide the future of our country and our children. We defend ourselves. Our army fights heroically to defend our land. This is a hard battle, but we have to survive."

- - -

Witte reported from Washington. The Washington Post's David L. Stern in Mukachevo, Ukraine, Karoun Demirjian and Ellen Nakashima in Washington, and Kostiantyn Khudov in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
RTHK: Trump says he's praying for Ukrainians

Former President Donald Trump condemned on Saturday Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said he was praying for Ukrainians, switching tone from his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week.

Trump's remarks at the CPAC conservative gathering in Florida came hours after the United States and allies announced sweeping new sanctions that would kick some Russian banks off the main global payments systems and limit the ability of Russia's central bank to support the rouble.

Addressing an adoring crowd at an event that touts itself as the world's largest conservative gathering, Trump used his speech to bash Democratic President Joe Biden and again hint at a possible run for president in 2024.

Trump had irked some Republican party members by describing Putin's actions in Ukraine, where cities have been pounded by Russian artillery and cruise missiles, as "genius" and "pretty savvy."

Trump expressed empathy for Ukrainians and this time praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, calling him "brave" as he stays in Kyiv, the capital.

"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all," Trump said.

Trump said that Putin took advantage of Biden's being "weak" to attack Ukraine. He also linked the invasion to the US 2020 presidential election, a fixation of his, again falsely saying that fraud was to blame for Biden's victory.

"As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president," he said, to which a woman in the packed audience responded: "You are the president!"

Trump has not confirmed whether he will run for president again in 2024, but has hinted at it heavily recently and did so again on Saturday.

"On November 2024, they (Democrats) will find out like never before. We did it twice, and we'll do it again. We're going to be doing it again, a third time," Trump said.

Democratic lawyer Marc Elias tweeted that Trump's words should trigger a "series of legal requirements related to his spend and disclosures."

Trump's fundraising operations have raised a cash pile of more than US$100 million and he is criss-crossing the country holding rallies.

Trump also cited Russia's invasion of Georgia under George W. Bush and Crimea under Barack Obama before declaring: "I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country."

Trump did address his past praise of Putin, saying he was correct that Putin was smart because he was outfoxing world leaders and Nato. "The real problem is that our leaders are dumb, dumb. So dumb," he said.

The Democratic National Committee criticised Trump's comments. "The defeated former president took the stage at CPAC to double down on his shameless praise for Putin," it said in a statement.

In an interview released earlier on Saturday, Biden mocked Trump's comment that Putin was a "genius."

"I put as much stock in Trump saying that Putin is a genius than when he called himself a stable genius," Biden said.

Conservatives at the CPAC conference in Orlando, Florida, which ends on Sunday, have repeated the line that Putin decided to invade Ukraine because he knew Biden was "weak."

Republican politicians have broadly steered clear of lauding Putin, however, and hot-button domestic issues, such as mask mandates, have featured far more heavily than foreign policy.

Earlier on Saturday, J.D. Vance, a Republican candidate for an Ohio US Senate seat, said the American political class was fixated on the Ukraine conflict to the detriment of problems closer to home, such as record crossings at the Mexican border.

"I'm sick of being told that we have to care more about people 6,000 miles away than we do people like my mom, and my grandparents, and all the kids who are affected by this crisis," said Vance, a venture capitalist and author. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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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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(Tribune News Service)  Kelly McCormick thought shed be back on the job long ago, but the coronavirus pandemic continually finds ways to keep her home helping her two young children.

One day in December, her sons Maryland school told her to pick up her 10-year-old immediately: He had been exposed to COVID-19 by a classmate who sat near him in a workgroup and at lunch. When she arrived at the school, she found other parents who had gotten the same midday call.

Thats when I realized what an effect this has on parents, she said in an interview with Stateline. I never could have done this with my job. There are too many people depending on you to just drop everything and walk away like this.

McCormick quit her job as a social worker in August 2020 to help her children with their virtual schooling. And like many parents, the suburban Olney, Md., mom thought school reopenings this year would free her to get back to her career. But that prospect has been delayed again and again as waves of variants have sent children home after classroom exposures or illnesses.

Similar situations are happening all over the country. A Stateline analysis of a January U.S. Census Bureau poll found 6% of parents of children ages 5-11 were not working because they had to care for children not in school or day care. That hit as high as 13% in Illinois, where Chicago schools closed temporarily, and 14% in Idaho, where an omicron surge combined with a flu outbreak to force school closings.

And federal data analyzed by Stateline shows that parents of small children have left the workforce in much higher numbers than other working adults during the pandemic.

In the last quarter of 2021, 6% fewer jobs were held by parents of children ages 5-12, both mothers and fathers, compared with the same period in 2019, while other prime-age workers were only 1% short of pre-pandemic job levels, according to a Stateline analysis of census numbers provided by ipums.org at the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation at the University of Minnesota.

Last month, 6% of parents of children ages 5-11 said they were not working because they had to care for children not in school or day care. Parents, especially mothers, have lagged in returning to work, partly because of periodic school closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

MomsRising, a web-based organization of mothers, is advocating for more paid family medical leave that would allow parents to stay home from work in emergencies such as a pandemic. Nine states and the District of Columbia have general paid family and medical leave laws, though they wont take effect in Oregon until next year and in Colorado until 2024.

Delaware and Maryland are considering similar legislation. This way moms can keep that connection to the workplace and all their benefits and also have these caregiving roles, said Namatie Mansaray, senior director of workplace justice for MomsRising.

The state laws and proposals vary, but generally offer a set number of weeks of leave at a percentage of full pay, funded by insurance paid by the employer or employee.

The Maryland legislation failed last year after testimony from small businesses that it could worsen labor shortages for them. The Maryland Chamber of Commerce will oppose it again this year, CEO Mary Kane wrote in a February op-ed, because it wouldnt give employers enough control.

The employer has no ability to verify the need for leave, to challenge leave as fraudulent or abusive, or to take into account the impact of the leave on business operations, Kane wrote.

Some parents feel their struggles disappeared from public consciousness when schools began reopening.

At the beginning of the pandemic, at least everybody was on the same page and realized we were all in this terrible thing together. Now it feels like parents are alone in this. Were forgotten, said William Scarborough, a University of North Texas assistant professor who has a 3-year-old son in a pre-K program thats often canceled. Children under 5 years old cannot yet be vaccinated, making them more vulnerable to COVID-19.

From December to mid-February, Scarborough faced at least one day a week without child care. You get the email in the morning, and Id be juggling meetings, moving things around, missing sleep, said Scarborough, who co-authored with federal sociologist Christin Landivar a February study showing the effect of school closings on women in the workforce.

The study found that losing more days of school was associated with mothers leaving jobs, particularly in states such as Maryland where schools went mostly remote in 2020.

Even now, with schools open almost everywhere, daunting challenges remain for parents who must work.

The care infrastructure that parents depend on is not fully restored, said Landivar, the studys main author and a sociologist and senior researcher at the U.S. Department of Labor, adding that mothers still take the brunt of child care challenges. Mothers continue to take on additional caregiving responsibilities when schools close or child care is unavailable.

The issue is particularly tough on single parents who cant work remotely.

Laurel Lamont, a grocery worker in Temecula, California, barely pays her bills and struggles to keep her 16-year-old son doing his homework when shes not there to supervise him.

My kid goes into his room to do homework, and he is playing games on his phone, and theres very little I can do about it, Lamont said. I cant take the devices away because he cant do what he needs [for school] without them.

Moms have shared their stories of frustration, venting to call-in rage lines and even attending primal scream events in response to school closing news.

My frustration with this is at a boiling point. I cannot simply take off work when the school decides to close, said Chelsea Kabakaba, a law school student in Eugene, Oregon, who works full time for a federal judge and often appears in court remotely via Zoom.

Her second-grade daughter had to stay home for 10 days recently to quarantine after an exposure, and the school has closed unpredictably for planning days. Her husband, a retired Marine, has had to postpone a second career to help with child care and driving when there arent enough buses.

Meanwhile in Maryland, McCormicks 10- and 12-year-old sons havent stopped needing attentionfrom help with lessons when theyre forced home for illness or suspected exposure, to 2 p.m. carpool assignments when there arent enough school buses.

After her younger sons December exposure, she had to arrange some of his schoolwork because a countywide remote math class meant for such cases was behind his in-person class.

Her plans to go back to work have stayed on hold.

We thought maybe last fall, and the delta [variant] came up. So then we thought January, but then omicron, she said. Its really been wild.

2022 The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Visit at stateline.org .

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service)  While growing up in West Philadelphia, Sandra Fuller experienced her uncles Alfonzia and Timerlate Kirven as unassuming guys.

Uncle Al worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and then Amtrak, and Uncle Tim was a cook at Bookbinders in Old City and a Methodist minister.

But Fuller, 77, gradually learned of a significant historical backdrop to the steady lives her uncles had in Philadelphia in the decades after World War II. Alfonzia and Timerlate were Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans allowed in that branch of the U.S. military, starting in 1942.

For close to a decade, Fuller has been working to get her uncles officially recognized as Montford Pointers  named for the segregated and substandard North Carolina boot camp where they trained. In 2012 the group collectively received the Congressional Gold Medal for their groundbreaking service. The medal is, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the countrys highest civilian honor for distinguished achievement.

Posthumous recognition for the Kirven brothers came Saturday during a ceremony at Calvary Gospel Chapel in West Philadelphia. Fuller and her cousin Albert W. Newman received replicas on behalf of their uncles, who were born in South Carolina. Timerlate died in 1985, Alfonzia in 1997.

Fuller said she persisted in getting the recognition to influence younger generations of her family.

I want them to know that they are connected to a bigger picture of who they are as people, especially the young men, who feel a sense of abandonment, Fuller said. I want them to know that they are connected to a bigger picture of some relevance. I think its important for us to instill that in our children.

Fuller also received a Purple Heart on behalf of Timerlate, who was wounded during the Battle of Saipan in 1944, when Japanese artillery hit the compound where he was working as a cook. Alfonzia served in the police during the war, according to his honorable discharge document, but its not clear where.

The awards came through the Montford Point Marine Association, which was founded in 1965 in Philadelphia but is now based in Mobile, Ala. One of the goals of the association is to find living Montford Pointers or families of deceased members of the group to bestow the honor.

Close to 20,000 men went through Montford Point from 1942 to 1949, when it was decommissioned, said Joe Geeter, president of the associations Philadelphia chapter. Weve only awarded about 2,000 of them nationwide, Geeter said.

One of the two Montford Point Marines in attendance, Carroll Braxton, who retired as a master gunnery sergeant after 28 years, called the ceremony beautiful. Braxton, 97, who lives in Manassas, Va., said he was one of the first Black drill instructors in the Marines.

In 2012 a landmark award went to the nations first Black marines

Connecting the dots

Fuller grew up with a photo of Staff Sgt. Timerlate Kirven and Cpl. Samuel J. Love Sr. after they received Purple Hearts for being wounded on Saipan. That photo is in the National Archives and can be bought on Amazon for $64.99.

As a little girl, my mom always told me that this is the picture of Tim when he got that award, Fuller recalled. Mom didnt know what it was. She just said, Thats a picture of Tim when he got that award.

For years as an adult, Fuller was accustomed to hearing her pastor at Calvary Gospel Chapel, Joseph Ginyard, often talk about his experiences as a Montford Point Marine. Cecil B. Moore, who became a lawyer, civil rights activist, and member of Philadelphia City Council, was his drill sergeant.

In the mid-1990s, Alfonzia went to Calvary Gospel, at 4121 W. Girard Ave., for the funeral of Fullers father. Alfonzia told Fuller he knew Ginyard, who died in 2014, in Hawaii.

When Fuller was helping clean out Alfonzias house after his death, she found his military suit, which looked new. She said she didnt understand the significance of the Montford Point Marines at the time, but she thought: If this suit meant that much to him, Im going to keep it.

The pieces came together in 2012 when the Montford Point Marines collectively received the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, with more than 400 Marines in attendance. Ginyard had enlisted Fullers help when he organized a local ceremony for those who could not travel to Washington.

That experience put Fuller, who has lived her whole life in West Philadelphia and worked as an adjudicator at the Social Security Administration and then as a clerk in the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office, on the path toward getting the medals for her uncles, hesitating at times for fear that another relative might want to receive the honors on behalf of the brothers.

About a dozen family members attended Saturdays event, which drew about 40 people total.

Alfonzia and Timerlate were great-uncles to Anwar Magras, 40, who is in the Army National Guard and said he expects to be deployed overseas in June. Magras remembered spending lots of time at Alfonzias house, near North 54th Street and Girard Avenue.

I feel great, Magras said after the ceremony. For myself currently serving in the military also, to have him acknowledged and recognized, I think its a beautiful experience. I couldnt miss it for the world.

(c)2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Visit at www.inquirer.com
The past two weeks have seen the most difficult and demanding phase of the two years of the Covid pandemic for New Zealands diagnostic laboratory workforce, says Terry Taylor the president of the New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science  NZIMLS.

On Tuesday February 15 when Terry was quoted as saying the PCR testing system is a week away from breaching capacity, most people probably didnt blink an eye. This was the day before New Zealand moved into phase 2 of the Omicron pandemic response plan.

By Friday February 18 New Zealands northern laboratories Omicron PCR capacity had been reached and effectively the PCR service was overrun.

By Monday February 21, like the virus, this quickly spread to the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, central North Island and Southern laboratories.

By the time we moved into phase 3 of the Omicron response plan on Wednesday February 23, virtually all laboratories in the country were at capacity and starting to face significant backlogs of PCR samples, says Terry.

The public health professionals tasked with taking the PCR samples were being pushed to the limit and there needed to be swift action and difficult decisions made.

New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science president Terry Taylor. Photo: Supplied.

Terry says that as everyone could imagine, this was, and continues to be, an exceptionally difficult and emotionally demanding time for all involved with New Zealands diagnostic testing response.

We instantly moved from having control and direction to a situation akin to organised chaos and lack of control over what was unfolding in front of us, says Terry.

The leadership and dedication showed throughout the country by the entire workforce will be my lasting memory of the past two weeks.

I would like to personally put out a heartfelt thank you to our many young training medical laboratory scientists and technicians and who have stepped firmly into the breach of the frontline of our pandemic testing response, says Terry.

The future of our profession will be in the safe hands of a group that have experienced first-hand just how quickly and unexpectedly control can be lost.

RAT testing was rolled out quickly to pull back the stresses that were placed on the PCR testing capacity and Terry says that in most centres this has allowed laboratories to see light at the end of the tunnel.

However, this comes as a stark reminder that this has subsequently transferred enormous pressure on our primary care colleagues, in particular the GPs and pharmacists, says Terry.

We also know that our job is far from done and we will continue to support our fellow medical professionals as we start to deal with the increasing numbers of patients starting to need significant care in our hospitals.

Terry says it is fair to say in the 75-year history of the NZIMLS the members have never faced a challenge quite like this.

In recent times, specialised disciplines within our medical laboratory workforce have stood up beyond expectations during the Christchurch earthquakes, the Christchurch Mosque terror attacks, the Whakaari/White Island eruption, and the measles outbreak just before the COVID pandemic, says Terry.

This has also been an unprecedented time for all involved in governance with no obvious script to follow. We are all in acknowledgement that we are still a while away from gaining parity and any semblance of control in our medical response.

Within a week there has been a significant change of messaging and emphasis as the NZ national response to Omicron evolves as quickly as the case numbers skyrocket.

This hasnt been easy for all those tasked with making these difficult and often wide-ranging decisions, says Terry. To ensure the public understanding of exactly what has unfolded in the past two weeks our medical and government leaders deserve credit for keeping the public informed during this dynamic and difficult time for everyone.

Covid and especially Omicron will eventually be part of our normal fabric and as long as we learn from what has unfolded over the past two months then everyone will be better prepared for any similar situations in the future.

A week can feel a very long time when you are faced with continuous extreme pressure, says Terry.
There are 14941 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, the Ministry of Health has announced. Of these, 812 new cases are in Bay of Plenty and 208 in Lakes.

There has been one death, 305 people are in hospital and five are in ICU. At the border, 41 new cases have been identified. Vaccination uptake is progressing with 70 per cent of eligible Kiwis now boosted.

Of the 14941 new community cases, 5747 were detected by PCR and 9194 by RAT testing.

There are 225 new community cases in Northland, 9046 in Auckland, 1519 in Waikato, 812 in Bay of Plenty, 208 in Lakes, 136 in Hawkes Bay, 142 in MidCentral, 19 in Whanganui, 100 in Taranaki, 69 in Tairawhiti, 45 in Wairarapa, 516 in Capital and Coast, 373 in Hutt Valley, 158 in Nelson Marlborough, 981 in Canterbury, 44 in South Canterbury, 532 in Southern, nine in West Coast and five of unknown location.

There are now 67632 active community cases in NZ, identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered.

Of those 305 cases in hospital, there are two in Northland, 45 in North Shore, 110 in Middlemore, 100 in Auckland, five in Tauranga, three in Taranaki, 34 in Waikato, three in Canterbury, and three in Southern Hospital. The average age of current hospitalisations is 52 years.

More than two thirds of eligible New Zealanders have now had their booster, a huge step in the fight against the spread of Omicron in our communities, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

Wild weather, traffic and queues on Saturday didnt deter the 70 per cent of those eligible who have turned out at vaccination clinics across New Zealand over recent weeks.

Credit also goes to our awesome team of more than 16,000 trained vaccinators who are doing the mahi, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

We thank each and every New Zealander who has joined the fight so far, being boosted has increased their protection against severe disease.

With Omicron spreading rapidly in our communities, we encourage every remaining eligible person to get boosted.

If you had your second vaccination at least 3 months ago and youre 18 and over you can book online at www.BookMyVaccine.nz or visit a walk-in or drive-thru vaccination clinic.

For a list of vaccinations centres visit Healthpoint.

Current cases

We are seeing that a large proportion of recent cases are under 30 years of age, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

In the past fortnight, of the 14,940 cases reported, 59 per cent have been under 30 years of age and 12 per cent over the age of 50. The two age groups with the highest percentage of cases are people aged between 10-19 years of age and those aged between 20-29 which account for 25 per cent and 25 per cent of cases respectively.

The opposite pattern is seen in those who are in hospital with Covid-19.

Of the current 236 patients with Covid-19 in hospital in the Northern region (there are 305 in the whole country) there are 19 per cent who are under the age of 30 and 54 per cent over the age of 50.

This reflects similar trends seen overseas where younger people, who are more socially active, often have higher infection rates, though it is the older age groups which are most likely to require hospital treatment from Covid-19, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

We are also seeing a continuing spread of cases across the country. The three Auckland DHBs continue to predominate with the highest rates of infection in the country (Auckland 1,843 cases per 100,000 population; Counties Manukau 2,596 per 100,000 population and Waitemata 1,179 per 100,000 population. Other areas with higher rates include Southern with 929 per 100,000; Waikato with 913 per 100,000 population and Bay of Plenty with 759 per 100,000 population.

Death of a patient in Northland

Sadly, a patient passed away in a Northland hospital on Saturday. The person died from an unrelated medical condition and had tested positive for Covid-19.

Covid-19 vaccine update

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

Vaccines administered to date: 4,019,173 first doses; 3,958,932 second doses; 33,413 third primary doses; 2,333,984 booster doses: 239,178 paediatric first doses and 3,072 paediatric second doses

Vaccines administered yesterday: 353 first doses; 863 second doses; 80 third primary doses; 28,836 booster doses; 2,891 paediatric first doses and 370 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated (including those vaccinated overseas)*

All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,062,733 first dose (96.5%); 4,000,856 second dose (95.1%), 2,335,644 boosted (70.1% of those eligible)

Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 519,022 first dose (90.9%); 498,265 second dose (87.3%), 197,125 boosted (58.9% of those eligible)

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 280,655 first dose (97.9%); 274,556 second dose (95.8%), 119,203 boosted (57.5% of those eligible)

5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 239,082 first dose (50.2%); 3,070 second dose (0.6%)

5 to 11-year-olds - Maori: 35,089 first dose (30.4%); 488 second dose (0.4%)

5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 21,005 first dose (42.5%); 426 second dose (0.9%)

*Note, that the number for people vaccinated differs slightly from vaccines administered as it includes those that have been vaccinated overseas.

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)**

Northland DHB: first dose (90.3%); second dose (87.8%); boosted (68.5%)

Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.4%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (67.3%)

Waikato DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (66.3%)

Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (67.1%)

Lakes DHB: first dose (93.6%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (67.8%)

MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72.6%)

Tairawhiti DHB: first dose (93.4%); second dose (90.7%); boosted (68%)

Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.4%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (72.9%)

Hawkes Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (70.7%)

Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.8%); second dose (93.1%); boosted (67.5%)

Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95%); boosted (74.5%)

Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.7%); second dose (97.9%); boosted (77.9%)

Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (74.5%)

Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (75.8%)

West Coast DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (73.5%)

Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.8%); second dose (98.7%); boosted (72.4%)

South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.5%); second dose (94.1%); boosted (74.6%)

Southern DHB: first dose (97.9%); second dose (96.6%); boosted (74.3%)

**First and second dose percentages are for those 12+. Booster dose percentages are for 18+ who have become eligible three months after having their second dose.

Hospitalisations

Cases in hospital: total number 305: Northland: 2; North Shore: 45; Middlemore: 110; Auckland: 100; Tauranga: 5; Taranaki: 3; Waikato: 34; Canterbury: 3; Southern: 3

Average age of current hospitalisations: 52

Cases in ICU or HDU: 5

Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (34 cases / 14.4%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (5 cases / 2.1%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (111 cases / 47%); unknown (48 cases / 20.3%)

Cases

Seven day rolling average of community cases (PCR): 6705

Number of new community cases: 14,941

Number of new community cases (PCR): 5,747

Number of new community cases (RAT): 9,194

Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (225), Auckland (9,046), Waikato (1,519), Bay of Plenty (812), Lakes (208), Hawkes Bay (136), MidCentral (142), Whanganui (19), Taranaki (100), Tairawhiti (69), Wairarapa (45), Capital and Coast (516), Hutt Valley (373), Nelson Marlborough (158), Canterbury (981), South Canterbury (44), Southern (532), West Coast (9); Unknown (5)

Number of new cases identified at the border: 41

Number of active community cases (total): 67,632 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)

Confirmed cases (total): 85,667

Please note, the Ministry of Healths daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.

Tests
Are you a home baker? Rise up Tauranga is calling on the Bay of Plenty community to provide fresh home baking as a way to show support for the front line staff at Tauranga and Whakatane Hospitals over the next seven weeks.

We need our awesome Western and Eastern Bay of Plenty communities to please provide seven weeks of fresh home baking for hospital staff from February until Easter, says Rise Up Taurangas Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

During this Phase 3 Omicron period, the Tauranga and Whakatane Hospital staff from the Path Lab, Emergency Department (ED) and general hospital ward staff will be going over and beyond to process thousands of Covid tests and care for many people coming into ED and the hospital wards. During the Omicron outbreak, the hours are expected to be even longer and more intense and stressful than theyve already experienced.

"Some fresh home baking from the community is a great way to show support."

Cake baked and decorated by Che Crawford. Photo: Supplied.

The plan is for Bay of Plenty people to sign up via a Google Doc form, choose either a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, and then drop off fresh home baking at the contactless depots at both hospitals set up by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board Emergency Planning Team. The team will then distribute the baking to the staff in wards, ED and the pathology laboratory.

For those who want to, they can take photos of themselves and their baking to share on the Rise Up Tauranga Facebook page.

The fresh home baking project for Tauranga and Whakatane Hospital staff will run for seven weeks from Monday, February 28 to Wednesday, April 13, just before Easter.

We think this will be the most intense time as the Omicron outbreak peaks, says Rosalie.

Rosalie started working as a medical laboratory technologist at Tauranga Hospital before continuing on with further study at Wellington Hospital.

"So I know first-hand how intense the work can be. Focusing on being as accurate and as efficient as possible why working under high pressure over a prolonged time can be gruelling. I remember once after attending a vehicle accident on my way to working at the Tauranga Hospital lab. It was particularly horrific and I rode in the back of the ambulance holding a man's foot to his leg by one tendon trying to save his life. After we arrived at ED I walked over the lab, sat down to do some work, and suddenly found my whole body shaking. Dave Paterson, one of my Biochemistry colleagues made me drink a cup of tea and eat a biscuit. Immediately I felt restored. He said 'a little bit of carbohydrate soothes the nerve endings, you'll be right in a minute'. And I was.

"Some delicious baking made with love tends to lift people's morale too. It will be nice to give all the frontline staff a booster.

So we need as many people as possible to choose a day each week that they can commit to providing baking - either biscuits, cakes, fruit loaf, muffins, scones, tarts, flans or slices. And you can choose gluten and dairy free options.

Cardboard cake boxes are available to purchase from New World Mount Maunganui. Photo: Che Crawford.

New World Mount Maunganui has cardboard cake boxes and trays available for purchase from their Deli department which will enable home bakers to place their baking in a container which won't need returning.

We are also contacting other supermarkets to see if they can also make their boxes available for purchase, says Rosalie.

There will be contactless delivery of the fresh home baking on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 9am and 11am at a drop-off bay at both hospitals. After signing up and choosing their day, we will provide bakers with the details of each location and a map showing them where to go. Please do not go to the hospital main entrance with your baking.

The fresh home baking for hospital staff is a project run by Rise Up Tauranga in liaison with the Bay of Plenty District Health Board Emergency Planning Team. Updates will be posted to the www.facebook.com/riseuptauranga page .

For more information contact Rosalie Liddle Crawford on rosalie@topshelfdesign.com.

To sign up to be a fresh home baker click here





Decorated cookies. Photo: Che Crawford.
Police are asking the public to help provide information about a fire that has torn through a business in Papamoa.

Barber Shack in Gravatt Road has had to close its doors following a fire that is believed to have been deliberately lit.

Fire and Emergency NZ Shift Manager Kaisey Cook says they received a call to attend the fire at 4.50am on Saturday morning. Police also attended the scene.

Our crew got there and found the point of fire, says Kaisey.

We had three crews attend from Papamoa, Mount Maunganui and Greerton. At 5.25am we had reports that the fire was extinguished.

Kaisey says the FENZ fire investigator has also attended.

There were a couple of premises next to it which were smoke-logged.

The owners of Barber Shack posted a message to their Facebook page soon after the fire was extinguished.

Devastated! Weve woken up to some heartbreaking news this morning whanau. Our beautiful Barber Shop was broken into early hours of this morning and set on fire. Its completely gone all of our hard work just like that!!! Were lost for words at this time absolutely gutted. This was no accident!!!!

The post also includes a message that the Barber Shack will be closed until further notice.

Some real scumbags around. We wont let this break us.

On February 15, the business owners posted a photo to their page showing their team of 12 barbers, who are now all affected by the closure.

A Papamoa resident and close friend of the owners has started a Givealittle page to help support them.

We all want to help them get back on their feet, says Rachel Wikeepa. I have created a Givealittle page because my heart breaks for not only their business, but the workers and families who are affected at already hard times.

"Having celebrated one year of opening in January 2022, the Barber Shack has been thriving. Unfortunately, the owners were notified that their shop had been deliberately burnt down in the early hours on Saturday 26th February. Please help this business and their employees who are the victims of a senseless act of vandalism that has destroyed their business and all of their livelihoods."

Police are continuing to investigate.

If anyone has any information about the fire they can contact police on 10/5, says a Police spokesperson.

To support the Givealitte cause click here: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/support-your-local-barber-barber-shack-papamoa
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Weather Alert

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be 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...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... - Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are expected today through Thursday afternoon 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 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. &&
We had been flying for four hours, but both gas gauges still read full. I didnt need a pilots license to know that couldnt be right, nor to feel the rush of adrenaline in my gums at the thought of the engine sputtering to an eerie quiet death, propeller blades windmilling as we scream mayday mayday and set it down over there like in the movies, hopefully including the part where the heroes confidently stride away while the wreckage ignites in a fireball, such a banal event in their exhilarating life that they cant even be bothered to glance back at the carnage.

Umm, this cant be right I said to Gerry, the real pilot. Yeah, he said, the needles get stuck to the glass. He flicked the glass. The needle didnt move. So do we have enough gas? Yeah, we have another hour left, I stuck the tanks before we left.

Sticking means plumbing a wooden dowl through top of the wing, into the gas tank, judging the gas level by the height of the resulting wetness. Sometimes the simplest technology is best. Wooden sticks dont run out of batteries or make you wait forty-seven minutes for a security update.

Ronald Regan, repeating a Russian rhyming proverb: ,   Trust, but verify.

Its not even good enough to just have two of everything. If two things both rely on electricity, and the electricity goes out, you lose both. There were two gas gauges; both failed for the same reason. It needs to be differently-implemented as well, like a stick versus a gauge. For example, theres a normal magnetic ball compass floating in liquid that will work even if other power sources fail, but its hard to read as it bounces around from the vibration so its good to have another one that runs off suctionair pressure differential between the outside and inside of the cabinwhich is stable even when youre turning the plane in turbulence.

Gerry used to say: Whos lying? Usually your instruments are correct, but sometimes one is lying. Maybe the suction system isnt working, so you double-checking suction-based dials with the electric-based dials. You stick the tank, in case the gas gauge is lying.

The same lesson applies to our daily life of data and metrics. You think you understand what each number means, and usually youre correct. But sometimes youre running out of gas and dont realize it. Ive seen this happen for all sorts of reasons: The spreadsheet had a subtle bug in a formula, the analytics JavasScript code was accidentally left off one page, the survey email didnt get sent to all the customers in the cohort, the database query did/didnt filter something important, a nightly update script hasnt been running for three months.

A good way to check for bad data is to replicate the airplane dashboard method of deriving the same information in two different ways. Revenue from your billing system compared to cash flows from your bank statements. (Once I discovered our credit card processor was delaying our cash receipts.) Number of active customers from Stripe, and from your User Portal. (Because sometimes a cancellation in one system fails to cancel in another system.) Web traffic from Google Analytics but also another analytics system, or your raw web logs. (If you use five web analytics tools, theyll all give you different numbers; this could be due to differences in definitions of things like visit and session, but is that truly all it is?)

Besides paranoia, Ive found another advantage in computing the same data twice: a better understanding of the forces behind that data, and therefore better analysis of how the company operates and how the market is changing. Consider web traffic. There are analytics that tell you where traffic originates (imperfectly, especially with the latest browsers and extensions intentionally obscuring or blocking data), data about your advertising click-throughs, your own raw web server logs, and broad industry data (e.g. Google Trends on how search-traffic for your keywords is changing). They all tell a different story. None has the full picture; all are biased. But taken together, your picture of the world is more complete, and biases might be cancelled through averaging or by paying heed only to the clearest, most consistent trends. If four different sources agree that a trend is happening, then its definitely happening.

If a metric is important enough to watch it every day, and to act if its behavior deviates from expectation, then its important enough to be double-checked. Both for accuracy, and for completeness of comprehension.

If your dashboard isnt redundant, youll never know whos lying?
Rumor mill: Several online security groups are reporting that the South American hacker group Lapsus$ is claiming to have been behind the recent cyberattack on Nvidia. It's also claiming that Nvidia hacked them in return, encrypted the stolen data, and ransomed back their machines. For now, this is just hearsay, but makes for a great turning-the-tables story.

Follow up story: Nvidia attackers threaten to leak mining-limiter bypass algorithm

Nvidia told the Telegraph on Friday that it was investigating a security incident, which the Telegraph believes involved Nvidia's internal systems being "completely compromised." Official sources haven't said more.

Yesterday, Lapsus$ claimed to have stolen 1 TB of data from Nvidia and were threatening to leak Nvidia employees' passwords and security details. It had some screenshots to support its claims, but they weren't conclusive; the group may or may not have had that data.

Shortly afterward, Lapsus$ said that Nvidia hacked it in return. The group supposedly left one of its virtual machines enrolled in Nvidia's mobile device management program, which gave Nvidia a backdoor into its systems. Nvidia remotely encrypted the stolen data and cut off Lapsus$'s access to Nvidia's network, but the hackers claim to have made a copy of the data.

LAPSU$ extortion group, a group operating out of South America, claim to have breached NVIDIA and exfiltrated over 1TB of proprietary data.



LAPSU$ claims NVIDIA performed a hack back and states NVIDIA has successful ransomed their machines



Intel and photos courtesy of @S0ufi4n3 pic.twitter.com/fXcTNqgIpW --- vx-underground (@vxunderground) February 26, 2022

In early December, Lapsus$ also took responsibility for a hack on Brazil's health ministry that involved national immunization program data being deleted and possibly stolen. Lapsus$ said it would return the data for a fee, but the Brazilian government claims not to have paid and instead recovered the data and rebuilt its systems independently a month later.

This time, Lapsus$ hasn't demonstrated a coherent strategy. Initially, it said that it would hold the data ransom. Then, the group insulted Nvidia and used the company's political stance to justify the attack. Now, the hackers are saying they're offended that Nvidia would hack them back and are leaking the data in retaliation.

Some sources say that Lapsus$ has leaked Nvidia employees' security details on Telegram, but that's yet to be verified. While not confirmed, it seems like Nvidia has had more than enough time to update its employees' security details and make the leaked data useless.

Lapsus$ also claims to have proprietary information about Nvidia GPUs, but that data should be legally protected if related to their functionality. At this point, Lapsus$ seems to be struggling to convince Nvidia that they have enough leverage to justify a ransom.

Image credit: Kaur Kristjan
What just happened? In compliance with recent trade restrictions that block the supply of high-tech processors to Ukraine, Intel and AMD have reportedly suspended deliveries of their chips to Russia. These restrictions are part of the ongoing trade sanctions implemented by the US government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A report from RBC claims that Intel and AMD, two of the largest US semiconductor manufacturers, have informed their Russian partners that they would be stopping industrial chip deliveries to the country. However, these restrictions will not affect the supply chain for consumer-targeted products, such as laptop and desktop processors.

"The company is closely monitoring the situation and is enforcing applicable sanctions and export control rules, including new sanctions imposed by OFAC and rules issued by BIS," said an Intel spokesperson in Russia.

The ban on semiconductor exports doesn't start until March 3. However, RBC's sources state that Intel and AMD have already verbally informed Russian buyers that they have already canceled all processor shipments. The sanctions may lead to an immediate shortage of the necessary equipment for running servers and high-tech equipment used across industries, including aviation, banking, and space exploration.

This ban could result in losses to Russian corporations and government institutions, many of whom rely on foreign semiconductor designs to run essential systems. While Russia has announced its intention to substitute foreign-made hardware for its own, these efforts have not panned out. The Elbrus-8C, a Russian-designed CPU, failed to pass recent industrial stress tests.

In addition to the economic ramifications, these trade restrictions may weaken Russia's cyberwarfare capabilities. In addition to recent action against Ukraine, Russian hackers have been tied to cyberattacks committed on the United States, France, Poland, Germany, and South Korea, including a major attack on the 2018 Winter Olympics.

There is growing pressure for US companies to restrict their products and services in Russia. Meta, Google, and Twitter recently announced restrictions on Russian state media that prohibit them from creating ads or monetizing content.

Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister tweeted at Apple CEO Tim Cook on Friday, urging him to block the Apple App Store for citizens of the Russian Federation. Apple has not publicly commented on the request.

Even Taiwan-based TSMC, one of the largest manufacturers of semiconductors globally, stated that they would comply with export control rules on Russia. Once the ban is in full swing, Russia will have to look for other sources for its semiconductor supply chain, such as China.

Image credit: Coolcaesar (CC BY-SA 4.0)
(Photo : GettlyImages/Theo Wargo)

Billionaire and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk stated that the company's internet service is available in Ukraine. The space firm will also send more terminals to the country to help stabilize the internet connection as it faces invasion from Russia.

SpaceX to Send More Terminal to Ukraine

Ukraine has suffered from internet disruptions these past few months as Russian troops advanced and released missiles that hit the country's key infrastructures.

NetBlocks, a monitoring group, said on Feb. 24 that disruptions had been tracked across most of Ukraine, including its capital city, Kyiv, according to The Verge.

On Saturday, Feb. 26, Musk was asked by a Ukrainian government official to give more of the space firm's Starlink stations to the country.

Mykhailo Fedorov, the vice prime minister of Ukraine and minister of digital transformation, said that while Musk is trying to colonize Mars, Russia is trying to colonize Ukraine. He added that Russian rockets attack Ukrainians while SpaceX rockets successfully land from space.

Also Read: Twitter Pauses Ads on Ukraine, Russia | Tweet Recommendations As Well?

Fedorov asked Musk to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and address sane Russians to stand. On Feb.26, Musk responded to Fedorov and said that Starlink service is now active in Ukraine and more terminals will be sent to the country.

Starlink wants to provide the world with faster and more stable internet, starting by improving the internet access in several parts of the world that are not currently served by broadband providers, according to CNBC.

The service will allow people to connect to the internet through a satellite dish that is placed on or near someone's property.

The internet is beamed down to the dish through a network of Starlink satellites that have been placed into orbit by the space firm and ground stations, according to Reuters.

Ukraine Internet Outage

On Feb. 23, Russian troops invaded Ukrainian borders. It started the largest troop mobilization in Europe in a generation.

Russian media attempts to cast the invasion as a response to Ukrainian aggression, on-the-ground reporting has played a part in countering the propaganda, with footage coming from journalists and amateurs on social media.

However, as the conflict between the two countries intensifies, many civil society groups are growing concerned about the possibility of direct attacks on the country's internet infrastructure.

Russia has been linked to DDoS attacks against Ukrainian government sites, but a full blackout would mean going further, using both physical and cyber weaponry to disable telecommunications infrastructure at the network level, and silencing the people of Ukraine in the process.

The invasion has reduced internet connectivity in some parts of Ukraine. Currently, the outages are centered around Kharkiv, the country's capital and its second-largest city. It is located in the northeast of Ukraine, around 25 miles from the Russian border.

The Internet Outage Detection and Analysis or IODA project at Georgia Tech reported that partial outages in Ukraine began just before midnight on Feb. 23. It continued into the morning of Feb. 24.

The outages affect the Triolan internet service provider, which services several cities and other areas across Ukraine, including Kharkiv.

According to NetBlocks, Triolan users had reported the loss of fixed-line internet services, but their cellphones still work.

Related Article: Russia-Ukraine Invasion Map Uses Twitter Post Updates! Here's How CIR's Tech Works and How To Use It

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ukraine is getting support from thousands of anonymous donors. Cryptocurrency analysts revealed that the country had reached at least $13.7 million in Bitcoins so far for its war effort.

Ukraine Receives Millions Worth of Bitcoins

The researchers at Elliptic, a blockchain analysis company, said that the Ukrainian government, volunteer groups, and NGOs had raised the money by advertising their respective Bitcoin wallet addresses online.

So far, more than 4,000 donations have come in, with one anonymous donor donating Bitcoin worth $3 million to an NGO. The median donation for Ukraine is $95.

On Feb. 26, the official Twitter account of the Ukrainian government posted a message online asking the public to stand with the people of Ukraine.

The government advertised that they are accepting cryptocurrency donations, not only Bitcoins but USDT and Ethereum too.

Also Read: 'FIFA' Ultimate Team Cards, Not Crypto Being Farmed in Busted PS4 Warehouse in Ukraine

The government posted addresses for two cryptocurrency wallets that have collected around $5.4 million in Bitcoin, Ether, and other cryptocurrencies within only eight hours.

The Ukrainian Digital Ministry said that the latest call for donations is to help Ukraine's armed forces against the Russian invasion. However, the ministry would not elaborate on how the cryptocurrencies would be spent.

Tom Robinson, the founder of Elliptic, which sells blockchain analytics tools to banks, told the BBC that several crowdfunding and payments companies have refused to allow donations to be made to groups connected to the Ukrainian military. This is why cryptocurrencies were used as an alternative.

On Feb. 25, Patreon, a famous fundraising platform, announced that it had suspended the donation page for a Ukrainian NGO that has been raising money for Ukrainian forces in conflict zones since 2014.

Patreon said that the page called "Come Back Alive" violated the company's policies. The platform stated in a statement that they do not allow the site to be used for funding weapons or military activity.

Cryptocurrency fundraising is becoming a prominent part of modern conflicts in the world, according to CNN.

Because of its increasing popularity and exposure, scammers are taking advantage of the situation and are tricking unsuspecting users who wish to donate to Ukraine.

Elliptic said that at least one social media post was discovered to copy a legitimate tweet from an NGO, but with the user changing the Bitcoin address for their gain.

What the Cryptocurrencies are Being Used For

Several activists have deployed the cryptocurrency for several purposes, including equipping the Ukrainian army with medical supplies, drones, and military equipment and funding the development of a facial recognition app that identifies if someone is a Russian spy or mercenary.

Robinson added that cryptocurrency is very helpful in international fundraising because it does not go against national boundaries and is resistant to censorship.

Also, cryptocurrencies have no central authority that can block transactions, like in response to sanctions, according to CNBC.

Robinson said that cryptocurrency is now being used to crowdfund war, with the tacit approval of governments around the world.

One of the groups supporting the efforts of the Ukrainian resistance have asked for donations in cryptocurrency assets, like nonfungible tokens, or NFTs.

Related Article: 163,126 Traders Liquidated Amidst Russia and Ukraine Tension: ETH, Doge, ADA, and More

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A wife was allegedly able to spy on her husband due to the help of a T-mobile employee. In addition, the employee uploaded a video on TikTok narrating how she was "so happy to help this woman."

Woman Asks T-Mobile Employee to Help Her Spy on Her Husband

According to the story by ZDnet, a woman had doubts about her husband due to him allegedly being "calling and texting someone." The woman reportedly went to a certain T-Mobile store in order to ask for a favor.

A certain T-Mobile store employee uploaded a video on TikTok claiming that when the woman and her response approached her, she was "happy to help this woman" that she decided to make a TikTok video in-store.

T-Mobile Employee Allegedly Helped Woman Find a 'Phone Number'

She noted that she helped the "customer find the phone number" that her husband has allegedly been "calling and texting" over the course of a couple of months. ZDnet noted that the actual video did not particularly show the T-Mobile employee and wife's conversation.

As per the publication, the real question is not just whether T-Mobile employees should be involved in these particular marital situations but rather about privacy. One matter pointed out was whether or not T-Mobile employees should be "making TikTok videos" regarding private interactions with customers.

TikTok Video Gained Over 175k Views

In retrospect, it is actually possible that the particular customer already "had a family account with her husband" and reportedly just wanted the employee to bring up the "latest statements." With that, over 175,000 watched the video.

The video garnered different comments, with some saying that the whole story was "a joke" and that it "never happened." On the other hand, some commenters stated that they worked for different carriers and that they had done the same thing as well, with the article by ZDNet noting that these were "blatant breach of company policy".

Certain companies frown upon these sorts of practices in the example, a McDonald's employee claiming that she lost her job due to posting TikTok videos regarding her daily life. The videos, however, showed her "doing her job very well."

Read Also: Cybersecurity Experts Advice US Businesses, Organizations to Brace for Cyberattacks Amidst Russia's Attack on Ukraine

T-Mobile's Response to the Incident

When it comes to T-Mobile, the company isn't particularly happy regarding the customer service video. When asked for a statement, a spokesperson noted that the company already has safeguards that are in place in order to "protect customer information" and that the company will be investigating the issue in order for them to understand "what actually occurred."

The article notes that a lot of people still have suspicions stating it is not a "good ad for the brand," noting that "employees will potentially breach privacy rules if they feel there's a need."

Related Article: Fake Videos Start Spreading Amidst Russia's Invasion of Ukraine: Footage Even Comes from Video Games

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Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Didi Global, a Chinese ride-hailing company, backpedaled on its announcement that it would stop its operations in Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine.

The company is currently under a cybersecurity investigation in Beijing. The initial decision of Didi Global about ceasing its operations in Russia came after several Western companies said that they would withdraw all operations in the country.

Didi Global to Continue Operations in Russia

In a post on Weibo on Saturday, Feb. 26, Didi Global wrote that the company would not shut down its operations in Russia. The company added that it would continue to operate in Russia and serve the country's drivers and passengers, according to SCMP.

This marked a U-turn for the company after announcing on Feb. 21 that it would exit Russia and Kazakhstan from Mar. 4 because of the changing market conditions and other problems that would prevent it from providing the best service for its customers.

Also Read: Ganging Up On Uber: China's Didi Kuaidi Invests In India's Ola

Didi Global's sudden change of plan in Russia has fueled the rumors that it is currently under pressure because Beijing is opposing the economic sanctions against Moscow, according to Reuters.

Shirley Yu Ze, a political economist and senior practitioner fellow with the Ash Centre of Harvard Kennedy School, said that it would be plausible to assume that the Chinese state shareholders have been able to change the decision.

Yu said that a communique showed that the partnership between China and Russia has no defined boundaries.

The communique was released after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met during the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Yu added that Chinese foreign direct investment in Russia would be a massive indicator of this limitless partnership.

Although there is no evidence that political factors pushed Didi Global to change its decision to pull out of Russia, the company has been under pressure since 2021, just after its initial public offering of $4.4 billion in New York.

The Chinese company was said to have forced its way to an overseas listing after several warnings from Chinese market regulators over security issues, according to Protocol.

Didi Global Under Investigation

Cyberspace Administration of China, an internet watchdog, launched an investigation into Didi Global after its IPO, forcing the company to stop all of its sign-ups for new customers. This resulted in the apps being removed from the app stores.

In December 2021, Didi Global stated that it would begin delisting its stock from the United States for a listing in Hong Kong.

The company's payment options will be affected in Russia. It will strain its earnings after an agreement between the U.S. government and its Western allies to eject some Russian banks from the global payment system.

Aside from the financial services, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Taiwan, and New Zealand have initiated various sanctions targeting Russia's energy and transport sectors.

Didi Global posted a $285 million loss from its international operations in the third quarter of 2021, compared to a $4,590,000 million deficit from its domestic operations in the same period.

Aside from China and Russia, Didi Global operates in several countries across Central Asia, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Africa.

Related Article: Uber Selling China Operations To Didi Heralds Powerful Duopoly On Global Ride-Sharing Market

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tehachapi, CA (93561)

Today

Plenty of sunshine. High 77F. E winds shifting to N at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

A clear sky. Low around 45F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
The first tube of pain-relieving cream arrived at Angela Walter's home after a pharmaceutical rep got a prescription for her without a doctor's visit.

"I thought it was kind of like a trial, but I thought I'd try it," the 51-year-old Amherst woman recounted in a jury trial underway in federal court in Buffalo. "I thought it was kind of like a Bengay."

She didn't know it at the time, but her husband's insurance company was billed thousands of dollars for that tube.

And then monthly refills kept coming, and more tubes came for each of her three children  all with exorbitant reimbursement rates. So many tubes of cream were coming that she started throwing them in the trash.

By the end, the prescriptions for the non-narcotic creams for scars, wounds and pain she received cost her husband's insurance plan more than $2.8 million. Several others with similar prescriptions also racked up huge bills for their insurers, with a tube of medical cream billed at an average cost of $14,000, but some billed upward to $27,000.

Federal prosecutors call it a brazen case of health care fraud, a conspiracy orchestrated by Michael W. Luehrsen, a 38-year-old former Clarence resident who they say generated more than $10 million in wrongful insurance reimbursements that allowed him to live in waterfront condos in Miami and Buffalo and drive a Lamborghini.

"The money was good, the money was easy," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, one of the prosecutors handling the case against Luehrsen.

Luehrsen's attorneys have another description for what Luehrsen did: perfectly legal.

"Between 2014 and 2016, Mike Luehrsen did make millions of dollars selling incredibly expensive compound medications," defense attorney A. Lee Bentley III told jurors. "You may not like that. The government obviously doesn't like that. But Mike Luehrsen didn't set the prices of these compound medications.

"The health insurance companies, who are the alleged victims here, decided what they were willing to pay for different compound medications," Bentley said. "They set the prices. They were perfectly free at any time to discontinue coverage."

Bentley challenged the prosecution to present "a single specific clear rule that Mike Luehrsen violated."

In other words, "Mike played by the rules as he understood them," Bentley said.

The trial before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo resumes Monday, when jurors will enter their third day of deliberations.

Deadbeat debt collector grilled in court: 'Information he wanted to withhold, he withheld' A hearing was held Tuesday to determine whether Douglas MacKinnon should be sanctioned and even incarcerated for not fully complying with a government subpoena.

Two other men have already pleaded guilty to charges: one who helped get prescriptions without the patient having had a medical visit and the other who substituted different patient names on signed 12-month prescriptions for the creams without a physician's knowledge. Both testified as cooperating government witnesses in Luehrsen's trial, which began Feb. 2.

One has already been released from prison after being sentenced to three years, and the other awaits sentencing. But the prosecution has depicted Luehrsen as the one who devised "the scheme to make those quick millions, and he conspired with others to commit health care fraud," Kruly told jurors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Fabian said Luehrsen had "hands-on" control of what the prosecutor described as a pyramid operation in which he recruited others to look for patients with the right insurance coverages and doctors willing to sign the prescriptions for the custom-made medications. So Luehrsen's denials that he knew what the others had done  leading to their guilty pleas  should not ring true to jurors, Fabian told them in his summation.

"He's in bed with them doing the wrong thing," Fabian said.

Luehrsen faces one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He also faces 19 counts of money laundering, with the government alleging he tried to conceal his millions by moving around funds among some 30 bank accounts in his or his company's name. And the government also charged him with two counts of altering or destroying evidence, based on him deleting emails.

Luehrsen, testifying in his own defense, told jurors he didn't break any laws over his career marketing medications.

"I feel like I helped the lives of people and did a lot of good in the medical community," he said.

'A loophole'

No one disputes Luehrsen is a good salesman. He worked for about eight years marketing Big Pharma products, spending his work days visiting doctors offices to market the medications of the companies he worked for. Once he received a national award on the 50-yard line at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, widely referred to as Jerry World after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

"Mr. Luehrsen has sales in his blood," Bentley said.

"In his early 30s, Mr. Luehrsen was really doing well, the world was his oyster," Bentley said. "But he wanted his own company."

So he formed MedHype.

To understand the government's case against Luehrsen requires understanding where the medications he marketed came from as he ran his own business.

He dealt with custom medications, also called compounds. These are not the medications made by pharmaceutical companies that doctors typically prescribe for patients and then are picked up by the patients at their corner drug store.

Some patients can't use major, commercially available drugs because of an ingredient to which they may be allergic. So a compound is a custom medication made by a pharmacist without an ingredient a patient may be allergic to and with a different ingredient used in its place.

"A compound drug is a medication that is supposed to be written specifically for a particular patient's needs, and compounded by a pharmacy for a specific patient's needs," said Blake Stockwell, a senior manager in a special investigations unit for Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management organization headquartered in St. Louis.

"The pharmacy mixes a couple of different medications together for like a topical cream," he told jurors. "So the pharmacy produces the product rather than buying it from a manufacturer. With a compound, we are going to reimburse based on all of the ingredients that are billed."

And Luehrsen made sure the custom medications he was marketing included some very expensive ingredients, whether they were needed for a particular patient or not, the prosecution said.

Luehrsen and other participants in his operation tailored the medications "to contain ingredients that carried high reimbursement rates from health insurers," according to the government's court papers. They targeted patients whose health insurance covered compounded medications, companies like National Grid and Verizon. They sought out patients and convinced them they would benefit from the medication and then worked with the patients to obtain the prescriptions.

"The keys to quick money were the patients with the right insurance and the doctor's signature," Kruly said.

Leslie Nappi of Utica was one such target, because her husband worked at Verizon, whose insurance covered the high-priced compounds.

"The Nappis were the right patients, and the defendant had a solution to the second problem: the blank prescription pad with the doctor's name on it," Kruly said. The Nappis presumed they would receive two or three tubes, "kind of like a $20 BioFreeze or Aspercreme," Leslie Nappi testified.

Sixty tubes of cream would come to the Nappi household every month, with a single tube of scarring cream costing the Nappis' insurer close to $20,000.

"It seemed like every two weeks these boxes were coming, for almost a year," she said, eventually costing their insurer more than $1 million in reimbursements, according to Kruly. "I stored them in my basement because there were too many, and I also gave them out. I gave them to my mom, my mother-in-law, my father-in-law," Nappi testified.

When pharmacies obtained approval to fill the prescriptions, they would keep half the reimbursement from the insurers and pay the other half to MedHype, according to the indictment.

"He devised a scheme that he thought was going to fly under the radar, and in just a couple of years he made millions," Kruly said. Prescriptions were signed by doctors who had not seen the patients. In some cases, the prescriptions were forged, he said.

"As insurance companies realized what was going on and they tried to stop payment for an ingredient that resulted in astronomical reimbursement rates, the compounds would be reformulated, the ingredients would change to continue to keep the reimbursements as high as possible," Kruly said.

Luehrsen considered it a "game of cat and mouse" with the insurers, Kruly said.

"The defendant played it like a game. He won millions," Kruly told jurors, by taking "advantage of a loophole that caused these compounds to reimburse for astronomical rates."

'Broken health care system'

Luehrsen's Tampa, Fla., lawyers acknowledged the absurdity of the reimbursement prices.

"The prices, they're insane. There's no other word for it," defense attorney Jason Mehta said in his closing argument. "I think we're here because of how expensive our health care system is. But Mr. Luehrsen never set a single one of those prices," Mehta said.

"The health care system in this country is broken," said Bentley, the other Luehrsen lawyer. "But the way to deal with the problems in the health care system in this country is not by prosecuting criminally individuals like Mike Luehrsen. He played by the rules, as he understood them."

Most of the misconduct the prosecutors talked about in the trial was done by the government witnesses, Bentley said. While they were working under him, "Mike didn't know what they were doing." Luehrsen "didn't lie. He didn't steal. When it came to the patients involved in this case, none of them were paid by Mike Luehrsen to get the creams," Bentley said.

"He didn't procure creams for anyone who didn't want them or expressed interest in them. He didn't pay any doctors to write prescriptions, and he didn't deceive any doctors."

Luehrsen did what a lot of companies do, Bentley told jurors.

"You're going to hear, 'Oh, Mr. Luehrsen and people under him, they were targeting insurance companies!' Well, duh, isn't that what any pharmaceutical company is going to do? They try to find out what insurance companies cover their product, and they try to find individuals who have that kind of insurance," Bentley said.

"And yes, he was trying to make money through commissions," he added. "That's exactly what he and every other pharmaceutical rep in the U.S. tries to do," he said.

Luehrsen made two big mistakes, Bentley said. First, he made too much money. And that grabbed the government's attention, Bentley said. And second, he trusted other pharmacy reps that he enlisted to work under him, Bentley said.

"They were the ones who were getting doctors to write dozens of scripts for patients they didn't know anything about," he said. "It was lack of quality control at times, but you're not going to hear anything that was criminal, or this gross misconduct that the government's been talking about," Bentley told jurors.

Luehrsen's lawyers also scoffed at the money laundering and evidence tampering charges. As money laundering goes, what the government alleges Luehrsen did wasn't all that sophisticated, even with all the transactions. Most of the accounts were in the same bank, and every single one had either his name or his company's name, Mehta said.

"He was not hiding anything," Mehta said. "It's not concealment to move money from your corporate account to your personal account to buy a personal condo."

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WASHINGTON  Canada is set to ease its border entry requirements this week, but not by enough to satisfy advocates of more openness on both sides of the border.

As of 12:01 a.m. Monday, people entering Canada will no longer have to present proof of a negative PCR test for Covid-19. Instead, they will have to prove that they have passed either a PCR test or an approved rapid antigen test administered by a laboratory.

Take-home tests, like those being sent to homes for free by the U.S. government, do not qualify.

'Now is not the time to travel': Canada to reimpose border testing requirement Tuesday Canadian officials, at a news briefing Friday, described the move as an attempt to discourage travel as the omicron variant spreads rapidly on both sides of the border.

It is time to adjust our approach," Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters in Ottawa last week.

The move means a trip to Canada will suddenly be cheaper for people in metro Buffalo. Whereas the more reliable PCR tests can cost more than $100 each, antigen tests are cheaper.

Extra random Covid test rankles travelers to Canada Canadian border agents are randomly handing take-home testing kits to people arriving at border crossings and airports  and requiring that they take that Covid test on video with a nurse on the other end of a computer connection.

But the adjustment of the Canadian rules will mean little to most families that are split by the border, said Sandy Pearce of Fort Erie, founder of a group called Families Are Essential that continues to press for less stringent entry requirements for both Canada and the U.S. And a Western New York congressman introduced a bill to remove all Covid-19 restrictions for those entering the U.S. from Canada.

"It doesnt help at all!" Pearce said of Canada's latest steps. For Canadians, "you still have to go through the hassle of booking an appointment and finding a test that is accepted at the border."

Pearce said the border requirements will still prevent her from regularly visiting her 90-year-old mother in Hamburg, who had a stroke three weeks ago.

"Why did we get vaccinated if we still need to jump through hoops?" she said. "Covid rates are low, and all over. Why put that barrier up at land borders?"

What's more, another potential barrier will remain. The Canadian government said it will continue to randomly hand out PCR tests to people who cross the border, although it will no longer require them to quarantine until they get the test results.

A trip to Canada isn't getting easier for Americans Vaccinated Americans traveling to Canada will continue to have to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test upon crossing the border. And a number of Americans who have been able to enter Canada without being vaccinated against Covid-19 will have to show proof of vaccination starting Jan. 15.

Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat who has long pushed for less restrictive border requirements, said the switch to antigen tests doesn't really make crossing the border that much easier.

"This is just more nonsense that creates more uncertainty, more confusion, which will result in more people turning off altogether" and deciding not to cross the border for shopping or tourism, said Higgins, co-chair of the House Northern Border Caucus. "They've given up. I hear this, anecdotally, all the time."

Duclos said, though, that the Canadian rules continue to be a work in progress and that they can be adjusted again if Covid-19 rates continue to fall.

All measures are subject to re-evaluation, Duclos said. Its important to note that if the epidemiological situation continues to improve, if hospitalizations continue to diminish and Canadians continue to get their booster shots, further easing of travel restrictions could be considered in the coming weeks.

Canada's modest loosening of its border rules comes after three weeks of protests in Ottawa and several border crossings by Canadians opposed to a requirement that truckers crossing the border be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Hundreds express solidarity with Canadian truckers in Peace Bridge protest Protesters gathered Saturday at the border spanned by the Peace Bridge to echo the continuing backlash against Covid-19 mandates across Canada in Ottawa and at key international crossings.

And as that protest wound down last week, 64 Republican House members  led by Rep. Elise Stefanik, who represents the North Country  wrote to President Biden to urge him to work with the Canadian government to lift the cross-border vaccination requirement for truckers and others whose travel is essential.

We are deeply concerned by the recent implementation of Covid-19 vaccination requirements for essential travelers to the United States and Canada despite widespread opposition and serious concerns over the mandates effect on our nations supply chains, the lawmakers wrote. The decision by your administration and the Canadian government is not only impacting truck drivers, but it also hurts American agriculture and countless industries across our nation."

Rep. Chris Jacobs, an East Aurora Republican, and Rep. Claudia Tenney, a Utica-area Republican who plans to run this fall in the Southern Tier's newly redrawn 23rd Congressional District, also signed the letter.

On Sunday, Jacobs also announced he had introduced legislation that demands the Biden administration lift the vaccine requirement and any other Covid-19 restrictions in place for travelers crossing the border from Canada into the United States.

Jacobs argued it is well past time to make it easier to enter this country for Canadian tourists, truckers and others engaged in commerce and families divided by the border.

He said the region cant afford to endure the financial blow of another lost tourism season, on top of the summers of 2020 and 2021. And he pointed to plummeting Covid-19 cases and high vaccination rates, on both sides of the border.

These mandates are government overreach and clearly wildly unpopular. It is time to move on from them and get back to normalcy, Jacobs said at a news conference in his Clarence district office.

Jacobs was joined at the event by Pearce and another Fort Erie resident, Tammy Scott.

The women joined in arguing for the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, on both sides of the border, saying the rules had kept them away from their families and loved ones.

We need to be able to live our lives again, Pearce said.

I think its just time to move on, added Scott, who said shes been separated from her boyfriend after he moved to Buffalo.

Correction: This story has been modified to clarify that take-home antigen tests won't meet the Canadian government requirement. An earlier version of the story indicated that take-home tests would qualify.

News staff reporter Stephen T. Watson contributed to this report.

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Youth in their 20s who have fallen into the swamp of preventing the return of Corona and poverty
Both enrollment and participation in TOPS are down at Louisiana public colleges and universities, setting off alarms among higher education leaders.

The coronavirus pandemic and multiple hurricanes in 2020 and 2021 are likely culprits, but not necessarily the only ones.

"It is hard to say that this is strictly pandemic," said Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed. "I think it is the result of multiple disruptions."

Enrollment at public colleges dropped 2.6% for the fall of 2021, according to preliminary data presented last week to the state Board of Regents. That mirrors the national decline of 2.7% in the student count.

Hurricanes, pandemic underscore need for Louisiana education levels to improve, official says Job upheaval sparked by the pandemic and natural disasters reinforces the need for Louisiana to dramatically improve its education levels by 2

In addition, 3.1% fewer students eligible for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, or TOPS, were paid last fall and 3.4% less when private and cosmetology schools are added.

TOPS is also in line for its first standstill budget  $330 million  since the scholarship program was launched nearly a quarter of a century ago.

"We cannot underestimate how the pandemic and disasters have impacted the lives of our students, but we do need to figure out how to get them back on track so we can develop the talent our state desperately needs to recover," said Collis Temple, chairman of the regents.

TOPS pays for tuition and, in some cases, other expenses for students who meet the academic requirements. About 54,000 students get the aid.

LSU and Southern University defied the state and national trends, at least in part.

Undergraduate enrollment at LSU was up 5% for the fall of 2021, to 35,914, according to the school.

Officials at Southern University said fall enrollment there rose 7%, to 7,408 students on the Baton Rouge campus.

Education leaders hope new dual enrollment portal will help overhaul the high school experience State education leaders are launching a new push to widen access to high school classes for college credit, including Black students who make 

However, TOPS enrollment in the Southern University system fell 5.4% between the fall of 2020 and 2021, according to figures compiled by regents officials. It slipped less than 1 percent in the LSU system.

The University of Louisiana System, which includes the University of New Orleans, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, was another story.

Undergraduate enrollment at the nine schools that make up the system fell nearly 6%, to 75,067 students. The number of TOPS recipients also dropped 5.1%, to 27,784 students.

"I think the pandemic is part of it," said UL System President Jim Henderson. "But for us it is mainly that we had four campuses in the last two falls that were totally disrupted by (hurricanes) Laura, Delta and Ida."

Hurricanes Laura and Delta blasted southwest Louisiana in 2020, including McNeese State University in Lake Charles. Enrollment at McNeese dropped 12% between 2020 and 2021.

Higher education leaders seek nearly 20% boost for colleges and universities After years of stagnant or reduced budgets, higher education leaders Wednesday requested a 19% hike in state aid for colleges and universities

Hurricane Ida did historic damage to south central Louisiana in 2021, including nearby colleges and universities.

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Undergraduate enrollment at Nicholls State University in Thibodeaux slipped 10% between 2020 and 2021, according to UL System figures.

It dropped 8% at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond; 6% at the University of New Orleans and 2% at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette during the same period.

Declines for TOPS are starting in high schools.

The high school acceptance rate for TOPS scholarships fell nearly 8% between 2019-20 and 2020-21, well above the normal yearly trends.

Sujuan Boutte, executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, reminded regents that it was no secret that recent years for public schools have been less than stellar amid the need for distance learning and other academic challenges.

"When you see a decline then you start watching," Boutte said of the drop in enrollment.

She said there are lots of reasons why high school students would reject TOPS. "But the bottom line is they did so at a rate of 7.69%," Boutte said.

She said state officials plan to hold focus groups among both secondary and postsecondary students to gauge what is going on.

"See if this was a blip or if this is the beginning of a different trend," she said.

James Callier is executive director of the Patrick Taylor Foundation, which is named after one of the founders of TOPS.

LSU, other colleges set to get $268 million from coronavirus relief bill LSU and other public colleges and universities are set to get $268 million from the latest federal stimulus bill, up 82% from what schools got

Callier downplayed the significance of the dip in TOPS enrollment.

"It was the virus," he said. "If the pandemic was not there it would follow the same patterns that you have seen in the past."

Others offered different reasons for the drop in TOPS participation.

Randy Ewing, a member of the regents and former president of the Louisiana Senate, noted that schools outside the state routinely recruit students who are eligible for TOPS.

Charles McDonald, also a regent and a former state representative who helped launch TOPS, said the growth of need-based Go Grants and other assistance will have an impact on TOPS.

"As we create new programs TOPS will continue to decline to some degree," said McDonald, of Monroe.

The state in 2019 launched a bid to raise the number of working-age adults with a postsecondary credential to 60% by 2030, up from 48% today.

Reed said the drops in enrollment and TOPS point up the need to address the issue to ensure that target is attainable.

"We have a big goal for 2030," she said.
During Louisianas recent redistricting session, Black Democrats sought time and time again to right the wrongs of the Jim Crow era by creating more winnable seats for Black candidates to Congress and the Legislature.

That continued a practice from past redistricting sessions, which has succeeded in expanding the ranks of Black Democrats in the Legislature over the past 30 years.

But creating safe seats for Black Democrats has also had a perverse effect: The redrawn district boundaries have squeezed out legislative districts that White Democrats once could win. With more and more White voters in Louisiana turning away from the Democratic Party, Republicans have seized control of the Legislature and seem virtually assured of maintaining the upper hand in the State Capitol for at least the next decade.

Some numbers put all of this into context.

In 2000, Democrats held a 70-35 advantage over Republicans in the 105-member state House and a 26-13 margin in the 39-member Senate.

The party breakdown has flipped over the past 20 years.

Today, Republicans hold 68 seats in the House compared to 33 Democrats, three political independents and one vacancy. In the Senate, Republicans hold 27 seats, compared to 12 for Democrats.

In 2000, the House had 21 Black members and the Senate had nine. This meant that about 30% of the 96 Democratic legislators then were Black.

Today, Black members hold 26 seats in the House and 10 in the Senate. This means that 80% of the 45 Democratic lawmakers today are Black.

Whats left of the Democratic Party is people of color, said Alex Keena, a political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who has written two books on gerrymandering. This is happening all over the country, especially in Republican-dominated states.

Thats particularly true in the Deep South.

The Mississippi Senate, for example, has gone from a 27-25 Democratic advantage in 2008 to a 36-16 Republican advantage now.

In 2008, 14 of the 27 Democrats were White and 13 were Black. Of the 16 Democrats today, 14 of them are Black.

In the 105-member Alabama House, Democrats held a 56-49 advantage in 2008. Today, Republicans hold a 77-28 margin.

In 2008, 26 of Alabamas House Democrats were Black and 30 were White. Today, 27 of 28 are African-American.

The Republican Party became the party of White conservatives, said Paul Brace, a political science professor at Rice University. Meanwhile, African-Americans became the Democratic Party.

Mark Ballard: How race plays role in legal redistricting process House Speaker Pro Tem Tanner Magee repeated variations of We looked at all options and this is the approach we took during Thursdays debate

More numbers show this for Louisiana.

In 2000, 61% of the states voters were registered Democrats, and 22% were Republicans.

Nearly 40% of the states voters are Democratic today, 33% are Republican and 27% are political independents.

While the GOP has nearly caught up with Democrats in party registration today, more tellingly, Republicans hold nearly all of the top elected jobs in Louisiana, an indication that many White Democrats no longer vote for their partys candidates.

President Donald Trump carried Louisiana with 58% of the vote in 2020, for example, while U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy won re-election that year with 59%.

Over the past 20 years, the racial breakdown of Democratic voters has flipped.

Of registered Democrats in 2000, 59% were White and 39% were Black.

Today, 60% of Democratic voters are Black and 36% are White.

The major problem faced by the Democrats is that White voters have left them, said David Lublin, chair of the political science department at American University and the author of a book on redistricting.

There are a lot of reasons for the decline of White Democrats in Louisiana.

I really felt like the Democratic Party had left me, said former state Rep. Noble Ellington, explaining why he made history in 2010 by becoming a Republican after 22 years in the Legislature as a Democrat. The switch of Ellington, who is White, gave Republicans a majority in the House for the first time since the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era.

The Democratic Party, Ellington said, had become much more liberal in lots of respects. One of the main issues was abortion.

Democrats nationally increasingly favor abortion rights while Republicans oppose abortion. Gov. John Bel Edwards, a devout Catholic, is one of the few major Democrats nationally who does not support abortion.

The question of whether legislative districts are drawn to elect Whites or Blacks is especially important because it plays such a decisive role in determining the winner.

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At the beginning of this year, Black legislators held 37 of the 40 seats drawn 10 years ago to elect Black candidates in Louisiana. The white Democrats holding the Black-majority seats are: Rep. Mandie Landry, of New Orleans; Rep. Robby Carter, D-Greensburg; and Sen. Jay Luneau, of Alexandria.

No Black candidate holds a seat that was not drawn to favor Black candidates.

The combination of Black-majority districts and a racially polarized voting has created more opportunities to elect Republicans, said John Couvillon, a Baton Rouge-based pollster and demographer who helped draw maps during the redistricting session.

Lublin said that beginning in 1990, the GOP concentrated on electing more Republicans throughout the country, often in a strange-bedfellows alliance with Black lawmakers.

When Louisiana redrew its lines in 1991, then-Rep. Emile Peppi Bruneau, a White Republican from New Orleans, worked with then-Rep. Sherman Copelin, a Black Democrat from New Orleans, to create more Republican and Black Democratic seats.

In 2008, Jim Tucker, a Republican representative from Algiers, was elected speaker of the House with support from the Legislative Black Caucus, in part because he supported the selection of then-Rep. Karen Carter Peterson, a Black Democrat from New Orleans, to become the speaker pro tem.

When Tucker and other legislative leaders began drawing new lines in 2011, the Justice Department under President Barack Obama was pushing to create more Black-majority seats in Louisiana. Under Tuckers direction, the Legislature approved four more Black-majority seats in the House. But those gains were achieved by packing Black voters into those districts, which helped set the stage for Republicans to win seats once held by White Democrats.

Republicans have gone from 53 votes in the House with Noble Ellingtons switch in 2010 to 68 today.

By systematically drawing more majority Black districts, you eliminated the most fertile grounds for White Democrats, said Lublin. You create an incentive system for White politicians to run as Republicans. White people can become Republicans, but they cant become African-Americans.

Term limits and other factors have thinned the ranks of White Democrats.

Edwards appointed then-Rep. Jack Montoucet, D-Scott, to become secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in 2017. John Stefanski, a Republican from Crowley, won that seat without a Democrat challenger.

Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin, was termed out in 2019, and Vincent St. Blanc III, R-Franklin, replaced him.

Rep. Robert Johnson, of Marksville, and Rep. Bernard LeBas, of Ville Platte, are two Democrats who were termed out in 2019. Both ran for the Senate seat held by Sen. Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte, who was termed out as well. Johnson and LeBas lost to Heather Cloud, a Republican from Turkey Creek, and two Republicans won their House seats. In that sequence, four White Democrats disappeared from the Legislature.

Blue dog Democrats dont really exist anymore, said Roger Villere, one of Louisianas two members on the Republican National Committee, referring to conservative White Democrats.

Villere also chaired the state party when Republicans won their legislative majority a decade ago.

Our focus was always on electing Republicans, not White Republicans or Black Republicans, Villere said. It didnt matter what color they were.

Nonetheless, all 95 Republicans in the Legislature are White, as are all seven Republican members of Louisianas congressional delegation.

After legislators convened Feb. 1, to begin the latest redistricting session, Black Democrats pushed to create more Black-majority districts in Congress, the state House and the state Senate.

They noted the 2020 census numbers showed that Black people became a bigger share of the states population over the past decade, reaching 33%, and argued that one-third of the states representatives in Baton Rouge and Washington ought to be Black.

Republicans refused to accept that logic.

To create a second Black-majority congressional seat would have cost U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow her Republican district, which stretches from Monroe in northeast Louisiana to Bogalusa in the Florida parishes.

Republicans declined to create more Black-majority seats in the Legislature because doing that no longer benefitted them. The lines that lawmakers approved maintain the status quo, both for race and party.

In terms of race, perhaps the most noteworthy vote during the redistricting session occurred when five Black Democrats supported new maps for the Louisiana House that lock in the huge Republican majority for the next decade.

Theres a tension between creating more safe majority-minority districts for Democrats and creating more winnable seats, said Alan Abramowitz, a political science professor at Emory University. From the perspective of Black representatives, they can serve in the Legislature, but how much influence do they have?

Whether the congressional and legislative maps remain in place is not yet certain since Edwards could try to block them with a veto, and outside groups have said they plan to file suit by arguing they violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act by not creating enough Black-majority seats.

Rep. Sam Jenkins, who is Black, heads the Democratic caucus in the House.

He sponsored a bill that would have added one more Black-majority district, to reach 30, and created several more winnable seats for White Democrats. Republicans bottled it up in the House and Governmental Affairs Committee, the first step in the legislative process.

Jenkins said Democrats cannot grow as a party by adding Black-majority seats alone.

Many of us are spending considerable amounts of time to recruit White candidates to run for office, he said. That has not proven to be an easy task. Most feel like if they are not Republican, they will have trouble winning. A lot of the White citizenry in this state dont think a Democrat stands for their values.
At the start of each Louisiana Voting System Commission meeting, First Assistant Secretary of State Nancy Landry reads the law that formed the group. Her usual monotone became animated Wednesday  the day the commission was to make its formal recommendation on how voters will cast ballots in the future.

Ill say that again. Its to determine the type of the voting system, not a particular vendor, not a particular system but a type of system, Landry said. We still have to follow the procurement code.

By the time the meeting opened, commissioners had decided to delay making recommendations from which Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin would ask vendors to bid on the equipment and software necessary.

Rep. John Stefanski, R-Crowley, then asked his 12 colleagues to wait until he could take a look at the equipment. Im not in a position to be able to make a vote today until I physically see what a ballot-marking device is, what types of hand-marked ballots look like. They agreed.

On the surface, it all sounds reasonable.

But the formula for a new voting system has ended up being a cloudy mixture of the states labyrinthine procurement rules, fears among some voters of fraudulent results, and worries by others that the changes will keep many from participating.

A previous effort to replace Louisianas fleet of aging voting machines  an odyssey that began before Ardoin became secretary in 2018  was set aside when losing vendors claimed the process was rigged. Their allegations were complex and detailed, but the one-sentence synopsis was that the request for proposal was written to include accessories that only one bidder could fulfill.

This time around, the newly-created commission needs to decide between a voting system with either handwritten checkmarks on paper ballots or touchscreen machines that print the selections for the voter to review, then cast by feeding it into a scanner that also count the votes or, in the alternative, counting the hand-marked ballots by hand.

+4 Amid national controversy, commission to select new voting system for Louisiana Born from the widespread, if incorrect, fears that American elections are tainted, the Voting Systems Commission met five times over the past 

Vendors werent included in the deliberation because the commission was deciding policy. Forgive the analogy, but does the state need a sedan or pickup truck? The fear of involving vendors earlier in the process was that commissioners would fall in love with the Multi-Flex Tailgate, which would channel the decision toward not only a pickup, but one made by Chevrolet.

The commissions next meeting, possibly in March, will include vendors.

Ardoin said he favors the touchscreen system that creates a paper receipt for the voter to verify before casting the ballot.

Louisiana is one of the last states still relying on Direct Recording Electronic, or DRE, voting machines that are not outfitted with devices to make a paper record that Ardoin says could be used to audit results and reassure voters that their preferences are being accurately included.

Louisiana also is one of the few that operate elections from the state level. Most states set standards for the local jurisdictions to conduct their own elections.

Only 1,336 jurisdictions in 16 states, out of nearly 10,000 nationwide, use hand-counted ballots, according to the latest Election Administration and Voting Survey Comprehensive Report. More than half the jurisdictions use ballot-marking devices with attachments that create voter-verified paper audit trails.

Lawmakers in Republican-majority states advocate for hand-counting paper ballots, saying the machinery is insecure. Utah, New Hampshire, and Texas are among the states abandoning their machine-based voting systems to return to just paper, with human counters.

Parish clerks lined up at the commission to oppose paper ballots, citing reasons from printing issues to the possibility that people who cant use their hands or are blind could be disenfranchised.

The truth is that nothing really is wrong with the existing DRE voting machines, except that theyre getting old and replacement parts are getting harder to find, said Mike McClanahan, head of NAACP Louisiana and a member of the commission. That, and the new law that forbids DRE voting machines from being considered, even if outfitted with a way to make a paper trail.

Nevertheless, he said, voters know what to do in the old machines. The entire ballot is laid out on one sheet and all the voter has to do is press the squares by their selections. Lines inevitably will get longer with either new system. That could lead working voters to skip elections rather than wait in long lines.

We have a solution looking for a problem here in Louisiana, McClanahan said.
On Wednesday, for the first time in 18 months, school children in New York can leave their face masks at home.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she was lifting the state mask mandate for schools at a news briefing Sunday.

The easing of the requirement applies to children ages 2 and older, including those in child-care settings.

Counties, cities, school districts and even individual schools still can choose to keep a mask rule in place, however, and parents are free to send their children to school with masks on, the governor said.

Hochul cited falling Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations and guidance from medical experts as driving the policy change.

I always had that sense, if we stick with the experts and the data, and let that be our guide, and not let criticism and politics intervene in this decision-making, well end up in the right place, Hochul told reporters. And that is why I feel very confident that this is the time to lift the mask requirement.

The end of the mask rule was demanded in recent weeks by a growing chorus of parents, school leaders and critics of public-health mandates.

Students, teachers and staff have been wearing face coverings in schools since they started the 2020-21 school year amid the pandemic.

Most who returned that September participated in what became known as "hybrid" learning, with half of students in a class attending on any given day, while the other half remained at home learning remotely.

Hochul ended the states mask mandate for indoor public spaces on Feb. 10, meaning people no longer had to wear a mask or show proof of vaccination when going into a restaurant or grocery store or just about any other business in the state.

When she lifted the mandate, she said it was possible the mask requirement in schools could be lifted March 7. She planned to look at certain metrics the week many students returned from the weeklong February break. Students return starting Monday.

Hochul wanted to examine reports of Covid-19 positive cases in students, cases per 100,000 population, percent positivity, general and pediatric hospital admissions, vaccination rates and global trends on the coronavirus.

She also wanted students to take a rapid test the day they returned to school and three days later.

New York State officials reviewing new CDC mask guidance Gov. Kathy Hochul said state officials are reviewing new guidance from the Centers for Disea

But on Friday afternoon, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their community Covid-19 levels from four to three levels: low, medium and high.

The levels are calculated looking at hospitalizations, hospital capacity and the number of cases in each county. And many counties that had been considered in the highest level now are at the medium level.

The CDC masking recommendations changed as well.

The only level where masks are recommended indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status  including in K-12 schools and other indoor community settings  is the highest level.

The CDC recommends those who are immunocompromised and are in medium- or high-level communities talk to their physician about wearing masks. Those who encounter vulnerable people should consider wearing a mask indoors, the CDC said.

Under the new federal metrics, 11 of New York's 62 counties are considered to have a high level of community transmission. The rest are low or medium.

Erie and Niagara counties are medium, while Cattaraugus and Allegany counties are the only Western New York counties considered on the low level.

Given the new CDC guidance and improving Covid-19 metrics, Hochul decided to act before March 7.

For example, Hochul said, statewide Covid-19 cases have fallen 98% in the seven weeks since their Omicron peak, from a seven-day average of 90,132 on Jan. 7 to 1,671 on Saturday.

The numbers for school-age children have shown a similar decline, from a rolling average of 14,167 positive tests on Jan. 18 to 229 on Saturday.

And hospitalizations, another closely watched data point, also have dropped sharply since the New Year, from 12,671 across the state on Jan. 11 to 1,911 on Saturday.

Hochul said the Omicron surge could have been worse, and lasted longer, if not for the mask mandates and other measures taken by her administration.

Erie and Niagara counties chose different responses to the Covid surge. The results were mixed As the Covid-19 pandemic continued to dominate the world, Western New York's two largest counties  Erie and Niagara  took a different public health approach to the latest holiday and Omicron-variant-fueled surge.

The governor also pointed to the states relatively high vaccination rate as another reason for optimism.

Students, parents and many educators have been saying for weeks, if not months, that the mandate should be lifted in schools.

Children are not as susceptible to Covid-19 infections and complications, and the masks harm children's ability to communicate, learn and bond with each other, critics said.

As masks became part of the culture wars, some parents and others attended local school board meetings unmasked, refusing to wear face coverings when asked.

Parents have filed lawsuits against the current governor and the previous governor over the mandate. It was overturned by a state Supreme Court justice in Nassau County, but the state is appealing that ruling.

We withstood a lot of criticism, a lot of objections to this, Hochul said, calling her decision a huge thank you to teachers, school leaders and school families.

No more vaccine mandate for KeyBank Center, mask mandate lifted for Erie County buildings Mark Poloncarz's decision to lift the vaccine mandate from KeyBank Center will be useful news for fans coming to Buffalo for the NCAA Tournament next month.

Masks were first required in public places in New York in April 2020.

The state Department of Health under former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced last July that masks would no longer be required for summer school but that schools and districts could require them.

Cuomo lifted many Covid-19 restrictions, including the mask mandate in public places, last May and June. Hochul reinstated them when she took office and the Delta variant was starting to surge.

But pressure increased on Hochul earlier this month when the governors of surrounding states announced end dates for their school mask mandates.

A poll of 2,055 Buffalo teachers conducted by their union earlier this month found 55% supported keeping the masks on until the impact of the February break  when many teachers and students traveled out of town  could be determined. Forty percent supported ending the mask mandate immediately, and the rest had no opinion.

Hochul said the state will keep a close eye on results from testing as schools return from mid-winter break, continue to distribute millions of test kits, monitor Covid-19 metrics and push vaccinations and boosters.

We are going to remain vigilant, Hochul said.

Michael Cornell, president of the Erie Niagara Superintendents Association, said the decision was expected after the CDC changed its guidance on Friday. But he said the governors delay until Wednesday was not.

The logic behind that is unclear to many superintendents, but thats what shes seen fit to do, he said Sunday. We appreciate families understanding that it puts us in a difficult position, and appreciate them sticking with us a couple more days and then we can make masks optional as of Wednesday.

The change applies not only to students, teachers and staff, but also to visitors to schools, he added.

It puts schools in line with every place else. If you want to wear a mask, you wear a mask. If you dont want to wear a mask, you dont, which makes sense, Cornell added.

And he said every school leader expects that everyone will be respected for their choice, just as schools are already a mosaic of different views and opinions.

We have to move past the mask-or-no-mask question, and move to the things that are really going to be important, which is focusing on the academic progress of our kids, focusing on the mental wellness of our kids, and seizing the return to normalcy that this represents after two long years of having to accommodate to the different aspects of the pandemic, he said. Weve rolled with a lot of the punches in the last couple of years.

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Barbara O'Brien Reporter I grew up in Rochester, graduated from St. Bonaventure University and worked in radio before joining The Buffalo News. I report on issues in local communities. Over the years I have covered stories in every town in Erie County. Follow Barbara O'Brien Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Stephen T. Watson News Staff Reporter I report on development, government, crime and schools in the northern Erie County suburbs. I grew up in the Town of Tonawanda and worked at the Post-Standard in Syracuse before joining The News in 2001. Email: swatson@buffnews.com Follow Stephen T. Watson Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong says China is acting contrary to its own longstanding foreign policy regarding respecting others sovereignty in its current position on Ukraine.

China abstained from a vote to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine during a UN Security Council meeting yesterday while having also recently issued a statement acknowledging Russias security concerns.

Labors foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong says China is in a special position to pressure Russia against invasion. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

As western nations apply sanctions against Russia, China has also loosened trade restrictions with the northern neighbour with whom it has strengthened its relationship in recent weeks.

Senator Wong said this morning that by virtue of its unique relationship with Russia, China was in a special position to pressure Russia against invasion.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Stephanie Cooke said the flooding that Lismore and surrounding areas were experiencing is a natural disaster of unprecedented proportions. The minister announced that there were four aircraft that are very keen to get up in the air and start down-the-wire rescues once conditions eased. The flooding in NSWs north came as Queenslands floods claimed the lives of eight people, after a man and his dog were found dead in a submerged vehicle on the Gold Coast on Monday. Residents try to evacuate the areas around Lismore as the flood begins to rise on Monday morning. Credit:Elise Derwin Meanwhile, a man is feared dead in Lismore after NSW Police officers on Sunday saw him calling for help but quickly lost sight of him, fearing he may have been washed down a drain.

Lismore residents were forced to leave their homes after the NSW State Emergency Service ordered all citizens to evacuate before 5am on Monday morning due to extremely dangerous floods. For the safety of YOU and your FAMILY please evacuate the township NOW! the Richmond police district said on its social media pages. Residents woke to the sounds of sirens as Lismores levee was breached after being hit with 406mm of rain between 9am on Sunday and 4am on Monday. Evacuation orders remain in place for several areas across northern NSW, including parts of South Murwillumbah, Kyogle, Mullumbimby and Coraki, with the town of Casino also told to prepare for evacuation.

NSW Police also declared Lismore CBD off-limits to all pedestrians and vehicles after being inundated with water. The floods in the region were unprecedented, the weather bureaus senior meteorologist Jackson Browne said, with rainfall on Monday breaking the towns weather records. By noon on Monday, the Wilsons River at Lismore had reached 14.2 metres  almost two metres above the previous 1954 record of 12.27 metres, according to Weatherzone forecaster Ben Domensino. Nobody gets left behind: residents and their pets are taken to Lismores evacuation centres. Credit:Elise Derwin Meanwhile, a rain gauge to the north of Lismore recorded the second-highest daily rainfall total on record in NSW. Dunoon, a small village located roughly 20 kilometres north of Lismore, registered 775mm of rain during the 24 hours to 9am on Monday, Weatherzone said, adding that the observation would need to be quality controlled by the Bureau of Meteorology before it could be confirmed.

The deluge was the second-highest daily rainfall total ever officially observed in NSW, beaten only by 809.2 mm at Dorrigo in February 1954. The Bureau of Meteorologys Mr Browne said the floods in northern NSW and in south-east Queensland were biblical in nature. Lismore recorded 181mm of rain in 30 minutes to 9.15am alone. Its just a massive amount of water thats just come through, he said. Theres nothing in the record books like it. The silver lining was the fact the weather system creating the floods was set to move off the coast in the coming days, Mr Browne said. We might still have some lingering impact after that, showers and storms but nothing biblical in nature like what weve seen.

A tragedy unfolding in front of our eyes Driving in his car after assisting residents out of the water, Cr Krieg described the situation to the Herald as a tragedy unfolding in front of our eyes. Cr Krieg said the towns limited resources meant residents were relying on civilian boats to be rescued from the dangerous conditions  and just two SES boats were available. It is unbelievable, he said. You just cant picture what we are seeing here. This is seriously life-threatening. There are hundreds of people trapped.

Loading Cr Krieg said has been inundated with calls from residents desperate to be rescued. Emergency calls go unanswered The sheer number of calls being made to the NSW State Emergency Service meant some were going unanswered, he said. On the Lismore SES Facebook page on Monday morning, multiple people said they were trapped and were pleading to be rescued.

Loading One person said they were on a rooftop in North Lismore, 3 people and a dog. Cant get thru on phone. We are in the roof ... it has a window onto the roof. Another person posted that a family needed help in South Lismore. Theyre on their roof gable with two little girls and dog. They are running out of roof very fast. Another woman posted that her dad was in chest deep water in his house ... and cant get out of his house. Please Help. Lismore resident Lucy Vader took to her Facebook page in a desperate plea as she waits on her roof for assistance.

As the situation continues to worsen in the area, the Northern Rivers NSW State Emergency Service issued a plea for patience when it came to the surge of requests on Monday morning. If you drop out, please try again and if the situation is life-threatening, hang up and dial 000, the local SES wrote on its Facebook page. The situation in Lismore and surrounds is extremely dangerous and rapidly evolving. NSW SES continues to receive requests from residents to assist with evacuations. The water is still rising, my dog is stuck inside the house, she says in a video posted to Facebook. Im on a steep roof thats slimy.

Crelleain Robertson, another Lismore resident, also took to social media in a desperate plea for her two neighbours who were trapped inside their home. No roof access and tin roof, and they have stopped responding, she wrote. Anyone with a boat can you please go check. A number of residents with boats were coming to the aid of others who were trapped by flooding. Lismore resident Donna Walker and her family of five evacuated their home at 10.30pm on Sunday, taking only their camping gear as they headed for the Southern Cross University evacuation centre.

We lost everything. But all the family is out  that is really important, all possessions can be replaced, she said. The centre is housing about 500 people at the moment, along with cats, birds and dogs. The power has been cut off at the centre, so evacuees have been trying to fill the time however they can. Manager of Lismores paint centre, Laura Durheim, said she was in awe of her community after strangers  along with the local rugby club  turned up in droves to assist the shop to move hundreds of paint buckets out of it on Sunday night. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk compared the floods in her state to ex-cyclone Oswald in 2013 and ex-tropical cyclone Debbie in 2017. Two people are now missing in the floods in Queensland  a man who fell in the Brisbane River last week and a man who went missing near Esk, about 114 kilometres from Brisbane.

What were seeing is the system pushing south to Logan, the Gold Coast and seeing some tragedies unfolding in NSW, she said.Weve been through a lot together. Weve been through a pandemic of two years and yet another flood. No one has seen this amount of rain in such a short time in our entire south-east catchment zone. The Queensland Premier said the Brisbane River peaked just below four metres on Monday morning  at 3.85 metres. The peak in 2011 was 4.46 metres. There were 2200 requests for assistance and 113 water rescues around the Gold Coast, Beenleigh and Brisbane areas. More than 1500 people were in evacuation centres. There are 15,000 houses affected in Brisbane and 3600 in Gympie.
The first line of the Ukraine national anthem is Ukraine is not dead yet. When the parishioners voices swelled with the line at St Andrews Ukrainian Church in Lidcombe on Sunday, the old mens eyes moistened and the women dabbed at their cheeks.

A lot of us came out here in 1949, said Igor Hawryszkiewycz, a retired professor. You can see the little boys running across the border. It makes you want to cry.

Klara Djachenko, who turns 100 in September, met the Prime Minister at St Andrews Ukrainian Church. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Every pew was full and more parishioners lined the walls, many dressed in traditional embroidered shirts and some still wearing their finery from the earlier service where, the priest said, the children taking their first communion had not known whether it was appropriate to smile.

Down in the front row, Prime Minister Scott Morrison offered his support, joined by his wife, Jenny, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, Special Minister of State Ben Morton, Reid MP Fiona Martin and the Polish Consul-General Monika Konczyk. He spent much of the service in deep prayer, the light of the stained glass windows in the overhead dome reflected on his own. After he lit a candle for peace and said a few prayers, the congregation broke into applause.
Kyiv: Glass shards, bits of metal and shell casings, the detritus from a fierce and lethal street fight in Ukraines capital lay scattered over hundreds of metres of pavement. Leading away from the site were bloody footprints.

The fighting, part of a seesaw battle over two nights in the northern parts of Kyiv, left Russian trucks and a tracked vehicle smouldering on a highway. And it signalled that, though vastly outgunned, Ukraines army and a growing corps of civilian volunteers are mounting a spirited defence of the capital.

While military experts say the odds are stacked against them, for now the combined Ukrainian defence forces have defied expectations by slowing and in some cases halting the Russian armys advance, upsetting Moscows war plans. After three days of battle, Russia has yet to take any major cities.

Russian forces are meeting stiff resistance in Kyiv. Credit:AP

The change to a war footing has been swift, for some almost bewilderingly so. What just three days ago had been a bustling, modern European capital, with copious restaurants, bars and cafes, slipped into an eerie war footing faster than seemingly imaginable. Vans and cars with armed men without uniforms careened along the streets. Checkpoints went up seemingly at every stoplight, with men and women in civilian clothes, carrying rifles and stopping cars.
Australians are being warned against flying to Ukraine to join the countrys armed forces in the war with Russia amid a growing debate over whether the law forbids someone from signing up to fight for a foreign government.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians not to travel to the war zone after the Ukraine government made a global call for volunteers to join an international brigade to help defend the country.

The government cited the Foreign Incursions and Recruitment Act to warn that Australians could break the law if they went to fight in a foreign conflict, leaving them exposed to sanctions if they ever came home.

But the Challis Chair of International Law at the University of Sydney, Ben Saul, said fighting for the Ukraine government would not be a crime under the recruitment offences and that this suggested the way would be clear for Ukrainian Australians with dual nationality.
Greater Buffalo-area college students who are studying communications, along with professional journalists seeking additional training, can apply for 2022-23 college and graduate school scholarships offered by the Greater Buffalo International Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Applicants must be residents of Western New York, Northwestern Pennsylvania or Southern Ontario attending accredited colleges in the U.S. or Canada that offer courses to enhance journalism training. Students from outside the chapter area who attend college in Western New York are also eligible. Undergraduates, graduate students and working journalists may apply.

Evidence of competence in writing, broadcasting or related communications skills and an explanation of financial need are desirable. Applicants must include a brief statement outlining their motivation and offering evidence of a commitment to a career in journalism. Letters of recommendation from an instructor or supervisor must accompany the application.

To receive an application by mail, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Annemarie Franczyk, 858 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. 14212. For questions, call Franczyk at (716) 878-5900 or e-mail amfranczyk@verizon.net. Applications must be postmarked by April 30.

 News Staff Reports
M A R C H 1 9 7 4





There are two voices, and the first says, "Write!"

And the second voice says, "For Whom?" . . .

And the first voice says, "For the dead whom thou didst love." -- John Berryman, 1968, quoting Kierkegaard, who in turn is quoting Hamann.

When I reach out towards the body of happiness,

a hoarse voice warns me off: "No no. Not you."

It must be the obituary writer,

the one who scrambled into print the hour

each poet died, always the first to know.

When off obits. he spoke for Henry, defendant.

He waved goodbye and jumped from a high bridge

and clattered dead on the ice of the Mississippi.

I felt the fall coming all the way to Rome

where I took up pen and paper, an obituary

writer's obituary writer. Quickly death spoke,

shouting in its own hoarse voice. Outside,

across Largo Febo, barely out of eyeshot,

an old mad woman had unmouthed her teeth

to save them for another life. In bib and blanket,

with stockings swathing her ankles, she set her body

adrift from the fourth-floor windowsill. She encountered

the January pavement with a cry.

Soon the polizia were snapping photos.

Neighbors huddled together in knots, muttering,

their faces gray as hers. We all mooned over

the swollen object laid out on the cobbles.

The skull was crushed. The flung hands had turned purple.

No one knew her name, least of all the papers.



Dead Henry, better known to all the papers,

was noted alive because, sober, he suffered the shakes.

Drunk, he shrieked and ranted. Who could stand

to stay in the room with him? Not prissy me,

who couldn't abide the hoo-ha, the abasement,

nor my own flinching from his open pain.

His head was full of everybody's death.

His pants sagged, his fly gaped, his hullaballoos

of falling-down drunkeness were an insult to the brain

no matter how hotly and crisply he employed

hangover time for his mettlesome minstrel show

of dreams, obituaries, exhalations.



Some obituary this is: not that of a friend

nor even of an accountant for the fact

of death, of bodies falling alive from heights

in January and landing dead. Admit

that poetry is one of the dangerous trades.

No matter how many we know who have been goaded

by its black promises to deliver

their bodies to the blue snowdrift of death,

it was not poetry, but life, they died of.

Since the day that the old woman took her teeth out

and John the master minstrel turned away

from the gravel of his brother Henry's voice,

there has been no avoiding this obituary.





Copyright  1974 by Peter Davison. All rights reserved. As published in The Poems of Peter Davison (Knopf, 1995).

Originally published in The Atlantic Monthly, March 1974.


Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrap-up February 20-26, 2022

















AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO - February 27, 2022; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

LEARN MORE: Full versions of today's news nuggets along with thousands of pages of relevant news and opinions, information stored in a million-page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel during the past 25 years. Complete information can be found by copying a bold headline and then inserting into any Site Search Box.

Nutson's Automotive News Wrap-up - Week Ending February 26, 2022 Below are the past week's important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive universe news nuggets.

* U.S. DoE factoid of the week: The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a listing of off-cycle vehicle technologies that reduce emissions but are not sufficiently accounted for in city and highway test cycles. These technologies include active aerodynamics, thermal control technologies, active warm up, engine idle stop-start, high efficiency lighting and alternators. Manufacturers can gain credit toward meeting their emissions requirements by adopting these technologies and several saw widespread adoption by vehicle manufacturers for the 2020 model year. The use of thermal glass or glazing to reduce transmission of heat from the sun reached a production share of 89%, followed by high efficiency lighting at 85% and passive cabin venting at 78%. The oft not-loved Engine Idle Stop-Start system had a production share of 50%.

* For the eighth consecutive week, the nations average gas price has climbed, rising 3.2 cents from a week ago and stands at $3.52 per gallon according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million individual price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country. The national average is up 20.7 cents from a month ago and 88.9 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 5.7 cents in the last week and stands at $3.93 per gallon, the highest since May 20, 2014. Oil prices have seen a see-saw between two different situations. Oil is rising due to the Russian incursion, and falling on the potential Iran nuclear deal unleashing Irans crude oil.

* The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is recognizing 65 models with the 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, as improved headlight offerings boost more vehicles into the top tier. Another 36 models earn the lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK award for a total of 101 winners overall. This time last year, there were 90 winners, including 49 earning TOP SAFETY PICK+. Hyundai Motor Group, which includes the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, has the most 2022 awards overall and the most awards in each category  11 TOP SAFETY PICK+ and 10 TOP SAFETY PICK awards for a total of 21. Volkswagen Group, which includes the Volkswagen and Audi brands, is not far behind with eight TOP SAFETY PICK+ and three TOP SAFETY PICK awards. Volvo earns 10 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards. See the full report here.

* Automotive consulting firm AutoPacific just issued its forecast of fully electric light vehicle sales in the U.S. of around 700,000 units in 2022 with strong annual increases throughout the 6-year forecast period. The forecast comes as consumer demand for EVs is also at its highest yet, having spiked significantly in the past two years.

* DeLorean will return as an electric vehicle, according to various reports including a recent story in the San Antonio Business Journal, which says DeLorean Motor Co., now known as DeLorean Motors Reimagined, plans to hire 450 people for its new home in Port San Antonio. DeLorean teased its return to the automotive market with a 30-second advertisement that aired in selected markets as part of Super Bowl LVI pre-game coverage.

* Volkswagen has launched the countdown for the electric ID. Buzz! The World premiere of the zero-tailpipe-emission ID. Buzz is scheduled for March 9th. Two versions to be sold in Europe. The new electric Bus debuts this year as ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo. Production of the ID. Buzz starts in the first half of this year, and the European launch follows just a short time later in the Fall. The ID. Buzz is also set to be sold as a long-wheelbase model in the U.S. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz will make its first-ever U.S. public appearance at SXSW from March 11-20, 2022.

* Raptor everything! The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor made its debut and it's coming to the U.S. with a 392-horsepower twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine paired up with a 10-speed automatic. So get ready to fly across the Mojave Desert. It'll arrive next year.

* The cargo ship carrying a load of VW Group vehicles continued to burn all week with less intensity. By week's end fire crews were able to board the vessel to douse hot spots. The cause of the fire is not yet determined. Battery electric vehicles on board had made the fire difficult to extinguish. VW, Audi, Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini dealers are scrambling to try and find replacement vehicles for their customers. The latest estimate of the total loss is $335 million.

* French authorities are installing sound radars in some cities to detect and photograph vehicles making excessive noise, which they say is a public health hazard. New sensors, or sound radars, were placed in seven cities last week as an experiment. The sensors can detect and take pictures of vehicles making excessive noise, a problem that officials say has gotten worse in recent years. The hope is to eventually set a noise-pollution limit and fine those motorists exceeding it.

* Ford is recalling more than 330,000 Mustangs in the U.S. to fix backup camera displays that go blank or become distorted. The recall covers cars from the 2015 to 2017 model years. The rear view camera wiring can become loose or damaged, causing the problem.

* Ford is also recalling nearly a quarter-million heavy duty pickup trucks in the U.S. because the drive shafts can fracture and cause a loss of power. The recall covers certain F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickups from the 2017 through 2022 model years. The trucks have gasoline engines and aluminum drive shafts.

* Stellantis NV has issued a temporary stop sale on a limited number of Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for a problem preventing the vehicles and their key fobs from communicating. Customers have reported being locked out of their vehicles and unable to start them. Both the two-row Grand Cherokee and the three-row Grand Cherokee L are affected. Parts to fix the problem are being expedited to dealers.

* From ClassicCars.com we read Denise McCluggage will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in early March as a member of a Class of 2022 that also includes Pete Brock, Helio Castroneves, Jack Roush and Banjo Matthews. While she wont be there, she died in 2015 at the age of 88, the car in which she won her first race will be. The car, a Jaguar XK140, was a gift from Briggs Cunningham, the wealthy American sportsman she met in the early 1950s while covering a yacht race as a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle.

* The Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan, has announced its 2022 inductee class: The Green Book publishers Alma and Victo Green; Lamborghini founder Feruccio Lamborghini; motorsports pioneer Lyn St. James; Lu Guanqui, founder of Chinese automotive supplier Wanxiang; and Taicho Ohno, pioneer of the Toyota Production System.

* Luc Donckerwolke, Hyundai Motor Group's Executive Vice President for Design and Chief Creative Officer has been named 2022 World Car Person of the Year by the The World Car Awards jury panel representing 102 journalists from 33 countries. The 2022 World Car Awards program will end at the New York Auto Show on April 13, 2022 with the announcement and presentation of the: World Car Design, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Urban Car, World Electric Vehicle and World Car of the Year.

* On the 85th birthday of his car owner, Roger Penske, 23-year-old NASCAR Cup Series rookie Austin Cindric beat Bubba Wallace to the finish line by .036 seconds in overtime to win last Sundays 64th running of the Daytona 500. Cedric piloted the Discount Tire sponsored No. 2 Team Penske Ford to a packed house at Daytona. It was the first big race for NASCAR's Next Gen race car. It was the first time a rookie won the Daytona 500 since 2011.

* Michael Andretti is targeting expanding his motorsport portfolio into Formula 1 in time for the 2024 season. Formula 1 has featured 10 teams since 2017, with the most recent addition being the US firm Haas, but the regulations allow for as many as 13 entrants. Andretti Autosports empire includes teams in the NTT IndyCar Series and Formula E, but it has recently targeted a further expansion into Formula 1. Andretti had submitted an entry to the FIA to field a new F1 team, starting in 2024, under the name of Andretti Global. The application requires approval from Formula 1s governing body the FIA.

Stay safe. Be Well.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City welcomed seven new members to the Community Development Advisory Council (CDAC) in January.

One of them being Scott Hoversland, Executive Director of Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA).

Hoversland is representing Wyoming since its such a unique state with the smallest population.

Hoversland noted that while Wyoming is trying to diversify its economy, the lack of affordable housing is hurting its recruitment efforts.

All areas of Wyoming are impacted but areas such as Jackson Hole are particularly hard hit.

Its the service industry workers, firefighters, police officers, teachers, and its very difficult for them to afford to live there, Hoversland said. Theres just one solid string of lights of people driving over the pass to come into work, and at night the red taillights of people going home. Its 30 to 50 miles one way. In the winter, thats very dangerous.

The pandemic heightened awareness about the critical need for affordable housing but has given the state opportunities to improve things moving forward.

Hoversland encourages everyone to reach out and voice their concerns or needs on how the Federal Reserve Bank can better serve Wyoming and its communities.
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The plan to re-open McKinley High School to in-person classes will include hand-held metal detectors and extra police presence among other strict security protocols as students begin to return Tuesday.

District officials on Saturday released the details of what they called the high school's "culture reset plan."

Security guards and administrators will be strategically placed, and Peacemakers will be stationed at the front corners of the building, helping students with safe passage, said McKinley Principal Moustafa Khalil.

Police to have more visible presence at McKinley in weeks ahead Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash said the district is taking steps to address concerning incidents, such as fights, that have happened at a slightly higher rate at McKinley and a handful of other schools than on average across the district.

This is not the plan that I want for years down the line," Khalil said. "These added security protocols are for the time being so that everybody feels safe  parents, students and all of our staff in the building. And once we feel can  well start removing some of those added safety protocols.

Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore said the plan sounds like a lot of security.

We dont want them to feel like a prison, but you have to make sure theyre safe, Rumore said. Tell them were doing this for their protection.

Every student will be wanded by security guards until the metal detectors the school district announced earlier this month arrive, said Khalil, principal since Feb. 9. Security also will search each students bag.

"If they dont feel safe, theyre not going to learn," School Board President Lou Petrucci said of the students, the oldest of whom will return to classes on Tuesday.

McKinley administrators knew of potential for violence that day, stabbing victim's mother alleges "Common sense would dictate that the administration of the school would make sure that this child had safe passage from school at the end of the day, and they neglected to do that," said John V. Elmore, attorney for Aurielle Austin, Sirgio Jeter's mother.

"We have to first and foremost create that safe environment," Petrucci said. "Yes, we dont want this to look like an institution, any other than a welcome, warm school, which should be the focus of our community. And it will be. But right now we have to take these temporary measures which have come at the request of the board and the community and teachers and staff to put McKinley back on the path of success.

All students will have remote learning Monday. On Tuesday, seniors will return for a single day, while all other grades learn remotely.

Wednesday, juniors will return for the day, while seniors, sophomores and freshmen learn from home.

Sophomores go to school Thursday, with the rest of the student body remaining in remote learning.

Freshmen will get the chance to return for one day on Friday, as all other students learn remotely.

Students have been learning from home since a 14-year-old boy was stabbed and a security guard was shot after school Feb. 9. Two 17-year-olds have been charged with second-degree attempted murder and assault.

Staff will be provided professional development Monday.

With Monday being fully-remote, our team will be able to meet with staff regarding our new safety procedures and protocols and complete a couple of dry runs with the staff to ensure we have our plan fully ready for our students, said Khalil, who served as an assistant principal at East High School prior to his role at McKinley.

Bringing back just one cohort of students each day will allow his team to meet with students, staff and parents to get their feedback on the new system while also providing positive relationship-building opportunities, Khalil said.

Were able to do small groups, meet with students, meet with parents," Khalil said. "Were going to increase our parent meeting this week. Were going to schedule a few and meet with teachers to talk about the plan. Its just the best possible plan we have by bringing in  the one cohort to have those small, intimate meetings with the kids, listening to what they have to say and getting their feedback. With their social, emotional needs right now at an all-time high we think that is whats best for them, Khalil said.

The district said McKinley stakeholders on Friday will evaluate conditions and "make necessary adjustments" to the proposed calendar for March 7-11.

The proposed schedule for the week of March 7 follows a similar plan, again starting with seniors in the school building for one day. On March 11, all students would return for in-person learning.

Buffalo teachers vote no confidence in Superintendent Kriner Cash "He knew about violence problems at our school for years and did not provide a safe working and learning environment," states the resolution by BTF's Council of Delegates.

The violence that erupted Feb. 9 prompted the Buffalo Teachers Federation Council of Delegates to issue a vote of no confidence in Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash over security issues at McKinley High School and other schools. The union also called for a state and federal investigation into the safety of schools and the concerns raised by teachers, parents and staff over the last three years. It also wants a permanent safety/security committee to be established in each school.

McKinley administrators knew of potential for violence that day, stabbing victim's mother alleges "Common sense would dictate that the administration of the school would make sure that this child had safe passage from school at the end of the day, and they neglected to do that," said John V. Elmore, attorney for Aurielle Austin, Sirgio Jeter's mother.

The plan lists a number of priorities, including having two school resource officers on duty for arrival and dismissal and purchasing 20 high-tech communications radios and rapid flow weapons detection systems. Other priorities include alarming doors, repairing and updating cameras, having five security officers on duty every day, repairing door locks and cleaning throughout the day, including removing writing on walls.

The plan also would identify 10 students, and eventually up to 50 students, in need of an alternative program.

Ultimately, its up to the staff and parents to decide whether the plan makes sense, Rumore said.

Take a vote of parents, vote of staff, as to whether they think the plan is acceptable," he said. "They should all have a vote. A secret-ballot vote to see if its acceptable or not.

At least once a month the plan should be revisited and put to a vote to see if everyone still approves of the plan or whether it has to be modified, Rumore said.

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Barbara O'Brien Reporter I grew up in Rochester, graduated from St. Bonaventure University and worked in radio before joining The Buffalo News. I report on issues in local communities. Over the years I have covered stories in every town in Erie County. Follow Barbara O'Brien Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
How events are moving forward on the location of an Amazon facility in Alcoa and a second location in Maryville. Includes stories from The Dai
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (L) shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Dec. 5, 2013. (WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)

China Censors Scholars Who Oppose Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Five renowned historians from five top Chinese universities jointly issued a statement opposing Russias invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 26. However, 1.5 hours later, the statement was deleted and all posts from the social media account that made the post also disappeared.

In the past few days, more Chinese scholars have been reposting commitments made by the Chinese regime to Ukraine over the past few years, in which Beijing pledged to protect Kyiv because Ukraine has supported Beijings Belt and Road Initiative and other projects that the regime launched in the global community.

Some other scholars urged the regime to clarify its position on the Russia-Ukraine war, after Chinese students in Ukraine questioned whether Beijing supports Moscows invasion.

However, most of these and other related posts have also been taken offline, perhaps due to active censorship by the regime. The regimes leadership also hasnt addressed these question publicly.

Silence on Russias Invasion

On Feb. 25 during a daily press conference in Beijing, the spokesperson for Chinas foreign ministry Wang Wenbin was asked repeatedly about Beijings attitude on Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Wang answered all questions with a similar answer, which was that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected and upheld. He refused to recognize that the current conflict was sparked by Russias invasion, nor offer any words of support for Ukraine. He did not criticize Russias actions or say that China is considering possible sanctions.

On Feb. 26, the Chinese embassy in Ukraine warned all Chinese in the country to stay at home. The embassy described the fighting between Russians and Ukrainians on streets as extreme behaviors, and said that people were slandering and shooting each other due to extreme emotion.

In contrast to comments from the central government in Beijing, the embassy said they were in the process of organizing emergency flights to evacuate Chinese in Kyiv because the conditions had deteriorated sharply.

Smoke rises from a Russian tank destroyed by the Ukrainian forces on the side of a road in Lugansk region on Feb. 26, 2022. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

Two days earlier, the embassy had suggested to Chinese in Ukraine that they hold the Chinese flag when driving their cars, claiming that soldiers wouldnt attack them if they saw the flags.

Chinese still in Ukraine then replied to the suggestions on Twitter that they actually didnt dare to let others know they are Chinese, preferring to claim that they are Japanese or Korean when asked. A Twitter account for Peishiun Wu shared a video in which a Chinese student explained that a large number of mainland Chinese had posted on Chinese social media that they wanted Ukrainian men to be killed so they could marry Ukrainian women. These posts were reported by Ukrainian media, angering the Ukrainian people, leading to tensions for some Chinese in Ukraine.

Supporting Ukraine

At 6:01 p.m. of Feb. 26, Sun Jiang, a professor of history at Nanjing University; Wang Lixin, a professor of history at Beijing University; Xu Guoqi, a professor of history at Hong Kong University; Zhong Weimin, a professor of history at Tsinghua University; and Chen Yan, a professor of history at Fudan University jointly published a statement on Suns WeChat account.

A permanent member of the United Nations, which is a big country and owns nuclear weapons, fired against its weak and fraternal state! the historians said in the statement, referred to Russias invasion of Ukraine. We feel deeply sad when we see Ukraines wounds.

The historians said that experts around the world, the Ukrainian people, and Russian people are against this war, and oppose this invasion as well. They said that the Chinese people used to suffer from wars, so they feel the same way as the Ukrainian people.

They criticized Russia for violating international rules and invading a sovereign state. They expressed support for the Ukrainian people as they defend their country, and worried that Russias invasion would cause humanitarian disaster across a large area, which wont be limited to Ukraine or Europe.

We strongly urge the Russian regime and President Vladimir Putin to stop the war, and solve the disputes by negotiation, the historians stated.

However, Suns posts all disappeared at 7:30 p.m. Sun and the other professors havent commented on the disappearance of the posts since.

Demonstrators gather in support of Ukraine during a rally in Times Square, New York, on Feb. 26, 2022. (KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

On Chinese social media platform Weibo, almost all posts relating to the Russia-Ukraine war on Feb. 26 were expressing support for Russia, with only a few posts of Russians protesting in their streets opposing the invasion.

The Epoch Times hasnt been able to verify whether the Chinese regime is censoring anti-Russian posts.

On Feb. 26, Reuters quoted a Western diplomat in Beijing who said the Chinese regimes first reaction of denying there was an invasion was surprising to us  It is a total contradiction with their long-standing positions on sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference.

The diplomat declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, according to Reuters.
Big Mistake for Biden Administration to Shut Down China Initiative: Trump

The recent move by the Biden administrations Department of Justice (DOJ) to terminate the China Initiative is a big mistake, former President Donald Trump said at a Feb. 26 press conference prior to his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Trump also issued remarks on the current situation in Ukraine during the press conference.

The DOJ announced on Feb. 23 that it was ending the China Initiative program, which was spearheading an unprecedented crackdown against economic espionage, trade theft, and technology transfer by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against the United States. The program was launched in 2018 by the Trump administration.

Im surprised to see that. I dont think we should be doing that.  I think its a big mistake, Trump said of the DOJs decision to terminate the program, in response to a question from Epoch Times senior editor Jan Jekielek. China, as you know, is a very big player, but it can be a very dangerous player in so many different ways.

DOJ Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen told a press briefing on Feb. 23 that the China Initiative was designed as a coherent approach to the challenges posed by the CCP and was driven by genuine national security concerns.

Under the initiative, the FBI was conducting roughly 1,000 investigations by February 2020 across 56 regional offices into Chinas attempted theft of trade secrets, FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the time. China has also been implicated in about 80 percent of all economic espionage charges brought forward by the DOJ, and the country is connected to 60 percent of all trade-secret theft cases. The initiative has led to dozens of prosecutions since its inception, according to the DOJs 2021 year-end report.

But there have been growing concerns from the civil rights community that the program was fielding a narrative of intolerance and bias, Olsen said. He also said the academic and scientific community had raised concerns over the departments prosecutions of certain fraud cases involving research grants, alleging that the prosecutions could ultimately lead to a chilling atmosphere for scientists and scholars and threaten academic research and economic development in the long term.

As such, the program will be replaced by a broader, new approach to tackle threats from a range of hostile nation-states, and the DOJ will continue to prioritize threats from the CCP, Olsen said.

Taiwan May Suffer Similar Situation to Ukraine

CPAC is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials that started in 1974. This year, the conference was held at Rosen Shingle Creek hotel in Orlando, Florida, from Feb. 24 to Feb. 27.

Trump told reporters backstage that with regard to the invasion of Ukraine, he believes that a similar thing could happen in Taiwan when asked about how concerned he was that China might encroach on Taiwan.

The way we withdrew from Afghanistan was one of the most embarrassing moments in the history of our countryI actually think that if that didnt take place, you might not have whats happening in Ukraine right now, Trump said. I think when Putin saw that, and when President Xi of China witnessed that  I really think thats a contributing factor to whats happening today in Ukraine, and I think its going to also lead to a similar thing happening in Taiwan.

They wanted to get the Olympics finished, the Olympics have now finished. Lets see what happens.

The former president condemned recent incursions by Chinese aircraft into Taiwans Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Related Coverage China, US Flex Military Muscles Near Taiwan Amid Ukraine Conflict

Just hours after Russia mounted an attack on Ukraine on Feb. 24, nine Chinese aircraft entered Taiwans ADIZ, marking the 13th such move into Taiwans airspace this month. Taiwans defense ministry said the latest incursion included eight fighter jets and one reconnaissance aircraft.

Trump told reporters that the current conflict in Ukraine could spread into a world war and that it should have never started.

I just think its a shame whats going on, there was no reason for it. It shouldnt have happened, Trump said. It would not have happened if our administration were in place.

Whats happening today is so sad when you watch it, when you see whats going on.

When asked whether the situation makes him want to run for president again, Trump said, I just want to do whats right for the country, and thats what well do.

Well do whats right for the country at the right time. Well let you know.
An illuminated BP logo is seen at a petrol station in Gateshead, Britain, on Sept. 23, 2021. (Lee Smith/Reuters)

BP Quits Russia in Up to $25 Billion Hit After Ukraine Invasion

LONDONBP is abandoning its stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft in an abrupt and costly end to three decades of operating in the energy-rich country, marking the most significant move yet by a Western company in response to Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

Rosneft accounts for around half of BPs oil and gas reserves and a third of its production and divesting the 19.75 percent stake will result in charges of up to $25 billion, the British company said, without saying how it plans to extricate itself.

I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine and my heart goes out to everyone affected. It has caused us to fundamentally rethink BPs position with Rosneft, BP Chief Executive Bernard Looney said.

The rapid retreat represents a dramatic exit for BP, the biggest foreign investor in Russia, and puts the spotlight on other Western companies with operations in the country including Frances TotalEnergies and Britains Shell, amid an escalating crisis between the West and Moscow.

It also underscores growing pressure from Western governments on their companies to curtail operations in Russia as they widen a net of economic sanctions against Moscow.

British Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, who on Friday had expressed concern over BPs Rosneft, welcomed the decision.

Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine must be a wake up call for British businesses with commercial interests in (President Vladimir) Putins Russia, Kwarteng said on Twitter.

Rosneft blamed BPs decision on unprecedented political pressure, Russian news agencies reported, saying 30 years of successful cooperation had been ruined.

Susannah Streeter, senior investment analyst at British retail stock broker Hargreaves Lansdown, said it will be highly difficult for BP to recover anywhere near what was considered to be the full value of Rosneft.

Last week, Looney said that BP was sticking to its Russian business and would comply with any Western sanctions on Moscow.

Earlier, Putin put Russias nuclear deterrent on high alert in the face of Western reprisals for his invasion of Ukraine, which included blocking access to the SWIFT international payment system for some Russian banks.

And Norways $1.3 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the worlds largest, will divest its Russian assets after the Ukraine invasion, its prime minister said.

Dividend Blow

BP said its move and financial hit will not impact its short and long term financial targets within its strategy to shift away from oil and gas to low-carbon fuels and renewables energy.

But Hargreaves Lansdowns Streeter said a write down of this magnitude is likely to limit the extent to which BP can continue to accelerate its transition towards renewables.

Looney and his predecessor as CEO Bob Dudley will both step down from the board of Rosneft, which BP acquired a shareholding in as part of its $12.5 billion TNK-BP stake sale in 2013.

BP held a board meeting on Friday and another on Sunday where the decision to quit Rosneft, as well as two other joint ventures BP has with Rosneft in Russia, was taken, a spokesperson for the company said.

It will take an $11 billion foreign exchange non-cash charge after the exit from Rosneft, which BP will no longer include in its accounts. BP said it also expects a second non-cash charge of up to $14 billion, for the carrying value of Rosneft.

BP received revenue from Rosneft in the form of dividends which totaled around $640 million in 2021, roughly 3 percent of its overall cash flow from operations.

The company currently has around 200 employees in Russia, most of whom are local staff, the BP spokesperson said.

Many other Western energy companies have operations in Russia, including TotalEnergies which holds a 19.4 percent Novatek stake and 20 percent of the Yamal LNG project.

In the current environment any European or American company with assets in Russia must be considering similar moves, Eurasia Group analyst Henning Gloystein told Reuters.

By Ron Bousso and Dmitry Zhdannikov
American captains of industry may have accumulated their wealth in less than honorable ways, but they did have good taste. They often used their newly acquired wealth to buy the best artworks the world could offer. Much of that art came from the private collections and museums of Europe.

Harry E. Huntington (18501927) was a railroad magnate who collected art, and the Duke of Westminster had a treasure that Huntington wanted: The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough, painted circa 1770. When it came up for sale in 1921, Huntington outbid all comers and, for over $700,000, brought The Blue Boy to California in 1922.

The painting has a special place in the hearts of the British people. It is estimated that over 90,000 visited the painting a last time before it was packed up for America. The National Gallerys curator, Charles Holmes, even dared to mark up the back of the canvas with a parting message, Au Revoir, as if to say, not goodbye, but Ill see you soon.

A Comely Youth and That Color

The figure in the painting shows an older boy on the cusp of young adulthood wearing the blue satin doublet and breeches of a previous age. Gainsborough dressed the subject in the fashion of 100 years before when his hero, Anthony van Dyck, was the preeminent portraitist. The boy stands in contrapposto, with his bodily weight on a foot that steps forward, like ancient Greek sculptures. The pose shows a youth full of confidence as he steps into manhood.

The Blue Boy, 1770, by Thomas Gainsborough. Oil on canvas; 70 inches by 44 inches. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens San Marino, California. (Courtesy of the Huntington Art Museum, San Marino, California)

His look is direct; the pose is known as the look outto invite the viewer into the painting and enjoy it, and the viewer is mesmerized. Many have speculated on who modeled for the painting. Historians now think that the subject is Gainsborough Dupont, the artists nephew and apprentice.

Gainsborough painted the boys apparel in shimmering blue, using daubs of paint that make the silk shimmer in the light. The English landscape in the background is in muted shades of brown, as a stark contrast to the shining figure in the foreground.

2 Boys

Joshua Reynolds and Gainsborough were well-known as professional rivals, and it was the most positive rivalry possible, with each artist challenging the other to up his game. They were known to be friendly, but not friends, and were always watching each others work. Toward the end of his life, however, Gainsborough expressed his feelings for his esteemed fellow artist in a letter: I can from a sincere Heart say that I always admired and sincerely loved Sir Joshua Reynolds.

The Brown Boy (Thomas Lister), circa 1764, by Joshua Reynolds. Oil on canvas; 91 inches by 58 inches. Bradford Museums and Galleries, Bradford, UK. (PD-US)

The two eminent artists respectfully disagreed with each other on painting techniques. Of Gainsboroughs freer approach, Reynolds said Those odd scratches and marks  by a kind of magic  assumes form, according to an online article titled The Golden Age of Portraiture. Reynolds contended that cool colors, such as blue, could never be used as the focal point of an artwork. Only warmer huesreds, oranges, yellows, and brownswould stand out in the foreground while cooler tones such as blue, green, gray, and purple should be in the background.

Reynolds once gave a lecture on the importance of using warmer tones in the foreground. Around 1764, he portrayed an aristocratic young man in a relaxed pose wearing a suit in soft brown encircled by soft patches of blue: a portrait of Thomas Lister, nicknamed The Brown Boy. Lister would become the 1st Baron Ribblesdale of Gisburne Park.

It appears that this was a challenge his friendly rival could not resist, and The Blue Boy was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1770. Originally titled A Portrait of a Young Gentleman, by 1798 the painting was known by what we call it today.

Another Boy and a Girl

Gainsboroughs beloved work had the power to make other paintings famous. Recently, The National Gallery acquired another painting of a boy, titled The Red Boy by Thomas Lawrence, completed somewhere between 1818 and 1825. Here, a much younger child, possibly 6 or 7 years old, is cuddled up in a chair wearing a red velvet playsuit. The painting was commissioned by the childs father, John George Lambton, who became the first Earl of Durham in 1833.

Portrait of Charles William Lambton, popularly known as The Red Boy, 1825, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Oil on canvas; 55 1/3 inches by 43 1/2 inches. The National Gallery, London. (The National Gallery, London)

Back in California, Huntingtons residence in San Marino was updated in 1934 by adding a new gallery, as the magnate wanted to display the gem of his collection in the best light possible. In 1927, he purchased a painting of a young girl completed in 1794 also by Lawrence. It was to be shown with The Blue Boy as centerpieces of the Huntington Library and Museum.

The subject, Sarah Goodin Barrett Moulton, was nicknamed Pinkie by her family. Lawrence dressed the young girl, thought to be 11 at the time of the painting, in the fashion of day, a pink Grecian-style dress that swirls in the wind. The girl is shown at the apex of youthful, feminine beauty. Like The Blue Boy, her gaze is direct, and the artists energetic brushwork mirrors Gainsboroughs to give the portrait a lively immediacy. The breeze that pulls at her gown hints that her natural beauty will soon fade. Sarah Moulton died at the age of 12 and, coincidently, was the aunt of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Sarah Goodin Barrett Moulton: Pinkie, 1794, by Thomas Lawrence. Oil on canvas. 58 1/4 inches by 40 1/4 inches. Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif. (PD-US)

While Pinkie wears a gown in the Napoleonic style of the day and Gainsborough and Lawrence were contemporaries, the wardrobe of The Blue Boy was set 100 years earlier to honor van Dyck.

Back at The National Gallery

Charles Holmess parting wish is being fulfilled as, almost 100 years to the day it left, The Blue Boy returns to its British roots. The Huntington Library and Art Museum completed a comprehensive restoration of the painting in 2020 before sending it to The National Gallery where it is on display until May 2022.

Today The Blue Boy represents a universal expression of manhood-in-the-making and shows that a portrait is no longer the preserve of royalty or the upper classes. Two acclaimed 18th-century artists have painted boys on the cusp of adulthood, one of an aristocrat in a more passive pose that seems to fade into the background; the other, a commoner, stepping forward into his future as both sides of the Atlantic cheer him on.
People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in protest of coronavirus mandates, on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Californians Rally to Back Truckers Headed for DC

Hundreds of protestors showed up at roadside rallies in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties on Feb. 25 to cheer on truckers and supporters from across the U.S. who plan to join The Peoples Convoy before it reaches Washington, D.C., in early March.

Though no big rigs showed up at rallies in El Monte and Fontana, demonstrators turned out in droves to fly flags and banners to show their support for truckers in Canada and the United States. Many waved combination flags emblazoned with the red-white-and-blue American stars and stripes and the red-and-white Canadian maple leaf emblem.

People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in protest of coronavirus mandates on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Truckers and passersby honked their horns to signal support for the protestors who are calling for an end to the state of emergency and lingering COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates in California and other states.

The Freedom Convoy USA has now merged with The Peoples Convoy, which rolled out of California on Feb. 23. The convoy reached Amarillo, Texas, on Feb. 26 and was headed to Elk City, Oklahoma.

Greg Abdouch helped support Freedom Convoy USA 2022 in Fontana, where about 450 people showed up for an overpass rally at the Beech Avenue overpass on Interstate 15 in Summit Heights, he said.

It was excitement and anticipation. Everybody was pumped up, he told The Epoch Times. We were playing music. We prayed over the truckers convoy.

In El Monte, the dearth of big rigs didnt stop more than 150 people from gathering and donating supplies for the convoy. The rally was held near an overpass at the junction of CA 60 and Rosemead Boulevard.

People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in protest of coronavirus mandates on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Shauna Scanlon, 68, of Montrose said Canadian and American truckers had taken the lead to restore freedom, and I think a lot of us should be doing the same.

Were just trying to make a statement not only to the Americans and the government, but to the world, that as a people we have to stand up for our rights and always stand on the side of freedom, she said.

This is my one way that I can come and support the truckers who are putting their lives on the line and putting their jobs aside just to stand up for freedom, for the constitution, and for our rights, because we have government overreach everywhere you look, from the federal government down to the state level, Scanlon said.

Marci Donovan, 45, of Rosemead said the truckers were representing everyone.

Freedom is a God-given right, and it was never the governments to take away. Im hoping by standing here that more people are brave and stand, because I feel like we will defeat this only through unity, she said.

Its time to stand together.  God Bless America and be brave. It is contagious.

Donovan Bourbon of Rosemead urged the news media to strive harder to bring the truth to light.

If truth is not voiced, we have nothing, she said.

Gina Mirano, 58, of Covina, urged more people to get off the couch and fight to stop the madnessvaccine mandates and masking schoolchildren.

I have grandbabies, she said. We need to stand up. We need to do something, she said. We just cant sit at home and watch TV all day.

Yolanda Campos, of Los Angeles, said politicians have taken too much power away from the people by chipping away at our freedom.

Mandates are not laws, she said.

Its bigger than just mandates. Once you let them get away with things, it just keeps getting worse and worse.  Before you know it, it becomes a small slice of the pie, then becomes a whole pie. Weve got to take care of this now, she said. I watched everything that was happening in Canada with the convoy, and its not an isolated thing.

Brenda Titus, 56, of Orange County, vehemently opposes vaccine mandates.

I am out here for many reasons, but mostly the choice of freedom that so many of our fellow Americans gave up for a $50 gift card, she said.

The ultimatum to either receive this injection or lose your job should have been a huge wake-up call to all of us, she said. Think of our forefathers. If they were here watching this today, what do you think they would say to us? Thats why Im out here.

People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in protest of coronavirus mandates on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Didi MacPherson, a Gold Star mom of Stanton, California, said she couldnt stand by and watch when she learned that her friends might lose their jobs if they dont get the vaccine.

Im out here to support our Canadian neighbors and ourselves to have our countries drop these silly mandates. I feel like if you want to get a vaccine, get a vaccine. If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask, but dont make everybody else do the same thing, especially when we know the science doesnt stand behind it now.

MacPhersons son was killed in Afghanistan in 2009.

I cant just sit by. I cant. My son fought for freedom for us, for other people around the world, and we have got to stand up and be free, she said. Freedom isnt free. And I know that firsthand.

Mexican immigrants Arturo and Lilia Flores of Azusa, California, carried a crucifix and several signs, one that read Jesus Loves You.

I am here to support truck drivers because they are doing a lot for all of us. Theyre fighting for our rights. I appreciate what theyre doing, Arturo said. God bless them, and God bless their families, too.

Lilia said she would like to see an end to the mandates for a better future for the whole world.

Jerry Piani of Westlake Village was flying several flags from the bed of his pickup truck when he arrived to cheers at the El Monte rally.

Its called freedom, he told The Epoch Times, and were going to take it from Southern California all the way to Washington, D.C.

People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington D.C, in protest of coronavirus mandates on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Piani said hes grateful for truckers standing up for freedom, but that its taken too long for Americans to unite and demand an end to mask and vaccine mandates.

We want to stop these mandates and stop the emergency order and get the kids unmasked in schooljust get back to normal, said Piani, who is now following with Mark Perez, Freedom Convoy USAs California organizer, to catch up with The Peoples Convoy in Oklahoma.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was wrong to smear truckers, freeze the truckers donation funds, cut off their fuel supply, threaten to confiscate their unattended dogs, and even freeze private bank accounts, Piani said.

What they did in Canada, I dont ever want to see happen here in the United States. Never, he said.

The Freedom Convoy USA group wont enter D.C. proper but still has plans for a rally at the National Mall, California organizer Mark Perez said at the rally.

One man, who asked to be identified only as Henry, told The Epoch Time he doesnt think the convoys are a good idea.

In a time of public health measure, just like in a time of war, the country has to be unified in an effort to either win a war or win a medical health emergency. Weve all got to work together, he said.

Henry said he trusts the government to decide whats in the best interest of public health.

The truckers dont have a plan in place to deal with COVID. Their plan is not wearing a mask. Their plan is to do whatever they want. Thats not going to cure COVID.

The state of emergency and mandates will end when the researchers find that COVID is no longer a threat or when the researchers believe that the mask mandate should be loosened, Henry said.

He blamed former President Donald Trump for not acting soon enough to contain the spread of COVID-19 at the outset of the pandemic.

Henry suggested people who dont wear masks should get second priority for medical treatment if they get sick from COVID. They shouldnt be allowed to take up a spot in a hospital emergency room that somebody else deserves, he said.

If they get infected, dont go to the hospital. Dont be hypocrites. You gambled your life. You played Russian roulette not wearing a mask, he said. Why should you go take up a space that belongs to somebody else?

Alberto Garcia, 51, of La Puente, a member of the Knights of Columbus and a union carpenter is fed up with constant pressure from the government and unions to get vaccinated.

Were being hoodwinked, he said. The masks dont save lives, and the vaccines are experimental, he said.

Zulma Mazariegos, of Santa Ana, urged Californians to hold politicians accountable to ensure they are actually working for the people, not against the people.

Big government has tried to separate people through social distancing to kill the human spirit, she said.

California used to be a beautiful state, and its actually turned into something that just goes against everything the Constitution stands for, she said. Im here to support the truckers because theyre standing up to the tyranny thats happening not just here in the state, but across the country and around the globe.
File photo shows the an aircraft of Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot during a media presentation at Sheremetyevo International Airport outside Moscow on March 4, 2020. (Rueters/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo)

Canada, Europe to Close Skies to Russian Planes

Canada and European nations moved on Sunday to shut their airspace to Russian aircraft, an unprecedented step aimed at pressuring President Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine, the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.

The ban on Russian jets comes as the airline industry continues to grapple with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic that is still undermining global demand for travel.

Germany, Spain and France joined Britain, the Nordics and Baltic states in declaring bans on Russian use of their airspace, a major escalation in a tactic by mostly NATO allies to wage economic war against Putin in retaliation for the invasion.

The West, led by the United States, also unveiled sweeping new financial sanctions on Russia, which has called its assault on Ukraine a special operation to capture neo-Nazis who Putin says threaten Russias security  a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

Russia is now widely expected to retaliate further against the air blockades and other sanctions. It has already responded to the earliest European airspace bans with its own edicts barring airlines from Britain, Bulgaria and Poland.

Without access to Russias airways, experts say carriers will have to divert flights south while also avoiding areas of tension in the Middle East  adding significant time and cost.

France is shutting its airspace to all Russian aircraft and airlines from this evening on, French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said in a Twitter post, an announcement echoed across continental Europe.

Air France-KLM said it is suspending flights to and from Russia as well as the overflight of Russian airspace until further notice as of Sunday.

Earlier, Germanys transport ministry said it would close its airspace to Russian planes and airlines for three months from Sunday, with the exception of humanitarian aid flights.

Spain has also closed its airspace to Russian aircraft.

The closure of European airspace to Russian airlines and vice versa had immediate impacts on global aviation. Air France said it was temporarily suspending flights to and from China, Korea and Japan, while it studies flight plan options to avoid Russian airspace, in compliance with French and international authorities directives.

By contrast, Swiss International Air Lines, a unit of Germanys Lufthansa <LHAG.DE, said on Sunday that it was monitoring the situation but maintaining regular services to Russia for now.

Canada also said on Sunday it had shut its airspace to Russian aircraft effective immediately..

Air Canada does not operate to destinations in either the Ukraine or Russia, and at all times, we comply with all airspace restrictions per Transport Canada and the FAA (U.S. Federal Aviation Administration), the airline said.

A spokesperson for Canadas transport minister said there are no direct flights between Russia and Canada, but several Russian flights a day pass through Canadian airspace.

Nordic countries Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland also made similar announcements, following on from closures declared by Britain, Poland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Romania. Baltic countries Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are also closing their airspace to Russian airliners.

It is now absolutely necessary to proceed with further tough measures to isolate Russia, Swedish EU Minister Hans Dahlgren told public service radio SR.

Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka said on Twitter late on Saturday that Finland, which shares a long land border with Russia, was preparing a similar closure.

By Allison Lampert and David Shepardson
Cancel the Mandates, Leave the Workers Alone

Commentary

President Joe Biden recently extended the U.S. national emergency for covid-19. A confrontation between truckers protesting Canadian covid mandates and the government in Ottawa has turned ugly. The debate over covid mandates has turned toward authoritarian tactics rather than the merits of the mandates. Irrespective of the debate on the merits of covid mandates over the past two years, at the present time, covid mandates have become a solution in search of a problem.

Figure 1 illustrates the rapid decline of the Omicron outbreak over the past three weeks. New cases in Lubbock County, Texas, are near zero in a population of over three hundred thousand. Yet a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate requiring healthcare workers to be vaccinated against covid-19 still stands. The stated goal of the vaccine mandate is to protect vaccinated workers against unvaccinated workers and to protect patients against unvaccinated workers. It has been previously argued that if the vaccine worked and protected people against covid-19, then vaccinated workers and patients would have nothing to fear from unvaccinated people. It has been demonstrated that transmission of covid-19 is about as likely to be from a vaccinated person as an unvaccinated person. However, even these arguments are no longer necessary, as there is no longer any disease in Lubbock County to spread. The situation is similar everywhere in the world. Covid cases are in rapid decline everywhere. Although it is likely there will be a new variant in the future with a new outbreak of cases, it is very unlikely that the existing mandates will protect anyone from this new variant.

Irrespective of whether covid mandates offered any benefit in the past, there is zero benefit from these mandates going forward. The mandates have become an authoritarian symbol of fealtylike kissing the pinky ring. The mandates must be obeyed because authoritarians in government have declared the mandates to be lawoften without any discussion or debate from the representative bodies charged with making law.

I am a practicing pulmonologist. As I was writing this article, I received an email requesting help with the critical physician shortages in twenty of the fifty states in the United States. How does the existing CMS covid-19 vaccine mandate help with this problem? I am sixty-eight years old. I could retire if I wanted to retire. I am part of a significant cohort of practitioners that work out of satisfaction rather than need. The CMS covid-19 vaccine mandate has driven practitioners into retirement and will continue to drive practitioners into retirement at a time when there are shortages of practitioners. To what benefit to society?

Some of the government authoritarians in Ottawa and Washington, D.C., may think they have the upper hand at the current moment. As usual, government authoritarians are very shortsighted. At some point in the future, the authoritarians are going to need the cooperation of the very workers they are persecuting. How is that going to work out? A recent medicine or nursing graduate may not be in a position to resist due to student debt. However, older practitioners, who have the greatest experience, are in a position to resist. All workers, whether they be Canadian truckers or Texas physicians, are able to slow roll. Furthermore, what happens to future entry of new trainees? Young people may be disinclined to spend years on training at great expense when ones livelihood can be revoked by some would-be queen of hearts.

Figure 2: Daily New Covid-19 Cases in Canada. (Source: Worldometer)

Figure 2 illustrates the covid-19 case trend in Canada. Was this trend really worth a mounted policeman toppling an elderly disabled woman? Rather than ending mandates that clearly are serving no current benefit to society, Canadian authoritarians are debating making the so-called emergency authority permanent while drooling over the sales of confiscated trucks. Al Capone was supposed to have claimed, You can get more with a kind word and a gun than with just a kind word. Prime Minister Trudeau seems to have forgotten the kind-word part of the lesson.

I hope the U.S. authoritarians will learn from the mistakes of the Canadian authoritarians, but I am pessimistic in the short term. Perhaps if Bidens poll numbers continue to drop, he might reconsider his recent extension of covid mandates.

From Mises.org

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Starting Monday, you won't have to show a vaccine card to go into KeyBank Center.

You also won't have to wear a mask to enter any Erie County-owned building.

On Saturday, a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance on Covid-19 measures, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced his decision to lift the two mandates.

It marks another step toward a post-pandemic life.

Still, there are many situations where masks are still required, including all schools in New York State.

New York State officials reviewing new CDC mask guidance Gov. Kathy Hochul said state officials are reviewing new guidance from the Centers for Disea

But even masks in schools may soon be a thing of the past.

When Gov. Kathy Hochul ended the states mask mandate for indoor public spaces on Feb. 10, she said it was possible the mask requirement in schools could be lifted March 7.

She said she planned to look at certain metrics the week many students will return from the weeklong February break. That week starts Monday. Students have been asked to administer home Covid tests before they return to school.

On Friday, the CDC announced new metrics for measuring the spread of Covid-19. Under those new metrics, more than 70% of the U.S. population live in counties where the coronavirus is posing a low or medium threat to hospitals, so they no longer need to wear masks.

Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua counties are now considered at medium risk, while Cattaraugus and Allegany counties are considered on the low level.

The CDCs Community Level indicators show that Erie County is on the right track in the fight against the virus, and our own information about Covid-19 in the community corroborates what they are seeing. Cases and hospitalizations are decreasing, which is very encouraging, Poloncarz said in a statement.

With this evidence in hand, the mask mandate in Erie County buildings will be lifted as of Monday Feb. 28. We are still closely monitoring the spread of the virus and will take other actions as necessary and when possible.

According to Erie County, 83 county residents tested positive for Covid on Friday, and the 7-day positivity rate was 3.3%.

Hochul announced Saturday that statewide hospitalizations fell below 2,000 for the first time since Nov. 14, and that 33 people died.

Covid-19 in Western New York: The latest statistics More than 319,900 Western New Yorkers have contracted Covid-19 since March 2020 and 3,886 h

"New York State continues to lead the way in beating back Covid, but we must continue to work together to fight this virus," Hochul said in a statement. "These positive trends are a result of New Yorkers' hard work and dedication to protecting one another. If you or your child haven't gotten your shot, sign up today to help us in our ongoing fight against Covid-19."

The CDC still recommends people who are most vulnerable to infection continue to consider wearing a mask and maintaining distance from others in crowded or close spaces.

"That applies to people who live with, work with or care for those most vulnerable as well," said Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein.

The lifting of the vaccine requirement means Sabres fans will no longer have to show proof of vaccination to go to a home game.

It also means that March Madness fans won't have to show proof of vaccination to watch the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on March 17 and 19.

Of the nine venues hosting the first two rounds of the men's tournament, KeyBank Center would have been among the four to require vaccinations. The National College Athletic Association leaves all decisions for Covid-19 health and safety protocols up to municipalities and venues.

-News staff reporter Barbara O'Brien contributed to this article.

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Taiwan's domestically produced corvette class vessel Ta Chiang is paraded to demonstrate its combat readiness during a drill on the seas off the northern city of Keelung on Jan. 7, 2022. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

China, US Flex Military Muscles Near Taiwan Amid Ukraine Conflict

China is holding military drills in waters south of Taiwan amid the escalating Ukraine crisis as the United States sailed a warship through the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

The military exercise, which began Feb. 27, will last three days in a six-nautical-mile radius off Hainan Island, which sits at the southernmost tip of China, Chinas Maritime Safety Administration announced, as it warned ships to stay away.

While the province of Hainan is hundreds of miles southwest of Taiwan, the marine drill has attracted attention against the backdrop of Russias war on Ukraine. Beijing has long viewed self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be reclaimed by force if necessary. With Russias aggression in Ukraine, questions are mounting as to whether China will be emboldened to proceed with a similar step.

Taiwanese air force pilots run to their armed U.S.-made F-16V fighter at an air force base in Chiayi, Taiwan, on Jan.5, 2022. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

The island raised its alert levels on Feb. 24, when Russian forces were confirmed to have pressed across Ukrainian borders. Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen, while stressing the islands geopolitical advantages, has ordered its army to be combat-ready 24/7.

Meanwhile, Beijings military harassment toward the island, which spiked last year, has continued.

On Feb. 26, eight Chinese military aircraftsix fighter jets and two anti-submarine aircraftentered Taiwans southwest Air Defense Identification Zone, marking the 15th Chinese military incursion this month. They were spotted in the northeast direction of Taiwans Pratas Island in the northern part of the South China Sea.

The U.S. State Department didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment about Chinas scheduled military drill.

Asked about the drill, a State Department said that the United States supports a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan, and urges Beijing to cease its intimidation of Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue.

We have an abiding interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and we consider this central to the security and prosperity of the broader Indo-Pacific region, the spokesperson told The Epoch Times, reiterating that the U.S. support for Taiwan is rock solid.

On Feb. 26, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson, which is part of the U.S. Navys Japan-based 7th Fleet, transited the Taiwan Strait.

A Chinese navy formation, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning (C), during military drills in the South China Sea, in an aerial photo taken on Jan. 2, 2017. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

A 7th Fleet spokesperson described the ships passage as a routine operation through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State.

The ships transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, the spokesperson said in a statement. The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows.

While U.S. Naval ships had transited the strait on a near-monthly basis last year, the Feb. 26 trip was the first since November.

The Chinese side characterized the move as provocative.

The United States is trying to make some gestures to bolster the spirits of pro-Taiwan independence forces. This is hypocritical and useless, said Senior Col. Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Chinese armys Eastern Theater Command, headquartered in Jiangsu Province.

The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taipei but is the islands chief international backer and bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

This article has been updated with a response from the State Department.
China Was Never Going to Condemn Russia

News Analysis

A call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping on Feb. 25 was done with the intention of one thingand one thing only: expressing solidarity in the ongoing effort to upend the U.S.-led international order.

It is necessary to abandon the Cold War mentality, said Xi. Instead, the European continent must form a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through negotiation.

It sounds like the CCP leader is calling for a type of European architecture to ensure state sovereignty and international peace across the entire continent, from Lisbon to Moscow.

Dont be fooled by Xis misleading terminology.

While China has carefully balanced its position between the West and Russia over the Ukraine conflict, it is important to note that the CCP has only voiced active condemnation of one party: the United States (and its leadership of NATO). Beijings neutrality toward Ukraine has centered on the countrys sovereignty and the principles of international law; however, it has importantly refused to condemn Russias aggressive actions. This was officially confirmed by its abstention from the United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution to denounce Russian military operations in Ukraine.

Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya (C) fist bumps Ambassador Zhang Jun, the permanent representative of China to the U.N., as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield (L) and Permanent Representative of Norway to the U.N. Mona Juul (2nd L) look on during an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the Ukraine crisis, in New York, N.Y., on Feb. 21, 2022. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

Instead, Beijing laments the fact that Moscow was forced into such a position by careless Western foreign policy that disregarded the countrys legitimate security interests. This is an important point.

China is actively working to chip away at the liberal democratic order that is unilaterally guaranteed by the United States. Beijings most immediate foreign policy goal is to secure its regional hegemony in Asia, while simultaneously making inroads to facilitate its long-term desire to increase its international influence.

It accomplishes the former through direct challenges to the U.S. security blanket in Southeast Asia and East Asia, while tightening its economic grip on the countries in the region; and it accomplishes the latter through the expansion of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road) investment project, as well as seizing opportunities to undermine U.S. predominance on the international scene. Putins push to consolidate political and military control in what he perceives as Russias rightful sphere of influence does exactly this.

Putin shares the CCP goal of eroding U.S. overseas power. The Kremlin seeks to facilitate a multipolar world in which large regional powers, such as Russia and China, have control over their geographic proximity. Beijing supports Moscows attempts to create a cordon sanitaire from an encroaching U.S.-led military (and economic) alliance.

The CCP also espouses the same belief that the United States works to meddle in other countries internal affairs. Much like Moscow perceives the government in Kyiv to be a puppet of the United States, Beijing sees the government in Taiwan as an illegitimate proxy for Washington. This was most recently demonstrated in the January protests-turned-riots in Kazakhstan against the government of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Both Putin and Xi attributed the unrest to the United States.

The CCPs tacit support of Putins Ukraine move thereby progresses Beijings ambitions in Taiwan as well. The inability of the United States to deter Russia and its lackluster response to protect its purported ally in Kyiv emboldens Xi. This has more to do than just speculation over a military response; the United States has explicitly stated that it will not enact sanctions on Russian energy exports, the area that would have had the largest impact on Putins economy (although probably still limited).

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 in Washington on Feb. 22, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Such sanctions, however, would have significantly impacted U.S. energy prices as well. Xi and Putin both perceive electoral politics to be a weak spot of their American adversary, and are certainly aware that the United States will be having midterm elections this upcoming fall. Whether the Biden administration has refused such sanctions because of a genuine desire to insulate the U.S. populace from economic hardship, or due to the approaching electionslikely a combination of bothWashingtons allies in Taiwan undoubtedly feel less comfortable with their current security situation.

When Xi professes the need to move away from the confrontation mindset of the Cold War, he is saying that the West needs to avoid antagonizing Russia militarily and respect its sphere of influence. A failure to do so may justify a military response, as evidenced by Beijings refusal to condemn Russian aggression.

Putins reliance on the CCP to support the immersion of a multipolar world should be tempered, however. The size of Chinas perceived sphere of interest is sure to grow in correlation to its economic growth and subsequent military capabilities. This is already happening with Beijings growing presence in Central Asia.

The population of China is nearly 10 times larger than that of Russias, and it is not hard to believe that at some point in the future Beijing may set its sights on the vast expanse of sparsely populated, resource-rich Siberia.

As to Xis reiteration of the need to firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, remember that Chinas debt trap BRI continues to increase Beijings influence in countries across the world. Easy access to Chinese capitalusually by less than financially responsible countries, not to mention the levels of corruption in many of the ruling regimesmeans that the CCP increases its ability to exert influence on policy agendas around the world, at least in some degree. This is important when you consider the one-country, one-vote status of the U.N. and other multilateral institutions as well.

The escalating situation in Ukraine is a tragedy, and certainly deserves the focus of U.S. foreign policy decision-makers; however, Chinas handling of the crisis must be given due attention as well. China is a country with similar extraterritorial ambitions as Russia. Consider that it also perceives the government of a region that it shares a historic relationship with as illegitimate, and a puppet of the United States.

The geopolitical visions of the world that are currently emanating from Beijing and Moscow share certain similarities, and both would certainly like to see a reduced U.S. global position. Chinas refusal to condemn Russia, however, provides direct confirmation that both believe large-scale military invasion can be justified to secure its interests.

That means that as soon as the CCP calculates that it can seize Taiwan or other disputed territories without igniting a large-scale conflict or even severe economic backlash, it probably will. Even with everything else going on in the world, the United States must be thinking about this fact right now.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinas Experts Discuss Ending Zero-COVID Policy

With the international community gradually relaxing COVID-19 restrictions and the Beijing Winter Olympics coming to an end, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has recently announced it may change its zero-COVID policy to align with international community. Observers say that the CCPs zero-COVID policy has reached a dead end and that the party is now forced to consider ending the policy.

On Feb. 15, the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China held a panel discussion on potential post epidemic actions, with the hosting institution claiming to have started developing new ideas for Beijing authorities.

One panel member, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that Beijing faces the choice of whether to change its zero-COVID policy as Europe and the United States relax their restrictions. If Beijing continues to insist on the policy, private enterprise and individual households will face enormous pressures on living standards, making the policy unsustainable; but if it is completely relaxed, the initial prediction is that a lot of people will be infected and die, Wu said.

But he admitted, people can hold on for a year or two, but its really hard to sustain [this way of living] if [the policy] continues. He also said that even without preventive and control measures, the number of cases will naturally fall, citing the example of India, where the epidemic peaked in April and May last year. Without any special preventive measures, the virus fell back naturally, Wu said.

He said several teams in China are working on more passive measures that are different from both the regimes zero-COVID policy and policies used by European and American countries, although the details of strategy have not yet been developed.

Forced to Drop Zero-COVID

Han Shanbi, member of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and chair of its Literature Committee, said Beijings attempt to change its COVID strategy is not an attempt to align itself with the West, but rather that there is no way to prevent the spread of the virus.

Europe has begun to lift restrictions, with the UK lifting all restrictions on Feb. 24. Calls for the lifting of restrictions in the United States and Canada are also rising.

International experts agree that the virus is not going away but if enough people are immune through infection and vaccination, then the virus may persist like the flu and be generally manageable, especially since Omicron is highly contagious but has a low mortality rate, reinforcing the confidence of countries around the world to ease restrictions.

However, Chinese experts are less confident of relaxing restrictions in China. On the one hand, the regimes zero-COVID policy may mean that most Chinese remain unexposed to the virus and lack herd immunity; on the other hand, the effectiveness of the China-made vaccines is difficult to guarantee.

Meanwhile, expert observers from other countries have expressed their concern for Chinese living under the regimes zero-COVID policy. Alexander Kekule, a leading German virologist, warned that continuing the policy would cause huge economic and social losses.

Japanese commentator Zheng Jie told The Epoch Times that the Chinese regimes zero-COVID policy has reached a dead end, with recent reports of cases in Shenyang, Beijing, and Shenzhen with unknown sources of infection, and the intense strain on Hong Kongs medical system.

Zheng Jie said that in the context of the global relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions and international experts rejection of the CCPs zero-COVID policy, the CCP may try to save face and change its original policy, while finding a solution for the policys economic pressures.

Beijing May Not End Zero-COVID Immediately

Han Shanbi believes that Beijing will not immediately change its current COVID policies but may make some preparations. If the official media report such remarks, it means that the official attitude is beginning to relax, and I think it may be after the two sessions in March, he said.

However, China commentator Shi Shan believes that Beijing may not end its zero-COVID policy until after the 20th Communist Party National Congress in the fall.

Shan told The Epoch Times that by linking the unsustainable zero-COVID policy to its political goals, the CCP has effectively put itself in a huge dilemma, as it will inevitably have to give up this policy. But with the National Congress not until late 2022, there is sufficient time to cause significant damage to the Chinese economy.

Ellen Wan contributed to this report.
Matthew Whitaker, former acting U.S. Attorney General, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference 2020 (CPAC) hosted by the American Conservative Union in National Harbor, Washington, on Feb. 28, 2020. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

DOJs Now-Shuttered China Initiative Targeted CCP: Former Acting Attorney General

Matthew Whitaker, who served as acting attorney general under the Trump administration, said the recently terminated China Initiative program wasnt targeting Chinese Americans, but rather the Chinese regime.

It is targeted specifically at the Chinese Communist Party [CCP], that has been destabilizing our country, Whitaker said in an interview with EpochTVs China Insider program at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando on Feb. 25. Intellectual property theft is costing us hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars.

China is not an honest partner on the world stage. Theyre just not, and they shouldnt be trusted.

The Department of Justice, which announced the China Initiative program in November 2018, wrote on its website (pdf) that the initiative was aimed at disrupting the Chinese regimes rob, replicate, and replace strategy through blatant and systematic theft of American intellectual property. The agency said the initiative reinforces President Trumps overall national security strategy.

Under the initiative, the main goals for the DOJ were to step up its effort to investigate and prosecute trade secret theft, hacking, and economic espionage, as well as educate U.S. colleges and universities about Chinese influence on their campuses.

On the two-year anniversary of the programs launch, FBI Director Christopher Wray said his bureau was opening a new China-related counterintelligence case nearly every 10 hours. Since the programs inception, there have been dozens of prosecutions, including a recent case involving a math professor at Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale.

The DOJ terminated the program on Feb. 23 after a departmental review, saying the initiative was not the right approach. Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said the program fueled a narrative of intolerance and bias.

Olsen said the initiative would be replaced by a broader approach to tackle threats from a range of hostile nation-states, and the DOJ will continue to prioritize threats from the Chinese regime.

China welcomed the DOJs decision to terminate the initiative. Hua Chunying, Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson, said during a briefing on Feb. 24 that the initiative was the poisonous legacy of the previous administration.

Before Huas latest comments, Chinas state-run media promoted propaganda saying the initiative was anti-Asian, a political manipulation, a witch hunt, or a political persecution.

Talent Programs

I certainly know that the Department of Justice during the Trump administration was very aware of the efforts of the Communist Party in China to advance this, whether its through the Thousand Talents Program, or other ways to put individuals in our research areas, and then to learn that information and then bring it home to their country, Whitaker said.

The Thousand Talents Program (TTP) is one of many talent recruitment programs the Chinese regime has maintained for decades, to attract overseas Chinese and foreign experts into working in Chinas science and tech sectors. Through these programs, Beijing hopes to quickly turn China into an industrial and innovation powerhouse, ultimately to outperform Western countries.

The U.S. State Department warned (pdf) about the TTP on its website, saying that talent recruits sign legally binding contracts that often compel them to do things such as facilitate the illicit movement of intellectual capital to duplicate shadow labs in China and engage in activities abroad that would violate export control regulations.

The DOJ has prosecuted many researchers for hiding their participation in Chinas talent programs. One of the most recent cases involved Charles Lieber, a Harvard University professor, who was convicted on six felony charges in December last year for lying about his ties to the Thousand Talents Program.

Whitaker pointed to one particular criminal case from his home state of Iowa, where a group of Chinese nationals was involved in a conspiracy to steal inbred corn seeds developed by U.S. agricultural firms from local cornfields and transfer the seed to a Chinese conglomerate with ties to the CCP.

They went out in the field, and they just took the seed and then tried to reverse engineer the genomic sequence so that they could produce it with no investment and use it in China, he said.

One of the Chinese nationals, Mo Hailong, a permanent U.S. resident, was sentenced to 36 months in prison in 2016.

The former acting attorney general had some questions about the current administrations efforts to tackle Chinas threats highlighted by the China Initiative.

I havent heard them coming up with a coherent China strategy in the DOJ, or administration-wide, Whitaker said.

Opposition

The DOJs decision to terminate the initiative has drawn criticism from some Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and former President Donald Trump.

Im surprised to see that. I dont think we should be doing that.  I think its a big mistake, Trump said during a press conference prior to his speech at CPAC.

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) said DOJs decision made no sense, during an interview with NTD, sister media outlet of The Epoch Times, at CPAC.

We need to be extremely tough on China. They have been ripping off our technology. They have been stealing our intellectual property for years, for decades now. And the tougher we are with them, the less likely that is to continue, Chabot said.

When companies have their intellectual property or secrets stolen by China, that means the jobs go away here in the United States. Theres a reason for the American public and our workers to care about this as well.

Frank Fang journalist Follow Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based journalist. He covers news in China and Taiwan. He holds a master's degree in materials science from Tsinghua University in Taiwan.
Tesla head Elon Musk talks to the press as he arrives to to have a look at the construction site of the new Tesla Gigafactory near Berlin near Gruenheide, Germany, on Sept. 3, 2020. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Elon Musk Says Starlink Activated in Ukraine After Internet Cut During Russian Invasion

Entrepreneur Elon Musk announced Saturday that his company SpaceXs satellite broadband service, Starlink, has been activated in Ukraine, after the Internet was disrupted in the country due to Russias invasion.

Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route, Musk wrote on Twitter in response to Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

[Elon Musk], while you try to colonize MarsRussia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from spaceRussian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! Fedorov had written to the SpaceX billionaire.

Internet monitors said Saturday that connectivity in the southern and eastern parts of Ukraine were particularly affected by the Russian invasion.

Starlink is a space-based system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring high-speed broadband Internet to underserved areas of the world, such as rural or hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach. It can also serve as a backup if natural disasters affect communication.

SpaceX has almost 2,000 Starlink satellites orbiting the earth at an altitude of 340 miles (550 kilometers). The company hopes to have 4,425 Starlink satellites in orbit by 2024.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Federal Judge Rules Against High Schools Patently Unconstitutional Racial Admission Policy

A federal judge has ruled against an elite Virginia high schools revised admissions policy pushing for racial equity, judging it discriminatory against Asian American students.

The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ), which focuses on the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is a Governors School in the Fairfax County Public Schools system. It requires prospective students to go through a rigorous entrance exam; Asian students have secured the most admissions, making up roughly 72 percent of students in the 202021 school year.

Before the new admission system was introduced in fall 2020, applicants for TJ were required to fulfill five criteria: They had to reside in one of the five participating school divisions, have a minimum core 3.0 grade point average, be enrolled in eighth grade, be enrolled in or have completed Algebra I, and pay a $100 application fee.

The applicants then had to go through standardized testsACT Inspire Reading, ACT Inspire Science, and Quant-Q. Students who attained minimum scores moved forward into a semifinalist pool from which they were granted admission based on their test scores, GPA, teacher recommendations, and responses to a problem-solving essay and three writing prompts.

In the new system, the standardized tests were removed and the minimum requirements to apply altered. To be eligible for admissions, students had to meet four new criteria. They needed a GPA of 3.5, they had to register in an honors science course, enroll in a full-year honors Algebra I course or higher, and sign up for at least one more honors course or the Young Scholars program.

The next-stage evaluation was changed to a one-round holistic evaluation. It looked at the students GPA, a student portrait sheet, a problem-solving essay, and experience factors that include attendance at a middle school deemed historically underrepresented at TJ, and eligibility for free and reduced-price meals.

As a consequence, the proportion of Asian American students admitted to TJ declined. For the class of 2025, the first year of class at the school under the new admission policy, the number of students admitted increased by 64.

However, TJ admitted 56 fewer Asian American students compared to the prior year, according to a lawsuit filed against the school by a coalition of students, alumni, and parents represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF).

For each of the previous five years, Asian Americans comprised at least 65 percent of the admitted class, with a 73 percent admission rate for the 2024 class. But for the 2025 class, the admission rate for Asian American students slipped to 54 percent.

In the judgment, U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton ruled that the board instituted a system that does not treat all applicants to TJ equally, warning that the move would have a substantial racial impact.

It is clear that Asian-American students are disproportionately harmed by the Boards decision to overhaul TJ admissions. Currently and in the future, Asian-American applicants are disproportionately deprived of a level playing field in competing for both allocated and unallocated seats, Hilton wrote.

Placing the Boards actions in historical context leaves little doubt that its decision to overhaul the TJ admissions process was racially motivated, he added, pointing out that racial balancing for its own sake was patently unconstitutional and that the school board cant transform racial balancing into a compelling interest just by relabeling it as diversity.

PLF attorney Erin Wilcox called the decision a monumental win for students and parents as well as for equal treatment in education across the United States.

We hope this ruling sends the message that government cannot choose who receives the opportunity to attend public schools based on race or ethnicity.

The admissions office of Thomas Jefferson High School didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C in protest of mask and vaccine mandates on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Freedom Convoy USA Abandons Northern Route, Urges Truckers to Join Main Convoy

Organizers of Freedom Convoy USA 2022 are urging all truckers and protesters who planned on joining them in their trek to Washington, D.C. to change course and join the main group, The Peoples Convoy, which as of Saturday morning had reached Amarillo, Texas.

Kyle Sefcik, national organizer for Freedom Convoy USA 2022 told The Epoch Times on Feb. 26, The Peoples Convoy is now the official convoy.

Im disappointed that our own little convoy didnt have like 30 to 50 trucks. I was a big, wishful thinker, he said. Our send-off wasnt what we were planning and hoping to be.

The Freedom Convoy USA has abandoned its proposed northern route and has asked all truckers and supporters who planned to follow in motorhomes and smaller vehicles to join The Peoples Convoy.

We do apologize to all those people that were in Utah and in Colorado and those northern states in the West that were excited to see all these truckers go by, but we have to make these big decisions.

People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C in protest of coronavirus mandates on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

He expects more truck drivers in semis and protesters in private vehicles to converge near Indianapolis before proceeding to the Washington, D.C. area.

Sefcik said he has a permit to hold a rally to cheer on the convoy at the National Mall in Maryland, just outside the limits of Washington proper, on March 1 when President Joe Biden is expected to deliver his State of the Union speech. He claims to have a permit for the event.

Sefcik admitted in a video statement on the groups Instagram page that the launch of the Freedom Convoy USA 2022 on Feb. 25 was as successful as the group had hoped.

Though hundreds of people showed up to show their support for truckers, there were no trucks at rallies in El Monte and Fontana, both in California, on Friday.

The launch in Cali today  was not very successful, he said.

All these convoys are coming together at some point. Were all in this together, he said.

Thats going to be an epic merge.

Meanwhile, California organizer Mark Perez experienced logistical problems at El Monte on Friday when no semis showed up to pick up donated supplies that supporters dropped off at a roadside rally where more than 200 people had gathered to support the convoy.

People gather in El Monte, Calif., to show support for truckers partaking in a convoy from Los Angeles to Washington D.C, in protest of coronavirus mandates on Feb. 25, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Perez told The Epoch Times on Saturday morning that he spent Friday night scrambling to rent two 15-foot U-Haul trucks and load them with supplies.

I wasnt expecting that many donations, he said.

Perez had to change routes and now hopes to reach The Peoples Convoy when it stops for a scheduled overnight stay near Elk City, Oklahoma, Saturday night.

Im trying to catch up with them, he said
A ship works offshore in the Baltic Sea on the natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 from Russia to Germany on Nov. 11, 2018. (Bernd Wuestneck/dpa via AP)

Gas Prices Expected to Skyrocket, China Will Have Cheap Fuel

News Analysis

Petrol prices in the United States and around the world have hit highs not seen since 2014. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine resulting in decertification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and the subsequent Western sanctions, prices are expected to climb even higher, but China will not have to pay the price.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned that China, North Korea, and Iran are watching the United States right now, and that Americas handling of the Ukraine crisis will determine the future behavior of these belligerent states. He went on to say that all free nations would be imperiled if Russian President Vladimir Putin were not stopped. McConnell demanded more severe sanctions be placed on Russia than those that followed Russias previous invasions of Ukraine and Georgia.

Last year, the United States pressured Berlin to halt the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which connects Russia with Germany. Germany regarded U.S. intervention in the pipeline deal as an infringement on the nations internal affairs. The United States, however, claimed that the pipeline would grant Russia too much influence over Europe and NATO. Additionally, the Biden administration said that it needed the pipeline issue settled because it wanted Germany onboard as a reliable ally to counter China.

The two nations reached a negotiated solution in which Germany would continue to purchase Russian natural gas, but it was obligated to extend financial assistance to Ukraine. The existence of the pipeline meant that Kyiv would lose $2 billion a year in Russian transit payments. To help mitigate this loss, Germany established a $1 billion fund to invest in Ukraine green energy.

The United States and Germany also agreed to work together to end Russias energy dominance in Europe. Russia hawks in Congress were not happy, as they wanted the project halted immediately. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was among the critics of the deal, saying that future generations of Russian dictators would be reaping the benefits of the pipeline.

The Nord Stream gas pipeline system. (Congressional Research Service)

Germany also signed an agreement with the United States to bring sanctions if Russia tried to use its energy dominance against Ukraine. Kyiv expressed concerns that if Russian fuel were no longer transiting through Ukraine, Russian officials would be emboldened in their interactions with the country. The Biden administration urged Moscow to agree to continue to transit some fuel through Ukraine, despite the pipelines completion, last August.

Germany has always been concerned that shutting down the pipeline would cause an increase in the price of oil and gas, including petrol. Europe buys 35 percent of its natural gas from Russia. Currently, the gas travels via the Yamal-Europe pipeline, which crosses Belarus and Poland to Germany; whereas Nord Stream 1 traverses Ukraine and ends in Germany.

Global demand for oil and gas should remain the same, regardless of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. But if Russia is prevented from selling its gas to Europe, then the supply will decrease, driving up prices. In 2006, Russian state-energy company, Gazprom, cut off the gas supplies transiting through Ukraine and the effects were immediately felt across Europe.

Soon after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and recognized two breakaway regions of Ukrainethe Donetsk Peoples Republic (DNR) and Luhansk Peoples Republic (LNR)German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed on Feb. 22 to decertify the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Two days later, European Union leaders imposed sanctions on Russias financial, energy, and transport sectors, all of which will drive up the price of energy and possibly create shortages.

Over the past year, LNG imports to Europe from the United States have climbed. But it is unclear what plan, if any, Europe or the United States have to replace all of the lost oil and gas from Russia. European gas costs are now set to be $200 billion higher than January forecasts.

Russia is a member of OPEC Plus and produces about 10 percent of the barrels of oil sold in the world. Also in OPEC Plus is Kazakhstan, which is a current member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). As the world is apparently drifting into pro-Russia and anti-Russia camps, a gas shortage or price increase could be exacerbated by OPEC members siding with Russia.

Russias ability to sell energy to China may mitigate sanctions and wind up being a win for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In 2021, the two countries increased their energy trade to over $140 billion, and expect to further increase it to $200 billion by 2024. They are also working on the Power of Siberia-2 natural gas pipelinea proposed mega pipeline through Mongoliato provide Russian energy to China.

The icebreaker Tor at the port of Sabetta in the Kara Sea shoreline on the Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic circle, some 1,522 miles of Moscow, on April 16, 2015. The Yamal LNG (liquefied natural gas) project aiming to extract and liquefy gas from the Yuzhno-Tambeyskoye gas field is scheduled to start production in 2017. Russias Novatek holds a 60 percent stake in the venture. Frances Total and Chinas CNPC hold 20 percent each. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images)

Another location where this new conflict is being played out is the Arctic. Chinese state energy companies and government-backed investment funds have invested heavily in liquefied natural gas in the Arctic. Since 2013, the CCP has acquired significant interest in two projects by Russian gas company Novatek. They now hold a 30 percent stake in the Yamal LNG project and a 20 percent stake in the Arctic LNG project.

Last week, gas prices have almost jumped 19 percent to 105.6 euros a megawatt-hour on the TTF exchange in the Netherlands, according to The New York Times. The price of natural gas and liquid natural gas will continue to increase around the globe if Russian gas is removed from world markets.

If sanctions prevent the world from purchasing Russian gas, then China will become a monopsony, a single buyer. As a monopsony, the CCP will get to dictate the price China will pay for Russian gas, which will most likely be below the market price.

The rest of the world will be facing rising energy costs and possibly shortages and blackouts, coupled with increased supply chain disruption. Meanwhile, China will have easy access to inexpensive energy, which it can use to manufacture cheap products and, thus, dominate world markets.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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 Kongs COVID-19 Infections Continue to Soar, Medical System on Verge of Collapsing

Hong Kongs COVID-19 outbreak continues to rapidly worsen, with infected cases exceeding 10,000 per day two days in a row.

With the city following Chinas zero-COVID-19 policy and many concerned residents testing positive for the virus, the citys medical system and facilities are reaching their limit.

Doctors say that while most patients have mild or no symptoms, thousands of people have been flocking to the citys hospitals seeking medical assistance after testing positive.

This is a big problem, said David Chan, who heads the union Hospital Authority Employees Alliance. The government messaging has been that COVID is a very dangerous disease  so it is very hard to blame the people.

The government has also been requiring that residents who test positive and their close contacts to isolate in designated quarantine facilities.

On Feb. 26, Hong Kong authorities reported 17,063 new COVID-19 cases, 66 more deaths, and 40 people in critical condition. Except for 6 imported cases, all others were from local transmission.

On Feb. 25, there were 10,010 new cases reported, setting a new record in Hong Kong since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time that the number of cases in a single day exceeded 10,000, of which 10,006 were from local transmission.

Edwin Tsui, director of the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection, said at the time the total number of confirmed cases in the city had reached over 126,000.

Sofia Chan, director of the Hong Kong Food and Health Bureau, said that the fifth Omicron-led wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong has been a lot worse than previous waves of infections, with more than 81,000 new confirmed cases so far, accounting for 86 percent of the citys total cases. She added that experts do not believe infections have reached their peak, with some experts predicting up to 180,000 daily cases in March.

Tsui said that the current spread of COVID-19 in hospitals was most concerning. On Feb. 25, there were confirmed cases reported in 50 hospital rooms, and a total of 470 hospital rooms with COVID-19 patients. In this fifth wave of COVID-19 infections, 1,943 patients in Hong Kong hospitals and more than 600 hospital employees have been infected.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread, many arrivals at emergency wards have had to wait outside the hospitals due to a lack of manpower.

The Hong Kong Hospital Authority warned for two consecutive days that the emergency department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital was severely overloaded.

Chan Kwok Shing, chairman of the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, also warned of a similar situation at the Caritas Medical Centres ER department. There, the two employees on duty during the night shifts are unable to provide enough care for the 80 patients in the ward. He also expressed concern over the health of his colleagues, and said he does not know how long they can last.

Kwok Kin-an, assistant professor at Chinese University of Hong Kongs School of Public Health and Primary Care, told local media on Feb. 26 that the medical system is overloaded, and urged the government to continue exploring the feasibility of allowing some patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms to be treated and isolated at home.

If the number of infections continues to rise in the future, as indicated by the research teams modelling, tens of thousands of people are predicted to become infected every day, which will be more than what the medical system and community isolation facilities can handle, Kwok said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
In this special episode, we sat down with Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz) at CPAC. Roberts touched on how to make the United States more competitive with China.

Roberts said, We have allowed in the United States, our freedoms, our freedom of association, our relatively free lobbying laws to be used, not just in support of the CCP, but against our interests as Americans. And its crucial that this year, not next year, not next decade, this year, every conservative in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate recognized that threat and advanced legislation to that end.

Biggs spoke about what China gets out of the UkraineRussia crisis and said You may recall that it was quite some time ago, a good number of months ago, Xi said we will deal with the Taiwan issue after the midterm elections in America, that should have chilled everybody to the bone. In the meantime, weve projected weakness and lack of resolve everywhere in the world. And so I dont know what Xis timetable is. I know hes got generals that are pushing him to take it. I worry about Taiwan. And I also worry about the fact that were more interested in another nations borders than our own borders.

Have other topics you want us to cover? Drop us a line: chinainfocus@ntdtv.org

And if youd like to buy us a coffee: https://donorbox.org/china-in-focus

Subscribe to our newsletter for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit us on Gettr and Twitter.
The Town of Tonawanda is reviving a legal effort to take control of the former Huntley Generating Station amid growing frustration over how long it's taken owner NRG Energy to find a buyer for the prime waterfront property.

Supervisor Joseph H. Emminger announced Tonawanda's intention to restart the eminent domain process at his annual State of the Town address on Thursday, two months after The Buffalo News reported this was a likely next step.

The plant, once the town's largest taxpayer, closed in 2016 and went up for sale in 2018.

Tonawanda had launched the eminent domain process once before, three years ago, but scrapped it at the urging of NRG executives who argued the legal fight made it harder to market the property.

Tonawanda presses NRG over failure to sell Huntley site The town vows to revive its efforts to take over the site through eminent domain and to build its own water intake station along the Niagara River

The company continues to argue against the eminent domain proceeding, and defended its efforts to sell the Huntley site, but town officials are losing patience.

"I trusted them. What's the old saying, 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me'? I'm not going to be made a fool of again. The town isn't going to be made a fool of again," Emminger said in an interview.

The electric-generating coal plant on River Road opened in 1916 and closed 100 years later. At the time, the station produced $6 million in local property tax revenue and had nearly 80 employees, but it also ranked as one of Erie County's worst polluters.

The main Huntley site covers 84 acres, with two off-site parcels adding another 124 acres, near the Niagara Thruway, railroad lines and a water treatment plant.

NRG didn't list the plant for sale until 2018. Later that year, concerned at the sluggish sale process, town officials launched an effort to take over nearly all of the Huntley site through eminent domain.

That process gives the government the right to acquire private property, for a public use, as long as it pays fair compensation to the former owner. But it can lead to a lengthy court battle.

NRG successfully persuaded the town that a drawn-out legal process would delay a planned sale to a buyer, later identified as an investment team including Michael Ullian. The town ended its eminent domain campaign in September 2019 after spending $24,200 on legal fees.

Then, in June 2020, NRG, without explanation, announced the sale agreement was off. Ullian has insisted to The News he was ready and able to proceed with a purchase of the property.

NRG later hired a national consulting firm, Vita Nuova, to help guide the restarted Huntley sale process. NRG wanted to receive responses, or expressions of interest, from prospective buyers by May 2021.

NRG has not said how many responses it received. The company previously said its review of those submissions would continue into this year but did not offer specifics.

Local officials frustrated at NRG's process to sell 'eyesore' Huntley site Town officials say they've heard of companies that want to talk to NRG about the property, but have not received any follow-up from Huntley's owner or, more recently, Vita Nuova, its consultant.

Emminger said he has not received any recent, substantial updates from the company, beyond an email last month saying NRG had not selected a buyer yet.

Emminger, Ullian and others are convinced NRG isn't in a rush to sell off the Huntley property because it generates revenue from the site.

The plant was a money-loser in its later years, but NRG now makes a profit by selling raw water pumped from the Niagara River to neighboring industrial customers, the officials said. NRG denies it has a financial motivation to keep the property.

Still, the town is moving forward on two fronts to pressure NRG: By constructing a water-pumping station and investing in the infrastructure needed to sell untreated water directly to those manufacturers, and by restarting eminent domain.

"I don't know what they've done in two years, except delay, delay, delay  and collect money," Emminger said.

The Town Board will have to formally vote to begin eminent domain proceedings, following at least one public hearing. Emminger said he believes the town could take control of the property within a year, although legal wrangling could continue over the value of the site.

One reason the town feels the need to press NRG is because a state fund that offsets some of the lost property tax revenue could expire as soon as 2023.

NRG insists it remains interested in finding a buyer for the property but that an eminent domain proceeding would prove "disruptive" to a sale.

"It is important that the town productively engage with NRG so as not to jeopardize that outcome," spokesman Dave Schrader said in an email.

The brownfield site requires an extensive cleanup, and Schrader said NRG has worked with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to determine the extent of that work, though Emminger said the company has done the bare minimum required.

At the State of the Town presentation, Emminger shared a video rendering of what the Huntley site could look like following a cleanup and redevelopment. Images showed apartment, condominium, office and commercial structures with ample waterfront access.

"We're going to accelerate the process," Emminger said.

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Alberto Carvalho, then Miami-Dade Schools superintendent, is seen during a school board meeting in Miami, Fla., on March 1, 2018. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

LAUSD Superintendent Outlines 100-Day Plan for Academic Recovery, Relaxes COVID-19 Measures

LOS ANGELESLos Angeles Unified School Districts (LAUSD) new superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, said he will prioritize academic recovery for students, outlining his short-term plans on Feb. 24 to close learning gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help LA students catch up with their education, Carvalhowho previously served as superintendent of Floridas largest school district for 13 yearsreleased a 100-Day Plan, which includes shifting some of the districts focus and funds from pandemic safety measures to academic performance.

The level of academic regression [and] unfinished learning that has piled up is impressive and devastating to the lives of a lot of students across the country, Carvalho said last week during an award event where he previewed the 100-day plan.

In terms of COVID-19 measures and related funds, the superintendent said he will soon scale back some costly public health measuressuch as COVID-19 testing for students and staffand reallocate the funding to learning programs, though he didnt specify a timeline for the shift or which projects will get the funds.

The district continues offering weekly testing for all students and staff for now.

Based on the most recent projection, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing will cost the district about $527 million by the end of the yearfour times the amount projected in June 2021, according to a report by school officials during a Feb. 22 LAUSD Board of Education meeting.

However, the district is currently administering between 80,000 and 90,000 tests per day, about three to four times more than its June projection.

Carvalhos 100-day plan to close learning benchmark gaps consists of four parts: learn, assess, communicate, and act. More specifically, his team will learn from the community, assess the next steps with staff, and then act on those steps by communicating and engaging with the school community.

Carvalho will start with listening opportunities, or community discussion sessions, to gather ideas for LAUSD improvements from students, parents, and staff.

His office will then assess student learning, school facility, and staff conditions and work with the districts stakeholders to develop a plan.

The district will also focus on engaging parents and create a Parent Academy, an independent online learning program with courses to help parents navigate the school system and find the best course of action for their childrens education.

Carvalho plans to expand preschool and kindergarten schoolsas early education is critical in laying a good foundation for more advanced-level learning later, he saidin the districts underserved areas.

If we want to boost graduation rates, start investing in early-childhood education programs to minimize that gap that many students come into schools with as a result of all the factors that we recognize impact their ability to learn or their readiness for elementary education, Carvalho said earlier this month.

According to an LAUSD spokesperson, only about 48.2 percent of kindergarten students met the states early literacy benchmarks in the 202021 school year, a 5.1 percent drop from the previous school year.

The district also plans to add more students to school bus transportation, offer year-round school options, and identify which students in the online study program should return to in-person learning, to make arrangements accordingly.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko speaks to the media after casting his ballot in the referendum on the constitutional amendments at a polling station in Minsk on Feb. 27, 2022.(Sergei Sheleg/BELTA/AFP via Getty Images)

RussiaUkraine (Feb. 27): Belarus Referendum Approves Proposal to Renounce Non-Nuclear Status: Agencies

The latest on the RussiaUkraine crisis, Feb. 27. Click here for updates from Feb. 26.

Belarus Referendum Approves Proposal to Renounce Non-Nuclear Status

A referendum in Belarus on Sunday approved a new constitution ditching the countrys nonnuclear status at a time when the former Soviet republic has become a launch pad for Russian troops invading Ukraine, Russian news agencies said.

The agencies cited the Belarus central elections commission as saying 65.2 percent of those who took part voted in favor. The result came as little surprise, given the tightly controlled rule of President Alexander Lukashenko.

The new constitution could see nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil for the first time since the country gave them up after the fall of the Soviet Union.

It raises the stakes at a time when Lukashenko has fallen behind Russian President Vladimir Putins military assault on Ukraine after earlier playing an intermediary role between the two neighbors.

The West has already said it will not recognize the results of the referendum, which is taking place against the background of a sweeping crackdown on domestic opponents of the government. According to human rights activists, as of Sunday, there were more than a thousand political prisoners in Belarus.

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Ukraine Says 352 Civilians Dead so Far in War

Ukraines Interior Ministry says 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed during Russias invasion, including 14 children. It says an additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded.

The ministrys statement Sunday does not give any information on casualties among Ukraines armed forces.

Russia has claimed that its troops are targeting only Ukrainian military facilities and says that Ukraines civilian population is not in danger.

Russia has not released any information on casualties among its troops. The Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged on Sunday only that Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded, without giving any numbers.

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Russian Convoy of Ground Forces, Fuel, Tanks Moving Toward Kyiv: Maxar

Satellite imagery taken on Sunday showed a large deployment of Russian ground forces including tanks moving in the direction of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv from approximately 40 miles away, a private U.S. company said.

The images released by Maxar Technologies Inc. showed a deployment comprised of hundreds of military vehicles and extending more than 3.25 miles, Maxar said.

The convoy was situated northeast of the Ukrainian city of Ivankiv and contained fuel, logistics, and armored vehicles including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and self-propelled artillery, it said.

The satellite images also showed damage caused by recent airstrikes on the Antonov airport in Hostomel, and heavy fighting in and near the airport, Maxar reported.

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US Urges Americans to Consider Leaving Russia Immediately

U.S. citizens should consider leaving Russia immediately on commercial flights, the State Department said on Sunday, citing an increasing number of airlines canceling flights and countries closing their airspace to Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available, said a security alert dated Feb. 27 on the website of the U.S. embassy in Moscow.

It has asked U.S. citizens to have a contingency plan that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.

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BP Quits Russia After Ukraine Invasion

BP is abandoning its stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft in an abrupt and costly end to three decades of operating in the energy-rich country, marking the most significant move yet by a Western company in response to Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

Rosneft accounts for around half of BPs oil and gas reserves and a third of its production and divesting the 19.75 percent stake will result in charges of up to $25 billion, the British company said, without saying how it plans to extricate itself.

I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine and my heart goes out to everyone affected. It has caused us to fundamentally rethink BPs position with Rosneft, BP Chief Executive Bernard Looney said.

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Ukraine Lodges Case Against Russia at World Court

The highest U.N. court on Sunday confirmed that Ukraine has filed a suit against Russia, saying Russias claim it invaded Ukraine to prevent a genocide is false and asking judges to order provisional measures to protect Ukraine.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky had said earlier on Sunday he had filed the suit at the International Court of Justice, also known as the world court. In a statement, the court confirmed it has received Ukraines complaint. It did not say when the case would be heard.

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EU Bans Russian State Media Outlets, All Russian Flights

The European Union will shut down the blocs airspace to all Russian planes and will ban Russian state media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik, according to the head of the European Commission.

The EU will be closed down to Russia-controlled, -owned, or -registered aircraft, including the private jets of oligarchs, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday.

At the same time, the EU will suspend the Kremlins media machine in the EU by banning state-owned Russia Today, Sputnik, and their subsidiaries. Those outlets, she said on Twitter, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

Read full story here

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Ukraine Agrees to Hold Talks With Russia

In a sign of de-escalation, Ukrainian officials said they will meet with their Russian counterparts near the Ukraine-Belarus border as Russian President Vladimir Putin said hes putting his nuclear forces on high alert.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Kyiv government agreed to talks with Moscow on the border. Its not clear if Zelensky will attend the meeting.

We have agreed that the Ukrainian delegation will meet with Russian without prior conditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, in the area of the Pripyat River, Zelensky said on social media Sunday.

Zelensky, who is said to still be in Ukraine, added that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko took responsibility for the fact that at the time of the departure, negotiations, and return of the Ukrainian delegation, all planes, helicopters, and missiles placed on the Belarusian territory will remain on the ground.

Read full story here

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Putin Puts Nuclear Forces on High Alert

Putin put his countrys nuclear deterrence forces on high alert on Sunday, announcing the move in a televised meeting with top ministers, as Russian troops and tanks continue to wage a conflict in Ukraine.

Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. Im speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well, Putin said on Sunday, according to state-run media.

As a result, Putin said that he has ordered the minister of Defense and the chief of the general staff [of the Russian armed forces] to transfer the deterrence forces of the Russian army to a special mode of combat duty, according to televised comments he made. The deterrence forces include command of Russias vast arsenal of nuclear weapons.

Read full story here

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Ukrainians Return From Abroad to Fight Russian Invasion

While hundreds of thousands of refugees are leaving Ukraine amid Russias attack on the country, some Ukrainian men and women are returning home from across Europe to help defend their homeland.

Polands Border Guard said Sunday that some 22,000 people have crossed into Ukraine since Thursday, when Russia invaded the country.

At the checkpoint in Medyka, in southeastern Poland, many were standing in a line early Sunday to cross into Ukraine.

We have to defend our homeland. Who else if not us, said a mustachioed man in front of a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers walking to the checkpoint to enter Ukraine. They came from across Europe to return to Ukraine.

Members of the group declined to give their names, or only gave their first names, citing their security and that of their families.

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Russians Advance on Ukraines Ports, Meet Resistance in City

Street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

The capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages, and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraines bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

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Russian Troops Enter Ukraines 2nd Largest City of Kharkiv

Russian troops have pushed into Ukraines second-largest city, according to a regional official.

Russian troops approached Kharkiv, about 12.4 miles south of the border with Russia, shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. But until Sunday, they remained on the outskirts of the city of 1.4 million without trying to enter while other forces rolled past, pressing their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Early Sunday, Russian troops moved in and were engaged by Ukrainian forces, said Oleh Sinehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, who told civilians not to leave their homes. He gave no further details.

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More EU Countries Close Airspace to Russia

Austria and Italy are joining a growing list of European countries in closing their airspace to all Russian aircraft as the West ramps up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering an invasion of Ukraine.

Several other European countries, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Luxembourg have also announced they are closing their airspace to Russian planes.

Jack Phillips, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 4, 2021. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

Masks Still Required for Air Travel Despite CDCs Guidance Change

A federal mask mandate for airline passengers will remain intact despite a rule issued Feb. 25 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ease mask guidance in other settings.

The mask mandate for airline passengers and airports, issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), remains in effect until at least March 18, when it expires. The mandate could still be extended.

The mask requirement remains in place, and we will continue to assess the duration of the requirement in consultation with CDC, TSA spokeswoman Alexa Lopez told news outlets on Feb. 25.

The TSA mandate was announced in January 2021 in the early days of the Biden administration, although U.S. airlines have been required to mandate that passengers wear masks since 2020.

Under the CDCs announcement, masking mandates have even been dropped in schools and school buses in areas where there are low levels of COVID-19, the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union said it expects that the mask mandate for air travelers will be extended again.

The conditions in aviation are the same, the union said in a statement. Our youngest passengers do not yet have access to the vaccine. The airplane is a unique, but controlled environment for everyones safety. The layered approach to safety and security includes masks. Aviation is a world-wide network that harmonizes safety procedures around the world. Its also critical that we maintain passenger confidence in the safety of air travel.

During remarks last week, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that about three-quarters of Americans dont have to wear masks because they live in communities with medium or low risk from the virus.

This updated approach focuses on directing our prevention efforts toward protecting people at high risk for severe ailments and preventing hospitals and health care systems from being overwhelmed, Walensky told reporters on a call.

Walensky said her agency came up with these indicators, including new hospital admissions and hospital beds utilized, and complimented them with case incidents to really create a package of metrics to be able to understand whats happening at the local level.

Throughout the pandemic, the efficacy of masksespecially cloth maskshas been questioned. Although federal health agencies say studies show they are effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, critics have said those papers conclusions are flawed.

As of Feb. 22, there have been more than 600 reports of unruly passengers so far this year, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. About 397 of such incidents were connected to the mask mandate.

The CDC didnt respond by press time to a request for additional comment.
A sixth person has died in southeast Queenslands worst floods in a decade, which have triggered the evacuation of hundreds of people and cut off towns and suburbs.

The region is being pummelled by multiple severe thunderstorms from a low-pressure trough which has been sitting over the states southeast for six days.

The Australian Bureau of Meterology said in a Feb. 15 update that while its modelling predicts that La Nina has peaked, its influence will persist until mid-autumn. In Australia, La Nina is associated with wetter than average conditions with an increased potential for flooding.

Major Flooding

The body of a 34-year-old man has been found in Brisbanes inner west suburb of Indooroopilly after his car became submerged in floodwaters early Sunday morning, taking the states death toll to six.

Earlier on Saturday, a 37-year-old Goomboorian man who went missing in floodwaters near Gympie on Friday night was found by police divers.

There are fears that number could rise, with a police search underway for an elderly man who was reported falling off a boat near the mouth of Breakfast Creek about 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Gympie Council was evacuating 700 people living along the swollen Mary River, which will rise above its highest level in 23 years in the next 24 hours.

Residents at Southside and on the hospital side of the river were urged to evacuate immediately and seek higher ground.

Flood sirens were sounded in Grantham, with Lockyer Valley Council encouraging residents to register with the Red Crosss Register.Find.Reunite service.

Council is currently fielding calls from concerned family members, seeking to locate loved ones who may be staying in Places of Shelter, or who do not have access to their phones, a statement read.

Moreton Bay residents have also been urged to get ready to flee with very dangerous flooding already above major levels.

Logan Mayor Darren Power has warned floodwaters could cut off parts of Logan Village, Buccan, Jimboomba, Glenlogan, Chambers Flat, Carbrook, Kairabah, and Bethania in coming days.

The Indigenous community of Cherbourg, west of Gympie, which will soon be cut off, while there is major flooding at Tewantin near Noosa, and Picnic Point and Dunethin Rock on the Sunshine Coast.

Beaudesert, south of Brisbane, and Maryborough, downstream from Gympie, are also set to be inundated by major floods.

Among the five people to have died from the floods was SES volunteer Merryl Dray who was killed when the car she was in with three other volunteers was swept off a road en-route to a rescue on Friday night.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Greg Leach described the 62-year-olds death as a tragic loss.

Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski urged people not to leave home unless they absolutely had to amid warnings of possible dangerous and life-threatening flash floods.

We do not want to lose any more people, so please, please, if its flooded, forget it, he said.

Ipswich is set for its worst flood in a decade with the Bremer River predicted to rise above its 2013 peak of 13.9m on Sunday.

Multiple Brisbane suburbs including Moggill, Jindalee, West End and Capalaba were partially flooded on Saturday.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner on Saturday evening issued a flood warning for 16 suburbs along the Brisbane River, saying several thousand properties could be inundated due to the existing flooding, Wivenhoe Dam releases and the high tide.

Residents in low-lying areas of Brisbane city, Bulimba, Hamilton, Milton, New Farm, Newstead, Norman Park, Oxley, Rocklea, South Brisbane, St Lucia, Teneriffe, Toowong, West End, Windsor and Yeronga were urged to be prepared to act.

The rains have also left dozens of roads cut, including the Bruce Highway north of Brisbane and the Warrego Highway west of the city.

Train services north and west of Brisbane are set to be suspended for days, while Brisbane River ferry services have also been halted indefinitely due to dangerous debris in the water.

By Marty Silk and Jack Gramenz
People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 27, 2022, after North Korea fired an "unidentified projectile" according to the South's military. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images)

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Amid Russia-Ukraine Conflict

North Korea fired an alleged ballistic missile on Sunday morning, according to South Korean and Japanese military officials.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed to Yonhap that North Korea fired a suspected missile toward the sea from its east coast near Sunan, where the isolated, communist regimes airport is located.

The missile fired on Sunday flew to a maximum altitude of around 390 miles and a range of about 90 miles, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

For other specifics on the missile, the intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis, the defense agency said in a statement to reporters. Our military is tracking and monitoring related [North Korean] movements and maintaining a readiness posture, it added.

The move was criticized by South Korean and Japanese officials.

There have been frequent launches since the start of the year, and North Korea is continuing to rapidly develop ballistic missile technology, Japans Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said in a televised announcement, according to Reuters.

Kishi also made reference to Russias invasion of Ukraine. A North Korean official issued a statement last week that appeared to endorse Russia.

If their idea was to conduct this at an unguarded moment for the international community while it was responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we absolutely cannot condone this, Kishi said.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command also condemned Pyongyangs latest missile launch.

While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory or that of our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation, the command said in a news release. The U.S. commitment to the defense of the ROK and Japan remains ironclad, it added, referring to South Koreas government.

Since the start of 2022, North Koreas regime has launched at least eight missiles, according to an analysis of media reports. North Koreas previous test was on Jan. 30, when it fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Several analysts noted that North Korea has stepped up the number of missile launches even before the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

[Russias] war shapes almost all geopolitics right now, and should factor somewhere in Kims [calculus], but even taking advantage of distraction seems to presume too much, since (North Korea) was already testing aggressively before the war, John Delury, a professor at South Koreas Yonsei University, wrote on Twitter.

North Korean state media did not issue a statement following the apparent missile test.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A Flowflex COVID-19 Lateral Flow (LFT) self-test kit, containing a SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test, arranged for a photograph, in London on Feb. 20, 2022. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

Poison Control Centers Warn About Toxic Chemical in At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits

Some at-home rapid COVID-19 tests contain a toxic chemical that may be harmful to both children and adults, according to health officials.

The Cincinnati Drug and Poison Information Center reported an uptick in accidental exposures to a possibly toxic substance, sodium azide, in at-home COVID-19 test kits, according to a blog post. Meanwhile, the National Poison Control Center issued a warning about the chemical.

It is important to know that the extraction vial in many rapid antigen kits includes the chemical sodium azide as a preservative agent, the center said. The BinaxNow, BD Veritor, Flowflex, and Celltrion DiaTrust COVID-19 rapid antigen kits all contain this chemical.

Sodium azide is a colorless, odorless powder that testers dip cotton swabs into. The chemical is found in herbicides, pest control agents, and airbags for cars.

Small doses of sodium azide can lower blood pressure, and larger doses may cause more serious health effects, an advisory from Health Canada also said. ProClin is also found in many kits. It contains chemicals that can cause skin and eye irritation, as well as allergic reactions.

Some hospitals around the United States say they have received a surge in phone calls about exposures to the chemical.

We started getting our first exposures to these test kits around early November, said Sheila Goertemoeller, pharmacist and clinical toxicologist for the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center. It was, really, all ages.

Mostly, Ive been very worried about our young children.

Accidental exposure is occurring among both children and adults, said Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, with the National Capital Poison Center in Washington, told WNEP over the weekend.

People might mistake them for eye drops. Children might drop it onto their skin. Adults will sometimes mistakenly put them into their eyes, she said.

You dont want to leave it on the skin because it could potentially cause an allergic reaction or a skin rash.

If someone drinks the solution, its really important to contact poison control right away. The solutions have different ingredients. Some have non-toxic ingredients and others have more dangerous ingredients.

Officials told WNEP that theres no need to throw away the test kits, but people should be mindful when using them.

Use them properly, dispose of them properly, and it wont cause an issue, Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, with St. Lukes University Health Network, told the outlet.

If you suspect you or someone you know has ingested the chemical, officials recommend not to make the person vomit. For eye exposures, rinse the eyes for 15 to 20 minutes with warm water. For skin exposures, rinse the skin well with tap water. Immediately check the Poison Control Centers online tool for guidance or call poison control at 1-800-222-1222, the website says.
Michael Westphal at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Mirriam Theater, Philadelphia, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Lily Sun/The Epoch Times)

PHILADELPHIAThe Westphal family of five love the world of art and so when Shen Yun Performing Arts arrived at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia, they were excited to attend.

I think its a wonderful performance and there is a lot of energy. [The dancers] are fantastic, the choreography is great, [and] the colors are awesome, said Michael Westphal, a production manager.

The pandemic has affected the way many people live their lives, and Shen Yun is an opportunity for a realignment of perceptions.

It is good to come out and see [Shen Yun]get out and see the fresh air, be with people again. Im having a good time, he said.

Shen Yun is reviving traditional Chinese culture as it was in the pre-communist era. Authentic classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dances, and traditional music relay the cherished stories and history of Chinas glorious, 5,000-year-old civilization.

To the delight of many audience members, Shen Yuns orchestra creates unique harmonies with classical Western and traditional Eastern musical instruments.

Mr. Westphal fell in love with the orchestra.

You hear [it], and its so perfectly choreographed that you cant even tell theres [an orchestra] playing down there. But theyre live, real musicians and its wonderful, he said.

He agreed with the importance of Shen Yuns mission: to revive Chinas lost culture and keep the world informed on what is happening in China today.

Among its dances, Shen Yun portrays the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Dafa in present-day China. Falun Dafa draws its roots from Chinas ancient spiritual culture and is based on values such as truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

I think we shouldnt be in a shell. I think we should know whats going on in the world. As [the United States is] a world leader, we should know whats going on in the world, he said.

Although he felt the persecution is sad and that its wrong for regimes to treat the people badly with impunity, the performance, he felt, was uplifting.

So I feel hope,  and Im glad to be an American. Im glad were free. And Im glad everybody has a say that wants to participate  Youve got a choice.

Everything together is just spectacular, in Shen Yun

Michael Danniballe, a director of operations for a manufacturing company, with his wife, Helen Cepeda, a cardiac sonographer, at Shen Yun Performing Arts on Feb. 26, 2022. (William Huang/The Epoch Times(

Michael Danniballe, a director of operations for a manufacturing company with his wife, Helen Cepeda, a cardiac sonographer, was also in the audience.

Shen Yun was fantastic and was bringing a message of hope, Mr. Danniballe said.

To be able to get together, get back as a crowd to support a [performance]  to be able to share what theyre willing to share  is very important.

Mr. Danniballe thought Shen Yun a beautiful performance.

Learning about the culture, the dances, [and] the musics very good. Very entertaining. Weve been waiting to see [Shen Yun] for two years, but because of COVID  So, were happy were finally getting our opportunity.

He was impressed by the entirety of the performance.

I think the  combination of everything: The cultural background, the colorful costumes, the choreography of the dancers, the music, everything together is just spectacular.

In fact, it was impossible to prefer one individual performance over another, he said.

They all have their own significance and meaning [to] them. Its really neat to learn about it.

Ms. Cepeda was impressed by the mini-drama Insanity During the End Days, which portrays a father who is faced with a moral and emotional dilemma.

It was beautiful and very touching, she said.

The couples one regret was that they had not brought their four children with them.

Shen Yun is very educational, Mr. Dalliballe observed.

It gives you a whole different perspective about thousands of years of history.

Reporting by Lily Sun and Diane Cordemans.



The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart at the Kremlin in Moscow on Feb. 22, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Putin Orders Russian Nuclear Deterrence Forces to Be on High Alert

Zelensky announces talks will be held in Belarus

President Vladimir Putin put his countrys nuclear deterrence forces on high alert on Sunday, announcing the move in a televised meeting with top ministers, coming as Russian troops and tanks continue to wage a conflict in Ukraine.

Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. Im speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well, Putin said on Sunday, according to state-run media.

As a result, Putin said that he has ordered the minister of Defense and the chief of the general staff [of the Russian armed forces] to transfer the deterrence forces of the Russian army to a special mode of combat duty, according to televised comments he made. The deterrence forces include command of Russias vast arsenal of nuclear weapons.

It is not immediately clear what the special mode of combat duty means. Previously, when Putin announced the Russian invasion earlier this week, he warned that if other countries get involved, they will face consequences they have never seen.

Later on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said via social media that he will send a delegation to the Ukraine-Belarus border to hold talks with Russian officials without preconditions about the ongoing conflict. Zelensky said he spoke with Belaruss leadership and said they would allow the negotiations.

But Putins order means Russias nuclear weapons prepared for increased readiness to launch, raising the threat that the tensions between Moscow and NATO could boil over into nuclear strikes.

Ukrainian service members look for unexploded shells after fighting with Russian forces in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

During a CBS News appearance, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, responded to Putins statement on Sunday.

President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable, Thomas-Greenfield said on Sunday morning. And we have to continue to condemn his actions in the most strong, strongest possible way.

Also Sunday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Putin, warned the West against imposing tough sanctions on Russia and Belarus, claiming that the measures could push Russia into a third world war.

Ukrainian troops inspect a site following a Russian airstrike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector. Gas, oil, SWIFT. Its worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a third world war, Lukashenko told local state media, referring to sanctions.

The alarming step came as street fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

The capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict 39-hour curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages, and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

The past night was toughmore shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure, Zelensky remarked. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldnt consider as admissible targets.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A customer walks past shelves with bottles of vodka in a supermarket amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Moscow, Russia, on April 8, 2020. (Maxim Shemetov/Reurers)

GOP Governors Call for Retail Boycott of Russian Products Including Vodka

Russias invasion of Ukraine has triggered boycotts in the United States, with governors of four states seeking to limit the sale of Russian products, including vodka.

Ive asked the members of the Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Package Stores Association & all Texas retailers to voluntarily remove all Russian products from their shelves. Texas stands with Ukraine, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said in a Feb. 27 Twitter post.

Texas Restaurant Association members said they stand ready to help businesses find alternatives to Russian imports and announced solidarity with the Ukrainian people. The Texas Package Stores Association also said it was ready to support economic sanctions against Moscow by removing Russian imports from its stores.

Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox, a Republican, has issued an executive order asking the Utah State Liquor Stores and the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to remove all Russian-produced and Russian-branded products off the shelves immediately. The Governors Office of Economic Opportunity will also review the states procurements, according to the executive order signed Feb. 26.

In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has asked the Ohio Department of Commerce to stop the purchase and sale of all vodka made by Russian Standard, the only overseas, Russian-owned distillery with vodka sold in Ohio. The company sells vodka under the brand names Russian Standard Vodka and Green Mark Vodka.

Ohio Liquor estimates that there are approximately 6,400 bottles of vodka made by Russian Standard currently for sale in Ohios 487 liquor agencies across the state. Retailers have been asked to immediately pull Green Mark Vodka and Russian Standard Vodka from their shelves, DeWine said in a Twitter post.

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has also signed an executive order instructing the states liquor and wine outlets to remove Russian spirits from stores.

Despite these initiatives, Russia might not be affected much by the boycott. Only about 1.2 percent of all vodka imports into the United States in the first half of 2021 came from Russia, according to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

The most popular vodka brands sold in the United States, such as Smirnoff, Svedka, New Amsterdam, Titos, Absolut, Ciroc, and SKYY, are made either domestically or in European countries such as the UK, France, and Sweden.

Liquor stores in Canada also have announced a boycott of Russian alcoholic beverages. Canada imported roughly $3.78 million worth of such beverages from Russia last year, down 23.8 percent from 2020. In Ontario, 679 stores will remove all alcoholic products from Russia.

Ontario joins Canadas allies in condemning the Russian governments act of aggression against the Ukrainian people and we strongly support the federal governments efforts to sanction the Russian government, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said in a statement. The people of Ontario will always stand against tyranny and oppression.

Some have expressed a mixed response to this retail boycott, claiming that the overall effect on the Russian economy will be minimal, while expressing concern for small local vendors who have already purchased the inventory.
Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media to announce sanctions on top Russian officials following the invasion of eastern Ukraine, during a press conference in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Steven Saphore/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia Must Pay Heavy Price: Australian PM

Scott Morrison has warned Russia has to pay a heavy price for its invasion of the Ukraine and Australia will seek to provide what he described as lethal aid through NATO.

The United States, Britain, Europe and Canada have blocked Russian access to the SWIFT international payment system as part of another round of sanctions, a move Treasurer Josh Frydneberg said would isolate it from the global financial system.

Russia must pay a heavy price, the prime minister told reporters after attending a service at the St Andrews Ukrainian Church in Lidcombe, NSW on Sunday where he spoke to the congregation.

We will continue to add to that price as we consider every single option that is in front of us. Ive taken nothing off the table.

He said Australia is already providing significant support in terms of non-lethal aid.

But Ive just spoken with the defence minister and well be seeking to provide whatever support we can for lethal aid through our NATO partners, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, he said.

Federal Labor was quick to support the blocking of Russias access to SWIFT.

That will bite and that is a good thing, Labor foreign affair spokeswoman Penny Wong told ABCs Insiders program.

We do need to ensure that the cost of (Russian President) Putins actions bite on him, those around him and on Russia, and the Russian economy, and that will take co-ordination, that will take resolve, people continuing to hold the course.

Mr Frydenberg expects many countries will examine Russias participation in international forums, like the G20.

I cant pre-empt what will be the outcome of those discussions but there will be countries that question Russias ability to participate in these international forums given what they have done in recent days to a country that posed no threat to themselves, he said.

Russia did sit with the G7 forum between 1997 and 2014, when it was known as the G8, before it was suspended following its annexation of Crimea.

Kyiv remains under Ukrainian control as Russian forces renew their assault, pounding the capital and other cities with artillery and cruise missiles.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Australia is in discussions with United Nations agencies about the humanitarian response.

As people seek to make refugee claims, then of course we will work as part of that international response to assist and no doubt to resettle individuals, he told Sky News Sunday Agenda program.

Right now we have been giving priority processing to any visa applications coming from the Ukraine and support those individuals to be able to get out and get to Australia as quickly as possible.

The Australian government believes there is a clear difference between China and Indias response to the Russian invasion.

Both countries abstained from this weekends UN Security Council resolution deploring Russias aggression against Ukraine.

Senator Birmingham wanted to see all countries support the the motion and for them to take stronger language and action.

But he said Australias QUAD partner India has been unequivocal in calling for a cessation of violence.

Prime Minister Modi has had discussions directly with the Ukrainian president, Senator Birmingham told Sunday Agenda.

Now in the case of China, what we have seen is excuses made and justifications acknowledged and indeed financial or economic support even enabled. Now those things are completely unacceptable.

Senator Wong said Chinas position is inconsistent, having for decades as part of their foreign policy respected sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The position they are currently articulating in relation to Ukraine is inconsistent with Chinas stated foreign policy position over decades, she said.
Lida Antonova, 79, holding corn in a field near the village of Petropavlivka, Ukraine, on April 6, 2015. (DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia-Ukraine War to Cost China Money

News Analysis

Ukraine was forced to suspend commercial shipping at its ports on Feb. 24 as Russian missiles rained down across the country. As a major exporter of corn and wheat, Ukraines situation has stoked unease in the global grain market and will likely see countries like China need to spend more to secure supplies of grain if ships continue being unable to depart over the next few weeks or months.

Hours earlier, Russian officials said that Moscow had also shut down their commercial vessel operations in the Azov Sea, but that Russias main shipping operations at ports in the Black Sea were being maintained.

Earlier on Thursday morning, Russian forces launched a massive attack on Ukraine from the north, east, and south, which has been described as the biggest assault by one state against another in Europe since World War II.

Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuguyev near Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images)

On the other side of Eurasia, China is a big importer of Ukrainian grain.

Ukraine is Chinas main source of imports of corn, barley, sunflower meal, and other grain feeds, Chinese ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong told Chinese state-run Peoples Daily in May last year.

According to Chinas General Administration of Customs (GAC), China traded 124.8 billion yuan ($19.72 billion) in goods with Ukraine in 2021. Of that, 64 billion yuan ($10.11 billion) were imports from Ukraine, most of which was grain. Compared with 2020, trade increased 21 percent and imports by China increased 15.5 percent.

China imported 8.24 million metric tons of corn from Ukraine in 2021, which accounted for 29.07 percent of Chinas total corn imports, according to GAC. Chinese state-run CCTV reported on Feb. 24 that Ukrainian corn imports are mainly shipped from Kyiv to different ports across China. Kyiv was attacked by Russian forces on Feb. 24 and remains under attack.

China relies on imported corn to feed its pigs, poultry, and other livestocks. According to Chinas State Council, China produced 52.96 million metric tons of pork in 2021over 671 million pigs. By the end of the year, there were 43.29 million breeding sows in the country.

Workers feed pigs in a pig farm in Chongqing, China, on July 10, 2007. (China Photos/Getty Images)

Chinas state-run China Business Network (CBN) quoted Gu Jian, a researcher at the state-run Bric Agriculture Consulting Institute, on Feb. 24 saying that the Chinese market was worried about corn supplements due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Since the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Chinas corn price has kept on increasing, Gu said. Ukraine used to be Chinas main corn exporter. About 70 to 80 percent of imported corn was from Ukraine. In recent years, China has imported more from the United States.

But Ukraine remains a main and key exporter to Chinas corn business, he said.

Furthermore, Chinas soybeans and wheat prices have increased following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, although China imports few of these grains from Russia or Ukraine.

In the report, CBN quoted Cao Hui, chief wheat market analyst at Chinas Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, who said that global wheat prices had increased because both Russia and Ukraine are big wheat exporters. The increased global market prices for wheat means that China can no longer purchase cheap wheat from any country, he said.

On Feb. 23, the GAC announced that the regime is allowing the import of Russian wheat, but the wheat must be from regions where the fungus Tilletia Controversa hasnt been reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping exchange documents during a signing ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 5, 2019.(Alexander Zemlianichenko/AFP/Getty Images)

Russian Invasion Refocuses West on Cold War 1.0, Shifting Attention Away From China Conflict: Analysts

NEW DELHIRussias invasion of Ukraine is redirecting the worlds attention toward the old Cold War and away from the Chinese regimes expansionist agenda in the Indo-Pacific, experts say.

Meanwhile, the action against Ukraine indicates a ChineseRussian convergence thats creating new challenges for the existing global order.

Cleo Pascal, an associate fellow at the London-based think tank Chatham House, says the Russian attack on Ukraine helps China in multiple ways.

First, it refocuses the West on Cold War 1.0  with Russia, and takes its focus away from the Cold War with China, which is rapidly turning warmer, Pascal said.

The situation has given Beijing a free hand in the Indo-Pacific, says Madhav Nalapat, a strategic analyst and vice chair of the India-based Manipal Advanced Research Group. He says the Biden administration and NATO member states are responsible for the strategic distraction.

The revival of Cold War 1.0 (MoscowWashington) taking oxygen majorly away from Cold War 2.0 (BeijingWashington) is a blunder of historical proportions where the democracies are concerned, he said.

ChinaRussia Ties

Since the Ukraine invasion, China has been walking a diplomatic tightrope, refusing to take a firm position backing either side. The regime has repeatedly refused to call the attack an invasion or to condemn Russia, and has instead blamed the United States for fanning the flames of war.

Less than three weeks before the invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Beijing on the opening day of the Winter Olympics, which resulted in both leaders declaring a no limits partnership. Xi also voiced support for Russias opposition to the expansion of NATO, the issue at the heart of the current crisis in Ukraine, while Russia expressed support for the Chinese regimes territorial claims over self-ruled Taiwan. The two countries also signed gas and oil contracts worth nearly $118 billion.

Frank Lehberger, a Germany-based sinologist, told The Epoch Times that his sources say that Xi and other high-level Chinese Communist Party officials in the Politburo held a secret meeting during the Beijing Olympics, where a shouting match between Xi and [his] rivals happened.

Xi was forced to take back the full backing of Putin. Now, China in the U.N. is not giving a full endorsement for Putins invasion of Ukraine anymore, Lehberger said.

As the Russian forces entered the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Feb. 26 after two days of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky refused a U.S. offer to help him evacuate, responding that said he needed anti-tank ammunition and not a ride. He asked his countrymen to stand firm against the siege.

Chinese state media took that as an opportunity to condemn the United States, alleging that it hadnt acted responsibly toward Ukraine.

Ukrainian servicemen ride on tanks toward the front line with Russian forces in the Luhansk region of Ukraine on Feb. 25, 2022. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

However, Lehberger said that the crisis in Ukraine is a diplomatic failure for Beijing because prior to the attack, a U.S. official had repeatedly warned China about it, but Beijing didnt take it seriously.

Xi and the leadership were hoodwinked by their ally Putin that he would not attack. They scoffed at the Americans and then, after the [Feb. 24] invasion, were totally taken aback, he said.

There are 20,000 Chinese working in Ukraine, and they are now in the way of being slaughtered between the fronts.

Lehberger added that the Chinese trying to flee Ukraine are putting their national flags on their cars to belatedly flee the killing zones in the city. Ukrainian air space was closed to all civilian flights after the Russian attack.

The Russian invasion came at an awkward time for the CCP, which is scheduled to hold an important meeting, the Party Congress, later this year, according to Srikanth Kondapalli, a professor of Chinese studies at the New Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University. Xi is bidding for an unprecedented third term in power.

Russia, which helped form the [Chinese] Communist Party in 1921, has a lot of political leverage in China and the Ukrainian developments are expected to play out in the domestic political struggles, Kondapalli said.

Already several factional leaders in China are questioning the Russian actions. Despite the clampdown on any negative coverage of Russia in Chinas media, political dissonance in China is rising.

Do Sanctions Help China?

The United States, the European Union, the UK, Japan, Canada, Taiwan, and New Zealand have announced a raft of sanctions against Russia. Most recently, Washington and its allies moved to block certain Russian banks access to the SWIFT international payment system, seeking to inflict a crippling blow to the countrys economy.

Pascal said that the sanctions will help China because Russia, after being shut out by the West, will become more economically reliant on Beijing.

[This] is probably why we saw those big economic deals around fossil fuels being signed between Russia and China, because it gave Putin the economic lifeline that he would need if he were going to get cut off to some degree by the West, she said, referring to Putin and Xis meeting in early February.

The Chinese customs administration announced this week that it had decided to import wheat from all regions of Russia. China had earlier restricted wheat imports from Russia, the worlds top wheat producer, over what it said were concerns about fungal contamination.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Feb. 24 condemned Chinas liberalizing of trade with Russia amid the crisis.

At a time when the world was seeking to put additional sanctions on Russia, they have eased restrictions on the trade of Russian wheat into China, he said at a press conference. You dont go and throw a lifeline to Russia in the middle of a period when they are invading another country. That is simply unacceptable.

However, Lehberger said that both Russia and China are opportunistic states and that the sanctions arent necessarily in the Chinese regimes interest.

The duplicitous Chinese will try to squeeze all kinds of concessions out of a weakened and ostracized Russia. They do this always when they smell weakness no matter if you are a friend or an ally, he said. Putin is not much better; he hoodwinked his best friend Xi on the invasion, and so well that [Xi] distrusted any truthful information that Biden gave him.

Two Chinese state-owned banks, the Bank of China and the offshore units of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, said on Feb. 25 they had restricted financing for Moscows commodity purchases, following the announcement of Western sanctions.

The Chinese are already sniffing Russian weakness three days into the war, Lehberger said.

Because of Chinas significant economic ties with the West, it may not be in Beijings interest to help Russia evade the effects of the sanctions, Kondapalli said.

Even though China had announced a dual circulation strategy of lessening its dependence on exports, this process may take a longer duration and hence, the Ukrainian fallout is problematic, he said.

Associating with Russia could further increase costs for China as the sanctions regime intensifies.

Sanctions on Russia also have boosted oil prices to $100 per barrel from $94, which directly affects an import-dependent China.

Chinas energy imports face sustainable and affordable supply disruptions in the near future, Kondapalli said.

A Polish border guard assists refugees from Ukraine as they arrive in Poland at the Korczowa border crossing, on Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Weakening the West

While Russia and China are not all-weather friends, they share a common interest in weakening the West; their convergence would create fresh challenges for Indo-Pacific countries that rely on U.S. leadership to counter China, analysts said.

Pascal said she expects China and Russia to support each other tactically over their wide range of interests.

Russia gets some sort of tacit backing at least economically or support economically for incursions into Europe; theres practically no cost to Russia for this, she said. And similarly, I would expect that they would not object to the Chinese moves in the IndoPacific region.

Anything that weakens the West is an advantage to both Russia and to China. So whether its China thats weakening the West or Russia thats weakening the West, it benefits them.
Russians Advance on Ukraines Ports, Meet Resistance in City

KYIV, UkraineStreet fighting broke out in Ukraines second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the countrys south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russias invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Following its gains on the ground, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Ukraines president suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russias troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraines bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraines government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutors office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The past night was toughmore shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldnt consider as admissible targets.

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday near Kyiv, where terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

A 39-hour curfew to keep people off the capitals streets until Monday morning complicated the task of assessing the intensity of the fighting. Zelenskyys office said explosions were reported at Kyiv International Airport.

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline to the east in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the presidents office said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the countrys coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraines access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the countrys economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

The number of casualties so far from Europes largest land conflict conflict since World War II remain unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said on Twitter Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers. An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

Laetitia Courtois, ICRCs permanent observer to the U.N., told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was a limitation for our teams on the ground and we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.

The United Nations refugee agency said late Saturday more than 200,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelenskyy denounced Russias offensive as state terrorism. He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its U.N. Security Council seat, he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelenskyy on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Ukraines president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus.

Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we offered all of them to the Russian side and we will accept any other city in a country that hasnt been used for launching missiles, Zelenskyy said. Only then the talks could be honest and put an end to the war.

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscows offer as manipulation, adding that Ukraine hadnt agreed to talks in the Belarusian city.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The United States pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor, and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The United States, European Union, and United Kingdom agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose restrictive measures on Russias central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraines minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were more terminals en route.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2 percent of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed to protect our freedom and our democracy.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraines ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Courts prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use the most unsavory means, including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons, Truss told Sky News.

By Yuras Karmanau, Jim Heintz, Vladimir Isachenkov, and Zeke Miller
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk toward a hall in the Kremlin to hold talks, in Moscow on June 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File)

Russias Attack on Ukraine May Embolden China to Seize Taiwan: Analysts

The Chinese regime is learning from the RussiaUkraine conflict and what its currently witnessing may embolden Beijings ambitions on Taiwan, analysts say.

As Russia advances through Ukraine, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is cataloging all information from the invasion as part of their plan to invade Taiwan sooner than later, according to retired U.S. Air Force Col. Dan Steiner.

Stephen Bryen, a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy, a Washington-based think tank, agrees. He told The Epoch Times that as Russia invades Ukraine, it has to be very tempting for the Chinese regime to want to make a move on Taiwan, the self-ruled island it claims as its own.

While amassing troops in Europe and providing aid to Ukraine, Bryen also said the United States needs to be stepping up deployments to the Pacific to make it clear that were not asleep in the region as a battle for Ukraine ensues.

On Feb. 22, former President Donald Trump warned that the Chinese regime will invade Taiwan after seeing Russian troops advance into Ukraine. In a Feb. 26 interview with Fox News, Republican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania echoed Trumps words, expressing similar concern about the CCP becoming emboldened by Russias actions.

Perry said it is not too late for the Biden administration to show some strength in the Pacific.

According to Bryen, the United States is clearly preoccupied with Europe, sending forces to Germany, Poland, and Romania. As a result, he said the Chinese regime could perceive that as an opportunity to operate more freely in the Pacific.

Analyzing Americas Actions

The Chinese regime is closely watching Washingtons actions in response to Russias aggression, the analysts said.

[The CCP] is always analyzing Washingtons decisions and attempting to anticipate what Washington might do next, because the only thing that the Chinese regime is afraid of is the United States, Bryen said.

Steiner pointed out that the Chinese regime is remaining relatively quiet throughout the Russian invasion. He said the regime is passively supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin, because the invasion creates an opportunity for the CCP to tell the rest of Asia to pay attention to whats going on in Europe.

The invasion of Ukraine can be used to make the Taiwanese people question the resolve of the United States to come to their rescue, Steiner said. Theyll also point out to all of Asia that the United States has no historical ties to the region, like it does Europe, and this kind of campaign will probably prove to be fairly effective.

Ultimately, the Chinese regime is putting themselves in a position to be able to ask other countries in the region: Who are you going to hook your wagon to for the rest of the 21st centurythe United States or us?

The goal is to cast doubt on whether the United States would come to the aid of Taiwan, he said.

The CCP is telling the Chinese people to choose wisely, because right now, the United States is appearing impotent in Europe, Steiner said.

Thats a very powerful and strategic message, adding to a thought process that is already out there  that the United States is not going to go to war with China over Taiwan.

Testing and Messaging

The Chinese regime will keep testing the resolve of Taiwan and the United States, both experts say. In recent weeks, the regime has continued harassing Taiwan by sending military aircraft into the small East Asian islands air defense identification zone.

By continuing to fly military aircraft and conducting military exercises during the Russian invasion, Bryen said, China is testing Taiwan and the U.Sjacking up the threat.

As Taiwans greatest ally, he said, the United States needs to be more forceful with the CCP, making it clearer than ever that this kind of behavior is unacceptable and disturbing the balance of forces in the Pacific.

Steiner believes the ability to deter the CCP is going to take more than the implementation of sanctions, such as the ones being enacted on Russia. Part of Beijings long-term preparation for a conflict with the United States will include the means to prepare for and counter such sanctions.

So, one day, when the U.S. announces tremendous sanctions against the Chinese regime, itll be too lateas it may be too late in the current Russia-Ukraine crisis, he said.

If were going to message China, the messaging needs to start now, Steiner said.

A good start, Bryen says, would include strengthening the United States naval posture in the Pacific to act as a deterrent to any move by the Chinese regime could be considering.

Whats more, he said, this show of strength needs to come across to the American public, because the nation is full of defeatist rhetoric coming out of the Pentagon and various think tanks.

To conclude that the Chinese regime would win any conflict in the Pacific is total nonsense, Bryen said. Drawing this conclusion solely from war games and other synthetic processes is a very serious problem, because it adds to the attitude of defeatism coming out of the Pentagon and decision-making level of Washington.

Its very corrosive and very bad, and it must be cured, he said.

He considers it very dangerous, because the more the United States looks weak and irresolute, the more likely the Chinese regime will be encouraged to do something they shouldnt.

Both experts indicated that the United States will soon witness the CCP getting more aggressive. Bryen said that if nothing is done to counter the Chinese regimes actions, Taiwan, the United States, and their allies will find themselves in deep trouble much sooner than later.
Rebecca Friedrichs, founder of For Kids and Country (Crossroads/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Sexualization of Children Pushed by Teachers Unions Undermines Institution of Family: Union Insider

Curricula that sexualize children have been pushed by teachers unions in American schools with the goal of undermining the family structure, said Rebecca Friedrichs, a teacher and the founder of For Kids and Country.

When Friedrichs was about halfway through her 28-year career as a teacher, she became a union representative in her school district, which gave her insight into how teachers unions operate.

Thats when my eyes were really opened that these unions were not there to defend teachers in any way, shape, or form, Friedrichs said on EpochTVs Crossroads program.

Unions fund an agenda to divide America, which they characterize as progressive but what Friedrichs calls regressive. They sexualize children as a way to undermine the family structure, she said.

Another way to undermine the institution of the family is the promotion of the gender ideology by teachers unions. The ideology is based on the idea that there is an unlimited number of genders and it is taught to children as early as preschool, she said.

Teachers are told by union activists to teach students that their gender may be different from their biological one, that kids have to figure out what their gender is, and the gender can change every day, thus undermining childrens identity and making them confused, Friedrichs said.

Teachers unions and their special interest groups also instruct teachers not to tell parents if their child wants to be known by a different gender at school, and encourage those students not to tell their parents, undermining parental authority, she added.

Were in a war right now for our children, because of teachers unions and other special interest groups that think that children belong to the state, she said.

In America, we know that the children belong to the parents. God gave them to the parents and parents are supposed to raise them and educate them.

Teachers unions and special interest groups also support legislative initiatives that promote the sexuality education of children, Friedrichs said.

California enacted the Healthy Youth Act in 2016 that requires schools to provide comprehensive sexual health education. The legislation was sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (pdf), and the California Teachers Association was among the measures supporters.

Friedrichs said she reviewed all six curricula, which were approved by the state Department of Education to implement in California, and her opinion was that theyre all equally pornographic.

Any parent who actually would see these curricula would be screaming and fighting against it and wouldnt want their child to be a part of it.

If a teacher refuses to teach this sexuality education, the new law stipulates that unqualified teachers need to be replaced by experts such as Planned Parenthood, Friedrichs said.

Unions Agenda and Methods

Friedrichs met with teachers who were serving at the national level of the union and trying to fight against the sex education that the unions had been pushing for 30-some years. She wrote the book Standing Up to Goliath about the battle.

Those teachers wanted to protect the children, but they were barred from committees.

They were spit upon. If theyd go up to speak on a platform, someone would block their way when they were trying to get up to the platform, Friedrichs said. This is mafia tactics.

I dont know one teacher that agrees with the radical, comprehensive sexuality education, once theyve seen the curricula, once theyve seen the child abuse that is in these curricula.

But those teachers dont know that their union is the one pushing it into our schools, lobbying for it, helping to write the laws, putting people into office who are pushing these laws.

Through pushing childrens sexualization, the unions make teachers look bad because the American people are starting to think that teachers are these radicalized, horrible people, she said.

Trade unions started to infiltrate teachers associations, which originally united teachers who wanted to promote virtue and teach children good things, in the mid- to late-19th century.

Because everyone trusted teachers, everyone trusted unions, so why not masquerade, stand behind a trusted face. So they came in, they infiltrated, she said. If you represent the teachers, now you have access to the kids.

These forces who have gotten into our schools through these unions dont want us to have an educational system thats excellent.

[They] dont want our children to be moral, they want  to upend the whole structure of a free republic and change us to a socialist country or a communist country.

Americas Founders believed that the only way a free republic can be kept is to have a well-educated and moral citizenry that can self-govern, she said. Those who infiltrate teachers associations want to undermine the republic by destroying the educational system and its morals.

An example of their adverse activity is removing phonics, a method of teaching children how to read and write, from the school system and replacing it with a whole language approach, Friedrichs said.

As a result, all of a sudden, a lot of our kids cant read, and they have dyslexia and other problems. [They] never would have had those problems had we not removed what was tried and true, she said.

I taught kindergarten and first gradephonics is the way to learn.

Teachers unions use bullying to suppress dissenting voices, Friedrichs said.

She witnessed an incident at a state-level meeting of union leaders when a teacher stood up to express on behalf of other teachers a disagreement over spending funds collected membership dues on politics. Some leaders and some union activists present at the meeting went up on the stage where the teacher was speaking, surrounding and intimidating her, Friedrichs said.

Teachers at the meeting, including Friedrichs, were completely silenced and terrified, afraid to say anything, she said.

Teachers unions are systematically implementing the 45 goals of the Communist Party that were read into the congressional record nearly 60 years ago, she said.

In 1963, Rep. Albert Sydney Herlong Jr. (D-Fla.) read into the Congressional Record (pdf, pp. A34-A35) a list of communist goals from the book The Naked Communist by Cleon Skousen.

Goal No. 17 on the congressional record reads: Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

Radical sex education fulfills goal No. 40, which states: Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

Ella Kietlinska Reporter Follow Ella Kietlinska is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. and world politics.
New Jersey Rep. Carol Murphy (R) presenting the New Jersey Senate and House of Representatives' resolution, at the Merriam Theater, in Philadelphia, on Feb. 23, 2022. (NTD)

PHILADELPHIANew Jersey Rep. Carol Murphy together with her husband, Michael Muller, attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance, at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia, without any expectations.

I did not know what to expect. And I have to tell you that this is the best show that I have seen, she said.

New York-based Shen Yuns mission is to revive the 5,000 years of divinely imparted Chinese culturea culture from before the communist era.

The way that the storys being told, its exceptional.  New Jersey Rep. Carol Murphy

Assemblywoman Murphy was full of praise for the mission, saying, I am very inspired by just being able to be here and just knowing whats going on. The way that the storys being told, its exceptional.

You need to show people what China is really about, and bring back the peace and everything of that nature that this [performance] brings, and this is inspiring.

Despite Shen Yuns performances being seen around the world, the company is not allowed to perform in China. The traditional culture that Shen Yun showcases has long been under siege by the communist regime.

The Assemblywoman expressed her dismay at this situation, adding, butwe welcome it, and were encouraged by [the] story.

Shen Yun portrays these stories through classical Chinese dance, accompanied by a live symphony orchestra comprised of Eastern and Western instruments.

I applaud you for bringing your story. I applaud all of you for the dancing and the arts that this brings, and the culture that we experience, and I couldnt be prouder to be here tonight with all of you.  New Jersey Rep. Carol Murphy

Speaking to the performers, she said: I applaud you for bringing your story. I applaud all of you for the dancing and the arts that this brings, and the culture that we experience, and I couldnt be prouder to be here tonight with all of you.

After experiencing Shen Yun, Ms. Murphy presented the companys presenter with the New Jersey Senate and House of Representatives resolution in praise of Shen Yun Performing Arts.

The resolution was jointly issued by New Jersey Senate Chairman Nicholas Scutari, House Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, and all members of the Legislature in praise of the extraordinary contributions made by Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Ms. Murphy declared herself as a supporter and a promoter in Philadelphia of Shen Yun now that she has seen the show: I have some of my staff who want to come back and I told them that I would get them tickets, and Im even going to make sure they get here before [Shen Yun] leaves.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Commendation

A letter of commendation was initiated by the Honorable MaryLouise Isaacson and forwarded to the Greater Philadelphia Falun Dafa Society. It announced that this was the 15th year that Shen Yun performed in Philadelphia, where audiences have been able to appreciate the exquisite artistic and cultural heritage that Shen Yun has brought to the world.

32-175 Isaacson citation to Shen Yun 2022

Reporting by NTD.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
JP Davies and Tracy Price at the Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Aronoff Center for the Arts in Cincinnati on Feb. 26, 2022. (NTD)

CINCINNATI, OhioFor JP Davies, Shen Yun Performing Arts was the most beautiful spectacle he has ever seen.

Everything about it was wonderful, he said after seeing the performance at the Aronoff Center for the Arts in Cincinnati on Feb. 26.

Based in New York, Shen Yun aims to revive Chinas culture that has been all but destroyed through decades of communist rule in China.

The performing arts company presents classical Chinese dance, accompanied by a unique orchestra that combines classical Western and traditional Chinese instruments, hundreds of colorful costumes, and beautiful animated backdrops that create exhilarating scenes and allow interaction with the dancers on stage through a patented technology.

Mr. Davies said he is sad that Shen Yun cant perform in China because its under the control of the communist regime.

Thats deeply unfortunate, because it was beautifulit was beautiful in so many ways, he said.

Mr. Davies also noted the spiritual aspects in Shen Yun, and how that is relevant in todays world.

I think the show really brought that to mindit brought to mind that you need to have that deep spiritual connection, and we should not ever lose touch with that.  JP Davies

Its important to not lose that connection, even though we live in a modern world where things have really changed, he said. Its important to find that connection deep within yourself to express your spirituality. I think the show really brought that to mindit brought to mind that you need to have that deep spiritual connection, and we should not ever lose touch with that.

Shen Yun, Mr. Davies said, was a connection to your spirit, and a visit to a place that we should all visit more often.

It was deeply moving, he said.

Among the many notable aspects of Shen Yun, Mr. Davies said he was struck by what he described as themes of freedom in the performance.

The most important thing I took from the performance was freedom of expression. You need to have freedom to be able to perform and express yourself in a way thats beautiful and can influence others in a positive way. What they did there was the ultimate [form] of freedom of expression, thematically, and through music and through danceit was wonderful.

Mr. Davies said that Shen Yun is a must-see performance, and people should come to see it for themselves to experience the energy, he said.

The music was so amazing. It was staggering. It was so, so moving. Were going to come back literally tomorrow night to watch it again.

Tracy Price, who works in case management at CVS Health, also had high praise for Shen Yun.

Its absolutely wonderful. It was beautiful, she said.

We really enjoyed it.

Reporting by NTD.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
CINCINNATI, OhioAs the pandemic comes slowly to an end, art lovers are returning to the theaters.

Pamela Childers teaches at the College of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. She attended the Feb. 25 performance of Shen Yun, a performance she has long-awaited.

It was worth waiting two years for, she said. We had bought these tickets two years ago. And then COVID came, and it was canceled. And last year was canceled. So this year, we saw it was coming. And all of a sudden in the mail, we got new tickets and the same seat.

Shen Yun is a New York-based performing arts company that tours the top theaters around the world, showcasing stories from 5,000 years of Chinese heritage through classical Chinese dance and a live orchestra.

This really shows that these individuals were still dancing, practicing, and putting their heart into something that they could share with the rest of the world.  Pamela Childers

I think the arts really took a hit during the pandemic, Ms. Childers said. And this really shows that these individuals were still dancing, practicing, and putting their heart into something that they could share with the rest of the world.

Though Shen Yun celebrates Chinese culture, it is not allowed in China because its program points out religious persecution carried out by the Chinese Communist Party in an attempt to erase faith from civil society. Communisms atheist vision stands in stark contrast with how Chinese people have lived for thousands of years. Shen Yuns program highlights the centrality of spirituality in Chinese culture.

Ms. Childers appreciated that aspect, and came away with a deeper understanding of how oppressive communism can be  and that good usually prevails.

I think its very important, especially of all weve been through in the last two years that you really have to look to some higher being, or some different kind of spiritual thought to comfort you, and give you strength, so you can stand up for what you believe in in the long run. And even if its quietly, you can still carry it in your heart, she said.

Reporting by NTD

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
A police officer smashes a truck window as police deploy to remove demonstrators participating in the Freedom Convoy protest opposing COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, in Ottawa on Feb. 19, 2022. (Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images)

The Tragedy of the Commons: Individual Freedom and Responsibility Crushed by Emergencies Act Sledgehammer

Commentary

A classic problem in environmental economics is the tragedy of the commons. The solution to it lies in property rights and supply management, said Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, in a speech at Lloyds of London in London, UK, on Sept. 29, 2015.

Climate change is the Tragedy of the Horizon, he continued.

We dont need an army of actuaries to tell us that the catastrophic impacts of climate change will be felt beyond the traditional horizons of most actorsimposing a cost on future generations that the current generation has no direct incentive to fix.

The phrase tragedy of the commons has been used in economic theory since the early 19th century to describe how individual greed depletes common good. The solution to that irresponsibility, as Carney noted, was a combination of individual property rights and public responsibilities. This balance reflected the importance of the private and public spheres acknowledged since time immemorial.

A political scientist would add that property rights had advanced the political rights and freedoms of the commoner as well as the common good. It is no accident that property rights are concurrent with enfranchisement and the abolition of slavery. Ditto for wealth creation and innovation.

In his book Ideas Have Consequences, Richard M. Weaver goes so far as to argue that private property provides a material basis for human sustenance and a resistance to dehumanization. Property rights are the last metaphysical right. They resist the unbalanced, gnostic, authoritarian impulse of Western scientism and communism.

The fact that Canadas 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms contains no recognition of property rights is thus no small omission. It has made Canada an ideal laboratory for globalism.

There are two things worth noting about Carneys speech, which were also evident in his 2020 Reith Lectures. Firstly, Carney used the analogy of a horizon to magnify tragedy to infinity. Cataclysmic doom is a pretty strong take on tragedy. The second is that such a state of emergency justifies steamrolling individual property rights and with it, the private sphere of individual freedom and responsibility, a fact he admits in the fourth Reith Lecture in 2020.

States of emergency, as we have seen for the past two years, are power grabs that dispense with public debate and regulate private action through technology.

It is not because Carney is a bad person, or that Klaus Schwab, head of the World Economic Forum, is a Bond villain. They may be kind men who intend well. But they have truly terrible ideas.

They reject the sanctity of human life in favour of a fusion of our physical, digital, and biological identity. They reject any notion of divine providence or even natural law since Science is replacing evolution by natural selection with evolution by intelligent design, they being the intelligent designers. They shrug at present finite loss, particularly that of commoners, because of future infinite loss. They use their function in responsible supply management to justify rejecting individual financial responsibility and all the political rights and freedoms that come with it. Individual financial responsibility, after all, has enriched the commoners and imperilled the planet.

According to all of their bad ideas, they believe they are legitimized to act as gods, determining good and evil for others.

And thereby they impose a tragedy upon the commons.

Police make an arrest on the 21st day of the trucker protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, after the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act, in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 17, 2022. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

It was thus entirely to be expected that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refused even to speak to a convoy of commoners, citing their unacceptable views.

It is unsurprising that he has never allowed freedom of conscience in his caucus, and that on the heels of the emergency of COVID, he invoked the sledgehammer of the Emergencies Act to deal with the dissent of individuals.

And it is unsurprising that the NDP, which is similarly devoted to supply management and all of Trudeaus other bad ideas, voted with him in the House of Commons on Feb. 21, even against its own political base. According to the Toronto Star, the NDPs policies even leapfrog the Greens.

Thus, Mark Carneys tragedy of the horizon first played out in Canadas House of Commons on Feb 21, 2022.

It is also unsurprising that the Ontario government seized the private property of the protesters according to powers temporarily conferred upon it by the mere declaration of an emergency.

It is likewise unsurprising that the banking sector was co-opted to seize and freeze the financial assets of those involved in the dissent of the truckers convoy.

It is unsurprising as well that both a digital currency and a digital ID are prominent among the plans of the international banking system. These will allow private property to be controlled by a central authority that directs from the supply management side of the equation in line with the UNs Sustainable Development Goals.

The exorbitant enrichment of the technocratic elites is not a sign of their greed, but of their commitment to a world of their own intelligent design. They will just happen to own it as well.

The power they have gained and the current misery the commons have suffered are nothing compared to the future good in which all, however much fewer in number they will be, will enjoy. It will be sustainable.

After all, as noted by the World Economic Forum in a video titled 8 predictions for the world in 2030: Youll own nothing. And youll be happy.

What is surprising, however, is that the Emergencies Act was suddenly ended by Trudeau on Feb. 23 while it was being debated in the Senate.

Rumours are that Bay Street alerted the prime minister of a bank run in Canada like none seen since the 1930s. The importance of the public trust of responsible individuals had escaped his present calculation, because the elites were looking forward to the time when it would no longer matter.

It wont matter much longer. The window of opportunity to act against the mandarins in charge is closing fast.

The tragedy of the horizon is fast destroying the common good of the commons.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at The Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Trump at CPAC: Ukraine Invasion Is an Assault on Humanity and US Borders Must Be Defended

Former President Donald Trump told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Feb. 26 that the situation unfolding in Ukraine is an assault on humanity.

The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling.  We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine, God bless them all, God bless them. They are indeed brave, he told the crowd at CPAC 2022, which began on Feb. 24 and concluded on Feb. 27.

Trump called the situation in Ukraine an outrage, an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur and said it wouldnt have happened if he was president. During Trumps speech, the crowd broke into a momentary chant of four more years.

People attend the Conservative Political Action Conference held at The Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The 45th U.S. president told the conference: Under Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under Biden, Russia invaded Ukraine. I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country.

He said that during his administration and leadership, the world was a peaceful place because America was strong.

I was proud to be the first president in decades who did not get our country into any warsI got you out of wars, he said.

President Joe Biden is perceived as weak, Trump said, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to attack Ukraine only after having witnessed the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

I have no doubt that President Putin made his decision to ruthlessly attack Ukraine only after watching the pathetic withdrawal from Afghanistan, where the military was taken out first [and] our soldiers were killed, and American hostages plus $85 billion worth of the finest equipment anywhere in the world were left behind, he said. Putin is playing Biden like a drum.

The problem is not that Putin is smart.  Of course hes smart. But the real problem is that our leaders are dumb. So dumb. They so far allowed him to get away with this travesty and assault on humanity.

NATO nations and the rest of the world are not so smart [and] are looking the opposite of smart, the former president commented.

If you take over Ukraine, were going to sanction you, they say. Sanction! Well, thats a pretty weak statement, he said of NATO member nations.

Putin is saying: Oh, theyre going to sanction me, they sanctioned me for the last 25 years. You mean, I can take over a whole country and theyre going to sanction me? You mean, theyre not gonna blow us to pieces, at least psychologically?'

Donald Trump, the 45th U.S. president, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando on Feb. 26, 2022. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

The further Putin escalates matters and the further death and destruction caused, the more money he makes, because oil prices keep climbing higher and higher and higher, Trump said.

Russia is the worlds second-largest exporter of crude oil and largest natural gas exporter, accounting for 17 percent of the worlds natural gas and 12 percent of its oil. The attack on Ukraine has heavily impacted oil prices, Trump said, noting that when he left office, oil was at $36 a barrel, but now the price has hit $100. And they think its going to [eventually hit] $150, he added.

Its horrible because its a disincentive for [Putin] to disengage.

Trump noted that under his administration, energy costs and gas prices were brought to record lows and America became a net exporter of energy for the first time in 70 years.

With Biden, you get a war in Europe and a war on American energy. With Republicans, you get energy independence and energy dominance, Trump said.

Separately, the former president said Democrats have been saying that Ukraines sovereignty must be defended at all costs, even while theyre destroying our own borders and surrendering our own sovereignty.

We have a border thats a catastrophe, he said.

Related Coverage Trumps Full Speech at CPAC 2022

The most important duty of every elected lawmaker is to protect and defend America. And that begins with protecting and defending Americas borders.  The Biden administration has spent months obsessing over how to stop an invasion of a foreign country thousands of miles away.

I believe Americans deserve a president who will stop the invasion of our country also. And we had it stopped one year ago, we had it. You cant defend Western civilization if you would not be able to defend your own civilization.

And that means we need borders that work  we must immediately stop the influx of illegal aliens. Our country is being poisoned from within. The Biden administration cares more about helping citizens of a distant foreign nation than it does about our own citizens.

Trump said that if Democrats truly want to fight for democracy abroad, they should start with Canada, where truckers and other citizens have been protesting against the countrys COVID-19 restrictions and mandates. Trump called the situation a tyranny that should shock and dismay people all over the world.

A line has been crossed. Youre either with the peaceful truckers or you are with the left-wing fascists, he said.

We stand with the truckers and we stand with the Canadian people in their noble plight to reclaim their freedom.
Former President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at The Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Trump Rebukes Trudeau Over Forceful Removal, Slandering of Convoy Protesters

Former U.S. president Donald Trump is assailing Canada as a country of left-wing fascists for the way it cleared protesters out of Ottawa last weekend.

Trumps remarks at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida marked the first time in nearly a month hes publicly acknowledged the protests.

He said protesters in Canada were slandered as Nazis, racists and terrorists, charged with what he called phony crimes and accused of being loyal to foreign powers.

The comments prompted a passionate standing ovation from the crowd.

Trump says police crossed a line when they began removing protesters after nearly a month of their occupation of streets in downtown Ottawa, both on and nearby Parliament Hill.

He says he stands with the truckers who staged the protest and with Canadians who he says are fighting to reclaim their freedom.

The tyranny we have witnessed in Canada in recent weeks should shock and dismay people all over the world, he said to hoots and hollers from a sympathetic crowd in Orlando.

In an advanced Western democracy, that peaceful movement of patriotic truckers, workers and families protesting for their most basic rights and liberties has been violently put down.

Trump likened Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to President Joe Biden, whom he vowed to ensure would be dispatched to political exile, along with Democratic allies like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

They have been slandered as Nazis, racists and terrorists  these are the names theyve been called, Trump said.

I watched them; I saw those Maple Leafs all over, the flags and the love for their country. Plenty of Americans were there, too, and they love our country. Theyre being hunted down like enemies of their own government and treated worse than drug dealers and murderers or rapists.

Authorities in Canada crossed a line when they began making arrests, towing vehicles and forcing the protesters out of the national capitals downtown core, he continued.

Youre either with the peaceful truckers, or you are with the left-wing fascists  thats whats been happening, he said.

We stand with the truckers and we stand with the Canadian people in their noble quest to reclaim their freedom.
Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss arrives for a Cabinet meeting at Number 10 Downing Street in London, on Jan. 25, 2022. (Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

UK Foreign Secretary Backs British Nationals Who Want to Fight in Ukraine

Britains Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said she would support British nationals who choose to fight alongside the Ukrainian forces against Russian aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country is establishing a foreign legion for volunteers from abroad.

Asked on the BBCs Sunday Morning programme if she would support UK citizens who choose to answer the call, Truss said, That is something people can make their own decisions about.

But she said she would absolutely support any would-be volunteer fighters, as the people of Ukraine are fighting for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe.

Supporters of Ukraine demonstrate in Whitehall outside of Downing Street for a third successive day, in London on Feb. 26, 2022. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The foreign secretary warned that NATO may eventually get embroiled in a conflict with Russia if President Vladimir Putin is not stopped in Ukraine.

Truss told Sky News Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme that there will be an economic cost in Britain but that it was a price the country had to be prepared to pay.

If we dont stop Putin in Ukraine we are going to see others under threatthe Baltics, Poland, Moldova, and it could end up in a conflict with NATO, she said.

With the Russian advance on Kyiv apparently slowed, Truss said Putin could escalate Russias use of violence to break the Ukrainian resistance.

This could well be the beginning of the end for Putin. I fear that he is prepared to use the most unsavoury means in this war, she said.

He should be aware the International Criminal Court is already looking at what is happening in Ukraine. There will be serious consequences for him and for the Russian government.

Truss urged the Russian government not to escalate the conflict, but said the West needs to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons.

We need to avoid this at all costs. This is why it is so important, the work we are doing to degrade the Russian military complex, she said.

Truss said the UK and its Western allies would continue to impose fresh sanctions on Moscow.

We need to stop Putins ambitions in Ukraine. There are dire consequences if we dont for freedom and democracy across Europe, she said.

We will continue to tighten the ratchet on Vladimir Putin, to tighten the ratchet on the economy.

She said the government is drawing up a hit list of Russian oligarchs associated with Putin to be targeted with sanctions.

We will be targeting oligarchs private jets, we will be targeting their properties, we will be targeting other possessions that they have and there will be nowhere to hide, she told Sky News.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Ukraine President Agrees to Hold Talks Without Preconditions With Russia in Belarus

In a sign of de-escalation, Ukrainian officials said they will meet with their Russian counterparts near the Ukraine-Belarus border as Russian President Vladimir Putin said hes putting his nuclear forces on high alert.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Kyiv government agreed to talks with Moscow on the border. Its not clear if Zelensky will attend the meeting.

We have agreed that the Ukrainian delegation will meet with Russian without prior conditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, in the area of the Pripyat River, Zelensky said on social media Sunday.

Zelensky, who is said to still be in Ukraine, added that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko took responsibility for the fact that at the time of the departure, negotiations, and return of the Ukrainian delegation, all planes, helicopters, and missiles placed on the Belarusian territory will remain on the ground.

Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of Zelenskys party, said in televised comments that a Ukrainian delegation has already left for Belarus.

Ukrainian service members look for unexploded shells after fighting with Russian forces in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier Sunday, Putin said that he is placing his nuclear forces on high alert, saying the decision was made in response to harsh sanctions levied against him, Russian banks, and other Russian officials by Western governments in response to the invasion.

Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. Im speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well, Putin said on Sunday, according to state-backed Russian media.

Meanwhile, Belarus Lukashenko, a staunch Putin ally, told local media that a continuation of sanctions would lead to world war three.

In the past 24 hours or so, NATO and European Union member countries shut off their airspace to Russian passenger planes, excluded certain Russian banks from the SWIFT international banking information system, and theyve announced they were sending weapons, ammunition, and fuel to Ukraine. The United States announced over the weekend that it would send over $350 million in aid as well as Javelin anti-tank weapons that have apparently been used to a great effect by Ukrainian defense forces.

Putin hasnt revealed his ultimate plans in the operation, but Western officials have gone on the record and said they believe he wants to decapitate Ukraines pro-West government.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Sunday said Putin was resorting to tactics he used in the weeks before the invasion of Ukraine, which is to manufacture threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggression.

The global community and American people should look at it through that prism. Weve seen him do this time and time again, she said in televised remarks.
A satellite image shows a close up of assembled vehicles at V D Bolshoy Bokov airfield, near Mazyr, Belarus, on Feb. 22, 2022. (Courtesy of Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters)

Ukraine Rejects Russian Offer of Talks in Complicit Belarus

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected a Russian offer of talks in Belarus on Sunday, saying Minsk itself was complicit in the Russian invasion, but leaving the door open to negotiations in other locations.

The Kremlin said on Sunday its delegation was ready to meet Ukrainian officials in the Belarusian city of Gomel.

Zelensky continues to express his openness to talks with Russia, however on neutral ground. Earlier on Sunday, Zelensky said he welcomed an offer from Turkey and Azerbaijan to organize diplomatic efforts, which so far have faltered.

The Kremlin confirmed a phone call between Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev but gave no hint of restarting talks.

A day earlier, Zelensky offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets with military personnel at RAF Brize Norton, north west of London, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Ben Birchall/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

UKs Johnson Praises Ukrainians for Fighting Heroically Against Russian Aggression

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has praised Ukrainians for fighting heroically against Russian aggression.

During a visit to RAF Brize Norton on Feb. 26, Johnson said the West had to do everything possible to change the very heavy odds against Ukraine in its resistance against Moscows forces.

He said: Lets be in no doubt, things are not going all the way of President [Vladimir] Putin, very far from it. The Ukrainians are fighting heroically, and in some places with great success, as many of us thought they would because theyre a great country and a very brave country.

Ukrainian servicemen ride on tanks towards the front line with Russian forces in the Luhansk region of Ukraine on Feb. 25, 2022. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

But Johnson said there are some terrible atrocities being committed and there will be some very grim days ahead for Ukraine.

Weve got to do everything we can to change the heavy odds that Ukraine faces and to help them, and so thats why were sending humanitarian supplies, were sending financial supplies and military supplies as well, he said.

Earlier, Johnson talked by telephone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which he paid tribute to the incredible heroism and bravery of President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the nation via his smartphone in the center of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

The leaders agreed that President Putin is being met with a greater Ukrainian resistance than he calculated on, Downing Street said in a statement.

It said the two leaders agreed on the need for the international community to isolate Russia completely diplomatically and financially.

Talking to the BBC on Feb. 27, Ukraines ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said he believes his country will hold out for as long as needed.

He said we have friends, we have support, adding that he believes Russia has miscalculated.

They came with 150,000 troops. Its totally not enough, he said.

He said Russia believed Ukraine would be an easy target. But he said that is not the case, as the whole nation is against them.

Prystaiko said many Ukrainians have military backgrounds and that people are prepared, adding that people know how to create simple weapons.

On Feb. 25, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry urged people in the capital Kyiv to make Molotov cocktail petrol bombs to neutralise the occupier.

Putin is not achieving what he wanted, Prystaiko said.

PA Media contributed to this report.
A sign outside the headquarters of the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or SWIFT, in Terhulpen, near Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 25, 2022. (James Arthur Gekiere/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty Images)

US and Western Allies to Remove Selected Russian Banks From SWIFT

The United States, European Union, and other Western allies announced Saturday they will cut off certain Russian banks from the SWIFT international payments system, and put restrictions on the Russian Central Bank, in retaliation for Russias attack on Ukraine.

Thousands of banks as well as financial institutions around the world use the SWIFT system to settle cross-border payments. SWIFT, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is used by more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries and is regarded as crucial for financing international trade.

In a joint statement, the United States and EU, as well as France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada, commit to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system.

This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally.

They also commit to imposing restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions.

Barring banks out of the worlds main international payments network doesnt make transactions impossible but will make them much more difficult, Paul Marquardt, a lawyer with international law firm Davis Polk, told Reuters. It makes them much more difficultgetting kicked out of SWIFT would increase transaction costs significantly, he said.

In another measure, the United States and allies will also limit the sale of citizenship that lets Russians tied to the Russian government become citizens of their countries, to prevent them from accessing the countries financial systems.

Furthermore, the group will be launching a transatlantic task force to ensure that all the financial sanctions theyve levied against Russia are effectively implemented, including by identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and entities within the allies jurisdictions.

Finally, we will step up or coordination against disinformation and other forms of hybrid warfare.

The measures will be implemented in the coming days, the nations said in a joint statement, and also vowed further action to come.

The latest offensive came after the U.S. Treasury announced on Thursday it was targeting  the core infrastructure of the Russian financial system, which includes the countrys two largest banks: state-backed Sberbank and VTB.

The Treasury also blocked three other major Russian financial institutions: Otkritie, Novikombank, and Sovcombank, as well as Russian elites including families close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and some senior executives at state-owned banks.

The United States on Friday announced sanctions on Putin and Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, as well as other members of Russias Security Council. The EU, the U.K., and Canada also announced similar sanctions.
White House Responds After Putin Raises Russias Nuclear Alert

White House and NATO officials on Sunday responded to a statement issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he would activate his strategic deterrence forces, which includes his countrys nuclear arsenal.

If you combine this rhetoric with what theyre doing on the ground in Ukraine, waging war against an independent sovereign nation, conducting a fully-fledged invasion of Ukraine, this adds to the seriousness of the situation, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN.

The secretary-general added: Thats the reason why we both provide support to Ukraine, but also why we over the last weeks and months have significantly increased the presence of NATO in the eastern part as allies are now stepping up with more troops, more ships, more planes, and why we also have to realize that we are now faced with a new normal for our security.

On Sunday morning, Putin said in a televised address with his top ministers that he would increase the readiness of his deterrence forces. The move, he said, was in response to European Union sanctions and economic penalties, including removing some Russian banks from the SWIFT banking information service.

Top officials in leading NATO countries have allowed themselves to make aggressive comments about our country, therefore I hereby order the minister of Defense and the chief of the general staff [of the Russian Armed Forces] to place the Russian Army Deterrence Force on combat alert, Putin said.

Later Sunday, Ukrainian officials said they would send a delegation to hold talks along the Ukraine-Belarus border.

This is really a pattern that weve seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggressionand the global community and the American people should look at it through that prism, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told ABC on Sunday, adding that the United States is prepared to send more economic, humanitarian, and defensive military aid.

I would note that the sanctions that we announced yesterday put Russia on par with Iran, cutting them off from a banking system with the global community, Psaki also remarked.

Earlier Sunday, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was eerily quiet after huge explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one of the airports. Only an occasional car appeared on a deserted main boulevard as a strict curfew kept people off the streets. Terrified residents instead hunkered down in homes, underground garages, and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv, and other areas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Worlds 1st Plant-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Authorized

Canada has become the first country in the world to authorize a plant-based COVID-19 vaccine.

Canadian regulators said on Feb. 24 that Quebec-based Medicagos two-dose vaccine is approved for adults aged 18 to 64; there isnt enough data to give to adults aged 65 and older, officials said.

In clinical trials cited by Health Canada, the vaccine was found to be 71 percent effective against symptomatic infection and 100 percent effective against severe symptoms associated with COVID-19, which is caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

These studies were conducted while there were multiple variants in circulation, Health Canada claimed. The data suggest efficacy against multiple variants, including Delta. Clinical trials with Covifenz showed efficacy against the Delta and Gamma variants, and data also suggesting efficacy against Alpha, Lambda, and Mu variants.

The vaccine, the agency added, appears to produce neutralizing antibodies against Omicron, which is the dominant strain worldwide.

Health Canada has placed terms and conditions on the authorization, the Canadian agency said. Medicago must continue to provide information to Health Canada on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, including protection against current and emerging variants of concern as soon as it is available.

The vaccine is authorized for use in adults 18 to 64 years of age, based on the data that was reviewed by Health Canada. There was limited enrollment of participants older than 65 years of age in the clinical trials because a large proportion of older individuals were already vaccinated. Medicago is currently gathering data in older individuals to support regulatory authorization for this age group.

The home-grown vaccine, branded Covifenz, is based on a technology that uses plants in its development process to produce non-infectious particles that mimic the virus. Medicago plans to test the shot as a booster dose and among children, Marc-Andre DAoust, an official with Medicago, told Reuters.

Medicagos vaccine uses products that dont involve animal products, according to the Canadian Press. It also uses recombinant technology, involving the genetic sequence of a virus, which employs living plants as a host.

The virus-like particles mimic the shape and dimensions of a virus, allowing the human immune system to trigger a response, according to the report.

The government of Canada, which has faced criticism in recent weeks for how officials handled widespread trucker protests related to vaccine mandates, has approved several vaccines including those based on mRNA technology from Moderna and Pfizer.

Last week, the country cleared Novavaxs protein-based shot for use in adults. Medicago intends to apply for approval of the shot in Japan and also is in talks with the U.S. government and regulatory authorities in Europe and Asia for the vaccine, DAoust said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
An Antonov AN-225 is pictured while landing at the Oslo Airport, on June 19, 2014, as it carries Norwegian military material from Afghanistan. (Heiko Junge/AFP via Getty Images)

Worlds Largest Cargo Plane Destroyed at Contested Airport Near Kyiv, Ukrainian Government Says

The Ukrainian government said Sunday that the worlds largest aircraft has been destroyed at a strategically important airport outside Kyiv amid a Russian attack.

This was the worlds largest aircraft, AN-225 Mriya (Dream in Ukrainian), Ukraines Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of the plane. Russia may have destroyed our Mriya. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail!

This was the worlds largest aircraft, AN-225 Mriya (Dream in Ukrainian). Russia may have destroyed our Mriya. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail! pic.twitter.com/TdnBFlj3N8  Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022

Celebrated as an engineering marvel, the Antonov An-225 is the only one of its kind. The enormous plane is equipped with three jet engines on each wing, supporting a maximum take-off weight of 600 metric tons, or 1.3 million pounds. By comparison, Lockheed Martins C-5M Super Galaxy, the largest cargo plane in service for the U.S. Air Force, has a maximum take-off weight of 840,000 pounds.

Rumors that the Mriya was damaged or destroyed began to emerge on Feb. 24, when a battle broke out over the control of the Ukrainian skies, as part of Russias full-scale military offensive against the Eastern European country in the name of a special operation. Shortly after bombing the Kyiv-Boryspil International Airport, the Russians extended the air battle to Hostomel-Antonov Airport, where Mriya was sheltered.

An Antonov An-225 is pictured prior to take off from Kiev airport, on May 10, 2016. (Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)

In the following days, conflicting claims about the fate of the Mriya proliferated on social media. Numerous reports claimed that the six-engine plane was destroyed in a hangar fire as the result of the fighting, while Dmytro Antonov, chief pilot at the airline company that runs Hostomel, said on Facebook that the Mriya remained whole even after its home airport fell under Russian control.

Hostomel, which serves primarily as a commercial cargo center, is located just 15 miles northwest from Kyiv. It has a long runway capable of landing of heavy-lift transport planes, which means Russia could use it to quickly move troops and supplies to Kyivs outskirts.

Russian helicopters and airborne forces attacked and seized Hostomel in the early morning of Feb. 24, only to face a fierce counter-attack by the local troops later in the day.

The enemy paratroopers in Hostomel have been blocked, and troops have received an order to destroy them, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address, reported Agence France-Presse.

Meanwhile, Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Zelensky, declared on Facebook that Hostomel Airport is ours, and that Russian paratroopers have been destroyed. The Epoch Times could not confirm the exact status of the airport.
The logo for Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York, on Nov. 17, 2021. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Google Blocks RT, Other Russian Channels From Earning Ad Dollars

Alphabet Inc.s Google barred on Saturday Russias state-owned media outlet RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps, and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook after the invasion of Ukraine.

Citing extraordinary circumstances, Googles YouTube unit said it was pausing a number of channels ability to monetize on YouTube. These included several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions, such as those by the European Union.

Ad placement is largely controlled by YouTube.

Google added later that it was also barring Russian state-funded media outlets from using its ad technology to generate revenue on their own websites and apps.

In addition, the Russian media will not be able to buy ads through Google Tools or place ads on Google services such as search and Gmail, spokesman Michael Aciman said.

Were actively monitoring new developments and will take further steps if necessary, Aciman said.

On Wednesday, the European Union unveiled sanctions on individuals such as Margarita Simonyan, whom it called RTs editor-in-chief and a central figure of Russian propaganda.

Videos from affected media will also come up less often in recommendations, YouTube spokesperson Farshad Shadloo said. He added that RT and several other channels would no longer be accessible in Ukraine after a Ukrainian government request.

On Saturday, Ukraine Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Twitter he contacted YouTube to block the propagandist Russian channelssuch as Russia 24, TASS, RIA Novosti.

RT and Simonyan did not respond to requests for comment. YouTube declined to identify the other channels restricted.

For years, lawmakers and some users have urged Google for more action on channels linked to the Russian government, concerned that they spread misinformation and should not profit by it.

Russia received an estimated $7 million to $32 million over the two years to December 2018 from ads across 26 YouTube channels it backed, digital researcher Omelas told Reuters at the time.

YouTube has previously said it did not treat state-funded media channels that comply with its rules differently from others when it comes to sharing ad revenue.

On Friday, Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc. barred Russian state media from running ads or generating revenue from ads on its services.

By Paresh Dave
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Enugu State had at its extraordinary meeting held on 26th day of February 2022 released the hereunder resolutions regarding the just concluded Enugu State Local Government Election.

1.The leadership of APGA Enugu State commends the good people of Enugu State for coming out to vote for the candidates of APGA in the various Local Government Areas in the state but are disappointed by non- or short availability of ENSIEC staff and Electoral materials for various venues used for the election.

2.The party decries the activities and actions of the Mr Ajogwu led Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission which reneged on their statutory oaths and betrayed the mandate imposed on them.

3.The party condemns in totality the gravity of electoral harassment, intimidation, violence, assault and malpractices displayed by the ruling party in the state in collaboration with the Electoral Commission and its officers wherein lives and properties were lost.

4.The party further detests and rejects the pre-written Electoral results declared by ENSIEC even in many glaring areas where no Elections were conducted, and calls on ENSIEC to immediately withdraw the illegal certificates of return issued to the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party.

5.The party calls on our teeming supporters to remain calm and resolute as we commence the process of nullification of the outcome of the irresponsible conduct of a clearly biased electoral body, which is against the will of the people. It will not stand.

6.Once again, the state leadership of APGA commends our candidates and supporters for embarking on the journey of re-writing the political history of Enugu State. We will do what is legally necessary to reverse this blatant abuse of our sensibilities.

7. Our State has never had it so bad. This is the final dance of a failed PDP government and the disgraceful Mr Ajogwu led electoral body, as we have no doubt that Enugu will be rescued from the hands of these ravenous lions come 2023 especially as the new Electoral Act 2022 has been signed into law by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

8. Thank you ndi Enugu.

Ndubuisi Enechionyia

APGA Enugu State Chairman

Hon. Dickson Ani

APGA Enugu State Secretary


Exciting times are here again! The chanters are breaking the ground loose for pump and fanfare, the drumbeats depicts the atmosphere, our people are again seated leg  crossed to watch the unending drama as the masquerades dances to the drumbeats of the 2023 election. These masquerades seems to have forgotten the scars they have imprinted on the backs of children who ran after them in the last masquerade festival, the humiliation and unsavory fates they have made them endure.

As we all know 2022 is the last opportunity for Nigerians to decide who directs the ship of the country to the direction it should go for the next four years. Decision making in matters of public interest is as delicate as our interest can never be the same and are weighted on the scale of attraction to an individual. Some people are for Paul while some are for Apollo as evidenced in the Holy Bible. Not considering our fall, the misruling and deprivations, some Nigerians will still give themselves to be deceived by self  centered politicians who are only into political hustle of pocket interest. This is the time when serious actions should be coupled with thoughtfulness of good decision making so as to decide the future of Nigeria.

Recently, we have seen different political masquerades, publicize and display their ambitions for the 2023 presidential ticket. They have begun to give numerous promises to gain favor from the children they have beaten in the last masquerade festival. Behind the mask they will promise heaven and earth but in reality they will prove to be different from the masquerade. Behind the mask, they show great dancing skills so as to entice you but in reality they feel too tired to dance. Right behind the mask, instead of receiving gifts from you, they give you gifts which will only serve you for some days and thereby watch you suffer the rest of the four years before another masquerade festival.

In my opinion, what should be the concern of most Nigerians is the search for the best candidates who will serve the mandate of the masses by giving all their support to such candidate in the upcoming election. We should refuse to continue in our affliction, the nightmare we call dream. Bad officials are elected by good citizens who dont vote and as a result if were really passionate about being ruled by a saintly candidate we must also go out there to exercise our right to vote as specified in our constitution. I refuse to oblivate the word of Jean Paul Saltre; man is free to choose but are not free not to choose since a refusal to choose is already a choice made. If we sit leg-crossed with our hands folded around our chest and watch our government being hijacked by the myopic, old and rogue politicians who will make no good of our democracy then the future of the country will not be a secured one.

Though everyone has the right to contest for a political post in an election but the balance here is competency and character. Can you take Nigerians to the promise land? What are your goals for the Nigerian youths? This is a very crucial time when we have to be meticulous in our validations. We should no longer give our trust to people who no longer buy them. Now we have the likes of Yayah Bello, Khadijah Okunnu- Lamidi, the first woman to declare interest in the 2023 presidential race, Asiwaju Bola- Ahmed Tinubu, Pius Anylm, Dele Momodu and the incumbent Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo but my question is do this people really have the mind of changing Nigerias narrative? Do they have the youths in mind? Or do they ever think the youth also have a space to occupy in the government?

I must commend the president, President Muhammadu Buhari who has taken no side in any political aspiration. He declared publicly that he is not a kingmaker and that anyone who wants to contest during the election should work hard for it. But nevertheless, I believe with time he will soon declare his preferred candidate as election draw nearer.

The mistake which Nigerians should detest from making in the 2023 election is the mistake of choosing the right masquerade who will have the dancing floor of changing the narrative of our dear country not those who after getting the support needed return to the back of their big gates, well furnished houses with ugly Alsatian security dogs and full security men of the nation. Lets take back our government and restore it from the dwindling economic starvation and insecurity that has encaged us since independence. Though Nigeria is a democratic state but our politicians should not scuttle the democratic process. Most of our party politics is still determined by pocket interest and personal needs and our democracy still lack the weight of free choice and true opinion polling.

As we prepare for the 2023 general election, god  fatherism, favoritism and the act of election lobbying should stop with immediate effect so as to heighten the spirit of true democracy with a free  fair transparent election.

Regretfully, the newly Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021 passed by the National Assembly on November 18, 2021 which removes the compulsory use of direct primaries in choosing a candidate within a party and also approve the use of both direct and indirect consensus for party primaries. Though the indirect primaries has its own advantage of which is to reduce the high cost of running primaries and also the time factors in conducting the elections among other things but it cannot take the place of the direct consensus. The direct consensus is more democratic since the people decide who runs the general election for their party. On the other hand, the delegate chosen under the indirect primaries may be loyal to a particular candidate thereby putting the opinion of the vast majority of party members at stake as the best citizen may not emerge.

Conclusively, our actions and inactions during this time should be given a proper check before we venture into taking any decision. Any mistake we make now will cost us another four years of hardship, another four years of sorrow, extra four years of backwardness and yet another four good years of insecurity. Choose wisely.
Days of rain trigger floods in Narathiwat

NARATHIWAT: Communities in 13 districts have been flooded, as rains caused by northeasterly winds over the Gulf of Thailand have continued for three consecutive days in the southern border province.

weatherdisasters

By Bangkok Post

Sunday 27 February 2022, 10:42AM

A woman wades through floodwaters in front of her house in Narathiwat on Saturday. The southern border province has been hit by floods caused by heavy rain. Photos: Waedao Harai via Bangkok Post

According to reports on Saturday (Feb 26), more than 7,200 households in 195 villages had been affected, with 6,891 houses damaged, along with four schools, as the rain-swollen Sungai Kolok River continued to overflow.

The water level was a metre above the spill-over point on the riverbank, reports the Bangkok Post.

In tambon Buke Ta in Waeng district, the water was 50 to 80 centimetres deep, forcing people to evacuate to higher ground.

District officials and soldiers from the 48th Ranger Regiment used flat-bottomed boats to deliver food and drinking water to affected residents.

In Sungai Kolok district, flooding was 60 to 100 centimetres deep. Some 100 villagers had to take shelter at an evacuation centre set up at Municipal 4 School.
Fake monk gets naked after soliciting alms

PHUKET: Police are now searching for a man who solicited alms from the public while dressed as a monk at a main fresh market in the heart of Phuket Town, then stripping naked in a field nearby to change into laymans clothes before leaving the area.

culturecrimepolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Sunday 27 February 2022, 01:03PM

The man was seen soliciting donations at the Phuket Town Fresh Market 2 on Ong Sim Phai Rd in Phuket Town. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The man dressed in laymans clothes before leaving the area. Screengrab: via  (Phuket Share Sanan)

The man in monks robes begins undresses in the field opposite the main post office in Phuket Town: Screengrab: via  (Phuket Share Sanan)

The man in monks robes begins to undress in the field opposite the main post office in Phuket Town. Screengrab: via  (Phuket Share Sanan)

The man was reported to be soliciting donations from people at the Phuket Town Fresh Market 2 on Ong Sim Phai Rd in Phuket Town.

Phuket Provincial Police Chief Col Sarawut Chuprasit said that he had tasked officers with investigating the fake monk after receiving complaints from the public, including videos showing the man getting changed in the field across the road from the main Phuket Town Post Office on Montri Rd.

Officers have already visited the area and collected information to find details to be used as evidence for arrest and investigation, Col Sarawut said.

But at the moment the man has not yet been found, he added.

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has reported that he is aware of the incident and has notified the senior Buddhist leaders in the area to investigate the reports immediately.
The highly publicized Great Northern grain elevator case has exposed a weakness in municipal governance that is not unique to Buffalo. The issue is pervasive across the country.

What is abundantly clear is that most municipalities either cant, or fail to, find the regulatory solutions necessary to prevent these local landmarks from landing on packed legal dockets, consequently causing divisive community fights.

The municipal agency charged with the maintenance of properties, property owners, historic preservationists, the community and the courts must do a highly delicate balancing act.

When disputes of this magnitude are illuminated, we tend to see only a small portion of the overall issue. I believe that with a clear focus and critical analysis of this case, Buffalo has an unprecedented opportunity to take major strides worthy of emulation in the areas of property maintenance, code compliance, demolition and historic preservation. This is the catalyst needed for the change thats two decades overdue. Action in this direction should not change, no matter the pending legal outcome.

We should also keep in mind how integral the Department of Permit and Inspection Services is to the safe, sustainable development of the City of Buffalo. They handle oversight and compliance on items inclusive of complex plan reviews, licenses, multi-use dwellings, electrical inspections and demolitions.

This departments important duties demand that each full-time position be filled. Inadequate staffing can have dire environmental consequences, resulting in structural failure and possibly building collapse.

We need to commend the Buffalo Common Council for proposing a sustainable solution supported by the Brown administration that will help prevent future occurrences and promote collaboration and cooperation. The Common Councils ordinance will require mandated inspections every three years.

All interests should be appeased by this important legislation. The leadership of the Permit and Inspection department has committed to using industry standard best practices to safely conduct inspections of facade elevations and areas with limited accessibility.

The legislative body and the executive branch should use the Great Northern case as a catalyst for implementing and supporting major changes in municipal regulatory procedures. Moreover, it will serve as a clarion call to the Buffalo community that we are moving forward with a new sense of urgency.

J. Gregory Love is a former deputy commissioner in code enforcement in Baltimore and a former deputy commissioner in the City of Buffalo Fire Department.
Phuket Opinion: Common ground

PHUKET: A handful of Russians and Ukrainians in Phuket have delivered the right message to the world in their stand against the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, a stand that even Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha still has yet to take.

opinionviolencedeathpolitics

By The Phuket News

Sunday 27 February 2022, 09:00AM

United: Stop the war. Photo: @Irina_mermaid

The handful gathered at the famous sign at Patong Beach featuring the world PHUKET in various bright colours, while holding up signs to protest the war raging on in the heart of Ukraine.

While Phuket over the years has hosted hundreds of thousands of Russians and Ukrainians alike, not once has The Phuket News received a report of any physical altercation brought on by political differences. Strong arguments certainly, especially after 2014, but no violence. In Phuket, by happenstance or by choice, they stand united in peace.

Meanwhile, the lack of any recognition of the invasion directly by the Prime Minister is an embarrassment to the nation, and sets Prayut aside from all major world leaders in calling for an immediate cease to the hostilities and for Russian troops to withdraw. The same leaders he hopes to sit at the same table with.

Dr Suriya Chindawongse, the Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations, on Wednesday (New York time) expressed to the United Nations support for a diplomatic solution regarding the Russia-Ukraine crisis, at that time calling it an escalation of tension.

So far, as far as the Royal Thai Government is concerned, thats it  despite reports by state news agencies themselves calling the attack by Russian troops an invasion.

The same state news agencies have delivered more reports about the efforts to safely recover Thai nationals still in Ukraine at the time of the invasion  all 139 of them, according to official reports; other reports place the number at about 230.

Even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to make clear its understanding of who is the aggressor in the dire situation unfolding in Ukraine. In its statement posted on Thursday (Feb 24), the day of the invasion, all it had to say was: Thailand has been following developments in Ukraine. especially the escalation of tensions in Europe with great concern We support ongoing efforts. to seek to resolve the situation peacefully through consultation.

There have been no other statements since. The leading officials under the Royal Thai Government of PM Prayut may be hoping that they are being perceived as not taking a side, but instead they publicly appear as if they are blankly toeing the line laid down by Russian envoys.

The statement by Evgeny Tomikhin, Russian Ambassador to Thailand, issued yesterday set out exactly where the Russian Government wants the focus to be: on the Russian Army liberating the Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republic. His statement ignored the fact that Russian troops had advanced far beyond the stated intent of the incursion and were now openly attacking Kiev.

To Mr Tomikhin, that strategy may work in countries where news agencies are ordered to report only state news sources or else face prosecution while the government actively restricts posts on social media platforms, but it does not work in countries with greater freedoms, such as Thailand.

While Mr Tomikhin plies a strategy that worked in the last century and attempts to justify war by focussing on the past, the Russians and Ukrainians at Patong have it right. Any reason for aggression can always be justified by the past. In the modern world, war is the enemy. We stand with them.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Cloudy with occasional light rain during the afternoon. High 16C. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 5C. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. High 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
The history of Black nurses can be traced back to the days of enslavement. Although they were not formally trained, these women cared for the sick in the families that owned them. Dr. Mary Elizabeth Carnegie researched the lives of early Black nurses. She always championed equality in the nursing profession. Mary Carnegie waged her own battle for fair treatment in the nursing profession.

She graduated from the Lincoln school of nursing in 1934. It was one of the few schools in New York City that accepted Black students. It was difficult for Black nurses to find employment after graduation because only four out of the 200 hospitals at the time would hire them. She eventually found a job as a staff nurse at Lincoln Hospital. She immediately addressed the practice of the doctors and nurses for calling Black nurses by their first names and referring to white nurses as Miss. She was always outspoken on these issues. Carnegie wanted to serve her county during World War II. She applied to the Navy Nurse Corps. However, her application was rejected with the explanation that Black nurses were not being assigned to the Navy. It was not until 1945 that Black nurses were accepted into the U.S. Navy.

The fight to be included in the nursing profession encouraged Carnegie to research and write about the history of Black nurses in America. She wrote a book titled The Path We Tread, Blacks in Nursing from 1854-1990. She focused on three nurses in the Civil War. They were Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman and Susie King Taylor. She also wrote about the service of a woman named Namahyoke Sockum Curtis who served during Spanish American War in 1898. Her descriptions of these women brought light to their contributions during difficult periods of American history. The service of these women is recorded in the National Archives of Washington, D.C. Their work was often on the battlefield. Carnegies book told the story of the following women in the service of their country.

Sojourner Truth, born a slave, was freed in 1827. She was known for her work as an abolitionist, womens rights activist and a nurse during the Civil War. She helped newly freed slaves in Washington who were sick, homeless and in need of jobs. She was a nurse/counselor in the Washington area for the Freedmens Relief Association during Reconstruction. Her work was sanctioned by President Abraham Lincoln. She often visited Lincoln in the White House.

Harriet Tubman was known for helping hundreds of slaves to freedom. She also worked as a spy, scout and nurse for the Union Army. She served as a nurse in the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina, caring for the sick and wounded. Carnegie noted in her book that she did this without regard to color. Tubman was awarded a pension from the government, but it was 30 years after the war ended before she finally received it by an act of Congress.

Susie King Taylor was born into slavery near Savannah, Ga., in 1848. She served as a teacher and a nurse in the Civil War. She was a volunteer nurse. She met Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. Taylor often traveled with her on her rounds to treat wounded soldiers. In 1902, she published her own book, titled Reminiscences of My Life in Camp. She served the 33rd Regiment of the United States Colored Troops for more than three years, along with her husband, Edward King, a sergeant in the regiment. Taylor was one of a very few nurses at this time who could read. She attended secret schools in the South in order to learn how to read and write.

Mary Carnegie also recorded the story of Namahyoke Sockum Curtis who lived from 1861 to 1935. Namahyoke was of African and Indian descent. She recruited 32 Black nurses to serve with the U.S. Army during the Spanish American War in 1898. They went to Santiago, Cuba, in July and August of that year. They cared for American soldiers affected by typhoid and yellow fever. It was erroneously believed by the white medical community that nurses of color were immune to these diseases. Unfortunately, two of the nurses died from yellow fever and typhoid. Namahyoke has been honored for her work in nursing. She is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Carnegie left a great legacy as an outstanding nurse, historian and author. She has been honored numerous times for her dedication to the field of nursing. She has excelled in nurse education, nursing administration, research and professional presentations. She died on Feb. 20, 2008.

Her commitment as an agent for change is evident in the following words: If I have done anything by taking a stand for racial equality in the nursing profession and making sure that Black nurses are in the literature, I feel that I have fulfilled my time for being in this world.

Eva M. Doyle is celebrating 44 years as a Criterion columnist.
The lifting of the Iron Curtain and what at the time seemed the unequivocal victory of free market capitalism was for BP the start of a great adventure in Russia.

It became one of the most profitable forays in its history  and also one of the most troublesome.

The company's holding in Kremlin-backed oil giant Rosneft is a legacy of an earlier joint venture, TNK, which it set up with four oligarchs. Although the Rosneft stake has been highly lucrative, it has become deeply toxic. BP's announcement that it is to exit comes not a moment too soon.

Signing off: Although it no longer uses the 'British Petroleum' name, BP is seen around the world as a flag-bearer for corporate Britain

The UK oil giant's chief executive, Bernard Looney, and former BP boss Bob Dudley are resigning from the board of Rosneft, run by Putin ally Igor Sechin. Looney is also stepping down from the board of trustees of the Russian Geographical Society, where he has been serving alongside Putin himself.

It was obvious last week when Russia invaded Ukraine that it was unacceptable to maintain ties with Rosneft, which is closely linked to the murderous regime.

Although it no longer uses the 'British Petroleum' name, BP is seen around the world as a flag-bearer for corporate Britain: its behaviour affects our national standing.

But disentangling from Rosneft  whose products have been enriching BP and fuelling the Russian military  is easier said than done, and comes at a heavy cost.

The severing of ties is only the start of what will be a fraught process. One missing piece of information from the announcement is: who will be the buyer of such a pariah asset? Rosneft itself, maybe, possibly the Qataris, who also have a stake, or the Chinese, perhaps? And it's possible Putin will simply seize the holding.

Around 50 per cent of oil and gas reserves and 30 per cent of production will come off BP's books. There will be no more dividends flowing in from Rosneft, which have been running at around $640m (479m) a year.

BP claims it can still grow dividends at 4 per cent with share buybacks of $4billion a year until 2025. But the move will result in nasty writedowns: one of 8.25billion for foreign exchange losses and another to cover the potential loss on the Rosneft stake, which is in the accounts at 10.5billion but whose 'fair value' will be a lot less.

The stream of dividends from Rosneft  3.75billion over the nine years it has had a big stake  will no longer be in the picture.

BP hauled in 27billion of cash in two decades from its Russian enterprises but it should have been obvious that they were packed with ethical and financial risk.

In its eagerness to embrace Russian oil, BP put profits before moral scruples and is paying heavily. The company is now facing its worst crisis since the catastrophic Gulf of Mexico oil spill a decade ago.

The episode also casts an unflattering light on the virtue-signalling nature of much ESG  environmental, social and governance  investment activity. Woke campaigners were so obsessed with the environment they entirely overlooked the Kremlin.

BP has been shunned by, among others, the Royal Shakespeare Company, which broke off relations on the grounds of greenery. No mention from the luvvies of cosying up to a blood-sodden dictator in Moscow.

The high price and complications of cutting ties with Rosneft may be why Looney seemed hesitant last week.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) faces an expensive legal battle against private equity baron Guy Hands, amid accusations it is trying to forcibly buy back Annington Homes.

Annington, which is owned by Hands' Terra Firma, has accused the MoD of 'attempted expropriation' after it announced controversial plans to take back ownership of an 8billion housing estate it sold for 1.66billion in 1996.

The MoD rejected Annington's proposed settlement on Friday.

Fight: The Ministry of Defence rejected Annington's proposed settlement

This paves the way for a protracted High Court case that could cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds.

Annington, which offered 105m to upgrade UK armed forces' housing, is expected to submit a huge claim against the MoD within the next few weeks.

Annington chairman Baroness Liddell said: 'Buying back properties at a cost to the taxpayer of over 8bn is extraordinary.

'We want to avoid a costly fight. The MoD should want the same.' Liddell said that if the Government persists with litigation, it would signal that it 'cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith, honour its obligations, or achieve value for money'.

Annington estimates that its legal bill could exceed 100m and span four years should it be fought up to the Supreme Court.

An MoD spokesman said: 'Our approach offers a significant opportunity to deliver value for money for the taxpayer and increase our flexibility in meeting the need of service families and wider government objectives.'
Freddie's Flowers' pandemic boom led to an 81 per cent increase in revenue over the past financial year, its most recent results reveal.

Turnover at the flower delivery company rose from 26.4m to 47.8m for the year ending last August, although losses also mounted.

Rapid growth plans and led to losses surging from 333,537 to 4.5m in 2021, while its average number of employees rose from 96 to 225.

Blooming: Freddie Garland founded the London-based company in 2014 aged 26 after quitting his job at organic food outfit Abel & Cole

Freddie's Flowers' success throughout Covid-19 led to expansion into Germany in October 2020.

Its first non-UK operation contributed 4.5m to the company's revenue last year and delivery services are also now heading to the Netherlands.

The company's business model is built on a weekly subscription for fresh bouquets that buyers self-assemble for 25. Its target market is affluent Britons aged 30-plus.

The latest report shows that Freddie's Flowers' most recent cash reserves were up from 1.6m to 28.4m. Freddie Garland founded the London-based company in 2014 aged 26 after quitting his job at organic food outfit Abel & Cole.
SPARKS [mdash] Mrs. Mattie L. Clements Martin, 93, of Sparks, Georgia, passed away at her granddaughter's home on April 25, 2022. Mrs. Martin was born on January 17, 1929 in Colquitt County to the late Ivey Lane Hart and Ola Gay Hart. She lived most of her life in Cook County and was of the 
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You cant call them comeback kids. Andrew Cuomo is 64. Joel Giambra, 65. Then there are the seventy-somethings: Donald Trump (75), Hillary Clinton (74) and George Pataki (76).

These New York politicians have been around the block more times than an Allentown resident looking for a parking spot. All are linked to comeback attempts, possibly seeking a return to public office.

We dont want to rain on anyones victory parade, but havent these public servants served long enough? Theyve been there, done that, given away the T-shirts.

Cuomo, who resigned as New Yorks governor last year amid a sexual harassment scandal, will reportedly begin airing television ads this week trying to resuscitate his image.

The New York Post reported Friday that Cuomos first TV ad will make the claim that hes been exonerated from the charges against him, citing the decisions by five district attorneys to not bring charges against him.

Cuomos chief spokesman while in office, Rich Azzopardi, still works for Cuomo, emailing statements to the media from the 56th Governor of the State of New York, as though Cuomo is the governor in exile. Its widely believed that he wants to seek elected office again. We find it hard to believe that enough New Yorkers are clamoring for that to make it a reality.

Speaking of reality, former reality TV star and president of the United States Donald Trump has been making appearances that suggest he wants to run again in 2024. Trump is facing investigations into his organizations business dealings, as well as his involvement in the Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021. He is also still clinging to the Big Lie, his baseless claim that President Biden stole the 2020 election. Hes being investigated for that, too, based on his request that the Georgia secretary of state find more votes for him.

Republicans under Trumps spell will believe almost anything he says, or least claim to. The country would not benefit from a return engagement by the twice-impeached president.

Trump will be 78 in November 2024. Biden turns 82 that month. And some political observers think Hillary Clinton, who turns 77 in 2024, is plotting another run at the White House. Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 election, gave a speech at the state Democratic Partys convention in New York City this month that was ostensibly to support Gov. Kathy Hochul, but was clearly aimed at a national audience.

I know many of us hoped that defeating Trump would start to heal our divisions, that maybe, just maybe, the madness would break. But now it should be clear to all of us that the struggle for unity and democracy is far from over, Clinton said.

We dont mean to be ageist in pointing out these trends, but American politics has turned into a gerontocracy, driven by baby boomer politicians and citizens in that cohort age who turn out in high numbers to vote.

Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif, is 88, the same age as Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is 81, one year older than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

George Pataki, the former three-term Republican governor of New York, was born in 1945, one year too early to qualify as a baby boomer. A website called bringbackpataki.com is trying to draft him to run again. The New York Post reported that Patakis former political director, Rob Cole, is behind the site. Pataki himself has not publicly expressed interest.

Nostalgia has its place, but in politics, it can crowd out new ideas. Our concern is not so much a need for fresh faces as it is finding fresh approaches to the worlds problems.

To all the veteran New York politicians plotting comebacks, wed remind you of the wisdom in a country song title by Dan Hicks: How Can I Miss You When You Wont Go Away?

  

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.
Bald eagles are being poisoned by lead ammo in hunted animals. Could copper bullets be the fix?
Bridging Time features photos by Calvin Sneed. This month, he marks Black History Month with a two-part series.

During Black History Month, Calvin visited two bridges unknown to most people  bridges with African-American links that tell a story in the history of our country. The first, Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge, was featured in last weeks edition of Sunday Stories. You can find it online at TimesNews.net or JohnsonCityPress.com.

This weeks featured bridge, Black Bayou River Bridge, is a memorial to the heinous hate crime thought to have been committed on it. Heres a closer look at the Glendora, Mississippi, landmark.

Black Bayou River Bridge

Glendora, Mississippi

Emmett Till was a 14-year-old, African-American youth from Chicago, visiting his uncle in Money, Mississippi, when he was kidnapped by two white men for allegedly making remarks about a white woman in a store there. Till was later beaten, tortured and shot, and his body allegedly dumped by two white men who were later found not guilty by an all-white Tallahatchie County jury.

There are two accounts of how Tills battered body ended up in the Tallahatchie River.

In a Look Magazine article with Till's killers dated January 1956 by noted author William Bradford Huie, J. W. Milam and his half-brother Roy Bryant  despite inconsistencies in their stories  did admit to torturing and shooting Till and then dumping his body in the Tallahatchie River a mile from Glendora, Mississippi, along the riverbank with the cord of a cotton gin fan tied around his neck to weigh the body down. The other theory comes from the Emmett Till Memorial Commission in Glendora, which names this nearby abandoned bridge, just off Second Avenue in that community, that crosses the Black Bayou River as the location where some commission accounts say Milam and Bryant threw Till's body in the water. In this theory, the corpse is believed to have then floated down to the Tallahatchie River where it was later discovered. Which of the two theories is true no one really knows.

Two things are known for sure: Tills body was recovered at Grabells Landing, and the bridge across the Black Bayou River is still standing. The structure is a two-span, one-lane pony truss bridge, built in 1916 by the W. T. Young Bridge Company (also known as the Nashville Bridge Company) of Nashville, Tennessee. The bridge consists of two separate 76-foot spans and, along with the approach spans, is 152 feet in length. The center diagonals are a Warren truss configuration and are made from two separate pieces of angle steel. This bridge closed in 1955, the same year Emmett Till was killed. There is now an interpretative nature park in his name nearby.

On March 11, 2011, the bridge was named to the National Register of Historic Places as an early example of a 20th century Warren pony truss vehicular bridge, but it has since assumed the legacy of being one of two possible locations where the body of Emmett Till was tossed after he was killed on Aug. 28, 1955.

One hundred days later, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, and the Montgomery, Alabama, Bus Boycott began. Almost two years later to the day of Emmett Tills death, desegregation of the Little Rock, Arkansas, school system began. On Feb. 1, 1960, the first of many restaurant sit-ins began in Greensboro, North Carolina; Nashville sit-ins began 13 days later. Through the early 1960s, several subsequent events, including those in Birmingham, Selma and Philadelphia, Mississippi, all heralded the Jim Crow plight of African-Americans in this country.

According to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture at the Smithsonian, the killing of Emmett Till at or near this bridge in 1955 was the single catalyst that prompted the beginning of the modern Civil Rights movement in America.

Bridging Time  a monthly series featuring photos by Calvin Sneed  highlights steel truss and concrete arch bridges throughout the United States. During his travels, Calvin has taken more than 30,000 photos of 900 or more bridges (mostly in the Southeast).
Kingsport, TN (37660)

Today

Partly cloudy. High near 80F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 51F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Acclaimed local historian and author Mark Goldman hit a home run with his recent Another View column, Dont allow cars back on Delaware Parks Ring Road.

Automobiles have no place on Ring Road, he wrote and any thought of returning cars to it ought to be summarily dismissed.

I wholeheartedly agree with Mark, and I was ecstatic when Mayor Byron W. Brown closed Ring Road to vehicular traffic at the start of the pandemic when the park was filled with walkers, runners, bikers, roller blades, families pushing children in strollers or dog walkers.

Whomever is considering reversing this decision, please stop for the safety of us who use this amazing road in the heart of our city and in the beautiful park designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted.

Prior to the road being closed I was riding my bicycle when a car, traveling faster than the roads speed limit, was so close that its mirror nearly hit my bike. I survived one near fatal bicycle accident nearly 30 years ago, so I know how dangerous it is out there. Bikers and others traveling around Ring Road should never have that worry.

Automobiles have no place on Ring Road.

Michael Billoni

Grand Island
Five staff members of the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres were kidnapped overnight in Cameroons Far North, a region where militant group Boko Haram operates, the aid group said on Friday.

The workers were organising humanitarian projects in the area when armed men broke into MSFs residence in the town of Fotokol, an MSF representative told Reuters.

Teams are mobilised to support our five colleagues, they said.

Neither the identity of the attackers nor their motives were immediately known, MSF said.

The incident occurred in an area where a rise in inter-communal clashes has displaced nearly 100,000 people and in December killed dozens. Attacks by Boko Haram militants are also common.

SOURCE: REUTERS
President Vladimir Putin ordered his military command to put Russias nuclear deterrent on high alert on Sunday in the face of a huge Western response to his war on Ukraine, which said it had repelled Russian ground forces nearing its biggest cities.

The United States responded by saying Putin was escalating the war in a totally unacceptable way, amid signs that the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two was not producing rapid battlefield victories for Russia.

The Ukrainian presidents office said negotiations with Moscow without preconditions would be held at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. The Kremlin said talks had started.

As missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities, nearly 400,000 Ukrainian civilians, mainly women and children, have fled into neighbouring countries. Hundreds were stranded in Kyiv on Sunday waiting for trains to take them west, away from the fighting.

The capital remains in Ukrainian government hands, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rallying his people despite Russian shelling of civilian infrastructure.

Medical oxygen supplies were running low, the WHO said. A blood bank was packed with donors, despite coming under fire that injured two people a day earlier, a doctor said.

Putin, who has described the invasion as a special military operation, thrust an alarming new element into play when he ordered Russias deterrence forces  units that include nuclear weapons  onto high alert.

He cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and the barrage of economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the West.

As you can see, not only do Western countries take unfriendly measures against our country in the economic dimension  I mean the illegal sanctions that everyone knows about very well  but also the top officials of leading NATO countries allow themselves to make aggressive statements with regards to our country, Putin said on state television.

Putin previously referred to his nuclear arsenal in a speech announcing the start of the invasion on Thursday, saying Russias response to any country that tried to hinder it would be immediate and carry consequences that you have never encountered in your history.

Frances Foreign Minister retorted the same day that Putin should remember that NATO too was a nuclear alliance.

NOT DETERRENCE BUT THREAT

This is not deterrence on Putins part  this is a threat, said Patricia Lewis, director of the Chatham House think tanks international security programme.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Putins order was an attempt to pressure Kyiv during the talks but that it would not be cowed.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told CBS: President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable and we have to continue to stem his actions in the strongest possible way.

A U.S. defence official said Washington was trying to assess what Putins announcement meant in tangible terms, but that it increased the danger from any miscalculation. The United States and several other Western countries are providing military assistance for Ukraine.

Western countries on Sunday expanded a ban on Russian airlines using their airspace, giving Russian airliners almost westward exit route.

And in the strongest economic sanctions yet on Moscow, the United States and Europe said on Saturday they would banish big Russian banks from the main global payments system SWIFT and announced other measures aimed at limiting Moscows use of a $630 billion war chest.

Rolling protests have been held around the world against the invasion in recent days, including in Russia, which has clamped down hard, detaining an additional 1,700 protesters on Sunday, bringing total arrests there to 4,000.

More than 100,000 people protested in solidarity with Ukraine in Berlin on Sunday.

Ukraines president says Kyiv has agreed to send a delegation for talks without preconditions with Russian officials on the Ukraine-Belarus border. We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River, Zelenskyy said in a statement after holding a phone call with Lukashenko. He did not give a precise time for the meeting, but said Lukashenko, a Putin ally, has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegations travel, talks and return.

BATTLE FOR KHARKIV

A Ukrainian state agency said that, before daybreak, Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline in Kharkiv, Ukraines second largest city, sending a burning cloud up into the darkness.

Soon after, Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles rolled into Kharkiv, located in Ukraines northwest, and witnesses reported firing and explosions. But city authorities said Ukrainian fighters had repelled the attack.

Control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The armed forces, the police, and the defence forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy, regional Governor Oleh Sinegubov said.

Reuters was unable to corroborate the information.

Ukrainian forces were also holding off Russian troops advancing on Kyiv.

We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on, Zelenskiy said in the latest of several video messages from the streets of Kyiv.

He has declined to leave the city and has been marshalling combatants and civilians, with many non-combatants seeking shelter in underground railway stations.

A U.N relief agency said more than 368,000 refugees had crossed into neighbouring countries, clogging railways, roads and borders.

At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed in the invasion, the head of Ukraines Health Ministry said.

A United Nations agency reported 64 civilian deaths and a Ukrainian presidential adviser said 3,500 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded. Reuters was not able to verify the numbers. Western officials have said intelligence shows Russia suffering higher casualties than expected, but Russia has not released casualty figures.

NO OTHER ANSWER

The United States and its allies authorised more weapons transfers to help Ukraine fight a war that threatens to upend Europes post-Cold War order.

Ignoring weeks of frantic diplomacy and sanctions threats by Western nations, Putin has justified the invasion, saying neo-Nazis rule Ukraine and threaten Russias security  a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

Putin has said he must eliminate what he calls a serious threat to his country from its smaller neighbour, accusing it of genocide against Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine  something Kyiv and its Western allies reject as a lie.

Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, won independence from Moscow in 1991 at the fall of the Soviet Union and has pushed to join the NATO Western military alliance and the EU, goals Russia vehemently opposes.

Germany said on Sunday said it would increase spending on defence to more than 2% of its economic output in response to the invasion, breaking its post-World War Two custom.

There could be no other answer to Putins aggression, Chancellor Olaf Scholz told lawmakers, a day after Germany agreed to send defensive anti-tank weapons, surface-to-air missiles and ammunition to Ukraine.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Ukrainian forces battled Russian troops on the streets of Ukraines northeastern city of Kharkiv on Sunday, the regional governor said. The Russian enemys light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre, Governor Oleh Sinegubov said. Ukraines armed forces are destroying the enemy. We ask civilians not to go out. Videos published by Anton Herashchenko, adviser to the interior minister, and Ukraines state information agency showed several light military vehicles moving along a street and, separately, a burning tank. A witness in Kharkiv said Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles could be seen in different parts of the city and firing could be heard.

Military trucks with the letter Z painted on their sides could be seen in residential areas, the witness said.

Huge explosions from Russian attacks on oil and gas installations lit up the night sky in Ukraine early on Sunday, while Western allies tightened sanctions to banish major Russian banks from the main global payments system.

Ukrainian forces were holding off Russian troops advancing on the capital Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said as the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two entered a fourth day.

But the night was brutal, with shelling of civilian infrastructure and targets including ambulances, Zelenskiy said.

Casualties from the war are unclear. A United Nations agency reported 64 civilian deaths and Ukraine claimed to have killed 3,500 Russian soldiers.

More than 100,000 refugees, mainly women and children, have poured into neighbouring countries, clogging railways, roads and borders since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a special military operation on Thursday.

Ignoring weeks of frantic diplomacy and sanctions threats by Western nations seeking to avoid war, Putin has justified the invasion saying neo-Nazis rule Ukraine and threaten Russias security  a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

Offering a glimmer of hope for talks, the Kremlin sent a diplomatic delegation to neighbouring Belarus. Ukraine quickly rejected the offer, saying Belarus had been complicit in the invasion.

However, Zelenskiy left the door open for real negotiations, elsewhere, an adviser said.

Russian missiles found their mark overnight, including a strike that set an oil terminal ablaze in Vasylkiv, southwest of Kyiv, the towns mayor said. Blasts sent huge flames and billowing black smoke into the night sky, online posts showed.

The enemy wants to destroy everything, said the mayor, Natalia Balasinovich.

Heavy fighting took place for Ukraines second city, Kharkiv, in the northeast, where Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline, a Ukrainian state agency said.

That blast sent a cloud up into the darkness, though Ukraines gas pipeline operator said the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine was going on as normal.

Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom also said that Russian gas exports via Ukraine to Europe continued normally. read more

Russian troops later entered Kharkiv, interior ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said on Telegram. Videos posted by him and a state agency showed several military vehicles moving on a street and, separately, a burning tank.

Russian-backed separatists in the eastern province of Luhansk said a Ukrainian missile had blown up an oil terminal in the town of Rovenky.

Reuters witnesses in Kyiv reported occasional blasts and gunfire through the night, then three blasts after air raid sirens went off shortly before 9 a.m. (0600 GMT).

Ukrainian leaders were defiant.

We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on, Zelenskiy said in a video message from the streets of Kyiv posted on his social media.

A U.S. defence official on Saturday said Ukraines forces were putting up viable resistance to Russias air, land and sea advance.

FINANCIAL NUCLEAR WEAPON

The United States and its allies have authorized more weapons transfers to help Ukraine fight and imposed a range of sanctions on Russia in response to the assault, which threatens to upend Europes post-Cold War order.

On Saturday, they moved to block certain Russian banks access to the SWIFT international payment system, making it harder for Russia to trade and for its companies to do business.

They also said they would impose restrictions on Russias central bank to limit its ability to support the rouble and finance Putins war effort.

We will hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin, the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Canada and the United States wrote.

They did not name the banks that would be expelled. An EU diplomat said some 70% of the Russian banking market would be affected.

The allies initially shied away from targeting SWIFT transfers  a move the French finance minister had called a financial nuclear weapon  largely because of concern about the impact on their economies.

Sanctions on Russias central bank could limit Putins use of his more than $630 billion in international reserves, widely seen as insulating Russia from some economic harm.

Google barred Russias state-owned media outlet RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook.

ADVANCING

Earlier, the Kremlin said its troops were advancing again in all directions after Putin ordered a pause on Friday. Ukraines government said there had been no pause.

A Ukrainian presidential adviser said about 3,500 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded. Western officials have said intelligence showed Russia suffering higher casualties than expected.

Russia has not released casualty figures and Reuters was unable to verify tolls or the precise picture on the ground.

A United Nations relief agency said as of Saturday evening at least 64 civilians had been killed among 240 civilian casualties, more than 160,000 people had been internally displaced and more than 116,000 had fled to neighbouring countries.

Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, won independence from Moscow in 1991 at the fall of the Soviet Union and has pushed to join NATO and the EU, goals Russia opposes.

Putin has said he must eliminate what he calls a serious threat to his country from its smaller neighbour, accusing it of genocide against Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine  something Kyiv and its Western allies reject as a lie.

SOURCE: REUTERS
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ALBANY  Albany High School students will be met with boosted security measures when they return from February break on Monday.

Counselors, social workers and school psychologists will also be available for students and staff.

The increased measures come after a fight between two 14-year-old students in a stairwell on Feb. 17 resulted in a student and a staff member who attempted to intervene sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening stab wounds.

The school briefly went into lockdown before students were dismissed early.

During the break, security staff checked lockers and building grounds at the high school and each of the districts middle schools.

No weapons or other inappropriate materials were found, said Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams in a statement on Friday.

The districts security staff also worked with police and determined that the knife was not detected during the daily morning security screening, Adams said, which included backpack checks, metal detector screening and the use of security wands.

The safety of students, staff and faculty is absolutely a top priority in our school district, Adams said. We will continue to work with Albany High School and local authorities on an ongoing basis to assure that we have the appropriate security and accountability procedures in place.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

District officials didnt respond on Sunday when asked to specify the boosted security measures.

But Adams said students should expect delays during the morning security screening as school personnel work to fine-tune security processes.

Security staff and administrators reviewed school security protocols the day after the fight. During those meetings, the districts safety and violence prevention director and assistant director reiterated and emphasized enhanced procedures focusing on the safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff, Adams said.

The student with the knife was charged with second- and third-degree assault in addition to fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The case will be handled in family court.
With hospitalizations on the decline, Capital Region BOCES joined the growing unmask our kids chorus.

The BOCES sent a letter to state officials Saturday, noting that the entire Capital Region is now listed as low or medium risk on the county-by-county COVID-19 risk map by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other local BOCES also joined in the request.

In a letter written on behalf of 24 school superintendents, BOCES District Superintendent Anita Murphy said the state needed to drop the school masks mandate before students return Monday.

We write you today with a sense of urgency, she said. Currently the entire Capital Region is in the new CDC Green Zone, or low risk of infection.

The CDC said Friday that people who are not at high risk can stop wearing masks in low and medium risk counties. Locally, at medium risk at Albany, Rensselaer and Essex counties. At low risk are: Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington counties.

People who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID should talk to their health care provider about whether they should continue to wear a mask and take other precautions, according to the CDC. That could suggest that those who live with high-risk people  such as their children  would also need to wear a mask in public, but the CDC has not offered specific guidance on that.

However, the CDC did note that research found the omicron variant spread to more people in households in which a young child caught the virus first, likely because children need close contact with adults, the CDC said.

The CDC left school districts to try to explain the changes during a school break.

Shenenedehowa Superintendent L. Oliver Robinson sent out a letter describing the districts off-ramp strategy for loosening COVID restrictions. He noted that 91 percent of Saratoga County residents over the age of five had gotten at least one vaccine dose and that hospitalizations are down 60 percent in just the last week.

The district will make masks optional outdoors, for recess and outdoor gym classes, he said.

Mask wearing during outdoor recess and/or outdoor physical education will be optional and a students choice to wear or not wear their mask outdoors is to be respected by students and staff, he said, emphasizing that civility and respect must prevail.

Remember, some people will choose to continue masking in environments where it is not required. It is crucial that we respect each others decisions and continue to be cautious about close contact, he said.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Relaxing mask rules is part of a delicate balancing act, he said.

The district needs to balance prioritizing health and safety of students and staff, and supporting the social, emotional, mental health of students and staff, he said.

Murphy went further, asking state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett to drop the mask rule entirely at schools and on school buses.

Murphy also asked Bassett to provide guidance to school districts on changes to other mitigation layers including social distancing and to give specifics about the circumstances in which masks would be required again.

Gov. Kathy Hochul asked schools to collect test results from families after the winter break, which she plans to use in determining whether to relax the mask mandate. Schools sent home texting kits and letters asking families to test children on Friday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 27, and send in the results on Monday.

More Information Part of a letter from the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES, requests that state leaders, in compliance with new CDC recommendations: Remove the mandate for masking for school facilities and on school buses in counties identified by the CDC at low or medium levels of risk., Provide guidance to school districts, parents, and staff about the factors that would trigger the reintroduction of masks, and; Provide guidance to school districts on changes to other mitigation layers including social distancing. See More Collapse

A similar letter to Hochul was also sent by the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES, the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES and Questar III (Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties).
The day I learned that Meat Loaf, nee Marvin Lee Aday, had passed away, I had his "Bat Out of Hell" album, on vinyl, spinning in my office. Once my daughter woke up, I cranked the hell out of it. I mean, loud. As it was meant to be.

I transferred from Niagara University to Ithaca College for my junior year, very sight unseen. This was the fall of 1978. I knew no one at Ithaca, other than incoming freshmen I had met during orientation that summer. I'd never been away from home other than for family vacations across New York State, or to the beach in Canada. I had never been on an airplane.

At that time, all incoming IC transfer students were housed off campus in an old convent in the woods by the name of Valentine Hall, closer to the Cornell campus on East Hill than to that of IC on South Hill. A van moved the transfer students to and from campus three times a day. Classes started the following day. My folks had just dropped me off. I had no car. It was raining, dark, a really dank and miserable day. We had just blown and replaced a tire heading downhill on the way into Ithaca proper.

My folks pulled away in their station wagon with a final wave. I moved my stuff into the little dorm room I had been assigned. My gear included clothes, a few cherished childhood knick-knacks, my stereo, and my then-small library of beloved albums. I remember staring at the old plaster walls and smelling the musty building smells, thinking, "What have I done to myself, is this going to work out?" I pondered that question for a few moments.

Then, I hooked up my stereo, first thing, and put "Bat Out of Hell"  released in 1977  on the platter. I dropped the needle and turned it up, loud. I think Bruce Springsteens "Born to Run" might have followed. Maybe old Ted Nugent was next.

My first two years at Niagara, it had been the musical libraries of others: Peter Frampton, Boston, Kansas, Led Zeppelin. Which was OK, but they werent my choice.

But that fall of 1978, the comfort of the familiar, developed in my basement with my high school pals and my new stereo purchased that summer, surrounded by liters of soda and bags of chips, buoyed my spirits in that uncertain moment. And everything worked out at IC over those next two years. I dove in and owned the place.

I was able to secure that October a resident assistant position that allowed me to relocate to campus, in charge of a bunch of freshmen in a study dorm. And my musical library expanded immediately, to include Gary U.S. Bonds, the Blues Brothers, Santana, and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, with my speakers in my windows, entertaining those out in the upper quad.

One of the best adult decisions I ever made in my life, actually. So, today is Remember Meat Loaf Day. Music just has a way of pinning life's important moments into your brain with a big railroad spike.

I have many Ithaca College friends and memories. They are distant friends, Christmas card friends, Facebook friends from that two-year period. I smile when I reminisce about that time, and I thank them all for enjoying my music with me. They are all "Bats Out of Hell" in my book. Turn it up loud today.
Will Waldron/Times Union

Albany's Congregation Beth Emeth is hosting a Monday interfaith in-person vigil for peace in Ukraine at 7 p.m. Beth Emeth is located at 100 Academy Road. There is also a livestream option at bethemethalbany.org. The public is welcome. Masks and proof of vaccination are required.

The cosponsors include the Interfaith Alliance of Upstate NY, the Capital District Board of Rabbis and Cantors, Jewish Federation of NENY, the Tendai Buddhsit Institute, the Hindu Community of the Capital District and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday released a new way it is accounting for coronavirus risk - and the new map shows that much of eastern New York is back to a "low" level of COVID-19.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a late Friday afternoon press conference that researchers and clinicians "must focus our metrics beyond just cases in the community and direct our efforts toward protecting people at high risk for severe illness and preventing COVID-19 from overwhelming our hospitals and our health care systems."

Federal officials say the wide use of vaccination among more than 200 million people, and lowering transmission rates, requires coronavirus risk to be looked at differently.

As such, the CDC revealed a risk level map that is based on the metrics it is now using - levels that "inform CDC recommendations on prevention measures like masking and CDCs recommendations for layer prevention measures" Walensky said.

The updated map takes into account new hospitalizations for COVID-19, current hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients or hospital capacity, and new COVID-19 cases. Levels can be low, medium or high.

Only areas at "high" risk of coronavirus under the new guidance calls for wearing masks indoors - which includes schools.

The new risk assessment shows all of downstate, the Hudson Valley and Mohawk Valley, as well as most of the Capital Region, are now considered at low risk for coronavirus. "Low" risk calls for people to stay up-to-date on vaccines and to get a COVID-19 test if sick.

Only Albany and Rensselaer counties south of the North Country are still in "medium" risk for COVID-19 as of Friday's map. At that level, the CDC says those who are immunocompromised or at high risk should consider wearing a mask.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

High risk level areas currently in New York are in the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and North Country.

After the CDC put out its revised guidance Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said: "We are evaluating the CDC's new guidance, and we will update New Yorkers on potential changes as we work through the details and coordinate with all stakeholders in our school communities across our state."

Then on Sunday afternoon, Hochul announced New York's school mask mandate will be over on Wednesday - although counties and cities can decide on their own if they want to keep it.

The CDC noted that there are still times people should wear a mask regardess of community risk status - including if you have symptoms, if you tested positive for COVID-19 or you are a close contact of someone with coronavirus.
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ALBANY  With little fanfare, the University at Albany quietly shuttered a Chinese-government-backed educational and cultural program last December.

So did Nassau Community College, Stony Brook University, SUNY College of Optometry, Binghamton University and the University at Buffalo at varying points throughout the year.

In fact, all Confucius Institutes housed at State University of New York campuses statewide are now closed.

Promoting cultural exchanges is central to the mission of an international research university like UAlbany, said university officials.

In recent years, however, it became increasingly clear that continuing this relationship could jeopardize UAlbanys access to critical federal research funding, said Jordan Carleo-Evangelist, a university spokesman. For a major research institution like UAlbany, that risk is untenable  no matter how valued the programming.

SUNY officials were unable to pinpoint the total amount of funds at risk statewide (the amount, officials said, is up to the individual campuses) but Carleo-Evangelist placed the figure at UAlbany alone at $70 million for 2020  down from $100 million the year before.

It varies from year to year with different funding opportunities and how they align with our research strengths, Carleo-Evangelist said.

An outpost of power

Confucius Institutes are educational and cultural programming centers partially funded by China.

But as relations have splintered between the U.S. and China, the institutes have faced bipartisan criticism from Congress, largely due to their financial support from the Chinese government.

Lawmakers and think tanks have criticized them as propaganda outposts.

Youqin Huang, the former executive director of the Confucius Institute at the University at Albany, declined to comment and steered questions back to the university.

Ex-directors of other Confucius Institutes statewide did not respond to requests for comment, nor did representatives from the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, the official organization for overseas Chinese students, at each respective SUNY campus.

But someone familiar with the program at UAlbany, who asked for anonymity to discuss a politically sensitive topic, said the institute always tried to steer clear of politics.

I didnt see any political influence from the Chinese government," said the person. I personally never felt any government influence for what you could and could not do."

The person also pointed at a lecture series they said presented neutral and fair viewpoints on contemporary Chinese affairs.

After the Trump administration designated Confucius Institutes as a foreign mission in 2020, China criticized the label as "demonizing and stigmatizing the normal operation of collaborative projects between the two nations.

"We urge the U.S. to stop politicizing educational exchange programs, stop interfering with normal people-to-people and cultural exchanges and stop undermining China-U.S. mutual trust and co-operation," said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

UAlbanys Confucius Institute opened in 2013 with partial financial support from the Chinese International Education Foundation, a nonprofit with government ties, according to their homepage. It also retained a relationship with the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu.

At UAlbany, the institute offered about 20 different language and cultural classes to 387 credit and noncredit students in 2019 and organized two training workshops for local Chinese language teachers with a total of 80 participants, according to an internal report.

The Confucius Institute at the University at Albany also presented 18 cultural workshops, which is in line with the centers' stated purpose as a way for Beijing to project cultural influence abroad.

Bipartisan suspicion

Upon their emergence in the mid-2000s, the centers were initially viewed as attractive for budget-stretched colleges and K-12 learning institutions seeking to provide highly sought-after programming.

As such, ready-made Chinese curriculums were viewed as advantageous and convenient, said Timothy Heath, a senior international defense researcher with the Rand Corp, a nonprofit global policy think tank .

But with the souring relationship between the two countries, the centers have come under increased scrutiny by U.S. officials.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schyulerville, last year called for funding for the institutes to be yanked and introduced legislation she said combats "their malign, anti-American behavior and advances the interests of the United States at home and abroad.

The threat to funding that UAlbany cited as the reason for terminating its relationship is a result of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. The annual military spending bill, which was backed by Stefanik, a ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, included a clause restricting access to Department of Defense research funding if a university hosts a program sponsored by the Chinese government.

The U.S. has sparred with China in recent years over everything from trade policies, a strengthened military, the aspiring superpower's growing influence overseas, corporate and academic espionage and political freedoms in Tibet and Xinjiang, where the U.S. government has declared Chinas repression of the mostly-Muslim Uighur people as genocide.

The suspicion is bipartisan.

China is one of few issues the two parties have a big agreement on, Heath said.

The emergence of COVID-19 from China in late 2019 only served to heighten tensions between the two nations, a shift illustrated in recent polling.

Forty-five percent of Americans said last March that China is the greatest enemy of the U.S., which is more than double the percentage who said the same in 2020, according to a Gallup poll.

Its reflecting a deepening suspicion of whats happening in China, Heath said.

Overseas influence

A key criticism is how Confucius Institutes present their teachings.

Detractors have pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party-backed educators who participate in the Confucius Institute present a sanitized version of historical events, from the Xinjiang internment camps and Taiwans status to the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square protesters, Heath said.

Theyre regarded as part of the Chinese Communist Partys influence and outreach effort, Heath said. Theres a lot of concerns over freedom of speech.

Teachers and classroom materials are vetted by Hanban, a public institution affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education, to ensure they toe the party line.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Yet despite the concerns, funding flowing from Chinese government coffers appears to be marginal  at least to the Albany operation.

The now-defunct center at UAlbany had an operating budget of $178,420 in 2019, according to the centers report, and received $60,793 in Chinese government funding.

The center had a staff of three overseen by a seven-member board of advisers. During its eight-year tenure, the Confucius Institute hosted cultural programming, from Lunar New Year celebrations to calligraphy workshops and lecture series.

Critics also claimed that an increasingly powerful and assertive China was using the outposts to throw its weight around on college campuses abroad, casting a chilling effect over democratic principles.

Heath pointed to the Chinese governments increasingly powerful United Front Work Department, a secretive special unit whose operations in Australia caught the attention of U.S. lawmakers.

The sub-department of the Communist Party organizes influence groups and recruits supporters, both politicians and college students, to challenge ideals of Western supremacy, Heath said.

Politicians suspected of being under their influence are suspiciously sanguine toward repressive Chinese policies, he said. Students, on the other hand, tend to use fear tactics to silence those voicing viewpoints casting China in a bad light.

The United Front Work Department's ire has been directed at activities previously deemed untouchable on Western campuses, including student groups who organize visits by the Dalai Lama, the spiritual Tibetan leader in exile, or Taiwanese students who proudly brandish the democratically self-governed island's flag. (Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province.)

Antipathy towards Taiwan's status surfaced at UAlbany in 2016 when a Chinese language lecturer reportedly found that a banner for National Taiwan University along with some traditional calligraphy had been removed from the walls ahead of a visit by a visiting Chinese government delegation.

The incident was mentioned in a 2017 report by the right-leaning National Association of Scholars (NAS), and later referenced in an op-ed published in the New York Daily News in 2020 calling on SUNY to investigate and shut down the centers.

The baggage piling up from the overseas influence operations has become increasingly unpalatable to college and K-12 institutions in the U.S., according to Heath.

The more you get involved in China, the more youre expected to reflect Chinese views, preferences and values, Heath said. Those are some issues that led schools to realize its just not worth it.

Confucius Institutes also work with K-12 programs, including in the Capital Region, where the now-defunct UAlbany center had developed strong partnerships with Tech Valley High School, Albany High School, the Edmond J. ONeal Middle School of Excellence and Albany Montessori Magnet School, as well as several local libraries and the Colonie-based Chinese Community Center.

NAS keeps a running tally of the remaining U.S. Confucius Institutes in the United States.

While there were 110 in 44 states in 2017, the number had shrunk to just 19 as of last week, including four that are scheduled to close this spring.

The person familiar with the Confucius Institute at UAlbany acknowledged the mood of local Chinese residents is deteriorating on U.S. campuses, with many fearful that they'll be accused of academic espionage.

Theyre here and theyve contributed to the U.S. economy," they said. "Theres no evidence (of academic spying)."

Next steps

The closure of the Confucius Institute at the University at Buffalo was among the few at SUNY-affliated institutes to garner media attention, with Roger V. Des Forges, professor emeritus of history, criticizing the decision.

Given the rising tide of xenophobia, racism and calls for another Cold War against Communist China, Forges told UBNow, the student newspaper, this is no time to cut back on institutions carefully designed to transcend nationalism and imperialism and work toward a more equitable and peaceful world community.

Universities said Chinese programming will continue  without Beijing's gravitational pull.

Stony Brook will maintain its support for Chinese students, language and culture and sustain its commitment to relationships in China through the robust programs and services it has developed in its China Center and through partnerships with more than 40 Chinese universities, the Confucius Institute wrote in an automated email response.

And UAlbany will continue to support programming that "promotes meaningful international and cultural exchanges that further the richness, diversity and inclusivity of our campus, said Carleo-Evangelist, the UAlbany spokesman.
TROY  City police are investigating three separate shootings that injured three men within 24 hours.

On Sunday, police responded to two separate shootings. The first was in the area of Second Street and Madison Street around 10:45 a.m. A man was shot in the torso and sustained serious injuries. Police said at least three people in the area at the time had fled into a nearby house. Colonie police assisted Troy in locating the people in question, and evidence technicians were still in the area Sunday afternoon collecting evidence.

The second shooting happened outside on Fifth Avenue in the area of 101st Street around 1:50 p.m. Sunday. A man was shot in the hip.

On Saturday, another man was wounded in the area of Sixth Avenue and 102nd Street. That victim sustained a non-life threatening injury.

There have been no arrests in the shootings.

Police said there is no indication the three shootings are connected. "Still, that will be a component of the ongoing investigations to confirm, " wrote Troy Assistant Police Chief Steven Barker in a release on Sunday.

Police asked people who may have information regarding the incidents to reach out to detectives by phone at (518) 270-4421 or report online at troypd.org.
In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that required certain states, mostly in the South, to receive federal approval of voting changes before they went into effect. This preclearance procedure effectively blocked discriminatory voting restrictions before they had any effect.

The court reasoned that preclearance was no longer necessary, because things have changed in the South. Since then, Southern states have enacted a raft of voting restrictions, making a mockery of the ruling and proving that preclearance is still necessary.

Democrats in Congress attempted to enact a new law that would reinstate preclearance, but those efforts failed, with Senate Republicans successfully blocking the bill and leaving voting rights advocates desperate for a path forward.

Even absent congressional action, the Biden administration is not entirely without options. For one, the Department of Justice should simply ignore the Supreme Courts 2013 decision and continue to enforce preclearance. This might sound radical, but it is not. It is no different from the strategy Mississippi recently pursued with respect to abortion, and the Supreme Court blessed it. The Biden administration should follow Mississippis lead with respect to voting rights.

Before the Supreme Courts 2013 decision in the Shelby County v. Holder case, sections 4 and 5 of the Voting Rights Act together provided that, when a covered jurisdiction sought to enact a change to its election laws, the change would not have any effect unless and until it was approved by either the U.S. attorney general or a federal court in Washington, D.C. For decades, those federal authorities ensured that discriminatory changes to elections laws were nipped in the bud. But then the court decided in Shelby County that preclearance was no longer required, and previously covered Southern states could freely change their elections laws, which ushered in a raft of new voting restrictions.

However, contrary to popular understanding, the court in Shelby County did not erase any section of the Voting Rights Act from the statute books. In fact, it has no such power. As the court itself said in 1974, in Steffel v. Thompson, it cannot make even an unconstitutional statute disappear. Accordingly, the entire Voting Rights Act, including the preclearance provisions, remains on the books.

When the Supreme Court decides a federal statute is unconstitutional, the executive branch usually defers to the courts judgment and declines to enforce it. But the Shelby County decision deserves no such deference. The courts pronouncement that voting rights protections were no longer necessary because things have changed was audacious when the court made it in 2013, and it has proven demonstrably false since then.

The Department of Justice should demand the court reconsider Shelby County. It can do this by filing a lawsuit that seeks to enforce the preclearance requirement, in contradiction to the courts prior judgment. That is, the Justice Department should sue a state that has recently enacted new discriminatory voting restrictions and ask a lower court to halt them since they never received preclearance. The lower court would almost certainly dismiss the case, since preclearance is no longer necessary, per the Supreme Court. That would set up the Justice Department to appeal to the Supreme Court, which would then have to decide whether to reaffirm Shelby County.

This, in essence, is the path Mississippi has taken with respect to abortion. The Supreme Court held decades ago in Roe v. Wade that women have a constitutional right to an abortion before the fetus has reached viability, but Mississippi never accepted that decision. Mississippi simply ignored the courts judgment when it enacted a law that expressly banned certain pre-viability abortions in clear contradiction to Roe. Abortion advocates challenged the law as unconstitutional under Supreme Court precedent and won, as expected, in a lower court. Mississippi appealed to the Supreme Court, and the court agreed to hear the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, in order to reconsider whether, as the court previously held, pre-viability abortions are constitutionally protected.

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In short, Mississippi ignored the courts judgment in Roe and enacted a law in flagrant violation of it, and the court rewarded Mississippis defiance by agreeing to reconsider its precedent. No matter how the court ultimately rules, its decision to hear the case implies approval of Mississippis strategy.

The Biden administration should not miss the lesson. If the court is unbothered by defiance of its precedents and open to reconsidering them, why not Shelby County next?

To be sure, I am not optimistic that the court would actually overrule Shelby County. It probably would not. But whatever action the court may take, it would provide an important data point in the publics understanding of the (often regretful) role the current court is playing in this era of democratic decline. This is especially important today, as potential reforms of the court continue to be a topic of considerable public interest.

The Biden administration should force the court to either recognize its error in striking down one of the most important voting rights protections in American history, or else put its woeful role clearly on display for all to see. If the court still thinks things have changed to such a degree that voting protections are no longer necessary, it should say so.

Derek Borchardt, of Claverack, is an attorney.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Steady light rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. High 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Chance of a shower or two during the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies overnight. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
DENVER  In most midterm election years, races for state supreme court seats are overshadowed by campaigns for governor or the Senate. Some Republicans, however, say the partys priorities need to change.

The GOPs focus on the makeup of state supreme courts escalated this week after a series of legal setbacks frustrated the partys effort to redraw congressional maps in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. That prompted some leading Republicans to press the party to pay more attention to elections in November in which some supreme court justices will face voters.

The top of the ticket where you have a governors race, Senate race, are important, Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who leads the National Republican Redistricting Trust, told reporters this week. But if you want your House districts to be determined in fair districts, you need to pay attention to your elected Supreme Courts.

The comment, and the rulings that sparked it, shows how state courts are playing an increasingly high-profile role in the politically charged, once-a-decade redrawing of legislative lines. Legislatures typically control the process and can contort the lines to scoop up as many of their partys voters as possible in as many districts as they can draw, a process known as gerrymandering.

Even in the best of circumstances, that process triggers an avalanche of litigation. But this cycle has fueled even intensity in the state courts because the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that federal courts cant rule on partisan gerrymandering cases. Race-based line-drawing is governed by a thicket of federal law and constitutional principles and federal courts can intervene in those cases. But for most redistricting legal battles, state courts are the last resort.

The GOPs frustration with state courts escalated this week after the Democratic-majority Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the recommendations of a lower court to adopt a GOP-drawn map that reduced the number of Democratic-leaning House seats, despite the fact that Democrats largely represent the areas where the states population is growing. Instead, the high court picked a map drawn by Democratic plaintiffs that combined two Republican-held seats where population growth was particularly stagnant.

The same day, a panel of North Carolina judges ruled that a map drawn by that states GOP-controlled legislature didnt comply with a 4-3 decision from the Democratic-controlled supreme court that found a similar map to illegally favor Republicans. The new map, drawn by court-appointed mapmakers and left intact later Wednesday by the states high court, may cost Republicans three House seats compared with the initial map they submitted, which made 10 of the states 14 seats safe for the GOP.

Despite the Republican criticism, state courts do not always rule on partisan lines.

The Republican chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, for instance, joined three Democrats to repeatedly throw out maps drawn by the GOP-controlled state legislature as illegal partisan gerrymanders. The Ohio court, which has a GOP majority, ordered members of the states map-drawing commission  including Republican Gov. Mike DeWine  to attend a hearing next week on why they should not be held in contempt for drawing maps that dont comply with its orders.

Earlier this month, the Florida Supreme Court, which has largely been appointed by Republican governors, unanimously rejected a request from Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to bless his preferred maps most controversial aspect, dissolving a north Florida district drawn to give Black voters a chance to pick their own representatives.

The rulings are one reason this redistricting cycle has gone better for Democrats than many expected. With most large states besides GOP-controlled Florida done with their maps, the party has kept about even with Republicans even though the GOP controls the line-drawing process in more states.

We are winning not because of the political natures of the supreme courts, said Kelly Ward Burton, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Coalition. We are winning because Republicans have violated the law.

To Republicans, though, Democratic groups like the NDRC that focus on electing Democratic judges in the 22 states with high court elections are part of the problem. They point to the organizations spending in North Carolinas 2018 supreme court race, where the campaign of Democrat Anita Earls, now the decisive vote on the bench, received $5,200 from NDRC and the group donated another $250,000 to the state Democratic Party, which then gave $199,000 to Earls campaign.

Of course, Republicans and their allies have themselves spent millions of dollars on North Carolina Supreme Court races over the past decade. The GOP said it may sue to overturn the new North Carolina maps in federal court, arguing the state courts are infringing on federal control of elections or are giving Black voters inappropriate weight in their line-drawing decisions.

But it also intends to compete in the supreme court election this fall, when two of the Democratic justices who comprise a 4-3 majority are up for reelection. In Ohio, the chief justice who defied her party, Maureen OConnor, is retiring and her seat is up for grabs in November. If the GOP wins either of the state races, the Legislature can redraw that states maps for 2024 and count on a friendlier high court, Republicans say.

These elections for supreme court in North Carolina and Ohio are extremely important this fall, Christie said.

In Pennsylvania, Democrats have a three-justice majority and no justices are up for election this year. But the Republican state legislature has been trying to constrain the courts power since it ruled in 2018 that the Legislature illegally gerrymandered last decades map to benefit the GOP. Pennsylvania lawmakers have proposed impeachment or otherwise limiting the courts power, and one state senator this week introduced a bill forbidding it from drawing new maps that last more than two years.

Michael Li, a redistricting expert with the Brennan Center for Justice in New York, warned that state courts are becoming increasingly pivotal political and electoral battlegrounds as the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court rolls back rights guaranteed by prior court majorities. He cited a series of recent rulings that weakened the Voting Rights Act as well as the courts upcoming abortion case that could overturn the Roe v. Wade that legalized the procedure nationally.

We may be in an age where its very state by state, not just in redistricting but in a wide number of rights, Li said. People are recognizing that were in a different world now.

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ALBANY  Last August, former Bishop Howard J. Hubbard reflected on his handling of decades of child abuse allegations in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, noting that his "most fervent prayer each day is that victims ... and their families will find healing, reconciliation and peace in Gods love and that we as a church and a society will learn from this tragedy."

The remarks by the bishop emeritus, who headed the diocese from 1977 to 2014, were made in an extraordinary opinion piece that was published in the Times Union on Aug. 13  the final day that alleged victims of childhood sexual abuse could file claims under New York's Child Victims Act, which had lifted the statute of limitations for two years.

Hubbard, who is among numerous clergy facing allegations of sexually abusing children, wrote in his op-ed that the diocese's response "fell short," and he admitted church officials had failed "to fully understand the impacts on victims and survivors." (Hubbard has denied the numerous allegations of sexual abuse leveled against him.)

But for many victims, according to their attorneys, the "healing" they seek may rely on a full disclosure of why the diocese, as Hubbard has acknowledged, covered up the chronic sexual abuse for decades by secretly shuffling priests in and out of treatment, or moving them from parish to parish without warning congregations about their criminal behavior.

"Only when a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist determined the priest was capable of returning to ministry without reoffending did we consider placing the priest back in ministry," Hubbard told the Times Union last year. "The professional advice we received was well-intended but flawed, and I deeply regret that we followed it."

Facing roughly 300 lawsuits since the Child Victims Act went into effect in August 2019, the diocese has quietly waged an aggressive effort in court to conceal records that may reveal more about its handling of sexual abuse cases. The diocese's longtime attorney, Michael L. Costello, has asserted in court papers their actions were "in conformity with professional best practices ... at the time."

But attorneys for many of the alleged victims who have filed lawsuits against the diocese, or against Hubbard and other clergy members, contend the church is not being transparent as it seeks to block efforts for full disclosure to the public and the victims of what took place.

Some attorneys contend the diocese's legal challenges to fight disclosure of their internal records may be motivated by a desire to limit their financial liability and to prevent the church from suffering more public shame.

"The church still wants to hide the details," said Cynthia S. LaFave, an attorney for dozens of alleged victims who are suing the diocese.

She said the Child Victims Act was meant to both provide a path to justice for victims and to reveal the details of what happened, including how it was allowed to go on without criminal repercussions for those who sexually abused children or covered it up.

The law was meant "to uncover the horrors of the child sex abuse that has occurred in the past, and ... the disclosure is necessary," LaFave said. "They were finally given a voice, but the voice doesnt mean anything if the truth doesnt come out with it. ... Only the whole story will free these survivors from what they are suffering from, and allow them to understand that it was not their fault and they were children and should have been protected."

Jason Sandler, an attorney who specializes in sexual abuse cases, said the diocese's records may reveal more about how it hid allegations of sexual abuse from the public as well as the parents of many victims.

"Albany engaged in a pattern and practice of hiding abuse and shuffling around priests from parish to parish, and certainly these priests' personnel files would reflect that  and also reflect that some of these priests may have gotten psychological treatment and then (were) put back into ministry at a parish where they would be around children," Sandler said. "I personally have never heard of a pedophile being cured after treatment."

For their part, the diocese issued a statement Friday saying they have been responsive to the demands of attorneys for the alleged victims and have "consistently" complied with court orders directing them to turn over materials.

"In some cases, the diocese has appealed court rulings for further guidance, but we comply and will continue to comply with all court orders," the statement reads.



The records the diocese has opposed turning over include the medical and psychological treatment records of accused priests.

The diocese's attorneys argued before an appellate court in December seeking to uphold a judge's dismissal of a case filed by a victim who signed a release in 2016 in order to receive a $90,000 settlement to pay for his counseling. In that case, the plaintiff is a victim of Gary Mercure, a former Albany priest who is imprisoned in Massachusetts for raping and sexually abusing altar boys. The appellate division has not issued a decision in the case.

The diocese, and Hubbard's defense attorneys, also have sought to prevent victims' attorneys from obtaining the records of other clergy found to have committed sexual abuse in unrelated cases, arguing that the materials are privileged and their release through pre-trial discovery would be prejudicial.

"While we have been completely transparent with respect to the release of files of alleged offenders, we have taken the position to oppose the release of the names of victim/survivors in unrelated cases, believing any attempt by plaintiffs counsel to reach out to a former victim/survivor risks significant harm by way of retraumatization or revictimization of that person," the diocese said in a statement.

However, attorneys for the plaintiffs have noted in their appellate briefs that the trial court had ordered the redaction of the names of those victims from the records before they would be turned over.

The attorneys for many of the alleged victims said they are seeking the diocese's broader confidential records documenting the handling of abuse cases to determine whether the diocese  and Hubbard  enabled and concealed a "culture of pedophilia," according to court documents. Those records include the files of about 50 priests that the diocese has determined were "credibly accused" of abuse.

Hubbard has also fought the public release of his own deposition, which remains subject to a protective order that has prevented its public disclosure. The deposition was taken last April over a period of four days, when Hubbard answered questions from multiple attorneys representing dozens of victims.

Terence P. O'Connor, Hubbard's attorney, has asserted the bishop's deposition should remain confidential and "under seal" in order to prevent cases from being "litigated in the press and (leading to a) poisoning of the jury pool."

"It isnt to hide it from the public. ... Obviously, when the case goes to trial its all going to be public," O'Connor argued before state Supreme Court Justice L. Michael Mackey during a hearing in December. "The concept of it was ... instead of arguing our case in public and instead of having the lawyers go after the different parties in public ... instead of trying to position the public to one side or the other, wed zip it until the time it came to trial."

Attorneys for many of those victims, citing Hubbard's public statements to the Times Union last year, have countered that the judge should lift the protective order and unseal at least portions of that deposition, which they said would reveal "misrepresentations" and "one outright lie" in Hubbard's August 2021 op-ed in the Times Union.

In the December hearing before Mackey, attorneys for victims who have filed lawsuits against the diocese or Hubbard argued that the former bishop's public statements last year had misled the public.

As a result of Hubbard's op-ed, "There is not only confusion, but I think there is a misunderstanding of very important facts in the public about what went on in the Diocese of Albany over all these years," Jeffrey M. Herman, an attorney who specializes in sexual abuse cases, told Mackey during the December hearing. "I think the public has the right to know the truth."

Mackey has ruled both for and against the diocese in the legal battles, several of which have moved to the appellate level. On the disclosure of the treatment records of pedophile priests and of the broader personnel files of abusive clergy, he has sided with the victims in his rulings.

In a case involving Francis P. Melfe, a deceased former Schenectady priest named in multiple child sex abuse claims, a midlevel appeals court in Albany last summer upheld Mackey's decision ordering the diocese to turn over records related to six priests who were removed from ministry for molestation allegations in 2002  after the U.S. Conference of Bishops mandated a zero-tolerance policy for pedophilia.

In that case, the plaintiffs had not sought the treatment records of those priests. Rather, they sought only files that "involve the complaints and correspondences (forming) the basis of the discharges" or job transfers of those priests. They also asked for correspondence between the diocese and the Archdiocese of New York concerning the discharges or transfers.

Melfe is on the diocese's list of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse. He worked at St. Patrick's Church in Albany from 1969 to 1970, and also was a pastor at the Immaculate Conception Church in Schenectady from 1969 to 1979, when he left the priesthood.

He is accused of sexually assaulting and physically and mentally abusing children over a period of more than 10 years, including forcing their inebriation.

In another case that went to an appeals court recently, the diocese is seeking to overturn Mackey's order that it turn over the records  without a protective order that would keep them secret  of more than 48 abusive priests over a period spanning 1946 to 1999. The plaintiff in that case also is seeking records outlining "sexual deviancy" treatment of the Rev. Edward Pratt, a former vice chancellor who was once Hubbard's second in command, as well as the other priests.

The alleged victim in that case, Michael Harmon, said he was abused in the 1980s by Pratt, including inside the chancery in a room across the hall from where Hubbard lived. Harmon has said that while Hubbard never abused him, the bishop was aware that the boy would spend multiple nights each week in Pratts nearby bedroom.

In a submission to the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court in Albany, which heard arguments in Harmon's case earlier this month, Costello, the diocese's attorney, argued that any evidence of other alleged sexual abuses would be "prejudicial."

"The varying nature of the allegations in each case, as well as the varying histories of the priests involved and the weighing of credibility as to the allegations are all factors that must be taken into consideration in determining a response to sexual abuse claims," Costello argued.

Mallory C. Allen, an attorney for Harmon, told the appellate division that the records, including the treatment files on Pratt, should be turned over.

"They may show the diocese knew Father Pratts treatment was unsuccessful; they may show the diocese was warned that Father Pratt was a pedophile who would continue sexually abusing children, like Michael, if given access to them," Allen wrote in a memorandum filed with the court. "They may show Father Pratt admitted to abusing children; and/or, they may show Father Pratt discussed the fact that the diocese was aware that he was abusing children, including before or during Michaels abuse, and did nothing."
Sinn Fein remains the most popular political party in Ireland, according to a new poll.

The Business Post/Red C poll also suggests that Fianna Fail is enjoying a rise in support among voters.

According to the poll, support for Sinn Fein is at 33%.

Support for Fianna Fail, led by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, has risen by two points to 17%.

However, the poll finds that support for Leo Varadkars Fine Gael has dropped by a point to 20%.

The Green Party has also dropped by a point to 5%.

The new poll, published on Saturday (February 26) night, indicates that support for the Social Democrats sits at 4%, with Labour also on 4%.

Solidarity/People Before Profit is also at 3%, while Aontu is at 2%.

Support for Independent TDs sits at 11%.

The poll was based on 1,001 adults aged over 18, who were surveyed online between February 18 and February 23.
Pressure is growing on the Irish Government to expel the Russian ambassador, as protests continued in Dublin against the invasion of Ukraine.

On Saturday (February 26) afternoon, dozens of protesters once again gathered outside the Russian Embassy in south Dublin to call on Russia to end the attacks on Ukraine.

Labour TD Ivana Bacik and Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher were among the crowd.

Russian ambassador with his coterie of friends and advisers in Dublin should pack up and go. #WeStandWithUkraine. https://t.co/dpci6ksSCD  Charlie Flanagan (@CharlieFlanagan) February 26, 2022

It comes amid growing calls for the Russian Ambassador to be expelled from Ireland.

Members of the governing coalition parties joined in calls from Sinn Fein and other opposition parties to have Yury Filatov removed from the country.

By 6pm on Saturday, 35 Fianna Fail TDs and senators had signed a petition calling on Mr Filatov to be expelled.

Earlier, the chair of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and senior Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan, had also tweeted a call for the ambassador to be forced to leave Ireland.

Growing pressure on the Government to expel the Russian Ambassador  heres the latest version of the petition signed by Fianna Fail TDs and senators pic.twitter.com/V1FcUwH1sd  Dominic McGrath (@McGrathDominic) February 26, 2022

A protest was also held in Dublin city centre on Saturday, as crowds gathered on OConnell Street to oppose the Russian action in Ukraine.
Irish ministers have defended the decision to so far not expel the Russian ambassador.

It comes amid growing pressure in Ireland for Yury Filatov to be expelled from the country over the actions of Russia in Ukraine.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee today (Sunday February 27) said she understood why people were upset at the presence of the Russian ambassador to Ireland remaining in the country.

However, she rejected the suggestion the issue was causing tension in Government.

We have over 50 Irish nationals that are still in Ukraine, she told RTE radio.

We have Irish parents who are due babies via surrogates in a couple of weeks. We have Irish citizens who are living in Russia.

And there is a potential that if the ambassador is expelled that we will see an immediate closure of our embassy in Moscow and a complete breakdown of diplomatic relations. And we dont know whats going to happen in the coming weeks.

We need to make sure that we can support our Irish citizens.

This is something thats being considered later on today. Not just potentially looking at the ambassador, but potentially looking at other diplomatic figures that are in Ireland and that are in other member states.

Nothing is off the table here.

On Saturday evening, nearly 40 Fianna Fail TDs, senators and MEPs signed a petition calling on Mr Filatov to be ejected from Ireland.

The list included TDs Jim OCallaghan and Dara Calleary, as well as senators Lisa Chambers and Fiona OLoughlin.

The chair of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and senior Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan also tweeted a call for the ambassador to be forced to leave Ireland.

Another Irish minister said that he was proud of his party colleagues who have called for the expulsion of the Russian ambassador.

Fianna Fail TD Thomas Byrne, who is the minister for European affairs, said on Sunday the expulsion of Russian diplomats from EU countries was under discussion.

Im very proud of my Fianna Fail colleagues who have taken consistently a proud stand for Ukraine, for democracy and against the autocracy in Russia over the years, particularly in the European Parliament, but also in the Dail and yesterday, Mr Byrne told the BBC on Sunday.

He indicated that such action was being discussed in the EU, but cautioned such a move would lead to a response from Russia.

Its under discussion, theres no question, but itll be done on a European level.

I think well have much greater effect if we all make a move together.

There are certain factors we have to take into account.

You must keep lines of communication open, but also you must ensure that your own diplomats in Russia are not kicked out either because then youre at a disadvantage, obviously then dealing with Irish citizens or other European citizens who may be there.

So, this is certainly under discussion at a European level. My preference will be to deal with this as part of a common approach.

According to the Sunday Independent, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told the paper that he expects Ireland to expel some Russian diplomats as part of the next set of EU sanctions, but will stop short of expelling Mr Filatov.

Mr Coveney told the paper that not having a line of communication to Moscow would be a mistake.
There's a misguided belief that worsening violence in big cities will stay there . . . Early this morning that theory was disproved yet again.



Accordingly . . .

DEADLY DOUBLE MURDER GUNFIRE ERUPTS IN OTHERWISE PEACEFUL LENEXA, KANSAS!!!



Longtime local residents might remember that this suburban enclave was once a destination for families in pursuit of better schools, safer neighborhoods and the American dream.

Right now, part of it remains a crime scene . . .

"Lenexa Police Department officers responded to a call in the 8400 block of Laurelwood around 1:20 a.m. on reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, one person was dead and two others were taken to area hospitals with gun shot wounds. One of those people later died. This case remains under investigation, according to police."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

2 dead, 1 injured in Lenexa shooting KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two people have died and one more is injured following a Feb. 27 shooting in Lenexa that took place early in the morning. Lenexa Police Department officers responded to a call in the 8400 block of Laurelwood around 1:20 a.m. on reports of a shooting.

Two people dead after overnight shooting in Lenexa home LENEXA, KS (KCTV) -- Two people have died in Lenexa after an overnight shooting inside a house. According to police, they were called to the 8400 block of Laurelwood around 1:20 a.m. Sunday in regards to a shooting. At the scene, three adults were found with gunshot wounds.

Two dead, another injured in Lenexa shooting lenexa laurelwood homicide SOURCE: KMBC Two people are dead and another is injured after a shooting in Lenexa early Sunday morning.Police said they received a call about a shooting in a home on Laurelwood Street near 84th Street at around 1:20 a.m. When officers arrived on the scene, they found three people shot.

Developing . . .
But first we share a story . . .



Over the course of writing this blog we've actually had a few run-ins with local Russians.

One 'lil dude, that we affectionately refer to as Yakov, got his panties in a bunch because I called his wife a commie . . . In digital print and then again to his face . . . He was only 5'2 so I was confident in my whopping 3 inch height advantage. Three inches is nothing to trifle with . . . Or at least that's what kindly women have told me with a comforting smile and pat on the shoulder over the years.



Because I'm an idiot, I thought all of this was hilarious but apparently the ordeal might have had some cultural significance that was totally lost on me . . . To be honest, I still don't care.

We share this story only to illustrate that disinformation is rampant amid tension, hostilities and war.



Accordingly . . .

RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION NAME CHECKS KANSAS CITY'S BLACK & VEATCH IN UKRAINE BIO-LAB BOMBING RUMORS!!!



The fake cover story is intended to offer some kind of pretext for an invasion . . .

Here's why the overly complicated social media garbage missed the mark: It's too complicated.

All that REAL AMERICANS understand about the current Craplackistan Eastern European conflict is that the Russians are flexing with their bloody raid into a broke-ass country that's so desperate and corrupt they've been dealing with human monster Hunter Biden.

For nearly a century Americans have ruled the world like the biggest, baddest dude at a dive bar who just happens to armed with the same power that fuels the Sun . . . Beat downs have been dispensed freely and without consequence on scrawny mostly brown nations.

And so . . . Even if its faraway and involving lowlifes that don't really concern the US . . . Any unsanctioned brawl is a threat to the status quo.

Also . . . Fun Fact: Did you know New York makes more money than Russia??? This very well might mean that Jay-Z could, in fact, win a fight with Vlad and his homies.

But I digress . . .



FINALLY . . . We take a look at the local company connection that's slathered & stained in our bloggy banter in order to assure the State Dept. that TKC is a goofy-ass blog community unworthy of a door-knock . . .



But I digress . . .

Again, this blog post is merely to note that a local biz is named as a controversial builder in this series of Russian lies that are easily debunked by Google . . . Make no mistake, (just like AOC & Tucker) we don't really have much love for the current Administration . . . HOWEVER, this fact doesn't mean that we don't have even more contempt aimed at foreigners and their armies of liars, murders and subpar comedians. This is TKC, there's more than enough snark and mockery to go around the world and back to the Westside.



And if any of this makes sense (it shouldn't) here's more context and then the story . . .



Some on social media claim the U.S. may have more at stake than it's letting on.



A post shared to Facebook on Feb. 24 shows a map of Ukraine with a number of pinpoints, asserting they show "exclusive U.S. biolabs in Ukraine" that are funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.



Similar posts claimed Russia destroyed seven of the 11 supposed labs in missile strikes. But the claim is wrong, as independent fact-checking outlets have reported.



The posts misrepresent a treaty between the U.S. and Ukraine aimed at preventing biological threats. The labs in question are owned and funded by the Ukrainian government, according to the Security Service of Ukraine, the country's main security agency.



That agency and the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine have both said the claim is false. Numerous reports indicate it is tied to a years-long Russian disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the U.S.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Fact check: False claim of US biolabs in Ukraine tied to Russian disinformation campaign In the early hours of Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military assault on Ukraine, inciting a wave of international backlash and sanctions against Russia. "Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences," President Joe Biden said Feb.

You decide . . .
(434) 422-7398

Chris Seamans son is starting to feel better and ready to go back to Brownsville Elementary after spending months in a hospital following a bone marrow transplant.

But, the third-grader, who has leukemia, likely wont go back to school this year because of a change in state law, effective March 1, that allows parents to opt out of mask policies. Virginia is one of several states that have prohibited local school systems from adopting their own mask requirements.

The third-graders parents, Seaman and Allison Lyons, joined other parents of students with disabilities and legal organizations in a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of the new state law, Senate Bill 739.

The law violates federal laws that require equal access for children with disabilities, according to an amended complaint. A hearing on a motion for a temporary injunction will be held March 7.

Weve had to do everything else to layer on as much protection as possible, but hes so eager to go back to school, Seaman said. I just feel its a choice between my kids education and my kids health, and thats not a position that I think parents should ever be in.

For Seaman, having his son go to school when all students might not be wearing masks presents too great a risk. Because of the leukemia and his treatments, hes at high risk of severe disease from the virus. If he did contract COVID, that could cause complications or delay his ongoing medical treatment.

The third-grader recently received the first dose of the COVID vaccine, which he was able to get before the bone marrow transplant. He has two more doses to go, but Seaman said they arent sure what his immune reaction will be.

About 66.7% of children ages 5 to 11 in Albemarle have received the first dose of the vaccine and 53.5% are fully vaccinated. Vaccination rates are much higher  at around 87%  for children ages 12 to 17. In Charlottesville, 71.3% of those ages 5 to 11 have received the first dose and 54% are fully vaccinated.

Children under 5 years older are not eligible for the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its mask guidelines Friday, recommending that those in areas with a high rate of transmission should continue to wear a mask indoors while in public settings such as schools. Both Charlottesville and Albemarle fall in the category along with Fluvanna and Nelson counties.

Rate of community transmission is determined by looking at new COVID-related hospital admissions over the previous week, the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and new cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.

For counties in the medium level, the CDC recommends talking to a doctor about mask use if you are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Greene and Louisa counties fall into the medium transmission category.

Albemarle and Charlottesville have required students, staff and visitors to wear masks while indoors since summer 2020  a move largely supported by the community during public comments at board meetings. Employees and visitors will still be required to do so after March 1, and students still will wear masks while on buses.

Its just not the right time to be removing masks when we have people in our schools that are at risk, including my son and other kids and teachers, said Sarah Lepore, who has two children in the county school division. Many disabilities are silent and you dont see them.

She wants positivity rates to be lower and vaccinations available for the under 5 group before masks come off.

Although Lepore is concerned about the change, shes planning to keep her youngest son at Brownsville Elementary. Her fourth-grader has a rare genetic disorder, Smith-Kingsmore syndrome, is autistic and has intellectual disabilities, she said.

Shes not sure how effective the COVID vaccine will be with her sons disorder, so the family has been careful and continued to mask up.

Because teachers will still be wearing masks and the community has been supportive of masking, she said shes more comfortable sending him in-person.

Lepore said having him go in-person this school year was a hard decision, but now she doesnt want to pull him out of an environment where hes learning.

It would slow down the progress that hes making, and this is an important time for him where hes finally making some really great progress, she said.

Shes planning to send an email to his teachers about their choice and seeking an addendum to his individualized education plan to ensure he receives support for mask wearing.

My son lacks fine motor abilities to put his mask on and off, Lepore said. So after eating, he needs help putting this mask back on and, and so its really important that he continues to receive that support.

Lepore said the decision on mask policies should have been left up to the local school boards.

Its really disheartening to me that we have a bill thats speaking to the opposite of that when we know, she said. Evidence shows us that masking does work. I work in a hospital. We mask. I know it works.

For students with medical issues that put them at risk, Albemarle County is working with them on a case by case basis, a division spokeswoman said. Albemarles virtual school is at capacity, limiting alternatives.

Charlottesville officials said theyve had little interest from families about switching to all-online schooling. Schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. has said he expects many families will choose to keep wearing masks.

Vernon Liechti, president of the Albemarle County Education Association, encouraged the county school board to continue following the CDCs advice.

Every student and worker in Albemarle County deserves to work in a setting that ensures that they are in a healthy and safe environment, especially if those individuals are immunocompromised, he said. Students and workers health and lives depend on it.

On the new state law, Liechti said theres a bigger issue about the school boards constitutional authority to make decisions in public schools.

We encourage you to hold firm in protecting that authority, he said.

Seaman said he was disappointed that the Albemarle board didnt hold a public meeting about the mask policy before making the decision to go mask-optional.

In emails to the School Board and in public comments, Seaman has encouraged the board to keep the mask requirement in place, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and violates federal law.

The family has a kindergartner at Brownsville as well, and Seaman said they might have to pull the boy out of school for the rest of the year or until COVID rates decrease to keep his older brother safe.

Hes really worried that if he were to catch COVID that his brother would get sick and go back to the hospital, Seaman said.

Seamans older sons schooling has been largely defined by his leukemia diagnosis and the pandemic. He was first diagnosed six weeks into kindergarten and spent the rest of the school year in treatment. He started going back to school part-time the following year but then the pandemic hit, cutting the year short.

Second grade was the best year of school for the boy, even though it was hybrid and defined by pandemic mitigation measures.

He went in person even though he was immunocompromised for most of that time, in part because we felt comfortable with the universal masking policy at that point that he was safe, Seaman said.

The boy relapsed over the summer before third grade and he hasnt gone in-person yet because of the different treatments hes undergone. Hes currently being homeschooled.

He wants to get back as soon as its safe for him to do so, which we were hoping to be able to do very soon, Seaman said.

Gov. Glenn Youngkins executive order issued Jan. 15 and the new state law have disrupted those plans.

Its just deeply frustrating because he really loves school so much, Seaman said. Hes a great reader and loves to see his friends and really wants him back. But we just dont feel safe sending him unless we know that everybody else is also going to be masked in this classroom.

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As we approach election season, longstanding complaints from neighborhoods are growing louder.



For years Council dude Bunch has been absent from discussions amongst his constituents in the Northeast and Westside . . . Now the outcry is growing louder.



Here's the word about an ongoing crisis . . .



They dont have borders. They wander up and around and in and out of yards like theres nothing there. Thats just got to stop, said Historic Northeast homeowner Michael Bushnell.



Bushnell is among the many Historic Northeast residents demanding 4th District Councilman Eric Bunch take action against the campers flooding the area backyards, park lands and violent crime.



Bushnell witnessed the aftermath of a machete attack between two area homeless that ended on his neighbors porch.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Historic Northeast residents demand councilmember act on homeless encampment, crime KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City has long had pockets of homelessness, and right now, one of those areas is the Historic Northeast. "They don't have borders. They wander up and around and in and out of yards like there's nothing there. That's just got to stop," said Historic Northeast homeowner Michael Bushnell.

Related reading . . .

News Dog Speaks: Time for change This critically thinking News Dog thinks a change in paradigms is highly necessary in how the City deals with the ongoing and growing issue of homeless camps on public land. Not only are the camps illegal, but they also create a public safety issue for neighbors living nearby and those wishing to use a public park, but also for those who choose to live off grid in those camps.

Developing . . .
At one time hottie Jenna was an icon of the pr0n biz and she earned MILLIONS for her smut industry winning. Tonight, news of her hard times inspires our peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines . . .



Take a peek at TKC news gathering . . .

Local Parents Alerted To Enduring Impact Of COVID On Families . . .



Kansas City counselor says COVID-19's effect on teenagers' mental health is far-reaching Two years into the pandemic, it's clear our world has changed. For teenagers, it could have long-lasting effects on mental health. It's being called a crisis nationwide."We're seeing a lot of children who have lost primary caregivers or grandparents that were very important who died from COVID.

Tribute To Troops Attacked

Veterans statue vandalized outside Kansas City homeless shelter on Friday night A memorial honoringKansas City veterans outside the Hope Faith homeless day shelter was vandalized Friday night. Surveillance video captured a man dislodging a bronze helmet and gun from a statue for veterans around 10:50 p.m. Friday night, said Doug Langner, executive director of Hope Faith at 705 Virgina Ave.

Southside Stuck

South KC apartment residents say elevator hasn't worked in over a month KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Residents at one south Kansas City apartment complex complain they feel trapped in their homes. The lone elevator in one building at the Cloverset Valley Apartments near St. Joseph Medical Center isn't working. There's a sign on the buttons indicating work is being done.

DON'T BE A JERK!!! SAVE JENNA JAMESON!!!

Former porn star 'unable to walk' after mystery illness Former porn star Jenna Jameson is out of hospital after two gruelling months - but she's still unable to walk. Jenna Jameson is getting closer to understanding what has caused her to lose her ability to walk in recent months.

Behind Supreme Decision

'He loved every minute of this'- How Biden decided on Ketanji Brown Jackson Getting to this point was not quite as hasty, according to interviews with more than a dozen Biden confidants, White House officials, advocates and people close to the aspiring court nominees. While Biden's deliberations began in earnest over the last month, the president and White House officials long ago began laying the groundwork that led them to Jackson.

Uncertain Juxtaposition

Trayvon Martin compared to Emmett Till on 10th anniversary of death Trayvon Martin's mother used the 10th anniversary of his death on Saturday to urge those who sought justice for her family to continue to fight. Sybrina Fulton spoke to the National Action Network, the civil rights organization founded by the Rev Al Sharpton in Harlem.

Blaming MAGA

Trump, who was impeached for withholding nearly $400 million in military aid from Ukraine, said 'this deadly Ukraine situation would never have happened' if he were in office Donald Trump said Russia's invasion of Ukraine wouldn't have happened if he were still president. Trump was impeached in 2019 after freezing nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine. He previously said Crimea was part of Russia and praised Vladimir Putin's actions as "genius."

Chinese Food

Aftermath Exposed

New study finds Wuhan market likely origin source of COVID-19 Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic. A market in Wuhan, China, that sold live animals likely was the point of origin for the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a pair of studies released Saturday.

Hottie Reveals Big-Ass Good Life

Kim Kardashian takes to the skies - in her new $95 million private jet Kim Kardashian took to the skies above Italy Friday night - flying home to LA from Milan on her brand-new $95 million G65OER private jet that she reportedly had built from scratch, TMZ reported Saturday.

Hipsters Love Harness

A Bungee Studio by Day, Upside Bungee's Space Is Constantly Transforming - In Kansas City Stop by 1101 Mulberry Street on a weekday and you'll walk into a cavernous-and chicly decorated-space where you'll likely see a workout class synchronously gliding across the room with bungee cords attached to their waists. Stop by on an evening or weekend, and there's a chance you'll find something totally unexpected.

Celebrate Kansas City Craftsmanship

I can do that (better): How a home laser engraver burned a handcrafted apparel line - now sewn across KC - into reality Family man Brett Jackson wears his evolution as a serial entrepreneur as proudly as the Kansas City-love engraved on his line of custom leatherwork, hats and apparel, he said. "The desire to continue to create propelled me into wanting to create physical items and tangible things," said Jackson, a nationally recognized graphic designer and video production expert, as well as the owner of Jackson Creative consultancy.

Sunday Forecast For Now

Sunny, warmer for your Sunday Hide Transcript Show Transcript NEVIE:LL THIS EVENING, THINGS WILL BE QUI.ET THE WIND WILL BE LIGHT WITH PATCHY CLOUDS OVERHD.EA TEMPERATESUR START TO COOL BACK TO NEAR FREEZING. A LOW AROUND 22 OVERNIGHT WITH CLEAR SKIES. TOMORROW, LOTS OF SUNSHINE AND HIGHS BACK IN THE MDLE ID50'S, SO WARMER WEATHER TOMORROW AND WE GO UP FROM THERE.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
In terms of history . . .

Here's something worth considering . . .

Rep. Stephanie Byers is Kansas' first transgender elected official and the country's first trans Native American elected official.



Here's her argument and recent and minor Zoom call kerfuffle . . .



Substitute any other race or ethnicity for Indian in his quote, then explain how it should be forgiven, Byers said.



Byers, of the Chickasaw Nation forced in the 1830s from land in the Southeast to territory that became Oklahoma, said there wasnt anything funny about Watsons statement. The Board of Education failed American Indians by not not accepting Watsons offer to step down, she said.



This is a part of how cultural erasure occurs, Byers said. Being Native American isnt a joke and to consider it as such robs us of our dignity.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
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TRUMBULL  A routine inspection of the SeaQuest interactive aquarium inside Westfield Trumbull mall turned up four violations that occurred over the last year, including missing records, a child bitten by an animal and an employee hitting an otter with a metal bowl.

SeaQuest CEO Vince Covino said staffers that have contact with animals receive extensive training, including mentorships, testing, and auditing. The workers adhere to procedures approved by local, state and federal regulators, the animals are subject to veterinarian oversight and records are also subject to inspection, he said.

Our standard is world class (animal care) where health and happiness are priority above anything else, he said, in an email to Hearst Connecticut Media.

In the latest inspection, which took place March 25, USDA animal care inspector Jan Baltrush noted animal food and bedding stored on the floor near aquarium tanks where they could get wet, putting them at risk of mold contamination.

Baltrush also found incomplete documentation for some of the companys animals. For example, two goats and two hedgehogs lacked any documentation for their disposition. Also, a newly acquired Bengal cat appears to have been acquired from a vendor who did not have a USDA number.

All records need to include name, address and the USDA number of the person the animal was bought from, she wrote, noting that in the absence of a USDA number a drivers license and vehicle plate number are necessary.

The company employees had not recorded the license number or plate number of the seller, she wrote.

A review of company records also indicated that in August 2020, a guest had entered the capybara enclosure. A four-foot wooden wall separates the animal, a South American rodent that can weigh up to 150 pounds, from visitors. The wall has a door for entry and exit, but that door was kept unlocked, Baltrush wrote.

A member of the public was able to enter the capybara enclosure, by opening and walking through this door, in the absence of staff presence, she wrote. This incident was confirmed by employees who reported that the animal was not injured because of this incident.

The company later installed a lock on the enclosure door, Baltrush reported.

In July 2020, a small child received a minor injury from an otter bite during a live feeding demonstration. The otter was able to reach the childs finger through a PVC pipe that runs through a plexiglass wall separating people from the animals.

Visitors can feed the otters through a PVC elbow that runs through the glass. The otter side of the glass has a 1-inch straight pipe intended to prevent the otters from reaching visitors as they are placing food in the elbow, but on that day the straight pipe was missing. The demonstration continued anyway, without the safety device, Baltrush wrote.

The child placed their hand into the elbow piece and the otter was able to reach in and nip his fingers, Baltrush wrote. The facility must ensure that during public exhibition, there is minimal risk of harm to the animals and public.

Baltrush also reported that in June 2020 an employee entered the otter enclosure. When the otters began to jump on and around the employee, the employee hit the animals with a metal food bowl, she wrote.

The facility must ensure that the animals are handled in a manner that does not cause trauma, physical harm, or unnecessary discomfort, she wrote.

Covino said the employee in question is no longer associated with SeaQuest.

This employee was immediately terminated, he said. Fortunately, the otter was not injured.

Based in Idaho, SeaQuest operates nine locations across the country. Attractions include animal feeding, walk-in aviaries, snorkeling with marine animals and hands-on encounters with sloths, otters, stingrays and others.

The company has received 22 USDA citations since February 2019 for incidents including numerous instances of animals biting visitors, incomplete or missing animal documentation and unsanitary conditions.

deng@trumbulltimes.com
Charlottesvilles popular MarieBette Cafe and Bakery doesnt just want customers to enjoy eating their delectable baked goods. They want them to learn something.

The bakery, which has two locations in the city, celebrates Black History Month by creating a cake to honor a different prominent Black activist, entertainer, athlete, scientist or historical figure every day in February.

The chocolate cakes with powdered sugar silhouettes have honored dozens of prominent Black Americans, ranging from performers like rapper Megan Thee Stallion to Evelyn Nicol, an immunologist instrumental to creating the polio vaccine.

I feel like often Black History Month comes along and people think about certain athletes and entertainers and Martin Luther King, Jr. Not to diminish the contributions or power of that, but what I wanted to do was to just show more of the breadth of contributions that African Americans have made to American society and culture, said Jason Becton, co-owner of MarieBette.

Becton and his husband and bakery co-owner Patrick Evans started making breads to honor prominent Civil Rights activists during their first year in business. Evans enjoys creating stencil art on breads and cakes and had the idea to use this talent to promote Black History Month.

The breads received such a positive response that Becton and Evans decided this should become a bigger project. This year they created a cake for each day of Black History Month. Evans creates the stencil art while Becton researches which figures should be honored.

The cakes are on display in the bakerys two locations and are available for purchase. The confectionary creations are also posted on Instagram and Facebook where even those far from Charlottesville can learn the history.

Becton said theyve gotten a pretty big response to the cakes on social media. Some honorees have even seen the cakes on social media, and Becton said its been exciting to see their reactions.

Poet Amanda Gorman was the first person we featured, and she saw the post, and commented on it. Lester Holt, the NBC News anchor, also saw the posts and commented on and thanked us. Weve had a lot of that this year, Becton said. So its nice to also see how it gets back to the people were featuring. Its just a very small way that were honoring them, but its appreciated.

Evans still creates the stencils himself, but his process has changed as the project has gotten bigger. While he used to trace portraits of the individuals and then tediously cut the stencils by hand, he now has machine assistance.

Meanwhile, Becton has dug deeper into his research, becoming passionate about discovering and honoring Black Americans who have made major contributions to society but arent household names, in addition to more well-known entertainers and athletes.

For example, Robert Smalls should be much more well known. Hes a Civil War hero who was enslaved and then he escaped his enslavement and took a bunch of people with him, commandeered a Confederate ship, managed to get it to Union Territory and then joined the army, and after the war became a U.S. representative, Becton said. So its been a really cool way for us to almost have community education through Facebook and Instagram and also for ourselves, because I feel like a lot of these people should be well known and theyre not.

Becton has also shifted some focus to recognizing Black Americans native to Charlottesville.

I have a friend who works at the McIntire School, and he had his class do a marketing project on what were doing for Black History Month. The class gave a presentation and said we should have some more local people. So we started trying to find some local African Americans who contributed to either nationally or globally or even more specifically for this town, he said.

This year, MarieBette honored Gregory Swanson, the first African American to attend the University of Virginia. In 2021, MarieBette honored Eugene Williams, a former local NAACP president and affordable housing activist in Charlottesville. Becton said he was able to meet Williams and his family when MarieBette honored him with a cake.

[Williams] is a force in town and hes done a lot, but not a lot of people know about him or that he exists and it felt good to give him his moment, Becton said.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the issue of counteracting the aggressor with President of Finland Sauli Niinisto and thanked him the allocation of $50 million in aid.

Discussed with Sauli Niinisto countering the aggressor. Informed about our defense, insidious shelling of Kyiv. Grateful to Finland for allocating $50 million in aid. Its an effective contribution to the anti-war coalition. We keep working. We need to increase sanctions and defense support for Ukraine, Zelensky posted on Twitter.

As reported, on February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine and launched a large-scale invasion. Missile strikes were launched on a number of Ukrainian cities, and military facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were attacked.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, more than 60 battalion tactical groups of Russian troops have been deployed in the territory of Ukraine. The main purpose of their operation is to block Kyiv and create a land corridor to Crimea.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a general mobilization in Ukraine.

On Friday morning, February 25, enemy aircraft was shot down by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the immediate vicinity of Kyiv.

ol
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov appealed to the administration of the YouTube platform to block Russian propaganda media outlets.

Fedorov has made the statement via Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"I turned to YouTube to block Russian propaganda media branding us as Nazis and drug addicts, lying and promoting war. I turned to Meta to block Facebook and Instagram. I appealed to Netflix to block their services in Russia," Fedorov said.

He noted that the goal is not to deprive Russians of access to information, but to reach out to the youths, proactive and considerate people. "Your blood-thirsty czar is driving you into oblivion so change this now," said Fedorov.

He also added that Russia is already experiencing problems with access to ApplePay.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov called on Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop supplying the company's services and products to the Russian Federation, including blocking access to Apple Store.
A journalist from Navkolo Tebe weekly publication has been shot dead by Russian occupiers in Kherson Region.

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova on her Facebook page, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Near the village of Zelenivka, Kherson Region, Dilierbek Shakirov, a civil journalist from Navkolo Tebe weekly publication and a member of the House of Hope Charity Fund, was shot dead with an automatic gun from a car, Venediktova wrote.

In addition, according to Venediktova, on Saturday, February 26, 2022, an ambulance car came under fire on a highway in Kherson Region, when transporting the wounded. A 64-year-old ambulance driver and a wounded soldier died in fire. One of the wounded also received a bullet wound.

Following these cases, law enforcement officers have opened criminal proceedings.

All of those who commit the most serious crimes against civilians will not escape responsibility. The prosecution and law enforcement authorities continue to record and investigate the war crimes committed by Russias military, Venediktova stressed.

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Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova warned the United States and international community about the threat of chemical attack by Russia in the Donetsk region.

She said this on Saturday during a press briefing in Washington DC, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"According to reports obtained by the Security Service of Ukraine, the occupying forces are actively handing out gas masks to local militants and Russian militaries in Donetsk Oblast. I'm making this information public to warn that there might be a possibility of provocation," the ambassador said.

As she said, there are different versions of what Russian could do, including "to blow up some industrial tanks with chemicals."

According to her, the Russian enemy also plans to accuse the Ukrainian Arms Forces to sabotage.

"But we want to declare that, unlike Russian occupants, Ukraine does not resort to such methods," Markarova declared.

She underscored Ukrainian Armed Forces operate in a most responsible way.

"They're defending our country while also trying to be very responsible about the Ukrainian citizens because of the very simple fact - they are there to defend [Ukraine] together with Ukrainian citizens," Markarova stressed.
Ten Greek nationals have been killed by Russian bombing near the city of Mariupol.

The relevant statement was made by Reuters, referring to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Ten innocent civilians of Greek origin (were) killed today by Russian air strikes close to Mariupol. Stop the bombing now! Mitsotakis said in a tweet.

Russias ambassador has been summoned to the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry to provide an explanation on Monday.

Greece has also expressed willingness to take in Ukrainian refugees if necessary.

If we have to take in a number of people we are willing to do it. The cost will be covered by Europe, but at this moment the priority is the humane dimension, Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi noted.

A reminder that Russian occupiers have shelled nearby villages around Mariupol, but the city itself is remaining Ukrainian controlled.

mk
A number of Russian banks will be cut off from SWIFT international payment system, which will stop most financial transactions around the world and effectively block Russia's exports and imports.

Russian army is committing barbaric actions during its invasion of Ukraine. It is bombing and launching missile strikes, killing innocent people. At the same time, the entire world is witnessing the determined and brave resistance by the Ukrainian army and population. As Russian forces unleash their assault on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, we are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies, reads the statement by European Commission President von der Leyen.

She noted that the EU considered a significant tightening of international response in coordination with President Biden, President Macron, Bundeskanzler Scholz, Prime Minister Draghi, Prime Minister Trudeau, and Prime Minister Johnson. The European Union and its partners are working to cripple Putin's ability to finance his war machine.

First, we commit to ensuring that a certain number of Russian banks are removed from SWIFT. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally. SWIFT is the world's dominant global interbank payment system. Cutting banks off will stop them from conducting most of their financial transactions worldwide and effectively block Russian exports and imports, von der Leyen said.

In addition, the assets of the Russian Central Bank will be paralysed, and Russian oligarchs will be impacted.

Second, we will stop Putin from using his war chest. We will paralyse the assets of Russia's central bank. This will freeze its transactions. And it will make it impossible for the Central Bank to liquidate its assets. And finally, we will work to prohibit Russian oligarchs from using their financial assets on our markets, the EU official said.

As Ukrinform reported, the European Commission also stated that restrictive measures would be introduced in the near future to prevent the Central Bank of Russia from using its international reserves to reduce the effect of international sanctions.

The assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation now total $ 643 billion. All of them will be frozen.

Leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Canada and the United States condemned Russia's war against Ukraine and said they were ready to impose additional restrictions on Russia, including cutting its banks off from SWIFT.

Russian president Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on February 24 and launched a large-scale invasion.

Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure for four days already, while missiles have been hitting residential buildings.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

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The servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine captured a commander of the tank battalion of the Russian army.

As the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine posted on Facebook, the Russian serviceman was taken prisoner after his tank had been shot by soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and he himself "miraculously survived."

The commander of the tank battalion of the 35th motorized infantry brigade of the city of Oleysk of the Central Military District of the Russian Army, Major Leonid Shchetkin, was taken prisoner.

He is a graduate of the Kazan Military Tank School, married and has two children.

On February 26, in Kharkiv, the National Guard captured a Russian reconnaissance group that was trying to penetrate into the territory of one of the Ukrainian military units.

As reported, the Ukrainian military have already captured about 300 Russian conscripts.

Russian president Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on February 24 and launched a large-scale invasion.

Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure for four days already, while missiles have been hitting residential buildings.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

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A 2,000-acre solar energy farm could provide Buckingham County with a welcome revenue stream. But it could also injure the countys farm land and forests and create run-off into the James River. Thats why a Buckingham Board of Supervisors vote on a special use permit for the project scheduled for tonight should be delayed. Questions need to be answered for county residents beforenot afterapproving the project.

The best strategy for the huge solar power generating facility planned on acreage now serving as a Weyerhaeuser tree farm is caution. The board can best represent its constituents by slow-walking the process rather than ramming it through. Adjacent property owners worried about erosion caused by precipitation running off thousands of impervious solar panels need explanations of why that wont happen. Residents who fear pollution of the James River, which is about half a mile from the project, must trust that this iconic natural resource will be protected.

Answers about the handling of the permit request also linger. Developers and the county hope to run it through a permit by rule process. The process speeds up the approval of various agencies and allows for subsequent modifications. It is reserved for solar projects of 150 megawatts or less. Developers of the Buckingham project propose to generate 149.5 megawatts. Critics say this will reduce the initial regulatory oversight that comes with larger projects.

The supervisors approved an earlier permit request, but county residents sued to stop block it, saying they were not properly notified of a public hearing. The solar farms developers, Riverstone Solar LLC and APEX, and property sellers Weyerhaeuser deny the charge. The latest request for a use permit was first presented to the county planning commission in January. Administrators introduced the new permit request to the supervisors just two weeks ago. Tonight, a joint public hearing of the planning commission and the board of supervisors precedes the vote. Given whats at stake, we wonder: Whats the rush?

Virginia has set a 2050 deadline for generating electricity from sustainable sources. Were in situation where it is imperative that we decarbonize, said University of Virginia environmental scientist Lawrence Brand. Brand also noted that the avoiding environmental problems from what are known as utility-scale solar farms depends on design details such as site location, ground cover, filter strips, and distance to the nearest streams.

Some of the states existing utility-scale solar farms have run afoul of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, in some cases prompting fines and stop-work orders. Yet the need for sustainable electric power sources remains urgent, and the lure of revenue for financially strapped rural counties is undeniable.

In October 2021, the Buckingham supervisors approved a revenue sharing agreement that would allow the county to collect up to $1,400 in revenue for every megawatt the solar farm generates and adds 10% to that share every five years. Buckingham officials say that will add at least $200,000 a year to the county coffers. Thy also say the county will collect substantially higher higher real estate taxes on the land involved. Though the solar farm will generate very few full time jobs, county officials say it will bring in $14 million during the life of its 40-year lease.

The key to ensuring good outcomes and community trust for future utility-scale solar projects appears to be is more information and a better understanding than may currently exist.

Heres what a 2021 Virginia Commonwealth University study concluded about the environmental impact of huge solar farms: While solar energy has become an important component of land use considerations in many rural communities across the Commonwealth, there is very little information available that comprehensively evaluates the existing land use impacts and development trends of solar facilities.

That does not mean the Buckingham solar farm should not eventually be built. It does mean that the project deserves much more consideration of potential down sides than it has so far been given.
The situation regarding the Russian invasion

The Ukrainian military destroyed a Kadyrov forces unit near Hostomel, Kyiv region.

"A unit of Kadyrov forces near Hostomel was destroyed. Commander of the 141st Regiment of the Chechen unit of the Russian Guard, Magomed Tushayev, was killed together with the group," the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine posted on Telegram.

The destruction delayed as the enemy were insidiously hiding behind civilian infrastructure.

Kadyrov forces units were also spotted in Kharkiv direction, with the Z mark on their vehicles. Currently, such vehicles are on their way from Sumy to Kyiv.

Ramzan Kadyrov is the leader of Russia's Chechnya region and an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

As reported, Russian president Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on February 24 and launched a large-scale invasion.

Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure for four days already, while missiles have been hitting residential buildings.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

Photo: Alina Komarova, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

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Emmanuel Macron has called on Alexander Lukashenko to demand that Russia withdraw troops from Belarus as soon as possible.

This was discussed in a phone call between Macron and Lukashenko, Ukrinform reports, with reference to the Elysee Palace.

"The President of the Republic asked the President of Belarus to demand the withdrawal of Russian troops waging a unilateral and unjust war as soon as possible, and stressed the need to cooperate with the international community to conduct operations on the provision of humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people," the statement said.

Macron stressed that the brotherhood of the Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples should encourage Belarus to refuse to be a vassal and de facto ally of Russia in the war against Ukraine.

The French president also "condemned the seriousness of the decision, which would be to allow Russia to deploy nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil," the Elysee Palace said.

Belarus stated earlier that it was considering deploying Russia's nuclear weapons on its territory due to a "threat from NATO."

Photo: Ukrainian President's Office
Ukraine is creating an international territorial defense legion consisting of foreigners who want to join the resistance to Russian occupiers and protect world security, the Ukrainian President's Office has said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address that early on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a new military operation against Ukraine. This is an unjustified criminal and cynical invasion. The Russian army is following very vile tactics. Residential houses destroyed by missiles and artillery are the ultimate argument for the world to stop the occupation invasion.

"Ukrainians have the courage to defend their homeland, to defend Europe, to defend the values of civilization. However, this is not just Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This is the beginning of a war against Europe. Against the unity of Europe. Against basic human rights in Europe. Against all the rules of coexistence on the continent," Zelensky said.

The president addressed all citizens of foreign countries who are friends of Ukraine: all those who want to join the defense of security in Europe and the world can come and stand side by side with Ukrainians against the invaders of the XXI century.

According to the Regulations on Military Service in the Armed Forces by Foreigners and Stateless Persons, approved by Ukrainian presidential decree No. 248 of June 10, 2016, foreigners have the right to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine on contracts on a voluntary basis. They can also join the territorial defense forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In this regard, all foreigners who wish to join the resistance to Russian occupiers and protect world security, the leadership of Ukraine offers to come and join the ranks of the territorial defense forces. A separate unit of foreigners is being formed - the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.

This will be a key sign of support for Ukraine.

For registration in the legion and for all details, it is necessary to contact the defense attaches of the Embassies of Ukraine in respective countries (contact information available on the websites of the embassies).

Photo: President's Office
A photo of an apartment building in Bucha, Kyiv region, hit by a Russian shell, is spreading on the Internet.

According to Ukrinform, the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security announced this on Facebook and published the photo.

There is no official information yet.

Earlier reports said that the Ukrainian Air Force had shot down a cruise missile fired at Kyiv from Belarus.
The Portuguese Defense Ministry has announced that it will provide Ukraine with military equipment to help fight Russian occupiers.

That's according to the ministry's Twitter account, Ukrinform reports.

"At the request of the Ukrainian authorities, Portugal will provide military equipment such as vests, helmets, night vision goggles, grenades and ammunition of various calibers, portable radios, analog repeaters and G3 automatic rifles," the statement said.

Ukrinform reported earlier that the head of the aggressor country, Vladimir Putin, announced the beginning of a special military operation in Donbas. At about 04:00, Russia launched air strikes on Ukraine and started the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that martial law was being imposed across Ukraine. Early on February 24, the Verkhovna Rada approved Zelensky's decree on the imposition of martial law throughout Ukraine.
The Russians could not come to Gomel, Belarus, today as this site was never agreed as a negotiation site.

Thats according to Mykhailo Podoliak, the advisor to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russia continues to lie. The real negotiating delegation of Russia could not be in Gomel today, because we did not agree on this platform for negotiations, says a statement available to Ukrinform.

Who are they going to talk to? Russians to Russians? Podoliak wondered.

The advisor stressed the claim of the alleged talks is a deliberate manipulation.

We have a clear and honest position. Negotiations should be on a neutral platform, said Podoliak.

Rockets are being fired at Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, enemy aircraft are based there, convoys of Russian armored vehicles are moving in from Belarus, the statement underlines. In such conditions, you cannot just come there.

Any honest negotiations can be held in neutral cities like Warsaw, Budapest, Istanbul, or Baku.

On such a platform, negotiations can stop this war, Mykhailo Podoliak concluded.

Earlier, a number of media reported, citing Vladimir Putins Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov that the Russian delegation had arrived in Belarus. He claims they allegedly came to negotiate with Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine and launched a large-scale invasion. Missile strikes were launched on a number of Ukrainian cities and military facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Martial law has been imposed in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced general mobilization.
Rockets were fired from the territory of Belarus at Ukraine Army positions in Ukraine, said the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.

Thats according to BelTA, Ukrinform reports.

Lukashenko claims this was a forced step due to the fact that Ukrainian missile battalions were deployed a few kilometers from the border with Belarus, ready to "strike within minutes" at Russian positions on the territory of the neighboring country.

According to him, Russian troops were shooting at Ukrainian territory, having fired two or three missiles.

At the same time, Lukashenko accused Ukraine of unleashing the war.

As reported earlier, on February 24, the head of the aggressor power, Vladimir Putin, announced the start of the so-called special military operation in Donbas. The invasion was launched including from the territory of Belarus.

Martial law has been introduced throughout Ukraine.

The head of the Ukrainian state, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed a decree on general mobilization.
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has proposed that the United Nations General Assembly set up a special tribunal to investigate the crimes of the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin against the world.

The address was read out by Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"We appeal to the UN General Assembly to establish a special tribunal to investigate the crimes of the Putin regime against Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other countries. We appeal to the world to sever diplomatic relations with Russia and not recognize it as a member of the UN. After all, the UN Charter refers exclusively to peace-loving states that implement this charter. After committing barbaric crimes against the people of Ukraine, there is no place for Russia among the civilized nations of the world. Contacts with it are possible only after the aggression is stopped and the dictatorial bloody regime is changed," Stefanchuk said.

The Ukrainian parliament also called on the whole world to recognize Russia as a terrorist state.

In addition, the Verkhovna Rada appeals to the world not to recognize the legitimacy of war criminal Putin and to completely isolate him on the world stage.

"We thank our international partners for the hellish sanctions against the aggressor country. And once again we call for an immediate closure of the skies over Ukraine!" Stefanchuk added.

The Ukrainian parliament emphasizes that the criminal Putin regime has created a real humanitarian catastrophe in a peaceful democratic Ukraine. In particular, late on February 26, Kyiv and other peaceful cities were brutally shelled by the enemy. Ballistic missiles were fired at a number of facilities.

Russian occupation forces provoked a real environmental catastrophe by bombing an oil depot in Vasylkiv and hitting a radioactive facility in Kyiv, the cemetery of the Radon Association branch in Kyiv.

In addition, ballistic missiles were fired at Kharkiv.

"Putin's occupiers are throwing numerous sabotage groups into Ukraine, killing civilians. In Kyiv, such a group shot dead a family with three children, a 9-year-old girl and her parents died, and two children in intensive care. Ukraine mourns civilian and military victims, children, women, the elderly, men," Stefanchuk said.
Denmark will be closing its airspace for Russian aircraft.

At todays meeting of EU ministers of foreign affairs we will push for an EU-wide ban. Russias unprovoked, despicable attack on Ukraine must be met with strongest possible international sanctions and condemnation, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark Jeppe Kofod posted on Twitter.

As The Guardian report, Iceland and Italy have also announced similar measures today. Other countries, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany and Poland, already blocked their airspace for Russian aircraft.

As reported, the head of the aggressor country, Vladimir Putin, announced the start of a special military operation in Donbas. At around 04:00, February 24, Russia attacked Ukraine and launched the war.

On the morning of February 24, the Verkhovna Rada approved President Zelensky's decree on the imposition of martial law throughout Ukraine.

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The situation regarding the Russian invasion

The Ukrainian military have fully regained control of Kharkiv. The enemies are being detected and put out of action.

"We fully control Kharkiv! Currently, the Armed Forces, the National Police, and the Territorial Defense are working in the city. The enemies are being put out of action in Kharkiv completely," Head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Oleh Synehubov posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

According to him, the Russian enemy is completely demoralized. In Kharkiv city, invaders are leaving equipment in the middle of the road, whole groups of 5-10 people surrender to the Ukrainian troops. They surrender as soon as they see at least one representative of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the head of the regional state administration added.

"Regarding the situation in the region. As of now, Chuhuiv is completely controlled by Ukrainian troops, Ukrainian flags have been raised on administrative premises," Synehubov said.

The offensive of the Russian aggressor continues in Lipetsk, Vovchansk, and Belgorod direction: "We observe separate columns of Russian equipment. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively fighting on their positions."

On February 27, Russian light equipment broke into Kharkiv. At the same time, Head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Oleh Synehubov informed that the fighting was taking place in the center of Kharkiv and that the Ukrainian military was destroying the enemy.

Synehubov called the occupiers' statements on the detention of Ukraines 302nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment a fake: no fighter of the Armed Forces of Ukraine laid down their arms.

On February 26, Synehubov said in a video address that Russian troops were continuing a brutal invasion of Kharkiv region. Despite the statements by the leadership of the aggressor country, the enemy is shelling houses, there are casualties among the civilian population. Over just two days of the Russian invasion, 59 civilians and 23 service members were wounded, 7 civilians and 4 service members were killed.

The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for four days. On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Martial law was imposed. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization.

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An Albany woman is dead after the car she was driving drifted across oncoming traffic, collided with a traffic pole, launched into the air and came to rest on the north shoulder of Highway 20 Friday morning near Albany.

Lisa Kovacs, 66, was driving a blue Mazda sedan eastbound on the highway near its intersection with Goldfish Farm when it left the roadway, according to an Oregon State Police news release.

She was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead.

Responders closed Highway 20 for an hour while Albany Fire and Albany Police departments and state Department of Transportation worked at the site of the crash. State police in its investigation didnt know why the car left its lane, according to the release.

A voicemail left with Albany police was not returned before press time.

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The situation regarding the Russian invasion

The Russian occupiers redeployed 10 helicopters, two An-124 planes and four Su-34 fighter-bombers to Belarus.

the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine published the latest information about the Russian invasion as of 13:00 on Facebook.

It is stated that the enemy continues the air offensive, during which it fires on military and civilian infrastructure facilities. In particular, since the beginning of the day, the Russian occupiers have carried out 5 air and 16 missile strikes.

"Republic of Belarus becomes another center of build-up of the occupying forces: 10 helicopters from Ostrov, Pskov region, as well as 2 An-124 aircraft of the Aerospace Forces were redeployed to Machulyshchy airfield. Four Su-34 fighter-bombers were redeployed to Baranovychy airfield, the General Staff said.

It is noted that, having regrouped troops, the enemy conducts offensive operations in the direction of Kyiv, but the capital's defense forces are successfully defending the city.

The enemy continues to shell the peaceful Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Balakleya, and the fierce defense of Kherson continues.

Groups of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Armed Forces were withdrawn from naval bases with the task to strike the surface forces of the Ukrainian Navy.

The enemy attempted to land paratroopers in the Black Sea region. They were killed.

Units of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Armed Forces are also involved in hostilities.

The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for four days. On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Martial law was imposed. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization.

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The situation regarding the Russian invasion

Ukraine repelled a tank attack and captured six Russian servicemen in Mariupol, Donetsk region.

"Tanks rushed from Donetsk at night and in the morning. But our guys burned them. This is the 10th Assault Brigade and the 36th Naval Infantry Brigade. Azov Special Regiment helped us. We managed to capture 6 servicemen, now they provide testimony," Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said, the Mariupol Town Council posted on Facebook.

According to the mayor, enemy formations are also advancing from Russia towards Mariupol.

"The plane was striking our guys, but they held positions and did not let invaders pass. The ship approached by sea, but something stopped it and it turned around and go away. But we are ready," Boychenko said.

Now the whole town helps the Ukrainian army, everyone is trying to do what they can and should do.

The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for four days. On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Martial law was imposed. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization.

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The situation regarding the Russian invasion

The town of Volnovakha, Donetsk region, is on the verge of humanitarian catastrophe.

"The Russian army has been bombing the town for the second day in a row, leveling it to the ground. Private houses and apartment blocks, infrastructure facilities, and a hospital were badly damaged by the occupiers' shelling (a Russian shell hit otolaryngology department and maternity welfare clinic). People stay in basements all the time. The town is actually blocked by the enemy: it is impossible to evacuate the population or even bring people bread and water. There is no electricity and no possibility to restore it," Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration and Military-Civil Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko posted on Telegram.

Kyrylenko urged international humanitarian organizations to help the town.

"Russian troops must stop shelling and enable the legitimate Ukrainian authorities to help the population and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe!" he emphasized.

As reported, Volnovakha town in Donetsk region is under Ukrainian control. According to Mayor Tetiana Ihnatchenko, the situation in the town is extremely difficult. The shelling is ongoing for the second day in a row.

Russian president Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on February 24 and launched a large-scale invasion. For the fourth day already, Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure. Missiles hit residential buildings.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russia lost 4,300 servicemen over the three days of the war.

Ukraine officially filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation at the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague.

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Self-proclaimed president of Belarus Alexandr Lukashenko has assured President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky that the military forces of Belarus will not be used against Ukraine.

"Between this moment and the moment when the talks are over, president Lukashenko assured President Zelensky that the military forces of Belarus will not be used against Ukraine," Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said at a briefing, Ukrinform reports.

Kuleba also estimated this as an achievement.

"This is already an achievement, and we can only hope that Alexander Lukashenko will keep his word," the minister said.

As reported, former minister of defense of Ukraine, head of the Center for Defense Strategies Andriy Zahorodniuk said that the self-proclaimed government of Belarus was most likely to decide on the participation of its armed forces in the war with Ukraine in the near future.

On February 27, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had held talks with Alexander Lukashenko.

Earlier, Lukashenko confirmed that missiles had been launched at military positions in Ukraine from the territory of Belarus.

Russian president Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on February 24 and launched a large-scale invasion. For the fourth day already, Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure. Missiles hit residential buildings.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

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Russia's readiness to speak without any preconditions, ultimatums, and demands is already a victory for Ukraine.

"So I think that the fact that Russia is ready to speak without any preconditions, without any ultimatums, demands towards Ukraine, is already a victory for Ukraine," Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said at a briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Kuleba noted that a few days ago, at the beginning of the war, Russia was not interested in any negotiations at all, but having suffered losses it realized that its plan was not being successful, the blitzkrieg failed, and Russia began to speak in ultimatums.

"As long as Russia continues to suffer, as long as the Russian army experience one defeat after the other, Russia's conditions and ultimatums abated. Now they give us a signal that they just want to talk," the minister said.

Following a conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, it was agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with Russia without any preconditions on Ukraine-Belarus border near the Prypyat River.

According to the press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Lukashenko took responsibility for the fact that "for the time of travel, negotiations, and return of the Ukrainian delegation, all aircraft, helicopters, and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory will remain on the ground."

As reported, former minister of defense of Ukraine, head of the Center for Defense Strategies Andriy Zahorodniuk said that the self-proclaimed government of Belarus was most likely to decide on the participation of its armed forces in the war with Ukraine in the near future.

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Martial law was imposed throughout the country and general mobilization was announced.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he did not harbor high hopes over the outcome of the meeting of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, but agreed to hold it, as even the slightest chance should be taken to stop the war.

Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his address to the nation on February 27, Ukrinform reports.

"Alexander Lukashenko asked me to have the Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet on the Pripyat River. I emphasize: without any preconditions. I will say frankly, as always: I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try. So that no citizen of Ukraine would have any doubts that I, as president, didnt try to stop the war, even when there was a chance, albeit small, Zelensky said.

The president stressed that while the Armed Forces are defending the country throughout the territory, the president, the head of the Presidents Office, the prime minister, and the commander-in-chief remain in their offices.

"We will all defend our state, our borders. We must act pragmatically, together with you all, to achieve our goal. And our goal is our territorial integrity. You have seen our position 100 percent. This is unconditional protection of national statehood," he said.

As reported, following a phone call between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarusian leader Oleksandr Lukashenko, it was agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with Russia, without preconditions, on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border near the Pripyat River.

According to the press service of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, Lukashenko guaranteed that "for the time of arrival, negotiations, and departure of the Ukrainian delegation, all aircraft, helicopters, and missiles deployed in the Belarusian territory will remain on the ground."

Earlier, former Minister of Defense of Ukraine, head of the Center for Defense Strategies Andriy Zahorodniuk said that there is a high probability that in the near future the self-proclaimed government of Belarus will decide on the participation of the Belarusian armed forces in the Russian war against Ukraine.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Martial law was imposed in the country and general mobilization was announced.
Sweden will send, among other things, 5,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine to help it defend against Russian aggression.

"Sweden is now proposing direct support for Ukraine's armed forces, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Sunday, Reuters informs.

The support includes 135,000 field rations, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 body shields and 5,000 anti-tank weapons.

Russian president Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on February 24 and launched a large-scale invasion. For the fourth day already, Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure. Missiles hit residential buildings.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russia lost 4,300 servicemen over the three days of the war.

Ukraine officially filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation at the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats to put Russian nuclear forces on high alert are typical of the Kremlin's aggressor that invents non-existent threats to justify his attack.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in an interview with ABC, when commenting on Russian President Putin's statement on Sunday about Russia's possible use of nuclear weapons, Ukrinform reports.

This is really a pattern that we've seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don't exist in order to justify further aggression," Psaki told ABC.

"We've seen him do this time and time again," Psaki said. "At no point has Russia been under threat from NATO, has Russia been under threat from Ukraine. This is all a pattern from President Putin.

Psaki also noted that Washington continues to consider imposing sanctions on Russia's energy sector. However, their introduction must first ensure that the impact of energy sanctions against Russia has a minimal effect on the global energy market.

As reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Sunday he had ordered his military to put Russia's nuclear deterrent forces in a state of increased readiness in response to what he called "aggressive statements" from NATO countries.

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Annie Charnley Eveland is a retired newspaper editor and journalist. A freelance writer, she produces the weekly Etcetera column Sundays in the Union-Bulletin. Send news with contact name and daytime phone number to acereporter1979@gmail.com.
Civilians are dying in Ukraine. But exactly how many remains a mystery.

Vladimir Putin

KHARKIV, Ukraine  The father of two preschoolers was driving them to their grandparents house on the fertile plains of eastern Ukraine when, he said, a Russian convoy opened fire.

His cars tires blew out. The engine started smoking. And Victors shoulder radiated with pain as a bullet lodged within. I knew immediately that I was wounded, said the 40-year-old, who declined to give his last name.

On Saturday, he was being treated at a hospital for a punctured lung and a cracked rib, a civilian victim of Russias invasion. But exactly how many Ukrainians have suffered a similar fate  or worse  was unknown, three days into a conflict that has continuously upended expectations.

Although images of smoldering apartment buildings and unsuspecting cyclists cut down by incoming fire have ricocheted across social media, the cumulative toll has been obscured by a bevy of factors, including the inability of international observers to do their work, a sprawling conflict zone in Europes largest nation, a government in disarray as it fights for survival, and a steady drip of misinformation.

To those tasked with helping to protect the lives of noncombatants, the result has been a frustrating void at a time when civilian casualties are undoubtedly increasing.

Its an incredibly worrying situation. We dont have any idea of the full scale of the consequences right now, said Mirella Hodeib, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kyiv. Only that theyre rising exponentially.

Hodeib spoke from a bunker in Ukraines capital city as combat continued unabated aboveground. The organization has a 600-member staff in Ukraine, Hodeib said. But nearly all have had to take shelter, with conditions too dangerous to effectively track how Ukrainians are faring while Russian troops advance and warplanes fire their missiles.

A lot of the staff are themselves victims of this conflict, she said. Theyve been living in the shelters with small children and no water or electricity for days and days now.

With conditions so grim, many international organizations that normally supply independent monitoring of conflicts costs  and, critically, document potential war crimes  have left the country entirely.

Although Ukraines government remains standing, its grip is admittedly shaky: President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that regime change is Russias aim, that he is being personally targeted and that his people will have to do everything in their power to prevent Kyiv from falling.

Ukraines health minister, Viktor Liashko, said in a statement posted to Facebook Saturday that a total of 198 Ukrainians have been killed in the fighting, up from 137 a day earlier, with more than 1,000 wounded. Three children, he said, were among the dead.

But the statement was short on details, and it may undercount the true toll. One senior Western intelligence official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, described Ukraines tally as awfully low.

My sense is there are a lot more losses all around, he said.

The scale of suffering in just one relatively small community in eastern Ukraine gave a glimpse Saturday of the potential toll nationwide.

At the Okhtyrka Central District Hospital, situated in a city of under 50,000 people, an official said doctors had treated more than 200 patients  all of them civilians.

Most, said hospital deputy chief Khoruzhenko Vita, had severe injuries such as fragment penetration wounds and severe burns.

The hospital, he said, was experiencing a shortage of medicine and other supplies. In three days of war, at least 10 people had died. Today we lost a little girl, 8 years old, he said.

Confusion and controversy over wars actual toll are an almost inevitable feature of conflict, with combatants using the shroud of mass violence  and the chaos that comes with it  to skew reality to suit their needs.

In this war, Russia has claimed that it is not targeting civilians, and only aiming for Ukraines government and military. But Zelensky has insisted thats a lie, and the evidence suggests civilians have paid a heavy price.

Just how heavy is something that the U.S. military said Saturday it wasnt in position to know. The United States, like many Western nations, closed its embassy in Kyiv earlier this month as the threat of a Russian invasion intensified.

It is very difficult for us to be 100 percent sure and certain of civilian casualties, even in operations that we conduct, said a senior U.S. defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the departments analysis of the conflict. And it is nearly impossible for us to have that certitude in an operation in which we are not participating.

The United Nations, too, has acknowledged the difficulty of establishing reliable counts or of documenting violations of the international laws of war.

The U.N.s High Commissioner for Human Rights has 55 staffers on the ground in Ukraine looking for evidence of abuses. But, said spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, their task has been complicated by the poor security situation. And not only that.

Whats really hampering their ability to corroborate information is the information war that has taken hold, she told reporters in Geneva. Were getting many reports that are, at closer look, completely false. So theyre being very careful.

The U.N. office said Saturday that it had documented 240 civilian casualties, including at least 64 dead, while acknowledging that is almost certainly an undercount.

Human Rights Watch, too, has had to tread cautiously. The organization has investigated numerous cases involving the suspected use of cluster munitions  banned due to their highly indiscriminate nature. The organization said it has proved one case, outside a hospital in the Donetsk region. The attack killed four people and injured 10.

Painstaking analysis of photos  including verifying their geolocation and reverse imaging to make sure they were new  plus interviews with witnesses helped to cement the facts, said Rachel Denber, HRWs deputy director for Europe and Central Asia.

When you combine what people tell you firsthand and the images, that creates a pretty incontrovertible case, Denber said.

But Denber said the Ukraine conflict has presented serious difficulties for any organization trying to offer comprehensive monitoring. The organization has operated for years in Ukraine, investigating alleged abuses as fighting has simmered in the southeast.

The situation now is very different.

One challenge is just the sheer scale of the hostilities. Theyre happening all over the country, nationwide, simultaneously, she said.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had been providing detailed reports on violence in the southeastern Donbas region since conflict began there in 2014.

But the group announced Thursday it was evacuating its staff from Ukraine, with Secretary General Helga Schmid citing the need to protect the safety of the dedicated women and men who serve as impartial eyes and ears of the international community.

Organizations that remain in Ukraine said their operations will be limited as long as cities are being shelled and staff members are put at serious risk while doing their jobs. Hodeib, of ICRC, said her organization is seeking guarantees from the combatants that humanitarian workers wont be targeted.

Those involved in trying to catalogue civilian deaths in conflicts that long predate the one in Ukraine say that achieving an accurate count is possible, even if the very nature of war makes it challenging.

They also say its critically important in holding leaders to account and forcing militaries to be more disciplined in protecting civilian lives.

We hear all the time about precision bombing. But civilians are still getting killed, said Hamit Dardagan, co-founder of the Iraq Body Count, which has been tracking civilian casualties since the 2003 U.S. invasion. So somethings not working. I dont know how you can say youre taking every measure to mitigate civilian harm but then youre not measuring civilian harm.

Of course, militaries arent always trying to protect civilians. Atrocities in which civilians are deliberately targeted are a feature of war, as well, said Neta Crawford, who co-directs the Costs of War project.

Russia, she said, has a recent track record of indiscriminately killing civilians, including in Chechnya. And that may be part of the aim in Ukraine.

Its intimidation, said Crawford, who chairs the political science department at Boston University. What youre trying to do is show that the Ukrainian government cannot protect civilians, so go with the people who have the power on the ground.

But it was unclear if that strategy would succeed. Rather, the civilian deaths, Crawford said, may be strengthening Ukraines resolve.

In a video released late Saturday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko recited a litany of suffering among Ukrainians since Thursday, including a dead child and an apartment building whose top five floors were devastated by an alleged Russian missile.

He then urged Ukrainians to gird themselves for the fight ahead.

This is barbarity and savagery, he said. Russia is crushing our right to decide the future of our country and our children. We defend ourselves. Our army fights heroically to defend our land. This is a hard battle, but we have to survive.
They took a chance on collaborative living and lost everything
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February 9 2009

The director of the British Museum, Neil McGregor, has called upon the Scottish Government to pull the purse strings to support Glasgows art galleries.Presently Glasgow is responsible for all its international collections and receives no central funding.The comments come as McGregor visited the Burrell ahead of a British Museum touring exhibition. This granted the national museum director opportunity to see at first hand the poor state of repair of the Burrells roof, which has recently prompted urgent calls for action to address a series of leaks.McGregor remarked: The state of the Burrell Collection building is a concern for everyone. It is one of the great museum buildings of the last generation. It is so brilliantly designed for that collection.The furore was exacerbated after Scotlands public coffers were emptied to the tune of 12.5m to retain a Titian painting in Edinburgh. Ill comparison was made by Liz Caneron, chairwoman of Culture and Sport Glasgow, to the previous Conservative administration which stumped up 50% of the museums build costs back in the 1980s.A Scottish Government spokesperson insisted that the Burrell receives 1.23m a year to manage its collection but: core funding for the Burrell Collection, as with other non-national institutions across the country, is a matter for the relevant local authority.
London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2022 ) :Britain's foreign minister on Saturday cancelled a diplomatic reception that Queen Elizabeth II, who last week tested positive for coronavirus, had been scheduled to attend, Buckingham Palace said.

"The Queen has accepted the Foreign Secretary's advice that the Diplomatic Reception at Windsor on Wednesday 2nd March should be postponed," the palace said in a press release.
Przemysl, Poland, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2022 ) :Tens of thousands of civilians have been fleeing Ukraine for Poland, many on packed trains arriving at the border city of Przemysl, where despite the pressures, morale is remarkably high.

"It's awful but we're also standing up for our country and proud of our friends," said 34-year-old Anna, whose male friends stayed behind in Kyiv to fight back against Russian troops.

Most of those arriving at the train station in the southeastern city are women and children, as well as some elderly people. Fighting-age men are a rarer sight.

"It's their duty but they also want to, they want to defend our home," Anna told AFP.

"We don't want to be running from country to country and asking for support, but support is really needed this time," said the refugee, who said she had had to leave her cat behind.

According to Poland, more and more refugees are coming. On Saturday morning, officials said that since Russia's invasion, 100,000 people had crossed the border into Poland.

A couple hours later, that number was already at 115,000.

A large parking lot near the Przemysl train station has been the scene of many joyous, tear-filled reunions, as refugees are met by loved ones from all parts of Poland and even other countries, including Denmark, Italy and Germany.

There is also considerable car traffic at the Medyka border crossing near Przemysl, where many have driven over to pick up friends and family from Ukraine.

Those who arrive with nowhere to go can count on the help of volunteers -- both members of NGOs and private citizens. They have been offering soup and sandwiches, free rides to other cities, plus any necessary information.

Both a hall at the train station and a local elementary school have been fitted out with beds where refugees can rest and recover from their ordeal.

"It was very dangerous. Attacks were everywhere," said Diana, 37, who had fled the Ukrainian capital.

"My mother is still in Kyiv and we are worrying about her," she told AFP.
President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday called for adopting modern farming techniques to increase the agricultural productivity in order to meet the country's food requirements

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2022 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday called for adopting modern farming techniques to increase the agricultural productivity in order to meet the country's food requirements.

He said this during a meeting with a delegation of farmers the at Governor's House.

He underlined the need to promote latest technological and IT tools to ensure the availability of agricultural inputs to farmers and reduce the cost of production.

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam, Punjab Food Minister Hamid Yar Hiraj and agriculturalists from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh attended the meeting.

Farmers apprised the President about the issues related to input costs, subsidies and support price of different crops.

President Alvi said that the government was focusing on uplift of farmers as the prosperity of agriculture sector was directly linked with the socio-economic development of the country.

Incentives had been offered to support farmers which had given major boost to agricultural yields of major crops last year, he added.

The President stressed upon the need to ensure provision of agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers and machinery, at affordable rates for the sake of well being of farmers. He also underscored the need to facilitate and support the farmers in exporting surplus crops, particularly potatoes, to earn foreign exchange.

The President assured the farmers of his support to help address their problems.

During the meeting, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam said that the government was focusing on the development of agriculture sector and last year 4 out of 5 major crops showed record growth.

He said that the government would address all the grassroots level issues faced by farmers.

The participants appreciated the measures taken by the government for the support and uplift of farmers.
The President of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich speaks against situations of war and calls for dialogue and collaboration on the path to peace.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, President of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) joins his voice to increasing calls for peace and the exploration of non-military solutions to the worsening situation caused by the Russian invasion of its neighbouring Ukraine.

Vatican Radio caught up with him in Florence where he is attending the "Mediterranean, Frontier of Peace" Meeting that gathers Bishops and Mayors of Mediterranean cities to build fraternal bridges of collaboration and mutual support.

In the face of the escalating conflict in Ukraine, the Cardinal calls for the use of both spiritual weapons and political weapons  prayer and diplomacy  to get peace talks to start on the path towards a cessation of the crisis.

Listen to the interview with Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich

The evil of war

War is the fruit of sin, and perhaps, we have forgotten sin too much in our prosperous Europe, said Cardinal Hollerich in an interview with Vatican News.

But sin is present, he continued. People get killed, people fall into poverty, people have to leave their country and take refuge in other European countries.

War is never romantic nor beautiful, the Cardinal stressed, lamenting the widows, childless mothers and the massive collateral damage that the military actions have already caused and will still cause if they continue.

This is evil, he strongly insists. And we should ask the party which brought the invasion to stop.

Solidarity

Amid reports of thousands of people flooding the frontiers of Ukraines neighbours in a bid to escape the fighting, Cardinal Hollerich underlines the importance of showing solidarity to those in need.

This solidarity, he explains, is accepting people if necessary especially in countries where the language spoken is similar to theirs. It also includes helping them with the basic necessities of food and clothing, including financially.

Already, the Church in the region has started to extend its hand to those fleeing the war. In addition to praying for the people of Ukraine, Church leaders have begun to mobilize to support state efforts to welcome people running away from the fighting.

In this regard, Cardinal Hollerich also calls for a fair distribution of the responsibility of accepting the refugees among European nations, according to the capacity of each state.

Florence Charter: sign of hope and peace

As of the time of the interview, Cardinal Hollerich was one of the participants of a Mediterranean, Frontier of Peace meeting which gathered Bishops and Mayors of major cities surrounding the Mediterranean in Florence, Italy from 23  27 February. On 26 February, the Church and civil authorities jointly signed the Florence Charter  a document highlighting the values and ideals agreed upon "to inspire them in their future journey, decrease discrimination and violence and open horizons of hope for young generations in countries surrounding the Mare Nostrum.

The Cardinal notes that the bishops and mayors meeting, which come at a time when war is starting in Europe, is a prophetic sign for hope and for peace.

When in other regions the arms are speaking, we speak together, with each other, he said.

The value of diversity

In spite of the great diversity represented by the mayors and bishops present at the meeting, Cardinal Hollerich highlights the value that the differences bring to the discussions, especially in the drafting of the Florence Charter.

However, he notes that overall, all of the meetings participants share a common love for people who live around the Mediterranean Sea and a desire to see people, especially the young people, be happy in future.

To achieve this, he stressed the need for collaborative efforts between Church and state to create a space for dreams, to ensure a bright future for the young.

Migration

One key challenge of the Mediterranean area is the issue of migration which was a major discussion point at the meeting. In fact, the cross-Mediterranean route is a major port of entry for many people, particularly Africans, in their quest to make the shores of Europe.

On this, the Cardinal underlines the need for the European Union to aid African countries to get prosperity which will, in turn, reduce the number of people who feel to migrate abroad from Africa, even though everyone has the right to migrate.

I think it's imperative, he said. Europe and Africa both continents would profit from a common prosperity.
On the sidelines of the Mediterranean Forum in Florence, Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta laments the conflict in Ukraine, saying war can only bring destruction and never security.

By Devin Watkins

The Italian city of Florence has played host to the Mediterranean Forum over the past few days.

The event was meant to focus on what the ancient Romans called the Mare Nostrum (Latin for our sea), but as Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, the forum expanded to give voice to a universal call for peace.

Tragedy of new European war

Against the backdrop of a new war in Europe, Archbishop Charles Scicluna spoke to Vatican News correspondent in Florence, Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ.

The Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said everyone at the Forum has Ukraine in their hearts and minds.

It is such a tragedy that we are here discussing a war in Europe, as if we have really learned nothing from the great tragedies of the last century, he lamented.

War not a guarantee of security



Archbishop Scicluna noted that nations cannot wage war in an effort to seek security.

War is never a guarantee of security. There is such a high price to pay for the credibility of international institutions and world peace.

He appealed for illumined hearts to convert to peace and dialogue, because war will only bring destruction, tears, bloodshed, and human tragedy.

Florence Charter seed for peoples

The Archbishop added that the meeting in Florence has offered a message for both those living around the Mediterranean Sea and for people around the world.

The Forum has brought together city mayors and Catholic bishops to dialogue on topics including health, security, culture, and care of the environment.

On Saturday, representatives signed the Florence Charter which seeks to put the human person at the center of the international agenda by pursuing peace, protecting the planet, guaranteeing prosperity, promoting the respect and dignity of the fundamental rights of each individual, also through the promotion of sustainable development goals and the Paris climate agreement.

The Florence Charter is an expression of important values, said Archbishop Scicluna. Its like a seed that has been planted in the hearts of so many populations, and we hope that it can flourish and grow.
Pope Francis renews his invitation to set aside 2 March as a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace in Ukraine, and decries the "diabolical and perverse logic of weapons" which, he says, is far from the will of God.

By Linda Bordoni

In these days we have been shocked by something tragic: war!

With these words Pope Francis launched a series of appeals: for prayers and closeness to those suffering the Russian assault in Ukraine; for the opening of humanitarian corridors for those who flee; and, for political resolutions to conflicts in Ukraine and in other parts of the world.

Many times, he said during the Sunday Angelus, we have prayed that this road would not be taken, and he asked the faithful to continue to implore God more intensely.

2 March: Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace

The Pope renewed his invitation to everyone to make 2 March, Ash Wednesday, a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace in Ukraine.

It is a day to be close to the suffering of the Ukrainian people, to be aware that we are all brothers and sisters, and to implore God for an end to the war.

Those who wage war forget humanity

Pope Francis went on to say that those who wage war forget humanity: they do not start from the people; they do not look at the concrete life of the people, but put partisan interests and power in front of everything.

They rely on the diabolic and perverse logic of weapons which is the most distant from the will of God, and they distance themselves from the common people who want peace, he said.

He noted that, in every conflict, ordinary people are the real victims who pay for the follies of war with their own skin.

The Pope added that he thinks especially of the elderly, of those who are seeking refuge at this time, of mothers fleeing with their children.

They are brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open humanitarian corridors and who must be welcomed, with an aching heart, for what is happening in Ukraine.

Dont forget wars in other parts of the world

Pope Francis also invited all men and women of goodwill not to forget the wars in other parts of the world, mentioning those in Yemen, Syria, and Ethiopia.

I repeat: May weapons be silenced! God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence!

Those who love peace, the Pope continued, as the Italian Constitution states, repudiate war as an instrument of offence to the freedom of other peoples and as a means of settling international disputes.
Meeting members of Italys National Alpine Association, Pope Francis says that Gospel commitments of fraternity and service need to be concretely practised amidst todays individualism and indifference.

By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis on Saturday commended Italys National Alpine Association (ANA) as a fine Gospel of fraternity and service, saying its members are experts in field hospitals who are close to the suffering and needy. The Popes made the remarks to a delegation of 150 ANA representatives whom he received in the Vatican on the occasion of 150 years of the Alpine Corps, the Italian Army's specialist mountain infantry.

The ANA instead is a non-partisan association founded in 1919 that perpetuates the values of the Alpine Corps. Its members are active soldiers, former alpine soldiers as well as others, including in other countries, who share the vision of fraternity and service of the Alpine troops.

Fraternity

Pope Francis said that for over a century ANA has been a family that has made its diversity of individuals and variety of grouping an opportunity to increase fraternity. Particularly commending their sense of altruism, he said they are not for themselves but for others and with others.

Today, in the suffocating climate of individualism that makes many indifferent, he said, there is a need to start again from here, to rediscover the enthusiasm of caring for others. Their fraternity nourished through service to others, voluntary work and commitment in emergencies is especially aimed at people in distress and need, so that they do not feel alone and marginalized. In this way, you translate into action your fidelity to the Gospel, which urges you to serve your brothers and sisters, especially the most disadvantaged."

Concrete service

The Pope noted that in their 100 years of service ANA members have not remained spectators during the most difficult moments of their fellow Italians, such as during earthquakes, disasters and the pandemic. This concreteness in serving, which is the soul of your association, he said, is Gospel put into practice. No wonder then that the history of the Alpine Corps includes among its members Blesseds such as chaplains Fathers Carlo Gnocchi and Secondo Pollo and Teresio Olivelli and Brother Luigi Bordino.

Experts in field hospitals

The Holy Father encouraged ANA members to remain firmly attached to their strong roots fraternity and service, saying it is an example of civil and Christian responsibility. You are experts in field hospitals, he said, adding it is not enough to pitch tents "but above all, you need human warmth, a presence alongside". He concluded urging them in their fatherly presence to the weakest, saying Jesus is present in them.
Moscow, ID (83843)

Today

Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. High 68F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Low around 50F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
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Today

Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 89F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

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Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 75F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph.
ELIZABETH URBAN is News Editor for The Vidette. Urban can be contacted at emurba1@ilstu.edu. Follow Urban on Twitter at @eliizabethurban.

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Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music.
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The U.S. armed forces released video, Feb. 26, 2022, of F-35A fighters and Apache helicopters it sent to Germany to show what it called evidence of the strong commitment to our North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. (Reuters)
Malawi has received nearly 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine under COVAX, the global initiative founded to foster equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. This is the first vaccine donation this year, after the countrys stocks were depleted in December. The donation from Japan Saturday is part of about 2 million doses of AstraZeneca Japan is prepared to send to Malawi.



Health authorities in Malawi say the donation is the first COVID-19 vaccine consignment from Japan to a country in sub-Saharan Africa.

Malawis health minister, Khumbize Kandodo-Chiponda, says Malawi feels honored to receive the vaccine donation when it is needed most.

This is so timely because we have over about 700,000 Malawians who have already received the first dose of AstraZeneca. You are aware that we had our last consignment in December. By 31 December, we finished all the doses of the AstraZeneca which we had. So we havent had AstraZeneca from 1 January," said Kandodo-Chiponda.

So far, Malawi administers three types of COVID-19 vaccine: Johnson &Johnson, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

However, the country has so far vaccinated only about 7% of the population amid continued vaccine hesitancy largely stemming from misconceptions and doubts over its efficacy.

However, the frequency of shipment of the 1.9 million doses Japan is keeping for Malawi will depend on Malawis commitment in increasing vaccine use.

Kandodo-Chiponda said the condition is in line with the governments new arrangement.

You remember that last year, in March, we had over 20,000 doses expiring on us. So, what we have agreed with COVAX is that we should be getting them in parts. Otherwise, as government, we have already made procurement of over 2 million doses but we are saying we dont want anything to expire on us, our consumption rate is still very, very low, she said.

Maziko Matemba, Malawis national ambassador on health, says the condition on the forthcoming vaccine donations should be a wakeup call to the Malawi government to make sure it does not lose vaccine donations from other countries.

This is the first time the donor has put a condition on the COVID vaccines which Malawi received as a donation. And this just shows that our partners who are supporting us with these vaccines, they have noted that maybe we are not doing much in terms of demand creation but also uptake, he said.

The World Health Organization has called for each country to vaccinate at least 70% of their population by June.

Malawi announced last month that it has set itself a target of vaccinating 50% by June.

As a country, we are behind our projections because we would have loved that at least by this time, we would have been taking about at least 15% of the eligible people to have been vaccinated. But we are way behind. This is mainly [because of] vaccine hesitancy. It is still there, some people still not yet convinced that they need to get the vaccine. So, it is work in progress, said Kandodo-Chiponda.

A recent U.N. report says although the COVAX facility has helped increase vaccine supplies in Africa, the continent is struggling to expand rollout, with only 11% of the population fully vaccinated so far.

But Kandodo-Chiponda said the Malawi government is devising a plan to increase its vaccine uptake which includes increasing an ongoing door-to-door vaccination campaign.
The Taliban Sunday defended a controversial widespread house-to-house search operation in and around Kabul, claiming it was aimed at capturing criminals and de-weaponizing the Afghan capital.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban government spokesman, also announced they would not allow evacuations of more Afghans until living conditions improve abroad for those who have already left Afghanistan.

The security operation, which went into action on Friday, has been focusing on city residential areas and several adjacent provinces, causing panic and outrage among residents in these locations.

Some residents have alleged the Taliban are targeting security officials of the now-defunct Afghan government in the name of fighting crime. Others have complained of misconduct by security forces and consider the operation a violation of their privacy.

On Sunday, Mujahid rejected the accusations as propaganda by opponents of the new ruling system in Afghanistan, telling reporters in Kabul that security forces are exercising utmost care and their sole mission is to ensure public security.

In the wake of changes we have seen, we believe once this operation is concluded there will be no need to conduct such activities in future, Mujahid said when asked whether the house-to-house searches in the capital would become routine for the time being.

He argued that many people had possessed or kept arms in their homes and once the operation is concluded, people will not have easy access to arms because of laws and vigilance of government security institutions.

Inshallah (God willing) this will be the last operation and will lead to security, he said.

Mujahid said the operation has been successful and would be completed soon. It has led to the confiscation of hundreds of light as well as heavy weapons, including rocket-launchers and grenades, 13 armored vehicles and tons of explosives, he added.

The spokesman said dozens of outlaws, including several members of the Islamic State terrorist group, were also rounded up and arrested.

While it was difficult to ascertain the veracity of the Taliban claims, Kabul is considered to be among one of the most weaponized cities in the world. Posh residential areas are known for housing notorious Afghan warlords, narcotics dealers, and palatial homes built by former officials accused of massive corruption while in office.

"The intimidations, house searches, arrests and violence against members of different ethnic groups and women are crimes and must stop immediately," tweeted Andreas von Brandt, the EU ambassador to Afghanistan.

No more evacuations

Mujahid also said Sunday that families wanting to leave Afghanistan will now require legitimate reasons for doing so, insisting the Taliban has not promised anyone that the evacuation process would run indefinitely. He argued the Taliban had received reports of tens of thousands of Afghans living in very bad conditions in Qatar and Turkey.

Initially we had said that the Americans could take people that they thought had any concerns aboutBut this is not a continuous promise.

It is the governments responsibility to protect its people so this [evacuations] will be stopped until we get the assurance that their lives will not be endangered, Mujahid said.

More than 120,000 Afghans and dual nationals have been evacuated since the last U.S.-led foreign troops withdrew from the country in late August, days after the Western-backed government in Kabul and its security forces collapsed and the Taliban marched into the capital to seize power.

Mostly, those people who were evacuated worked for American and allied Western forces. Fearing Taliban reprisals, these Afghans fled as the United States and its allies left Afghanistan after 20 years.

An unspecified number of Afghans with similar associations are still in the country and desperately trying to leave for security reasons. Taliban leaders have rejected those concerns, citing a blanket amnesty they announced for all Afghans immediately after capturing Kabul.

The United Nations says more than 100 people with links to the former government, including military personnel, have been killed by the Taliban, charges the group rejects.

Curbs on women

Mujahid said Afghan women would be barred from traveling abroad unless accompanied by a male chaperone.

This is the order of Islamic sharia law, he said, adding that Taliban officials were examining ways to make sure the order didnt affect women who may have scholarships to travel abroad for studies.

The hardline group has already placed various restrictions on women such as barring them from undertaking long road trips unless accompanied by a close male relative. But unlike their past rule from 1996 to 2001 when women were banned from education and work, the Taliban this time around have allowed female students to return to universities and promised that all female secondary school children will be back in the classroom in late March.

Female government employees in health and education sectors have also been allowed to go back to their offices, while the rest have been told to remain at home until further notice. Taliban officials have citied financial constraints and a lack of arrangements in line with sharia, or Islamic law, for women to work in a secure environment.

Speaking on Sunday, Mujahid also welcomed a recent U.S. decision to ease restrictions on Afghan banks, allowing for money transfers for Afghan business owners and others, but excluding individual Taliban members under terrorism-related international sanctions.

The U.S. and other Western governments have seized around $9.5 billion in Afghan foreign cash reserves, mostly held in the U.S., since the Talibans return to power. They have also suspended foreign financial assistance to Afghanistan, an aid-dependent economy, triggering economic upheaval and worsening the war- and drought-ravaged countrys already bad humanitarian crisis.
Thousands of people are fleeing war in eastern Ukraine for the relative safety of its western border with Poland, only to find that a punishing new ordeal awaits.

By Sunday afternoon, an unmoving line of cars, buses and trucks stretched for 35 km (22 miles) from the border crossing at Shehyni, all packed with people and belongings, all waiting their turn to squeeze through the overburdened border checkpoint to Poland.

Hundreds of other people headed for the border on foot, trudging along the highway's trash-strewn verge in sub-zero temperatures with children, pets and whatever possessions they had the strength left to carry.

"Last night we moved 100 meters," said Anastasia Dymtruk, 31, who had slept in her car for three nights along with her friend's family, who she was ferrying to safety.

"It is unimaginable that this is happening to my country, to my people," said Dymtruk, an English teacher from Lutsk, in northwestern Ukraine. "It's a mess."

There was a disproportionate number of women and children among the crowds. Ukrainian men aged 18-60 are forbidden to leave the country in case they are needed for its defense.

Among those walking toward Poland were Valerie Marenchika and her daughters, aged 9 and 7. The younger one wept inconsolably.

It had taken her two days to get here from Kyiv - an eight-hour drive in normal times. "There's a lot of bombing there," she said. "It wasn't safe for my family anymore."

Marenchika's husband had remained in Kyiv. "He stayed to help the people. And if he has to, he will fight."

She planned to stay with her sister in Poland.

'Difficult To Keep Quiet And Calm'

By late afternoon the temperature plunged and a hail storm began. Amid the anxiety and exhaustion there was stoicism and kindness.

Volunteers had set up stalls to serve up hot soup and tea, or handed out snacks and other supplies. One woman cut up sausages and bread on a blanket laid on the bonnet of her white Mercedes.

Other volunteers donned fluorescent vests to direct traffic or stop cars suspected of pushing in, a source of growing agitation for those waiting in line.

"As the time passes it gets more and more difficult to keep quiet and calm," said Dymtruk, the English teacher.

Abdullah Elkobbi, 21, had just arrived in a town near the border after a 26-hour journey from Dnipro, in eastern Ukraine. He hailed from Marrakesh in Morocco and had studied medicine in Dnipro for three years.

Elkobbi was traveling with 11 other medical students - all Moroccans  and with his two kittens, Stella and Santa, tucked into his coat.

He said Ukrainian solders had told him he could not go to the border. "We'll stay here tonight and walk to the border in the morning," he said.

Elkobbi said he was leaving reluctantly. "I love this country," he said. "I'm so sad that it will be destroyed."

Mila Liubchenko, 39, an IT manager, fled Kyiv on Saturday after a rocket fell near her 24th-floor apartment, rattling its windows.

She took a train from Kyiv and then a bus, which was now lined up with a dozen others about 3 km from the border.

Liubchenko hoped to make it to Warsaw and then to Paris, for a reunion with her American boyfriend.

She was gloomy about the prospects for Ukraine. "Knowing how (Russian President Vladimir) Putin sees us, we're in big trouble. There won't be real peace in our country for years, maybe decades."
Protests against the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued for a second day in the Thai capital Sunday with several hundred demonstrators marching from Bangkoks Lumpini Park to Benchakitti Park.

Ukrainian software engineer Oleklsandr Polieno has lived in Thailand for six years. He flew from the island of Phuket to attend the demonstration.

This one thing we can do abroad to show support. It just shows that everyone understands whats happening in Ukraine and Ukrainians over there have support, he told VOA.

Sophie is a Ukrainian art teacher who did not want to give her last name. She says her family in Ukraine is suffering.

Putin started this war. Our families are suffering. They are in basements, without water, without food, they cannot sleep. They are scared. A few hours ago, Russia started hard fighting in our city. They are in basements, praying, she told VOA.

Alexandra Bieliaieva is from the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa. I dont want my daughter to go back to my country. I hope my mother and sister can run away. I hope my mother can leave the country, she told VOA.

On a hot afternoon in Bangkok, some protesters played music from portable speakerphones, including the Ukrainian national anthem and songs from the local rock band Okean Elzy. The demonstration was peaceful throughout, with many people wearing flags or clothes in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

Natalia is a Russian web developer who did not want to give her last name. She wore Ukrainian colors to protest her countrys invasion.

Ive been crying the past two days. What can I do? Its a nightmare to see it from the other side.

She says Russian media are distorting the invasion.

They are saying Putin is a hero. Save Russians from everywhere, and we should fight for our people. Its like a victory already. Totally brainwashed. I think were going to the North Korea way, she added.

Seventeen-year-old Taras Golokoz has dual Ukrainian-Thai nationality. He told VOA he is worried about his grandparents living in Mykolaiv.

They feel quite scared sometimes when they hear the Russian helicopters fly. I feel worried because they might get shot at any time. But they have a good supply of emergencies [supplies] inside their house, and they also [have] got a bomb shelter in case there are airstrikes.

Ukrainian performing artist Lydia Zhuravlova says Russian forces killed her whole family seven years ago during their invasion of the Donbas region.

I have lost my family due to the first invasion. Now the second invasion has started. Today Im standing and fighting for my land, which has remained to me from my family. We need financial support, weapons and humanitarian support for our citizens because Ukraine is literally fighting alone, she told VOA.

Roman Vasylyovch helped organize the protests. He says there will be another demonstration outside the Russian Embassy in Bangkok on Monday.

We solve our plan from action, not from words. We can think, speak for a long time but for that time they can kill a million people. More action, more help for Ukraine, he added.

Thailands government has not commented publicly on the invasion, unlike other Southeast Asian countries including Singapore and Indonesia.

The regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Thailand, has made a statement calling all parties to exercise maximum restraint including diplomatic means to contain the situation.

Pravit Rojanaphruk, a veteran journalist at news site Khaosod English believes the Thai government doesnt want to get involved for economic reasons.

I think Thailand has good relations with Russia. Russian tourist companies compose a big chunk of Western tourists to Thailand, he told VOA.

Tourism is crucial to the Thai economy. In 2019, tourism accounted for approximately 11% of Thailands gross domestic product with around 20% of Thais employed in the tourism sector, according to the Bank of Thailand.

Elsewhere in Asia, there have been pro-Ukraine protests in Taiwan and Japan in recent days, with both of those governments announcing they will impose sanctions on Russia.
Public universities in Afghanistans colder areas, including Kabul, reopened Saturday to both male and female students six months after the Islamist Taliban returned to power.

The reopening marked the resumption of education in all of about 40 state-run universities in Afghanistan after Taliban authorities allowed university students earlier this month to return to their classes in provinces with a warm climate.

The opening day at the countrys oldest and biggest university in the Afghan capital as well as campuses elsewhere was marred by low attendance and a lack of teaching staff.

University administrations enforced gender segregation, including staggered operating hours and separate classes for men and women in accordance with the Talibans strict interpretation of Islam. Women must also wear hijabs.

The Taliban banned co-education after taking control of Afghanistan on Aug. 15.

Students reaction was mixed after their first day back on Saturday.

I am very happy today as the Islamic Emirate reopened our universities," Razia Kamal, a female student, was quoted by the Afghan TOLO news channel as saying. The Islamic Emirate is the official name of the Taliban government.

In Kabul, student Haseenat said campus life for women was now very different than it was before. "There is no cafeteria anymore ... we are not allowed to go to the university's courtyard."

I am happy that the university resumed  we want to continue our studies," said an English major who asked to be identified only as Basira. There was also a shortage of lecturers, she said, adding: "Maybe because some have left the country.

Tens of thousands of mostly educated Afghans have left the country fearing Taliban reprisals since the United States and other Western nations withdrew their troops in late August after a 20-year occupation.

In the western Afghan city of Herat, students also complained about a lack of tutors.

"Some of our professors have also left the country, but we are happy that the university gates are open," said Parisa Narwan, an arts major.

The Taliban allowed males and females to resume education in some 150 private universities in the country in September under a gender-segregated classroom system. But they took time to reopen public universities, citing financial constraints and a lack of separate classrooms for men and women in accordance with Islamic Sharia law.

Its a positive move albeit late, said Mohsin Amin, an Afghan policy analyst and researcher. Its of utmost importance to enhance the quality of education in all universities across Afghanistan for girls and address the scarcity of female teachers as well as professors.

High schools for girls in all provinces should resume as soon as possible, Amin told VOA.

While the Taliban allowed boys to rejoin secondary schools in early September, most Afghan girls are still waiting for permission to resume class.

Taliban officials have pledged to allow all girls to be back in school in late March, dismissing fears they intend to ban female education, as happened during the hardline groups previous rule from 1996-2001.

The international community has not yet recognized the male-only Taliban government. Foreign governments want the Islamist group to ensure respect for womens rights to education and work, establish a broad-based government, and prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan soil for attacks against other countries.

Meanwhile, economic upheavals resulting from the Talibans military takeover of Afghanistan have worsened humanitarian conditions, which stem from years of war and drought-like conditions.

The United Nations estimates more than half of the population is facing emergency levels of food insecurity, saying 23 million Afghans face acute hunger, close to 9 million of them a step away from famine.

Without urgent life-saving humanitarian aid, over 4 million children under-five will be acutely malnourished this year, over 1 million of them severely so, the U.N. warned in a new statement issued Saturday. More than 130,000 children could perish this year without immediate action.

Some information for this story came from Agence France-Presse.
Belarusians cast ballots Sunday in a constitutional referendum that the country's authoritarian leader called to cement his 27-year old grip on power, even as he offers the country's territory to his ally Russia to invade Ukraine.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has edged even closer to Russia amid crippling Western sanctions over his crackdown on domestic protests, said he was confident that Belarusians will support a set of constitutional amendments that would allow him to stay in power until 2035.

The revised main law also sheds Belarus' neutral status, opening the way for stronger military cooperation with Russia, which deployed forces to Belarusian territory under the pretext of military drills and then sent them rolling into Ukraine as part of the invasion that began Thursday.

Some of those forces quickly closed in on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, located just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the border.

In a video message Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rebuked Belarusians for allowing their country to be used as a staging ground for the Russian invasion, adding that Ukrainian cities are facing an attack on a scale unseen since World War II when Belarus and Ukraine faced a Nazi invasion as parts of the Soviet Union.

"But you aren't on the same side with us in the war that is going on now," Zelenskyy said in Russian, which is widely spoken in Belarus. "The Russian military is launching missiles at Ukraine from your territory. From your territory they are kiling our children, they are destroying our homes and trying to blow up everything that has been built for decades."

In an emotional speech, the Ukrainian leader questioned how Belarusians will be able "to look into the eyes of your children, into the eyes of each other."

"We are your neighbors. Be Belarus, not Russia!" he said.

The Belarusian leader quickly shot back, denigrating the Ukrainian president as an American puppet and charging that the Russian attack resulted from Zelenskyy's failure to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin's demand for Ukraine to renounce its bid to join NATO.

The West responded to Belarus hosting Russian troops for the invasion by slamming it with new tough sanctions along with Russia.

Lukashenko ominously warned Sunday that more sanctions from the West are "pushing the world to the brink of World War III."

The Belarusian leader, who said previously that his country could host Russian nuclear weapons, said that he warned French President Emmanuel Macron in a call Saturday that he was ready to make the move if the U.S. and its allies deploy nuclear weapons to NATO members Poland and Lithuania, which border Belarus.

"We have developed plans to protect Belarus and agreed with Putin to deploy such weapons here that will make Poles and Lithuanians lose any desire to go to war," he said.

The constitutional amendments bring back limits on presidential terms that had been abolished during Lukashenko's tenure, allowing a president only two five-year terms in office. However, the restriction will only take effect once a "newly elected president" assumes office, which gives Lukashenko an opportunity to run for two more terms after his current one expires in 2025.

"This pseudo referendum is being held under the Russian gun barrels and under effective control of the Russian military which has come to stay in Belarus for a long time," Belarus' first post-Soviet leader, Stanislav Sushkevich, told The Associated Press.

"The absurdity that is going on now directly contradicts the existing main law that envisages Belarus' neutral status."

Shushkevich warned that "Lukashenko is depriving Belarus of its future and turning the country into a staging ground for Putin's mad games," adding that "the Belarusian leader has no choice, he also is a pariah."

In 2020, Lukashenko relied on Moscow's support to survive the largest and the most sustained wave of mass protests in the country's history. Demonstrations, the biggest of which drew up to 200,000 people, were triggered by him winning a sixth term in office in a presidential election in August 2020 that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged.

Protesters demanding a new election and Lukashenko's ouster faced a brutal crackdown from the authorities, with more than 35,000 arrested and thousands brutally beaten. Key opposition figures, including Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenko's main contender in the election, left the country amid the clampdown, along with thousands of ordinary Belarusians.

The opposition denounced the vote as "farce" and said it wouldn't recognize its results.

"The Belarusians are again being offered a choice between Lukashenko and Lukashenko," Tsikhanouskaya told the AP. "Belarusians want change, but harsh large-scale repressions forced many to remain silent."

She said that Belarusians widely oppose the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"Belarusians' hearts hurt as it's not just the fate of Ukraine but also our fate that is decided now," Tsilhanouskaya told The Associated Press. "We realize that Belarus' independence is closely connected with Ukraine's independence."
Raised in Southeast Alabama, Tom Miller chose to set his post-World War II novel in the place where he grew up.

A Place to Rest has been released by Legacy Book Press LLC, and is Millers take on the changing landscape in the American South following World War II. The novel follows best friends Mildred Morgan and Janet Bell, who correspond by letters after their college days. The story spans from 1946 to 1964, and details the sweeping change through the South in the 1950s through the friends letters to each other.

Miller, who lives in Bettendorf, Iowa, was raised in Ashford.

Miller graduated high school in 1964 and attended the University of Alabama. He served in the U.S. Army before settling in Iowa. Miller taught history at Scott Community College in Bettendorf and is the author of six novels for middle-grade readers. He has also written scores of articles, essays, and reviews for journals, magazines, and newspapers. Miller served for 15 years on the Board of Directors of the Childrens Literature Festival.

Now retired, Miller lives in Bettendorf with his wife of 41 years, Connie. They have a son, David, and two grandsons, Dylan and Ryan.

In a news release, Miller said he set his book in Alabama because he grew up there.

Once I decided to set the novel in the post-World War II era, Alabama made sense because it was what I know best, Miller said. Like one of my characters, Im one of the original Baby Boomers. I was born in Dothan, Alabama, and raised in nearby Ashford where I was a member of the Class of 1964, the first Boomer class to graduate high school. All the themes I wanted to explore could be found in the history of the region, so it seemed a logical choice for me.

While growing up in Ashford influenced the books narrative, Miller said A Place to Rest is not an autobiography. The story is partly set in the fictional town of Grovers Fork in Wiregrass County, Alabama.

I was trained as a historian and have tried to present historical figures and events as factually as possible, Miller said. Beyond the historical events portrayed, the narrative is shaped by my imagination, not my autobiography. That doesnt mean that I dont draw on personal memories, observations, and lessons learned. What writer doesnt? But any actual event or memory is used fictitiously. No one should see themselves in any of the characters. Nor should they see me.

Legacy Book Press LLC, founded in 2020 and based in Iowa, typically publishes personal stories told via non-fiction, autobiographical fiction, poetry, or a combination of the same. A Place to Rest is its 12th publication, with at least 11 more already in production for release later in 2022 and in 2023.

Learn more at https://legacybookpress.com/place-to-rest/.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are arriving in Eastern Europe, fleeing the Russian invasion of their homeland. Experts predict between 1 million and 5 million could enter the European Union in coming weeks. This time, countries such as Poland are opening doors that were previously closed to others seeking asylum.

Grabbing any form of transportation they can, many Ukrainians are crossing their borders in search of safety. This group of refugees is arriving in Poland by train.

Others wait for hours to cross by car or walk kilometers to reach border points with Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave, they are supposed to be defending their homeland.

We have, with all the frontline member states, explicit contingency plans to welcome and host immediately those refugees from Ukraine, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

She has outlined European Union plans to support Ukrainian refugees and those internally displaced by the conflict through its humanitarian aid office, known as ECHO.

And [as far as] internally displaced people are concerned we have a lot of support through ECHO humanitarian aid  shelter and all the necessities people who are internally displaced immediately need, she added.

While the EU hopes there will be as few Ukrainians seeking asylum as possible, she said, Europe is prepared to welcome them.

The United Nations fears that up to 5 million Ukrainians could seek refuge in neighboring countries, including up to 3 million in Poland.

That is far more than there were during the 2015 migrant crisis, when 1.3 million Syrian, Afghan and other asylum seekers from conflict-torn countries flooded into Europe, the most in a single year since World War II. Germany granted asylum to many of them.

Eastern European countries such as Poland and Hungary, though, were reluctant to take them in. Hungary even built a border fence. Earlier this year, Poland also began building a border wall to prevent a new wave of Middle Eastern asylum seekers from entering from Belarus.

Todays welcome is different. Poland is opening reception centers along its over 500-kilometer border with Ukraine. Polands interior minister says Warsaw will take in all the Ukrainians who arrive.

Here in France, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen also affirmed her support for taking in Ukrainian refugees  even as her party earlier petitioned against a massive influx of refugees from Afghanistan.

Refugee rights groups welcome todays open doors but they are concerned about discriminatory treatment of asylum seekers.

Absolutely this kind of difference in treatment is something that we fear and that we see. With Ukraine, countries might be more inclined to keep their borders open. But we will see how this develops, said Ole Solvang of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Still others fear that if the conflict in Ukraine drags on, Europes welcome mat may be less welcoming than it is today.
Fears are mounting that Russian forces will turn more to targeting critical civilian infrastructure and mount indiscriminate shelling as the defenders of Kyiv maintain their resistance and hold ground despite redoubled Kremlin efforts to subjugate Ukraines capital.

Some critical civilian infrastructure has already been hit and the Ukrainian military said it intercepted a missile heading for a nearby dam, which if breached could have caused major flooding of low-lying districts near the Dnieper River.

Russian forces also targeted a radioactive waste disposal site in Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities say.

I think today we've seen a shift in Russian targeting towards critical civilian infrastructure, greater use of MLRS [multiple rocket launchers], and artillery in suburban areas, tweeted Michael Kofman, an expert on the Russian military at CNA, an American defense research organization.

Unfortunately, my concern that this was going to get a lot more ugly and affect civilians is starting to materialize, he added.

In the dam incident, the Ukrainian military said it managed to shoot down a Russian missile heading toward the Kyiv Reservoir dam Saturday.

If the dam is destroyed, the flood will lead to catastrophic casualties and damage, including flooding of residential areas in Kyiv and the suburbs, the Infrastructure Ministry said on Telegram.

Water experts say if the dam north of the city is breached, it could trigger a cascade effect, causing other key dams to fail. There are even concerns that a nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhya, about 550 kilometers southeast of Kyiv, could be affected.

Russian forces Saturday targeted an oil depot southwest of the city at Vasylkiv as Ukrainian forces repulsed a Russian assault on the capital.

Local authorities say Ukrainian forces are battling saboteurs and Russian special operations forces units who have infiltrated the capital. The Ukrainian government has reported 198 civilian deaths, including children, since the Russia's invasion, but they caution the numbers could be higher. Ukrainian authorities say at least 1,200 civilians have been injured.

Six people, including a 7-year-old girl, were killed in Russian shelling in Okhtyrka, in Sumy Oblast in northeastern Ukraine, Governor Dmitry Zhivitsky said Sunday. And in the south of the country the Russian military launched drones strikes in Odessa, according to Serhiy Bratchuk, head of the regional administration.

The Ukrainian military says it has inflicted heavy losses on Russia, saying its forces have managed to destroy 16 warplanes, 18 helicopters, 102 tanks, 504 armored vehicles and a Buk-1 missile system. They estimate they have killed 3,000 Russian soldiers and captured 200. VOA is unable to vouch for the accuracy of the claims.

Sunday morning the Ukrainians blew up a bridge on the northwest of Kyiv to try to hinder Russian forces.

Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told reporters that while a Russian delegation had arrived in Gomel in Belarus for peace talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a Russian offer of talks in Belarus on Sunday. Podolyak said Zelenskyy is open to negotiations elsewhere  the Ukrainians have suggested Warsaw, which is being refused by the Russians.

Zelenskyy described the fighting overnight in Kyiv and across the country as brutal in a statement Sunday. He said Russian occupying forces are attacking civilian areas where there is no military infrastructure. He said Russia is now attacking everything, including ambulances.

As worries mounted in Kyiv of a shift in Russian targeting from mainly military infrastructure, locals Sunday reported fierce street fighting in Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, where overnight shelling of residential districts preceded the entry of Russian ground forces.

Despite the Russian breach of Kharkiv, local Ukrainian commanders say they will continue to resist.

There has been a breakthrough in light equipment including in the central part of the city, Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, announced, urging local residents to stay in shelters. He said Russian troops were still being blocked amid heavy fighting.

As in Kharkiv and Kyiv, so too elsewhere in the country defiance remains high  with resistance symbolized for many by a video posted on social media showing a Ukrainian civilian in Bakhmach in northern Ukraine attempting to stop a Russian tank by pushing against it.

In the video, the man first climbs on to the tank before jumping down and attempting to push it back, after that he kneels in front in a desperate bid to stop its advance. VOA cannot confirm the authenticity of the video, nonetheless it is one of many posted that Ukrainians point to as inspirational.

Ukrainian forces have notched up some significant successes. Zelenskyy aides confirmed that a convoy of Chechen special operations forces was intercepted near Hostomel and wiped out. Ukrainian forces have downed a cruise missile fired by a Russian Tu-22 strategic bomber from the territory of Belarus, Valery Zaluzhny, chief commander of the armed forces, said Sunday.

For civilians in cities and towns under siege  and even in towns unaffected directly by the fighting  getting basic goods and staples is becoming increasingly difficult. Many stores have closed, and supplies are difficult for owners to maintain. Village stores seem better supplied, being able to stock up with local produce, as witnessed by this VOA correspondent.

Seventy-two hours since the Russian invasion, Western experts estimate 80% of the country is still in Ukrainian hands, with around half of the forces Russian leader Vladimir Putin deployed along Ukraines borders now in action.

Franz-Stefan Gady, an analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank in London, says the Russians are having to throw in more second-echelon units because Ukrainian forces by and large are fighting orderly delaying actions; morale remains very high; air-defenses still operational; air force remains active.

He says Ukraines mechanized forces are managing to mount counterattacks and that a race is on for Ukrainian forces to beat an orderly retreat from the East, where the bulk of Ukrainian forces have been deployed, to cross the Dnieper River and establish fresh defensive positions where possible. The Russian tactic seems to be to avoid losing contact with major Ukrainian units and to encircle major cities, as they are trying to do with Kyiv, and probe for weaknesses.

He, too, worries about the likelihood of mounting civilian casualties.

Expect very heavy fighting and a noticeable increase in Russian ground-based mass fires to break Ukrainian resistance. This will be absolutely devastating for the civilian population, if caught in crossfires, he tweeted.

The U.N. Refugee Agency said Sunday that more than 200,000 Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries. Tens of thousands more are waiting on Polands borders to enter, with many more trying to make it across the country, as witnessed by this VOA correspondent during a journey from Kyiv to Lviv that took two days.

As blasts and explosions echoed around Kyiv, Zelenskyy, wearing olive green military-style clothing, assured residents of the capital that he remains with them.

I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth, he said. Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this, he added.

The countrys 44-year-old leader also said the countrys steadfast resistance has derailed a Russian plan to establish a puppet state in Ukraine.
China refused to join its close friend, Russia, in vetoing a U.S.-backed resolution in the U.N. Security Council deploring Russia's attack on Ukraine.

China abstained on the motion but also made statements that could be extremely disappointing to Moscow. Zhang Jun, Chinas U.N. ambassador, called for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as it was being violated by Russia.

Ukraine should become a bridge between the East and the West, not an outpost for confrontation between major powers, Zhang said. However, he also called for understanding Russias fears about NATO attempts to expand and include Ukraine as a member.

China has been using this argument about sovereignty and territorial integrity in rejecting foreign comments and opinions about trouble spots such as Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong. It has also used this argument to oppose the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

"Russian annexation of portions of Ukraine, or invasion and seizure of Kiev, violate China's position that sovereignty is sacrosanct," John Culver, a former U.S. intelligence officer said on Twitter.

Cold feet

Chinas decision to take a neutral stance on the invasion of Ukraine raises several questions. Did Beijing develop cold feet at the last moment, or did Russia go much further in its military aggression in Ukraine than China had expected?

The unity and strong resolve of Western countries to isolate Russia is a matter of surprise. China needs to feel the pebbles and carefully walk through the stream, a senior journalist with state-run Chinese media said while requesting not to be named.

Just a few days ago, Chinese experts had said there was no way Europe would back U.S. proposals against Russia because it was heavily dependent on Russian gas.

Europes ability to shun Russia depends on the extent to which the US is able to replace Russia's natural gas exports, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the state-owned Global Times.

Now that Europe has overcome any hesitation and moved to stop further aggression from Russia, Beijing will be concerned about the more stringent financial sanctions imposed on Moscow, such as the ban on the international operations of the Russian central bank and the cutting Russia out of the SWIFT international fund transfer system.

As the worlds biggest trader, China has strong reasons to worry about being bracketed with Russia, particularly because many Chinese banks have close dealings with Russian financial companies. The stakes are also high for Chinese companies, as 254 of them are listed on U.S. stock exchanges.

For years, China has been trying to take advantage of differences between Washington and Europe. For instance, it has pushed for wider investment opportunities in Europe after the U.S. made it difficult for Chinese companies to buy corporate assets in areas related to security and high technology.

As the biggest importer of crude oil, it is China that will pay a heavy price due to the rise in oil prices, which have touched $100 per barrel. Russia is the second-largest source of oil for China, after Saudi Arabia.

China could face serious difficulties in buying Russian crude after Russias ouster from the international payments system, although Russia and China have been working on a payments process that does not require access to SWIFT for bilateral trade.

Domestic opinion

Within China, almost no one would accept the idea that Chinese authorities, known for taking a long-term view of situations, could have miscalculated or developed cold feet.

But there are signs that Putin did not reveal the full extent of his planned actions to Xi.

The New York Times reported that American intelligence had shared information about Russian preparedness to invade Ukraine with Chinese officials but the latter had rejected the possibility. U.S. officials calculated that China had a lot to lose in a Russian war on Ukraine and hoped Beijing might use its influence on Moscow to stop a direct invasion.
3 A member of the Territorial Defence Forces of Ukraine stands guard at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 27, 2022.
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.



The latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST:

11:35 p.m.: Russians are largely unable to access Twitter and Facebook due to restrictions by a Russian government regulator. London-based internet monitor NetBlocks reported that users trying to access Facebook found it didnt load or was extremely slow. Both social media sites have barred ads from Russia in response to the conflict. Russian telecommunication regulator Roskomnadzor said it planned to partially restrict access to Facebook on Friday.

11:18 p.m.: Stock prices in Asian markets fell following the announcement of added sanctions against Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai were all down while the market in Sydney rose, the Associated Press reported. Japan was among the nations joining the U.S. and much of Europe in leveling sanctions against Russia including the rare move to suspend Russia from the SWIFT global payment system. The Russian ruble dropped 29% against the dollar on Monday morning.

8:55 p.m.: Russias central bank has ordered professional stock market participants to suspend the execution of all orders by foreign legal entities and individuals to sell Russian securities from Monday morning, an internal document showed, according to a Reuters report. The document was published by ACI Russia, the national organization of Russian financial market specialists, Reuters added.

7:57 p.m.: Ukraines Interior Ministry said on Sunday that 352 Ukrainian civilians had been killed during Russias invasion, including 14 children, The Associated Press reported. An additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded, the ministrys statement said. It did not give information regarding casualties among Ukraines armed forces, according to the AP report.

7:55 p.m.: Cultural organizations are seeking to distance and cut ties with performers who have voiced support for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Metropolitan Opera in New York City made the announcement on Sunday, according to The New York Times. A Munich-based management company dropped Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, 68, who has ties to Putin, The Associated Press reported.

7:02 p.m.: VOAs Steve Herman tweets that Belarus has approved a new constitution that abandons its non-nuclear status.

5:48 p.m.: VOAs Celia Mendoza reported that about 200 supporters of Ukraine rallied outside the United Nations during the Security Council meeting on Sunday.

5:12 p.m.: Head of U.S. Agency for International Development Samantha Power visits the Ukraine-Poland border where she says some refugees are receiving their first hot meal in four days.

4:22 p.m.: VOA U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer reports that Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, will preside over the Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly Monday, starting at 10 a.m. EST.

4 p.m.: The European Union plans to take the unprecedented step of funding weapons purchases for Ukraine, EU officials said on Feb. 27 as the bloc announced a raft of new sanctions in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine.

3:10 p.m.: U.S. State Department tells U.S. citizens in Russia to consider departing immediately.

2:44 p.m.: In responded to the invasion of Ukraine, FIFA on Sunday told Russia to play home matches at neutral venues and banned its national flag and anthem from matches, according to media reports. The governing body of world football said Russian teams would play as the "Football Union of Russia. It said it would continue discussions with other sports organizations and ultimate measures may include "potential exclusion from competitions.

1:31 p.m.: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki urged China to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine. "This is not a time to stand on the sidelines, she told MSNBC. China on Friday abstained from a Security Council vote that deplored the invasion. Russia vetoed the draft resolution

12:00 p.m.: Images of people fleeing Russias military operation in Ukraine.

11:47 a.m.: The European Unions chief executive announced a series of measures against Russia, including closing EU airspace to Russian airlines and banning some pro-Kremlin media outlets.

11:24 a.m.: More demonsrations against the Russian invasion of Ukraine take place inside Russia

10:52 a.m.: The World Health Organization is warning of low supplies of medical oxygen in Ukraine following Russias invasion.

10:12 a.m.: Senior U.S. Defense official says there is no indication Russia has taken over any city in Ukraine.

9:02 a.m. Ukraine says it has agreed to hold talks with Russia at the Belarus border. "We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement.

8:42 a.m.: Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced additional humanitarian assistance to Ukraine amid Russias invasion on the country.

8:15 a.m.: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces on alert over tensions with the West over Ukraine. Putin on Sunday accused NATO members of making aggressive statements.

7:36 a.m.: U.N. officials say the number of refugees from Ukraine who have crossed to Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and other countries is escalating and is now at 368,000.

7:32 a.m. Israels prime minister says he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the recent developments in Ukraine.

6:34 a.m.: Ukraine lodges a complaint against Russia at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

5:49 a.m.: Ukrainian ambassador gets standing ovation in Berlin.

5:22 a.m.: The International Judo Federation has issued a statement about Russian President Vladimir Putin: "In light of the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine, the International Judo Federation announces the suspension of Mr. Vladimir Putins status as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation." Putins a black belt.

5:15 a.m.: India has begun evacuating its citizens stranded in Ukraine.

5:10 a.m.: Fears are mounting that Russian forces will turn more to targeting critical civilian infrastructure and mount indiscriminate shelling as the defenders of Kyiv maintain their resistance and hold ground despite redoubled Kremlin efforts to subjugate Ukraines capital. VOAs Jamie Dettmer reports from the ground in Ukraine.

4:16 a.m.: The Kremlin had said a Russian delegation was in Belarus for talks with Ukraine, ABC News reports. But Ukraine says different.

3:45 a.m.: Chinas decision to take a neutral stance on the invasion of Ukraine raises several questions. Did Beijing develop cold feet at the last moment, or did Russia go much further in its military aggression in Ukraine than China had expected? VOAs Saibal Dasgupta takes a look.

3:08 a.m.: Ukraines minister of foreign affairs invites foreigners to help defend Ukraine.

2:11 a.m.: The Associated Press reports that Russian troops have entered Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, and theres fighting in the streets.

1:44 a.m.: Protesters rallying in support of Ukraine pray in Australia.

1:12 a.m.: A show of support outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.

12:41 a.m.: Oil tanks burn after a massive explosion near Kyiv. CNN has video.

12:05 a.m.: A BBC reporter talks to women making Molotov cocktails in a park in Ukraine.

12:01 a.m.: Protests continue in Australia.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Russias invasion of Ukraine will be hotly debated during the five-week U.N. Human Rights Council session that begins Monday.

Heads of state and other dignitaries representing more than 140 countries will address the U.N. Human Rights Council over the next three days. Quite unusually, this high-level segment will begin with a consideration of a request from Ukraine to hold an urgent debate on the situation of human rights in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression.

The councils president, Argentinian Ambassador Federico Villegas, told journalists in Geneva that an urgent debate can take place as soon as the 47-member body decides to do so.

And has to make a decision according to the rules of procedure, which is a consensus or a vote with a majority of positive votes over negative votes.  We had the most recent, I am sure you are very much aware in 2020, Belarus was an urgent debate, and the killing of George Floyd was also an urgent debate, he said.

Prior to Russias invasion of Ukraine, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth said he hoped the council would immediately address the issue if war broke out, noting the council has the capacity to help prevent war crimes.

With respect to Ukraine, I do not see it is the councils role to try to stop a war. That is the Security Council. But if war breaks out the council is really the leading venue to address how the war is fought and if there are large-scale war crimes then it is the councils role to spotlight the war crimes with the aim of deterring them, he said.

During the session, the council will consider more than 100 reports dealing with issues such as torture, forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detention. The human rights records of some 50 countries in all regions will be examined. They include Myanmar, North Korea, Syria, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

Human rights organizations are pressuring U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet to present a long-awaited report on Chinas incarceration of more than a million Uyghurs in internment camps in Xinjiang province.

The United States, France, and Lithuania have denounced Beijings wide-scale repression of Uyghurs as a genocide. China vigorously denies these accusations.
Two Russian billionaires, Mikhail Fridman and Oleg Deripaska, called for an end to the conflict triggered by President Vladimir Putin's assault on Ukraine, with Fridman calling it a tragedy for both countries' people.

Billionaire Fridman, who was born in western Ukraine, told staff in a letter that the conflict was driving a wedge between the two eastern Slav peoples of Russia and Ukraine who have been brothers for centuries.

"I was born in Western Ukraine and lived there until I was 17. My parents are Ukrainian citizens and live in Lviv, my favorite city," Fridman wrote in the letter, excerpts of which Reuters saw.

"But I have also spent much of my life as a citizen of Russia, building and growing businesses. I am deeply attached to the Ukrainian and Russian peoples and see the current conflict as a tragedy for them both."

Russian billionaire, Oleg Deripaska, used a post on Telegram to called for peace talks to begin "as fast as possible."

"Peace is very important," said Deripaska, who is the founder of Russian aluminum giant Rusal 0486.HKRUAL.MM, in which he still owns a stake via his shares in its parent company En+ Group.

On Feb. 21, Deripaska said there would not be a war.

Washington imposed sanctions on Deripaska and other influential Russians because of their ties to Putin after alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, which Moscow denies.

Russia's so-called oligarchs, who once exercised significant influence over President Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s, are facing economic chaos after the West imposed severe sanctions on Russia over Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Putin, after consulting his security council of senior officials, said he ordered the special military operation to protect people, including Russian citizens, from "genocide" - an accusation the West calls baseless propaganda.

The Ukrainian president's office said negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow would be held at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

"This crisis will cost lives and damage two nations who have been brothers for hundreds of years," Fridman said.

"While a solution seems frighteningly far off, I can only join those whose fervent desire is for the bloodshed to end. Im sure my partners share my view."

One of Fridman's long-term partners, Pyotr Aven, attended a meeting at the Kremlin with Putin and 36 other major Russian businessmen last week, the Kremlin said.

Another Moscow billionaire told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the war was going to be a catastrophe.

"It is going to be catastrophic in all senses: for the economy, for relations with the rest of the world, for the political situation," the billionaire said.

The billionaires who gathered for a meeting with Putin in the Kremlin on Thursday were silent, he said.

"Businessmen understand very well the consequences. But who is asking the opinion of business about this?"
Russian nuclear deterrent forces are on high alert ahead of an emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday called to increase diplomatic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin told the Russian defense minister to put nuclear forces in a special regime of combat duty Sunday, saying that leading NATO powers had made aggressive statements and imposed financial sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.

Following the vote for a rare U.N. special session, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Russia is under no threat from NATO, a defensive alliance that will not fight in Ukraine. This is another escalatory and unnecessary step that threatens us all. We urge Russia to tone down its dangerous rhetoric regarding nuclear weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official told reporters Russias decision to put its nuclear deterrent on high alert was unnecessary and escalatory.

"We are confident that we have the ability to defend the homeland and defend our allies and partners, and that includes through strategic deterrence," said the official while declining to discuss the United States nuclear deterrent further.

Russia voted against Mondays special session of the 193-member U.N. General Assembly but could not exercise veto power on the procedural vote. China, the United Arab Emirates and India abstained.

Explaining Chinas abstention, U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun said Beijing believes the top priority now is for all parties to exercise the necessary restraint to prevent the situation from getting worse.

Actions taken by the U.N. should help cool the situation and facilitate diplomatic solutions and restrain from aggravating tensions, Zhang said.

The European Union is sending fighter jets to Ukraine to counter Russias military. The blocs foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters Sunday, Were not talking about just ammunition. We are providing more important arms to go to a war.

EU countries are denying access to European airspace for Russian-owned, Russian-registered or Russian-controlled aircraft and are banning state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik that spread their lies to justify Putins war, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Sunday.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to send a delegation to the Belarus border to start peace talks with Russia without preconditions.

"We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," his office said in a statement.

Earlier, Zelenskyy had said he would enter peace talks with Russia but ruled out meeting inside Belarus because Russia had used it to launch its attacks on Ukraine.

The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, stressed that the government was ready for peace talks but not ready to surrender. Ukraine has filed a case against Russia at the U.N.s highest court, charging that Russia used false claims of genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine to justify its invasion and is now planning genocidal acts elsewhere in Ukraine.

Theyre using missiles and heavy artillery and troops around the country to essentially target the civilian infrastructure, hospitals; we now see the kindergartens. I mean, nothing is off limits to them, Markarova told ABC.

On the Ground

Russian troops continued to battle Ukrainian defense forces and citizen soldiers for control of Kyiv, the capital, and other cities Sunday, the fourth day of Russias invasion.

"We have no indication that the Russian military has taken control of any city," the senior U.S. defense official told reporters Sunday, adding that Russian forces remain about 30 kilometers from the center of the Ukrainian capital.

To date, Russia has only sent in about two-thirds of the more than 150,000 Russian troops it had deployed around Ukraine, according to the official. Russian forces as of Sunday morning had launched more than 320 missiles into Ukraine, but U.S. indications showed some launches had failed.

The senior defense official said it appears that Russia both did not anticipate the level of resistance from Ukraine and did not have a lot of experience with this type of complex operation.

We don't know whether it's a failure in planning; we don't know whether it's a failure in execution, but I think we can assume that they will learn from this and that they will adapt and that they will overcome these challenges, the official cautioned.

Russian troops who entered Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city that sits about 40 kilometers from the Russian border, were met with heavy resistance. Early Sunday, the Ukrainian president's office reported an explosion there and said Russian forces had blown up a gas pipeline.

The senior U.S. defense official said one concerning development Sunday was around the city of Chernihiv, north of Kyiv, where it appeared that Russian forces were beginning to adopt siege tactics, including increased use of imprecise rocket attacks inside the city.

There are also reports of shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, which has been held by Russia-backed separatists since 2014.

Several thousand Russian naval infantry have landed in southern Ukraine and are making their way northeast towards Mariupol. The U.S. is also monitoring Russian naval activity south of Odessa in the Black Sea, the senior defense official said.

Western allies are responding to Zelenskyys call for help. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Saturday his country will send Ukraine 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles as quickly as possible, and the French presidential office said France will send defensive weapons and fuel.

The anti-war coalition is working, Zelenskyy tweeted.

Ukraines foreign minister, meanwhile, has posted a notice on Twitter inviting foreign nationals to join in Ukraine's battle against Russia.

Lines of vehicles clogged Ukraines borders as refugees continued to leave the country. The United Nations refugee agency said Sunday more than 200,000 had fled, half of them to Poland, and up to 4 million could flee if the situation worsens.

Russian claims

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed Saturday that since the start of Russias attack, its military had hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, 87 tanks and other targets.

At least 198 Ukrainians have been killed in the invasion, including three children, according to Russias Interfax news agency, which cited Ukraines Health Ministry. It was unclear whether the figure included only civilian deaths.

Mondays U.N. General Assembly session is meant to further isolate Russia diplomatically. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his G-7 counterparts spoke Sunday with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. U.S. State Department Spokesman Ned Price says they discussed the global response to Russias premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine.

Together we are supporting the Ukrainian people and imposing severe costs and consequences to hold Russia accountable for its war of choice, Price said. We stand with Ukraine and recognize the bravery and heroism of the Ukrainian people.

Jamie Dettmer, Heather Murdock contributed to this report.
The United States has announced it is sending additional military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank and air defense capabilities. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implored the world to help his people resist a full-scale Russian invasion, saying it is imperative to hold on to the capital city, Kyiv. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
In a sea of blue and yellow flags and banners, protesters around the world showed their support for the people of Ukraine on Saturday and called on governments to do more to help Kyiv, punish Russia and avoid a broader conflict.

Several hundred people marched through heavy rain in Sydney chanting "Ukraine will prevail," while protesters in Tokyo called for Russia to be expelled from the United Nations Security Council.

Thousands of people were in the streets in Europe, with protesters  including many Ukrainians living abroad  in London, Nicosia, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, Madrid and Milan draping themselves in flags and holding "Stop the war" placards.

"You look at the people gathered here and everybody is scared ... We had peace for 80 years and all of a sudden, war is back in Europe," said Stefan Pischel, among a crowd of some 2,500 in Munich's Karlsplatz square.

A rally that organizers estimated to number 20,000 people was held in the Swiss capital of Bern. The Ukrainian flag flew over the seat of the city council.

Some called for the Swiss government to take tougher action against Russia and President Vladimir Putin, who said he ordered the "special military operation" not to occupy territory but to destroy Ukraine's military capabilities and capture what the Kremlin regards as dangerous nationalists.

In Istanbul, Ukrainians living in Turkey sang their national anthem and held banners with images of bloody handprints.

"My family is in Kyiv region, and they are attacking Kyiv today. I don't know what to do, what to think. I am calling them every 10 to 15 minutes," a protester who gave her name as Victoria said.

"I hope the whole world will ... just stand up and do something to protect our families."

'Not alone'

Hundreds of people demonstrated in the square in front of the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, carrying signs such "Make Ukraine a member of NATO now" and "Say no to Putin."

"I'm here because I'm extremely ashamed for my country of birth," said Valery Bragar, a native Russian who has lived in Switzerland for 15 years and is now a Swiss citizen.

The protests come on the heels of other demonstrations around the world in the past days. In Latin America, protesters joined rallies on Friday in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru, chanting "Long live Ukraine."

In Russia too, anti-war campaigners have defied warnings from the authorities to voice their anger. Police on Thursday detained more than 1,600 Russian protesters.

In Sydney, some speakers demanded the government expand sanctions against Moscow and ban Russian citizens from visiting Australia, while others called for NATO to step in.

"I want more economic sanctions on Russia, I want military help for Ukraine," said Katarina, a protester who gave only her first name. "I want more action, more concrete action and less words. It's too late for diplomacy right now."

Several hundred Russian, Ukrainian and Japanese protesters gathered in the busy Shibuya shopping district in central Tokyo, many with their children and holding Ukrainian flags, chanting "Stop the war" and "Stop Putin" in Japanese and English.

"I just want to say, 'Putin stop this, regain your sanity'," said Hiroshi Sawada, a 58-year-old musician.

In India, some of the anger was directed toward NATO and the West. "The kind of aggression we are witnessing in Ukraine has been forced by U.S. through NATO, and also the Russian military forces who have entered Ukraine. Both are responsible for this situation," student activist Neha said at a protest in New Delhi.
Press Release

February 26, 2022 De Lima thanks int'l organizations for continued concern over her plight and renewed calls for her freedom Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima is grateful to international leaders and organizations who asserted their support for her by condemning her continued political persecution and calling for her immediate release on her 5th year in unjust detention. De Lima, who marked her five years in unjust incarceration last Feb. 24, said she appreciates the continued solidarity with her by the Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI) and the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) in renewing their call for her freedom. "I am humbled and thankful to the members of the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights for their continued support for me and my causes. It means a lot to me," she said. "The collective and unceasing effort from the international community to call for my release and ensure that I achieve justice continues to place a global spotlight on my situation as it also highlights the abuse of the justice system in the country," she added. In separate statements, HRW and AI said the candidates for this year's national elections should commit to freeing De Lima. "Senator De Lima's long-term wrongful detention exemplifies the lawlessness and cruelty of the Duterte administration. Candidates for president should commit to free De Lima immediately and to rebuild the Philippines' tarnished criminal justice system to meet international standards," HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said. "After the killings and impunity that were a hallmark of the Duterte administration's so called 'war on drugs', human rights must feature front and center in the election campaign agendas of all candidates. "This includes the immediate and unconditional release of Senator De Lima, who continues to speak out against grave violations despite five years of unjust detention," said AI Philippine Researcher Rachel Chhoa-Howard. Charles Santiago, APHR Chair and a Malaysian Member of Parliament (MP), for his part, said De Lima should be freed because she "is no criminal, and continues to stand up for truth, justice, and accountability." "It is deeply shameful for President Duterte and his government to deprive Senator De Lima of her liberty and political rights, including her right to freely campaign for her candidacy. As long as the Senator is wrongfully deprived of her freedom, the Philippines cannot be seen as a country that respects the rule of law," Santiago said. De Lima has consistently and firmly asserted her innocence in the trumped-up charges filed against her. Due to lack of evidence, she was acquitted in one of these three cases on February 17, 2021. The two other cases are still pending. The international organizations noted that the attacks and politically motivated charges against De Lima stemmed from her strong stance on Mr. Duterte's war on drugs and other serious human rights violations. Just last week, the European Parliament (EP) also expressed their support for De Lima by issuing a resolution condemning, among others, her continued unjust detention and other human rights abuses in the country. The text was adopted by 627 votes in favor.
North Korea fired what could be a ballistic missile early Sunday, Japans military said, as Pyongyang returns to weapons tests following a pause during the Beijing Olympics.

In a statement, Japans Coast Guard warned vessels in the area to be on the lookout for falling objects, noting the countrys Ministry of Defense had reported a possible ballistic missile launch.

In an alert to reporters, South Koreas military said a single projectile was launched at 7:52 a.m. from the Sunan area into waters off the peninsula's east coast. It echoed the view that the projectile could be a ballistic missile.

The projectile flew at a range of 300 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of 600 kilometers, Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said.

Sunan Airport in Pyongyang is where North Korea had launched a pair of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) on Jan. 17. It tested 11 missiles in seven rounds of testing in January, a record for the nuclear-armed country.

South Korea's National Security Council at the presidential office convened a meeting in response to the latest provocation.

Analysts had expected North Korea to pause the tests while its neighbor and ally, China, held the Winter Olympics. The Winter Games ended a week ago.

Many analysts have said North Korea may now resume larger tests while the worlds attention is focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"North Korea is not going to do anyone the favor of staying quiet while the world deals with Russias aggression against Ukraine. Pyongyang has an ambitious schedule of military modernization. The Kim regimes strength and legitimacy have become tied to testing ever better missiles," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

"The Biden administration needs to show that it maintains strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific, including by responding sternly to Pyongyangs provocations."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un indicated he may lift a self-imposed moratorium on long-range and nuclear missiles, most recently during a politburo meeting last month.

North Koreas last test, conducted Jan. 30, involved a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile  Pyongyangs longest-range missile test in more than four years.
Zimbabwean police Saturday used dogs and tear gas to break up the country's main opposition party rally as President Emmerson Mnangagwa delivered an address a few kilometers away unhindered.

Police descended on thousands of unsuspecting members of the Zimbabwe Citizens Coalition for Change waiting for their leader, Nelson Chamisa, to address them in Gokwe, about 300km southwest of Harare for VOA News. The police used dogs and tear gas to disperse the rally for allegedly violating COVID-19 regulations barring more than 100 people from gathering.

Fadzayi Mahere, spokeswoman of Citizens Coalition for Change, was among them and blames President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

We saw a regrettable selective application of the law by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. So, the police, on Mr. Mnangagwas instructions, made an about turn and purported to prohibit our rally, contrary to law and constitution. No explanation was given why our rally was banned, whereas Mr. Mnangagwas rallies are allowed to proceed. A further concern is the abuse of COVID regulations as a weapon to shrink the democratic space. As the Citizens Coalition for Change we continue to demand a level playing field.

Zimbabwes home affairs minister, Kazembe Kazembe, who is in charge of police, refused to comment Sunday.

Harare-based political commentator Rejoice Ngwenya says Mnangagwas government seems to be taking the template from its predecessor. The late Robert Mugabes administration used to crush opposition gatherings.

President Emmerson Mnangagwas government, which has been calling for lifting of sanctions, saying all is now well, is now crushing the oppositions gatherings, said Ngwenya. "It shows that ZANU-PFs ugly way of doing things from the days of Mugabe of suppressing the opposition is still there. So that it means nothing will change  in terms of sanctions  unless the government changes the way it treats the opposition. This is not the new dispensation which people were looking forward to. We are still in Mugabes days.

The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change said that its rally scheduled for Sunday in Kwekwe, about 300 kilometers south of Harare, would go ahead. Zimbabwe holds by-elections on March 26 to fill some seats in Parliament that have become vacant since the last election, in 2018.
WASHINGTON  The Russian invasion of Ukraine could force as many as 4 million Ukrainians to flee their country, the United Nations said this week, spawning one of the worst refugee crises in Europe in more than 70 years.

According to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, as of Saturday morning, more than 150,000 Ukrainians have crossed into neighboring countries, with an estimated 75,000 crossing into Poland.

Grandi tweeted Saturday morning the number of internally displaced refugees within Ukraine is also growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid.

Poland  along with Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary  have relaxed COVID-19 border controls to allow in Ukrainians fleeing Russian violence. The Polish government declared open borders and said it would not require official documents.

We will help everyone. We will not leave anyone without help, the Polish border agency said.

According to the AP, the line of cars at the Medyka, Poland-Ukraine border crossing stretched back 15 kilometers.

Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova, tweeted Thursday, The govt has deployed temporary placement centers near Palanca and Ocnita. Our borders are open for Ukrainian citizens who need safe transit or stay.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, one of Russian President Vladimir Putins chief European allies, said in a press conference this week, Hungary would allow in refugees even if they did not have paperwork. Thousands of refugees have already crossed Hungarys 85-mile border with Ukraine. Hungary also said Saturday it would not block any sanctions against Russia.

The refugees are primarily women, children and the elderly because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy banned earlier this week men of military age from leaving the country.

In the U.S., the Biden administration has asked Congress to provide $6.4 billion to Ukraine, some of which will go toward humanitarian aid.

U.S. Senator Chris Coons, the chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Committee, which overseas humanitarian aid, told reporters Friday he supported emergency spending of at least $10 billion to support the Ukrainian military and refugees.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, told VOA he expects Ukrainian refugees to receive similar treatment to those fleeing Afghanistan who received Temporary Protected Status.

I will lead the charge with that. Me and Marcy Kaptur, the Republican and Democrat co-chairs of the Ukraine caucus, were both in agreement on this, Fitzpatrick said. We are going to welcome freedom-loving Ukrainians to the United States or any other country that they want to go to. But more importantly we got to defend Ukraine itself so they can stay in Ukraine.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
PARIS 

French sea police seized a ship on Saturday that authorities suspect belongs to a Russian company targeted by European Union sanctions over the war in Ukraine, a government official told Reuters.

The cargo vessel transporting cars, which was headed for St. Petersburg, is "strongly suspected of being linked to Russian interests targeted by the sanctions," said Captain Veronique Magnin of the French Maritime Prefecture.

The ship was diverted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. (0200-0300 GMT), Magnin said, adding ongoing checks were being carried out by customs officials and the ship's crew was "being cooperative."

The Russian Embassy in France is seeking an explanation from authorities over the seizure, Russia's RIA news agency quoted the embassy as saying.

French newspaper La Voix Du Nord, which first reported the news, said the vessel was the Baltic Leader, which, according to website marinetraffic.com, sails under a Russian flag.

The company that owns the ship belongs to a Russian businessman who is on the EU's list of sanctioned people, Magnin said.

EU states on Friday agreed to freeze European assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister to punish Russia for the attack on Ukraine. A wider list of sanctioned people was put in place earlier this month.
LVIV, UKRAINE  Fears are mounting that Russian forces will turn more to targeting critical civilian infrastructure and mount indiscriminate shelling as the defenders of Kyiv maintain their resistance and hold ground despite redoubled Kremlin efforts to subjugate Ukraines capital.

Some critical civilian infrastructure has already been hit and the Ukrainian military said it intercepted a missile heading for a nearby dam, which if breached could have caused major flooding of low-lying districts near the Dnieper River.

Russian forces also targeted a radioactive waste disposal site in Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities say.

I think today we've seen a shift in Russian targeting towards critical civilian infrastructure, greater use of MLRS [multiple rocket launchers], and artillery in suburban areas, tweeted Michael Kofman, an expert on the Russian military at CNA, an American defense research organization.

Unfortunately, my concern that this was going to get a lot more ugly and affect civilians is starting to materialize, he added.

In the dam incident, the Ukrainian military said it managed to shoot down a Russian missile heading toward the Kyiv Reservoir dam Saturday.

If the dam is destroyed, the flood will lead to catastrophic casualties and damage, including flooding of residential areas in Kyiv and the suburbs, the Infrastructure Ministry said on Telegram.

Water experts say if the dam north of the city is breached, it could trigger a cascade effect, causing other key dams to fail. There are even concerns that a nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhya, about 550 kilometers southeast of Kyiv, could be affected.

Russian forces Saturday targeted an oil depot southwest of the city at Vasylkiv as Ukrainian forces repulsed a Russian assault on the capital.

Local authorities say Ukrainian forces are battling saboteurs and Russian special operations forces units who have infiltrated the capital. The Ukrainian government has reported 198 civilian deaths, including children, since the Russia's invasion, but they caution the numbers could be higher. Ukrainian authorities say at least 1,200 civilians have been injured.

Six people, including a 7-year-old girl, were killed in Russian shelling in Okhtyrka, in Sumy Oblast in northeastern Ukraine, Governor Dmitry Zhivitsky said Sunday. And in the south of the country the Russian military launched drones strikes in Odessa, according to Serhiy Bratchuk, head of the regional administration.

The Ukrainian military says it has inflicted heavy losses on Russia, saying its forces have managed to destroy 16 warplanes, 18 helicopters, 102 tanks, 504 armored vehicles and a Buk-1 missile system. They estimate they have killed 3,000 Russian soldiers and captured 200. VOA is unable to vouch for the accuracy of the claims.

Sunday morning the Ukrainians blew up a bridge on the northwest of Kyiv to try to hinder Russian forces.

Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told reporters that while a Russian delegation had arrived in Gomel in Belarus for peace talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a Russian offer of talks in Belarus on Sunday. Podolyak said Zelenskyy is open to negotiations elsewhere  the Ukrainians have suggested Warsaw, which is being refused by the Russians.

Zelenskyy described the fighting overnight in Kyiv and across the country as brutal in a statement Sunday. He said Russian occupying forces are attacking civilian areas where there is no military infrastructure. He said Russia is now attacking everything, including ambulances.

As worries mounted in Kyiv of a shift in Russian targeting from mainly military infrastructure, locals Sunday reported fierce street fighting in Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, where overnight shelling of residential districts preceded the entry of Russian ground forces.

Despite the Russian breach of Kharkiv, local Ukrainian commanders say they will continue to resist.

There has been a breakthrough in light equipment including in the central part of the city, Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, announced, urging local residents to stay in shelters. He said Russian troops were still being blocked amid heavy fighting.

As in Kharkiv and Kyiv, so too elsewhere in the country defiance remains high  with resistance symbolized for many by a video posted on social media showing a Ukrainian civilian in Bakhmach in northern Ukraine attempting to stop a Russian tank by pushing against it.

In the video, the man first climbs on to the tank before jumping down and attempting to push it back, after that he kneels in front in a desperate bid to stop its advance. VOA cannot confirm the authenticity of the video, nonetheless it is one of many posted that Ukrainians point to as inspirational.

Ukrainian forces have notched up some significant successes. Zelenskyy aides confirmed that a convoy of Chechen special operations forces was intercepted near Hostomel and wiped out. Ukrainian forces have downed a cruise missile fired by a Russian Tu-22 strategic bomber from the territory of Belarus, Valery Zaluzhny, chief commander of the armed forces, said Sunday.

For civilians in cities and towns under siege  and even in towns unaffected directly by the fighting  getting basic goods and staples is becoming increasingly difficult. Many stores have closed, and supplies are difficult for owners to maintain. Village stores seem better supplied, being able to stock up with local produce, as witnessed by this VOA correspondent.

Seventy-two hours since the Russian invasion, Western experts estimate 80% of the country is still in Ukrainian hands, with around half of the forces Russian leader Vladimir Putin deployed along Ukraines borders now in action.

Franz-Stefan Gady, an analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank in London, says the Russians are having to throw in more second-echelon units because Ukrainian forces by and large are fighting orderly delaying actions; morale remains very high; air-defenses still operational; air force remains active.

He says Ukraines mechanized forces are managing to mount counterattacks and that a race is on for Ukrainian forces to beat an orderly retreat from the East, where the bulk of Ukrainian forces have been deployed, to cross the Dnieper River and establish fresh defensive positions where possible. The Russian tactic seems to be to avoid losing contact with major Ukrainian units and to encircle major cities, as they are trying to do with Kyiv, and probe for weaknesses.

He, too, worries about the likelihood of mounting civilian casualties.

Expect very heavy fighting and a noticeable increase in Russian ground-based mass fires to break Ukrainian resistance. This will be absolutely devastating for the civilian population, if caught in crossfires, he tweeted.

The U.N. Refugee Agency said Sunday that more than 200,000 Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries. Tens of thousands more are waiting on Polands borders to enter, with many more trying to make it across the country, as witnessed by this VOA correspondent during a journey from Kyiv to Lviv that took two days.

As blasts and explosions echoed around Kyiv, Zelenskyy, wearing olive green military-style clothing, assured residents of the capital that he remains with them.

I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth, he said. Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this, he added.

The countrys 44-year-old leader also said the countrys steadfast resistance has derailed a Russian plan to establish a puppet state in Ukraine.
Ukraine has agreed to hold talks with Russia at the Belarus border, as Russian President Vladimir Putin orders Russian nuclear deterrent forces on high alert.

With tensions with the West soaring over Russias invasion of Ukraine, Putin told the Russian defense minister to put nuclear forces in a special regime of combat duty Sunday. He told his officials that leading NATO powers had made aggressive statements and imposed hard-hitting financial sanctions against Russia.

White House press secretary Jenn Psaki told ABC News Sunday Putin was continuing his pattern of manufacturing threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggression.

At no point has Russia been under threat from NATO, has Russia been under threat from Ukraine, she said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to send a delegation to the Belarus border to start peace talks with Russia without preconditions.

"We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," his office said in a statement.

Earlier, Zelenskyy had said he would enter peace talks with Russia but ruled out meeting inside Belarus because Russia had used it to launch its attacks on Ukraine.

The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, stressed that the government was ready for peace talks but not ready to surrender, adding that the Ukrainian government had filed suit against Russia at the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine.

Theyre using missiles and heavy artillery and troops around the country to essentially target the civilian infrastructure, hospitals; we now see the kindergartens. I mean, nothing is off limits to them, Markarova told ABC.

Russian troops continued to battle Ukrainian defense forces and citizen soldiers for control of Kyiv, the capital, and other cities Sunday, the fourth day of Russias invasion.

Russian troops who entered Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city that sits some 40 kilometers from the Russian border, were met with heavy resistance. Early Sunday, the Ukrainian president's office reported an explosion there and said Russian forces had blown up a gas pipeline.

There are also reports of shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, which has been held by Russia-backed separatists since 2014.

Western allies are responding to Zelenskyys call for help. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Saturday his country will send Ukraine 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles as quickly as possible, and the French presidential office said France will send defensive weapons and fuel.

The anti-war coalition is working, Zelenskyy tweeted.

Ukraines foreign minister, meanwhile, has posted a notice on Twitter inviting foreign nationals to join in Ukraine's battle against Russia.

Lines of vehicles clogged Ukraines borders as refugees continued to leave the country. The United Nations refugee agency said Sunday more than 200,000 had fled, half of them to Poland, and up to 4 million could flee if the situation worsens.

U.S. sees viable Ukrainian resistance

We continue to believe, based on what we have observed, that this resistance is greater than what the Russians expected  particularly in the north parts of Ukraine, a U.S. Defense Department official told reporters Saturday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss intelligence.

The official said Russian forces had unleashed a barrage of more than 200 ballistic and cruise missiles since the invasion began, most of them targeting the Ukrainian military.

"They're meeting more resistance than they expected," the U.S. official said.

Photo Gallery:

In Photos: Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Feb. 27, 2022

Russian claims

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed Saturday that since the start of Russias attack, its military had hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, 87 tanks and other targets.

Western officials cautioned that the situation was fluid and noted that things could change rapidly. They now estimate that half of the 190,000 Russian troops along the Ukrainian border had entered the fighting.

At least 198 Ukrainians have been killed in the invasion, including three children, according to Russias Interfax news agency, which cited Ukraines Health Ministry. It was unclear whether the figure included only civilian deaths.

Ukraine said more than 1,000 Russian soldiers had been killed, while Russia did not disclose casualty figures.

Small anti-war protests continued in several Russian cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, and the Russian independent human rights media project OVD-Info reported that more than 489 people had been detained.

National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin, VOA Refugee Correspondent Heather Murdock in Kyiv, Jamie Dettmer in Lviv, Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine and VOAs Wayne Lee contributed to this report.

Also some information in this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa says one of its supporters was killed on Sunday in an orgy of violence in Zimbabwe's Midlands city of Kwekwe when suspected Zanu PF activists said to be armed with spears and machetes went on the rampage in an attempt to disrupt the opposition party's by-election rally.

Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, could neither deny nor confirm that an unidentified CCC supporter died when the ruling party members attacked CCC activists while Nelson Chamisa was addressing the rally.

Nyathi said, At the moment Im not in a position to comment because Im in a very noisy place. Call me later.

CCC spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere, claimed that one of their supporters, who is yet to be identified, succumbed to injuries he sustained during the attack.

In a tweet, Mahere said, Today is an extremely sad day for CCC as we have lost a citizen to Zanu-driven political violence. In the new Zimbabwe, it will not be a crime to express yourself politically. We need new leaders.

Im saddened by this disgusting barbarism of Zanu-PF. They have failed us utterly & convincingly. It is time my countrymen to put aside our differences & think clearly about the legacy we are leaving. Zanu-PF MUST GO!

Mahere said 22 CCC supporters have been hospitalized following the attack.

The number of hospitalized CCC members has gone up to 22. Many more were injured but for treatment from the Zimbabwe Red Cross and went home. Dr Henry Madzorera, our Secretary for Health was also on site assisting the victims. Political violence must stop.

Hon. Settlement Chikwinya managed to contact the family of the deceased. He is now at the Police Station carrying out identification procedures with the family. May his dear soul Rest In Peace.

Zanu PF officials were unreachable for comment.

Referring to CCC, Zimbabwes Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was quoted by the local press as saying they will crush the party like lice.

CCC supporters were engaged in running battles with police on Saturday when they tried to attend a rally in the Midlands sanctioned by state security agents.
Video recorded on 24 February 2022

Thierry Meyssan: Good day!

A few hours ago the Russian army conducted airstrikes against the sector of the Ukrainian armed forces that is linked to NATO. In 3 hours, the Russian army wiped out the entire Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses and will continue its operation by next attacking the Azov battalion and all the Nazi officials that the United States and the United Kingdom introduced into the Ukrainian government. 

This should be good news for everyone, but here, in France, this operation is being portrayed as an invasion against Ukraine and as the forthcoming arrival of the Russian bear in Paris. So dont be fooled. because there are very important elements that we are not being told.  

Only those aspects referring directly to Ukraine are reported on, but the general context is overlooked. And that context proves Russia right, as I am going to explain to you. 

In October, Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State, traveled to Russia and, in Moscow, she threatened to crush the Russian economy and demanded the resignation of President Vladimir Putin. But you never heard about it. Look it up online. It is very easy to verify. 

Later, [Victoria Nuland] went to Ukraine and ushered in Dimitro Yarosh, a NATO agent renowned for having set up  in 2007 the great Mariupol meeting [in Ukraine] bringing together European Nazi organizations and jihadists from all parts to go to fight against Russia in Chechnya. It was the same Dimitro Yarosh who  in 2014  backed by his troops from the Right Sector [Pravy Sektor], organized the Maidan Square events and the regime change in Ukraine. He was later injured and disappeared for a while. Now hes back. 

So [Victoria Nuland] installed Dimitro Yarosh as special adviser to the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Army [1], who is a perfectly democratic and normal man, but now he has been flanked by this character [Dimitro Yarosh]. And now this character has incorporated the Azov battalion  which is a truly Nazi group, with Nazi insignia and everything and which is led by the White Fuhrer [Andrey Biletsky] [2]  into the Ukrainian army. 

This is news that should have come as a shock to all of us ... but the media in France never reported on it.

So the Russians planned their response. 

In December, they sent the United States a draft proposal for a treaty aiming to guarantee peace. Therein, the United States is urged to respect International Law, as it was elaborated over time, first by the government of France and the imperial government of the Russian Tsar  in 1899, at the Hague Conference  and later formulated in the United Nations Charter in 1945 and by the Third World countries in 1955, with the Bandung Principles. 

This treaty is obviously unacceptable to the United States because for 70 years the United States has violated International Law on a daily basis and pretends to substitute it with a set of rules of its own, self-proclaiming, along with its allies, to stand for the international community. Well... [those countries] are not even half of the worlds population but they claim to run the world. 

The Russians are calling first and foremost for NATO to withdraw from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, which should never have joined that bloc if the Potsdam Conference agreements had been respected  in 1945, at the end of World War II  which stipulated that US forces could only establish a presence west of the Oder-Neisse border, which separates Poland and Germany. Later, at the time of Germanys reunification, France was very insistent that NATO should not expand to the east and there was even a long debate as to whether NATO forces would be allowed in the eastern part of Germany.  the former GDR or be concentrated in the western part  the then Federal Republic of Germany. 

Finally there was an agreement  was endorsed by France  providing that the former East Germany would become part of NATO, within the framework of the reunification, but that there would be no expansion of NATO beyond.

And this was repeated several times, first within the OSCE  the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, born from the Helsinki agreements  in which 57 states signed 2 declarations. Fifty-seven States! All the States of the European continent and even others since, for example, the United States and Canada are also members!

Firstly, the OSCE recognized, in the 1999 Istanbul Declaration and in the 2010 Astana Declaration, that each State is free to sign on to the military alliance of its choice  France, for example, is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty, allying herself to the United States. 

But, secondly, it was also recognized that no State, absolutely no State!, can guarantee its security to the detriment of the security of others. And, from this point of view, joining NATO is illegal, yes illegal! Because NATO is not a confederation, in which everyone has equal status; it is a federation under the command of the United States and the United Kingdom. making the other States vassals of the United States and the United Kingdom. 

And France, unfortunately, returned to NATO, with [President] Nicolas Sarkozy, from which it had withdrawn under General de Gaulle, in 1966. General de Gaulle had expelled from French territory all occupation forces of the United States that was the term he used, occupation forces of the United States. Its not me who says it! But we [the French] have once again willingly embraced our vassalage to the United States. 

So, Russia has called for the withdrawal of NATO forces from the entire territory of Central and Eastern Europe. They can still remain signatories of the North Atlantic Treaty. That is not the problem. 

And International Law will also have to be enforced in Western Europe. International Law, inter alia, prohibits the installation of nuclear weapons in countries that do not possess such weapons themselves. 

So, for example, what are there US [nuclear] weapons doing in Italy or in the Netherlands? It is an outright violation of international law. And that will have to end. 

We must realize that the United States is no longer the worlds leading economic power. It is now China. 

And it is no longer the first military power in the world. It is Russia. During the war in Syria  a war that NATO forces lost  Russia tested all kinds of new weapons that NATO cannot compete with. Only last weekend Russia showed that it has the capability to nuclearly destroy any target anywhere in the world without being intercepted because  as demonstrated  it deploys hypersonic launchers from submarines, from surface vessels, from bomber planes and mobile ground units. She can fire those launchers and destroy anything she wants anywhere in the world. It is impossible to deflect them because they move too fast. At the moment there is no way they can be intercepted. In minutes she can destroy whatever she wants and we should wonder that would happen if one day Russia may have to use such weapons against the Pentagon, the White House or the United States Congress. 

I dont say that as a provocation. What I am saying is that if Russia were to do so, the United States would not have time to intercept them, it would not even have time to use its own nuclear weapons.

Lets take things seriously and respect International Law. Its what we all want. And it is in everyones interest. So bravo for what Russia just did today!
The solar power capacity planned by Vietnam for 2031-2045 is too high should be reduced to give space for wind power, the government says.

In a communique issued by the Government Office Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh said the capacity for solar power set in the Power Development Master Plan VIII for the 2021-2030 period with vision until 2045 was "too high."

As proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Feb. 21, the national power capacity from now until 2030 would be 146,000 megawatts (MW), 9,000 MW less than the plan announced last November.

By 2045, the planned capacity would be 352,000 MW.

In the 2031-2045 period, solar power will make up 25 percent of the total power capacity, the ministry said.

Deputy PM Thanh has commented that the proportion of solar power capacity should be lowered while that of offshore wind power should be increased.

According to state-owned Vietnam Electricity (EVN), as of 2021, Vietnam was among the top 10 countries with the highest solar power capacity at 16,504 MW, accounting for 2.3 percent worldwide.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade submitted the first draft of the Power Development Master Plan VIII to the government last March. Since then the plan has been revised four times.

The ministry has asked that the plans implementation be deferred to the second quarter this year.
Zelenskyy thanked pontiff for his prayers for peace and spiritual support.

Pope Francis spoke by phone to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday afternoon, expressing his "most profound pain for the tragic events" unfolding in the country, the Ukrainian embassy to the Vatican said.

The phone call, confirmed by the Vatican press office, followed the pope's unexpected visit to the Russian embassy to the Holy See on Friday, to express his concern over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Thanked Pope Francis @Pontifex for praying for peace in Ukraine and a ceasefire. The Ukrainian people feel the spiritual support of His Holiness.   (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022

The Vatican did not provide details of the meeting, which lasted for just over half an hour, in what Reuters described as an "unprecedented departure from diplomatic protocol."During his general audience on Wednesday, the day before Russia invaded Ukraine, the pope urged leaders to "seriously examine their consciences before God", and said he was praying for all parties involved to "refrain from any action that will cause even more suffering" and "discredit international law".

On Thursday the Vatican's secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin, called for a "glimmer of conscience on the part of those who hold in their hands the fortunes of the world" to "spare the world from the folly and horrors of war".

In recent days the pope has used his Pontifex Twitter account to write messages in Ukrainian and English to denounce war and to appeal for peace, accompanied by the #PrayTogether #Ukraine hashtags.Every war leaves our world worse than it was before" - the pope tweeted - "War is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil.

Francis has called for a day of fasting for peace on 2 March, Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar.
Jamestown, site of the first permanent English settlement in North America, is seen last month, sandwiched between the James River and a swamp. (Julia Rendleman for The Post)

Retropolis The Past, Rediscovered
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If you had any sense of history and found yourself near the German Bundestag in Berlin on Sunday, you could have heard the sound of an explosion. It wasnt a physical one, like the blasts of the bombs Russian President Vladimir Putin is lobbing at the brave people of Ukraine. It was instead the detonation of two or more decades of naive, misguided and often hypocritical foreign and defense policy.

In a special session of parliament, Chancellor Olaf Scholz dispatched nearly every dogma Germans  notably including his own party, the Social Democrats  have stubbornly clung to for a generation to the chagrin of their allies in NATO and the European Union.

And it wasnt just the chancellor. After him, one speaker after another rose to find similarly clear and moving words  from the center-left Greens and center-right Free Democrats in Scholzs coalition to the Christian Democrats in opposition. Let the world take note: Owing to Putins naked aggression, Germany has changed almost overnight.

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Heres a partial list of the reversals announced: A week earlier, Scholz had already nixed the operation of a new gas pipeline called Nord Stream 2, which connects Russia directly to Germany and thereby circumvents Ukraine and eastern Europe. Up to that point, Scholz, his party and many other Germans had maintained the fiction that this project was a private-sector business deal with no geopolitical dimension. That delusion is buried, as is the pipeline.

Next, Scholz got fully behind the Wests decision to exclude several Russian banks from the SWIFT system for international payments  dropping any initial reluctance. The government also signed up to the whole long list of other Western sanctions against Russian institutions and individuals. The goal, several speakers made clear, was the complete economic, financial and political isolation of Putins Russia.

But that wasnt the biggest surprise. That prize goes to the decision to finally send weapons to Ukraine for its self-defense. Throughout this crisis, Germany had stubbornly stuck to its position of not arming parties in war (which it has hypocritically ignored in other conflicts). Invariably, the explanations included lugubrious moral lectures about Germanys historical responsibility as a former warmonger.

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That sanctimoniousness has crumbled, as Germans keep witnessing Ukrainian heroism. Like people across much of the world, theyre agape at the valor of ordinary Ukrainians preparing to fight, and of mothers stoically seeking shelter with their children in subway shafts. And theyre inspired by the laconic courage of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy  who answered American offers to transport him to safety with the reminder: I need ammunition, not a ride.

Even more surprisingly, Scholz and his cabinet announced a pivot in defense policy overall. For years, the countrys allies have berated Germany for skimping on its army, to the point where it could barely defend its own territory or be of much use to allies in a pinch. Now the government wants to set up a special fund worth 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to re-equip the military.

It also promises to boost defense budgets going forward, at long last taking aim at the NATO-wide target of spending 2% of GDP. The often infantile German debate on whether to banish American nuclear warheads from German soil appears to be canceled.

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But the speakers this Sunday in the Bundestag  too often a venue for windbags venting platitudes  were even clearer than that. In effect, they offered mea culpas for having got wrong many big things, for a long, long time.

The first of these is the peculiarly German tradition  rooted in its Ostpolitik (eastern policy) during the Cold War  that dialogue and rapprochement will inevitably lead to better relations with Russia. This cliche is captured in the rhyme Wandel durch Handel  change through trade. Weve talked and traded with Putin all these years, a cabinet minister stated frankly, and look where it got us.

A second point of naivete the speakers confessed to is the faux-pacifism thats pervaded German thinking on world affairs for many decades, but especially since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Armed conflict, in this narrative, was banished from the continent (with unfortunate exceptions in the Balkans) and from the European zeitgeist. Dialogue and rules had allegedly replaced deterrence and national interests as means and ends of policy.

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Bunk, bunk and bunk, Scholz and other orators acknowledged in so many words. The way to stop a bully like Putin is with strength  only then do talks make sense. That used to be an un-German martial notion. It could now become the new mainstream.

Distilling the legacy of Scholzs predecessor, Angela Merkel, I recently concluded that, after her, the post-heroic age in German history will be over. Post-heroism is a term Germans have used to describe their postwar turn away from hard power and toward commerce and idealism, whether genuine or staged.

Scholz, who took office only in December, at first seemed an unlikely leader for a return to a more muscular and traditional foreign policy that lives up to the expectations of allies. Hes usually not a man to cause explosions. But that was before the real blasts in the east  before the heroism of a Zelenskiy, and the villainy of a Putin.

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More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:

 Wests Cyber Appeasement Gave Putin Green Light: James Stavridis

 Putins Refugees Will Make or Break Europe: Andreas Kluth

 Russian Aggression Puts Erdogan in a Bind: Bobby Ghosh

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.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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New York will lift the states mask mandate indoors in schools on March 2 due to lower infections and hospitalizations across the state and less strict guidance from U.S. health authorities, Governor Kathy Hochul announced. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Hong Kong reported a record number of Covid-19 infections and a rising death count Sunday that is straining its health infrastructure and morgues, with authorities warning that cases havent peaked yet.

The Philippines Metro Manila region, plans to shift to the lowest alert level as infections stay low, while Indonesia will soon no longer require international passengers in Bali to isolate upon arrival.

Key Developments:

 Virus Tracker: Cases pass 434.8 million; deaths top 5.9 million

 Vaccine Tracker: More than 10.7 billion doses administered

 Coronavirus Daily: Are you ready for normal life?

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 What we know about omicron and subvariant BA.2: QuickTake

 Hong Kongs Covid crackdown hits domestic helpers the hardest

N.Y. Lifts Indoor Mask Mandate in Schools (4:49 p.m. NY)

New York will lift the states mask mandate indoors in schools on March 2 due to lower infections and hospitalizations across the state and less strict guidance from U.S. health authorities, Governor Kathy Hochul announced in a Sunday press briefing in Albany.

Hochul added that individual counties will still be able to impose their own mask rules, and parents can decide whether their child is safe to attend school maskless. She said about a third of the state continues to have higher than a low to medium risk as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I want to send a loud message, she said. We will have no tolerance in our school system or anywhere else for any harassment or bullying against those who decide to continue to wear masks.

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Overall, she said, We are in a much, much better place.

Quarantine-Free Arrivals in Bali (7:26 a.m. NY)

Indonesia will no longer require international passengers in Bali to isolate upon arrival under a trial program that starts in March, with the intention to lift all quarantine requirements by April.

Arriving passengers will still have to take a PCR test and stay inside their pre-booked accommodation while waiting for the result, according to a briefing Sunday.

Hong Kong Record New Cases (4:56 p.m. HK)

Hong Kong has reported a record 26,026 new Covid-19 cases as the city struggles to contain its worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic.

Only seven of the infections were imported cases, health officials told a briefing on Sunday. There were 83 new deaths, with 67 of those coming in care homes.

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Manila Region to Shift to Lowest Alert (4:45 p.m. HK)

The Philippines will further ease movement restrictions and remove capacity limits on most businesses in the capital region as daily coronavirus infections stay low.

Metro Manila, which accounts for a third of economic output, will shift to the lowest alert level from March 1 to 15, according to a statement Sunday. Under Alert Level 1, businesses including restaurants and gyms can operate at full capacity.

Hong Kong Rental Assistance Calls (2:15 p.m. HK)

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Financial Secretary Paul Chan renewed calls urging property developers to offer rental assistance to tenants impacted by the pandemic.

Lam urged landlords to waive rents, RTHK reported, citing a social media post. Lam said the governments pandemic fund cant make up for losses incurred by a wide range of businesses that have been affected by mandatory closures that are in place until at least April 20, the news outlet reported.

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Chan also called on landlords to offer rental concessions to small- and medium-sized businesses. Chan is pushing for legislation that would allow rent payments to be postponed for up to six months.

Hong Kong Trackers (1:45 p.m. HK)

Hong Kong plans to use more than 100,000 electronic wristbands to monitor Covid-19 patients who are isolating at home, according to local media, who cited the technology minister. The wristbands, which would pair with a tracking app, will be given to patients who are in home self-isolation while awaiting admittance to hospitals.

The city is battling a surge in Omicron cases, reporting a record 17,063 Covid cases on Saturday.

Thai Cases Hold Near Record High (8:40 a.m. HK)

Thailands coronavirus daily cases held near an all-time high on Saturday, with 24,719 cases reported on Sunday. There were 42 new virus-related deaths reported. More than 25,600 infections were reported the day before.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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Russias war for Ukraines territory is being waged with tanks and artillery, but the battle for the worlds hearts and minds is being fought largely on social media  and there, at least, Vladimir Putin is losing. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Cell phone videos of desperate Ukrainians huddled in subways have a power difficult to convey in words. Images captured by ordinary citizens have helped spark concern about Russias possible use of (illegal) cluster munitions. And Ukrainian President Zelenskiy has used social media to assure the country that hes still in office and still fighting.

Nobody believes the silly videos posted by Russia in an effort to justify its unprovoked attack. But everyone believes the videos posted by his targets. Tank columns, explosions, wrecked buildings, armed volunteers  pick a topic, and even the cable news stations are likely sharing plenty of amateur video illustrating it.

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During the Civil War and World War I, the only way to get news from the front was to grab the latest edition of the local paper, which likely published huge headlines over skimpy wire reports. In World War II, people listened for radio bulletins, and Edward R. Murrow of CBS became one of the most famous journalists in the world. By the Vietnam era, we waited for the latest details on the evening news. To keep up with the 1991 Gulf War and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq just over a decade later, we turned on cable news any time we wanted.

Through all those changes, there was one constant: Information was delivered, for better or worse, by reporters employed by professional news organizations.

Thats all changed.

Ordinary people caught up in Russias invasion of their country have become, with their cell phone cameras, what the law professor and blogger Glenn Reynolds, much earlier in the internet age, memorably labeled An Army of Davids: individual auteurs whose ability to document in real time the effects of Putins grand strategy might be the most effective weapon in uniting the West against him.

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Its difficult to overrate the difference this evolution makes. As someone once wrote, modern warfare has increasingly separated ordinary people from whats happening on the battlefield.

But thats all over. Social media posts from Ukraine represent the apotheosis of the trend toward bringing the battlefield to us. The citizen journalists are making the struggle, in the words of one veteran, the most documented war in human history.

Nowadays, close to half of U.S. adults get their news from social media. Moreover, recent years have seen a sharp rise in consumption of user-generated videos, especially among the younger generation. And social media users are more likely to engage with content that doesnt include a lot of text and does include splashy and colorful images.

Splashy and colorful images: like videos.

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True, there are risks to watching the war unfold online. For one thing, social media users are often less engaged than those who turn to legacy sources for news. But maybe thats old news. This is not the first war to be broadcast on social media, even if feels like it to some.

For another, not all the videos are reliable. Given that TikTok videos with the hashtag #RussiaUkraine have already been viewed over 130 million times, we should hardly be surprised by the existence of a large number of fakes, including some that recycle audio from older TikTok posts.

But video has its virtues, and were seeing them here. Foremost among them: the evidence that when we learn of a terrible event that happens to a group of which we arent a member, were more likely to be moved to anger and activism after viewing video of the event than after reading about what happened. Thus we see the link from the outrage around the world over George Floyds murder in May of 2020 to the outrage around the world over Putins murderous invasion some 21 months later: Once weve seen the video, its harder to turn the page.

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During the Vietnam War, those on the pro-escalation side often insisted that had World War II been televised, the G.I.s would have been brought home from Europe long before the job was done. I thought the argument false then and I think it false now. What will be interesting in the weeks to come is whether the social media images that have so outraged the West will cause similar outrage among ordinary Russians, and thus possibly, just possibly, put an end to what military historian John Keegan called the poisonous intoxication of wartime fervor.

Even before the invasion, Putin was rushing to establish control over the operation of social media outlets within Russias borders. No doubt he has the same intentions for a conquered Ukraine. Lets all hope that whatever barriers the regime might construct, Ukraines army of Davids will find a way through.

More From Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

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The Fog of War in Ukraine Is Spreading at Warp Speed Online: Parmy Olson



Putin Can Win the Battle in Kyiv, But Not the War: Clara Ferreira Marques



Ukraines Crisis Will Not Stay in Ukraine: Hal Brands

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Stephen L. Carter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a professor of law at Yale University and was a clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. His novels include The Emperor of Ocean Park, and his latest nonfiction book is Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down Americas Most Powerful Mobster.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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Theres a belief in the U.S. thats infiltrated the personal finance industry  that if you work hard enough, then youll find financial success. The problem is, this pull yourself up by your bootstraps narrative is a longstanding fallacy. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Sure, this rhetoric is powerful because in some ways its empowering to believe that you can get rich all on your own. But it obscures the important role of external factors in shaping our finances. Crucially, it fails to reckon with the countrys legacy of systematically marginalizing certain groups, making it difficult, or even illegal, for many to access opportunities and build wealth. February is Black History Month and an important time to be reminded about this legacy and to learn about the centuries of financial oppression in the U.S. even after slavery was officially abolished. Its a history many of us were never taught in school, though it still impacts Americans in many ways today.

The U.S. Federal Reserves 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances, the most recent data available, found that the wealth gap between White and Black Americans grew considerably over the previous two decades. The median White family had seven to ten times as much wealth as the median Black family. There are many factors behind this, from inequalities in pay to those in homeownership and investing.

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But truly understanding the racial wealth disparity requires going further back into the long history of Black Americans suffering significant financial losses at the hands of White Americans and being directly excluded from many avenues for building wealth, from banking to housing.

In 1865, after emancipation, Freedmans Savings and Trust Company was created to give formerly enslaved people and Black Civil War veterans the ability to save and access capital within the traditional financial system. Despite being a bank specifically for Black customers, it was run by an all-white board of trustees and funds were mismanaged, eventually causing a collapse that cost 60,000 depositors some $3 million, or more than $70 million in todays dollars.

In 1921, Oklahoma was home to the Tulsa Race Massacre, when a white mob looted, destroyed property and murdered residents of the affluent Black community in the Greenwood District. Its estimated that more than $200 million worth of damage was done in todays dollars.

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Those are but two instances of wealth being stripped from Black families leaving long-term consequences. A number of discriminatory policies over the last century have also had a significant impact on todays racial and socioeconomic disparities.

For example, in the 1930s, amid the Great Depression, Black Americans were largely excluded from reaping the benefits of New Deal-era policies, programs and reforms, explains Dania Francis, an economist at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Even though the language itself didnt explicitly exclude Black Americans, the consequences remained. [The New Deal] originally did not apply to domestic workers and farm laborers, explains Francis, 60-something percent of Black people at the time were domestic workers and farm laborers.

It was during this era that redlining  the practice of denying financial services to residents of certain areas based on their race  was created. The newly formed Home Owners Loan Corporation created residential security maps and drew actual red lines around neighborhoods it deemed hazardous. Anyone who lived in these neighborhoods, which were often home to Black residents, would be denied a loan. Francis points out that this not only hurt the building of Black wealth, but also further enforced segregation. Not only were Black Americans unable to get the capital to buy their homes, but no one else could get a mortgage to buy in redlined neighborhoods either.

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Redlining was outlawed in 1968 by the Fair Housing Act, but that doesnt mean it went away. In 2012, Wells Fargo reached a settlement with the Department of Justice to the tune of more than $175 million for allegedly engaging in discriminatory lending practices against African American and Hispanic borrowers between 2004 and 2009. The bank was accused of pushing subprime mortgages or charging them higher fees or rates relative to white customers.

There was similar exclusion after World War II with the GI Bill, which gave veterans access to low-interest mortgages and education stipends. The bill being administered at a state level instead of by the federal government resulted in many Black GIs  particularly those in the South where Jim Crow still held sway  being unable to access or fully utilize the education and housing benefits.

This is critical context for the personal finance industry. It makes clear that the bootstrap narrative in personal finance is a lie, according to Kevin L. Matthews II, a financial educator and author of From Burning to Blueprint: Rebuilding Black Wall Street After a Century of Silence.

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It ignores how the vast majority of wealth has been generated in this country, says Matthews. Specific groups were given land and capital and entire groups were left out. Thats not bootstraps, thats law and policy that helped some groups and not others.

To Kiersten Saunders, co-author of Cashing Out and co-creator the personal finance media company Rich & Regular, understanding the racial wealth gap and the fallacy of bootstrapping requires seeing two different time horizons: White people have had more time and opportunities to build wealth compared with Black people who have been prohibited economically. Time is needed to catch up, Saunders says.

As are the right policies. Trying to make up for previous generations of poverty is not just a matter of effort, particularly when a lack of effort isnt what got you into that hole, says Julien Saunders, co-author of Cashing Out.

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Too often, our narratives around financial and socioeconomic achievements are pegged to radical self-responsibility. Thats because, as Francis points out, its easier to tell individuals to change their behavior than to challenge the structures in our economy and society that enable some to succeed while limiting others. Its time the personal finance industry stop taking the easy way out.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Erin Lowry is the author of Broke Millennial, Broke Millennial Takes On Investing and Broke Millennial Talks Money: Stories, Scripts and Advice to Navigate Awkward Financial Conversations.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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Russias invasion of Ukraine somehow managed to be shocking despite having been predicted, repeatedly, by President Joe Biden and members of his administration. Even the people making the predictions didnt seem to believe them. Now that its happened and the implications are sinking in, the gap between the reality of the world and Americas perception of it looks vast.

Its almost enough to make one wonder if a bitterly divided America has been fighting about the wrong questions.

If the U.S. and its European allies were more confident and concerted, they might have given Russian President Vladimir Putin pause. But the U.S. isnt merely divided; it is distracted. Americas cultural civil war has turned attention away from questions  about trade, national security and economic policy  that turn out to matter a lot.

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Precisely what Putin hopes to achieve with this war isnt clear. The strength of popular resistance might have taken him by surprise. With luck, his invasion will eventually be judged a colossal mistake. For the moment, though, one thing is plain: His grievance over what the U.S. and the West have done to Russia is a driving force. Chinese President Xi Jinping, on guardedly good terms with Putin of late, also thinks honor is at stake in his dealings with a scheming, self-righteous and historically oppressive West.

Guess what, as Biden might say: Two of the worlds great nuclear-armed military powers see Europe and the U.S. not as potential friends or even rivals but as actual or prospective enemies.

As with the invasion of Ukraine, this was something we knew yet chose not to believe. Three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union and Chinas embrace of capitalism with totalitarian characteristics, the world is an extremely dangerous place.

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The coming weeks and months are likely to make it more so. The West wasnt willing to talk about Ukraines future as a non-aligned state (a discussion that, to be sure, might have led nowhere). Until a week ago, sovereignty trumped artillery. Now Ukraines future may be subjugation to Russia, with Russian forces all along NATOs eastern borders while Putin weighs next steps. These developments will be of great interest to Xi, as he judges the new demands on the attention and defense spending of the U.S. and its allies, and muses on the future of Taiwan.

In a world where brute force matters in the affairs of nations, the wise course is to talk softly and carry a big stick. Talk softly, because humiliating heavily armed opponents is apt to make them more dangerous; carry a big stick, because your own ability to meet force with superior force will make them less so. It isnt a huge exaggeration  and its barely any exaggeration in Europes case  to say the Wests approach to great-power rivalry in the post-Cold War era has been to talk loudly and carry no stick. Whats unfolding in Ukraine is the result.

This sudden ability to believe what we know about the world might not last. In due course, we might be astounded by a Chinese attack on Taiwan. (I mean, who could have seen that coming?) But if it does last, it will call for markedly different approaches to international relations. National security will demand a much larger share of attention and resources even in the U.S., which had hoped to economize by pivoting away from commitments in Europe. The challenge for Europe itself is far more daunting: It will need to address such questions for the first time in living memory.

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The implications arent confined to spending more on defense or asking whether NATO is still fit for purpose. The U.S. and its allies will have to think harder about achievable ends (which foreign-policy ambitions does talking softly rule out?) and available means (how big a stick is it willing to buy?).

Global economic relations are also involved. Germany and Europe made a grave mistake in coming to depend so heavily on Russian gas. From Putins point of view, this was no accident. He thought it would blunt the Wests response to his ambitions  and so it did, initially at least. The Wests dependence on Chinese manufacturing, not just for consumer products but for critical inputs, also fits the pattern. For the West, its all just business as usual; for Beijing, it builds prosperity but also serves a larger geopolitical purpose.

As a neoliberal of long standing, I choke at the idea of making trade and industrial policy part of a national security strategy. The scope for abuse and incompetence is virtually unlimited. Trumps idiotic tariffs  many of them based on specious national-security grounds, applied to friends as well as potential foes  prove the point. Their principal victim was the U.S. itself. Nonetheless, the Ukraine moment of clarity shows how dangerous completely divorcing trade and domestic investment from geopolitics can be.

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Is this view a dagger at the heart of globalization? It certainly calls into question globalization as weve known it. Trade remains, as ever, an engine of economic growth  and, in liberal democracies, a strong economy is a precondition for adequate spending on defense. But strategic calculations will need to play a bigger role, and that does call into question the bedrock principle of non-discrimination in trade.

Depending on potential enemies for essential materials and manufactures is a mistake. The alternative isnt self-sufficiency, even if that were possible, but a more deliberate conception of strategic resilience plus closer economic cooperation with friends and allies.

It would be an understatement to call this reassessment demanding. The difficulties are so acute, in fact, that retreating to cognitive dissonance will be the much easier choice. And theres no hope whatever of grappling with these issues effectively, or of telling the world that America has purpose and conviction, unless the country can repair its domestic politics. Ukraine shows that cultural civil war is a luxury the U.S. cannot afford.

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Related at Bloomberg Opinion:

 Ukraines Crisis Will Not Stay in Ukraine: Hal Brands

 Putin Can Win the Battle in Kyiv, But Not the War: Clara Ferreira Marques

 Europe Must be Willing to Hurt Itself to Hurt Putin: David Wainer

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Clive Crook is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and member of the editorial board covering economics, finance and politics. A former chief Washington commentator for the Financial Times, he has been an editor for the Economist and the Atlantic.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Two more dead in tragic boat accident off Hoi An

The capsized speedboat is turned over on February 27, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

The death toll in an accident where a tourist motorboat capsized off Vietnams central coast Saturday has increased to 15.

Two more bodies were found in the sea early Sunday, authorities in Quang Nam Provinces Hoi An Town said.

The bodies have been identified as a 24-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy. They will be handed over to their families soon, said Le Cong Sy, chairman of Cua Dai Ward.

Around 2 p.m. Saturday, a speedboat operated by the Phuong Dong Company was carrying 39 people from Hoi Ans Cham Islands to the shore when it was engulfed by large waves around three kilometers away from the Cua Dai Beach.

Thirty-six of the people on board were tourists and the remaining three were crew members.

Thirteen of 34 people brought to shore were confirmed dead Saturday.

The remaining five had been declared missing until two more bodies were found Sunday. Everyone was wearing life jackets when the accident happened, officials have said.

Authorities have also confirmed that the vessel was carrying the right number of passengers and was not overloaded.

All 15 victims are said to be tourists from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Sea areas from south-central Binh Dinh Province to the southern Ca Mau Province and other sea areas of the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea, have experienced strong winds and rough seas for about a week.

The Cham Islands, about 18 km away from the Cua Dai Port in Hoi An, is a major tourist destination. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the islands from the shore using motorboats.
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For those shocked by images of Ukrainian civilians targeted by Russian air strikes, I have one word for you: Syria. Moscows indiscriminate bombing campaign in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assads brutal war against his own people  including attacks on hospitals, schools, residential neighborhoods and markets  killed thousands of civilians. Its year-long military offensive in the rebel-held province of Idlib in 2019 was particularly savage, forcing as many as 1.4 million people from their homes.

Photos emerged from the town of Binnish in Idlib on Feb. 24 showing a mural painted by local artists to protest Russias invasion of Ukraine and send a message of solidarity with those resisting it. No one knows better than Syrians what its like to live under the bombardment of Russian fighter jets. Even young children can look to the sky and identify which country is dropping missiles on their homes: Armed with longer range weaponry, the new Russian aircraft fly higher and therefore appear quieter than the old Soviet MiGs flown by the Syrian Air Force.

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A United Nations report into atrocities committed in Syria published last year accused Russia of direct involvement in war crimes and a systemic failure to take any precautions to spare civilians from harm. Moscows entry into the war in Syria in 2015 turned the conflict in Assads favor, and provided a real-life testing ground for the weaponry now being used against Ukrainians.

So far, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine is unclear, but evidence that heavy Russian shelling and air strikes have hit schools and apartment blocks is mounting, as tens of thousands huddle in the the safety of underground bunkers and subway platforms. Russia, meanwhile, says its troops are attacking only military targets.

Now there are fears that as Russias slower-than-expected military progress in Ukraine and the strong resistance it is facing may prompt it to unleash indiscriminate force, including the use of thermobaric bombs  weapons it inflicted on civilian neighborhoods in the Syrian city of Aleppo with devastating consequences. Their use in the Caucasus in 1999 leveled city blocks in Grozny. These unguided munitions disperse fuel into the air around the bomb moments before detonation, creating a huge fireball and a powerful shock wave that lasts longer than conventional explosives.

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Their reported arrival in Ukraine last week, along with Russian troops and tanks, sent a chilling message.

While the specifics of Russias engagement in Syria are unlikely to be replicated elsewhere, there are already haunting similarities in Ukraine: Indiscriminate use of force, no respect for the law of armed conflict or international humanitarian law, and brutality against civilians, said Mona Yacoubian, a senior advisor for Syria, the Middle East and North Africa at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

There are also key differences in Putins thinking  he is painting Ukraine in existential terms, while his actions in Syria were more opportunistic, Yacobian told me. Still, elements of Russias endgame strategy for Syria might provide a template for its foreign-policy thinking today. Russia believes we are in a post-West world and they are acting on that belief, she said. Some Russian analysts consider Syria as Russias first post-Soviet success: They prevented regime change and inflicted defeat over the U.S.

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Meantime, Russia has used its dominance in Syria to project its influence across the region, antagonizing NATO with its sale of the S-400 missile defense system to Turkey and effectively driving a wedge between Ankara and its NATO allies.

Now, of course, its turned its attention much closer to home. And just like Syrian civilians who have endured a terrifying decade or more of conflict, displacement, loss and terror, Ukrainians too are facing this awful reality. Thousands are fleeing to neighboring countries, just as more than 6.6 million Syrians have done before them.

So what did we learn from all this? The international community failed Syrians and that conflict, in turn, spilled over to Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon and then into Europe, as refugees made their way to a safer life. It showed us there is no effective international mechanism to protect a civilian population enduring the worst forms of violence and persecution. And it laid bare the impotence of the U.N. Security Council, where Russia and China routinely used their veto powers to prevent any intervention that would threaten Assads rule.

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Those lessons hold true today. Russia vetoed a draft security council resolution on Ukraine on Friday, while the sentiments that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed these past few days  saying Ukraine has been left alone to face Moscows invasion  will ring true for Syrians who have been crying out for help for years. Yet again, we are letting history repeat.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Wests Cyber Appeasement Gave Putin Green Light: James Stavridis

 Putins Refugees Will Make or Break Europe: Andreas Kluth

 Russian Aggression Puts Erdogan in a Bind: Bobby Ghosh

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Ruth Pollard is a columnist and editor with Bloomberg Opinion. Previously she was South and Southeast Asia Government team leader at Bloomberg News. She has reported from India and across the Middle East and focuses on foreign policy, defense and security.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Arifa Hakimi sat down for her exam knowing the Taliban were coming. She was finishing her third year at the Marshal Fahim National Defence University, and before setting pen to paper at 9am had been told the resurgent Islamist forces were attacking the western part of Kabul where she trained with the Afghan National Army and were targeting the Hazara community to which she belonged. She struggled to focus on the questions in front of her. I was just thinking about the Taliban, that they were coming, Arifa says. What would be next? My family was not there. Most of the students, their families were not there, and they didnt have any place to go. The one teacher who stayed behind was blunt: the students should finish only five of the 10 questions, return to their barracks, change out of their uniforms and leave. There was no time for anything else. By 11 oclock they took the whole city. Arifa Hakimi made a daring escape from Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover. Credit:Janie Barrett Arifa and a classmate walked for 90 minutes through the capital before reaching a basement in a safe house. It was August 15, 2021. The fall of Kabul was swift, but not entirely unopposed. Pockets of resistance kept the Taliban from ransacking the defence academy until the following day. The insurgents tore through on the hunt for information about army staff and students and, in the economic collapse that followed, would pay desperate people to inform on their enemies. Arifa counted among the wanted: a modern woman who at nearly 24 had been given an education in Pakistan, competed at national level in taekwondo and joined the army on her return to Afghanistan. She had earned threats from the Pakistani Taliban for tutoring girls in English and training them in martial arts. Afghanistan was no longer safe, but the Taliban never found her.

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Arifa regretted leaving photographs of her family in the barracks: her mother and sister in exile, a father missing and likely dead since the civil war, one brother killed by the Taliban, another in Melbourne after making a difficult journey to Australia as a teenager. It was to him she turned as the Taliban circled on the streets above. In Melbourne, Bis Hakimi called everyone he thought might help his sister. A Deakin University masters student and refugee advocate, he had found a mentor in former foreign minister Bob Carr. They had crossed paths because of Carrs role as chair of the Crescent Foundation, an Islamic-based charity for refugee education and employment, and struck up a rapport. Carr answered the call in Sydney and promised to help. Neither of them knew at the time, but rescuing Arifa from Afghanistan would turn into a three-month mission in which she narrowly avoided a deadly bombing at Kabul airport, resorted to disguising herself and hiding in safe houses, and faced a perilous border crossing. Top politicians, bureaucrats and diplomats would all be involved, along with a small band of advocates and friends of the Hakimi family in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Arifa Hakimi in uniform as a member of the Afghan National Army before the fall of Kabul. Carr turned to Kristina Keneally in Canberra. Both former NSW premiers, Carr and Keneally lobbied Immigration Minister Alex Hawke about Arifas case. It was quite clear she was in considerable danger ... if the Taliban had been able to locate her she was very clearly at risk, Keneally says. Given that her brother is here in Australia, it seemed natural that the Australian government should do what it could to protect her as it was doing to protect hundreds if not thousands of others in those frantic days. Keneallys office put Arifas name among the top of the pile. She spoke repeatedly with Hawke and Department of Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo about the case, along with others her office had received.

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The message very clearly to me was Kristina if youve got an urgent situation just let me know and we will get going. That kind of clear, quick, non-partisan, weve got an emergency lets pull together and get the best outcome we can response truly is a very Australian response, Keneally says. This was at a level of urgency and danger that we dont normally have to respond to in Federal Parliament. Arifa was among those granted a short-term temporary protection visa, the kind issued on the ground to get Afghans out of the country in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover. That was our overwhelming concern, that she had the paperwork, Keneally says. The visa was one problem, but getting a passport into Arifas hands was an international operation. The Afghan embassy in Canberra issued one for her, and it was sent to her brother in Melbourne. Bis sent it to Lahore in Pakistan, and used trusted contacts to have it transported from there to Quetta, then across the border to Kandahar and on to the safe house in Kabul. Arifa says she did not expect this level of help, but was aware of her brothers efforts. I was in contact with Bis, he was saying I will do something for you, she says. I was trying not to lose my hope. It was very difficult for me. On August 25, Arifa was ready to make her move to the airport. She took hours to reach a US checkpoint at the Abbey Gate. A US soldier told her there were no Australians to be found. She was unsure what to do. The message filtered through to Carr, who was stunned. He felt he had to call the Prime Minister to tell him we have got refugees desperate to get out of Kabul and names on a list who could not get on a flight. The Immigration Minister answered Carrs call.

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Hawkes advice was clear: She must leave the airport, Carr says. There were credible reports of an imminent attack. Telephone connections to Arifa were patchy at the airport, but she received the warning and left. Shortly after she reached the safety of the basement, suicide bombers from the terrorist offshoot Islamic State-Khorasan Province struck the Abbey Gate, killing 13 US troops and more than 100 civilians. A US Air Force image of the evacuation at evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, in the days before the bombing. Credit:AP Carr says there was a lot of nail biting and tension until Bis confirmed Arifa was safe. Alex Hawke couldnt have been more helpful, Carr says. He took my call and he gave the warning about Arifa needing to leave that airport. Hawkes office passed questions to the Department of Home Affairs, which declined to discuss Arifas case. While the arrivals and settlement of those who have departed Afghanistan is progressing, the welfare, privacy, safety and security of this cohort is our priority, a departmental spokesperson said. Between August 18 and 26, Australia evacuated about 4100 people on 32 flights from Kabul. A Home Affairs spokesperson said: Australias military air evacuation operation in Afghanistan was one of the largest humanitarian airlift operations in our history.

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But Arifa Hakimi was not among them. Her flight would come three months later. While hiding in Kabul, Arifa saw women suffer from the changes wrought by Taliban rule. Theyre not letting women out, they say you should go with a man. Theyre not letting girls get education, she says. Theyre saying its not allowed in Islam that you can get an education, theyre saying you should sit at home and do the housework. Of those who staged protests in the early days of Taliban rule, Arifa knows of four prominent women who were made to disappear: Even now its not mentioned [whether] they killed them or theyre alive or not. The Taliban have plunged Afghanistan into a human rights and humanitarian crisis, and an economic quagmire that has resulted in high unemployment and food shortages. David Beasley, the executive director of the World Food Program, said in October: We are on a countdown to catastrophe. Arifa Hakimi in 2016 with the three gold, two silver and one bronze medals she won at the National Games 2014-2015 and 2016.

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ELKO  Afternoon tea is not a regular event way out here in cowboy town. However, CASA held its annual tea benefit Feb. 19 in Mater Dei Hall where participants dressed to the hilt and enjoyed tea, sandwiches, scrumptious desserts and beautiful china.

Weve been doing this for about 14 years, said Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children Executive Director Alana McKinney.

The group had to cut the program the last two years because of the pandemic, but by the turnout at St. Joseph Catholic Churchs, people are elated to have it back.

The event was mostly attended by ladies, both young and old. However, a few brave men joined in to raise their tea cups for a good cause.

The Ladies Auxiliary is the host, but all of the money goes to the CASA program. We are a nonprofit program here in Elko that advocates for children in the foster system, McKinney said.

The organization has two paid staff members and numerous volunteers.

McKinney said the $5,240 raised will be used for recruiting and training new volunteers as well as monitoring current cases.

Pam Morrison and Val Wines were responsible for much of the decorating at the venue. Each table was decked out in different china and unique themes.

When asked where the dishes came from Morrison said she inherited a lot and she loves china.

I will pick up pieces here and there.

Today is my daughters birthday and she has helped decorate for quite a few years. She doesnt know I did this, Morrison said, referring to a table decorated in her daughters colors with a birthday cake at the center.

Morrison gets a lot of her decorating ideas from Pinterest.

Others helped decorate the tables with their personal china or sets they picked up especially for the event. A gold and white themed table, complete with an ornamental cherry tree and fallen blossoms, was the winning table. Decorator Carmina Garcia walked out that day with full bragging rights.

Many attendants dressed to the tee with hats, furs and lovely dresses.

A lot of faces we see every year, so thanks for coming and supporting us, McKinney said.

She announced silent auction items, including a Barbie bedroom set complete with closet and hand-crocheted wardrobe by Roxanne Sutter.

Father Biju spoke, blessing the crowd and the meal.

Give a big applause to the CASA team, Biju said. We appreciate you people going with the spirit. We have only one spirit and that is love that unites us always. Keep that spirit going on. We need it.

CASA hosts tea benefit:

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Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin sought assurances from NATO that its neighbour would not be permitted to join the military alliance. The basis of Russias security fears is the eastern encroachment of the North Atlantic Treaty member states towards its own borders, with Ukraine a vital buffer between NATO and Russia itself. Although Ukraine first attempted to join NATO in 2008 through the Membership Action Plan, this was shelved by Viktor Yanukovych after his election in 2010, Yulia Tymoshenkos successor preferring to adopt a line of closer relations with Moscow.

Ukraine is an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of the alliance but not a full NATO member, which means that the treaty is powerless to intervene in the current conflict in Ukrainian soil. It is also a member of NATOs Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme, along with Russia and 20 other states, mainly from the former Soviet bloc or within the geographical and political sphere of Moscow. Bill Clinton once described the PfP as a track that will lead to NATO membership. Only five EU members are currently members of the PfP, including Sweden and Finland, who have now come under the scrutiny of Moscow for their alignment with NATO. On Friday, a day after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, the Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zajarova, issued a stark warning to the potential future NATO members.

"Serious military and political consequences" for joining NATO



It is clear that the alignment of Finland and Sweden, which is principally a military bloc, would have serious military and political consequences that would require our country to take reciprocal measures, Zajarova said. It is clear that all OSCE states, in their national capacity, including Sweden and Finland, reaffirmed at the time the principle that the security of some states should not be built at the expense of the security of other countries.

Of the 15-post Soviet states that emerged from the collapse of the USSR in 1991, only three have become full NATO members: Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, who joined in 2004. Ukraine, although not a member, is considered a strategic partner by NATO due to its proximity to Russia  one of the prime reasons for Moscows insistence that the country be denied full membership. The Russian hierarchy also considers NATO a tool to be deployed in defending US interests in the region. Ukraine joining the alliance would limit Moscows sway over its neighbour, which it historically views as an integral part of Russia in social, cultural and political terms. Ukraine is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space, Vladimir Putin said shortly before he ordered troops into the Donbas region.

Finland may seek NATO membership "in case of necessity"

At the last NATO meeting, the secretary general of the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, invited Sweden and Finland to become permanent members.

Finlands Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Spanish daily EL PAIS in January that membership of the bloc was not a priority for her nation, but added that in a case of necessity Finland would be prepared to ask to join NATO. In the last few years, we have strengthened our relationship with NATO. We are not discussing that possibility right now, but we maintain the option to do so in the future," she said.

Following Zajarovas statement, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson reaffirmed her countrys position as an ally of NATO, but fell short of saying if Swedens stance on remaining outside of the alliance remained intact. We are preparing for a situation that may be long-lasting," Andersson said.
Ukrainian journalist says he has faith in Ukrainian forces as Russia invades
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National Nurses Week is May 6 to May 12, an annual celebration that recognizes the critical role nurses perform in our hospitals and for our community. This year, we recognize our nurses for their continued commitment and unfailing dedication to our patients and their families, and for alway
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A boycott of Russian vodka brands. That's one, small, response to Russia's unprovoked, deadly invasion of Ukraine. And it's being implemented in bars and liquor stores across the United States, with owners and managers taking the step, along with drinkers who are deciding to choose a different tipple.

New Hampshire boycotts Russian vodka

Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire took a further step Saturday, signing an executive order mandating the state's liquor stores to take Russian made and Russian branded vodkas off their shelves.

In New Hampshire liquor and wine are sold through state-run stores, making the boycott easier to put into place.

Across the US other law makers are pushing for similar measures.

In Ohio, too, the state gives licenses to private stores to sell liquor - there Gov. Mike DeWine said the state would stop the sale of Russian Standard Vodka.

In states where private companies control their own decisions on which liquor to sell or not it will be down to individual stores and chains. There have been multiple reports of bar owners pouring Russian vodka away in protest.

Main Russian vodka brands

Some of the main brands that could be hit by the boycott include Russian Standard and Russian Standard Gold, along with Siberian brand Husky Vodka and the traditional Polugar Classic Rye Vodka. Ustianochka and Beluga Noble Russian Vodka are other Russian produced vodka brands in line to be hit.

Stoli protest over boycott

One brand in the US that's upset at being linked with Russia is Stolichnaya vodka. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union the ownership of the brand has been disputed between a Russian state-owned company and SPI Group, a private company.

The Stolichnaya sold in the US is made by the latter company, which distills it in Lativa (though it does use alcohol from a distillery in Russia).

Damian McKinney, Stoli Group global CEO said about Stoli's origins: "With regard to us being Russian. We are absolutely NOT a Russian company, we are a global organization with a significant portfolio of spirits and wine brands from around the world."

On their website the Stoli Group has now placed a large banner in support of Ukraine.

Full screen Stoli Group website in support of Ukraine

Smirnoff, while originally a Russian brand, is now owned by Diageo, a global drinks giant.

What people are buying instead of Russian vodka

Khor vodka, made at Ukraine's Khortytsa Distillery, is one of the options for people looking to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Weve all been there: silently fuming while desperately trying to fall asleep, get work done, or just go about the day in peace as a neighbor shatters the silence with some racket. The deafening music, the raised voices, unrelenting hammering, or other distracting noises can become a nightmare, especially in a building where you're in close proximityor even sharing wallswith your neighbors.

If you own your home, youre going to have to figure out how to handle the noise pollution yourselfbut what if you rent? Whose job is it to curb the commotion, yours or your landlord's?

Keeping residential noise to a dull roar has become especially prevalent as more of us have moved to working from home. In fact, all kinds of noise ordinances have cropped up in the past few years. In Boulder, CO, for example, it is now illegal to make any noise above 70 decibels in a residential area. In communities across California, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and Arizona, regulations against excessive leaf blower noise have been instituted.

And while some of these rules may seem extreme, studies show that noise pollution does more than just bug people; it also affects their mental health. (One study found that people in noisy neighborhoods were 25% more likely to be depressed.)

Below, we broach this touchy subject and provide clarity for renters who find themselves in this situation. Here's how to deal with noisy neighbors and what to do if the problem isn't being resolved.

Landlord or renter? It depends!

Laws vary by state, and different types of residences also have to be taken into consideration.

The situation changes depending on whether youre talking about a duplex or multifamily property, or a single-family rental home, says Jacob Naig, owner of We Buy Houses in Des Moines, IA. In a single-family home, if the neighbor is having late-night parties or causing a general noise disturbance, the occupier should address the situation with the neighbor politely and then place a call to the police if they dont comply.

But if its a large apartment or anywhere that an interior wall is shared, the dynamics change.

I would still suggest trying to talk to the neighbor first, and see if you can resolve the situation," says Naig. "If it doesnt work, the landlord will have to step in. Vacancy costs every landlord, and theyll do what they can so they dont have to turn over the units.

No matter where you live, you should read the fine print of your lease agreement, and add any clauses regarding noise that you foresee being relevant.

In Missouri, for example, the landlord-tenant law does not specify that the landlord has to deal with a noisy tenant, says Bob Scott, founder of Sell Land, based in Missouri. But if you specify beforehand in the lease agreement that your landlord should deal with noisy neighbors, then they will be legally obligated to enforce this provision if they signed the agreement.

What to do if the ruckus won't stop

As a renter, if you find yourself in an unmanageable situation with a noisy neighbor, there are several ways to address the problem, without requiring a change of address.

"The tenants who live in a rental house have the right to quiet, says Ben Fisher, a luxury real estate specialist at the Fisher Group in Park City, UT. Landlords are ultimately responsible for resolving inconveniences created by loud neighbors." So your first step should be to contact the landlord and report the excessive noise.

You should also look up your city's laws about noise. Many areas have designated quiet hours or decibel noise limits. So if your city's quiet hours run from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., keep a log of every time your neighbor is practicing tuba inside of those hours. You can present this log as further proof that your neighbor is breaking the law.

If going to your landlord proves futile and the ruckus won't stop, the next step is to contact the police. This strategy will be most effective when the noise is actually happening.

Ultimately though, you may just have to move.

You are free to leave your rental without any further responsibility in such a case if you have provided a proper amount of notice, Fisher says.

The post Landlord or Renter: Who Has To Handle Noisy Neighbors? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday, while Ukraines embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow as Putins troops and tanks drove deeper into the country, closing in around the capital.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday, while Ukraines embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow as Putins troops and tanks drove deeper into the country, closing in around the capital.

Citing "aggressive statements" by NATO and tough financial sanctions, Putin issued a directive to increase the readiness of Russias nuclear weapons, raising fears that the invasion of Ukraine could lead to nuclear war, whether by design or mistake.

The Russian leader is "potentially putting in play forces that, if theres a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous," said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss rapidly unfolding military operations.

Putins directive came as Russian forces encountered strong resistance from Ukraine defenders. Moscow has so far failed to win full control of Ukraines airspace, despite advances across the country. U.S. officials say they believe the invasion has been more difficult, and slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, though that could change as Moscow adapts.

Amid the mounting tensions, Western nations said they would tighten sanctions and buy and deliver weapons for Ukraine, including Stinger missiles for shooting down helicopters and other aircraft.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office, meanwhile, announced plans for a meeting with a Russian delegation at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border.

It wasnt immediately clear when the meeting would take place, nor what the Kremlin was ultimately seeking, either in those potential talks on the border or, more broadly, from its war in Ukraine. Western officials believe Putin wants to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.

The fast-moving developments came as scattered fighting was reported in Kyiv. Battles also broke out in Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, and strategic ports in the countrys south came under assault from Russian forces.

By late Sunday, Russian forces had taken Berdyansk, a Ukrainian city of 100,000 on the Azov Sea coast, according to Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Zelenskyys office. Russian troops also made advances toward Kherson, another city in the south of Ukraine, while Mariupol, a port city on the Sea of Azov that is considered a prime Russian target, is "hanging on," Arestovich said.

With Russian troops closing in around Kyiv, a city of almost 3 million, the mayor of the capital expressed doubt that civilians could be evacuated. Authorities have been handing out weapons to anyone willing to defend the city. Ukraine is also releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight, and training people to make firebombs.

In Mariupol, where Ukrainians were trying to fend off attack, a medical team at a city hospital desperately tried to revive a 6-year-old girl in unicorn pajamas who was mortally wounded in Russian shelling.

During the rescue attempt, a doctor in blue medical scrubs, pumping oxygen into the girl, looked directly into the Associated Press video camera capturing the scene.

"Show this to Putin," he said angrily. "The eyes of this child, and crying doctors."

Their resuscitation efforts failed, and the girl lay dead on a gurney, her jacket spattered with blood.

Nearly 900 kilometers (560 miles) away, Faina Bystritska was under threat in the city of Chernihiv.

"I wish I had never lived to see this," said Bystritska, an 87-year-old Jewish survivor of World War II. She said sirens blare almost constantly in the city, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) from Kyiv.

Chernihiv residents have been told not to switch on any lights "so we dont draw their attention," said Bystritska, who has been living in a hallway, away from any windows, so she could better protect herself.

"The window glass constantly shakes, and there is this constant thundering noise," she said.

Meanwhile, the top official in the European Union outlined plans by the 27-nation bloc to close its airspace to Russian airlines and buy weapons for Ukraine. The EU will also ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The U.S. also stepped up the flow of weapons to Ukraine, announcing it will send Stinger missiles as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday. Germany likewise plans to send 500 Stingers and other military supplies.

Also, the 193-member U.N. General Assembly scheduled an emergency session Monday on Russias invasion.

Putin, in ordering the nuclear alert, cited not only statements by NATO members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, including Putin himself.

"Western countries arent only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country," Putin said in televised comments.

U.S. defense officials would not disclose their current nuclear alert level except to say that the military is prepared all times to defend its homeland and allies.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told ABC that Putin is resorting to the pattern he used in the weeks before the invasion, "which is to manufacture threats that dont exist in order to justify further aggression."

The practical meaning of Putins order was not immediately clear. Russia and the United States typically have land- and submarine-based nuclear forces that are on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.

If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile submarines to sea, then the U.S. might feel compelled to respond in kind, said Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists.

Earlier Sunday, Kyiv was eerily quiet after explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one airport. A main boulevard was practically deserted as a strict curfew kept people off the streets. Authorities warned that anyone venturing out without a pass would be considered a Russian saboteur.

Terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault. Food and medicine were running low, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

"Right now, the most important question is to defend our country," Klitschko said.

In downtown Kharkiv, 86-year-old Olena Dudnik said she and her husband were nearly thrown from their bed by the pressure blast of a nearby explosion.

"We are suffering immensely," she said by phone. "We dont have much food in the pantry, and I worry the stores arent going to have anything either, if they reopen." She added: "I just want the shooting to stop, people to stop being killed."

Russias failure thus far to win full control of Ukraines airspace is a surprising lapse that has given outgunned Ukrainian forces a chance to slow the advance of Russian ground forces. Normally, gaining what the military calls air superiority is one of the first priorities for an invading force.

But even though Russian troops are being slowed by Ukrainian resistance, fuel shortages and other logistical problems, a senior U.S. defense official said that will probably change. "We are in day four. The Russians will learn and adapt," the official said.

The number of casualties from Europes largest land conflict since World War II remained unclear amid the confusion.

Ukraines Interior Ministry said Sunday that 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, including 14 children. It said an additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded.

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Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov gave no figures on Russias dead and wounded but said Sunday his countrys losses were "many times" lower than Ukraines.

About 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday, according to the U.N. refugee agency.

Along with military assistance, the U.S., European Union and Britain also agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT system, which moves money around thousands of banks and other financial institutions worldwide. They also moved to slap restrictions on Russias central bank.

Russias economy has taken a pounding since the invasion, with the ruble plunging and the central bank calling for calm to avoid bank runs.

Russia, which massed almost 200,000 troops along Ukraines borders, claims its assault is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have also been hit.

 The Associated Press
OTTAWA, Feb 27 The Canadian Press - Ottawa promised millions of dollars in additional military aid to Ukraine and closed Canadas airspace to Russian aircraft Sunday as the drumbeat of nuclear war grew louder.

OTTAWA, Feb 27 The Canadian Press -

Ottawa promised millions of dollars in additional military aid to Ukraine and closed Canadas airspace to Russian aircraft Sunday as the drumbeat of nuclear war grew louder.

Yet the federal Liberal government continued to face calls for action on several other fronts, while Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his countrys military to ready their nuclear weapons.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra kicked off Canadas latest round of sanctions against Russia by announcing a ban on all Russian aircraft and operators in retaliation for Putins decision to attack neighbouring Ukraine.

"All of Canada is united in its outrage of President Putins aggression against Ukraine," Alghabra said in a statement.

"In response, we have closed Canadian airspace to Russian-owned or operated aircraft. The government of Canada condemns Russias aggressive actions and we will continue to take action to stand with Ukraine."

The announcement followed similar moves by most European countries, led by Britain, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, as the western world has sought to punish Russia for launching Europes largest conflict since the Second World War.

While Russias flagship carrier Aeroflot does not fly direct to Canada, it does operate multiple flights per day through Canadian airspace en route to the United States and beyond. Experts have said closing Canadian airspace would negatively impact those routes.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Defence Minister Anita Anand also pledged to send another $25 million in helmets, body armour, night-vision gear and other non-lethal aid for Ukraines embattled military.

"And let me be clear, we will send more," Joly added during a hastily arranged news conference.

Both measures came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office confirmed that a Ukrainian delegation would meet with Russian officials. Meanwhile, Moscows troops drew closer the capital of Kyiv and Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces to be put on high alert.

The Russian president blamed "aggressive statements" by NATO as well as hard-hitting western financial sanctions against his country for his decision to order nuclear weapons be prepared for increased readiness to launch.

Asked about the order, Anand denounced what she called Putins "bellicose and irresponsible rhetoric," while Joly expressed skepticism about the Ukraine-Russia talks and described the Russian president as "irrational."

"Nobody that decides to bombard a sovereign nation such as Ukraine can be rational in doing so," Joly said. "So we all agree that there is a level of irrationality to what is happening in the decision making that President Putin is doing."

The comments came as thousands of Canadians marched in rallies across the country to show their solidarity for Ukraine and condemn Russias invasion, which started Thursday and has seen widespread fighting across nearly the whole of Ukraine.

Some of those gathered outside the Russian Embassy in Ottawa, downtown Toronto and elsewhere also called on Canada to do more to support Ukraine and punish Russia.

Those calls include sending weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, expelling Russian Ambassador Oleg Stepanov, recalling Canadian diplomats from Moscow and yanking the Russian state-owned television network Russia Today, or RT, from Canadas airwaves.

Federal ministers on Sunday left open the possibility of sending arms to Ukraine, after an initial cache of guns worth $7 million was recently delivered, while Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the government was looking at what to do with RT.

Rodriguez tweeted that Bell and Rogers were removing RT from their station lineups.

Calling RT the "propaganda arm of Putins regime," he said the network has no place in Canada and he'll have more to say about it "very soon."

Rogers will also remove RT and replace it with a broadcast of the Ukrainian flag, he added.

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Rogers tweeted that it was removing the channel effective on Monday.

Joly defended the decision not to expel Stepanov or recall Canadian diplomats from Moscow, saying it was important for Canada to communicate with Russia and understand what is happening on the ground in terms of events and public sentiment.

Among those calling for Canada to revoke RTs broadcasting licence, expel Stepanov and recall Canadian diplomats was interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen, who was one of several speakers at the rally outside the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.

Bergen was at one point booed by some members of the crowd, before organizers asked people to listen.

"Conservatives today are standing with our government, with all Canadians in the push against Putin," Bergen told the hundreds of protesters, many wearing the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine and carrying Ukrainian flags or placards critical of the Russian leader.

 The Canadian Press
GRANDE PRAIRIE - The "vast majority" of public health restrictions in Alberta will lift as of Tuesday, including the provincial mask mandate, Premier Jason Kenney announced Saturday.

GRANDE PRAIRIE - The "vast majority" of public health restrictions in Alberta will lift as of Tuesday, including the provincial mask mandate, Premier Jason Kenney announced Saturday.

Kenney said metrics such as hospitalizations, test positivity and COVID-19 wastewater data are all trending in the right direction, even since the province relaxed some restrictions earlier this month.

He said the provincial mask mandate will end March 1, along with all capacity limits for venues, mandatory work from home requirements and social gathering limits.

Masks will still be required in higher-risk settings such as public transit, hospitals and nursing homes, he said.

"Increasingly we have to shift to moving the responsibility from the entire society to a much more focused approach based on personal responsibility," said Kenney, who made the announcement during the opening ceremony for a new hospital in Grande Prairie on Saturday.

"We just cannot continue on like we have for the past two years indefinitely. We're going to break society if we keep doing that," he added.

Health Minister Jason Copping said remaining school requirements such as cohorting and physical distancing will also be lifted, as will health screening before youth activities.

He said isolation is still mandatory for people with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test.

Kenney ended the province's vaccine passport earlier this month as well as mask requirements for schools, and mask requirements in all settings for children under 12.

He said at that time that Alberta would enter Step 2 of the reopening plan March 1 if COVID-19 hospitalizations were trending downward.

"We've always said we will not allow our hospitals to be overwhelmed, but I am confident that we can avoid ever having to return to damaging restrictions as long as we continue to see people step up, especially with these third shots and we learn to live with COVID," Kenney said Saturday.

He noted people should still be mindful that COVID-19 is a reality and they will "have to figure out their own risk level." For those who are immunocompromised, he said that may mean taking extra care if they're in large crowds.

The City of Calgary immediately issued a statement that its own pandemic face-covering bylaw will end at the same time the province's does.

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Until that time, it said face coverings are still required for everyone over 12 years old in indoor public spaces and public vehicles.

"Some of us will welcome the lifting of restrictions while others will prefer to continue wearing face coverings and following other precautions," Susan Henry of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency said in the statement.

"We must be kind and compassionate toward one another, respect those personal choices and make space for everyone to move at the speed they feel comfortable with."

As the premier made the announcement, demonstrators against COVID-19 health restrictions gathered near the legislature again in Edmonton, as they have every Saturday for weeks, as police warned another truck convoy was coming.

Police said they were continuing to direct convoy organizers to refrain from honking horns or otherwise making excessive noise that disrupts residences and businesses, and would continue to enforce traffic violations, including noise violations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2022.
WASHINGTON - Former U.S. president Donald Trump is assailing Canada as a country of "left-wing fascists" for the way it cleared protesters out of Ottawa last weekend.

WASHINGTON - Former U.S. president Donald Trump is assailing Canada as a country of "left-wing fascists" for the way it cleared protesters out of Ottawa last weekend.

Trump's remarks at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida marked the first time in nearly a month he's publicly acknowledged the protests.

He said protesters in Canada were "slandered" as Nazis, racists and terrorists, charged with what he called "phoney crimes" and accused of being loyal to foreign powers.

The comments prompted a passionate standing ovation from the crowd.

Trump says police crossed a line when they began removing protesters after nearly a month of their occupation of streets in downtown Ottawa, both on and nearby Parliament Hill.

He says he stands with the truckers who staged the protest and with Canadians who he says are fighting to reclaim their freedom.

"The tyranny we have witnessed in Canada in recent weeks should shock and dismay people all over the world," he said to hoots and hollers from a sympathetic crowd in Orlando.

"In an advanced Western democracy, that peaceful movement of patriotic truckers, workers and families protesting for their most basic rights and liberties has been violently put down."

Trump likened Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to President Joe Biden, whom he vowed to ensure would be dispatched to "political exile," along with Democratic allies like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

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"They have been slandered as Nazis, racists and terrorists  these are the names they've been called," Trump said.

"I watched them; I saw those Maple Leafs all over, the flags and the love for their country. Plenty of Americans were there too, and they love our country. They're being hunted down like enemies of their own government and treated worse than drug dealers and murderers or rapists."

Authorities in Canada crossed a line when they began making arrests, towing vehicles and forcing the protesters out of the national capital's downtown core, he continued.

"You're either with the peaceful truckers, or you are with the left-wing fascists  that's what's been happening," he said.

"We stand with the truckers and we stand with the Canadian people in their noble quest to reclaim their freedom."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2022.
Ukrainian membership of NATO can be considered the line in the sand that led to the Russian invasion of its neighbour. Pre-justifying his decision to order troops into the Donbas region, which consists of the two Russian-backed self-proclaimed peoples republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, Russian President Vladimir Putin cited Ukraines aspiration to join the military alliance as a direct threat to Russian security. "In NATO documents, our country is officially and directly declared the main threat to North Atlantic security. And Ukraine will serve as a forward springboard for the strike," Putin said in a televised address a day before the Russian assault was launched. Russia has every right to take retaliatory measures to ensure its own security. That is exactly what we will do.

In December, Russia presented demands to the United States and NATO that even analysts close to the Kremlin said Moscow knew would be rejected. They included calls to block Ukraine from ever joining NATO and to remove all military infrastructure the alliance had placed in eastern Europe since 1997. Putins subsequent recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states and the deployment of Russian troops as peacekeepers in the region, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed rebels since 2014, proved to be the precursor to a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in what is the largest military confrontation in Europe since World War Two.

Far from buckling to Moscows demands, NATO immediately moved to strengthen its eastern flank, sending more alliance troops to member states bordering Russia in a move described by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg as enabling NATO to deploy capabilities and forces, including the NATO Response Force [which consists of land, air, sea and special operations forces].

NATO has also been providing Patriot anti-missile batteries to be deployed in member states bordering Ukraine, including Slovakia.

"Peace on our continent has been shattered, Stoltenberg added. "Russia is using force to try to rewrite history, and deny Ukraine its free and independent path."

However, Stoltenberg stressed that NATO has no troops in Ukraine, and no intention of sending any alliance forces into the fray. "There are no NATO combat troops, no NATO troops at all inside Ukraine. We have made it clear that we don't have any plans and intention of deploying NATO troops to Ukraine," he said. "What we have made clear is that we have already increased and we are increasing the presence of NATO troops in the eastern part of the alliance on NATO territory."

US President Joe Biden echoed the opinion of military experts and analysts that Putin had overplayed his hand in an interview released on Saturday. "Not only is NATO more unified, look at what's going on in terms of Finland, look at what's going on in terms of Sweden, look what's going on in other countries. I mean he's producing the exact opposite effect that he intended," Biden told social media influencer Brian Tyler Cohen.

Sweden and Finland have intimated they would be open to seeking NATO membership if the situation demanded it, following Russian threats of serious political and military consequences if the non-aligned countries elected to join the alliance.

When was NATO founded?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) came into being in 1949, four years after the end of the Second World War, with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington DC. Signatories to the treaty promised to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of the peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law, in the aftermath of WWII, with a potential Soviet attack on Western powers in mind.

Twelve countries signed the treaty  Belgium (where NATO now headquartered), Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and the US  and as such these are now considered the founding nations of NATO.

NATO membership now stands at 30 states, the most recent of which to join was North Macedonia in 2020. The bulk of the alliance is made up of European Union member states, with Turkey, which courtesy of the Montreux Convention of 1936 controls the Black Sea and therefore the Russian Navys access to the high seas through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits and an ally of Moscow, a notable exception.

NATO is a collective security defensive alliance, with all member states duty bound to come to the defence of any member state whose territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened. NATO military operations are subject to Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty being invoked. In the case of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have done, paving the way for NATO to deploy troops and materiel to those countries.

Why is Ukraine not a NATO member?

Of the 15-post Soviet states that emerged from the collapse of the USSR in 1991, only three have become full NATO members: Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, who joined in 2004. Ukraine, although not a member, is considered a strategic partner by NATO due to its proximity to Russia  one of the prime reasons for Moscows insistence that the country be denied full membership.

Ukraine joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in 1991 and the Partnership for Peace programme in 1994 and applied to be admitted to the NATO membership action plan  the definitive step towards full membership  in 2008, along with Georgia. However, at the Bucharest Summit, NATO members decided against granting action plan status.

The subsequent presidency of Viktor Yanukovych saw Ukraine adopt a more pro-Moscow stance, with the newly elected Yanukovych stating there is no question of Ukraine joining NATO.

Yanukovych was ousted in 2014 and a pro-Western government came to power under Petro Poroshenko, which renounced Ukraines non-aligned status and stated it would consider seeking NATO membership after Russias annexation of Crimea and Putins refusal to recognise the legitimacy of the administration that replaced the former president, an ally of the Russian leader.

The issue of NATO membership again led to Russian military deployment on 24 February, 2022. Current Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved Ukraines new National Security Strategy in 2020, whose ultimate goal is full NATO membership, a red rag to the Kremlin.

The Georgia precedent

Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two Georgian breakaway regions, after fighting a short war with Georgia in 2008. Russia used recognition of the two regions to justify an open-ended military presence in a neighbouring former Soviet republic in an attempt to indefinitely thwart Georgia's NATO aspirations by denying it full control of its own territory. It has since provided Abkhazia and South Ossetia with extensive financial support, extended Russian citizenship to their populations and stationed thousands of troops there.
THE Manitoba Liberal party apologized Saturday for an ad posted in its online store.

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THE Manitoba Liberal party apologized Saturday for an ad posted in its online store.

The ad, which was removed Saturday morning, depicted a sleeveless red dress printed on the backside with the words Overthrow the government.

The party apologized in a tweet and blamed the ad on a volunteer.

The Manitoba Liberal Party would like to apologize for the item that was placed in our online store by a volunteer without approval. That volunteer has stepped down from their role. We are very sorry and have strengthened our processes so that it will not happen again, the party posted on Twitter.

About 20 minutes before the party posted its apology, an NDP MLA criticized the dress ad in a tweet of their own, suggesting it was an example of appropriating the red dress symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.

Really awful decision making by the @MBLiberalParty, tweeted Uzoma Asagwara, MLA for Union Station, alongside screenshots of the ad. Trying to financially capitalize off of extremism, appropriating #MMIWG2S, clear objectification.
Thousands of people stood with Ukraine on the grounds of Manitobas legislature Saturday, waving the countrys blue-and-yellow flag as the province officially did the same.

Thousands of people stood with Ukraine on the grounds of Manitobas legislature Saturday, waving the countrys blue-and-yellow flag as the province officially did the same.

Manitoba has raised the Ukrainian flag in front of the legislative building in a show of support against Russias attacks, and Premier Heather Stefanson told the crowd Manitoba will take in Ukrainians via the provincial nominee program.

The rally against Russian President Vladimir Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine was one of several happening across Canada through the Canadian Ukrainian Congress. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

"Ive informed the federal government that we will do our part to take in Ukrainian refugees," Stefanson said, to loud cheers from the crowd.

The rally against Russian President Vladimir Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine was one of several happening across Canada through the Canadian Ukrainian Congress, and in Winnipeg, the war hits horrifically close to home.

"It feels like I left a part of my heart at home, and that heart is really hurting today," said Halyna Shtoyko, one of the rallys organizers. She moved from Ukraine to Winnipeg as a teenager in 2000. "But there are people here that havent been born in Ukraine, and theyre hurting just as much, in a different way. I think were all in a lot of pain and we all want to do whatever we can."

Many in the crowd, draped in flags and hoisting anti-war placards, proudly proclaimed their heritage, from first-generation to fourth-generation Ukrainian. They chanted "Glory to Ukraine," and "Glory to the heroes"  a nationalist call-and-response that has taken on new significance since Russia invaded the sovereign country on Feb. 24.

"Its emotional, watching whats unfolding on TV. I can hardly sit there (watching) without crying," said Gail Oleksuk, whose Ukrainian grandfather, Fred Andrunski, arrived in Winnipeg at 17 years old with 10 cents in his pocket. Thats why shes here with her family, wearing a sign that urges the Ukrainian people to "never give up."

Connected through Ukrainian dance, Samantha Luczenczyn (first-generation Ukrainian), Bryana Nicolas (fourth generation) and Stefan Kinasevych (third generation) said it meant a lot to them to gather in support of Ukraine  a freedom they dont take for granted.

"When I get up on a dancing stage and hear the music, I can feel my grandparents on my shoulders," Nicolas said. "And when this news came in, it just hits your very core, because its attacking everything that we are."

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Many in the crowd, draped in flags and hoisting anti-war placards, proudly proclaimed their heritage, from first-generation to fourth-generation Ukrainian. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Kinasevych said if not for a spinal injury, he would want to go back to Ukraine to fight.

"I would stand for my country. Even though I was born in Canada, this is my language, this is my culture," said Kinasevych, whose first language is Ukrainian.

"I hold my culture dear. And not just on a personal level, on a global level. When have we seen an unhinged dictator start working his way into Europe overnight, threatening war?"

Politicians from all parties and all levels of government attended the rally, including Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and MP Dan Vandal. They pledged their support for Ukraine in front of a crowd that prayed for peace and called for action. Many held signs calling for Canada to do whatever it can, including closing airspace to Russia and supplying Ukraine with humanitarian and financial aid.

"The world needs to look at that war and say, the cost of human life is so great that no sanction is too strict," Shtoyko said. "What everybody can do today  and it has to be now because people are dying  what everybody can do is address our politicians. Say that it is important to us. Because these are our values that are being trampled on."

katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com
In a time of widespread isolation, a Manitoba teen decided to find a way to help other kids feel less alone.

In a time of widespread isolation, a Manitoba teen decided to find a way to help other kids feel less alone.

Fourteen-year-old Taliah Braun set up her own online social network  a website called Vision Village  for youth with visual impairments.

Taliah Braun set up her own online social network  a website called Vision Village  for youth with visual impairments. (Supplied)

Braun was born with pediatric congenital microphthalmia, a birth defect that meant her left eye didnt fully develop. She is blind in that eye and wears an artificial one, but shed never met anyone else who could pop out their prosthetic  a special ability she soon learned some kids would interpret as creepy. Most would never know what it was like, for example, to take out their glass eye at the park and accidentally drop it.

The Niverville teen wanted to talk to someone who knew exactly what it was like, as Taliah puts it, to have a "visual difference."

"For me, I would say, it just was a deep loneliness, and I think it was a struggle for years," she said.

Her parents and friends were supportive, but they hadnt experienced blindness and could only imagine what she was going through.

During the pandemic, Taliah realized the kind of platform she was searching for, one that would connect her to others with her condition, didnt exist.

"And then this idea kind of popped into my head: Why dont I make it myself?"

So, after a couple of months of practising web design, Vision Village was born. The site has been up and running since late May 2021. The Grade 9 student included a pen-pal-finder for like-minded kids, bios of herself and the team of ocularists whove cared for her, and her favourite section: the Inspiration Corner. In it, she shares a short video of her own story along with photos of her prosthetic eyes, and encourages other kids to get involved.

(Kids aged six to 16 who have visual disabilities can become members of the site with their parents permission and can email to request a pen pal).

"Its supposed to be a safe place, so we try to keep it pretty kid-friendly and through the parents, mostly, so its safe for everyone to use," Taliah said.

Eight kids are members of the site now, with more in the process of joining, and Taliah has connected a couple dozen pen pals, most in Canada, and a few in the U.S.

Since she started the site, shes felt less lonely.

"It has been a huge encouragement to me," Taliah said. "Ive definitely felt much less alone and connected to see that there are so many other kids, even around our area and Winnipeg area and Steinbach. There are so many kids living with different visual disabilities, and yeah, it has definitely encouraged me."

Shes been able to meet up with a few other kids in Manitoba since launching the website.

Although her family and other friends tried their best to understand her experience, its not the same as talking to people whove been through it. "Theres just something surreal about connecting over the same thing. You really do feel seen and understood."

Taliah said shes happy to answer common questions about her condition  shes used to doing that  but she wanted to create a space where kids with disabilities could get to know each other, not for an outside audience.

"I wanted to take something that was hard for me and help it not to be hard for others," Taliah said.

Her parents, Svea and David Braun, said their daughters project is just one example of the confidence and motivation to bring people together that shes shown since she was very young.

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"Taliahs just a go-getter. She has more initiative than probably our entire family put together," Svea Braun said with a laugh. They agreed the project has been an antidote to the loneliness that seems so universal right now.

"It really is about focusing on other people, not focusing on myself, and I think whenever you do that, loneliness has less of an opportunity," David Braun said.

Taliah said she has big dreams for what Vision Village can become.

"Its been such a cool project to watch unfold," she said. "I have lots of work that I put into it, but I still have lots of dreams of what I want it to become. Eventually, itd be cool if there were (kids) all over the world who are able to connect there."

Vision Village is at: www.wearevisionvillage.org

katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com
OTTAWA  Ottawa police have arrested and charged a Quebec man in relation to the recent protest near Parliament Hill.

OTTAWA  Ottawa police have arrested and charged a Quebec man in relation to the recent protest near Parliament Hill.

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Police say Steeve Charland, 48, was arrested Saturday evening by the Ontario Provincial Police in the Vankleek Hill area.

The Grenville, Que., man was scheduled to appear in court today.

He is charged with mischief and counselling to commit the offence of mischief.

Police have charged more than 100 people with various offences in relation to the three-week protest in downtown Ottawa.

Two prominent organizers have been denied bail.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2022.
OTTAWA  As a girl in Nunavik in the 1950s, Mary Simon and her friends chattered cheerfully on their way to elementary school, just like other children. But, unlike most other kids, they grew silent as they reached the schoolyard.

OTTAWA  As a girl in Nunavik in the 1950s, Mary Simon and her friends chattered cheerfully on their way to elementary school, just like other children. But, unlike most other kids, they grew silent as they reached the schoolyard.

Inuit languages were banned at Kuujjuaq federal day school in northern Quebec and Simon recalls being punished "many times" for speaking Inuktitut rather than English in the classroom.

"From grade one to grade six we were not allowed to speak our language on school property or in the classroom or in school at all," she said in an interview.

More than six decades later, as Governor General of Canada, Simon delivered the throne speech not just in the country's official languages, English and French, but in Inuktitut, a groundbreaking moment in Canadian history.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed her to the role last year and she moved into Rideau Hall, the grand official residence in Ottawa. As the Queens representative in Canada, she plays not only a key ceremonial role, but serves as an apolitical figurehead for the country.

The 95-year-old Queen recently tested positive for COVID-19 and Simon said Canadians all "wish her well."

"I know that all Canadians join me in wishing Her Majesty good health and a swift recovery from her recent illness," she said.

Simon also contracted COVID-19 earlier this month, which she said she only had for a week with mild symptoms, thanks to having been vaccinated.

"I am fully vaccinated and encourage everyone to get vaccinated. I think getting vaccinated is the best way to fight COVID so we can return to a more normal life," she said.

Though she rises above party politics, the politics of vaccinations came to her front door this month after the so-called Freedom Convoy rolled into Ottawa and stayed.

One of the protests organizing groups called Canada Unity published a "memorandum of understanding" calling for the Senate and Governor General to overrule all levels of government and revoke COVID-19 restrictions.

Her office was also inundated with emails from people trying to register a no-confidence vote in the government with her, after mistakenly believing that her office had the power to unilaterally dissolve Parliament.

Rideau Hall was forced to post a message on Twitter to counter the "misinformation" on social media encouraging Canadians to cast a non-confidence vote.

The statement pointed out that "no such registry or process exists."

Simon said she did not get involved in the politics of the protests, or meet any of the protesters, although she was kept closely informed of the tumultuous events on her doorstep.

The Governor General said Canada "has been changed by this major event."

She said she is "very saddened by some of the events that have taken place especially some of the things that happened at the National War Memorial," in an apparent reference to a video showing someone dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

She said Canadians are "frustrated and upset because we have had to live a very different life for over two years."

Although the protest started out about vaccinations, it "became much bigger than that," she said.

The protesters were not a homogeneous mass, she said, but included many groupings, including people "opposed to vaccines and  other people that want to overthrow the government."

"Overthrowing the government in this way is not something Canada does," she declared.

Her focus now is on healing fault lines and divisions that have emerged in Canada, which includes speaking to the broad range of people involved in the protests.

During her career, including as lead negotiator for the creation of the Arctic Council, Simon developed a reputation as a bridge-builder between people with sharply opposing views.

Though she says she is personally in favour of "following the science" and getting vaccinated, she stops short of judging the protesters.

"I dont feel is anyone is wrong particularly, but there is a very strong difference of opinion about what is going on," the former diplomat remarked.

She said the country need to take a look at "bringing Canadians together to discuss how we can work and come together as a nation and look forward."

"I am a bridge between Canadians from different experiences," she said. "Encouraging different points of view has been central to my work, not just here at Rideau Hall but throughout my lifes work," she said.

She said the fact that Canadians have a diversity of experience and opinions makes the country stronger "when we are respectful of each other."

But respect "is something we really have to work on in the next months and probably years," she believes.

Recently the Governor General surprised members of the public by phoning them directly with a "kindness call," a CBC Ottawa initiative she liked so much she decided to continue herself.

With the calls she hopes to inspire Canadians to "ajuinnata," an Inuktitut concept that means a promise, a vow to never give up.

"I think kindness should be a way of life. I think it is really important  even when you disagree with somebody  you should always be kind," she said.

The Governor General is optimistic that fractures that have emerged in Canadian society in recent weeks can be healed.

For all those at loggerheads, she offers some advice, honed from decades of diplomacy.

"You dont have to be obnoxious about a disagreement," she said. "If you walk away from it, you can wait until a later date to have another discussion and maybe that one will be more fruitful."

An essential part of building a more inclusive society, she said, is allowing people to speak in their mother tongue and "fostering respect" for them.

Simon, the first Indigenous Governor General, recalled a time when, because Inuit names were considered difficult to pronounce, Inuit people were also assigned a number.

"That was how to identify Inuit across the Arctic," she said.

Only now are Canadians learning about deliberate attempts to erase Indigenous languages at residential schools, she said.

They are also "learning the truth about these children who were torn from their homes and thrust into very unfamiliar worlds where threats of violence were used to erase their identity."

She said Canadians everywhere "share in the heartbreak and sorrow of the First Nations" following the discoveries of unmarked graves of children attending residential schools.

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"It seems like the country has woken up to a reality that may have not been known by Canadians," she said.

Ensuring Indigenous people today do not have to revert to French or English to access basic services in their communities is "really important," she said.

Simon is fluently bilingual in Inuktitut and English but has had to learn French so she can deliver addresses as Governor General in both official languages, and speak to francophone Canadians in their native tongue.

To do this, the 74-year-old grandmother has been taking French lessons, where she practises reading and conversation and studies the structure of the language every week.

"I have a tutor and I take lessons three times a week  for about an hour and a half," she said. "My tutor says Im doing well."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2022.
MEDYKA, Poland (AP)  Dragging suitcases and carrying children, tens of thousands of Ukrainians rushed to the borders Saturday as invading Russian troops pressed on with their march toward Ukraine's capital of Kyiv.

MEDYKA, Poland (AP)  Dragging suitcases and carrying children, tens of thousands of Ukrainians rushed to the borders Saturday as invading Russian troops pressed on with their march toward Ukraine's capital of Kyiv.

At least 150,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighboring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion, the U.N. refugee agency said Saturday. Some walked many miles through the night while others fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings. They were greeted by waiting relatives and friends or headed on their own to reception centers organized by neighboring governments.

"The numbers and the situation is changing minute by minute," said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. "At least 150,000 people have fled, they are refugees outside of Ukraine. ... At least 100,000 people  but probably a much larger number  have been displaced inside Ukraine."

The agency expects up to 4 million Ukrainians could flee if the situation deteriorates further.

Those arriving were mostly women, children and the elderly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy banned men of military age from 18 to 60 from leaving. Some Ukrainian men were heading back into Ukraine from Poland to take up arms against the Russian forces.

In contrast to other conflicts around the globe, Russia's unprovoked attack on the Western-looking democracy has ignited a huge outpouring of support for the fleeing Ukrainians. This included an unconditional welcome from nations like Poland and Hungary that did not want to accept those fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

CP People fleeing the conflict from neighboring Ukraine meet with members of their family at the border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland, on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Regular people were also opening up their homes to refugees and volunteering at welcome centers. In Poland, a Facebook page was formed where people were offered rides in private cars from the border and other help.

Volunteers even came from elsewhere in Europe to pick up refugees, among them a German couple from Hamburg who held up a sign at the Polish border town of Medyka saying they could take three people home with them.

"Our country is not doing anything, and we felt we needed to do something," said Tanja Schwarz, 51.

Despite the goodwill, the crush of people became a very real ordeal.

Jeremy Myers, from Manchester, England, was on vacation in Ukraine with his Ukrainian girlfriend when the war started. They fled Kyiv and waited 23 hours in a fenced-off area where there was no food or water and which was controlled by armed guards on the Ukrainian side.

He witnessed people fighting, getting crushed and a woman who fainted.

"We saw several people get injured, there were no toilets, there was no medical assistance," he said. "You had to stand where you were because if you didnt you lost your place in line."

CP An officer of Poland's Border Guard directs the traffic of cars coming in from neighboring Ukraine at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling, as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

One family from Chernivtsi in western Ukraine waited 20 hours before being able to cross the border into Siret in northern Romania. Natalia Murinik, 14, cried as she described saying goodbye to grandparents who couldnt leave the country.

"It really hurt, I want to go home," she said.

The largest numbers were arriving in Poland, where 2 million Ukrainians have already settled to work in recent years, driven away by Russias first incursion into Ukraine when it annexed Crimea in 2014 and seeking opportunities in the booming economy of the European Union neighbor.

Polands government said Saturday that more than 100,000 Ukrainians had crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border in the past 48 hours alone. Poland declared its border open to fleeing Ukrainians, even for those without official documents, and dropped its requirement to show a negative COVID-19 test.

The line of vehicles waiting to enter Poland at Medyka stretched many miles into Ukraine.

A woman from Lviv named Lena described seeing toys and heavy bags along the way that people had abandoned. She was bringing her four children to safety in Poland and planned to return to join her husband. Like other Ukrainians returning home as their country fights Russia, she would only give her first name.

Even Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, one of Europe's most anti-migrant leaders, traveled to the border town of Beregsurany, where he said Hungary was accepting all citizens and legal residents of Ukraine.

CP People fleeing the conflict from neighboring Ukraine arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland, on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

"Were letting everyone in," Orban said.

Among those arriving at that point were a Ukrainian-British family with their dogs. "We cant leave our dogs," said Vlasta Terasova, arriving from Uzhhorod.

On Saturday, Poland sent a hospital train to pick up those wounded in the war in Mostyska, in western Ukraine, and bring them to the Polish capital of Warsaw for treatment. The hospital train left the border town of Przemysl with five carriages to transport the wounded and four others stocked with humanitarian aid for Ukraines Lviv district.

The U.N. said said most Ukrainians were heading to neighboring Poland, Moldova, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia but some even fled into Belarus  from which some Russian forces entered Ukraine. Some planned to head further on to other countries in Europe.

The border post in Siret was crowded with Ukrainians on Saturday and humanitarian groups set up tents a few miles in and offered food and drink to those arriving.

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Despite the welcome, teenager Natalia Murinik's family didn't know where they were going next.

"We dont have a clue. Were waiting for our friends, and then well think," she said.

___

Gera reported from Warsaw. Bela Szandelszky in Beregsurany, Hungary; Florent Bajrami in Medyka, Poland; Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Stephen McGrath in Siret, Romania, contributed.

___

Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MOSCOW (AP)  As Russian troops were closing in on the Ukrainian capital, more and more Russians spoke out Saturday against the invasion, even as the government's official rhetoric grew increasingly harsher.

MOSCOW (AP)  As Russian troops were closing in on the Ukrainian capital, more and more Russians spoke out Saturday against the invasion, even as the government's official rhetoric grew increasingly harsher.

Street protests, albeit small, resumed in the Russian capital of Moscow, the second-largest city of St. Petersburg and other Russian cities for the third straight day, with people taking to the streets despite mass detentions on Thursday and Friday. According to OVD-Info, rights group that tracks political arrests, at least 460 people in 34 cities were detained over anti-war protests on Saturday, including over 200 in Moscow.

Open letters condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine kept pouring, too. More than 6,000 medical workers put their names under one on Saturday; over 3,400 architects and engineers endorsed another while 500 teachers signed a third one. Similar letters by journalists, municipal council members, cultural figures and other professional groups have been making the rounds since Thursday.

A prominent contemporary art museum in Moscow called Garage announced Saturday it was halting its work on exhibitions and postponing them "until the human and political tragedy that is unfolding in Ukraine has ceased."

CP Demonstrators shout slogans in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Shocked Russians turned out by the thousands Thursday to decry their country's invasion of Ukraine as emotional calls for protests grew on social media. Some 1,745 people in 54 Russian cities were detained, at least 957 of them in Moscow. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

"We cannot support the illusion of normality when such events are taking place," the statement by the museum read. "We see ourselves as part of a wider world that is not divided by war."

An online petition to stop the attack on Ukraine, launched shortly after it started on Thursday morning, garnered over 780,000 signatures by Saturday evening, making it one of the most supported online petitions in Russia in recent years.

Statements decrying the invasion even came from some parliament members, who earlier this week voted to recognize the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, a move that preceded the Russian assault. Two lawmakers from the Communist Party, which usually toes the Kremlin's line, spoke out against the hostilities on social media.

Oleg Smolin said he "was shocked" when the attack started and "was convinced that military force should be used in politics only as a last resort." His fellow lawmaker Mikhail Matveyev said "the war must be immediately stopped" and that he voted for "Russia becoming a shield against the bombing of Donbas, not for the bombing of Kyiv."

Russian authorities, meanwhile, took a harsher stance towards those denouncing the invasion, both at home and abroad.

CP A couple stand and embrace during a gathering in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Shocked Russians turned out by the thousands Thursday to decry their country's invasion of Ukraine as emotional calls for protests grew on social media. Some 1,745 people in 54 Russian cities were detained, at least 957 of them in Moscow. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said Moscow may respond to Western sanctions by opting out of the last nuclear arms deal with the U.S., cutting diplomatic ties with Western nations and freezing their assets.

He also warned that Moscow could restore the death penalty after Russia was removed from Europe's top rights group  a chilling statement that shocked human rights activists in a country that has had a moratorium on capital punishment since August 1996.

Eva Merkacheva, a member of the Kremlin human rights council, deplored it as a "catastrophe" and a "return to the Middle Ages."

The Western sanctions imposed new tight restrictions on Russian financial operations, a draconian ban on technology exports to Russia and froze the assets of Putin and his foreign minister. Russian membership in the Council of Europe was also suspended.

Washington and its allies say even tougher sanctions are possible, including kicking Russia out of SWIFT, the dominant system for global financial transactions.

CP Police officers detain a woman in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Shocked Russians turned out by the thousands Thursday to decry their country's invasion of Ukraine as emotional calls for protests grew on social media. Some 1,745 people in 54 Russian cities were detained, at least 957 of them in Moscow. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Medvedev was a placeholder president in 2008-2012 when Putin had to shift into the prime ministers seat because of term limits. He then let Putin reclaim the presidency and served as his prime minister for eight years.

During his tenure as president, Medvedev was widely seen as more liberal compared with Putin, but on Saturday he made a series of threats that even the most hawkish Kremlin figures haven't mentioned to date.

Medvedev noted that the sanctions offer the Kremlin a pretext to completely review its ties with the West, suggesting that Russia could opt out of the New START nuclear arms control treaty that limits the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals.

The treaty, which Medvedev signed in 2010 with then-U.S. President Barack Obama, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance. The pact, the last remaining U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control agreement, had been set to expire in February 2021 but Moscow and Washington extended it for another five years.

If Russia opts out of the agreement now, it will remove any checks on U.S. and Russian nuclear forces and raise new threats to global security.

CP Police officers detain a woman in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Shocked Russians turned out by the thousands Thursday to decry their country's invasion of Ukraine as emotional calls for protests grew on social media. Some 1,745 people in 54 Russian cities were detained, at least 957 of them in Moscow. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Medvedev also raised the prospect of cutting diplomatic ties with Western countries, charging that "there is no particular need in maintaining diplomatic relations." Referring to Western threats to freeze the assets of Russian companies and individuals, Medvedev warned that Moscow wouldn't hesitate to do the same.

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Cracking down on critics at home, Russian authorities demanded that top independent news outlets take down stories about the fighting in Ukraine that deviated from the official government line.

Russias state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, charged that reports about "Russian armed forces firing at Ukrainian cities and the death of civilians in Ukraine as a result of the actions of the Russian army, as well as materials in which the ongoing operation is called an attack, an invasion, or a declaration of war" were untrue and demanded that the outlets take them down or face steep fines and restrictions.

On Friday, the watchdog also announced "partial restrictions" on access to Facebook in response to the platform limiting the accounts of several Kremlin-backed media.

On Saturday, Russian internet users reported problems with accessing Facebook and Twitter, both of which have played a major role in amplifying dissent in Russia in recent years.

___

Follow all AP stories on tensions and fighting over Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
An editorial appeared in the Jan. 27, 2022 New England Journal of Medicine entitled Universal Coronavirus Vaccines  An Urgent Need. It was written by doctors from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease of the NIH, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has almost become a household pandemic celebrity, through no fault of his own. What is a universal coronavirus vaccine, and why do we need one?

The article begins, The past 20 years have witnessed four fatal coronavirus outbreaks: SARS or severe acute respiratory syndrome, [in] 2002 and 2003, MERS, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome, and now COVID-19. Scientific evidence and ecological reality suggest that coronaviruses will emerge again in the future. That might translate into another pandemic. We need a research approach that can characterize the global coronaviral universe. The idea is to be able to create a vaccine that would prevent most new or undiscovered strains and variants from infecting people or causing devastating disease, as COVID-19 has done worldwide.

The very first coronavirus was discovered in 1931 in chickens. The history of this breed of virus is long and fascinating. The first human one was found in 1961 in an English schoolboy. As of 2020 we know of 39 species of coronaviruses, 7 in humans and 32 in bats, pigs, dogs, cats, rodents, cows, horses, camels, Beluga whales and birds. There most certainly are many more we havent yet found. They have been categorized by humans into 4 groups: alpha-, beta-, delta- and gamma-coronaviruses. (Dont confuse these with the Greek letters used to name COVID-19 variants.) The beta group has contributed the most human viral varmints.

For decades, the conventional mode of vaccine development has been to create a dead or weakened version of the whole virus for injection. The remarkable new COVID vaccines, especially the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA methods have revolutionized the vaccine world. They target very specific parts of the viral variant du jour. Since the SARS-Cov2 virus has creatively mutated in many places in its spike protein, the part that attaches to host cells, vaccine doctors have thought of retooling the present vaccines to be new and improved models. But that doesnt include any new mutants in the wings or the likely vast viral population in animals. The possibility of one breed jumping from bats to humans remains a grave concern for a potential new pandemic.

The SARS and MERS lineages likely came from bats, which are the largest reservoir of coronaviruses. The MERS virus is 100% genetically identical to viruses found in the Egyptian tomb bat. From the editorial: To fully characterize the coronavirus ecosystem, a collaborative international effort should include extensive viral sampling of multiple bat species  and of wild and farmed animals. Our ongoing experience with the current COVID-19 pandemic, together with the ever-present threat of the emergence of other potentially pandemic coronaviruses necessitates safe and broadly protective coronavirus vaccines. Right. A tall order.

Instead of playing Whack-A-Mole by continually redesigning variant specific vaccines, at least 6 research groups are using different, complex technologies either to target a viral portion that doesnt mutate hardly at all, called conserved, or put enough variations of spike proteins on an injectable carrier particle, to stimulate a range of antibodies to multiple potential mutations. A model for a successful vaccine might be tetanus, which only needs a booster every 10 years instead of influenza with the annual remade model. There are research efforts ongoing for a universal flu vaccine, too.

What would be the attributes of this sort of universal vaccine? It would protect against the kinds of viruses that may cause SARS, MERS, and COVID-19; would cause a strong immune response that is long lasting; would work against new variants or strains; would prevent transmission of the virus; would be safe and effective for everyone (!); and could be easily updated. Thats all! Unfortunately, a universal vaccine might not be as effective in all cases as a more targeted one.

The U.S. Army via the Walter Reed research Institute has one technology that is in phase I human trials. They have not released results to date. Three other groups were awarded portions of $36 million last fall by the NIH to develop such universal vaccines. One is Duke Universitys universal vaccine, which targets a portion of the spike protein that is shared across other coronaviruses. The University of Wisconsins vaccine research group is working on a nanoparticle which would carry multiple versions of spike proteins, similar to the Armys approach. The main researcher estimates it will be 5 years from lab to clinic with a real shot.

We can only hope. You cant hope without dreaming. We have to keep dreaming. Right many of us are having COVID medical nightmares. These researchers dreams give us hope for a healthier future.

Dr. Bures, a semi-retired dermatologist, since 1978 has worked Winona, La Crosse, Viroqua and Red Wing. He also plays clarinet in the Winona Municipal Band and a couple dixieland groups. And he does enjoy a good pun.

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State Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller outlined the Senate GOPs three top priorities during a visit with the Winona Daily News editorial board last Wednesday.

Senator Miller began the conversation listing the top three priorities as public safety, education and the state surplus.

In regards to public safety, Miller spoke about the main categories that Senate Republicans had identified as an issue. He spoke about his concerns that there is a current lack of police officers and that officers are retiring at younger ages and in droves.

He also stated that the best thing public officials can do is show police officers the respect they deserve. Miller stated that initiatives are being rolled out, some of which are already in place, to not only recruit new police officers, but retain current officers as well.

The second priority is education, specifically focusing on literacy and empowering parents and educators to be partners in childrens education.Miller expressed his concerns that while funding for education has steadily increased, test results have gone down.

That is one of the reasons why literacy is a major priority for Miller and Senate Republicans. As Miller said in the meeting, if a student struggles with reading it makes every aspect of the classroom harder.

He added that there are processes in place to help improve literacy, and he has been in communication with educators about this topic. In relation to empowering parents, Miller mentioned he had heard concerns from parents about being shut out of the education process of their children as well as the content that is being taught in the classroom.

The third priority for Republicans was what to do with the budget surplus the state currently has. Miller explained that while it is normal for the state to have a surplus of one or two billion dollars, the state currently has a surplus of $7.7 billion.

With that surplus, Miller and Senate Republicans have rolled out a large tax relief package that was announced Thursday.

If this proposed package is passed the changes would be the biggest tax cut ever and provide $8.51 billion in tax relief to taxpayers over the next three years, according to the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus website.

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In response to record interest in the Rios Spanish Immersion program, Winona Area Public Schools plans to add a second kindergarten section for the 2022-23 school year.

WAPS received a record 38 applications for the program, and after the application window closed on Feb. 15, two more families reached out to Jefferson Elementary principal Maggie Maine to be added to the waitlist.

The previous record for applications was 30 in 2019. In previous years, a lottery was held when applications exceeded the number of available spots. Instead of expanding the waitlist and adding to the anxiety of families during enrollment time, the district has decided to invest in expanding a popular program and provide more opportunities for students in Winona and the surrounding communities to become proficient listeners, speakers, writers and readers in Spanish and English.

We are excited to be able to expand the program to meet the demand in the community for this unique educational experience, Maine said. Winona Area Public Schools is a great choice for families, and the Rios Spanish Immersion program is just one piece of what our school district has to offer.

The Rios Spanish Immersion program, the only language immersion program in Winona County, is a free choice program available to students enrolled in Winona Area Public Schools. Grades K-4 are housed at Jefferson Elementary, 1268 W. 5th St. There are spots available for kindergarten next year, but they are filling up fast. Those who wish to enroll their child in a Rios kindergarten class next fall are asked to contact Maine at 507-494-2000, or email maggie.maine@winona.k12.mn.us.

The goal of the Rios Spanish Immersion program is to provide educational experiences that support academic and linguistic development in Spanish and English. Students develop an appreciation of other cultures in addition to their own. They master content in the same subject areas as their counterparts who do not attend the program.

Immersion teachers speak only Spanish in the classroom, but they also use body language, visuals and expressive intonation to communicate their meaning with students. Several teachers in the program are native Spanish speakers.

Students participate in art, music, physical education and social-emotional lessons in English. Additional subjects will be taught in English as students progress through the program.

The Rios Spanish Immersion program started in the fall of 2014 with students in kindergarten and first grade, and will have students in grades K-9 in the 2022-23 school year.

More information is available at winonaschools.org/rios.

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Starting in 2014, after the Russian invasion and takeover of the Crimean peninsula, many countries including the United States imposed sanctions on the Russian government, officials, and business leaders. Russia responded by imposing their own sanctions, primarily in the form of complete bans on food exports on Australia, Canada, the United States, and the European Union.

Before the invasion of Crimea, the exchange rate between the US dollar and Russian ruble was $0.31 for each ruble.

After sanctions were applied by the US and its allies the exchange rate fell to $0.16. Currently, the rate stands at around $0.12 but could collapse completely if further sanctions are deployed.

This weekend, the White House and the European Union have announced further sanctions. Simultaneously, it is becoming clear that the previous attempts to debilitate Russia's economy and dissuade President Vladimir Putin have not worked, and many wonder if this round of sanctions will.

When are sanctions most likely to succeed?

The success of sanctions has been a topic studied widely within the field of international relations.

Political scientists, Thomas Biersteker and Peter A.G. van Bergeijk, described sanctions as a tool to "constrain a target in its ability to engage in proscribed activities."

The goal currently is to make the cost of continuing the invasion of Ukraine so high that President Putin would have no choice but to bring his troops home.

However, there is a second (and less studied) justification for sanctions which is based on deterrence. In some cases, sanctions can be applied to deter other actors from engaging in the same behavior. Some experts have stated that sanctions could be a way of deterring China from invading Taiwan. Should China believe that the sanctions it would face could not be weathered, it may factor into their calculus and dissuade them from taking that geopolitical move.

Keeping diplomatic channels open is critical for sanctions to be successful



Throughout recent history there have been many cases where sanctions have worked and failed. Through examining these cases, political scientists have been able to identify a few factors that help to explain why the impact has been so varied.

Biersteker and van Bergeijk wrote that "the effectiveness of sanctions depends on the alternative policy instruments available to policy practitioners," like "active negotiations, peace mediation efforts, threats of force, use of force, peacekeeping operations, and/or covert operations."

Without these other policy instruments the likelihood that sanctions achieve their defined goal are much lower. Very little information on the diplomatic channels open between the US, EU, Ukraine, and Russia have been made available to the public. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to met with Russian officials, but has rejected the Belarusian capital, Minsk, as the negotiation site.

As for the threat of military action, NATO allies have made it clear that they will not get involved as such a situation could escalate to a third World War.

Timing maters when it comes to sanctions

In addition to keeping diplomatic channels open, social scientists have shown that if sanctions do lead to the desired outcome it typically happens rather quickly. The longer the sanctions are applied the less likely they are to succeed as the country's economy can adjust to the economic constraint and move forward.

Russia says that it sees Ukraine joining NATO as a red line, and it is becoming clear that the sanctions imposed in 2014 were not enough to change their mind on this demand.

Additionally, Russia has had to live with the sanctions, adapting their economy and alliances to ensure that they could decrease their dependency on the United States and Europe. In the years since the invasion of Crimea, Russia and China have built a much stronger economic alliance which could protect them from Western sanctions in the short-term.

Sanctions are typically more successful against less authoritarian regimes

When looking at instances where US sanctions have failed --Iran, North Korea, Cuba-- many are are authoritarian countries. When governments do not have to keep the interests of their voters in mind, they are more likely to reject international pressure from sanctions. Cuba has been under a crippling economic embargo for decades, showing that even the most severe sanctions often cannot shake the power of a regime.

In the case of Russia, Biersteker and van Bergeijk noted that sanctions generated "a rally around the flag effect;" meaning that rather than weakening the regime, it is actually strengthened it, as the sanctions were seen as an "external threat" by the Russian public.

US and EU announce more severe sanctions on Russian banks



Many leaders in Europe and the United States are beginning to see that the sanctions deployed so far to do not seem to be having an impact on Putin's plans. This weekend, President of the European Commissions Ursula von der Leyen announced a sanctions package that excludes Russia from the SWIFT banking system noting that this will "ban the transactions of Russia's central bank and freeze all its assets, to prevent it from financing Putin's war." The Untied States announced that it is finalizing a similar sanctions package that would include the Central Bank of Russia.

Already many Russians are pulling their money out of banks over fears that international sanctions could lead to currency shortages.
MILWAUKEE  A 23-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested after firing multiple shots at police staff in the lobby of Milwaukees District 5 police station, authorities said.

Chief Jeffrey Norman said it happened about 3 p.m. Friday, the Journal Sentinel reported.

An officer shot back at the man, prompting him to run from the station, Norman said.

Officers chased the suspect on foot, where multiple officers shot at him and hit him multiple times, Norman said.

The man was hospitalized with injuries that are not life-threatening, Norman said.

The shooting is the second major incident this week at District 5. On Wednesday, 20-year-old Keishon D. Thomas died in a police holding cell at the station.

Investigators are uncertain if any connection exists between the shooting Friday and Thomas death.

Three officers were suspended following Thomas death, and the investigation is ongoing.
Understanding our shared history helps us to imagine a future

Joanne Joseph highlights small acts of courage during alumni webinar.

Many South Africans are familiar with radio and television broadcaster Joanne Joseph (BA 2000, BA Hons 2001, MA 2008), who has covered day-to-day and iconic events in the countrys history as a popular news media personality.

On 24 February, the proud Witsie was in conversation with Professor Dilip Menon, professor in the Department of International Relations at Wits, to kickstart the Wits Alumni Relations webinar series of the Universitys centenary year.

Professor Menon praised Josephs sharp, keen, historical and literary intellect, using her book Children of Sugarcane (Jonathan Ball, 2021), as a prism to shed light on some contemporary South African challenges. We turn to history to understand what happened, we turn to fiction to figure out what might happen, he said.

Although Children of Sugarcane is set against the backdrop of 19th century India and the British-owned sugar plantations of Natal, Professor Menon said Josephs novel resonated today because many of the nightmares of history had been unaddressed.

He used a sentence from the afterward in the novel to begin the discussion: If we begin to think of indenture as part of our shared history and to explore how deeply stained we all are by our collective colonial past perhaps we can begin to imagine a shared future.

Joseph responded: We talk about colonisation; we dont understand how deeply its tentacles are buried in all of us as products of colonisation. In one way or the other we are tainted by it.

She said she grappled with this in choosing the title of the novel. You want a title that would resonate widely, rather than only with those who come from the indentured. I resolved to call it Children of Sugarcane because every player who was engaged in that exercise was in a process of becoming children of sugarcane. We are all children of that legacy We are still longing to figure out who we are.

Her debut book Drug Muled: Sixteen Years in a Thai Prison (Jacana, 2013) sold over 10 000 copies, but this novel is her first work of fiction. She said the novel format allowed her to think more deeply about contemporary life, something shes found difficult in her daily work as a journalist.

Its difficult to do because youre on a kind of treadmill up against the clock. You are delivering what you hope is a product of quality in a very short space of time and its quite transitory. It serves a particular moment  therein lies the trap of news; its domain becomes smaller and smallerThere is little time for analysis, depth, the origins of the events. I found it a bit constricted.

The books explore different aspects of myself and my interests, but they are both an answer to the question of what came before? What do we need to know that matters in order to understand the present day?

The overwhelming sentiment around apartheid is one of oppression, Joseph said, relaying how she was introduced to a PhD seminar at Wits to a paper called The Mute Always Speak: Women's Silences at the TRC by Nthabiseng Motsemme, which demonstrated that: Even in times of oppression and difficultyPeople maintain their joy. In their private intimate places, they work against this. Its a private subversion of the larger macro-political system.

Joseph said she was particularly interested in the small ways ordinary people have agency. The central character in Children of Sugarcane, is a woman with a mind of her own, who feels that her life cannot be contained by what she is born into and she has to forge something else  much like contemporary South African society in which many are attempting to breaking free from the inheritance of their past.

The webinar also covered the changing role of religion, the justice system, gender-based violence and whether the term rainbow nation still has relevance. The full discussion can be accessed here.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua)  Zhu Guoping, a community worker in Shanghai, will be among thousands of deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, to attend its upcoming annual session this March.

In 2014, she had the opportunity to interact with her fellow NPC deputy, Chinese President Xi Jinping during an in-person deliberation session.

During the session, Zhu told Xi about the healthcare, elderly care and education issues facing residents of the community of more than 1,000 households that she served.

"Patients from across the country are flocking to big cities like Shanghai to see doctors, making hospitals no less crowded than railway stations. It is understandable if they want to get treatment for major diseases, but it is a waste of resources and efforts if they only have minor ailments," said Zhu, who hopes for a more balanced and improved healthcare system nationwide.

Zhu told Xi more stories about the everyday life of ordinary people that she had heard or seen first-hand, and Xi listened carefully.

Addressing the session, Xi stressed the important role of urban communities in social governance, and urged better services and stewardship in communities to boost the capacity of social governance.

During the "two sessions," the annual sessions of China's national legislature and top political advisory body, the candid communication between the leadership and people like Zhu mirrors the development of China's whole-process people's democracy.

Unlike many Western systems, China's NPC deputies come from all walks of life and work part-time as lawmakers. However, the performance of their duties goes beyond the "two sessions" period.

Zhu works full-time as a community worker, and she makes down-to-earth suggestions based on her experience of serving residents.

After going through due procedures, these suggestions are passed on to relevant departments, and many are translated into concrete responses and measures from the government.

Zhu said that this year, she will put forward suggestions on how to assess long-term care insurance for the elderly and tackle internet addiction among children.

In the district she works in, there is an outreach office set up by the top legislature. Zhu and local residents have used this office to participate in the revision of more than 30 laws, including laws on domestic violence and the protection of minors, and put forward over 600 legislative opinions.

Their endeavors inspired Xi to raise the concept of whole-process people's democracy when he visited the outreach office during a 2019 inspection tour in Shanghai.

"We are very happy to see our opinions were written into the law, and the feeling that we are the masters of our country has grown stronger," Zhu said.

(Source: Xinhua)
Commuters look at their phones as they travel in a local train in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia as Europe braced for further confrontation Wednesday after Russia's leader received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with a raft of sanctions. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

**This image is for use with this specific article only**
The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine appears like a battle between David and Goliath when comparing their militaries. The NATO alliance has said that it will not get involved but has moved forces to its eastern-most members that neighbor both nations at war.

After Russia, the next four largest military forces in Europe are members of NATO. The combined strength of the 30-member alliance which includes two thirds of the European nations surpasses that of Russia in some areas but in others is on par number-wise.

Also see:

Which are the largest militaries in Europe?

Prior to the end of the Cold War Western European nations spent on average 2.4 percent of GDP on the military. However, by 2020 that had dropped to just 1.6 percent of GDP but the reduction in the size of each nations armed forces was unequal.

Germany, then just the western portion, on the front line of the Iron Curtain had the largest standing army followed by Italy, France and Britain. The picture has changed a bit since then with France possessing the largest European military force, after Russia, followed by the UK, Italy and Germany, respectively.

The downsizing of military spending occurred in Russia as well. However, around 2009 spending picked up again according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data.

We are ready, we are capable, we are NATO. #strongertogether pic.twitter.com/c4vQCvmhXe  SHAPE_NATO Allied Command Operations (@SHAPE_NATO) February 26, 2022

How big are the standing armies in Europe?

As a single nation Russia has the largest force of a European nation with 850,000 active personnel, or ready to deploy. They have another half million that they could call upon on short notice.

However, Russia doesn't have the most troops in the world, that title goes to China. However, Russia must also protect a vast area covering around a tenth of the Earths land.

Ukraine has a sizeable force with 200,000 active personnel and 500,000 when reservists and paramilitary forces are included. In the current conflict the nation has called on all males 18 to 60 years old to take up arms. As well, they have handed out weapons to all citizens that wish to pitch in along with instructing the population how to make Molotov cocktails.

For comparison according to Global Firepower, France has 205,000 active personnel, the UK 194,000, Italy 170,000 and Germany 184,000. However, the combined number of troops that NATO can call on is close to 3.4 million with another 2 million reservists and paramilitary forces according to Statista.

#NATO Allies are boosting their political and practical support to #Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russias full-scale invasion#StandWithUkraine  NATO (@NATO) February 27, 2022

Russia and NATO have similar numbers of heavy equipment

Although NATO has almost four times the number of ready to deploy troops as Russia, there is less of a gap in heavy weapons. NATO combined has around 2,300 more tanks than Russia. Nearly half of the alliances 14,682 tanks come from the US. Where Russia has its greatest advantage is in artillery which between stationary and mobile units including rocket launchers numbers around 17,500.

Although they havent brought all their tanks and heavy equipment to Ukraine, its been estimated that roughly half the firepower Russia has was amassed along the border prior to invasion. Theyll encounter around 2,600 tanks, around 3,100 artillery fixed and mobile in addition to 490 rocket launchers in Ukraine.

This was the worlds largest aircraft, AN-225 Mriya (Dream in Ukrainian). Russia may have destroyed our Mriya. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail! pic.twitter.com/TdnBFlj3N8  Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022

Air superiority is key in modern day warfare

Controlling the skies is critical to battlefield victory. Air superiority allows an army to be more maneuverable and to concentrate its forces. Individually the four biggest Western European air forces dont come close to Russias 772 fighter jets, but NATO has a combined force of over 3,500 fighter jets. Even just the four top European NATO members have a combined 611 fighter jets they can scramble.
Ukrainian service members collect unexploded shells after a fighting with Russian raiding group in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in the morning of February 26, 2022, according to Ukrainian service personnel at the scene. - Ukrainian soldiers repulsed a Russian attack in the capital, the military said on February 26 after a defiant President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed his pro-Western country would not be bowed by Moscow. It started the third day since Russian leader Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale invasion that has killed dozens of people, forced more than 50,000 to flee Ukraine in just 48 hours and sparked fears of a wider conflict in Europe. (Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
'The whole world right now needs to unite': Rallies are being held across the US in support of Ukraine
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in Indiana... White River at Edwardsport. White River at Elliston. Wabash River at Montezuma. .Multiple rounds of rain over the last few days 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. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/ind. This statement will be updated within the next 12 to 24 hours. && ...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MONDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Wabash River at Montezuma. * WHEN...Until Monday 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 Wednesday the stage was 13.0 feet. - Forecast...The river will rise to 13.4 feet just after midnight tonight. It will then fall to 13.3 feet and begin rising again early tomorrow afternoon. It will rise above flood stage early Friday morning and continue to rise to 17.1 feet early Saturday afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage Monday morning. - Flood stage is 14.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood &&
"We call on all relevant parties to exercise maximum restraint and make utmost efforts to pursue dialogues through all channels, including diplomatic means to contain the situation, to de-escalate tensions, and to seek peaceful resolution in accordance with international law, the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia,", reads the statement.



ASEAN Foreign Ministers expressed their belief that "There is still room for a peaceful dialogue to prevent the situation from getting out of control. For peace, security, and harmonious co-existence to prevail, it is responsibility of all parties to uphold the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and equal rights of all nations"./.
Press Release

February 26, 2022 Overwhelming support for Leni across sectors, including past gov't officials of Ramos, Arroyo & PNoy admin, proves the high level of trust in her person and brand of leadership - De Lima Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima stressed that the waves of support from individuals and organizations from all walks of life and different political leanings for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo is a clear proof that the Filipinos have found the "One True Candidate" who deserves the highest position in the land. De Lima, who is seeking reelection under the Robredo-Pangilinan ticket, said Robredo is the President that Filipinos both deserve and need, especially in facing the challenges of a post-pandemic world. "What is the best sign that we have found the One True Candidate? What else than to see waves upon waves of people from all walks of life and a variety of experiences rally behind her?" she asked. De Lima further said: "Saan ka nakakita ng isang Presidential candidate na sinusuportahan ng mga opisyales mula sa iba't-ibang nakaraang rehimen - mula sa mga dating Cabinet officials, top economic advisers, labor, foreign service and social service officials and employees, mga retiradong AFP officials hanggang sa iba't iba pang mga opisyales ng rehimeng Ramos, Arroyo at PNoy?" "Unmistakably, this groundswell of support shows the high level of trust in VP's person and her brand of leadership. People simply feel safe for themselves and for the country under a Leni presidency,'" she added. Notably, 23 former government officials who served during the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, around 90 former government officials who served during the late former President Benigno Aquino III's administration and 40 former government officials under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pledged to help Robredo win the presidency. Moreover, more than 600 Catholic priests, deacons, brothers, and religious sisters endorsed Leni Robredo and running mate Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, breaking a long-held tradition that discourages Catholic leaders from supporting candidates. Among the latest from the religious sector who issued a Statement of support for the Leni-Kiko tandem are more than 100 Jesuits. Additionally, more than 100 economists, including five former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) directors-general, more than 30 former labor officials including labor attackers and regional directors, 144 former DSWD officials, former officials and workers within the UN development system have thrown their support for the presidential bid of Robredo. So did former Senators for PBA (Philippine Bar Association) President and former framers of the 1987 Constitution. Robredo also received various support from across sectors including Doctors for Leni, Nurses for Leni, Engineers for Leni, Architects for Leni, Women for Leni, Youth for Leni, Seniors for Leni, PWDs for Leni, OFWs for Leni, Artists for Leni, Seminarians for Leni, the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) and the Katipunan sa Kultura at Kasaysayan (KKK) 2022, among others. De Lima said the overflowing support for Robredo is a sign of hope as it is a reminder of how important and life-changing the result of the 2022 polls is. "Ang pagdagsa ng mga sumusuporta sa kandidatura ni VP Leni ay senyales ng maraming bagay. Unang-una, ito ay senyales ng pagkakaisa - everyone agrees about her qualification and trustworthiness for the job at hand," she said. "At pangalawa, ito ay senyales ng kung gaano kahalaga ang hinaharap nating laban. Hindi ordinaryong eleksyon ang ating kinakaharap. Otherwise, seasoned officials from various regimes and esteemed personalities would not have come together to throw their support behind One VP Leni," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol said Filipinos deserve a President like Robredo who "who will fight for us - all of us. Yung bang tatayo at lalaban para sa interes natin at ng ating mga anak at kaapu-apuhan kahit na pilit s'yang tinatanggalan ng katungkulan at kapangyarihan. Iyon bang kahit gipitin, may nahahanap na paraang tumulong pa rin" "We need a President who could do so by bringing our country together who will not divide or alienate allies from across the whole economic, social and political spectrum of Philippine society; someone that everyone can agree is the best chance we have at a full recovery because everyone knows that she could and would lead with both moral integrity and intellectual competence, backed by the test of time and experience," De Lima said. "In short, kailangan natin ng Pangulong pinagkakatiwalaan at pagkakatiwalaan ng lahat," she added. De Lima said she hopes the Filipinos will choose Robredo in the 2022 polls. "Kung ang mga opisyales ng mga nakalipas na administrasyon ay nagkaisa, karapatdapat lang na magkaisa rin ang mga Pilipino sa Mayo 2022, and Let Leni Lead."
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the meeting with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives from the Vietnamese community in Singapore on February 26 . (Photo: VNA)

The President laid stress on the overseas Vietnamese affairs, saying it is very important to the great national solidarity bloc and the nations strength.

According to the State leader, his visit to Singapore has a special meaning, helping lifting the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership to a new height, especially when the two countries are looking forward to marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023.

He informed that during the visit, leaders of the two countries have agreed to early resume commercial flights, which will facilitate travel and cooperation in all fields.

On behalf of the Vietnamese community in Singapore, Dr. Vu Minh Khuong from the National University of Singapore highlighted the great significance of President Phucs visit for the relations between the two countries.

He expressed his joy at, and appreciation of the outstanding and comprehensive achievements made by the Government under the direction of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in the 2016-2021 period.

On the same day, President Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation laid flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh statue at the Asian Civilisations Museum. They also visited the Tengeh floating solar farm, which has been recently launched as part of efforts of Singapore to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Later the same day, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation left Singapore, concluding the State visit to the country./.
The Transport Ministry is assigned to instruct Vietnamese airlines to put in place plans to transport Vietnamese citizens and their families to Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

The dispatch, sent to ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and agencies under the Government, and Chairpersons of Peoples Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, says since February 24, the armed conflict in Ukraine has spread in a fast and complicated manner, directly threatening the life safety and assets of people and businesses, including that of around 7,000 Vietnamese living in Ukraine, mainly in Kharkiv, Odesa and Kyiv.

In such a situation, one of the top concerns of the Party, State, Government and Prime Minister is to ensure the highest security and safety of lives, assets and legitimate interests of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities in Ukraine and related areas, the document says.

In the dispatch, the PM assigns tasks to ministries and Peoples Committees. Accordingly, the Foreign Ministry is required to build plans to ensure security and safety and evacuate citizens and members of representative missions when necessary, while providing support for them in terms of accommodation, food and other necessities.

The ministry is also tasked with instructing Vietnamese representative missions in Ukraine and adjacent countries to make lists of Vietnamese citizens in conflict areas and take measures to quickly take them out of dangerous areas and take shelter in neighbouring countries when necessary. The ministry should also have plans ready to bring those people back to Vietnam in case they want to.

Anyone needing support can contact the citizens protection hotlines of the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine ( 380 (63) 8638999); the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia ( 79916821617); or the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry ( 84 965411118, 84 981848484; Email baohocongdan@gmail.com).

The Foreign Ministry should also ask regional countries and international and humanitarian organisations to provide help to Vietnamese citizens when necessary.

The Transport Ministry is assigned to instruct Vietnamese airlines to put in place plans to transport Vietnamese citizens and their families to Vietnam.

The Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and related ministries and sectors are required to take stock of Vietnamese people working and studying in Ukraine and inform the Foreign Ministry to serve the provision of assistance and evacuation to them.

The Ministry of Public Security should create favourable conditions in the granting of immigration documents to Vietnamese citizens, people of Vietnamese origin and their family members.

The Ministries of Planning and Investment; Industry and Trade; Finance; Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the State Bank of Vietnam and relevant agencies are required to closely follow the situation in Ukraine and work with relevant partners to seek suitable measures to ensure Vietnams national interest and the legitimate interests of Vietnamese citizens and businesses.

The Finance Ministry should coordinate with the Foreign Ministry and other ministries and agencies to allocate funding for the implementation of citizen protection measures.

The Ministry of Information and Communication and the media are assigned to provide timely and objective information on the situation in Ukraine.

Chairpersons of provinces and centrally-run cities should coordinate with ministries and agencies in protecting citizens and interests related to their localities.

The PM urged the Vietnamese community, Vietnamese businesses and Vietnamese associations in Ukraine and adjacent countries to uphold the tradition of solidarity, self-reliance and mutual help, thus helping each other to overcome difficulties and mitigate losses./.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has appealed to the international payment systems Visa and MasterCard with demands to stop servicing payment cards issued by banks  residents of the Russian Federation, the regulator's press service reported on Sunday.

"We consider it unacceptable that financial support for armed aggression against our state is provided through Visa and MasterCard international payment systems. I hope that Visa and MasterCard companies will make a fair decision in the name of world peace in Ukraine," the press service quoted Governor of the National Bank Kyrylo Shevchenko.
Charlie Gruner

Recently weve heard a lot from our political leaders and some in the media that we should follow the science. Of course, its absurd. They have become the priesthood of pseudo-science. Its not that they want us to follow "science;" they want us to follow their opinions and dictates and do it without question.

Those are bold statements and in the past I have been accused of denigrating scientists. Let me start by pointing out that there is one thing that we know about ALL scientists that we are aware of; they are human beings. They are subject to the same weaknesses as other human beings. Some are honorable and moral; others are not. Some have open minds, others are closed. Some have integrity while others do not. Some, for example, are willing to say whatever is required to get the next monetary grant for their own brand of research; or, they may simply enjoy the limelight and look for the next headline. I believe that these weak or fraudulent scientists are in the minority, but they are out there!

It is always prudent to understand that, at best, ALL science is and should be subject to challenge when new knowledge or understanding comes to light. In that regard, there is no established or settled science. There is only, what we think we know now. Lets explore some examples.

The first is in astronomy. Back in ancient Greece it was well known that the sun was carried in a chariot that drove across the sky in the daytime, set into the underworld at night to travel under the earth to the east to rise again the following day. Ptolemaic astronomy postulated that the Earth was the center of the universe and the sun and stars revolved around the earth. There was no longer a chariot. That challenge held sway until that known fact was disproved by a series of scientists, including (but not limited to) Galileo, Copernicus and Newton. Each step was a challenge to the previous established science to establish a new one. Even when new information or knowledge built on the works of older knowledge it remains a challenge. Astronomy is still in a state of gaining new knowledge. Weve come a long way from a chariot in the sky to telescopes in orbit but we are still learning. Astronomers acknowledge that. Weve not yet seen the edge of the universe.

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Chemistry has also come a long way. Once upon a time everyone "knew" that the world consisted of four elements, earth, air, fir and water. They combined in different ways to make the things we see around us. Now we know of over 100 natural elements and our modern scientists have even been able to create new or artificial elements. The new ones dont last long, but weve done it. Once we also "knew that the atom consisted of proton(s), neutron(s) and electron(s) but there was also something called photons. Photons are different from the rest because they sometimes behave like particles and sometimes like waves. They are energy. Whatever we know about them today will evolve as we learn more about our universe. It will come about by later scientists challenging their predecessors.

Another example is a name that everyone who buys milk at the grocery store has at least seen; whether you notice it or not is irrelevant. On your milk container you will see Pasteurized. The name of the scientist was Louis Pasteur; French, born 1822, died 1895. While he was a chemist and did many other things in his life he is most noted for his theory that germs caused diseases. We all know about germs now, but in his day, scientific consensus was that "evil" or "bad" night air or spirits or something else caused illnesses. Everybody "knew" that nothing so small that you needed a microscope to see it could bring down something as large as a human being. (Almost) the entire scientific community in France, Europe in general and elsewhere knew that it couldnt be. Pasteurs theory went against everything doctors and scientists at the time knew." Now we accept microbes, germs and viruses as some of the causes of disease.

What real, objective scientists accept is that none of us, not even those scientists, knows everything.

Charlie Gruner is retired from a career in information technology, served as Knoxville City Clerk and is a member of The Register-Mails Community Roundtable.Charlie Gruner, Knoxville.

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Science is never settled; it's what we know now
A financial audit investigation into the state's largest agriculture group found evidence of business mismanagement practices by its former executive director and legislative director.

Bob Rauenhorst, a certified fraud examiner at ELO Prof, an accounting service in Mitchell, addressed the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council during their meeting Thursday, saying that the group's longtime executive director Lisa Richardson and legislative director Teddi Mueller did not act in the best interest of the council.

It was found that Mueller had allowed the disbursement of SD Corn Utilization funds when she was neither an employee of the organization or a registered agent of the council, Rauenhorst said. She also hired her husband's advertising company for certain activities through the council, going against South Dakota state statute regarding indirect benefits.

More: Lawmakers say Gov. Kristi Noem's closed-door meeting with daughter violated public trust

"For Teddi Mueller to authorize these expenditures is a violation of state law because her husband being the principle officer and CEO, she would've had an indirect benefit," Rauenhorst said.

How did we get here?

In August as part of an Argus Leader investigation, it was found that South Dakota Corn had been warned it lacked basic controls for financial management over more than a decade.

More: South Dakota Corn: A decade of independent audits shows years of material weaknesses

Between 2010 and 2020, financial reports from accounting firm Eide Bailly found years of material weaknesses.

South Dakota Corn hired Brett Koenecke, a Pierre lawyer, to find an auditor to look into the group's financial records in August. Richardson and Mueller were suspended on July 15 and resigned afterward.

Thursday's meeting was the culmination of a multi-month investigation into the financial years of 2019, 2020 and 2021.

From funding a husband's advertising company to unclear job descriptions

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During Rauenhorst's testimony, he described that Mueller had hired her husband Jay's advertising company the three years that were under investigation. Invoices for the advertising company ranged from $135,750 to $47,730 and $80,750.

Under state law, this is illegal because Mueller would've indirectly benefited and state employees are not allowed to have a business contract with their spouse, Rauenhorst said.

South Dakota Corn: What you need to know about the organizational shakeup

"... That by her authorizing expenditures to her husband's corporation, she did derive a benefit from those," he said.

It was also found that in several invoices, there were purchases for iPads, earbuds, wireless earphones and other electronic devices that came with four months free of Apple Music and Apple News. The incentives were redeemed to Muller's husband's email address, Rauenhorst said.

While Mueller was involved in authorizing the payments to be distributed, Richardson was involved in creating the monthly financial statement report. Richardson would give the report to their bookkeeper explaining she should "simplify" it.

Richardson, who served as executive director of SD Corn for years, also did not have a clearly defined job description, Rauenhorst said.

At the end, Rauenhorst made several recommendations which the board said they had already implemented such as creating clear guidelines for the executive director position.

SD Corn satisfied with results

After the meeting, the Vice President of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, Chad Blindauer, said he was satisfied with the results of the investigation.

"Moving forward, we just get fully staffed and get back to business with research projects and being responsible with those check-off dollars," he said.

Blindauer said the council is not able to press charges and instead it's on the state to do so.

The audit report will be made public on the state legislature's website.

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: South Dakota Corn financial investigation finds mismanaged business
A solitary confinement cell known all as "the bing," at New York's Rikers Island jail.

A random snapshot on May 3, 2019, showed the Florida Department of Corrections holding 3,360 people in solitary confinement. 66 of them were 19 years old and younger. This is the dark reality of the sunshine state.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, Florida has the 13th highest incarceration rate in the United States.

The Florida Department of Corrections spends over $2.2 billion to imprison more than 80,495 people. Of all of those incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections, more than 10 % are in solitary confinement. Solitary confinement is a practice used routinely to isolate people in a 60 square feet cell for weeks, months, and years.

Of all the youths incarcerated, the Florida Department of Corrections places approximately 26% of them in solitary confinement. Children as young as 12 years old are denied mental health resources, education, recreation time, personal visits, and phone calls.

While the consequences of solitary confinement are detrimental to any persons physical and mental health, the effects of solitary on youths are more consequential. Studies show that isolation during adolescence freezes the developmental process of youths and exacerbates paranoia, anxiety, and depression.

The U.S. Department of Justice found that half of incarcerated youths that die by suicide take their lives while in solitary confinement and 62% were in solitary confinement at some point before their death.

Outside of the mental and physical consequences of solitary confinement, it also fails to improve public safety. According to a study conducted by the ACLU, solitary confinement contributes to recidivism, as individuals placed in solitary confinement are more likely to commit crimes after their release.

There are advocates across the state pressuring the Florida Department of Corrections to stop placing youths in solitary confinement. Rather than authorizing solitary confinement, the Florida Department of Corrections should follow states like Maine, New Mexico, and Washington and employ reformative practices like rewarding good behavior and encouraging de-escalation techniques.

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This legislative session Rep. Michele Rayner and Sen. Annette Taddeo proposed similar bills, House Bill 765 and Senate Bill 1934, both of which prohibit the Florida Department of Corrections from placing youths in solitary confinement.

While a step in the right direction, similar bills have been proposed in the past and none have gained any traction.

Be on the right side of history. Speak for those that have been silenced. Contact Rep. Robert Brannan, Chair of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, at (850) 717-5010 and Sen. Jason Pizzo, Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, at (850) 487- 5038 to offer your support for House Bill 765 and Senate Bill 1934.

To learn more, watch the interview developed by the Public Interest Law Center, at Florida State University College of Law at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GymFj0BOEkE.

The interview shares the story of Catherine Jones, a previously incarcerated person held in solitary confinement at 14 years old.

Precious Chavez

Precious Chavez is a final-year student at Florida State University College of Law. She is a Certified Legal intern at the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Law Project at the Public Interest Law Center.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Remove our children from solitary confinement | Opinion
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine are discussing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) options for supporting the country's economy and financial sector during martial law, the NBU said on Sunday.

According to the NBU, Ukraine asks to initiate the allocation of additional funding to it under the Fund's emergency support program for its member states  the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) .

RFI funding is capped at 50% of the country's quota per year and 100% of the quota on a cumulative basis (although these limits were raised to 100% and 150% respectively by the end of 2021 to counter the pandemic). Ukraine's quota in the IMF is SDR 2 billion, or $28 billion, the National Bank said. The financial terms of the RFI are similar to the terms of the Stand-By Arrangement, under which Ukraine is currently working with the Fund, the funds received shall be paid in 3.25-5 years.

RFI provides an opportunity for quick access to financial assistance to those countries that are faced with urgent balance of payments needs, in particular, as a result of military conflicts, the National Bank recalled.

The central bank said that the RFI is designed for cases where the launch of a full-fledged economic reform program is not possible. At the same time, the Member State requesting such assistance must cooperate with the Fund to resolve problems with its balance of payments and have a common list of economic and financial policies that it plans to implement for this purpose.

In addition, additional options for emergency financial support for Ukraine are being considered. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva assured that the IMF is actively working on all possible options for financial support for Ukraine.

The National Bank added that the World Bank Group also reacted to the situation in Ukraine. The parties are discussing a package of financial support under Second Economic Recovery Development Policy Loan.

In addition, the NBU said that the experts of the IMF positively assessed all the measures taken by the National Bank to ensure the continuity of the functioning of the financial system during martial law.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) toasts holding a glass of vodka with Deputy Defense Minister Valery Gerasimov (R) and Presidential Administration Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov (C). Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

The Biden administration targeted Putin's elite inner circle in Thursday's economic sanctions.

It's part of the US' latest efforts to financially cripple Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

Meet the 10 Russian oligarchs being sanctioned, from oil barons to diamond mining and banking execs.

Wealthy oligarchs are the latest target of US sanctions announced by the Biden Administration on Thursday, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Energy Week in Moscow Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

The US Treasury identified 10 Russian elites with close ties to Putin who "leverage their proximity to the Russian President to pillage the Russian state, enrich themselves ... at the expense of the Russian people," per the press release.

A composite Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and President Joe Biden (R.) Kremlin Press Office/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images; Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Source: US Treasury

Bloomberg reported that the US, Canada, and several European nations will freeze the listed oligarchs' Western assets  including their yachts, private jets, and luxury homes.

The Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia. Jarung H/Shutterstock

Source: Bloomberg

Meet Russia's wealthy elite being hit by the sanctions.

Associated Press

1. Sergei Borisovich Ivanov: Russia's Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology, and Transport.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) listens to his Special Envoy on Ecology Sergei Ivanov (L) during a meeting with foreign investors at the 2018 Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

The former KGB agent was Putin's Chief of Staff from 2011 to 2016 and "one of Putin's closest allies," per the US Treasury department.

Russian Presidential Special Envoy on Ecology Sergei Ivanov. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

2. His son, Sergei S. Ivanov: CEO of Alrosa, a state-backed diamond mining company.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) meets with Sergei Ivanov, CEO of the Alrosa diamond mining company, at the Moscow Kremlin. Mikhail Klimentyev\TASS via Getty Images

Alrosa is partially owned by Russia and accounts for 28% of the world's diamond mining capacity. Its sales last year totaled $4.2 billion, according to Statista.

Russian diamond mining company Alrosa's CEO Sergei Ivanov Jr. ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Statista

The company was one of 11 Russian entities subjected to new debt and equity sanctions on Thursday. Alrosa has a market cap of $6.2 billion, according to Forbes, and a US branch headquartered in New York City.

This 51.38-carat Alrosa diamond was included in a collection of 5 stones auctioned with a starting price of $10 million. YURI KADOBNOV/AFP via Getty Images

Source: US Treasury, Forbes

3. Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev: Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, and "longtime close associate of Putin," per the US Treasury.

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with the Secretary-General of the Japanese National Security Council. Mikhail Metzel\TASS via Getty Images

The Russian Federal Security Service is known as the "successor" to the Soviet Union's KGB.

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Officers of the Alpha special operations unit simulate responding to a hostage situation during a counter-terrorism exercise held by the regional office of the Russian Federal Security Service. Donat Sorokin\TASS via Getty Images

Source: BBC

4. Nikolai Patrushev's son, Andrey Patrushev: appointed in 2019 as the CEO of Gazprom Neft, Russia's third-largest oil producer.

Andrey Patrushev Gazprom Neft press center

Source: Gazprom Neft

The oil company was also listed among the 11 Russian entities subjected to Thursday's economic sanctions.

Gazprom Neft's HAKURYU-5 drilling rig develops offshore oil field in Sea of Okhotsk. Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty Images

5. Igor Ivanovich Sechin: CEO of Rosneft, one of the world's largest oil companies. The oil baron has been called the second most powerful man in Russia, after Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) looks on Rosneft President Igor Sechin (R) during Russian-Chinese talks at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

6. His son, Ivan Igorevich Sechin: reportedly a deputy department head at Rosneft.

Rosneft builds North Bay Port crude oil terminal on eastern coast of Yenisey Gulf in Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia. Denis Kozhevnikov\TASS via Getty Images

Source: US Treasury

7. Alexander Aleksandrovich Vedyakhin: First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank, the largest financial institution in Russia.

Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Sberbank Executive Board. Mikhail Japaridze\TASS via Getty Images

Sberbank holds around a third of Russia's bank assets. Thursday's sanctions require US financial institutions to reject any payments that Sberbank attempts to make in US dollars.

People queue outside a branch of Russian state-owned bank Sberbank to withdraw their savings and close their accounts following Russia's attack on Ukraine. MICHAL CIZEK/AFP via Getty Images

8. Andrey Sergeyevich Puchkov: a high-ranking executive at VTB Bank, Russia's second-largest financial institution. Puchkov also has stakes in two Moscow-based real estate companies.

Russia's VTB bank was listed as one of those targeted by the proposed sanctions, according to Reuters. Kirill Kudryavtsev/Getty Images

9. Yuri Solovyev: first deputy president-chairman of the Board at VTB Bank, which was hit with full-blocking sanctions to "sever a critical artery of Russia's financial system."

Yuri Solovyev, first deputy president-chairman of the Board at VTB Bank, during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and investors. Mikhail Klimentyev\TASS via Getty Images

Source: US Treasury

10. Galina Olegovna Ulyutina: Soloviev's ex-wife was involved in a "golden passport scheme," where Russia's elite "pay" for citizenship by investing in a country. Golden passports in the US, Canada, and Europe are now being limited under sanctions against Russia.

Sugar-baby TikTok is filled with videos showing off lavish lifestyles. Jupiter Images

Source: Insider

Read the original article on Business Insider
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Home burglaries are far more common than you might think. But a home security system goes a long way in protecting your home from becoming a part of a burglary statistic. In fact, according to a study done from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, 60% of convicted burglars say the presence of an alarm system (cameras, sensors, etc) would steer them away from a house.

Today's Top Deals

Some of the most popular options for home security systems are Ring and Nest, but these systems can become pricey as you build them. Another option that is becoming popular is Blink, which also happens to be an Amazon-owned security system like Ring, but is considered a more budget-friendly option to home security. But how does it compare to Ring? Is home security a place where you really want to cut costs? We answer these questions and more as we compare the two Amazon-owned security systems, Blink and Ring, below.

Ring vs. Blink: What To Know

Although both security companies are owned by the same company, each offers a different variety of home security products and services. Blink is more on the DIY and affordable side with a limited amount of home devices, while Ring offers a complete home security solution with multiple home security camera options for both indoor and outdoor as well as complete security system packages and monitoring.

Subscription & Costs

Ring

One of the big differences between Blink and Ring is professional monitoring. Ring offers professional monitoring of your home security devices for $20 a month. This means someone is looking after your home and possessions even when you dont have your phone with you and can dispatch emergency services in the event of a break-in. You can even recoup some of that subscription money with discounts from your home insurance.

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But what if you dont want professional monitoring, do you still have to pay $20 a month for Ring? No. In fact, you dont need a subscription at all to use Ring products. You can still see the livestream from your cameras and get real-time notifications. But if you want access to recordings of events, you will need to subscribe to Ring Protect, which starts at $3/month.

That being said, you dont have to sign any long-term contracts, and you can cancel your subscription at any time.

Find a full breakdown of the subscription comparisons and the available features of each Ring plan here.

Blink

So, what about Blink? Blink operates in much of the same fashion minus the professional monitoring. Without a subscription to the Blink Basic or Plus plans, you have access to a livestream of your cameras as well as notifications when something triggers the cameras motion sensors. But for other features, like access to video recording and cloud storage, youll need to pay for a subscription which starts out at $3 a month. Or, you can save yourself two months of costs by paying for a year in full, which costs $30.

Find a full breakdown of the subscription comparisons and the available features of each Blink plan here.

Heres a quick rundown of the plans and costs for Ring and Blink:

Ring Basic: $3 a month with video recording for one camera

Ring Plus: $10 a month with video recording for all devices at your home

Ring Pro: $20 a month with video recording and 24/7 professional monitoring

Blink Basic: $3 a month/$30 a year with video recording for one camera

Blink Plus: $10 a month/$100 a year with unlimited number of devices per account

Hardware & Costs

When it comes to the sheer number of options for home security devices, Ring outmatches Blink. Although Blink device options may seem limited compared to Ring, the offerings provide an affordable way to build a home security system comparatively.

As of this writing, Blink offers:

Indoor plug-in camera for $34.99

Outdoor Wireless Camera for $99.99

Video Doorbell for $49.99

Indoor wireless camera for $79.99

Floodlight camera for $139.98

The Ring line of doorbell cameras alone includes more available options than all Blink camera offerings total. Needless to say, Ring has a more extensive list of home security devices. These include:

7 video doorbell options ranging from $59.99  $349.99

Indoor Stick up camera (indoor and outdoor) for $99.99

Indoor Cam for $59.99

Spotlight Cam for $199.99

Floodlight Cam Wired Pro for $249.99

Ring Security Systems ranging from $249.99  $299.99

Smart Lighting ranging from $29.99  $139.99

Ring vs. Blink: Products & Add-Ons

By now you might be asking yourself, if Amazon owns both Blink and Ring, can I mix and match systems? Well  yes and no. Theres nothing stopping you from having a Ring Doorbell Camera and a Blink indoor camera  youll just need to use separate apps to control each device, so you lose most of the smart home interconnectivity by doing that. But there is a workaround. When both sets of devices are connected to Alexa, you can control both of them through Alexa Routines.

Even though you can mix and match systems, both Ring and Blink have a handful of great additions to make your home security system fluid and robust.

Blink Solar Panel Charging Mount

Say forget it to charging your outdoor Blink cameras batteries. With the Solar Panel Charging Mount, you can harness the power of the sun to continuously power your Blink outdoor cameras.

Blink Solar Panel Charging Mount



Buy: Blink Solar Panel Charging Mount $139.98

Blink Video Doorbell

This affordable doorbell camera is about $10 cheaper than the least expensive Ring doorbell camera, yet provides 1080p HD quality video along with two-way audio. You can use it as a wireless doorbell or wire it to your existing doorbell chime. Our SPY Team even thinks this new doorbell gives Ring a run for its money.

Blink Video Doorbell



Buy: Blink Video Doorbell $49.99

Blink Mini Plug-in Indoor Cam

You dont have to worry about changing out batteries because these nifty little cameras plug into the wall. And they are so small you can conveniently place or hide them just about anywhere. Two-way audio allows you to talk to whoever is inside and even say hello to your pets.

Blink Mini Plug-in Indoor Cam



Buy: Blink Mini Plug-in Indoor Cam $34.99

Blink Sync Module 2

If you are going to build a home security system from Blink devices, the Blink Sync Module 2 serves as your hub. It connects up to 10 Blink devices and can even store local video which you can access via USB.

Blink Sync Module 2



Buy: Blink Sync Module 2 $34.99

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2

We found this to be the best Ring Video Doorbell you can buy right now. It has head-to-toe video and 3D motion that provide accurate real-time notifications of who is around your home. Plus, it can be used wirelessly or can be wired to your existing chime.

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2



Buy: Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 $249.99

Ring Stickup Cam

These handy cameras can be used both indoors and outdoors. You can place it on a tabletop or mount it outside of your garage. It has motion detection, two-way voice and is incredibly easy to set up.

Ring Stickup Cam



Buy: Ring Stickup Cam $99.99

Ring Chime Pro

You dont always have your phone on you, so how will you know when someone is at your front door? The Ring Chime Pro can help alert you when someone is at your door using a variety of chime tones. Likewise, it even serves as a WiFi booster for your other Ring devices as well as a nightlight.

Ring Chime Pro



Buy: Ring Chime Pro $49.99

Ring vs. Blink Home Security Systems: Final Verdict

If you are looking for an affordable DIY option, Blink is worth consideration. Sure, there arent many product options, but that is part of the appeal  simple choices, easy to install wireless cameras, all at a relatively low cost.

But for someone looking for more features, especially a professional monitoring option, as well as more add-on options and home automation via Alexa integration, Ring is the way to go. Overall, Ring is your best bet to future-proof your home and home security system.





More Top Deals from SPY

Click here to read the full article.
Russia has restricted access to Facebook, claiming the social media giant has censored Russian media amid the Ukraine conflict.

In a statement sent to several published outlets, the country's ministry of communications said Facebook "violated the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens" by censoring Russian outlets.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Nick Clegg, vice president of global affairs for Facebook parent company Meta, said the company refused orders by Russian authorities to stop independent fact-checking and labeling of content posted to Facebook by the media organizations.

"Ordinary Russians are using our apps to express themselves and organize for action," Clegg said in his statement confirming Russia had restricted Facebook's services. "We want them to continue to make their voices heard, share whats happening and organize."

WAR VIA TIKTOK: TikTok is Russia's newest weapon in arsenal for anti-Ukraine propaganda

WANT TO SUPPORT PEOPLE OF UKRAINE?: These apps and websites can help you send money

Ordinary Russians are using @Meta's apps to express themselves and organize for action. We want them to continue to make their voices heard, share whats happening, and organize through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. pic.twitter.com/FjTovgslCe  Nick Clegg (@nickclegg) February 25, 2022

On Saturday, The New York Times reported that Russian authorities warned tech companies including Meta, Apple, Google and TikTok to set up legal entities in the country by the end of the month to abide by a new law.

According to the report, legal experts believe that if the companies comply, it will make them more vulnerable to the demands of government censors.

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On Saturday, Twitter confirmed its services were restricted in the country as well. "Were aware that Twitter is being restricted for some people in Russia and are working to keep our service safe and accessible," the company said.

Elon Musk says Starlink active in Ukraine

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who runs the satellite-powered broadband internet company Starlink, said its service is now active in Ukraine. "Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route," Musk wrote Saturday afternoon.

Were aware that Twitter is being restricted for some people in Russia and are working to keep our service safe and accessible.  Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) February 26, 2022

Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 26, 2022

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, misinformation on social media has spread rampantly.

Some imagery claims to show Russian fighter jets being shot down or Ukrainians dodging for cover in their own homes. Some are real, horrifying images of this war, while others had been lurking on the internet for years.

People who see these videos, photos and claims online are likely to watch them, share them and move on with their day, said John Silva, a senior director of the News Literacy Project, a nonprofit that works to fight misinformation through education.

We see a paratrooper, hes speaking Russian, and so we dont take the time to question it, Silva said. If we see a piece of information thats new to us, we have this compulsion to share it with others.

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Facebook restricted in Russia; Musk says Starlink active in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin outlines his reasons for invading Ukraine in this video still of him addressing his nation Thursday. (Russian Presidential Press Service)

No matter how Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine ends, it already marks a turning point in history: the end of a 30-year period of relative peace in Europe and a return to hostility between Russia and its neighbors  a kind of Cold War 2.0.

If were lucky.

The first Cold War, from 1947 until 1991, divided the world between two hostile blocs. The United States and the Soviet Union reached the brink of nuclear war at least three times, most famously in the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, then negotiated a series of agreements to reduce the risk of conflict. Eventually the Soviet Union, burdened by a sclerotic economy, simply collapsed.

Three decades later, that thumbnail history may sound oddly comforting: Alls well that ends well. But living through the Cold War, complete with bomb shelters and nuclear attack drills, was anything but comfortable.

The world is different now. Russia is smaller and arguably weaker than the Soviet Union; the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the U.S.-led alliance, is larger.

But that doesnt mean the outcome is predictable.

This is a new situation, warned John Lewis Gaddis of Yale, the dean of American Cold War historians. This is not a cold war; this is a hot war  and it directly involves one of the great powers.

In response to Russias invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its allies have quickly assembled an updated version of the Cold War strategy of containment  countermeasures to deter Moscow from further aggression.

They have imposed economic sanctions to punish Putin and his oligarchs, deployed troops to bolster Poland and other NATO countries on Russias western border, and stepped up military aid to Ukraine.

Its not clear how effective those measures will be  and all of them could prompt retaliation from Putin.

Take economic sanctions. The United States and its allies have blocked most Russian banks from doing business in the West and imposed new controls on technology sales.

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Unlike in Cold War 1.0, however, the West is vulnerable to Russian economic retaliation. Putin can reduce his exports of natural gas, one of Europes main sources of heating fuel. He can launch cyberattacks on the United States and elsewhere.

NATOs military reinforcements will likely draw Putins anger as well. One of his principal complaints about the way the first Cold War ended is that it allowed NATO to eventually add 14 countries that the Soviet Union considered part of its strategic buffer zone.

Putins reckless behavior leaves the U.S. and its allies no choice but to augment the defenses on NATOs eastern flank, Charles A. Kupchan, a former National Security Council aide in the Obama administration, told me. The Russians are not going to like that and will respond in kind.

Western aid to Ukrainian forces could be a trigger as well, whether its overt help to Ukraines government or covert aid to resistance fighters.

Im guessing that this will happen  military, economic and material support to Ukrainians resisting a Russian occupation, Kupchan said.

It does not come without risk. If arms are coming from Poland, does that mean the Russians will start tinkering with Poland? If Putin is reckless enough to go into Ukraine, he may be reckless enough to test NATO.

Putin has already intimated that he reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if he feels threatened by foreign powers  a startling escalation of rhetoric.

Whoever tries to hinder us, and even more to create threats to our country and our people, should know that Russias response will be immediate  and it will lead you to such consequences that you have never encountered in your history, he said in his speech last week announcing the invasion.

Finally, the map of Cold War 2.0 includes one more new element: a powerful China.

During most of the 20th century Cold War, China was a poor country, a relatively minor player economically and militarily.

Now its an economic superpower and Russias most important ally.

Fifty years ago this week, President Nixon wooed China away from its alliance with the Soviet Union. Kupchan argues that President Biden should try to do likewise now.

China has seen Russia as an important ally in pushing back against the West, Kupchan said. But the Chinese, unlike Putin, do not like disruption. They see Putin turning everything upside down, and theyre not sure thats a good idea. Its in the interest of the United States to take advantage of that.

Cold War 1.0 lasted almost half a century. It was expensive and painful. Millions of people died in proxy wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and elsewhere. But the antagonists avoided a third world war.

Theres a lesson in that experience for Cold War 2.0:

Even as the United States and its allies act against Putin, they need diplomacy, too  to reduce the risk that this Cold War will be more costly than the first.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
via Twitter

Russian forces in Ukraine killed a child in Kyiv on Saturday and at least five civilians on a bus in the Kharkiv region, authorities there said. This even as the Kremlin has continued to claim, without a hint of irony, that it is not targeting ordinary Ukrainiansand much of the rest of the planet looks on in horror.

For the second night in a row, families in the Ukrainian capital were forced to take shelter in basements or bomb shelters, or wait like sitting ducks in their own homes as missiles and artillery fire lit up the sky. Explosions and gunfire were reported throughout the city, with near-constant air raid sirens going off.

The night began with the government warning citizens that Russia planned to hit Kyiv with everything they have after days of setbacks. Experts had warned that Russia might intensify its attacks after facing stronger-than-expected resistance from Ukrainian troops.

Shortly after midnight, authorities in Vasylkiv, in the Kyiv region, said Russian forces had fired a missile at an oil depot, sparking a massive fire.

Kyiv now. Continuous rocket shelling. And three convoys of tanks - almost 500 in total - approaching the city from different directions. It will be hellish tonight. pic.twitter.com/pgkjvSnVT1  Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) February 26, 2022

First responders have already arrived at the scene of the tragedy. Most likely, this was not without victims, Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraines interior minister, announced on Telegram.

The ecological damage will be colossal, he said.

No details were immediately available on any casualties in that case. But hours earlier, Ukrainian authorities reported brutaland lethalattacks on civilians by Russian forces in numerous cities.

A residential area of Kharkiv came under attack by Russian forces, a journalist was killed in Kherson, and an ambulance was fired upon as it was transporting wounded patients in Kherson, according to Ukraines Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova.

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All those who commit the most heinous crimes against civilians will not escape responsibility, Venediktova said in a statement shared on Facebook detailing the attacks.

She identified the journalist who was gunned down as Dilerbek Shakirov, saying Russian forces shot at him from a vehicle using automatic weapons in a village near Kherson. A 64-year-old ambulance driver and wounded soldier also burned to death after getting struck by Russian artillery fire as they tried to treat wounded patients, she said.

The night will be rough. But tomorrow there will be the sun. Were holding the line, she wrote.

The United Nations said Saturday it had confirmed at least 240 civilian casualties, including 64 deaths, since the invasion began just three days earlier, but noted the real figures are considerably higher.

The death toll of Ukrainian children also appeared to climb on Saturday, with one boy reported dead as the result of Russian shelling in the capital. Sergei Chernyshuk, director of the Okhmatdyt hospital, was quoted telling Ukrainian news outlet TCN that the boy was being transported along with four others who were hurt in an attack, but that he succumbed to his injuries during transport.

Further east, near Kharkiv, five civilians were killed after their bus took a hit from Russian artillery fire, according to Pavel Kirilenko, head of the Donetsk regional civil-military administration.

Russia is killing civilians and will be punished for its crimes! Kirilenko wrote.

Medical specialists transport a wounded woman to an ambulance after shelling in Kyiv. Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Ukraines ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, has said authorities are working to gather evidence to present to The Hague that would show Russia is guilty of crimes against humanity. So far, Vladimir Putins troops have been accused of targeting residential areas, kindergartens, and hospitals, even as both the Russian Defense Ministry and the Kremlin have claimed they are only targeting Ukrainian military facilities.

At least five children have been killed by Russian shelling since Putin announced his military operation three days ago, according to Lyudmila Denisova, the Ukrainian parliaments commissioner for human rights.

Thirty-three other kids have been wounded, she wrote on Telegram.

The childrens deaths will be key evidence when The Hague investigates Russia for war crimes, Denisova said.

She added one of the most disturbing allegations about Russian tactics yet, albeit without providing evidence. In the Sumy region, where intense fighting has been underway, Denisova said, enemy aircraft scatter childrens toys, mobile phones, and valuables filled with explosives.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Japan's Prime Minister and ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Fumio Kishida speaks as he joins a live interview with news channels individually at the party headquarters on October 31, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Behrouz Mehri, Pool/Getty Images

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Sunday that it will block Russian access to international banking.

Japan's participation now marks complete involvement from the G7 nations.

The White House welcomed Japan to the effort "to isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies."

Japan is joining the rest of the G7 in blocking Russian access to SWIFT, an international banking system.

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Sunday that the country will band with the European Union, Canada, the UK, and the US in removing Russian banks from its SWIFT, or Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication services.

Kishida added that said Japan will also place further sanctions on Russian officials and send $100 million in emergency humanitarian aid funding to Ukraine. And with Japan's participation, the full G7 is now onboard with the SWIFT ban.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Sunday that the US welcomes the stance and push "to isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies."

"Following Japan's announcement, the entire G7 now supports disconnecting selected Russian banks from SWIFT, restrictions on the Russian Central Bank, and sanctioning key Russian leaders, including President Putin," Psaki said.

She continued: "Prime Minister Kishida and the Government of Japan have been leaders in condemning President Putin's attack on Ukraine and we will continue working closely together to impose further severe costs and make Putin's war of choice a strategic failure."

SWIFT is a large-scale global platform for banks to communicate on financial matters such as transfers, transactions, and trades. It connects more than 11,000 financial services companies across 200 countries and territories, hosting an average of 42 million messages a day, Bloomberg reported.

In a joint statement earlier this week announcing the SWIFT ban, the leaders of the EU, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, the UK, and the US wrote that they plan to "hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin."

"Even beyond the measures we are announcing today, we are prepared to take further measures to hold Russia to account for its attack on Ukraine," they said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Imagine a world with four Nicholas Alahverdians, all under arrest for being the international fugitive from Rhode Island who faked his death.

That would be enough for a version of the old game show "To Tell the Truth," where a panel of guests competed to identify which of three contestants was really the person they all claimed to be.

According to the only man now publicly charged with being Alahverdian  and facing rape and fraud charges back in the United States  something similar is actually happening.

In an 80-minute phone interview with The Providence Journal over the weekend, the man who calls himself Arthur Knight, an online public relations professional from Glasgow, Scotland, says he has learned that law enforcement authorities actually have three other men in custody around the world, all arrested on suspicion of being the con man Alahverdian.

'A dangerous mind': News of Nick Alahverdian's fake death shocks those who took him in

Nicholas Alahverdian leaves Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Feb. 10. At left is his wife, Miranda Knight Brown.

Their arrests, he appeared to argue, somehow supported his claim that he was not Alahverdian, providing one more odd twist to an already head-scratching tale.

Were advised that three other individuals are currently under arrest and for some reason this is the only arrest that has been leaked, he said, speaking with some kind of accent and with labored breaths as he recovers apparently from COVID-19.

Interview with the man known as Arthur Knight

On the phone with him was his wife of two years, Miranda, who had to interpret several times what her husband was trying to convey.

The only reason my case went public was because I was in intensive care  and hadnt been seen in Glasgow for a month, he said.

The man did not explain how his hospitalization led to news of his arrest on Dec. 13.

Miranda added that the three other men charged with being the fugitive Alahverdian, had been arrested in France, Russia and the United States.

And then the couple was off on other supposedly-related topics, though the connections werent always clear, such as their point that the real Alahverdian had once been a victim of identity theft from an upset fellow Mormon.

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'Everyone thinks Im an American': Nicholas Alahverdian masquerades as English aristocrat

At the start of the interview Saturday the man wanted assurances that that chap in the video wasnt listening in to the phone conversation.

He was referring to Brian Coogan, a former friend of Alahverdians, who was in The Providence Journal newsroom earlier this month when a British television network called him, via Facetime, for assistance identifying whether Arthur Knight was actually Nick Alahverdian.

Coogan, who says he almost adopted Alahverdian 20 years ago when the boy was a ward of the state, was emphatic: that was indeed Alahverdian sitting there in Glasgow on his apartment couch.

Coogan pointed out the familiar scar next to the mans right eye and challenged him to expose his two biceps where Alahverdian was known to have tattoos. Thats when the Facetime call abruptly ended.

Was Nick Alahverdian calling home to RI? Sure was, says the man who almost adopted him

What about the tattoos?

Speaking to The Journal Saturday, the man said he found Coogans assertions rather offensive particularly when Coogan challenged his Irish heritage and said he was coming to Scotland to prove the man a liar.

But what about the tattoos? A Scottish prosecutor said Interpol authorities used them to identify Arthur Knight as Alahverdian.

The question regarding tattoos is rather interesting because there are no tattoos on my body, he said, then directed the conversation back to how he had caught COVID.

The man showed great familiarity with Alahverdians past, including his 2008 conviction for groping a college co-ed in Ohio and the allegation Alahverdian now faces that he raped a former girlfriend in Orem, Utah, just months later.

He questioned why authorities didnt arrest Alahverdian then for rape since he apparently told authorities he had had relations with her.

He said he had educated himself about these incidents in case he has to show at his extradition hearing in April the shoddy work of prosecutors, particularly that of Utah County Attorney David Leavitt, who sought Alahverdians arrest on the rape charge months after he faked his death in Rhode Island in February 2020.

The man also sent The Journal 18 links of various news stories, many raising questions of Leavitts prosecutorial conduct.

What we found in Glasgow: We flew to Scotland to find the American who faked his own death

'I am not and have never been known by those names,' Alahverdian or Rossi

The man who calls himself Arthur Knight said were not only attacking [Leavitt], we are attacking everything, and by everything, I include the claim that I have an identity or have even had an identity of Mr. Rossi (the surname formerly used by Alahverdian) or Mr. Alahverdian. I am not and have never been known by those names.

Further, he said, I have never been to the United States in my life.

That might surprise Kenny Low, the owner of The Arlington pub around the corner from where Arthur Knight lives.

Low told The Journal the man was a regular last year and after a couple of beers would sometimes drop in to speaking with an American accent. Low said the reason the man gave was that he had once worked in the United States.

On Saturday the man said he had only been to The Arlington twice in his life.

Email Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com or call, 401-277-7359

More in this case:

Previously: He was reported dead, but the state police kept looking for Nick Alahverdian

Utah court: Documents detail rape charge against Nicholas AlahverdianMore: Nicholas Alahverdian re-arrested in Scotland after bail-review hearing

What motivates Nicholas Alahverdian? A mental-health expert evaluates the case

Extradition from Scotland: In Nicholas Alahverdian's case, how will it work?

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Man arrested in Scotland denies he's Nick Alahverdian, RI fugitive con man
An arrest Friday in Phelan yielded thousands of pounds of marijuana and a firearm, sheriff's officials said.

A Phelan man was arrested Friday on suspicion of discharging a firearm in a front yard and possessing thousands of pounds of marijuana, authorities reported Saturday.

Jose Meza-Gomez, 47, was arrested and booked at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto and is being held on $50,000 bail, San Bernardino County Sheriffs booking records show.

At 12:20 p.m. Friday, deputies responded to reports of shots fired in the 13600 block of Wilson Ranch Road in Phelan, the Victor Valley Sheriffs Station reported.

The address is located near the California Aqueduct and south of State Route 18/Palmdale Road.

During that time, deputies received information that a man, later identified as Meza-Gomez, was shooting a firearm from the front yard of his residence, the sheriffs report said.

Upon arrival, deputies located multiple fired cartridge cases from multiple caliber weapons at the home, where occupants were detained and a search warrant was written, according to sheriffs officials.

Upon service of the warrant, an AR-15 rifle, a handgun, rifle ammunition and approximately 2,400 pounds of processed marijuana were found inside the residence, the sheriffs report said.

The Narcotics Divisions Marijuana Team responded to assist in the investigation and with the destruction of the marijuana. Meza-Gomez was arrested and booked.

Anyone with information about the ongoing investigation is asked by the sheriff's department to contact Deputy Whitney at Victor Valley Sheriffs Station, 760-552-6800. Callers can remain anonymous and contact We-Tip at 800-78CRIME or www.wetip.com.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Phelan: Police find 2,400 pounds of marijuana, arrest man for firing gun
The Hills police department confirmed Sunday that some perimeter fencing would be reinstalled around the Capitol days before President Joe Bidens State of the Union address and expected protests in Washington, D.C.

Out of an abundance of caution, and in conjunction with the United States Secret Service, a plan has been approved to put up the inner-perimeter fence around the Capitol building for the State of the Union Address, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said in a statement. Manger added that he had requested support from other law enforcement agencies and the National Guard for their security preparations.

Fencing ringed the Capitol for weeks after the Jan. 6 insurrection, and some temporary fencing was reinstalled ahead of a rally last September in support of Jan. 6 defendants. Congressional security officials had weighed plans to restore fencing ahead of Bidens joint address to Congress last April amid potential protests over the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd, but ultimately scrapped the proposal.



Law enforcement agencies have been preparing for protests in Washington modeled after trucker convoy protests in Canada against vaccine mandates and Covid-19 restrictions that brought traffic in the Canadian capital to a halt. The Canadian protests have drawn some sympathy from Republicans who supported their anti-mandate message. One group filed a permit with the National Park Service for a March 1 protest next to the Washington Monument; it claimed it could have up to 3,000 demonstrators in support of the Canadian trucker protests and against mandates.

The Pentagon has authorized as many as 700 National Guard personnel to assist the Metropolitan Police and the Capitol Police in an unarmed capacity through March 7. Capitol Police also said Sunday it would close some roads around the Capitol in preparation for the State of the Union.
ORLANDO, Fla.  Mike Pompeo was swarmed by a throng of reporters and fans as he made his way down the hallway of the luxury resort hosting this years annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

The former secretary of state had just received a standing ovation. As he headed toward an interview with Fox Nation, a slightly aggrieved CPAC attendee yelled out at the commotion, Hes not even president yet!

It was a familiar sentiment at the annual gathering of thousands of conservatives here in central Florida. As excited as the crowds were about GOP headliners like Pompeo, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, and Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), the enthusiasm was qualified  all bets are off if Donald Trump decides to run again.

Back in Washington, the GOP might be at odds about whether or not the partys future should prominently feature the ex-president. And within Trump world, theres been some angst about his current standing. There were fears he might not play as well with the CPAC crowd after being out of office, especially at a conference held in the backyard of another 2024 frontrunner: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But among the activists at CPAC, it turns out, diehard conservatives remain more excited about the prospect of a Trump reelection than anything else.

Trump flags hung from right-wing media booths where the former presidents allies and former White House officials talked about America First policy, raged against culture war issues and railed on the Biden administration. Attendees sported Trump was Right buttons, and bedazzled MAGA hats were seen at every turn. Supporters clamored for the chance to attend a free VIP reception with Trump, and a buffet of his favorite McDonalds fast food.

For all the chatter that Trump's influence over the Republican Party is growing weaker, that others in the GOP tent are feeling more emboldened to break with him, there were few signs of it here. Inside the confines of CPAC  a conference that provides a pulse read for the conservative movement  there was little sense that the former president was anything other than the center of attention. The cavernous ballroom was, for the first time all weekend, completely full when Trump took the stage to roaring cheers on Saturday night.

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We did it twice, and well do it again. We're going to be doing it again a third time, Trump said to cheers. Partway through his speech, the crowd erupted into cheers of Four more years!

A group of five friends from Texas traveled to Florida to wear their support for Trump with bright yellow shirts that spelled out the former presidents name in red sequin letters.

I dont want to jinx it, said Sandy Pate, who wore the letter P, when asked about Trump running again. We want Trump to run. We want America back.

I think if we can take the House and the Senate back and he is running, said Kristi Mitts, emblazoned with the R.

All signs point toward Trump running in 2024, according to people close to him, unless President Joe Bidens approval numbers suggest hes unbeatable or Trump decides that life as political kingmaker in Mar-a-Lago beats the hassle, at his age, of another run.

In their appearances in Orlando, Trumps potential 2024 rivals  or successors  were careful to read the mood of the conference. They made sure to offer their support for Trump administration policies and avoid signaling too much ambition, for fear of alienating Trumps base  or drawing the former presidents wrath. DeSantis notably did not mention Trumps name in his speech.



I think everyone in this room wants Trump to run again, said George Santos, a New York Republican congressional candidate. I believe Trump should get in if thats what he wants to do, then if he doesnt, its a free for all.

Some notable presidential hopefuls didnt even make an appearance  among them, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence. Neither were invited, per Matt Schlapp, the chair of the American Conservative Union that puts on CPAC each year.

Its unclear if either politician, both former CPAC headliners who fell out of favor with Trump, would have met an entirely friendly crowd in Orlando.

I grew up in Bamberg, South Carolina, around the corner from Nikki Haley, and I always thought she would be a natural to replace Trump, said Will Bradley, a pilot from Nevada. But when she failed to show loyalty to Trump after Jan. 6, that ruined it for her. And for me, who grew up with her and even served [in the military] with her brother.

Sensitivities surrounding 2024 even colored discussions surrounding the events annual straw poll. There was hand-wringing among Trump allies over the possibility that the outcome could be skewed toward DeSantis, since the convention is being held in Florida.

Those concerns were amplified by a new poll that showed 44 percent of Florida Republicans supported DeSantis in a presidential primary, compared to 41 percent who back Trump.

While there was a smattering of Trump-DeSantis 2024 paraphernalia at the convention, there was much speculation about their possibly strained relationship. In an interview, Schlapp made sure to note  unprompted  that DeSantis wasnt assigned an early Thursday speaking time because it was a bad time slot, days away from the straw poll.

Let me make this very clear, Ron DeSantis spoke early because he is the governor of Florida. And we thought it made sense for him to welcome everyone to his state," Schlapp said. "We thought it was a great time, but then some people said it seemed like a bad time. Oh, absolutely not. It's the time we thought was a great time."

Of the 19 Republicans on this years CPAC straw poll ballot, viewed as an unscientific measure of whos most popular among conference attendees, seven  Trump, Pompeo, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Hawley, Cruz, DeSantis and Noem  spoke in Orlando.

I don't know if [the straw poll] would be skewed. I think it will be a straight-up poll. I do think people think in Florida [DeSantis'] doing a great job, Schlapp said.

Some attendees thought it might be a good thing if DeSantis delivered a strong performance in the straw poll.

I want Trump to run again and I want him to win in 2024 but he needs a competitive primary. He needs to make America fall in love with him again, said Lintaro Donovan, a college student and the digital editor for the Dartmouth Review.

If Trump doesnt run, Schlapp suggested the next nominee might even be someone whos not on his straw poll list.

So thats the fun part of all of this  OK, if Donald Trump doesnt run, whos out there? Schlapp said. DeSantis for sure, Ted Cruz for sure, Josh Hawley. You know, everyone loves Jim Jordan here. ... I wouldnt be surprised if national politics gets to be run by people who are just well-known personalities, and not national politicians. Trump might have started a trend.


Ukraine calls on global technology companies to help stop war by restricting access to their products for Russia

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine has asked global technology companies to restrict access to their products for Russia.

"Deceived by the authorities, Russians continue to live ordinary lives and do not know the real situation in Ukraine. Limited access to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Tinder, Pinterest, Gmail and other services will force people in Russia to read reliable media, protest against their government and stand up for freedom and truth," the ministry said in a message in its Telegram channel on Sunday.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation said that all civilized countries have already expressed their concern and helped Ukraine resist Russian aggression.

However, the actions of technology companies can be even more effective, and can help stop the war in Ukraine faster.

According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, access for Russians to their services has already been limited by Facebook, Twitter, and Pornhub.

SpaceX and Starlink provided Ukraine with their technologies.

"If you are a representative of 15five, Adobe, Airbnb, Aircall, Alibaba, Amazon, Apple, Booking, Blizzard, Facetune, Github, Getcontact, Godaddy, Google, Grammarly, Hubspot, Microsoft, Pipedrive, etc., please use with your authority and act immediately!"
It just makes me ill to see some of these people do that but of course they do it because they think its shock value and its going to get them more eyeballs (AP)

Mitt Romney has called out Americans who support Russian president Vladimir Putin as being almost treasonous.

Appearing on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, the Utah Senator said many of Mr Putins apologists and supporters in the United States had begun changing their stripes after seeing the global outrage to the Russian leaders invasion of Ukraine.

Read full coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

How anybody in this country, which loves freedom, can side with Vladimir Putin, who is an oppressor, a dictator, he kills people, he imprisons his political opponents, he has been an adversary of America at every chance hes had, its unthinkable to me, its almost treasonous, he told host Dana Bash.

Sen Romney then appeared to criticise high profile media figures such as Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has repeatedly voiced his support for Mr Putin and indifference towards Ukraines fate.

It just makes me ill to see some of these people do that but of course they do it because they think its shock value and its going to get them more eyeballs and maybe make a little more money for them or their network, and its disgusting, Sen Romney said.

Tucker Carlson: Why do I care whats going on in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia? And Im serious, why do I care? And why shouldnt I root for Russia, which I am pic.twitter.com/9vJvSKNEge  Acyn (@Acyn) November 26, 2019

As the Russian army amassed 190,000 troops along the border in recent weeks, Carlson repeated Kremlin propaganda that the conflict was a border dispute and Ukraine a puppet of the West.

On Tuesday night, he told viewers of his top-rated show Tucker Carlson Tonight: It might be worth asking yourself, since it is getting pretty serious, What is this really about? Why do I hate Putin so much? Has Putin ever called me a racist? Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him?

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Just hours before the Russians launched a full-scale invasion on Wednesday, Carlson claimed Ukraine wasnt a democracy and was essentially managed by the (US) State Department.

Tucker Carlson has called Ukraine a puppet of the West, and said Russian warmongering was a border dispute (The Associated Press)

Carlson changed his tune after the invasion, saying the conflict could escalate into world war, adding Mr Putin clearly does deserve to be punished.

Former president Donald Trump has also repeatedly praised Mr Putins genius in recent days, and has a longstanding admiration for the Russian president.

Bash asked the Senator whether his treasonous remark was directed at Mr Trump.

Treasonous is a big word so I just have to quickly follow up, would that include the former president? the CNN anchor asked.

Well I said its nearly treasonous, Sen Romney responded.

Standing up for freedom is the right thing to do in America, anything less than that is unworthy of American support.

The Independent has contacted Fox News for comment.

Sen Romney was the only Republican senator to vote to convict Mr Trump during his first impeachment trial, when the then-president tried to blackmail Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky with military aid in return for digging up dirt on Joe Biden and Hunter Biden.

The Utah senator then voted to convict him again in his second impeachment, for inciting the Capitol riot following his election defeat at the hands of Mr Biden. In both impeachment trials, Mr Trump was acquitted by his Republican allies.
royals rollout

Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth has taken the advice of the UK's Foreign Secretary as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to develop.

The 95-year-old monarch has decided to postpone the diplomatic reception that was initially scheduled to take place on March 2 at Windsor Castle, where the Queen and other members of the Royal Family were set to welcome over 500 members of the diplomatic corps for an annual meeting.

On Saturday, Buckingham Palace announced in a statement that the event had been delayed.

"The Queen has accepted the Foreign Secretary's advice that the Diplomatic Reception at Windsor on Wednesday 2nd March should be postponed," the statement read.

RELATED: Queen Elizabeth Holds Weekly Audience with Boris Johnson by Phone amid COVID-19 Diagnosis

queen elizabeth ii

Chris Jackson- WPA Pool/Getty

Despite the Queen's recent diagnosis with COVID-19, PEOPLE understands the decision was not made due to her health status.

Since the guidance came from the foreign secretary, it is likely due to the situation in Ukraine.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Russia began an invasion of Ukraine earlier this week, according to the Ukraine government, with forces moving from the north, east and south. The attack is still-evolving, but explosions and airstrikes have been reported, with threats mounting against the capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million people.

President Vladimir Putin's aggression toward Ukraine has been widely condemned by the international community, including with economic sanctions and NATO troops massing in the region. Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the interest of so-called "peacekeeping."

"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 Joe Biden said as the invasion appeared to be begin in force this week.

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RELATED: Queen Elizabeth's Recent Health Setbacks  from Her Hospitalization to Her COVID-19 Diagnosis

The latest update on the Queen's schedule comes nearly a week after Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch had tested positive for COVID-19. A brief statement was released to inform the public that "Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week."

Following the diagnosis, the Queen canceled virtual meetings scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday. According to sources who spoke with the Daily Mail, the Queen delayed her engagements because her voice sounded a "little croaky."

RELATED: Queen Elizabeth's Private Pain: Royal Family Scandal and COVID Are 'Going to Take a Toll,' Says Insider

While the Queen "understandably still sounds full of cold," the source said that she was "on the mend."

"Family are confident she will make a full recovery," one insider told the outlet.

The news of the monarch contracting COVID-19 also comes after her son, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, also tested positive for the virus.

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Sunday endorsed Ukraine's decision to find a way forward at the negotiating table with Russia, amid reports that the two governments would meet for peace talks at the Belarus border.

That's a decision that the Ukrainian government has to make and that they have made, and we'll look forward to what comes out of those discussions, Thomas-Greenfield said on CNNs State of the Union.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously said Ukraine was ready for peace talks but would not meet for discussions within Belarus, an ally of Moscow. Now, several news outlets are reporting that the Ukrainian delegation will meet the Russian delegation without preconditions at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.

The news of the talks comes on the fourth day of Russias invasion into Ukraine, where Russia has now pushed in more than half of its troops amassed around the country, but where no major city has fallen to the Russian forces yet.

Russias invasion has prompted the U.S. and its allies to levy sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. On Saturday, the White House and several European countries announced plans to kick Russian banks out of global banking system SWIFT.

We lean in on diplomacy with the Russians throughout this process, and we hope that Putin would find a way to the negotiating table, and he made the unfortunate decision of aggression over diplomacy, Thomas-Greenfield said on Sunday.

The ambassador also indicated U.S. support for the peace talks, saying: We've always indicated that we wanted to find a diplomatic solution, and Russia chose confrontation.

This diplomatic effort is one more effort to bring the Russians to the negotiating table, she said.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was also hopeful at the news of the discussions, but took a wait-and-see approach.

Well see what terms" the Russians will offer, she said on Fox News Sunday, saying she was sure the Ukrainians would follow President Ronald Reagans famous trust but verify approach toward the Russians.

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Rice also said the offer for talks suggests the Russians have been startled by the strength of Ukraines resistance, expecting "an easy win" in the war.

The reality has been something quite different," she said. "So perhaps this is a little bit of a signal that the Russians bit off more than they could chew."

David Cohen contributed to this report.
UFC returned to action at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday with a fight card that produced a number of bonus-worthy performances.

From early on the prelims to the main event of UFC Fight Night 202, there were a number of impressive finishes throughout the card. Not every fight resulted in an early stoppage though, and a couple of fights that went the distance left a lasting impression as well. Priscila Cachoeira and Ji Yeon Kim brawled for 15 minutes straight in a wild back-and-forth fight. The most intense battle of the evening took home Fight of the Night honors while two other fighters earned Performance of the Night bonuses.

Check out who pocketed an extra $50,000 for their performance on Saturday below.

'Fight of the Night': Priscila Cachoeira vs. Ji Yeon Kim

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA  FEBRUARY 26: (L-R) Ji Yeon Kim of South Korea punches Priscila Cachoeira of Brazil in their flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 26, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

The only womens fight on the main card exceeded expectations as [autotag]Priscila Cachoeira[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) and [autotag]Ji Yeon Kim[/autotag] (9-5-2 MMA, 3-5 UFC) traded strikes for 15 minutes. The offensive output was high early from both as Cachoeira pressed forward with an aggressive approach, while Kim worked a counterstriking game. Both welcomed exchanges from close range resulting in wild moments throughout the fight. The final round saw Cachoeira consistently march forward with elbow strikes as Kim tried to evade the aggressive attacks and land strikes of her own. After the dust settled, judges scored the fight unanimously in favor of Cachoeira with scores of 29-28, despite being outstruck by Kim in striking totals. Although only one walked away with a win after the close affair, both take home $50,000 for the Fight of the Night.

'Performance of the Night': Arman Tsarukyan

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA  FEBRUARY 26: (R-L) Arman Tsarukyan of Armenia battles Joel Alvarez of Spain in their lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 26, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

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The UFC Apex cleaning crew had a lot of work cut out for them after Arman Tsarukyan (18-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) opened up a nasty gash on the nose of Joel Alvarez (19-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC). A devastating elbow landed from Tsarukyan in the first round, causing a deep cut that resulted in blood spilling all over the canvas. Alvarez continued into the second round despite the damage, but Tsarukyan continued with the one-sided offense, ending the fight in the second round with bonus-earning ground and pound. Saturdays Performance of the Night bonus marked the third overall bonus of his UFC tenure.

'Performance of the Night': Wellington Turman

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA  FEBRUARY 26: (L-R) Wellington Turman of Brazil punches Misha Cirkunov of Latvia in their middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 26, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

The co-main event of the evening was an entertaining back-and-forth fight for as long as it lasted. Wellington Turman (18-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) ultimately emerged victorious after escaping submission threats from Misha Cirkunov (15-8 MMA, 6-6 UFC) in the first round, as he ended things abruptly in the second frame. After ending up on his back, Turman threw up an armbar out of nowhere, locking in a tight hold that forced Cirkunov to tap almost instantly. For the finish, Turman earned the first Performance of the Night bonus of his UFC career.

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Im heartbroken.

Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has unsettled me in a way that even the life-changing COVID-19 pandemic hadnt.

I lived in the Ukrainian capital from 2004 to 2006  two of the best years of my journalism career and two very happy years of my life. I ran The Associated Press' Kyiv bureau, having arrived there from my previous AP reporting job in Moscow.

My Ukrainian colleagues became good friends. They were patient with my often stumbling Russian and my endless questions. Even the camo-wearing, gun-toting guard who responded to our office alarm every time I accidentally tripped it when working too early, or too late, was kind.

Weekends, I explored Kyiv. In winters, I tried not to slip on the invisible ice patches and dodged falling icicles. I warmed myself with mugs of glintvein, a mulled wine, bought off street vendors. I frequented a fast-food varenyky (dumpling) spot with more regularity than I should admit.

'If we need to we will die here': Life in Ukraine as Russian forces assault Kyiv, Kharkiv

I stuffed a scarf in my purse so I could drop in to the many Orthodox churches for a moment of prayer and peace. I became fascinated by the rather sordid biography of St. Volodymyr, the former pagan whose baptism into Christianity earned him a spot considered an equal to the apostles. I read Mikhail Bulgakov. And I happily spent hours spitballing about Ukrainian politicians after work ended.

Why did I believe better of Putin?

I embraced Ukraine and believed it embraced me back.

It never felt like home. I was an American with no Slavic blood in me. But after two years in the Russian capital, which I loved but always kept me on edge, Kyiv felt more chill.

I exhaled there.

Mara Bellaby, then a reporter for The Associated Press in Kyiv, Ukraine, with her father, Paul Dwyer, outside the Mariinsky Palace in Ukraine in the early 2000s.

So watching the scenes unfolding in Ukraine now because of Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion leaves me numb.

I focus on the faces of Ukrainians huddled in their winter coats and sleeping bags in the citys ornate metro stations, children nestled into their parents' arms. I zero in on the buildings, trying to place them in my head.

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I completely understand the Ukrainians' befuddlement over whats happening. How can this be? Two nations that share so much history and culture. Its hard to know a Russian or an Ukrainian who doesnt have a relative and friend living in the other country.

And, yet, maybe I should have seen it coming. I can rattle off a list of people I personally interviewed who clashed with Putin and are now dead (shot, poisoned), jailed or exiled.

I dont know why I believed Putin was more rational than this.

'I need ammunition, not a ride': Zelenskyy is the hero his country needs as Russia invades

I also was a witness to Ukraines first big attempt after the end of the Soviet Union to pull itself away from the darkness now engulfing Russia. I covered the 2004 Orange Revolution, that magical mushrooming protest that turned central Kyiv into a giant tent camp. The Orange Revolution (so-called because orange was the oppositions campaign color) arose in response to a truly stolen election. The election had been called for the pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych (the Russian stooge played an infamous role again in 2014, triggering Ukraines Revolution of Dignity. I fear his return a third time) but everyone knew the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko had won.

Mara Bellaby, then a reporter for The Associated Press in Kyiv, Ukraine, meets with the new Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, a pro-Western leader ushered into office thanks to the Orange Revolution of 2004. Yushchenko's face was damaged as a result of a poisoning many suspect the Kremlin orchestrated.

Yushchenko had already paid a high price, poisoned by a dioxin that many believe was delivered at the behest of the Kremlin in the hopes of sidelining the popular politician.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians filled the streets for weeks in 2004 in protest over the stolen election, creating a kind of protest village. There were medics, police, teachers, even entertainers.

Examining Putin: Vladimir Putins biography makes this dictator, and the Ukraine war, especially dangerous

I dont want to underestimate the tension and fear. Rumors that tanks were going to be called in and guns turned against the demonstrators ran constant. I was scared to sleep through the night, scared I'd miss the start of an attack.

The United States didnt have any troops on the ground. Neither did Russia. But both the Russians and the Americans loomed large. I spent hours sitting in the U.S. Embassy for background briefings on the shuttle diplomacy happening.

The tanks didnt roll and Yushchenko won a second and fair revote.

Photos from the 2004 Orange Revolution in a book by AP photographer Efrem Lukatsky. The book is entitled: "Ukraine: From Independence to Freedom."

As with many things, the Orange Revolution didnt lead to nirvana: It ended in squabbles and corruption within the new Ukrainian government and disappointment among the people.

Even so, the Ukrainians never relented in their bid for democracy and partnership with other democratic neighbors. Russia, also, never gave up its efforts to scuttle a free, thriving and pro-Western Ukraine.

However, what weve seen this past week goes so much deeper.

The Russian military killing Ukrainians, firing on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. That sentence doesnt even make sense.

The Kremlin under Putin has crossed a line that introduces more instability into a world already rocked by two years of a pandemic. And, personally, it shakes my own understanding of American power.

And while I understand why as Americans we dont have any appetite for another foreign entanglement after Iraq and Afghanistan, I cant help but feel like were letting the Ukrainians down.

'Still have hope for Ukraine'

Its heartbreaking to watch these attacks play out in real time on social media and know that the United States, still the most powerful nation in the world, nurtured Ukraine on this democratic path and could intervene to stop the bloodshed. Intellectually, I understand why we can't. I understand the risks that American military involvement would create (Russia after all is a nuclear power, too).

And, yes, I know Ukraine still has our support, and the sanctions will likely prove damning to the Russian economy and hurt Putins circle and could, in the best case scenario, end his grip on power.

But I cant shake my unease and this knot in my stomach.

When I texted with a Ukrainian friend on the first night of the invasion, she told me she was with her family in Kyiv. They were staying.

I still have hope for Ukraine, she texted.

I do, too. If she can feel hope, as Putin's military attacks her hometown, I can summon hope, too. I just wish that was good enough to make a difference.

Mara Bellaby is executive editor at Florida Today. She previously worked for The Associated Press, reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine, Moscow and London. She can be reached at mbellaby@floridatoday.com

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russia invasion of Ukraine shakes how I view my America
For more than six years of my life, I was wrongfully incarcerated in an Oregon prison. I was convicted in Malheur County of a crime I did not commit and falsely labeled as having abused my own child.

I was living a nightmare, but I couldnt wake up.

In August 2020, Gov. Kate Brown granted me a pardon on the grounds of my innocence, the first time she has issued a pardon on that basis. I no longer carry the labels of felon or sex offender, but the problems stemming from my wrongful conviction are far from over.

Due to my conviction, I lost the good career I had in the military and cant go back to it. I am a combat veteran who served my country in Afghanistan, but that didnt count for anything when the state took everything from me and sent me to prison.

Since returning to the community, I have spent thousands of dollars on sex offender fees, supervision fees and polygraph tests that my parole officer repeatedly forced me to take, assuming I was lying when I said I was innocent.

The greatest loss, though, was time with my daughters while they were growing up. During my time in prison, I was not allowed to see or talk to them at any time. I wasnt even allowed to send them a letter.

Trying to overcome all of this has been a tremendous struggle for me and my family. The stigma of my wrongful conviction is such that every time I meet someone new, I have had to worry about what they are thinking about me. I have had to try to find words to explain that Im not who my conviction said I was.

Im free now, and my innocence has been recognized.

But Im still trying to rebuild my life. I had to start over when I got out of prison and the challenges I face have not come to an end just because I no longer have the wrongful conviction on my record.

People like me are just asking for a fair shot. We lost everything and it was the criminal justice system that took it from us. Its time for Oregon to recognize exonerees and address the harm that has been done to us. I am an innocent man but those are just words.

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How can the state be allowed to take everything away from me and shrug its shoulders after I am exonerated?

Fortunately, theres an opportunity for Oregon to do the right thing. A bill being considered by legislators, Senate Bill 1584 by Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, and many other bipartisan sponsors, would provide a fixed amount of $65,000 in compensation per year of wrongful incarceration to exonerees who meet certain criteria, as well as $25,000 for years spent on parole, post-prison supervision or the sex offender registry.

Our neighbors in Idaho passed similar legislation last year, and Gov. Brad Little last year signed that bill into law. If Idaho can do it, so should Oregon.

Seeing Senate Bill 1584 become law would mean more than just financial compensation that would allow me to get back on my feet and give me a chance to support my family the way I should have been doing all those years I was locked up.

This bill represents the state of Oregon admitting it sometimes gets it wrong. And for wrongfully convicted people like me, that means more than words can say.

Earl Bain was convicted in 2009 in Malheur County for a crime he did not commit. He spent six years in prison. After the complaining witness in his case recanted her story, with the help of the Oregon Innocence Project he was pardoned on the grounds of innocence by Gov. Kate Brown in August 2020.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon bill can help wrongly accused to rebuild their lives
I need ammunition, not a ride. Those are the words proclaimed by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the midst of terrible death and destruction and the most egregious threat to Europe since World War II, Ukrainians are teaching the rest of the world a lesson about freedom, resolve and love of country.

When offered an escape from Kyiv, allegedly by the United States, the 44-year-old Ukrainian president immediately rejected the notion and demonstrated selfless leadership and a portrait of courage generally reserved for Hollywood.

Many leaders would have abandoned ship, putting their own personal safety above that of their countrymen. Zelenskyy, on the other hand, is taking a stand for freedom, boldly demonstrating that freedom is worth fighting for; that a government of, by and for the people is worth defending. It is the very same idea that the United States of America was founded upon, and the very same fight our ancestors fought for during the early stages of our own inception.

Pride in Ukraine among citzens

Ukrainian President releases a video from Kyiv

I was in Kyiv, Ukraine, just four short weeks ago, part of a congressional delegation consisting of eight Democrats and three Republicans. It was the very last delegation allowed to enter the country before the tragic, yet completely predictable invasion began. I walked the streets of Kyiv, talked to Ukrainians and developed a sense of the incredible pride they had for their country. During the trip I had the opportunity to personally talk with President Zelenskyy, to hear firsthand his love for Ukraine and to learn about his passion for his country.

'I'm going to the bomb shelter': Life in Ukraine as Russian forces close in on Kyiv

We discussed energy security and the leverage that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline gives Putin. He told our delegation that without the pipeline Putin would not have the leverage over Ukraine and Eastern Europe to prosecute an invasion. For nearly twenty minutes the president discussed the importance of strength and the role energy security plays in national security.

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It was a topic I know well, one that I have stressed since the very first day of being sworn into Congress. Zelenskyy harped on deterrence and how energy was being weaponized by Putin, therefore allowing a bully to control Eastern Europe. Zelenskyy and other senior Ukrainian leaders pointed to the worldwide environment of weakness that had emboldened Putin; an environment that would likely lead to an invasion because Putin remained unchecked by the West.

Rex Huppke: A New Jersey high schooler speaks up: America's kids care about Russia's war on Ukraine

Most poignant however, was a response elicited from Zelenskyy during our meeting about Ukrainian borders. When asked what a suitable diplomatic off-ramp might be, he immediately responded. I recall him saying, We are not a lowest bidder country. Our borders matter. Border security matters and we will fight for our country. We have tasted freedom and we will not give it up." That moment may have been lost on my colleagues, but it was not lost on me.

Zelenskyy: A lion of a leader

Before us stood a lion of a leader; a relative newcomer to politics, but a man who was determined to stay the course, to fight for this idea of freedom that the Ukrainian people have only known for 31 years since departing the former Soviet Union.

Carli Pierson: 'I need ammunition, not a ride': Zelenskyy is the hero his country needs as Russia invades

Today, the world is witnessing bold courage in the face of evil. Zelenskyy is demonstrating the type of leadership that is needed right here in our own country. The type of leadership the world desperately needs to deter criminals and thugs like Putin. Zelenskyys pleas to the Russian people have ignited protests throughout Russia; his courageous leadership has emboldened many countries formerly friendly with Russia like Hungary and Kazakhstan to denounce Putin and side with freedom.

Ukrainian soldiers handle equipment outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed Saturday that Ukraine's forces had repulsed the assault and vowed to keep fighting. "We will win," Zelenskyy said.

His actions in Kyiv will undoubtedly give hope to Ukrainians that this is a fight worth fighting and that it is not over.

President Biden, support Ukraine with more lethal aid and ensure Putin can never make use of Nord Stream 2. Take note of President Zelenskyys courage, resolve and desire to defeat evil through strength. Before us stands a lion.

U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, a Republican, represents the 11th district in Texas in Congress. Follow him on Twitter @RepPfluger

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine's President Zelenskyy is leading the world against Russia
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Ukrainian refugees walk along vehicles lining-up to cross the border from Ukraine into Moldova, at Mayaky-Udobne crossing border point near Udobne, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. The U.N. refugee agency says nearly 120,000 people have so far fled Ukraine into neighboring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion. The number was going up fast as Ukrainians grabbed their belongings and rushed to escape from a deadly Russian onslaught.
Chairman of the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization Oleksandr Zhyvotovsky appealed to Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) Annemarie Sipkes with a request to disconnect Russian operators from roaming in the EU countries.

"In order to protect Ukraine, Europe and the entire democratic world and hold Russia accountable, I urge you, as Chair of BEREC, to take action, together with the national regulators of EU Member States, to block Russian roamers and roaming services for Russian telecommunications service providers within the framework of the European Union," the National Commission said in a message in the official Telegram channel of the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection.

He said that the international community is already rebuffing the aggressor by imposing economic sanctions. However, in the digital age, high-tech and information and communication technologies are perhaps the best answer to tanks and missiles.

"The Armed Forces of Ukraine and its citizens courageously defend Ukraine and peace in Europe to the end. Ukraine is a great European country, and the war in Ukraine means a war in Europe. Our country is fighting for all Europeans and we need strong support from the EU," Zhyvotovsky said.
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How does the world confront a Russian leader who is acting like Hitler?

How should the United Nations deal with Russia, which has a veto in the Security Council but is led by a war criminal?

After his massive attack on a sovereign Ukraine, Vladimir Putin cannot be treated as a normal leader. He must be branded an international pariah and condemned by the vast majority of nations as an outlaw.

The U.N. General Assembly should suspend Russia from participation at the United Nations, as it did to apartheid South Africa in 1974.

Some may scoff that this would be irrelevant since it wont save Ukrainians in the short term. Neither will harsh economic sanctions that will only play out over time. And its too late to send more defensive weapons to Kyiv for Ukrainian troops.

Yet Putin clearly cares about his international image. Otherwise he wouldnt be so obsessed about justifying his invasion by promoting the foul narrative that Ukraines leaders are a bunch of Nazis threatening Moscow and bent on genocide against Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

Maybe, locked in his COVID bunker, Putin really believes this nonsense. But the rest of the world has to demonstrate that it rejects his lies. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy, who is Jewish, plaintively asked, in a speech to the Russian people on the eve of the invasion, How could I be a Nazi?

In reality, Putin is aping Adolf Hitler, claiming the neighboring state of Ukraine has no right to exist, because he wants to annex it to Russia. The Russian leader has also promised to carry out denazification in Ukraine, which means Russian forces will seek to kill or imprison Zelenskiyy and a list of other government leaders, along with civilians who oppose the invasion.

Since hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are likely to demonstrate against any puppet leader imposed by Moscow, this opens the door for massive civilian casualties  and no one doubts Putin would be ready to inflict them. The Russian leader is already guilty of massive war crimes in Syria, where Russian planes deliberately bombed schools, hospitals, and markets in order to save the regime of Bashar Assad.

So it is critically important for the U.N. General Assembly to demonstrate that a majority of members  not just the West  sees through Putins lies. As Ukraines ambassador to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said Thursday: Pretending now that the U.N. can work as if nothing happens will be immoral.

That immorality was on full view at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday night, as Putin  speaking in Moscow  thumbed his nose at the world body, formally announcing the invasion was on, just as council members were discussing how to prevent it.

Ironically, the meeting was being chaired by Russias U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, since Russia holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council at the moment. It was as if Saddam Hussein were chairing a council meeting discussing how to reverse the invasion and annexation of Kuwait.

To add insult to injury, Nebenzia claimed: We are being aggressive not to the Ukrainian people, but to the junta that is in power in Kyiv. You cant get more cynical than that Kremlin doublespeak.

Translated: A Russian dictator has the right to remove a president chosen by a free vote of the Ukrainian public  and replace him with a Kremlin-controlled regime. And he can kill as many civilians as he needs to get the deed done.

If the United Nations lets Putin get away with this claim, then the world body might as well declare itself dead.

However, there are signs that a broad segment of the U.N.s member states understands that Putin must not be allowed to get away with murder.

The Kenyan ambassador to the Security Council, Martin Kimani, was quite blunt in a Security Council speech challenging Putins dream of restoring the Russian empire. If that were acceptable behavior, Kimani said, then every African country would be at war with its neighbors trying to change borders drawn by former colonial powers.

And other members have surely noted that Putin hinted he was willing to use nuclear weapons against any nation that tries to interfere with his invasion, saying this will lead to the kind of consequences you have never experienced in your entire history. Those are the words of a leader who could embroil the world in a nuclear war.

So it is time for the introduction of a U.N. General Assembly resolution to suspend Russia until such time as Putin pulls back from Ukraine. Or maybe indefinitely.

If enough U.N. members sign on, even China might recognize that its Russian ally is stabbing it in the back  by undercutting Beijings sacred mantra that no country has the right to interfere in another countrys sovereign affairs.

To paraphrase Ukraines Ambassador Kyslytsya on Wednesday: There should be no purgatory for war criminals. They should go straight to hell.

Meanwhile, the U.N.s future is on the line, as is Ukraines  and perhaps the worlds.
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The Skoda Octavia's airbags deployed without a collision when it hit a pothole too hard. The owner of this vehicle posted details of this incident on the Team BHP forum. He is having difficulty obtaining insurance coverage. With high safety standards and equipment, the Octavia is one of the most popular products from Skoda.

The owner of the Octavia sedan stated that the sedan hit a pothole at a relatively high speed. A dent was caused by the impact on the left rear alloy, and the electrical system in the car somehow interpreted it as an accident alert, triggering the airbags on the left side. Both the front passenger airbag and the side curtain airbag were included.

Skoda confirmed that the airbags were deployed due to the impact on the alloy the following day. Additionally, this information was forwarded to the insurance company, but the claim was denied in 20 minutes. The insurance company cited an electrical fault as the reason for airbag deployment, rather than the accident, and declined to cover it.

Read also: Delhi government removes mandatory mask requirement for travellers in private cars

In a strange twist of events, Skoda provided an official written statement confirming that the accident was caused by the vehicle hitting a pothole. The damage was caused to the rear axle and the insurance company still denied the claim. Lacking any other alternatives, the owner is forced to bear the costs of the damages from his own pocket, to which he subsequently resorts to approaching a consumer court.

Owner insured the car for zero depreciation when the car was purchased in 2019.

Source

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On the 23rd March 1994, Aeroflot Flight 593 which was a A310-304 crashed into a hillside of the Kuznetsk Alatau mountain range, Kemerovo Oblast, Russia, killing all 63 passengers as well as 12 crew members on board.

The relief pilot Yaroslav Vladimirovich Kudrinsky's children - his 16-year-old son Eldar and his 12-year-old daughter Yana - were also among the passengers. Having been allowed to do so at that time, the children visited their father in the cockpit early on in the flight.

During the flight, children of the relief pilot visited the cockpit where Yana took the pilot's left front seat. By adjusting the autopilot's heading, Kudrinsky gave her daughter the impression that she was turning the plane, while in reality she had no control over it. The pilot's seat was soon occupied by Eldar Kudrinsky, pilot's son and he was able to contradict the autopilot for 30 seconds unlike her sister after applying enough force to the control column.

Also read: Travelling to Thailand? SpiceJet announces six flights to Bangkok from March 10

Eldar Kudrinsky's control column inputs caused the flight computer to switch the plane's ailerons to manual control while maintaining control over the other flight systems and as a result, the aircraft banked right. As the flight path depiction on the screen changed to show a 180-degree turn, the pilots failed to notice warning lights and became confused. In the time it took for the pilot to notice the problem, the bank angle had steepened to almost 90 degrees.

After this, the aircraft began to stall and automatically entered a dive to recover. Once the pilots regained control, they attempted to pull out of the dive. They were successful, but overcompensated and the aircraft stalled again. The aircraft entered a spin due to its steep angle of attack this time. Although the pilots were able to recover, the aircraft had lost a lot of altitude by the time they had done so. The aircraft crashed into the Kuznetsk Alatau mountain range in Kemerovo Oblast, killing everyone on board.

The children's actions and distraction in the cockpit contributed to the crash. Permitting them to take control was against the rules. No technical failure was detected. Unfortunately, there is also evidence that if the pilots had left the controls to the autopilot instead of manually adjusting, the situation would have been recovered.

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FlyBig Airlines chairman and managing director of the airline, Sanjay Mandviya on February 25 said that the airline is all set to commence the flight operations on the Indore-Gondia-Hyderabad route from here next month.

Mandviya said that all the formalities have been completed and the company is all set to commence the operations from March 13.

"The booking of tickets will start from March 1 and will be available both online and at the window. The fare is also very affordable as the services will be run under UDAN RCS (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik- Regional Connectivity Scheme). The fare will be just Rs 1,999 for Indore-Gondia or Gondia-Hyderabad travel and the maximum fare would be around Rs 2600," Mandviya said.

Also read: Aeroflot Flight 593: Ill-fated crash caused by children in cockpit

Mandviya and Sunil Mendhe, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Bhandara-Gondiya seat, were addressing reporters at Birsi Airport, situated 18 km from Gondia city. Mendhe said that Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia would inaugurate the Indore-Gondia-Hyderabad flight from Indore. FlyBig Airlines is promoted by Gurugram-based Big Charter Private Limited.

After a delay due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the flight operations are most likely to start from March 13, Mendhe said. The airport at Birsi near Gondia was constructed in 2008 and there was a big demand of the people to start commercial flight operations from here, he said.

With inputs from PTI

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At a meeting with EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng, Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko on Sunday announced Ukraine's intention to join the European power system ENTSO-E as soon as possible.

"The minister informed about the decision to refrain from joining the power system of Ukraine to the unified power system of Russia and Belarus. He also appealed to support Ukraine's desire to join the European unified power system as soon as possible," the Ministry of Energy said in a press release on Sunday.

As the ministry said, Haluschenko informed his interlocutors in detail about the situation in the Ukrainian energy sector, primarily in the context of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.

In particular, the minister assured of the safety of the operation of nuclear power plants in Ukraine, noting at the same time that due to the capture of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant by Russian troops, Ukraine cannot now be responsible for the safety of handling nuclear materials in the exclusion zone.

As follows from the press release, Haluschenko also focused on the danger of continued dependence of European countries on Russian gas and the need to limit the possibility of the Russian Federation using gas as a weapon against Europe.

"In turn, the interlocutors assured the minister of full solidarity with the Ukrainian side in countering Russian aggression. And readiness to provide support to the energy industry of Ukraine," the Ministry of Energy said.

As reported, Ukraine, after successfully implementing the program of testing the operation of the country's power system together with the Moldovan power system in an isolated mode, refused to connect back to the power systems of the Russian Federation and Belarus.
Amid Moscows military action in Ukraine, Germany announces to close its airspace to Russian aircrafts. Thus, sources say that Germany is joining a growing list of European countries that have already imposed restrictions on Russian airlines. Moscow has vowed a reciprocal response.

Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure announced that Transport Minister Volker Wissing "supports the blocking of German airspace for Russian aircraft" and had "ordered everything to be prepared for this."

Additionally, German airline Lufthansa cancelled all upcoming flights to Russia and announced that "flights that are in Russian airspace" would "leave it again shortly."

Also read: Air India flights carrying 490 Indian evacuees from Ukraine lands in Delhi

Germany is the latest in a string of European countries which have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft, including the UK, Poland, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic, among others. Russia responded by closing its own airspace to the countries, the report said.

On February 27, Russia`s Federal Agency for Air Transport said the "unfriendly decisions of the aviation authorities of Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Estonia" had meant Russia would be introducing its own flight restrictions on those countries, the report said.

Germany also joined the European Commission, France, Italy, the UK, Canada, and the US on February 26 in announcing a new round of sanctions against Russia, revealing that "selected Russian banks" would be "removed from the SWIFT messaging system", the report said.

It was also reported that Germany would be sending anti-tank weapons and surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine "as soon as possible."

With inputs from IANS

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On February 26, the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Kerala government will bear the cost of flight tickets for the students arriving in Delhi and Mumbai on evacuation flights arranged by the Union Government from Ukraine which is under attack from Russian forces.

Vijayan said steps have been taken by the state government to collect the details of Keralites reaching the country from Ukraine.

The Kerala Resident Commissioner in Delhi and the NORKA officials will ensure facilities for the smooth travel of students to the state from airports of Delhi and Mumbai, Vijayan said.

Read also: Germany, Belgium joins European countries in imposing restrictions on Russian airlines

"The state government will provide flight tickets to Kerala for the students arriving at Delhi and Mumbai airports on evacuation flights arranged by the Union Government from Ukraine. The District Collectors have been directed to receive the students arriving at the airports in Kerala and to arrange the necessary facilities," Vijayan said.

The eastern European nation has been under attack since February 24. The Left government had earlier sought the intervention of the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safety of 2,320 students from Kerala studying in Ukraine.

Television channels have aired numerous visuals of Kerala students in the war-hit nation explaining their plight. Earlier in the day, Air India's first evacuation flight departed from Romanian capital Bucharest for Mumbai with approximately 250 Indian nationals who were stranded there.

Around 20,000 Indians, mainly students, are currently stranded in Ukraine, the officials had said.

With inputs from PTI

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New Delhi: The much anticipated - Gangubai Kathiawadi featuring Alia Bhatt in the titular role, helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali hit the big screen this Friday.

The film opened to a solid number - 10.5 Cr on its Day 1. The film witnesses an upward growth on Day 2, rakes in 13.32 Cr. making the total collection to 23.82 Cr.

Despite 50% occupancy in key cities (especially Mumbai and Delhi) and limited night shows, the film has surpassed all expectations.

Riding high on critical acclaim, Gangubai Kathiawadi is touted to be Alias best performance to date. From industry insiders to audiences, the film has been lauded by everyone alike.

The film also stars Ajay Devgn, Vijay Raaz, and Shantanu Maheshwari.
New Delhi: Weak public sector lenders like Central Bank of India and Punjab & Sind Bank will get the lion's share of the Rs 15,000 crore earmarked for capital infusion in state-owned banks for the current fiscal.

This will help these public sector banks (PSBs) meet regulatory requirements.

The capital infusion of Rs 15,000 crore would go mostly to banks which had got money through non-interest-bearing bonds in the previous year as the RBI had raised some concerns on the fair valuation of these instruments, sources said.

As per the RBI, the net present value of infusion made last year through zero-coupon bonds is much lower than face value as they were issued at discount, the sources added.

These special securities with tenure of 10-15 years are non-interest bearing and valued at par. Such bonds usually are non-interest bearing and issued at a deep discount to the face value. So, the effective Tier 1 capital levels for the banks could be lower than the regulatory requirement.

According to India Ratings and Research, fair valuing of the equity infused by the Government of India (GoI) in five PSBs last year through zero-coupon bonds could lower the banks' effective Tier 1 capital levels in the range of 50-175 basis points than reported.

Earlier this month, Punjab & Sind Bank got board approval to raise equity capital worth Rs 4,600 crore by issuing preference shares to the government.

This would help the bank augment capital to the required level and save it from coming under the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework.

Similarly, sources said, the decision for the quantum for other banks would be taken in March and subsequently funds would be infused.

The net worth of zero coupon bonds could be lower by almost 50 per cent at end-FY'22 at the outset than similar maturity government papers in the market, given they do not carry any interest, India Ratings said, adding the illiquid, non-trading nature of these securities could add to the discount.

These banks have moderate competitiveness (albeit better than last year) to raise equity and would need to offer materially higher yields to raise Additional Tier 1 (AT1) capital from the markets. Valuing these zero-interest bonds at a fair level could coerce these banks to raise either equity or AT1 in the near term solely on account of this factor, it said.

In the Budget 2022-23, the government trimmed the capital infusion target to Rs 15,000 crore from Rs 20,000 crore estimated earlier for 2021-22.

The first capital infusion through non-interest-bearing bonds was in Punjab & Sind Bank in the third quarter of 2020-21. It was followed by Rs 14,500 crore into four lenders -- Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank of India and UCO Bank in March 2021. Also Read: Want to download e-PAN Card? Check step-by-step guide

Central Bank of India received Rs 4,800 crore, UCO Bank Rs 2,600 crore, Bank of India Rs 3,000 crore and Indian Overseas Bank Rs 4,100 crore. Also Read: 5 Post Office schemes offering higher returns than fixed deposit plans; time to close FDs?

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Hyderabad: Amid the hijab controversy in Karnataka, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday said there is no ban on wearing the headscarf in the country, and people need to understand that constitutional rights and duties are equally important.

Speaking to reporters here, the Minister for Minority Affairs said, "The matter is in the court... There is no ban on (wearing of) Hijab in India. It is clear.. Of course, some institutions have their discipline, dress code and uniform. When we talk of rights of Constitution then we have to talk (understand importance) of Constitutional duties also." However, he did not elaborate.

Earlier, Naqvi, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy and Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, inaugurated the 37th Hunar Haat here.

Naqvi noted that Hunar Haat, which is an Efficient Effort to Empower artisans and craftsmen, has provided employment and job opportunities to about eight lakh artisans and craftsmen in the last seven years.

Hunar Haat has become a "credible brand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign of Self-reliant India and Vocal for Local.

The initiative has instilled energy and enthusiasm into lakhs of families, from far-flung areas of the country, engaged in traditional art and craftsmanship and markets to their ancestral legacy, Naqvi said.

In his address at the function, Kishan Reddy said Hunar Haat is strengthening Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign of 'Make in India,' adding Hunar Haat is an effective platform for protection and promotion of the country's traditional art, skill and glorious legacy.

The Hijab row started when six students were allegedly denied entry to the Pre-University Girls' College in coastal district headquarters town of Udupi in Karnataka in December last year for wearing Hijab as it was against the prescribed uniform.

The girls then approached the Karnataka High Court seeking relief and quashing the government order on February 5 restraining students from wearing any cloth that could disturb, peace, harmony and public order.

The court last week completed its hearing and is likely to pass its final order shortly.

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Kolkata: BJP on Sunday night urged West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to intervene to get the State Election Commission to order fresh elections in 107 municipal bodies policed by central forces.

A BJP delegation consisting of General Secretary Agnimtra Paul and Sisir Bajoria made the request to Dhankhar Sunday night after meeting the State Election Commission.

"We are not happy with the response of State Election Commissioner Sourav Das to our demand for repoll with central forces. We have therefore come to Raj Bhavan seeking the intervention of the Governor in the issue. Democracy is in peril in West Bengal under the rule of Mamata Banerjee," Pal told reporters later.

The party said in its letter to the SEC that the state poll panel "has failed to perform its role in ensuring a free and fair municipal election as directed by the hon'ble high court" resulting in widespread rigging in all 107 municipalties and attacks on BJP activists by TMC cadre.

Alleging the police and SEC failed to perform their role to contain rigging and attacks, the BJP demanded the SEC declares the elections held Sunday in 107 municipalties as "null and void" and comes up with re-polling under the supervision of central police forces.

In the letter to the Governor, the BJP said as it was not satisfied with the response of SEC to its request, "We are left with no option but to seek your intervention in the matter."

Before the delegation met him, Dhankhar had asked SEC to meet him at Raj Bhavan on Monday.

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New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda's Twitter account was hacked and a tweet asking for cryptocurrency donations for Ukraine and Russia was posted on Sunday (February 27, 2022) morning.

"Stand with the people of Ukraine. Now accepting cryptocurrency donations. Bitcoin and Ethereum," one of the tweets read.

"My account has not been hacked. All the donations will go to the Ukrainian government," another one said.

Minutes later, the tweets for Ukrainians were deleted but were again posted asking for donations for Russians.

"Stand with the people of Russia. Now accepting cryptocurrency donations. Bitcoin and Ethereum," the tweet read.

All the tweets, however, were deleted later and the account was recovered after a short span of time.

Electronics and Technology Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar told the PTI news agency that the matter has been reported to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), and an investigation is on.

Earlier last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter account was also hacked briefly in December and a message related to Bitcoin was posted. Some other handles, including those of government departments, have also been hacked recently.

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New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is likely to release the CBSE Class 10, Class 12 Term 1 exam results sometime this week.

According to some reports, the board is set to release the results for the Class 10, Class 12 Term 1 exam this week, but no official announcement was made on the same.

Once released, the students will be able to check their CBSE Class 10, 12 Board Exam 2022 Term 1 result at the official websites- cbse.gov.in, cbseresults.nic.in.

Here are the steps to check scores:

Step 1: Visit the CBSE official website (cbse.nic.in)

Step 2: On the homepage, click 'CBSE 10th Term 1 Result 2022' or 'CBSE 12th Result 2022' link

Step 3: Enter your roll number, other details and click on submit

Step 4: Your classes 10 and 12 results will be displayed on the screen

Step 5. Download your result and take a printout for future reference

Other ways to check results:

It may be noted that the students can also check their scores on DigiLocker app and website (digilocker.gov.in); and on Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) app.

Meanwhile, the Board had recently announced that the practical exam for classes 10th and 12th for Term 2 examinations will start on March 2nd and the board exams will be conducted in offline mode from April 26.

"The board after discussion with various stakeholders and taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation in the country has decided to conduct second-term board exams in offline mode only. The theory exams will begin on April 26, 2022. The datasheet for classes 10 and 12 will be released soon," CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj had said on February 9.

"The pattern of the question papers will be the same as that of sample question papers hosted on the board's website. The students will appear in the examinations from the allotted examination centres as done during the preceding years," he had added.

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New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Sunday (February 27) issued advisory for stranded nationals in Ukraine who are unable to travel for evacuation.

The embassy asked such nationals who feel the situation is not conducive for travel, to wait for further development and stay in groups. Those who judge that the situation is not conducive for travel, or are unable to leave due to any reason, may wait until further developments, may also plan accordingly by remaining in groups, keeping enough essentials, following existing instructions on safety and security, the advisory read.

Further, the embassy asked nationals to use nearby railway stations for movement out of regions of active conflict and proceed towards the Western regions.

#UkraineRussiaCrisis Those who judge that the situation is not conducive for travel, or are unable to leave due to any reason, may wait until further developments: Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine in an advisory to Indian nationals pic.twitter.com/lnGyfjnD39  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

The transportation mode of Railways is operational and safer. If tickets are available on regular trains, they may be booked. In addition, Ukrainian Railways is also operating special trains for evacuation of people free of charge, on first come first serve basis at the Railway Station and for which tickets are not required, the embassy added.

Urging people to remain calm, the embassy said it is monitoring the developing situation, especially in Eastern regions of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the third Air India flight with around 240 Indians reached Delhi from Hungarian capital Budapest on Sunday morning. India has named the evacuation mission as 'Operation Ganga'. The first evacuation flight carrying 219 Indians from Bucharest had landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening, while the second flight with 250 nationals arrived in Delhi in the early hours of Sunday.

Moreover, a fourth evacuation flight carrying 198 Indians from Romanian capital Bucharest left for India on Sunday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said. After the closure of Ukraine's airspace, India is evacuating stranded nationals from Ukraine through its land border crossings with Romania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Khwaish Thapa of Jammu and Kashmir who is one of the thousands of Indian students stranded in Ukraine was to board the flight back to her motherland on February 25 is now in a shelter with 500 other students in the war-torn country's Kharkiv city.

19-year-old Khwaish told Wion how her life took an unusual turn as Russia invaded Ukraine. Just before switching off her phone for security reasons the Student of Kharkiv National Medical University said, "On February 23, I dropped my friend to the bus stand to board the flight back to India. I came back to my apartment. Until then it was just like any other day."

Talking to Wion Khwaish said nobody around her thought events would spiral into a war-like situation before she went to bed that night and it was her father who broke the news for her.

"At 5 AM, it was my father who called from India to break the news to me. And thats when I peeped from my window to see and hear sounds of bombardment. On checking my phone, my friends had also sent videos of what was happening around the city," she said.

Thapa said as the news broke the second-year medical student chose to go to the university hostel with friends but taxis were not available and after waiting for nearly an hour they caught a cab.

Before going to the bunker, we tried to carry some food and water with us, but all the water tanks outside had run dry. There were long queues outside grocery stores, we took whatever was available - glucose, fruits, chocolates, wafers and readymade chapatis. Here at the college the basement, food and basics are looked after, while those who rushed to the metro stations are running out of supplies, she told Wion.

Showing courage in times of crisis, Thapa said, I am holding up well, here we are all helping each other to cope with the situation." But what concerns her more is that Kharkiv the place where she is sheltering in east Ukraine, closer to the Russian border, which could complicate matters.

Students who have been evacuated were from the western regions of Ukraine but it would take nearly 17 hours to even reach the border checkpoint of Poland, Hungary, or Romania from eastern Ukraine, asserted Thapa.

"Though weve been made to understand that civilians will not be harmed, we have seen videos of apartments being bombed."

"My parents are worried, Im making sure I keep them posted so they do not stress a lot." Talking about the country before crisis Thapa said, "Ukraine is a beautiful and peaceful country. It feels like home."

She further said that there are ample shops selling Indian goods and Kharkiv is a comfortable place to live in.

Calling Kharkiv "an easy-going and adaptable place," Thapa informed that even the pandemic times did not cause any crisis and went by peacefully in the city.

Thapa, her batchmates, and friends hope for the evacuation and want to reach their motherland as soon as possible as the situation in the country worsens.

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Finance Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Marchenko announced the issue of military bonds of Ukraine, the first auction will take place in the near future, possibly with the participation of international investors.

"We have decided to issue military bonds, we will hold the first auction in the near future. We are working on the issue so that our international investors can be involved in this auction," Marchenko said at a meeting of the committee on finance, tax and customs policy on Sunday.

"That is, it should be not only an internal auction, but with the involvement of international investors," he said.
Anantnag: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday (February 27) arrested an active terrorist of Lashkar-i-Toiba (LeT) in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said, During surprise checking, movement of a suspicious person was noticed, who was apprehended tactfully by the alert police party. He has been identified as Shahid Thoker son of Mohd Iqbal Thoker resident of Nossipora Keegam Shopian.

Incriminating materials and a pistol were recovered from his possession.

He further said, As per police records, the arrested terrorist is a categorized one as he had recently joined the terror outfit of LeT.

Accordingly, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation into the matter is in progress.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (February 27, 2022), in his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', urged the people to abide by 'Vocal for Local' motto this festival season.

Addressing the 86th episode of the monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat today, the Prime Minister said, Festivals are approaching with Shivratri, Holi in the pipeline...I urge everyone to abide by 'Vocal for Local' and celebrate festivals by purchasing from local markets. Celebrate these festivals with fervour but don't forget to stay cautious too.

Festivals are approaching with Shivratri, Holi in the pipeline...I urge everyone to abide by 'Vocal for Local' and celebrate festivals by purchasing from local markets. Celebrate these festivals with fervour but don't forget to stay cautious too: PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat pic.twitter.com/MZ6YKyNB5o  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

PM Modi also paid tribute to CV Raman ji and all the other scientists a day before the National Science Day' in his Mann Ki Baat address.

India brought back over 200 idols since 2014

PM Modi also highlighted that India has been successful in bringing back invaluable artifacts.

"Many idols were smuggled from India, sold in different nations. Bringing those idols back was our responsibility. Till 2013, just 13 idols were brought back but after 2014, India brought back over 200 precious idols from nations like the US, Britain, and Canada," said PM Modi.

The prime minister also talked about the countrys rich culture and diversity and asserted that the country is so rich in terms of languages that it just cannot be compared. "We must be proud of our diverse languages," he said.

Many idols were smuggled from India, sold in different nations. Bringing those idols back was our responsibility. Till 2013, just 13 idols were brought back but after 2014, India brought back over 200 previous idols from nations like US, Britain, Canada..: PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat pic.twitter.com/PX0bO2ysTU  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

In his monthly address, PM Modi also mentioned the Tanzanian siblings Kili and Neema, who have gained great popularity on TikTok for their renditions of Indian songs. They paid tribute to Lata Didi, sang our national anthem. I am grateful to them, he said.

Kili and Neema from Tanzania have shown passion for Indian music. They paid tribute to Lata Didi, sang our national anthem. I am grateful to them. Just like them how about our kids doing the same... Like Kannada students lip syncing in J&K (language)...: PM Modi in Mann ki Baat pic.twitter.com/hHrvurxvUp  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

Speak their mother tongue with pride

Additionally, a few days after the International Mother Language Day, PM Modi said that people in the country should speak their mother tongue with pride. In his monthly address, the Prime Minister highlighted that Tamil is one of the oldest languages in the world.

PM Modi said that, in 2019, Hindi was the third most spoken language in the world. "It is our mother tongue; we should speak it with pride. And, our India is so rich in terms of languages that it just cannot be compared. The biggest beauty of our languages is that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Kohima, hundreds of languages, thousands of dialects which are different from each other but are mutually integrated...many languages - one expression. For centuries, our languages have been evolving whilst learning from each other and have been refining themselves, developing each other," the Prime Minister said.

The International Mother Language Day was observed on February 21. He added, "The people of India are proud to be associated with 121 forms of mother tongues and 14 of these languages are spoken by more than 1 crore people in everyday life. That is, many European countries do not have a total population than the people who are associated with 14 different languages in our country. In the year 2019, Hindi was ranked third among the most spoken languages of the world. Every Indian should be proud of this too."

This was the 86th episode of the monthly radio programme of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister`s monthly radio broadcast `Mann ki Baat` is aired on the last Sunday of every month. The programme will be broadcast on the entire network of AIR and Doordarshan and also on AIR News and mobile app. The first episode of the programme was broadcast on October 3, 2014.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday (February 28) attacked the Centre over the IT raids on Maharashtra's ministers and political leader.

Talking to the media Raut said, "I think there's Income and Tax only in Maharashtra, no Income and Tax in BJP-ruled states. Municipal Corporation polls are here, so central agencies have work only in Maharashtra and West Bengal; no work in rest of India, all is well there."

Shiv Sena leader further said that the Centre will keep searching implying that the agencies won't find out anything. "We are noting all these things. We are watching, the public is watching too. Let them do it. Let them find out what they are searching for. They will keep searching," he said.

Earlier on Friday, the Income Tax department carried out searches at the premises of Shiv Sena corporator and Standing Committee chairperson of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Yashwant Jadhav.

Talking about the ongoing Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh Shiv Sena said that the state is going to witness a change, adding that the support for Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav shows the same.

"Aaditya Thackeray had been to UP. I think there is going to be a change in UP. People have made up their minds. In the atmosphere we saw, there is a neck-to-neck fight. The support for Akhilesh Yadav shows the change," said Raut.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: As part of the 'Operation Ganga', India on Sunday (February 27, 2022) brought back the second batch of 250 Indian nationals from Romania after facilitating their exit from Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia welcomed them with flowers when the Air India (AI)-192 special flight from the Romanian capital Bucharest landed at the Delhi airport in the wee hours of Sunday.

#FlyAI: HMCA @JM_Scindia receiving the Indian nationals who were flown back to Delhi from Bucharest by AI 1942 on 27th Feb, '22 early morning, operated to evacuate Indians stranded at war-ravaged Ukraine. Thank you for guiding us on this mission @MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/y1DuYcjJTW  Air India (@airindiain) February 26, 2022

Scindia informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to evacuate more citizens.

ALSO READ | Ukraine President speaks to PM Modi, seeks India's support against Russia

"Every single citizen is back home in India. Please send this message to all your friends and colleagues that we are with them and will guarantee them their safe return. PM Modi is in touch with the Ukrainian and Russian President, conservations are on to ensure that everyone is brought home safely," he told students.

PM Sh @narendramodi Ji, along with all the government agencies are working round the clock to ensure every Indian is brought back home quick & safe. #OperationGanga https://t.co/O6HUS4Kbxi pic.twitter.com/k9QVvZVrGh  Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) February 26, 2022

With this, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been so far evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, of which, 219 had landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, the third flight to the national capital with 240 Indian nationals has also taken off from Hungary's Budapest.

Third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi. Koszonom szepen FM Peter Szijjarto. pic.twitter.com/22EHK3RK3V  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 26, 2022

It is noteworthy that amid the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, India has set up a control room at the Ministry of External Affairs to provide information and assistance to its citizens in Ukraine.

Please spread the word. A Control Room has been set up at the Ministry of External Affairs to provide information and assistance to our people in Ukraine. Contact: 1800118797 (Toll free) Phones:

+91 11 23012113

+91 11 23014104

+91 11 23017905 Email:

situationroom@mea.gov.in pic.twitter.com/hP5PyeQKgp  Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) February 24, 2022

Earlier on Saturday, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

In an advisory to Indian nationals, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is 'sensitive' and that it is working continuously with embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of Indian citizens.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The Government of India has launched 'multi-pronged' Operation Ganga to evacuate our citizens stranded in Ukraine. "This evacuation process will be at government cost," said Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla. Since the airspace in Ukraine was closed, India identified land evacuation options from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. "Specific border crossing points were identified and the MEA had deployed teams to assist in the evacuation process," Shringla added.

Here are some of the key points from Shringla's address:

- Our Embassy in Kyiv and our Ministry had issued a number of advisories prior to the situation developing. 4000 of our nationals had left before the conflict, pursuant to these advisories. We estimated that about 15,000 citizens were left in Ukraine.

- Border crossing to Hungary and Romania is functioning, however, the exit point to Poland is clogged due to lakhs of foreign nationals trying to escape from that point. Those who are near the borders of Hungary and Romania are guided towards their border points in phases.

- So far under operation Ganga, thousand of our citizens have been flown out of Romania and Hungary and another thousand have been evacuated from Ukraine through land routes. Flights have been organised for them.

Here is a list of flights for operation Ganga for evacuation of Indians from Ukraine via neighboring countries, informed Shringla. Check list:

List of flights for operation Ganga for Evacuation of Indians from Ukraine via neighboring countries: Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla pic.twitter.com/AmrOrxHeuA  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

Shringla said he called in both ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine separately and conveyed his concerns about the safety of Indian citizens. "I've shared the locations where Indian citizens are concentrated. Both ambassadors took note of our concerns and assured us of the safety of Indian citizens," the Foreign Secretary said.

India has been operating to evacuate Indians via Ukraine's neighboring countries. The Indian embassy in Ukraine on Sunday said it is continuously exploring to facilitate opening up more border transit points with neighbouring countries for the evacuation of Indian citizens from Ukraine. In an advisory, the embassy said it is closely monitoring the developing situation, especially in the eastern regions of Ukraine, and that it is in constant touch with the authorities for the safety of Indian citizens. The embassy urged people to stay calm and safe.

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New Delhi: Poland is allowing entry of all the Indian nationals evacuating conflict-ridden Ukraine in its country without visas, said the Poland Embassy in India on Sunday (February 27). Ambassador of Poland to India, Adam Burakowski shared the information on his Twitter handle.

Taking to Twitter, Burakowski said, "Poland is allowing to enter without any visa all Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine." (sic)

Poland is allowing to enter without any visa all Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine.  Adam Burakowski (@Adam_Burakowski) February 27, 2022

The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under `operation Ganga`, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

"Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet. Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary`s Budapest under Operation Ganga.

"The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," he said tweeted. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read."

"Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added.

The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.



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Chandigarh: AAP Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann on Sunday advocated fixing fees of medical colleges in the state, and asked the Centre and state governments to ponder over the reasons of Indian students going to foreign countries for higher education.

He said if thousands of Punjabi, Haryanvi and other Indian students have been stranded in war-torn Ukraine, the BJP-led Centre and the state governments of Punjab and Haryana are responsible for their trauma.

The dispensation never paid attention towards the compulsion of Indian students to go to countries like Ukraine, Russia, China, Philippines and Tajikistan, for medical studies and higher education, he said.

Mann also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come up with a concrete plan to open government medical colleges on a large scale across the country and restrict private institutes from charging unreasonable fees.

He further said the aspiring students belong to ordinary and middle class families, who fail to get admission in the limited number of seats of medical colleges in the country. They also do not have the financial means to pay the hefty fees of private colleges, he said.

No new medical colleges were established at district-level in Punjab after independence, and there is only a slight increase in the number of seats of government colleges of Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot, he rued.

The AAP's chief ministerial candidate, who had recently appealed to the Union government to make arrangements to bring back Indian students safely from Ukraine, said there are only 675 seats of MBBS, including 100 seats of Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences in Mohali. He added that this figure is far less than the number of seats available in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Although there are about 770 MBBS seats in half-a-dozen private medical colleges in Punjab, wherein minimum fees ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 80 lakh, are being levied on the students for medical degrees. Students of poor and middle class with good ranks cannot afford these seats, whereas those from wealthy families get these seats even at mediocre ranks," Mann said in a statement here.

He said health and education are the priorities for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

He said if AAP forms the government in Punjab, major steps will be taken to reform government medical colleges, universities and schools, and regulate fees of private educational institutions so that students of the state are not forced to study abroad.

He asked if countries like Ukraine can offer 6-year MBBS degrees at the fees of Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, why can't India come up with such kind of offers.

The state went to polls on February 20 and the results will be out on March 10.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (February 27, 2022) addressed an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Basti and took a jibe at the Opposition parties. In an apparent attack on Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, PM Modi said that there's a difference between 'rashtra bhakti' (devotion to nation) and 'pariwar bhakti' (devotion to family).

He also stated that the previous governments led by dynasts kept India dependent on foreign countries for its defence needs, but now the priority is "atmanirbhar".

"It is time to rise above barriers of caste and religion and strengthen the country by making it atmanirbhar," he said.

Tremendous enthusiasm across Uttar Pradesh. Addressing a massive rally in Basti. https://t.co/6waFgoDcyg  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 27, 2022

"We don't have oil refineries, we import crude oil... They (Opposition) never paid attention to it... Now, with the help of sugarcane, ethanol can be made. Our government is establishing a network of Ethanol plant," PM Modi said.

"For decades these 'Parivarwadis' let our armies dependent on other countries, destroyed India's Defence (sector)...But today, we have a Defence corridor being set up in Uttar Pradesh," he added.

PM Modi also attacked the rival parties over asking for proof for the Balakot airstrike and said, "The country celebrated three years of the Balakot airstrike on February 26, but dynasts had sought proof of it then."

The Prime Minister also stated that the government is working tirelessly to bring back all Indians stuck in Ukraine.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian airspace being closed for civil aircraft operations, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Romanian capital Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest.

He is now scheduled to address election rallies in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarthnagar and Ambedkarnagar later in the day. These areas will vote in the sixth phase on March 3.

(With agency inputs)

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Kyiv: In a heart-wrenching tale that's coming from war-torn Ukraine, a third-year student of software engineering has refused to leave behind his rescued pet dog and leave the east European country. Rishabh Kaushik, a third-year student at the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics has requested authorities in India to expedite the procedure for his evacuation along with his furry friend, Malibu. Rishabh says he is not able to clearance for his dog. He said that the authorities are asking for air ticket. "How can I have an air ticket when the Ukrainian airspace is closed? he is seen asking in the video which has now been widely shared on social media

In the video, Rishabh can be heard talking about how he has approached the Indian embassy in Ukraine and the Centre's Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS) in Delhi. He said, "I would have been in India right now had the Indian government given me the required NOC (no objection certificate) as per their laws."

Kaushik also said that his dog is a rescue puppy. A disappointed and helpless Rishabh, who is stuck in Kyiv and has been staying in bunkers, says the authorities are asking for more and more documents, which he said is impossible to procure in a war-ravaged Ukraine. Rishabhshared I n the video that he woke up to sounds of bombing in wee hours of the morning and his dog is also stressed and scared, with all the bombings going around.

Check out the video here:

Meanwhile, India has been operating to evacuate Indians via Ukraine's neighboring countries. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening, reported ANI. In a new advisory, Embassy of India in Kyiv has advised its citizens to use nearby railway stations for movement out of regions of active conflict in Eastern regions and proceed towards the Western regions."As and when the curfew is lifted, and there is considerable movement of people in your respective neighborhoods, Indian Nationals are advised to use nearby railway stations for movement out of regions of active conflict and proceed towards the Western regions," read the advisory."
Varanasi: Taking a swipe at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav for "wishing his death" in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said till his death neither will people of Kashi leave him nor will Kashi leave him. Addressing 'BJP's Booth Vijay Samelan' in Varanasi, which was also known as Kashi in ancient times, the Prime Minister said, "I do not like to criticize anyone personally nor do I want to criticize anyone. But when I was publicly wished for my death in Kashi, I really felt very happy, my heart felt very relaxed. I felt that even my staunch opponents were seeing how much love the people of Kashi had for me. Those people have fulfilled my wish. This means that till my death neither the people of Kashi will leave me nor will Kashi leave me."

PM Modi's remarks come on a statement by the SP chief after the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in December last year. "Bahut achhi baat hai. Ek Maheena nahin, do mahina, teen mahina wahin rahein. Woh jagah rahene wali hai. Aakhri samay par vaheen raha jata hai, Banaras mein (It is a very good thing. Not just one month. He should stay there for two months, three months. That`s the place to stay. When the end nears, that`s where one stays - in Banaras)," Yadav had said.

PM Modi further said that the party has given him the meritorious benefit of serving Kashi, sitting at the feet of Mahadev and Mother Ganga."The workers of BJP work for the country. For all of us, it has always been party above individual and country above party. We win elections but at the same time we win the hearts of the people," the Prime Minister said.

Talking about Varanasi, he said that the path of development on which the city is going forward will open the way for the country to be free from poverty and crime. The Prime Minister also offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. Elections for the fifth phase were underway in districts -- Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli - on Suday. Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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 At an extraordinary meeting on Monday, European Union energy ministers will discuss the synchronization of the Ukrainian power system with the European one, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said.

"The work to help Ukraine is ongoing, emphasised by fresh sanctions that will hit Russia hard. EU energy ministers will meet extraordinarily tomorrow. Firmly on our agenda: energy security for Ukraine and the EU, synchronisation of Ukraine to our grid and sanctions," she said on Twitter.

Simson noted that she will ask ENTSO-E to support the emergency synchronization of power systems as quickly as possible.

As reported, Ukraine, after the successful implementation of the program for testing the operation of the country's power system together with the Moldovan one in an isolated mode against the backdrop of military aggression by Russia, which troops, in particular, entered Ukraine and carried out shelling from the territory of Belarus, refused to connect back to the power systems of the Russian Federation and Belarus.
New Delhi: The Ukraine-Russia conflict continued on Sunday as tensions entered its fourth day. As India continues with its evacuation of nationals via Ukraine's neighbouring nations, back home in the capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis, official sources said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was part of the meeting which was also attended by top government officials.

Modi presided over the meeting immediately upon his return from Uttar Pradesh, where he addressed rallies as part of the BJP's campaign for the state assembly polls. According to government sources, the PM's meeting lasted for over 2 hours. Modi said that "ensuring the safety of our students and evacuating them is our top priority". It was discussed to further enhance cooperation with neighbouring countries of Ukraine to expedite evacuation, said sources.

A large number of Indians, mostly students, are stranded in Ukraine following Russia's attack on the country. India has begun evacuating them, and over 900 people have been brought back since Saturday. Modi has also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, with India calling for dialogue to defuse the crisis.

Meanwhile, India on Sunday evacuated as many as 688 more nationals from war-hit Ukraine on three Air India flights and said it was in touch with the other countries in that region to ensure the return of all its stranded citizens as concerns mounted over their safety.

Approximately 13,000 Indians are in Ukraine as of now, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who received the evacuees at the Delhi airport this morning, said. Around a thousand Indians have already been flown out of Romania and Hungary and another 1,000 have been evacuated from Ukraine through the land routes, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told a media briefing.

Scenes of tearful reunion were seen at the Delhi airport after two Air India flights from Romanian capital Bucharest and one from Hungarian capital Budapest arrived in Delhi with 688 Indian nationals on Sunday. IndiGo also said it will operate two flights to Budapest via Istanbul on Monday and Tuesday from Delhi to bring back Indians. The first evacuation flight from Bucharest with 219 people on board had landed in Mumbai a day earlier under Operation Ganga and many of the returnees reached their home states. The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

(With inputs from Ravindra Kumar and Agency)

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New Delhi: Targeting Samajwadi Party (SP), Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (February 27) said that during Akhilesh Yadavs government Uttar Pradesh was number 1 in crimes like loot, murder and rapes.

Addressing an election meeting in Ballia, Shah said Yadav did not work for UP. Under SP- loots, murders, rapes were at no. 1. Akhilesh, shame on you! How can you come to people to seek votes? You have done nothing for the people. Under Yogi Ji's leadership, there has been 70% fall in loot, 29% fall in murders, Amit Shah was quoted as saying by ANI.

Under SP- loots, murders, rapes were at no. 1. Akhilesh, shame on you! How can you come to people to seek votes? You have done nothing for the people. Under Yogi Ji's leadership, there has been 70% fall in loot, 29% fall in murders...: Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Ballia, UP pic.twitter.com/UvbfJsEBOu  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 27, 2022

Praising the incumbent Yogi Adityanath-led government, Shah said it freed peoples land from mafias (goons). Earlier, govt land was snatched by 'Bahubalis'. Dalits, underprivileged, everyone was deprived. These Parivarwadis' in their tenure committed atrocities against the poor....BJP got people's lands free from land mafias, he added.

Further, accusing the SP of appeasement politics, the Union Home Minister alleged that Akhilesh Yadavs government provided electricity during Muharram but not on Ram Navami and Sri Krishna Janmotsav.

"Earlier, when there was Muharram electricity used to come to Uttar Pradesh, but on Parshuram Jayanti, Sri Ram Navami and Sri Krishna Janmotsav there was no electricity supply," he claimed.

Shah exuded confidence that the BJP will return to power in the state again and the four phases of polling have paved the way for it.

Slamming Congress, the BJP leader said the grand old party gave the slogan of 'garibi hataao' in the seventies but removed the poor instead. "They were not able to remove poverty, but got involved in removing the poor people. The Modi government has fulfilled all the promises made for the welfare of the poor," he added.

The fifth phase of polling is underway in Uttar Pradesh today, with the last two phases on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: A clash broke between TMC and BJP workers on Sunday (February 27, 2022) during the polling for West Bengal civic polls in North 24 Parganas.

"2 EVMs vandalized at ward 9, similar situation across the state. Police arresting BJP workers, not letting them vote. All booths have been captured, said BJP leader, Arjun Singh.

Only Police and goons are voting here. Voters are scared to vote, especially the Bengali population, who are not being allowed to vote. Even TMC's core vote bank, Muslims are not able to vote. Police here is playing one of the 3 monkeys of Gandhiji, said West Bengal BJP vice-president.

Only Police and goons are voting here. Voters are scared to vote, especially the Bengali population, who are not being allowed to vote. Even TMC's core vote bank, Muslims are not able to vote. Police here is playing one of the 3 monkeys of Gandhiji: West Bengal BJP vice-president pic.twitter.com/5pFTvtPEqu  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

In the meantime, an election official said sporadic incidents of violence-marred elections in 108 civic bodies across West Bengal on Sunday morning. The polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm, he said.

According to the official data shared at 1 pm, 49.91 per cent votes were cast across 2,171 wards amid tight security, he said.

"Apart from a few stray incidents, polling has so far been peaceful. No incidents of violence have been reported. We noted some disturbances from a few areas and took action," the senior official of the State Election Commission said.

Few outsiders were found in queues at some polling booths in Barrackpore and Dum Dum municipalities in North 24 Parganas district.

In Bhatpara municipality, the pocket borough of BJP MP Arjun Singh, the situation was tense as sporadic clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters.

A BJP candidate smashed an EVM, alleging rigging by TMC members, in one of the wards. The TMC denied the allegations of foul play.

In Malda district, wards 4, 8 and 12 of English Bazar Municipality witnessed some tensions with the police acting swiftly to manage the situation. BJP candidate of ward 8 Sanjay Sharma alleged that the booths in Ramkrishna Mission School were captured by the TMC, a charge the ruling party rubbished.

Congress leader Isha Khan Chowdhury alleged that TMC supporters were not allowing the party's ward 15 candidate to enter polling station 155.

In Jalpaiguri Municipality's ward 12, Congress candidate Narayan Chandra Sarkar alleged that he was thrown out of a booth by police, while TMC members were campaigning at the same place for their party's candidate.

Over 95 lakh voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors. Todays voting is going to decide the fate of 8,160 candidates. The officials informed that a total of 44,000 police personnel have been deployed for the civic polls, with at least one armed police in every booth.

The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum.

Long queues were seen outside many booths as people turned up early for casting their votes. In all, 135 observers, including 10 special senior observers and 108 general observers, are keeping a close watch on the polling. The votes will be counted on March 2.

(With agency inputs)

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Lucknow: The voting for the fifth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls for 61 Assembly seats spread across 12 districts including Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi and Raebareli, began on Sunday morning. But all eye are set on the constituency that garnered most of the limelight in this phase is Ayodhya, the reason being the construction of the Ram Mandir.

Ayodhya is witnessing its first big election after the 2019 Supreme Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. Earlier in Faizabad district, Ayodhya has been the bastion of the BJP since 1991 after the Ram Janmabhoomi movement started in the 1980s.

As voting, people came out of their houses to cast their votes in the 5th phase of UP Elections2022. "I have voted on issues of employment, development and safety," says Digpal Das, who cast his vote at Purva Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Ayodhya.

People cast their votes in the 5th phase of #UPElections2022. "I have voted on issues of employment, development and safety," says Digpal Das Visuals from Purva Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Ayodhya. pic.twitter.com/WLGLxxH8ps  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 27, 2022

With the development of the temple town and the sentiments of Hindu voters regarding "Ram", BJP finds itself in a relatively comfortable position in this region than its opponents, especially the Samajwadi Party.

The SP has fielded Brahmin face Tej Narayan Pandey against BJP`s sitting MLA Ved Prakash Gupta. Worth mentioning, Pandey won from the seat in the 2012 Assembly polls. Thanks to Ram Mandir, the UP polls this time added a new aspect of temple politics.

Political leaders across party lines, be it SP chief Akhilesh Yadav or Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi have not missed the chance for customary visits to temples. This can be seen as an effort to dent BJP`s vote bank.

In 2017, BJP had won 38 seats out of 55 seats in this region, while the SP had retained 15 and the Congress had won two seats.

In a multi-cornered contest with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) as prime contenders, as many as 692 candidates are in the fray in the fifth phase whose political fate will be decided by around 2.24 crore electorates.

Key issues like, job losses among migrant labourers, lack of infrastructure, unemployment and most-importantly stray cattle menace along with some sort of anti-incumbency factor might reflect on the ballot box for the ruling BJP in this phase.

The BJP is banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s charismatic image, double-engine rhetoric, free ration during the COVID pandemic and PM Awas Yojana.

On the other hand, Akhilesh Yadav-led SP is eying on youth electorates besides its traditional game of consolidation of Yadav and Muslim vote bank.

Asaduddin Owaisi`s AIMIM which is also in the fray may prove to be a spoiler in SP`s social engineering when it comes to Muslim voters.

BSP supremo Mayawati who appeared to be on relatively backfoot in terms of aggressive campaigning is relying on its core Dalit vote bank.

With Priyanka Gandhi Vadra steering Congress` power-packed campaigns, the party is also relying on this region for a good share of seats. The party believes Priyanka Gandhi`s "Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon" campaign will mobilize women voters that might bring some good fortune.

(With ANI Inputs)

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New Delhi: India Post has invited applications from eligible individuals for the recruitment of Staff Car Driver posts under Mail Motor Service Department. The company has issued a notification and is looking to fill 17 posts through this recruitment drive.

The interested candidates can apply through the official website, indiapost.gov.in. The last date to apply is March 10, 2022.

India Post Recruitment 2022: Vacancy details

Post: Staff Car Driver (Ordinary Grade)

No. of Vacancy: 17

Pay Scale: Level-2

India Post Recruitment 2022: Division wise vacancy details

Mail Motor Service Coimbatore: 11

Erode Division 02

Nilgiris Division: 01

Salem West Division: 02

Tirupur Division: 01

India Post Recruitment 2022: Age limit

Age Limit: 56 years

India Post Recruitment 2022: Eligibility criteria

Interested candidate must have a Matriculation from a recognised Board with a valid driving license for Light and Heavy Motor vehicle and, at least, three years of driving experience.

India Post Recruitment 2022: How to apply

Interested candidates may apply in prescribed Application form along with self-attested photocopies of certificates in proof of age, caste, qualification, experience, valid driving licence etc. send to the Manager, Mail Motor Service, Goods Shed Roads, Coimbatore, 641001.

India Post Recruitment 2022: Detailed notification

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New Delhi: Indian Navy has issued a notification for the recruitment for the post of Tradesman (Skilled). This is a golden opportunity for individuals who want to join the Indian Navy and serve the nation. Navy is looking to fill up 1,531 vacancies through this recruitment drive.

Interested and eligible candidates can apply for the recruitment drive on the official website of Indian navy- joinindiannavy.gov.in. The last date to apply for the Indian Navy Tradesman Recruitment 2022 is 31 March (tentative).

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Important dates

Notification issued- February 19, 2022 2

Opening of online registration portal- March 18, 2022 at 1000 hrs

Closing of online registration portal- March 31, 2022 at 1700 hrs

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Vacancy details

A total of 1,531 posts will be filled via Indian Navy Tradesman Recruitment 2022.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Salary details

Selected candidates will get a salary/ pay scale of level 2 (Rs 19,900-Rs 63,200).

Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: Age limit

The minimum age is 18 years and the maximum to apply is 25 years.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Eligibility criteria

Candidates must be 10th pass and should have a knowledge of English. They are required to have completed apprentice training in the concerned trade or served as a mechanic or any equivalent post with two years of regular service in the appropriate technical branch of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

For more information on the Indian Navy Tradesman Recruitment 2022, candidates can see the OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION here.

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Washington: Ashton Kutcher is extending his solidarity with Ukraine following Russia`s military operations. According to People Magazine, Kutcher's wife and actor Mila Kunis, 38, was born and raised in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, until the age of 7.

The 'That '70s Show' alum, 44, showed support for his wife`s native country amid the ongoing crisis.

"I stand with Ukraine," Kutcher posted on Twitter, before also retweeting an image of the Ukrainian flag. The statement from the actor comes after 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."

During an interview with The Los Angeles Times in 2008, Kunis revealed she and her family fled the country and immigrated to the United States "right at the fall (of the Soviet Union)." "It was very communist, and my parents wanted my brother and me to have a future, and so they just dropped everything," Kunis explained.

"They came with USD 250."She said that she "adjusted fairly quickly and fairly well" to life in the States. However, the 'Bad Moms' star confessed that she "blocked out second grade completely" due to the initial struggle to blend in.

"I cried every day," she said. "I didn`t understand the people. I didn`t understand the language."

Following Russia's military operations, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have also shown their support for Ukraine by assisting refugees who are fleeing their homes to safety.

The couple pledged to match donations as they encouraged their followers to pitch in and help Ukrainians displaced by the ongoing conflict.

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NEW DELHI: During the 86th edition of the monthly Mann ki Baat programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the efforts taken by Tanzanian TikTok stars Kili and Neema, who lip synced to Indian songs, and also paid tribute to late Lata Mangeshkar.

Kili and Neema from Tanzania have shown passion for Indian music. They paid tribute to Lata Didi, sang our national anthem. I am grateful to them. Just like them how about our kids doing the same... Like Kannada students lip syncing in J&K (language)...: PM Modi in Mann ki Baat pic.twitter.com/hHrvurxvUp  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

Heaping praises at the brother-sister duo, he said, Kili and Neema from Tanzania have shown passion for Indian music. They paid tribute to Lata Didi, sang our national anthem. I am grateful to them. Just like them how about our kids doing the same... Like Kannada students lip syncing in J&K (language)..

Just like the sibling duo of Kili & Neema, I urge everyone, especially kids from different states to make lip-syncing videos of popular songs (from a state different than theirs). We'll redefine 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' & popularise Indian languages: PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat pic.twitter.com/Bk6mabccnj  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

He further urged everyone to give importance to our culture and said, "Just like the sibling duo of Kili & Neema, I urge everyone, especially kids from different states to make lip-syncing videos of popular songs (from a state different than theirs). We'll redefine 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' & popularise Indian languages..

For the unversed, Kili and Neema Paul, a Tanzanian brother-sister pair, have lip to a variety of Bollywood songs.

Not only that, Kili Paul, alongside his sibling Neema, has also lip-synced to a number of popular Bollywood songs - including Zaalima, Tum Hi Ho, and Kusu Kusu, and the videos have gone viral on social media.

Their expressions and dance moves have taken the internet by storm and now they are extremely popular among other TikTokers.
New Delhi: Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India's initial public offer is likely to hit public markets in the month of March 2022. The offer is pegged to be the largest ever IPO in the history of Indian markets, much larger than Paytm and Coal India's IPO. The LIC IPO could open for subscriptions on March 11, 2022, for anchor investors, according to several media reports. Other investors, such as retail investors, will be able to subscribe to LIC IPO in the next few days.

LIC is also offering a discount on IPO shares to its policyholders. The insurer had noted that policyholders are required to link their PAN cards to become eligible for availing discount on LIC IPO shares.

A policyholder of our Corporation shall ensure that his / her PAN details are updated in the policy records of our Corporation at the earliest. A policyholder who has not updated his / her PAN details with our Corporation before the expiry of two weeks from the date of the filing of this Draft Red Herring Prospectus with SEBI (i.e., by February 28, 2022) shall not be considered as an Eligible Policyholder, LIC said in a statement.

Moving ahead with its IPO, LIC has filed the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with the SEBI early this month. The DRHP, which is filed ahead of the IPO, outlines the companys details and growth expectations.

LIC is likely to sell a five per cent equity stake owned by the Indian government with the IPO. Employees working at the LIC will also receive IPO shares at a discounted price.

How to link PAN card with LIC policy:

Step 1: Firstly, you need to visit the official LIC website, www.licindia.in

Step 2: Go to the Online PAN Registration option.

Step 3: Select the Proceed option.

Step 4: Share your e-mail ID, PAN number, mobile phone number and policy number

Step 5: Complete the Captcha verification.

Step 6: Select the Get OTP button.

Step &: Enter the OTP.

Step 7: Click on the Submit option. Also Read: LIC`s $8 billion IPO could launch on March 11: All you need to know

Step 8: A message for the success of the PAN linking process will be shown on the screen. Also Read: LIC IPO opening on THIS day? 10 important things to know

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#mute
New Delhi: Along with the Aadhaar Card, one of the most important documents for any Indian resident is the PAN Card, which is accepted as a valid proof at a variety of sites. A PAN is especially important for salaried employees because it is required to file the Income Tax Return (ITR).

When creating a bank account or a demat account, the authority would additionally want a valid PAN or a copy of it. Banks, on the other hand, require PAN when an individual deposits more than Rs 50,000 in a single transaction into a bank account.

It is also necessary since the government keeps track of the financial transactions of residents who use the PAN card. However, it is not always possible to supply the physical card. This is when an e-PAN can come in handy, lowering the danger of losing the card.

The procedure for obtaining an e PAN card online is straightforward. Here's a step-by-step procedure:

Step 1- Visit https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/requestAndDownloadEPAN.html to access the portal.

Step 2- Click 'Apply for PAN' and fill out the form.

Step 3- Enter the Captcha and press the 'Submit' button.

Step 4- You will now have the chance to preview the details. After you've verified your identity, click the 'Generate OTP' button.

Step 5- Enter the OTP that was sent to the registered mobile phone.

Step 6- Select 'Paid e-PAN Download Facility.'

Step 7- Choose a payment type and make the required Rs 9 payment.

Step 8- After you've made your payment, click the 'Continue' button.

Step 9- Download the PAN Card payment receipt online now.

Step 10- Finally, your e-PAN card will be automatically downloaded to your mobile or PC.

The PDF of the downloaded e-PAN card will be password secured. To access it, the user must input their date of birth, which serves as the password.

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Damage to environment from fire at KLO oil depot in Vasylkiv estimated at nearly UAH 810 bln, Ukraine preparing lawsuit with UN  minister

Damage to environment from fire at KLO oil depot in Vasylkiv estimated at nearly UAH 810 bln, Ukraine preparing lawsuit with UN  minister

KYIV. Feb 27 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Ukraine is preparing a lawsuit to the International Court of Justice for full compensation for damages caused to the environment due to the shelling of the oil depot in Vasylkiv, Kyiv region, acting Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets has said.

"According to preliminary estimates, unprecedented environmental losses from a fire at an oil depot in the village of Kriachky, Vasylkiv district, Kyiv region, amount to UAH 810 billion. Experts from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the State Ecological Inspectorate are currently working on accurate calculations. But I am sure that the amount will only increase. We will add it to the total basket of losses inflicted by the occupiers," Strilets wrote on his Facebook on Sunday.

At the same time, he said that now the ecological situation is under control and nothing threatens the life and health of the population.

"And the occupiers will definitely pay for the damage caused to the environment of Ukraine and for all crimes against our state," the minister of natural resources said.
With the continuous decrease in Covid-19 cases and lifting of all restrictions by authorities, Delhi Metro will allow the metro to run with a 100 percent capacity.

On February 25, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, decided to withdraw all restrictions from February 28 (Monday), reduce the fine for not wearing masks from Rs 2,000 to Rs 500 and resume physical classes in Delhi schools from April 1.

In view of the latest guidelines issued by the DDMA on Covid management, announcing the lifting of all prohibitions or restrictions imposed earlier. "Delhi Metro services will now be available with revised norms from February 28," the DMRC said. "Passengers will be allowed to travel in the metro without any restrictions i.e, they can travel in both standing and sitting manner," DMRC said.

Also read: Metro services on yellow line to be suspended on Sunday, details here

All gates of metro stations will remain open to facilitate passenger entry throughout the day. Regulation of passenger entry through a limited number of gates stands dispensed with from February 28, the DMRC added.

However, passengers are advised to keep following Covid-appropriate behaviors (i.e. Wearing a face mask or cover, maintaining social distancing, etc), for their own and everyone else's safety and well-being, it said.

With inputs from PTI

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New Delhi: Elon Musk-owned satellite internet service provider Starlink is now working in Ukraine, as the country faces Russian attempts aiming to lock internet services in the country.

Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route, Elon Musk responded to a tweet by Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, in which he had urged the billionaire to help the country with Starlinks internet services.

@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars  Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space  Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand, Fedorov had said in an emotional request.

@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars  Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space  Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.  Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 26, 2022

Soon after Musks announcement, many on social media are all praises for the worlds richest man, who has come in support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Many thanked him for offering the services at such a crucial time when the war is being fought on the ground and in digital war rooms.

A Twitter user said, Bro is Tony Stark, who is the Iron Man and a billionaire industrialist, also the founding member of Marvels Avengers.

bro is tony stark https://t.co/A3SuQFZRhE  kai (@kaisteww) February 27, 2022

Thx. Great use of your wealth and influence. All freedom-loving people need to take a stand against tyranny, another Twitter user said.

Thank you! Thats the speed we need from world leaders and governments, another Twitter user said.

Thank you! Thats the speed we need from world leaders and governments. https://t.co/1kgARTP7sm  Denise Ho (@hoccgoomusic) February 27, 2022

Meanwhile, Ukraine is creating an IT army to fight against Russias digital intrusions. The nation has called its hacker underground to help protect the countrys critical infrastructure and conduct cyber spying missions against Russian troops, Reuters reported last week. Also Read: JP Nadda's Twitter account hacked, tweets asking for crypto donations for Ukraine, Russia posted

"We are creating an IT army," Fedorov had said in a Tweet that was linked to a channel on the Telegram. "There will be tasks for everyone. We continue to fight on the cyber front. The first task is on the channel for cyber specialists." Also Read: Wordle answer for today, February 27: Check puzzle 253 hints, solution

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New Delhi: Ukraine will create an "IT army" to fight against Russia`s digital intrusions, Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Saturday. The country has called its hacker underground to help protect critical infrastructure and conduct cyber spying missions against Russian troops, Reuters exclusively reported last week.

"We are creating an IT army," Fedorov wrote in a Tweet that linked to a channel on the Telegram messaging app which published a list of prominent Russian websites.

"There will be tasks for everyone. We continue to fight on the cyber front. The first task is on the channel for cyber specialists,"

The Telegram channel listed the websites of 31 major Russian businesses and state organisations including energy giant Gazprom, Russia`s second-largest oil producer Lukoil, three banks and a handful of government websites.

Kremlin.ru, the official website of the Kremlin and the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was taken offline on Saturday in an apparent distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.

Malicious data-wiping software was discovered circulating in Ukraine last week, hitting hundreds of computers, according to researchers at the cybersecurity firm ESET.

Suspicion fell on Russia, which has repeatedly been accused of hacks against Ukraine and other countries. The victims included government agencies and a financial institution.

Britain and the United States said Russian military hackers were behind a spate of DDoS attacks last week that briefly knocked Ukrainian banking and government websites offline before the Russian invasion. Also Read: Steel consumption to rise due to govt programmes, schemes: Singh

Russia has denied the allegations. Also Read: Now Twitter users can add content warnings to individual tweets

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New Delhi: Thousands of Russian customers have been barred from using Apple Pay and Google Pay services after the US imposed heavy financial sanctions on the country for invading Ukraine.

Customers at several banks in Russia reported they were unable to use their bank cards with Google Pay and Apple Pay.

According to a statement by Russia`s Central Bank, customers of banks that fell under the sanctions (VTB Group, Sovcombank, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, Otkritie) will not be able to pay with cards of these banks abroad.

"Also, the cards of these banks will not be able to be used with Apple Pay, Google Pay services, but standard contact or contactless payment with these cards is available in full throughout Russia," the Central Bank informed.

Google Pay and Apple Pay aren`t as popular in Russia as they are in the US, The Verge reported late on Saturday.

Russia`s most popular mobile payment service was the Russia-owned Sberbank Online, followed by YooMoney (formerly Yandex Money) and QIWI, two other Russian payment service providers.

Last reported figures showed that 29 per cent of Russians use Google Pay while 20 per cent use Apple Pay.

The US has put sanctions on Sberbank and VTB Bank, two of Russia`s biggest financial institutions, while the UK froze the assets of five Russian banks. Also Read: PM Modi to address webinar on vision of 'GatiShakti', its convergence with Union Budget 2022

The White House has also announced that the US, joined by European nations and Canada, will remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, the payment system used for most international financial transactions. Also Read: Centre extends HLL Lifecare bid submission deadline till March 14

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New Delhi: YouTube on Saturday barred Russian state-owned media outlet RT and other Russian channels from receiving money for advertisements that run with their videos, similar to a move by Facebook, after the invasion of Ukraine.

Citing "extraordinary circumstances," YouTube said that it was "pausing a number of channels ability to monetize on YouTube, including several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions" such as the European Union`s. Ad placement is largely controlled by YouTube.

The EU on Wednesday announced sanctions on individuals including Margarita Simonyan, whom it described as RT`s editor-in-chief and "a central figure" of Russian propaganda.

Videos from the affected channels also will come up less often in recommendations, YouTube spokesperson Farshad Shadloo said. He added that RT and several other channels would no longer be accessible in Ukraine due to a Ukrainian government request.

Ukraine Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted earlier on Saturday that he contacted YouTube "to block the propagandist Russian channels  such as Russia 24, TASS, RIA Novosti."

RT and Simonyan did not respond to requests for comment. YouTube declined to name the other channels it had restricted.

For years, lawmakers and some users have called on YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet Inc`s Google, to take greater action against channels with ties to the Russian government out of concern that they spread misinformation and should not profit from that.

Russia received an estimated $7 million to $32 million over the two-year period ended December 2018 from ads across 26 YouTube channels it backed, digital researcher Omelas told Reuters at the time.

YouTube previously has said that it does not treat state-funded media channels that comply with its rules any differently than other channels when it comes to sharing ad revenue. Also Read: Russia-Ukraine War: Heres how Ukrainian IT army aims to take on Russian cyberspace

Meta Platforms Inc, owner of Facebook, on Friday, barred Russian state media from running ads or generating revenue from ads on its services anywhere in the world. Also Read: Garena Free Fire MAX redeem codes for today, February 27: Check how to claim rewards

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BEREGSURANY: Clutching a mobile phone number of a woman she had never met, Nataliya Ableyeva crossed the border from Ukraine into Hungary on Saturday, entrusted with precious cargo. Waiting at the border crossing on the Ukrainian side, Ableyeva had met a desperate 38-year-old man from her home town of Kamianets-Podilskyi, with his young son and daughter.

The border guards would not let him pass as Ukraine has banned all Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving, so they can fight for their country against the Russian offensive.

"Their father simply handed over the two kids to me, and trusted me, giving me their passports to bring them over," 58-year-old Ableyeva said, the arms of the young boy she had known for just a few hours around her neck.

The children`s Ukrainian mother was on her way from Italy to meet them and take them to safety, the father said. He gave Ableyeva the mother`s mobile number, and said goodbye to his children, wrapped up against the cold in thick jackets and hats.

ALSO READ | Nearly 120,000 Ukrainians have fled amid Russian invasion, says UN refugee agency

Ableyeva had left her own two grown-up children behind in Ukraine. One a policeman, the other a nurse, neither could leave Ukraine under the mobilisation decree.

She took the two small children by the hand and together they crossed the border.

On the Hungarian side at Beregsurany, they waited, sitting on a bench near a tent set up for the steady flow of refugees streaming over the frontier.

The little boy was crying when his mobile phone rang. It was his mother, she was nearly at the border post.

When 33-year-old Anna Semyuk arrived, her blonde hair scraped back in a ponytail, she hugged her son and went to her daughter, lying exhausted in the back of a car and wrapped in a pink blanket.





Then she thanked Ableyeva. Standing in the cold on the scrubby ground, two women embraced for several minutes and started to cry.

"All I can say to my kids now, is that everything will be alright," said Semyuk. "In one or two weeks, and we will go home."

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A top European Union official said that the bloc will close its airspace to Russian airlines, fund arms supplies to Ukraine and ban pro-Kremlin media, reports AP. "We are shutting down the EU airspace for Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft including the private jets of oligarchs. Second, we will ban the Kremlins media machine in the EU," President EU Commission Ursula Von der Leyen said.

These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU. Von der Leyen also said that the EU will ban "the Kremlin's media machine. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin's war and to sow division in our union."

Von der Leyen added that the EU will also target Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko for supporting Russia's widespread military campaign in Ukraine. "We will hit Lukashenko's regime with a new package of sanctions," she said. She had also said that this was the first time ever that the 27-nation bloc European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack.

EU will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to a country under attack. We are also strengthening our sanctions against the Kremlin. We will target the other aggressor in this war, Lukashenkos regime, with a new package of sanctions: President EU Commission pic.twitter.com/xO4ZzhGRIP  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022

Earlier, following the footsteps of many other European countries, France closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft as the West builds pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering an invasion of Ukraine. To the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe responds with total unity, Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari tweeted Sunday. Air France announced that it was suspending flights to and from Russia for safety reasons "until further notice." Earlier, German airline Lufthansa cancelled all upcoming flights to Russia and announced that "flights that are in Russian airspace" would "leave it again shortly".

The United States, Japan and European nations had also cut key Russian banks from the SWIFT international financial messaging system to step up sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

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New Delhi: India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will be on a visit to Palestine's Ramallah from March 8th to 9th. The key focus of his visit will be the India-Palestine Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), which he will co-chair along with his Palestinian counterpart Riad al-Maliki. This is Dr Jaishankar's first ever visit to Ramallah in his capacity as External Affairs Minister. During the visit, the EAM will also call on Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

The JCM took place in November 2016. In January 2016, the then EAM Sushma Swaraj had visited Palestine and met President Abbas, Foreign Minister Riad. During her visit, she inaugurated the India Palestine digital learning and innovation center at Al Quds University, Ramallah.

During this visit as well, EAM Jaishankar is expected to inaugurate a $5 million techno park project. While India continues to support the Palestinian cause at bilateral and international levels, New Delhi has been extending economic assistance to the Palestinian people. Two schools were built in Palestine in 2015 through Indian aid. The Indian government has set up an India-Palestine Centre of Excellence in ICT and Innovation in Al Quds University, Abu Dis in 2015 and another ICT center in Ramallah in 2016.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the de jure sovereign state on February 10, 2018. Before that, the then Indian President Pranab Mukherjee had paid a visit in October 2015. During the President's 2015 visit, India had announced five projects worth $17.79 million, which included a Palestine-India Techno Park in Ramallah and Palestine Institute of Diplomacy.

Indian PM Modi has been bestowed with the highest Palestinian award of the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine. New Delhi has also increased its annual contribution towards the UN Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (UNRWA) from USD 1.25 Million to USD 5 Million in the backdrop of the financial crisis being faced by the UN agency.

The visit to Palestine will see ythe EAM visiting other countries in the region, with an expected in-person West Asian Quad meet on the anvil. The West Asian Quad includes UAE, India, Israel and the US, also known as I2,U2 is expected to hold an in-person meeting in Dubai. This means, US Secretary of State Blinken, Israeli FM will also visit the country. But with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, things could drastically change as worries continue over Russian President Putin's ongoing military offensive. The west Asian quad last met virtually, during EAM's Israel visit last year and since then all sides have appointed a nodal person who will coordinate from each country on various issues, primarily economic.

This year, EAM has already visited the Indo Pacific region with visits to Australia, Philippines, Europe with visits to Germany and France. But the first visit he made this year was to Qatar, in west Asia.

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Washington: Calling the current US administration "dumb", former President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would have never allowed the Ukraine situation to unravel like this, reported Sputnik news agency.

Recalling his term as a President at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, Trump said that the world was a peaceful place because America was strong. Stressing that Russia "respected" America under his administration, he called current President Joe Biden "weak and grossly incompetent", which has led to the current situation in Ukraine.

Washington was perceived as "powerful, cunning, and smart" back then, but "now, we`re a stupid country", Sputnik quoted Trump as saying.The former US president said that US` pathetic withdrawal from Afghanistan led Russian President Vladimir Putin to decide on the special military operations in Ukraine.

Calling Putin "smart", he said the NATO countries "are not so smart, they are looking the opposite of smart."

"The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he is smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb," the news agency quoted Trump. The former US President was quoted having stated that anti-Russia sanctions are weak since Moscow has survived such measures imposed previously.

"Putin is playing Biden like a drum," he said, adding this would not have happened had he been the President, since it would have been easy for him "to stop this travesty."

"The world hasn`t been this chaotic since World War II. I stand as the only President of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country," Sputnik quoted Trump as saying.

Notably, Putin on Monday recognized Ukraine`s breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Later, he ordered special military operations "to protect" the people in the Donbas region.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia`s military operations and imposed sanctions on Moscow.

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Kyiv: Street fighting broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country's south on Sunday (February 27), advances that appeared to make a new phase of Russia's invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country. Following its gains on the ground, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

Ukraine's president suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion. Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine and Ukrainian fighters put up determined resistance.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One video showed Ukrainian soldiers inspecting Russian light utility vehicles damaged by shelling and abandoned by Russian troops on a street. "We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "The past night was tough - more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn't consider as admissible targets."

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday near the capital, Kyiv, where terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault. But Ukrainians also volunteered en masse to help defend Kyiv and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces. Zelenskyy denounced Russia's offensive as "state terrorism". He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

"Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its UN Security Council seat," he said. Officials maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the capital's streets until Monday morning, complicating the task of assessing the intensity of the fighting. Zelenskyy's office said explosions were reported at Kyiv International Airport.

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline to the east in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the president's office said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence. The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of Ukraine's coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east.

A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea, Cutting Ukraine's access to its sea ports that would deal a major blow to the country's economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

Russia's military also put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine, blocking the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea. He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Ukraine's health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded during Europe's largest land conflict since World War II. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. The United Nations' refugee agency said late Saturday more than 200,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighbouring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelenskyy on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

"The Russian delegation is ready for talks and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians," Peskov said.

Ukraine's president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus given the Russian ally's role in the invasion. "Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we offered all of them to the Russian side and we will accept any other city in a country that hasn't been used for launching missiles," Zelenskyy said. "Only then the talks could be honest and put an end to the war." Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelenskyy's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's offer as "manipulation," adding that "Russia keeps lying" and emphasising that Ukraine hadn't agreed to talks in the Belarusian city. As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The US pledged an additional USD 350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The US, European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block "selected" Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose "restrictive measures" on Russia's central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were "more terminals en route." Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries' borders.

He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russia's security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraine's right to exist as an independent state.

A senior US defense official said Saturday that more than half of the Russian combat power amassed along Ukraine's borders had entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US assessments.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv were fighting Russian "sabotage groups." Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and thousands killed. Moscow has not provided casualty figures.

Markarova said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court's prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

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Press Release

February 26, 2022 Bong Go hails continuing efforts to improve public access to timely, accurate, relevant information as PCOO breaks ground for Visayas media hub Senator Christopher "Bong" Go hailed the government's efforts to increase public access to high quality news and information during the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Visayas Media Hub (VMH) in Mandaue City, Cebu on Thursday, February 24. In his video message as a guest speaker, Go recognized the important role that information plays in a functioning democracy. He called on the Presidential Communications Operations Office and other sate-affiliated media outlets to continue to espouse high ethical standards in their work. "Congratulations to the (PCOO) and all its attached agencies for your deep investment in the planning and establishment of the triumvirate media hubs across our country," said Go. "Today marks another historic milestone in strengthening the fulfillment of our government's communication operations and services nationwide  This is a vital step to promote increased civic awareness and public participation among Filipinos, especially in the Visayas region," he added. The VMH is anticipated to finish construction and begin operations in late 2022. The government allotted PhP300 million sourced from the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022, with the support and initiative of Senator Go. Another PhP300 million was appropriated for the acquisition of state-of-the-art broadcast equipment and facilities. The hub will include a four-story building with a broadcast complex, television studios, radio booths, an automated master control system, a transmitter and satellite uplink system, TV broadcast information technology system, news graphics system and digital transmitters. Similar to the Mindanao Media Hub (MMH) in Davao City, it will provide news and information tailored to Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas. To advance this endeavor, the VMH will house the PCOO and its attached agencies, such as state flagship broadcaster People's Television Network (PTV), the Philippine Broadcasting Service, Philippine Information Agency, Philippine News Agency, and Radio Television Malacanang. "Ang mga media hubs na ito ay maipapamana natin sa susunod na henerasyon na magpapatuloy sa paghatid ng serbisyong publiko sa pamamamagitan ng tapat at malayang pamamahayag. Isa itong patunay sa hangarin ng administrasyong Duterte na makapagbigay ng maaasahan at mapagkakatiwalaang balita at impormasyon sa publiko," continued Go. The senator reaffirmed his commitment to continue supporting the work of the PCOO. He also reminded all state and commercial media institutions to help people navigate the news amid the global spread of misinformation by striving to serve as a model of public service broadcasting. "Matagal natin itong pinag-usapan at ipinaglaban sa Senado kaya masaya ako na matutuloy na itong Visayas Media Hub. Makakaasa kayo na palagi akong handang sumuporta at tumulong (sa inyo) sa abot ng aking makakaya," pledged Go. "Let us also include well wishes and prayers that this Visayas Media hub, and all other state-sponsored broadcast facilities and private media outlets, will meet the evolving needs and expectations of our kababayans, which are anchored in our collective mandate to provide public service," he ended. Last December, Go participated in the first television broadcast of the PTV from the newly inaugurated MMH. The MMH is the first media hub of the PCOO outside Metro Manila. Costing an estimated PhP700 million, it delivers news and programs of interest to Regions 10 to 13 and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Ukrainian medical tourism experts have begun collecting information about the possibility of obtaining medical care for Ukrainian refugees abroad.

Medical tourism experts Natalia Strokovska and Svitlana Sheveleva told Interfax-Ukraine that medical operators from Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, and Greece are currently looking for the opportunity to provide medical care to Ukrainians.

"We are trying to find options for how Ukrainians who left to escape hostilities can receive medical assistance, all often these people do not have medical insurance and are limited in resources," they said.
New Delhi: As tension escalates between Russia and the West over Moscows invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (February 27) directed Russian nuclear forces put on high alert accusing Western countries of taking "unfriendly" steps against his country.

After Putin's order asking nuclear weapons be prepared for increased readiness to launch, it has stoked fear of Russian invasion of Ukraine leading to nuclear warfare with the West, AP reported.

Russia has the world's second-largest arsenal of nuclear weapons forming the country's deterrence forces, news agency AFP reported

Putin told his defense minister and the chief of the military's General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat duty". "Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country," AP quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, after denying talks with Russia in Belarus, the office of Ukraine's president later today said that a delegation would meet with Russian officials at Belarus border.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier rejected Russias offer for peace talks in Belarus. Zelenskyy had named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as places to hold talks with Russia, adding that he is ready for a discussion at other places except for Belarus.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed that a Russian delegation including military officials and diplomats had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians, Peskov said. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday said that Minsk was ready to provide a venue for initiating peace talks.

In another development, the Kremlin said Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has offered to help broker peace with Ukraine. Bennett told the Russian President in a call on Sunday that Israel is ready to play mediator, the Krelim said without specifying if Putin accepted the offer.

(With agency inputs)

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Kyiv: Ukraine has moved the International Court of Justice in The Hague over the Russian military operation that started in Ukraine and urged the top court to order Russia to cease "hostilities". Taking to Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, "Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week."

"Ukraine has officially filed a lawsuit against Russia in the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague. We demand that Russia be held accountable for distorting the concept of genocide to justify aggression. We ask the court to immediately order Russia to cease hostilities and schedule a hearing next week," Zelenskyy added.

Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week.    (@ZelenskyyUa) February 27, 2022

Amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said that Russia must be isolated diplomatically and financially. Earlier, he also spoke with President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister of Czech Republic Petr Fiala about the current situation. Notably, Zelenskyy, in a phone conversation, thanked Andrzej Duda, President of Poland for his personal leadership in granting Ukraine membership in the EU.

In a tweet, Zelensky also said that he had thanked the Pope for his prayers, adding that "the Ukrainian people feel the spiritual support of His Holiness."In the early hours on Thursday, Russia launched a special military operation in the Donbas region after recognition of Ukraine`s breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent identities. The Western countries have strongly condemned the Russian military operation and boosted the sanctions pressure on Moscow.

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Medyka: While hundreds of thousands of refugees are leaving Ukraine amid Russia's attack on the country, some Ukrainian men and women are returning home from across Europe to help defend their homeland.

Poland's Border Guard said Sunday that some 22,000 people have crossed into Ukraine since on Thursday when Russia invaded the country.

At the checkpoint in Medyka, in southeastern Poland, many were standing in a line early Sunday to cross into Ukraine.

"We have to defend our homeland. Who else if not us," said a mustachioed man in front of a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers walking to the checkpoint to enter Ukraine.

They came from across Europe to return to Ukraine. They spoke to The Associated Press in Ukrainian and in Russian.

Another man in the group said: The Russians should be afraid. We are not afraid." Members of the group declined to give their names, or only gave their first names, citing their security and that of their families.

A man in his 20s, who said his first name was Denis, said he had been working in Poland but was returning to Ukraine where his "everything" is.

"I'm on my own here in Poland. Why should I be here" So I go, for the homeland, Denis said. Lesa, a woman in her 30s, Lesa, spoke to the AP just before entering the checkpoint building.

"I am afraid, but I am a mother and want to be with my children. What can you do? It's scary but I have to." Another young woman said she, too, was returning to take care of her children, so that Ukrainian men can defend the country.

"We have to, we Ukrainians have to take our children away ... To allow our boys to fight, "she said. On Ukraine's side of the border, a man was directing those arriving to a place where cars and buses were waiting to take them onward.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was staying in the capital, Kyiv, boosting the morale of Ukrainian fighters as Russian troops were closing in on the city and huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday.

Zelenskyy has banned men of military age, 18 to 60, from leaving the country. Ukrainian authorities have also called on foreign volunteers to come and fight in Ukraine's defense.

At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighboring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion, the U.N. Refugee agency, the UNHCR, said Sunday (February 27).

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The SWIFT global payment system will be ready to comply with the decision of the United States and the EU to disconnect some Russian banks from it if it receives an appropriate instruction, the system said in a statement, NBC reported.

"We are engaging with European authorities to understand the details of the entities that will be subject to the new measures and we are preparing to comply upon legal instruction," SWIFT said in a statement quoted by NBC on Sunday.

Earlier, the United States, EU, France, Germany, Italy, Britain and Canada announced in a joint statement that they had agreed to remove individual Russian banks that fell under Western sanctions from the SWIFT system.

A representative of the U.S. administration said that the disconnection from SWIFT may not affect Russian banks through which payments for energy supplies are made. He said that when preparing a list of banks that will be disconnected from SWIFT, those will be selected through which payments related to energy carriers do not pass.
On Sunday night, the Russian army made a missile attack on the city of Vasylkiv near Kyiv, resulting in a fire at an oil depot.

"The oil depot is on fire. The enemy wants to destroy everything around. Today, during the day, ballistic missiles were fired at our airfield, but we will withstand everything," Vasylkiv Mayor Natalia Balasinovych said in a video broadcast on Facebook.

The adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Anton Gerashchenko, said in his Telegram channel that "a missile attack was made on the Vasylkiv oil depot belonged to BRSM."

Speaker of the State Emergency Service of Kyiv region Viktoria Ruban told Hromadske that there are no plans to evacuate the population from Vasylkiv yet. "There is no threat to people. More details later, now we are figuring everything out," she said.

At the same time, the State Service for Special Communications asks people to c
The Ukrainian Air Force shot down a cruise missile fired at Kyiv from Belarus, Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny has said.

"The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces a few minutes ago shot down a cruise missile fired at the capital of Ukraine from the territory of the Republic of Belarus by a Tu-22 aircraft," Zaluzhny wrote on Facebook on Sunday.

He said that "this is another war crime of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation."
On Sunday night, employees of the KLO tank farm rescued 15 wagons with diesel fuel and 8 wagons with gas in a matter of minutes after the Russian missile were hit the oil depot.

"With this fuel, KLO will be able to refuel the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the defense industry, doctors, Kyivenergo, Kyivpastrans and others who do not allow Kyiv to fall and "hold the sky," the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Facebook page said on Sunday morning.
Reports of the Russian Federation that the 302nd anti-aircraft regiment surrendered in Kharkiv region is a fake, the Center for Combating Misinformation has reported.

"Not a single fighter of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has laid down his arms! According to Head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Oleh Synehubov, all Ukrainian military in their combat positions defend their native Kharkiv region and destroy the enemy. Russia is actively spreading a fake that the 302nd anti-aircraft regiment was detained in Kharkiv region. This is fake news! Russia is trying to shake faith in our forces. But nothing will come of it! We are defending our Ukrainian land, our children, our future! We never give up!"
A missile attack was carried out on the largest residential area in Kyiv, Vyhurivschyna-Troyeschyna, in Desniansky district of Kyiv.

"A senseless and merciless strike on the residential area of Kyiv, Troyeschyna. You will have to answer for everything!" Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko wrote on Telegram, illustrating the message with smoke from a fire that broke out at the site of the shell fall.

Photos from social networks show that the rocket hit the courtyard of a residential building, destroyed several cars parked there, some of which are on fire. Double-glazed windows were knocked out in the multi-storey residential building closest to the place where the shell fell. There is also a destroyed playground nearby.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky calls on the citizens of Belarus to make the right choice in the country's referendum and be "Belarus, not Russia."

"In the war that is going on now, you are not on the same side with us. Alas. From your territory, the troops of the Russian Federation launch rockets into Ukraine. Our children are being killed from your territory, our houses are being destroyed, they are trying to blow up everything that has been built over decades  and, by the way, not only by us, but also by our fathers, our grandfathers. And all this is also a de facto referendum for you, Belarusians. You decide who you are. You decide who to be. How will you look into the eyes of your children, how will you look into the eyes of each other, your neighbors. And we are your neighbors. We are Ukrainians. Be Belarus, not Russia! You are making this choice right now. Today," Zelensky said in a video address to the citizens of Belarus on Sunday.
Numerous facts of the surrender of Russian soldiers to state bodies and local governments are currently being recorded in Kharkiv, the National Police of Ukraine reported on Sunday.

"We appeal to all authorities to carefully record such cases, take away weapons and provide Russian prisoners with temporary shelter," the National Police said on Facebook on Sunday.

The police also called on other Russian soldiers to follow this example  to lay down their arms and surrender.

At the same time, the National Police said that the residents of Kharkiv survived a "terrible night" today, but Ukrainian servicemen "give a powerful rebuff to the Russian invader."

Earlier, the invaders on light vehicles broke into the city limits of Kharkiv, including the city center, street fighting began.
The reason for the fire and destruction at the Vyhurivschyna-Troyeschyna largest residential area in Desniansky district of Kyiv on Sunday was the fall of rocket fragments shot down by Ukrainian air defense forces, Vadym Denysenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, has said.

"The Russians fired a missile from a strategic bomber from Belarus, and our air defense shot down this missile. For you to understand, strategic bombers are those that should carry nuclear weapons... Ours shot down this fired missile and these are fragments of this missile," Denysenko said on TSN, commenting on the video of a shell falling into the courtyard of a residential building.
Press Release

February 26, 2022 Gordon targets CDO as investment hub Senator Richard J. Gordon has assured that Mindanao will not be left behind in the pursuit in progress once re-elected. Gordon, who came to the provinces of Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon as a guest senatorial candidate of the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem, is envisioning the area as a major Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub (RICH). "Having a hub in Cagayan de Oro with the seaport and airport will allow you to bring produce all over the world, not just here. So, it's important that we have a masterplan, I'm sure you have one here," Gordon said in a radio interview with local media in the city. "Everybody wanted to have one. I'm planning one in Negros, planning one in Panay Island, certainly in Cagayan de Oro as well," he added. The RICH bill aims to set up several hubs encompassing commerce, agriculture, education, government, and transportation in several areas across the country, including Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao. He cited the area's robust environment, as it is already surrounded by fresh produce from Bukidnon, a seaport, and the Laguindingan Airport nearby, where it could export its produce. Aside from the RICH hub, Gordon said that he is also pushing for the development of Lake Lanao, akin to Laguna de Bay, through the establishment of a government corporation. Gordon filed the RICH bill with Central Luzon targeted as a pilot area in the 17th Congress. "Maasahan niyo ang tulong ng Senado. Eventually, iyong Lake Lanao Development Authority, magiging parang Switzerland ng Asia," cited Gordon. "Dapat ang airport sa Balo-i ay ma-develop, kung gagawin iyon. Kailangan may vision," he continued. It may be recalled that Gordon spearheaded the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)'s relief operations in the area, which had been devastated by Typhoons Sendong and Pablo in the early 2010s. The country's largest humanitarian organization was able to build around 5,000 houses in partnership with other national Red Cross councils. Prior to being senator, Gordon helped in the negotiations for the release of several hostages held by the Abu Sayyaf. He had also responded to several armed conflicts in the area, helping the residents of Marawi recover from months of intense fighting wherein the city was virtually flattened, and awarded cash grants up to Php 10,000 pesos to 2,307 affected families.
Criminal actions of Russia against Ukraine have signs of genocide, Russia shall be deprived of right to vote in UN Security Council  Zelensky

Russia's criminal actions against Ukraine bear signs of genocide and the Russian Federation shall be deprived of the right to vote in the UN Security Council, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

"The criminal actions of Russia against Ukraine bear signs of genocide. I spoke about this with the UN Secretary General. Russia is on the path of evil. The world must come to deprive Russia of the right to vote in the UN Security Council," Zelensky said, addressing the citizens of Ukraine on Sunday, the fourth day of the war.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General: Citizens of Russia, if you do not stop war, then you are accomplices in war crimes

Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova calls on the citizens of the Russian Federation to stop the war against Ukraine, not to become accomplices in war crimes, and warns the Russian leadership of the inevitable responsibility in international courts for what they have done.

"Citizens of Russia, if you do not stop this war, you are accomplices and accomplices in the most serious war crimes, crimes against peace and humanity, unleashing and waging an aggressive war, massacres of civilians, the use of weapons of mass destruction and weapons prohibited by international law. not for them," the prosecutor general said in a video message on her Facebook page on Sunday.

The prosecutor general said that on Saturday evening, saboteurs shot a family with three children in Kyiv  the parents and one of the daughters, who studied in the 4th grade, died, in Kherson region, Russian troops fired on an ambulance with a wounded  the driver and the patient burned down.

"Your missiles hit residential areas and settlements. Children, the elderly and women are killed and seriously injured. The Russian Armed Forces systematically demonstrate a disdain for the rules of the warfare, they constantly attack civilian infrastructure facilities that are under protection of international humanitarian law," Venediktova said.

She said that the aggressor's troops launched hundreds of cruise and ballistic missile strikes on the civilian population. According to the prosecutor general, dozens of such strikes were aimed at kindergartens and schools, hospitals, where the smallest Ukrainians were.

"Tonight alone, the invader troops of the Russian Federation attacked civilian and critical infrastructure facilities, including: an oil depot in Vasylkiv, a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, a nuclear waste disposal site in Kyiv. All these facilities were not legitimate military targets from the point of view of international humanitarian law. From strikes on these objects, the civilian population suffers first of all," the prosecutor general said.

She said: "We are on our own land. In our own country. And you were not invited. And they did nothing to make a dirty Russian tank come. Our nation is sewn together and gets stronger. And we will win! You have no chance. We will win anyway. Because we have the truth."

Addressing the President of the Russian Federation, Venediktova said: "Citizen Putin. Usually I don't give names and respect the presumption of innocence. But not in your case. We will prove in a fair court that you are a murderer and the main war criminal of the 21st century. I, as the Prosecutor General of the sovereign state of Ukraine within its own borders, not yours, officially declare this to you. As a possible future chief state prosecutor in an international court. The time will come and we will tell you in the Hague to your face."
Azerbaijan has donated medicines and medical equipment to Ukraine as humanitarian aid, Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladyslav Kanevsky has said.

"Ukraine has begun to receive extremely important humanitarian assistance: medicines and medical equipment are supplied to assist the victims of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. We sincerely thank friendly Azerbaijan for the practical support of Ukraine!" Kanevsky wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
Representatives of Ukraine will not be present at the talks with Russia in Gomel, Ukrainian president's press secretary Serhiy Nikiforov has said.

"We heard statements that the Russian delegation arrived in Gomel for negotiations. I must say that there will be no representatives of Ukraine there. Such a format was indeed discussed. But at the last moment, the Russian negotiators demanded that the Ukrainian army must first lay down their arms. It was proposed to follow the "Russian warship." Therefore, their today's statements and decisions defiantly go to Gomel, despite everything, are just informational pressure and an attempt to shift the responsibility for the disruption to Ukraine," he said on his Facebook page.

Nikiforov said that Ukraine is ready for negotiations, but is not ready to listen to any preconditions. This also applies to the venue.

"We cannot go to Belarus, from whose territory planes and missiles are sent to our cities. Also, in matters of the security of our delegation, we would have to rely on the guarantees of the host country. Given the previous events, such guarantees cost very little," the press secretary of the head of state said.

According to him, the position of Ukraine remains unchanged.

"We are ready to meet in any neutral place: Baku, Istanbul, Warsaw, Vienna... Continue on your own. We continue to invite Russia to sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible and save the lives of its military. Every day of delay will cost the Russian Federation irreparable human and economic losses," he said.
Zelensky: Russia's actions in Ukraine must be assessed by intl tribunal

KYIV. Feb 27 (Interfax-Ukraine)  The aggressive actions of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine must be assessed by an international tribunal, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

"What the occupiers are doing to Kharkiv, Akhtyrka, Kyiv, Odesa and other cities and towns is to be assessed by an international tribunal. We clearly record all their crimes," the head of the Ukrainian state said in an address to the people on Sunday.

Zelensky said that the aggressor is going to bomb Ukrainian cities even more and "kill our children even more insidiously."

"They lied that they would not touch the civilian population. But from the first hours of the invasion, Russian troops have been hitting civilian infrastructure. They deliberately chose tactics to defeat people and everything that makes life just normal. Power plants, hospitals, kindergartens, residential buildings  everyone is under attack every day," Zelensky said.
Russian tanks shot down bus with civilians in Akhtyrka district  Head of Regional State Administration

Russian tanks shot down a bus with civilians in Akhtyrka district, Head of Sumy Regional State Administration Dmytro Zhyvitsky said.

"Between Chupakhivka and Dovzhyk, Akhtyrka district, Russian tanks shot down a bus with civilians. Ambulances are not allowed to get to it now," he wrote on Facebook.

According to him, the area around is mined, they cannot get to them.

"Now the family doctors walk from the outpatient clinic to meet them, to the place of shooting. They will try to provide them with medical care until the ambulance arrives," Zhyvitsky said.
The Irish government has decided to shut the country's airspace to Russian carriers, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Simon Coveney said on Sunday.

"Ireland will move to shut off Irish Airspace to all Russian Aircraft," Coveney said in Twitter.

He said that Ireland supports new wide-ranging sanctions against Russia to be agreed on Sunday at the EU Foreign Affairs Council and new assistance package for Ukraine.

According to the Irish news service RTE, there will be a short notice period before the move takes effect.

RTE said that there are currently no direct flights from Russia to Ireland. Aeroflot airline was going to launch direct Dublin-Moscow flights in May.
Western partners hand over large batch of air-to-air missiles to Ukrainian pilots, they are already installed on fighters

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received a large batch of air-to-air missiles from Western partners, which are already installed on Ukrainian fighters, the press service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Sunday.

"There is a good piece of news! A large batch of air-to-air missiles has been received from our Western partners for the aviation of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They are already under the wings of our fighters. The pilots assure that there will be enough for all the invaders," the report published on Facebook says.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces also thanked the members of the international anti-Putin coalition for their strong support of the Ukrainian army.
Ukrainian Armed Forces looking for column of enemy equipment marked with letter V, these are especially dangerous terrorists  Danilov

The Ukrainian military are looking for a convoy of enemy equipment, marked with the letter V, these are especially dangerous terrorists, moving towards Kyiv, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov said.

"Attention! Urgent! Very important! The Ukrainian military are looking for a convoy of enemy equipment marked with the letter V. We emphasize! These are especially dangerous terrorists who arrived in Ukraine with a special task," he wrote on his Facebook on Sunday.

The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council noted that the equipment was moving towards Kyiv, and called on the citizens who recorded the location of the convoy to urgently inform the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"Very important. We appeal to all citizens of Kyiv region and Kyiv! Everyone who saw, recorded, knows the location of this column, urgently provide data to the Ukrainian defenders, or, if possible, prevent their further movement. This is very important! Glory to Ukraine!" Danilov said.
Since the beginning of Russia's aggression, 187,000 people have left Ukraine for Poland, the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland has reported.

"Since the beginning of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, 187 thousand people have crossed the border from Ukraine to Poland. Refugees fleeing war-stricken Ukraine are entering Poland regardless of their nationality," the Chancellery said in Twitter on Sunday.
De Lima thanks business groups for their solidarity and concern for her plight

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima thanked six local business organizations for expressing concern for her plight by urging the Philippine government to swiftly resolve the two remaining trumped-up drug cases filed against her by the current government.

De Lima, the most prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, received the support of the Filipina CEO Circle, Integrity Initiative Inc., Judicial Reform Initiative, Makati Business Club, Philippine Women's Economic Network, and Women's Business Council Philippines.

"I express my most profound gratitude to the six business groups for their statement of support and solidarity as I welcomed my 5th year in unjust detention last Feb. 24," she said.

"Their solidarity means a lot to me, a further proof that there are many groups out there monitoring the status of my cases and my unjust detention; and that people care, not just for me but for the way justice system works in our country.

"Sa loob ng anim na taon, malinaw ang ginawang inhustisya hindi lang sa akin ng rehimeng Duterte, kundi sa buong bansasa paglapastangan sa karapatan ng ating mamamayan, sa ating mga institusyon, at sa ating ekonomiya. Kaya tiwala ako na marami pang magsasalita at maninindigan para isulong ang tama at makatarungan," she added.

The abovementioned groups urged the Duterte administration to "reconsider" the remaining charges pending against De Lima in a joint statement released last Feb. 23.

They lamented how the remaining charges against De Lima have not progressed after five years, which should have been "adequate time for the government, with all the powers of the state behind it, to prosecute its case against a citizen whose contact with lawyers, family, supporters and the outside world they have severely curtailed."

By reconsidering the remaining two charges, the groups said that "the government may be doing justice, however belatedly."

"It would also be a step toward improving the country's reputation for upholding the rule of law, which is a foundation for a safe society and a growing, inclusive economy," they added.
The European Council will be offered to use EU funding to supply lethal weapons and other supplies to Ukraine to counter the Russian occupiers.

This proposal will be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), which will be held on Sunday evening in video format. The event was initiated by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

"I will propose to [EU foreign] ministers to use the European Peace Facility for two emergency assistance measures. These aim to finance the supply of lethal material to the heroic Ukrainian army, which is fighting with fierce resistance against the Russian invaders and provide urgently needed non-lethal supplies, such as fuel," he said on the eve of meetings.

According to the European External Action Service, this proposal follows a direct request made by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday during his address to EU foreign ministers.

In addition, the statement on tough economic sanctions, made on Saturday by a number of countries and the European Commission, will be submitted to the ministers for discussion. These include the exclusion of a certain number of Russian banks from SWIFT, preventing the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves and acting against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine and the harmful activities of the Russian government. "Today's discussion by EU Foreign Ministers will pave the way for the swift adoption of all necessary legal acts. The High Representative would also put forward a number of additional possible measures to provide assistance to the people of Ukraine in the face of the senseless aggression by Russia," the statement said.

In addition, during the meeting, European Commissioner for humanitarian aid, Janez Lenarcic will provide an update on the EU's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and to Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries.
Ukraine closes all checkpoints on border with Russia, Belarus and towards Transnistria  govt decision

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved an order on the temporary closure of some checkpoints across the state border and control points in connection with military aggression by the Russian Federation and the introduction of martial law on the territory of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

"In particular, from 00:00 on February 28, 2022, checkpoints across the state border and control points on the entire section of the border with the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, as well as on the central section of the Ukrainian-Moldovan border (Transnistria) will be temporarily closed," the service said.

This also applies to some aviation checkpoints, including Boryspil, Kyiv (Zhuliany), Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv.

At the same time, the possibility of passing Ukrainian citizens to the territory of Ukraine will be provided.
Foreign Affairs Council to make decision on disconnecting number of Russian banks from SWIFT on Sunday  Borrell

Head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell said that at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on Sunday will decide to cut off a number of Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank system as part of tightening sanctions against Russia.

"We will also adopt further tough economic sanctions, including exclusion of Russian banks from SWIFT," Borrell said in Twitter.

According to him, in addition to this, the ministers will discuss proposal to use European Peace Facility to finance supply of lethal material to Ukrainian army and how to facilitate related Member State coordination.

As expected, an extraordinary virtual FAC meeting will begin on Sunday at 18:00 local time.

On the night of Saturday to Sunday, the United States, EU, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Canada announced an agreement reached to disconnect certain Russian banks from the SWIFT system.

SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications) is a system for transmitting financial messages (payment orders, instructions for transferring the Central Bank, reference information) for performing transactions in the payment market, securities, derivative financial instruments. The system unites more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries.
Talks on ceasefire in Ukrainian-Russian war may be held in Geneva  media

At a request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Switzerland intends to organize ceasefire talks in the Ukrainian-Russian war in Geneva, European Pravda reports with reference to Tages-Anzeiger.

Talks may take place as early as Monday as part of a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, their goal is a ceasefire.
talian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio announced the closure of airspace for the Russian Federation.

"Italy has decided to close its airspace to Russia. Today at the Extraordinary Meeting of Foreign Affairs Council, I will support the general action of all EU countries: the entire EU closes its airspace to Russia," Maio said in Twitter on Sunday.
The Romanian government has decided to send ammunition and military equipment to Ukraine, and also expressed its readiness to receive the wounded, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

Romanian government spokesman Dan Carbunaru reportedly also said that Romania would also help Ukraine with fuel and a second tranche of medical equipment and medicines worth more than EUR 3 million.

The Romanian government also expressed its readiness to accept wounded Ukrainians in military hospitals.

In turn, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are grateful to the people, the president, the parliament, the government, the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Romania for military assistance and support for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including Crimea.
The factories of the Ukroboronprom state concern constantly transfer military and civilian equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, territorial defense units and other law enforcement agencies.

"There is also a round-the-clock current reception from all security forces of equipment for repair. Workers, engineers, designers practically live either in a bomb shelter or in workshops. The military constantly comes and takes away weapons created during these days. If necessary, factory workers independently, in their cars, transport weapons without waiting for the military to arrive," Ukroboronprom said in a Facebook post.

All mobile teams are coordinated by the military and work constantly, restoring equipment on the ground.

Ukroboronprom transferred to the Ukrainian troops the maximum number of vehicles on the balance sheet of Ukroboronprom, including cars.

"At night, one of the directors of the enterprises took spare parts with his personal car and came under fire. He is alive, he is in the hospital," the state concern noted.

A large amount of fuel and lubricants from the stocks of the enterprises was transferred to the armed forces

At Ukroboronprom, aircraft are also being repaired by strategic aviation enterprises. Their territory is occupied by our military, the runways are taken under control.

Multi-barreled 55-mm grenade launchers MRG-1 are manufactured and handed over to the Navy.

In addition, all factories that have such an opportunity have begun to produce simple but effective means of detaining the enemy  anti-tank obstacles.
The Foreign Ministry does not confirm that the Ukrainian delegation at the talks with the Russian Federation will be headed by Deputy Minister Mykola Tochytsky, nor does it confirm that they will be held in Gomel, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko has said.

"Ukraine is open to talks to stop Russia's armed aggression. At the same time, the Foreign Ministry does not confirm that the Ukrainian delegation at the talks will be headed by Deputy Minister Mykola Tochytsky, and also does not confirm that they will be held in Gomel," Nikolenko wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
The United States is providing almost $54 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

"The U.S. is providing nearly $54 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine. This assistance enables humanitarian organizations to support citizens of Ukraine already in need and those newly affected by Russia's unprovoked and unjustified attack," Blinken said on Twitter on Sunday.
Belarus becomes another center of buildup of Russian troops  General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine

Russia continues the air offensive operation against Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus has become another center for buildup of Russian troops, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

"From 00:00 on February 27, the Russian aggressors made 5 air and 16 missile strikes," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Facebook on Sunday.

According to the report, the Republic of Belarus has become another center of concentration of the occupying troops.

"A total of 10 helicopters from the 15th AA brigade, which is based in the settlement of Ostrov in Pskov region, as well as 2 An-124 aircraft of the aerospace forces, were deployed to the Machulishchi airfield; 4 Su-34 fighter-bombers to the Baranovichi airfield.

Having regrouped the troops, the enemy is carrying out offensive operations trying to come to Kyiv.

In turn, the defense forces of Kyiv are successfully defending the city under the leadership of Commander of the defense of Kyiv, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky and Commandant of the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Serhiy Sobko.

"The grouping of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Armed Forces was withdrawn from naval bases with the task of hitting the surface forces of the Ukrainian Navy. The enemy made attempts to land an amphibious assault in the Chornomorsk area. The enemy landing force has been destroyed," the operational summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.

According to the General Staff, units of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Armed Forces are also involved in the hostilities.

"The enemy continues to commit war crimes by shelling the peaceful Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Balakliya. Desperate defense of the city of Kherson is going on," the General Staff said.
De Lima overwhelmed by outpouring of support from int'l community calling for her freedom

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima welcomed the outpouring of support from various international groups and leaders who demanded for her immediate release.

De Lima, who marked her 5th year in unjust detention last Feb. 24, said she is overwhelmed by the continued support from the international community.

"Despite my continued political persecution, the overwhelming support I am receiving from esteemed individuals and reputable organizations from different parts of the world never fail to remind me that truth is on my side and that my vindication is coming," she said.

After the messages of solidarity from Human Rights Watch (HRW), ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), European Parliament (EP), and Amnesty International (AI), more international groups and personalities expressed their concern for De Lima and condemned her unjust detention.

In a recent post on Twitter, US Senator Ed Markey posted: "Five years ago today, @SenLeiladeLima was wrongfully imprisoned for shining a light on Rodrigo Duterte's abuses. @SenatorDurbin, @SenatorLeahy and I continue to demand that the Philippine government drop its politically-motivated charges and immediately release Senator De Lima."

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, for its part, tweeted: "Candidates of the May 2022 presidential race must pledge to #FreeLeilaNow."

Condemning De Lima's continued political persecution, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights noted that De Lima is "a leading voice seeking justice for victims of crimes against humanity committed in Duterte's 'War on Drugs,' who was detained on fabricated charges."

Prior to these, HRW and AI, in separate statements, said the candidates for this year's national elections should commit to freeing De Lima.

Charles Santiago, APHR Chair and a Malaysian Member of Parliament (MP), for his part, said De Lima should be freed because she "is no criminal, and continues to stand up for truth, justice, and accountability."

The European Parliament, meanwhile, issued a resolution last Feb. 17 condemning, among others, De Lima's continued unjust detention and other human rights abuses in the country.
Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to be held on Belarusian-Ukrainian border near Pripyat River  President's Office

Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will take place on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border near the Pripyat River.

As reported in the Telegram channel of the Office of the President, the politicians agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian one without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River.

Alexander Lukashenko took responsibility for the fact that during the trip, negotiations and return of the Ukrainian delegation, all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory will remain on the ground.
MP of the Opposition Platform - For Life faction Viktor Medvedchuk, suspected in the case of coal supplies from occupied Donbas, escaped from house arrest, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said.

"I checked. I confirm. The traitor to Ukraine, Medvedchuk, escaped from house arrest. When we win, we will find the judge who decided to remove a bracelet from him and the Kyiv territorial defense unit will have a nice chat with him," Gerashchenko wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday.

He added: "It will be more difficult with traitor Medvedchuk, if he is not caught now, he will spend the rest of his life in the Russian Federation together with Yanukovych. By the way, Medvedchuk knew for sure that there would be a full-scale invasion, and therefore Oksana Marchenko hastily fled Ukraine through Belarus."
The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine announces the receipt of humanitarian aid from Germany, China and France.

"Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Maryna Lazebna said that as a result of a change in the procedure for recognizing cargo as humanitarian aid, it began to arrive in a fundamentally shorter time. Only in the last few days, humanitarian aid has been received to meet the urgent needs of people in food, clothing, first aid supplies and others," the ministry's press service said in a statement.

Thus, more than 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid came to Volodymyr-Volynsky from Germany, 5 tonnes to Lviv, about 9 tonnes to Uman from China, more than 13 tonnes to Zaporizhia from France, and 5 tonnes to Berdychiv from Germany.

In addition, in the coming days, several thousand tonnes of goods necessary for territorial defense will also arrive on the territory of Ukraine: bulletproof vests, walkie-talkies, helmets, tents, blankets, mats, sleeping bags, blankets, dry toilets, and rubber gloves.

"All the needs of people are collected and transferred to the program's headquarters by the social protection departments. At the headquarters level, it is necessary to immediately coordinate with the capabilities of donors, philanthropists and volunteers," the statement says.
Belgium will supply Ukraine with 3,000 automatic rifles and 200 anti-tank weapons, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has said.

"Ukraine has the right to defend itself against this Russian invasion. That's why we will provide an additional 3,000 automatic weapons and 200 anti-tank weapons," De Croo said on Twitter on Saturday.
Businessman Dmytro Firtash opposes Russia's invasion of Ukraine and asks to be allowed to enter the country now without changing the status quo in his case with the United States.

The statement on behalf of the businessman was published by his legal adviser Lenny Jay Davis, the press service of the Inter TV channel reported on Facebook.

"Dmytro Firtash is unequivocally opposed to Russia's invasion of his homeland, Ukraine. Mr. Firtash is doing everything he can to protect Ukrainian sovereignty, the democratically elected government, and his fellow citizens. Firtash is now in Austria, exercising his right to challenge the U.S. extradition request. Dmytro Firtash does not demand change in the status of the Austrian procedure for his extradition, other than allowing the Austrian authorities to temporarily return to Ukraine to do everything possible to protect their country," the lawyer said.

Firtash told the Austrian authorities that he would return to Austria after the end of the state of emergency in Ukraine or at the request of the Austrian authorities.

"Mr. Firtash wants to return to his homeland to help it in times of crisis," the lawyer said.
Tkachenko urges EU culture ministers to block Russian propaganda channels in their countries

Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko calls on the culture ministers of the European Union states to block Russia's propaganda channels in their countries.

"The calls continue. Let's undermine the information landing of the enemy. Today I also sent a letter to the EU culture ministers with a request to block Russian propaganda channels in their countries," he wrote on the Telegram channel.

He also expressed hope for a quick and concrete answer from colleagues.

"By blocking the Kremlin's lies machine, we can help stop Russian military aggression in Ukraine," the minister said.
Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko announced the death of 16 children in Ukraine as a result of the actions of the Russian occupation troops, starting from February 24.

"For the fourth day by operating the wounded around the clock, we are saving lives. We are also operating on children. Unfortunately, 16 children could not be saved," Liashko said on the air of the Rada TV channel on Sunday.

"These are the results of what the Russian army is doing, which cannot be called an army, because it is not the army that shoots at doctors, at children, at schools, at kindergartens  terrorists do it. And I declare again: this is not the army  these are terrorists," the minister said.
EU may consider ban on entry of Russian ships to ports

The European Union may consider a ban on the entry of Russian ships into the ports of member countries, according to a senior European official.

According to him, the discussion will be made on Sunday as part of an emergency meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC).

"This [the ban on entering the ports of EM countries] is seen as the next step. We'll see. I think this will be part of today's discussion," the official said ahead of the meeting.
Two journalists from Denmark wounded during shelling in Akhtyrka hospitalized in Poltava  National Police

wo journalists from Denmark, wounded as a result of the shelling by Russian invaders, were hospitalized in a Poltava hospital, the National Police of Ukraine report.

"Foreign journalists were wounded during shelling in Akhtyrka, Sumy region. Currently, Danish citizens are receiving the necessary medical care at the Poltava Regional Clinical Hospital," the National Police said on Twitter.

Doctors assess the condition of the wounded as moderate. Representatives of the Danish Embassy were informed about the state of health of foreign journalists.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba urged to disconnect all possible banks of the Russian Federation from SWIFT and stop earning money soaked in the blood of Ukrainians.

"It is extremely important that Russia be cut off from SWIFT to the greatest extent possible, all possible banks. Do not play political games and stop making money soaked in our blood. Let's stop Putin, let's stop the war. Let's restore world and European order. Only then you will be able to restore at least some business ties with Russia," Kuleba said at an online briefing on Sunday.

In addition, the minister addressed "several European governments that are now trying to ease the sanctions packages, including cutting Russia off from SWIFT."

"I will not be diplomatic. Some countries are trying to leave loopholes, exclude a number of banks in order to be able to introduce some measures with their left hand, and continue trading with Russia with their right hand. Stop doing this now, stop trading in the blood of Ukrainian men, women and children. This is not a metaphor, but the reality of what you are doing. History will judge you, and your names will forever remain in the history books as the names of traitors to humanity who could not resist the aggressor in Europe at a key moment. There are examples of such names in the 20th century, I'm sure you don't want to add your names after a comma," Kuleba said.
Press Release

February 27, 2022 Pangilinan: Take cue from Indonesia, Vietnam in asserting rights over West Philippine Sea VICE-PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Senator Francis Pangilinan said the Philippines can take its cue from neighbors Vietnam and Indonesia in using its naval resources and asserting rights over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. Pangilinan said that similar to the two countries, the Philippine Navy is far miniscule than that of China, but Vietnam and Indonesia have displayed mettle in resisting aggression. "[China's Navy is] far larger than Vietnam and Indonesia but they can assert. They have asserted their sovereignty over these waters," Pangilinan said on CNN's Vice Presidential Debates Saturday night. "Indonesia even, binomba nga at pinasabog 'yung Chinese vessel eh. Hindi naman ibig sabihin gera so we have to assert. I'm not saying we should atakihin natin sila pero pag tayo na wina-water cannon. Di naman tayo pwedeng naka nganga lang. We have to defend," he added. "Our Navy, our Coast Guard must defend our sovereign waters and it starts with being present in these areas by having these patrols," the vice presidential contender also said. Pangilinan said the government must continuously bolsters its naval forces to guard the country's EEZ and protect not only the country's maritime resources, but the thousands of Filipino fishermen making a living from the sea. "I am prepared to fight for our rights over the waters of our Exclusive Economic Zone and not be subservient," he said. "Hindi tayo pwedeng sunud-sunuran sa China. Gusto natin makipagkaibigan sa China pero 'wag naman dahil sa pagkakaibigan natin sa kanila, i-gi-give up natin yung 550,000 square kilometers of sovereign and exclusive economic zone," he added. Pangilinan reiterated his call to deploy more Coast Guard in the WPS and capacitate them to cover wider areas. Securing the country's maritime resources in the WPS means economic, food and livelihood security for the Filipinos. "We have to fight for our Exclusive Economic Zone. That is energy security dahil maraming oil diyan at gas reserves. That is food security dahil maraming isda diyan at aqua-marine resources. Ipaglaban natin yung arbitral ruling dahil atin yan. Atin yan. Atin ang West Philippine Sea," he said. He lamented that fishermen are left on their own amidst the threat of harassment every time they venture out to sea for a living. Each fisherman now only earns around P3,000 a month due to fewer catch. "Tinataboy ang ating mga mangingisda. Ipaglaban natin ang ating soberenya. Dati, ang kinikita nila P40,000- P60,000 a month dahil nakakapunta sila dun sa malayo. Ngayon dahil wala na yung Coast Guard, wala na yung Navy, talagang wala ng pumoprotekta sa kanila," he said. "Dapat i-resume yung patrol, i-resume ang Coast Guard. Para pag naroon ang ating mangingisda, meron silang takbuhan," Pangilinan added.
Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko has urged the UN to move the regional offices of UN agencies from Moscow.

"I call on the WHO to use all its levers and stop all cooperation and exchange of information with the enemies of mankind - the Russian Federation. I call on other UN agencies working in humanitarian area to relocate their regional offices from Moscow. This country cannot simultaneously wage a bloody war and influence regional European humanitarian policies," he wrote on its Facebook page.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has called on partners to provide Ukraine with more weapons, ammunition, supplies, equipment and fuel to counter Russian armed aggression.

"I call on all countries to provide Ukraine with more weapons, ammunition, supplies, equipment and fuel. We need weapons in order to fight, to defend our country. We especially need anti-tank, anti-aircraft, anti-missile weapons. We need more air-to-air and ground-air missiles to resist the invaders. We need more drones, vehicles, aircraft, ammunition, machine guns, cartridges  everything that can help us defend ourselves against Russia, its armed aggression aimed at killing Ukrainians and destroying our country," Kuleba said at an online briefing on Sunday.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine has witnessed force majeure (force majeure circumstances): military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which served as the basis for the introduction of martial law by presidential decree No. 64 from 5:30 am on February 24 for a period of 30 days.

"Given this, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine confirms that these circumstances from February 24, 2022 until their official end are extraordinary, inevitable and objective circumstances for business entities and/or individuals under the contract, certain tax and/or other obligations, the fulfillment of which occurred in accordance with the terms of the agreement, contract, treaty, legislative or other regulatory acts and the fulfillment in accordance with which became impossible within the prescribed period due to the occurrence of such force majeure circumstances," the Chamber said on Facebook.

According to it, in order to simplify the procedure for certifying force majeure circumstances, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry will post on its website from February 28 a general official letter of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine on the force majeure certificate, which can be printed out to everyone concerned.
For the first time in history, the European Union will finance the purchase and supply of lethal weapons to a third country - Ukraine, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated.

Another taboo has been lifted, the taboo that the EU does not provide weapons during the war. Yes, we are doing this, he said. This war requires our participation in order to support the Ukrainian army. We live in an unprecedented time, he said in Brussels on Sunday.

Borrell said during an extraordinary meeting of the European Council for Foreign Relations, which will be held this evening, they will propose using the European Peace Facility for two urgent measures to finance the supply of lethal materials to the Ukrainian army, as well as urgently needed fuel, protective equipment and medical supplies.

In addition, Borrell said that he had instructed to establish a mechanism to coordinate the requests of the Ukrainian army so that, together with the member states, they could respond in the most effective way.
EU to prohibit broadcasting of Russia Today, Sputnik and their subsidiaries - von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the European Union will ban broadcasts on its territory of the Kremlin-controlled Russia Today and Sputnik and their affiliates.

She made the corresponding statement in Brussels on Sunday.

"We will ban the Kremlin's media machine in the EU. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin's war. We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe," she said.
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on Sunday announced the supply of anti-tank weapons, as well as helmets and body armor to Ukraine, Western media reported.

Now Sweden is offering direct support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It includes 135,000 field rations, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 bulletproof vests and 5,000 anti-tank weapons, she said at a press conference.

Later, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also announced the supply of anti-tank weapons to Ukraine. According to media reports, she told reporters that Denmark would transfer 2,700 such weapons to Ukraine free of charge.
The Finland Council of State at an emergency meeting on the issue of additional assistance to Ukraine made a decision to allow Estonia to supply Kyiv with 122mm howitzers, Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen told the Yle portal.

The council also decided to send 2,000 sets of body armor, 2,000 helmets, 100 stretchers and first aid facilities to Ukraine.

Until now, Finland has limited itself to providing humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine.

The supply of howitzers became possible after Germany had allowed the re-export of its weapons to Ukraine.

Estonia offered to supply Ukraine with 122mm Soviet-designed D30 howitzers purchased from Finland in 2009 (previously owned by Germany), as well as American Javelin anti-tank missiles. For deliveries, it was necessary to obtain the consent of the former owners of weapons. The United States immediately gave such permission and the Javelins are already in Ukraine. At the same time, Germany until recently refused to give permission for the supply of howitzers.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the European Union is imposing sanctions on the so-called regime of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko for complicity in Russia's war with Ukraine.

"We will target the other aggressor in this war, Lukashenko's regime, with a new package of sanctions, hitting their most important sectors. All these measures come on top of the strong package presented yesterday, agreed by our international partners," she said in Brussels.

She said this will stop their exports of products from mineral fuels to tobacco, timber, cement, iron and steel. Export restrictions we have imposed on dual-use goods for Russia will also extend to Belarus. This will also allow avoiding any risks of circumvention of our measures against Russia, she detailed.

In addition, the EU will apply sanctions against those Belarusians who "help Russia in military operations."
Night for Kyiv will again be difficult, enemy trying to break into city - Klitschko

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on the residents of the capital to spend the night in shelters.

"Tonight will be difficult again. Therefore, our defenders are preparing to defend the capital. And I urge the residents of Kyiv to spend this night in shelters. Because the enemy is getting mad. They are shooting at peaceful houses. They continue to destroy our infrastructure. Although they themselves suffer heavy losses - both human and military. Because, it seems, the Russians did not expect such a rebuff and such a spirit from the Ukrainian people, both military and civilian," Klitschko wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday.

He stressed that the Ukrainian servicemen are heroically fighting throughout the country, and the inhabitants have united to defend their state.

"The horde is also trying to break into Kyiv. But our residents are preparing to repulse the aggressor. Today I was at the fortifications that the people of Kyiv are helping build the territorial defense fighters. So that the enemy army does not get into our city," the mayor said.

"I want to support the Ukrainian fighters and thank the inhabitants of Irpin, Vorzel, Bucha and Hostomel for their endurance. Where fierce battles continue, because the enemy is rushing to Kyiv. Hold on! We will stand together!" Klitschko added.
UK foreign secretary announces agreement of G7 states to continue supply of defensive weapons to Ukraine

The foreign ministers of the G7 countries and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held an online meeting at which it was decided to continue deliveries of defensive weapons to Ukraine, UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Elizabeth Truss said.

"We agreed to continue to supply defensive weapons and equipment to Ukraine, escalate sanctions to debilitate the Russian economy," she said on Twitter.

Truss also noted the need to fully restore the sovereignty of Ukraine.
RTHK: North Korea test fires 'ballistic missile'

North Korea fired what could be a ballistic missile on Sunday, military officials in South Korea and Japan said, in what would be the first test since the nuclear-armed country conducted a record number of launches in January.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea had fired one suspected ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast from a location near Sunan, where Pyongyang's international airport is located.

The airport has been the site of missile tests, including a pair of short-range ballistic missiles fired on Januray 16.

Japan's Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said Sunday's missile may have flown as high as 600 km, to a range of 300 km.

"There have been frequent launches since the start of the year, and North Korea is continuing to rapidly develop ballistic missile technology," Kishi said in a televised statement. North Korea was threatening the security of Japan, the region and the international community, he said.

North Korea's last test was on January 30, when it fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate range ballistic missile.

The largest weapon test-fired since 2017, the Hwasong-12 was reported to have flown to an altitude of about 2,000 km and range of 800 km. That capped a record month of mostly short-range missile launches in January.

Sunday's launch came less than two weeks ahead of South Korea's March 9 presidential election, amid fears by some in Seoul and Tokyo that Pyongyang may push ahead with missile development while international attention is focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"This launch comes as the international community is responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and if North Korea is making use of that situation, it is something we cannot tolerate," Kishi said.

South Korea's National Security Council convened an emergency meeting to discuss the launch, which it called "regrettable," according to a statement from the presidential Blue House.

"Launching a ballistic missile at a time when the world is making efforts to resolve the Ukraine war is never desirable for peace and stability in the world, the region, and on the Korean Peninsula," the statement said.

The leading conservative candidate, Yoon Suk-Yeol, warned last week that North Korea could see the Ukraine crisis as "an opportunity for launching its own provocation."

Candidates and analysts have noted, however, that even before the attack North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was overseeing an increase in missile tests as talks with the United States and its allies remain stalled.

"Putins War shapes almost all geopolitics right now, and should factor somewhere in Kims calculus  but even 'taking advantage of distraction' seems to presume too much, since (North Korea) was already testing aggressively before the war," John Delury, a professor at South Korea's Yonsei University, said on Twitter.

North Korea, which has close ties to China, did not test any missiles during the Beijing Olympics in February. The 2022 Winter Paralympics begin in Beijing on Friday.

Complaining of unrelenting "hostile policies" from the United States, North Korea has suggested it could resume testing its longer-range missiles or even nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang has an ambitious schedule of military modernisation, and the Kim regimes strength and legitimacy have become tied to testing ever-better missiles, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

"North Korea is not going to do anyone the favour of staying quiet while the world deals with Russias aggression against Ukraine," he said.

There was no immediate comment from the Pentagon or the US State Department on Sunday's launch. Washington says it is open to talks with North Korea without preconditions, but Pyongyang has so far rejected those overtures as insincere.

North Korea's ballistic missile launches are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions, which have imposed sanctions on the country over its missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

In its first comments since Russia's Thursday attack on Ukraine, North Korea's foreign ministry on Saturday posted a statement by a researcher who called the United States the "root cause" of the crisis for pursuing unilateral sanctions and pressure while disregarding Russia's legitimate demands for its security. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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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.
Giza Zoo, one of Egypts most popular family attractions, received 80,000 visitors on the second day of Eid Al-Fitr holiday, Mohammad Ragai, the head of the Central Administration of Zoos, stated on Tuesday.
Green faces an uphill battle in Indiana's 1st Congressional District. A Republican has not won the seat since 1928. Frank Mrvan, the Democratic incumbent, won the 2020 election with 56.6% of the vote.
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.
Russian forces unleashed artillery fire on towns in eastern Ukraine, killing and wounding dozens of civilians, and began storming the bombed-out steel mill in Mariupol from where scores were evacuated after enduring weeks of shelling against the city's last pocket of resistance.
The European Union plans to sanction the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in its next round of measures to punish Russia's invasion of Ukraine, EU diplomats said Wednesday, opening a new religious front in Europe's sanctions regime.
Street fighting broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country's south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russia's invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Following its gains on the ground, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus for peace talks with Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Ukraine's president suggested other locations, saying his country was unwilling to meet in Belarus because it served as a staging ground for the invasion.

Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming the city in small groups. One showed Ukrainian troops firing at the Russians and damaged Russian light utility vehicles abandoned nearby.

The images underscored the determined resistance Russian troops face while attempting to enter Ukraine's bigger cities. Ukrainians have volunteered en masse to help defend the capital, Kyiv, and other cities, taking guns distributed by authorities and preparing firebombs to fight Russian forces.

Ukraine's government also is releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight for the country, a prosecutor's office official, Andriy Sinyuk, told the Hromadske TV channel Sunday. He did not specify whether the move applied to prisoners convicted of all levels of crimes.

``We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that,'' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. ``The past night was tough _ more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn't consider as admissible targets.''

Huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday near Kyiv, where terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

A 39-hour curfew to keep people off the capital's streets until Monday morning complicated the task of assessing the intensity of the fighting. Zelenskyy's office said explosions were reported at Kyiv International Airport.

Flames billowed from an oil depot near an airbase in Vasylkiv, a city 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Kyiv where there has been intense fighting, according to the mayor. Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline to the east in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze as protection from smoke, the president's office said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the country's coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

He said the Russian forces also took control of an airbase near Kherson and the Azov Sea city of Henichesk. Ukrainian authorities also have reported fighting near Odesa, Mykolaiv and other areas.

Cutting Ukraine's access to its sea ports would deal a major blow to the country's economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

The number of casualties so far from Europe's largest land conflict conflict since World War II remain unclear amid the fog of combat.

Ukraine's health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others wounded. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties. Russia has not released any casualty information.

Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted Saturday that Ukraine appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross ``to facilitate repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers.'' An accompanying chart claimed 3,500 Russian troops have been killed.

Laetitia Courtois, ICRC's permanent observer to the U.N., told The Associated Press that the situation in Ukraine was ``a limitation for our teams on the ground'' and ``we therefore cannot confirm numbers or other details.''

The United Nations' refugee agency said late Saturday more than 200,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the conflict could produce as many as 4 million refugees, depending how long it continues.

Zelenskyy denounced Russia's offensive as ``state terrorism.'' He said the attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and cost Russia its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

``Russia has taken the path of evil, and the world should come to depriving it of its U.N. Security Council seat,'' he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats had arrived Sunday in the Belarusian city of Gomel for talks with Ukraine. Zelenskyy on Friday offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining NATO.

Ukraine's president said his country was ready for peace talks but not in Belarus.

``Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we offered all of them to the Russian side and we will accept any other city in a country that hasn't been used for launching missiles,`` Zelenskyy said. ``Only then the talks could be honest and put an end to the war.''

Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian military action was going forward pending the talks start.

Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's offer as ``manipulation,'' adding that Ukraine hadn't agreed to talks in the Belarusian city.

As Russia pushes ahead with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition while punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions intended to further isolate Moscow.

The U.S. pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

The U.S., European Union and United Kingdom agreed to block ``selected'' Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide, part of a new round of sanctions aiming to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion. They also agreed to impose ''restrictive measures'' on Russia's central bank.

Responding to a request from Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that his satellite-based internet system Starlink was now active in Ukraine and that there were ``more terminals en route.''

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said Sunday that his country is committing 100 billion euros ($112.7 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2% of gross domestic product. Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag the investment was needed ``to protect our freedom and our democracy.''

Putin sent troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he intended to do so, all the while building up a force of almost 200,000 troops along the countries' borders. He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russia's security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraine's right to exist as an independent state.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit.

Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said Ukraine was gathering evidence of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to submit to an international war crimes court in The Hague as possible crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court's prosecutor has said he is monitoring the conflict closely.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Sunday that Putin could use ``the most unsavory means,'' including banned chemical or biological weapons, to defeat Ukraine.

``I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons,'' Truss told Sky News.

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The UN refugee agency said Sunday more than 368,000 people had fled Ukraine since Russia invaded on Thursday.

"The current total is now 368,000 and continues to rise," United Nations High Commission for Refugees or UNHCR said in a tweet, adding the new figure was based on "data made available by national authorities".

A large number of those escaping to neighbouring countries have crossed over into Poland, where the authorities have counted some 156,000 crossing since the invasion started early Thursday.

Border guards counted some 77,300 arrivals from Ukraine on Saturday alone. The refugees have arrived in cars, in packed trains and even on foot. Those who arrive with nowhere to go can count on the help of volunteers -- both members of NGOs and private citizens. Others have also headed to Moldavia, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

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Egypt's newly constructed Wadi Al-Natroun Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre is a perfect model for the countrys penal institutions, read a statement by the country's National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) on Saturday.

Following an eight-hour inspection tour of the centre made by an NCHR delegation, it said that the complexs new features are in line with the basic principles for the humane treatment of prisoners and their rights.

The tour, the first by the NCHR since its reconstitution in December 2021, aimed to conduct a preliminary assessment of the practices inside the centre as well as its infrastructure and equipment nearly after four months in operation, the statement added.

The tour also included members from human rights committees in the House of Representatives and Senate.

The visit mainly aimed to learn more about the new plan in place to develop penal institutions, prisons and places of detention to bring them in line with human rights standards and rules.

The statement added that the complex possesses all infrastructure needed for implementing the basic principles for the humane treatment of prisoners and showing respect for their rights.

This is showcased through the spaces designated for visitors' entry, in addition to visiting halls, residence halls, health and rehabilitation facilities and cafeterias.

The centre, through a package of training facilities and programmes organised at a high level of professionalism, enjoys adequate capabilities to rehabilitate prisoners and prepare them for reintegration into society

The statement added that the complex accommodates up to 7,000 prisoners with enough space for nearly twice that number in nescessary, pointing out that building the centre has contributed to emptying three old prisons.

The NCHR stressed the importance of finalising the ministry's plan to replace old prisons with new rehabilitation centres.

The council said the ministry has condensed its plan to complete the establishment of two or three centres by the end of this year. This will contribute to reducing to a minimum the number of complaints related to the prisoners' living conditions, and fulfilling one of the commitments of the recently issued National Human Rights Strategy, it added.

In September 2021, President El-Sisi launched the National Strategy for Human Rights, the first comprehensive and long-term homegrown strategy for human rights in Egypt.

The NCHR's statement also praised the interior ministry for fully vaccinating 100 percent of inmates in prisons and detention centres to confront the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to embarking on administrating booster shots.

The Wadi Al-Natroun Centre ended the suffering of inmates' families who previously had to wait in poorly equipped facilities, according to previous complaints received by the NCHR, the statement added. The council also called on the interior ministry to construct a pedestrian bridge over the desert road to facilitate the movement of the inmates families.

The statement also called the ministry to set "institutional procedures" to ensure the sustainability of the quality of the existing facilities and the systems adopted in the Wadi El-Natroun centre and other centres that are under construction.

The new centre is one of the largest rehabilitation and reformation centres worldwide and is managed based on international standards of human rights and modern technology, according to a previous statement by the interior ministry.

The correctional facility aims to give prisoners a second chance by respecting their rights, providing means to reform their behaviour and helping them to engage productively in society.

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Iran's chief negotiator will fly back to Vienna on Sunday evening following consultations in Tehran, state media reported, as talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal reached a critical stage.

Ali Bagheri "will return to Vienna this evening with clear instructions to pursue the negotiations with the aim of solving problems in order to reach an agreement", IRNA news agency reported.

The talks to restore the agreement known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action involve Iran as well as Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia directly, and the United States indirectly.

On Saturday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Tehran was studying a rough draft of a deal to revive the nuclear deal.

Iran is "seriously reviewing (the) draft of the agreement," Amir-Abdollahian said on Twitter, adding he had spoken by phone with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel who is coordinating the Vienna talks.

"Our red lines are made clear to western parties," the Iranian foreign minister said, adding that Tehran is "ready to immediately conclude a good deal, should they show real will".

The 2015 deal gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, but the US unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed heavy economic sanctions.

That prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its own commitments.

The Vienna talks seek to return the US to the agreement, notably through the lifting of sanctions, and to restore Iran's compliance with its own commitments.

Tehran says it wants to verify the removal of sanctions and get guarantees that the United States will not repeat its withdrawal from the agreement.

In recent days, all sides have said the talks have reached a critical stage.

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From Nubia to Alexandria and back. The magic of the western and eastern deserts is also here. Meet all the colours of Egypts most talented handicraft artists at Diarna.

Hosted at the premises of Cairo Festival City, New Cairo from 24 February to 7 March, Diarna  the much anticipated annual handicrafts market  is back with a colorful Nubian theme.

Since Nubia is the guest of honour this year, Nubian motifs and Nubian greetings are the official decoration theme of the exhibition that will showcase hundreds of local artistic talents from all over Egypt.

Diarna is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Solidarity and in partnership with the Ebdaa men Masr flagship initiative by ALEXBANK, the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, WE Telecom, and Cairo Festival City Mall.

The exhibition will feature live crafting shows and workshops that cannot be missed.

Diarna

24 February to 7 March

Cairo Festival City (CFC), New Cairo

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There are more than 16,000 Ukrainian tourists in Egypts Red Sea resort cities who cant return to Ukraine through flights in the current time due to the Russian invasion of the country, the Ukrainian embassy in Cairo announced on Sunday.

In a press conference held in Cairo, Ukrainian Charge dAffaires in Egypt Ruslan Nechai stated that the Ukrainian tourists are in Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Marsa Alam currently.

He added that these tourists cant return to Ukraine as the countrys airspace is closed, however, they can return home through the borders of Ukraines friendly neighbouring countries.

Nechai thanked Egypt for extending the accommodation of Ukrainian tourists free of charge in Egyptian hotels, adding that the efforts of the Ministries of Tourism and Antiquities and Foreign Affairs coordinated with the embassy helped ease the crisis Ukrainian tourists are going through.

Egypts Hotel Association already issued on Thursday a directive to all hotels in the country to extend the stay of Ukrainian and Russian tourists in Egyptian hotels after the end of their trip till they return to their countries.

The hotels were instructed to provide all facilities for the tourists till they find a safe way to return to their countries.

Nechai revealed in the press conference that the Ukrainian embassy contacted on Wednesday the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to assist in organising the return of Ukrainian tourists to the states neighbouring countries to return to their families as well as join the local resistance there.

Regarding the Egyptian community in Ukraine, Nechai said that according to the estimates of the Ukrainian Ministry of Education in 2021, there are 6,000 Egyptians living in Ukraine, including 3,500 students.

He added that the Ukrainian Embassy in Cairo is coordinating with the Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv regarding the return of these Egyptian students to Egypt until this crisis is resolved.

Furthermore, Nechai revealed that the Ukrainian Embassy in Cairo has been coordinating with Poland and Romania regarding issuing visas to said Egyptian students.

Due to the current situation in his country, the Charge dAffaires said that Egyptian students can currently cross the border into Poland or Romania without the need of a visa.

On Saturday, Egypts Minister of Emigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram announced that a group of 1,000 Egyptian expats were on their way to Bucharest while another smaller group of 80 Egyptians have already arrived at the Ukrainian-Polish borders.

Over the past few days, the Egyptian Embassy in Ukraine has urged citizens in western parts of the country to head to the border crossings with Romania, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia to return back to Egypt through these countries.

The embassy, however, advised expats in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv or eastern cities to stay at home or in shelters, adding that negotiations are underway to secure a safe exit for those in eastern side of the country.

During the press conference, the Ukrainian diplomat said that his country was paying the price of Russian President Vladmir Putins expansional aspiration to restore the Soviet empire.

He added that Ukraine has been an independent free state for more than a millennium and a nation with its own identity, according to historical records, as Kyiv became the countrys capital in the ninth century.

Last Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his speech to the Russian people that modern Ukraine was entirely and fully created by Russia, more specifically by communist Russia, describing the Ukrainian statehood as fiction.

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Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Jordans King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein exchanged on Sunday views regarding the latest developments in regional and international issues of common interest.

Over a phone call, the two leaders addressed a number of issues related to bilateral cooperation in various sectors, a statement by Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady noted.

The Egyptian president hailed the ongoing development in Egyptian-Jordanian relations as well as the coordination between the two countries toward the various regional and international issues, praising the positive outcome of the Egyptian-Jordanian Joint Higher Committee, the statement said.

From his side, King Abdullah expressed his aspirations to further push forward cooperation between the two countries, the Egyptian presidency added.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and his Jordanian counterpart, Bisher Al-Khasawneh, chaired the 30th edition of the joint committee meeting on 20 February.

During the meeting, the premiers oversaw the signing of a number of cooperation programs and protocols in the fields of higher education, scientific research, agricultural quarantine, logistics and youth affairs.

Aside from the committee meetings, Egypt and Jordan are coordinating work on a number of regional and international, chief among which are attempts to revive the Middle East peace process and the talks between Palestine and Israel.

Both Egypt and Jordan are members of the quartet committee, along with France and Germany, that aims to revive the talks between Palestine and Israel since their suspension in April 20214.

Last week, Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Mollah said during the Sixth Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit in Doha that Egypt will start exporting natural gas to Lebanon through Jordan and Syria in the coming few weeks as it works on resolving technical problems in the pipeline that transits Syria and Lebanon.

In September 2021, the energy ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon agreed to supply Lebanon with Egyptian natural gas to generate electricity in an attempt to end the countrys ongoing energy crisis.

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Senate Speaker Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razek said the articles of the law will be discussed in detail during the Senate's plenary sessions on Monday.

The draft law was approved by the Senate's Financial and Economic Affairs Committee on 13 February after being referred by the House of Representatives

Hani Sirri, head of the Senate's Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, said the draft Unified Insurance Law aims to draw up new and comprehensive rules for regulating the insurance industry and market in Egypt.

Four decades of actual implementation show that the insurance market is in pressing need for new legislative and regulatory rules, said Sirri, adding that technological developments and the creation of new insurance tools also require that a unified insurance legislation be passed.

Sirri indicated that the new government-drafted insurance law is also necessary to cover a new group of professions and services related to the insurance industry.

In this respect, the new law aims to cover the rights of holders of insurance policies and private insurance funds, said Sirri, adding that the law also seeks to streamline insurance rules to go in line with new international standards, as well as speed up digitisation reforms and the use of financial technology in the insurance sector.

Sirri also indicated that the law aims to widen the scope of obligatory insurance operations in order to achieve insurance inclusiveness and reach out to poor and limited income classes which are not currently covered by any kind of insurance, particularly health insurance.

A report released by the committee revealed that Egypt's insurance sector includes 41 companies which collect EGP 47.5 billion in insurance installments a year, and pay EGP 33.5 billion in insurance compensation (around $3 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively).

"The net investments of insurance companies have reached EGP 131.466 billion in July 2021, in addition to the fact that there are 692 insurance funds which collect EGP 10.5 billion in annual subscriptions, pay EGP 9.9 billion in compensations, and have EGP 85.61 billion in investments," said the report, adding that "these figures show that Egypt has a thriving insurance market but it has to be effectively regulated and supervised."

Deputy Senate Speaker Bahaaeddin Abu Shoqaa said the law is in line with Article 28 which states that the State shall do its best to create an investment friendly climate and pay a special attention to small, medium and micro-size enterprises in all fields.

"In this respect, the law makes insurance compulsory for small-scale enterprises to encourage them to gain more ground in Egypt's economy," said Abu Shoqa, adding that "the law also is in line with Article 221 which states that the Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) shall be responsible for monitoring and supervising non-banking markets and instruments including capital markets, and insurance activities."

Phoebe Fawzi, another deputy senate speaker, said the law aims to unify all laws governing the insurance sector into one law. "This explains why the law is on unified insurance, not to mention that it aims to go in line with international standards and technological developments in the insurance sector in order to attract more investments to Egypt in this field," said Fawzi.

Senator Hassanein Tawfik said the new law clearly reflects the government's policy of modernising vital economic sectors and digitising its performance.

Senator Hani Sirri indicated that the new law will cover all kinds of insurance operations.

"This law will regulate insurance companies, special funds, obligatory operations such as highway accidents, as well as state new supervisory rules for the insurance industry," said Sirri, adding that "at the end we will have a unified law that will regulate all forms of insurance in Egypt in line with international rules and methods and impose stricter supervision."

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Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday announced a "historic" shift in Germany's foreign and defence policy, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine forces Europe's biggest economy to ditch decades of reluctance in raising its military profile.

Haunted by its post-war guilt, Germany has always trod lightly and quietly on the world stage when it comes to conflicts.

But at an emergency parliamentary sitting on Sunday, Scholz, who himself had been accused of dawdling on the Ukraine crisis, said: "With the invasion of Ukraine, we are now in a new era."

Hours after Germany dramatically reversed its ban on lethal weapons exports to conflict zones by announcing huge shipments to Ukraine, Scholz said 100 billion euros ($113 billion) will be earmarked for investments for the army in 2022 alone.

The financial bazooka for the Bundeswehr should be written in the German constitution, he said.

Europe's biggest economy will also "from now on -- year after year -- invest more than two percent of gross domestic product in our defence," said Scholz.

The commitment goes above the two-percent target fixed by NATO, overturning years of under-investment that had put Germany in the crosshairs of its allies.

Heavy criticism levied by former US president Donald Trump against ex-chancellor Angela Merkel over Germany's failure to meet NATO targets marked the transatlantic relationship.

But Scholz said Putin's assault has made clear that "Germany will have to invest clearly more in the security of our country."

"The aim is a powerful, state of the art, advanced army that protects us reliably."

'Different World'

Scholz, who took office in December after staging a stunning upset of Merkel's party in elections, had often been derided for his robotic speeches defending existing policies.

But the Ukraine crisis appears to have transformed the man once described by Spiegel magazine as "the embodiment of boredom in politics", with what Bild daily called a "historic speech" on Sunday that gives a "jolt to sleepy, bored Germany".

The volte-face is all the more remarkable given the composition of Germany's current government.

After 16 years of conservative-led coalition under Merkel, Scholz's centre-right Social Democrats (SPD) are currently in charge, along with junior partners the Greens and the liberal FDP.

While the Greens have always had an anti-weapons export stance, the SPD has been accused of an overly cosy attitude with Russia, while the FDP is often criticised for privileging economic interests.

But Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Green party declared that "perhaps on this day, Germany is leaving behind a form of special and unique restraint in foreign and security policy".

"The rules that we have set ourselves must not take us away from our responsibility. If our world is a different one, then our policy must also be different."

Germany said it was delivering 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 "Stinger" surface-to-air missiles from its Bundeswehr stocks to Ukraine.

It will also boost troops in NATO's eastern flank, including with new deployments to Slovakia, said Scholz, also voicing readiness to join the defence of allied airspace with anti-aircraft rockets.

Army Woes

Plagued by years of financial neglect, the morose state of the Bundeswehr had been laid bare by the chief of the German land army, Alfons Mais, on the same day that Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine.

"The options we can offer to politicians to support (NATO) are extremely limited," he wrote in the stark admission on social network LinkedIn.

The Bundeswehr "is more or less bare," he said.

Since the end of the Cold War, Germany has reduced its troop strength from 500,000 at the time of reunification to just about 200,000 today.

Defence officials have over the last years repeatedly sounded the alarm over the army's equipment woes -- a litany of disrepair plaguing fighter planes, tanks, helicopters and ships.

Germany's dark war past has nurtured a strong pacifist tradition that, faced with Russia's incursion, critics say bordered on naivety.

Over the weeks while the crisis was brewing, Germany repeatedly rebuffed Kyiv and allies' pleas to send weapons to Ukraine.

Estonia's bid to hand over to Kyiv eight old Howitzers purchased from ex-communist East Germany was stuck in a bureaucratic tangle in Berlin for weeks before it finally won approval on Sunday.

Germany had offered only 5,000 helmets to Ukraine in the run-up to the conflict, making it a subject of ridicule.

Europe's most populous nation was also accused of putting its economic and energy interests first, as it clung to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was due to channel Russian gas to Europe, before finally putting it on hold this week.

But Scholz vowed to shift Germany from dependence on others for its energy imports, saying that the current stress on the energy markets showed the country needed to press on with its switch to renewables.

Scholz "has changed dramatically in the Ukraine crisis. And now, he is changing the country," said Bild in an editorial.

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Sweden on Sunday announced it would break its doctrine of not sending arms to countries in active conflict and send military equipment, including anti-tank launchers, to Ukraine.

"My conclusion is now that our security is best served by us supporting Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia," Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters.

Andersson said 5,000 anti-tank weapons of the model "Pansarskott 86", a single-use anti-tank launcher known internationally as Bofors AT-4, would be sent to Ukraine.

The decision to send arms, 135,000 field rations, 5,000 helmets and 5,000 pieces of body armour is the first time Sweden has sent weapons to a country in armed conflict since the Soviet Union attacked Finland in 1939, Andersson added.

Swedish media reported that Ukraine had specifically requested the more advanced Robot-57 anti-tank system.

"A weapons system that can strike against tanks and armoured vehicles has been requested and this is such a system," Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist said when asked about the decision.

"In addition this is a system that is easy to operate, doesn't require training and can be handled by a single soldier," Hultqvist added.

Sweden officially abandoned its stance of neutrality at the end of the Cold War but remains officially "non-aligned" and outside military alliances.

The country is not a member of NATO, although it has been a partner to the alliance since the mid-1990s.

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Egypt has called for holding an emergency meeting of the Arab League to discuss current developments in Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday.

Egypt requested the meeting to be held at the level of permanent representatives, according to the statement.

On Sunday, the fourth day of Russian invasion witnessed street fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, which marks a new phase of the invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

The conflict has claimed the lives of 198 Ukrainians since Thursday, according to the Ukrainian health ministry, and caused tens of thousands of residents to flee from the country.

"Egypt is following with deep concern the successive developments regarding the situation in Ukraine, and affirms the importance of upholding dialogue and diplomatic solutions, as well as endeavours that would hasten the political settlement of the crisis," the ministry said in a statement released on Thursday.

Such a desired political settlement, the statement said, would preserve international security and stability, and ensure that the situation does not escalate or deteriorate.

A settlement would also help avoid aggravating humanitarian and economic harm to the region and the world, the ministry noted.

Since Thursday, the ministry has been following the latest developments to the Egyptian community currently in Ukraine, where around 6,000 Egyptian nationals lived prior to the invasion, with students representing a majority, according to officials.

In remarks to media on Saturday, Minister of Emigration Nabila Makram said around 3,000 Egyptian students are in Ukraine, noting that she has held three virtual conversations with the students stranded in the country.

Small groups of Egyptians in Ukraine have already arrived back home, while around 1,000 more are on their way to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, Makram added.

Over the past few days, Egyptian embassies have urged citizens in western parts of Ukraine to head to the border crossings with Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, which lie west of Ukraine, to return back to Egypt through these countries.

The embassy, however, advised citizens in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv or eastern cities to stay at home or in shelters, adding that negotiations are underway to secure a safe exit for them.

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The Ukrainian authorities have directed the country's border guards to allow Egyptians to leave the country via borders with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, the Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv said on Sunday.

The statement on the embassys Facebook page added that the directives had been issued after coordinating with the Egyptian embassies in the abovementioned countries and the Ukrainian foreign ministry.

In a press conference held early Sunday, the Ukrainian Embassy in Cairo stated that it was coordinating with the Egyptian embassy in Kyiv regarding the return of Egyptians currently in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Charge dAffaires in Egypt Ruslan Nechai revealed that his embassy in Cairo was also coordinating with Poland and Romania regarding the visa of Egyptians.

There were around 6,000 Egyptians living in Ukraine prior to the invasion, including 3,000 students.

Early on Sunday, Egyptian embassies in Bucharest and Warsaw issued instructions on their official Facebook pages to Egyptians crossing the Polish and Romanian borders to contact them as soon as they cross the border and to prepare copies of their passports and photos in order to facilitate their air evacuation and accommodation at the nearest possible time.

On Saturday, Egypts Minister of Emigration and Expatriates Affairs Nabila Makram announced that a group of 1,000 Egyptian expats were on their way to Bucharest while another smaller group of 80 had arrived on the Ukrainian-Polish borders.

Over the past few days, the Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv have urged citizens in western parts of Ukraine to head to the border crossings with Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

The embassy, however, advised citizens in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and eastern cities to stay at home or in shelters, adding that negotiations are underway to secure a safe exit for those in the eastern parts.

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Egypt's Ministry of Foreign affairs instructed on Sunday the Egyptian embassy in Kyiv to provide full support and care to Mohamed Zayed, the first Egyptian citizen injured iduring the Russain invasion of Ukraine.

Mohamed Zayed was wounded and is currently in a hospital in Ukraines eastern city of Kharkiv, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

However, the Egyptian expat community in Ukraine told Minister of Emigration and Expatriates Affairs Nabila Makram in a video meeting today that Zayed was injured during an airstrike in Kharkiv, according to a statement by the emigration ministry.

Zayed was in a stable condition after he underwent surgery and is currently undergoing treatment inside the hospital, the community members said.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said it received Zayeds family earlier today and reassured them about his condition.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has instructed the Egyptian embassy in Kyiv to work round the clock to provide the necessary support to all Egyptian citizens residing in Ukraine, the ministry said.

Shoukry also instructed the the Egyptian embassies in Ukraines neighbouring countries to coordinate among themselves to allow Egyptian citizens to evacuate from Ukraine to those countries, the ministry added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates the paramount importance of protecting our Egyptian citizens abroad  within the framework of the states policy to provide the necessary support and care to Egyptian citizens both at home and abroad, the ministry added.

On Sunday, the Russian assault on Ukraine entered its fourth day, with 198 Ukrainians killed, hundreds injured, and thousands to fleeing the country, according to the Ukrainian health ministry, .

The Ukrainian authorities have directed the border guards to allow Egyptians to leave the country via the country's borders with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, the Egyptian embassy in Kyiv said on Sunday.

Around 6,000 Egyptian nationals lived in Ukraine prior to the Russian invasion, including 3000 students, according to Egyptian officials.

On Saturday, Minister Makram announced that a group of 1,000 Egyptian expats were on their way to Bucharest while a smaller group of 80 had arrived on the Ukrainian-Polish borders.

Over the past few days, the Egyptian embassy in Kyiv has urged citizens in western parts of Ukraine to head to the border crossings with Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

The embassy, however, advised citizens in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv or eastern cities to stay at home or in shelters, adding that negotiations are underway to secure a safe exit for those in the eastern parts.

Egypt has affirmed the importance of upholding dialogue and diplomatic solutions, as well as endeavours that would hasten a political settlement to the Ukrainian crisis, according to a statement by the foreign ministry.

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Egypts strategic reserves of basic food commodities  including wheat, rice, meat and poultry  will last for months, Egypts Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi has affirmed to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

Wheat reserves are sufficient for four months, Moselhi said in a meeting with El-Sisi on Sunday. The local wheat supply season also starts in April, he said, noting that the country expects to produce four million tonnes of wheat.

Egypt, therefore, has a strategic stock of wheat that will cover local consumption for this year, Moselhi affirmed.

Egypt has been preparing for possible scenarios regarding a likely rise in the price of commodities worldwide, especially wheat, due to the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine, two of the worlds top wheat exporters.

A widely-condemned Russian invasion on Ukraine entered its fourth day on Sunday, killing 198 Ukrainians so far, according to the Ukrainian health ministry, and caused hundreds of thousands to flee from the country.

Russia commenced its attack on eastern Ukraine early on Thursday, where the most fertile agricultural lands exist.

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).

Such crises significantly impact the prices of a number of basic commodities worldwide, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a cabinet meeting last week, affirming that Egypt is closely following up on the economic and political repercussions of the crisis.

Russia and Ukraine are 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 the two countries, 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.

Saad warned that the Russia-Ukraine crisis could raise wheat prices and also disrupt supply to Egypt, urging citizens to rationalise the consumption of bread.

Earlier in February, the Egyptian government confirmed that it will raise the price of subsidised bread loaves  sold at five piastres for over 30 years  but will make sure that the neediest and most marginalised citizens are not affected.

Egypt also fears a possible rise in fuel price and drop in the flow of tourists, since Russia and Ukraine are among the top exporters of tourists to Egypt.

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.

Egypts strategic reserves of beans, oil, meat and poultry will also last for three, 5.5, and 8.5 months respectively, Moselhi told El-Sisi.

The sugar-producing seasons from sugarcane and beets began in January and February respectively, Moselhi said, noting that local production will cover 90 percent of the countrys needs.

Strategic sugar reserves will last for 4.5 months, the minister noted, while reserves of rice, in which the country has achieved self-sufficiency, will last for 6.5 months.

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Algeria's state energy firm is ready to supply Europe with more gas in view of a possible decline due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, its CEO said Sunday.

Sonatrach CEO Toufik Hakkar said the firm was ready to pump additional gas to the EU from its surplus via the Tansmed pipeline linking Algeria to Italy.

Sonatrach is "a reliable gas supplier for the European market and is willing to support its long term partners in the event of difficult situations," Hakkar was quoted as saying in the daily Liberte.

Hakkar nonetheless said this would be contingent on the availability of a surplus of gas or liquified natural gas (LNG) once the national demand and "contractual engagements" are met.

He pointed to an "unused capacity" in the Transmed pipeline that could be used to "increase the supplies to the European market".

The Tansmed pipeline, jointly operated with Italy's ENI, has a capacity of some 32 million cubic metres per year -- four times that of the Medgaz pipeline to Spain.

The top executive added that Sonatrach could expand its supplies to countries not currently served by existing pipelines via LNG tankers.

Hakkar said Europe is the "natural market of choice" for Algerian gas, which accounts for about 11 percent of Europe's gas imports.

Former Algerian energy minister Abdelmajid Attar meanwhile told AFP that "Algeria exports a maximum of 22 billion cubic metres (of gas) via the Transmed pipeline", leaving a capacity of 10 billion cubic metres.

He nonetheless noted that Algeria alone will not be able to "compensate for the decline in Russian gas supply", noting that it can offer a maximum of two or three million additional cubic metres.

Attar, who also previously served as Sonatrach's CEO, added that LNG can also be transported via tankers, noting that existing liquefaction plants are only operating at 50-60 percent capacity.

The former minister said that in the medium term, "in four or five months, Algeria can send larger quantities", however noting that the country must first "develop new reserves" of shale gas.

Sonatrach announced in January that it would invest $40 billion into oil exploration, production and refinement, as well as gas prospecting and extraction, between 2022 and 2026.

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Ukraine's president says Russia should be thrown out of the United Nations Security Council following its invasion of his country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message Sunday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine amounts to an act of genocide, saying that ``Russia has taken the path of evil and the world should come to depriving it of its U.N. Security Council seat.''

Russia is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, giving it veto power over resolutions.

Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities should be investigated by an international war crimes tribunal and denounced the Russian invasion as ``state terrorism.''

He dismissed as lies Russia's claims that it wasn't targeting civilian areas.

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Germany will impose a three-month ban on all Russian flights from its airspace from 1400 GMT on Sunday, the Transport Ministry said, as the screws tighten on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

"In a Notice to Air Missions, the transport ministry has imposed a flight ban for Russian aircraft and aircraft operators in and over German airspace," said the ministry, adding that order was valid for three months.

Only humanitarian flights will be exempt.

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday that Germany is committing 100 billion euros to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2 percent of GDP.

``It's clear we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy,'' Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag in Berlin Sunday morning.

The move is a significant one for Germany, which has come under criticism from the United States and other NATO allies for not investing adequately in its defense budget.

Scholz's announcement, which came during a special session of Germany's Bundestag Sunday morning, was the latest in a series of major shifts in German defense and security policy this weekend in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

On Saturday evening, the German government announced it would be sending weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine, which is fighting to keep Russia from invading its capital city.

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Emirati Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), the UAE Federal export credit agency (ECA), and Egypts state-owned Export Credit Guarantee of Egypt company (EGE) inked Sunday a reciprocal reinsurance agreement that aims to support projects in the two countries and their collaborative initiatives globally.

The agreement intends to bolster the robust trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, including export ties.

ECI said that the broad scale of trade credit insurance between the two firms is expected to help anticipate and mitigate risks they might encounter due to various political, commercial and non-commercial challenges.

The agreement comes following the alliance ECI and EGE formed at the end of 2019, which spawned a significant increase in their non-oil trade despite the economic impacts imposed by the pandemic crisis, according to ECI.

The UAE has maintained a strong, historical bilateral relationship with Egypt since its establishment, and the non-oil trade relations between these regional powers continue to improve, riding on a host of strategic collaborations, noted Massimo Falcioni, CEO of ECI.

"Deepening our existing partnership, this reinsurance agreement will give rise to unparalleled trading opportunities for local businesses to improve their regional and global competitiveness, he added.

For his part, Mohamed Azzam, managing director and general manager of EGE, said that the UAE has always been Egypts leading trading partner in the region, with significant mutual business cooperation prevailing among the citizens of both nations for a long time.

"We believe this reciprocal reinsurance partnership with Etihad Credit Insurance will usher in a new era of economic prosperity, making a huge difference in our businesses transactions through a wide range of credit insurance solutions offered by both ECAs, he stated.

In 2020, despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, trade exchange between the two countries rose to $4.1 billion, up from $3.3 billion in 2019, according to Ministry of Trade and Industry.

UAE represents Egypt's largest trading partner in the Middle East, according to trade ministry.

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The pandemic, mass shootings, natural disasters, terror attacks. Theres been plenty of tragedy and anxiety for parents to sort through with their kids. Add Russias escalating invasion of Ukraine to the list.

With events rapidly unfolding on TV and across social media, child development experts urge parents to check in with children of all ages but not to worry if those conversations are brief.

For children under the age of 7, it might just be acknowledging that something is happening between Ukraine and Russia and ask, Have you heard anything? Take the childs lead, said Janine Domingues, a clinical psychologist at the nonprofit Child Mind Institute in New York.

For all ages, honesty is paramount, she and others said.

Overall, just provide reassurance, that this is what we know right now. Let them know you dont know all the answers but here are some places we can go, Domingues said.

Around the globe, from the U.S. to Western Europe, Japan to South Korea and Australia, c ountries immediately denounced the Kremlin as Thursdays fighting raised fear, sending stocks tumbling and oil prices surging. President Joe Biden slapped Russia with some of the broadest and toughest financial penalties the worlds largest economy can muster.

Karina Serio, 16, in Cecil County, Maryland, hopes to major in Russian and European studies when she goes to college. For now, as a high school sophomore, she helps Ukrainian kids with their English through an online volunteer organization and moderates a group chat of up to 600 Ukrainian youth at a time on the Telegram app.

I think its scary, she said. You know, right now Im sitting here in my nice house and theres people my age sitting in their apartments listening to sirens go off. They cant sleep. They dont know what to do. And I feel bad, like, what can I do?

Janice Torres in Brooklyn is among parents already fielding questions from their kids.

She asked why they are having a war? And if the kids are in school, Torres said of her 8-year-old daughter. She saw me crying as I watched a video of a dad letting his kid go on a bus. She told me that shes glad America is not at war. She doesnt want to go on a bus without us.

Dr. Gene Beresin, executive director of the free online resource hub The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said young children, tweens and even older teens have some basic questions in common when it comes to war, whether they verbalize them or not: Am I safe? Are you, the people taking care of me, safe? How will this affect my day-to-day life?

Though the invasion, for U.S. kids, is playing out several thousand miles from home, social media and television coverage can make it seem just next door.

Many, many, many children who witnessed 9/11 on TV, who witnessed the Oklahoma bombing on TV, who witnessed the Challenger disaster on TV, got post-traumatic stress disorder. The media is huge, Beresin said.

Thats why some experts warn against leaving TV coverage on constantly as the invasion plays out. For very young children, unplugging from screens altogether for a while could help. Preschool kids may need more TLC time with a parent or caregiver while they work through their emotions, Beresin said.

They know things are troubled. They know things are problematic. They may ask you if youre worried. Kids of all ages may ask if youre worried. And frankly, you got to be honest. You can say, Yes, I am, but we can manage this. We can get through this. I would indulge them a little bit, he said.

Andrea Barbalich is editor-in-chief of The Week Junior, a weekly newsmagazine for kids ages 8-14 with 100,000 subscribers in all 50 states. She and her staff have been covering Ukraine.

Were very calm in our tone and were selective in the facts that we present, she said. We avoid very frightening and upsetting information and focus on the helpers wherever we can. Right now, for example, there are thousands of people around the world and many governments working together to stop the conflict and end the fighting. There are people on the ground who are helping people who are injured. There will be humanitarian aid for people who need it.

The issue she shipped Tuesday, before the latest outbreak of fighting, focused on troops amassing at the borders, outlined the shared history between Russia and Ukraine and explained the position of the U.S. Next weeks issue will take on the invasion.

Weve heard from a tremendous number of parents already who have thanked us for covering the story so forthrightly, and they are telling us that they appreciate our calm and factual approach because their children are frightened and they werent sure what to say, Barbalich said.

For kids, said Dr. Nick Hatzis of the outpatient mental health care facility Compass Health Center in Chicago, the most important step for parents is to create a space that allows for listening. Conversation on Ukraine may be exactly what some kids want and exactly what others might not, he said.

Theres going to be a lot of back and forth, said Hatzis, medical director for child and adolescent programs. We want to make sure that we are actively promoting our routines, our schedules, participating in the meaningful activities in our lives and in our kids lives.

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KYODO NEWS - Feb 27, 2022 - 18:50 | All, Japan

Japan's main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan will cooperate with other opposition forces to jointly secure more than half of the contested House of Councillors seats in the election in summer, the party's leader said Sunday.

In the upcoming election for the 248-seat upper house, held every three years as the six-year term for half of its members expires, 125 seats will be contested.

Of those seats, 75 will be chosen in specific districts and 50 through proportional representation, including one of the seats in the Kanagawa district vacated in 2021.

"The election headquarters and prefectural chapters will work cooperatively" to field a unified candidate in 32 single-seat constituencies, the CDPJ's leader Kenta Izumi said at a party convention held in Tokyo.

His party will also aim to have females account for half of its candidates in the election as part of its efforts to realize gender equality in the country, Izumi said.

Opposition parties will need to win 72 of the contested seats to collectively gain a majority in the House of Councillors.

The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito need 57 seats to maintain their upper house majority. They currently have 136 members in the chamber, and the term for 68 of them will expire this summer.

In the general election last October, the LDP alone won 261 seats in the 465-member House of Representatives, while the CDPJ gained 96 seats.

==Kyodo
KYODO NEWS - Feb 27, 2022 - 22:35 | All, Japan

Japan will join efforts by the United States and the European Union in blocking access by some Russian banks to the international payment system SWIFT, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Sunday, as Russia continued with its military attack on Ukraine.

On top of the sanctions already announced on Russia, Japan will freeze assets held by Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian government officials, Kishida said.

"We will show that a reckless act of violence comes with a huge price," Kishida told reporters, condemning Russia's "aggression."

"The international community's relationship with Russia can no longer be the same as before," he said.

The expanding list of sanctions against Russia indicates Japan is keeping pace with the West despite its desire to seek progress in resolving a territorial dispute long looming over Tokyo-Moscow relations.

Kishida condemned Russian's invasion of Ukraine as a violation of international law that undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Eastern European nation.

The Japanese government will extend emergency humanitarian assistance worth $100 million to Ukraine, he added.

On Saturday, Britain, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy and the United States said selected Russian banks will be removed from SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

The system connects more than 11,000 banks, financial institutions and companies in over 200 countries and territories.

Japan has already announced a raft of sanctions, including an asset freeze on three Russian banks, export controls on semiconductors and other high-tech goods, and a suspension of visa issuance for certain Russian individuals.

Russia's use of force to change the status quo has made it important for the Group of Seven nations to be united and resolute in taking action, Kishida said.

"Given the situation (in Ukraine), we cannot foresee our negotiations (with Russia) at this point," he said.

The spat over a group of islets off Hokkaido, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, has prevented the two nations from signing a postwar peace treaty. Japan maintains the former Soviet Union illegally seized the four islands while Russia claims they were obtained legally as a result of World War II.

On the prospect of imposing sanctions on Belarus, known for its close ties with Russia and seen as supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kishida said, "We will respond appropriately after examining the situation."

The United States has already decided to sanction Belarusian individuals and entities, calling for Belarus to end support for Russia's aggression.

Related coverage:

U.S., EU to exclude some Russian banks from key int'l payment system

Ukraine president vows to keep fighting Russia on 3rd day of invasion

Japan targets banks, military groups in new sanctions on Russia
KYODO NEWS - Feb 27, 2022 - 13:00 | All, Japan

Hiroshi Mikitani, chairman and CEO of Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Group Inc., said Sunday he will donate 1 billion yen ($8.7 million) to the Ukrainian government for humanitarian assistance following Russia's invasion of the country.

"I am deeply saddened by the news," Mikitani said in an English letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on Twitter, referring to Russia's launch of a military attack Thursday. "My thoughts are with you and Ukraine people."

"When I saw your courageous resistance against this unprovoked attack on behalf of Ukraine people, I thought about what I could do for Ukraine."

The donation is intended to be used for humanitarian activities to help people in the country who have become victims of the violence, he said.

Recalling his visit to Kyiv in the early summer of 2019, Mikitani said he was "truly fascinated by the beautify city" but also by Zelenskyy's "deep knowledge of digital technology."

"I sincerely hope that Russia and Ukraine can resolve this issue peacefully and that Ukraine people can have peace again as soon as possible," he said.

Mikitani said he has decided on the donation after consulting with his family.

Rakuten Group has staff working in Ukraine for its free call app service. It also has a business base in the Odessa region of southern Ukraine.

Related coverage:

U.S., EU to exclude some Russian banks from key int'l payment system

2,000 Ukrainians, supporters in Japan rally over Russia invasion

Ukraine president vows to keep fighting Russia on 3rd day of invasion
KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2022 - 22:40 | All, World, Japan

Around 2,000 people including Ukrainian nationals living in Japan staged a rally on Saturday in front of the Shibuya crossing, a famed Tokyo landmark, protesting against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Protestors held Ukrainian flags and signs reading "Stop the war in Ukraine" and "Hands off Ukraine." Russians and Japanese nationals also joined the rally that was organized via social media, as fighting persists in the former Soviet republic after Russia launched a large-scale attack on Thursday and Ukrainian forces continue to fight back.

Iryna Kulbanska, who hails from the Luhansk oblast in eastern Ukraine, expressed concern over her parents who remain in the capital Kyiv and told her they have repeatedly heard explosions and gunfire.

"I feel anxious as I don't know what could happen next," she said.

Despite weeks of diplomatic efforts by major powers and their threat of imposing sanctions, Russia still went ahead to launch what Ukraine called "a full-scale invasion" on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had authorized a "special military operation" in the Donbas area, which includes two separatist regions in parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Moscow formally recognized them as independent republics just ahead of its attack.

Maryna Artyushenko, who also joined the rally, said she is worried that the situation could worsen as the unfolding events in the crisis are changing day by day.

"I urge the Japanese government to implement sanctions that would have an immediate impact" on Russia, she said.

Joining the United States and other nations, as well as the European Union, in imposing sanctions on Russia, Japan also unveiled its own set of punitive measures.

On Friday, Japan laid out a set of tighter sanctions against Russia featuring a freeze on assets held by Russian banks and curbs on exports to military-linked groups in response to the invasion.

The new sanctions package also includes export controls on semiconductors and other high-tech products, as well as a suspension of visa issuance for certain Russian individuals and entities.

Related coverage:

Ukraine president vows to keep fighting Russia on 3rd day of invasion
By Yuki Yamaguchi and Takuma Obinata, KYODO NEWS - Feb 27, 2022 - 10:08 | All, Japan

Former Nissan Motor Co. executive Greg Kelly is confident he can win an acquittal over his alleged involvement in underreporting compensation for his former boss and one-time corporate superstar Carlos Ghosn as a court is scheduled to hand down a ruling on Thursday.

"There was no need to report because Carlos Ghosn never got paid, and there was never an agreement to pay Carlos Ghosn," Kelly said in a recent interview with Kyodo News. "This is not a criminal matter, and nobody should go to jail for anything."

Kelly, the 65-year-old former Nissan representative director and close aide of Ghosn, is accused of conspiring with Ghosn, former Nissan chairman, in understating his remuneration by around 9 billion yen ($77.9 million) over eight years through March 2018, violating Japan's financial instruments and exchange law.

In the trial that began in September 2020, the prosecutors argued that Kelly played a role in coming up with a scheme to compensate Ghosn with deferred payments in addition to his regular pay, a system meant to avoid backlash over his high salary. They have demanded two years in prison.

Kelly said he, together with former president Hiroto Saikawa, sought ways to retain Ghosn even after his retirement so he could provide services to contribute to Nissan's profit, but "there was never any agreement reached."

The ruling, which is scheduled to be delivered by the Tokyo District Court on March 3, will be the first judicial decision on a high-profile financial scandal that started to unfold when Ghosn and Kelly were arrested in a surprise sweep in Japan in November 2018.

Ghosn jumped bail and fled in late 2019 to Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan. Other Nissan officials struck plea bargains with prosecutors, leaving Kelly the only company executive to stand trial.

Kelly said he wished Ghosn had been in Japan during the trial as he could have testified that there was no agreement for alleged deferred payment. "But unfortunately, he wasn't."

Asked if he has anything he wants to say to Ghosn, Kelly said "not particularly," adding that "he made a decision that he thought was right for him and his family."

Two Americans who helped Ghosn escape by hiding him in a box and flying him aboard a private jet to Turkey received prison terms of two years and 20 months, respectively, after being found guilty last year in a trial in Japan.

Ghosn has claimed that Nissan is behind his arrest as it wanted to stop him from pursuing a merger with its alliance partner and largest shareholder Renault SA, an arrangement the Japanese company feared would hurt its independence.

Kelly described his life on bail in Japan as "stressful and challenging" as he was kept "10,000 kilometers away from my family and friends for three years," as well as not being able to see his grandsons.

"(It's) not fair to take that amount of time in your life in a case where nobody was paid. There wasn't an agreement to pay anything," he said.

New U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel vowed to prioritize Kelly's case at a congressional hearing in the United States before his arrival in Japan last month. Kelly said he had been in touch with Emanuel through the U.S. Embassy.

"He clearly understands that this is really not a criminal case," Kelly said. "My understanding is that he is supportive and continues to be supportive."

Kelly has been staying in Japan with his wife and says they cannot wait to go back to the United States after the ruling.

"We look forward, as we say in English, to make up for lost time with the people we cherish," he said.

(Toma Mochizuki and Mariko Tamura contributed to this article)

Related coverage:

Ghosn criticizes Japan's prosecution system as discriminatory

Ex-Ghosn aide maintains innocence in final hearing over Nissan case

2-yr jail term sought for ex-Ghosn aide over financial misconduct
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock via video link on Jan. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone talk with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO's eastward expansion, Russia's legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, during which they exchanged views on the current situation in Ukraine.

Wang said that China pays close attention to the development of the situation in Ukraine, and supports all efforts that are conducive to de-escalating the situation and achieving a political settlement.

On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, he noted, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO's eastward expansion, Russia's legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.

Noting the Cold War has already ended, the senior Chinese official said it is necessary for NATO to reconsider its position and responsibilities, adding that the Chinese side believes the Cold War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be completely abandoned. China supports NATO, the European Union and Russia to resume dialogue and seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism so as to achieve lasting peace and stability on the European continent, he said.

People from Ukraine rest at a temporary resettlement site in Przemysl, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

Wang also noted that China does not approve of solving problems by sanctions, and even more strongly opposes unilateral sanctions not based on international law. Practice has already proved that rather than solving problems, sanctions can create new ones, he said, adding that sanctions will not only lead to a "lose-lose" situation or "multiple losses" in economy, but also disturb the process of a political settlement.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has always faithfully fulfilled its obligation of safeguarding world peace and stability, Wang noted, adding China believes that if the Security Council is to take action, it should facilitate a political settlement of the current crisis rather than instigate new rivalries and confrontations.

In view of this, Wang said, China has prevented the Security Council from citing expressions that involve the authorization of the use of force and sanctions, when discussing draft resolutions on the Ukrainian issue.

China will continue to play a constructive role in seeking and realizing peace, Wang said. 
SpaceCast Weekly is a NASA Television broadcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston featuring stories about NASA's work in human spaceflight.

This includes the International Space Station and its crews and scientific research activities, and the development of Orion and the Space Launch System, the next generation American spacecraft being built to take humans farther into space than they've ever gone before.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Cem Savrunlu, the captain of Rescue-7, tried to maintain close distance with a tanker under fogy and rainy weather conditions on the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)



As one of the busiest sea routes in the region, Bosphorus' traffic could be up to 110 passages of ships per day.

Recently, Turkey exerts all efforts to monitor southbound vessels to pass through the waterway as soon as possible, as maritime officials received a two-day marine warning of strong winds and heavy rains in Istanbul.

by Zeynep Cermen

ISTANBUL, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- As a fully-loaded oil tanker was passing through the calm yet narrow Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Rescue-7, a tugboat dwarfed by the behemoth, closely followed behind despite the fog.

A turkish coastal safety boat carries a harbor pilot to a Bahamian flagged tanker on the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)



The surveillance tugboat was dispatched by the Turkish Coastal Safety to guard the Bahamian-flagged tanker "Estrella" along the 30-km sinuous strait in case of any urgency until it reached the Marmara Sea.

It would take at least an hour and a half for the 229-meter long tanker to sail through. Beneath the often calm waters, a feast for the eyes among many visitors, the high currents, sharp turns and some points with merely 700 meters width put big ships at higher risks.

Recently, southbound vessels were ordered to pass through the waterway as soon as possible after maritime officials received a two-day marine warning of strong winds and heavy rains in Istanbul.

A cargo ship passes through the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, on Feb. 23, 2022 amid heavy fog and rainy weather. (Xinhua/shadati)



"There is no safe harbor for the ships to take shelter in the Black Sea, we have to exert more efforts to take them to the Marmara Sea as soon as possible. That's why traffic will flow from north to south all day long today," Baris Gul, chief operator of the Istanbul Ship Traffic Services, told Xinhua.

"If the vessel derails due to a malfunction, such as a mechanical or rudder failure, the tugboat will immediately intervene," Cem Savrunlu, captain of Rescue-7, said while sailing through foggy and rainy weather conditions.

An operator communicates with the captains of the ships sailing on the Bosphorus Strait at the Istanbul Ship Traffic Services of the Directorate General of Coastal Safety in Istanbul, Turkey, on Jan. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)



As one of the busiest sea routes in the region, Bosphorus' traffic could be up to 110 passages of ships per day, requiring close monitoring and painstaking coordination from the Ship Traffic Services, a branch of the Directorate General of Coastal Safety.

"We do not allow tankers over 200 meters in length, carrying dangerous cargo, such as explosive materials, to pass through the Bosphorus at night," said Sukru Hakan Kaya, manager of the Traffic Services, at the services' coordination center.

When it comes to tankers, preventing oil spills is a top concern. "Estrella carries 110,000 tons of oil, and it is almost impossible to stop such a giant block in a risky situation from a distance, and therefore close physical contact is the best option to prevent a disaster," Savrunlu said.

Tugce Bakcepinar, second captain of Rescue-7, told Xinhua that at critical turns, the tugboat will get even closer to Estrella to allow for faster and more effective intervention.

Despite all vigilance, some mishaps remain inevitable.

In 2018, the Maltese-flagged Vitaspirit, a 225-meter long bulk carrier, crashed into a historic mansion along the Asian shores of the strait after an engine failure. The accident occurred at the narrowest point of the strait, blocking the entire traffic for hours. 
TEHRAN, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani will return to Austrian capital Vienna to continue talks aimed to resolve remaining issues, official news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.

Bagheri Kani will be back to Vienna on Sunday night "with a specific agenda to follow the negotiations aimed at resolving (remaining) problems in a run for an agreement," the report said.

In its latest meeting, Iran's Supreme National Security Council reviewed the process and results of negotiations in Vienna, and stressed the need to fulfill the legal and logical demands of Iran within the redlines of the Islamic republic, according to the report.

On Saturday night, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian wrote on his Twitter account that Iranian officials are "seriously reviewing draft of the agreement."

"Our red lines are made clear to western parties. Ready to immediately conclude a good deal, should they show real will," he noted.

Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments one year later and advance its halted nuclear programs.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Austria's capital Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the United States indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal. 
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thai Smile Airways will relaunch its direct flights to Cambodia's Siem Reap from next week after a long hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism (MoT) said in a news release on Sunday.

"The Thai Smile Airways will operate direct flights from Bangkok to Siem Reap and vice versus twice a week, starting from March 3, 2022 onwards," the MoT said.

Located in northwestern Cambodia, Siem Reap is the home of Angkor Archaeological Park, which is the kingdom's most popular tourist destination, it said, urging local tourism associations and travel agents to help attract more international visitors to the ancient park.

According to the airline's website, the flights will be conducted every Thursday and Saturday.

Thai Smile Airways will be the second international airline that re-introduces direct flights to Siem Reap after Singapore Airlines (SIA) relaunched its direct flights between Singapore and Siem Reap in mid-December last year.

Cambodia reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers without quarantine in mid-November last year after most of its population were vaccinated against COVID-19, mostly using China's Sinovac and Sinopharm jabs.

The MoT is confident that with its quarantine-free policy, the kingdom's tourism industry will rebound this year after a two-year significant fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We expect that the number of international tourist arrivals to Cambodia will begin to recover from this year thanks to our country's re-opening to fully vaccinated travelers," Kong Sopheareak, director of the MoT's Tourism Statistics Department, told Xinhua.

"We hope to attract more than half a million international tourists this year," he said.

The southeast Asian nation reported a daily record of 372 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, all were confirmed to be the Omicron variant, with zero deaths, the health ministry.

It added that since the pandemic hit the country in January 2020, the kingdom has registered 129,920 cases, with 123,353 recoveries and 3,032 deaths. 
by Mahmoud Fouly

ASWAN, Egypt, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's glamorous city of Aswan by the Nile River is currently hosting dozens of artists and filmmakers during the 6th Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF), which screens over 50 films from about 40 countries in support of women's causes and rights.

The festival's founder and president, screenwriter Mohamed Abdel-Khalek believes that both the cinema industry and women in Egypt have challenges, worries and creativities.

"The discrimination against women in the society casts its shadow on the cinema industry," he said, calling for "an Egyptian cinema industry free from discrimination."

Held on Feb. 23-28, the 6th AIWFF screens 12 feature films, 24 short films, eight films under a new category called Films with Impact, four films in the Egyptian film competition and five films in the workshop competition.

The feature films include As in Heaven (Denmark), Secret Name (France), The New Girl (Argentina), Quareer (Saudi Arabia), Peacock's Paradise (Italy and Germany) and Lingui (Chad, France, Germany and Belgium).

The all-female jury for the feature film competition is headed by Romanian actress Cristina Flutur, and includes French actress and director Marilyne Canto, Egyptian actress Basma and others.

Basma said that it was her second time to participate in the AIWFF, the first was through a film of hers and this time through her jury membership.

She stressed that the festival doesn't only support women's causes but also women's filmmaking.

Among the 24 contesting short films are Love Stories on the Move (Romania), Deaf (Spain), Good Thanks, You? (UK), Jeans (Morocco) and The Sea Bride (Bahrain).

The Egyptian film competition is joined by four films: Abu Saddam, Full Moon, Cream of the Crop and Back Home.

Funded by the European Union delegation to Egypt, the EU offers during AIWFF an award for the best film from EU and Mediterranean countries discussing women's issues.

This edition of AIWFF has presented honorary awards to Somali women's rights activist Hibaaq Osman, Egyptian film director Inaam Mohamed Ali, Egyptian actress Sawsan Badr and French actress and filmmaker Marilyne Canto.

"I was so touched by being invited to a film festival on women, and I am honored by being member of its jury," Canto told Xinhua, noting it was her first time to be present in a festival advocating women.

The activities of AIWFF include symposiums on women and the cinema industry, workshops on filmmaking and art galleries on the role of women.

Lebanese actress Katia Kaady said that such a festival "gives women a push toward success not only in arts, but in everything in the society." 
ABUJA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least three persons were killed early Sunday following an attack by gunmen who invaded two villages in Niger, a state in Nigeria's central region, the police said.

Monday Bala Kuryas, the police chief in Niger, told reporters in the state capital of Minna that the police have launched an investigation and manhunt for the gunmen who rode on motorcycles into the Ebbo and Ndagbegi villages in the Lavun local government area of the state.

The motive of the attack remains unknown, Kuryas said, explaining that the gunmen stormed the villages at about 5 a.m. local time to "commit the dastardly act".

According to him, a detachment of police tactical squad and the military have been deployed to the area and have launched a manhunt with a view to tracking down the criminals.

"We appeal to residents to assist security personnel deployed with reliable information that could aid in apprehending the miscreants in their midst," he added.

Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in Nigeria's northern and central regions, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. 
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko votes at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, Feb. 27, 2022. The main voting for a nationwide referendum on amending the country's constitution began in Belarus on Sunday morning.

The voting started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will last until 8:00 p.m. (1700 GMT). (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)

MINSK, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The main voting for a nationwide referendum on amending the country's constitution began in Belarus on Sunday morning.

The voting started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will last until 8:00 p.m. (1700 GMT).

According to the Central Electoral Commission of Belarus, the turnout has already reached 42.93 percent among those who voted early.

The referendum will be considered valid if more than half of the eligible voters cast their ballots.

On Jan. 20, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree calling for a referendum on amending the constitution.

The draft of the new Constitution states that the All-Belarusian People's Assembly becomes the highest representative power in Belarus. In addition, the clauses on the "non-nuclear" and "neutral" status of Belarus have been removed from the new draft. 

A citizen votes at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, Feb. 27, 2022. The main voting for a nationwide referendum on amending the country's constitution began in Belarus on Sunday morning.

The voting started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will last until 8:00 p.m. (1700 GMT). (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)

A citizen votes at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, Feb. 27, 2022. The main voting for a nationwide referendum on amending the country's constitution began in Belarus on Sunday morning.

The voting started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will last until 8:00 p.m. (1700 GMT). (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko votes at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, Feb. 27, 2022. The main voting for a nationwide referendum on amending the country's constitution began in Belarus on Sunday morning.

The voting started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will last until 8:00 p.m. (1700 GMT). (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)

A citizen votes at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, Feb. 27, 2022. The main voting for a nationwide referendum on amending the country's constitution began in Belarus on Sunday morning.

The voting started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will last until 8:00 p.m. (1700 GMT). (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)
New Delhi:

The word "nationalism" can lend itself to different interpretations and could be equated with "Nazism and Fascism" by some, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Thursday. Bhagwat's remark came amid continued protests in several towns and cities of the country against the new citizenship law and probable pan-India NRC, moves branded by those opposing them as a reflection of "Hindutva nationalism" that is detrimental to Muslims.

Addressing an RSS event in Jharkhand capital, Bhagwat recalled how a Sangh volunteer advised him against using the word during a visit to the UK. "I was on a visit to the UK. A karyakrata advised me not to used the word nationalism as English is not our language and it could have a different meaning in England.

"Its okay to say nation, national and nationality but not nationalism. Because it means (alludes to) Hitler, Nazism and Fascism (in England)," he said. Bhagwat also said problems like radicalism and climate change were disturbing world peace and only India, with its ethos of thinking holistically, can offer a solution.

"Problems of radicalism, environment and the belief that one is right while the rest are wrong are the basic issues disturbing world peace," he said. Only India has got the experience to think holistically to find solutions to these problems, Bhagwat added. "And the world waits for India, so India has to become a great nation."

Also Read | Divorce Cases More In Educated, Affluent Families: Mohan Bhagwat

The RSS chief said different countries had different languages, religions and models of economic development and someone not accepting those cannot be its national. "You can be (their) guest, host, minority, anything, even enemy, but not its national," he said without elaborating.

Calling upon RSS members to connect with people irrespective of their caste, language, religion or region, Bhagwat said Indias characteristic is to bind everyone in one thread following the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is a family).

"We (Indians) live for each other, not for ourselves. We believe that the world has made us and we have to give back to it. We look at the world with gratitude," Bhagwat said. Sharing an anecdote, he said, a Muslim intellectual from the country once went for Haj and was sent to jail on blasphemy charges for wearing a 'locket'.

Also Read | 'Be It Owner Or Servant, A Party In Opposition Or Common Man, Everyone Is Unhappy': Mohan Bhagwat

The then foreign minister Sushma Swaraj intervened and got him released within eight days, he said, apparently suggesting that everyone from India is considered a Hindu outside the country.

"....because Bharatiya sanskriti (Indian culture) is also known as Hindu sanskriti, reflecting its values, ethos and culture," he said.

He invoked Yudhishthir, the Pandava prince of epic 'Mahabharat', to say India does not believe in subjugating other countries. "Its policy is we will neither enslave anybody, nor will be slaves ourselves," he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has surprised the scientist with a stunning discovery. For the first time, researchers have found the credible proofs about the presence of water on Jupiter. After the three-decade- old heartbreak of mission Galileo, NASA has finally found some joyous news. Launched in 2011, NASAs Juno mission has now finally answered the great question  How much water is there on Jupiter? According to NASA, Juno results estimate that at the equator, water makes up about 0.25 per cent of the molecules in Jupiter's atmosphere  almost three times that of the Sun.

"Just when we think we have things figured out, Jupiter reminds us how much we still have to learn," Juno principal investigator Scott Bolton was quoted as saying by NASA. "Juno's surprise discovery that the atmosphere was not well mixed even well below the cloud tops is a puzzle that we are still trying to figure out. No one would have guessed that water might be so variable across the planet," Bolton added. According to NASA, the researchers used the data collected during eight flybys to find put the quantity of water on Jupiter. "We found the water in the equator to be greater than what the Galileo probe measured," Juno scientist Cheng Li was quoted as saying by NASA. "Because the equatorial region is very unique at Jupiter, we need to compare these results with how much water is in other regions," the researcher at University of California, Berkeley added.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Last year in November, NASA scientists had detected water vapour for the first time above the surface of Europa, a finding that supports the idea of a liquid water ocean sloshing beneath the miles-thick ice shell of the Jupiter's moon. The study, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, measured the vapour by peering at Europa through WM Keck Observatory in Hawaii, US. Missions to the outer solar system had amassed enough information about Europa to make it a high-priority target of investigation in NASA's search for life. What made this moon so alluring was the possibility that it may possess all of the ingredients necessary for life, had said researchers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in the US.

(with agency inputs)

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New Delhi:

A special court on Thursday sought report from Tihar Jail on the plea of Vinay Sharma, one of the death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder, seeking direction for better treatment for his claimed mental illness, schizophrenia and head and arm injuries. Sharma through his lawyer AP Singh, has moved a Delhi court seeking direction to Tihar Jail authorities to provide high level medical treatment to him. The application mentioned that he sustained grievous head injury, fracture in his right arm, mental illness and schizophrenia, and he should be referred to Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences (IHBAS) hospital. The court has issued notice to Tihar on the application and fixed the matter for February 22.

Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana directed the prison authorities to file its reply on the plea by Vinay Kumar Sharma on Saturday. According to prison officials, Sharma injured himself by banging his head on his cell wall in Tihar Jail. The incident happened in jail number 3 on Sunday afternoon, they said, adding that he got some minor injuries and was treated inside the prison premises.

During the hearing, the prosecution opposed the plea saying it was not maintainable. Counsel for Sharma told the court that he was refusing to recognise people, including his mother. The plea claimed that when Sharma's counsel visited him in the prison on the request of his family members, he found that he had sustained grievous head injury, fracture in his right arm with plaster and was suffering from "insanity", "mental illness" and "schizophrenia". Sharma could not identify his counsel and his mother in jail, it said.

The petition further claimed that he was having "decreased sleep" for a long time and was referred to senior psychiatrist in view of drug dependence.

The court had on February 17 issued fresh death warrants for March 3 at 6 am against the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. It had issued fresh warrants against death row convicts - Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay (26) and Akshay Kumar (31). This is the third time that death warrants have been issued against them.

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Islamabad:

Pakistan is likely to get four months to fulfil requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and secure an exit from its Grey List, according to a media report on Friday. A decision to this effect is likely to be taken by the anti-money laundering watchdog after the conclusion of the February 16-21 group meetings and plenary in Paris. The Pakistani delegation to the meetings was led by Revenue Minister Hammad Azhar. The FATF in October decided to keep Pakistan on its Grey List for failure to curb funnelling of funds to terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and others.

If not removed off the list by April, Pakistan may move to a blacklist of countries that face severe economic sanctions, such as Iran. According to a report in the Dawn newspaper, the international terror financing watchdog was set to give Pakistan time till June 2020 to achieve full compliance with its 27-point action plan and secure exit from the FATF Grey List.

Sources from Paris said that Pakistan was found fully or close to fully compliant on more than half of the 27 targets. We are satisfied with the progress so far. There was no case at all for blacklisting us, a Pakistani source was quoted as saying in the report.

Pakistan is already finalising major amendments to at least a dozen of its laws to meet the FATF requirements by June this year and sentenced Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed to 11 years in two cases of terror financing on February 12. Saeed, a UN designated terrorist whom the US has placed a USD 10 million bounty on, was arrested on July 17 in the terror financing cases. The 70-year-old fiery cleric is lodged at the high-security Kot Lakhpat jail here.

Based on these steps, the country's performance would be judged in the next FATF plenary in October 2020, the report said. Pakistan submitted a 650-page review report to the FATF on January 8. The report was submitted in response to 150 questions raised by the FATF regarding new Pakistani policies on money laundering. The report outlined the steps taken by Pakistan between October 2019 to January 2020 to implement the group's recommendations.

In January, Pakistan urged the US to support its bid to exit from FATF's grey list ahead of a key meeting of the international terror financing watchdog in Beijing in which Islamabad's efforts to adopt stricter laws against terror financing and money laundering were scrutinised.

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By Trend





Romania is ready to accept citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan who wish to leave Ukraine, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

According to the message, citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan who are faced with a serious danger can leave Ukraine and enter Romania in the following order:

- Citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan can enter Romania through the border checkpoints between the two countries, namely, Halmeu, Sighetu Marma?iei and Siret.

Attention! Azerbaijani citizens arriving in the Republic of Moldova from Ukraine can enter Romania through Stanca, Sculeni, Albita, Oancea, Galati and Isaccea border checkpoints between Moldova and Romania.

- Taking into account the fact that the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan are leaving Ukraine in connection with the conflict, the Romanian side has temporarily canceled the visa regime for transit through the territory of the country. Azerbaijani citizens must show a travel document (passport or certificate of return) at the border checkpoint.

- The Romanian side will not require a COVID passport and a negative PCR test for COVID-19 from citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan wishing to cross the land border.

In connection with any questions, citizens can contact the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Romania via +407 487 77744, +407 409 90079 and via [email protected] .

According to the previous information, Azerbaijani citizens can leave Ukraine in the direction of Moldova, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

The Foreign Ministry once again appeals to the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, permanently and temporarily residing in Ukraine, who visited the country for tourism or educational purposes, with a request to stay away from the areas in which military troops and facilities are concentrated, stay at home or in a safe place and refrain from trips.

If there are any special cases, Azerbaijani citizens can receive information by contacting the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Kyiv via (+380 73) 5050000 and via [email protected] , by calling the Honorary Consulate in Kharkiv via (+38057 ) 7000531 and via [email protected] .

Additional information will be provided depending on the situation.
New Delhi:

Maha Shivratri is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals which is annually observed in honour of Lord Shiva. This year, it will be celebrated on February 21 across the country. On this day, devotees observe a fast and visit Shiva temples to offer prayers. Pujas are performed in the late evening and milk is offered to the Shivaling. At some temples, cultural programmes too are organised. However, while offering prayers to Lord Shiva, one must keep a list of dos and donts in mind.

Things To Do On Shivratri:

Early Morning Bath: Take a bucket of water and add some black sesame seeds in it. Then have a bath with the water.

Abhishekam: Visit the nearest Shiva temple or you can worship at home as well. Give the statuette bath with honey, water and milk.

Offering: Offer Belpatra, Kumkum, Turmeric, Dhatura and Akanda Flowers and Sandalwood to the linga.

Food offering: Lord Shiva is fond of milk-made food items. Hence, you can offer kheer or milk barfi to the linga. Some people also offer bhaang to the Siva idol.

Image Credit: Pixabay.com

Offer prayers: Chant the mantra 'Om Namah Shivay' and offer your prayers to the lord.

Day and night fast: The Shivratri fast begins in the morning and continues till the next morning. Devotees generally consume milk and fruits throughout the day.

Things Not To Do On Shivratri:

Tulsi Leaves: Never offer tulsi leaves while worshipping Lord Shiva. It is believed that devotees who use tulsi leaves during puja are unable to complete their puja.

Saffron: Devotees refrain from offering saffron and opt for ash instead which Lord Shiva applies on his forehead.

Alcohol: You shouldn't consume alcohol or non-vegetarian food on Maha Shivratri.

Image Credit: Pixabay.com

Coconut water: Coconut water should also be avoided.

Bronze pot: While offering milk, curd or water, ensure you use a copper pot and not a bronzer one. It's believed that bronze is equivalent to wine and the Lord doesn't approve of the hands or nails touching anything inappropriate.

Around the Shivling: According to the Shiv Puran, the devotee isn't supposed to take a full round around the Shivling. You should only go around in a semi-circle and return to where you started from. A full circle is said to offend the lord and the blame will be on you.

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New Delhi:

Senior counsels Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran, the two interlocutors appointed by the Supreme Court, reached Delhis Shaheen Bagh on Wednesday. Addressing the protesters and media from the dais, Hegde read out the top courts order and Ramachandran said that we are here to hear you. Ramachandran said that, Supreme Court has said that you have the right to protest. The law (CAA) has been challenged in the Supreme Court. But like us, others too have their rights, like right to use roads, open their shops. Hegde added that, we are here to talk to you, we are not in a hurry."

The mediators also said that they will not talk to protesters in front of the media. They said the media will be informed about the progress later. All media persons will be removed from the site. Hegde said that we need to find a solution. Ramachandran spoke about children facing inconvenience while going to school.

On February 17, the Supreme Court appointed senior counsel Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran as interlocutor to talk to Shaheen Bagh protesters. In a stern observation, the top court said that, when strong views emerge, you cannot say don't put forth your strong views. Those things don't trouble us. Only thing troubling is blocking of a public road. The apex court further said that, people have fundamental right to protest but thing which is troubling us is blocking of public roads. Democracy works on expressing views but there are lines and boundaries for it. The top court also added that, if nothing works, we will leave it to authorities to deal with situation.

On the blockade causing inconvenience to the general public, a bench comprising Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph said that, theres a law enacted, and challenge to it is pending in the Court. Its fine that some people may want to protest. The protests have gone on for many days There must be an area where you can protest. It cannot be held wherever one wants. It has to be in identified area Otherwise people will go and protest anywhere. The apex court was hearing petitions filed by Advocate Amit Sahni and Delhi BJP leader Nand Kishore Garg on the Shaheen Bagh blockade.
New Delhi:

A student activist who raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan in the presence of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi during an event to protest against the CAA, NRC and NRP in Bengaluru on Thursday, has been charged under sedition by the police. We have registered a suo moto case under section 124A (sedition), 153 A&B (promoting enmity between different groups, and imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration). Once formalities are completed we will produce Amulya before judicial magistrate, news agency ANI quoted B Ramesh, DCP Bengaluru (West), as saying.

Leaving the organisers the event red-faced, the young woman, Amulya Leona, raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan in the presence of Owaisi, who denounced her action and asserted "we are for India".

BJP targeted the Congress over the incident, alleging the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act were a "joint venture between Pakistan & Anti-National Forces led by @INCIndia."

The Congress also condemned the woman's conduct and demanded stern action. The woman asked people to shout with her "Pakistan Zindabad thrice after the organisers of the event under the banner of Save Constitution invited her to address the gathering soon after Owaisi came on the stage.

Also Read | Watch: Student Activist Amulya Raises Pakistan Zindabad Slogan In Asaduddin Owaisis Presence In Bengaluru

A baffled Owaisi rushed to snatch the mike from her and was joined by others who tried to remove her from the state. But the woman was adamant and raised the slogan again repeatedly. Later, the police stepped in and removed her from the dais.

#WATCH The full clip of the incident where a woman named Amulya at an anti-CAA-NRC rally in Bengaluru raised slogan of 'Pakistan zindabad' today. AIMIM Chief Asaddudin Owaisi present at rally stopped the woman from raising the slogan; He has condemned the incident. pic.twitter.com/wvzFIfbnAJ  ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2020

Owaisi, who addressed the gathering later, said he did not agree with the woman, whom he described as "so called liberal" and asked all liberals to refrain from any events involving Muslims.

Neither me nor my party has any link with her. We denounce her. The organisers should not have invited her here. If I knew this, I would not have come here. We are for India and we no way support our enemy nation Pakistan. Our entire drive is to save India, the AIMIM MP said.

He asked people to refrain from liberals. If they (liberals) were so concerned about the Muslims and CAA, they should have their own Shaheen Bagh kind of protests.

Speaking about CAA, Owaisi alleged it smacked of governments hatred towards Muslims and was against poor.

The law is aimed at making Muslims stateless, he charged.

Also Read | Anti-CAA Violence: Delhi Court Sends Sharjeel Imam To Judicial Custody

Owaisi flayed the BJP government in Karnataka for booking a parent and the headmistress of a school for alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi made by a class six student in a drama at a school in Bidar.

The AIMIM chief asserted that his love for India is unquestionable because his family had chosen to stay in the country after the partition.

JD(S) corporator Imran Pasha claimed Amulya was planted by some rival group to disrupt the event. The woman, he said, was not in the list of speakers and demanded that the police investigate the matter seriously.

The state BJP took to the twitter to condemn the development.

Anti-CAA Activist Amulya Leona shouts PAKISTAN ZINDABAD in the presence of AIMIM Chief @asadowaisi at Bengaluru. Truth is that protests against #CAA are a joint venture between Pakistan & Anti-National Forces led by @INCIndia. Those who support Pakistan should go there forever, it tweeted.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Praveen Shetty faction) staged separate demonstrations in the city, demanding externment of Amulya Leona.

(With PTI inputs)

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Bloomberg will appear in Wednesdayas debate in Las Vegas alongside the Democratic heavyweights. (Photo Credit: Twitter/@BernieSanders)

New Delhi:

US Presidential Elections 2020: United States Presidential elections are due in November this year with President Donald Trump seeking a second term in the White House after surviving oppositions impeachment bid while the Democrats aim to ride on an anti-incumbency wave.

Iowa Caucus: Trump Trounces Republican Party Rivals, Buttigieg Ties With Sanders

Former mayor of South Bend, Pete Buttigieg nearly tied for the first place with leftist senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders, according to the Iowa Democratic Partys (IDP) results. Earlier, Bernie Sanders presidential campaign asked the Iowa Democratic Party for a partial recount of the Iowa caucuses.

President Trump got comfortable victory in the Iowa Republican caucus as he trounced his two lesser-known ruling Republican Party rivals. Trump won the Republican contest with 97 per cent of the vote and 8 per cent of precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press.

New Hampshire Primary: Vermont Senator Sanders Wins, Trump Continues His Dominance Among Republicans

Bernie Sanders and Buttigieg were separated by a razor-thin margin in the New Hampshires crucial Democratic primary on Tuesday.

Sanders, who is being considered Trumps top rival for the presidential post and the flag-bearer for the partys progressive wing, got 26 per cent of votes while Buttigieg narrowly trailed on 24.3 per cent and fellow Midwesterner Klobuchar on 19.9 per cent.

Also Read: US Presidential Election 2020: Key Candidates And Dates To Remember

Trump continued his dominance in New Hampshire also as he easily won New Hampshires Republican primary against minimal opposition.

Upcoming Nevada Caucus

The White House hopefuls will head to Nevada as the next caucus will be held in the state on February 22. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former vice president Joe Biden, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg are expected to take part in the Nevada caucuses, reported USA today.

Former New York City mayor, Mike Bloomberg, who launched his presidential campaign in November, is likely to give a tough fight to his Democratic rivals.

Also Read: US Elections 2020: Michael Bloomberg Joins Democratic Primary In Arkansas, Takes Shot At Donald Trump

Interestingly, he did not contest Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary and is likely to give a tough fight to his Democratic rivals in Nevada Caucus. Bloomberg will appear in Wednesdays debate in Las Vegas alongside the Democratic heavyweights.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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New Delhi :

Pigeons with tiny Make America Great Again and Donald Trump hairstyle has been spotted hovering over Las Vegas ahead of the Democratic debate and POTUS visit to the city on Wednesday. The mastermind behind this bizarre stunt is believed to be from a group called P.U.T.I.N, an acronym for Pigeons United To Interfere Now. In a press release from Pigeons United To Interfere Now (PUTIN), the group claimed that the move was "inspired by the 1970s Cold War Operation, 'Tacana', in which the CIA explored the use of pigeons equipped with tiny cameras to spy on Soviet sites of interest."

A flock of pigeons donning tiny #MAGA hats (one even had hair resembling Trumps) have been spotted in Downtown Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/BAdpw3fDTk  Courtney Holland YY (@hollandcourtney) February 19, 2020

"The project was the result of months of exhaustive research, logistical hurdles and pigeon care taking," read the statement.

"The release date was also coordinated to serve as a gesture of support and loyalty to President Trump, who is scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas just ahead of the Democratic Debates, for a speech scheduled at The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department headquarters," it continued.

Someone decided to glue maga hats onto pigeons heads, make a video and then release them all over Vegas.



Standard normal day here. pic.twitter.com/Yd75v7HvRa  Anthony (@playtaw1n) February 19, 2020

One of the group members, who goes by the name of "Coo Hand Luke" told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the stunt was carried out using eyelash glue and that they've taken great care to ensure the birds are healthy said,

Its what women use to put around their eyes for eyelash extensions. The hats usually stay on for a day or two, depending on the birds movements.

We can also remove them ourselves as they fly back to the coop. They could be gone for a day, two days or a week, but they always come back.

"We wash them with Dove [detergent] and get the grease off that usually accumulates from being underneath cars or near grease traps at restaurants while they're looking for food," the group said.

Strangely enough, a similar sight was also encountered by the people of Las Vegas in January when several pigeons were spotted wearing cowboy hats. The person or persons behind the demonstration however, remains unknown to this day.

Also Read: WATCH: Pigeons Wearing Tiny Coyboy Hats Spotted, Animal Activists Express Concern

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New Delhi:

Mobile phones were seized from five Madhyamik examinees on Wednesday, while one of them was detained in Malda district for allegedly making a TikTok video of the English question paper and sharing it on social media, officials said. A student appearing for the class 10 state boards exam in Baidyanathpur High School in Ratua police station area of Malda was handed over to police after he was found with a mobile phone.

It is alleged that soon after the exam began, the boy clicked three pages of the question paper while sitting inside the classroom, edited it on the TikTok app, added Bollywood music to the video and circulated it on social media, police said.

He will be produced before the district Juvenile Justice Board on Thursday, they said. District education department sources said that the accuseds examination has been cancelled and he has been expelled.

The purported video, which shows some multiple choice and essay-type questions, started making rounds within an hour of the beginning of the examinations at 12 pm. The incident created a furore among parents and examinees, who questioned the security of examination centres where neither students nor the teachers are being allowed to carry any electronic gadgets.

Officials said Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria is himself leading a probe into the security lapse at the examination centre. Another student was found with a mobile phone in the Rajnagar High School of the district, while devices were also seized from three students appearing for the exam at Anglo Indian High School in North 24 Parganas district, a statement issued by the board said.

Taking strong exception to the incidents, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) issued a notification saying that if any candidate is found with electronic gadgets inside the examination hall, he will not be allowed to appear for the remaining exams.

If any teaching or non-teaching staff is seen flouting the restrictions, he will be debarred from entering the venue and the disciplinary committee of the board on getting report from the competent authority will suspend him and initiate departmental proceedings, the notification said.

The authorities have also suspended internet services in some areas near schools spread over 42 blocks of the state, to prevent any malpractices. A top WBBSE source, however, said that a very few questions in the purported TikTok video matched with the original English question paper.

The question paper in the video also did not carry the logo of the Board, which is embossed on the top, the source said.

WBBSE president Kalyanmoy Ganguly will soon meet education minister Partha Chatterjee to discuss attempts in some quarters to create confusion during the exams and discredit the board and the state government, the source said.

On Tuesday, images of two pages of the Bengali question paper went viral shortly after the exam began in 2,839 centres across the state at 12 pm.

An estimated 10,15,888 candidates are appearing for the Madhyamik examinations this year and of them, 5,76,009 are girls.

Last year as well, purported images of Bengali, English, History, Geography and Mathematics question papers were shared on social media during the exams but both the board and education minister Partha Chatterjee rubbished those, saying there was no leak.
New Delhi:

In a sharp attack on the Modi government over the state of the economy, former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said the current dispensation does not acknowledge the word slowdown, and the real danger is that if problems are not recognised, then finding credible answers to take corrective action is unlikely.

Addressing a gathering at the launch of Montek Singh Ahluwalias book Backstage: The Story behind Indias High Growth Years, Singh cited the former planning commissions observations to state that achieving the USD 5 trillion economy by 2024-25 was wishful thinking.

Singh said the former planning commission deputy chairman has written about the good as well as the weak points of the UPA government.

I think these issues will be debated and should be debated because we have today a government that does not acknowledge that there is such a word as slowdown. I think this is not good for our country, the former prime minister said.

If you do not recognise the problems that you face, you are not likely to find credible answers to take corrective action. That is the real danger, he said, attacking the government on the state of the economy.

The book will be of great help to the future growth of the country, Singh said.

Montek has also pointed out that contrary to what the ruling group may say, today the USD 5 trillion economy by 2024-25 is wishful thinking. Also there is no reason to expect that farmers income will be doubled in a three- year period, he said.

At the same time, he (Ahluwalia) said we must work for high rate of growth and that 8 per cent growth rate is a feasible proposition but it requires rethinking about the role of fiscal policy. There is a need for tax reforms in the country in a bolder way, Singh said.

He also hailed the role played by former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, P Chidambaram and Ahluwalia for supporting his liberalisation of the economy in the 1990s and enabling him as the then finance minister to carry out the reforms despite resistance from different quarters.

Later, during a panel discussion at the book launch, former finance minister Chidambaram said former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanians remarks that the Indian economy headed for intensive care unit, were nearly correct.

I disagree in the following mannerthe patient (economy) is being wheeled into the ICU, the patient is being stopped just outside the ICU and is being looked at by incompetent doctors, Chidambaram said in a dig at the government.

There is no aggregate demand rise, unemployment is rising, consumption is falling... Yet the government says all is well, which means we have to rewrite our textbooks of economics. Every indicator is pointing southward. If every indicator is pointing southward, how can the GDP rise to 7 or 8 per cent, he said.

Asked about his advice to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chidambaram said, Please resign.

Participating in the panel discussion with Chidambaram, Ahluwalia, and former RBI governor Y Venugopal Reddy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Bibek Debroy said there is a slowdown but if you try to neatly pin that slowdown to something that happened in 2019 that is debatable.

In his address, Manmohan Singh hoped that there will be consensus among right-thinking persons about the path that Ahluwalia had identified for dealing with the economic situation in the country.

Referring to the UPA years, he said, There will be question marks, there should be question marks and I hope there will be solid debate that will produce a better programme for carrying out the reform process further.

I do believe that there is need for re-thinking of the reform process fresh. Second generation of reforms requires new pathways and these new pathways can emerge only with solid discussion of the alternatives, he said.

Singh, who was the finance minister in the Narasimha Rao government rolled out the liberalisation policy, talked in detail about the resistance he faced at the time and the support he got from Rao.

When the reform period is written, I dont know what the official narrative will be, but I for one know, it was a very tortuous path because the dominant opinion then was not in favour of reforms, Singh said.

Singh said that in the business community there was the Bombay club which was formed to see that India does not move on the path of liberalisation, but he also knew that there was limited time due to dwindling reserves.

I had to tell president (then president) S Venkataraman that Mr president if we wait for a vote of confidence, I may have nothing to sell to the world about Indias story, Singh said.

I am very grateful to Prime Minister Rao that he stood by me. But I am also very grateful to Montek, to Chidambaram ji, to the then governor and deputy governor of the RBI who stood by me firmly so that we could carry out the reform process in the manner we wanted to, he said.

During the panel discussion, Ahluwalia said there was no quiestion that India had entered a period of very serious slowdown.

He said that not only the drop in growth rate, but also rising unemployment among youth was a matter of concern.

Ahluwalia said he was against the restrospective taxation step of the UPA government, but it was not in his hands.

Chidambaram, in his remarks also acknowledged that the Congress party machinery had failed to take the economic achievements of the UPA years to the people.

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New Delhi:

China has objected to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh saying it is "firmly opposed" to his trip as it violated Beijing's "territorial sovereignty and sabotaged political mutual trust". China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of south Tibet.

Amit Shah is in Arunachal Pradesh to attend the 34th Statehood Day function and launch a number of projects related to industry and roads, officials said. China routinely objects to Indian leaders' visits to the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh to highlight its claims over it.

"China's position on the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, or the southern part of China's Tibet region, is consistent and clear," China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told online media briefing on Thursday while replying to a question.

"The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh' and is firmly opposed to the Indian politician's visit to the southern part of China's Tibet region as it violated China's territorial sovereignty, undermined stability of the border area, sabotaged political mutual trust, and violated relevant bilateral agreement," he said.

ALSO READ: Article 371 Will Never Be Scrapped, Assures Home Minister Amit Shah

"The Chinese side urges the Indian side to stop taking any action that may further complicate the border issue and take concrete actions to uphold peace and tranquillity of the border area," he said.

India reacted to China's comment saying Arunachal is an integral part of India, according to sources. It said Home Minister's programme is a government event and he is launching schemes to help the people of Arunachal.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Southern Tibet and the two countries have so far held 22 rounds of Special Representatives talks to resolve the border dispute. On February 20, Arunachal Pradesh became full state from union territory.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Ankara:

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday talks with Russia on the conflict in Syria's northwestern Idlib province were far from meeting Turkey's demands and he said a military operation there was a "matter of time". Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the nine-year-old Syrian conflict but have collaborated towards finding a political solution to end it. However, a Syrian government offensive in Idlib has upset the fragile cooperation after 13 Turkish troops were killed in Syrian attacks earlier this month.

Ankara has urged Moscow, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to stop the attacks in Idlib, saying the offensive was causing a migrant wave towards Turkey, which currently hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees. Erdogan has previously said Turkey may use military force to drive back Syrian forces unless they pull back by the end of the month.

Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan said Turkey was determined to make Idlib a secure zone "no matter the cost", even as talks continue with Russia. Several rounds of talks with Moscow had failed to reach an agreement, he said. "We are entering the last days for the (Syrian) regime to stop its hostility in Idlib. We are making our final warnings," Erdogan said.

"We did not reach the desired results in our talks (with Russia). The talks will continue, but it is true that we are far from meeting our demands at the table," he said.

"Turkey has made every preparation to carry out its own operational plans. I say that we can come at any point. In other words, the Idlib offensive is only a matter of time."

Ankara and Moscow signed an agreement in 2018 to establish a de-escalation zone in Idlib, allowing both sides to also set up military observation posts in the region.

Since the escalation of violence in the region, both sides have accused each other of flouting the agreement. Turkish and Russian officials held several rounds of talks in Ankara and Moscow.

The foreign ministers Turkey and Russia also met at the weekend, but failed to find a solution. Erdogan has said Turkey has given the Syrian forces until the end of February to withdraw from Idlib.

"We will not leave Idlib to the (Syrian) regime, which does not understand our country's determination, and to those encouraging it," he said.

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Washington:

The coronavirus epidemic has already disrupted economic growth in China and a further spread to other countries could derail a "highly fragile" projected recovery in the global economy in 2020, the International Monetary Fund warned on Wednesday. In a note for G20 finance ministers and central bankers, the global lender mapped out many risks facing the global economy, including the disease and a renewed spike in US-China trade tensions, as well as climate-related disasters. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the outbreak was a stark reminder of how unforeseen events could threaten a fragile recovery, and urged G20 policymakers to work to reduce other uncertainties linked to trade, climate change and inequality.

"Uncertainty is becoming the new normal," Georgieva wrote in a blog posted on the IMF website. "While some uncertainties  like disease  are out of our control, we should not create new uncertainties where we can avoid it."

Finance ministers and central bankers from the top 20 advanced industrialized economies will gather in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this week, still uncertain about the impact of the coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

Despite the outbreak, the IMF said it was sticking to its January forecast for 3.3% growth in the global economy this year, up from 2.9% in 2019. It represents a downward revision of 0.1 percentage points from its forecast in October.

It said the recovery would be shallow and could be derailed by a re-escalation of trade tensions or further spread of the disease, which had already disrupted production in China and could affect other countries through tourism, supply chain linkages and commodity prices.

China has said it could still meet its economic growth target for 2020 despite the epidemic. Georgieva said the IMF expected only a small reduction in China's gross domestic product growth unless a protracted outbreak worsens the slowdown.

Even in the best-case scenarios, the projected rate of global growth was modest, she said, urging G20 policymakers to act to reduce trade tensions, mitigate climate change and tackle persistent inequality.

Cyber attacks, an escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East or a breakdown in trade talks between China and the United States could impede the short-term global recovery, the IMF said. Climate-related disasters, protectionism and social and political unrest triggered by persistent inequality posed further economic risks.

In her blog, Georgieva said a Phase 1 trade deal between the United States and China eliminated some negative consequences of trade tensions, reducing the drag on global GDP by 0.2% in 2020, or about one quarter of the total impact. But it left many tariffs in place and contained managed trade arrangements that could distort trade and investment. She said the IMF estimates that these provisions will cost the global economy some $100 billion.

She also cited new IMF estimates that a typical climate-related natural disaster reduced growth by an average of 0.4 percentage points in the affected country the year it ocurred.

To respond, policymakers should focus on diversifying energy sources and investing in resilient infrastructure.

Georgieva said it was also critical to address persistently high income and wealth inequalities that she said could foment distrust in government contribute to social unrest.

Ministers could act this week by focusing on raising living standards and creating better paying jobs through investments in high-quality education, research and digitalization, she said.

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By Trend





Azerbaijani diaspora organizations of France addressed an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron and called on him to officially recognize the crimes committed by Armenian Armed Forces in Azerbaijans Khojaly and give them a political and legal assessment, the Azerbaijani ambassador Rahman Mustafayev said on Twitter, Trend reports.

According to Mustafayev, the appeal, signed by 10 Azerbaijani associations in France, contains detailed information about the Khojaly tragedy, the efforts made within the framework of the Justice for Khodjaly international campaign.

"Our wounds havent been healed and the pain wont pass until justice prevails and the perpetrators of this crime against humanity are brought to justice and punished," the appeal noted.

Armenian Armed Forces, on the night of February 25-26, 1992, attacking the city of Khojaly with the support of the 366th motorized rifle regiment which was stationed in another Azerbaijani city Khankandi, committed genocide of Khojaly residents. As a result of massacre of the civilians, 613 residents of Khojaly, including 106 women, 70 old people and 63 children, were killed, and 487 civilians became disabled from bullet wounds.

As a result of the genocide, eight families were completely killed, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one of them. The fate of 150 persons out of the 1,275 civilian hostages is still unknown.
The June 30 report said Australian authorities were looking into the activities of one of Xi's cousins. (Photo Credit: Reuters File)

Beijing:

China has revoked the press credentials of three journalists of the Wall Street Journal after the newspaper declined to apologise for a column with a headline calling China the "real sick man of Asia", the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Spokesman Geng Shuang told a briefing that Beijing made several representations to the paper over the column published on Feb 3, which China criticised as racist and denigrating its efforts to combat the coronavirus epidemic, but that the paper had failed to apologise or investigate those responsible.

"The Chinese people do not welcome media that publish racist statements and maliciously attacks China," Geng told reporters. "In light of this, China has decided to revoke the press cards of the three Wall Street Journal correspondents in Beijing starting today."

The ministry spokesman did not identify the journalists whose credentials were being revoked. The Wall Street Journal said in its own report published on Wednesday that Deputy Bureau Chief Josh Chin and reporters Chao Deng and Philip Wen have been ordered to leave the country in five days.

Chin and Deng are U.S. citizens and Wen is Australian. China declined to renew credentials of another Wall Street Journal reporter last year. A person with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters at the time that officials at China's foreign minstry, which accredits foreign journalists, expressed displeasure about a story co-written by the reporter about an investigation involving Chinese President Xi Jinping's relative.

The June 30 report said Australian authorities were looking into the activities of one of Xi's cousins as part of investigations into organised crime, money laundering and alleged Chinese influence-peddling. Foreigners are not allowed to work as journalists in China without official credentials, which are required to obtain a residence visa.

China's action against the Wall Street Journal correspondents comes after the United States said on Tuesday it would begin treating five Chinese state-run media entities with U.S. operations, including Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network and China Daily Distribution Corp the same as foreign embassies, requiring them to register employees and U.S. properties with the State Department. Geng said China opposed the new rules and Beijing reserved the right to respond.

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New Delhi:

RBI Assistant Answer Key 2020 is likely to be released soon. According to reports, Reserve Bank of India is going to release the Assistant Exam Answer Key by the end of this week. Candidates who appeared for the RBI Assistant Exam need to visit the official website of Reserve Bank of India, i.e. rbi.org.in to check and download the RBI Assistant Answer Key 2020 as and when it is released. Earlier, the RBI Assistant Prelims Exam was held on February 14 and February 15, 2020 at respective exam centres. The RBI Assistant Exam 2020 Result is expected to be declared in the month of March.

RBI Assistant Answer Key 2020

In order to check and download the RBI Assistant Answer Key 2020 as and when it is released, candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps:

Also Read: WB GDS Recruitment Notification 2020 Released, 2021 Vacancies To Be Filled

First, candidates need to visit the official website of Reserve Bank of India, i.e. rbi.org.in

Navigate and click on the RBI Assistant Answer Key link that will be available at the homepage as and when it is released

Follow the instruction and download the RBI Assistant Answer Key

It is to note that a total of 926 vacant positions of Assistant are going to be filled through this recruitment drive. Candidates will be shortlisted based on their performance in the RBI Prelims and RI Main exam. The RBI Main exam will include a language proficiency Test. For more details, candidates need to visit the official website of Reserve Bank of India.
North Korea has once again tested a missile after two months. The missile was tested on Sunday morning. According to the agency, South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff has said that it was launched from the eastern side. However, more information is not yet available. Japan's Coast Guard has warned that North Korea has launched a missile. Japan has also asked its ships to be vigilant.

The Cudodo report said that the missile had been launched towards the Sea of Japan. According to the report, it is also going to be a ballistic missile. It will be seen in japan's outer exclusive economic zone. If it is proved that it was a missile, it could be North Korea's 8th test this year. According to reports, in January, North Korea conducted seven missile tests. These tests have caused the entire peninsula to panic. In January, North Korea conducted its most powerful missile test.

Not once was Kim Jong-un seen in the midst of missile tests conducted by North Korea in January. In February, his first photo appeared in the media in which he was seen riding horseback with his other officers and security personnel. These pictures are also being talked about in the global media. After the missile tests in January, the US has spoken to South Korea and Japan and assured them of their security. After the missile test conducted in January, North Korea said that its scientists had proved themselves.

Russia besieged Ukraine even faster amid attacks

Major accident in Peshawar, 2 Pak soldiers killed

Video: People in Ukraine dragged Russian soldiers and made them captive!
The friendship between Pakistan and the Taliban now seems to have ended. Let us tell you all that from the beginning, Pakistan was eyeing to use the land of Afghanistan against India, although its special friend, the Taliban, has deceived it and waged war against it. In fact, initially, Imran Khan was pleading with the whole world for the support of the Taliban, but now the Taliban will become a mistake for him. According to the recent information received, the Taliban has waged a war against Pakistan and many people have been killed and more than 20 people have been injured.

In fact, a battle has broken out between the Taliban and the Pakistan Army on the Durand line in The Spin Boldak district of Kandahar. It is being said that many people were injured in the scuffle and firing between the two armies. According to reports, 20 civilians have been injured and three have died in the incident so far. On the other hand, local media reports have revealed that the fighting between the Taliban and the Pakistan Army on the Durand Line in Spin Boldak has been going on since Thursday afternoon.

Three people have lost their lives due to this fight. It is being said that the Pakistan Army had targeted an Afghan child at Spin Boldak Gate, after which the Afghan security forces opened fire on the Pakistan army. The incident is said to have taken place on Thursday afternoon. The gate has been completely closed for traffic after the incident and army forces from the Al-Badr Corps of the incident rushed to the spot and are preparing to respond to the Pakistani border guards. However, officials at the border gate of Sepinah Boldak have not yet reported the incident.

Russia blew up pipeline; Smoke cloud all around, will cause devastation

Who is that woman of Ukraine, whose 'blood-stained face' is telling the world about the situation of war"

Russian tank trampled Ukraine car going on the road badly, horrifying video surfaced"
Sabotage group exposed in Odesa region opens fire, wounding border guards 27 February, 13:28 Saboteur arrested (Photo:State border guard service)

Ukrainian border guards, police officers, and territorial defense members have captured an enemy subversion and reconnaissance group in the town of Rozdilna, Odesa region.

Ukrainian defenders noticed a suspicious group of people in a Volkswagen van and attempted to inspect them, the State Border Service said. During the inspection, (people in) another vehicle, a Mitsubishi L-200 SUV, opened fire on border guards, police officers, and territorial defense members. The joint group returned the fire on saboteurs, causing the SUV to flee, the service reported.

 

: SBSU

In the van, police officers found multiple weapons, including machine guns, grenade launchers, ammunition, mines, and explosives. One of the saboteurs was detained. He is currently being identified. The border guards also confirmed there were several wounded among the Ukrainian defenders.

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Zelensky urges foreign citizens to join Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression 27 February, 09:01 Volodymyr Zelensky (Photo:)

After the third night of Russia's war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky asked foreign citizens around the world to join in the war against Russia, reads the appeal he published in the morning of Feb. 27.

NV is publishing the full text of Zelensky's appeal to foreign nationals below:

Read also: Russia hits Kyiv suburb with cruise missiles

Early in the morning of Feb. 24, 2022, Russia launched a new military operation against Ukraine, an unjustified criminal and cynical intrusion. The Russian army is using very vile tactics with all elements of war crimes under Geneva 1949 Convention, killing civilians and destroying their homes with missiles and artillery.

 

Ukrainians have manifested the courage to defend their homeland and save Europe and its values from a Russian onslaught. This is not just Russias invasion of Ukraine. This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules and peaceful coexistence.

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is addressing all citizens of the world, friends of Ukraine, peace and democracy. Anyone who wants to join the defense of Ukraine, Europe and the world can come and fight side by side with the Ukrainians against the Russian war criminals.

According to Regulation on Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine by citizens of their countries and stateless persons approved by Decree of the President of Ukraine # 248 of June 10, 2016, foreigners have the right to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine for military service under Contract of a voluntary basis to be included in the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forced of Ukraine. A separate subdivision is being formed of foreigners entitled the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine. There is no greater contribution witch you can make for the sake of peace.

For enrolment and details please contact the Defense Attache of the Embassy of Ukraine in your country (contact information - on the website of the Embassy).

Give Peace a chance by protecting Ukraine and stopping the criminal invaders!

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Home  Politics  Shreedhar Khatri is Nepals new ambassador to the US

Kathmandu, February 27

Nepal has appointed Shreedhar Khatri as its new ambassador to the United States.

A statement issued by the Presidents Office says President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed him upon a recommendation from the cabinet as per article 282 of the constitution.

Earlier, the Parliamentary Hearing Committee in December 2021 had approved nominations made by the government for appointing new ambassadors to India, the United States and the United Kingdom.

A meeting of the panel representing members of both houses in the parliament had approved Shankar Sharma as the ambassador to India, Shreedhar Khatri to the US and Gyan Chandra Acharya to the UK.

Whereas Acharya has already been appointed to the position and begun working, Sharma is yet to be appointed probably because the government is yet to receive an agrement from his host country.
Two cousins from Atlanta, Georgia, Alicia Scott, and Myisha Fantroy, pitched Range Beauty, once featured on Beyonces website, on Friday on ABCs Shark Tank, reports Meaww.

Myisha Fantroy and Alicia Scott from Range Beauty.

Scott, 32, grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from Virginia Tech with a fashion merchandising and design degree. She developed an all-natural, toxin-free makeup line when she worked as an account executive for a fashion designer. She noticed Black models at fashion shows would bring their own makeup kits because the makeup artists would have limited options, reports Sportskeeda.

Whenever I was backstage or on a campaign shoot, I started to notice when Black models were cast, they would come prepared with their own makeup kits, she says, according to Bustle.

She further inquired why they brought their own beauty products, and they told her the makeup artists did not carry cosmetics that fit their melanin-rich skin tones.

From there, Scott immersed herself in learning how to create chemical-free cosmetics and taught herself using YouTube, reports Sportskeeda.

She designed her product line to include foundation, primer, powder, and body oils, all priced at the masstige level, which are inexpensive products priced between drug-store brands and luxurious items, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Scott wanted her makeup line to cater to Black women who experience acne and eczema that applying makeup can exacerbate. She also required healthy ingredients for her products.

Range Beauty encompasses a range of skin tones and types and is an inclusive beauty line that nourishes acne-prone or sensitive skin.

Range became the answer for a lot of people wanting beauty without breakouts, or who never saw their skin tone represented, says Scott. With my eczema and acne, I had to make sure to expand past the flawless face marketing term because that term didnt include me.

Range Beauty uses ingredients that soothe and smooth the skin like cornflower, French clay, vitamin E, calendula, chamomile, and argan oil, instead of ingredients found in other beauty products that are toxic to a womans skin, reports Bustle.

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Scotts brand also includes anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial agents for darker skin women, reports Sportskeeda.

To date, Scotts cosmetic line generated $367,000 in sales in 2020. However, her sales fell in 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic caused a supply-chain crisis.

Scott and Fantroy appeared on Shark Tank with her cousin and business partner Fantroy and offered $150,000 for 6% equity in their company.

Lori Greiner and guest Shark Emma Grede, first Black female guest Shark, founder and CEO of Good American, founding partner of the Skims brand, and co-founder of Safely, saw the immense potential for the Range Beauty brand. Together they offered $150,000 for a 20% cut in the company.

Scott attempted to negotiate for more capital with a lesser equity percent, but the sharks rejected her counter-offer. Eventually, the two Atlanta women caved and agreed to the deal with Greiner and Grede and left the tank elated that they had two successful sharks working with them to heighten the reach of Range Beauty.

Range Beauty is available on their website, online at Target, and soon sold on Amazon.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a telephone conversation with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in the evening hours of yesterday.

During the telephone conversation, the presidents discussed the situation amid the escalation of events in Ukraine, as well as issues related to Russian-Azerbaijani relations.
A $10.3 million treatment plant to improve groundwater  mostly drinking water  will be constructed at United Water Conservation District's El Rio facility with help from military and state grants.

An unusual military grant will help launch a new groundwater treatment facility in El Rio that will improve drinking water supplies for thousands of Ventura County residents.

The $10.3 million project from the United Water Conservation District will put the plant's first phase at the district's groundwater recharge facility on North Rose Avenue in El Rio, north of Oxnard city limits.

Because the facility helps supply water to Naval Base Ventura County  both the Port Hueneme and Point Mugu locations  the project was awarded a $4.2 million federal grant from the Department of Defense. It also won a $2.5 million state grant from the California Department of Water Resources.

More: As climate warms, overhauling California water projections gains urgency

Maryam Bral, United's chief engineer, said the defense department grant is part of a pilot funding program that's been around about two years. The treatment plant was a good fit because it will help maintain water supplies for families living on the base.

The treated water will benefit a number of other users as well, Bral said, including the cities of Oxnard and Port Hueneme as well as four small water mutual companies. United's El Rio facility helps supply water to about 250,000 county residents.

The new plant will reduce concentrations of iron and manganese in groundwater pumped from deep wells at the El Rio wellfield. The treated water will be mixed with groundwater from wells closer to the surface that historically have increased nitrate concentration during droughts, improving the overall quality of the blended water.

When the first phase is fully operational in a year or so, it will treat up to 3,500 gallons of groundwater per minute. Future phases can expand capacity to 8,500 gallons per minute.

United Water Conservation District staff set up a miniature version of a groundwater treatment unit in El Rio they built in 2018. The district has since been awarded a military grant to help pay for construction of the $10 million plant.

The blended water will allow use of up to 11,750 acre-feet of groundwater a year, district officials said, calling it "a benefit to the entire region." An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons.

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The specialized plant underscores the complexity of the region's intertwined network of pipes and pumps that deliver water to urban and agricultural users. As such, a range of agencies and elected officials stepped in to support the effort.

That support included the Navy base, U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley and other elected officials, the State Water Resources Control Board's drinking water division and the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, among others. Many are expected to gather at the site Monday for a ceremonial groundbreaking.

The treatment plant will add another tool for area facilities that enhance the local water supply and boost the county's resiliency to drought. In November, Camarillo unveiled its $66.3 million desalter facility on Somis Road.

Mauricio Guardado Jr., United's general manager, said naval base officials were drawn to the project after learning about it at a water sustainability summit.

"The Navy saw a tremendous benefit when it comes to their water supply," he said, not only for those working on the base but also for military families living in the community.

United, headquartered in Oxnard, encompasses about 214,000 acres that straddle the Santa Clara River from Lake Piru to the coast. The district owns and operates Santa Felicia Dam, which created Lake Piru  a reservoir  and multiple facilities along the river, including the Freeman Diversion Dam near Saticoy. United provides surface water and groundwater to many large agricultural users.

The district doesn't directly supply residential customers, but its groundwater is used by the cities of Fillmore, Santa Paula, Ventura, Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

A pipeline from the El Rio facility known as the Oxnard Hueneme system will carry the blended water from the new treatment plant to Oxnard and to the Port Hueneme Water Agency, which will distribute it to the Navy base.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Planned water facility in El Rio to improve drinking water supply
TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2022 /CNW/ - Scotiabank announced today that the bank has made a donation of $200,000 to the Red Cross' Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal, to support relief efforts for those affected by recent events in Ukraine and surrounding countries.

Scotiabank Logo (CNW Group/Scotiabank) (CNW Group/Scotiabank)

"The recent invasion of Ukraine is causing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with serious and far-reaching implications for people everywhere, and requires a coordinated global response," said Brian Porter, President and Chief Executive Officer for Scotiabank. "Scotiabank stands with the people of Ukraine and the surrounding regions, and with our large and vibrant Ukrainian community right across Canada. We will continue to support our communities in times like these, of real and urgent need."

Canadians wishing to make a donation to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal can do so at www.redcross.ca or at any Scotiabank branch in Canada. The Government of Canada will match every donation made by individual Canadians to the Canadian Red Cross between February 24, 2022, and March 18, 2022, up to a maximum of $10 million.

About Scotiabank

Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future," we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of approximately 90,000 employees and assets of approximately $1.2 trillion (as at October 31, 2021), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

SOURCE Scotiabank

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2022/27/c9722.html
The last time Variety caught up with Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, he was hunkered down in a military compound near the Kabul airport, where thousands of Afghan civilians were awaiting evacuation as the Taliban watched on.

Seven months later  after a stint in Brazils Amazon and a quick trip home to the U.K. for Christmas in between  hes coming up on two months in Ukraine. Ramsay and his producer, Dominique van Heerden, have been in Kyiv for around a week, and in the last few days, its become much harder to get any shut-eye.

More from Variety

The problem is, were not sleeping an awful lot at night because of the bombing, so everything just becomes a bit of a blur, says Skys longest-serving foreign correspondent. It is very challenging. The bombing is very heavy, and with bombing, it can be very indiscriminate.

The team are in a relatively quiet neighbourhood, but its near some strategic military roving, says Ramsay, meaning the area could be targeted for attacks overnight. Until Saturday, media have been given good mobility and the Ukrainian armed forces have been very friendly, but there have been numerous restrictions on what can be filmed.

There are a number of people [militias] with weapons now on the streets and both they and the police  who are all armed  and the army are very, very jumpy, says Ramsay. Thats potentially very dangerous in that they can suddenly start shouting at you because youre filming something and they didnt notice you were there, and then youre having to prove that youre not a Russian spy [or] Special Forces.

At press time, a 36-hour curfew is in place for Kyiv; the Sky News team wont be able to move around the city until Monday morning. Theres talk of the government organizing press trips via buses on Sunday, with police protection, but Im not convinced well be on one of those, says Ramsay.

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Theres too many things that can go wrong with these types of set-piece events, he says. If they get it wrong, suddenly were on a bus being attacked by the Russian military or someone else.

Ramsay has a long history reporting from Ukraine. The British journalist covered Russias annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas from 2014 to 2015, and was even taken hostage for a day (one of three hostage situations hes experienced).

The Ukrainian army has been described as very friendly towards journalists, but wary of certain situations being filmed. - Credit: Dominique van Heerden

Dominique van Heerden

Over his 30 years as a reporter covering 18 separate wars and myriad natural disasters, hes been a lot more scared than he is in Kyiv right now, but it doesnt mean that its not scary or difficult, he says.

Ramsay observes that global support for Ukraines armed forces, particularly on the arms front, is already evident in the defense of Kyiv from Russian attacks on Friday night. I think [the U.K.] and the EU and United States in particular have actually been pouring in weapons into this place.

We didnt think [the Ukrainian forces] were going to last very long, and Im pretty certain Russia didnt think they would last very long, Ramsay continues. And I know its only three days in, but in terms of what was thought to be this blitzkrieg, its [been] a remarkable effort.

There have been some explosions so far on Saturday evening, but its still relatively quiet. Were somewhat scratching our heads, he says.

Journalists are trying to figure out whether Russia is feigning until they have worked out a strategic position, whether they are waiting for reinforcements, or as Ramsay puts it, whether theyre just getting beat.

The question is, is that just a humungous effort by the Ukrainian professional military, Ukrainian conscripts and the militias? Or is it a reflection of Russia not being as good as everyone thought they were? Or is it simply the advice and equipment theyve been given by the West?

On Sunday, despite the curfew, the Sky News team will have access to the roof of their building, where theyll work on a wrap package comprised of analysis of the war in Ukraine, as opposed to the Kyiv invasion theyve been focused on in recent days.

Asked how long he expects to be in situation, Ramsay says, ominously: Theres no timeline at all.

On the face of it, if you were to say that Russia is going to win this one, it would be amazing to be here if they didnt. But if one assumes they are, and they take over, there will be a long period before people are allowed out and God knows the bureaucracy. We could be talking weeks and weeks, to be honest.

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TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's semiconductor companies are complying with government export controls to Russia, put in place as part of sanctions on Moscow for invading Ukraine, the Economy Ministry said on Sunday.

Taiwan, which announced it was joining international sanctions against Russia on Friday, is a major chip manufacturer, home to the world's largest contract chip maker and Asia's most valuable listed company, TSMC.

The Economy Ministry said it was following the Wassenaar Arrangement on export controls for weapons and dual-use goods and technologies, signed in 1996 by 42 countries, to strictly scrutinise products sent to Russia.

"Domestic semiconductor manufacturers have also expressed that they will abide by the laws and closely cooperate with government measures," it added, without elaborating.

TSMC said last week it would comply with all export control rules. It declined further comment on Sunday.

Taiwan, claimed by China as its own territory and so excluded from most international bodies and agreements, is not a signatory to the Wassenaar Arrangement.

But the government likes to show they are a responsible member of the international community in following measures such as United Nations sanctions on North Korea for its missile and nuclear tests.

Taiwan's exports to Russia are minimal.

Taiwan expects little impact from the war in Ukraine on the supply of key raw materials for semiconductors, the government said on Saturday.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
Who could look at the photo and not feel for the baby with all the tubes, wires and sensors hooked up to his body?

Theres a thick white bandage down the middle of his chest and an oxygen tube in his nose, held in place by adhesive gauze. The tape is cut in the shape of heartsone on each cheek the only cheerful aspect of the picture.

Clearly, Mikhael Perez Cevilla has been through something serious.

But another image, taken less than a week later, shows Mikhael looking like any happy and healthy infantexcept for the slice down his chest where he had open-heart surgery. Its still held together by surgical glue.

Hes been like that since he was born, his aunt, Valerine Valdez, said about his pleasant nature. Hes never been fussy.

The only time he cries is when hes hungry or has a [dirty] diaper, thats it, said his mother, Rosa Cevilla Bonilla.

Hes been a true blessing, Valdez said. We say it all the time, hes our little miracle boy.

She and Cevilla Bonilla are the primary caretakers of Mikhael, born 13 months ago with not one, but two, congenital heart defects. Surgery corrected the problems, allowing Mikhael to thrive and reach all his developmental milestones as any baby would.

He doesnt even have to take medicine for the conditions that once threatened his life.

Hes done fantastic, said Dr. Keyur Mehta, a pediatric cardiologist who diagnosed Mikhaels condition the day after his birth at Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center. The family is extremely grateful for all the care that their son got, and Im equally grateful for the family to see how everything has changed.

A SECOND MOTHER

Cevilla Bonilla and Valdez seem as close as sisters, but theyre not related by blood. Theyre sisters-in law. Valdezs brother is the father of Mikhael and his big sister, Elliana, whos 5.

When the relationship between Valdezs brother and Cevilla Bonilla ended, Valdez opted to stand by Cevilla Bonilla for the sake of the children. Not everyone understood that decision.

People are like, blood is blood, and Im like, nope, the children are the priority over irresponsible adults, she said. We gotta do right by the kids.

As a result, Cevilla Bonilla spends much of her time with the Valdez family when shes not at her mothers house. The two homes are less than 7 minutes apart in Spotsylvania County.

Valdez was there for the birth of Elliana and has been a calming presence during the ordeal with Mikhaels health.

Shes like a second mother, Cevilla Bonilla.

Of course, neither knew what was happening, shortly after Mikhaels birth when hospital workers called the cardiologist, concerned about the blue baby.

Up to that point, the newborn had been doing fine, and there hadnt been any problems during pregnancy. The mother and aunt noticed Mikhael was a little bit purple, but not anything crazy, Valdez said, and werent concerned because he passed all the screenings given after birth.

Mehta was seeing patients at the Childrens Heart Institutes clinic in Manassas and dropped everything when he got the call about Mikhael. He felt he didnt have the luxury of time to wait.

An echocardiogram, which gives an outline of the hearts movements, showed that Mikhael had total anomalous pulmonary venous return or TAPVR. It affects the four pulmonary veins which typically connect to the left atrium, or upper chamber of the heart. Mikhaels werent attached correctly, making it look like he had a floating heart, Valdez said.

With the condition, oxygen-rich blood thats supposed to come from the lungs and go to the left atriumthen be pumped throughout the bodyends up in the right atrium instead. All that blood in one place causes the heart to work harder and results in the babys bluish-purple tinge because the body isnt getting enough oxygen-rich blood.

Babies with TAPVR usually have a second defect, a hole between the left and right atrium that allows the mixed blood to get to the left atrium and be pumped to the rest of the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All babies are born with that hole but it usually closes up in a few days or weeks, Mehta said.

In Mikhaels case, the secondary issueknown as atrial septal defectwas keeping the baby alive, even as the primary problem threatened to kill him. However, that situation wasnt sustainable as the hole in Mikhaels heart eventually got smaller.

Mehta discussed the case with surgeons at Childrens National Hospital in Washington and they planned to operate when the baby reached 6 months.

Surgeons prefer to wait until the baby has gotten a little older and stronger and the veinsinitially as small as coffee stirrershave gotten slightly bigger, Mehta said. But, the impact the condition is having on the infant weighs into the decision, as many cant thrive because of their weakened state.

A BIT TRAUMATIC

That was hardly the case with the baby first nicknamed Spiky because of his headful of black hair that seemingly had a mine of its own, no matter how his mother tried to manage it. His appetite was never affected, even in the hours after surgery. The reason he needed his procedure soonerat 2 monthswas because the hole in his heart was closing, and one side of his heart had grown larger than the other.

The mother and aunt have tried to put away the memories of that difficult time, when they had to arrange for a virtual baptism because there wasnt time for a traditional service.

Childrens National allowed the aunt to be there with the mother, and she chronicled everything that was happening. Her phone is filled with photos of Mikhael, before and after surgery, as well as business cards of the doctors who treated him and drawings they did to illustrate the heart defects.

Everyone they dealt with was wonderful, Valdez said, and helped any way they could, but it was still a bit traumatic knowing the baby was about to have his chest cut open.

Mama was struggling, Valdez said.

When a nurse came to take the baby into surgery, Cevilla Bonillas worst fears were realized.

I felt like I almost died at that moment, the mother said.

JUST A BLESSING

Congenital heart defects are rare, accounting for only about 1 percent of total births, Mehta said. The issue Mikhael had is found in less than 2 percent of babies born with heart-related defects.

Then, the mixed type of TAPVR, in which the pulmonary veins drained into several different areas, is even more unusual.

It would probably be 1 in 100,000 or something like that, Mehta said. You can do the math. It is quite, quite rare.

But it seemed like the threat was behind Mikhael as soon as he came out of surgery. His aunt and mother had been told that babies often remain sedated for up to 12 hours after a procedure, then have to wait a few more hours to eat. Mikhael was awake, smiling and enjoying a bottle of formula about four hours later.

They werent ready for that, Valdez said. They even brought students over to his room because the doctor was like, we never have this. He ate, he peed, he pooped, he was awake, he was not crying. He was like boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

His hospitalization followed the same path. Some babies have to stay three weeks or longer, but Mikhael was able to come home after five days. Doctors told the family not to lift him by the arms when they picked him up, but to scoop him up under his back to protect his chest.

That was the only precaution. Otherwise, the family was to treat him like any other baby.

One look at the 13-month at play shows hes anything but delicate.

He recently started walking and is fond of grabbing or playfully smacking at anything within reachhis mothers phone, a reporters notebook, a photographers camera. There are several small and large dogs in the Valdez house, from a Chihuahua to a German shepherd, and Mikhael romps with them on the dog bed or toddles after them to his favorite place, Valerine Valdezs office. She and her husband, Kelvin, are retired Marines who work remotely for the Department of Homeland Security.

During Zoom meetings, Mikhaels happy face often pops up on the screen.

Everybody who knows Mikhael loves Mikhael, Kelvin Valdez said. Everybody who has carried him, touched him, even people who never seen him in person but have seen him during my Bible study group, hell come up in the camera every now and then, hes just a blessing. Every child is, but to see what he has gone through, you would never think.

His voice trailed off for a moment, then he added that Mikhael has the typical childhood ailmentstoothache, ear infection, fever. He gets a dose of medicine and is good to go.

Hes running around, back to being a terror, the uncle said.

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After administering more than 36,000 free COVID-19 vaccines, the Community Vaccination Center in Central Park will shut down on Saturday.

A federal grant that allowed the Virginia Department of Health to set up nine such centers across the state ends on March 31 and all locations will close by then, according to the state. The Fredericksburg site is among four centers closing by Saturday, March 5.

But the move also comes as the demand for vaccines has decreased nationwide. The number of Americans getting a first shot is averaging about 90,000 per day, the lowest since vaccines became available in December 2020, according to the Associated Press.

As the vaccines have become widely available at doctors offices and pharmacies, demand has decreased, according to a news release from the Rappahannock Area Health District. The VDH will shift the focus to its mobile program to provide free vaccines to people in areas where access is more challenging.

The local health district already has used the mobile unit for COVID-19 testing events at schools in Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. It also can use the van to set up mobile vaccine clinics, said Mary Chamberlin, public information officer for the health district.

However, the mobile unit also will shut down at the end of March, she said. Until then, RAHD and other health districts in the region will use it, either for vaccine clinics or testing events in communities that dont have as much access to state sites.

Virginia operated nine community vaccination centers in both spring and fall 2021. Fredericksburg didnt have a state-operated center in the spring, presumably because Mary Washington Healthcare was providing so many vaccines at clinic. But by the fall, MWHC officials said they wouldnt resume activities at the Fick Conference Center due to the manpower required to operate it as well as the widespread availability of vaccines.

RAHD will continue offering COVID-19 vaccines at area health departments, Chamberlin said. Doctors offices and pharmacies also will offer vaccines.

Across the United States, more than 65 percent of the overall population has been fully vaccinated, according to the COVID-19 vaccine tracker. The rate is higher in Virginia (72 percent) but lower in the local health district (56 percent).

Within the RAHD, the number of people, ages 5 and older, whove gotten one dose of vaccine ranges from 61 percent in Caroline and King George to 67 percent in Spotsylvania and Stafford.

The rates of those who have gotten boosters is considerably lower. Only 25 percent of the entire population of the local health district has gotten a booster, according to the RAHD.

During the omicron surge, health officials regularly pointed out the need for booster shots as studies showed immunity waned over time.

Chamberlin reminded local residents that the unvaccinated remain at high risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. The state health department also recommends that those 12 and older receive a booster dose.

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GERMANY was a crucial prize for the Soviet Unions dictator Josef Stalin.

After his armies defeated Hitlers troops and occupied Eastern Europe in 1945, Stalin signaled that he wouldnt cooperate with the U.S. or Britain to administer postwar Germany as a single unit. Instead, he stripped East Germany of anything his economy sorely needed to rebuild. His goal was to communize all of Germany and make it an ally of the USSR.

Today, Vladimir Putin has a similar dream, to gain control of a unified Germany and use its industrial power and Russias armies to dominate Europe.

To understand why, a bit of history is in order.

In the 1940s and 50s, the West met Stalins threat with the U.S.-financed Marshall Plan, which provided economic aid to help rebuild West European economies. Stalins answer was the Berlin Blockade, designed to force the Western allies out of their legal presence in Berlin. It failed because of a massive U.S.British airlift of thousands of pounds of food and fuel supplies to beleaguered West Berlin residents.

Stalins continued belligerence led to the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance in 1949. He countered with the Warsaw Pact, which included his satellite East European countries, principally Poland and Hungary.

After Stalin died in 1953, his successorsNikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnevcontinued Moscows efforts to undermine West Germanys growing integration with NATO. Moscow promoted neutrality as the new propaganda line toward Germans in the West.

Khrushchev was ousted as party leader after his disastrous effort to place missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy threatened war. Brezhnev then served as Moscows top leader for 18 years.

He was careful not to provoke Washington as he built up Soviet nuclear power and expanded its armed forces. Soviet propaganda sought to convince West Germans that a war would devastate their country. Moscows effort was aided by the reemergence of the German Social Democratic Party that favored better relations with Moscow.

Until 1969, German coalition governments were led by conservative party chief Conrad Adenauer who had worked closely with Washington.

A new German leftist coalition government was elected in 1969, however, headed by Social Democratic leader Willi Brandt. He worked to create good relations with Brezhnev and reduce tensions. This occurred while America was absorbed in the Vietnam War. Many Germans concluded they should not rely on the United States for protection.

Washingtons humiliating withdrawal from Saigon in 1975 gave Moscow still more ammunition to promote neutralism among Germans.

Helmut Kohl, leader of a conservative coalition, was elected German chancellor in 1982 and worked with the conservative American president Ronald Reagan, who had decided to confront Moscow militarily and economically.

Kohl was followed as chancellor by Angela Merkel, another conservative, who remained in office until 2021 and maintained good relations with Washington.

She also desired good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. One reason was that Germany had become more dependent on natural gas shipments from Russia after it dismantled its nuclear power plants under pressure from Germanys Green Party.

What many outside Germany dont appreciate is that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, a Social Democrat who served from 1998 to 2005, was hired by Gasprom, Russias major gas company, soon after he left office. Schroeder has been the moving force in building Nordstream 2, the gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea to Germany.

It will provide a major part of Germanys energy requirements for many years.

When Angela Merkel stepped down as chancellor last fall, she was succeeded by a coalition led by Social Democratic Party chief Olaf Scholz. His foreign policy views are not yet clear, but there is much concern among European leaders that Scholz is moving Germany away from its close relations with NATO.

We may again see Germany be the big prize that Russia and the U.S. have tried to woo for 70 years. Without doubt, Schroeder is a key factor in facilitating Putins goal of pulling Germany closer to Moscow.

Donald Nuechterlein is a political scientist who lives near Charlottesville. He served with U.S. forces in Germany in 194647.
Early in the morning of February 24, 2022, Russia launched a new military operation against Ukraine, an unjustified criminal and cynical intrusion.

The Russian army is using very vile tactics with all elements of war crimes under Geneva 1949 Convention, killing civilians and destroying their homes with missiles and artillery.

Ukrainians have manifested the courage to defend their homeland and save Europe and its values from a Russian onslaught. This is not just Russias invasion of Ukraine. This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules and peaceful coexistence.

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is addressing all citizens of the world, friends of Ukraine, peace and democracy. Anyone who wants to join the defense of Ukraine, Europe and the world can come and fight side by side with the Ukrainians against the Russian war criminals.

According to Regulation on Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine by citizens of their countries and stateless persons approved by Decree of the President of Ukraine # 248 of June 10, 2016, foreigners have the right to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine for military service under Contract of a voluntary basis to be included in the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forced of Ukraine. A separate subdivision is being formed of foreigners entitled the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine. There is no greater contribution witch you can make for the sake of peace.

For enrolment and details please contact the Defense Attache of the Embassy of Ukraine in your country (contact information - on the website of the Embassy).

Give Peace a chance by protecting Ukraine and stopping the criminal invaders!
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijani State Agency for Mandatory Health Insurance and the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB) have sent medicines and medical equipment to Ukraine as part of humanitarian assistance upon the instructions of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

A plane loaded with medical supplies departed on February 27.

The handover document was signed by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladislav Kanevsky and the head for the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units of Azerbaijan (TABIB) Vugar Gurbanov.

The Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladislav Kanevsky expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid sent by the Azerbaijani side.

"Ukraine has received very important humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan," Kanevsky tweeted. "The medicine and medical equipment have been supplied for the victims. Thanks to friendly Azerbaijan for supporting Ukraine!"
What some people would call a coincidence, the Rev. Kelly Williams, pastor of Vanguard Church in Colorado Springs, sees as absolute evidence of Gods blessings.

Its not happenstance, Williams believes, that he and Tosha, his wife of 28 years, started their Southern Baptist Convention congregation on the fifth anniversary of Williams mother departing earthly life because of a drunken drivers poor decision.

Its also not a quirk of fate, he says, that the couples oldest of five children was born on his mothers birthday  two weeks past Toshas due date. They named her Anastasia, which carries a Greek-Russian origin meaning resurrection.

Its the goodness of God, showing us he knows our pain, Williams said. I have the philosophy that God winks at us to remind us He hasnt forgotten the sorrow of our lives, and we need to see how God aligns the good with the bad.

That attitude, combined with a driving spirit that they have to take risks to reach the lost, have shaped the couples pastoral work for 25 years.

On March 6, Vanguard Church will celebrate its quarter-century anniversary with a worship service featuring baptisms and a party at its main campus at 3950 N. Academy Blvd.

Since opening in 1997, Vanguard has baptized 3,309 followers, Williams said. At least seven more people will publicly profess their faith and join the flock on March 6.

Church leaders also have worked with its denominational headquarters and other organizations, such as Compassion International in Colorado Springs, to help plant 75 other churches, Williams said. Some are in Colorado, others are on the East Coast and overseas in Norway and Ecuador, for example.

Member Joe Herman said he and his adult son, who has Down syndrome, like attending Vanguard because they feel welcome.

Theyre just good, solid people, Herman said of the Williamses. Theyre very honest and sincere about what they do.

The Williamses, who attended Dallas Theological Seminary together, formed their church on the idea that we are who we are, and for those who dont like who they are, thats OK, the couple says.

We have nothing to hide,Tosha said.

And If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear, Kelly adds.

As Kelly Williams relates in his four books, he and Tosha arent afraid of going against the norm.

Heres one example. During the height of popularity of Harry Potter books and movies, Tosha received permission from the Elder Council to re-create the fictitious wizardry school, Hogwarts.

The Lord said, Why dont you use Harry Potter as a bridge to reach the kids who are reading those books, so thats what we did, said Tosha Williams.

Four hundred kids who were fans showed up to experience the play set. Amid the fun and frivolity, Kelly and Tosha spoke of The Greatest Story Ever Told  how God created the world and how Jesus is better than magic.

The unique project generated national media attention and created vast controversy that reached Hollywood. Lawyers threatened to sue the church, Tosha said, but the Williamses stood on their holy ground.

That set the precedence that we will take risks legally, ethically and morally, Tosha said, and we will use culture to reach the lost  in that case, children and families.

Kelly Williams also cites a prophetic vision he had about Ted Haggard, the former New Life Church founder and pastor, who was accused of using illicit substances and having sexual encounters with men, including a young adult volunteer from his church.

Williams wrote about what became one of Colorado Springs most famous contemporary scandals in his book The Mystery of 23: God Speaks, published in 2018.

He continues to condemn churches for covering up sexual abuse or paying victims for their silence.

If you see a public Christian figure that has fallen morally, you can be assured God has sent people privately to him, and if they refuse to deal with their sin privately, I believe God will expose it publicly, Williams said to The Gazette when the book published.

And thats what he did in the use of a gay prostitute from Denver, and the media blitz that came from it.

Like other churches that have been around for a while, Vanguard has weathered three significant societal changes: the attacks of 9/11, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unlike the pandemics shutdown of churches, move to online services and decrease in attendance overall, 9/11 had the opposite effect, Williams said.

A lot of people found their faith again, and even though it was a very grievous time, unlike COVID, it seemed to unify our nation, he said.

The recession of 2009-2011 hit church finances hard, with Vanguard cutting expenses and laying off staff. Today the church operates a second location in Monument.

Attendance continues to be lower than pre-COVID numbers of 800 to 1,300 people, Williams said, anywhere from 30% to 70% of that now.

But the desire for people to hear spiritual messages is building once again, Williams said he is noticing.

After COVID, one of the things people could use is something they can identify with, he said. We spent two years trying not to die, but we stopped living. Weve got to reengage and remember were human beings created with purpose.

Williams, the son of a Southern Baptist preacher from Kentucky, heard the call to religious life when he was 12 years old but kept it to himself until he was 17.

Its my heritage, he acknowledges.

Every day, the Williamses say they are shown how the pain of Kelly losing his mother 30 years ago  when he was 20  isnt wasted and that her life has purpose, even in death.

Theres the woman who said last week she knows Kelly can relate to the loss in her life because of his experiences. And another parishioner who told Tosha last week that she feels like Vanguard Church sees her.

Weve developed this, and its reaching into peoples lives and making a difference, said Tosha.

The beginnings

Kelly and Tosha Williams and a friend began meeting for church services at the Williamses house in 1997. The trio grew to 12 attendees and soon 75. They leased space inside another church in Briargate and then met at a middle school before landing at an old movie theater on North Academy Boulevard.

The former property owner fell victim to the advent of megaplexes and went bankrupt.

So when the Williamses took over in 2000, they found a timecard in the machine slot, film left in projectors and cups of Coke on the counter. The unmistakable smell of popcorn and soda lingered long after they bought the building, Kelly Williams said.

And the floors of the traditional theater rooms were sloped for years.

They jackhammered the floor and hauled in piles and piles of dirt to level the ground during a $1.2 million renovation of the 27,500-square-foot theater. It took more than two years to transform the lobby, ticket counter, concession stand and six theater rooms into a house of worship.

Traces of its previous life remain, such as large glass orbs that hold oversized bulbs where snacks were sold and the overhead signs to the individual theater rooms, which are now worship, work, education and play spaces.

We kept the nostalgia because of the history  people tell us they saw their first movie here or had their first date in this theater, Kelly Williams said.

A $3.5 million, nearly 50,000-square-foot addition known as Theater 7 followed in 2009, just as the nations economy was crashing.

It was a very dark time for our church, Williams said. There was a lot of praying, a lot of fear, a lot of uncertainty  similar to what weve just gone through. We took one step at a time.

Tosha said she thought at least 1,000 times that they wouldnt make it. But they did.

A live band performs on stage during services, where Williams delivers sermons wearing jeans. He casually but strictly adheres to biblical teachings.

Churchgoers receive communion in front of a large wooden cross backlit with a red glow and sit in chairs that recline  like contemporary movie theater seats. Online livestreaming, which started three years before COVID, continues.

Williams has been gathering disciples since the day he and Tosha arrived in the community and looked for someone to help them move heavy stuff into their apartment.

A guy in the complex parking lot had been partying but grabbed two corners of their mattress and walked it into their new home. He became their first convert.

But if a person isnt ready to read the Bible, they arent ready to be a Christian, Williams says.

When that happens, he waits patiently, as he says God has taught him.

Vanguard seeks to love people into a real relationship with Jesus Christ, he said.

We want to create space for people to discover who God wants them to be.

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.
Reporter

Stephanie Earls is a news reporter and columnist at The Gazette. Before moving to Colorado Springs in 2012, she worked for newspapers in upstate NY, WA, OR and at her hometown weekly in Berkeley Springs, WV, where she got her start in journalism.
County clerks across Colorado have endured 16 months of threats and harassment since the contentious November 2020 General Election, including threatening emails vowing personal harm and suspicious packages mailed to their homes. As a result, a group of state election leaders is now working on a road map by which county clerks can pursue charges against those threatening and harassing them.

"When county clerks tell the truth about what happened, there are nuts out there who think they can intimidate them because theyre not happy with the (election) results," said Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association.

"Elections officials have started sharing their experiences more and  we wanted to put more transparent information out there for clerks about who they can go to" when they receive threats or face harassment.

While no formal entity has been created, Crane said his association, together with the Colorado Attorney Generals Office and an association of Colorado district attorneys, has been working to develop a "road map" county clerks can use to help them determine how state law defines threats, harassment and intimidation  and who elections officials should contact to report it. Information about which law enforcement agencies investigate such behavior has been unclear.

The working group is a statewide resource county clerks will have soon, in addition to two national efforts. A task force launched by the U.S. Department of Justice last summer "will receive and assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers" and pursue enforcement, states a July news release from the agency.

The Election Official Legal Defense Network has also started to provide free help and advice to clerks across the nation so they can better protect themselves and their staff members.

The stepped-up enforcement is needed because Colorado clerks and their staff have reported receiving threatening emails and have had suspicious packages mailed to their homes, among other instances of harassment. In one case, an official had a fake gun pointed at her.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and other department personnel also have received online threats, some of physical harm, related to false allegations the election was fraudulent.

Nationally, clerks are facing three types of intimidation: threats to their person, their staff members and their families; harassment including frivolous subpoenas or document requests; and new laws that increase liability of election officials, said David Becker, a co-founder of the Election Official Legal Defense Network and the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research.

The network is not releasing details on the requests it is receiving, like how many or which counties need help. But Becker said the scope of the problem is broad, with some threats getting quite personal, such as threats of sexual assault on a spouse or promises to put a bullet in an official.

In El Paso County, Republican Clerk and Recorder Chuck Broerman said he doesn't track threats made against his office, but he's been told there will be "blood on his hands" and has even had people damn his soul in the wake of the 2020 election.

"I understand people's passion when it comes to elections and the state of our nation," Broerman said. "People want answers and there's a lot of disinformation, misinformation and mal-information out there, and people are listening to it."

The state working group has had initial discussions with the FBI and Homeland Security about how to combat the behavior, said Crane, also a former Republican Arapahoe County clerk and recorder. He hopes a formal committee will begin meeting in the coming months to produce the guidelines before this November's general election.

"We also hope this is an ongoing discussion we can keep working on after the election and beyond," he said.

The 2020 election was so divisive it sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol the day Congress met to certify Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the country's newest president and vice president.

Colorado elections officials say they've been targeted by those who believe the claims started by former President Donald Trump that the election was "stolen" from him that year through widespread fraud. Local and state leaders in Colorado and elsewhere have refuted those allegations.

Election critics have alleged Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems, through its voting machines, rigged the ballots in Biden's favor and also deleted millions of votes for Trump. Dominion, which supplies voting systems in 28 states and serves 62 of Colorado's 64 counties, according to the company's website, has since filed multiple lawsuits accusing several far-right conservatives and news networks of spreading false assertions of election-rigging after the 2020 presidential election.

"These voting systems have passed audits and they're secure," Crane said. "But I think people see an opportunity, when there are so many Republicans who are disappointed Trump didn't win, and these  bad actors are playing on that. They're playing on fear, disappointment and, really, a lack of understanding of elections."

Amid the discord, county clerks "are exhausted. They are under siege," Becker said.

Broerman said he has received threatening emails and even received a suspicious package at his house in recent months. But it hasn't deterred him from doing his job, he said.

"It is (concerning) when it happens to yourself or your staff.  It's something I don't talk about a lot, though I know criticism comes with the territory of being an elected official," he said. "They're not going to intimidate me out of doing my job. But it's never all right for people to feel unsafe doing their job."

Since the 2020 election, Broerman's office has received thousands of calls from people concerned about election security in El Paso County, he said. Most come away from the calls satisfied after speaking to his staff, but there remain people whose minds will never change, he said.

Fremont County Clerk and Recorder Justin Grantham said he, too, has received messages, though he characterized them as mild. He recalled one email demanding forensic images of the county's voting equipment in an effort to somehow prove it had been rigged.

"We back up all records necessary to recreate the system, so we know that nothing was changed," said Grantham, a Republican.

While the message didn't threaten physical harm against him, it did assert that not producing the forensic image would cost Grantham his job, he said. But "it's been quite a while" since he or his staff experienced public harassment, which Grantham attributes to good working relationships with residents in his county.

Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder Lori Mitchell, a Democrat, has experienced some of the most concerning and violent behavior since the 2020 election, Crane and Grantham said.

Mitchell did not respond to The Gazette's multiple requests for comment for this story, but detailed some of her experiences in a July 9 article published by Chaffee County-based online newspaper The Ark Valley Voice. One of the most violent instances occurred June 22 as she left work near the county administration building in Salida, Mitchell told the outlet.

That day, the driver of an SUV pointed a "realistic-looking gun" at Mitchell and mimicked firing it, the newspaper reported. The gun was a water gun, but "that didn't change the heart-stopping impact of being threatened," the article said. Mitchell reported being so angry she followed the driver, recorded his license plate and reported the incident to 911.

On July 6, The Ark Valley Voice said the Salida Police Department confirmed it hadn't received Mitchell's report, though the department did follow up with her immediately after the incident. When dispatchers heard the word "squirt gun," they apparently minimized the report, according to the Ark Valley Voice.

Crane said in his more than 20 years as an election official he's never seen harassment at this level.

"Loser's lament happens after every election, but what happened in 2020 has happened a hundredfold," he said. "It's now part of elections officials' jobs to combat election misinformation and disinformation."

Clerks and other election workers will be backed by state and national resources to possibly prosecute those who credibly threaten harm against them.

Organized and led by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, the Department of Justice's law enforcement task force "will partner with and support U.S. Attorneys Offices and FBI field offices throughout the country to investigate and prosecute these offenses where appropriate," states a department news release.

The task force "has a Colorado presence," Colorado Secretary of State's Office spokeswoman Annie Orloff said. Members include the FBI's Denver field office, the Colorado U.S. Attorney's Office, and representatives from the Colorado State Patrol and the state Department of Public Safety.

Though the secretary of state's staff "is in regular contact with this task force," the office "does not participate in the task force's actual coordination" and does not have information about its activities, Orloff said.

Colorado county clerks and Crane said the threatening behavior "ebbs and flows," becoming more prevalent whenever local elections draw near or when false allegations about election security and validity are re-broadcast.

A redacted compilation of hundreds of threatening messages targeting Griswold, a Democrat, on social media and via email between Nov. 3, 2020 and Feb. 15, 2022, kept by the Colorado Secretary of State's Office and obtained by The Gazette, show repeated accusations she is "treasonous" and "corrupt" for asserting the security and validity of Colorado's elections and for certifying the state's election results in December 2020.

The documents also show several references to hanging and other threats of violence against her, as well as encouragement for Griswold to harm herself.

"The punishment for treason is death," states one undated message posted to Griswold's public Instagram account.

"We know what you did and we're coming for you," another reads.

Another: "Do you feel safe? You shouldn't."

And another: "Watch your back. I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP. I SEE YOU SLEEPING. BE AFRAID. BE VERRY (sic) AFRAID. I hope you die."

Becker said the legal defense network can help elections officials navigate the language of the threats and determine what is not protected speech under the First Amendment.

Weld County Clerk and Recorder Carly Koppes, a Republican, said she has not seen questions about the election die down and she expects to see more of them as campaigning heats up around the national mid-term elections.

"This is going to ramp up the questions and going to be back in the forefront of everyday peoples lives," Koppes said.

When it comes to counties that have seen the highest amount of engagement around the election, Weld County is likely near the top, behind El Paso County, she said.

She hopes the clear path for enforcement against threats backed by the clerks association will make a difference in encouraging a higher level of decorum among those displeased with election results.

"The last thing that we want is for people to be discouraged to participate," Koppes said.

Orloff said the Secretary of State's Office encourages clerks to report threats to local and federal law enforcement. When clerks inform the Department of State they've received a threat, the department also reports it to local, state, and federal law enforcement as appropriate, she said.

"Depending on the threat, Colorado State Patrol would be the state law enforcement agency to follow up with the clerks office," she said. "Weve encouraged counties to report threats to the Denver field office of the FBI, too."

But Colorado State Patrol Master Trooper Gary Cutler said the agency does not investigate threats made to local clerks' offices, highlighting the confusion some feel about who to turn to when they experience harassment.

Rather, the local sheriff's office or possibly the state attorney general would investigate those types of reports, Cutler said.

Orloff said the Secretary of State's Office was unaware of any prosecution in Colorado for threatening a clerk's office. The Colorado Attorney General's Office "has not prosecuted such cases to date," spokesman Lawrence Pacheco said.

Free of charge, the Department of Homeland Security identifies steps counties can take to improve security, including surveillance cameras or bulletproof glass, Orloff said.

"A sizable portion of counties have taken advantage of this program," she said.

Mitchell reported to the Ark Valley Voice her office has been reinforced with bulletproof glass, her staff has received personal protection training and the local sheriff's office is conducting extra patrols.

Broerman said his office in El Paso County also has implemented extra security measures, though he told The Gazette he "wasn't at liberty to discuss" what they are.

Broerman and Grantham said they further work to combat election misinformation through educational efforts, including offering tours of their offices; speaking with voters about the election process, including how ballots are printed, mailed and tabulated, and discussing election security steps taken throughout the election process.

Crane said the Colorado County Clerk's Association hasn't "looked to rely on the secretary of state or anyone else for protection. We have taken a proactive stance in the association to fight this behavior. When you have clerks who are not responding to these claims because they don't want to engage, misinformation can run rampant."

Despite the ongoing pressure, Becker described Colorado clerks as cohesive and competent.

"They have managed a lot of change that has led the nation in the last decade.  They are still under fire, despite their successes," he said.

For several clerks, voter-by-voter education is the main priority.

"Its all about getting out there in the community and getting the truth out there  so (residents) can say, 'Not only did I hear it from the clerk and recorder, but he actually showed me the process," Grantham said.
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."
Hundreds of people gathered at the State Capitol on Saturday Feb. 26, 2022 to stand in solidarity with Ukraine. The building will illuminate the nation's colors of yellow and blue for one week after the sun sets on Saturday.
Four Azerbaijanis were killed during the events in Ukraine, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Ukraine told AZERTAC news agency.

The details of their death are being investigated.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, there's still no estimate available for when the single road that travels into the tiny mountain town of Silverton will reopen.
While the election forecasters at Cook Political Report aren't yet ready to say Colorado's U.S. Senate race will be competitive this fall, they bumped the contest one notch in that direction on Friday, suggesting that a a more difficult national environment for Democrats could put U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet's bid for a third term in play.
A state of frozen disbelief is how Marina Dubrova and other Ukrainians living in Colorado are feeling following Wednesday nights Russian at
FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2015, file photo, the Keystone Steele City pumping station, into which the planned Keystone XL pipeline was to connect to, is seen in Steele City, Neb. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
Cole Finegan is the United States attorney for the District of Colorado.
Hong Kong: Mainland supplies sent to the needy

The Government task force of ensuring medical supplies has swiftly distributed medical supplies from the Mainland to frontline staff and individuals receiving treatment or those in need in the past week, the Commerce & Economic Development Bureau said today.

The bureau said that with the central governments staunch support, the task force led by Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau has been working closely with their Mainland counterparts and gained fruitful results.

Various kinds of medical supplies, including rapid antigen test (RAT) kits, masks, proprietary Chinese medicines, protective gear and medical products as requested by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government are arriving in the city in batches.

To date, the task force has received about 14 million RAT kits. Except those reserved for the Compulsory Universal Testing (CUT), about seven million kits have been distributed through relevant departments to specified high-risk and target groups.

They included staff and residents of residential care homes for the elderly and the disabled, medical staff, cleaning staff and cross-boundary truck drivers.

Meanwhile, 1.8 million kits have been sent to the Hong Kong Community Anti-Coronavirus Link by the Home Affairs Department for distribution to citizens.

The task force so far has received about 11 million N95 and KN95 masks. While the masks are reserved mainly for public use during the CUT, 500,000 of them have been delivered to frontline staff of the Department of Health (DH) and the disciplined services.

About 200,000 pulse oximeters received from the Mainland have all been distributed to the DH and the Hospital Authority for patients use.

Together with the batch arriving in Hong Kong tomorrow, the Hong Kong SAR Government has received a total of 350,000 boxes of anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the central government.

So far, 120,000 boxes of the proprietary Chinese medicines have been given to the Anti-Coronavirus Link and other local organisations for distribution to the community.

The remaining 230,000 boxes will be distributed through relevant departments to patients at Hospital Authoritys Chinese medicine clinics, and people who had tested positive at isolation facilities.

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement on the evacuation of Azerbaijani citizens who left Ukraine for neighboring countries.

The Azerbaijani state plans to organize two charter flights on February 28.

For the evacuation of Azerbaijani citizens who left Ukraine due to the situation in this country to neighboring states,

The first of the charter flights, which will be operated from the territory of Romania by the Turkish company Tailwind, is planned to deliver 168 citizens to the country, the second flight, which will be operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, will deliver 174 citizens of Azerbaijan.
When politicians run for public office for the first time, they usually do it with a sense of wanting to serve the public. It seems pretty elementary.

I want to try to make a difference, or I want to give back to the community they will say as they run for local offices.

But there comes a time in their public service when something else takes over, when a different motivation sets in. It surfaces when the politicians, regardless of party, seek higher offices than the ones they are currently holding.

It occurs when ambition supersedes the desire to serve the public.

You have read my theory many times in this space that local government is the purest form of government because it is neighbors serving neighbors.

But once the office holders leave local government for higher office, something goes with them. You dont often hear politicians running for state or federal offices saying theyre doing it because they want to give back to their communities.

The higher they rise, the more likely they are to lose sight of why they got into politics in the first place. They started out wanting to serve the people. But they reach a point where they want the people to serve them  with their votes.

I interviewed former Vice President Walter Mondale several years ago. By then he was out of office and was quite candid about how politics works. You go to speak at an event in which the public wants to know what you can do for them. The truth is, you are there because of what you want them to do for you, he said.

So, at what point does the point of the compass change? At what point does personal ambition replace the desire to give back to the community?

Three decades ago, Tom Vilsack was a lawyer in Mt. Pleasant and head of the Chamber of Commerce. Tragedy struck one night when the city mayor was shot and killed. Vilsack agreed to fill the void and serve the public by becoming mayor. Then he won a seat in the Legislature, served two terms as governor, made an unsuccessful run for the presidential nomination and is now serving his second stint as secretary of agriculture. At what point did he stop thinking about giving back to the community?

I first met Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds many years ago when she was the treasurer of Clarke County and was attending a county treasurers meeting in Mason City. She served four terms in that local position before being elected to the State Legislature and then lieutenant governor and then governor.

Tuesday night, she is scheduled to give the Republican response to President Bidens State of the Union address, putting her in the national spotlight for possible future political stardom.

There is nothing wrong with personal ambition, but in politics it is a long way from the simple notion that started many illustrious careers -- giving back to the community.

So again I ask: When does personal ambition supersede the desire to serve the public?

John Skipper retired from the Globe Gazette in February 2018 after 52 years in newspapers, most of that in Mason City covering North Iowa government and politics.

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Anamika2014 wrote:

When the nineteenth-century German bacteriologist Robert Koch identified a particular bacterium as responsible for cholera, Max von Pettenkoffer, a physician, expressed his skepticism by voluntarily drinking an entire bottle of the allegedly responsible bacteria. Although von Pettenkoffer took his failure to come down with the disease as a refutation of Koch's hypothesis that cholera was caused by bacteria, Koch argued that von Pettenkoffer had been protected by his own stomach acid. The acid secreted by the stomach, Koch explained, kills most ingested bacteria.



Which of the following, if true, provides the most evidence to support Koch's counterargument?





A. Peptic ulcers, often associated with excessive secretions of stomach acid, are common in certain areas characterized by low rates of cholera.



B. As von Pettenkoffer later admitted that he had previously had cholera, it is probable that he had developed antibodies that protected him from a second attack.



C. Cholera is endemic in areas in which poor sanitation results in high concentrations of cholera bacteria in drinking water.



D. Although stomach acid kills most ingested bacteria, large numbers of e. coli bacteria nonetheless manage to make their way to the lower intestine of the digestive tract.



E. Cholera bacteria ingested with bicarbonate of soda, a neutralizer of stomach acid, is more likely to result in cholera than if the bacteria is ingested alone.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

After reading the stem for question 27, we go to the stimulus with eyes peeled for Koch's counterargument. Koch, we learn, is unconvinced by von Pettenkoffer's dramatic demonstration. When, after drinking a bottle of bacteria, von Pettenkoffer doesn't develop cholera, he claims to have proved that the bacterium doesn't cause cholera. Koch disagrees, saying that von Pettenkoffer's stomach acid killed the bacteria before it could affect him. Be careful; we don't want to strengthen Koch's original argument-that the bacterium causes cholera, but rather his second argument-that von Pettenkoffer's stomach acid killed the bacteria. (E) says that when the cholera bacteria is ingested with bicarbonate of soda, a stomach acid neutralize^ it's more likely that the person will develop the illness. (E), then, shows that acidity has an inhibiting effect on cholera bacteria, exactly as Koch argued._________________
BLAIRS  The Pittsylvania Region Patriots hosted U.S. Rep Bob Good, R-5th District, for a special Friday evening gathering at Gentlemans Ridge Farm where the congressman shared reflections and updates from his freshman term, engaged a question and answer session with attendees and made his pitch for reelection this year.

The importance of political engagement at all levels of government was a consistent theme throughout the evening.

The mission statement is to wake people up to the truth of what is happening around them, not just locally but worldwide, and to empower and encourage them to stand up for truth and freedom in their little corner of the world, organizer Barbara Hancock said opening the meeting.

Good began by stressing his commitment to Pittsylvania County residents and expressing gratitude for the critical role the 5th Districts largest county played in his 2020 victory.

It really was a key county for us to win the nomination in June of 2020 against an incumbent who outspent us 10-to-1, and then to win the general election despite a record $11 million spent on the Democrat side, Good recounted.

Good commended Catherine Latchford, who attended and is currently running for a Pittsylvania County School Board seat representing the Banister district, for taking action, citing a national trend in parental discontent with education policies.

Latchford is herself a parent with children currently matriculating in Pittsylvania County Schools.

I have been through the wringers with this pandemic myself as a parent, so I know where parents stand right now, and we need a change, she shared earlier in the evening.

Even in conservative counties, our school boards dont reflect the population of citizens, he stressed.

Before turning the session over to Good, Hancock urged attendees to become delegates for the Republican nomination process to ensure that Good defeats his opponent to secure his partys nomination at the May 21 district convention in Farmville.

National politics

Good then segued into discussing various factors and agendas in the current national political landscape he believes threaten his constituents and the American way of life.

Socialism is mainstream  and socialism is too nice of a word, he said. Because when you look to Canada and you look at what they did to those truckers, and the Democrat party believes in that, supports that and wants that here.

And you know what, it doesnt seem like a leap anymore, does it? Good said. The audience responded with utterances of dismayed concurrence.

The congressman was referring to tactics exacted by the Trudeau administration of arresting and freezing the bank accounts of protesters for participating in the Ottawa truckers convoy.

Good emphasized his commitment to the Second Amendment, noting his endorsements from not only from the National Rifle Association, but from smaller guns rights groups that many perceive to be more purist than the largest and best funded gun rights advocacy organization.

A government that follows the Constitution has nothing to fear from an armed populace, he asserted. Matter of fact, an armed populace ensures that you remain a free populace, and thats what the Second Amendment is about, he continued.

Good noted the Ukrainian government is currently arming its citizens to defend against the ongoing invasion of the Russian military.

The congressman expressed support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, indicating he is praying for their victory against Russian aggression.

Good then outlined the three core threats he emphasized in his 2020 election campaign, noting they remain active and ongoing. These include indoctrination within all levels of the education system, the ever-growing national debt and the unsecured Southern border and the influx of illegal immigration that has resulted.

COVID-19

While these threats continue in Goods view, something has jumped ahead of that on my priority list that I didnt anticipate two years ago, he stated. Its our governments response to a virus, and the unconstitutional, oppressive, tyrannical mandates which have been an egregious violation of freedoms that we could not have imagined being under threat two years ago, he explained.

We have to realize that we are in an existential fight for our country, Good warned. Good noted COVID-19 policies have threatened freedom of movement, freedom of assembly and freedom of worship.

He then explained his record of opposing COVID-related vaccine and mask mandates.

We have been on the front lines, attacking the mask mandates from the very beginning, he revealed.

History will judge us harshly, for how we have sacrificed our children to this, he predicted, in reference to mask mandates and the decline of public education during the pandemic.

Ive also fought against the vaccine mandates, Good shared. Im a vaccine freedom guy, Im a vaccine truth guy, he continued.

The congressman indicated that theyve not told us the truth about the risks of the vaccine, theyve not told us the truth about the efficacy of natural immunity.

However, he indicated the belief the truths he feels have been concealed will come out.

Border security

Good then circled back to one of the core threats he identified earlier in the evening: that of immigration and the unsecured border with Mexico. Good shared he has visited the border multiple times, as he believes it is in the interest of his constituents that he stay abreast of the situation.

Pittsylvania County is a border county because of what theyre doing, Good asserted. Never has a country had their own president do more harm purposely, intentionally than this president has done in his first year  just at the border, he continued.

Good shared that he co-sponsored an impeachment bill against President Joe Biden solely based on the border situation.

Audience members probed the congressman in regards to several areas of concern. One attendee asked about protecting election integrity.

I think the most important thing that we can do on that is what we did in Virginia back in November, Good responded. It was boots on the ground, he explained, in reference to more Republican participation in poll watching which increased significantly in the 2021 gubernatorial election, according to him.

Good further explained his opposition to the Freedom to Vote Act, which he characterized as the Democrats right to cheat bill. Good noted that unsolicited mass-mailed ballots, expanding beyond single-day elections, allowing 16-year-olds to vote, and federal regulation of elections all threaten democracy and the principle of one citizen, one vote.

A young man in the audience asked Good if he believes the US and NATO should intervene militarily in the Ukraine situation. Good supplied a short-form answer of no before offering his explanation.

The sad, brutal, tragic reality is Ukraine is more valuable to Russia than anybody else, he explained. We should not engage a nuclear power over Ukraine, he indicated.
MARTINSVILLE, Va.  While the number of COVID-19 cases is firmly in decline in Virginia, the West Piedmont Health District continues to suffer a higher than average number of cases and deaths.

Statewide, there were 108 deaths due to COVID-19 reported by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) on Wednesday, and five of them occurred in the district that includes Henry, Patrick, and Franklin counties and the City of Martinsville.

Despite the persistent presence of the virus, health officials are still optimistic about the trend.

As were seeing, the number of cases in the state and even in the country is dropping quickly, said Health Director Dr. Noelle Bissell during a virtual VDH briefing on Tuesday. In addition to the number of cases, the hospitalizations and deaths are starting to drop as well. Everything is headed in the right direction.

The numbers have been in decline in the West Piedmont District since Jan. 15, and Bissell said it had begun having an encouraging effect on a health system under the stress of a pandemic.

But despite the state average of COVID-19 tests returning a positive rate of 9%, in the past seven days Martinsvilles rate has swelled to 50% with Franklin County at 17%, Henry County at 14% and Patrick County at 11%.

Bissell said along with the decline in numbers, the use of masks should be up to the individual and not mandated. COVID-19 is not going to go away. It is very serious, but for those vaccinated and boosted the risk of hospitalization and death is very low, Bissel said.

On Wednesday, the VDH COVID-19 dashboard reported two new deaths in Patrick County, one in Martinsville, one in Henry County and one in Franklin County.

Henry County continues to lead the district in deaths due to COVID-19 with 235, followed by Franklin County with 174, Martinsville is at 109 and Patrick County has had 85 COVID-19-related deaths.

Henry County has had 512 hospitalizations since the pandemic began, followed by Franklin County with 334, Martinsville with 190 and Patrick County with 142.

There were 16 new cases of COVID-19 in Franklin County reported by the VDH on Wednesday, 15 in Henry County, seven in Patrick County and one in Martinsville.

In total, Henry County has had 11,176 cases of COVID-19, followed by Franklin County with 10,576, Patrick County with 3,490 and Martinsville with 3,164.

Bissell said other variants of the virus are to be expected, but with more people becoming vaccinated and the number of people recovered after contracting COVID-19 presenting a natural immunity, the trend of decline will continue.

If youve been infected then youre less likely to get it again, said Bissell. We dont expect the next variant to cause a significant change, and there will be other variants in time, so we will kind of have to be prepared.

The seven-day average number of new daily cases reported per 100,000 population statewide has dropped slightly from 28 to 26. Martinsville is down from 105 to 82, Henry and Patrick counties are both at 65, down from 78 and 71 respectively and Franklin County is at 43, down from 50.

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By Trend





While working in coordination with other structures in connection with the situation in Ukraine, the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora has mobilized all opportunities for our compatriots to come to Azerbaijan safe and sound, the committee told Trend .

The Azerbaijanis who can enter Poland and Hungary may stay in Azerbaijans Houses operating in these countries until they are evacuated.

It is possible to get in touch with the House of Azerbaijan in Poland via +48 732 858 585 and with the House of Azerbaijan in Hungary via +994 50 662 19 89.

The phone numbers are active 24 hours a day.
RALEIGH  Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians work in companies that sell goods and services all around the world. Theyll prosper, as will our state, to the extent we knock down barriers to our exports.

Few disagree with that goal. Differences of opinion arise when we get specific. Consider the recent news that the United States ran a trade deficit of $859 billion last year. In dollar terms, thats the largest such deficit in the countrys history. Its also a 27% increase over the trade deficit for 2020.

At the risk of sparking the first big disagreement, I should say at the outset that I dont think the trade deficit is itself an issue of critical importance. It doesnt signify, for example, that our exporters took in on the chin. In fact, goods exports shot up 23% last year to $1.8 trillion, also a record amount, as economies around the world began to recover from the COVID crisis and their consumers gobbled up American-made products.

Of course, American consumers also gobbled up goods imported from abroad. And Americas service industries didnt have as good a year, in part because of continued weakness in education and tourism (if foreigners come to the U.S. to study or travel, their expenditures constitute exports).

So, the net result was a trade deficit  but that hardly made it a crisis. American consumers got products they highly valued. And our service sector will likely bounce back more strongly in 2022 as COVID-induced fears and restrictions fade. More fundamentally, because America remains one of the best places to invest money, we are going to run trade deficits of some size for the foreseeable future. Its an inescapable fact of accounting: if we run a capital-account surplus, we must run a current-account deficit, the vast majority of which will be a trade deficit.

Now, lets talk about China. Americas $355 billion trade deficit with that country represented 41% of the total. Again, exports to China rose but imports from China rose much more.

Remember the deal former President Trump negotiated with the Chinese regime two years ago? It required the Chinese to purchase an additional $200 billion in American imports by the end of 2021.

The deal didnt stick. Chinese imports from American firms turned out to be only 57% of the required figure. Moreover, since the 2020 agreement came after the former president initiated a trade war, setting off cycles of retaliatory tariffs, the real point of comparison would be exports to China now vs. exports to China before the tariff escalation. By that metric, the policy has been an abject failure. Our exports to China havent yet returned to the pre-trade-war baseline.

Im not arguing that the Trump administration bungled the execution of the agreement during its last year, or that the Biden administration bungled it during 2021. Im rejecting the entire premise that the way to help American industries sell more overseas is to negotiate sales quotas with national governments. Exports to China went up last year but exports to our other trading partners, especially in Europe, went up more. The latter didnt happen because a bunch of politicians set sales quotas.

We need to stop trying to manage trade and focus instead on slashing taxes (tariffs) and increasing our economys productive capacity.

With regard to the first goal, the best way to encourage the governments of our trading partners to lower tariffs and other barriers to accessing their markets is to offer reductions in our existing barriers to their goods and services  not to raise tariffs first and seek negotiation later. As recent experience has shown, that tends to provoke retaliatory tariffs, not productive discussion leading to net reductions in trade barriers.

And with regard to productive capacity, North Carolina leaders and their counterparts in Washington have full power to act on their own. Reforming our systems of taxation, regulation, education, and infrastructure would help all our businesses, including exporters, to grow and thrive.

John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member and author.
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the very concept of normal life, and now an entire generation of children impacted by global school closures and mask mandates are standing on the precipice of perhaps the largest mental health threat in generations.

According to the CDC, the number of emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts among children and adolescents increased 31% in 2020. These numbers represent a very real consequence and dangerous trajectory of the stress and isolation created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to UNICEF, the children most at risk of declining mental health include those who were forced from their homes, scarred by conflict and serious adversity, or deprived of access to schooling, protection and support. With COVID-19 school closures, increasing unemployment and poverty, and a rise in domestic violence, its easy to see how many U.S. children could fall into this category.

As a result of the ongoing conversation about childrens mental health, several states including Illinois, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia have passed laws allowing all school-age children to exercise up to five excused mental health days off of school. According to an article published in The New York Times, taking days off from formal education can be helpful for children of any age, citing the fact that children as young as preschool are still susceptible to stress and exhaustion.

In many ways, these new laws are a useful screener for which kids might be struggling and feeling overwhelmed. In Illinois, children who utilize their second mental health day will be contacted by their school counselor to check in and see if additional services are needed.

While these laws appear to have their hearts in the right place, there is one important issue that these laws fail to address: Which elementary school-aged children are free to stay home from school during the workweek, and are they representative of the most vulnerable population of children?

In 2020, nearly 19 million children lived in single-parent families, the majority of which were headed by single mothers. According to a 2019 survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, the poverty rate for single-mother families is nearly five times greater than that of married-couple families. In a recent report, the CDC found that children living below the federal poverty level are more than twice as likely to have been diagnosed with a mental, behavioral or developmental disorder. And while children in lower-income households were diagnosed with mental illnesses at greater rates, they were less likely to seek or receive care.

If the only children able to exercise mental health days are the children whose parents have employment that allow them to take sick or vacation time, the population of students in greatest need will once again miss out on this important opportunity. Single-parent households simply may not be able to facilitate mental health days for their children due to financial and logistical barriers.

To date, there doesnt appear to be accommodation for serving this population of students in greatest need of mental health services, or whether these new laws are offering unequal privilege to students whose parents are available during the working day.

Families struggling to put food on the table for their children usually do not have the option to just skip work for the day in order to stay home with their children. In addition, many of these high-risk children rely on school-supplied breakfasts and lunches for their meals during the week as well. So, the question becomes, are children who are living with single parents or two-income working households being given equal access to these mental health days?

While these new laws highlight the importance of safeguarding the mental health and well-being of our youngest and most vulnerable population, they fall short of accomplishing true equity.

In order for mental health days to offer equal opportunity for the students in greatest need, local school districts, lawmakers and mental health providers need to team up to offer alternative accommodation for the students who need a day off from traditional educational activities but cant stay home. And this idea isnt entirely novel.

Thirty-nine Utah schools now have wellness rooms on campus where students who are feeling overwhelmed throughout the day can go, assess their feelings and spend a few moments calming themselves.

These wellness rooms are often dimly lit, with soothing music, comfortable chairs and yoga mats. Some have meditative aids like colorful, bubbling lamps or essential oil diffusers. Some schools in Colorado are offering similar rooms called oasis rooms, which are staffed by trained counselors and offer access to other resources.

While these rooms are not designed for all-day retreats or as nonacademic day care, something similar operating within each school district could offer a potential alternative for students who do not have a stay-at-home option for mental health days.

Mary Derbish holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is working toward a masters in social work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
You have questions. I have some answers.

Q: Will The Good Doctor air new episodes?

Answer: After planning to hold it off until spring, ABC is returning The Good Doctor to its Monday lineup on Feb. 28. The reason: the disappointing numbers for the drama Promised Land. According to Deadline.com, Promised Land will have its last ABC telecast on Feb. 21; the remaining new episodes will then arrive weekly on Hulu beginning March 1.

Q: Why isnt SurrealEstate coming back? It was so good! Is anyone else picking it up?

Answer: Syfy decided last fall not to order a second season of the Canada-based paranormal drama. Series creator and executive producer George R. Olson has vowed to find a new home for the series, but so far I have not seen an announcement of one. (You can keep up with Olsons news on Twitter via @GeorgeROlson.)

Q: There were two medical shows on network TV last year, Nurses and Transplant. I enjoyed both shows and am wondering if either of them will return.

Answer: Transplant will be back on NBC on March 6. The network decided not to pick up another round of Nurses. A second season has aired in Canada, but I have not seen news of a U.S. home for it.

Q: I am looking for the name of a movie where a woman from England and a man from America come to Italy to attend their respective parents funeral only to find that the parents had an annual two-week affair for many years. Sound familiar?

Answer: Thats Avanti! a 1972 movie starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills, and directed by Billy Wilder.

Q: Why do certain TV channels block out a portion of the screen, either on the top and bottom or both sides?

Answer: Theres a long answer to that short question. For starters, screen pictures can be described as the ratio between the width and height of the image, and for a long time the most common ratio was 4:3 or 1.33:1, what we oldies remember as the standard TV screen size.

One of the ways that the movie industry tried to woo defectors to TV watching in the 1950s was with a wider screen image which could not be duplicated on TV at the time. (There are different widescreen aspects, but a common one is 16:9 or 1.78:1.) For years, widescreen productions were modified in telecasts and home video releases to fit the standard TV screen, either by trimming the image or by an awkward presentation known as pan-and-scan.

Eventually fans were able to find movies on video and TV which preserved the widescreen image with black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, what was called letterboxing. In the early 90s, widescreen TVs became available and 1997 brought Feds, the first network TV series in widescreen. But images of older productions shot in 4:3 did not fill a widescreen TV sets image, leading to the appearance of the black bars on the sides of widescreen TV sets when older programming aired.

Do you have a question or comment about entertainment past, present and future? Write to Rich Heldenfels, P.O. Box 417, Mogadore, OH 44260, or brenfels@gmail.com.
As the reproductive rights of people under guardianship came into the national spotlight with the #FreeBritney movement, disability advocates in North Carolina say people with disabilities in this state could easily face similar threats to their rights.

In the case of pop star Britney Spears, she was not allowed to remove her IUD so she could have a third child, despite being rich, white and in the public eye. Spears was legally unable to make decisions because she was under a conservatorship, a legal process in which the court declares a person incompetent and someone else is appointed to make their decisions for them.

The social movement to free Spears from her fathers conservatorship showed that even a wealthy celebrity, recognizable by only her first name, could lose her reproductive autonomy.

Imagine what its like for everyone else, said Larkin Taylor-Parker, staff attorney at Disability Rights North Carolina.

North Carolinians under guardianship, much like Spears conservatorship, can face a similar overthrow of their reproductive rights, Taylor-Parker said. Its unclear how many guardianships there are in the state, but parents of children with disabilities often seek them out as their child ages into adulthood. Its also a legal mechanism sought by families of aging parents as their mental state declines.

In North Carolina, people with disabilities who are deemed incompetent in court are given a guardian to make decisions for them. Those decisions include everything from where they live and how they spend their money to decisions regarding sex and relationships. A guardian can be a family member or state employee, such as a social worker.

Often guardianship is not revisited once it is given, meaning people can permanently lose their rights to make decisions for themselves starting as early as age 18, said Betsy MacMichael, president of First in Families of North Carolina, a statewide nonprofit that provides support to people with disabilities and their families.

No forced sterilization

North Carolina is one of just two states that bans forced sterilization for people with disabilities under guardianship, a new report from the National Womens Law Center found. Sterilization is a surgical procedure that permanently prevents pregnancy.

There are still 31 states and the District of Columbia that allow forced sterilization. The only other state that bans forced sterilization outright is Alaska, according to the report.

North Carolinas law was a response to the states prior eugenics movement, when thousands of North Carolinians were targeted based on race, class and, in particular, disability and sterilized without their permission throughout much of the 20th century. However, the legacy of the movement continues to live on, advocates say, as long as people with disabilities often do not have the right to their bodily autonomy.

Although the state eugenics program was shuttered in the 1970s, the state did not officially outlaw involuntary sterilization until 2003, after groundbreaking research by Johanna Schoen, now a professor at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and an investigative series by the Winston-Salem Journal called Against their Will.

Forced sterilization directly compromises a persons right to their bodily autonomy, said Maayan Anafi, author of the National Womens Law Center report.

Just because North Carolina bans forced sterilization does not mean that people with disabilities under guardianship have the ability to make their own reproductive decisions.

The right to bodily autonomy

North Carolinas law banning forced sterilization, passed in 2003, prevents guardians from consenting to sterilization unless the person under the guardianship needs to undergo a medical procedure that would result in sterilization.

This statute impedes disabled peoples ability to choose to get sterilized if they want to, Anafi said.

Disabled people can make decisions about our health care and about birth control, including sterilization, Anafi said.

Taylor-Parker said they also worry that an unintended consequence of the sterilization law is that it could interfere with a transgender persons ability to get gender confirmation surgery if they are under guardianship.

Thats a very real concern that I think will continue to come up in years to come, Taylor-Parker said. For reasons no one understands, there is a strong correlation between autism and LGBT identity. So its particularly of concern for that population, but also for many others.

Even if protections exist against sterilization, access to birth control and the ability to make decisions about sex and relationships could be difficult for people with guardians.

People with disabilities are often infantilized by non-disabled people, said Corye Dunn, director of public policy at DRNC. Historically, sterilization gave non-disabled people the option to refrain from educating disabled people about sex, even as people with disabilities have higher rates of sexual assault, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Denying people with disabilities accurate information about sexuality also ignores the idea that disabled people might want a relationship or to engage in consensual sexual activity, she said.

There should be nothing surprising about the fact that people with disabilities are also sexual human beings, Dunn said, that they may want to engage in consensual sexual activity.

Guardianship makes it difficult for people with disabilities to make those choices, especially if a guardian is a loved one.

Family, often theyre quite opinionated, MacMichael of First in Families said. Whether its relationships, sexuality, or things like drinking and smoking pot, that kind of thing. So if a person has a guardian over them  they pretty much cant call the shots.

Reassessing guardianship

A judge overturned Spears conservatorship in November, transforming #FreeBritney from a movement to a statement.

Disability rights advocates hope that the movement continues, arguing that as long as guardianship remains as widely used and unchecked practice as it is, people with disabilities will continue to have their rights taken away.

Dunn advocates for periodically revisiting whether guardianship is necessary. Currently, there is a presumption of permanency of a guardianship decision in North Carolina because cases are not required to go back to court.

Its this life sentence, Dunn said.

At First in Families, MacMichael suggests alternatives to guardianship, such as support networks, where people with disabilities can make important decisions with the help of an array of people.

Just because people need help making decisions does not mean that we have to have substitute decision making, Dunn said. We can build in those supports for people in different ways. And I think that sexuality and relationships and reproduction and parenting are some of the most intimate rights that we have and they deserve more attention.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. North Carolina Health News is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit, statewide news organization dedicated to covering all things health care in North Carolina. Visit NCHN at northcarolinahealthnews.org .
Does it come as any surprise that Donald Trump is squeezing every possible penny out of his post-presidency, holding $30,000-a-head fundraisers and pocketing the money, performing for arena crowds with Bill OReilly at $100 a ticket, selling $50 MAGA hats and $95 Mar-a-Lago Christmas ornaments at his Trump merchandise store? Its just what youd expect from a huckster billionaire whos always on the make.

But lets keep his behavior in perspective.

Long before Trump showed up at the White House, the presidency had become a stepping stone to enormous, beyond-the-pale riches. Although some of us suckers still think of the commander in chiefs job as lonely, burdensome public service undertaken selflessly for the good of the country, the reality is that theres not much self-sacrifice involved, at least not financially.

In fact, theres a lot of money to be made.

Of course, presidents have come from the ranks of the rich for as long as theres been a United States. George Washington, with 50,000 acres of property, a 500-acre plantation at Mount Vernon, hundreds of enslaved people and a 21-room mansion, was one of the wealthiest Americans of his day.

And for those without such advantages, there have been plenty of opportunities to cash in after the fact: Ulysses S. Grant wrote a bestselling memoir to raise money late in life. Gerald Ford was among the first to take fees for speeches after leaving office. Harry Truman, long admired for his ordinary-retired-dude-on-Medicare persona, is now alleged to have lied about his finances to squeeze more money out of the government.

Hey, everybodys got to pay the bills!

But in recent years, its gotten out of hand. The post-presidential payoff has grown obscenely large.

Bill Clinton, for instance, took $500,000 for a single speech from a Moscow bank with close ties to the Kremlin. In all, Bill and Hillary Clinton reportedly earned  and I use that word loosely  $153 million in speaking fees between 2001 and 2015. If you add books, consulting fees and the like, they raked in $240 million during those years, according to a separate analysis by Forbes.

The Obamas are doing pretty well too. Barack Obama received $400,000 for a speech to the financial services firm Cantor Fitzergald just months after leaving office. Thats more than six times the annual American median household income for, at most, a few hours work. God knows how many speeches like that he gives each year.

And he and Michelle reportedly received a $65 million advance for a two-book deal with Penguin Random House.

Obama talks about trying to keep it real. Theres only so much you can eat. Theres only so big a house you can have. Theres only so many nice trips you can take. I mean, its enough, he said in 2018.

A year later he bought his 6,892-square-foot Marthas Vineyard house on a 29-acre estate for $12 million. Its a getaway from his $8 million, nine-bedroom house in Washington, and its where he was to have had a lavish 60th birthday party last year with George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce and Jay-Z and some 450 others, before it was scaled back due to COVID-19.

George W. Bush summed up the post-presidential life as he was leaving office when he told an interviewer that his plan for the future was to replenish the ol coffers, noting that he could make ridiculous money on the lecture circuit. And he has.

And, some might ask, why not? This is America, land of opportunity! Why begrudge our former presidents their riches? Why shouldnt they yacht around with David Geffen in Tahiti or jet around in Ron Burkles plane. They have no obligation to eschew material things and devote themselves like Mother Teresa to the poor.

Besides, people seem to want to buy their books and hear their speeches.

So what is the problem?

Well, for me theres an element of jealousy, of course. I dont deny that.

Theres also the fact that we the taxpayers are paying the five living ex-presidents more than $200,000 a year in pensions for the rest of their lives, plus footing the bill for their office space, a million bucks in travel expenses and lifetime Secret Service protection, among other benefits. Why exactly do we do that?

And the source of the money theyre earning raises questions. Why are Moscow banks and firms such as Cantor Fitzgerald and assorted zillionaire tycoons (including Jeffrey Epstein) willing to purchase a presidential association at such exorbitant prices? Whats in it for them?

The bottom line, though, is I feel betrayed. Im bothered by the commercialization and exploitation of the presidency. By the screwy incentives that now exist to run for the office. By the conspicuous excess of our ex-presidents lives, which sends a depressing message in an era of stark poverty and grotesque income inequality.

In 2006, Obama wrote this:

As a consequence of my (campaign) fundraising I became more like the wealthy donors I met, in the very particular sense that I spent more and more of my time above the fray, outside the world of immediate hunger, disappointment, fear, irrationality and frequent hardship of the other 99% of the population  that is, the people Id entered public life to serve.

I still admire Obama enormously but in the end, its Jimmy Carter who, to all appearances, deserves our praise.

He built all those houses for the poor, wrote poetry and published dozens of books and monitored elections in troubled countries. Hes made a good deal of money, to be sure, but he lives in a modest house, carried his own suitcases when he traveled and taught Sunday school (presumably for less than $400,000 an hour).

Keeping it real is not easy when the temptations abound and the money is being thrown at you. But when it comes to ex-presidents, the world is watching.
Teaching has always been a challenging profession. Public school teachers have regularly had to deal with low pay and limited resources.

There also have been onerous testing regimens and a misleading school grading system that has stigmatized and demoralized entire schools.

More recently, teachers workloads and responsibilities have increased as theyre expected to provide social services and security to their students.

Then came COVID, leading to increased stress and unwarranted attacks from some misinformed parents who thought they knew better than medical professionals what safety protocols everyones children should be required to follow.

You could hear the frustration in the voice of Guilford County Schools Superintendent Sharon Contreras in January as she was about to announce her departure at the end of this school year.

Weve become petty, she said. Were combative. We dont listen to one another.

Now teachers have to deal with Republican legislators who want to harass and control them by passing bills limiting what they can and cant teach  in many cases, under threat of severe penalty.

In North Carolina, Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) is pushing an academic transparency bill that would require teachers to post online lesson plans used in classrooms, including textbooks, videos, lesson plans, digital materials  a requirement that would likely provide ammunition for another wasteful culture war.

Parents can already access the material that each grade covers. The guidelines have been established by the N.C. Department of Instruction and are widely available online.

This might seem a mild, isolated incident, a failure of legislators to read the room, if it werent for the fact that it folds so neatly into other Republican attacks on public education across the nation.

More than 150 bills have been introduced in 39 states this last year that would restrict the teaching of certain curricula, mostly on issues of race and gender. In some of the laws being pushed, parents could sue teachers and school districts if theyre unhappy about curriculum choices.

The language in many of these bills is overly broad and would be difficult to adjudicate. Many would almost certainly be tossed by courts.

None of that is likely to matter to the Republicans who write them. In fact, thats not the point. Theyre counting on parents angered over school curricula to help them win this year, Insider reported last week. I think that we are looking at a moment where we have the potential to build the biggest bloc of single-issue voters in the history of American politics, Ian Prior, executive director of Fight for Schools, which is pushing for more parental control over school curricula, told attendees at the conservative CPAC conference on Thursday.

This is all occurring as these highly educated, caring, intuitive professionals face pressures like never before. A recent poll conducted by the National Education Association found that 90% of its members say that feeling burned out is a serious problem, 86% have seen more teachers quitting or retiring early since the pandemic began and 80% say that job openings that remain unfilled have added to the workloads of those who are still teaching.

Dont be surprised if the situation worsens. Our states Republican-led legislature has worked hard to maintain an adversarial relationship with public schools, most recently refusing to obey a court order to add an additional $5.6 billion to public education funding through 2028. At the same time, it supports siphoning tax money from public schools to give to private schools with lower standards of accountability. Attacking educators over school curricula for votes is likely an irresistible temptation.

Hey, something has to make up for those lost gerrymandered districts.

Now is the time for parents of all political persuasions to express their support for educators  not just privately to the teachers they know and appreciate, but to our legislators in Raleigh. Tell them to stop harassing teachers and support them instead.

And vote accordingly in November, by supporting the candidates who will improve public education, not starve and smear it and sap the spirits of its greatest champions: front-line teachers.
In nearly four and a half centuries of working the land that stretches from the stubborn soils of the sandy coastal plain to the rolling red Piedmont, North Carolina tobacco farmers have never had more riding on a crop than they do this year.

Cured tobacco reigned for generations as the top crop in North Carolina. Prized around the world for its quality and flavor, it was so certain to be a moneymaker that nearly every farmer had a few acres, enough to pay the bills and a little extra.

It was sometimes said that even farmers who didnt use tobacco were addicted to it, because in a good year nothing else that sprang from the earth could bring as much profit.

It wasnt just farmers who relied on the crop. In rural North Carolina, a summer spent working tobacco was a hard but instructive first job that could pay for a secondhand car or college tuition. Retailers who sold seed, fertilizer and farm equipment were in business to supply the farmers, who also supported clothing and furniture stores and car dealers.

In the manufacturing towns of Durham and Winston-Salem, factories employed tens of thousands of people at a time, putting billions more dollars into circulation. The taxes those workers and farmers paid built schools, community centers and infrastructure  the very towns themselves.

But it couldnt last forever.

Once the surgeon general warned and manufacturers acknowledged that tobacco was addictive and harmful, consumption declined in the U.S. and around the world. China remained a reliable market, but from 1997 to 2017, during which Big Tobacco agreed to pay billions to states for medical costs and the government dismantled the tobacco price-support system, North Carolinas annual production dropped almost in half, from about 700 million pounds to about 364 million pounds.

Still, some farmers hung on, mechanizing to reduce labor costs, renting or buying extra land for economies of scale and always hoping for price increases at harvest time. Nearly all planted other crops as a hedge, the way they used to plant tobacco to prop up everything else.

Then 2018 came, bringing a trade war with China that prompted U.S. tobaccos biggest customer to stop buying the American leaf. It found cheaper alternatives in Brazil, Zimbabwe, Turkey and elsewhere.

A China trade deal was announced in 2020, but by then, the damage had been done. North Carolina tobacco production bottomed out at under 179 million pounds  a level not seen in nearly a century.

And though it rebounded in 2021, prices for the supplies needed to bring a tobacco crop from seed to harvest have doubled or worse ahead of the 2022 planting season, spurred by problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prices paid to tobacco farmers for their crop, meanwhile, are expected to rise by less than 10%.

North Carolina is down to about 1,300 tobacco farms, and many growers say this could be the year that pushes them out of the business, too.

In another decade, some farmers say, the crop  once so ubiquitous that loose tobacco leaves fluttered across interstate highways during market season  might finally be nearing the end of the row.
LUMBERTON  Meridith Allen is worried her family will suffer if a power plant is allowed to resume operations near her home.

Allen lives in Lumberton, about two miles away from a facility where poultry waste feeds into a pair of boilers to generate electricity. The plant has been shut down since November 2020 but when it is in operation, it also uses steam from those boilers to run three belt dryers that can dry out as much as 90 tons of wood chips each hour before they are sold offsite, according to permit documents on file with the state.

These activities lead to emissions of pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide  all of which can affect human health and are regulated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Allen worries that emissions from the plant could exacerbate her sons asthma or a condition her husband has that causes blistering on his lungs.

That carbon monoxide and the sulfur dioxide  everything that theyre releasing from the plant makes it worse, Allen said.

The plant, called NC Renewable Power, is asking the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality to modify its permit so that it can be regulated as a major source of air pollution and ultimately resume operations. Under its existing minor permit, the company can emit 250 tons each of pollutants without facing penalties.

If approved, the proposed permit would require NC Renewable Power to install emissions control technology that would lower levels of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides. But if the plant operates at capacity over a year-long period, the plant could legally emit as much carbon monoxide and total greenhouse gases  1,224 tons and 438,825 tons, respectively  as it can under its existing permit.

More than 30 opponents of the NC Renewable Power facility spoke at a recent virtual public hearing, outlining concerns ranging from how emissions will affect people living in nearby Lumberton to whether the company is conducting adequate monitoring.

NC Renewable Power was North Carolinas 10th-largest emitter of carbon monoxide in 2017, the last year for which the EPA has data available. At 1,262 tons, the plant emitted more carbon monoxide than at least seven other power plants, including several that were powered by coal.

The Hestertown Road facility was built as a coal-fired power plant in the 1980s by a company called Cogentrix, but closed in 2009. Georgia Renewable Power reopened the plant in 2015 under the name NC Renewable Power.

In its initial May 2015 permit, NC Renewable Power was allowed to burn chicken litter, but not coal, natural gas and some other fuels. The plant was allowed to emit 250 tons per year of each of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.

Carey Davis, Georgia Renewable Powers executive vice president, wrote in a statement that when it opened the facility, the company believed the 250 tons-per-year limit would be adequate for the poultry waste the plant intended to burn.

The plant added poultry litter to its fuel mix in October 2015. By March 2016, the plant was already nearing its annual carbon monoxide limit.

Since 2016, the state has levied more than $76,000 in fines against NC Renewable Power, with violations ranging from exceeding limits for pollutants to having excessive down time for pollution monitoring equipment. Those penalties were spread across seven notices of violation and resulted in consent agreements between regulators and the plants owner.

Fines are not a deterrent for this company, says Anita Cunningham, a Robeson County resident who lives about two miles from the plant.

In an email, Davis wrote that approval of the permit would let the company update the technology it uses to control emissions and maintain its boilers in a way that would limit pollutants.

Burning poultry waste for power became part of North Carolinas energy mix with a 2007 law requiring utilities to include renewable power sources in their portfolios. That law also required utilities to generate a total of 900,000 megawatt hours of power from poultry waste by 2016  a benchmark the NC Utilities Commission ratcheted down several times.

Many people at Mondays public hearing said the plants proximity to communities with high proportions of people who are American Indian or Black raises concerns about environmental justice.

An analysis by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality found that 41% of the 606 people living within a mile of the plant are Black and 16% identify as American Indian. Within a mile of the facility, DEQ estimated that per capita income over the last year was $16,644  less than Robeson Countys $17,161 and much less than North Carolinas $28,123.

Were the poorest county, Allen said. We already have some of the worst air in North Carolina and then to place these plants in Black, brown, indigenous communities, very poor areas  that just seems very unfair.
By Trend





Turkmenistan and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the foreign ministries affairs, Trend reports citing Turkmenportal.

The document was signed following the Structural Dialogue meeting via videoconference which was held on February 24-25 between Rashid Meredov, Head of Turkmen Foreign Ministry Affairs and Tariq Ahmad, Minister for Central Asia, the UN and the Commonwealth at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

During the meeting, it was emphasized that there is a strong potential for further expansion of joint actions in trade and economic cooperation. The parties agreed that cooperation should be expanded within the framework of the Turkmen-UK Trade and Industry Council (TUKTIC).

They also discussed the Export Credit Guarantee Department's (UKEF) interaction priorities.

Moreover, the parties reached an agreement on expanding bilateral cooperation in the human dimension, healthcare, education and science, high technologies, and innovative solutions.

Concerning regional stability and security, the ministers emphasized the importance of consolidating the parties' efforts to ensure prosperity, stable development, and the possibility of integrating Afghanistan into large-scale economic, energy, transportation, and communication regional projects.

Earlier, the UKs Department for International Trade told Trend that conversations are ongoing on a number of potential projects between the UK and Turkmenistan.

The volume of trade between the UK and Turkmenistan was 28 million ($37 million) from June 2020 through June 2021.
On Sunday, Damascus government forces carried out a missile attack on the village of Afes, east of Idlib city, killing two people and wounding two others, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The village of Afes is one of the areas where there are a large number of bases and points of the Turkish occupation army in north-western Syria.

Damascus government forces had renewed their ground bombardment on sites within the so-called "De-escalation" zone, on Sunday, as they targeted with heavy artillery the areas of Al-Fateera, Benin, Falifel and the outskirts of Al-Bara, in Jabal Al-Zawiya in the southern countryside of Idlib, amid intense hovering of Russian reconnaissance in the airspace of Jabal Al-Zawiya and al-Ghab Plain.

T/S

ANHA
The mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra and classified on the list of international terrorism) have focused since the beginning of 2022 on the file of foreign mercenaries deployed in their areas of control in Idlib and its environs in northwestern Syria, as it seems that they are determined to count their numbers and deport them to other areas of the areas occupied by Turkey in Syria, in a move that raised the question of the goal and motives of this new scheme.

On February 19, the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham informed the foreign mercenaries in the city of Idlib to evacuate and leave their homes, as they issued a warning to more than 30 families of mercenaries of various foreign nationalities of the necessity of evacuating their rented homes or those they obtained as spoils of war within a maximum period of 10 days, without giving reasons.

This decision came two days after Australia included the mercenaries of "Tahrir al-Sham" and "Hurras el-Din" active in Idlib, where the Turkish occupation took control, on the list of banned terrorist organizations.

Observers believe that this step was motivated by improving the image of the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham, in front of world public opinion, after it was classified by many countries on the list of terrorism, and to show itself as a moderate opposition, while others consider it as pressure on foreign mercenaries who are in formations outside the squadron of "Tahrir al-Sham" mercenaries to join its ranks, leave the area it controls, or force them to implement new schemes that serve its supporters, most notably Turkey.

In the context of tightening the screws on the rival extremist groups in Idlib, the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham recently arrested several mercenaries and leaders of different foreign nationalities.

In mid-October 2021, they launched a large-scale military and security campaign against the mercenaries of "Jund al-Sham" led by Muslim al-Shishani, and "Jund of God" led by Abu Fatima in the areas of western Idlib, followed by violent clashes between the two parties, which ended with the control of the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham on the areas of Jisr al-Shughur and its surroundings, the villages of Zaytouna, Yamdiya and Jabal al-Turkman, east of Lattakia.

The dispute between the two sides comes at a time when Russia wants to neutralize the mercenaries, which it classifies as "terrorists" in the region, and Turkey's implementation of the Moscow Agreement, which was approved on March 5, 2020, and provides for a ceasefire and the formation of a safe belt on both sides of the international road Aleppo - Latakia ( M4).

Who are the foreign mercenaries in Syria?

Waves of foreign mercenaries around the world flowed from Afghanistan to the Philippines through the Sahara Desert in the African continent to the Syrian territories to join the ranks of the mercenaries of the Turkish occupation in Idlib and its environs in northwest Syria, with the Syrian crisis turning into an armed conflict due to regional and international interventions, especially from Turkey and Qatar are the two largest supporters of mercenary groups.

The foreign mercenaries are classified into two categories, the first: the mercenaries who were dismantled by the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham during the past two years, including the "Hurras el-Din" affiliated with al-Qaeda, and these are divided into two parts. The first includes the militants, and these constitute a small percentage of the total number of mercenaries, and the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham, despite the arrest of large numbers of them. As for the second section, they are the independent foreign mercenaries, most of whom work in the so-called dawa field, and among them are former defectors from the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham.

Analysts are likely that this category will most likely be expelled to the countryside to pressure them and force them to work for the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham, and that these are supposed to be a prominent target for Tahrir al-Sham's first steps in its new policy of dealing with the file of foreign mercenaries.

The second group: They are the mercenaries who work for the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham and are considered part of its organizational, military and security structure. This classification includes the mercenaries of "Ansar al-Din Front", "Turkistan Islamic Party", "Salah al-Din al-Kurdi" group, "Uzbeks" and other mercenaries, that analyzes suggested that they will be dealt with with special efforts in the later stages, and will often be in the framework of their integration into the local community.

mapping..

In this regard, Mounir Adib, a researcher in the affairs of extremist movements and international terrorism, attributes the motives for obliging the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham, the foreign mercenaries living in Idlib, to evacuate and leave their homes, to the map drawn by the countries supporting these mercenaries to implement their plans, saying: "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (the Front for the Liberation of Al-Sham) Al-Nusra (formerly) has positions in northwest Syria and coordination is carried out between it and the Turkish and American sides, a body supported by some countries, most notably Turkey. I think that the United States of America is also satisfied with it and supports it, and this support may push these countries to draw a map.

He continued: "The map of the work of this body, its groups and places of concentration, and therefore if military action is needed in an area, ask Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham to move to it or send soldiers and fighters affiliated with it. Therefore, I think that the idea of evacuating homes is related to the form and nature of the existence of the movement and military operations that the countries that support it, including Turkey, are planning.

He believes that the destination to which the foreign mercenaries will be transferred may be northern and eastern Syria or areas inside Syria, and he went on to say: "But in the end it remains that the deportation of these is related to the form and nature of the military operations of this movement that are operated or supported by countries in its surroundings, including Turkey, and therefore Turkey, when it moves to confront its enemies, uses these arms or these militias that pay the salaries of its fighters and support them in another way.

Get out of the mantle of terrorism

In addition, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the commander-in-chief of Tahrir al-Shams mercenaries, appeared more than once in public and in civilian clothes, in a move that observers interpreted as falling within the framework of his efforts to devote himself as a moderate figure, sponsoring civilian activities to serve the population, away from the terrorist classifications marked by his group by the Security Council, the United States and some other countries.

Adeeb explains that Al-Julanis goal in appearing in a civilian appearance is only to improve the image of Tahrir al-Shams mercenaries in front of public opinion and citizens in the areas under his influence, and that it is an attempt to reproduce his mercenaries. Al-Nusra belongs to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, but it remains an extremist organization and an organization that has been placed on the terrorist list because of its relationship with Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and even if it has no connection with both organizations, it is not much different from Al-Qaeda Jihad and not a moderate organization.

And the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham had previously tried to make it clear to the public that they had disengaged from al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations after the Security Council and the United States of America included them on the list of terrorism, as they changed their name from Jabhat al-Nusra to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham in 2016. It was called "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" in 2017, after other Syrian mercenary groups joined it.

In 2012, the United States of America included Jabhat al-Nusra, currently called Tahrir al-Sham on the list of terrorist organizations, and the Security Council approved this designation six months later, while Turkey, the largest supporter of Jabhat al-Nusra, agreed to classify it as a terrorist organization in 2018, despite its continued support, this is evidenced by the presence of these mercenaries in the areas it occupies in Idlib.

international pressure paper

On whether this move by the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham stems from an international scheme or a Turkish-Russian agreement to empty the area and hand it over to the Damascus government, Adeeb says, "There is no information about the idea of evacuating this area or whether there is a Russian-Turkish consensus regarding handing over this area belongs to Damascus or the Syrian regime, but in the end it remains that there is an international use, whether by Russia or even Turkey, of extremist organizations and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

He added: "If there is a Russian-Turkish consensus regarding handing over this area to Damascus or the Syrian regime, then this means that Turkey was and still has a relationship with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, and it also means that there is a relationship between these mercenaries and the Damascus government, and this is a matter of great concern and concern. about reusing these extremists in another region, or establishing new relations with them, and giving them roles they might play to complete their sabotage acts.

In conclusion, the researcher in the affairs of extremist movements and international terrorism, Munir Adib, stressed that the mercenaries of Tahrir al-Sham do not differ much from extremist organizations that cross borders and continents, and they are the most powerful strategies in the hands of their supporters (Turkey and the United States of America), to use them in the face of their enemies, and said: The United States seeks to use them in confronting the Syrian regime, Russias strategic ally, and also confronting Russia, which has established a military base in Syria and the Middle East, and at the same time Turkey uses these organizations for its own goals. These countries have no objection to putting their hand in the hands of Satan if The goal or the price was to achieve its political interests."

A

ANHA
On January 12, the People's Initiative for North and East Syria announced, through a statement, that it had joined the "Justice for the Kurds" campaign to remove the name of the Kurdistan Workers' Party from the "terror list".

The International Initiative for Justice for the Kurds launched the campaign on December 13 to remove the name of the PKK from the 'terror list'. More than a thousand prominent and well-known personalities from 30 different countries participated in the campaign.

Haifa Mahmoud, representative of the Modernity and Democracy Party for Syria, spoke about this issue to our agency, and indicated that the goal of countries during the 1990s was to stand by the Turkish state for its interests, and that it included the name of the PKK on the "terror list" for this reason.

Haifa Mahmoud stated that the inclusion of the PKK's name on the "terror list" came as a result of the countries' alliance with the Turkish state. "We in the Modernity Party see that the PKK is a democratic force in the Middle East, and it supports justice, equality and women's freedom.

Haifa Mahmoud also indicated that they consider the PKK and the ideas of leader Abdullah Ocalan as platforms for a solution, and concluded her speech by saying: "We support the call of the People's Initiative for North and East Syria and join this campaign."

For his part, the co-chair of the Kurdistan Democratic Peace Party, Talal Muhammad, explained that the PKK is a revolutionary party, and said: The struggle of the PKK in the four parts of Kurdistan is clear to the public. The political parties in Rojava and Kurdistanwide should join the campaign 'Justice for the Kurds'.

Talal Muhammad stated that they are joining the campaign, and continued, "The Kurdistan Workers' Party is working to guarantee the rights of peoples. The basis of its struggle is for the rights of peoples and Kurdistan. We call on the people and intellectuals to join in this campaign."

Talal Muhammad also added, "The Turkish state prevents the name of the PKK from being removed from the 'terror list', because it will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the political issue in Bakur Kurdistan. The Turkish state and other enemies of the Kurdish people wish to prevent the investigation of A shared democratic life by keeping the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on the terrorist list.

A

ANHA
Gov. Greg Gianforte joined Montana Department of Agriculture Director Christy Clark on Feb. 23 to tour the Malt Quality and Food Product Development labs at Montana State University.

He said the innovative ag research taking place at MSU helps the states producers keep pace with a transforming agricultural industry.

Gianforte toured the MSU Malt Quality Lab, which provides data to the Montana Barley Breeding Program to ensure barley crops raised in the state are of the highest quality for brewing and malting.

The governor then visited MSUs Food Product Development Lab which works with Montana agricultural producers and businesses to develop food products utilizing state-of-the-art technologies, such as extrusion, to add value to Montana crops.

Gianforte and Clark sampled products developed by researchers using Montana-grown ingredients including chickpea puffs, lentil muffins, cold-hardy berry smoothies and beer.

State awards $605K for workforce programs

The state has awarded $605,000 to Montana businesses and nonprofits for skills-based workforce training and apprenticeship programs.

With this investment, were ensuring more hardworking Montanans have the skills needed to thrive and succeed in good-paying Montana jobs, Gov. Greg Gianforte, who made the announcement with the Department of Commerce, said in a news release.

Among the recipients, Helenas Laborers AGC Apprenticeship, Training and Work Preparedness Trust for Montana will receive $60,000 to provide construction-related apprenticeship training for 20 new positions and add more training staff.

In October, Gianforte announced the launch of the Workforce Training Grant Program (WTG) reimbursing businesses for costs associated with skill-based training for new and existing full-time workers.

Since the programs launch, businesses have been able to apply to the program and receive up to $3,000 per eligible employee, with a maximum allocation of $210,000. Each eligible employee must make a wage that meets or exceeds 170% of Montanas current minimum wage, which today is $15.64 per hour.

The governor accepted the funding recommendations from the ARPA Economic Transformation and Stabilization and Workforce Development Programs Advisory Commission. ARPA advisory commissions comprise state legislators, agency leaders, and administration officials. More information about the advisory commissions may be found at arpa.mt.gov.

For more information on the Workforce Training Grant Program, including program guidelines and applications, visit arpa.mt.gov/economic.

Deadline extended for hog program

Hog producers who sold hogs through a spot market sale during the COVID-19 pandemic now have until April 15, to submit their applications for the U.S. Department of Agricultures Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program.

The program, which is part of USDAs Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, originally had a deadline to submit applications by Feb. 25.

For more information on the program, go to: https://bit.ly/3smXN6m

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This week brought seldom-seen volatility in commodity prices, with wheat supplies and demand in focus.

The midweek Russian invasion of Ukraine, the accompanying relentless shelling, and the broadening of the scope of the onslaught all contributed. The first territory Russia invaded includes some of the most productive, mineral-rich wheat soil on earth  even better than Russias.

Scenes of thousands of refugees fleeing to Poland or Hungary stirred fears the worlds supply will be severely reduced. Ukraine and Russia combined provide over 60% of the worlds wheat exports.

Wheat is the oldest and cheapest source of human food, with some evidence dating its production back to 20,000 or 30,000 years ago. Political upheaval and wars have been triggered throughout history by wheat shortages, for example, flour wars in France in the 1770s, the French Revolution, U.S. flour riots in the 1800s, bread riots in Egypt, and the Arab Spring.

Agricultural supply threats to grains and cotton affected even our own American Civil War.

Most of the sharp rise in grains fizzled out or entirely reversed by Friday afternoon. The weeks massive volatility in beans, for example, saw the price explode over $ 17.65 per bushel but tumbled almost $2 at weeks end. As of Friday afternoon, May wheat was $8.60, May beans $15.85, May corn $6.58.

Crude blows over $100, then falls out of bed

Wars, such as Desert Storm, have also been fought over oil supplies, and the U.S. has frequently been involved. Russia's invasion of Ukraine could affect our energy prices here. The sanctions on Russia, including Germanys halting of the Nord Stream pipeline approval, are a huge factor in the energy supply for most of Europe.

Crude oil spiked to $100.54 per barrel on Thursday but collapsed to the $90 area just before Fridays close.

Natural gas, gasoline, diesel, gold, silver, all experienced upward spikes on Thursday and sharp declines on Friday. April Crude oil traded for $ 91.15 per barrel near the close on Friday while natural gas for May delivery brought $4.48 per million BTUs, and April gasoline $2.87 per gallon. April gold brought about $1,890 per ounce, while May silver traded at $24.10.

Opinions are solely the writers. Walt Breitinger is a commodity futures broker in Valparaiso, Ind. He can be reached at (800) 411-3888 or www.indianafutures.com. This is not a solicitation of any order to buy or sell any market.

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What in the world is an NFT? How did a DAO nearly make off with an original copy of the U.S. Constitution? Why is Elon Musk tweeting about dog coins?

The crypto industry has exploded over the last couple years, leaving most of us scrambling to wrap our heads around the new innovations  not to mention the acronyms. What started with the invention of Bitcoin nearly 15 years ago has morphed into an entirely new ecosystem of products, services, and ways of doing business.

Montana leaders have a choice to make: either welcome crypto entrepreneurs or watch the economic activity generated by this fast growing industry move elsewhere.

One of the most exciting aspects of the crypto industry is the variety of investment and jobs it can bring. One example is cryptocurrency miners, who use super-fast computers to solve complex mathematical problems which verify transactions on the decentralized network, or blockchain, and receive lucrative cryptocurrency rewards for doing so. Neighbor states have become a hot spot in recent years for cryptocurrency mining, spurring job creation and significant investment in strengthening state power grids.

But in Montana, miners have been met by hostile regulators. Missoula County, for example, effectively ran cryptocurrency miners out of business with their punitive restrictions. And last year officials in Butte denied a massive solar project intended to power a large-scale cryptocurrency mining operation.

Two Missoula-based entrepreneurs recently announced a $1.9 billion cryptocurrency mining project just across the border in North Dakota, boasting they will operate with a carbon neutral footprint and create 100 good-paying jobs. One must wonder if Montana missed out on the economic activity from this project due to the states track record of unfriendly crypto regulations.

However, the economic potential of crypto extends far beyond cryptocurrency mining. Entrepreneurs are also leveraging blockchain technology to create uber-efficient systems of smart contracts that could upend whole sectors of our economy.

Take the Missoula Valley Internet Co-op, which is using blockchain technology to build decentralized internet networks where customers are incentivized to act as relays and facilitate internet traffic to their neighbors. Blockchain-based smart contract programs manage the whole system, automatically routing through the best connections and processing payments. Backers of the model contend that blockchain technology makes providing internet to rural communities faster and cheaper than traditional broadband.

Decentralized Finance, or DeFi, advocates say they too can use blockchain technology and smart contracts to create more efficient and accessible systems for traditional financial services like lending, banking, money transfers, investment trading, etc.

Despite the potential benefits, some states are targeting DeFi by forcing businesses to comply with rigid, old-school financial regulation or face lawsuits. The looming threat of misguided federal and state regulation also poses a major barrier to the growth of businesses built around blockchain-based smart contracts like the Missoula Valley Internet Co-op.

Wyoming has led the way in welcoming the crypto industry, updating their laws to allow new business models and attracting millions of dollars in investment to the state as a result. Other states are creating regulatory sandboxes, inviting crypto entrepreneurs to test new products and services in their market under more flexible regulation.

As other states compete to attract the growing crypto industry, Montana simply cant afford to fall behind. Montana leaders should understand that unfriendly crypto regulations will simply mean entrepreneurs will move to states that are more welcoming. By affording this budding industry a light regulatory touch with flexibility for new ideas, Montana could become home to the next world changing innovation.

Kendall Cotton is the president and CEO of the Frontier Institute, a Helena think tank dedicated to breaking down government barriers so that all Montanans can thrive.

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The infrastructure spending largely relies on revenue from the motor fuel tax  which was increased on July 1, as it will every year forthcoming under the new state law  among other driving-related fees.
CLINTON  From plowing farm fields to crewing B-17 Flying Fortresses, remarkable careers in aviation have gone airborne in DeWitt County.

Their stories are being preserved by a passion project headed by volunteers making a new aviation exhibit at the C.H. Moore Homestead DeWitt County Museum.

Designer-photographer Denis Hambucken of New Hampshire, his friend John Warner, and Edith Brady-Lunny, WGLT correspondent and former reporter for The Pantagraph, are joining up with museum director Joey Long to ensure the exhibit takes off this June.

The Pantagraph got a sneak peek Sunday of what theyve researched and gathered for the exhibit over the past six months. Hambucken said his goal is to make the exhibit as immersive and vivid as possible, and thats been a monumental task.

The exhibit really is a month-long celebration of flying, he said. Events for guest speakers and book signings are also in the works.

Warner also warned that its a limited-run exhibit, running from May 28 to July 3, and those interested should mark their calendars. After it ends, artifacts that were loaned for display will be returned to their owners.

Once its gone, its gone, he said.

Hambucken envisioned the exhibit, which will be located in the Carriage Barn at the museum, to entirely transport people with dramatic lighting, large, informative graphics, and highly detailed mannequins dressed in flight gear.

Its going to be top notch, he said.

Hambucken said: Were hoping to show that a small town like Clinton can put together a world-class exhibit.

One DeWitt County figure to be featured includes Donna Gross, who Warner said ferried all kinds of aircraft from the factories to the front in World War II. When she returned to Clinton, he said she left her aviation life behind and worked as a secretary in a law office.

There's also "Red" Irwin. Warner said he began flying in 1928, piloting stunts as a barnstormer, and later commercial flights for major airlines. He said Irwin finished his career as the president of Gulf Oil Co.s flying division.

He started in an open-cockpit biplane on a clover field, said Warner, and by the end of his career, he was flying four-engine jets all over the face of the Earth.

What we really are after is the story, said Hambucken, adding the display will include QR codes directing visitors to video and audio interviews.

Warner said these names and faces might be familiar to people living in and around Clinton, but their airtime stories are much less heard.

Brady-Lunny said so far, shes recorded more than 30 stories for the exhibit. She said she never gets used to sitting down with people who flew helicopters over Vietnam.

To her, the military stories are the most distinctive.

Said Brady-Lunny: They do have that element of commitment to their country and they just all had an attitude of support and going to do remarkable things  dangerous things that put them in harm's way.

She added many stories came from relatives of service members who didnt return to their families.

Financial support is also requested. Warner said they are looking for area businesses interested in sponsoring the exhibit. Their mannequins might also make a visit to store-front windows in town in the coming months.

Warner is hopeful the display will inspire people with connections to the county to share additional aviation history with them.

You can be from this county, but aviation takes you everywhere and touches everything, said Warner.

To submit artifacts or tales for the project, or if interested in providing material support to the exhibit, go to www.chmoore.homestead.org or call the museum director at 217-935-6066.

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy early followed by partly cloudy skies and gusty winds this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
By Trend





Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu had a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Trend reports citing Turkish MFA.

Cavushoglu called on Russia to stop the military operation in Ukraine, noting that further escalation of tension in the region would not benefit anyone.

Turkish FM said that in case of mutual desire of the parties, Ankara is ready to provide a platform for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Were you born in a barn?

In other words, get in here and shut the door. Take your dirty shoes off before you walk on the clean floor. You might call your cat your baby, and your dog is your best friend, but really, were you born in a barn? In the new book Funny Farm by Laurie Zaleski, the answer might be maybe.

The last time was different.

Laurie Zaleskis mother had uprooted the family before, but in the past, theyd always returned to the beautiful house at 8 Timber Heights Court, between Philadelphia and New Jersey.

That was the house where Zaleski spent her first five years of life. It was also where her father physically abused her mother until promises to stop didnt work anymore, and 26-year-old Annie scooped up her three children, drove around awhile to throw her husband off the trail and then brought the kids to a shell, as Zaleski says. Made of cement blocks, rotten wood and mold, their new home was a one-bedroom, no-bath, no-heat, no-running-water hovel that Annie promised could be cozy with some work.

Eventually, it was. It became a home before Zaleski was a teen  a home for children and dozens of animals that Annie seemed to collect.

She could never say no to any creature in need, in fact, and that was okay with her kids. Caring for animals and troubled friends taught responsibility. Making them safe taught self-sufficiency. Pet death taught realities and that food sometimes came first. Annie, blunt and no-nonsense, worked several jobs to make ends meet  something that embarrassed Zaleski as a teenager  but there was always room for another. The family was poor, but hers was a glorious childhood.

And then, just before she was able to enjoy an empty nest, Annie Zaleski fell sick. Her children worried about her, but she said she was fine. Healthy as a horse.

We couldnt have dreamed that this time, says Zaleski, our mother, the most truthful of women, was a liar.

Cute as a cuddly bunny, but with the kind of kick that only a mule can deliver, Funny Farm is the sort of book you want to read and be charmed.

Here, readers are treated to a dual memoir  one that is mostly about two farms and the animals on them: a big horse that was pure love, a peacocks miracle, pigs big and small, dogs and a chicken that thinks shes a dog. The other part is a love letter to a mothers strength, as author Laurie Zaleski writes about a childhood spent in an unconventional household that was first created out of necessity and then out of joy. The telling of this tale of humor, Mom-isms, love and anguish also gives readers room to think about how awesome their own mothers are.

Come to this book on either side, human or animal, and let yourself be delighted. Find it for the critters, love it for the people youll meet, Funny Farm will make any reader purr.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.  Dozens watched Saturday as men and women dressed in 18th century garb reenacted the Battle of Franklin in Johnson City.

The daylong festival included period demonstrations and concluded with the battle reenactment at the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site.

In early February of 1788, Jonathan Pugh, who served as the North Carolina sheriff of Washington County, was ordered by the county court under Colonel John Tipton to seize property belonging to John Sevier, who served as Franklins governor, for his owed taxes to the state. Pugh obeyed the orders, seized some of Seviers property, and took them to Tiptons cabin, at the present-day Tipton-Haynes Historic Site.

Sevier was angered by the seizure. Pughs actions had violated the Franklin Act, which was passed in 1787, and stated that any person attempting to perform an official act under North Carolina authority was subject to punishment.

Sevier and Tiptons disagreements eventually led to a battle, which was played out Saturday afternoon.

Tipton, his family and some supporters were at the property when Seviers men went to arrest Tipton. Sevier claimed to use the law of Franklin to take Tipton into custody as Tipton said he had no right to do so because Franklin was not a legal state. Tipton was loyal to North Carolina and did not support Franklin or Seviers leadership.

The men called each other traitors and treasonous.

A battle erupted as the men refused to cooperate with each other, although Tipton-Haynes Co-Director Wes Spurgeon noted the conflict only lasted about 10 minutes.

While rushing out of the cabin, Tipton shouted, Boys, every man who is a soldier come out.

Several reenactors, carrying rifles and 18th century gear, scrambled across the property. Both sides fired volleys as smoke rose across Tipton-Haynes.

As Spurgeon noted, the gun battle was brief. Three men, however, died as a result of the battle, according to Tipton-Haynes. Sheriff Pugh, who had previously seized Seviers property, was fatally wounded and died several days later.

Sevier and his men retreated as Tipton and his men helped the wounded.

Following the battle, Tiptons men took three of Seviers men, but then allowed them to return home.

Tipton had threatened to hang the three men, but was talked down by his men.

The casualty rate was low, historians say, because neither side wanted to hurt anyone. The men likely purposely fired shots poorly, shooting into the air, or in different directions.

The battle, the only one recorded during the lost states history, occurred three years after Franklins creation. The state never achieved permanent statehood, but its history is not forgotten in Tennessee  its also the namesake of several area entities, including State of Franklin Road in Johnson City and State of Franklin Bank.

Though the culture in Northeast Tennessee has grown immensely since the battle for statehood in 1788, the regions origins are still commemorated with events such as the reenactment of the Battle of Franklin.

Before Tennessee became a state and Articles of Confederation had not yet been replaced by the U.S. Constitution, the counties of Sullivan, Washington, Hawkins and Greene were part of the land that constituted the state of Franklin in western North Carolina. It was a confusing time in the region.

Many, including Sevier, supported Franklin, while others, such as Tipton, were loyal and supported North Carolina. Both governments attempted to control the region.

After the battle, tensions remained, but Franklins support began to diminish.

North Carolina eventually gave the region west of the Appalachian Mountains which included Franklin, to the federal government, which created the Southwest Territory.

In 1796, that territory became part of the brand-new state of Tennessee, and Sevier became its first governor.

Tipton became one of the states first senators in the General Assembly.
The stock market took a plunge. Gas pump prices are edging upward by the hour. Whether Americans like it or not, the war in Ukraine is going to affect them in profound and unpleasant ways.

No amount of complaining and political finger-pointing about whos to blame will change the simple fact that a superpower invasion of a Texas-sized European country is going to continue reverberating around the world.

Citizens and politicians in this country can help shorten the duration by suspending the political sniping and uniting behind President Joe Bidens efforts to keep the United States out of a shooting war with Russia while making President Vladimir Putin suffer maximum consequences for his aggression.

The preceding sentence will strike many conservative readers as laughable coming from a newspaper that has devoted years to criticizing the policies of former President Donald Trump. But never in his presidency did Trump face a situation like this. He and his supporters would argue that his tough policies were what deterred Putin from ever attempting such a move on Trumps watch. There are very strong facts about Trumps record that would tear that argument down quickly  facts that suggest Trump actually encouraged the chain of events that are now unfolding in Ukraine. But those are political arguments for another time.

Right now, the world is at a level of crisis not seen since the Cuban missile crisis of 1961, if not the Sept. 1, 1939, German invasion of Poland, when World War II started.

Putin stated Tuesday that he was acting to defend two Russian-speaking eastern regions of Ukraine that, he asserted, were proclaiming their independence. It appeared that Russias incursion would be limited to that eastern region, much like Putins illegal seizure and annexation of Crimea in 2014. But if that were true, why did Putin launch attacks across all of Ukraine on Thursday and deploy ground troops to Ukraines capital, Kyiv, 200 miles to the northwest?

Every justification Putin claimed was based on lies. If he goes unchallenged, why should he stop at Ukraine? True to his megalomaniacal form, Putin has made clear his intention to restore Russias former glory through territorial expansion. Nothing in his portfolio of international military adventurism suggests it will end here.

So skeptical Americans must ask themselves: If not now, when will it be time to stand up to Putin?

In an Associated Press/NORC poll, only 26% of respondents supported a greater U.S. role in Ukraine. As if this rapidly escalating crisis would magically resolve itself if the United States just stood back and watched.

The poll was conducted Feb. 18 to 21, before fighting had begun and Putins words amounted to little more than bluster.

Does it change their minds seeing for themselves the missile explosions, tanks and troops deploying across Ukraine, and frightened civilians taking shelter in subways  exactly as Britons did to escape Hitlers air raids and rocket attacks in World War II?

The poll also showed that only 23% of Americans trusted U.S. intelligence reports about the Russian military buildup and forecasts of Putins intentions to invade. On Thursday, every single one of the warnings the Biden administration issued, based on declassified intelligence, turned out to be true. A big reason Biden declassified the intelligence was to let Putin know he could not rely on the element of surprise, perhaps to make Putin rethink the wisdom of invading.

At best, the tactic only stalled Putins plans. So now comes the hard part: imposing and sustaining international sanctions so severe they would put a stranglehold on Russias economy, crashing the ruble and denying Moscows ability to sell oil, access foreign bank accounts or conduct foreign financial transactions. Russian billionaires, some of whom are helping launder money that Putin has stolen from his own people, will be cut off from their international accounts. One billionaire oligarch reportedly saw his net worth drop by 30% on Wednesday alone.

Thats why gasoline prices are going up and the stock market is plunging.

Republicans on Capitol Hill are doing everything to blame Biden for these domestic repercussions. Trump is touting the low gas prices Americans enjoyed during his presidency. Hes even exploiting this crisis to solicit campaign donations.

Republicans might well argue that Biden and the Democrats dont deserve a magnanimous gesture of national unity, given the way Democrats savaged President George W. Bush during the Iraq War. Thats the wrong reference. Even Trump criticized the Iraq War. There was no crisis. The 2003 invasion was based on the same kind of false-flag, fictitious justifications that Putin used to claim his right to invade Ukraine.

A more apt reference would be the national unity displayed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when Democrats and Republicans joined together in backing the invasion of Afghanistan. No, Putins action is not the same as the direct attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, but it is a direct challenge to global stability unwitnessed since World War II.

What matters most right now is for Putin to encounter an unshakable wall of unified American resolve, with Republicans joining Democrats in declaring, just as George H.W. Bush declared in 1990 when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, that this aggression will not stand.

Just put the political posturing on hold for awhile. There will be plenty of opportunities to score points later. If ever there was a need for national unity, and for America to speak with one voice in opposition to Putins aggression, this is that moment.
That was the largest audience to witness an inauguration, period, Sean Spicer, Trumps first press secretary claimed the day after the 2017 inauguration. Crowd sizes are admittedly difficult to estimate. But photo evidence (and other inauguration information used to estimate crowd sizes) clearly contradicted Spicers claim.

That the administration promoted what Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway controversially referred to as alternative facts about the inauguration crowd size (which Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd pointed out to Conway are not facts but rather falsehoods) may not seem that significant. It does not really matter, after all, whose crowd, Trumps vs. Obamas or others, was bigger.

But the claim set a disturbing precedent. If, on the first days in office, Trump and those within his administration were willing to lie about something for which there was direct photo evidence to the contrary, what else would they be willing to lie about during the rest of their time in power?

Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson has recently come under fire for parties held during the pandemic that violated lockdown restrictions. As such events came to light, he was less than forthcoming and pressure began to build for Johnson to be removed as prime minister.

As an isolated event, a government party during a nationwide lockdown would perhaps not be viewed as being that significant. But Johnsons attempts at obfuscating the truth fit into a broader pattern.

While working as a journalist prior to taking office, Johnson was fired from The Times, a daily paper in London, for making up a quote. He became editor of The Spectator promising not to pursue a political career and then became a member of Parliament. He denied allegations of having an affair that turned out to be true. He was accused of frequently promoting euromyths while advocating for Brexit. He repeatedly said that he would not run to be a member of Parliament in 2015, only to later do so. Johnson has been described by former colleagues as ineffably duplicitous and someone who will recreate the truth to suit him.

The government parties do not mark the first time that the Johnson administration has come under fire for disregarding lockdown regulations. In March of 2020, Johnsons adviser Dominic Cummings drove 240 miles to his parents farm with his wife and child, taking a side-trip to Barnard Castle, a popular sight-seeing spot, on his wifes birthday. When the trip came to light, rather than coming clean and taking responsibility, Cummings tried to justify the trip, saying that the lockdown rules were ambiguous, blaming the media, and absurdly claiming that the side trip to Barnard Castle was to test his eyesight.

Partisan defenders at times seek to deflect accusations of lying by drawing attention to others lies. Those on the right may point out, for example, that Californias Democratic governor Gavin Newsom similarly violated lockdown regulations and subsequently lied (he attended a dinner party in November of 2020 and then claimed that it was outdoors though photographic evidence showed otherwise). But two wrongs do not make a right, as the saying goes. Others lying or committing other moral offenses does not morally absolve someone from doing the same.

Some lies, furthermore, are out of character while others fit into broader patterns of dishonesty. Johnsons mistruths long predate his tenure as prime minister. The attempted whitewashing of the government parties was just one of many times that Johnson has shown a disregard for the truth, not having learned his lesson even after having being fired as a journalist for fabricating a quote.

And some lies are bigger than others. All politicians, perhaps, spin the truth to some extent (try to bend it in line with their partisan beliefs). But there is a difference between spin and outright, verifiable, dishonesty.

With that said, watch out for even the small lies. Minor or trivial lies today may be precursors to bigger, more consequential lies tomorrow. The Trump administration began with the alternative facts of the inauguration. It ended with the Big Lie of the stolen election.

Johnson has remained in office despite his approval plummeting and members of his party within Parliament having turned on him. Having lost trust through a repeated pattern of lying about matters large and small, he has overstayed his welcome. For the Johnson administration, the party is now over. Its time to leave or be shown the door.

David R. Dreyer is a political science professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Write to him at David.Dreyer@lr.edu
This is Peter Hitchenss Mail on Sunday column

So they finally got their war. But what are they going to do now? This is the most avoidable, needless conflict in modern history. It was nurtured and hatched in the small minds of foolish men. There was a compromise available, but because they were too proud to consider it, terrified civilians now weep outside the ruins of what were once their homes.

At this point, these noisy boasters turn out, as usual, to have big mouths and tiny fists. The Kremlin, responding to years of deliberate humiliation, taunting and provocation, finally goes mad and invades a sovereign country. The mighty West hits back by chucking Moscow out of the Eurovision Song Contest.

You might have thought that, after 30 years of tough talk, they could have come up with something a bit better than that. But if you had observed, as I have, the steady, shameful shrivelling of Britains diplomatic soft power and hard armed forces over the past three decades, you would not have been surprised.

When I say they, I mean the army of Washington power-worshippers, think-tankers, politicians and swaggering musclemen journalists  most of whom have never heard a bullet fly or seen a corpse.

Since 1992, they have thought it wise to treat Russia like a beaten dog. The inventor of that policy is the American neo-conservative politician Paul Wolfowitz. He just happens to be the architect of that other great disaster, the Iraq War.

The New York Times in March 1992 reported the existence of a Pentagon document, believed to be the work of Mr Wolfowitz. It said that from now on there should only be one superpower. It stated Our first objective is to prevent the re-emergence of a new rival, either on the territory of the former Soviet Union or elsewhere, that poses a threat on the order of that posed formerly by the Soviet Union.

The suggestion was ridiculous. The former Soviet Union was at that time a bankrupt mass of scrap metal, rust and corruption. I was there, I know. Once the dust settled, it would find itself with an economy the size of Italys, and an ageing, ill, diminishing population. The Communist ideology which had driven its expansion and aggression was dead.

Yet here were senior American political figures, planning further humiliation. The outcry over this dangerous language caused a hasty rewrite, and when the document was published it had been greatly toned down.

Yet within a few years, under Bill Clinton, and supported by expensive lobbying by US arms manufacturers, the USA began the eastward expansion of Nato. Since then Nato has never said who it is defending its members against  because such an admission would be an act of aggression in itself. But it can only really be explained by a desire to keep Russia down. For what purpose?

I have never seen any attempt by anyone to reply to the urgent condemnation of this decision, made in 1998 by one of the greatest diplomats who ever lived, George Kennan. Mr Kennan, inventor of the successful strategy of containment of the Soviet Union, came out of retirement to protest.

He said Nato expansion was folly, and correctly predicted it would create nationalist backlash in Moscow. Did the neo-conservatives who created this policy really think Russia, with its huge intelligence services and vast, sophisticated foreign policy establishment, would not notice that it was being targeted?

Russia guards its interests, as do all nations, just as rain falls downwards and water is wet. Out of this realisation came Vladimir Putin, the direct consequence of the Wolfowitz doctrine. We created him.

In fact, Wolfowitz and Clinton were simply wrong. China was the real danger. Think about this. In 1989, the Soviet Empire gave way to mass demonstrations in Prague and East Germany. It could have massacred protesters in Leipzig, Dresden and Berlin, but it did not. After a few nasty but feeble attempts to fight demands for independence in the Baltic states and Georgia, Russia gave up its enormous empire in Europe and Asia. In return, Russia was treated like a pariah by the EU and Nato when it sought a civilised relationship with them.

That same year, Chinas Communists answered their peoples demands for freedom by murdering them on the streets of Peking.

In the years since, they have created an ever-fiercer police state regime, tightened their dictatorial grip on Tibet, and menaced Taiwan by hugely increasing their military and naval power. They have also blatantly broken their promises to maintain freedom in Hong Kong, and engaged in a shameful and racialist repression of the Uighurs.

This is a real threat, and a regime which makes Putin look relaxed. Yet we stay on friendly terms with them. When their despots come to London, and dine at Buckingham Palace, British police cravenly crush peaceful demonstrations of protest lest our tyrannical guests are offended. We continue to pretend Taiwan is not independent.

We cravenly shun the Dalai Lama for the sake of trade. Is it precisely because we are so feeble in this real struggle that we pretend to toughness in the supposed New Cold War with Russia? I often think so.

And now here we are again, in a moralising frenzy. The BBC, which insisted on strict neutrality between Britain and Argentina in its coverage of the Falklands War, flings itself into an ignorant and one-sided coverage of the Ukraine crisis.

A leading presenter proclaims, from a city he weirdly calls Kyeeeev, that Ukraine is a European democracy, in which case he is very easily satisfied.

As my old friend Edward Lucas, no friend of Russia, put it in the Daily Mail yesterday, Ukraine is a country where oligarchs run media empires, with politicians and officials on the payroll. The judicial system is a festering mess where arrests, prosecutions and verdicts are used as score-settlers between political and commercial rivals. Senior positions are bought and sold. Healthcare and education are plagued by kickbacks. The security service, the SBU, is infested with intrigue and sleaze  and penetrated by Russian agents of influence.

Justified outrage over the terrible harvest of war would be more convincing if we had paid more attention to the hundreds of civilian casualties, many of them inflicted by Ukrainian armed forces, in and near the breakaway regions in the countrys East.

A 2020 report by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe said that between January 2017 and September 2020, there were 946 civilian casualties, of which 161 were fatalities. Among the casualties were 100 children (73 boys and 27 girls).

It would also be more convincing if our political and media establishment had not supported the Nato bombing of Belgrade in 1999 (with major civilian casualties); the crazy invasion of Iraq in 2003; and the forgotten Nato bombing of Libya, also with its toll of dismembered children killed in supposed surgical strikes. That intervention destroyed Libya. Mr Putin, and the Chinese police state, know that we did these things, and see them as precedents for any crimes of the same kind they may commit later.

Im told I am supporting the invasion by saying we provoked it. But if I warn a child that, if he annoys a wasp, it will sting him, am I supporting the wasp? I am accused of treachery, or of being an apologist for Russia, for urging a different view on this crisis. Surely this is how dissent is treated in dictatorships.

I write this as a British patriot. How was it in our interests to provoke a war we cannot win, and cannot even fight, against a country which is not, in fact, our enemy?

If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens, click on Comments and scroll down
The Nebraska women's gymnastics team notched numerous career-highs against No. 1 Michigan in front of more than 3,700 fans. The Huskers fell to the Wolverines, 196.475-196.225.

Kinsey Davis highlighted the meet with a personal best 9.975 on uneven bars to claim the title and help the Huskers to a season-best event score. Sophomorehighlighted the meet with a personal best 9.975 on uneven bars to claim the title and help the Huskers to a season-best event score.

Rotation One

Kaitlyn Higgins led NU off with a 9.450 while Emma Spence followed with a 9.775. Kylie Piringer notched a 9.800. Kinsey Davis earned a team-high 9.850. Ayzhia Hall earned a 9.450 while Makayla Curtis finished the rotation off with a 9.725. The Huskers started on vault, earning a team score of 48.600.led NU off with a 9.450 whilefollowed with a 9.775.notched a 9.800.earned a team-high 9.850.earned a 9.450 whilefinished the rotation off with a 9.725.

The Wolverines started on uneven bars earning a team score of 49.475. Abby Heiskell led UM with a 9.950.

Rotation Two

Kinsey Davis , who claimed the event title. Clara Colombo matched her personal best with a 9.900 while Emma Spence set a career-high with a 9.875. Genesis Gibson and Emma Simpton each earned a 9.775 while Kathryn Thaler finished with a 9.700. Nebraska had a strong second rotation, competing on uneven bars and earning a season-high team score of 49.300. The rotation was highlighted by a career-high 9.975 from, who claimed the event title.matched her personal best with a 9.900 whileset a career-high with a 9.875.andeach earned a 9.775 whilefinished with a 9.700.

Michigan competed on vault earning a team score of 48.275. Sierra Brooks claimed the vault title with a 10.000 score.

The Huskers went into rotation three leading 97.900-97.875.

Rotation Three

Emma Spence started the Huskers off with a 9.775. Makayla Curtis notched a 9.875 while Clara Colombo earned a 9.825. Kaitlyn Higgins earned a 9.800. Kinsey Davis continued with a 9.825. Kathryn Thaler finished the rotation with a 9.175. NU earned a 49.100 on balance beam for rotation three.started the Huskers off with a 9.775.notched a 9.875 whileearned a 9.825.earned a 9.800.continued with a 9.825.finished the rotation with a 9.175.

UM competed on floor, earning a team score of 49.425. Sierra Brooks led the Wolverines with a 9.975, claiming the event title.

Rotation Four

The Huskers finished the day on floor with a team score of 49.225.

Emma Spence started the rotation making her career-best score with a 9.850. Ayzhia Hall followed with a personal best 9.900. Makayla Curtis notched a 9.850 while Katie Kuenemann earned a 9.725. Kylie Piringer earned a 9.800. Kaitlyn Higgins finished the day with a 9.825. started the rotation making her career-best score with a 9.850.followed with a personal best 9.900.notched a 9.850 whileearned a 9.725.earned a 9.800.finished the day with a 9.825.

The Wolverines finished on beam, earning a team score of 49.175. Natalie Wojcik claimed the event title with a 9.900.

All-Around Competition

Emma Spence finished in fourth with a score of 39.275. Michigan's Sierra Brooks claimed the title with a 39.725. finished in fourth with a score of 39.275. Michigan's Sierra Brooks claimed the title with a 39.725.

Up Next

The Huskers return to action Friday, March 4 when they host the Masters Classic in Lincoln, Neb. NU will face George Washington, Lindenwood and Pennsylvania. The meet will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Sunday, Feb. 27

Old Courthouse Theatre presents Nana Does Vegas by Katherine DiSavino. Nana has taken a gamble and moved to Las Vegas, where she and her sidekick Vera are working as seamstresses for the hottest show in Las Vegas. Showtime is 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.octconcord.com or at the door 45 minutes prior to the show starting.

Monday, Feb. 28

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Wednesday, March 2

The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join us on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave. SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome.

Thursday, March 3

Cabarrus Disabled American Veterans (DAV) will meet at 7 p.m. at 2400 Rock Hill Church Road in Concord. All are welcomed

Friday, March 4

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, March 5

The Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society will hold its Spring Yard Sale from 8 a.m. to noon at the museum, 1100 N. Main St., Mount Pleasant. Reserve a space by calling 704-436-6612. Spaces are $15 each and free for ECHS members.

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Sunday, March 13

The Piedmont Prime Time Community Band is presenting a spring concert titled American Cameos at 4 p.m. at Kannapolis Middle School, 1000 Virginia Dare St. The band consists of community members of all ages from the local area. This will be the first concert directed by Chris White, who is also the band director at Hickory Ridge High School. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Wednesday, March 16

The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join the members on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave. SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome.

Friday, March 18

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, March 19

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Monday, March 21

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Friday, March 25

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, March 26

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St. S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Currently takeout only. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785.

Monday, March 28

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Tuesday, March 29

Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Ceremony Honoring Vietnam War Veterans will be held at American Legion Post 51 on 165 Wilshire Ave. SW in Concord. The program, which includes a social gathering and refreshments, will last from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program is sponsored by the Cabarrus Black Boys Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and The Cabarrus Veterans Coalition. To RSVP, call 703-371-6850 by March 15.

A Memorial Service at Vietnam Veterans Park will be open to the public at 2 p.m. The park is at 760 Orphanage Road in Concord. An RSVP is not required.

Friday, April 1

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 2

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St. S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Currently takeout only. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785.

Monday, April 4

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Wednesday, April 6

The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join us on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave. SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome.

Friday, April 8

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 9

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St. S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Currently takeout only. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785.

Monday, April 10

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Got news or events?

Does your community group or nonprofit agency have an upcoming event that would be of interest to the public? Email it to mplemmons@independenttribune.com.
By Trend





The United States is considering sanctions against the Central Bank of Russia because of the situation around Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter, Trend reports.

A final decision has not yet been made, and it is not clear how the discussions are progressing, the message reads.

The question of possible sanctions against the Central Bank of Russia arose at the end of January, one of the sources told the agency.
For transgender Catholics across the United States, retaining their faith can entail complex calculations. They face rebukes from some fellow Catholics, including many bishops, yet find full acceptance in some premises of the church.

A small but growing number of parishes have formed LGBTQ ministries or support groups and warmly welcome transgender people on their own terms. Yet within the past two years, at least six Catholic dioceses have issued guidelines targeting trans people with restrictions and refusing to recognize their gender identity.

"Many of our bishops are anti-science. ... They are cold and cruel," said Sister Luisa Derouen, a retired nun who has ministered to transgender people. "You can't respect people and deny their existence at the same time."

The latest policy targeting trans Catholics was issued by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in January. It bars church personnel from using trans people's preferred pronouns that reflect their gender identity.

Objecting to trans-supportive "gender theory," the policy stipulates that "all interactions and policies, parishes, organizations, and institutions are to recognize only a person's biological sex."

Among other measures, it says parishes, schools and other Catholic organizations in the archdiocese must require people to use bathrooms associated with their birth gender and adhere to dress codes on the same basis.

And a broader policy issued in July by the Diocese of Marquette, which encompasses Michigan's Upper Peninsula, said pastors should deny trans, gay and nonbinary Catholics the sacraments  such as baptism and Communion  "unless the person has repented." It was signed by Bishop John Doerfler.

But in some other parishes around the country, a different, more welcoming face of the church is on display.

Just a few weeks before the Marquette policy was issued, the Church of Our Lady of Grace in Hoboken, New Jersey, celebrated its annual Pride Mass in support of the LGBTQ community. Delivering part of the homily at the invitation of the priest, Alexander Santora, was Christine Zuba, a transgender woman from New Jersey.

"We are not disordered, confused or a fad," Zuba said, sharing with other worshippers the decades-long journey that led her to come out six years earlier at age 58. "We are not trying to defy God, nor to play God."

"By staying visible, not only outside these walls but inside our churches, we change hearts and minds, one person at a time," she concluded. "Once in a while we may get thrown out, but if that happens, we're not going away. We're coming right back in."

Santora, a priest for 40 years, said the other worshippers rose and applauded.

"Our church was opened in 1878," Santora said. "I wanted Christine to be on that pulpit."

A lifelong Catholic, Zuba said she knew from age 4 that she was different. When she finally decided to come out five decades later, she was grateful that a nearby parish, Saints Peter and Paul in Turnersville, New Jersey, welcomed her. She serves there as a eucharistic minister.

Yet she knows that much of the Catholic hierarchy, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, rejects the concept of gender transition.

"These bishops and priests don't understand that when they turn someone away, they're losing parents, children, groups of friends who say this is not the church we want to belong to," Zuba said.

Lynn Discenza, a 64-year-old transgender woman, grew up in a churchgoing Italian American family in West Hartford, Connecticut, and gave seminary a try before pursuing a career in aerospace design.

She considers herself fortunate, after transitioning two years ago, to be part of a welcoming Catholic church in the area  Saint Patrick-Saint Anthony Church in Hartford. She is a co-leader of its LGBTQ ministry.

Particularly moving, Discenza said, was a Nov. 21 observance marking the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, which commemorates people killed due to anti-trans violence. She thanked the other worshippers for their support, and they responded with applause.

The pastor, Timothy Shreenan, highlighted the commemoration in the church bulletin.

"We must always stand up against hatred in all its forms, and not allow others' fears (or phobias) to be a reason for hatred," he wrote. "Rather, we must continue to learn more about the experience of others and to become more tolerant and accepting of one another."

Discenza hopes that grassroots activism on behalf of greater inclusivity will accelerate as more parishes add LGBTQ ministries.

"The change is going to come from the ground up, and some of the old bishops will die away," she said.

For young transgender Catholics, the conflicting approaches of individual churches and clergy can pose challenges to both them and their parents.

Eli Musselman of Philadelphia, who turns 19 in March and came out as transgender almost four years ago, said he felt a strong connection with his faith as a boy and many of his friends supported him.

But the pastor of the family's longtime parish declined to refer to him with masculine pronouns and he had anxiety attacks in church due to some parishioners' "nasty looks," prompting the family to switch to a parish that made them feel at home.

"A place that had once been a safe haven for me had become a place of dangers," said Musselman, now a freshman at the Jesuit-run St. Josephs University, where students and most professors, with one hurtful exception, have been supportive.

"But since coming out," he added, "my spirituality has grown. ... I feel whole for the first time in my life."

"I lost some really good friends," said his mother, JoEllen Musselman. "I felt I was constantly making apologies to people, and I got tired of that."

After embracing Catholicism as a convert after her marriage, she now has mixed feelings. Though determined to remain active in the church and advocate for greater inclusivity, she remains skeptical about the topmost Catholic leaders.

"They're flawed," she said. "If it wasn't for Christ, the church would collapse, because we humans screw everything up."

At the highest level of Catholic leadership, Pope Francis' position can best be described as two-sided.

On one hand, he has personally ministered to trans Catholics, receiving them in the Vatican and encountering them as an archbishop in Argentina, and he has said the Catholic Church must accompany them. However, he has repeatedly denounced "gender theory" and what he calls the "ideological colonization" in some schools that teaches children they can change their biological sex at will.

Francis spoke at length on the issue during a 2016 press conference, stressing the need to avoid "gender ideology" but reasserting the need to minister to trans Catholics. "But please don't say 'The pope sanctifies trans!' Please!"

Luisa Derouen, the retired nun who has ministered to more than 250 transgender people since 1999, received permission from her superiors in 2014 to write about that work. But that was on condition she not identify herself or her congregation, the Dominican Sisters of Peace. She did so under a pseudonym, which she ultimately abandoned in 2018 to publicly speak out on behalf of trans people and "give witness to their dignity and worth as human beings."

In a recent interview, Derouen said friction over transgender inclusion is likely to intensify.

"There has never been a time in the American church when Catholic hierarchy has had less moral credibility," she said. "The people in the pews are taking responsibility for doing their own homework and recognizing that we are all God's people."

Michael Sennett, a 26-year-old transgender man, sees that happening at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where he is communications director.

The unwelcoming attitude of some bishops discourages him, but he's heartened by advances, including the formation of a support group called LGBTQ+ Catholics.

"Overall I marvel at the progress," Sennett said. "People are speaking up as never before, joining forces.  The laity is finding more power."

***

Associated Press correspondent Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Do you have a legal question you would like answered without charge? This Friday (March 4), you can do just that during the 15th 4ALL event, a public service program of the NC Bar Foundation. N.C. citizens can talk to a N.C.-licensed lawyer for free on that day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Imagine that.

The 4ALL effort, widely acclaimed nationally, was started in 2008 under the leadership of then-President of the NCBA Janet Ward Black, a prominent lawyer in Greensboro.

Who can call? Any adult, including those who speak Spanish. The callers are not limited because of their level of income.

What kinds of calls will be answered? Business, criminal and traffic, consumer/bankruptcy, education, employment, unemployment or workers compensation, construction law, estate planning, elder law, eviction and landlord/ tenant law, family law/child issues, foreclosure, governmental benefits, immigration, intellectual property, juvenile justice, personal injury, public benefits, social security benefits, tax law, and veterans benefits.

When and where can you call? From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, March 4, statewide. In the Triad , the call-in number is 336-355-6262. Over 400 attorneys, paralegals and law student volunteers will work together to answer calls. Last year, volunteers answered over 9,700 calls. The programs mission is to help address the access to justice gap by providing access to a lawyer for members of the public who otherwise are unable to access legal services.

What numbers should you call? As noted, the number to call for Winston-Salem and the Greensboro/Triad is 336-355-6262. If you cannot get through or you cannot call on March 4, call Legal Aid of North Carolina at 1-866-219-5262, or call the NCBA Lawyer Referral Service at 919-677-8574.

How callers should prepare

:

Be patient

Have a pen and paper available to write down the information the lawyer gives to you

Write down your basic facts. Prepare a timeline of what happened when

Explain what you have done to resolve your concern or issue so far

Explain what you want or need to happen

For additional information about this program, contact the N.C. Bar Foundation at foundation@ncbar.org

Lawyer referral service

LRS is another highly successful NCBA program that annually serves over 25,000 citizens, regardless of their income level, providing answers to any number of legal issues. For no more than $50, you can talk to a lawyer for up to 30 minutes in your geographical area that is familiar with your legal topic; the number is 919-677-8574. Many times, these lawyers will field your questions and answer them without a fee, depending on how complex the facts and legal issues are.

The public benefits greatly from these NCBA/ NCBF programs. Providing access to our members for direction about routine legal questions improves access to justice in North Carolina, said Charlotte lawyer Jon Heyl, president of NCBA and NCBF. As a career-long member of NCBA and a past president, I would add that these are exactly the kinds of programs in which lawyers should participate.

If you are not able to call Friday, remember that all lawyers in our state are called upon to provide several pro-bono hours of service each year. (And they are happy to do so, BTW.) Call before you act if you have a question about a situation and your instincts are telling you that you need to check with a lawyer. The lawyer should answer your quick question as a courtesy, most times. Because your lawyer wants you to avoid the best problem you never have, too! Something you assumed is not a problem could, in fact, be a problem in waiting.Remember: An informed choice is a smart choice.

Mike Wells is a partner with Wells Law, PLLC in Winston-Salem. Contact him at mike@wellslaw.us or 336-283-8700.
As a senior in costume technology in the School of Design and Production at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Jenna Anderson has always wanted to work for The Royal Ballet, a renowned ballet company in London.

Currently, its a bit difficult to get a UK work visa, she said, so she figured out another way to make her mark.

I was like, Why not just cold call it? Anderson said.

She sent an Instagram message to Yasmine Naghdi, a principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, and told her about her website and how she makes tutus. Then she asked if Naghdi would be interested in a custom tutu.

Im going to apply for the Semans (Art Fund) grant at my school, so it would virtually come at no cost to you, Anderson told the ballerina. And it would give me an educational experience to make this for you.

Anderson never expected to get a response.

But two hours later, Naghdi messaged her back and agreed to work with her.

I was like, Oh, my God. What? Anderson said. I had the happiest anxiety attack Ive ever had.

In March, Anderson will go to London to make a custom ballet tutu and a tiara for Naghdi.

This is going to be the tutu that she uses when she tours around the world, Anderson said. Whenever she has her own independent gig, shes going to be wearing my design, which is pretty cool.

She received the Semans Art Fund grant to help with the trip, which she has dubbed Project Tutu.

As far as she knows, this is the first collaborative project overseas of its kind.

I think this is the first of its kind because Im not doing it through the school, she said. Im not doing it through the dance department. Im not doing it through The Royal Ballet. Its really an independent collaboration.

The Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County is her fiscal agent for the project, and she is accepting donations to support her trip.

Money raised will allow Anderson to travel and work in London, England; gain professional development and further educational experience; and support the creation of an original costume for prima ballerina Yasmine Naghdi of The Royal Ballet in London, states the arts council on its website.

Anderson said she is also trying to raise additional money so that her childhood friend, Brian Bassard, a photographer and videographer, can go with her to London to make a documentary about the process to enter in the RiverRun International Film Festival.

Andersons trip is scheduled for March 15-April 22.

Its a childhood dream come true and a one-of-kind experience, she said.

Cold calls

At 29, Anderson lives by the motto, Stay true to yourself and rise above.

This is not the first time she has taken a chance and been successful in cold-calling.

Its a pattern in her life.

She is originally from the San Francisco Bay area in northern California.

As a teenager, Anderson danced for a while in California.

I went through a pretty bad mental health state when I was about 16, and then it really maximized when I was 18, she said.

Ultimately, she decided to do what made her happy.

I realized I wanted to be involved in dance still but not be a professional dancer, Anderson said. I wanted to do the background work.

In 2012, she made her first tutu while she was in California at Claudia Folts tutu school in California. Folts is the founder and owner of Tutu.com, based in Charlotte.

I was so happy, Anderson said.

Her first cold call was to Grant Spencer of GTLS Designs in 2012, inquiring if she could be his intern.

I just realized I needed to expand my horizons, Anderson said.

She said she grew up in a conservative, very sheltered environment.

I really had no experience in the real world, she said.

She became Spencers intern, saying he gently pushed her to expand her horizons and challenged her to think bigger.

After attending Parsons The New School for Designs sewing summer intensive in 2015, Anderson cold-called the late Travis Halsey, a ballet costume designer, about being his intern in Chicago, and he agreed.

She moved to Chicago in 2016 and was homeless for a bit.

It was the first time I had encountered the real world, she said.

Anderson also called the UNCSA Dance Costume Shop asking to be a volunteer to learn more about dance costuming.

In 2017, she became the first apprentice at the UNCSA Dance Costume Shop, she said.

She said she decided to give Winston-Salem a chance after talking to Marissa McCullough and Lisa Weller, then costume technicians for the UNCSA Dance Costume Shop, during a meeting at Local 27101 restaurant in downtown Winston-Salem.

She said Weller, now retired, housed and fed her.

Im truly indebted to the Dance Costume Shop, Anderson said. They are the reason I came to Winston, and they continue to support me in every way possible.

When she first moved from Chicago to Winston-Salem, she worked as a morning barista at the former Starbucks on Oakland Drive.

That was one of the best work experiences of my life, Anderson said. Starbucks is where I learned to communicate with people.

She found that her customers were intrigued by her because she was from California.

Half of them didnt know my name, she said. They just knew me as the girl with the red lipstick, because I always wore red lipstick.

Many of her customers became her cheerleaders.

I developed a lot of deep relationships with my Starbucks customers, and they really helped me to navigate  like how to network in Winston-Salem and who to talk to in Winston-Salem, she said.

In 2018, she became a student at UNCSA after several people associated with the Dance Costume Shop encouraged her to apply for school.

When she told her Starbucks customers that she was applying to school at UNCSA, she said they would always ask her, Did you hear back yet?

Although she quit Starbucks when she was accepted at UNCSA, she still maintained a lot of those relationships.

The future

As her entrepreneurial spirit awakens, Anderson plans to remain in Winston-Salem after graduating from UNCSA and operate Jenna Sais Quoi Designs, a creative agency. Through JSQ, a branch of her umbrella business, Anderson makes button-down shirts.

I really want to start several businesses here, she said. I think Winston is an incredible place for creativity.

Anderson is scheduled to fly back from London on April 22, in time for graduation day on May 7.

Her senior project is a formal gown for Katie Hall, chief advancement officer for the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County.

Hall will wear the four-piece design to Piedmont Operas Magnolia Ball on May 7.

I love Jennas work, Hall said. She puts so much attention to detail into the work that Ive seen that she has produced and is very conscious of making work available for creatives locally.

Marissa McCullough, now director of Dance Costumes at UNCSA, said Anderson is a passionate and determined artist.

It has been my pleasure to support and encourage her as she reaches each goal she sets her mind to, McCullough said. I know this trip to London will be a real turning point for her professionally, and I cant wait to see what she creates.

336-727-7366 @fdanielWSJ

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Author event

The 10th annual Movable Feast and Parapalooza will be Feb. 27. The Saturday Evening Parapalooza will be at 7 p.m. at Reynolds Place Theatre inside Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem.

Authors will read from their books and will sign books. Tickets are $45. The Sunday Afternoon Movable Feast will be at 3 p.m. at Reynolds Place Theatre. Each author will visit each of 10 tables for 10 minutes. A book signing will follow. Tickets are $45.

Tickets are available at bookmarksnc.org/MovableFeast22. Find a list of authors and books at bookmarksnc.org/MovableFeast22.

Art show

Artfolios will be part of Gaia! March 2022s group show 45 Miller St. in Winston-Salem.

The show will feature work by Emily Clare, Kimberly Varnadoe, Pat Spainhour and Sharon Hardin.

The show opens March 1. A reception will be 4-6 p.m. March 3.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Clare says she draws from a lifelong fascination with natures landforms and plant life.

Varnadoe works with experimental photography and a variety of printmaking techniques, often combining the processes. Spainhour, who has an interest in encaustic painting, creates work based on a study into the nature found in her environment, textures and color relationships.

Hardin has worked with watercolor for the past three decades.

See and buy works from Gaia Collections at www.artfolios.shop.

Exhibit

A new exhibit called Transitioning will run Feb. 27 through March 26 at Artworks Gallery at 564 N. Trade St., Winston-Salem.

The display will feature work by Alix Hitchcock and Lea Lackey-Zachmann. Hitchcock, who is exhibiting work on paper using hand-pulled prints made into collages and abstract paintings on paper, is interested in the symbolism of humans struggling with their place in the natural world. Lea Lackey-Zachmann, who is exhibiting paintings, prints and drawings, shows a mixture of past thoughts and a beginning of new ideas for discovery and growth in her work  Transitioning.

An opening reception will be from 2 to 4 p.m. March 6.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Call 336-723-5890 or go to www.Artworks-Gallery.org.

Concert

Winston-Salem Symphony will present a Classics Concert Series featuring legendary saxophonist Branford Marsalis at 7:30 p.m. March 5 and 3 p.m. March 6 at the Stevens Center of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, 405 W. Fourth St. in downtown Winston- Salem.

Marsalis will perform a saxophone concerto by composer John Adams. Composer John Adams just celebrated his 75th birthday earlier this month, and his concerto will put any saxophonist through their paces, even Branford Marsalis, said symphony president and CEO Merritt Vale.

Tickets begin at $25 at 336-464-0145 or wssymphony.org.

Guests must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test. Masks are required.

For more, visit wssymphony.org/covid19.

Competition

Flying South, the annual literary competition sponsored by Winston-Salem Writers, is accepting entries in fiction, nonfiction and poetry from March 1 through May 31.

$2,000 in prizes will be awarded. Best in Category winners will be published and will receive $500 each. One of the three winners will receive the Winston-Salem Writers Presidents Favorite award and will win an additional $500. All entries will be considered for publication.

For complete rules and submission details, go to www.wswriters.org/flying-south. Winners will be announced on or around July 1.

Founded in 2005, Winston-Salem Writers create fiction, non-fiction, plays and poetry. They offer programs, workshops, critique groups, open mike nights, contests and writers nights out for beginning writers and published authors.

Podcast

Rhiannon Giddens will participate in Carolina Calling: A Music & History Podcast on Feb. 28. The host of the podcast is David Menconi, a writer and longtime North Carolinian.

The Carolina Calling podcast explores the history of North Carolina, as told through its music and the musicians who made it. From Asheville to Wilmington, the show dives into the cities and regions that have cultivated decades of diverse talent, including Blind Boy Fuller, Steep Canyon Rangers, Bob Moog, James Taylor and Rhiannon Giddens.

The podcast is in conjunction with Come Hear North Carolina and The Bluegrass Situation.

Visit hyperurl.co/carolinacalling.

Musical

The musical Disneys The Lion King will be at Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, 300 N. Elm St., Greensboro.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 and March 1-3; 8 p.m. March 4-5; 1 p.m. Feb. 27 and March 6; 2 p.m. March 5; 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27 and March 6.

Tickets start at $29 plus tax and fees. Limited seats available at ticketmaster.com. Check TangerCenter.com for any new seat openings.

The Lion King is recommended for ages 6 and older. Masks are required.
Davie County Manager David Bone resigned Friday after serving in the position for 14 months.

Bone submitted a handwritten letter about his resignation that was accepted by the Davie County Board of Commissioners, County Attorney Ed Vogler said Saturday.

Vogler declined to comment further on Bones resignation.

Bone stepped down from his job a month after he detailed allegations of unprofessional behavior by the Advance Fire Department.

No county officials have commented publicly on the reason for Bones resignation.

It has been my honor to serve the Davie County organization and community since December 2020, Bone wrote in his resignation letter. Davie County is a wonderful community with great people and assets.

Davie County has a bright future, and I wish Davie County the best moving forward, Bone wrote.

With that being said, I hereby resign as Davie County manager, effective immediately, with the understanding that I will retrieve three months of severance (pay), as well as other benefits, as prescribed by my employment agreement, Bone wrote.

Again, thank you for the honor and privilege of serving as county manager, Bone wrote.

Bone and Assistant County Manager Robin West couldnt be reached Saturday for comment.

In addition, James Blakely of Advance, the chairman of the Davie County commissioners, also couldnt be reached for comment.

In January, Davie County terminated its agreement with the Advance Fire Department for housing its transport unit, personnel, equipment and supplies of the Davie County Emergency Medical Services at the department.

Bone sent that message to Rodney Miller, the chief of the Advance Fire Department, in a letter dated Jan. 21.

The reason for the agreements termination was multiple reports of unprofessional behavior, which was witnessed by the Davie County EMS staff at the fire department by AFD personnel and their guests, Bone wrote in his letter.

The fire department is located at 1869 N.C. 801 South in Advance.

The Advance Fire Department doesnt know why Bone resigned, AFD Chief Rodney Miller said Saturday. The fire department isnt part of Davie County government, he said.

However, Advance Fire Department is very grateful for all the support we have received from our citizens and county commissioners, Miller said. We are so appreciative that the real story has now been told about the abrupt and unjustified removal of Davie Countys EMS unit from AFD.

In his letter to Miller, Bone mentioned unwanted physical touching, production of alcohol (wine-making) inside the fire station, male and female visitors being allowed upstairs in the staffs bedrooms, loud behavior and late-night noise, including someone banging on a pistol with a hammer, attempting to repair a handgun.

Miller said in a statement on Feb. 16 that Bone ambushed us by removing EMS for the Advance Fire Department based on vague and unsubstantiated charges of inappropriate conduct.

The fire department addressed three of the allegations in a Feb. 14 news release. That statement didnt address the actions involving the handgun.

A young volunteer, who helped out around the station, committed the unwanted touching, but it was not sexual and was not intentional, the news release said. After the volunteer was suspended for 30 days, the volunteer resigned.

Some years ago, a person did attempt to make native wine, but Miller stopped that activity at the time, according to the news release.

Allowing male and female visitors may have been an issue at the fire department in past years, but Miller installed badge readers that only allow staff members into the departments live-in section, the news release says.

Visitors must be accompanied by AFD personnel, and there was no evidence of unacceptable conduct, the news release said.

There was an incident of late night noise at the fire department involving a live-in volunteer at least two years ago, the news release said. Miller addressed the issue with the volunteers, and its no longer a problem.

By precipitously moving EMS from Advance, the county left thousands of citizens in the eastern Davie area without adequate EMS coverage, the news release said.

The Advance Fire Department entered into a new agreement with Davie County to ensure that an EMS unit will be located in Advance at the AFD Station 12-2. That building is at 169 Fire Station Road in Advance.

However, Davie County emergency medical technicians are not at the station overnight, leaving eastern Davie residents without adequate EMS coverage at night, the news release said.

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By Trend





The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will conduct several programs in Western Asia and Eastern Europe region in 2022-2023, Trend reports to IMOs integrated technical cooperation program.

IMO will work to enhance the harmonization of flag state implementation and port state control activities in the Caspian Sea area in 2022-2023.

"The focus on improving the implementation of major IMO instruments such as SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping), BWM (Ballast Water Management Convention), London Convention/London Protocol (LC/LP) and AFS (International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems in Ships) and in particular new amendments to these instruments, is the core of the program for the next biennium," says the document.

IMO also plans to provide additional training through the regional program for administrators, maritime experts and relevant personnel in the maritime sector, which will ensure effective monitoring of the maritime transportation system and minimize the risk of maritime accidents, particularly those caused by ships carrying dangerous or polluting goods.

Moreover, taking into consideration the proposed Capacity-Building Decade Strategy (document TC 71/7), and guided by the regional meeting for the heads of maritime administrations, the regional program will support the formulation of plans of action that identify specific priorities, timelines and sequence of implementation tailored to the maritime domain of each interested member state from the region. It is expected that this initiative will lead to legislative, infrastructure, training and equipment needs being identified, and appropriate actions being included in country partnership plans developed with IMO.

Tailored technical assistance will also be provided to assist member states with their implementation of the IMSAS Corrective Action Plans fully utilizing the analysis of the CASRs (Analysis of consolidated audit summary reports). The rate of the rollout of this program will be subject to the availability of donor funding.

"Turkmenistans involvement in these programs will be a decision that the maritime authorities make," IMO told Trend.

The IMO said Turkmenistan is involved in a number of projects in 2020. Turkmenistan has been an IMO member since 1993. The country worked on a number of projects with the organization including the Caspian Sea States cooperate on pollution response in 2017 and the Supporting oil spill preparedness in the Caspian Sea in 2018.
A Winston-Salem woman and her family said they were illegally kicked out of a local hotel where they had been living since late November the day after a judge dismissed an evictions complaint the hotel had filed against her. The woman had just given birth the day before.

Gabrielle Kirven, 40, and her family are now living at another hotel and Kirven is trying to find permanent housing.

I dont understand how I won a court case and the only money we owed weve been trying to pay you, Kirven said Tuesday. The police officers were there and you refused to take the money.

Kirven was at Forsyth Medical Center after she had given birth when her children were kicked out of the hotel in the midst of a fire alarm, leaving the family scrambling to find another place to live on Feb. 19. With the help of Housing Justice Now, they were able to secure another hotel room to live.

Theresa Frye is the assistant general manager for Ramada by Wyndham on Akron Drive, where Kirven and her family had lived since Nov. 29, 2021. The hotel is owned by Avant Hospitality LLC of Greensboro.

Kirven and Dan Rose of Housing Justice Now, a housing advocacy group, said Frye used a fire alarm as an opportunity to get the family to illegally evict them from their hotel room after losing in court. On Wednesday, Frye said she couldnt comment and referred questions to the hotels owner.

When asked about the specific allegations against her, she denied them and said, The truth doesnt need defending.

Chaz Akbar, one of the owners of Avant Hospitality LLC, said the company is conducting an internal investigation of the incident. He said he didnt know when the investigation would conclude and declined to answer any further questions.

We are talking to individuals and asking what happened and why it happened, he said.

An incident report shows that the Winston-Salem Fire Department responded to the hotel just after 5 p.m. Feb. 19 on a fire alarm. The fire alarm was cleared within 30 minutes, according to the report.

The fire station described it as a malicious false alarm. Tabetha Childress, a spokeswoman for the Winston-Salem Fire Department, said in this case, firefighters responded to the alarm, found no evidence of a fire and could not determine who had pulled the fire alarm. She said there was no further investigation.

Long-term hotel residents such as Kirven exist in a slightly gray area of the law. A 1991 appeals court decision said that the states landlord-tenant laws apply to some hotel and motel occupants, even if they dont have a written lease. But the decision doesnt provide definitive rules for determining whether or not a hotel occupant is a tenant.

Rose said the courts are supposed to look at the totality of the circumstances and not just how long a hotel resident has lived at the hotel or motel. That can include whether that person receives mail or has no other place to go, Rose said.

Evictions of hotel residents became a serious problem in North Carolina during the height of the pandemic, said Ed Sharp, a supervising attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina. N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein sent out a letter in 2020 to hotel operators, saying that the decision for determining whether a hotel occupant qualifies as a tenant depends on a fact-intensive inquiry and evaluating all relevant circumstances.

Sharp called what happened to Kirven an outrageous end run around due process.

Days of chaos

This was supposed to be a joyous time for Kirven. In many ways, it still is.

On Tuesday, amid the several days of chaos, Kirven cooed at her newborn son, Gabriel, and held him in her arms as she talked about what happened.

She had moved from Philadelphia to Winston-Salem during the pandemic and moved into an apartment with her family. In addition to Gabriel, she also has her 18-month-old son, Jay-Len Kirven; her 10-year-old son, SyMiar Kirven, her 14-year-old son, Jaden Nettles, and her 23-year-old godson, Tijuan Hynson.

Her family was evicted from that apartment earlier last year and they then moved to HomeTown Studios off North Point Boulevard, which is where they live currently. On Nov. 29, 2021, they moved to the Ramada by Wyndham.

There were problems at the hotel, Kirven said. They had to move from the sixth floor to the eighth floor because she said the room had a rotten smell. The elevators also didnt work.

But Kirven, who works at Access Staffing, had no issues with the hotel regarding the $395 she paid weekly. That was until she fell behind in early February.

She said Frye called the Winston-Salem Police Department in an effort to kick the family out of the hotel room. According to a news release sent out in 2020, the Winston-Salem Police Department said it does not carry out evictions.

And in this instance, the police officers who responded declined to move the family out. On Feb. 7, Frye filed a complaint for summary ejectment. She said Kirven owed $447.55, according to the complaint.

Frances Sullivan, a Legal Aid attorney who represented Kirven, said the case was ultimately dismissed on Feb. 18 because Frye, as an assistant manager, didnt have the authority to file the complaint. The hotels owners should have filed the complaint. A judge dismissed the evictions complaint without prejudice, meaning that either Frye or the hotels owners could have re-filed.

That didnt happen, however. Instead, Kirven said after the fire alarm ended, she found the door to her hotel room locked. The hotel, she and Rose said, refused to allow the family back in.

Hynson said he couldnt even retrieve an infants car seat. Frye also told Kirven she owed nearly $1,500, more than three times the amount Frye had demanded in her evictions complaint.

We dont owe that money, Kirven said.

In limbo

Right now, Kirven is scrambling.

She spent most of the day Monday getting food and other items while they stay at the hotel since they havent been able to go back to pick up their belongings at the Ramada.

On Tuesday afternoon, she had just come back from the store. SyMiar ran in and out of the small hotel room on his way to play with other kids in the parking lot down below. Jaden Nettles has been upset because he cant go to his school, Flat Rock Middle School. The school bus wont pick him up at their current motel, and his laptop and other school supplies remain in the hotel room at the Ramada by Wyndham, Kirven said. The hotel and Kirven have since made arrangements for her to pick up her personal items from the hotel room.

Gabriel slept soundly in one of the two beds, while her 18-month-old son, face full of wonder, crawled on the other bed. Her oldest son and her godson were also sleeping while an episode of Law & Order blared on the television.

On a small table, Kirven had piles of paper  business cards, applications and other paperwork for permanent housing, incident reports and business cards.

And Kirven is just struggling to take care of her family and make sure she and her children have what they need. Its expensive and exhausting.

Its just crazy, she said.

336-727-7326 @mhewlettWSJ 336-727-7299 @jhintonWSJ Journal photographer Allison Lee Isley contributed to this report.

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Triad residents are worried about the safety of their relatives in war-torn Ukraine as they hope the war there will soon end.

Meanwhile, a history professor at Appalachian State University, says that the war may last for months or even years.

Galina Sokolsky of Greensboro said that her older sister and niece are running out of food and must live in a subway as Russian bombs fall on their northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

They are not doing OK, Sokolsky said. They only had a little food to begin with, and now the stores are closed.

Ukrainian forces and recruited volunteers regained control of the streets inside Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, Saturday after Russian troops tried to enter the city, according to news reports.

Russia has faced tougher resistance that it anticipated from Ukrainian troops, other news reports said.

Anatoly Isaenko, a history professor at Appalachian State, said Saturday that Ukrainian forces in Kyiv may continue to resist the Russian forces for many days.

Russian forces obviously slowed down their advance, and now they are vulnerable for attacks on their overstretched logistics, Isaenko said. Ukrainian forces may successfully counterattack them. It seems to me that the Putin blitzkrieg is failing right now.

At Appalachian State, Isaenko teaches European history, world history, Russian history and the history of ethnic conflicts.

Isaenko expects that the Russian forces with its overwhelming numbers of missiles, artillery and soldiers will eventually force the Ukrainian government to surrender, he said.

However, Ukrainian insurgents will continue to fight the Russian forces in what Isaenko described as a low level guerrilla war.

The resistance will continue among the people who have declared that they have a staunch enemy in Russia, Isaenko said. You cannot kill ideas. The war will not end very quickly.

Isaenko said that his ancestors were Cossacks in Ukraine during the 16th and 17th centuries.

The war has resulted in Sokolskys relatives spending recent nights in a subway in Kharkiv, she said.

Russian forces bombed the citys water supply, so there is no water in her relatives apartment, Sokolsky said.

Her relatives havent been injured, Sokolsky said.

What are they going to do when their supply of food runs out, Sokolsky asked. They are trying to hide.

Sokolsky is a physical therapist and lives in her house in Greensboro with her parents, her daughter and two grandchildren. Sokolsky immigrated to the United States 30 years ago from Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces are defending Kharkiv from the invading Russian forces, Sokolsky said, but her relatives can hear bombs exploding nearby.

My niece is a nurse, but she cant get to her job because all of the transportation is gone, Sokolsky said.

Sokolsky recently called her relatives in Ukraine. During the Facetime video call, Sokolsky could see and hear Russian missiles, she said.

All of the sky was on fire, Sokolsky said. Their windows were shaking from the bombing.

Its a war, Sokolsky said. The Russians want to kill civilians to get land and control the (Ukrainian) government.

Sokolsky urged her relatives to leave their city, but they dont own a car. She encouraged them to leave by train, but the nearby train station was bombed, Sokolsky said.

I told them not to wait for the Russians to kill them, Sokolsky said.

Her relatives then took refuge in the citys subway, she said. Sokolskys older sister has high blood pressure, and her medication is running out, she said.

Its too cold in the subway, Sokolsky said. They dont have heat there.

Sokolsky wants her relatives to leave Ukraine and travel to Poland, she said. Once they get there, Sokolsky can help them leave Europe and travel to Greensboro, where they can live with Sokolsky in her house, she said.

I want to get them out, Sokolsky said.

Nadiya and Joe Bittencourt, Ukrainian natives who live High Point, said that Nadiyas sister, her sisters husband and her nephew live in Kyiv, which Russian forces are attacking.

Her Ukrainian relatives had planned to leave that country and travel to Poland, Nadiya Bittencourt said. But Nadiyas nephew has turned 18, and the Ukrainian government has forbidden males ages 16 to 60 from leaving Ukraine in an effort to bolster military forces.

The Bittencourts are trying to contact Project Dynamo, a nonprofit organization that is helping rescue civilians and American allies in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in 2021.

We are trying to find a way to get them out, Nadiya Bittencourt said.

The section where her relatives live in Kyiv has been overrun by Russian forces, Joe Bittencourt said. They are taking refuge in their apartment.

They can hear the bombs and shelling, Joe Bittencourt said. His relatives have enough food so far, but they are concerned that they may run out, he said.

Nadiya Bittencourt works for a company that supplies safety equipment to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Joe Bittencourt works for Gilbarco Veeder-Root, which makes gas pumps near Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro.

Sokolsky and the Bittencourts want the war to end.

The whole world wants peace, Joe Bittencourt said.

He wants NATO and western countries to do more to force Russia to end the war.

Our allies arent doing enough because they are dependent on Russia for gas and oil, Joe Bittencourt said.

The U.S. and NATO should not buy oil from Russia, Sokolsky said, so (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will not get their money.

Sokolsky wants Ukraine to be a normal democratic country with private businesses like America, she said.

Everyone wants peace and freedom to choose who will be their president, Sokolsky said.

She hopes that the International Committee of the Red Cross will visit Ukraine and bring food, water and medical supplies to Ukrainians who are struggling amidst the fighting.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has deployed its teams to Ukraine, and they will distribute supplies of medicine and equipment to Ukrainian health centers and support families with food and hygiene items, the organization said on its website.

Samaritans Purse, an international Christian relief organization based in Boone, also has deployed its disaster response specialists to Poland and Romania in the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, the organization said.

The team is assessing the countries neighboring Ukraine to determine how its organization can meet the emergency needs resulting from the Russian invasion, Samaritans Purse said.

Daily TV newscasts about the war and the suffering of Ukrainian people might be causing stress in adults and children, said Jaren Doby of Charlotte, a licensed clinical social worker for Novant Health Psychiatric Associates in Huntersville.

Young people will experience increased anxiety about the war, Doby said. In addition, children have access to social media and can see images of the bloody war waging in Ukraine, he said.

Parents should ask their children to share what they know about the situation in Ukraine, and answer their childrens questions, Doby said.

Parents also should gauge their childrens maturity level before they discuss the war with them, Doby said.

There are issues going in the world that are affecting innocent people, Doby said.

If children are scared about what they seeing on television about the war, parents should pay attention to any behavioral changes in their children, Doby said. If parents are fearful about the war, their children will notice their fears, he said.

We are going through this together, Doby said. No one should have to experience this alone.

Parents and other adults may feel stress about the war because television viewers in the United States and throughout the world are seeing news about the war with various viewpoints and cultural perspectives, Isaenko said.

The common public sees this picture through distorted stereotypes about ethnic conflicts, Isaenko said.

For example, people who are watching CNNs and Russian TVs news coverage are getting two different accounts about the war, Isaenko said.

Its very difficult for common people to understand whats going on, Isaenko said.

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Listed as an endangered species in 1967, the red wolf (Canis rufus) was declared extinct in the wild in 1980. A native of the Southeastern U.S. for 10,000 years, the species has continued, albeit in low numbers, only because a small population of red wolves raised in captivity was reintroduced into a 1.7 million acre recovery area in northeastern North Carolina.

Between 2002 and 2014, according to the Animal Welfare Institute, the wild red wolf population consistently numbered over 100 animals. But from there, the story headed south. The institute writes that by 2015, the red wolf population had dropped to an estimated 50 to 75 animals. The next year showed more loss, with an estimated 25 to 48 red wolves remaining. As of October 2021, only eight red wolves were known to be in the wild. Soon to join them, per a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announcement, will be nine captive wolves that will be released into the North Carolina wild.

The Animal Welfare Institute says mismanagement by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for the low numbers. Program management moved from red wolf biologists to bureaucrats in Atlanta, far removed from on-the-ground work. And landowners who didnt like the recovery program continued to kill wolves, claiming innocence  we thought it was a coyote. As well, the government actually issued permits to kill red wolves on private land, even in the face of so few numbers. The institute writes, Given the small and declining number of red wolves, losing even one wolf has huge repercussions for the species.

As an outsider looking in, the obvious solution would seem to be greater protections for wildlife in North Carolina, including no more killing of coyotes and wolves. The level of frustration with those who care about these animals and work most closely with them to save them must be off the charts  only eight in the wild and only in one state.

As an apex predator important to overall biodiversity, this species needs much more attention. A higher level of commitment to supporting a sustainable population in North Carolina is needed, more space and attention to captive breeding and more support for reintroduction of red wolves to other suitable areas where they could thrive.

Equally important is more public education. The maltreatment of the gray wolf, the larger cousin of the red wolf, took it to the brink of extinction in America. The gray wolf has been reintroduced to some areas and found footing in a few parts of the U.S.  and seemingly as soon as theres a bit of a foothold, there are those among us all too anxious to kill the animals.

Multiple organizations are working on issues related to the survival of red wolves, with several zoos and nature centers housing captive animals totaling more than 200. Kudos to them. Among them are breeding programs managed by the Wolf Conservation Center at its Endangered Species Facility.

Its great that there are committed organizations, but it seems that we should be much further along in higher numbers of animals and with more animals reintroduced into the wild. Even factoring in that science may move slowly, we are talking about decades since the few remaining red wolves were removed from the wild and placed into captive programs.

A program that hopefully will prove helpful in identifying appropriate areas for red wolf reintroduction is the Gulf Coast Canine Project.

Breeding occurred among coyotes, gray wolves and eastern wolves, resulting in red wolf genetics in coyotes in southwest coastal Louisiana and the Gulf Coast of Texas  the coyotes have become reservoirs of genetic information for red wolves. By tracking these coyotes with red wolf genes, researchers are assessing the genetic history to see what remains of the red wolf, looking to understand behavior and hoping to ultimately inform conservation and management of both red wolves and coyotes.

For more information and ways to help the red wolf, visit the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, Endangered Wolf Center, Wolf Conservation Center and Gulf Coast Canine Project.

Maria Fotopoulos writes about the connection between overpopulation and biodiversity loss. Contact her on Facebook @BetheChangeforAnimals and mariaf@turbodogcommunications.com.
Teaching has always been a challenging profession. Public school teachers have regularly had to deal with low pay and limited classroom resources.

More recently, their workload and responsibilities have increased as theyre expected to provide social services and security to their students.

Then came COVID, leading to increased stress and unwarranted attacks from some misinformed parents who thought they knew better than medical professionals what safety protocols everyones children should be required to follow  not to mention the unhinged Bonds for the Win activists who tried to intimidate the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school board last week with bogus legal threats.

Now teachers have to deal with Republican legislators who want to harass and control them by passing bills limiting what they can and cant teach  in many cases, under threat of severe penalty.

In North Carolina, Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) is pushing an academic transparency bill that would require teachers to post online lesson plans used in classrooms, including textbooks, videos, lesson plans, digital materials  a requirement that would likely provide ammunition for another wasteful culture war.

Val Young, the president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators, rightly called the bill another show of disrespect toward teachers.

It shows that the General Assembly is out of touch and it makes it look like we dont have enough to do in our classrooms to help children excel. And now, you want to give us another layer to do? he told the Journals Lisa ODonnell last week.

Parents can already access the material that each grade covers, as Brunson Elementary School fifth grade teacher Michele Jordan told the Journal. The guidelines have been established by the N.C. Department of Instruction and are widely available online.

This might seem a mild, isolated incident, a failure of legislators to read the room, if it werent for the fact that it folds so neatly into other Republican attacks on public education across the nation.

More than 150 bills have been introduced in 39 states this last year that would restrict the teaching of certain curricula, mostly on issues of race and gender. In some of the laws being pushed, parents could sue teachers and school districts if theyre unhappy about curriculum choices.

The language in many of these bills is overly broad and would be difficult to adjudicate. Many would almost certainly be tossed by courts.

None of that is likely to matter to the Republicans who write them. Theyre counting on parents angered over school curriculum to help them win this year, Insider reported last week. I think that we are looking at a moment where we have the potential to build the biggest block of single-issue voters in the history of American politics, Ian Prior, executive director of Fight for Schools, which is pushing for more parental control over school curricula, told attendees at the conservative CPAC conference on Thursday.

Theres this fear of teaching things unlike ever before, Jordan, who has been teaching since 1996, told the Journal. And it might be already uncomfortable (topics) but it shouldnt cause discomfort that youre going to get in trouble for teaching history or the standards.

This is all occurring as these highly educated, caring, intuitive professionals face pressures like never before. A recent poll conducted by the National Education Association found that 90% of its members say that feeling burned out is a serious problem, 86% have seen more teachers quitting or retiring early since the pandemic began and 80% say that job openings that remain unfilled have added to the workload of those who are still teaching.

Dont be surprised if the situation worsens. Our states Republican-led legislature has worked hard to maintain an adversarial relationship with public schools, most recently refusing to obey a court order to add an additional $5.6 billion to public education funding through 2028. In the meantime, it supports siphoning tax money from public schools to give to private schools with lower standards of accountability. Attacking educators over school curricula for votes is likely an irresistible temptation.

Hey, something has to make up for those lost gerrymandered districts.

Now is the time for parents of all political persuasions to express their support for educators  not just privately to the teachers they know and appreciate, but to our legislators in Raleigh. Tell them to stop harassing teachers and support them instead.

And act accordingly in November. Vote for the candidates who will improve public education, not starve and smear it.
Reaction

Im trying to imagine what the reaction would have been had former President Jimmy Carter, former President Bill Clinton or former President Barack Obama reacted to Russian President Vladimir Putins hostile actions toward Ukraine by saying, This is genius.

Will former President Trump be called before a congressional committee and asked, Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Phillip Batten

Winston-Salem

Clarity requested

Now that a couple of recent letter writers have espoused a return to biblical principles, I hope they will continue and clarify exactly what they mean.

At what points in our nations past have application of biblical principles been exemplary? Was it when manifest destiny, supported by religious institutions, justified the taking of North America from its Indigenous people while nearly driving them to extinction? Or was it the whole-hearted religious support for treating parts of Africa like a stockyard for human chattel, a resource for field labor through kidnapping and slavery? Are they inspired by the incredibly widespread abuse of children by many Catholic institutions, while the papacy turned a blind eye? Should we return to the good, old days when women were not allowed to vote and fully participate in our democracy? In a more modern political context, is the segregation of churches, the application of Jim Crow laws and gerrymandering to suppress Black and other political voices a good example of bygone halcyon days under biblical principles?

Or does a return to biblical principles mean ignoring these parts of our history and banning books that describe them?

My second hope is that those proponents will name or describe current political leaders who can successfully apply biblical principles to lead our nation; for example, President Joe Biden, who appears to be a genuinely devout man or former President Donald Trump, who appears to have more in common with a golden calf than with Jesus?

Rob Shoaf

Winston-Salem

Stand together

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is unfolding as the U.S. intelligence agencies predicted. The Russian militarys game plan has been to engage in cyberattacks to take out Ukrainian communications and power infrastructure, followed by rocket attacks on air and naval bases and then heavy bombardment of major cities before launching a ground troop and tank assault. Up to 100,000 may die and many more may be wounded before this invasion is over. Russian special forces will also make sure that they assassinate any political opposition so that they can install a puppet dictator and government.

Much is at stake in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin is a megalomaniacal tyrant who is supported by wealthy oligarchs. He is determined to bring back territories lost after the fall of the Soviet Union and former Warsaw Pact nations under Russian domination again. He wants to show the West that Russia is once more a super power.

Putin does not care about world condemnation and is not worried about tough economic and financial sanctions, probably because he has built up a gigantic war chest and received assurances from China that it will buy Russian oil and gas and other commodities. Russia and China are best buddies now and champions of the authoritarian way. Americans need to understand the existential threat they pose to democracy here and abroad.

The United States and Western Europe must be vigilant and stand together if they are going to prevent another world war in our time that could easily go nuclear.

Tim Miles

Mount Airy

More important

Im more concerned with the lives in Ukraine than with the price of gas. I dont know why it would even be discussed.

Id like to encourage everyone to pray for the brave Ukrainians who now have to fight off the evil forces of Russia and the despot who leads it, and for reasons that evade me, without the assistance of U.S. military forces. Pray for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; pray for the boys and girls huddled in the Kyiv subway stations; pray for President Biden to have continued strength to lead the free world through this challenge. Thank God former President Trump is not in office now.

And pray for the American people, that we can have the courage and mortal fortitude that Ukrainians have exhibited when were confronted with challenges.

Linda Patrick

Winston-Salem
Lincoln, Nebraska (February 26, 2022)  Swanson Russell received 27 honors at the 2022 Nebraska Advertising Awards (ADDYs), including the shows top honor, the Best of Show. This marks the agencys fifth consecutive best-of-the-best honor. The annual event, which took place February 18, showcases work from agencies and design shops across the state, and this year saw over 400+ total entries.

This year, Swanson Russell accepted the following honors on behalf of their clients: (1) Best of Show: JLG; (8) Gold: Arctic Cat, JLG, Minn Kota, Swanson Russell, Textron Aviation, Walls Outdoor Goods; (18) Silver: Arctic Cat, Excalibur, Humminbird, JLG, Kaman, Kimber, Minn Kota, Runza, Textron Aviation, Union Bank & Trust, Visit Omaha, Walls Outdoor Goods

We are so fortunate to work with such incredible local and national brands, said Brent Schott, president at Swanson Russell. Its an honor to see the work we do together get this kind of recognition.

The Nebraska Advertising Awards are sponsored by the American Advertising Federation Nebraska (AAF Nebraska). With more than 275 professional and student members, AAF Nebraska is the unifying voice for advertising throughout Nebraska and western Iowa. To learn more, visit aafnebraska.org.

Swanson Russell is a nationally recognized full-service branding, advertising and public relations agency in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. The agency partners with clients across many industries while specializing in agriculture, construction, landscape/turf, outdoor recreation and healthcare. To learn how Swanson Russell builds a Real Connection between brands and audiences, visit swansonrussell.com.
At a time when airports were like deserts, Jack Douglas and his wife, Vince, found themselves flying to Nebraska in the middle of a pandemic.

September 2020 was the first time the couple had ever set foot in the state.

But after several interviews over Zoom, Douglas wanted to see what Assurity  and Lincoln  had to offer. After some convincing from Assuritys then-CEO Tom Henning, Douglas accepted a position as the company's vice president of worksite sales.

I told my dad I was taking my talents to Nebraska, and he was shocked," Douglas recalled this month. Nebraska?

Although Douglas and his wife were recent empty-nesters, it was still difficult to leave their families behind in South Carolina, where they had lived their entire lives and raised two boys.

But what sold them was learning everything Assurity does for the Lincoln community.

One example Douglas pointed to was the company's plan to build an apartment complex that will include some affordable housing near its headquarters at 21st and Q streets, adjacent to Union Plaza.

"As a business we not only have a responsibility to our consumers but also to those around us," he said. "I think it's critical that businesses really provide a reasonable number of resources to the community to uplift it."

Douglas hadnt even been searching for a job when he received a call from an employment recruiting company about the position with Assurity.

He initially asked whether the position could be remote, but as a company that prides itself on being involved in the community, Assurity wanted Douglas and his wife to be a part of it.

When he first arrived in October 2020, there were only 40 colleagues working in person at the Lincoln headquarters built for 300.

Although he wasnt able to immediately meet everyone he was working with, Douglas said he's still managed to form meaningful connections with his colleagues.

"The company motto of 'helping people through difficult times' permeates through everybody," he said. "And not just in our work but with each other as well."

Douglas' latest role comes after nearly 30 years working in marketing and sales.

Shortly after graduating with a degree in actuarial science from The Citadel in South Carolina in 1992, Douglas began working with Colonial Life Insurance as its southeast regional development manager. After 18 years at Colonial, he was the regional director at Allstate for nearly 10 years.

Throughout his decades in sales and marketing, hes learned that cultivating meaningful relationships is just as important as the work itself.

You want to hire great people that push you to learn, Douglas said.

His days at Assurity typically involve lots of meetings, most via Zoom, as the majority of his sales team works remotely.

Although navigating a new role and environment hasnt been easy during a pandemic, Douglas has still gotten to know his new community more and more every day.

"The food here is different than what we're used to back home, so we're trying as many food places here as we can," he said.

He said he and his wife are still working on adjusting to Nebraska winters, too.

Reach the writer at emejia@journalstar.com

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Laurie Fraser was leading a growing catering business when the pandemic hit. Her path forward: being "incredibly aggressive."

She and her Doorstep Diner co-owner, Chef Jeff, went off the payroll to try to save the staff. "Then five days later, we can't even pay our staff; we all went on unemployment. It was awful."

She noted the number of vendors she works with and supports. "I don't think people really understood that ripple effect in the hospitality industry.  These shutdowns just don't kill us, they just go throughout the community."

Fraser used social media, "pretty much the only tool I had at that point in time because people weren't in their offices." She called potential clients at any hint of a food or catering need.

"I wrote thank-you cards to anyone that spent money with us.  I wrote hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cards," Fraser said, even if someone only spent a few dollars.

Fraser had bought Country Sliced Ham in March 2020 right as the pandemic hit in Nebraska and everything shut down. That was a good and bad thing, she said. No one could dine in at the cafe, but Country Sliced Ham at 70th and O streets sells a lot of retail food and is known for spiral-cut hams.

Fraser said she and Chief Operations Officer Chad Klein are very extroverted. "It was really depressing to walk into our kitchen and walk past our staff lockers with their names on them and know that they weren't there. So going over to Country Sliced Ham, for he and I, saved us emotionally, because there were people coming in; there were things happening."

Doorstep Diner then landed a temporary contract with the state of Nebraska to provide food daily to those providing COVID-19 tests in Nebraska. The caterers were back in business.

In 2021, more events came back. Doorstep Diner adjusted its procedures for serving at weddings, special events and corporate lunches. One of those changes was the contactless buffet.

"Staff is masked and gloved, and we set up a sanitizing station at the head of our buffet line," Fraser said in an October Porch.com article. "We pass the plates  from staff member to staff member. Guests simply follow along the front of the line and do not touch serving utensils or their plates until the very end."

How it began

Fraser was a Lincoln Public Schools marketing teacher for more than a decade and was instrumental in DECA's development in Nebraska.

"I loved teaching, but I really just wanted to teach kids and I found that everything else got in the way," she said, so she moved to the private sector. She held several marketing jobs in the next few years while working to open her own business.

Why turn to a food-related business when she could have created any type of enterprise?

"Love," Laurie said, laughing. "My executive chef is also my significant other. He wanted to open a restaurant, and you know in Lincoln it's really expensive to open a restaurant  we didn't want to be another statistic."

They began a home-based delivery service for seniors and called it Doorstep Diner. About three months in, a client wanted them to cater breakfast. At first they said no, but finally agreed.

"Phone calls started coming in like crazy for us to cater  the demand was overwhelming."

Fraser realized her passion wasn't in preparing food in the kitchen, so she hired someone to do that and went to work for the Lincoln Independent Business Association as membership director.

She said her work at LIBA helped her gain future clients and learn about bringing on staff and more. With Doorstep Diner doing a booming business, Fraser gave up her LIBA job to return to the business full time.

Making work fun

Fraser enjoys keeping up with the latest trends in the catering world such as charcuterie and was the first in Lincoln to offer grazing tables.

She and her staff match the colors, theme and purpose of an event with food and decor. They even went so far as to dress up like Mad Hatters for a fundraising event. "The organizer was blown away, and the guests were blown away," she said.

Other memorable themes were rockabilly, Great Gatsby, steam punk and 1960s.

They also focus on giving back by providing a meal to the family when they get their Habitat for Humanity home, and they routinely drop off extra food to the city mission or Matt Talbot Kitchen. "We should never be throwing food away, ever."

One of their programs allows people who buy daily dinners at the 5550 S. 59th St. catering center or the ham store to pay it forward and partner to provide meals for Child Advocacy Center families.

And when the pandemic hit and Doorstep Diner found itself with a lot of food on hand and all events canceled, the staff made up meals and sent them to the ham store. Fraser put it on the internet that those who were food-compromised could come get a meal.

It's not all work

Fraser is the longtime owner of a house built in 1922 and loves it. "We're keeping legacies going of these really old, historical homes."

She showed off the home in a 2013 YouTube video. The house showcases mementos of her extensive international travels, and her passports are prominent in the living room. "I keep these out because it reminds me of where I've been, and it reminds me of where I want to go in the future."

She went to Spain in the summer for many years to teach conversational English in what were basically summer camps for adults. The slow-and-easy lifestyle of Spain fits her, Fraser said. "The people are amazing; the wine is good."

Fraser plans to go to Portugal in the near future and hopes to visit Amsterdam when COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased.

The 1922 house also contains Fraser's guitar collection. She was a vocalist for the folk, country, bluegrass group Black Eyed Susan from 2013-17 and still plays guitar for fun.

Accolades aplenty

Fraser was nominated for the Inspire Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award, and her catering business has garnered a healthy number of awards and recognition for its work, including the Junior League of Lincoln 2017 Dish It Up Award, followed by Best of Show at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Savor the City, Enterprising Gambler Award from LIBA and recognition by the internet-based ThreeBestRated. Her business has won numerous Lincoln's Choice awards as well.

Current challenges

Fraser could go on and on about the difficulty of getting food and especially typical supplies. "Supply chain issues continue to be a problem," she said. "I can't get clear knives right now  I can get black knives."

She takes pride in getting locally sourced food, and on some occasions she's had to break the news to a bride that the menu needed to change a bit because ground chicken for meatballs, for example, wasn't available.

What's next?

Fraser said she and Chef Jeff are actively pursuing retirement, but it may be five or six years off depending on the economy. She wants to make sure her company is solid before stepping back.

Reach the writer at vayotte@journalstar.com or 402-473-7338.

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Don Walton Political reporter/columnist Don Walton covers politics and the Legislature along with writing a weekly column. Follow Don Walton 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

Nebraska's Republican Party saluted departing state senators who are Republicans at an event at the Country Club of Lincoln last week and it provided a reminder of the approaching loss of a remarkable collection of independent-minded senators who were not bound or beholden to party or partisan majority or a governor who shared their party affiliation.

They acted independently in the spirit of Nebraska's nonpartisan Legislature.

And their votes often made the difference.

Some of them may be more moderate -- defined as less extreme in dictionary terms -- than their party; but, mostly, they just chose compromise on occasion and progress virtually all the time rather than strict adherence to dogma.

Three of them, Sens. Mark Kolterman of Seward, John Stinner of Gering and Matt Williams of Gothenburg, became known as the Three Apostles, Matt, Mark and John.

Sen. John McCollister of Omaha made his own independent call on every issue without leaving the foundations of the Republican Party that he once knew.

Another, Sen. Robert Hilkemann of Omaha, cast the final, decisive vote to override Gov. Pete Ricketts' veto of legislation outlawing the death penalty in the face of enormous pressure. It was later reinstituted by a vote of the people.

It's hard to predict what new senators will do or how they will vote until they are sworn into office and begin to walk the halls of the Capitol with the full realization that they are independent of party in the Legislature and free to cast votes based on their own decisions, convictions and beliefs coupled with the knowledge they begin to acquire.

But, in terms of nonpartisan independence and personal strength, they've got some shoes to fill.

* * *

The world is beginning to look uncomfortably Biblical.

Russia invades Ukraine, China eyes Taiwan, the United States moves toward the political precipice with its bulwark of free and fair elections in dispute and we haven't even mentioned the Middle East, where passions and hatred are always stirring and the Bible points to a climatic battleground.

We don't know yet whether Vladimir Putin intends to try to occupy and restore even more pieces of the old Soviet Union or how this dangerous confrontation in Ukraine will end with Europe rumbling once again and Putin pointing to his nuclear capability now.

And we don't know whether American voters and political parties will accept the results of the next presidential election.

A stunning 70% of Republicans don't acknowledge the results of the last one, according to some recent polling. How can that be?

That's a recipe for what Donald Trump oddly, and perhaps prematurely, described as "American carnage" in his 2017 inaugural address.

But all the focus is and should be on the remarkably brave people and leader of Ukraine now.

Profiles in courage.

Finishing up

* Don't self-checkout lanes cost retail jobs for people who may really need them? Let's wait in line.

* Start the clock: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Biden on Friday. Judge Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to the court by President Trump on Sept. 29, 2020 and confirmed on Oct. 26, less than a month later.

* Early chatter suggests Sen. John Arch of La Vista could be the next Speaker of the Legislature with Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, the current Speaker, favorably positioned to be elected as Nebraska's next attorney general.

* In the immediate wake of Putin's decision to attack and occupy Ukraine, Donald Trump expressed his admiration for the Russian leader as a "genius" just as he previously praised Kim Jong-Un of North Korea, who he described as "far beyond smart." Trump likes strong men, but the real one is in Ukraine, and his name is Volodymyr Zelensky.

* Rep. Don Bacon, interviewed on MSNBC: "We need to stand up to the bully, the thug. He will push further if we don't show strength and resolve."

* Gotta hand it to the Fijis for an apparently straight-faced accusation that UNL administrators punished them in the wake of bad behavior because they supported Trump.

* Committee hearings at the Legislature grind to a halt next week; hearings on pending bills provide valuable perspective and detail, but often turn into repetitive torture chambers.

* The filing deadline for candidates in the May 10 primary election is Tuesday; step right up.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

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By Trend





The government of Lithuania decided during an emergency session on Saturday to close the countrys airspace for Russian air carriers, Trend reports citing TASS.

"Starting from midnight (local time, 01:00 Moscow time), the airspace of Lithuania is closed for all air carriers with a Russian license," the governments press service said.

According to the statement, the decision was made in response to Russias actions in Ukraine.

"Air carriers of the Russian Federation are prohibited from entering the airspace of Lithuania," the statement says, adding that the ban will be in place for an indefinite period, until further notice. "The airspace will be closed in coordination with Latvia and Estonia, and the International Civil Aviation Organization was notified about those measures."
OMAHA  U.S. and NATO ground forces may be steering clear of Ukraine following Russias invasion, but the alliances military reconnaissance aircraft  including several from Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue  have been venturing close enough to keep eyes and ears on the battle below.

At least five of the 55th Wings C-135 variants have been spotted in European skies by air-traffic control websites in the last week. Two have been operating from the Souda Bay naval base in Greece, and three are deployed to RAF Mildenhall, England  though one of those jets has apparently been sidelined after suffering an in-flight mechanical emergency Tuesday.

Collectively, the Offutt jets flew 10 of the 86 surveillance missions known to have been flown over Europe by U.S., NATO, Swedish and Ukrainian aircraft between Sunday and Thursday, according to Amelia Smith, an online aircraft tracker who has been posting daily summaries on Twitter using her handle @ameliairheart.

Thursday, the first full day after Russia launched its widespread attack, saw 25 reconnaissance flights over the continent, the busiest day in the past three months. But the U.S. and NATO didnt fly manned aircraft over Ukraine and the nearby Black Sea, instead pulling back to listen from the skies of Poland and Romania, which border Ukraine on the west.

They left flights over the conflict zone to unmanned aircraft. Smith noted that two remotely piloted RQ-4 Global Hawks flew long-duration missions over Ukraine and the Black Sea. Flying twice as high as other planes, the Global Hawks can see and hear far into Russian territory.

Three of the 55th Wing planes spotted are RC-135V/W Rivet Joints. They can listen to radar and radio signals on the ground up to 300 miles away, allowing them to monitor the location and movements of Russian forces.

Rivet Joint crews include analysts and linguists who can make sense of intercepted voice communications. The three planes flew a total of five missions earlier last week over Ukraine and near Crimea, a territory occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014. One Rivet Joint flying Thursday stayed in Poland.

The 55th Wing has also deployed an RC-135U Combat Sent to Greece, and a WC-135W Constant Phoenix to England.

The Combat Sents specialty is honing in on radar installations and pinpointing adversaries air-defense systems. Though it flew missions off Crimea earlier this month, its two flights in the last week were both in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea near Lebanon and Syria, with no apparent connection to the Ukraine crisis.

The Constant Phoenix crew uses sensitive on-board equipment to gather atmospheric samples and check them for radioactive particles. It has previously been deployed off the coast of North Korea after that countrys nuclear tests.

The Constant Phoenix arrived in England on Jan. 30, according to air-traffic monitoring websites, and has flown four times since. Air Force officials have said its deployment is also unrelated to Ukraine, and none of its flights have been near Ukrainian territory.

The Air Forces only remaining nuke-sniffer, No. 61-2667, is known at Offutt as the oldest, crankiest and most trouble-prone plane in the fleet.

And it lived up to its reputation Tuesday, when its pilot declared an emergency shortly before landing at Mildenhall.

The aircraft had been airborne for 11 hours on a mission over the Baltic Sea when the pilot declared the emergency. He told controllers that the plane had experienced a failure of its hydraulic system, which controls braking and flaps, according to a recording posted on social media by a Dutch airplane spotter.

Fire, rescue and police vehicles met the plane when it landed at Mildenhall at 4:39 p.m. local time carrying a crew of eight.

The crew followed all prescribed emergency and safety procedures, according to a statement from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at Mildenhall. Everyone on board returned safely with no injuries.

The plane wont be around much longer. The Air Force ordered three RC-135R aerial tankers refitted for the radiation-monitoring mission, at a cost of $218 million. The first is scheduled for delivery this summer.

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Yuliia Iziumova's quiet Tuesday night in Lincoln was shattered by a text message.

For days and weeks, the threat of a Russian invasion of her home country of Ukraine had been an escalating source of tension, Iziumova said, even as she held out hope that such an act could be avoided.

Looking at her phone, Iziumova said the tension had finally broken.

"Things have gotten really bad," her mother texted from Odessa, a port city in southern Ukraine. "I can hear explosions."

It was shortly after 5 a.m. in the eastern European country, now under assault by Russian troops, armored vehicles and fighter jets.

"My initial reaction was 'What does that mean? What do I do?'" said Iziumova, a junior at Nebraska Wesleyan University studying communications and integrated data science.

She called her mother, who told her it was difficult to tell how close the explosions were, or whether it was the Russians firing on the city of nearly 1 million people on the Black Sea, or Ukranian defenders trying to repel their advances.

The initial conversation was brief, Iziumova said. She didn't want to distract her mother as the situation grew more dire, and the window to act was closing.

Along with her host family in Lincoln, Iziumova said she convinced her mother to leave the city and make for the neighboring country of Moldova while she still could.

"It was really hard to have that conversation," Iziumova said. "Nobody wants to admit this is real. Everyone wanted to believe the war would not happen. Preparing was almost a way of admitting things might get bad."

Her mother left for Moldova the next day, Thursday night in the U.S.: "It was the hardest night of my life," Iziumova said.

The drive typically takes 3 hours, she said, but news reports said it was taking fleeing Ukrainians as long as 8 hours to get across the border.

"I couldn't sleep not knowing where she was," Iziumova said. We didn't make a plan of how to connect, or if I don't hear from her who I talk to. All of the decisions were made so quickly."

Iziumova said her mother had made it to Moldova, picking up another passenger  a neighbor she had never met, it turns out  along the way. Both were safe.

Meanwhile, Iziumova's father opted to hunker down in Chornomorsk, her hometown, a city of nearly 60,000 on the Black Sea about an hour to the southwest of Odessa, along with her grandparents, an uncle and two younger cousins.

The international student, who first came to Lincoln through the Future Leaders Exchange, a cultural program between the U.S. State Department and post-Soviet countries, said she has been glued to Ukrainian news stations since the invasion began.

Iziumova, 20, was too young to comprehend the start of Russia's latest aggression toward Ukraine in 2014, when the country's Kremlin-backed leader was forced out following violent protests in Kyiv, the capital.

She said she remembers hearing about the conflict, and was vaguely aware of people who had fled eastern regions of Ukraine where Russian-backed separatists had taken control.

The current crisis has been "scary and surreal," she said. Ukrainian news agencies have reported thousands of deaths  Ukrainians "defending their land, defending their families, defending their country."

Iziumova, who has not been home since 2019, said Ukraine did not ask for the war, and she's concerned about what the future could hold if a peaceful resolution is not reached soon.

Even in that there is uncertainty.

"When I go back, the streets that I'm familiar with might look different," she said. "They might not belong to the same country."

But, while she watches with equal parts shock and horror, Iziumova maintains her optimism.

She's never seen Ukraine so united, and believes the government has been managing the crisis professionally and strategically: "We are a small country, but we are mighty and I believe in humanity. I believe this can be over soon."

The support shown from the U.S. and other European countries has also been a boost, she said, as well as the messages of love and concern she's received from friends in Lincoln and around the world.

Iziumova hopes the conflict can quickly be resolved and provide an opportunity for her Lincoln host family to meet her Ukrainian family before she graduates from NWU next year.

"We're all in the same position where we don't know what tomorrow is going to bring, so being an optimist is the best thing I can do."

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS

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A number of controversial books read aloud during a recent Nebraska State Board of Education meeting can be found on Lincoln Public Schools library shelves.

Board member Kirk Penner read passages from several books that depict sex acts at the board's February meeting, saying schools are "hyper-sexualizing" children, the Omaha World-Herald reported. A man also read passages from a book, including a crude joke about gay sex, during the public comment period.

One of the books Penner read from, "Brave Face: A Memoir" by Shaun David Hutchinson, depicts a male ejaculating on another male, and "Looking for Alaska" by John Green features a scene where a girl performs oral sex on a boy.

Penner also read a passage concerning gender identity from "It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity" by Theresa Thorn and "The Breakaways," by Cathy G. Johnson, which depicts two middle school girls kissing.

If were finding these books in elementary, middle school and high school libraries, that is sick, Penner said.

Board member Lisa Fricke questioned why the issue was being brought before the board, saying the selection of books is a local issue.

Jacquelyn Morrison also questioned whether Penner was targeting LGBTQ literature in particular, to which Penner responded saying the passages reflected a mix of sexual orientations.

Many Nebraska school districts confirmed that some of the books read at the meeting are in their libraries, including in Omaha, the World-Herald reported.

At Lincoln Public Schools, "It's Good to Be Yourself" is in the district's elementary collection as well as the districtwide e-book collection.

"Looking for Alaska" is in high school libraries, while "Brave Face" is also in high school and e-book collections. "The Breakaways" is in elementary and middle school libraries.

The book "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison, which features a vulgar joke that was read during public comment, is not in LPS' collections.

Librarians at each LPS school are charged with selecting books with diverse perspectives and subject matter for their collections, said Matt Larson, associate superintendent of instruction.

As libraries are "a source of many ideas and perspectives," that sometimes means including books related to controversial ideas and issues.

Community members who object to any book can meet with administrators or file a complaint in writing, district officials said.

If the matter still cannot be resolved in a meeting with administrators, a request for reconsideration can be filed, in which the district would formally review the materials and decide whether to recall them.

That decision can be appealed to the Lincoln Board of Education.

Parents can also request a specific book -- in print or online -- be restricted from their child by contacting their school's librarian.

Contact the writer at zhammack@journalstar.com or 402-473-7225. On Twitter @zach_hammack

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Milo Winslow stood at the microphone in the Lincoln City Council chambers two weeks ago, speaking in support of an ordinance to extend discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

He did it because he believes offering such protections is the right thing to do, that its important to have people in the transgender community speak out about why its necessary.

He also harbors some serious concerns.

I went to testify in support because, of course, Im in support of this, he said. But I also think its like were bringing knives to a gunfight.

Several members of Lincolns transgender community say they worried about the timing of the ordinance, feared supporters werent adequately prepared to defend it at the ballot box and predicted opponents would target the transgender community  increasing the mental health stresses on LGBTQ people.

Thats what myself and others have been trying to explain, said Natalie Weiss. It doesnt matter what else you put in the proposal, once you introduce it, its about transgender bathroom access. Thats what the fight will be about.

The ordinance is much broader than one passed by the City Council 10 years ago, revising the entirety of Title 11, the portion of city code pertaining to equal opportunity.

It adds active military and veterans as a protected class, updates definitions of marriage, race and natural origin. It strengthens definitions and updates disability protections and clarifies the process of the Commission on Human Rights, which investigates allegations of discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation.

But the focus of opponents is much narrower.

The Nebraska Family Alliance, which is leading the campaign to gather the 4,137 signatures needed to put the issue on the ballot, has dubbed it a gender identity bathroom ordinance, which would allow biological men in womens showers, locker rooms and restrooms.

Last week, in a robocall, former Gov. Kay Orr invited voters to come to the Nebraska Republican Party offices to sign the petition to put Lincolns transgender bathroom ordinance to the vote of the people.

Opponents raise other concerns, including that the ordinance would empower the city to punish citizens for their Biblical beliefs, and some of the more than 260 people the alliance said it had trained to collect signatures have set up inside and outside several churches.

The campaign  called Let Us Vote  also stresses that 10 years ago, when the City Council passed the first fairness ordinance, opponents gathered 10,000 signatures to put the question to a vote, but that never happened.

A public vote appears likely this time, and members of the transgender community said they worry supporters overestimate what it will take to mount a campaign for it to win approval at the ballot box.

Weiss said framing the issue as opening the door to sexual predators gaining access to womens bathrooms is effective messaging for the opposition, especially for people who are undecided or softly support LGBTQ issues.

Logan Casey, senior policy researcher and adviser at Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, said of the more than 330 cities and counties nationwide with LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination protections, relatively few have attempted to repeal them.

When it happens, opponents' tactics are generally predictable, he said, targeting transgender people in particular and making baseless claims about safety to stoke fear.

Studies, including one by the Police Foundation that studied sexual assault reports before and after such protections had been enacted in Atlanta, Dallas, Tucson, Arizona, and Miami, have shown such protections dont increase the number of assaults in bathrooms. Another study, published in 2018 in Sexuality Research and Social Policy, studied crime rates in Massachusetts before and after the adoption of public accommodation laws that included gender-identity protection.

Eric Reiter, recently appointed to the citys Commission on Women and Gender, agrees with the intended goal of the Lincoln ordinance but questioned the timing.

I think my concern and the frustration is that for me it didnt feel like the concerns for transgender people were really taken seriously or taken under consideration," Reiter said.

For one thing, Reiter and others said, its a midterm election cycle where voter turnout will be lower and where an anti-transgender agenda is part of the Republican gubernatorial campaign. Republican candidate Jim Pillen recently tweeted his opposition to the Lincoln ordinance. It also comes on the heels of raucous crowds that turned out last year to oppose state health standards that addressed gender identity.

Winslow said the focus should be on passing the Equality Act at the federal level.

Whenever the issue comes up at a local level, he said, hateful views toward transgender people rev up, increasing the risk of hate crimes and increasing mental health issues caused by being targeted.

Its one thing when its on a national stage, Winslow said. Its another thing when your neighbor is saying it on social media or it happens at the dinner table ... it very much divides families.

Casey, of the Movement Advancement Project, said just the debate, regardless of the outcome, causes harm.

The Trevor Project, a nonprofit that focuses on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth, conducted a study last year where two-thirds of LGBTQ youth said their mental health was negatively impacted by debate over state legislation. The organization reported a 150% increase in calls to its crisis hotline last year from young people in Texas, where lawmakers had proposed more than 70 anti-LGBTQ bills.

Lincoln City Councilwoman Sandra Washington, who introduced the measure that passed 5-0 (Tom Beckius and Richard Meginnis were absent), said she reached out to many in the transgender community who supported the ordinance going forward.

She also contacted local mental health workers and national groups to make sure they could offer additional support. The Trevor Project, for instance, increased its social media presence locally, she said.

They also talked about timing. Two years ago  during a presidential election  some didnt want to move forward then, she said.

Her interest was doing a needed update of the entire ordinance, and that it made sense procedurally, in part because the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled in a case involving housing protections and defined sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

The opposition, she said, would have been there whenever the ordinance came forward and the focus would have been the same.

Theyve all intentionally boiled it down to something Title 11 is not, but if youre going to run an opposition campaign youll spin it the way you want to spin it. It doesnt matter if it isnt true, she said.

Trying to strategize around whether the opposition shows up feels like a waste of time. Those folks who feel strongly in opposition will be there, regardless.

Weiss said opponents are well-funded and ready, and were ready to get their message out immediately, and she and others wanted supporters to be more prepared to fund a campaign to begin getting their message out right away too.

Weiss said the work of supporters takes time and longer conversations than a sound bite.

For our side of the issue, this is about doing whats right, she said. For our opponents, this is a culture war.

Washington said fundraising among supporters is underway, and despite concerns, those interviewed said they're prepared to support and fight for the ordinance.

OutNebraska, a statewide advocacy organization, is holding a community meeting March 7 on the ordinance, and issued a statement condemning the use of anti-transgender tropes.

Washington said she hasn't lived the experience of transgender people, but also doesn't think there's ever a perfect time to move forward on such an important issue.

"I know what it feels like to be the brunt of discrimination in multiple ways," she said. "And even so, I know my experience is not their experience. The only thing we share is that we've each felt fearful and probably both experienced hurt."

Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist

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Dozens of blue-and-yellow flags flew high outside the state Capitol on Saturday afternoon as supporters joined Ukrainians living in Nebraska to pray and offer assistance to their war-torn homeland.

Anna Gusanu, who came to the U.S. from Ukraine, was among those who gathered, many in patriotic dress and holding handmade signs that pleaded for the Russian attack to end. She said the situation in Ukraine is worse than anyone here could imagine.

People are in basements of buildings, metro (stations), bomb shelters, hiding from the bombs, Gusanu said. Its a scary situation, and whoever has battery life still on their phones is calling, getting connected with people asking, 'How are you?' and theyre just crying and screaming.

Saturday's gathering was organized by a group of Ukrainians living in Nebraska.

Mykhailo Smyshliaiev, who has been here 14 years, said the crisis overseas impacts everyone in the world. His mind is with his loved ones as they struggle, including a friend in Ukraine preparing to take to the streets of Kyiv to fight Russian soldiers. His father-in-laws church back home is being used as a bomb shelter for Ukrainian orphans.

Smyshliaiev said he did not want American troops to be sent but said there are steps Americans can take to help Ukraine in the fight to keep its independence.

Call your congressmen, he said. Press the European Union to close the sky. Then, on the ground, my people will do the work.

Emotions surged Saturday as musicians led those gathered in Ukrainian hymns, including one roughly translated to: My prayer goes to you, God; my heart floats to you.

Those words mean plenty to Max Royenko, whos only been in the U.S. for six years and is nervously keeping contact with his extended family back home.

We call almost every two hours, he said. They are hiding every night in their basements because there are air strikes.

Vladimir Solkan, who's lived in the U.S. 31 years, said he believes it is everyones responsibility to support the Ukrainian people.

When it comes down to it, we are all one people, one humanity, Solkan said. Innocent people have to shed blood and die, for what?  We need to make noise so people know this is not right.

Reach the writer at jthompson@journalstar.com

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Omaha, through the years, has had many well-respected, famous and a couple of infamous rascals as mayor. One, who was elected three times, though not consecutively, was popular but whose reputation ran a bit in two directions and whose name alone put him on a national list of interesting names still stands out.

Champion Spaulding Chase was born in 1820 in Cornish, New Hampshire. After teaching, then attending law school, he moved to Wisconsin, where he was admitted to the state bar. Ten years later, Chase was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court on the proposal of Daniel Webster. Serving in the Union Army during the Civil War where, on the recommendation of his cousin Salmon P. Chase, who became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After mustering out of the army in 1866, Chase arrived in the Nebraska Territory and, on statehood in 1867, became Nebraskas first attorney general. Also in 1867, while practicing law, Chase was one of the 16 incorporators of the Omaha Horse Railway Company, which received a 50-year charter from the Legislature. The street railway first ran cars from Ninth and Farnam streets to 20th and Cuming for a 10-cent fare. The following year, he was one of the incorporators of Brownell Hall as it moved from Saratoga, Nebraska, just north of Omaha to 16th and Jones within the city. After being appointed to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents in 1869, he served until 1875.

Chase was first elected Omahas mayor in 1874 on the Republican ticket. During his term he wrote the book "Corn Is King," developed an early plan for the citys parks and boulevards and was reported that July as attacking the grasshopper plague that infested Nebraska with a plank until he was so covered with the sticky insects that he could not see. During his first term, Chase was also credited with some as successfully ridding Omaha of its professional gamblers, including the notorious Canada Bill, but this claim is rigorously denied by his critics.

Omaha writer and historian Ed Morearty wrote in 1880 that Chase ran the city in a free-and-open manner where gambling, drinking and prostitution prospered 24 hours a day and a murder a week was common. While walking near his home at 104 S. 13th Street, Morearty reported hearing a gun shot coming from the St. Elmo Theatre at 112 S. 12th Street, one of the toughest joints between Chicago and Leadville and found a man who had been shot.

Both the Omaha Herald and the Omaha Bee editorialized against Chase, who ordered the St. Elmos closure, but the end result was owners simply changed the name to The Buckingham Theatre and continued business virtually uninterrupted. Another report claimed the public was merely getting what it wanted, no interference with illegal businesses. Regardless of that claim, Chase lost the next mayoral election to James Boyd, who began a law-and-order administration.

In 1883, Chase was again elected mayor, but by a scant 151 votes. One of his early mistakes in his tenure was to appoint a city marshal, who began pocketing fines he collected from local brothels. The city marshal was arrested, prosecuted and summarily sentenced to the State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

In June of 1884, the Omaha City Council unanimously impeached Chase on a charge of drunkenness and appointed the councils president, Patrick Murphy, to serve out the balance of Chases mayoral term. Interestingly, though impeached, Chase was technically not removed from office and though he made no attempt to occupy the office of mayor, he was later able to sue the city for his salary as mayor. That suit proved successful, and Chase collected an estimated $1,000 in settlement.

On the political sidelines, Chases Republican Party nominated Lee Estelle of Blair for attorney general against Democrat Henry Estabrook. With strong Republican campaigning in opposition to Estabrook because of his prosecution of the mayor and city clerk for malfeasance, Estabrook was defeated by 4 votes.

After the political smoke cleared, Chase was appointed Collector of U.S. Customs for the Port of Omaha. Col. Champion S. Chase died in November of 1898 and was buried in Omahas Prospect Hills Cemetery. Despite the negatives, Chase was president of the Nebraska Humane Society, was Omahas mayor for seven years, originator of the Omaha Real Estate Owners Association and still only one of two mayors removed from office.

In 1886, the Legislature created Chase County, named in Chases honor, and in 1887, the city of Hamilton in Chase County was renamed Champion, also in his honor. Champion Mill, built on Frenchmans Creek in Chase County, is run by Chase County.

Historian Jim McKee, who still writes with a fountain pen, invites comments or questions. Write to him in care of the Journal Star or at jim@leebooksellers.com.

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All she wanted, at first, was her great-grandfathers birth date.

Nobody in Lilla Pearl Asmunds family knew, and shes been trying to teach her nieces and nephews more about their history.

A few months ago at her kitchen counter in Naples, Florida, she entered his name in her laptop, hoping to find a census record. But when she scrolled through the search results, she saw photos of sacred and ceremonial Oglala objects, heirlooms that had been separated from her family for more than a century.

And they were in downtown Lincoln.

I thought, What is this? she said. I looked at the pictures, and I thought, Thats him. I was sort of shocked. And when I kept scrolling through, I saw these items. It was like, Wow.

Her mothers grandfather was a cousin to Crazy Horse. Joseph High Eagle was a warrior in his youth; as a teenager, he had fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Later in life, he was considered a holy man on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, she said.

And sometime during the turn of the last century, a country doctor in northern Nebraska returned from his travels and unloaded his latest harvest  High Eagles eagle feather hand fan, two-piece clay pipe and beaded leggings.

Dr. Charles F. Zimmerman added them to his growing collection, which filled every room in his Boyd County drugstore.

Three decades later, the 300-piece Zimmerman Collection  war bonnets, beaded bags, bows and arrows, hide scrapers, saddles and a skull  were carried across the state to Lincoln, displayed at the Historical Societys museum on the first floor of the Capitol.

High Eagles items ultimately ended up at the museums new home at 15th and P streets, and then on History Nebraskas website, and then  in October  on a computer screen in Florida.

And soon, theyll be in his great-granddaughters hands.

The warrior

High Eagles death in 1952 put him on the front page of newspapers around the country.

The Arizona Republic: High Eagle was a brave of 19 in the camp of Chief Crazy Horse June 25, 1876, when the Sioux swooped down on General Custer.

The Los Angeles Times: High Eagle, who had survived the Indian Wars, died in a white mans invention. He was riding in a car which overturned last night.

The Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal: The old Indian lived in a cabin near Red Shirt village where the sorrowful notes of the (women) keening could be heard today.

At the time, he was one of three remaining Native survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, a distinction that brought him a measure of fame.

He was invited to reunions and anniversaries at the battlefield. He met movie stars when they vacationed in the Black Hills. He had roles in several Westerns, including Custers Last Stand and Tomahawk.

Before that, hed served as an interpreter, on the reservation and at an annual Wild West show near St. Louis.

The newspapers reported High Eagle was 94 when he died, but even he didnt know when he was born, the Gordon Journal reported in 1953.

The writer of that story  the son of a government interpreter whod been stationed on the Pine Ridge Reservation  described meeting High Eagle and another Bighorn warrior in 1900 as a boy, when the two would visit his parents, trading conversation for coffee.

I used to sit up into late hours just listening to their hair-raising, flesh-creeping stories of the two weather-beaten warriors, he wrote.

In Florida, Asmund is trying to learn those stories, too.

She knows what shes been told about her great-grandfather. That he was nearly blind toward the end of his life. That he was funny. That he spoke French. That he was married to Nellie. That he was a holy man, and gave the blessing at the dedication of the Crazy Horse Memorial.

And that he was a good man. My grandmother loved him, she said.

The doctor

Dr. Charles F. Zimmermans death in 1931 put him on the front page of the newspaper in Butte.

Dr. Zimmermans main hobby was collecting Indian relics and curios, and as a result of his endeavors along this line for many years, he has collected one of the greatest collections of Indian goods not only in this section, but probably in the United States.

The Indiana native had moved to Boyd County as a teenager with his parents in 1883, went to medical school and returned to set up a practice in Naper.

The young doctor was well-respected in the area. After a tornado ripped through Boyd County in 1901, the Nebraska State Journal reported: He was the only physician present in all the trouble, and for two days and two nights he devoted his entire life to alleviating the distress of the injured.

But he almost abandoned medicine a couple of years later, when he couldnt save his own two toddler daughters, Fern and Marie, from illness.

He stayed, became a pharmacist, too, and opened a drugstore he ran with his wife, Mary. He also spent nearly 30 years working for the government, doctoring on nearby reservations  and adding to the collection that filled the building where he and Mary lived and worked.

His obituary in the Butte Gazette described it in detail. The entrance, stuffed with mounted animals, petrified bones and buffalo skulls. The living quarters, home to a large macaw captured in the jungles of Africa and brought to northern Nebraska.

He is given the freedom of the house and struts around displaying his beautiful plumage.

And the consultation room, with some 300 Native pieces gathered by the couple. The collection is composed of dresses, skulls, beads and headwear of early Indian chiefs.

One newspaper valued the collection at $10,000. Another described the doctors rarest piece  a medicine mans regalia. According to superstition, the paper said, simply possessing it could bring dire results.

The wife of the medicine man smuggled the outfit away from the tribe and hid it in the weeds, where the Zimmermans had arranged to pick it up after night had fallen.

Its not clear how, or when, the doctor acquired Joseph High Eagles fan, pipe and leggings. Asmund can picture her great-grandfather bartering for medical care, but she cant be sure.

Charles Zimmerman died in 1931, and his services drew a crowd. That he had been a true friend of the Indians is shown by the many Indians who attended the funeral, the Butte paper reported.

Mary Zimmerman became a registered pharmacist to keep the store open. In 1934, she loaned the collection to the state Historical Society, which took permanent possession when she died five years later.

The law

Rob Bozell had been an archaeologist with the state Historical Society  now History Nebraska  for six years when Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which established a process for the return of human remains, burial objects and cultural items.

The 1990 law applied to museums and federal agencies that received federal funds.

Bozells office took stock. Over the decades, it had collected the remains of 1,400 individuals, from full skeletons to single bones.

Repatriating the first 800 individuals was relatively easy; his office knew their tribal affiliations  almost all were Pawnee, though there were some Omaha, Ponca, Lakota, Cheyenne and members of other tribes.

It made an inventory, sent it to tribes and published it in the Federal Register, and began the process of returning the remains for reburial.

But it was still left with the remains of more than 600 individuals, and no idea where they should go.

We knew they were Native American, but we couldnt tell what tribe they belonged to. They were too old, there were no affiliated artifacts, no way of knowing which tribe.

He came up with a plan. He consulted with 37 tribes that have, or had, some connection to what is now Nebraska. The tribes proposed the remaining unidentified remains be affiliated with all of them.

The federal government and History Nebraska agreed, and on behalf of all the tribes, the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska have since reburied the next 600 sets of remains, including a skull from the Zimmerman collection.

Bozell retired as state archaeologist late last year, but hes helping repatriate the remains of the last 30 individuals, many of which were uncovered during the floods of 2019.

His former office could be free of Native remains by this summer, he said.

The law also applied to sacred and cultural items, so the agency also sent summaries of the Native items in its collection to federally recognized tribes.

Since 1990, it has been asked to return only a handful of items to tribes and lineal descendants, said Trish Nelson, collections team leader, though the rate of requests has increased as the agency makes more of its collection searchable online.

It recently returned a medicine bundle to the Winnebago Tribe, for instance, and a trunk with medicine bundles to a descendant of its former owner.

After Asmund saw her great-grandfathers items online and emailed History Nebraska in October, the agency followed procedure.

It removed the objects online. It asked for proof of her lineage, to see if she had a legitimate claim. It began filing paperwork with the National Park Service, which oversees the act. And it also contacted the Oglala Sioux Tribe, in part to check Asmunds enrollment status, and in part to see if the tribe objected.

We give them the story and ask what they think. Do they have any questions? Would they agree with this lineal descendant? The idea here is to talk to people who care the most about these objects in order to be informed about the decision that needs to be made.

The tribe confirmed Asmunds enrollment and information and had no objection to her claim, so History Nebraska published in the Federal Register last month its intent to return the objects, giving other descendants or tribes 30 days to make their own claims.

A month passed and no one came forward, so History Nebraska is now in the process of arranging the return of High Eagles items to his great-granddaughter.

The law worked as intended, Nelson said. Were proud to be part of the process. Its the right thing to do.

The legacy

The shock Asmund felt, staring at her great-grandfathers items on her laptop in Florida, turned to anger. Her great-grandmother likely made the beaded leggings. Her great-grandfather used the pipe and hand fan in ceremonies.

The eagle feathers are so sacred. It made me sick to my stomach to think somebody was touching them.

And then to action. The email she sent to History Nebraska in October started something.

She kept searching. She found High Eagle's beaded, eagle feather headdress at the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indian, and her efforts to get that returned made her realize how helpful and accommodating History Nebraska has been through the repatriation process, she said.

Shes found photos of her great-grandfather with movie stars and on movie sets. Shes found painted portraits of him, looking stern and serious. Shes collecting old newspaper stories.

This family history  these family items  are important to her. The 53-year-old property manager and bookkeeper didnt grow up on the Pine Ridge; her father is Icelandic, and she was raised in New Jersey.

But Asmund is close to her Oglala and Southern Cheyenne roots. And before, she only had stories about Joseph High Eagle. Soon, shell hold in her hands tangible pieces of her great-grandfather's life that survived the past century.

Just as his family has.

Its a really important part of our legacy. Were still here.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter

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I get tired of people calling snow and Rosss geese nasty nicknames and saying they are unfit to eat.

These birds are classified as light geese, and they are to be respected. They are a worthy adversary of hunters, especially during the current Light Goose Conservation Order harvest period in Nebraska.

Lets delve into the myth that snow and Rosss geese are poor table fare.

Light geese are delicious, but they must be properly cared for in the field and then prepared and cooked right, said Matthew Garrick, waterfowl program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Hunters, especially during warmer weather, should get their harvested geese out of the sun and be sure not to pile them up. They should cool them down and field dress them as soon as possible after retrieves are made. The entrails should be drawn immediately. Excessive heat from ambient air temperature or direct sunlight must be avoided. Place the birds in large coolers with ice.

Young geese are best roasted or cooked like a steak. Older birds are more likely to be tougher and are best made into sausage or jerky, or put in a long, slow braise. Ground snow goose meat mixed with a little bit of pork fat and made into patties can also be very appetizing. Use 1 pound of pork back fat to 3 pounds of snow goose meat.

Young-of-the-year snow, blue and Rosss geese can be identified by their plumage. Young white geese are grayish in color. Young blues have no distinct white coloration on their heads and less color contrast on their bodies. Older birds cannot be aged. A bird in full adult plumage could be a tender 2-year-old or a tough 10-year-old.

Shot damage is another consideration. Birds with a lot of shot damage are best used for recipes in which the breast muscles are boned out, and other body parts, such as legs and thighs, must be done separately. Birds with low body fat or many pinfeathers are good for skinning and boning. It is said that much of the unpleasant flavor resides in the birds skin. After skinning, the birds flavor is fully dependent on how you make them.

The skin of light geese tends to tear rather easily when plucked. Prevent tearing by pulling the feathers of the bird from the head toward the tail. Do not attempt to pull too many feathers at a one time.

Breasting out geese commonly is used by hunters who have shot many birds. A single, fully feathered wing must remain attached to each breast for identification in transport. Nebraska law requires all harvested waterfowl to have either the head plumage or one fully feathered wing naturally attached to their bodies for identification purposes with transportation to a point of permanent storage.

Legally, every effort must be made by the hunter to use the edible portions of snow and Rosss geese. Carcasses and parts of geese should be disposed of in a reasonable and sanitary manner and not thrown into waterways, along roadside ditches or off bridges.

Some hunters prefer to age their birds in a cool, dry environment (32 to 40 degrees) for several days or a week or more. When done correctly, harmless bacteria break down muscle tissue, resulting in tender and flavorful meat. Others milk or salt-water soak the meat from the birds in the refrigerator to draw as much blood as possible from the flesh.

There still are too many snow geese in North America, and they remain above their population and habitat management objectives, according to Garrick. That is why the special Conservation Order continues to be in effect. The snow goose has taken advantage of the changes humans have made to the landscape. Few species match the snow goose in its adaptability to differences in its environment. Their population growth has come about primarily because of the expansion and abundance of agricultural foods in their wintering and migration areas since World War II.

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When Tesla announced last fall that it was moving its corporate headquarters from California to Texas, officials in Sacramento seemed more surprised than concerned.

After all, Tesla was expanding its sprawling Fremont, California, assembly plant, which already employs thousands of people. It's building a battery factory in the Northern California town of Lathrop.

And real estate brokers say the company is leasing more office space in Palo Alto, California, where its corporate headquarters had been located since 2009. Tesla was founded in nearby San Carlos in 2003.

Yet Musk's decision to move the electric vehicle pioneer's headquarters to the Texas state capital of Austin may signal gathering clouds on the horizon of California's economic future.

For the present, things are still looking bright for the state. Sacramento has been enjoying unprecedented growth in revenues, thanks in large part to high capital gains taxes paid by the superrich in Silicon Valley.

And in a measure of California's present hold on the tech sector, the Golden State remains far and away the leader in raising venture capital.

For years, California has suffered a net out-migration of people to Texas. But the losses in population tended to be at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale and the state has grown steadily richer despite the large outflows of people.

What worries some economists and other analysts is that this favorable pattern may be starting to change.

Tesla was one of an accelerating number of California companies, including other big tech names such as Oracle and HP Enterprise, that have relocated headquarters to Texas.

"I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg," said Dan Ives, who has been covering the tech sector for more than two decades, and is currently managing director at Los Angeles-based Wedbush Securities. He said 20% of the companies he follows are considering relocating or opening a second headquarters outside of California.

Stanford's Hoover Institution tallied 74 such company moves out of the state in the first half of last year, more than all of 2020 and higher than the comparable period in each of the prior two years. Researchers cited a litany of factors for the change: the rising cost of living in California, a tax structure and labor policies that many corporate leaders see as unfriendly, and concerns that the quality of life is declining.

In the case of Tesla, which last month also started producing vehicles near Austin, the decidedly conservative views of its multibillionaire boss may have made Texas an appealing base. Musk personally moved there in 2020.

The state's net population loss to Texas, the top destination for migrants, last year was about double the pace of the last decade, according to credit data analyzed by Moody's Analytics. Some kept their California jobs, thanks to new remote work opportunities. Others started new businesses in Texas.

To be sure, the Bay Area has such a deep reservoir of tech talent, money and infrastructure, not to mention the climate and the ocean, that it won't be easily knocked off its perch.

First-generation tech firms Apple, Cisco, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, among others, are still in the Bay Area, as are newer tech icons Facebook, Google and Netflix.

And Stanford and Berkeley are key generators of talent, research and new ideas for Silicon Valley's ecosystem.

But California's tech hub today seems to be facing what beset Hollywood years earlier, when Canada and states such as Georgia, where Marvel does much of its shooting nowadays, lured away film production from Los Angeles with numerous incentives.

"The Silicon Valley has lost its monopoly on opportunity, and now it has to compete," said Patrick McKenna, founder of One America Works, which connects talent with new tech communities. "It has to compete with other locations to attract the talent that's going to build the future."

McKenna spent 15 years in the Bay Area as an entrepreneur and investor, but in 2019 moved to Austin. He saw opportunities in central Texas, but also rued the fact that many people in the Bay Area were getting left behind in the tech boom.

Of the state's record budget surpluses, McKenna said: "California is flush right now because it's harvesting an investment that happened 10 years ago."

Increasingly he sees other states and nations cutting into California's share of the technology industry.

Economic officials at California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office say it's natural that as companies such as Tesla grow to become world leaders, they will expand elsewhere to be closer to markets and supply chains and to extend their global footprint.

Businesses will continue to leave California just as they have for decades, these officials argue, but there are good reasons why firms were born and incubated in the state, and why more will come and start new ventures and take companies public, creating more wealth and more jobs.

"The idea that the California economy is imperiled is not borne out by the numbers," said Dee Dee Myers, a former White House press secretary for President Clinton. She is now Newsom's director of business and economic development.

It's true that in tech, no city or state comes close to the Bay Area in the amount of new venture capital  $120 billion last year, a figure that until 2018 was more than the rest of the country combined, said Kyle Stanford, a senior analyst at PitchBook, a Seattle-based financial data and software firm that tracks private capital markets.

In terms of number of venture capital deals, despite growth elsewhere, the Bay Area's share held firm last year  topping 20% as it has every year since at least 2006. That's important because companies tend to start or set up fairly close to where the lead investor is based, which buys the Bay Area some time.

But, Stanford says, "there's definitely a risk of losing major emerging companies when you have these large tech giants move out. You're going to see engineers from Tesla probably create new companies in Austin, and those are companies that are going be lost in the Bay Area."

Moreover, while in the popular imagination Texas remains a vast landscape of cowboys, oil and conservative politics, the reality is more complex: The state's universities have built up stronger reputations in engineering and other specialties prized by corporations.

And Austin, whose unofficial motto is "Keep Austin weird," demonstrates at least some parts of the state are becoming culturally compatible with Californians.

Nor can Silicon Valley count on people coming from overseas to make up the loss.

Foreign-born students, researchers and entrepreneurs have been a big part of California's tech boom, but the unwelcoming immigration policies under former President Trump, plus lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and cold-war-like relations with China, have had chilling effects.

Then there's California's high cost of living, particularly housing.

In the Bay Area, the typical home now fetches a median price of $1.2 million, which is more than double the cost in Austin, despite the rapid rise in home values there. The cost of housing in Dallas is one-fourth the price in the Bay Area.

Brett Arnold, 35, an accountant and lifelong California resident, and his wife, Jamie, moved to a town about an hour north of Dallas last July, primarily because of the difference in the cost of living.

The couple had both worked in Orange County to keep up financially, but she wanted to stay at home with their 4-year-old. So last April the Arnolds sold their Rancho Santa Margarita townhome for $730,000 and bought a much larger 2,800-square-foot house in Prosper, Texas, for $570,000.

"The quality of life has gone up," Brett Arnold said.

For now at least, Austin's share of the nation's venture capital, tech startups and revenues pales next to the Bay Area. But it is rising, thanks in good part to Silicon Valley.

Meta, formerly Facebook, is leasing 33 floors in what will soon be the city's tallest building. Oracle is estimated to have 2,500 employees currently at its campus near Lady Bird Lake, and local reports say it's buying nine more acres nearby, enough to house well over 10,000 workers.

Amid the pandemic in 2020, as Oracle announced its headquarters move, the company said it would take "a modern approach to work that gives our employees more flexibility to choose where and how to work."

No one knows how many from Tesla have moved with Musk, although some, including Valerie Workman, head of human resources and one of its highest-ranking Black employees, have since left the company.

Musk, in his characteristically flamboyant style, said its Texas operations could scale up to 20,000 employees. Its Austin-area factory has the potential to produce three times as many vehicles as the Fremont facility, said Ives of Wedbush.

Over the next 18 to 24 months, Ives said, Tesla is likely to move the R&D and design operations now in Palo Alto to Austin.

"They could find engineers 50% cheaper in Austin than in the Silicon Valley," he said. And such a move would bring the company's brain trust close to where Musk himself lives.

Plus, that's what many employees may prefer, to settle in semi-remote places where they can enjoy a higher standard of living. It's partly why Tesla's Irvine-based rival, Rivian, is producing its vehicles in northern Illinois and outside Atlanta, analysts say.

Intel is building its new chip factory in Columbus, Ohio. Other tech firms are going to Nashville.

"California and the Valley always will have an allure geographically that can't be matched," Ives said, "but now you're starting to see alternatives."

Joel Kotkin, a fellow at Chapman University and longtime analyst of demographic, social and economic trends in California, worries especially about the state's heavy dependence for tax dollars from tech IPOs and the super-wealthy to pay for progressive but expensive policies  such as for the environment and the social safety net.

In 2019, the top 1% of taxpayers in California paid about 45% of personal income taxes, which make up about two-thirds of the state's entire general fund revenues.

In a report with colleague Marshall Toplansky, Kotkin wrote that the losses of company headquarters have eroded the state's economic diversity and opportunities for upward mobility for the middle class.

"In the aggregate we could look good because Apple computer by itself makes you look good," Kotkin said in an interview. "If we continue this gusher of tech money, we could just continue to subsidize the vast majority of the population and maybe won't collapse," he said.

But what happens if that cornucopia of tax money begins to shrink?

"We could either restore California's promise as a land where people go and their lives are improved," he said, "or we could become some sort of high-tech feudal state, which is where we're headed."

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RACINE  More than $600,000 in damage was reported in the fire that consumed an Anthony Lane apartment building between Friday night and Saturday morning.

The building is considered a total loss, with $433,000 in damage to the structure and $200,000 in damage to its contents, according to estimates from the Racine Fire Department.

The fire is believed to have originated in the basement. No specific cause has been provided.

The initial call came in at 10:43 p.m. Friday. In less than an hour, after what the RFD described as a very challenging search for victims due to heavy smoke and fire, firefighters were ordered to evacuate the building with concern for structural stability after a hole was discovered burned through the floor of a first-floor apartment.

By the end of the battle with the blaze, all Racine firefighters were called in to bolster on-scene resources and staff empty fire stations. Also called in were firefighters from Caledonia, Oak Creek and South Shore. We Energies and the Racine Water Utility responded, to secure utilities and support water main pressure, respectively.

No residents were injured, although three firefighters were hurt, all of them from slip/trip injuries due to icy and slippery conditions with the temperature at seven degrees Fahrenheit.

The Red Cross reports it is supporting 26 people from 12 of the buildings 16 units.

The Red Cross said that between Friday and Sunday morning, its volunteers are assisting 88 people in Wisconsin and Michigans Upper Peninsula alone, following 10 fires: including the one on Anthony Lane, one in Janesville and numerous large-scale fires in Milwaukee.

The Anthony Lane apartment building is known as The Maples.

More than $600,000 in damage was reported in the fire that consumed an Anthony Lane apartment building between Friday night and Saturday morning.

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By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts has opened an exhibition timed to the 30th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide.

The exhibition included works by the academy's teacher, talented artist Adalat Kara. Nearly 70 art pieces were showcased as part of the exhibition at the academy's Museum-Exhibition Complex.

The main purpose of the exhibition is to inform the public about the realities of the Khojaly genocide, to commemorate the victims of the tragedy. The exhibition was met with great interest among viewers.

On February 25-26, 1992, Armenian armed forces, directly supported by the 366th regiment of the former USSR, stationed at that time in the town of Khankandi in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan attacked, from five directions, the town of Khojaly.

About 613 civilians, mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown.
RACINE  One of the suspects serving time for the June 1, 2020, arson of the Thelma Orr COP House on Villa Street was in Racine County Circuit Court on Friday for a restitution hearing.

Justin C. Hernandez, 27, was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the City of Racine in addition to the six years of prison that was handed down in November.

As part of a negotiated settlement, the defendant pleaded guilty to arson as party to a crime. The additional charge of burglary was dismissed but read into the record.

Case history

The arson occurred during civil unrest that followed the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Derek Chauvin, now a former Minneapolis police officer, has been found guilty of murder in Floyds death.

The night had begun with a peaceful protest held in the early evening of May 31 on Monument Square, with one man who tried smashing windows being stopped by others in the crowd.

However, the protest turned destructive after demonstrators marched to the Racine Police Department headquarters on Center Street. There, starting at about midnight, rocks and bricks were thrown at Racine Police officers and Racine County Sheriffs Office deputies in riot gear before tear gas was deployed, dispersing the crowd.

Some in the crowd congregated again on Villa Street, where the Thelma Orr COP house was set ablaze. Crowds in the streets prevented first responders from getting to the burning home quickly, allowing the fire to spread further before officers in riot gear moved in to clear the streets and make way for firefighters.

Hernandez recorded the events of the evening.

The recording shows the COP House on fire while he says, On the boss, jut lit that (expletive) on fire, (expletive) the police! We done burnt this (expletive) down (expletive). (Expletive) these (expletive)! On the boss let that (expletive) burn! We went in there and destroyed all that (expletive)! as people leaped around in the background.

There were four co-defendants in the case:

Anthony McNeil, 29, of Racine, was charged with arson and burglary. He is awaiting trial.

Jason Young, 32, of Racine, has a jury trial scheduled for September on the charges of arson and burglary.

Kylie Gelmi, 22, of Mount Pleasant, has a jury trial scheduled for July on the charges of arson, burglary, and felony bail jumping.

Despite the extensive damage from the fire, the Thelma Orr COP house reopened 17 months after the fire.

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BURLINGTON  A Wind Lake woman, who has been accused of her fourth OWI, allegedly told a deputy I already know I am in trouble when taking the field sobriety tests.

Tracy Lynn Kennedy, 42, was charged with a felony count of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, fourth offense, with a minor child in the vehicle.

According to a criminal complaint:

On Thursday, a deputy with the Racine County sheriffs deputy conducted a traffic stop on a car that was going 75 mph in a 55 mph zone. The driver was identified as Kennedy and the front passenger was a minor under the age of 14.

Upon contact, the deputy noticed she had glassy eyes, slurred speech and the odor of alcohol. He requested Kennedy perform the field sobriety tests and she refused. She said she had two beers prior to driving. When she was advised she would be placed under arrest for an OWI, she said she would perform the tests. When the deputy began to explain the Walk and Turn test, Kennedy said she did not want to do them anymore and said I already know I am in trouble.

She refused to answer questions on the Alcoholic Influence Report, then said she was already shaking and that she drinks about 18 beers a day.

The Racine County Sheriffs Office reports that the child who was in the car is now being taken care of by family members.

Kennedy was given a $1,500 cash bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Friday. A preliminary hearing is set for March 3 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show.

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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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KEARNEY  Softball, prayers and brainstorming. Thats how Faith Christian School began 25 years ago.

In 1995, Joe Lucas talked to Pat Moore after a softball game and asked if Moore was interested in establishing a Christian school in Kearney. Moore, a member of First Baptist Church, agreed.

We met often to pray, discuss, pray, brainstorm, pray, plan and pray some more, said Mary Adamson, who with her husband Brett was also part of that original group.

Kearneys first Christian school, Kearney Christian, had been founded in 1984 at Grace Fellowship Church for grades K-6, but Joe and Becky Lucas, who homeschooled their four children until enrolling them at Kearney Christian, sought a Christian middle school option. They talked to the Adamsons, and Pat Moore and his wife Julie, and learned that they sought the same thing.

We kept talking about a school that would encourage students to steward their hearts and minds well academically, with a Biblical world view, Mary Adamson said.

Their first unofficial meeting was held May 1, 1995. The group, made up of seven or eight people from various churches, began monthly meetings in September 1995. They named the new entity Faith Christian School because on faith, we stepped together, said Suzi Wilkinson, who, with her husband Chris, was one of the founders.

They wasted no time in getting the school going.

They named committee chairs and found an attorney to handle the legal work. Pat Moore filled out the 501(c)(3) forms for tax exemption and became chairman of the group. It called itself Christians for Christian Education.

It was a moderately complex process. There was a lot of state and federal regulation, Becky Lucas said.

By November 1995, they completed a feasibility study. By December, they completed the organization process and established a legal framework.

By January 1996, they finished budget projections for the first fiscal year. They set tuition at $2,000 per student, low enough to be affordable, but high enough to pay teachers well. Its always a balancing act, Brett Adamson said.

By February, they had finalized the curriculum and had written job descriptions.

On Feb. 15, 1996, we put an ad in the Kearney Hub, asking if anyone was interested in being part of the new Christian school. We tried to bring in as many people as we could, Pat Moore said.

On March 1, they had hired a teacher, but at that point, only eight students, from three families, were enrolled. Unless 10 students enrolled, the school would not open. We had to have enough to afford to run the place, Brent Adamson said.

In May, they placed ads in the Kearney Hub and spread the word. We kept recruiting practically to the day school started, Brent Adamson added, but just one week before school was to open, they still had just eight students.

Then, on Friday, Aug, 24, two more students enrolled. One was Luke Moore, son of Pat and Julie Moore. We werent forcing him to go to the school. It was his choice, but when his friend chose to go, he did, too, Moore said of his son.

School opens

The school opened Aug. 27, 1996, in Trinity Presbyterian Church. One teacher taught a single combined class of sixth, seventh and eighth graders. The pupils brought sack lunches. The secretary was a volunteer, but the cleaning crew was paid.

In 1997, Kearney Christian approached Faith Christian about a merger. Kearney Christian believed God was no longer calling it to its school mission, Mary Adamson said.

Our board prayed, and decided to add elementary grades to the middle school grades. We had four months to get ready, she said. They met the deadline. By fall of 1997, Faith Christian hired three new teachers, for kindergarten, grades one and two, and three and four.

In 1998, Kearney Christian and Faith Christian formally united under the name Faith Christian for grades K-8. The school gained state accreditation in 1999. In 2001, it graduated four high school seniors who had attended Faith Christian since it opened and did not want to leave. Two more graduating classes followed in 2002 and 2003, but then high school classes stopped.

During the years, FCS rented space for grades 5-8 in the basement at eFree Church and for grades K-4 at Countryside Christian, but as it continued to grow, the board was praying that wed have our own building to have visible identity and a visible presence, as well as enough space for the kids, Adamson said.

In 2010, the current building opened at 5710 19th Avenue. Its a family atmosphere, Wilkinson said, Parental involvement is welcomed. A lot of parent volunteers pour their hearts and souls into volunteering.

Luke Moore, Pat and Julies son and one of the last two students who signed up to enable Faith Christian to open in 1996, was one of four seniors to graduate from Faith Christian in 2001.

The best part of getting an education there was feeling free to ask questions and take classes about all ideas and theories, including creation and religious studies. There was an underlying understanding that we (both students and teachers) are all created equal under God, which helped create an environment of mutual respect and empathy for one another, Luke Moore said.

He did so well at Faith Christian that he earned a scholarship to the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he graduated with a bachelors degree in psychology and a minor in philosophy. He met his wife, Melanie, at UNKs Student Christian Fellowship and is now an engineering technician at Behlen Building Systems in Columbus.

Now the idea for a high school has returned. So many people have requested a high school. Theyve appreciated the Faith Christian education and the atmosphere and the good education. Its like a family, Mary Adamson said.

Wilkinson added, God is opening doors, and were walking through them.
Enoch Opoku Antwi, now in his third year teaching leadership and management in Viterbo Universitys Dahl School of Business, might be a born leader. Theres no doubt, however, that leadership was thrust upon him and that he has made the most of it.

Growing up in Ghana the oldest son in a family of five children, Antwi slept on the floor until he was 12 years old and attended a primary school that had no electric lights. His parents divorced before he was a teenager, and he had to step into the void as a breadwinner and father figure for his siblings.

That was when leadership was thrown upon me, said Antwi, who recently published his fifth book, Servant Leaders: The Greatest Among Us from Research to Practice. From a tender age I realized I had to care for my family.

As a teen, he performed all manner of menial labor to help provide for his family and raise them out of poverty. Now all of his siblings have at least a masters degree and are engaged in successful careers. The bad news is they are all richer than me, Antwi said with a laugh.

Antwis father was a teacher and Enoch means dedicated teacher, so it makes sense he would become one. All my life I have known that my calling is to teach, said Antwi, who lives in Holmen with his wife and three children, ages 16, 12 and 10.

Before he had even earned his bachelors degree in educational psychology from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Antwi had started his life as an educator, responsible for teaching nine subjects to a class of 61 fourth graders in Ghana.

Antwi earned masters and doctoral degrees in leadership studies from Mount St. Joseph University and Indiana Wesleyan University, respectively, and began his career in academia in 2011 as chair of the business management department at a for-profit college in Kentucky. Even with his work in the business world, teaching and training have been a huge part of his career, including in the business consulting firm he formed in 2000.

Since coming to Viterbo in fall 2019, Antwi has demonstrated a strong ability to connect with students, said Tonya Wagner, dean of Viterbos College of Business, Leadership and Ethics. In his classroom theres such a sense of trust, and thats not something you always see, she said. His students really appreciate him. Theyre engaged. They kind of hang on his words.

Wagner also said Antwi is a walking example of what it means to be a leader. Everything he does he does with a sense of commitment to his community, she said, and community is broadly defined. He has these interlocking worlds and each life that he leads bolsters his other lives.

Antwi shares his expertise and perspectives on leadership with audiences around the world through webinars and other virtual presentations, and hes especially dedicated to improving the quality of leadership in Ghana and the rest of the African continent, serving as a mentor to leaders and evangelizing for the adoption of servant leadership. Africa has all the resources in the world, but we need to change the culture of leadership, Antwi said. The good news is that people realize we need leadership.

Over the Christmas holiday break, Antwi returned to Ghana for a presentation at the Sundoulos Advanced Leadership Training Institute, which conferred upon him the title of global goodwill ambassador for leadership and diplomacy. As a global icon in leadership, we are proud to be associated with your brand, a SALT Institute leader said in presenting the title.

Antwi said he considered the title a great honor, and Richard Kyte, director of Viterbos D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership, agreed. Doctor Antwis connection with the SALT Institute is a great example of how influence is extended by building trusting relationships. This has long been the strength of Viterbo University, and Dr. Antwi is building upon and expanding the legacy of those who have gone before us, Kyte said.

Kyte said Antwi brings to Viterbo a generosity of spirit and a deep faith, and praised his books research-oriented approach to bringing servant leadership to bear in practical ways.

One thing that sets it apart is his commitment to research, Kyte said. We have many books that tell anecdotal stories about leadership, but Dr. Antwi studies servant leadership in relation to other competing leadership theories and demonstrates how effective it is for anyone concerned with improving the performance of their organizations.

In the preface to his most recent servant leadership book, Antwi explains that the books intent is to bridge the gap between theory and practice in servant leadership studies and to bring the relationship alive. That is the only way we can find meaning in leadership studies.

For Antwi, theres no better teacher of servant leadership than Jesus. Christ has set the example of how to lead humbly, he said.

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By Azernews









By Ayya Lmahamad

The large-scale support package implemented in Azerbaijan has supported 48 percent of the country's population or 4.8 million people, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The remarks were made by the Labour and Social Security Deputy Minister Anar Aliyev during the meeting with the mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He noted that overall, an additional AZN 6 billion ($3.5bn) was allocated annually for the three packages of social reforms implemented in the country over the past four years.

Stressing that the ongoing social reforms in the country will continue in 2022, the deputy minister recalled that since the beginning of this year, there has been an increase in wages, pensions, and other social payments.

Aliyev also highlighted the reforms carried out in the field of labour, employment, social protection, expansion of active employment programs, including self-employment programs and support for the unemployed in a small business establishment.

"Compared to 2018, the minimum wage in the country has increased by 2.3 times, the average monthly wage by 35 percent and the median wage by 74 percent," he said.

He added that over the past four years the number of employment contracts has increased by 30 percent.

The participants of the meeting exchanged views on the labour market, employment reforms, and measures taken to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Azerbaijan joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on September 18, 1992. Since Azerbaijan's induction into the organization, the IMF has implemented several programs in Azerbaijan that foster economic growth.
The day before the fake referendum that handed Crimea to Vladimir Putins Russia in 2014, I marched against the annexation with tens of thousands of other Muscovites  but a majority of Russians supported the move, and Putins popularity, measured by independent sociologists, soared to highs not seen before or after.

Now that the dictator has launched an all-out attack on Ukraine, there will be no large-scale protests and no popularity bump. Seven years later, Russia is a different country  one that allows Putin to disregard it.

That, however, is hardly sustainable.

At the time of the Crimea adventure, Russia still had an active political opposition. Former deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov was still alive and protesting loudly against the takeover. Most of my friends saw the move as the end of Russias civilized European path, a major defeat for the freedom project launched by the fall of the Soviet Union. By 2022, the opposition has been crushed, chased into exile or underground. Nemtsov was assassinated in 2015.

When Alexei Navalny speaks out against the war on Ukraine, he does so from a penal colony where hes been locked up for a year and where hes being tried on further trumped-up charges. And when one of Navalnys trusted lieutenants, Leonid Volkov, curses Putin on Telegram and expresses the hope that the dictator has bitten off more than he can chew, he does so from relative safety in a European Union country.

Some artists, TV personalities, writers and social network influences  not all of them still living in Russia  have expressed their shock and disgust. Nobel Peace Prize-winner Dmitry Muratov, the editor of Novaya Gazeta, still allowed to publish under a compromise with the Kremlin, has promised to put out an edition in both Russian and Ukrainian in protest against the war. Journalists, academics and more than 100 local legislators have signed antiwar appeals. But none of them will lead a big march through Moscow streets: Putins repression machine now works preemptively to neutralize protest. Activist Marina Litvinovich, who called for street protests on Thursday, was detained. Those Russians who dare take to the streets across the land likely face the same prospect: Official warnings already have been issued.

But although there will be no footage of big marches to prove that not all Russians accept Putins aggression, no polls will show a boost to Putins popularity, either. The regime has largely gotten rid of independent pollsters, but even the Kremlin-loyal ones arent registering Crimea-like approval levels. VTsIOM, for example, on Wednesday reported 73% support for the previous, much less radical Putin move  the recognition of the separatist peoples republics of eastern Ukraine. In 2014, the same pollster measured the popular backing of the Crimea annexation at 93%.

A fresh CNN-commissioned poll shows 50% support in Russia for military action to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO  but even that number seems high. Russian respondents mistrust of pollsters  what if they work for the authorities?  is a constant source of distortions.

In March 2014, Putins support hit 80%, according to one of the few remaining independent pollsters, the Levada Center  and kept increasing as Crimea was integrated into Russia. Last month, with propaganda already blaring an anti-Ukraine message, Putins rating stood at 69%, close to the pre-Crimea level. Its unlikely to rise when Western sanctions on Russia hit full force  and Russians know these are coming. There are lines at banks to draw dollars and euros. The biggest state bank, Sberbank, briefly published a notice on its website that it might soon be hit by sanctions, making things difficult for more than 100 million clients, but then quickly took it down, claiming a software error.

The Crimea moment was euphoric for many, since the peninsula was widely seen as both historically and ethnically Russian. Hardly anyone spoke Ukrainian there even pre-2014, and a lack of respect for Ukrainian authorities was palpable. The large Russian naval base, with a history of many wars, added to the perception, heavily promoted by propaganda outlets, that Crimea was coming home.

But Russian missiles raining on the outskirts of Kyiv and Kharkiv, arms depots blowing up near peaceful Ukrainian cities  that, for many of the same Russians who welcomed the 2014 annexation, is the stuff of nightmares. Ukrainians are broadly perceived as a fraternal people; according to official statistics, Ukraine is at the top of the list of countries whose citizens Russians are most likely to marry. No matter what Putin might say about denazifying Ukraine, too many ordinary Russians have family ties and friendships in the neighboring country; they know their friends and relatives are not Nazis.

Russias biggest YouTube star, Yury Dud, spoke for many compatriots just before the invasion when he said: I grew up in Russia, Russia is my motherland, and Im proud to have a tattoo of the Russian tricolor on my forearm. But these days, my support goes to Ukraine, the birthplace of my kin and home to my friends.

Not that Putin cares, at least for now. Its quite possible that all the screw-tightening the regime has conducted in the last two years, the crackdown on the opposition, the greatly increased risks for street protest, came in preparation for this moment. Putin is so insulated from the Russian street now that his regime is not in danger, no matter what drastic and unpopular steps he takes. What is less certain is the longer-term picture, with increasing economic isolation, potential paralysis in financial markets, the loss of hydrocarbon export clients. Russias financial cushion, including $643 billion in international reserves, can last for a long time, but not forever if the Wests resolve to maintain punitive sanctions endures. In a country as big as Russia, maintaining a climate of repression amid economic decline will not be an easy proposition even for a dictator as experienced and ruthless as Putin.

Leonid Bershidsky is a member of the Bloomberg News Automation team based in Berlin. He was previously Bloomberg Opinions Europe columnist. He recently authored a Russian translation of George Orwells 1984.

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How does the world confront a Russian leader who is acting like Hitler?

How should the United Nations deal with Russia, which has a veto in the Security Council but is led by a war criminal?

After his massive attack on a sovereign Ukraine, Vladimir Putin cannot be treated as a normal leader. He must be branded an international pariah and condemned by the vast majority of nations as an outlaw.

The U.N. General Assembly should suspend Russia from participation at the United Nations, as it did to apartheid South Africa in 1974.

Some may scoff that this would be irrelevant since it wont save Ukrainians in the short term. Neither will harsh economic sanctions that will only play out over time. And its too late to send more defensive weapons to Kyiv for Ukrainian troops.

Yet Putin clearly cares about his international image. Otherwise he wouldnt be so obsessed about justifying his invasion by promoting the foul narrative that Ukraines leaders are a bunch of Nazis threatening Moscow and bent on genocide against Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

Maybe, locked in his COVID bunker, Putin really believes this nonsense. But the rest of the world has to demonstrate that it rejects his lies. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, plaintively asked, in a speech to the Russian people on the eve of the invasion, How could I be a Nazi?

In reality, Putin is aping Adolf Hitler, claiming the neighboring state of Ukraine has no right to exist, because he wants to annex it to Russia. The Russian leader has also promised to carry out denazification in Ukraine, which means Russian forces will seek to kill or imprison Zelenskyy and a list of other government leaders, along with civilians who oppose the invasion.

Since hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are likely to demonstrate against any puppet leader imposed by Moscow, this opens the door for massive civilian casualties  and no one doubts Putin would be ready to inflict them. The Russian leader is already guilty of massive war crimes in Syria, where Russian planes deliberately bombed schools, hospitals, and markets in order to save the regime of Bashar Assad.

So it is critically important for the U.N. General Assembly to demonstrate that a majority of members  not just the West  sees through Putins lies. As Ukraines ambassador to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said Thursday: Pretending now that the U.N. can work as if nothing happens will be immoral.

That immorality was on full view at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday night, as Putin  speaking in Moscow  thumbed his nose at the world body, formally announcing the invasion was on, just as council members were discussing how to prevent it.

Ironically, the meeting was being chaired by Russias U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, since Russia holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council at the moment. It was as if Saddam Hussein were chairing a council meeting discussing how to reverse the invasion and annexation of Kuwait.

To add insult to injury, Nebenzia claimed: We are being aggressive not to the Ukrainian people, but to the junta that is in power in Kyiv. You cant get more cynical than that Kremlin doublespeak.

Translated: A Russian dictator has the right to remove a president chosen by a free vote of the Ukrainian public  and replace him with a Kremlin-controlled regime. And he can kill as many civilians as he needs to get the deed done.

If the United Nations lets Putin get away with this claim, then the world body might as well declare itself dead.

However, there are signs that a broad segment of the U.N.s member states understands that Putin must not be allowed to get away with murder.

The Kenyan ambassador to the Security Council, Martin Kimani, was quite blunt in a Security Council speech challenging Putins dream of restoring the Russian empire. If that were acceptable behavior, Kimani said, then every African country would be at war with its neighbors trying to change borders drawn by former colonial powers.

And other members have surely noted that Putin hinted he was willing to use nuclear weapons against any nation that tries to interfere with his invasion, saying this will lead to the kind of consequences you have never experienced in your entire history. Those are the words of a leader who could embroil the world in a nuclear war.

So it is time for the introduction of a U.N. General Assembly resolution to suspend Russia until such time as Putin pulls back from Ukraine. Or maybe indefinitely.

If enough U.N. members sign on, even China might recognize that its Russian ally is stabbing it in the back  by undercutting Beijings sacred mantra that no country has the right to interfere in another countrys sovereign affairs.

To paraphrase Ukraines Ambassador Kyslytsya on Wednesday: There should be no purgatory for war criminals. They should go straight to hell.

Meanwhile, the U.N.s future is on the line, as is Ukraines  and perhaps the worlds.

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If it wasnt for Earls Bar and their patrons smelling smoke on Friday the 21st of January, and contacting the fire and police departments, La Crosse might have lost more historical buildings.

An intruder broke into my studio and destroyed a lifetime of work  of historical research and art. He took boxes and dumped out the contents all over the floor to create a bond fire scenario. Thanks to Earl's patrons, he never got back to that. He did start a small fire in an old cast iron stove that wasnt vented in the basement.

The police did write him up but let him go. After the police left, he came back and confronted me while I was putting things back into my building. I felt like he would stab or shoot me. The police came back again and let him go again. They said because of the virus, they are not putting criminals in jail.

The police and fire department are doing their jobs well, I feel its the government that is failing us. Criminals will never learn if they cant be held responsible for what they do. They will just keep doing it until something major happens  like all the buildings in this area burn to the ground and people get injured or killed.

If its not yours, its not yours.

Now the burden is on me to sort and pick up all the damage he did  with no restitution his part.

John Satory

La Crosse

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The massive changes in the U.S. workforce wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic have been called the Great Resignation, Big Quit and Great Reset.

First observed in the beginning of 2021, the Great Resignation has been a nightmare for employers as they scramble for workers in a tight labor market. Workers, however, describe quitting as a path to better work-life balance, better pay and different working conditions.

Lancaster Countys unemployment rate returned to pre-pandemic level in October but the labor market is still trying to recoup about 10,000 workers.

LNP | LancasterOnline asked readers to share their resignation stories and responders said they quit to retire or work for themselves.

One set of data supports those anecdotes that within the labor force some have struck out on their own: the number of business establishments.

Even as the labor force declined, the number of business establishments in Lancaster County continued to grow from 13,803 in the first quarter of 2020 to 14,035 in the first quarter of 2021. By June 2021, there were 14,100 establishments. The data, which lags by several months, represents businesses that pay unemployment insurance, which is about 95% of businesses.

During that same period, SCORE, a nonprofit that helps small business owners, experienced an uptick in inquiries and a greater sense of urgency from some small business owners, said Joann Brayman, vice president of marketing for its local chapter, SCORE Lancaster-Lebanon.

Brayman said that through the pandemic the local SCORE chapter increased its cadre of volunteers to 84 from 70. Volume of mentoring sessions was up 33% in 2020 during the peak of the pandemic to 3,869 from 2,910 the previous year. In 2021, the number of sessions was still high at 3,696, as businesses sought advice on pivoting and people with side hustles turned to them to make more money.

About 50% of the businesses were startups - not much of a change from pre-pandemic times, Brayman said. What did change was a sense of urgency from people with small side businesses, she said. Some had lost jobs or made decisions about changing their life path.

Here is what happened to four Lancaster County residents when they decided to quit their jobs in the middle of a pandemic:

Taking a risk

Michelle Meek, 46, had been working as a massage therapist for 20 years when the pandemic hit. Her job, not essential, was put on hold in March 2020 and her life turned upside down.

It was during that shutdown, before businesses were given the green light to reopen in June, that Meek decided she needed a change. She didnt want someone else making decisions about her safety. It felt like she had to jump through other peoples hoops to make any money.

I really felt my profession was in someone elses hands, said Meek, who grew up in Ephrata and lives in Lancaster.

If she was going to be touching people from the general public, she wanted to be in control of how that happened including if she wore a mask and how many people could be in a room at a time.

That epiphany started a conversation with client David Stout, owner of Lititz Springs Inn and Spa. Soon, Meek was on a path to owning her own spa - Das Spa - inside Stout's business in Lititz.

Her husband, too, faced a reckoning with the long hours and irregular schedule that came with his job as a restaurant general manager. He now works for wholesale small engine and parts distributor John E. Landis in Lancaster doing inside sales.

Meanwhile, her mother decided to take advantage of the hot housing market and sell her home. She now lives with Meek in Lancaster, helping with childcare.

The pandemic had forced them to take risks, Meek said - and she was glad they took them.

Meek now has five massage therapists and two aestheticians working for her.

I was offered an opportunity, a chance to serve tourists and locals and it's a great little town for tourism, she said. It was a huge decision but (Stout) made it an easy decision.

Were to the point where we turn business away, Meek said. I dont have therapists to meet the demand - I know thats industry wide.

Through the pandemic, Meek said her family unit became much more of a priority. She has a 12-year-old daughter.

Talk about COVID rearranging your life! Meek said. My only regret is why I didnt do this before. Its comfortable when someone else is signing your paycheck. The financial unknowns were probably my biggest hurdle.

COVID had us all reeling. COVID pushed me into the financial unknown so I thought, why not? I have an amazing family - they wouldn't let me be out on the street.

Mixing it up

Collin Dawkins, 27, of Landisville, was working in the health care industry when he decided to quit his job as an operations director for a non-emergency medical transport company to sell his own cocktail mixes and run his consulting business.

The Millersville University graduates career had grown with the Harrisburg-based integrated medical transport startup. He was commuting to Harrisburg to oversee operations that included 100 employees and a fleet of vans, drivers and supervisors to transport people in wheelchairs to and from nursing homes, dialysis and doctor appointments.

Then the pandemic forced layoffs, and the business scaled down. Salaried employees were driving clients. He understood why that happened but said it wasnt what he signed up for.

He thought he would stay until the company sold to a buyer and would pick up a windfall but he started to realize he was ready, even happier, to do his own thing.

I guess there wasnt an off switch. It was hard to kind of get away, he said. We had a couple of side hustles that we were working on growing. Instead of being available for this company I decided I could do it for myself.

It is still an all-hands-on-deck kind of operation, but the work is for his own businesses: Sundays Best Bloody Mary Mix and Vacca Dawkins Consulting LLC. The consulting business shows consumers how to leverage new users bonuses given in online gambling. Hes making more money now than in his previous job, he said.

The bloody mary mix started in May of 2020. He says its now the most-followed bloody mary mix on Twitter. Based in Lancaster city, the mix is used at several restaurants, bars and breweries in the area, and has been shipped to customers in all 50 states.

Dawkins already started to plan ways to expand the Sunday's Best brand, a business he runs with his wife.

I love that I get to choose whats going on, Dawkins said. I definitely work more hours but I get to choose what I do.

Family time

Brenda Redcay Strausser of Denver enjoyed her job as an administrative assistant at the same real estate agency for 26 years. Friendly and outgoing, she loved being in the office and talking to agents. She had reached a good place: Her longevity had earned her five weeks vacation.

Then everything shut down in March 2020 and then many of the agents started working from home. She was brought back part time and she hung on, hoping shed get her old job and benefits back.

I was not happy about that, she said. I really thought it would be a month or two. When it just kept going on and on it didnt look like they would bring me back. That is when I decided to retire.

She hung on until March 2021, a month before she turned 65.

With COVID it wasnt even fun in the office anymore, she said. Everyone was working from home and that really took away from it. All of that kind of contributed to it (her decision to retire).

Since then, shes found a new life. She has finally got to try pour painting, and when she wants some money beyond Social Security she has sold her blood plasma.

The pandemic changed things too much, so it was time, and its been great, she wrote in an LNP | LancasterOnline Facebook post.

She volunteers with Blessings of Hope in Leola and cares for her grandchildren so her daughter can keep working.

I home-schooled them, which was challenging, she said. But it turned out for the best.

Hands on

Adam Mentzer, 39, of Manor Township, was a career social worker until March 2020.

I worked for a private school that was closed due to the pandemic in March 2020 and we had just opened in January 2020 and did not have a large student body at that time, Mentzer wrote to LNP | LancasterOnline.

The company, Specialized Education Services Inc, decided to keep everyone on through the end of March and then furloughed all staff except for three people, Mentzer said.

In July of 2021, I was told that my position would be eliminated and the school positions restructured, Mentzer said. I continued to look for social worker jobs but was feeling very burnt out from the work at the same time.

In late 2020, his neighbor asked for help with a few handyman jobs that he booked through the app, Thumbtack. Soon, Mentzer had created his own profile on the app.

By April 2021, he had formally started his own business: Adam's Handyman Services Lancaster LLC. He decided he wasnt going back to social work. Hes maintained his social work license and added handyman certification.

He said hes now earning more than the typical social worker salary (the median range in Pennsylvania is about $58,000 to $62,000). More important to Mentzer is that his hours are flexible. He can schedule his work to suit his life and put his creative energy into his own kids.

Had the pandemic not happened, Mentzer said, he might still be looking for social work jobs.

Now I dont have to worry about dropping my daughter at day care at 7:30 a.m., Mentzer said. My job is 9 to 5 because I say so.
First cast takes the stage of Gardner Theater to perform 'Beauty and the Beast' [photos]
This story contains links that will take you to our archives site on newspapers.com. This content is free for LancasterOnline subscribers who are logged in. Click here for more information about how to subscribe.

Excerpts and summaries of news stories from the former Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era and Sunday News that focus on the events in the countys past that are noteworthy, newsworthy or just strange.

25 years ago

A month after a massive fire devastated the Sight & Sound complex, the owners of the Christian theater were talking about rebuilding.

Though the details had not yet been finalized, owners Glenn and Shirley Eshleman said the decision had been made to completely raze the remains of the complex and build a new facility from the ground up.

The only exception was the original production shop, which was the least damaged part of the theater.

The Eshlemans were targeting the end of 1998 for the opening of Sight & Sound's new incarnation.

Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau was working with tour groups that had planned to visit Sight & Sound about reworking their itineraries to substitute other local attractions in place of the shuttered theater.

In the headlines:

Vatican urges ban on human cloning

'Schindler's List' helps NBC sweep ratings

Hillary Rodham Clinton 'amazed' at spoken word Grammy

Check out the Feb. 27, 1997, Intelligencer Journal here.

50 years ago

Fashion shows were popular fund-raisers for local charities over the years, but children's fashion shows were less common.

In February 1972, the Elizabethtown Auxiliary of the Lancaster General Hospital was planning a children's fashion show to raise money for the purchase of a linear accelerator for the hospital's John Hale Steinman Radiation Center.

Though children were the headliners for the show, auxiliary members were dressing up as well, with models sound and old preparing to show off the latest looks for the coming spring of 1972.

And what were those looks? For the kids, the boys would be sporting a variety of striped and plaid jackets paired with white shorts, and the girls had a mix of long and short frilly dresses.

In the headlines:

President in Shanghai at end of China visit

Disaster faces world if growth continues

Liz Taylor is 40 today

Check out the Feb. 27, 1972, Sunday News here.

75 years ago

A full week after a massive snowstorm paralyzed Lancaster County in February 1947, some secondary roads were still impassable, and a few rural schools were still closed.

Ten-foot-deep snowdrifts had covered the road from Elizabethtown to Maytown, as state road crews didn't have equipment capable of clearing the massive drifts. Eventually, the state hired Harold Endslow of Marietta to use his earth-moving equipment to help clear the road.

Local highway crews were calling in help from other counties to deal with the aftermath of the storm, and state crews were working daily as well.

Other roads reported to have 10-foot drifts included the old Lincoln Highway between Smoketown and Whispering Pines, and the road leading south from Strasburg to Kirkwood.

In the headlines:

Britons face new national crisis

Senate rejects cut in military funds

Italians flee as Mt. Etna erupts

Check out the Feb. 27, 1947, Intelligencer Journal here.

100 years ago

A "hootch salesman" was being sought in the aftermath of a death at a Denver rooming house in February 1922.

John Hughes was found dead in his room, with another man, John Sheetz, also in the room in critical condition. Sheetz had been drinking illegal liquor which was determined to contain wood alcohol, and the initial coroner's report stated that the toxic liquor had killed Hughes.

A statement from the Lancaster District Attorney William Rehm, however, indicated that Hughes "was not a drinking man" and likely died of coal gas poisoning.

Regardless, Rehm said he was prepared to enlist the help of statewide agencies to track down the source of the bootleg liquor and prosecute its seller.

In the headlines:

Princess Mary to become bride tomorrow

Additional 'brokerage firms' bankrupt

Check out the Feb. 27, 1922, Lancaster Intelligencer here.
A 21-year-old man was transported to the hospital Saturday following a shooting in Columbia.

According to police, the shooting occurred on the 400 block of Locust Street at 12:48 p.m.

The man was shot in the leg and released from the hospital after receiving treatment.

"Subsequent investigation has determined that it was not a random act of violence and there is no concern for the public," a statement from police said.

A phone call to Columbia Borough Police was not immediately returned
Update: Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a person of interest in the stabbing.

A man was stabbed at a party in an Akron neighborhood early Saturday morning, according to West Earl Township police.

The man, who is from the Mount Joy area, was found lying in the yard of a residence in the first block of Main Street near Miller Road with a stab wound in his calf around 2 a.m., said Detective Jordan Byrnes. A party or gathering was taking place at the residence at the time.

An officer helped stop the mans bleeding until an ambulance arrived. The man, who is in his early twenties, was in stable condition when he was taken to Lancaster General Hospital, police said in a news release.

Byrnes was unsure Sunday if the man had been released from the hospital.

A suspect was seen fleeing the scene just before or right as police arrived.

Residents in the area provided a description of the suspect to investigators, though police did not share any details in the news release. Images of the suspect may be released at a later point, Byrnes said.

Police had initially been dispatched to the area after residents saw an abnormally large number of cars and people on nearby Miller Road, Byrnes said. Officers were investigating the vehicles, which were unoccupied, when they heard a commotion at a nearby residence, later finding the man lying in the yard.

Byrnes was unsure if the vehicles were related to the stabbing. Police are now trying to determine how many people were at the party.

Anyone who was at the residence or who may have more information about the incident is urged to contact Byrnes by phone at 717-859-1411 or by email at jbyrnes@westearlpd.org. Anonymous tips can also be submitted on West Earl Township police's CrimeWatch page.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz made a stop at Lancaster Central Market on Saturday afternoon, spending some time talking with Lancaster residents about the Ukraine invasion, where he lives, his love for agriculture, and more.

Oz, the reality TV doctor who had lived in northern New Jersey for the past two decades before moving to Montgomery County with his wife, took photos and spoke with more than a dozen patrons and business owners as part of his campaign to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate.

The reality TV celebrity-turned-politician grabbed the attention of many people attending market Saturday. He clogged up the aisle near Oola Bowls, as people swarmed around him in hopes of getting a glimpse of the TV star or to get a picture with him.

As Oz wandered the market with an entourage of his friends, his campaign staff was collecting signatures so he could get on the primary ballot in May. Each Senate candidate will need to get 2,000 signatures from registered voters of the same party to get on the ballot.

Oz told one young Republican voter that he grew up a few miles south of Kennett Square in Chester County. Oz attended high school in Delaware, attended University of Pennsylvania for medical school, and lived in northern New Jersey for most of his reality TV career. Oz said much of his life has been influenced by his time living in Pennsylvania and that he loves Lancasters agriculture industry.

To add to this: he went behind an Amish stand to take a picture with the produce with an Amish woman standing there, which is a big No-No! Amish woman replied No pictures please and ran off to the other side while he got his picture with the produce https://t.co/xGrFSUkD3K  Gillian McGoldrick (@gill_mcgoldrick) February 26, 2022

.@DrOz is visiting Lancaster Central Market this afternoon. Talking Ukraine, his residency, and more with Lancaster residents pic.twitter.com/uxGb35fnBT  Gillian McGoldrick (@gill_mcgoldrick) February 26, 2022

Prior to his visit, he spent the afternoon at a closed event with the Lancaster Womens Republican Club at Bent Creek Country Club in Manheim Township.

Before leaving Lancaster on Saturday, Oz spent a few minutes speaking with LNP | LancasterOnline about the Ukrainian invasion and the current state of the GOP Senate primary race. Oz and fellow millionaire candidate Dave McCormick have been trading negative ads for weeks, as part of large ad buys the two have made. Theyre not the only candidates in the running, but have spent the most money so far in whats expected to be the most expensive U.S. Senate race in history.

Asked whether these negative ads could hurt whoever wins in the primary, Oz said: They wont hurt me. The ads (McCormick) is running against me he says Im too moderate, Oz said. Hows that going to hurt me in a general election? Heis basically saying to all of Pennsylvania, This guy is moderate. Vote for me, Im the more extreme guy.

McCormick visited Columbia Borough earlier this week to talk with local Republicans.

Oz, who holds dual-citizenship with Turkey, said the invasion of Ukraine was horrible and preventable.

The reality is, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin cant believe his good luck, Oz added. He has a bunch of weak leaders on the west  Biden, but also European leaders.
Sustain Digital Tradings listing on Dubai Next platform will open horizons for the public to get to know the firm and back its efforts that focus on creating a decentralised financial ecosystem, said its founder.

Dubai Next platform is the first official government digital crowdfunding platform based on community support, for young people and those with creative and ambitious ideas of different nationalities launched from Dubai.

Sustain for digital trading aims to create a digital trading platform that is compatible with Islamic law through which these companies are listed, and the platform will be able to process up to one million requests per second, said Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sustain.

Al-Fahim explained that the company will operate a company using its own token SUST, the SUST token will be freely exchanged by its owners for fiat money and other cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tezos, USDT, and SUST).

Sustain Exchange will periodically expand the number of cryptocurrency trading pairs, and will only list cryptocurrencies that are credible, environmentally friendly and have a wide user base.

He called for participating in supporting the project of the Sustain platform for trading via the Dubai Next platform to achieve the greatest benefit for shareholders, and to transform this first local project of its kind compatible with Islamic law into a regional and global project.-- TradeArabia News Service
When: School board meeting, Feb. 16.

What happened: The board voted 7-0 to approve the preliminary budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year with a property tax rate not to exceed the districts maximum tax rate index of 3.9% set by the state. Board members Charles Merris and Richard Garner were not present at the time of the vote. This was a meeting of the policy & legal/education & programs committee meeting, in person and streamed via Zoom.

Why its important: Pennsylvania Department of Education requires school districts to adopt the preliminary budget by Feb. 16. This gives time for public input and changes to be made by the time the final budget must be submitted in June.

Real estate tax: The districts current real estate tax millage rate is 16.67 mills, and the proposed 2022-23 rate in the preliminary budget is 17.32. One mill is equal to $1 in property tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. For example, a property assessed at $200,000 would result in a $3,464 tax bill if the board approves the districts maximum tax rate allowed by the state.

Background: The boards resolution states the preliminary budget proposal assumes that the district will receive approval for use of one or more Act 1 real estate tax referendum exceptions. For the fiscal year 2022-23, the base index is 3.4%. Hempfields adjusted index is 3.9%. Last year, the districts adjusted index was 3.5%, and the board ultimately approved a 2% real estate tax increase.

Key numbers: The total spending plan in the preliminary budget is $137.2 million, instruction taking up the largest bulk of this at $86.3 million, followed by support services at $37.6 million.

Moving forward: The budget process will be refined and receive significant due diligence, and in May, the board is required to publicly disclose any tax change reflected in the budget. The final budget will then be submitted in June.

Quotable: This is simply the preliminary budget, which we are required to do by state statutes. The budget process will be ongoing throughout the coming months, board President Grant Keener said.

Policy: The board discussed revising a policy regarding public participation in board meetings. Suggestions include limiting the time of each speaker from five minutes to three minutes. One of the suggestions is also capping public comment on non-agenda items to 30 minutes total. The school board has eliminated its committee of the whole meetings and now only has one meeting with the full board each month. Since the change was implemented in December of last year, the board has been taking official action on several standing committee meetings where the majority of the board is present. Members of the community have attended and given public comment during these meetings to stay up to date with actions the board takes. Committee meetings are normally intended for discussion.

Whats next: Hempfield school board will meet again March 8 in the administration building.
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Protect Black migrants! echoed the crowd. Those same words were emblazoned on our bright yellow T-shirts, and Nana Gyamfis powerful voice trembled through the megaphone.

My eyes watered as I heard the moving story of a Haitian mother whose husband had been recently deported. We peacefully demonstrated and listened as nationally renowned activist Nana Gyamfi, executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, urged the crowd to celebrate the Black immigrant story.

It was a warm autumn morning in Nevada, as I was participating in a demonstration and news conference in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Investigations building where, just above us, captives were being held in solitary confinement. I was far from Lancaster but felt at home as I found myself on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard, bearing witness to the struggles of Black immigrants and refugees.

I was joined by other refugee and immigrant activists from across the country and local faith leaders as we stood in solidarity against anti-Black immigration policy.

I was representing Church World Service Lancaster at the National Immigrant Integration Conference this past October. The local media, and even folks walking by, stopped and joined the demonstration organized by the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, a sponsor of the conference. Hearing the collective chanting voices of the crowd, as we bore witness to the struggles of Black immigrants, was a moment I will never forget. It was a clear reminder of the need to protect Black immigrants in the organizing work I do back home.

The need for the protection of Black immigrants has never been more important. A Pew Research Center study released last month found that 1 in 10 Black people in the U.S. are immigrants. Black refugees and immigrants have historically faced extreme challenges as victims of enslavement, exploitation, political persecution and ethnic cleansing. Even after resettlement, Black immigrant and refugee families still face challenges in their assimilation and integration into their new communities. They are often wrongfully discriminated against for not just being foreigners, but simply because they are Black.

Lancaster County is so fortunate to have a large and diverse refugee and immigrant community. Many of us are Black immigrants, and our stories and contributions ought to be highlighted. Lancaster has become a new home where former refugees  from Haiti to Rwanda, from South Sudan to Democratic Republic of Congo  can become proud Lancastrians and where a Haitian American, Lochard Calixte, can even serve on Lancaster City Council.

Lancaster is also lucky to have many Black immigrant entrepreneurs, business owners and faith leaders. However, we must support these leaders and collectively uplift and celebrate our Black immigrant communities. We have worked on the COVID-19 front lines, marched peacefully in the protests sparked by George Floyds killing, and continue to be strong pillars in our society. Lancaster is better because of its Black immigrant communities.

Certified by the Georgia-based nonprofit Welcoming America as a Welcoming City, Lancaster must support the diversity and welcoming spirit that is entrenched in the history of not only the city but Lancaster County as a whole. Across our county, languages like Kinyarwanda, Swahili and Amharic can be heard from East Petersburg to Ephrata. It is up to us to celebrate our new neighbors and mitigate the challenges and discrimination they may face as new Lancaster County residents.

We must call on our elected officials to join the more than 100 members of Congress who have recently asked President Joe Biden to address the disparate and often inhumane treatment of Black immigrants. We must also support refugee nonprofit and resettlement organizations that are anticipating more refugees because the Biden administration raised the refugee admissions cap to 125,000 for fiscal year 2022. It will take all of us to advocate for the needed change.

I often look back on that warm morning in Nevada and am reminded to continue to celebrate Black voices in my community and vow to always protect Black immigrants. As we near the end of this Black History Month, let us recognize and celebrate the contributions of our Black immigrant communities and learn from the wisdom of their stories. Our newest neighbors are counting on us.

Ahmed Ahmed is a former refugee and community organizer who lives in Lancaster city.
As a 5-year-old with endless energy, my mother enrolled me in summer theater camp. Thus began my life in the field I love.

I spent several summers at camp, learning as much as I could. I studied theater in college, and during my first show, we were given freedom to decide how to develop our characters onstage, and tell the truth through our storytelling without losing ourselves completely, a technique I center in my own directing process.

After college I moved to Lancaster because of the many theaters we have here. I quickly learned that just because I was a good actress didnt mean I would easily get roles. I had to set my sights on shows that were within my wheelhouse. It wasnt until spring 2016, seven months after I moved to Lancaster, that I realized my uniqueness as a Black woman in theater.

I was cast in Facing Our Truth: Ten Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race, and Privilege, produced by Creative Works of Lancaster. The play was Night Vision by Dominique Morisseau, a Black woman playwright, and our director was a Black man, Ismail Smith-Wade-El (now Lancaster City Council president and a Democratic candidate for the state House). We bonded, and soon I felt comfortable enough to open up about my insecurities.

I told Izzy that I grew up in a white family on a farm in rural Pennsylvania and I didnt sound Black. And in that moment, Izzy looked at me and asked, Starleisha, are you a Black woman? Of course, I replied. Then you sound like a Black woman, and you are Black enough. You dont have to be anything other than who you are.

A few years later, after watching so many of my talented Black friends be cast as enslaved persons, maids or diversity hires, I decided that enough was enough. If the white Lancaster theaters weren't going to come to their senses and make room for us, I would do it myself.

So in 2020, I launched Disrupt Theatre Company. I knew that the first play I wanted to produce was Smart People by African American playwright and academic Lydia R. Diamond. I also knew that I wanted my friend Corey Landis, who is also a Black woman, to experience being in a show that centers a smart, Black woman who could hold her own.

During the rehearsal process for Smart People, Corey and I had a conversation that was much like the conversation I had with Izzy. I assured Corey that her existence as a Black woman, no matter where she grew up or how she sounded, was enough. All she had to do was be herself.

Part of what I do professionally is have hard conversations, and ask hard questions. How do we tell stories of historically marginalized people while preserving the dignity and humanity of artists who are Black, Indigenous and people of color? Ive observed that plays and musicals that center Black death and Black pain as a means to evoke emotion can take a negative emotional toll on the Black actors who are onstage.

In 2016, I was in Big River," a musical adaptation of Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. My character was an enslaved woman singing about freedom for her and her fellow captives. It was an intense moment in the show and the pressure to do it justice was ever-present. The week Philando Castile was killed by police in Minnesota in front of his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter, I broke down in tears at rehearsal. How was I to convey the desire for freedom in pre-Civil War Mississippi when freedom wasnt present in 2016? Every performance, I left the theater feeling heavy and exhausted. I knew I couldnt perform like this again.

Disrupt Theatre Companys goal is to center Black joy, Black love, Black friendship and Blackness in all its forms onstage. Are there some shows that deal with heavier themes that we will present? Of course. But my commitment to honoring the Black experience means that I will hire professionals to be available to fill in any gaps I cannot fill. Black, Indigenous and people of color as directors and stage managers. Black, Indigenous and people of color as intimacy coordinators, psychologists, clergy members and trained social justice facilitators. These are all necessary hires when presenting shows that center the Black experience.

I am of the belief that if theater is a safe and brave space to have fun, be ourselves and explore, then Black folks and other people of color need to be protected, supported and appropriately compensated every step of the way. Otherwise, it is negligence for the sake of art and it can lead to racial harm and violence.

Lancaster is uniquely situated to support organizations like Teatro Paloma, Lancasters Latinx theater company, and Disrupt Theatre Company, and the tireless work that artists who are Black, Indigenous and people of color put into our events.

If Lancaster is the cultural hub that we brag about it being, we need to show that we value the humanity of our diverse populations and allow us to be fully ourselves  offstage and onstage.

Starleisha Michelle Gingrich is a Lancaster-based storyteller, creative and theater professional. She is also the outreach and education coordinator at the Fulton Theatre and a social justice educator through YWCA Lancasters Center for Racial and Gender Equity. She founded Disrupt Theatre Company in 2020.
Looking back at the events and activities held to celebrate Black History Month was an excellent opportunity to reflect on being a Black man in America.

Until I arrived in the United States as a graduate student, my skin color, which represents a physical proxy for my race, was not an issue in my daily life. However, upon enrolling in an academic department where none of the faculty members looked like me, my sense of race was sharply awakened. When my future wife enrolled in the same department as a graduate student the following year, the number of African American students doubled.

As a microbiologist, the first time I felt the impact of being a Black person in America was when I found myself as the only representative of my race in a room of about 100 people at a professional meeting. It felt lonely but also empowering because I was the odd one out in that room. That is when I decided to look beyond the construct of race and its accompanying stereotypes so that I could strive as hard as possible to survive and thrive in my chosen profession as an academic.

Fast-forward to my first day as an assistant professor in an introductory biology class when a student challenged my role as the instructor because there were no Black professors in the department. This institution was in a major city where about 45% of the people living or working there, including the mayor, were Black.

As you can imagine, I have had other experiences where perceptions about me were derived from how I look before I even said a word. In most cases, having an accent leads to either better acceptance or less respect, but I always take it in stride because my ethnicity is not the only factor that determines who I am.

Fortunately, my upbringing in Ghana often helps me to overlook any stereotypical opinions others create about me. As my grandson has taught me, because I wasnt born and didnt grow up in this country, my experiences differ from those of a typical Black man in America. Ultimately, it is a privilege and a blessing to serve as a role model for those who look like me by endeavoring to do well in whatever I do.

King and president

The responsibilities and identities that personify who I am add another layer of complexity. As a tribal king at Breman Asikuma in the Central Region of Ghana and president of Millersville University, I serve by carrying two communities on my shoulders simultaneously. More often than not, the two roles are parallel because both require employing similar leadership skills. But there are times when they intersect to create a stress point.

In both roles, I seek daily to be a good listener, exhibit integrity, selflessness and self-awareness, and communicate effectively. Having a competent group of people around me is critical in both roles. For example, my presidents cabinet at Millersville University and council of elders in Ghana serve similar purposes for my role as a president and traditional ruler; both entities work for the proper functioning of their communities. Both of my roles require a deep understanding of how to manage resources, both human and fiscal, while making difficult decisions.

My campus community does not expect me to use my personal resources to cover institutional costs. But it is presumed by my people in Ghana that in addition to our communal assets, my personal assets can be used as the primary source of fiscal support for the well-being of the community.

Because disagreements are inherently built into every community, conflict resolution is a skill demanded by both roles. But there are differences.

Tackling family, property and marital disputes occupies most of my time in Ghana, whereas the majority of the disputes that I have to resolve as university president often emanate from a lack of professional communication and clarification of policies and practices. Presiding over ceremony  whether at university commencements, or sitting in state during tribal ceremonies  is common to both roles.

Finally, as a traditional ruler, I serve as the physical representative of our ancestors, but as a president I serve as the face of Millersville University. So, the two roles are separate, yet intertwined, and therein lies the daily path on which I walk.

The importance of mentors

To be effective on this journey, I have been fortunate to have mentors to guide me. The word mentor is often defined as a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. I have been guided and influenced by mentors at different stages, personally and professionally. I often tell others that I am still being mentored because there are presidents and rulers who have been in their roles longer than I have been in mine. In the Ghanaian tradition, we respect and hold in high regard anyone who is older than us because with age comes wisdom.

Mentorship is built around two concepts: teaching and guiding, which I believe are the two foundational attributes for building good relationships in a community. Hence, I am convinced that mentorship occurs when a person teaches and/or supports another person and uses his or her knowledge, experiences and other assets to guide and help that person. If done right, mentorship leads to vibrant communities because we all learn to depend on each other.

My mother and maternal grandfather were my mentors and heroes because of how they raised me. Family members are not often considered mentors, but in my case they set such high bars for me at pivotal stages in my life that they have collectively contributed to who I am now. While I didnt understand or enjoy some of the challenges that I endured while I was growing up, today I have a better appreciation for their rationale.

I have mentors in academia, too, with whom I keep in touch, especially when I have to make difficult decisions or need affirmation about major professional initiatives. Of them, only one  Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County  is Black. This may be due to the dearth of people who look like me in leadership roles, though recent trends indicate that there is a gradual increase in the number of leaders in academia who are people of color.

Back in Ghana, two long-serving traditional rulers in our district serve as my informal mentors, because they know more about our traditional norms and cultural rituals than I do.

Much as I have been mentored, I have made an effort to  and have had the good fortune to  work with bright and motivated students who considered me as their mentor. Among them are 27 physicians, seven professors and research scientists, 11 teachers and nine entrepreneurs who worked in my lab as undergraduate or graduate students.

Inclusion in discourse

When I arrived at Millersville in July 2018, there was only one I in our stated core values. At that time, we assumed that diversity and inclusion went together. But after antisemitic graffiti was found on campus that fall semester, we added inclusion to what we call our EPPIIC values (the other values are exploration, professionalism, public mission, integrity and compassion). This addition was a major step for our community. I often talk about our values as our North Star in everything we do across campus, and that North Star has emboldened us to make efforts to be more inclusive than before.

Efforts to be inclusive have been most impactful in our community since we returned to campus during this pandemic. Humans are social beings, so interacting with each other in person is necessary for creating authentic relationships. Despite attempts to create virtual communities during the pandemic, we lost some traction in being inclusive. A sign of the desire for interaction: Attendance at sporting events was higher than in the pre-pandemic period. I assume our community now values inclusion more because of the physical isolation that we experienced in the early portion of the pandemic. Ultimately, I believe we have a greater chance of producing highly creative, educated and engaged citizens if we educate our students on a campus that strives to be diverse and practices inclusion across everything that we do.

As Black History Month comes to a close, its vital that we remember that our efforts to create a vibrant and inclusive community dont end Feb. 28. We need to put into practice programs that help all students, including students of color. At Millersville, we are working hard to attract, retain and graduate minority students, and to recruit faculty and staff from minority groups.

Inclusion is creating a community on campus, in Lancaster County and across the United States, where different voices are welcomed and respectfully heard and where every individual feels a sense of belonging.

Daniel Wubah became Millersville Universitys 15th president in July 2018. Twitter: @VillePresident.
On the eve of his rise to power, when he was Boris Yeltsins prime minister, Vladimir Putin penned a 5,000-word manifesto, Russia at the Turn of the Millennium. In it, he lamented that Russia was becoming Portugal  a once-important land mass slipping into second- or third-rate status.

Putin concluded: We are running out of time to avoid this. That was more than 20 years ago, and the 69-year-old Putin is more fearful than ever that he is running out of time. This is perceptible in the latest set of proclamations from the Kremlin in unleashing an all-out war on Ukraine that is designed to reestablish the Russian empire on the basis of false historical premises.

Ironically, this deliberate violence may lead Russias leader to another fate he also seeks to avoid: that of the cornered dictator.

What is unfolding is a tragedy of incomprehensible magnitude for Ukrainians, bombarded by mortar shells and missiles, in the path of tanks rolling into their country, and no longer safe in their homes. But Putins actions last week also fundamentally altered the European geopolitical balance in ways not yet clear.

I am a historian and cannot tell you what comes next. Crystal balls have no place in my tool chest. But I do have some thoughts about history, and why it matters.

Putins distortions

Both addresses that Putin delivered last week intentionally and massively distort history to justify Russias war against Ukraine.

In last Mondays speech, Putin pursued dangerous Russian ethnonationalism (the Russian equivalent of white supremacy), dismissing Vladimir Lenins Ukraine as a diabolical creation impressed onto a people who, from time immemorial, had been an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space .... relatives, people bound by blood, by family ties.

Putin absolved Josef Stalin of blame for this policy, praising him for the creation of a tightly centralized and absolutely unitary state. For Putin, Stalins only shortcoming was that he did not go far enough  he failed to cleanse Russia of the odious and utopian fantasies related to the ethnic issue.

According to this narrative, the Communist Partys move in 1989 to endow the Soviet Unions republics with sovereign socialist status set in motion the process by which the republics came under the sway of aggressive Russophobia and neo-Nazism. Putin says those attitudes were then stoked by the United States embassy in Ukraine, NATO forces and other institutions in Ukraine.

Preposterously projecting his own preoccupation with bloodlines onto Ukraines democratically elected government, Putin accused it of denying Russian-speaking Ukrainians the right to self-determination and of pursuing humiliation and genocide. He claimed that only the gathering of all Russian peoples, united by blood and directed by the Kremlin, would correct the historical wrong set in motion by Lenin.

There is no reason to believe Putin thinks that Ukraine is the only territory to which this grossly distorted concept can be applied.

Setting record straight

Putins narrative contorts history, and it is important to set the record straight. Lenin did not invent Ukraine: A movement of cultural self-determination in the territory that is now Ukraine began in the mid-19th century and gathered strength during the final decades of Romanov rule, when the czars used heavy-handed tactics to Russify its populations and banned the speaking of Ukrainian.

Efforts to gain Ukrainian independence coalesced following the February 1917 Revolution toppling Czar Nicholas II. A messy struggle ensued against the backdrop of World War I, the Bolshevik Revolution and the Russian Civil War, during which two Ukrainian republics took shape  one in the former Russian Empire and the other in Habsburg Austro-Hungary.

After the civil war ended in 1921, Lenin, in an effort to popularize Bolshevism, adopted a policy aimed at colonized people that was nationalist in form and socialist in content.

Stalin reversed this approach in 1932 and 1933, turning on both Ukrainian leaders and the regions peasantry, whom he accused of withholding grain from the market and impeding his plan to industrialize the Soviet Union. In the process, Stalin purposely unleashed a great famine  genocide via starvation that claimed upwards of 4 million Ukrainian lives and constituted the greatest catastrophe endured by modern Ukraine under Soviet rule.

This was not simply the byproduct of ham-handed agricultural policies, but a concerted effort to stamp out Ukrainian nationalism.

Putin mentioned none of this, of course. This nuanced conception of history flies in the face of the self-serving ethnonationalist vision he has been crafting for some time. This is why Putin addressed his Monday speech to our compatriots in Ukraine. And this is why, in his Thursday declaration of war, he called upon these same compatriots to lay down arms and greet the Russian forces as liberators protecting our common Motherland from todays neo-Nazis who are attempting to seize power in Ukraine and are plundering Ukraine and humiliating the Ukrainian people.

Zelenskyys plea

Putins ethnonationalist fantasy is flawed and manipulative. He believes that heritage Russian speakers and those of Russian descent will automatically join the Kremlins cause. The fallacy of his position was laid bare in the brave, desperate appeal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Russian people  one he conceded would never reach them via state-controlled Russian television.

Choosing to speak in Russian, Zelenskyy also appealed to a common heritage with Russia, but one based on mutual cultural respect, not centralization around a Russian core: This is our land. This is our history. What are you fighting for and with whom? Many of you have been to Ukraine. Many of you have relatives in Ukraine. Some have studied in Ukrainian universities. Some have made friends with Ukrainians. You know our character. You know our people. You know our principles.

Zelenskyy stands as a symbol of just this sort of intersectionality and is not, as Putin outrageously charges, a Nazi: He is Jewish. His grandfather fought in the Soviet army against the Nazis.

In his defense of being both Russian-speaking and Ukrainian-identified, Zelenskyy demonstrates a belief in intersectionality that resonates with modern liberal democratic systems and the Ukrainian public. It also resounds with the thousands of people across Russias major cities bravely protesting the invasion of Ukraine, risking their lives and livelihoods.

Putins ranting speeches last week suggest they were not produced by professional speech writers skilled in crafting carefully worded statements. Which makes it highly likely that Putin has surrounded himself with loyal sycophants, not advisers empowered and able to criticize Putin from within the government.

Putin has retreated into a self-referential narcissism that stokes his most dangerous tendencies. He is notoriously afraid of being cornered; his latest rants contained whiffs of this when he raged about the illegal Western forces that ruined Iraq, Libya and Syria  desperately ignoring his own governments devastating role in those countries.

Putin is clearly haunted by the fates of his fellow dictators. But his gambit in Ukraine makes that scenario more likely for him than it was even a week ago.

Abby Schrader is a professor of history at Franklin & Marshall College, where she regularly teaches a course called Making Sense of Putins Russia. She has extensive experience studying and conducting research in the Soviet Union and Russia.
THE ISSUE

Today, we take a few moments to highlight the good news in Lancaster County and the surrounding region. Some of these items are welcome developments on the economic front or for area neighborhoods. Others are local stories of achievement, perseverance, compassion and creativity that represent welcome points of light during another winter of this long, stressful pandemic.

Daily readers of LNP | LancasterOnline may be a bit confused as to why Good Things, a regular Monday Opinion feature, is being published today. The answer is simple: We needed it, and we figured you might need it, too.

Last week, after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine, the images and interviews coming out of that beleaguered nation were brutal and heartrending. We continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and for the Lancaster County residents who have loved ones in that fiercely independent country, which is being barraged by Russian missiles and tanks.

As that tragedy began to unfold, we felt compelled to remind ourselves that there is good in the world  and a great deal of good in Lancaster County. So here goes.

 There is promise in the air in Ephrata Borough.

Kris Kaufman and his business partner Dan Gotwalt recently bought the six-story Brossman Business Complex in the heart of the boroughs downtown for $3.5 million. Their company, Firm Foundations, also purchased two neighboring properties.

Kaufman and Gotwalt told LNP | LancasterOnlines Tom Lisi that they envision a more active downtown Ephrata.

Like many downtown communities across the country, Ephratas Main Street features stately but underused storefronts and buildings, a story published in last Sundays edition noted.

Once a bustling town of retail shops, restaurants, a movie theater, a phone company and a namesake bank, Ephrata saw those businesses bought out, taking jobs with them, Ephrata Mayor Ralph Mowen told LNP | LancasterOnline in 2018.

Just about anything they do is going to be a benefit to downtown, Mowen said recently of Firm Foundations.

What could be an engine for activity in the area is Kaufmans and Gotwalts commitment to revitalizing the (Brossman) buildings restaurant space, which housed Lilys on Main until 2017, when it closed after nearly 20 years, Lisi noted.

This is good news for Ephrata and the many Lancaster County residents who enjoy dining out.

 Remember the old comedy-drama TV series Room 222 about an American history class at a fictional racially diverse Los Angeles high school? Were wondering if this retired Warwick teacher was a fan.

As LNP | LancasterOnlines Ashley Stalnecker reported in Wednesdays edition, Former students came out in droves to surprise retired Warwick High School mathematics teacher Dick Pillion on his favorite day, a Tuesday  or as he would call it, a twosday.

At 2:22 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, Pillion, family and friends erupted in cheers.

In his 33 years at Warwick, Pillions fascination with twos made quite the impact on his students, Stalnecker wrote. So much so that they funded the Scholarship Pillion in his name, from 1993 until his retirement, in the amount of $222.22.

Pillions former students collectively had donated more than $4,000 to the scholarship fund to keep it going for 21 years.

To mark last weeks special twosday, many students called, sent cards, emailed or dropped by Pillions home to pay tribute to him. Many cards, of course, featured the numeral 2  which caught Pillions fancy years ago because theres a Tuesday, and a two-dollar bill. ... It just stuck.

The lessons of a great teacher stick, too. And Pillion provided another one last week, when he told Stalnecker: You dont live life truly for yourself. You live it to help others and be a good example for others to follow.

If more people thought that way, the world would be a kinder place.

 Making Lancaster County a more compassionate, more prosperous and more equitable place is the work of The Steinman Foundation, a local, independent family foundation that was funded by the companies that make up Steinman Communications; those companies include LNP Media Group.

As a special feature in last Sundays LNP detailed, The Steinman Foundations contributions to this county are many and varied. They include the Lancaster Partnership for Learning Equity, created in 2020 to offer summer learning and after-school programs to students whose educations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the foundation also partnered with the nonprofit All Star Code to create economic opportunities for young men of color by helping them to hone their entrepreneurial and coding skills.

And it sponsored the first Pursuit of Equity Prize during the 2021 Extraordinary Give to celebrate organizations prioritizing equitable practices.

From STEM education  the teaching of science, technology, engineering and math  to its support for local journalism, which lies at the heart of the Steinman familys mission, The Steinman Foundation has made a remarkable impact on Lancaster County.

In every corner of the county, on every issue you can imagine  from addressing the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, to providing internet access and nutritious meals to children in need, the foundation has made its mark. And, as weve written before, we are deeply proud to be even tangentially associated with it.

 With Black History Month ending Monday and Womens History Month beginning Tuesday, the timing of this could not be more perfect: As LNP | LancasterOnlines Kevin Stairiker reported, a new version of Speak to My Soul, which first premiered in 2015 and was last performed in 2017, was slated to premiere Saturday at The Ware Center.

Speak to My Soul: A Montage of Voices is the creation of writer Evita Colon; it features the choreography of her partner Solise White and the writing of cast member Davianna Holland.

Colon also launched a Lancaster organization called Speak to My Soul, which uses the arts to empower, educate and elevate.

Its namesake theatrical production, as described on the organizations website, uses song, dance and spoken word (poetry) to voice the stories of the Black experience in America.

With its cast of Black women, the show amplifies Black women in a way that society doesnt always celebrate us, Colon told LNP | LancasterOnline.

 Finally, this week will bring Shrove Tuesday and fasnachts, followed by Ash Wednesday, which Pope Francis has declared a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Ukraine.

We wish our Christian readers a meaningful Lent.
Hong Kong: CE meets Mainland experts

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today met visiting Guangdong Health Commission Deputy Director General Zhang Yurun and epidemiological experts from the province.

She listened to their views and suggestions to help the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region combat the fifth wave of the epidemic.

The delegation had inspected various aspects of the citys anti-epidemic work over the past days.

Mrs Lam started the two-hour meeting by thanking the central authorities for their support to the Hong Kong SAR.

She also thanked the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and the Guangdong Provincial Government, for their early arrangement of the epidemiological experts to come over on February 17 to start dialogue with the citys health officials and experts.

She was grateful for their hard work and strong commitment as well as their extension of stay here.

Mrs Lam was grateful for the constructive advice given by them during their inspection tours, including the advice about the online platform, Communicable Disease Public Interface, which is being implemented gradually for patients to report their information.

Members of the public who had received notification of positive or preliminarily positive test results could submit to the interface relevant epidemiological information as well as information about their household family members.

This would facilitate the Hong Kong SAR Government to arrange for admission of patients to different isolation facilities as soon as possible, or assist them in adopting better protective measures while waiting at home.

Over 100,000 citizens have used this platform to report information, Mrs Lam added.

Also discussed at the meeting was the recent adjustments to the Hong Kong SAR Governments testing-related measures having regard to risk assessment and optimum use of testing resources.

These included wider adoption of rapid antigen tests, persistent conduct of restriction-testing declaration operations on targeted buildings with higher risk and so forth.

A multi-pronged approach could thus be adopted to ascertain the infection situation of the community and individuals, enabling them to be more vigilant so as to minimise the risk spreading the virus.

Both parties agreed that it was necessary at present to strengthen the multi-tiered approach to providing treatment based on patients conditions in order to reduce severe and death cases, such that medical resources could be more effectively allocated to imminent cases.

On the consistent rise in the number of death cases amid the current-wave epidemic, the Hong Kong SAR Governments officials explained that while the city had an ageing population with the highest life expectancy across the globe, many elderly people were chronically frail and ill and being taken care of in residential care homes, where the vaccination rate had been very low before.

The Mainland experts suggested that the Hong Kong SAR Government explain more clearly the clinical situation of the death cases to the public and boost vaccination among the elderly.

Mrs Lam said the rich experience of the Guangdong Health Commission and the Mainland expert delegation members in combatting COVID-19 in the Mainland can help the Government examine fully its existing anti-epidemic strategies and measures, so as to adjust them having regard to Hong Kongs actual circumstances in pursuit of the goal of dynamic zero infection.

We will continue to leverage the staunch support of the central authorities to stabilise the epidemic as soon as possible for safeguarding the lives and safety of the public at large.

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
More than 300 regional and international attendees including senior fintech, banking, regulatory, legal and investment experts have debated in Bahrain on how fintech innovation is transforming the investment sector.

At the 3rd Annual Islamic Finance Innovation Day (IFID) Forum, a hybrid event, which was held under the patronage of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), Rasheed Al Maraj, CBB Governor, welcomed business leaders and attendees and highlighted the important role of fintech in industry transformation and the ongoing development of the investment sector.

Hassan Jarrar, BisB CEO, the Forums Exclusive Banking Partner, delivered the mornings first keynote address looking at The Next Phase of Digital Innovation.

Discussing the evolution of the industry and where banks must focus today, he said: To be in pace with this rapidly advancing phenomenon of a digital-first society, and approach the future with confidence, we, as financial service providers, need to operate with agility and flexibility. We need to look beyond the technology and think about the people it impacts, whether be it our customers, employees, or partners.

Fintech Innovation in Real Estate Investing was also in the spotlight. Anouar Adham, CFA Co-Founder and CEO of CrowdToLive, a leading UK-based, FCA regulated Fintech offering an innovative and unique way to access the real estate asset class, and a Forum Partner, delivered a presentation highlighting how factional ownership can provide a non-debt solution both for investing and financing real estate transactions around the world.

Adham said: Historically, real estate has been a prime asset class for debt financing, however the continuous price rise of residential properties around the world created a serious affordability crisis, non-debt solution is an answer to this challenge.

Two interactive panel discussions followed covering the role of new cutting-edge digital solutions and how they are revolutionising the investment industry with senior experts looking at the resulting challenges and opportunities and overall developments from a holistic prospective covering the regulatory and legal fronts as well as implications on financial services providers and the customers they serve.

The first panel, addressing the Forums theme, featured Yasmeen Al-Sharaf, Director, FinTech & Innovation Unit at the CBB, Maisaa Shunnar, Group Chief Digital Transformation, BisB, and Adham. The discussion, which was moderated by Vineeta Tan, Managing Editor and a Director at REDmoney Group, the Forums Media Partner, covered key changes across the regulatory landscape, both in the region and internationally, and their evolution to support innovation and industry transformation.

Also discussed were the various approaches being taken by banks and Fintech providers to accelerate digitalisation, transformation strategies being employed and customer needs and demand driving adoption, among others.

The second panel looked at Fintech Innovation and Ecosystem and Legal Developments, with participation from Yasmeen Al-Saffar, Head of Financial Services, Bahrain Economic Development Board, Roberto Mancone, CEO and Executive Board Member, BEYON Money and Mohamed Toorani, Partner and Head of Bahrain office, DLA Piper.

The discussion, moderated by Kal Subramanian, Head of Markets, KPMG (Bahrain), saw panelists address how technology is changing the paradigm of financial services and the entire marketplace.

They addressed both opportunities created and the risks and challenges that have arisen. Speakers also importantly discussed how regulators and policymakers have reacted and changes needed to the legal landscape to cover new activities and business models that have been brought about by financial technology as it works to disintermediate the financial services value chain and transform the landscape as a whole.

Concluding, Zahraa Taher, Managing Director of FinMark Communications, the Forums organiser, said: We were delighted to have brought together such a distinguished group of speakers and panelists to address this very exciting topic at critical time when Fintech is driving change and rapid transformation of the investment sector.

Bahrain remains both a leader in Fintech innovation and financial services overall and were proud to host this event with the support of the Central Bank of Bahrain and our many industry partners. We look forward to another exciting year of developments ahead for the industry and anther IFID Forum in 2023 to gauge progress and support industry collaboration and dialogue.

IFID 2022 was also backed by Strategic Partner Tamkeen and Insurance Partner Solidarity.-- TradeArabia News Service
Those of you who were not alive during the Vietnam War may not realize this, but what is happening in Ukraine seems familiar to those of us who were.

Some history: In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy authorized sending an additional 500 special forces and military advisers to assist the pro-Western government of South Vietnam. By the end of 1962, there were about 11,000 military advisers in South Vietnam and, that year, 53 U.S. military personnel were killed, according to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. By the end of 1963, the number of military advisers had risen to 16,000.

Ultimately, about 58,000 U.S. servicemen and servicewomen were lost in the Vietnam War, in what had started as an advising role.

Havent we learned to stay out of conflicts that have little to do with us?

Ted Mavraganis

East Hempfield Township
Franklin & Marshall College professor Abby Schraders Feb. 20 Sunday LNP column shed light on why Russian President Vladimir Putin has been obsessed with annexing Ukraine and attempting to restore the greatness of Russian dominance (Explaining Putins push to take control of Ukraine). This explains Putins invasion of that country.

I have the viewpoint of having spent 15 years in the former Soviet Union and Russia. When communism collapsed in 1991, I was visiting countries under Soviet control with a group called Creating a Sober World (I wrote about this in my book, Memories and Miracles).

In Moldova, the streets were empty of vehicles; its supply of gasoline had been cut off in an attempt to keep it under Soviet control.

In Georgia, I found out why the former Soviet Union was called The Drunken Society.

In Ukraine, I met resilient citizens, learning new ways of relating.

In Moscows Red Square, I observed Russian people protesting for a return to the glorified days of the czars.

In 1997, while traveling on an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Novosibirsk, I began a conversation with two Texas oil men who were seated across the aisle from me. Their mission, they told me, was to get the oil gushing for the newly formed Russian Federation. About this time, President Boris Yeltsin discovered Vladimir Putin, picking him to be prime minister of that new federation. In the 20 years since, Putin has restored a familiar Russian autocracy, and many who challenge him are killed or poisoned. Oil and gas exports have made Putin and Russian oligarchs wealthy and powerful.

Kudos to Germany, which at the Biden administrations urging, stopped the approval process for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. How do we now counter Putins ambitions and avert this humanitarian disaster?

Mary Theresa Webb

West Lampeter Township
The first abolitionist newspaper in the United States is returning to publication more than 200 years after its launch in 1820.

The new version of the anti-slavery publication The Emancipator is a joint effort by Boston Universitys Center for Antiracist Research and The Boston Globe newspaper.

Deborah Douglas and Amber Payne are co-editors-in-chief of the new online publication. They say the site will include opinion pieces, multimedia series, and other content by respected scholars and seasoned journalists. The goal, they say, is to redirect the national conversation around racial injustice.

I like to say its anti-racism, every day, on purpose, said Douglas. She 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 Emancipator was founded in 1820 in Jonesborough, Tennessee, by iron manufacturer Elihu Embree. Its stated purpose was the abolition of slavery as well as collecting important documents on the subject of slavery. The University of Tennessee holds a digital collection of copies of the newspaper.

The Emancipator reached about 2,000 readers. Copies were sent across the South and to readers in several northern cities that were centers of the abolition movement. These included Boston, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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.

Similar projects have also recently come online, including The North Star, a media site launched in 2019 by civil rights activist Shaun King and journalist Benjamin Dixon. They say its aim is to bring back Frederick Douglass important anti-slavery newspaper. The American scholar, abolitionist and former slave was one of the most influential thinkers of the 1800s.

Douglas said The Emancipator will be free to the public and donations will support its production. The site will center on scholarly work and thought --- not breaking news, 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, adding Everyone is invited, to the discussion.

The publication also hopes to fight racist misinformation by using explanatory videos and written pieces, she said.

The Emancipators Amber Payne spoke of another major goal for the publication: reporting about solutions to some of the nations most difficult racial problems.

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.

Payne joined the project after working at BET.com and Teen Vogue magazine.

Theres so much scholarly research that just doesnt fit into a neat, 800-word Washington Post op-ed, she said, adding that the new paper is uniquely positioned.

The project has already posted a few pieces. For the one-year anniversary of the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol building, The Emancipator published its discussion with a Harvard social justice professor and commentary from a Boston College poetry professor.

The Emancipator is centered on the Black community. But, Douglas and Payne say it will also report on issues affecting other minority communities, such as the rise in crimes against Asian-Americans during the pandemic.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

abolition  n. being against something, such as slavery

scholar  n. a person who has studied a subject for a long time and knows a lot about it

journalist  n. the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio

society  n. the people of a particular country, area, time, etc., thought of especially as an organized community

radical  adj. very new and different from what is traditional or ordinary

perspective  n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as a particular issue or life in general)

analysis  n. a careful study of something to learn about its parts, what they do, and how they are related to each other

advocate  v. a person who argues for or supports a cause or policy

amplify  v. to give more information about

unique  adj. special or unlike other things

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Rising beehive thefts in the United States have led beekeepers to use different kinds of technology to protect their property.

Beekeepers in California are preparing for one of the largest pollination events in the world. The event involves beekeepers from across the United States transporting billions of honeybees to the state. California almond growers pay the beekeepers to use the insects to pollinate the states most valuable crop.

The bees will arrive in California as beehive thefts have been rising. The problem has become so common that beekeepers are now using tracking devices, cameras and other technology to protect their insect investments.

Hive thefts have also been reported in other parts of the country. One food company in Pennsylvania recently lost about 60,000 bees to theft at a pollination field. The problem is more widespread in California because of the huge pollination event.

In recent weeks, 1,036 beehives worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were reported stolen from farms across California, state officials say.

The largest theft involved 384 beehives taken from a field in Mendocino County in northern California. This led a beekeepers association to offer $10,000 to anyone with information that could lead to the hives recovery.

Its hard to articulate how it feels to care for your hives all year only to have them stolen from you, Claire Tauzer wrote in an appeal for help on Facebook. One day later, a person came forward with information that led officials to recover most of the missing beehives, as well as a piece of farming equipment. One suspect was arrested.

Investigators also found other hive equipment belonging to Helio Medina, another beekeeper who lost 282 hives a year ago.

Medina said the theft greatly damaged his operations. This year, he decided to place GPS trackers inside beehive boxes. He also attached locks to them and put cameras nearby.

We have to do what we can to protect ourselves. Nobody can help us, Medina told The Associated Press.

Thefts usually happen at night, when no one is at the farm and the bees are back in their hives. Many thefts are carried out by beekeepers or people involved in transporting bees.

More often than not, they steal to make money and leave the bees to die, said Rowdy Jay Freeman, a Butte County sheriff's detective who has been keeping track of hive thefts since 2013.

The demand for bees has risen over the last 20 years as the popularity of almonds turned California into the world's biggest producer. The amount of land used to grow almonds has also more than doubled to an estimated 526,000 hectares.

For beekeepers, the loss of a hive means the loss of income from honey production and future pollination, as well as the costs to run the hive throughout the year. Many struggle to make a profit under such conditions.

Denise Qualls helps connect beekeepers with growers. She decided to team up with technology company Bee Hero to equip hive boxes with GPS-enabled sensors.

Freeman, from the sheriffs department, got into beekeeping himself after investigating his first hive theft. He advises beekeepers to use security cameras and to put their names and telephone numbers on the boxes.

Freeman said some beekeepers are also using a tracking device called SmartWater CSI. It is a tool used to help police find and recover stolen property. The system uses a clear liquid that can only be seen under ultraviolet light. That permits police to identify stolen property even when thieves try to disguise it.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

theft  n. the action or crime of stealing something

pollinate  v. to give (a plant) pollen from another plant of the same kind so that seeds will be produced food

track  v. to record the progress of development of something over a period of time

articulate  v. to express ideas and feelings clearly in words

GPS (Global Positioning System)  n. a system of computers and satellites that work together to tell users where they are

disguise  v. to change the way something looks in order to hide it
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Americans going to college has dropped by 1 million. Researchers estimated the total could be as high as 3 million over the last 10 years.

Education experts in the United States have recently talked about the reasons leading to the decline. They include lower birth rates, higher pay for most jobs during the pandemic and the rising cost of a college education.

However, education experts and economists are starting to think about the long-term effects if the drop continues. Some warn the decline could affect the U.S. as competing nations like China greatly increase their college attendance.

Jason Lane is the leader of the College of Education, Health and Society at Miami University in Ohio. He called it a crisis that is not widely recognized.

With fewer people going to college, society is going to be less healthy, Lane said. Its going to be less economically successful. Its going to be harder to find folks to fill the jobs of the future

Adriana Lleras-Muney is an economist from the University of California-Los Angeles. She said the growing education gap could also worsen existing divisions over politics, socioeconomic status, race, and national origin.

Were seeing a lot more people moving into the very unlucky group instead of the lucky group, said Lleras-Muney. That will be very bad for them personally. It will start showing up in their health, their likelihood of remaining in marriage  you name it.

And another expert, Awilda Rodriguez from the University of Michigan, observed that recent gains in reducing class-based and racial inequality are being wiped away.

Among the most affected, researchers from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center say, are children from poor families. And the number of young men starting college has also dropped by 10 percent in the last two years.

The College Board says people who only finish high school will earn almost $25,000 per year less than people who finish college. Government agencies and the Pew Research Center note that those without college degrees run a risk of living in poverty or becoming unemployed. They are more likely to pay less tax, need government help, lead an unhealthy lifestyle, and die younger.

Jennifer Ma is a senior researcher from The College Board. She said as older Americans retire, good jobs that require college degrees will remain unfilled. She called the drop in college attendance during the pandemic a really scary number.

And Lane of Miami University added, what were seeing right now is hospitals understaffed, supply chain concerns, schools closing because we dont have enough people to keep them open.

Increased international competition

As fewer Americans are going to college, countries including China, Canada, Korea, and Russia are investing more in higher education.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development notes that the U.S. is now 12th among its 38 member countries in adults with college degrees. Just 20 years ago, the U.S. was third.

China is one country making progress. Since 2000, China has increased its number of college students from 7.4 million to nearly 45 million in 2018. The information comes from World Education Services.

Another study from Georgetown University says that by 2025, China will be producing nearly two times the number of students with advanced degrees in science, engineering, technology, and math each year than the U.S.

Jamil Salmi is a higher education expert who once worked at the World Bank. He said the lack of Americans with college degrees may lead companies to move businesses to countries with more highly educated citizens.

Some benefits

The college attendance crisis, as Miamis Lane put it, could result in some good news in the U.S. Some who study labor think employers will consider life experience a little more when offering people jobs.

Monty Sullivan is president of Louisiana Community and Technical College System. He said companies are starting to think about a persons skills more than whether they have a piece of paper, meaning a college degree.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia recently found more job listings that pay above the national median wage are open to people without college degrees.

At the same time, if the number of students stays low, the business of higher education will be hurt. For example, colleges will not need as many professors and support workers. About four million people work in higher education in the U.S. and a recent study from the National Center for Education Statistics showed that colleges and universities combine to spend over $630 billion per year.

Rodriguez, from the University of Michigan, said with fewer students, colleges might have to make it easier for others, especially those from poor families, to get into and finish college.

Its not just about productivity or workforce development, though all of those things are true, she said. Its about making opportunities available to students.

Im Jill Robbins. And Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this report for Learning English based on a story by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit educational organization.

Quiz - Experts Worry about Effects of Fewer US College Students Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

Words in This Story

society  n. people who live together in a group

folk  n. an informal reference to people

status  n. the position or rank of a person or group in society

national origin  n. the place in the world a person or their family comes from

scary  adj. causing fear

understaffed  adj. the state of not having enough workers

median  adj. the middle number in a group

opportunity  n. a chance to do something
If not for Jane Does courage, former Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, R-Lewiston,  a man who stands convicted of raping her and now faces spending the rest of his life in prison  would no doubt be on his way toward securing a second term representing this area in the Legislature.
Sustainability has been a key element and is a prime focus for the India Pavillion, said Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner-General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai, Dr Aman Puri.

Sustainability depends on how we lead our own lives, how we make more sustainable choices, and how we become the change, which we wish to see in the world, said Dr Puri at a Symposium on Sustainability and Creativity organised by International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter at the India Pavilion at Expo 2020.

The event witnessed the worlds foremost thought leaders, decision-makers, visionaries and experts from various sectors enlighten the audience with deliberations on the issue of sustainability and creativity.

Joel Nettey, Chairman and World President, IAA, while emphasising on the theme, said: While creativity drives us towards sustainability through its vision, our quest for sustainability as a human society, is also a trigger for realising creativity. Idea generation is thus the key to future societal prosperity.

In her opening remarks, Megha Tata, President, IAA, India Chapter, said: We have tried to be the global compass when it comes to recognising and nurturing not just the creative excellence but subjects of local and national importance, where communication can be used as a force for good.

Elucidating the global campaign on soil preservation Tata shared: Under the support of Save Soil, International Advertising Association has launched a campaign to take notice and save soil, which is an integral part of the ecosystem.

Chairman, Asian Federation of Advertising Associations, IAA, Srinivasan K Swami, said: Creativity is what we need to make sustainable progress in the world.

Janak Sarda, Founder and CEO, Blue Logic Digital Advertising, shared: We have been seeding the thought of sustainability and creativity as a form of marketing for various brands, not just in the country, but throughout Asia.

Sustainability is the key to Expo 2020 Dubai. We hope that expos or cities that will be built in the future can learn sustainability and innovation from us, said Sconaid McGeachin, Senior Vice President of Communication, Expo 2020 Dubai.

The IAA has organised similar CEO delegations to the USA and Israel on three earlier occasions. This symposium held at the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 on the twin subjects of Sustainability and Creativity showcased the IAA India Chapters most recent initiative to Save Soil, a matter of critical global urgency.-- TradeArabia News Service
Fatima Group, a leading industrial firm in Pakistan, has signed two MoUs of over $1 billion with two key global agriculture stakeholders  China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) from China and Sarh Attaqnia Co (SAC) from Saudi Arabia.

Fatima Group is leading the initiative of transforming Pakistans agriculture to serve as the worlds food basket.

It is known as Pakistans fastest-growing industrial conglomerate with more than $1 billion in revenue in industries such as fertilisers, energy, textiles, sugar, cement, and venture capital investments.

The formal signing of the business partnership was held at the Pakistan Pavilion in line with the ongoing Agriculture Week at Expo 2020 Dubai.

As chairman of a leading Pakistani conglomerate, it is my vision to bring modern precision farming to Pakistan. We as a country are blessed with immense potential and I strongly believe that with the right partners we can create a big difference not just for Pakistans food security but the entire region. We are grateful to our Chinese and Saudi counterparts who have put their trust and faith in us. I am hopeful that this landmark will lead to many more such partnerships and investment opportunities for future, said Mian Fawad Ahmed Mukhtar, Chairman of Fatima Group and CEO of Fatima Fertiliser Company Limited.

CMEC as a technology partner, will help with the adaption of climate-smart precision agriculture farm machinery, improved high-yielding seeds, and other crop inputs in Pakistan. In addition, Sarh Attaqnia Company is a key partner that will invest in developing a state-of-the-art agriculture value chain encompassing sustainable production, processing, warehousing, and export marketing of grain crops to help ensure regional food security.

Pakistan has over 20% of its GDP linked with agriculture and about 64% of the human resource associated with it. This collaboration will potentially unlock a tremendous amount of untapped land resources of Pakistan by bringing fallow lands under cultivation for sustainable production of crops like rice, barley, oats, silage bales for livestock, and dairy industry under the Corporate Agriculture Farming initiative.

Fatima Group, along with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, is at the Pakistan Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai over the next four days, holding a range of events showcasing its commitment to help ensure regional food security, agricultural innovation, and women empowerment in the agriculture sector of Pakistan.-- TradeArabia News Service
Did Frontier Airlines renege on a promise to pay for the full cost of a flight on a competing airline after it left three of its would-be customers stranded?

Only Frontier, or at least two employees therein, would be able to say for sure  and theyre not talking.

Michelle Weber and her husband and daughter were set to fly Frontier from Madison to Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 17 when they found out a few hours before takeoff that the flight had been canceled and there were no others that day or the next.

Given that the family had hotel and other reservations in Florida, Weber said she asked Frontier about her options and Frontier told her she could book a flight on another airline and Frontier would reimburse her for the cost.

And on this point Weber is certain: Cost did not mean the cost of the tickets to the canceled Frontier flight; it meant the full cost of the flight the family had to book at the last minute because the Frontier flight was canceled.

Weber, 54, of Madison, said she confirmed this twice  in an initial call with Frontier before booking the replacement flight at a cost of $2,000.10, and again during the layover on that flight.

But once back from vacation, the companys story changed, she said, and the airline only offered to refund the cost of her Frontier flight, or $656.94.

I asked to speak to a manager and was told the same thing, Weber emailed SOS on Jan. 3. She apologized for the misinformation I was given from the original Frontier agent and that that agent would be reprimanded. I told her that was not good enough. I said if I were not offered the reimbursement, I would have made other choices. She again apologized but would not budge.

SOS set out to get Weber the rest of what she spent to get to Orlando, and while Frontier didnt respond to its Jan. 12 inquiry, it did contact Weber directly.

In a Jan. 19 email, Frontier customer relations advocate Beth Zimmerman apologizes but says that in a case like Webers there is no option for a full reimbursement of the replacement flights cost.

As a customer service gesture, however, she said the airline has decided to send her an additional $393.06, based on a formula that takes into account the number of people who were to fly and the amount shed already been refunded for the initial canceled Frontier flight.

SOS waited until Weber had that check in hand  bringing the sum of her refund and customer service gesture to $1,050  before contacting Frontier to see if it would provide any recordings or transcripts from those two calls Weber made on Dec. 17.

In her response, Frontier senior director of corporate communications Jennifer de la Cruz did not confirm or deny the existence of such presumably definitive evidence.

It looks like Beth was quite explanatory in earlier correspondence in terms of providing information from Frontier, she wrote in a Feb. 17 email. We are pleased Ms. Weber has received her check. Thank you for your inquiry.

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A stay-at-home mother is challenging a one-term incumbent to represent Area III on the Middleton-Cross Plains School Board in the April 5 spring election. The term is for three years.

Tabitha Hansen

Age: 32

Address: 644 Big Stone Trail, Middleton

Family: Married with five young children

Job: Stay-at-home mom

Prior elected office: None

Other public service: President and founder of PTO; leadership team of preschool co-op; board member and founding member of neighborhood association

Education: Orange Coast College, Long Beach City College, Cal State Dominguez Hills. Bachelor of arts with honors in theatre arts

Email or website: Tabithaforschoolboard.com and tabithaforschoolboard@gmail.com

Minza Karim (I)

Age: 44

Address: 9419 Stoneywood Blvd., Middleton

Family: Married with three boys

Job: Administrative assistant at Madinah Academy of Madison

Prior elected office: Current board member at Middleton-Cross Plains School District

Other public service: None

Education: Associates from SUNY, New York in public policy

Email or website: minzakarim@gmail.com

Q&A

Why are you the best candidate for this office?

Hansen: I am a stay-at-home mother of five. As our children will be in this district for the next 17 years, serving on the school board is a crucial way that I can shape the future of their education and that of the children of my community for the better. I believe all employees should have a say in their work and outcomes. By running for I am working to have that same say in my childrens education.

Karim: Experienced board member, went through most challenges of pandemic, very communicable and transparent with community, responsive to community needs, voice for diverse representation and equity.

What is the most important issue in this election and how would you address it?

Hansen: The pandemic has created extremely challenging times for our community. Students and staff alike have experienced uncommon changes. The biggest challenge for public education today is that our community has lost faith in this institution. We need to use the intelligent resources we have in our teachers and staff along with our board to come up with creative ways to rebuild that trust and make our community even better for it.

Karim: Safety for schools and budget challenges. We need safer schools for all and I am and will work vigilantly with the administration to make it more safer for our students and staff. Budget shortfalls has been an issue since pandemic hit. Districts are in dire need of increased budget per pupil, retaining staff and new hires due to the compensation packages.

What would you ask lawmakers to include in the next state budget to improve K-12 education in your district?

Hansen: Have the curriculum and classes in place to allow all students to thrive no matter their socio-economic background or walk of life. We need to increase our funding for early reading intervention. If children are not able to read then it can negatively effect the rest of their lives. We need to catch them up where it matters most in the K-3 classrooms, with books, specialists and diverse material.

Karim: Budget increase per pupil. More funds for compensation and for operational funding.
The next time you dont like something you read in the press  a news article you think is slanted, a provocative opinion or political cartoon  imagine what the world would be like without opposing views, independent sources of information and the free speech our First Amendment protects.

That world would look a lot like Russia, where authoritarian ruler Vladimir Putin controls major media outlets and threatens the rest with punishment, should they dare deviate from his governments sanitized pronouncements.

Putins harassment of independent media helps explain how he has held power as president or prime minister in Russia for so long  22 long years and counting. It also makes his reckless military actions easier to get away with, including last weeks devastating and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.

Putins critics are mostly silenced in Russia, leaving ordinary Russian citizens with little information beyond praise for their leader, who orchestrated a constitutional change in 2020 that could allow him to serve until 2036. Essentially, the former KGB agent has positioned himself as president for life  the most undemocratic move possible.

Putin has jailed  and poisoned, according to a United Nations investigation  his political challengers. And his suppression of news and views he doesnt like includes the arrest of 80 journalists last year for reporting on public protests over the detainment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Putin hides war casualties from his people. In 2015, Putin declared all Russian military deaths were state secrets, regardless of whether his nation is at war, The Guardian reported. Last fall, he cracked down on independent journalists by labeling them foreign agents, which comes with the risk of blocking and bankrupting their publications for trying to expose his corrupt and backward reign.

As Russian troops rolled into Ukraine last week, Putins government agency that tightly regulates news outlets warned journalists only to publish information from official Russian sources if they didnt want to be shut down, according to Reuters.

The threat seemed to be working. According to the Associated Press, Russian television stations were painting Putin as a savior of eastern Ukraine. Russian-sponsored media widely regurgitated the fiction that Ukraine could quickly develop nuclear weapons, and that Ukraines military was targeting civilians. Independent media in Ukraine responsibly reported just the opposite  that Ukraine long ago gave up its nuclear weapons and was trying to defend itself against an unprovoked and brutal Russian attack.

Far from peace, Putin ordered the gunfire and violent explosions that have shaken much of Ukraine, including the capital of Kiev. But dont expect most Russians to hear about the chaos and death Putin has triggered.

Russian television anchors in recent days have compared Ukraine to Nazi Germany. Thats ridiculous. No wonder Putin is positive about the peoples support of his military actions. Theyre only getting the Kremlins skewed side of every story.

Some courageous Russian journalists toil on, risking imprisonment and violence in pursuit of the truth.

The Russian peoples tolerance for war is unclear, especially with the United States and other Western nations appropriately applying economic sanctions. Putin cant oppress his people forever. Nor can he stop word of mouth as the Ukrainian crisis grows.

Here in the free world, our Constitution guarantees a free press and free exchange of ideas. Journalists can report what they see and learn, not what the government tells them to say and write. Citizens can speak their minds and elect their leaders.

Be thankful for that. Putins violent repression in Europe is a stark reminder of why Americans must never take our liberties and democracy for granted.

Wisconsin State Journal editorial board The views expressed in the editorials are shaped by the board, independent of news coverage decisions elsewhere in the newspaper. STAFF MEMBERS SCOTT MILFRED, Editorial page editor PHIL HANDS, Editorial cartoonist COMMUNITY MEMBERS JANINE GESKE SUSAN SCHMITZ WAYNE STRONG
CSI professor receives fellowship

The Idaho State Board of Education awarded Professor Reis-Rodriguez an Openness, Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Leadership (OPAL) Fellowship for the 2022-2023 academic year. It is a collaborative learning initiative designed to support learning and innovation using Open Educational Practices and Resources. It allows college students to take courses with little to no additional cost for textbooks and other course materials. CSI is committed to making college accessible and affordable, and the growing use of OER is one way we can accomplish that goal, says CSI Provost Dr. Todd Schwarz. Its because of the commitment of faculty like Professor Reis-Rodriguez that more and more CSI courses are using OER.

Risch names Redox Bio-Nutrients in Burley as the Feb. Small Business of the Month

Redox Bio-Nutrients was recognized for its contribution to the Burley community in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate.

Darin Moon founded Redox Bio-Nutrients in 1993. It is a world-renowned fertilizer producer based in the heart of Burley. Darins focus on innovation has earned him seven patents and provided Redoxs customers with high-quality fertilizer that improves their crop yields.

Today, Redox supplies agricultural products in over 40 states and 32 countries and employs 33 workers, including 19 Idahoans. Darin serves on the Cassia County School Districts school board and helped launch Connect, a district-wide program dedicated to connecting students in need with mental health resources and free therapy.

Every day, Redox Bio-Nutrients works to produce a high-quality product, said Risch. Their developments in soil treatment solutions have a real impact on the world, and they are a prime example of Idahos global reach.

6 local college students Receive Chapter BP, PEO Scholarships

The PEO Sisterhood is an international philanthropic educational organization active in bringing increased opportunities for higher education to women. Chapter BP has Filer, Jerome, Kimberly and Twin Falls members.

Jessica Gardner, Twin Falls, received a $1,500 PEO Program for Continuing Education grant for her studies in social work at Boise State University. The Program for Continuing Education is a grant program assisting women whose education has been interrupted for at least two years and who find it necessary to resume studies due to changing demands in their lives.

The CSI Foundation awarded four scholarships from a fund in Chapter BPs name established in 2021 to assist students pursuing a caring profession. Kendra Olson, Hailey; Valery Kindall, Paul; and Courtney Bowman, Elkhorn; are each enrolled in the School of Nursing. This spring, Savannah Peters, Twin Falls, will receive her Associate Degree in American Sign Language from CSI.

Chapter BP has also awarded a $500 Scholarship to Logan Bowman, Twin Falls, who intends to become a history teacher. Bowman graduated from Canyon Ridge High School in May 2021.

Community Health Improvement Fund applications open

St. Lukes Magic Valley is opening its 2021-2022 second-round Community Health Improvement Fund grant online applications through Mar. 10.

Projects must address one or more of our highest areas of health need, including improving the prevention and management of obesity and diabetes, improving mental health, and access to affordable health insurance. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, grant applications that address significant health needs related to the pandemic will be eligible for funding. This funding may include food insecurity, domestic violence and abuse, access to health care, homelessness and housing instability, or other issues identified by local organizations. Applicants are expected to demonstrate collaboration and coordination with other community organizations. They must also include a mechanism with which to measure health improvements. For more information or to apply, go to stlukesonline.org/CHIEF. Please email SLMVCHIGrants@slhs.org to get registered.

Allred-Martinez Receives National Award for Naturalized Citizens

Birgit Allred-Martinez of Twin Falls was awarded the Americanism Medal from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution at a special reception on Feb. 12. This medal goes to an individual who has been a naturalized US citizen for at least five years and has demonstrated outstanding leadership, trustworthiness, service, and patriotism. The individual must have actively assisted other immigrants to become American citizens or displayed exceptional ability in community affairs.

Allred-Martinez was born in Bavaria, West Germany. Her family told the story of her familys suffering during World War II. They fled Prussia on foot, pulling a hand-cart after Russians invaded their town and committing atrocities among the residents.

As an employee of Lamb Weston, she championed the cause of providing full-time employment for refugees. Examples of her community service include teaching a cooking class through the Idaho Food Bank, participating in Paint Magic, attending the 10-week Twin Falls Citizens Police Academy, and personally engaging with refugees to offer her help.

Seedling tree sale underway

Trees provide many benefits to man and wildlife. Trees can block wind, keep roadways clear of drifting snow, provide wildlife habitat, and are great for natural cooling systems in the summer. Windbreaks can protect property, topsoil, and public facilities like schools and parks. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the Mini-Cassia area and The Wood River are taking seedling tree orders.

In Mini-Cassia, order forms are also available on our website at minicassiaswcd.com. Detailed pictures, seedling information, and planting instructions are also available on our website. Please mail orders with payment to either the Burley Office at 1361 East 16th Street Burley, ID 83318, or the Rupert Office at 85 East Baseline Rupert, ID 83350. Call one of the Soil District offices for information by phone at 208-572-3375 or 208-436-4202. Please leave a clear, detailed message, and we will return your call.

In Wood River, Call Barbara at 208-944-3782 or stop in the office at 217 West F Street, Shoshone. The deadline to put in your order is Apr. 20.

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Tucked away at the edge of Boises Julia Davis Park at the end of S. 5th Street, stands a small inconspicuous-looking church situated between the Idaho State Museum and Zoo Boise.

The structure has everything that youd expect in a church: A wood-paneled exterior with large, carved wooden doors, stained-glass windows down either side and a spacious main chapel.

The building was Idahos first-ever Black church. Except the building is no longer a church.

A collection of artifacts and a treasure trove of information on the history of Black culture in Idaho now sits inside the building, which was first built as St. Paul Baptist Church in 1921 before its eventual closure and reopening as the Idaho Black History Museum in 1999.

Located at 508 Julia Davis Drive, the museum is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Step inside of the building today and youll find a book from American abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, that was sent from Douglass to Abraham Lincoln.

Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland in 1818 and remained a slave until 1838 when he escaped from his slave owner in Maryland before taking a train to New York City and declaring himself a free man.

Douglass was a dedicated abolitionist, working globally as a speaker and advocate for the anti-slavery movement. Douglass met with Lincoln on three occasions, and ultimately helped to end slavery in the United States both before and after Lincolns assassination.

Just below the book sits an original copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, just one of 27 surviving copies. A copy was sold by broker Sothebys in 2016 for over $2 million. On the other side of the room, erected in a large display case, stands a full set of Ku Klux Klan robes found in the attic of a hotel in Silver City, Idaho. Its accompanied by other Klan memorabilia including a small pocket knife that was discovered in Idaho in 2017.

The two collections of items, on opposite sides of the small chapel, seem like they shouldnt exist in the same room together.

But the mission of the museum goes beyond preserving history. While educating individuals about the past, the museum also pushes people to consider how they can find solutions for the future.

We do a lot of things that a museum typically doesnt do, the museums executive director and board president Phillip Thompson told The Idaho Statesman in a recent interview and tour. But because were taking the model from the older Black church... your institution, its there to help remedy the ills that afflict your congregation, right?

It may not be your religious congregation, but those who come in are members of the Boise community.

Black history in Idaho

Although Thompson says that the museum does a lot of things that museums dont typically do, that shouldnt take away from the plethora of information that the museum does provide on Black history in the state.

In 1864, in the midst of the Civil War, a Black man called Lewis Walker left his home in Maryland and settled in Silver City, a small town in the Owhyee Mountains approximately 49 miles southwest of Boise as the crow flies.

Between his arrival in 1864 and his death in 1916, Walker went on to own 12 businesses in Silver City, including five houses, a saloon, a barber shop and a shoe shop, according to displays in the museum.

While Walker was busy becoming a successful businessman in Silver City, a Black woman by the name of Jennie Hughes became the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Idaho in 1899. This was only possible because in Idaho integrated schools in 1871, over 80 years before the historic Brown vs Board of Education Supreme Court decision that ruled racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

In earlier years, a Black miner named George Washington Blackmon arrived in Idaho in the 1870s by way of Iowa. Blackmon soon became a pioneer of mining in the state and now has several landmarks named after him, including Blackmon Peak and Washington Basin in central Idaho.

As it pertains to Black people in the history of America, Idaho afforded an opportunity that was not afforded to us elsewhere, Thompson said.

That sentence is a large point of emphasis for Thompson: He feels that Idaho gets a bad reputation for its treatment toward African-Americans when the state has been one of the more progressive in the nation.

The notion that a Black man in America can come to a place and be a productive member of society, and honored by that society, is entirely contrary to what everybody assumes to be true about Idaho, Thompson said.

Idaho is just one of seven states to not have a recorded lynching of a Black person, according to the NAACP, the nations oldest civil rights organization, which has long tracked such statistics.

Im not saying we were some bastion of some racial panacea for everybody, Thompson said, referring to Chinese persecution in the state in the late 1800s.

Although small, the museum is well-spaced to guide visitors through a tour of Black history in Idaho via the museums permanent exhibit, The Invisible Idahoan, which splits the history and stories of Black people in Idaho into three eras: Black Pioneers from 1805 to 1919, The Black Idahoan in Transition which covers 1920 to 1968 and The Enduring Presence and Contributions of Black Idahoans which oversees 1969 to present day.

The museum also has at least four temporary exhibitions that change approximately every two months, according to Thompson.

One of the current temporary exhibits is dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. and was created for MLK Day in mid-January and has remained for Black History Month, which runs through all of February.

The exhibit is meant to remove the romanticism from Kings story, as Thompson describes it, and focus on his non-violent attempt at creating legislation and legal change to protect African-Americans.

The exhibit includes a bust of King, a copy of Kings 1964 Nobel Peace Prize speech , and an enlarged version of an anonymous letter, reportedly delivered by the FBI, that King received in 1964 which encouraged him to commit suicide.

There are also several handouts for children, including rulers that list Black leaders in American history and educational comic strips created by Thompsons daughter.

Making these comics is an easy way to reach the kids, Thompson said. They get their little one-on-one, and more importantly, we have something for them. Meet them where they are.

Education and action

Thompson recalls a recent encounter in the museum when a man in his mid-20s complained about the Ku Klux Klan memorabilia displayed in the museum. The individual went as far as writing a letter to the museum and demanding it to be removed, Thompson said.

His response?

I just chuckled, Thompson said.

I put it right here because it just makes it so much more realistic, he continued. That especially up here (in Idaho), were so insulated from all this. No, that was here in Idaho, people. I didnt get this shipped in from, you know, Memphis. It was here.

The museum isnt there to just display one side of the story, Thompson said. His goal isnt to vilify one side or the other, he said, but to tell a story and educate people on the history of the state.

Thompson is currently working on exhibiting the stained glass window of Confederate general Robert E. Lee that was recently removed from the Boise First United Methodist Church.

But the museums work goes beyond just education. A large part of Thompsons mission is to create real change in the community: his congregation.

The museum is currently working with the Red Cross to help with local blood drives, specifically within Black communities, but also with the Red Cross home fire campaign.

The campaign aims to install free smoke alarms in homes that dont have them and educate people about fire safety. Thompson sees the program as a socio-economic issue that especially affects the African-American community in Idaho.

Earlier this month, the Black History Museum crowdsourced money to build a grave marker for the currently unmarked grave of John West, the first-ever Black voter in the state of Idaho.

We can fix these things, but me talking about that to death, about like just saying, Hey, theres a disproportionate number of fires in lower income facilities, but not coupling that with this is what were gonna do to fix it Thompson said, Im sorry. It makes you look good, it makes you feel good, which is not my thing.

Thompson specifically looks toward MLKs mission and how, while people shouldnt forget about what he did, its time to look forward rather than backward.

Were still talking about King and civil rights movements. Listen, guys. I mean, weve done that, Thompson said. Weve achieved what hed hoped to achieve from a legal standpoint.

Talking about it, and educating, that is nice, he continued. But if youre not doing the latter part, the actual solution and implementing and working with people who can help you do so, its pointless.

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BOISE  Idaho Republican Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin and Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene were among the speakers at a white nationalist gathering in Florida.

McGeachin delivered a taped speech to the America First Political Action Conference on Friday and Greene appeared in person. McGeachin appears to be one of the highest-ranking elected state officials to have ever participated in one of the groups gatherings.

Video on social media from the Orlando gathering showed attendees cheering for Russian President Vladimir Putin, after he ordered his forces to invade Ukraine.

McGeachin, who is running in Idahos gubernatorial campaign, told those gathered in Florida that she needs freedom fighters all over this country that are willing to stand up and fight even when that means fighting amongst our own ranks.

She said that while serving as acting Idaho governor, she twice issued executive orders involving COVID-19 vaccinations and mask mandates while Republican Gov. Brad Little was out of the state. Little has never issued a statewide mask mandate and fought President Joe Bidens vaccine requirements.

The America First Political Action Conference that hosted the Orlando event is led by Nick Fuentes, described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a white nationalist who is attempting to push the Republican Party to the extreme far-right.

McGeachin in a statement on Twitter said she was invited by the America First Political Action Conference to submit a video, and I took the opportunity to share my views about these vital America First policies.

She added that the media wants us to play a guilt-by-association game.

McGeachins chief of staff, Jordan Watters, didnt respond on Saturday to email and phone messages seeking further comment on McGeachins decision to address the gathering.

A group of more moderate Idaho Republicans who are members of a group called Take Back Idaho on Saturday called for McGeachin to resign, saying her speech at the gathering shows that she is openly courting the most extreme fringes of society.

Greene, according to various media reports, said she wasnt aware of Fuentes views.

Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming took issue with Republicans taking part in what she called a white supremacist, anti-Semitic, pro-Putin event.

On Twitter, she also took issue with fellow Republicans remaining silent.

All Americans should renounce this garbage and reject the Putin wing of the GOP now, she tweeted.

Cheney has been setting multiple personal fundraising records despite a GOP backlash over her vote to impeach Trump in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and for her unrelenting public criticism of Trump. Trump backs her Republican opponent in Wyomings Republican primary in August.

Trump has endorsed McGeachin for Idaho governor. Little, who often touts the states record budget surplus of about $2 billion and significant cuts in state regulations, has not announced hes running for reelection but is widely expected to do so in the coming weeks.

Idaho hasnt had a Democratic governor in decades and the states gubernatorial election is typically decided during Idahos Republican primary in May because the winner of that contest almost always wins the later general election.

Another well-recognized name in the gubernatorial race, antigovernment activist Ammon Bundy, earlier this month dropped out of the Republican primary to run as an independent.

Bundy attracted international attention when he led a group of armed activists in the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon to protest federal control of public lands. He was later acquitted of federal charges in connection with the occupation.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BOISE  As the delta variant crashed down on Idaho last fall, a hospital staffing shortage turned into a staffing crisis  and gave way to an expensive swap.

Hospitals would lose nurses to lucrative, short-term gigs with staffing agencies that offered upwards of $4,600 to $8,000 per week, sometimes with housing allowance on top of the wages. And every time a nurse left, their job had to be filled. So, hospitals turned to those same staffing agencies to fill job openings, and the agencies charged the hospitals a premium on top of the workers own wages and benefits.

The same thing has happened in all health care facilities, according to the representative of an industry group that wants to set some boundaries on what staffing agencies can charge.

A bill introduced on Feb. 11 and referred to the Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee would add temporary health care staffing as a category under Idahos consumer protection law that forbids price gouging  charging an exorbitant or excessive increased price during an emergency.

Other states, industry groups and members of Congress have mulled similar bills and sought inquiries into the high rates charged by health care staffing agencies during the pandemic.

Robert Vande Merwe, executive director of the Idaho Health Care Association, said hes not optimistic that Idahos bill will pass this session. A hearing to discuss the bill before the committee has not yet been scheduled.

Most legislators are leery about any kind of legislation that doesnt appear to be free market, he said in an interview with the Idaho Capital Sun. Vande Merwes group represents long-term care facilities in Idaho.

But, Vande Merwe said, health care is not always a free market.

For long-term care facilities, those that accept patients with Medicaid health insurance cannot afford to pay higher wages, he said.

Bill would not cap pay for nurses, would ban predatory pricing

Just as in hospitals, jobs in nursing homes, assisted living or group homes can be physically and emotionally taxing. Health care staff have spoken of feeling underappreciated and overworked during the pandemic, often because the staffing shortages have forced them to take on more work.

When offered a higher wage by a staffing agency, some of them jump at the opportunity to at least make more money  or, in free-market terms, getting paid what they are worth  and their departure worsens the staffing shortages.

Its a downward spiral, said Vande Merwe, describing the phenomenon that has become well-known in the pandemic. You kind of have to use agency (staff) because theres no other choice.  One hospital told me the nurse is being paid $75 an hour, but the rate (charged) to the hospital is $250 an hour.

He said that businesses are grateful for agency staff when its available, but that nurses and aides who come in on temporary assignments dont know the patients, the cadence of the shifts, or the facilitys processes.

The phenomenon came up in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Tuesday, too, when Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, asked a leader in the nursing industry about Idahos rural nurses quitting their jobs for more lucrative, flexible travel nursing contracts.

I was a director at Saint Als for a long time, and one of my good friends who was an ER nurse there just told me he quit because he took a travel agency job for $7,300 a week at St. Peters in Olympia, Washington, said Randall Hudspeth, executive director for the Idaho Center for Nursing, told that committee.

Vande Merwe told the Sun that many of the temporary health care staff who work through agency contracts arent crisis travelers coming from other states to help  but are actually Idahoans who quit their jobs and got hired by an agency to continue working here.

Vande Merwe acknowledges that, if Idaho were to regulate health care staffing costs, the Gem State could lose out to other states where agencies are allowed to charge whatever they please.

We just want a check and a balance of what is abusive practices and what is reasonable, he said. But it has to be abusive for the law to be broken. (If an agency is forced to charge higher rates because workers demand higher wages, that wouldnt be considered price gouging.)

We can send a letter that says, you know, this seems outrageous; we have this law here, and we want to use you, but  Vande Merwe said.

For their part, the staffing agencies say they arent making a fortune on the pandemic. They had a 2020 profit margin of 12.4%, according to a paper last month by the American Staffing Association. The paper does not list a profit margin for 2021, when the health care staffing crisis was at its worst in Idaho and most other states.

The cost of nurse staffing services has risen not only because of the unprecedented demand but because the supply of nurses has suffered due to the unusually harsh working conditions caused by Covid, the paper said.

Stress and overwork, stark physical danger and, in the case of travel nurses, extended periods away from home, all have led to burnout, long leaves of absence, and retirements which have significantly reduced the number of nurses available to work, the paper said. This supply-demand imbalance required nurse staffing agencies to offer significantly higher wages to attract and retain nurses  which necessarily drove up the cost of the agencies services.

It has real impacts on everyone else

The staffing situation in Idahos care facilities is not good, according to Vande Merwe and others. And it has a ripple effect on the rest of the health care infrastructure, on patients and their families, on the economy.

One-third of Idahos group homes and one-fourth of Idahos residential assisted living facilities that took Medicaid have closed in the past year, according to Vande Merwe.

Without enough room in understaffed care facilities, hospitals cant discharge patients who need around-the-clock care for a disability or a condition like dementia. Without a place to send the patients, hospitals take care of them for weeks or months.

One hospital told Vande Merwe theyve been trying to send a patient to a care facility for a year, he said. How many COVID patients can you care for in a year?

Nursing homes and long term care facilities have been understaffed since the start of the pandemic, and it has only worsened in recent months  contributing to the hospital crisis that sent Idaho into crisis standards of care again in January.

There are still some facilities that are trying to pay $10-12 an hour because they rely on Medicaid payments, Vande Merwe said. Those wages wont fly in the current labor market, so many facilities are taking out loans to meet every payroll, he said.

When they can no longer afford to pay staff, and cant afford the rates commanded by staffing agencies, the facilities sometimes have to close. Some of them are residential, and they realize they can either continue to operate at a loss or sell their eight-bedroom house for $1 million in Idaohs current real estate market.

Theres been families that are in real pinches, he said. OK, well try to care for Mom, whos violent  and its not her fault, its the stroke or she has Alzheimers is not an ideal situation, he said. Its also impossible for most people who work full-time to manage care for a vulnerable adult.

We need a safe place for these seniors to go, and these people with disabilities, he said.

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Russia poured more troops into Ukraine on Saturday and intensified its bombardment of strategic positions around the country after coming up against strong Ukrainian resistance.

Ukraines leader vowed to continue battling an invasion by a much better-armed adversary even as nearly 120,000 people have so far fled Ukraine into neighboring countries, said media reports, citing the UN refugee agency.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday evening said we will fight as much as possible to free our country, as the nations army repelled Russian armed forces attempts to capture the capital city Kyiv and other major towns in a third day of battles. Ukrainians are on their land and will never, to no one, surrender it, he said in a televised address.

EU foreign ministers are set to meet virtually on Sunday to discuss further support measures for Ukraine and possibly additional sanctions.

Terrified men, women and children sought safety inside and underground amid a 39-hour curfew the government imposed to keep people off the streets.

The United Nations said more than 150,000 Ukrainians had fled for Poland, Moldova and other neighboring countries and warned the number could grow to 4 million if fighting escalates.

We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised.

Meanwhile, Russia claimed its assault on Ukraine was aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit since the invasion began Thursday with air and missile strikes and Russian troops entering Ukraine from the north, east and south.

The Kremlin gave a terse confirmation of a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev but gave no hint of restarting talks. A day earlier, Zelenskyy offered to negotiate a key Russian demand: abandoning ambitions of joining Nato.

He claims the West has failed to take seriously Russias security concerns about Nato, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join. But he has also expressed scorn about Ukraines right to exist as an independent state.

To aid Ukraines ability to hold out, the US pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine on Saturday, including anti-tank weapons, body armor and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.

Even as Zelenskyy called on his countrymen to join the fight, it was impossible to know how effective Ukraine has been in slowing the Russian advance. A curfew in Kyiv set to last through Monday morning forced everyone inside, though the relative quiet of the capital was sporadically broken by gunfire.

Fighting on the citys outskirts suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces. Small groups of Russian troops were reported inside Kyiv, but Britain and the U.S. said the bulk of Russian forces were 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the citys center as of Saturday afternoon.

Ukraines health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others had been wounded during Europes largest land war since World War II. It was unclear whether those figures included both military and civilian casualties.

In Kyiv, a missile struck a high-rise apartment building in the southwestern outskirts near one of the citys two passenger airports, leaving a jagged hole of ravaged apartments over several floors. A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

Ukraines ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said troops in Kyiv were fighting Russian sabotage groups. Ukraine says some 200 Russian soldiers have been captured and 3,500 have been killed.

Without elaborating, Markarova said Ukraine was gathering evidence of war crimes to submit to The Hague.

Zelenskyy reiterated his openness to talks with Russia in a video message Saturday, saying he welcomed an offer from the leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan to organize diplomatic efforts, which so far have faltered.

Putin hasnt disclosed his ultimate plans for Ukraine, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraines government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscows Cold War-era influence.
A former Idaho lawmaker has been convicted of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern after a dramatic trial in which the young woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying I cant do this. The verdict was returned Friday. The intern told a Statehouse supervisor that Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his apartment after the two had dinner at a Boise restaurant in March 2021. He said the sex was consensual. At the time, von Ehlinger was a Republican state representative from Lewiston, but he later resigned. Von Ehlinger was found guilty of rape. He was found not guilty of sexual penetration with a foreign object. Afterwards, prosecutors lauded the victim for her courage in coming forward.
BOISE  Much of Southern Idaho, cut through in scythe-like fashion by the Snake River Plain, relies on the frozen water stored in the states mountains to fill its rivers. When winter ends and summers broiling heat arrives, it is these snowy peaks that serve as the states reservoir, filling the Salmon, Snake, Big Lost, Boise and other tributaries with cold, clear water.

But as the amount of snowfall declines, with scientists citing the effects of climate change as a key contributor, major problems arise for the states ecosystems, residents and agriculture industry.

And that erosion is already underway.

By the turn of the century, Idaho could see reductions of 35%-65% of its snowpack, according to a study published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment last year.

After a dry winter in 2019-20, researchers were hoping for a turnaround. But last winter, Idaho had only 87% of its normal snowpack, and that was a bad combination when combined with the second-worst spring drought on record, said David Hoekema, a hydrologist at the Idaho Department of Water Resources.

Making matters worse was that dry soil absorbed much of that below-average snowpack, leading to only 53% of normal runoff, Hoekema said.

Idahos dry weather in 2021 saw over two-thirds of the state in extreme or exceptional drought  the two highest categories  in early October. This month, most areas of the state are listed in moderate to severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

As such, a wetter winter was sorely needed to fill up the states streams and reservoirs, but since a spell of storms in late December and early January, much of the state has seen weeks with little to no snowfall or precipitation.

A ridge of high pressure along the Pacific Coast blocked storms for the past month, and the rest of February is likely to remain dry, Hoekema said.

With Idahos mountains in need of more snow to reach what is considered normal snowpack levels, Hoekema said he is very concerned the drought will intensify this year, he said in an email, which could affect agriculture, landscapes and residents this summer just as it did last year, when irrigation water that normally runs till October had to be cut off early.

If that materializes, itll lead us into a really tight water year, Hoekema said.

And those are becoming more frequent.

Between the 1940s and the mid-2010s, streams throughout the state saw an average flow reduction of 20%, according to Charlie Luce, a research hydrologist at the Rocky Mountain Research Station, which is part of the U.S. Forest Service. And during the driest years, streams saw reductions of up to 40%.

Luce said the changes are associated with shifts in weather patterns consistent with expectations of climate change in the Pacific Northwest region, which have led to reduced precipitation in the high mountains.

With an increase in average temperatures, Luce described the lower precipitation in dry years and the larger portion of precipitation falling as rain rather than snow as a one-two punch that can further restrict the states water supply. Luce said he projects there will be more years with low soil moisture, which also decreases runoff into streams and reservoirs.

Outlook in Idaho after a dry spell

The amount of snowfall in a given winter is not the only factor that determines how full Idahos reservoirs get. Soil moisture levels are also important, as well as weather patterns that come in the spring and can help flush snow down from the mountains.

In the southern part of the state, last years skimpy precipitation left reservoir systems close to dry, meaning only a wetter-than-average winter this year would allow water managers to rest easy.

The 2020-21 winter was a La Nina year  an atmospheric phenomenon that generally brings more precipitation to the Northern Rockies. This winter is also a La Nina period, and trends over the past 40 years indicate that back-to-back La Ninas get subsequently drier, Hoekema said, which does not bode well for runoff.

Hoekema said the Boise River system may be able to slide through with 75% of normal runoff this year, but that figure would leave the system dry come next fall. In the Snake River system, the situation is more dire, as the system likely needs 120% of normal snowpack to get through the summer.

In the middle of February, the states snow-water equivalent, a measure of how much water is contained in snow, was lower in many places than what Hoekema predicts is needed, with portions of Southern Idaho seeing figures as low as 70% of normal. The situation is better in the Little Wood and Big Lost basins of Central Idaho, where the levels are 107% and 108% of normal, respectively, according to data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Hoekema wrote in an email that late-winter snows could greatly improve the situation, but the window for recovery is closing fast.

In the Snake River system, the likelihood of the reservoir filling up for the year seems pretty dismal at this point, Hoekema said.

The upper Snake, in East Idaho, would need an additional 8.5 inches of snow to reach normal conditions. Since Jan. 9, the particular area in need has seen only half an inch of accumulation, Hoekema said.

In the Boise system, the situation is a little less clear, he said. The system would start March with 87% of normal snowpack if it received just another inch of snow in the next few weeks.

At this point, it is really difficult to predict whether or not the Boise basin will see drought intensify, Hoekema said. It all depends on what happens in March.

Agriculture: Some of the worst yields  in the next 100 years

Drought connected to climate change is expected to affect Idahos farming economy significantly, according to a recent report from the University of Idaho.

The report, called the Idaho Climate-Economy Impacts Assessment, found that though crop yields for plants in Idaho appear to have risen over the past 60 years, the volatility among rain-fed crops is more than among irrigated crops.

Last year in North Idaho, where agriculture is largely rain-fed, farmers experienced some of the worst yields well probably see in the next 100 years, Hoekema said.

Chickpeas, which are largely grown in the north, saw yields down 50% across the state, and grain yields were down 20%, with the biggest losses in the north.

There were whole farms where they just werent able to harvest anything and had a complete loss of their grain, he said.

In the coming decades, the effect on agriculture is expected to be more severe. The University of Idaho report found that the number of days with temperatures of at least 100 degrees would increase significantly by 2040.

From 1971 to 2000, 6.9% of the land area of Idaho experienced one or more days with these scorching temperatures, also known as heat stress days. If the use of greenhouse gas emissions continues unabated, 61.8% of Idaho is expected to experience one or more such days between 2040 and 2069, while 18.5% will face 10 or more extremely hot days and 5.4% will see 25 or more, the report said.

The effect is predicted to be especially bad in the central and western portions of the state.

The Owyhees: A climate indicator

As temperatures rise in Idaho, Hoekema said one place to look for faster, more appreciable indications of climate change is in the Owyhee Mountains, which cut diagonally across Southwest Idaho.

In the mountains of Central Idaho, many peaks are over 10,000 feet tall, which brings average temperatures well below freezing during the winter, according to data from the Western Regional Climate Center.

But the Owhyees, while still mountainous, are at lower elevation, with peaks around 8,000 feet. The difference makes the range a warmer environment, with winter temperatures that hover around freezing.

Minimum winter temperatures are not going as low as they used to be, Hoekema said. If nighttime temperatures go below freezing, it slows runoff. But if temperatures are higher, it makes it harder to keep the snowpack in the mountains without melting.

Between 1939 and 1987, the Owyhee Basin, which covers the southwestern corner of the Gem State and stretches northwest into Oregon and southeast into Nevada, experienced one multiyear drought: 1960 to 1962. A single-year drought seared the region in 1955.

But since 1987, the basin has been hit by three multiyear droughts  1991-1992, 2001-2004 and 2013-2016  and one single-year drought, in 1988, Hoekema said.

Hoekema said he is currently studying the region, trying to understand whether the increase in drought is caused by warming temperatures or less precipitation.

If you see a climate signal in Idaho, it will be first in the Owyhees, he said.

Climate trends: Opportunities to limit the negative impact

If the burning of greenhouse gases continues without major reductions, researchers predict there could be years of low or even no snow in the mountains of the Western U.S. in the coming decades.

The Nature study, published in November, synthesized climate models from other peer-reviewed studies to come up with a set of projections for what the future holds, and the potentials are stark: By 2100, Western mountains could see declines of between around 40% and 65% in snowfall.

Between 2050 and 2100, 78%-94% of years could see little to no snowpack, according to the analysis.

The synthesis in Nature did not specifically examine Idahos mountains, but Ben Hatchett, a co-author and assistant research professor at the Western Regional Climate Center, said Idahos peaks likely would see similar reductions in snowpack by the end of the century.

In fact, ranges in the Gem State could see larger reductions than Colorados Rocky Mountains because of Idahos comparatively lower elevations, he said.

Hatchett said Idahos mountains likely will be more resilient than some other ranges in the West  such as the Cascades or Sierra Nevadas  because of their characteristically colder temperatures, but major declines are still projected.

The amount of decline will really strongly depend on how much warming actually occurs at the regional scale throughout the whole western part of North America, he said.

Since 1975, temperatures in Idaho have risen about 0.24 degrees Celsius per decade, meaning that air temperature increases in the state have matched or surpassed the global average of a little more than 1 degree Celsius since the late 19th century, according to the report.

Though various climate models have different predictions, they all cannot account for the already documented increases in global temperatures without including human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, Hatchett said.

If you dont put in the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, you dont simulate an Earth that is as warm as it is today, he said.

Rather than being a harbinger of doom and gloom, Hatchett said he hopes to motivate Western states to make the necessary changes to halt the worst effects of climate change.

Even though the predictions are pretty dire, we dont want to forget that we still have a lot of opportunities to limit the negative impact, he said. And if Western states prepare for the worst and the worst doesnt happen, were still going to be a lot better off.

Hatchett said part of the response to this problem will require some pretty fundamental changes to how water is used. He said solutions to the problem need to provide opportunities for different economic sectors to continue to succeed.

How can we make this so that everyone can win more often? he said. We need everyone at the table, ready to bargain.

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The Minneapolis police officers who killed Amir Locke stormed into the apartment where he was sleeping before dawn on Feb. 2, shouting orders. They said they took that approach to decrease the risk for injuries.

That strategy is dubious even when cops are confident that the home they are invading is occupied only by criminal suspects. It is beyond reckless when they have no idea who might be there, especially in a country where citizens have a constitutional right to armed self-defense.

Locke, a 22-year-old aspiring hip-hop artist who was planning a move to Dallas, was staying with his cousin in the meantime. The Minneapolis SWAT officers who woke him up that morning as he slept on his cousins couch were assisting the St. Paul Police Department by serving a no-knock search warrant seeking evidence for a homicide investigation in which Locke was not a suspect.

Body camera video shows the officers quietly unlocking the door to the apartment at 6:48 a.m. before charging in while shouting, Police  search warrant! and, Get on the ground! An officer kicks the sofa where Locke is sleeping under a blanket, which seems to rouse him.

Seeing a gun in Lockes hand, Officer Mark Hanneman immediately fires three shots. Nine seconds have elapsed since the cops entered the apartment.

The Minneapolis Police Department claimed Locke pointed his gun in the direction of officers. But the video shows the gun pointed toward the floor with Lockes index finger on the barrel rather than the trigger.

Here is how Benjamin Crump, a lawyer representing Lockes family, summed up the situation: Strange people bust in his house, awaken him from his sleep, and he reached for his weapon, which he had a Second Amendment right to, to defend himself. Lockes father said, Amir did what ... any reasonable, law-abiding citizen would do to protect himself.

Rob Doar, a senior vice president at the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, agreed. Mr. Locke did what many of us might do in the same confusing circumstances, Doar said. He reached for a legal means of self-defense while he sought to understand what was happening.

Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman suggested that Hannemans decision to shoot Locke was likewise reasonable in the circumstances. The officer had to make a split-second decision, she said, based on his assessment of whether he needed to take action right then to protect himself and his partners.

If this situation sounds familiar, thats because the same basic scenario has been playing out in cities across the country for years. Cops who burst into a home, hoping a sudden, overwhelming and discombobulating show of force will decrease the risk for injuries, can easily be mistaken for violent criminals.

Thats what happened during the 2020 Louisville, Kentucky, drug raid that killed Breonna Taylor, an unarmed 26-year-old EMT who, like Locke, had no criminal record. Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, responded to the middle-of-the-night home invasion by grabbing a gun and firing a shot at the intruders, which provoked the hail of bullets that killed Taylor.

Local prosecutors initially charged Walker with attempted murder of a police officer but dropped that charge a couple of months later, implicitly recognizing that Walker had a strong self-defense claim. At the same time, prosecutors concluded that charges against the officers who killed Taylor were not justified, and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron concurred that they too had acted in self-defense.

To avoid lethal confrontations like these, reformers frequently propose banning or restricting no-knock warrants. But the Taylor case shows that solution is inadequate.

The Louisville cops banged on the door of Taylors apartment for about 30 seconds before breaking in and claimed they also announced themselves. She and Walker still did not realize the intruders were police officers.

Whats needed is a fundamental reevaluation of dynamic entry tactics, which should be reserved for life-or-death emergencies. Routinely deploying them when police execute search warrants is an invitation to tragedies like Lockes senseless death.

REPRINTED FROM CREATORS DAILY EDITORIALS BY JACOB SULLUM

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If an inanimate, self-serving, monopolistic behemoth like Amazon Inc. can be armed with the legally enforceable rights of a human being, how much more deserving is the Amazon River, which abounds with real life and serves the common good?

The Rights of Nature movement is ascending specifically because the existing system  which regularly allows corporate lobbyists, politicians and big donors to undermine, evade and mock environmental laws and regs  simply doesnt work. As Mike Roth, a leading clean water advocate in Florida, puts it:

As we watch developers ... (pave) lands with impervious concrete, as we see our springs turn green and our rivers turn lifeless and our wells dry up, we have tried it all. We have called our water management districts and other protection agencies, called our representatives, written letters, signed petitions, marched and pleaded  everything the law allows us to do ... (Yet,) we see continued granting of water withdrawal permits and allowing of excessive fertilizer and other chemical uses ... and mining permits handed out like candy on Halloween ... Thus began a movement to give rights to nature.

The demand that nature have a seat at societys governing table sparks panic in corporate boardrooms. But this concept is centuries old and widely practiced among some of the most experienced environmental stewards in our country: Indigenous Americans.

Despite the long effort by Anglos to exterminate them, Native People and their concepts have endured and are regaining strength, in large part because they connect to the whole family of life. The fundamental worldviews of practically all of the 574 tribes recognized by Washington embrace both a spiritual and symbiotic kinship with their ecosystems. Tribal decisions, then, are not just left to monetary interests, but must include meaningful consultations with the land, water, habitat and future generations.

In recent years, multinational extractive corporations such as pipeline builders, frackers and mining operators have intruded ever more arrogantly and forcefully into tribal rights, waters and lands. In response, leaders of these sovereign peoples have increasingly been codifying their traditional practice of protecting these resources by enacting their own Rights of Nature laws.

For example, three years ago, the Ojibwe people  centered around White Earth, Minnesota  recognized the right of wild rice to exist, flourish, regenerate, and evolve. And not just the wild rice plants, but the fresh water resources and habitats that sustain them. More than a nutritional and economic mainstay, Wild rice is the most important cultural aspect of our livelihood, says tribal attorney Frank Bibeau. Our migration path took us here to the Great Lakes, where the food grows on the water. If we can protect the water, then were probably protecting everything else.

The Rights of Nature concept is an organic outgrowth of the reality that Earth and its many creatures and elements are inextricably connected, so the approach considers the well-being of the whole. For example, under an 1837 treaty with Washington, the Ojibwe Nation governs wild rice (manoomin, or good berry in Ojibwe) in its territorial waters. But that water is not separated from adjacent waterflows damaged by industry or from contaminants running from adjacent lands. Rights of Nature lets the plants speak about their right to live and thrive in systems not artificially bounded by human-defined territories.

That premise is the basis of the Ojibwes ongoing legal case against the State of Minnesota, which proposes letting Canadian oil giant Enbridge pump out 5 billion gallons of groundwater so it can build its Line 3 oil pipeline through the region. This landmark case names wild rice itself as a plaintiff, claiming the pipeline scheme drains the marsh grass ecosystem and damages its right to live. The state tried to dismiss the case, but the court ruled in August that manoomin has standing under tribal law and that the Band is exercising its inherent authority to protect a necessary and vital resource.

The White Earth Band of Ojibwe sells the hand-harvested wild rice. To learn more and get a taste of what they are fighting to protect, visit whiteearth.com.

Populist author, public speaker and radio commentator Jim Hightower writes The Hightower Lowdown, a monthly newsletter chronicling the ongoing fights by Americas ordinary people against rule by plutocratic elites. Sign up at HightowerLowdown.org.

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It may have been shocking to some, but to Henry County officials, 335 new jobs and an investment of $85 million came as the result of nothing other than old-fashioned hard work.

There has been no confirmation exactly when the German sink manufacturer plans to be open for business in Henry County, but officials in Henry County have indicated the company is very deliberate in its decision-making, having taken 18 months just to decide to located here.

But the company did buy a completely built $3.5 million shell building that had been constructed in 2014 in the Patriot Centre Industrial Park. The Henry County Industrial Development Authority handed over the keys to the building to SCHOCK in September for $1 million.

Reaching that point

Former governor Ralph Northam met with SCHOCK GmbH officials in Regen, Germany, in May, and in September it was announced that the inventor of quartz composite sinks would soon be occupying a 95,500 square-foot facility on 14.7 acres in the Patriot Centre Industrial Park.

We are excited to welcome SCHOCK to Virginia, said Northam from the front doors of the new building in September. This important European company is choosing to invest in Virginia because of our highly skilled workers and our outstanding business climate. When a global leader like SCHOCK selects Virginia as its gateway into the United States, thats a sign that this is a great place to do business.

The company had looked at sites in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina for the project, but it was the steady legwork of the local Economic Development Corporation office that tipped the scales said Henry County Administrator Time Hall in a conversation with the Bulletin last week.

The company made several trips here from Germany in the middle of a pandemic, said Hall. Covid paused a lot of activity, but it didnt stop us from coming to work every day.

EDC President and CEO Mark Heath said last week that many of the visits were made virtually, but when it came down to decision time, it was face-to-face with masks on.

We never went home when other offices remained vacant in the pandemic, said Heath. Our staff came to work every day, and we had a lot of prospect traffic during that time, indicating there were other companies also inquiring about business opportunities at the same time.

About SCHOCK

SCHOCK was founded in 1924 and invented the quartz composite sink in 1979. With over 100 patents in its name, the company has a portfolio of over 200 sink models in more than 40 colors all made with 99% natural, renewable, or recycled raw materials.

The company was founded in 1924 by brothers Karl, Wilhelm and Herman Schock and has been developing and advancing its product line of sinks ever since. Today, the company is ranked in the top 15 most innovative companies in its homeland.

For SCHOCK, this expansion is very specialits our first production site outside Germany, said SCHOCK Chief Executive Officer Ralf Boberg in a release in September. The facility will serve the strongest growth market for our product category and allow us to meet demand for colored kitchen sinks with local Made in the USA products. We are thrilled to have found the ideal location in Henry County. As an industrial business hub, the region has a well-qualified and dedicated workforceone of the key success factors for us as a companyand its geographic location and interregional infrastructure are perfect for our needs.

SCHOCK selected Henry County after an extensive search across the East Coast, said Boberg. As an added bonus, the area has a mentality and even geographic similarities to our hometown of Regen in Bavaria, and we immediately felt a bond, he added.

Incentives

The addition of 335 new employees in Henry County will be provided, in part, through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a workforce initiative created by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System, a release from the Governors office stated in September.

Funding support came from the Governors Office and the Virginia General Assembly. The program, which launched in 2019, accelerates new facility start-ups through the direct delivery of recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a companys unique products, processes, equipment, standards and culture. All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies as an incentive for job creation.

Said Henry County Board of Supervisors Jim Adams at the time of the announcement: SCHOCK is an absolutely perfect fit for Henry County, we are excited to have SCHOCK join the countys corporate community and look forward to what the future will bring.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt.

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Henry Countys banner year in getting new industries into the area can be traced back 15 years, when the Commonwealth Crossing industrial park was just conceived.

When we look back at 2021, it was a result of all the work we have done in the last 15 years, said Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Mark Heath in a conversation with the Bulletin last week. The phenomenal year weve had didnt just happen. I was the result of a lot of folks working for a long time, and much of it just came to fruition.

The value of Commonwealth Crossing is undefinable, said Henry County Administrator Tim Hall in a separate conversation last week. If the Board of Supervisors had not had the political will to invest in that  and its hard to convince folks not involved that this is a long game, maybe 10 to 15 years out  It was a lot of up-front money and a trust factor with Mark and his staff that let us play that long game.

Unique to Commonwealth Crossing is the Commonwealth Centre for Advanced Training (CCAT) building, a multipurpose training facility available to companies locating in the new business park.

Several industries in the past year have announced intentions to operate in Commonwealth Crossing, but it was Press Glass that got the ball rolling when it was the first to commit three years ago.

Hall said it was with the announcement in July 2018 when the Poland-based based chose Commonwealth Crossing for its new facility, along with the creation of 212 new jobs, that set the stage for the addition of good news in 2021.

Press Glass was first, and once you get the first one, others can see the possibilities, said Hall. Without Press Glass, you dont get Crown [Holdings].

Lining up for business

The first announcement of the year came on Jan. 19, 2021, with 42 new jobs and a $4 million investment from Laminate Technologies and plans to expand their manufacturing facility at 775 Industrial Park Drive.

Nine days later Crown Holdings announced plans to invest a record-breaking $145 million in Henry County to establish a manufacturing operation at Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre in Ridgeway by building a 355,000 square-foot facility and creating 126 new jobs.

It came down to the final couple of days with the Crown project when the top five people in the company came to visit, said Heath.

After meeting with local industry officials and Patrick & Henry Community College then-President Dr. Angeline Godwin, the company was convinced Henry County had developed a superior training opportunity that added value to their locating in this area, he said.

That $145 million investment is the largest single investment in Henry County and made 2021 our biggest year, Heath said.

By the end of April, Radical Sportscars, a UK-based race car manufacturer announced plans to establish their U.S. sales office at P&HCCs Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Complex on Motorsports Drive.

Radical intends to staff its offices in Henry County with four company officials and a sales and factory representative. Formed in 1987, the company has produced over 2,300 racing cars to date, a governors office release stated in April.

In September, German sink manufacturer SCHOCK GmbH announced plans to establish manufacturing operations in Henry County, invest $85 million and create 355 new jobs at a 95,500 square-foot facility in the Patriot Centre.

Given the circumstances of the pandemic it paused a lot of activity, but that pause also allowed everyone to become reinvigorated and ended up producing a lot of activity, said Hall. When you look at the numbers, the traffic is as good as ever.

We never went home. We came to work every day and we had a lot of prospect traffic, Heath said. It gave industry time to step back and thing about things, but it didnt hurt our business.

VF Corporation announced an upgrade of its facility in October that included 82 new jobs and an investment of $10.2 million in Henry County.

Harvest commits, too

Then in December the Harvest Foundation rewarded the success of the EDC office by committing $7 million over the next four years.

A robust economy with diverse businesses offering living-wage jobs is at the bedrock of a thriving community, said DeWitt House, senior program officer at the Harvest Foundation, at the time of that Harvest announcement. The EDC is our largest recruiter for jobs and industry to Martinsville and Henry County. They work to attract outside investment from national and international companies to bring jobs to the region that pay living wages and it is our hope that this long-term investment from Harvest will support the EDC in its commitment to continued stability and lasting success.

Heath joined the MHC EDC in February 2006. Since that time, his office claims assistance with the announcement of more than 4,600 jobs and over $400 million in capital investment.

Our unemployment rate in Henry County is 2.9%, the lowest since 2007, said Heath. There are a lot of job opportunities here, and more people are working here now since the last recession, and the average starting wage has gone from $16.53 to $20.82. Thats over a 20% jump in average hourly wage.

Hall will be retiring as Henry County administrator at the end of June, but he says he feels good about the future of Henry County.

Were positioned very well, said Hall. We may not have a 3,000-acre business park, but weve got synergy between our companies, a great climate, great topography and close access to the Piedmont Triad Airport.

You have to have an eye deep down the field, and it helped knowing 15 years ago where we were going to be today.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt.

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Patrons eat indoors at Philippe the Original restaurant in Los Angeles, Friday. Feb. 25, 2022. Los Angeles County will began allowing people to remove their masks while indoors if they are vaccinated as the omicron winter surge continues to ease, officials announced Thursday. Americans who have been clamoring for an end to mask-wearing have welcomed new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Credit: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

Grace Thomas is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 but still not ready to take off her mask, especially around the kids at the home day care she runs in Chicago.

But whether the children continue to wear masks remains to be seen after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that healthy people in most areas of the country can safely stop wearing masks as cases continue to fall.

Thomas, 62, plans to ask parents to have their children wear masks to prevent the day care from being a potential source of transmission, but "you can't make them wear masks if they don't want to," she said.

Many Americans, including parents of school children, have been clamoring for an end to masking while others remain wary that the pandemic could throw a new curveball. Now, states, cities and school districts are assessing Friday's guidance to determine whether it's safe to stop mask-wearinglong after others threw out such mandates and many Americans ignored them.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said that the statewide school mask mandate will be lifted Monday in response the the new guidance, although Chicago Public Schools officials said they will continue to require masks "to maintain health and safety measures."

Los Angeles on Friday began allowing people who are vaccinated to remove their masks indoors, and Washington, D.C., had already said it would end its mask mandate on Monday. Washington state and Oregon plan to lift indoor mask mandates in late March.

Passers-by wear masks under their chins as they chat with one another while crossing a street, in Boston, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. Students and staff at public schools in Massachusetts will no longer be required to wear face coverings while indoors starting Feb. 28. Americans who have been clamoring for an end to mask-wearing have welcomed new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It says healthy people in most areas of the country can safely stop wearing masks. Credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne

But the issue still remains politically fraught: Florida's governor on Thursday announced new recommendations called "Buck the CDC" that discourage mask wearingeven though the CDC says the state still has wide areas at high levels of concern.

Christine Bruhn, 79, a retired food science professor at the University of California at Davis, said she'll only take off her mask if she thinks it's safe, usually around vaccinated friends. When she's around a large group of strangers, "I'm wearing a mask," Bruhn said.

"I have been vaccinated and boosted but I don't want to get sick," said Bruhn, who also said she'll continue crossing the street to keep her distance from people without masks if she sees any of them walking toward her.

American Medical Association President Gerald E. Harmon said Friday that he would continue to wear a mask in indoor public settings and urged "all Americans to consider doing the same" because millions are susceptible to severe illness or too young to be vaccinated.

Still, many people appear to be done with masking.

Steve Kelly, a manager of Kilroy's Bar & Grill in downtown Indianapolis, said it seems that neither employees nor customers think much about COVID since Indiana lifted a mask mandate for restaurants.

Customers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus shop at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. Americans who have been clamoring for an end to mask-wearing have welcomed new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It says healthy people in most areas of the country can safely stop wearing masks. But others remain wary that the pandemic could throw a new curveball. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke

"It doesn't seem like anybody is wearing masks," he said of his customers, though a few employees still do. And he said people rarely get upset anymore.

"My daughter is 13 and she wears a mask. It's her choice," he said. "Nobody bothers her about it and she wouldn't care if they did."

In central Illinois' Effingham County, mask-wearingand the animosity between those who do and don'thas plummeted, said David Campbell, vice chairman of the county board. He said about the only places he sees people wearing masks are hospitals and doctors' offices.

"Eighty-five to ninety percent of the people you see on the street, in stores, restaurants, aren't wearing them," said Campbell, 61. "You used to hear people say, 'Why aren't you wearing masks?' but you don't anymore."

Under the new guidance, the CDC says people can stop wearing masks if they live in counties where the coronavirus poses a low or medium threat to hospitalsaccounting for more than 70% of the U.S. population.

The agency still advises people, including schoolchildren, to wear masks where the risk of COVID-19 is high, in about 37% of U.S. counties, where about 28% of Americans live. And those with COVID-19 symptoms or who test positive should wear masks, the agency said.

A product stall filled with free N95 respirator masks, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, sits outside the pharmacy at this Jackson, Miss., Kroger grocery store, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. Americans who have been clamoring for an end to mask-wearing have welcomed new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It says healthy people in most areas of the country can safely stop wearing masks. But others remain wary that the pandemic could throw a new curveball. Credit: AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

The recommendations do not change the requirement to wear masks on public transportation and in airports, train stations and bus stations, but the guidelines for other indoor spaces aren't binding, meaning cities and institutions may set their own rules.

Two of the nation's largest teachers unions weighed in, with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten calling the guidance "long-needed new metrics for a safe off-ramp from universal masking." She said many students and teachers have struggled with COVID-19 restrictions.

But National Education Association President Becky Pringle urged school districts to "act cautiously" and seek input from local educators before making any decisions to end mask-wearing.

Chicago high school teacher Sharon Holmes said she'll continue to wear a mask while teaching and outside the classroom.

"My partner and my daughter both have asthma," said the 53-year-old Holmes. "I just don't feel safe yet, personally."

Explore further CDC: Many healthy Americans can take a break from masks

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Hui Ngai-seng, 75, receives his first dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at a community vaccination center in Hong Kong, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up.

The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places, overflowing hospitals and isolation wards and prompting measures to test the entire 7.4 million population and hastily build six isolation and treatment centers.

The surge shows what happens when COVID-19 strikes a population unprotected by immunity from previous infections, and has exposed a low vaccination rate among elderly citizens who are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

Only about 30% of Hong Kong residents over the age of 80 and around 58% of those in their 70s are fully vaccinated, lagging younger populations by a large margin. This is despite the fact that vaccines have been widely available in Hong Kong since early 2021.

The city has reported about 150 deaths in the past three days, many among the unvaccinated elderly.

Health authorities said that the vaccine reluctance among the elderly is an unfortunate side-effect of Hong Kong's success in warding off the virus for months.

An aerial view shows a construction site of a new makeshift COVID-19 hospital and isolation facilities, in Tsing Yi of Hong Kong, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up. The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Many people thought that the risk of getting COVID-19 was virtually nil since there were no cases, and senior citizens were led to believe that the risk of vaccination was greater than not getting vaccinated, said Karen Grepin, a public health expert at the University of Hong Kong.

Hundreds of millions of jabs have been given to people around the world and few serious risks have been identified after intense safety monitoring. But early reports of a few adverse reactions to the vaccine in Hong Kong created a false perception that people needed to be perfectly healthy to get vaccinated.

"Hong Kong is the world's guinea pig, when it comes to omicron," said Grepin.

The Hong Kong experience may also hold lessons for mainland China and its decision on when to re-open its borders and eliminate a two- to three-week quarantine requirement for anybody entering the country. Only a small proportion of the population has been infected, thanks to the Communist Party's strict zero-COVID approach of mass testing and lockdowns.

Patients wait at a temporary treatment area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up. The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

The Hong Kong government's response has been to ramp up a zero-COVID approach similar to the mainland. Chinese officials have urged Hong Kong to stick to the approach, despite grumbling from residents, with even leader Xi Jinping weighing in to make sure the message got through.

Under the zero COVID-19 policy, everyone who tests positive in Hong Kong needs to be isolated. While this worked in the past, Hong Kong, unlike the mainland, does not have the beds to isolate so many people in a large outbreak.

Construction teams from the mainland are rushing to build two permanent and four temporary isolation and treatment centers to handle more than 20,000 patients in an effort reminiscent of the early days of the virus when China threw up two temporary hospitals in the city of Wuhan in a matter of days.

People line up to get tested for the coronavirus at a temporary testing center despite the rain in Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. Hong Kong residents expressed growing frustration after new, tighter coronavirus restrictions went into effect, imposed by city leaders in line with Beijing's zero-COVID policy.Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Yu

Authorities also launched a vaccine pass on Thursday, requiring vaccination to enter shopping malls and other premises, and it is driving some to get the shot.

"If I don't get vaccinated, I can't even go to restaurants," said 73-year-old Yu Mui as she lined up for her first dose Friday. "So I have to come here today even though I am worried about the side effects."

Scientists believe that the omicron variant is milder than the delta version of the virus. But Hong Kong's situation is nearly unique. In other nations where the omicron variant spread, people had immunity from vaccines or previous infections, and this blunted the severity of the disease.

With many people unvaccinated and vulnerable, Michal Head, a global health expert at University of Southampton, fears that it may have a "worryingly high burden of severe COVID-19 in coming weeks".

A woman looks out of the window of an isolation unit at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre on Lantau Island, in Hong Kong, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Hong Kong launched a vaccination requirement to enter shopping malls, restaurants and a host of other places on Thursday as it battles an expanding omicron outbreak and tries to overcome vaccine hesitancy in parts of its population. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

"Omicron has been described by some as 'mild'. But it's certainly still severe enough to have a high mortality rate, far higher than flu or other similar respiratory infections," he warned.

Irene Leung, who is 70, said she didn't feel the need to be vaccinated earlier because the pandemic was under control in Hong Kong. On Friday, she lined up for her first dose.

"But now it gets worse and so I decided to come and get vaccinated," she said. "It protects not only myself but also my family members."

And Hong Kong has announced it will test everyone in the city next month, taking another page from the mainland playbook. China has sent in experts and others to put up temporary labs to handle the volume of tests.

But Benjamin Cowling, who studies epidemics at Hong Kong University, advised against mass testing in March since it would be hard to deal with the sheer number of confirmed cases that the approach would throw up. Instead, he suggested using the nimbler, rapid tests to alert people to isolate at home if they were infected and had mild symptoms.

A medical worker prepares a dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at a community vaccination center in Hong Kong, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

An elderly woman receives a dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at a community vaccination center in Hong Kong, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

A general view shows a construction site where facilities for isolating the COVID-19 patients are built in Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Hong Kong residents are becoming increasingly annoyed with the administration's insistence on sticking to China's "zero-COVID" strategy as the city posted another record number of new cases Wednesday, bristling at ever-stricter regulations and a plan to test every city resident for the virus. Credit: AP Photo/Magnum Chan

Workers wearing protective suits, clean the isolation units at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre on Lantau Island, in Hong Kong, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Hong Kong launched a vaccination requirement to enter shopping malls, restaurants and a host of other places on Thursday as it battles an expanding omicron outbreak and tries to overcome vaccine hesitancy in parts of its population. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

An elderly woman wearing a face mask works out at a housing estate in Hong Kong, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up. The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Patients wait at a temporary treatment area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up. The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Residents line up to get tested for the coronavirus at a temporary testing center in Hong Kong, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Hong Kong on Thursday reported 6,116 new coronavirus infections, as the city's hospitals reached 90% capacity and quarantine facilities are at their limit, authorities said. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Customers wearing face masks purchase COVID-19 antigen test kits at a market in Hong Kong, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up. The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Workers build rooms of a new makeshift COVID-19 hospital and isolation facilities, in Tsing Yi of Hong Kong, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up. The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

A family line up to get tested for the coronavirus at a temporary testing center in Hong Kong, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Hong Kong on Thursday reported 6,116 new coronavirus infections, as the city's hospitals reached 90% capacity and quarantine facilities are at their limit, authorities said. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

A man wearing a face mask walks across a street In Causeway Bay, a shopping district of Hong Kong, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

An aerial view shows a construction site of a new makeshift COVID-19 hospital and isolation facilities, in Tsing Yi of Hong Kong, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19 and often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant showed up. The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defenses and has been spreading rapidly through one of the world's most densely populated places. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

The ultra-contagious nature of the omicron variant means that unless you have incredibly stringent lockdown measures, mask-wearing and social distancing norms, you're not going to stem the spread, said Dr. Jimmy Whitworth, an infectious diseases expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Even China is battling multiple outbreaks, though they are much smaller than Hong Kong's. China on Sunday reported 239 new cases in the mainland, of which 127 were among people who had arrived from overseas.

Hong Kong, by comparison, on Saturday reported more than 17,000 new cases in the latest 24-hour period and 66 deaths.

Whitworth said that Hong Kong's priority right now should be to encourage vaccination. "That is by far and away, the most important message. And particularly targeting the elderly,"

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Students wearing masks leave the New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) school in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. New York City public school students will be allowed to remove their masks outside starting next week but must keep them on indoors for now. Schools Chancellor David Banks announced the new policy in a news release Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File

New York's statewide masking requirement in schools will be lifted by March 2, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday, citing a dramatic drop in COVID-19 infections and new federal guidelines.

Hours later, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he's considering lifting vaccine mandates on restaurants, bars and theaters by early next week if infections and hospitalizations continue their downward trend.

A mask mandate on the city's approximately 1 million schoolchildren could also be lifted, Adams said in a statement. The decision won't come until Friday, following a full week of classes after students in the country's largest school system return from a weeklong vacation, he said.

The pair of announcements signaled an important turning point for the city and state, once an epicenter of the global pandemic.

"The day has come," Hochul said at a press conference in Albany.

New guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most Americans can now safely take a break from wearing masks, including students in schools.

"That is why I feel very confident that this is the time to lift the mask requirements," Hochul said.

As of Saturday, state officials said the 7-day average for new cases was fewer than 1,671 for the first time since late July. Other metrics have also fallen rapidly, including hospitalizations and deaths.

Teachers line up their students before entering PS 179 elementary school in the Kensington neighborhood, Sept. 29, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. New York City public school students will be allowed to remove their masks outside starting next week but must keep them on indoors for now. Schools Chancellor David Banks announced the new policy in a news release Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File

The CDC guidelines for other indoor spaces aren't binding, meaning cities and institutions even in areas of low risk may set their own rules. Hochul said counties and cities could keep their own mandates in place, and parents could still choose to send their kids to school in masks.

The new rules also apply to children 2 years and older in childcare facilities.

Hochul said Adams was consulted before her announcement, including a conversation earlier Sunday.

Despite criticism over the state's pandemic measures, Hochul said she remained resolute in sticking with experts and health data as her guide and "not let criticism and politics intervene in this decision-making."

Earlier this month, Hochul let a broad mask mandate for most indoor settings expire, but said the schools requirement would remain in place. She had promised to revisit the schools question by the first week of March.

The broad mask mandate was implemented during a COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant in December.

Masks are still required in some places, including public transit, homeless shelters, jails and prisons, adult care facilities and healthcare settings.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks during the New York State Democratic Convention in New York, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, said lifting the vaccine requirements would be be positive step for restaurants, bars and theaters.

"We need to continue to be smart and safe, and also modify mandates as COVID risks are reduced. So this will be welcome news to many restaurants and bars, although I wouldn't be surprised if some businesses want to voluntarily keep it in place." Andrew Rigie, executive director, NYC Hospitality Alliance, said in a text message to The Associate Press.

The mayor has been hoping to begin lifting restrictions, but said his decisions, like those of the governor, would be influenced by key metrics.

"New York City's numbers continue to go down day after day," Adams said. "So as long as COVID indicators show a low level of risk and we see no surprises this week, on Monday, March 7 we will also lift Key2NYC requirements," he said.

The Key2NYC program was put in place last August to put pressure on New Yorkers to get vaccinatedor risk losing their access to many of the city's attractions like museums and theaters, as well as being shut out of restaurants and bars.

Explore further NYC schools drop outdoor mask mandate; indoor mandate stays

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Sunday is the final day of in-person screenings! Advance tickets highly recommended, available on Big Sky Documentary Film Festival website. All tickets are good for in-person or online screenings.

Short films are available online through Thursday, March 3. Features are available online for four days, beginning the day after the films last in-person screening.

Films

Tracking Notes: The Secret World of Mountain Lions  Hundreds of cameras spread throughout the mountains outside of Missoula yield an unprecedented glimpse into the hidden world of mountain lions, and reveal the interwoven tapestry of lives that make up wild places. World Premiere. Wilma, 12:30 p.m.

Any Given Day  In the midst of widespread defunding of community mental health care programs across the country, the Cook County Jail in Chicago has become a default treatment center for people living with mental illness. While investigating the treatment of detainees, filmmaker Margaret Byrne befriends participants in a mental health court probation program. What begins as a heartfelt desire to accurately portray their lives forces Margaret to reckon with her own history of mental illness. Montana Premiere. ZACC, 2:30 p.m.

Cat Daddies  A tender portrait of eight men whose love for cats has changed their lives, from internet celebrity to occupational therapy  and in the case of one disabled homeless man, a reason for hope. Northwest Premiere. Wilma, 3 p.m.

Mississippi Messiah  Civil rights icon James Meredith never fit in  not as the first Black student at the University of Mississippi, not as a civil rights leader on the Meredith March, and certainly not while endorsing ex-Klansman David Duke. A nuanced examination of Merediths complicated life as a public figure. World Premiere. ZACC, 5:15 p.m.

Montana Made Shorts  Three short films shot in and/or about Montana:

Meantime  After Tims work-related stroke leads to troubling health complications, his son Michael returns home to Montana. As they spend the most time together since Michaels childhood, they reckon with the past that haunts Tim. A deeply personal exploration of memory, guilt, labor, and the attempt to preserve the fleeting. World Premiere.

The Cookie Man  A former Dutch professional runner turned stroopwafel baker in Billings faces the reality that after 40 years of baking cookies he has to stop. But how do you give up something that has been your life for so long? As retirement looms, he questions who he has become, the choices that brought him here, and the choice still ahead. World Premiere.

For Love of the Land  John Hoiland is among the last of a bygone era. Hes lived his entire life in the rugged Western terrain where he chose working his family ranch over marriage and children. At 94 years old, with no heirs, John is facing the loss of his land and his legacy. Montana Premiere. Wilma, 5:30 p.m.

Award Winners: #1  Nice to Meet You All (Mini-Doc) and Newtok (Big Sky Award). Roxy, 5:45 p.m. #2  Shut Up and Paint (Short) and One Road to Quartzite (Feature). Roxy, 8:30 p.m.

White Coat Rebels  The story of idealistic medical students and iconoclastic doctors who battle the structural inequalities of Americas health care system, in which their physicians oath to do no harm is challenged by the insidious power of the global pharmaceutical industry. Montana Premiere. ZACC, 7:45 p.m.

Charm Circle  Closing Night Film! In a deeply personal glimpse into the lives of an eccentric New York family, Nira attempts to bridge the fractured relationships between herself and her family. With humor and captivating emotional depth, the film weaves the past and the present together in a powerful family portrait that questions the value of the bonds that tie us together. Northwest Premiere. Wilma, 8 p.m.

Filmmakers in attendance

Q&A following film screening

Up on the Mountain  Olivier Matthon, director. Alicia Dominguez, producer. ZACC, 11:45 a.m.

Tracking Notes: The Secret World of Mountain Lions  Colin Ruggiero, director; Joshua Lisbon, subject. Wilma, 12:30 p.m.

Any Given Day  Margaret Byrne, director; Latesha Dickerson, producer. Montana Premiere. ZACC, 2:30 p.m.

Cat Daddies  Mye Hoang, director. Wilma, 3 p.m.

Mississippi Messiah  Dylan Nelson, director. ZACC, 5:15 p.m.

Meantime  Michael Workman, director. World Premiere. The Cookie Man  Thomas Schenk, director. World Premiere. Montana Shorts. Wilma, 5:30 p.m.

Charm Circle  Nira Burstein, director. Wilma, 8 p.m.

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

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The International Defence Industry, Technology and Security Conference (IDITSC) in Abu Dhabi will help position the UAE as a defence market that guarantees the confidentiality of information and preserves intellectual property rights.

Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, UAE Minister of State for Defence Affairs said: For the UAE, hosting this event for the first time is set to raise global awareness that military hardware and technology imported by the UAE is being utilised in line with international rules, regulations, laws and procedures.

The conference is taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) on March 2 and 3, 2022, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai.

The first such conference to be held anywhere in the Middle East to concentrate on the nexus between the defence sector and technology advancements, IDITSC is a forward-looking, knowledge-based event that addresses the latest in defence technology and defence technology security (DTS). It convenes leaders from the international defence industry, policymakers, leading technology researchers and academics as well as international DTS experts.

The conference provides a multi-track agenda showcasing the latest research and advances in the areas of Robotics and Autonomous Systems; Space; Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence; and other Emerging Technologies, and discusses their implications on and applications for defence.

In total, over 70 UAE and international speakers are set to participate in the official programme, contributing to more than 55 insightful sessions and engagements.

In parallel, the conference tackles the current DTS frameworks and controls, and the latest agreements in multi-domain technology security. It will include expert panels, individual presentations, and fireside chats.

The conferences strategic partners are G42, a leading Middle East artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing innovator based in the UAE, and Edge Group, an advanced technology group for defence and beyond and one of the top 25 defence contractors globally as Diamond Partners. Adnec is a Platinum Partner and Tawazun Economic Council is a Gold Partner.

Al Bowardi: IDITSC is an important gathering to host at this point in time given the state of the world from a defence, technological, geo-political, and socio-economic perspective. We are experiencing unprecedented changes to operating norms across all aspects of life, and for the UAE, hosting this event for the first time is set to raise global awareness among defence stakeholders and specialists that military hardware and technology imported by the UAE is being utilised in line with international rules, regulations, laws and procedures, as well as the UAEs own rigorous domestic guidelines and policies.

Al Bowardi continued: "As the UAE takes bold steps within the guidelines of The Principles of 50, the nation looks forward to working with all major players in the defence manufacturing sector from across the globe to consolidate strategic and security interests. Within the UAE, we are determined to achieve the strategic goals that have been set out by our enlightened leaders, both in the short-term as well as longer run, tailoring industrialisation to our own particular set of circumstances. Hence, this conference has been convened at an important time and will act as a leading international platform for the exchange of information and experiences between the delegations of the participating countries to enhance the system of international military cooperation. In so doing, participants will be better placed to help serve the consolidation of security, peace, and stability across the world.

IDITSC should be utilised as a prestigious international platform for the exchange of information and experiences between the delegations of the participating countries to enhance the system of international military cooperation in a manner that serves the consolidation of security, peace, and stability globally.

in a way that exemplifies the countrys position and builds confidence in the nation as an important player in the global defence sector now and in the future.

Commenting, Major General Staff Dr Eng. Mubarak Saeed Ghafan Al Jabri, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee said: "The UAE is following a steady path towards establishing tangible independent capabilities. This event will foster discussions on the development of defence technology innovation by attracting leaders from the sector, policy makers, researchers, academics, and security experts from around the world. There is no doubt that hosting and organising such content-driven events is a forward-looking opportunity to exchange ideas and visions with friends and counterparts about the future of defence, and how we can all cooperate more closely to develop the military industries sector globally in general and in the UAE in particular.

Mansoor AlMansoori, Group Chief Operating Officer, G42 said: The global defence market is rapidly growing and evolving  and AI is a driving force behind the innovation we are witnessing. Countries around the world are seeing AI as critical  not only to their economic development  but to their national security. At G42, weve committed ourselves to be a responsible pioneer in the field of big data and AI innovation, which is witnessing remarkable growth in the world. We also look forward to communicating with various leaders seeking to foresee the future at the IDITSC to discuss the future of AI in global markets.

Faisal Al Bannai, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, Edge Group said: Our involvement in the inaugural IDITSC, hosted here in the nations capital, underscores the importance of having a major global platform for the formation of valuable partnerships, best practice, and the exchange of information and ideas, bringing together the leaders and experts from critical areas of the defence and technology industries. Edge will leverage its position as the regions premier advanced technology group to further support the UAEs drive to become a global leader in this space.

Al Bannai added: IDITSC also provides an ideal opportunity to showcase our advancements in key sectors, particularly in the development of indigenous Autonomous Systems, AI, Future Technologies, and the nurturing of a highly skilled national talent pool, with the aim of serving the country globally in the defence and civilian spheres.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and CEO of Adnec Group, said: We are pleased to have collaborated with the Ministry of Defence to hold this significant event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. This is in line with Adnec's strategy of establishing and supporting conferences specialised in these critical sectors, as well as our wise leadership's goals of transferring and localising advanced knowledge in the country and improving its competitiveness in the innovation and development sectors, along with employing data from the Fourth Industrial Revolution for the next fifty years.

Multiple important discussions of common interest between world governments and large and emerging companies in the fields of defence manufacturing and other technologically advanced industries are set to be conducted at IDITSC.

The conference will offer a unique opportunity for university students and professionals to learn about the decision-making mechanisms that frame international relations related to the governance of defence industries.-- TradeArabia News Service
It seems that every day there is news about some Republican elected official going off track with a crazy dispute. Now Gov. Greg Gianforte has jumped into the fray with a complaint about the use of the word "equity".

The Montana Board of Education has revised its Ethical Standards for Teachers, which it does every five years. The word equity was included in the revision, pertaining to a teacher's recognition of the need for equity in education.

Equity in education is different from equality. A good example of that is the school funding formula. Back in the 1980s small rural schools were not adequately funded because they didn't have the tax base to raise the necessary money. A series of lawsuits were filed, resulting in greater funding for those districts. The basis of the suits was Article X of the Montana Constitution, which requires the Legislature to distribute the state's share of education funding in an equitable manner. That does not mean in an equal manner. Billings Public Schools obviously needs more money than Whitehall.

Equity applies to other areas of education as well. Students come in all types, with their strengths and weaknesses, each with their unique needs. Equity means that each student gets what he or she needs to succeed, and I was ethically responsible as their teacher, for helping them get that.

Gianforte's angst about equity could come from ignorance of what is going on in public education. He is, after all, a supporter of private schools. The concept is deeply embedded in the system. Eliminating one word in an unofficial document put out by an obscure subcommittee will make no difference.

So why the concern over a word that represents a concept that can only be good for public education? There is a national discussion about equity versus equality, being driven by right-wing think tanks like the Cato Institute. Their thesis is that every child should have an equal start in schooling, but not the extra resources to actually succeed. This seems to satisfy their desire to promote their agenda, which is every man for himself. Gianforte is aligned with that ideology.

Equity in education is not only good for Montana, but it is also mandated in the state Constitution. Let's move forward with equity and let Gianforte sweat it out with his ideology-bound buddies.

Carol Bruderer, retired, was a Montana teacher for 26 years.

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" " Freezing your child's credit early on is one way to help prevent fraud, and a lot of headaches down the road. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

Credit fraud is unfortunately a serious problem. In 2017, hackers accessed Equifax, one of the three major consumer credit reporting agencies. That left 143 million American consumers' sensitive information, including their Social Security numbers, compromised.

And that wasn't an isolated incident. Major retailers, restaurants and hotels like Macy's, Marriott, Adidas, Saks Fifth Avenue and Planet Hollywood have also had major data breaches, exposing their customers' information.

But adult consumers agree to take a certain amount of risk with their personal information. They sign up for  and use  credit cards. They give their Social Security number for bank loans and car loans. But what about a child? They do none of these things. So as a parent, you could be caught completely off guard if your child graduates from high school and you discover they've already purchased a car or rented an apartment. Or, at least, someone else did using your child's name and Social Security number.

We're talking about financial fraud against minors. Opening new bank and credit card accounts are the most common forms. They're so common they can go undetected for years, according to Forbes.

Identity thieves can use a child's Social Security number to apply for credit, apply for government benefits, rent apartments and set up utilities. The consequences get more and more complicated over the years. By the time your child is approaching adulthood and needs to apply for jobs, first credit cards, or car and school loans, they may already have a lengthy credit report full of fraudulent activity that needs to be cleaned up.

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How to Prevent Credit Fraud Against Children

So what's a parent to do? For one you can consider freezing your child's credit as soon as possible. A credit freeze won't entirely prevent this form of identity fraud, but it's the most effective form of prevention available, and it can save your family from tons of hassle involved with reporting and cleaning it up.

If you've heard the term "freezing a Social Security number," this is the same as freezing credit, according to Syed Ejaz, assistant policy analyst at Consumer Reports.

"There are no drawbacks to freezing your child's credit," Ejaz says via email. "Consumers who have frozen their credit will need to temporarily unfreeze it when applying for new credit accounts. Parents should keep this in mind when helping their child apply for student loans and other credit products."

A credit freeze works by preventing the three credit bureaus  Equifax, Experian and TransUnion  from disclosing an individual's credit score to third parties. In effect, this prevents new loans or lines of credit from being opened. Children age 16 or older are permitted to request a credit freeze for themselves, but a legal representative must make the request on behalf of children under 16.

Credit freezes became free thanks to legislation that took effect in September 2018, and the law mandated that the freeze be available to children, as well. That's an important distinction, since children are most vulnerable to identity theft.

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Other Ways to Protect Your Child's Credit

There are other possible steps you can take to help protect your child's credit, as well. If you don't want to freeze your child's credit, you can consider a credit lock.

Consumer Reports notes that, while a credit freeze is free, the credit bureaus all offer a credit lock, though it's not always free. That said, credit locks may be more convenient than credit freezes, because a freeze is intended to be a long-term solution (protecting credit for a child's entire adolescence, for example) while credit locks can be quickly and easily turned off and on, some via an app.

A credit freeze also comes with legal protection under federal law that the credit locks can't provide. And if for some reason, the freeze fails or is still bypassed by a criminal, your child will be protected from financial liability related to the credit fraud.

Beyond credit freezes and credit locks, though, you should be careful how and where you share your child's personal information throughout their adolescence. To some extent, you can't avoid giving it to their schools, doctors or financial institutions. But do the extra legwork to ensure these organizations are only using the information as necessary. That means reading all privacy notices they provide, keeping all related information in a safe location and shredding copies of documents you don't need anymore.

If your child's school, doctor's office or other organization notifies you of a data breach, check your child's credit reports and notify the Federal Trade Commission of any unusual activity.

As your child approaches his or her 16th birthday, run a credit check. This will let you know if there are any fraudulent accounts or errors, and give you time to clean up the record, which often requires a lot of paperwork. Again, a credit freeze isn't foolproof, but it's likely the easiest and most efficient way to help your child's credit record stay clean.

Now That's Interesting As Forbes notes, if your child is old enough, this is a good opportunity to explain how credit works and why it is important. If your child is too young for this conversation, you can help him or her lift the freeze when it comes time to apply for loans or a credit card.
Most Wanted List

Those who have a new or gently used copy of any of the Top 10 Titles and would like to donate it to the library, it would be most appreciated. To date, the library has received 938 of the most wanted books.

Current BCPL Top 10 Holds

1. The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich  13 holds

2. Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb  4 holds

3. Calder Grit by Janet Dailey  4 holds

4. City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman  4 holds

5. Fear Thy Neighbor by Fern Michaels  4 holds

6. High Stakes by Danielle Steel  4 holds

7. The Match by Harlan Coben  4 holds

8. The Missing Piece by John Lescroart  4 holds

9. Steal by James Patterson  4 holds

10. Wyoming Homecoming by Diana Palmer  4 holds

Current New York Times Best Sellers and NC Cardinal Consortium Holds

1. Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb  222 holds

2. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover  148 holds

3. City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman  172 holds

4. Verity by Colleen Hoover  27 holds

5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid  104 holds

6. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover  28 holds

7. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood  28 holds

8. Steal by James Patterson  192 holds

9. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig  62 holds

10. The Maid by Nita Prose  274 holds

Adult programming

Mixed-Media Monday kits will be available to pick up Monday, Feb. 28, for patrons pre-registered. Be sure to check out our March calendar for upcoming programs! Calendar can be downloaded at bcpls.org

Young adult programming

February programming may be over, but its time for some March Madness! Now is the time to reserve your #YASBox subscription box for next month, and get registered for this months D&D campaigns and Murder Mystery Night! Join us on Thursday at 4 p.m. on the Discord server for an Animal Crossing Party where you can share resources, island-hop, and play games on the Nintendo Game Animal Crossing: New Horizons. For more information, pre-registration or to get connected, email Lizzie at lizzie.whisnant@burkenc.org.

Childrens Programming

March is right around the corner, and that means new monthly crafts available at our locations. The C.B. Hildebrand Public Library has a spring windsock craft and an enrichment bag available. Each enrichment bag contains a book, bookmark, craft and snack and is geared to preschool and school-aged children. At the Morganton Public Library, you can pickup a kit to make a leprechaun trap and a rainbow suncatcher. The Valdese Public Librarys craft this month is all about sewing! Participants will receive the supplies to sew an African animal. All of these kits are for children fifth grade and earlier. For more information on any of these to-go crafts, please come by to see us or give us a call.

The Winter Reading Challenge for kids is wrapping up at the end of February. Logging missions for the challenge ends Monday, Feb. 28, but you will be able to pick up prizes after that date.

eBooks

@ your libraryThere are 3,667 Burke County Public Library users registered to use the librarys digital collection available through the e-iNC consortium and NC Kids Digital Library. This digital collection includes eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming video available to Burke County Public Library cardholders. Apps are available for download for a variety of devices including Kindle, iPhone, and Android phones. Go to http://omc.overdrive.com to see the apps. To access the collection and download items go to http://e-inc.lib.overdrive.com and follow the instructions to set up an account. You will need to know your library card number and your PIN. Please contact the library if you need any assistance.

Find us on the webGo to www.bcpls.org for a list of programs and events. Unless noted otherwise, all library programs are free. Some programs have pre-registration and age requirements.
Republicans and Democrats have deep and unbridgeable differences on a variety of issues, from vaccination mandates to immigration policy to the Iran nuclear deal. But when it comes to Russias aggression against Ukraine, the differences are not detectable without a microscope. The fight going on now is a theatrical performance staged to conceal their fundamental agreement.

Republicans accuse Joe Biden of unforgivable weakness and appeasement, invoking the specter of the 1938 Munich deal. Democrats contrast Bidens blunt criticism of Vladimir Putin with Donald Trumps meek deference. What is most striking about this rhetorical battle, though, is how closely the two parties are aligned on the issue.

Trump is the exception, rushing to praise Putin for a genius move in recognizing two Ukrainian republics as independent. But his partys officeholders overwhelmingly part ways with him on this issue, as they did during his presidency. Nor do the likes of Tucker Carlson have much influence on either side of the aisle in Congress.

Pretty much no one thinks Putin has the right to seize Ukrainian territory, or approves of his efforts to intimidate Ukraine and NATO, or opposes the use of economic and financial sanctions to punish Russia.

Both parties, however, are willing to go only so far in supporting Ukraine. Neither favors sending American troops to fight the Russians. Trump approved lethal aid to Ukraine in the form of anti-tank missiles and other weaponry, and Biden has continued to do so.

Republicans demanded the cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany  and, after meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in early February, Biden promised if Russia invaded, we will bring an end to it. Sure enough, when Putin ordered troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, Scholz called off the pipeline deal.

Yet Republicans claim that Biden brought this on by pulling out of Afghanistan. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise declared, Weakness has consequences. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, claimed that as a result of President Bidens weakness and appeasement, the Biden administration is in the process of abandoning Ukraine to Vladimir Putin.

Their verbal volleys bring to mind the psychological phenomenon Sigmund Freud referred to as the narcissism of minor differences. Most of the partisan disagreements are petty quibbles over the extent and timing of sanctions. Pretending that Biden is to blame for the invasion is a crude political ploy.

Biden isnt to blame for the invasion. Even conservative commentator Walter Russell Mead of The Wall Street Journal grudgingly admitted last month, There is only one option that would stop a Russian invasion  and that is the one that all the serious players in Washington say is off the table: dispatching an American and coalition force to defend Ukraine.

Maybe that deployment would stop Putin, or maybe not. NATO would be at a severe disadvantage fighting on Russias doorstep, where the enemy has big advantages and a far greater stake. We would have the additional handicap of having to calibrate our military strategy to avoid precipitating a nuclear exchange. But there was never any chance that any president, Republican or Democrat, would go to war over Ukraine.

Republicans boast that Russia didnt invade Ukraine when Trump was president. But Trump was the guy who withheld military aid to Ukraine in an attempt to force President Volodymyr Zelensky to come up with dirt on the Bidens. An invasion would have been a poor way for Putin to repay his compliant friend in the White House.

What has always been clear is that the U.S. has a weak hand when it comes to Ukraine and no good way to play it. Putin has always known he could use force without facing military retaliation from NATO.

He may have hoped he could get away without paying a high economic penalty. If so, he has been unpleasantly surprised.

Instead of driving a fat wedge between the U.S. and its European allies, Putin has spurred a new spirit of unity. He has virtually guaranteed that NATO will increase its spending and bolster its forces in the countries geographically closest to Russia.

Hes also managed, against all odds, to foster an effective consensus between Republicans and Democrats, who are united in seeing him as a brutal outlaw and a threat to the international order. Its a miracle that could only have been made in Moscow.

Follow Steve Chapman on Twitter @SteveChapman13 or at www.facebook.com/stevechapman13. To find out more about Chapman, visit www.creators.com.
As widely reported lately, the US meat-packing industry is now dominated by four out-of-state meat-packing companies that dictate the prices Montana ranchers receive for beef, poultry and pork. Most ranchers must send cattle sometimes hundreds of miles away for processing, only to be shipped back to Montana for sale.

Also widely reported is the unending drought Montana is experiencing, a drought exacerbated by climate disruption caused by greenhouse gas emissions. With less water to grow hay for feed, hay prices skyrocketed last year to all-time highs in some cases.

These two realities have put many Montana ranchers at significant risk of financial failure. Thankfully, there are solutions available that can help address both problems.

First, both Senator Tester and Daines recognize the severity of the meat-packing problem and are backing bills to address this issue. We should all support these efforts to protect our vital Montana industry and way of life.

Second, there is a conservative, small-government approach to addressing climate disruption over the longer-term. Known as a carbon fee with cash back policy, its a fee assessed where fossil fuels enter the economy (e.g. the first point at which the fossil fuel is sold). The fee is based upon the amount of carbon dioxide that will be released when the fuel is burned. Studies show that placing a fee on carbon emissions in this manner will encourage a shift away from fossil fuel consumption without imposing government regulations that choose winners and losers.

Why should Montanans care about reducing fossil fuel consumption? At a global scale, settled science clearly shows that greenhouse gas emission produced through the burning of fossil fuels is disrupting the relative balance of the environment that weve enjoyed for the past 10,000 years.

Here in Montana, our economic mainstays of farming, ranching and outdoor recreation are all negatively impacted by climate disruption caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Shorter, warmer, drier winters have become a new normal especially in eastern Montana. Coupled with longer, hotter summers interspersed with dramatic temperature swings throughout the year, ranchers and farmers are suffering. Winter and summer recreational opportunities are being impacted as well.

To ensure a more predictable transition from fossil fuels, an initial per-ton carbon fee would start low and gradually increase year over year (e.g. begin with a $15 per ton fee and increase by $10 per ton each year). This gradual, predictable cost increase incentivizes a transition to lower carbon emissions energy sources and products while not sending shock waves through our economy in the process. Importantly, the policy can be tailored to protect industries like farming and ranching through fee-rebates on things like agricultural fuels.

Every dollar collected would be placed in a trust that distributes the funds out to all Americans, based upon household membership. In this way, Americans would be free to decide how to use the cash payment, whether to offset the short-term cost increases incurred as we transition to low-carbon alternatives, purchase lower carbon products like electric vehicles, or save it for a rainy day.

To reiterate, a carbon fee and dividend policy is a classically conservative approach to addressing climate disruption, and numerous studies have shown this policy offers an efficient, effective, predictable way to shift from fossil fuel dependence. Indeed, both the Business Roundtable and American Petroleum Institute support a carbon fee and dividend policy for these reasons.

Please urge Senators Tester and Daines to support a carbon fee and cash back policy. Montana ranchers need action and, as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce states, "inaction is not an option" when it comes to addressing climate change.

Mike Wood lives in Missoula and is a member of the Citizens Climate Lobby.

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Lockheed Martin, the US-based global technology leader, will showcase network-centric systems designed to counter evolving security threats across all domains, land, air, sea, and space at the inaugural World Defense Show (WDS) in Riyadh.

WDS, which will run from March 6 to 9, 2022, is a fully integrated and future-focused defence event that is set to showcase cutting-edge developments from around the world.

Lockheed Martin, as a platinum sponsor of the event, will present its vision for 21st century security capabilities.

The company will demonstrate how Multi-Domain Operations or Joint All-Domain Operations (MDO/JADO) can synchronise major systems such as missile defence, satellites, aircraft, ships and ground vehicles to improve situational awareness and accelerate decision-making in the field particularly related to counter-drone and anti-missile measures.

Our involvement in and support for WDS underlines Lockheed Martins longstanding partnership with Saudi Arabia. We look forward to showcasing how we are driving interoperability for our partners by merging physical technology with digital technologies to increase our defensive and deterrent capabilities, said Joseph Rank, Lockheed Martins chief executive for Saudi Arabia and Africa.

Lockheed Martin is one of the most trusted and involved defence partners in the region and the World Defense Show will be an excellent platform for us to engage with our stakeholders in Saudi Arabia and around the world.

In addition to showcasing the world's most advanced defence platforms, several senior executives from Lockheed Martin will deliver keynote addresses and participate in panel sessions at WDS.

Topics to be addressed range from Saudi Vision 2030 to advancing gender equality in defence, developing young engineers, and creating technological advantages for the kingdom through localisation.

Lockheed Martin has been a committed partner to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 1965. Today, the companys presence has moved beyond defence systems to provide products and services, technical support, manufacturing, and educational expertise to strengthen the kingdoms aerospace and defence industry.-- TradeArabia News Service
The South African government has said that Eskom needs to sell off assets, including some of its coal-fired power stations, before receiving further bailouts to help deal with its R392-billion debt.

Even selling the still unfinished Medupi and Kusile power stations is on the table, but, according to Rapport, the utility is having none of it.

Finance minister Enoch Godongwana announced on Wednesday that the government plans to restructure Eskoms debt before South Africas next general elections in 2024.

However, Eskom would only receive further government support if it sold assets and cut jobs.

We expect Eskom to take further steps towards cost containment, conclude the sale of assets and implement operational improvements to enhance the reliability of electricity supply, Godongwana stated.

In an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday, the minister also said that Eskom has 10,000 people in the system that they dont need.

After that, I become the last resort  Im not saying Im not going to help them, said Godongwana.

Finance department director-general Dondo Mogajane told Rapport that they hadnt set any specific targets Eskom must meet before government restructures or takes over its debt.

But they will have to do something and sell some of the power stations before we can help them at all.

While Eskom claims that no one wants to buy its ageing power stations, Mogajane said they believe there are buyers, especially from countries like China.

We told them they could even sell the two newest stations  Medupi and Kusile  but for some reason, no progress is being made, said Mogajane.

Energy analyst Mike Rossouw said Eskoms management is misleading politicians to avoid selling its older, more expensive power stations.

Rossouw confirmed that Chinese companies are eager to buy Eskoms ailing power stations.

Eskom is refusing to acknowledge that the costs of running its old power stations simply dont make it worthwhile to cling to them, stated Rossouw.

I agree it would be a mistake to sell Medupi and Kusile. These are new assets that will have operating costs when their teething problems are ironed out.

Rossouw believes that one of the reasons Eskom isnt keen on selling power stations is for fear of how unions like NUM and Numsa would react.

However, he also said that this is not an insurmountable obstacle.

You have to talk with the unions and reach a settlement. You can reach agreements with the new owners to retain the existing labour force, or you could transfer workers to other units within Eskom.

Rossouw said in December last year that Eskom would not be able to address its operational problems unless it disposed of its Arnot, Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina, and Komati power stations.

He said these five coal-fired power stations were so old and dysfunctional they posed a threat to the countrys energy security.

Eskom receives 9.61% tariff hike

Also this week, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa announced that Eskom would be allowed to increase its tariffs by 9.61%  much lower than the 20.5% for which it had asked.

The financial implications of this decision on Eskoms long-term sustainability will need to be further understood, said Eskoms chief financial officer Calib Cassim.

The Eskom Board will deliberate further before deciding on how to continue to sustainably provide electricity to the extent possible in the context of this revenue decision.

Now read: Electricity price hikes for 2022 announced
Human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has accused partially state-owned Telkom of holding South Africa to ransom through its court actions over the countrys high-demand spectrum auction.

This follows communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavhenis attempts to convince all parties to allow the auction to happen in March.

From where we are sitting, she [Ntshavheni] is on track, and we are hoping that Telkom does not continue to hold the country at ransom, said Kubayi in an interview with Business Times.

I think its far too long, the sector has been holding the country at ransom. At times you get confused  what is it they are looking for?

Kubayi added that the country has already been affected significantly by the lack of high-demand spectrum, and it is important to fast track the auction process.

Radio frequency spectrum is the raw network capacity cellular networks use to communicate between their towers and mobile devices. In simple terms, cellular technology works on similar high-level principles as AM and FM radio, and TV broadcasting.

You cant have companies blocking the countrys growth, Kubayi said.

Spectrum is needed in this country. We have been surpassed by countries that should not have passed us.

Kubayi stated that the appropriate parties are in negotiations and hoped these discussions would not ultimately revert to court action.

Together with E-tv owner eMedia, Telkom sits at the centre of the controversy over South Africas high-demand spectrum auction.

Telkom has argued that some of the valuable sub-1GHz spectrum being auctioned is still occupied by old analogue TV signals, which would make any investment into network infrastructure that uses this frequency extremely risky.

For example, Telkoms head of network planning and engineering Lebo Masalesa said that when Telkom tried to roll out extra network capacity in Bloemfontein, the spectrum industry regulator Icasa had claimed was available turned out to suffer significant interference.

One reason for this issue, Masalesa explained, could be that many South Africans have erected their own repeater sites to counter poor TV signals.

We suspect it could be a case that Sentech does not have a view of all the repeaters out there and are unsure if these repeaters are deployed with their permission, Masalesa told MyBroadband.

The issue is fundamental to Telkom since it doesnt currently have sub-1GHz spectrum, which puts it at a significant disadvantage compared to its competitors.

Therefore, the spectrum auction is a major opportunity for Telkom to gain access to this lower-frequency band it desperately wants.

This is why it has asked the court to force Icasa to implement remedies that will compensate Telkom if it cannot use any of the spectrum it has acquired during the auction.

Notably, Telkom has withdrawn the first part of its court application  an urgent interdict to halt the auction.

However, it has said that Icasa should think carefully about whether going ahead with the auction makes sense given the implications if the rest of Telkoms application is upheld by the court.

In addition to the problem of old analogue TV broadcasting frequencies still being occupied, Telkom also raised several other issues with industry regulator Icasas spectrum auction.

A significant concern is that E-tv owner eMedia has a pending court case against the communications minister and Icasa over the switch-off of analogue TV signals that the High Court will only hear in mid-March  after the spectrum auction is set to conclude.

Telkom also maintains that Icasa has not adequately considered the impact on competition the auction will have in South Africas telecommunications sector.

It has baulked at specific restrictions that Icasa wants to use, such as uniform caps on the amount spectrum each operator can hold. This is a major disadvantage for Telkom, which already has a substantial higher-frequency spectrum.

Telkom has also taken issue with Icasas delay in licensing a national wireless open-access network (WOAN).

By not doing this at the same time as the rest of the spectrum auction, Telkom said it creates too much uncertainty in the models operators use to value spectrum and develop a bidding strategy.
Acting director-general of the department of health, Nicholas Crisp, said government hasnt made vaccinations mandatory because this would not be legal.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Crisp explained that if the government was to try to make vaccinations mandatory, it will be in the Constitutional Court and chucked out in five minutes.

He also explained that while private businesses can impose mandatory vaccination policies, government could not impose such policies on public servants.

This is because their employer is the department of public service and administration, and we have a complicated bargaining process where these things get thrashed out.

Crisp also spoke about the countrys vaccination goals and said he would ultimately love to see everyone living in South Africa vaccinated.

However, he believes the responsibility to solve the countrys low vaccination problem does not rest exclusively on the health department.

We would like to see the department of trade and industry, the department of sports, arts and culture, the department of water affairs, the department of agriculture doing more within their spheres of influence, said Crisp.

Social development, for instance, has more access to unemployed people than we do.

However, Crisp said that many of these departments are more passive than the department of health would like them to be.

Changes to vaccination rules

Crisps statements follow a circular that reduces the intervals South Africans must wait between vaccine doses.

If you are receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech Cominarty two-dose vaccine, you now only need to wait 21 days before getting your second shot, while for the booster shot, the waiting period has been reduced from 180 days to 90 days.

Crisp explained that South Africa had increased the intervals between vaccine shots last year because the country had begun to run out of vaccine stock, but this is no longer an issue.

This circular also allows different vaccines to be mixed for booster shots.

We are now able to mix the vaccines. It has been done in other parts of the world for some time, and we are now formally introducing it into our schedule, said Crisp.

Crisp added that early evidence suggests regular booster shots may not be necessary, but this could change depending on the new variants that emerge.

We dont think at this stage that it looks like we will need to re-boost because these vaccines are generating cellular immunity, and thats got very good memory, he explained.

Well watch and see what happens, and it seems that as long were dealing with the same variants  or very similar variants to what we have at the moment  it may not be necessary to keep boosting.
South Africa will enroll 12,000 police officers before the end of this year as part of efforts to rebuild its police force after the worst riots since the end of apartheid claimed 354 lives in 2021.

The defense department has advertised for Bachelors of Science graduates, as well as others from different academic fields hoping to prevent and fight crime, Defense Minister Thandi Modise said at a press briefing.

Her comments came after President Cyril Ramaphosa promised a law-enforcement revamp in his state-of-the-nation address.

We will continually assess the capacity levels of South African Police Service, and recruit accordingly to ensure that we increase the strength of the police from the 180,000 officers to service the countrys population of more than 60 million people, Modise said today.

Seven thousand officers have almost finished basic training and a further five thousand will begin basic training in 2023. Stretched units including family violence, child protection and the sexual offenses investigating unit, will be beefed up, she said.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated funds to the police, mostly for the hiring of new officers, in his Feb. 23 budget.

On average, more than 60 people are murdered each day in South Africa, and rampant criminality has been cited as a major deterrent to investment.
Supporters of Congregation Beth Shalom  the synagogue in a Napa neighborhood where hundreds of anti-Jewish pamphlets were discovered Thursday morning  on Saturday responded with messages and symbols of tolerance in chalk.

The Elm Street block where Congregation Beth Shalom is based was the site of a chalk art gathering organized by Napas Rainbow Action Network, according to Napa Police. Participants turned sidewalks in front of the synagogue into pastel-hued canvases of sunbeams, hearts, and peace signs, as well as messages like LOVE LIVES HERE and The world is big enough for everyone!

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

The chalk art gathering followed a Friday night meeting between Napa Police Chief Jennifer Gonzales and Rabbi Niles Goldstein of Congregation Beth Shalom, police said in a Facebook announcement.

Numerous homeowners near the synagogue and nearby Shearer Elementary School reported finding anti-Semitic handbills in sandwich bags, which were weighted with dry rice to prevent wind from blowing them away. The double-sided flyers, which were found along Elm, Pine, and Oak streets, accused Jews of being behind the COVID agenda, named various federal and state government and health officials, and included a QR code meant to link smartphones to an anti-Semitic video.

Anti-Semitic flyers found at homes near Congregation Beth Shalom in Napa Anti-Semitic flyers were left early Thursday outside homes on Elm, Oak, Pine and other streets near a Napa synagogue, according to police.

The handbills also included the name of Goyim TV, a media site that hosts videos denigrating Jews. Public incorporation records link the site to Jon Minadeo II, a 39-year-old actor and rapper from Petaluma who has an extensive online presence in which he routinely denies the Holocaust, performs Nazi salutes, and espouses hatred for Jews, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported.

Police, who have collected some of the handbills have evidence, have determined they have the same titles and messages as anti-Jewish flyers that were discovered in at least three Bay Area cities last weekend. The department intends to share any information from physical evidence or security video cameras with other law enforcement agencies in the region, Lt. Chase Haag said Thursday.

Anyone with information on the case  including tips and video footage  is asked to contact Napa Police Officer Adam Gilbert at 707-257-9223 or agilbert@cityofnapa.org.
Would you like to be featured in the Napa Valley Register's 10 Questions column? Business Editor Jennifer Huffman is looking for local business people/workers to profile in this weekly column. The only requirement is that the person live or work in Napa County. Email Jennifer at jhuffman@napanews.com.
Pikeville, KY (41501)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 74F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 54F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
UK bans imposes sanctions on 63 individuals and organizations in Russia

EU plan to completely ban Russian crude oil threatens Hungary's energy security

Germany: Gradual EU ban on Russian oil imports could lead to 'supply disruptions'

Nutritionists name healthiest vegetables for heart

Opposition demonstration reaches government residences

Justin Bieber has emotional breakdown after wedding to Hailey Baldwin

Slovakia seeks exemption from EU oil embargo for three years

Defense Ministers of Armenia and Georgia sign cooperation program for 2022

Romanian President approves entry of Stryker Brigade and US fighter squadron into country

Dollar goes up, euro also rises in Armenia

EU studying possibility of providing military assistance to Moldova

Public demand for Nikol Pashinyan's resignation

Opposition supporters move toward Armenian parliament building

EU envoys can not agree on Russian oil

Armenia Security Council chief briefs Georgia PM on Karabakh conflict settlement process

US comedian attacked on stage in Los Angeles

Armenia deputy police chief says law enforcement has right detain MPs

Large-scale opposition rally starts in central Yerevan

Kim Kardashian hints she dreams of marrying fourth time

Many teenagers in New Zealand are illiterate

WHO: Food delivery apps and online games cause obesity in children

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Will Smith's Oscar speech disappears from official YouTube channel of film awards

Parliament speaker threatens Armenian opposition, clergy

Armenia opposition MP: Ex-President Serzh Sargsyan will not hold office in new government

Beijing closes over 60 subway stations due to COVID-19 outbreak

Bayramov, Roquefeuil discuss Azerbaijan-Armenia relations normalization process

Armenia FM meets with US National Democratic Institute president

Armenia ruling force MP: Opposition will not achieve its goal

Armenia 2nd president Robert Kocharyans son blocking road with citizens in Yerevan

Oklahoma bans almost all abortions

Premieres in May: Let's go to the cinema!

Number of children in Japan falls to record low

Karabakh President meets with of Free Homeland-UCA parliamentary faction members

Armenian judge waves Artsakh flag at Ironman Triathlon (PHOTOS)

There is still lot to do in 'October 27' case, says Armenia Prosecutor General

Ambassador Wiktorin to finance minister: EU ready to continue providing assistance to Armenia government

Inter reach agreement with Paulo Dybala

Armenia Prosecutor General admits there are difficulties in investigation of 'March 1' criminal case

Armens: Louisa Sharamatyan on cooking tolma on Food Networks Worst Cooks and being compared with Kim Kardashian

Copper price is stable

3 COVID-19 new cases confirmed in Armenia

American Armenian youth hold protest rally outside Armenia embassy in Washington

Scientists analyze unobvious consequences of wearing masks

Japan protests against North Korean missile

Klopp on par with Ferguson, Ancelotti and Lippi

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U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue issues joint statement

4 surprising benefits of using Kiwi fruit daily in your diet

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Microsoft urges to abandon Internet Explorer

Champions League: Liverpool reach final

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Villarreal win Liverpool 2-0 (first half)

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

Ararat-Armenia defeat Noravank

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

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50 Cent announces concert in Yerevan

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

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Scientists create most accurate 3D model of female anatomy in history

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

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Dubai's national carrier Emirates has pledged its support to promoting tourism in Thailand through a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Under the agreement, both the tourism body and Emirates will explore joint initiatives and opportunities for collaboration that will enhance each partys marketing and promotional efforts to attract travellers to Thailand.

Through this deal, the airline will also engage in efforts to promote the country through its network of agents in key strategic markets in addition to collaborating on joint familiarisation trips designed to appeal to various customer segments.

The MoC was signed by Orhan Abbas, Senior VP (Commercial Operations) Far East at Emirates and Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas), in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman and Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailands Minister of Tourism and Sports.

Also present at the signing ceremony were Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, Chairat Sirivat, Consul-General of Thailand to the UAE and Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates.

Abbas said Emirates had launched operations to Thailand more than 30 years ago, and its destinations are among the most popular in the Dubai carrier's Southeast Asian network, especially amongst holidaymakers from the US, Europe, and the Middle East.

"We are delighted to join hands with the TAT to boost tourism to the country, and build on the success achieved over the years, thanks to our long-standing relationship. We look forward to highlighting its diverse offerings to industry stakeholders and customers and helping them achieve their tourism targets, to support Thailands post-pandemic recovery," observed Abbas.

Supasorn said the MoU will pave the way for strategic tourism collaboration efforts between TAT and Emirates.

"TAT will assist Emirates in developing airline passenger traffic from key strategy markets by supporting tour operators and travel agents in agreed target markets across the Emirates network with promotional giveaways, special promotional packages, incentives, and marketing spend," he noted.

Thailand continues to be an important part of the Emirates network spanning almost 130 destinations. Emirates services to Bangkok were launched in 1990 and, in 2012, its direct flights to the resort island of Phuket were established, proving to be a very popular holiday destination amongst its global customers.

Emirates resumed operations to Bangkok in September 2020 and currently provides two daily services to Bangkok utilising the Boeing 777-300ER as well as an additional daily flight aboard its flagship A380 aircraft. Emirates also flies to Thailands exotic holiday spot, Phuket, 11 times weekly.
Warsaw, Istanbul, Baku. We have proposed these cities for holding negotiations with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this in a new video message on Sunday

"Moreover, any [other] city from which no missiles are fired in the direction of Ukraine is acceptable," Zelenskyy added.

Also, the Ukrainian leader addressed the Belarusians. "I sincerely wish Belarus to again be as kind and safe as it has been not long ago. Make the right choice. It's the main choice of your life," he said.

The Ukrainian president added that Kyiv wants peace and talks with Russia.

In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on foreigners to come to Ukraine and join the fight against Russian troops.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia has released a statement on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the massacres of Armenians in Sumgait, Azerbaijan. The statement reads as follows:

34 years ago, on February 27-29, with the organization of the Soviet Azerbaijani authorities and the connivance of law enforcement, the massacres of the Armenian population in the city of Sumgait were carried out, resulting in the killing of hundreds of Armenians, including women, children, elderly, and forcible displacement of thousands.

Mass killings and tortures against the Armenians, that were aimed at forcibly suppressing the democratic expression of will of the Armenian of Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] and the exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination on the basis of existing legal mechanisms, later continued in Baku, Kirovabad, and other settlements of Azerbaijan with Armenian population. Azerbaijan responded to the expression of the will of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to free and secure life in their homeland by carrying out a policy of collective punishment against Armenians, which later turned into full-scale war unleashed against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The massacres of Armenians in Sumgait received a wide international response. A relevant condemning resolution was adopted by the European Parliament. In continuation of the same policy, the Azerbaijani armed forces carried out a complete ethnic cleansing of all Armenian settlements fallen under their control during the aggression against Artsakh on September 27, 2020, taking cruel revenge on many detained civilians, prisoners of war, destroying, vandalizing Armenian cultural and religious monuments and sanctuaries.

The decision of the UN International Court of Justice on the application of provisional measures within the framework of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination issued on December 7, 2021, demonstrated the fact that more than three decades after the Sumgait atrocities Azerbaijan continues its policy of racial hatred towards Armenians and the destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage.

Today, we pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the mass atrocities in Sumgait and other settlements, and emphasize that Armenophobia and the threat of use of force remain Azerbaijan's state policy, which clearly contradicts the regional and international efforts aimed at a peaceful, developing and sustainable region.
The Belarusian city of Gomel has been proposed by the Ukrainian side as the venue for the talks, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Sunday, RIA Novosti reported.

"As we have already said, the Russian delegation is ready to hold those talks there," Peskov added.

"We have warned the Ukrainian side that this time the measures envisaged during the [Russian] military operation will not be stopped, as was said yesterday, about which we had informed you yesterday," he said.

Earlier, Peskov said that the Russian delegation had arrived in Belarus for talks with the Ukrainian side. But sometime thereafter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that any other cityaside from Warsaw, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku or Minskwere are acceptable for Ukraine to hold talks with Russia.
Sanctions against Russia are pushing Russia into World War III , Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the media after casting his ballot at the referendum on the updated Constitution of Belarus on Sunday, BelTA reported.

In this situation, you must understand one thing: some sanctions are worse than a war. Now there is a lot of talk there about sanctions against the banking sector. Gas, oil, SWIFT. This is pushing Russia into a third world war. Therefore, we need to show restraint so as not to get in trouble. Because a nuclear war is a disaster, the Belarusian president said.

It is such a shame, but it is their choice, Lukashenko added commenting on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys refusal to send a delegation for talks to Gomel, Belarus.

The head of the Belarusian state is sure that Zelenskyy's decisions depend on external forces.

There is no war going on from Belarus' territory, Aleksandr Lukashenko added.

We don't wage a war against them now and back then: there is no need. No missiles fly from our territory to Ukraine and they don't have to. Kiev is surrounded, those cities are surrounded. They [Russians] have occupied some cities. Why would we shoot from Belarus' territory 200km, 300km, 400km away? It would be crazy, he said.

There is not a single Belarusian soldier and not a single Belarusian cartridge in Ukraine, Lukashenko noted.

The Ukrainian elite have recently contacted me with a request to talk to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Belarusian president noted as well. Lukashenko added that he agreed, although expressing doubts that he could influence the Ukrainian leader.

Also, Aleksandr Lukashenko said that it is not yet a "war," but a "conflict" Ukraine.

"But it will turn into a war in a day or two, and into a meat grinder in three days," he added.
Banana Island Resort Doha, a leading destination for luxury in Qatar, has won the Conde Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2022 Best for Families category in Asia, Africa, Middle East & Oceania.



This recognition is a testimony of the distinguished achievement by the resort, despite the negative effects caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) that affected the global hospitality sector, a hotel statement said.



By bagging this new honour, Banana Island Resort Doha has once again proved its ability to withstand all impediments by setting global standards in the local hospitality sector, thanks to its sound management and skilled team.



Conde Nast Johansens is known globally as the main authoritative reference for independent travellers with more than 39 years of experience in evaluating and recommending tourist facilities around the world, through its team consisting of leading travel and tourism experts who inspect and evaluate all hotels and resorts on a regular and annual basis.



Mohammed Wazir, General Manager, said: Behind the resorts every achievement is the hard work and resilience of each of our beloved team members. Everyone is keen at all times in providing the utmost level of services to families who visit our island paradise, so they can enjoy their stay with peace of mind in a safe and relaxing environment.



Banana Island Resort Doha offers 141 rooms, suites and villas, all teeming with impressive Arabian style in every detail. From private dining terraces to the over water villas, guests are sure to find relaxation in breathtaking surroundings, which combine soothing sea views with modern amenities for a blissful stay, the statement added.  TradeArabia News Service
President Vladimir Putin's order to put Russian nuclear forces on high alert is part of a pattern of Moscow manufacturing threats to justify aggression, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Sunday, Reuters reported.

"We've seen him do this time and time again. At no point has Russia been under threat from NATO, has Russia been under threat from Ukraine," Psaki said on ABC's "This Week" program.

"This is all a pattern from President Putin and we're going to stand up to it. We have the ability to defend ourselves, but we also need to call out what we're seeing here from President Putin," Psaki added.

The United States is open to providing additional assistance to Ukraine, Psaki said. Washington also has not taken sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector off the table, Psaki added.

"We have not taken those off, but we also want to do that and make sure we're minimizing the impact on the global marketplace and do it in a united way," Jen Psaki said.




Trump says he's praying for Ukrainians

Trump says he's praying for Ukrainians

Former President Donald Trump condemned on Saturday Russia's assault on Ukraine and said he was praying for Ukrainians, switching tone from his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week.



Trump's remarks at the CPAC conservative gathering in Florida came hours after the United States and allies announced sweeping new sanctions that would kick some Russian banks off the main global payments systems and limit the ability of Russia's central bank to support the rouble.



Addressing an adoring crowd at an event that touts itself as the world's largest conservative gathering, Trump used his speech to bash Democratic President Joe Biden and again hint at a possible run for president in 2024.



Trump had irked some Republican party members by describing Putin's actions in Ukraine, where cities have been pounded by Russian artillery and cruise missiles, as "genius" and "pretty savvy."



Trump expressed empathy for Ukrainians and this time praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, calling him "brave" as he stays in Kyiv, the capital.



"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all," Trump said.



Trump said that Putin took advantage of Biden being "weak" to attack Ukraine. He also linked the incursion to the US 2020 presidential election, a fixation of his, again falsely saying that fraud was to blame for Biden's victory.



"As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president," he said, to which a woman in the packed audience responded: "You are the president!"



Trump has not confirmed whether he will run for president again in 2024, but has hinted at it heavily recently and did so again on Saturday.



"On November 2024, they (Democrats) will find out like never before. We did it twice, and we'll do it again. We're going to be doing it again, a third time," Trump said.



Democratic lawyer Marc Elias tweeted that Trump's words should trigger a "series of legal requirements related to his spend and disclosures."



Trump's fundraising operations have raised a cash pile of more than US$100 million and he is criss-crossing the country holding rallies.



Trump also cited Russia's invasion of Georgia under George W. Bush and Crimea under Barack Obama before declaring: "I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country."



Trump did address his past praise of Putin, saying he was correct that Putin was smart because he was outfoxing world leaders and Nato. "The real problem is that our leaders are dumb, dumb. So dumb," he said.



The Democratic National Committee criticised Trump's comments. "The defeated former president took the stage at CPAC to double down on his shameless praise for Putin," it said in a statement.



In an interview released earlier on Saturday, Biden mocked Trump's comment that Putin was a "genius."



"I put as much stock in Trump saying that Putin is a genius than when he called himself a stable genius," Biden said.



Conservatives at the CPAC conference in Orlando, Florida, which ends on Sunday, have repeated the line that Putin decided to attack Ukraine because he knew Biden was "weak."



Republican politicians have broadly steered clear of lauding Putin, however, and hot-button domestic issues, such as mask mandates, have featured far more heavily than foreign policy.



Earlier on Saturday, JD Vance, a Republican candidate for an Ohio US Senate seat, said the American political class was fixated on the Ukraine conflict to the detriment of problems closer to home, such as record crossings at the Mexican border.



"I'm sick of being told that we have to care more about people 6,000 miles away than we do people like my mom, and my grandparents, and all the kids who are affected by this crisis," said Vance, a venture capitalist and author. (Reuters)
"While you try to colonize Mars -- Russia try to occupy Ukraine!" Fedorov wrote in a tweet to Musk. "While your rockets successfully land from space -- Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people!"

"We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand," Fedorov's message concluded, the report said.

Musk's Starlink project is an ambitious attempt to install a grid of satellites in the Earth's orbit to provide internet access across the globe. SpaceX has thus far put more than 1,700 Starlink satellites into orbit, and the company plans on launching more than 40,000 in total, RT reported.

However, while these satellites pass over Ukraine, there are no ground stations in the country to make use of the network. The nearest ground station is located in the Polish village of Wola Krobowska.

With Russia's offensive in Ukraine ongoing and fighting reaching the outskirts of Kiev, Fedorov has called on the tech industry to get involved in the conflict. In a post to Facebook earlier on Saturday, he revealed that he had "asked YouTube to block the Russian propaganda media," and asked Meta and Netflix to withhold their services from Russia.

Fedorov also called on Apple CEO Tim Cook to block access to the App Store from Russia, RT reported.

--IANS san/arm

( 261 Words)

2022-02-26-21:50:05 (IANS)
Reliance Retail Ltd has taken over the operations of at least 200 stores of Future Retail and has offered jobs to its employees after the Kishore Biyani-led group failed to make lease payments to landlords, sources said on Sunday. Reliance Retail, the retail arm of the oil-to-telecom conglomerate, had in August 2020 agreed to take over the retail and logistics business of the Future Group for Rs 24,713 crore but the deal couldn't be closed as Future's warring partner Amazon went to courts citing violation of some contracts, while Future denied any wrongdoing. Sources said several landlords had approached Reliance as Future Retail Ltd (FRL) was unable to pay rent. Future has more than 1,700 outlets, including the popular Big Bazaar stores. FRL was unable to pay lease rent for more than 200 outlets. Facing closure, Reliance transferred the leases of some stores to its step-down subsidiary Reliance Retail and sublet them to Future to operate the stores, the sources said. It has since started rebranding the stores and offered to take all employees employed there on its payroll, they added. Sources told ANI that not only Reliance Retail have sublet those stores to FRL, they have also provided working capital to FRL, the amount which could not be known. In addition, a majority of inventory at these stores was being supplied by Reliance Jiomart as cash-strapped FRL could not clear dues to existing suppliers. Reliance will likely replace Big Bazaar signage and branding from these stores with its own brand. Without confirming or denying the takeover of its stores, Future Retail Ltd in a stock exchange filing said, "The shareholders are aware that FRL is going through an acute financial crisis. The company has defaulted on its loan servicing and informed earlier, the account of the company has been classified as NPA by the banks." FRL said it is finding it difficult to finance the working capital needs and "termination notices have been received for a significant number of stores due to huge outstanding, and we would no longer have access to such store premises." "The ongoing litigation initiated by Amazon in October 2020, and which is continuing for the last one and a half years, has created serious impediments in the implementation of the Scheme (Reliance takeover), resulting in a severe impact on the working of the company," it said, adding the firm is scaling down its operations to reduce losses. FRL is proposing to expand its online and home delivery business to increase its reach to the customers. "The company has been finding it difficult to finance the working capital needs. Increasing losses at store level is a grave concern and is a vicious cycle where larger operations are leading to higher losses," the filing said. "The company has made a loss of Rs 4,445 crore in the last four quarters." FRL said it is hopeful that the Reliance deal will be implemented as it will be beneficial for all the stakeholders. Amazon has argued that Future violated the terms of a 2019 deal, the companies signed when the US e-commerce giant invested USD 200 million in a Future Group unit. Amazon's position has been backed by a Singapore arbitrator. (ANI)
Hollywood star and filmmaker Sean Penn, who is currently filming a documentary on Russia's military operation in Ukraine, expressed his views about the ongoing crisis. In a statement shared with People, Penn described Russia's actions as a "brutal mistake". "(It is) already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn't relent, I believe (Russian president) Mr. (Vladimir) Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind. President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle. Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost," he said. The Oscar winner appeared at a press briefing on Thursday in Kyiv, listening to government officials of Ukraine talking about the situation. The documentary is a Vice Studios production in association with Vice World News and Endeavor Content. Penn last visited Ukraine in November 2021 to start the preparations for his documentary by visiting the country's military installations. (ANI)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton have spoken out in support of Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They backed Ukraine and its leader amid attacks from Russia in a message via Twitter on Saturday. "In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine's future," the tweet read. It continued, "Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine's people as they bravely fight for that future." According to Fox News, the supportive message from the British royals came just hours after Zelenskyy posted a video to social media showing himself walking around the streets of Kyiv after a night of artillery fire in different parts of the city, telling the nation "I'm here." Zelenskyy said in a short video address to Ukrainians, "We will defend our country," and said that there's a lot of false information online. "There's a lot of fake information online that I call on our army to lay down arms, and that there's evacuation. I'm here. We won't lay down our arms. We will defend our country," Zelenskyy said. He added, "Glory to Ukraine." Despite Russian forces moving closer to the centre of Kyiv, Zelenskyy declined an offer from the United States to be evacuated from the city. As per Fox News, William and Kate first met Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska in 2020 during the Ukranian president's two-day official visit to the United Kingdom. (ANI)
American rapper and songwriter Kanye West was recently spotted on a shopping spree with Kim Kardashian look-alike Chaney Jones in Miami. According to Page Six, West and Jones, who bears a striking resemblance to West's estranged wife, were seen stopping in a Balenciaga store before grabbing sushi for lunch. "They walked through Bal Harbour Shops and stopped at Balenciaga and then took the elevator to the second floor to Makoto, where they dined on spicy tuna crispy rice and a few cocktails," an insider told Page Six. The source noted there was "no PDA, and they were super low-key." They said, "Kanye was surrounded by fangirls at Bal Harbour Shops wanting photos, and he took a few but seemed disengaged." The 'Donda' artist looked sloppy in a blue Boston Fire Department hooded sweatshirt that appeared to have stains on the front pocket. He finished his look with dark jeans and black rubber Yeezy boots. Meanwhile, Jones took a page out of Kardashian's playbook and put her curves on display in a tight tank top and leggings, black sneakers and massive mirrored sunglasses. She accessorized with a black crocodile skin Hermes Birkin bag, reported Page Six. West appeared to be preoccupied as he took a phone call during their retail therapy session. However, Jones seemed unbothered and was seen clutching her own iPhone as well. The two shopped for a bit before grabbing lunch together. West and Jones have been spending a lot of time together, most recently at Nobu Malibu. She also attended his live 'Donda 2' concert in Miami earlier this week, according to TMZ. However, amid their romance, the rapper has continued to court Kardashian, even sending her a truckload of roses on Valentine's Day. He was also in an open relationship with Julia Fox for a few months before they broke up earlier this month. West's day out with Jones comes after Kardashian recently pleaded with the judge to sign off on her divorce from the 'Jeen-yuhs' star after he objected to her demands. "I very much desire to be divorced," the Skims founder said in court documents obtained by Page Six Thursday, adding, "Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation regarding our private matters and co-parenting on social media, which has created emotional distress." Last week, West objected to Kardashian's request to be declared legally single. The rapper had shared several posts to Instagram ripping into the mother of their four children: North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm. As per Page Six, the rapper accused her of keeping his kids from him and claimed that Kardashian was letting North post to TikTok against his will. He has also continuously dragged Kardashian's new boyfriend, Pete Davidson, calling him a "d-khead" and saying he wants to "beat" his "ass." Kardashian filed to divorce West in February 2021. (ANI)
Nearly a decade after scores of Muslim families were displaced by the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013, they still live amid poor living conditions and are neglected by political parties.

Sazid Ali | TwoCircles.net

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UTTAR PRADESH  Just three kilometers away from Kairana city of Uttar Pradesh are the colonies of Muslims who migrated here following the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. More than 60 people were killed and between 50-70,000 Muslims had to migrate to nearby Muslim populated areas. Munawwar Hasan Colony in Kairana in Shamli district is one of those areas where the Muslim victims escaped. At present, there are nearly 250 families in the colony. The majority of the victims who escaped the violence and settled in this colony work as labourers at farms, brick kilns, and construction sites and also as street vendors.

Poor living conditions at the colony

These displaced people live in poor living conditions. Most of the houses are damaged. The roads are not macadamized. With no sewerage system in place, the water flows into the streets.

The displaced people who live in the colony told TwoCircles.net that they live in precarious conditions. Despite the much-hyped peace between Jats and Muslims, the displaced people do not want to go back to their villages.

Many victims lost their houses during violence or were later forced to sell them at cheap rates. I had a two-room house with 40,000 bricks in 200 feet of land. But due to the slump in prices, I had to sell it for Rs 2 lakh and now I am living in this hut, Fayaz, who lives in Munawwar Hasan Colony, told TwoCircles.net while pointing at the hut he is currently living in. He hopes to build a pucca (concrete) house.

The distrust and suffering of communal violence still haunts the victims. Mahmood, a 75-year-old man, told TwoCircles.net that though his sons have gone back to the village, he never likes going back there. No one stood for us except Tejpal- a Hindu Jat neighbor from his village, Bhora Kalan, he said.

The 11 bighas of land for this colony was donated to the Arshad Madni Trust, by Nahid Hasan, the two times Samajwadi Party MLA from Kairana and the son of former MP and MLA Late Munawar Hasan. The Trust constructed 128 pucca houses, each house having a set of one room, a hall and a toilet in 50 feet of land. The ownership of these houses is still with the trust. At least 100 families are living in the makeshift huts.

People living in these makeshift huts said that it is difficult to live here.

It is very cold during winters. . In monsoon, water flows inside, and in summers, these huts are hot as a heater, a woman named Sahida said.

No proper school at the colony

Abdul Latif, a social activist associated with Our India Foundation told TwoCircles.net that in a field survey conducted in 2014, they found that the school dropout rate was more than 80 percent for Muslim children in Kairana.

There is no school within a radius of three kilometres of the colony.

Akram Akhtar Chaudharys NGO, Afkar, constructed a makeshift school for the children in the colony. The school does not have any classrooms. Children have to sit in the open. Cemented blackboards have come up on the walls.

Akram said that he was able to convince the administration to provide a teacher for this lone school after a long bureaucratic struggle. For the last two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the school has been non-functional. There are no arrangements for online education.

The Trust also constructed a mosque where children below the age of 12 attend classes to learn the basics of Islam with the help of two Imams (Islamic preachers).

Anger against BJP govt

There are around 500 voters in the colony and most of them are supporters of Nahid Hassan.

Nahid is everything for us. He has sheltered us and promised to build pucca (concrete) houses for all of us. We will vote for Nahid in the ongoing elections, Fayaz said.

Another local Mohammad Shahzad, who was also displaced by the Muzaffarnagar riots, questioned the current BJP government. Yogi and Amit Shah are talking about the exodus, but who has faced the real exodus? he said.

We have been living in this colony for the last 7-8 years. The Yogi government has done nothing for us. No BJP leader ever visited our colony. How can we vote for BJP? asked another local, Hamza.

Nahid not only gave us shelter but also during the lockdown he distributed food and made arrangements of water in our colony, Hamza said.

Captives of charity politics

When the state fails to protect the life and property of its citizens, people are left on their own.

Every few months, members of various NGOs visit them to distribute relief material.

This charity does not change or improve their conditions. On the contrary, it destroys their self-respect, Akram Akhtar Chaudhary said.

During elections in India, the weaker sections of the society are given attention and political parties expect their support. But for these victims of riots, no such situation exists.

Akram Akhtar Chaudhary said the non-reliance of the BJP on the Muslim votes makes them captives of the so-called secular parties.

We become lesser citizens in the political discourse, he said.

Locals rue that instead of rights, charity becomes the primary factor for getting their political support. Even after almost a decade, we are living in precarious living conditions, they added.

Sazid Ali is a doctorate from Center for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. He tweets at @sazidjnu
American actor Amanda Bynes' decision to end her 9-year long conservatorship has been completely supported by her parents and has not been set in motion because of Britney Spears' case. According to TMZ, the former Nickelodeon star's attorney David A. Esquibias told that ending Bynes' conservatorship has been in the works for years. The attorney also emphasized a glaring difference between his client and Spears. Bynes has always maintained a close and loving relationship with her parents, unlike Spears who said her family "should all be in jail" for their roles in her almost 14-year conservatorship. Earlier this week, Page Six reported that the 'Easy A' star requested to terminate the conservatorship of her person and estate at the Ventura County Superior Court in California. Bynes was first placed under a conservatorship in August 2013, giving her mother, Lynn Bynes, legal control of all her medical and financial affairs. It came about after the actor, then 27, was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold for allegedly starting a fire in an elderly woman's driveway. She was placed under another involuntary hold and tweeted in November 2014 that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Bynes announced in November 2018 that she had maintained sobriety for the last four years but checked herself back into treatment two months later for a reported "stress-related relapse." However, since then, the 'Hairspray' star is seemingly doing better. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and in February 2020 got engaged to Paul Michael, whom she met at an AA meeting. Bynes' lawyer stressed that the conservatorship was always envisioned to be a temporary measure, not a lifetime sentence, and in the last couple of years, she and her parents have realized the "significant progress" that she's made dealing with her bipolar disorder. As per Page Six, the former child actor is said to be focused on fashion and even developing a fragrance and has said nothing about wanting to return to acting. (ANI)
On Sunday, Rakul took to Instagram and shared one of her adorable pictures from her vacation in the Maldives. In the image, the 'De De Pyaar De' star can be seen flashing her million-dollar smile.

Alongside the image, she urged her followers to smile more often in life as it's a free therapy.

"Smile away !! It's free therapy#islandlife," she captioned the post.

A day ago, Rakul flaunted her toned figure in a yellow co-ord set and accessorised the look with a hat and goggles.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Rakul's upcoming projects include 'Doctor G' with Ayushmann Khurrana, 'Chhatriwali' and 'Runway 34'. She is awaiting the theatrical release of 'Attack', which stars John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandez apart from her and is slated to release on April 1, 2022.

Prior to her visit to the Maldives, Rakul was in Mussoorie along with Akshay Kumar for the shoot of their yet-to-be-titled film. (ANI)
Rapper-songwriter Kanye West has claimed that his estranged wife Kim Kardashian cannot prove he wrote the scathing social media posts about her and boyfriend Pete Davidson, hence it can't be used as evidence in their messy divorce battle. According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, West's attorneys said the messages are hearsay and inadmissible in court. "Kim claims she read something online allegedly by Kanye and characterizes the posts in her declaration as misinformation," the documents state. They continued, "Kim needed to offer the social media posts into evidence, and show that the posts were written by Kanye." The argument seems odd, as earlier this month West wrote that he was taking "accountability" for his social media rants about Kardashian. He wrote, "I know sharing screenshots was jarring and came off as harassing Kim. I take accountability. I'm still learning in real-time. I don't have all the answers. To be good leader is to be a good listener." He also apologized for his use of all caps in the since-deleted posts, acknowledging that it makes people "feel like I'm screaming at them." Earlier this week, Kardashian begged a judge to sign off on her divorce papers, explaining that the 'Donda' rapper's posts were causing "emotional distress." "I very much desire to be divorced. Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation regarding our private matters and co-parenting on social media, which has created emotional distress," the Skims founder wrote. West has called out Kardashian for a host of things ranging from accusing her of kidnapping their 4-year-old daughter, Chicago to blasting her for allowing their 8-year-old daughter, North, to be on TikTok. He has also gone after Kardashian's boyfriend 'SNL' star Pete Davidson threatening to "beat his ass" in a newly released song, calling him a "d-khead," and bizarrely labelling him 'Skete' in social media posts. As per Page Six, West, who is now on his third attorney, has fought Kardashian's request for a divorce. The former 'Keeping Up With the Kardashian' star filed for divorce from West in February 2021. They also share sons Saint and Psalm. (ANI)
The actor seemed to be taking a road trip to Las Vegas and the pictures gave major 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' vibes to all his fans. In the film, Abhay's character takes a road trip in Spain with his friends, played by Farhan Akhtar and Hrithik Roshan.

He took to his Instagram handle to post the pictures.

The 'Manorama Six Feet Under' actor sported a dark grey shirt, pistachio green jacket and dark blue jeans. He also sported goggles that gave a typical road trip traveller vibe to him.

He brought in the reference to the famous children's novel, 'The Wizard of Oz', in the caption of the picture, by writing, "We're off to see the wizard, The wonderful wizard of Vegas Because because because because Becaaaaaaaauze..... It ain't Oz!"

Abhay was last seen in the 2021 film, 'Velle'. He also featured in web series like the sci-fi, 'JL50' and the intense, '1962: The War in the Hills'. (ANI)
Saturday Night Live's cold open paid tribute to Ukraine with the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York singing in their native tongue. As per The Hollywood Reporter, cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong introduced the chorus and ended the cold open with the typical "Live from New York, it's Saturday night." Host John Mulaney opened up February 25's episode of SNL, tackling his stint in rehab for drug use. "It is amazing to be here hosting Saturday Night Live for the fifth time," the comedian began. "For many, many reasons, I'm grateful to be here tonight, after a very complicated year it is wonderful to be in a place that's always emphasized sobriety and mental health." Mulaney went on to provide details about an intervention his friends hosted for him in December 2020. He went over to a friend's apartment for what he thought was going to be a nice dinner, but it turned out to be the exact opposite. "I knew right away that it was an intervention," he explained. "Do you know how bad of a drug problem you have to have that when you open a door and see people gathered, your first thought is, 'This is an intervention about my drug problem. There's no other reason people would be behind the door.'" There were six friends in person in New York and six more on Zoom from Los Angeles. Mulaney then continued to say he was in rehab for two months from December 2020 to February 2021, it was a great time and he was very grateful for the opportunity. "I was there January 6, during the insurrection -- wouldn't have happened on my watch!" That never would've happened on my watch. Was there ever an insurrection before I went to rehab? No ... They wouldn't dare. They know Baby J is back on the streets." The comedian explained that while in rehab, he did an activity where he had to break up with all of his drug dealers. He also touched on his 12-week-old son Malcolm, with whom he first bonded in the delivery room after Mulaney's girlfriend Olivia Munn gave birth. "They put him on the warmer under this big bright light, and the light is just shining in his eyes," Mulaney said. "He's not he's not crying or anything. He just looks up at the light because he was annoyed. But he didn't say anything, and I was like, 'That's my son: A polite man in an uncomfortable situation, but he's not going to make a fuss.'" (ANI)
Sheetal took to her Instagram handle on Sunday and wrote, "A piece of my heart."

In the clip, Sheetal can be heard saying that she is currently at her grandparents' home where she wanted to start a new phase of life. The video also shows some glimpses of their 'Kurtaphhad haldi' and beautiful wedding.

But, the highlight of the video is how Vikrant saw his bride adorably when she was walking the aisle.

As soon as Sheetal dropped the video, TV personality Sumona Chakravarti wrote in the comments, "All our hearts". Actor Gauahar Khan also blessed the couple and commented, "Aww! God bless you two!"

Pictures from their wedding went viral on social media initially before the couple could share their official photos as husband and wife.

After that, Vikrant and Sheetal had treated their fans by sharing glimpses from their wedding festivities in which they look super cute.

The couple, who have been dating for a long time, got married first in a civil ceremony on February 14 and later, tied the knot in a traditional ceremony in Himachal Pradesh on February 18.

The duo, who features together in the first season of the web series 'Broken but Beautiful', got engaged in a low-key Roka ceremony in 2019. However, their marriage was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (ANI)
Taking to Instagram, Shahid posted a reel featuring the 'Haider' star having a gala time with his loved ones including wife Mira Kapoor, actor Kunal Kemmu, 'Jersey' co-star Mrunal Thakur, brother Ishaan Khatter and his rumoured girlfriend Ananya Panday among others at his sea-facing house.

"#besttimes," he captioned the post.

Shahid's birthday reel garnered netizens' attention for many reasons-- especially due to Ishaan and Ananya.

The eagle-eyed fans spotted Ishaan posing for the camera with his hand around Ananya.

While Ishaan wore a green shirt and blue denims, Ananya looked beautiful in a printed short dress.

The rumoured couple's pictures have left their fans in awe of them.

"These pictures prove that Ananya and Ishaan are dating each other," a fan commented.

"Oh my God ! They look so romantic," another one wrote.

Ananya, too, commented on Shahid's post. She dropped a red heart emoji on it.

The rumours of Ananya and Ishaan's dating have been making rounds on the internet for a while now. The actors have never publicly accepted their relationship. They two have even shared screen space in the film 'Khaali Peeli'. (ANI)
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana is celebrating the 7th anniversary of one of his critically and commercially hit films 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' on Sunday. National award winner Ayushmann Khurrana delivered a landmark performance of his career in the 2015 romantic movie 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' (DLKH) which made a statement about the need for body positivity and told society to not colour people with stereotypes which become a hindrance for love to grow. Marking the 7th anniversary of the film, the 37-year-old actor shared how 'DLKH' taught him the biggest lesson of his career. Ayushmann said, "My journey in cinema has been filled with learnings and have been lucky enough to chance upon great mentors and incredible scripts. When I debuted with Vicky Donor, I was lucky to have found someone like Shoojit Sircar who guided me and shaped me as a performer and a hero." "I became an overnight star and trust me, no one can prepare you for it! You do feel slightly lost when such an overwhelming moment arrives. I have to admit that I didn't know what hit me. I didn't know which films to choose and which ones to avoid. I didn't have a direction on how to handle my career," he added. Ayushmann saw a lean patch after the stupendous success of his debut Hindi film 'Vicky Donor' but he "course-corrected" himself with 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha'. Ayushmann said, "I made mistakes along the way. I told myself to pivot to focussing on doing what I came to the industry for - find compelling stories and be a part of the best content films being made by the most maverick directors. This is when Dum Laga Ke Haisha happened to me and I will be forever grateful to this film because it taught me the biggest lesson of my career - it told me to choose content first!" He added, "The incredible reaction to Dum Laga Ke Haisha showed me that my path in the industry was to pick the best scripts, tell the most disruptive, engaging and entertaining stories and that success will follow! I haven't second-guessed myself ever since. I know that my destiny in cinema is to dish out films that audiences have no reference point of. I have single-mindedly tried to do just that." In 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha', Ayushmann played Prem, a school dropout, who hesitantly marries an educated but overweight girl, Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar). However, the two come closer when they take part in a race, which involves Prem carrying Sandhya on his back. Ayushmann will be seen next in films like Anubhav Sinha's 'Anek', 'Doctor G' and Aanand L Rai produced 'Action Hero'. (ANI)
A beautiful memorial for late film star Ambarish, that attracts visitors from neighboring states too, would be built, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Sunday. In his address after performing the Bhoomi Puja for Ambarish's memorial at Kanteerava Studio, he, recalling his association with the star, said: "I used to call Ambarish as Ambarish only. It is the same even now. Ours is a 40-year-old friendship. We used to eat and roam around together, did usual things. and also unusual things." Expressing his grief at the demise of Kannada film icons Dr Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Shankar Nag and Puneeth Rajkumar, Bommai said that a memorial for Puneeth would be built soon. The date for presenting the 'Karnataka Ratna' award to Puneeth would be announced, he said. "Ambarish's life is like an open book. He lived on his own terms. One who lives according to his own terms and his conscience is the real hero. Ambarish never compromised with his conscience. It was a God's gift. He was born with leadership qualities. Though he started his cinema career as a villain, he emerged as a superhero as he was a born hero," he said. Terming Ambarish "a friendly man who was ready to do anything for friendship", Bommai narrated his own experience when Ambarish used to join them abandoning his shooting immediately on hearing the car horn from the friends. "The producers had even come home and requested us not to come when Ambarish was shooting for their movie," he recalled. "Ambarish had special affection for the poor and farmers. But he had no penchant to stick to power. Whether in power or not, Ambarish always detested power in politics. Such people are very rare. When the Cauvery water dispute erupted he quit the Union ministry without thinking even for a minute. Ambarish is the only politician who gave up power during Cauvery agitation," Bommai said. "He had a strong attachment for Mandya. His presence was electrifying wherever he was. Ambarish had a big role in making Kannada film industry's presence in other states. He had friends in every place. He was fondly called the Ajatha Shatru. He was loved by everyone," he added. Bommai recalled an event in Bijapur where over 5 lakh people turned out to have a glimpse of Ambarish, as he lauded Ambarish's wife Sumalatha and son Abhishek for carrying forward his legacy. --IANS ams/vd ( 414 Words) 2022-02-27-19:48:03 (IANS)
Comedian Munawar Faruqui, who has been roped in for reality show "Lock Upp", has shown his daring side as seen in one of the promos shared by ALTBalaji and MX Player. In the promo, host Kangana Ranaut was shown asking him (in Hindi): "Munawar, why did you come here? Not to mess with me, right?" She then laughs and adds: "Just kidding. We can also even tell jokes." Munawar, laughs in turn, as he replies: "Only thing, this was not funny." Pointing towards Kangana, he says: "I don't have to change anything with comedy. An artiste can't bring any revolution till today." At this, Kangana, looking a bit upset, says: "What did you say? An artiste can't bring any revolution... If there is a death sentence, he would have been given (it)." Munawar then answers: "Don't threaten me." Recently, many of Munawar's fans have criticised him for participating in Kangana's reality show, and also took to social media to clarify his point. In 2017, Munawar started his journey as a comedian. In 2018, he became the winner of Comic Kaun 4.0 and Open Mic at Synergy Fest. In 2021, he was arrested by the police in Madhya Pradesh's Indore in a case for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and was in jail for almost a month. "Lock Upp" will be streaming at 10 p.m. on Sunday on ALTBalaji and MX Player. --IANS ila/vd ( 245 Words) 2022-02-27-20:20:04 (IANS)


During an ongoing three-day global summit,experts and scholars underscored the surge in attacks on Muslims in India.

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Washington, DC  Indias 200 million Muslims are facing a dire and existential threat following genocidal calls given by powerful non-state actors closely linked with the ruling government, several genocide experts, human rights defenders, scholars and journalists from around the said at a three-day virtual conference, India On The Brink: Preventing Genocide, that started on Saturday (February 26).

India is occupied by an alien regime who does not care about its people, said Jan Breman, a Professor at the Institute of Social Studies at the Hague. There is a similarity between the foreign occupation [of India] and [the] current regime of Prime Minister Modi, he added, speaking at a session titled Gujarat: Cradle and Harbinger of Identity Politics, which is the name of a new book he has published this year.

Prof. Breman, who has done extensive fieldwork in Indias Gujarat state, said the doctrine of Hindutva  Hindu nationalism  excludes not only the Muslims but the labourers, Dalits, Adivasis and the poor from protection and resources.

Prof. Breman said there were similarities between Hindutva and Adolf Hitlers Nazi period: the idea of superiority of genetic supremacy, that Hindutva is hierarchical creating the idea of superiority and inferiority; and the idea of segregating those who are considered the enemies who are then deported and exterminated.

People who have been keeping a low profile and keeping silent, increasingly are getting frustrated by the Hindutva and its inability to create income, employment, and a dignified standard of life, Prof. Breman said.

Speaking at a panel titled Gujarat 2002: The Beginning of Genocide, noted human rights defender Teesta Setalvad said hate speeches and hate crimes enabled the genocide in Gujarat in the year 2002, where over 2,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed. For three months, Muslims were not allowed to go back to their villages, she said recalling the aftermath of the mass violence that was carried out by Hindu extremists under the rule of Mr Modi, who was Gujarats chief minister at that time.

She added that those who organized the religious gathering at the north Indian city of Haridwar in December 2021, where calls to kill two million Muslims were given, had been trying to get support from right-wingers right from 2017 We tried to complain but got the reply from Facebook that they can block the users. Setalvad said social media was amplifying the hate.

Veteran Indian journalist Prem Shankar Jha said India was on the brink of losing its soul, saying that he feared that a large part of India will break away. He detailed his findings of a train fire in February 2002, in which nearly 60 people were killed, that was used as a pretext to launch the violence against Muslims across the state. The findings that Muslims were responsible for the train fire were utterly wrong, he said.

A former top police officer from Gujarat, R.B. Sreekumar, who, as a whistleblower, exposed Mr Modis role in the 2002 violence, said he had sent an anonymous message informing Indias President of the complicity of police officers in that violence. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), organized the violence and facilitated the crimes, he said.

For his honesty and courage, Shreekumar was persecuted even as he submitted several affidavits affirming the truth of his allegations. I was pressured to not speak the truth. Eventually, no action was taken, he said.

Aakashi Bhatt, a surgeon in the UK and the daughter of jailed whistleblower police officer Sanjiv Bhatt, said, We live in a world where systematic genocide takes place and the perpetrators go scott free and continue to live freely for decades. The virtue of non-violence and tolerance burnt with Gujarat riots.

Speaking at a panel titled Hijab Ban, Hounding & Hate Speech: Targeting of Muslim Women in the Long Shadow of Gujarat 2002, panellists condemned the ban on the wearing of hijab by Muslim school and college students in Karnataka.

Muslim women have woken up in India to find their names on auctioning apps The call to rape and kill Muslim women is routine, and efforts to dehumanize Muslim women is on the rise, said Sabika Abbas Naqvi, a gender rights activist and poet. Hijab is not the issue. The issue is the rising hate the Muslim women are facing.

Nitasha Kaul, a professor at the University of Westminster, condemned the moral policing of womens behaviour People must stop and think about why it is necessary to be othering the Muslims. The aim of these majoritarian projects is to perpetuate the Hindu identity of India.

Rights activist Kavita Krishnan said the hijab had become the latest pretext for Hindu supremacist governments and mobs to harass and attack Muslims. The same BJP leaders who are declaring that the hijab isnt compatible with school and college uniforms, are asserting that bindi, tilak, sindoor and other displays of the Hindu faith are perfectly compatible with school uniforms, she said.

Safoora Zargar, a prominent Muslim activist against Indias discriminatory citizenship law for which she was jailed in 2020 said the public stripping of Muslim women on the streets of India is a foreboding of the genocide that Indian Muslims face. If this is not enough to convince you, then you dont want to be convinced. You are complicit.

Another anti-citizenship law protester and prominent youth leader Ayesha Renna said, Muslim women have been continuously facing the vilification and harassment online and offline which is a display of pure Islamophobia. Every day we wake up to new lynchings and causalities but it has been normalized to an extent that these attacks have become a customary practice. These Hindutva groups have problems with our existence itself.

Speaking at another panel titled Silence is Complicity: Hindu Response to Majoritarian Violence, panellists said Indias Hindus must come forward to oppose Hindutva and support the persecuted Muslims.

Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director, Hindus for Human Rights, noted that Genocide Watch, the worlds foremost expert on genocides, had given a warning of the early signs of genocide of Muslims in India. My message to Hindu Indians and Hindu diaspora is to look at it from now instead of regretting later.

Brahmachari Atmabodhananda, a Hindu ascetic living in Hardiwar, said it was shameful to know that the Bharatiya Janata Party that claims to be a Hindu party has jailed, sanctioned and poisoned many of the Satyagrahis (genuine Sanyasis and Sadhvis). It was shocking to know that something like the Dharm Sansads called for a genocide took place in Haridwar. In the name of Sanyasis. They are not Sanyasis, they are Ravanas.
Stating that 'CSIR Jigyasa' has emerged as a flagship outreach programme of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) with a large connects to the school students, Minster for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the programme has benefited 4 lakh students across the country. "Not only have the students physically visited CSIR labs but also interacted with the scientists, even during the pandemic. Students could connect to scientists and engage scientifically through webinars. I am happy to note that CSIR Jigyasa programme being implemented from 2017 has benefitted more than 4 lakh students across the country," Singh said as he announced the CSIR awards. Singh expressed satisfaction that CSIR Jigyasa Vigyan Mahotsav 2022, launched on January 3, had reached out to more than 20,000 students through Bootcamps across the country. Seven Bootcamps with futuristic themes in areas like Energy, Health, Artificial Intelligence, Climate Change, Water Conservation, Disaster Mitigation and Agro-technology were organised, wherein science experts could communicate to students on some contemporary issues that need greater awareness and S&T based solutions. Prizes of Rs one lakh each were awarded to three students for the CSIR National Level Scientific Creativity Competition conducted in Hindi and English Medium. Apart from these three winners, Mohammed Hisam, Shruti Nimbali and Sanchi Bansal, there were 75 other winners from across the country chosen for other awards at the 'CSIR Jigyasa Vigyan Mahotsav 2022' to celebrate India's 75 years of Independence as part of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. Director General, CSIR, Shekhar C. Mande said the CSIR labs executed the event by developing strong partnership and engagement with IIT Bombay, My Gov, Kendriya Vidyalays, Navodaya Vidyalays and Atal Innovation Mission, Ministry of Human Resources (MHRD) and others. --IANS niv/shs ( 297 Words) 2022-02-26-20:32:02 (IANS)
The accused, identified as Ankush, a resident of Delhi's Sultanpuri, was arrested while two other minors were apprehended.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Gaurav Sharma said a complaint was received on February 24 by a man that his brother was stabbed by three people while he was returning from his work.

"The complainant Mohd Zaka filed a complaint at Kishangarh police station stating that the incident took place at about 06:15 p.m. when his brother Mohd Rustam was coming back from his duty and reached Murge Wali Dukan near Outer Ring Jhuggi, Motilal Nehru Camp in Munirka," the DCP said.

After the incident, Zaka along with his friend Shahrukh immediately took his brother to Safdarjung Hospital for treatment.

The complainant told police the three people had previous enmity with his brother. "They intercepted him, quarrelled with him, stabbed him with a knife and fled away," the complainant told police.

Based on the complaint, the police registered an FIR under sections 341, 307 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code at the Kishangarh police station and an investigation was taken up.

The police constituted a team which conducted local enquiries and obtained call detail records of the accused.

"Based on technical inputs, their location was ascertained at Sultanpuri in Delhi," said Sharma.

Accordingly, the police team conducted a raid at the specified location and apprehended all the three accused. The weapon used in commission of crime was also recovered from their possession, the official added.

--IANS uj/shs

( 286 Words)

2022-02-26-20:38:03 (IANS)
With India's moves to evacuate stranded Indians from Ukraine gaining pace, the Andhra Pradesh government is putting up facilities to help people from the state on their arrival to the country. Principal Secretary and State Level Task Force Committee Chairperson M.T. Krishna Babu said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed to set up reception centres at Mumbai and New Delhi airports to receive and assist the students returning from Ukraine and bring them back to their native places. Speaking to media here on Saturday, Krishna Babu said the state government has created a master list with details of students in Ukraine gathered from various helpline numbers and APNRT data and shared it with Indian Embassy and Ministry of External Affairs. He said two flights are coming from Bucharest, of which one would land in New Delhi and the other in Mumbai. He added that the Ministry of External Affairs has communicated that 22 Telugu students are being flown back in the two flights but of them three belong to the state. He said the Mumbai flight will reach by 6 p.m. on Saturday and Delhi flight at 2 a.m. on Sunday. Separate teams have been formed to receive them, Krishna Babu said. Rama Krishna, Inspector General, Registrations has been assigned to receive students in Mumbai airport and Principal Resident Commissioner Praveen Prakash and Addl. Resident Commissioner Himanshu Kaushik will receive the students at New Delhi. Arrangements are made for the evacuees' accommodation and travel to their native places free of cost by the state government. Krishna Babu said they have shared the Ministry of External Affairs' latest advisory to the people in Ukraine and advised to follow the same. --IANS pvn/pgh ( 296 Words) 2022-02-26-20:50:02 (IANS)
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Jammu, on Saturday, launched the third edition of its flagship event, the "Leadership Summit", a two-day grand event from February 26 to 27, 2022 welcoming the global heavyweights from industry, government and other walks of life. Professor BS Sahay, Director of IIM, Jammu, inaugurated the event by 'Lighting of the Lamp' in the presence of Dr Muqbil Burhan, Program Chair, and Dr Prateek Jain, Program Co-Chair, Leadership Summit. The main theme for this year is centred around "Leadership next for 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', with the primary focus on self-reliance, self-sustenance, adopted by the Government of India and making India a part of the global economy. This would be possible by the promotion of efficient, competitive, and robust policies that are vital for creating a self-sufficient nation. Dr Muqbil Burhan, Program Chair, Leadership Summit, delivered the introductory speech, where he introduced the theme for this year's summit - "Leadership Next for Atmanirbhar Bharat". He emphasized the role of leaders with regards to providing motivation, clarity of purpose, and guidance for greater efficiency. The director welcomed everyone to the event and spoke about its rich legacy and how despite the pandemic, the institute persisted and hosted the event in a blended model. Talking about this year's theme, he spoke on the need to have great leaders at the helm in order to make the country self-reliant. He reminded the audience of the shortage of PPE kits at the onset of the pandemic, and how the country persisted and not just met its own demand but also became a global exporter in such a short interval of time. Further, Professor Sahay motivated the audience to become job-creators rather than be job seekers and lauded how the number of "Unicorns" in India has substantially increased over the past year. In the first panel discussion, the institute got an opportunity to host esteemed visionaries who talked about "The Great Reset: Navigating through disruptions at the workplace." Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-founder, of Infosys, kick-started the session by reminding me of the growing uncertainties in the corporate world and how the industries need to take advantage of emerging opportunities and continue to evolve with the changing environment. He further spoke as to how the pandemic accelerated the pace of digital technology in organizations which led to the emergence of hybrid work culture. Carrying the discussion forward, Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Higher Education and Information, Jammu and Kashmir, spoke about the three major requirements required with regards to education. According to him, this included education leading to more contribution from individuals towards the development of society, imparting knowledge for humanism and justice, and building fair relations. He further talked about the drastic changes that the education system has undergone in recent years. He emphasized the need for a robust ecosystem of innovation in this digital age. Meanwhile, Anil Kaul, Managing Director, Tata, Capital Housing Finance, advised the future leaders on giving priority to customers first and highlighted the need to reimagine, adapt and disrupt. At the same time, he mentioned the accompanying risks and talked about the different ways by which they can be minimized. (ANI)
As part of a cost-saving and eco-friendly project to support the fishing community, a scheme to convert fuel-run fishing boats into LPG-driven vessels has been launched as part of the inclusive socio-economic development project 'Parivarthanam, an initiative of Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation (KSCADC) and the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT). Minister for Fisheries Saji Cheriyan reviewed the trial use of LPG in fishing boats at Vizhinjam near here. The trials showed that fuel cost could be saved by 50 to 55 per cent by using LPG as an alternative fuel in fishing boats. The trial was conducted in association with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), which has developed a specially-designed cylinder customised for using in fishing boats. Emphasising the need to introduce cost-effective and sustainable practices in the fishery sector, Cheriyan said the trial run of LPG-fuelled boats in traditional fishing would help the fisherfolk save fuel cost considerably. "Fishermen face a host of issues like high fuel cost and lack of adequate catch due to depletion of marine resources. The shift from fuels like kerosene and petrol to LPG in traditional fishing boats will bring down the steadily increasing operational cost borne by the fishermen," said the minister. After reviewing the trial, Cheriyan suggested to the HPCL officials that the speed of boats could be improved and more fishermen be included in the next round of trials. M.P. Retheesh Kumar of HPCL Mumbai explained to the minister the salient features of the LPG kit. The Research and Development (R&D) Centre of HPCL, in collaboration with Pune-based Vanaz Engineers Limited, has developed the customised LPG kit exclusively for LPG-powered outboard engines. According to Roy Nagendran, CEO, Parivarthanam, who supervised the trial, apart from financial benefits, the use of LPG in boats will substantially reduce environmental pollution. Nagendran said a boat powered by 10 HP engine normally requires six to 10 litres of kerosene for one-hour operation. "The wastage of a fuel like kerosene is also high as around 20 per cent of it flows out into the sea. A 2.5 kg LPG kit is enough for one-hour operation of a boat. When compared to the cost of fossil fuels, fishermen will benefit substantially from the shift. Moreover, more than one engine can be connected to a single LPG kit," said Nagendran. The Out-Board Motor (OBM) using kerosene/petrol can be easily converted into an eco-friendly and cost-effective fuel. The LPG conversion kit can be connected to the boat without making any major changes to it. Fishermen can utilise the existing engines to attach the conversion kit without incurring any extra costs. The Parivarthanam project also aims to promote green energy and technologies to sustain traditional fishery activities. The endeavours include promoting rooftop solar panels, electrification of engines and conversion to CNG mode. --IANS sg/arm ( 482 Words) 2022-02-26-22:34:03 (IANS)
Tata Group-led Air India's flight from Bucharest, Romania which is bringing back stranded Indians will arrive back to New Delhi on Sunday morning. Accordingly, the flight from Bucharest took off with 250 Indian nationals. It is estimated to arrive at IGIA around 3 a.m., on Sunday morning. Besides, Hungary's Budapest to Delhi flight is expected to land at IGIA around 8.30 a.m. On Saturday, AI's Bucharest to Mumbai flight with 219 passengers landed back at 7.50 p.m. The airline on late Friday night said it will mount direct flights to Romania and Hungary to bring back stranded Indians, who managed to find their way out of the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. Notably, Romania and Hungary share land border with Ukraine. Many Indian nationals including students have made their way into these countries from Ukraine. Accordingly, Air India operated two flights, one each from Delhi and Mumbai to Bucharest and Budapest as special government charter flights. These flights have been mounted on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which have capacity of 254 passengers per plane. "Air India has always been playing a pivotal role, standing by the nation during any crisis and now, inspired by the common mission shared by the Tata group and AI of serving the nation and its people first," the airline had said on Friday late night. "Our employees are only too eager to respond to the call of our nation, driven by our values and conviction that if we do not do it then who will?" Earlier Air India was operating direct special flights to Kiev but it had to stop these operations due to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued over the closure of Ukrainian air space. In fact, one of Air India's flight bound for Kiev from New Delhi returned to the national capital's IGI Airport after NOTAM was announced at Kiev airport on Thursday. On Tuesday, the airline had carried out the first of its special flight operations ferrying Indian citizens from Ukraine. Apart from Air India, other Indian operators were expected to start special flight services to Ukraine. Last week, the Centre removed the restrictions on the number of flights and seats between India and Ukraine, evidently to facilitate the return of Indian students and professionals stranded in the east European nation due to the ongoing tensions with Russia. --IANS rv/pgh ( 405 Words) 2022-02-26-22:40:04 (IANS)
In an unprecedented development, militant outfit Kuki National Organisation (KNO), which is under Suspension of Operation (SoO), announced support to all the candidates of the ruling BJP in the Manipur Assembly elections. The opposition Congress on Saturday strongly reacted to the development and urged the Election Commission to take appropriate actions against the KNO outfit. The President of KNO, P.S. Haokip, said in a statement on Friday night: "In line with the ongoing political dialogue between KNO and the government of India, the Centre and the ruling BJP leadership have promised swift settlement of Kuki political aspirations. Home Minister Amit Shah had announced the same in his public address on February 23 at the Churachandpur public Ground. "Therefore, the KNO has resolved to extend support to all BJP candidates for the Manipur Assembly elections." The KNO appealed to all its chiefs, civil society organisation leaders and voters to support BJP candidates in all KNO operational areas, and any person or organisation acting contrary to this appeal will be deemed acting against Kuki interest, the statement said. Congress in-charge for Manipur elections, Jairam Ramesh, tweeted, "Aap Chronology Samjihye 22.02.22: PM comes to Manipur, 23.02.22: Union Home Minister comes to Manipur, 25.02.22: Banned outfit Kuki National Organisation issues a statement supporting BJP and threatening voters." A statement, signed by former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, former Union minister Salman Khurshid and Ramesh said that the statement issued by the KNO is a direct and clear threat to the conduct of free and fair elections in Manipur. "It blatantly intimidates people to vote for the BJP holding out dire consequences to those who will not follow its instructions. This statement has been issued with the full knowledge and connivance of the Union Home Minister and Manipur Chief Minister. "The Congress calls upon the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur to take the most serious and urgent note of this deliberate, dangerous, and diabolical statement that violates in unmistakable language the Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct and take urgent action to ensure that fear spread by the statement of the KNO is completely removed," the Congress statement said. In the run-up to the polls, the National People's Party (NPP), a estranged ally of the BJP-led government in Manipur, had earlier complained to the Election Commission that its candidates were being threatened by the cadres of the several militant outfits. Amit Shah, while addressing election rallies in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi on February 23, had said that the government would hold discussions with the Kuki militant outfits in Manipur and it is expected to resolve their problems, if any, to bring them back into the mainstream. "In Assam, the historic Bodo accord was signed. A large number of Bodo militants and extremists in Karbi Anglong district have surrendered before the government. Instead of arms and ammunition, the former militants now carry laptops, keys of industrial enterprises, bikes and vehicles," Shah had asserted. The elections to the 60-seat Manipur Assembly would be held in two phases on February 28 and March 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on March 10. --IANS sc/arm ( 537 Words) 2022-02-26-22:50:01 (IANS)
The third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga, informed External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Sunday morning. "The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," Jaishankar tweeted. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 200 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens. "All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read. "Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added. The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation and basic amenities is relatively safer. This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday. Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks. (ANI)
Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday extended a warm welcome to 250 Indian students after their safe return from the war-hit Ukraine via Romania's Bucharest and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with Ukrainian President. The second evacuation flight from the Romanian capital Bucharest carrying 250 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Sunday. Scindia and MoS MEA V Muraleedharan welcomed the Indian nationals with flowers upon their arrival from Ukraine via Bucharest. "Every single citizen is back home in India. Please send this message to all your friends and colleagues that we are with them and will guarantee them their safe return. PM Modi is in touch with the Ukrainian and Russian President, conservations are on to ensure that everyone is brought home safely," Scindia said while interacting with Indian nationals at Delhi airport. The Minister further said, "I am whole-heartedly thankful to Air India for your safe return to India. Jai Hind!." Students are in panic but the situation was much better where we were staying (near the Romania border) in comparison to other areas of Ukraine, says a student who returned from Ukraine. The captain of the flight said that the decision to bring Indian students back to the country was taken on shorter notice but it was a well-coordinated effort by airlines, government agencies and individuals involved in the task. "It was a very unfortunate incident that took place between Ukraine and Russia. We were pulled out for this flight last night but it was a well-coordinated effort by the airlines and government agencies and all individuals. Around 250 people were moved to Romania by local authorities of Ukraine. Interestingly, more than 200 kids were between the age group of 20 and 25 years old," he said. "We are glad that we could complete this process on time. I would be happy to go again," he added. The first flight from Romania carrying 219 Indian students reached Mumbai on Saturday evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and conveyed India's deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens, including students, present in Ukraine. He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens. As the situation in Ukraine continues to be tense, more and more people are migrating to Poland. About 100,000 people have entered Poland from Ukraine over the last several days, a media report said citing the country's Deputy Minister of Interior and Administration Pawel Szefernaker said on Saturday. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday offered prayers at his residence as the voting for the fifth phase of Assembly polls in the state got underway and said that the people of the constituency will make the "son of Sirathu win" with a big margin of votes. Maurya is contesting from the Sirathu Assembly constituency in the Kaushambi district as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJ) nominee. Polling is underway in 61 constituencies, including the Sirathu Assembly seat, spread across 12 districts of the state. Speaking to reporters here, Maurya said, "I believe that the people of Sirathu will help bloom Lotus and make the son of Sirathu win with a big margin of votes. The BJP government has been working for the welfare of the 24 crore people of UP. That is why people have made up their mind to make the Lotus bloom." The Deputy Chief Minister also hit out at the Samajwadi Party and said that the "cycle which is flying high in the sky of arrogance, will fall in the Bay of Bengal". "On March 10, with the blessings of the people, the cycle of Akhilesh Yadav (the SP chief), which is flying high in the sky of arrogance, will fall in the Bay of Bengal. His bicycle had flown to Saifai first and now it will go to the Bay of Bengal," he said. Polling is underway in Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi and Raebareli. Besides Maurya, voters will decide the fate of the state minister Sidharth Nath Singh, Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra and others today. As many as 692 candidates are in the fray in the fifth phase whose political fate will be decided by around 2.24 crore electorates. The polling will conclude at 6 pm today. Polling for four phases of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has already concluded and the fifth phase is underway today. Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Hong Kong: HK sees 26k COVID-19 cases

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 26,026 additional COVID-19 cases, of which six are imported and the rest are locally infected.

A total of 117,056 positive cases were recorded in the past 14 days, comprising 105 imported and 116,951 locally acquired cases.

At the press briefing this afternoon, the centres Principal Medical & Health Officer Dr Albert Au said a platform will be launched shortly for people testing positive for COVID-19 by a rapid antigen test (RAT) to report to the Department of Health.

We will regard these cases as confirmed cases, in view of the present situation. So, RAT positive cases will be confirmed cases.

After the launch of the online platform, people who tested positive through RAT need to submit to the Department of Health their personal information. After receiving the report, we will distribute some information packs as well as some rapid antigen test kits to them and also to their household members.

They will be issued with isolation orders and also their household members will be issued with quarantine orders. And we will also make arrangements for them to go to community isolation facilities if necessary.

On the prevention front, starting March 1, inoculation service of the Sinovac vaccine will be provided to pregnant women receiving antenatal services at the Department of Healths 19 Maternal & Child Health Centres.

Meanwhile, 11 Elderly Health Centres will continue to provide walk-in inoculation service of the Sinovac vaccine to people aged 65 or above in March.

Separately, the Government made restriction-testing declarations to cover six buildings where sewage samples tested positive for the virus.

They included Sau Fu House of Sau Mau Ping Estate in Kwun Tong, Shek Sau House of Shek Lei (I) Estate in Kwai Chung, Heng Chui and Heng Chun houses of Tin Heng Estate in Yuen Long, Man Wo and Yan Wo houses of Wo Che Estate in Sha Tin.

People in the restricted areas must undergo compulsory testing before the specified deadline.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
FSK student Takynd Parris reads from "Harlem" by Langston Hughes during the Sixth Annual African American Read-In at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster Monday night, Feb 3, 2020. (Dylan Slagle / Carroll County Times)

Students and the general public will have an opportunity tonight to listen to and celebrate diverse voices in African American literature during the seventh annual African African American Read-In at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster.

Rodney Morris, president of the NAACP chapter of Carroll County, an event sponsor, said the read-in is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the struggle and triumphs of the African American community.

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It is especially significant during this time when theres so much resistance to books [and] to relay information, Morris said.

Organizer Laura Doolan, coordinator of Secondary English Language Arts for Carroll County Public Schools, hopes students are inspired to embrace more diverse literature through the event, being held in celebration of Black History Month.

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I hope their eyes are opened to some new poets, new writers, new worlds of literature so that, ideally, after this they will go and look to find more diverse voices in their literature whether thats going back to their school library or going to their local library or bookstore to pick up some literature and start to expand their repertoire of voices, Doolan said.

FSK junior Patrick Rippeon plays saxophone with a jazz quartet during the Sixth Annual African American Read-In at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster Monday night, Feb 3, 2020. (Dylan Slagle / Carroll County Times)

About 50 students from Carroll County Public Schools and Silver Oak Academy in Keymar will read poetry, prose, nonfiction and even perform music spanning Colonial times to the present. It begins at 6:30 p.m. with jazz music, followed by readings and performances from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The local event is part of the National African-American Read-In, the nations first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature. It was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. The initiative has reached more than 6 million participants around the world, according to a news release.

The event is free and open to the public. In case of inclement weather, a March 7 snow date is set. To learn more visit https://carrollcountyartscouncil.org/event/african-american-read-in/.
Singh after casting his vote while speaking to reporters here today said, "We'll cross 300-mark and form govt again. People have to make a decision and they'll vote for development works."

Earlier in the day, Singh and his family offered prayers at Baba Mandir in Prayagraj as voting in the fifth phase of the state Assembly election began.

Polling for the fifth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began in 61 constituencies at 7 am on Sunday morning.

A total of 61 Assembly constituencies spread across 12 districts, including Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli, are going to polls on Sunday.

Voters will decide the fate of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Minister Sidharth Nath Singh, Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra and others today.

As many as 692 candidates are in the fray in the fifth phase whose political fate will be decided by around 2.24 crore electorates. The polling will conclude at 6 pm today.

The state is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Congress, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) as prime contenders.

In 2017, BJP had won 38 seats out of 55 seats in this region while the SP had retained 15 and the Congress had won two seats.

Polling for four phases of the seven-phased Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has already concluded and the fifth phase is underway today.

The remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 6. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The second evacuation flight from the Romanian capital Bucharest carrying 250 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport on Sunday morning. Students shared their experiences and thanked the Indian Government for timely evacuation from war-hit Ukraine. Talking to ANI, a student said, "The situation is tense. It is bad. A lot of students are stuck there. We have come from the second flight, 250 students. We have reached safely. A lot of students of our university and other universities are present there. There are no supplies as there is an emergency." "There is firing and bomb blasts happening everywhere. Indian Government gave us a very fast solution. Within 24 hours we were evacuated. Evacuation planning and the process is happening at a swift pace," he added. "I am feeling good after coming back to India. I was stuck in Chernivtsi. There are almost 500 students are stuck but most of them are evacuated to Romania. Our embassy and Indian airways gave us a lot of food to eat. We were not charged anything. I am proud to be an Indian. We had Indian flags on the buses. We were not stopped anywhere. Our buses reached Romania very fast. My parents were very concerned," said another student. "Indian embassies are helping us a lot. Students of our universities are still on the Romanian border. They can't cross the border right now because of traffic. Also, Ukrainians are migrating to Romania so they are crossing the border. They are closing the border, says Ayna Mansuri," a medical student. "In the city from where we came, the situation is not so bad as it is in other cities like Kyiv. Many students are still stuck there. I hope they are evacuated soon, I was about to finish my studies. It was my last year but due to the situation, I could not finish my studies. Hopefully, we will go back," said Digvijay. "It is very difficult. Only three months were left from getting our degrees. We have to come back due to the war situation. We are very thankful that because the Indian embassy we are back here," said Mansi, a student. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and MoS MEA V Muraleedharan welcome the Indian nationals safely evacuated from Ukraine via Bucharest (Romania). The first flight from Romania carrying 219 Indian students reached Mumbai on Saturday evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and conveyed India's deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens, including students, present in Ukraine. He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens. As the situation in Ukraine continues to be tense, more and more people are migrating to Poland. About 100,000 people have entered Poland from Ukraine over the last several days, a media report said citing the country's Deputy Minister of Interior and Administration Pawel Szefernaker said on Saturday. (ANI)
Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police on Saturday arrested a woman for allegedly duping more than 700 investors to the tune of Rs 4 cr in the name of a Ponzi scheme. Accused Sunita Saini, 48, has been arrested from Surat, Gujarat after a case was registered against her companies for misappropriating funds from more than 700 victims. She had allegedly promised to double the investments in four years. "Vasundhara Fintech Ltd and M/s Anakaya Nidhi Ltd (the companies run by the accused) and its directors collected funds from the victims on the promise of fixed returns. The firms of the accused acted as non-banking financial companies (NBFC). Victims were issued certificates, passbooks against their investments with the assurance that their money is secure," said a senior official of EOW. He also stated that the alleged companies couldn't have taken deposits from the general public for having no license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). "The victims were offered lucrative returns. However, the accused started avoiding the victims from 2021 and finally absconded leaving gullible victims in the lurch," the official added. "The accused was absconding for the last six months. Technical surveillance was mounted on several suspected numbers and minute analysis of targeted Facebook accounts enabled the team to locate the whereabouts of the accused at Surat, Gujarat. Saini was finally nabbed," added the EOW official. Saini had done her master's degree in arts from ELLIM University, Sikkim by distance learning, added the official. Further investigation into the case is in progress. (ANI)
Amid the polling for the fifth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Mahant Gyan Das, the head priest of Hanumangarhi Temple in Ayodhya, and other seers cast their votes at a polling booth in the constituency on Sunday. Polling for four phases of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has already concluded. Voting for the fifth phase is underway today. Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and 6. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Her remarks came while interacting with the media after casting her vote in Amethi.

"My husband was convicted because they (ruling party BJP) feared that he could get a ticket and contest elections," said Devi to ANI.

The Minister's daughter Sudha also said that her father was convicted just when the polls approached.

Recently, a Special MP MLA Court in Lucknow sentenced Prajapati and two others to life imprisonment in connection with the Chitrakoot gang rape case of 2017.

In the year 2017, it was alleged by a Chitrakoot-based woman that Prajapati and his six aides had gang-raped her and attempted to outrage the modesty of her minor daughter when he was a minister in Uttar Pradesh.

Maharaji Devi asserted that the Samajwadi Party will win and focus on development.

Polling is underway in Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli.

As many as 692 candidates are in the fray in the fifth phase whose electoral fate will be decided by about 2.24 crore electorates. The polling will conclude at 6 pm today.

Polling for four phases of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has already been concluded and the fifth phase is underway today.

Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Speaking to ANI, Ashoka said, "Today 12 people from Mumbai arrived and 18 more from Delhi will arrive. The state Revenue Dept arranged everything at Karnataka Bhawan. They are staying there. Booked flight tickets to Bengaluru for Kannadigas. As per discussion with CM Basavaraj Bommai, the revenue department has decided to bear the expenses of Indians returning from Ukraine."

"Another set of 5 batches is arriving at 10.15 today. So, 18 confirmed at Delhi Airport today. As of now, we have details of 386 people belonging to Karnataka, stranded in Ukraine," said Manoj Rajan, Commissioner, Karnataka State Disaster Mgmt Authority, appointed as the nodal officer

The first flight from Romania carrying Indian students who had left the conflict situation in Ukraine reached Mumbai on Saturday as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russia's military action in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and conveyed India's deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens, including students, present in Ukraine.He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens.

President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine.

The second flight from Romania's Bucharest carrying 250 Indian nationals who had left the conflict zone in Ukraine landed at Delhi airport during the wee hours of Sunday as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russia's military action in Ukraine.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and MoS MEA V Muraleedharan welcome the Indian nationals safely evacuated from Ukraine via Bucharest (Romania).

The first flight from Romania carrying 219 Indian students reached Mumbai on Saturday evening. (ANI)
The TMC, however, refuted the BJP charges.

Speaking to ANI, BJP vice president of the Midnapore unit, Sankar K Guchhait, said, "A BJP workers' tent near booth no 183 in Midnapore municipality of ward number eight was found burnt in the morning. This incident took place last night."

He alleged that no police arrived on the spot to take stock of the situation. "I condemn the TMC government for the incident," he said.

Reacting to this, the TMC president of the West Midnapore district, Sujoy Hazra, told ANI that this is a false and baseless allegation.

"This is a false and baseless allegation. There was a clash among the BJP leaders. The TMC does not promote violence. We work for the public welfare," said Hazra.

Voting for 108 municipalities across West Bengal began at 7 am on Sunday.

The polling will be held till 5 pm, informed the West Bengal State Election Commission.

About 95 lakh (95,59,790) voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors in 2,276 wards spread over 108 municipalities.

The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum. (ANI)
President Ram Nath Kovind who is on a three-day visit to Assam, enjoyed an elephant ride in the state's Kaziranga National Park on Sunday morning. Kovind had arrived in Kaziranga on Saturday evening after taking part in the 19th Convocation of Tezpur University. The President is scheduled to attend a special event with forest officials and the state government to be held at Kohora on Sunday. In view of Kovind's visit to Kaziranga National Park, the authority has partially closed the national park for the public from February 26 to 27. An official statement issued by the Kaziranga National Park on February 23 stated that elephant and jeep safari will be closed for tourists in all the ranges except Burapahar and Agoratoli. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India has brought back more than 200 precious idols in the last seven years which were stolen or smuggled in the past in contrast to just 13 of them retrieved before 2014. In the 86th edition of 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi said, "Till 2013, just 13 idols were retrieved. But after 2014 India has successfully brought back more than 200 precious idols." The Prime Minister credited India's growing soft power for the other countries coming forward to help retrieve the smuggled idols from India. "Nations where these idols were smuggled to now realise and feel India's attachment to the stolen heritage. They note the importance attached with such idols in India," said PM Modi. PM Modi began the 'Mann Ki Baat' with a special mention about the idols that India successfully brought back from Italy and Australia in recent times and said that Avalokiteshwara Padmapani is dated more than 1,000 years old. "At the beginning of this month, India has been successful in bringing its precious heritage from Italy. It is Avalokiteshwara Padmapani, which is an idol older than more than 1,000 years. It was stolen a few years ago from Gaya's Devisthan Kunlandpur temple. But after a lot of effort, India has got back the statue. Similarly, a few years ago, Bhagwan Anjaneyar, Hanuman Ji's idol, was stolen from Vellore in Tamil Nadu which was nearly 700 years old. At the beginning of this month, it was handed over to Indian Mission in Australia," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister said that bringing these idols back to the country is a "responsibility towards mother India" as they are "part of India's soul and faith". "Over a thousand years in our history magnificent idols and statues were sculptured in every corner of India. Each of our idols reflects its own time. Not only were they unique examples of Indian sculpture skills, but our faiths were also tied with them. But in the past, many idols were stolen and smuggled from India to different countries. For them, the stolen objects were just idols. These idols are part of India's soul and faith," he said. (ANI)
On Saturday night, District Reserve Guard and Central Reserve Police Force had conducted a joint search operation for Naxals in Durdha, Mosla villages.

"An encounter broke out between the police parties and the Naxals in the forest of Jabeli under Naimed Police station of Bijapur district on Sunday morning at around 5 am," the IG said.

"During the search of the spot after the encounter, the bodies of two women Naxals in uniform, 1 pistol, 1 12-bore gun, cordex wires, explosive materials, and other materials were recovered," Sundarraj added.

The search operations in the nearby areas are underway. (ANI)
Vladimir Putin put his nuclear forces on increased alert on Sunday in an unprecedented escalation of tension with the West over Russias massive conventional assault of Ukraine, which entered its fourth day with fighting in the streets of the countrys second-largest city.

Here are the things to know about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the security crisis in Eastern Europe:

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Russia puts nuclear forces on alert

In a shocking move that immediately unearthed fears many thought permanently buried from the Cold War of the previous century, Putin ordered Russian nuclear weapons prepared for increased readiness to launch, ratcheting up tensions with Europe and the United States over the conflict that is dangerously poised to expand beyond the former frontiers of the defunct Soviet Union.

The Russian president told his defense minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in special regime of combat duty.

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He said that leading NATO powers had made aggressive statements toward Russia in addition to stiff economic sanctions and cutting leading Russian banks from the SWIFT banking system.

Russia and Ukraine to hold talks

After rejecting Putins offer to meet in the Belarusian city of Homel on the grounds that their common neighbor was facilitating the Russia assault, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to send a Ukrainian delegation to meet with Russian counterparts at an unspecified time and location on the Belarusian border.

The announcement comes hours after Russia announced that its delegation had flown to Belarus to await talks. Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place elsewhere than Belarus, a country that has supported Putin directly by allowing Russia to use its territory as a staging ground.

Zelenskyy, who has refused to abandon Kyiv, named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues for talks, before accepting the Belarus border.

The Kremlin added later that Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had offered to help broker an end to fighting in a call with Putin. It didnt say whether the Russian leader accepted.

Fighting spreads

Attempting to lay siege to Ukraines capital, Kyiv, Russian forces focused on cutting off the countrys southern coast and isolating it from the sea, while also probing the inner defenses of Kharkiv.

Ukrainians awoke Sunday to street fighting in the northeastern city of 1.4 million located about 12.4 miles south of the border with Russia. Regional authorities administration said that Ukrainian forces had engaged Russian troops inside the city and asked civilians not to leave their homes.

The immediate fate of the Russian advance was uncertain, but with Ukrainians volunteering en masse to fight back alongside regular army units, it seemed that the citys defenses offered stiff resistance. Having already ordered men between 18-60 years old not to leave the country, Ukrainian officials said Sunday that they were releasing prisoners with military experience who want to take up arms for their country.

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The ground attack came after Russians blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian officials who ordered residents to cover their windows with a damp cloth given the environmental catastrophe it posed.

Britains defense ministry said that while overnight skirmishing in Kyiv had been less intense than on Friday night, Russian forces were attempting to encircle the city. The capital remains under lockdown after its mayor called a curfew from 5 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko on Sunday told The Associated Press that he estimated some of the Russian attackers are within 12 miles of the city center and that he feared for a long siege.

Right now, we have electricity, right now we have water, and heating in our houses, but the infrastructure is destroyed ... I guess we have not so much time, Klitschko said.

Most flee, some return to fight

Those fleeing Europes largest armed conflict since World War II grew to 368,000 Ukrainians  mostly women and children  who have reached neighboring countries, the United Nations refugee agency said. That figure more than doubles the agencys estimate from the day before.

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The line of vehicles at the Poland-Ukraine border stretched 8.7 miles, and those fleeing had to endure long waits in freezing temperatures overnight. Over 100,000 people have crossed into Poland alone, according to Polish officials.

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Amid the rush to escape the bombs and tanks, there was also what looked like a trickle of brave men and women who want to head home to defend Ukraine or help others do so.

At a border crossing in southern Poland, Associated Press journalists spoke to people in a line heading against the tide. They included a group of some 20 Ukrainian truck drivers who worked in Europe and wanted to face combat.

German military shift

A day after Germany announced it would send military aid to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that his government will increase its own defense spending to rearm amid the uncertainty of the extent of Putins ambitions.

Scholzs pledge to dedicate 100 billion euros to a special fund for its armed forces would raise Germanys defense spending above 2% of GDP, finally satisfying a longstanding request by NATO allies for Europes largest economy to do more for the continents security.

Late on Saturday Germany announced that it would send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine. Those weapons are in addition to the 400 German-made anti-tank weapons Germany also approved to be shipped from the Netherlands, as well as 9 D-30 howitzers and ammunition from Estonia.

Italy and Austria joined a growing list of European countries to have closed their airspace to all Russian aircraft. They follow Britain, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Luxembourg.
As many as 15 Telangana students, studying in Ukraine, arrived in Hyderabad on Sunday morning after they were evacuated and brought back to Delhi along with other students. They were received by General Admn Dept Secretary, Shamshabad MLA T Prakash Goud and local corporator. R Jagadishwar Reddy, DCP Shamshabad, said, "As per our info, the 2nd batch of students will be repatriated in Delhi. From there, Telangana-Andhra students will come to Hyderabad. All facilities provided to them to get back home, they are provided cab facility to reach home from the airport." "Indian Embassy was always supportive and used to send emails on what to do. Parents were worried and it was stressful while in Ukraine. The embassy took us to the Romanian border, passports were checked there & we entered Romania and were repatriated to India," said a student. The first flight from Romania carrying Indian students who had left the conflict situation in Ukraine reached Mumbai on Saturday as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russia's military action in Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and conveyed India's deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens, including students, present in Ukraine. He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens. President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine. The second flight from Romania's Bucharest carrying 250 Indian nationals who had left the conflict zone in Ukraine landed at Delhi airport during the wee hours of Sunday as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russia's military action in Ukraine. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and MoS MEA V Muraleedharan welcome the Indian nationals safely evacuated from Ukraine via Bucharest (Romania). The first flight from Romania carrying 219 Indian students reached Mumbai on Saturday evening. (ANI)
Of the 12 districts where polling is being held, Chitrakoot recorded the highest voting percentage of 39.08 per cent followed by Ayodhya with 38.74 per cent.

Other districts like Amethi recorded a voting percentage of 35.93, Baharaich with 37.25, Barabanki with 36.23, Gonda with 34.36, Kaushambi with 37.23, Pratapgarh with 33.59, Prayagraj with 30.30, RaeBareli with 33.64, Shrawasti with 36.50 and Sultanpur with 34.85.

Polling for the fifth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began in 61 constituencies at 7 am on Sunday morning and will go on till 6 pm.

A total of 61 Assembly constituencies spread across 12 districts, including Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli, are undergoing polling today.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
After former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat shared a purported video of the army personnel allegedly tampering with the postal ballots in an army centre in Jammu, the Pithoragarh police have summoned four personnel in the matter. The soldiers belong to the 2 Kumaon regiment and are posted in Jammu. Speaking to ANI over the phone, Superintendent of Police Lokeshwar Singh said, "This viral video is of four soldiers of two Kumaon regiments of the army. It was made viral by making a video in Jammu. The person who sent and made the video is also a young man from 2 Kumaon. The police have sent a summon to all under 161 CrPC." The SP further informed that the names of the army personnel allegedly tampering with the ballot papers have been identified. "This action has been taken after identifying the names of the army personnel seen in the video. The person to whom this video was sent and went viral for the first time in DidiHat has also been identified," he said. Further investigation into the matter is underway. Earlier on Tuesday, Rawat had tweeted in Hindi that is roughly translated, "I am making a small video viral for everyone's information, in this how one person is ticking all votes in one centre of the army and even doing the same signature of all the people, See a sample of that, will the election commission want to take cognizance of it?" Notably, the polling in Uttarakhand took place for the 70 seat Assembly on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday said that India never attacked any country and this principle must be followed to achieve peace in the world. His comments come amid the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Singh was addressing a public rally in Bairiya, Uttar Pradesh. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his role in the Ukraine-Russia conflict and said that the country wants peace to prevail. "Whatever is happening in Ukraine, we want peace to prevail. Words aren't sufficient to appreciate PM Modi for his role. India never attacked any country. We believe everyone should follow this principle for world peace," said Singh addressing the audience. The minister said that if elected to power yet again, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government will provide people with one free gas cylinder on Holi and Diwali. "If you form our government, I would like to tell you that one free gas cylinder will be made available to you on Holi and Diwali," he said. Polling is underway in Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli. As many as 692 candidates are in the fray in the fifth phase whose electoral fate will be decided by about 2.24 crore electorates. The polling will conclude at 6 pm today. Polling for four phases of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has already been concluded and the fifth phase is underway today. Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Ahead of the Manipur Assembly elections, Janata Dal (United) candidate from Kshetrigao, Rojit Wahengbam was attacked by unidentified persons, and is reported to be stable now while being admitted in ICU. "We do not know who tried to kill him but they should be caught. He was targeted out of political rivalry," said Wahengbam Surbala Devi, his mother. Earlier on Saturday, the high-octane poll campaigning in Manipur came to an end, setting the stage for the first phase of Assembly elections in the state where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to retain power while Congress is pinning hope on its six-party coalition to oust the Biren Singh government. Elections for the 60-member Manipur Assembly will take place in two phases on February 28 and March 5. As many as 38 seats will go to the polls in the first phase while voting in 22 constituencies will take place in the second phase. (ANI)
Six Assamese students stranded in Ukraine arrived in separate flights in New Delhi and Mumbai on Sunday morning as part of the evacuation program launched by the government of India under "Operation Ganga". An official statement of the Assam government stated, "Officials of Assam Bhawan in Mumbai and New Delhi have received the students and have done the necessary arrangements to send them home. Assam government is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs for hassle-free evacuation and safe travel of the students." The students who have been evacuated are Tanmayee Parashar, Siya Das, Daisy Basumatary and Kritika Basant (Guwahati), Anurag Bhuyan (Gohpur) and Himashree Kakati (Sualkuchi). Tanmayee and Siya who arrived in Mumbai are in Assam Bhawan in Mumbai and all the arrangements are being done to send them home by the Assam government officials. Anurag and Kritika were received by officials from Assam Bhawan, Delhi on their arrival in the national capital today. They will be staying with their relatives in Delhi and air travel from Delhi to Guwahati will be arranged accordingly. The tickets have been arranged by the Assam government. Himashree and Daisy arrived in New Delhi today morning and they were received by officials from Assam Bhawan, Delhi. They will be staying in Assam House, Delhi, and their air travel from New Delhi to Guwahati is arranged accordingly by the Assam government. All the students were studying medicine in different universities and colleges in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday. "Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet. Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. (ANI)
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has urged the Central Government to lift the "export prohibition" on bamboo charcoal for optimum utilization of raw bamboo and higher profitability in the bamboo industry. According to the official statement issued by the KVIC, one of the biggest challenges that the Indian bamboo industry faces today is the extremely high input cost owing to the inadequate utilization of bamboo. However, the export of bamboo charcoal would ensure complete utilization of the bamboo waste and thus make the business more profitable. KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena has written to Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal, seeking to lift the export restriction on bamboo charcoal for the larger benefit of the industry. In India, bamboo is mostly used in the manufacturing of Agarbatti wherein, a maximum of 16 per cent of the upper layers of the bamboo is used for manufacturing bamboo sticks while the remaining 84 per cent of bamboo is a complete waste, the press statement said. The bamboo waste generated in Agarbatti and bamboo craft industries is not being utilized commercially, as a result, the bamboo input cost for round bamboo sticks is in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per MT as against the average bamboo cost of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per MT. Compared to this, the bamboo price in China is Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per MT but their input cost is Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per MT owing to 100 per cent waste utilization. "The bamboo waste can be best utilized by making "Bamboo Charcoal" which, though has very limited use within the domestic market but it is hugely in demand in the international market. However, the Indian bamboo industry is not able to tap the opportunity due to its export prohibition." Considering the repeated requests of the industry, KVIC has requested the government to consider lifting the export restriction on bamboo charcoal. This would not only enable the industry to exploit huge global demand but also enhance the profitability of existing KVIC units by proper utilisation of bamboo waste and thus contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "Waste to Wealth," Saxena said. Notably, the world import demand for bamboo charcoal has been hovering in the range of USD 1.5 to 2 billion and has been growing at the rate of 6 per cent in recent years. Bamboo Charcoal for barbeque sells for about Rs 21,000 to Rs 25,000 per ton in the international market. Rising import demand for bamboo is witnessed in countries like the USA, Japan, Korea, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France and UK at negligible import duty, the release said. It is pertinent to mention that an amendment in export policy for bamboo products under the HS code 141100 was made in 2017, wherein exports of all the bamboo products were kept in the OGL category and were "Free" to exports. However, exports of Bamboo Charcoal, Bamboo Pulp and unprocessed shoots were still kept under the prohibited category. Earlier, in order to create more employment in bamboo-based industries, particularly in the Agarbatti industry, KVIC, in 2019, had requested the Central Government for policy changes in import on raw Agarbatti and import duty on round bamboo sticks that were heavily imported from Vietnam and China. Subsequently, in September 2019, the Ministry of Commerce "restricted" the import of raw Agarbatti and in June 2020, the Ministry of Finance increased the import duty on round bamboo sticks, the release said. As an implication of the policy changes, Agarbatti and bamboo-craft industries in India have witnessed the revival of hundreds of closed units. After the policy changes, KVIC has set up 1658 new Agarbatti manufacturing units under its flagship Prime Minister's Employment Generation Program (PMEGP). Similarly, 1121 new bamboo crafts related units, too, have been set up across the country. This has not only optimized the use of bamboo but also created sustainable employment in rural areas. it added in the statement. (ANI)
The BJP West Bengal vice-president Arjun Singh alleged that two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were vandalised in ward 9 and there is a similar situation across the state.

"Police is arresting the BJP workers, and not letting them vote. All booths have been captured. Only police and goons are voting here. Voters are scared to vote, especially the Bengali population, who are not being allowed to vote. Even TMC's core vote bank, Muslims are not able to vote. Police here is playing one of the three monkeys of Gandhiji," added Singh.

Voting for 108 municipalities across West Bengal has begun from 7 am on Sunday.

The polling will be held till 5 pm, informed the West Bengal State Election Commission.

About 95 lakh (95,59,790) voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors that are spread across 2,276 wards over 108 municipalities.

The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum.

The heavy police force has been deployed at every polling booth, and polling is being conducted with tight security. The civic polls were earlier slated to be held on January 22, 2022. However, the High Court had postponed the elections for 4-6 weeks, citing that the third wave of COVID-19 has hit the state and that the life of the residents of the state will be put to threat if the elections were held. (ANI)
Amid ongoing Russia's military operations in Ukraine, the Karnataka government on Sunday issued details of officers at the facilitation centre set up by the State Government at Delhi's IGI Airport to coordinate and support stranded students of Karnataka arriving from Ukraine. Students hailing from Karnataka arriving at IGI Airport are requested to contact---- Anantha, Manager (9205593129), Venkatesh, Manager (9818464249), and Jagadish, Manager (9205593126). Revenue Minister and Vice Chairman, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) and Dr Manoj Rajan, Nodal Officer Cum Commissioner KSDMA are facilitating the travel of students hailing from Karnataka to their respective destinations. The cost of local tickets from Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru will be borne by the State Government. According to the data available with (KSDMA, about 397 people were stranded in Ukraine with 129 among them from Bengaluru Urban. "The Embassy of India, Kyiv, has started the evacuation of stranded Indian nationals from Ukraine. The evacuation flights operating under "Operation Ganga" have started evacuating stranded Indian citizens in Ukraine through bordering countries, ie., Romania, Budapest, Bucharest, etc. Around 30 students hailing from Karnataka have been safely evacuated," Nodal Officer and Commissioner of KSDMA Manoj Rajan said in a statement. The first batch of 12 students reached Bengaluru International Airport from Mumbai at 8.40 am today. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, state Revenue Minister R Ashoka and nodal officer Rajan received the arriving students at the airport here. As per the KSDMA, the second batch of 13 students hailing from Karnataka have reached Delhi and will reach Bengaluru tonight. They have been accommodated in Karnataka Bhavan. "Overall 30 Students will reach Bengaluru today. We will keep you all posted of further arrivals as and when we get information from MEA," the statement reads. It further said that the Nodal Officer and his team are in constant touch Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to evacuate the remaining stranded students in Ukraine. A special evacuation flight of Air India carrying 250 Indians landed at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Sunday. (ANI)
As the polling for the fifth phase of the Uttar Pradesh polls is underway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated his 'Parivarwadi' jibe, an apparent reference to the Samajwadi Party (SP), and said that this time the state Assembly election is between "Parivarwadis (dynasts) and Rashtravadis (nationalists)". "This time the election is between Parivarwadis and Rashtravadis. In this election, the Dalits, the oppressed, the backwards and the general class are all united against the Parivarwadis and are determined to defeat them," said PM Modi while addressing a rally in Deoria. Reminding people of the Samajwadi Party regime, the PM said, "Remember, how you had to go to Gorakhpur in medical emergencies because the then government didn't pay any heed to people's medical needs here. Many innocent kids died due to brain fever. It is the result of the Yogi government's efforts that brain fever has come under control in this area. More and more children's lives are being saved." PM Modi said that the "double engine" Uttar Pradesh government is giving free ration to more than 9 crore backward people, 3 crore Dalits and 3 crore families of general category. "In difficult times, only BJP came to your rescue while the Parivarwadis were sitting at home," he added. The Prime Minister said that new sugar mills are being opened under the Yogi government and the economic condition of sugar mills are being improved. "Sugar mills were closed under the rule of these Parivarwadis. Our sugarcane farmer of Deoria can never forget how he was forced to sell his produce to middlemen. They were also sometimes beaten and insulted for sugarcane slips. In order to increase the income of sugarcane farmers, the work of ethanol blending is also being increased rapidly," he pointed out. Speaking about the fertilizer plant of Gorakhpur, PM Modi said, "Yogi worked very hard as an MP to restart the fertilizer factory which was closed in Gorakhpur earlier, but the Parivarwadis did not allow this work to happen. Today the fertilizer plant in Gorakhpur is the pride of the place, reducing the problems of the farmers." The fifth phase of Assembly polls is going on in Uttar Pradesh in 61 constituencies, majorly covering the eastern region of the state. Out of the 61 Assembly seats across 12 districts, the main constituencies include Amethi, Rae Bareli, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Gonda. There are 692 candidates in the fray for the fifth phase of the election. The remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
If the proliferation of guns is truly responsible for the high number of homicides in the city, then Roya Hannas new crime plan may result in fewer homicides. Her plan increases the penalties for illegal gun possession so that people with illegal guns actually get jail time. Would this make a difference (Baltimore states attorney candidate Roya Hanna lays out crime plan, Feb. 22)?

The Maryland Public Policy Institute reported in 2020 that of all illegal gun charges in Maryland in 2019, more than 90% did not result in a prison sentence. It would appear that Maryland is putting the people most likely to commit a crime with an illegal gun back on the street with little or no penalty.

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According to that same report, in 2018, the office of the current states attorney for Baltimore, Marilyn Mosby, dismissed over a third of illegal gun cases. Additionally, in that same year, 50% of illegal gun cases were pleaded down, lost or deferred by Ms. Mosbys office. Presumably, many offenders got off lightly or scot-free.

I dont agree with everything Ms. Hanna proposes such as prosecuting simple possession (which means locking up lot of people most of whom are Black) but her proposal regarding prosecuting illegal gun cases has merit.

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Dudley Thompson, Girdletree

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Amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that measures are being taken to bring the remaining students of the state back home safely from Ukraine. Speaking to media persons after paying floral tributes to former Chief Minister K Chengalaraya Reddy's statues on his death anniversary, Bommai said, "The students who were in the western part of Ukraine have arrived in India through Romania. They are being brought to Bengaluru from Mumbai and Delhi. The Disaster Management department is taking care of their travel and other needs to reach home." The Chief Minister further said that his government is in constant contact with the Union Minister for External Affairs to bring the remaining students from Ukraine back safely. "Helplines set up by the Union and State governments are in contact with the students and their parents. Most of the students are stranded in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. The war is on in the same region," he said. The Chief Minister said that the students stranded in Ukraine have taken shelter in underground metro stations and bunkers. "We have requested the External Affairs Minister to make arrangements for food and water for these students. The Union minister has assured all the measures for their safety and transit to India. State government officials are in constant contact with the authorities in this regard," Bommai said. Earlier in the day, the Karnataka government issued details of officers at the facilitation centre set up by the State Government at Delhi's IGI Airport to coordinate and support stranded students of Karnataka arriving from Ukraine. Students hailing from Karnataka arriving at IGI Airport are requested to contact---- Anantha, Manager (9205593129), Venkatesh, Manager (9818464249), and Jagadish, Manager (9205593126). Revenue Minister and Vice Chairman, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) and Dr Manoj Rajan, Nodal Officer Cum Commissioner KSDMA are facilitating the travel of students hailing from Karnataka to their respective destinations. The cost of local tickets from Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru will be borne by the State Government. According to the data available with KSDMA, about 397 people were stranded in Ukraine with 129 among them from Bengaluru Urban. The first batch of 12 students reached Bengaluru International Airport from Mumbai at 8.40 am today. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, state Revenue Minister R Ashoka and nodal officer Rajan received the arriving students at the airport here. As per the KSDMA, the second batch of 13 students hailing from Karnataka have reached Delhi and will reach Bengaluru tonight. They have been accommodated in Karnataka Bhavan. "Overall 30 Students will reach Bengaluru today. We will keep you all posted of further arrivals as and when we get information from MEA," the statement reads. It further said that the Nodal Officer and his team are in constant touch Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to evacuate the remaining stranded students in Ukraine. A special evacuation flight of Air India carrying 250 Indians landed at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Sunday. (ANI)
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday took a tough stand on the series of violent clashes reported between workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress and sent out a clear message that "nobody with evil intentions to create unrest in the capital city will be spared". Speaking to the media persons in front of the Trauma Care Center of GBP hospital, Deb said, "I am also the Home Minister of this state. Such heinous attacks on police personnel can't be tolerated. Those who are involved in the violent clashes that took place last night will never be spared. Stringent legal action will be taken. I do have all the data pertaining to the attacks. They have all the reasons to worry". According to Deb, police action against the criminals would start right from tomorrow. Slamming the Congress leaders, he said, "Politics is a democratic right. All parties have the right to organize and carry out their programmes. But, this liberty does not anyway means you will bring criminals from different areas to plot crimes. All the masterminds of the clashes were noted criminals and smugglers". "I will never let the law and order situation of this city get collapsed", Deb asserted. He went to the GBP hospital to inquire after the health conditions of Srimanta Bhil, a policeman who sustained serious injuries while allegedly trying to safeguard his protectee--TIDC Chairman Tinku Roy from the brick batting. Deb said, "Why did the police come under attack? They did not do anything. The media persons who were covering the incident also got attacked. This should not be done." Lashing out at the Congress leadership, Deb also said that "politics was a business for them." "After BJP came to power, their business got ruined completely. Out of frustration, they are playing their wicked tricks to tarnish the image of this government", said Deb. Sources in the police department said that a total of six persons were arrested in connection with the clashes that took place last night. All of them had been produced before the Court. The Congress party had claimed that the BJP supporters first launched an unprovoked attack on the induction programme organised at Kamarpukur Par, Agartala. On the other hand, the ruling BJP accused Congress of vandalizing its party office. BJP organized a protest rally that turned violent on reaching the Congress Bhavan area. The BJP supporters threw stones and brickbats at the Congress Bhavan and the Congress workers in retaliation threw petrol bombs on the rally. (ANI)
The biennial multilateral naval exercise Milan 22 was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt at Visakhapatnam on Saturday. The eleventh edition of MILAN is being hosted by the Eastern Naval Command at Vishakhapatnam for the first time. The participation from Friendly Foreign Countries includes 13 ships, 39 delegations and one Maritime Patrol Aircraft. This large congregation gives significance and potency to the word 'MILAN' which means "meeting" or "confluence" in Hindi. A Special Day Cover and a movie on the MILAN exercise was released by the Chief Guest to mark the occasion. "MILAN endeavours to promote "Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration" between like-minded Navies. This is achieved by professional interaction and experience sharing at the harbour and enhancing interoperability, including multilateral operations at sea", stated the Navy's official release. The harbour phase of the exercise will culminate on 28 February, followed by the sea phase from 1 March to 4 March. "This edition of MILAN is larger and more complex than all previous ones, reflecting India's growing stature as a responsible and reliable partner in the maritime domain, underscoring the Indian Navy's commitment to maritime security across the global commons. The goals of MILAN are aligned with the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision of SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region. MILAN 22 will play a vital role in establishing regional synergy for achieving peace and prosperity through cooperation and collaboration", said the official release of the Indian Navy. As a part of the harbour phase, a MILAN village has been set up at the Tarang Naval Institute. The village would provide a glimpse of Indian culture to the visitors, showcasing Indian handicrafts, cuisine and arts, especially from the state of Andhra Pradesh. The village will also provide a venue for social interaction and cultural exchange between the participating navies. The event was attended by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, as well as Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Chiefs of Navies, Delegation Heads of participating countries and the Commanding Officers and crew of all participating ships. (ANI)
Union Home Amit Shah on Sunday said that Uttar Pradesh was number one in crime during Akhilesh Yadav's regime and now the crime rate has fallen down in the state under Yogi Adityanath government. Addressing a public rally in Ballia, Shah said, "Under SP- loots, murders, rapes were at no. 1. Akhilesh, shame on you! How can you come to people to seek votes? You have done nothing for the people. Under Yogi Ji's leadership, there have been 70 per cent fall in loot, 29 per cent fall in murders." The Home Minister further said that these 'Parivarwadis' in their tenure committed atrocities against the poor. "Earlier, government land was snatched by 'Bahubalis'. Dalits, underprivileged, everyone was deprived. These Parivarwadis' in their tenure committed atrocities against the poor. BJP got people's lands free from land mafias," said Shah. He further said that SP, BSP, Congress party have done nothing except spreading the poison of casteism and gave strength to the mafia while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done the work of securing the country. The Home Minister promised that smartphones, laptops will be given to the youth going for higher education. "The BJP government will do the work of giving free scooty to the daughters going for higher education," he added. Elections for the fifth phase are currently underway in districts -- Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli. Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Taking a swipe at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav for "wishing his death" in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said till his death neither will people of Kashi leave him nor will Kashi leave him. Addressing 'BJP's Booth Vijay Samelan' in Varanasi, which was also known as Kashi in ancient times, the Prime Minister said, "I do not like to criticize anyone personally nor do I want to criticize anyone. But when I was publicly wished for my death in Kashi, I really felt very happy, my heart felt very relaxed. I felt that even my staunch opponents were seeing how much love the people of Kashi had for me. Those people have fulfilled my wish. This means that till my death neither the people of Kashi will leave me nor will Kashi leave me." PM Modi's remarks come on a statement by the SP chief after the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in December last year. "Bahut achhi baat hai. Ek Maheena nahin, do mahina, teen mahina wahin rahein. Woh jagah rahene wali hai. Aakhri samay par vaheen raha jata hai, Banaras mein (It is a very good thing. Not just one month. He should stay there for two months, three months. That's the place to stay. When the end nears, that's where one stays - in Banaras)," Yadav had said. PM Modi further said that the party has given him the meritorious benefit of serving Kashi, sitting at the feet of Mahadev and Mother Ganga. "The workers of BJP work for the country. For all of us, it has always been party above individual and country above party. We win elections but at the same time we win the hearts of the people," the Prime Minister said. Talking about Varanasi, he said that the path of development on which the city is going forward will open the way for the country to be free from poverty and crime. The Prime Minister also offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. Elections for the fifth phase are currently underway in districts -- Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli. Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The Prime Minister was in UP for the ongoing campaigning in the assembly elections.

The Prime Minister today said that the government will do whatever possible to bring back all the citizens stranded in Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Sunday said that the government of India has launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, adding that thousands of Indian citizens have been flown out of the conflict-ridden country.

Putin on Thursday morning said special military operations are being launched "to protect" the people in the Donbas region.

Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi had chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in New Delhi.

At the meeting, he had said that the topmost priority of the government is the safety and security of Indian nationals.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

The India Government is bearing the cost of evacuation given the emergency situation prevailing. Indian Embassy in Kyiv as well as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a number of advisories prior to the situation developing, requesting Indian citizens to leave Ukraine. (ANI)
"State Election Commissioner Saurab Das has been called upon to brief Governor anytime before 10 am tomorrow in view of alarmingly disturbing inputs, depicting scenario of violence and lawlessness, with administration in partisan mode and systemic failure. State Election Commission, in the election process to municipalities-Constitutional Bodies under Part IX A of Constitution", stated the Raj Bhawan Press release.

State Election Commissioner Saurab Das has been called upon to be fully updated on developments in the election process on February 27 that prima facie indicate failure of democracy, the Raj Bhawan further stated.

Voting for 108 municipalities across West Bengal has begun from 7 am on Sunday. The polling will be held till 5 pm, informed the West Bengal State Election Commission. About 95 lakh (95,59,790) voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors that are spread across 2,276 wards over 108 municipalities.

The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum.

A clash between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers broke out during civic polls in the state on Sunday. The BJP West Bengal vice-president Arjun Singh alleged that two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were vandalised in ward 9 and there is a similar situation across the state. (ANI)
President Ram Nath Kovind, in presence of Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Sunday, inaugurated a photo and archival exhibition on conservation and presentation of the proposed Kaziranga Elevated Corridor at Kohora in Kaziranga. It may be noted that the exhibition essentially depicted the big five namely the rhino, elephant, tiger, swamp deer and wild buffalo. The exhibition also highlighted different sections like the rich biodiversity of Kaziranga National Park, annual floods, forest protection force and other protection measures, the ecstatic natural beauty of Kaziranga National Park among others. The exhibition also showcased a large elephant tusk, large rhino horn, Sambar and Swamp deer antler. Another section of the exhibition displayed the names of forest martyrs who laid down their lives in the protection of wildlife. Sarma, while welcoming the President along with the first lady Savita Kovind, said that he considers it his privilege to accompany the President to inaugurate the exhibition which proudly projected the undiluted beauty of the Kaziranga along with its verdant and unique biodiversity. "The visit of the President to Kaziranga the world heritage site will definitely encourage the park authority along with its forest guards and other fringe workers and NGOs to work more diligently to sustain its conservation works and take them to a greater height," he said. Sarma also expressed his gratitude to the President for his guidance which will definitely help the government to set new examples for the Kaziranga Model of conservation and protection to be emulated elsewhere. Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora along other dignitaries were present also on the occasion. Later the Assam Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues saw the President off at Rowriah airport, Jorhat after the President concluded his three-day Assam visit. (ANI)
The Bengal BJP unit has called for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on Monday to protest against the alleged widespread rigging and attacks on opposition party members during the civic polls in the state on Sunday. "We have called for a 12 hour bandh (strike) tomorrow. Today in municipal elections women were manhandled and hundreds of people entered booths in various locations. Democracy is being demolished here", said West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar BJP MLA and state Mahila Morcha president Agnimitra Paul said, "We have declared Bangla Bandh from 6 am to 6 pm on Monday protesting against the election violence and rigging." She further alleged that outsiders with firearms were brought to rig in civic polls. "What happened today was not polling but a mockery of democracy. The state police are behaving like Trinamool Congress (TMC) cadres. They have let the TMC people to rig the election. Several of our agents and candidates were beaten up also." The bandh called by BJP has exempted essential services like healthcare, milk supply and media. Meanwhile, West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has 'called upon' State Election Commissioner Saurab Das on Monday to brief him on the civic poll's alleged violence and lawlessness. Voting for 108 municipalities across West Bengal has begun from 7 am on Sunday. The polling will be held till 5 pm, informed the West Bengal State Election Commission. About 95 lakh (95,59,790) voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors that are spread across 2,276 wards over 108 municipalities. The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum. A clash between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers broke out during civic polls in the state on Sunday. The BJP West Bengal vice-president Arjun Singh alleged that two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were vandalised in ward 9 and there is a similar situation across the state. (ANI)
India's export of guavas increased by 260 per cent since 2013 to USD 2.09 million in April 2021-22 from USD 0.58 million in April-January 2013-14, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal informed on Friday. According to the official release, the export value of fresh grapes was USD 314 million while the export of other fresh fruits stood at USD 302 million in 2020-2021. During 2020-21, fresh grapes and other fresh fruits accounted for 92 per cent of India's total export of fresh fruits. The statement reads that India's major exporting destination of fresh fruits during 2020-21 was Bangladesh, Netherland, UAE, the UK, Nepal, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. The top ten countries accounted for 82 per cent of India's export of fresh fruits in 2020-21. The Union Commerce and Industry Minister also tweeted that the export of curd (yoghurt) and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) has also seen a growth of 200 per cent from USD 10 Million in April - January 2013-14 to USD 30 Million in April-January 2021-22. As per the release, "The dairy export is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.5 per cent in the last five years. In 2021-22(April-November), India exported USD 181.75 million worth of dairy products and in the current financial year, it is set to surpass the previous year's export value." India's major exporting destinations of dairy products in 2020-21 was UAE, Bangladesh, USA, Bhutan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, Oman and Indonesia. The top ten countries accounted for more than 61 per cent share in India's dairy export in 2020-21. (ANI)
According to CISF, during the security check at Terminal 3 of IGI Airport, CISF personnel detected four live rounds of .32 mm calibre from the hand baggage of a passenger.

The person has been identified as Kapil Vaish, who was bound for San Francisco by United Airlines flight.

"On 27.02.2022 at about 0200 hrs, during Pre Embarkation Security Check (PESC) at Security Hold Area (SHA) of Ter-3, IGI Airport, New Delhi, CISF personnel detected four (04) live rounds of .32 mm calibre from the hand baggage of a passenger later identified as Kapil Vaish, bound for San Francisco by United Airlines flight No.UA-868 (0430 hrs)," the CISF said in a statement.

On enquiry, he could not produce any valid document.

Later, the passenger along with the seized live rounds was handed over to Delhi Police for further legal action in the matter. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing Russian military operations in Ukraine, the Assam government on Sunday issued WhatsApp numbers and email ids for the assistance of stranded people of Assam in Ukraine and its neighbouring regions. For any kind of help, the Assam government said that the individuals can use these numbers and email ids. The stranded people can also contact Assam Police on their social media handles, said the government in a statement. The state government has also issued a web link to upload the details of stranded people in Ukraine. Assam Police numbers for assistance include +91 60269 00968 (WhatsApp), and +91 60269 01060 (WhatsApp). People can also email for assistance at cyberdome-ap@assampolice.gov.in, write to police on twitter at @assampolice or contact via Faceboook at @police.assam. The Assam Bhawan in Delhi can be contacted at + 91 80116 85010 (WhatsApp) or reached out through email at rcofficeassambhawan@gmail.com. The Assam Bhawan in Mumbai can be contacted at +91 99305 62333 (WhatsApp) or +91 90046 52081 (WhatsApp) and can be reached out through email at mumbaiassambhawan@gmail.com. The government also issued a web link for entering the details of persons of Assam stranded in Ukraine: https://tinyurl.com/ypwrwrm3. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Sunday said that the government of India has launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, adding that thousands of Indian citizens have been flown out of the conflict-ridden country. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday morning said special military operations are being launched "to protect" the people in the Donbas region. Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi had chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in New Delhi. At the meeting, he had said that the topmost priority of the government is the safety and security of Indian nationals. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. The Government of India is bearing the cost of evacuation given the emergency situation prevailing. Indian Embassy in Kyiv as well as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a number of advisories prior to the situation developing, requesting Indian citizens to leave Ukraine. (ANI)
25-year-old Shubham Jirati, studying medicine in Ukraine has crossed to Romania with the help of the Indian Embassy on Saturday in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Speaking about Shubham's escape, his father Chaturbhuj Jirati said, "Shubham is a medical student in Ternopil National Medical University. After the Ukraine-Russia crisis, his university gave him permission to leave the country. Yesterday he reached Romania with the help of the embassy where hundreds of other students have also gathered." "The Embassy, giving priority to girls, decided to evacuate them in the first flight. The boys will come after that. Although after reaching Romania, there is no longer any danger," added Chaturbhuj Jirati, a police officer in Indore. According to Chaturbhuj Jirati, the Ukrainian colleges did not allow the students to leave when the military operation was declared. "As a result, the students got stuck amid the crisis. Only after the military operation began, did the college allow all the students to go. Shubham is in his final year, therefore coming back to India without the university's nod would impact his studies", added Chaturbhuj, who is waiting for his son along with his wife Rekha. He said that he is constantly in touch with Shubham. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday. (ANI)
In a significant judgment, the High Court of Tripura on Sunday directed the state government to constitute a panel of higher officials who will be responsible for the protection and preservation of the wetlands across the state where migratory birds roost during the winter season. Hearing public interest litigation in connection with the unnatural deaths of over 100 migratory birds reported at Udaipur under Tripura's Gomati district, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice SG Chattopadhyay suggested the state government to encourage organic farming in the cropland located in the vicinity of such wetlands so that possibilities of contamination could be warded off. "There is a possibility that the migratory birds may have consumed pesticide used by the farmers in the said area but for that also they have no confirmed evidence thereof and soil samples appear to have been sent for testing to establish the said fact," the Bench said. "In the present circumstances, we are of the considered view that as suggested by the learned amicus curiae the State should constitute a committee of responsible officers who shall supervise all such wetlands in the State of Tripura and in particular, the farming that is being done in the nearby areas and to try and encourage the local farmers to convert to organic farming as being promoted by the Government of India instead of using pesticides and/or chemicals," it added. The court passed the order after going through a report submitted by the Forest department of Tripura. "We also find from the report that by the time the inquiry committee went to visit the local area, they could find no carcasses of the migratory birds which itself is a matter of concern. The only carcass that appears to have been found is that of a common teal on 28.01.2022 and even then the postmortem could not be conducted on the said bird due to putrification of the carcass," the court order reads. The court also made some recommendations pertaining to the ranks of officials who should be included in the panel and what definite roles they would play in order to implement the order in letter and spirit. "This committee should also include scientists and representatives of the Agriculture Department. Of course, what has already occurred cannot be revived. However, it is a signal for the future unless and until the State and all its agencies coordinate their activities to the preservation of rare animals and birds which are stated to have been declared to be 'rare' birds by the European Union, the balance between man, nature and animals is likely to be adversely impacted, consequently adversely impacting nature itself," the order read. Accordingly, we direct the committee to inspect all large areas of wetlands in the State of Tripura, ascertain what are the challenges that need to be addressed and submit a report before the Government for necessary action. In the present case, we are of the considered view that the result of the evaluation of the earth samples sent may provide indicators but it is widespread and well-known that people have encroached into wetlands throughout the State of Tripura thereby causing a great possibility of restricting the wetland areas and even wetland areas which have also been identified under the Ramsar agreement", it added. Disposing of the litigation, the Court also directed the state government to consult ornithologists and top environmentalists for their suggestions. "The state would also be advised to include ornithologists as well as environmentalists to form part of the said committee to aid and advise the said committee in this regard. With such observations, this PIL stands disposed of," the order concluded. (ANI)
After alleging widespread violence in the West Bengal civic polls, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday wrote to the State Election Commission demanding re-polling in all the booths across 108 municipalities, in presence of Central forces (CAPFs). The letter to the SEC read, "As you are aware, West Bengal witnessed widespread violence, attacks, arson and complete failure of the law and order machinery, in all 108 municipalities which went to polls today. The violence was unleashed by goons, anti-social and workers of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), along with the active participation of the West Bengal police and administration, including poll officials." The letter further alleged massive rigging, booth capturing, threats, intimidation, including the use of firearms and explosives by persons of the AITC. "The entire election has been reduced to a farce. You have failed in your duties of conducting peaceful and free and fair polls, as directed by the Hon'ble High Court of Calcutta", stated the BJP's letter. The BJP has demanded complete repolling in all booths across all 108 municipalities, in presence of neutral observers from outside the West Bengal cadre and Central forces (CAPFs). West Bengal BJP delegation Agnimitra Paul, Sishir Bajoria and Lokenath Chatterjee met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Rajbhawan Kolkata later on Sunday, demanding that the election to the 108 municipalities should be declared null and void. BJP has called for Bangla Bandh on Monday to protest against the violence in civic polls. "We have called for a 12 hours bandh (strike) tomorrow. Today in municipal elections women were manhandled and hundreds of people entered booths in various locations. Democracy is being demolished here", said West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar. The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will address participants on the vision of GatiShakti which is an integrated plan to enhance ease of living, ease of doing business, minimize disruptions and expedite completion of works with cost efficiencies and create next-generation infrastructure. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is set to chart out a strategy for enhancing India's logistics efficiency to carry forward the momentum on the PM GatiShakti national master plan with a stakeholder meet involving high ranking officials from various ministries, leading academics and industry representatives. The focus areas are the introduction of a new vision of integrated planning and synchronized time-bound implementation and improving integration between the Centre and states while planning large infrastructure projects along with announcements in the Budget 2022 to enhance the availability of capital for such projects. There will be a comprehensive look at the national expressway master plan along with projects like Sagarmala, Parvatmala as well as the multi-modal cargo terminals and ways to building world-class talent for accelerating India's growth through PM GatiShakti. Also on the agenda is an assessment of the progress made so far and way forward for the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) which is an initiative to introduce digital efficiencies and create a nationwide single window logistics platform for end-to-end visibility and efficient movement of goods. (ANI)
Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the alleged rigging during the civic polls, BJP MLA Asansol South Agnimitra Paul on Sunday claimed that 'outsiders' were brought into the state who 'attacked' every booth and rigged it at the behest Trinamool Congress (TMC). Speaking about the alleged violence, Paul said, "We have observed a new trend in West Bengal: thousands of outsiders with firearms are being hired at a meagre amount of Rs 200. These people with lathis and arms attack every booth and rig it." She further stated, "Actual election in West Bengal didn't happen as 99 per cent was rigged by TMC men." Elaborating on the 'scientific rigging', she said, "They are trying to portray a peaceful picture from outside. But as a person enters the booth, the officer puts ink on the voter's finger and the voter is told that he has cast his vote. But in actuality, there is a TMC agent standing in the corner who has cast the vote. They haven't let the voters cast their votes. They just put the ink on the voter's finger to make it appear free and fair." She further claimed that the BJP cadres were attacked by the TMC-hired goons. "Candidates and agents of Bharatiya Janata Party were attacked, threatened and injured. Some of the BJP candidates were unlawfully detained by the police. The media was attacked. Our state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was attacked. Arjun Singh was heckled. BJP Mahila Morcha member Reshmi Dey from Birbhum was arrested by the police." Paul termed TMC's vote manipulation as 'Chappashree'. Speaking to ANI, she said, "The Bengal CM has announced a new award-Chappashree. The one that gives maximum chappa (stamp) will be awarded." While speaking on West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar 'calling upon' State Election Commissioner Saurab Das on Monday to brief him on the alleged civic poll 'violence and lawlessness', the BJP leader said, "I don't think Saurab Das will have guts to face the governor. He is controlled by the CM from Nabanna. Democracy is being crushed in Bengal." The Bengal BJP unit has called for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on Monday to protest against the alleged widespread rigging and attacks on opposition party members during the civic polls in the state. The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum. A clash between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers broke out during civic polls in the state on Sunday. The BJP West Bengal vice-president Arjun Singh alleged that two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were vandalised in ward 9 and there is a similar situation across the state. (ANI)
In an official statement, the police said that they have recovered incriminating materials and a pistol from the possession of the terrorist.

Police said that during surprise naka checking in Anantnag, the movement of a suspicious person was noticed, who was apprehended tactfully by the alert police party.

He has been identified as Shahid Thoker, son of Mohd Iqbal Thoker, resident of Nossipora Keegam Shopian.

As per police records, the arrested terrorist is a categorized terrorist as he had recently joined the terror folds of proscribed terror outfit LeT.

A case was registered under relevant sections of law. Further investigation into the matter is in progress. (ANI)
A team of Delhi Police's Crime Branch arrested three persons involved in mobile phone theft cases on Sunday and recovered over 250 mobile phones from them. The accused have been identified as Kuldeep Lala (35), a resident of Regarpura, Karol Bagh while the two-- Satnam (24) and Suraj Dutt (23) are residents of Sangam Vihar, informed Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Crime Branch. After receiving the information that stolen mobile phones are being sent to Nepal and Bangladesh from Karol Bagh, Bhardwaj along with her staff was deputed in Karol Bagh to collect the information. A special team was directed to apprehend the accused person along with mobile phones as they had zeroed down a person named Kuldeep. Bharadwaj also stated that in further investigation, she found that the receiver, Kuldeep Lala was involved in a criminal case and also received these phones at his house during odd hours. According to the police, during the interrogation, the accused, Kuldeep, disclosed that he was selling/buying stolen mobile phones since 2015 and was also arrested in the criminal case. The accused used to buy stolen phones from two persons namely Amit and Deepak who are now absconding, the police said. "After continuous and relentless efforts made by the team, finally on February 19, police apprehended Kuldeep in Karol Bagh while he was going to deliver stolen /snatched Mobile phones on scooty along which 100 mobile phones of various brands were kept in two plastic bags on scooty," the DCP added. After technical surveillance and conducting raids at several places, two snatchers namely Satnam were also apprehended on Saturday. The DCP further stated, "104 more mobile phones of various brands have been recovered from the house of Junaid, a resident of Bhalsawa Jahangir Puri, Delhi. To date, 67 users of these mobile phones have been traced and 16 cases of snatching and theft registered in Delhi have been worked out." The DCP further stated that the main motive behind this crime was to earn easy money. (ANI)
Delhi Police's Crime Branch busted a sex racket involving foreign girls operating in South Delhi on Sunday and arrested two people in connection with the case. "The four foreign girls revealed that they came to India on tourist visas and are overstaying in India. In order to meet their expenses, they indulged in prostitution for sake of easy money," the police said. The accused have been identified as a cab driver, Tej Kumar and his brother Naresh who used to supply foreign girls for prostitution for the past two and half years, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Monika Bhardwaj said. A trap was laid near Rishi Hotel, Vasant Kunj Road, Mahipal Pur, Delhi by the police and the accused were arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and The Foreigners Act. "During interrogation, Tej Kumar revealed that he used to drop foreign girls off to the customers as per direction of Naresh alias Godu. These Uzbek girls came in contact with Naresh who was earlier used to drive auto-rickshaw in Delhi," the DCP (Crime) said. "Today, on the direction of Naresh, Tej Kumar came to drop off these Uzbek Girls at the location as told by the customer at one Hotel of Vasant Kunj Road, Mahipal Pur, Delhi and nabbed by police," she added. Further investigation is awaited. (ANI)
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The India-made stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam was formally affiliated to the Visakhapatnam port on Sunday. Jagan Mohan Reddy, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, dedicated INS Visakhapatnam, the indigenously designed and constructed guided-missile stealth destroyer named after the City of Destiny - Visakhapatnam, in a formal ceremony held at Naval Dockyard on Sunday. The ship is on her maiden visit to the port for participating in the PFR and MILAN 2022. INS Visakhapatnam is the lead ship of P15B class of guided missile stealth destroyers and was commissioned on November 21, 2021. The ship symbolises India's matured shipbuilding capability and quest for the Make in India initiative towards achieving 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. The crew of the ship abides by her motto 'Yasho Labhasva', a Sanskrit phrase that translates to 'Attain Glory'. It embodies the indomitable spirit and capability of this mighty ship to achieve success and glory in every endeavour. The motto inspires her crew to surmount all odds and uphold the glory of the Ship, Service and Nation always, said the Navy. Jagan Mohan Reddy along with his wife Bharathi participated in Milan 2022 as a chief guest at Rama Krishna beach in Visakhapatnam. The Andhra Pradesh CM participated in the parade and addressed the public in the presence of 500 foreign delegates, local ministers, and Naval officials from India and the other countries participating in the ceremony. The Chief Minister said, "The MILAN-2022 International City Parade in Visakhapatnam port city was a proud occasion for the city." The Chief Minister described MILAN-2022 as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a festival of maritime exercises. He complimented Eastern Navy Command officers for designing a Dolphin Lighthouse and Dolphin nose livery for INS Visakhapatnam. He said the recently commissioned submarine INS Vela improves indigenous submarine construction. The CM took a short tour of the ship and interacted with crew after the dedication ceremony.The Chief Minister visited the Indian Naval submarine, INS Vela at Visakhapatnam on Sunday. INS Vela has been indigenously built at Mazagon Docks Ltd, Mumbai, and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 25, 2021. The submarine is the second incarnation of the erstwhile Foxtrot class submarine also known as Vela. (ANI)
Delhi Police has recovered the body of a woman from a hotel room in South West Delhi's Mahipalpur on Sunday. As per preliminary information, the 26-year-old woman had checked in at the hotel with a man, Shivam Chauhan of Ghaziabad two days ago, said the police. The police had received information about the girl's body lying in the hotel around 3 pm on Sunday. The investigation has begun and the body has been sent for post-mortem. The police have also found some liquor bottles in the room. The deceased's sister, Suman said for the last few years, her sister was in a relationship with a boy with whom she has been going out earlier as well. Two days ago, on February 25, both had checked in at the hotel. "My sister often used to ask the boy for marriage, but he used to avoid it. He also kept asking for money under different excuses. On February 25, Sonia had gone to meet the boy (Shivam) with around Rs 60,000," Suman told the police. The police said that no injury marks have been found on the body of the girl and the cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem. However, the relatives have claimed that when they saw the body, there were injury marks on the girl's body. The police refused to comment on the matter saying that they are still investigating. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South West Gaurav Sharma told that the accused is still absconding. The police are probing the matter from all angles. (ANI)
Graduates and postgraduate farmers from Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh, who have adopted Subhash Palekar Natural Farming (SPNF) technique, converged near here on Sunday at a workshop organized by Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y) for young entrepreneurs in natural farming. The workshop, which was presided over by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, was attended by a good number of young women farmers among others. The farmers shared experiences in natural farming, the need-based innovations on their farm and the challenges in it before the Governor, who was impressed with their zeal to shift to non-chemical farming. "You have inspired me a lot with your field stories. You are the real 'karamyogis'. I am very happy that the farmers from Himachal Pradesh are leading the country in natural farming," said the Governor. He said he was touched by the expression of the farmers, who said that they have shed the use of chemicals and have adopted natural farming technique because they are concerned about the nutrition of coming generations. "It is very important what we are going to give to our younger generations," he said. The Governor said the natural farming concept is being adopted in the entire country in the interest of farming, nutrition and health. "We need not to be disappointed by the younger generation as many people generally talk about. I can see a lot of hope here as young and educated entrepreneurs have chosen to do farming and are doing good work in the field," he said. Arlekar said it was a matter of pride that 1.68 lakh farmers have adopted SPNF technique in Himachal Pradesh and said there is need to expand the number of farmers as well as area under natural farming in the state. The Governor saw the exhibition of natural produce by the farmers Rishu Kumari (Jamanabad), Suresh Kumar (Dharamshala) and stalls by the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). He later visited the fields of farmers Anita Devi and Sulochana Devi near Kangra. He appreciated the efforts by farmers to switch to this low-cost non-chemical and climate resilient farming and said Himachal is showing the way to the entire country to adopt this environment friendly farming. Executive Director, PK3Y, Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, gave a presentation on the progress and the model adopted to promote natural farming in the state. He said around 12,000 hectares of land would be brought under natural farming by March this year. He said a target has been set to bring nearly 20,000 hectares of land under this practice by next year. He also said that 3,590 panchayats have been covered under the natural farming Yojana. Chandel said the PK3Y is directly connecting the youth with natural farming practice. He said for the first time 62 educated youths have been attached with natural farmers for six months for training. --IANS vg/skp/ ( 484 Words) 2022-02-27-19:08:01 (IANS)
The festival will be held on the premises of Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar Trust in Chidambaram, the Secretary of Natyanjali trust said in a statement, adding that dancers from across the country would participate and present classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, and Kathak.

The event will commence with devotional music, followed by a dance performance by Anusha Raj of Mysuru. On Maha Shivratri day, the programme will begin at 6.15 p.m. and go on till 11 p.m.

About 500 artistes including solo dancers and dance troupes will participate in the festival, the statement said.

--IANS aal/vd

( 141 Words)

2022-02-27-19:20:03 (IANS)
In a high-level meeting chaired on the Ukraine crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accorded top priority to the evacuation of Indian students stranded in Ukraine, informed government sources on Sunday. According to government sources, PM Modi also assured that further cooperation with neighbouring countries of Ukraine to expedite evacuation will be enhanced. "PM Narendra Modi's high-level meeting on Ukraine-Russia conflict lasted over two hours in which PM ensured safety and evacuation of Indian students as the top priority. Further cooperation with neighbouring countries of Ukraine to expedite evacuation will be enhanced," sources stated. This comes at a time when the Government of India is evacuating Indian citizens from Ukraine under the evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga'. Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressed India's willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts in the wake of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine due to Russia's military operations. The Prime Minister called for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue. PM Modi expressed his deep anguish about the loss of life and property due to the ongoing conflict. "He reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue and expressed India's willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts," a PMO release said. PM Modi's call with the Ukraine President came two days after his telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He had appealed for an immediate cessation of violence and had called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue in his talks with Putin. The Prime Minister had also reiterated his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue. President Putin had briefed the Prime Minister about the recent developments regarding Ukraine. Notably, Russia on Friday (local time) vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Ukraine, while India, China, and UAE abstained from voting. The vote was 11 in favour, one against, and three abstentions. India has abstained from the vote but New Delhi has called for immediate de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine and advocated for a diplomatic solution. Russia had on Monday recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhanussisk - as independent entities following which the situation escalated. (ANI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him for the safe and speedy return of the Indian students stuck in Ukraine. Gehlot also requested PM Modi that the Central Government should immediately contact the Government of Ukraine so that Indian students can get a safe route to India through Poland and Romania. Mentioning his telephonic conversation with an Indian student, Ajay Singh living in Ukraine, he apprised PM Modi that Indian students are not getting a safe route from Poland and Romania to leave together from Ukraine. He also asserted that the state government officers are receiving messages from the students living there and their families that a large number of students have gathered at the border of Romania and are not getting a way to move ahead. Further, Gehlot informed the Prime Minister that these students are facing extreme cold at the Roman border. Due to the current situation in Ukraine and children being trapped there, their guardians living in India are going through mental stress, the letter read. To resolve this problem, the State Government officers are in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and these students, he wrote. Further, the Chief Minister has requested PM Modi to contact the Government of Ukraine to fulfil the students' need for safe passage to Poland and Romania. Looking at the situation at the Romania border, he has requested the Prime Minister to direct the MEA officers to provide assistance at the earliest to the Indian students. Gehlot has also written a letter to Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and drawn his attention towards the problems being faced in the safe return of the students. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday morning said special military operations are being launched "to protect" the people in the Donbas region. The India Government is bearing the cost of evacuation given the emergency situation prevailing. Indian Embassy in Kyiv as well as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a number of advisories prior to the situation developing, requesting Indian citizens to leave Ukraine. (ANI)
With focus on implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will chair a regional conference of ministers of the north east tates on Monday in Guwahati. In a statement, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said that the Union Minister will be setting the roadmap for the north east States, keeping in line with the guidance received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Webinar on 'Post Union Budget 2022 - Leaving No Citizen Behind', held on February 23. During the webinar the Prime Minister had said, "A clear roadmap must be built so that States/UTs can achieve the target within the stipulated time frame. Priority should be given to North-Eastern border States, hilly regions and aspirational districts." "Difficult terrain, heavy rain and snowfall coupled with erratic supply of construction material greatly impacts the progress of the mission work in the border regions of the north-east. Reaffirming the commitment towards public health and well-being of the people living in rural areas, the Union Budget 2022-23 fund allocation for JJM has been increased from Rs 45,000 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 60,000 crore in 2022-23. For SBM (G) Rs 7,192 crore have been allocated in the Budget 2022-23," the ministry said. 'Har Ghar Jal' is a flagship programme of the Union Government being implemented in partnership with States and Union Territory (UTs), aimed at providing tap water connection to every rural household in the country by 2024. Manipur, Meghalaya and Sikkim aim to achieve Har Ghar Jal in 2022. The deadline set by Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland is 2023, and Assam aims to meet the goal in 2024. Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) is another flagship programme being implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. All the States in the country achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by October 2, 2019, when villages across India had declared themselves ODF. In its second phase, SBM-G is focusing on ODF sustainability and to achieve solid and liquid waste management in all villages by 2024-25 to transform the villages to ODF Plus. --IANS ssb/skp/ ( 366 Words) 2022-02-27-20:08:03 (IANS)
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has warned the West against imposing tough sanctions on Moscow, saying that such measures could push Russia into a "third world war", RT reported. "Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector. Gas, oil, SWIFT. It's worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a third world war," Lukashenko said on Sunday, as quoted by local media. He added that a nuclear conflict could be the final outcome, the report said. Russia's military attack against Ukraine, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, has been condemned by Western nations and prompted a new wave of tough sanctions against Moscow. In the latest move against Moscow the EU, UK, Canada and the US said "selected Russian banks" would be cut off from the SWIFT international payments system - a measure Russia has warned in the past would be regarded as a declaration of war. Despite the threat of further measures, Lukashenko stressed that both Russia and Belarus will "survive" any sanctions, RT reported. "We have experience. We discussed this theme with Putin more than once. We'll survive. It is impossible to starve us to death," he said. Retaliatory measures being developed by Moscow and Minsk will be "very tangible," but it is important to think them over "very carefully," Lukashenko said, not to self-harm, the report said. The Belarusian leader has also said if the West moved to put nuclear weapons in bordering countries, he would ask Putin to "return" its own nuclear weapons to Belarus. --IANS san/skp/ ( 271 Words) 2022-02-27-20:36:03 (IANS)
Congress on Sunday expressed grave concern on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and said that the UN charter must be upheld by all countries. "The outbreak of hostilities and military conflict between Russia and in Ukraine is a matter of grave concern for the world. The Indian National Congress, while expressing its anguish, is of the considered view that the international community must work together for cessation of armed conflict and early restoration of peace to save human lives and prevent further aggravation of the crisis," Congress Foreign Cell Chairman and former Union Minister Anand Sharma said in a statement. "The path of diplomatic negotiations must be embraced in all sincerity for a negotiated resolution of all issues between Russia and Ukraine, respecting the Minsk Pact and Russia-NATO agreements and earlier understandings," he added. Meanwhile Russia said on Sunday that, after some back-and-forth, Ukraine agreed to dispatch a team to Belarus for talks to end the Russian military campaign in the country, RT reported. Kiev "confirmed" the planned talks in Gomel Region, which is close to the borders of both Russia and Ukraine, Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told reporters. --IANS miz/vd ( 210 Words) 2022-02-27-20:52:03 (IANS)
"The fifth #OperationGanga flight, carrying 249 Indian nationals, departed from Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi," Jaishankar said in a tweet.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised not to move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.

"Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added.

The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.

Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks. (ANI)
Just shy of the second anniversary of his proclamation declaring the coronavirus a statewide disaster, Gov. J.B. Pritzker will try again to turn the page on COVID-19 restrictions Monday when he lifts his much-contested mask mandate for most indoor public places.

Masks still will be mandatory on public transportation and in places such as hospitals and day care centers, and businesses still can require them as they see fit.

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But the end of mandatory masking in most settings represents a big step in getting back to normal, even though it comes as the highly unpredictable virus remains in wide circulation.

The current landscape somewhat resembles the optimistic weeks before last summers pandemic lull, with cases, hospitalizations and deaths all declining. In some ways, it offers even more hope, with more people vaccinated and boosted and a higher level of natural immunity among those infected in recent surges.

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At the same time, there remain plenty of causes for concern: The youngest children still arent able to get vaccinated, an even more contagious subvariant of the virus is circulating in Illinois, and overstretched hospitals are caring for far more COVID-19 patients than they were when Pritzker briefly lifted the mask rule in June.

People wear masks while waiting in line at the Cook County clerk's office inside the County Building on Feb. 22, 2022, as the city announced it will end its indoor mask requirement on Feb. 28. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

In lifting the mask mandate, Pritzker pointed to plummeting hospitalizations but declined to specify the target that triggered the change. Caught between a pandemic-weary public and federal health officials who until Friday were still recommending masking, the governors office ditched the detailed, data-driven rubrics for easing restrictions that were a hallmark of Pritzkers earlier approach.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided a backstop for the decision Friday by adjusting federal mask guidelines to focus less on COVID-19 cases and more on hospitalizations and health care capacity. The CDC eased previous recommendations that called for indoor masking across most of the country, mirroring recent moves by Pritzker and other Democratic governors but going further than Illinois by including schools in its new guidelines.

After the Illinois Supreme Court on Friday overturned a lower court order that blocked his school mask rule and the CDC came out with its new guidance, Pritzker said he would no longer require face coverings in schools beginning Monday. Most districts across Illinois had already gone mask optional or announced plans to do so this week.

Pritzker left the door open to requiring masks in schools and other settings once again if Illinois is overcome by yet another surge. But doing so would be a test of his political will in an election year  and a test of the publics willingness to comply in numbers large enough to slow the spread of the coronavirus as the pandemic enters its third year.

With views on mask wearing firmly entrenched, largely along familiar regional and partisan lines, Pritzker has little to lose by lifting the mandate, said Chris Mooney, a University of Illinois at Chicago political science professor.

The one thing that I would say for sure most clearly characterizes this move is safety  political safety, Mooney said. Hes not out in front, but hes not behind. Hes kind of going with the pack with the other governors. And hes going in the direction everybody wants. Everybody wants masks off.

While never declaring victory over the virus, Pritzker waited for the hopeful time last summer when the pandemic appeared to be waning to launch his reelection bid, showcasing his handling of the crisis and touting that he followed the science in his efforts to protect the public.

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But the state quickly lost ground to the virulent delta variant. By late August, Pritzker had reissued a mask mandate, and it remained in place as a late-summer wave ebbed, only to be followed this fall and winter by the states largest surge to date, driven by the highly contagious omicron variant.

In the intervening months, Pritzker deflected questions about the specific bench mark that would signal the end of the mask mandate while also trumpeting Illinois relative success in weathering the latest surges compared with its neighbors, none of which mandated masks.

While no longer publicly tying decisions on restrictions to specific data points, administration officials have continued to monitor cases, hospitalizations, vaccination rates and other statistics as they have throughout the pandemic, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in an interview Friday, adjusting those evaluations as theyve learned more about the virus and dealt with successive waves of variants.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, speaks during a news conference at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago on Feb. 9, 2022, where it was announced that the state's indoor mask mandate will be lifted. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Your best-picked metrics are still subject to the unpredictable forces that have come with each massive wave and variant, she said.

In the third year of the pandemic, the focus is on preventing the most severe cases and preserving hospital capacity.

There is opportunity to just see even the smallest increases and try to dig into that and see, like: What is this stemming from? Which area is this mostly affecting? Ezike said. That will allow time for health officials to take the appropriate steps, she said.

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The lengthy list of state efforts to fight the pandemic began on March 9, 2020, when Pritzker declared a statewide emergency, two days before the World Health Organization labeled the novel coronavirus a global pandemic. At the time, there had been 11 confirmed cases and no deaths attributed to the virus in Illinois.

Within 12 days, the governor banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people, closed schools, shut down restaurants and bars, and finally closed all nonessential businesses and enacted other restrictions through a statewide stay-at-home order that would remain in effect, with minor modifications, for more than two months.

Pritzkers most enduring effort to contain the virus  the requirement that people 2 and older wear face coverings in public  didnt take effect until May 1, 2020, by which time the state had recorded more than 59,000 cases of COVID-19 and 2,457 deaths.

The first wave of coronavirus hospitalizations had peaked three days earlier, with 5,037 patients filling hospital beds statewide. That number dropped to 3,337 by the time Pritzker lifted his statewide stay-at-home order on May 29 and continued falling before leveling out below 2,000 patients per day through the summer and early fall.

Hospitalizations spiked again during the brutal fall surge of 2020 as Pritzker slowly rolled back his reopening across the state based on rising cases, positivity rates and other factors. The number reached a new high of 6,175 COVID-19 patients on Nov. 20, 2020.

By June 11, 2021, when vaccines were readily available and Pritzker had lifted nearly all his coronavirus restrictions, including the mask mandate, there were only 684 COVID-19 patients in hospitals. But the reprieve was short-lived, with the arrival of the delta variant and then omicron leading to successive surges.

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The number of COVID-19 patients in Illinois hospitals reached an all-time high of 7,380 on Jan. 12 of this year before beginning a precipitous decline.

When Pritzker announced Feb. 9 that he planned to lift the mandate at the end of the month, there 2,380 COVID-19 patients in the states hospitals, and the decline has continued, with 1,143 hospitalized as of Thursday night, the most recent figure available.

Since the mask mandate was reinstated in August, Illinois has been a Midwestern outlier, the lone state in the center of the country to require face coverings in public.

Over the past several months, Pritzker has repeatedly touted both his mask rule and the relative strength of the states vaccination effort to support his claim that Illinois has outperformed its neighbors in battling the pandemic.

Illinois has done better than almost every state in the Midwest, Pritzker said Feb. 9 during an appearance in Champaign. In fact, were better than all of the states around us at keeping people healthy and safe, and certainly out of the hospital, during this last omicron wave, in part because people wear their masks.

From the time Illinois reimposed its masking mandate Aug. 30 to the most recent figures released last week, Illinois hospitalization rate was among the lowest in group that included the five neighboring states, with roughly 883 of every 100,000 residents admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 during that time, according to a Tribune analysis of federal data. That was lower than rates for Indiana (1,053), Missouri (1,126) and Kentucky (1,458), and roughly the same as Wisconsins, but not as low as Iowas (723).

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During the same time, Illinois had the lowest death rate among that group of states. Illinois saw roughly 79 deaths per 100,000 residents attributed to COVID-19, slightly lower than Wisconsin (80) and Missouri (83), and lower still compared with Iowa (88), Kentucky (110) and Indiana (122).

The Pritzker administration cites the mask mandate as the reason Illinois has seen less serious illness and death, but it can be difficult to tease out cause and effect.

While academic studies have continued to find benefits of masking, including lowered rates of infection and serious illness, they dont necessarily explain why some states without mandates had rates near or better than Illinois. Researchers have previously said there can be a host of other factors that also affect why and where infections spread.

In one of those factors  the level of vaccination  Illinois is also a leader, with nearly three-fourths of residents receiving at least one shot, and nearly a third receiving a booster, the latter considered the most effective way to limit the chance of an infection causing serious illness.

Masks have become a serious political flashpoint, but to some extent the focus on that one safety measure has obscured the importance of other factors that could play even more important roles in slowing the spread of virus, said Sarah Cobey, a University of Chicago researcher whose lab helped the state model the potential spread of the virus early in the pandemic.

I am sure that masking has saved lives, and removing mask mandates will lead to hospitalizations and deaths, but it seems almost a distraction compared to more substantive measures, Cobey wrote in an email. Lack of good support for isolation and sick leave, poor access to testing, low vaccination coverage in many populations, weak to absent ventilation standards, indoor dining, and unclear messaging probably each contribute more to transmission than most cloth and surgical masking.

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Likewise, Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine, said he doesnt necessarily object to the mask mandate being lifted, but he would rather see public policy focus on pushing more people to get vaccinated and protecting those who already are.

Pritzker stopped short of ever requiring people statewide to show proof of vaccination to dine in restaurants or workout at gyms, and Chicago and Cook County are dropping their vaccine card rules on Monday along with the city and county mask mandates.

I want to be in a room and I want to know that everybody there is vaccinated, Murphy said. I dont want to mix with unvaccinated people because thats going to increase my risk of getting infected.

As mask rules are eased in Illinois and across the country, there are two possible scenarios that could play out, Murphy said.

One is the path weve been down before: Cases begin to surge again, perhaps driven by a new variant, as we saw last summer with delta, or by the BA.2 subvariant, known as stealth omicron, that is already in Illinois, Murphy said.

That would test the willingness of Pritzker to tighten restrictions again and the publics readiness to listen.

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If we have to put those mitigations back, we have to be ready to do it and do it quickly, Murphy said. The longer you wait, this thing can really just take over again, like it did with omicron.

The other possibility is that this winters onslaught was the states last major surge, with the virus becoming manageable through booster shots and better treatments, among other measures.

We have a full toolbox now, Murphy said.

Either way, Illinois is left with a battered health care system that has shed workers while at the same time seeing higher patient loads, even from people not suffering from COVID-19.

Those factors have led to fewer available beds. After the brutal fall 2020 surge, Illinois hospitals bounced back with roughly 10,000 open beds administrators said could be staffed if need be. Last month, that number had fallen below 6,000, before since recovering to about 8,000.

While that may seem like a lot, its only one open bed for every 1,600 Illinois residents, and its not uniformly spread across the state. That means upticks of patients in certain places can quickly fill up a hospitals open beds and jam its emergency room, which is what happened across the state during the last surge.

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The inherent hope in Pritzkers decision to lift the mask mandate is that, now more than ever, the virus cant do as much damage to residents and the health care system as before.

If thats the case, UICs Mooney said, the heated rhetoric over mask mandates and other coronavirus protocols will have plenty of time to cool down before voters head to the polls in November.

While Pritzker will never win over staunchly anti-mask and anti-vaccine voters, Mooney said, the thing is he doesnt have to have them. He just has to kind of blunt their anger a little bit. Thats all he needs to do.

dpetrella@chicagotribune.com

jmahr@chicagotribune.com
According to the Delhi Police, the woman, identified as Santosh Arora, was riding pillion on a two-wheeled vehicle with her cousin.

"Her vehicle was hit by a truck of Bharat gas supply while going from Mool Chand underpass side to Ashram Chowk at Lal Sai chowk in Lajpat Nagar. The lady died on the spot. Her body has been shifted to AIIMS trauma centre," police said.

Further, police have taken both the vehicles into their possession and apprehended the 32-year-old truck, driver. (ANI)
More than 4,000 scientists and journalists have signed an open letter slamming Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. The letter, posted on the trv-science.ru website, describes the Russian invasion as 'unfair' and 'senseless', and so far has garnered 4,100 signatures. "We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, declare a strong protest against the hostilities launched by the armed forces of our country on the territory of Ukraine. This fatal step leads to huge human losses and undermines the foundations of the established system of international security," they said. While making Russia solely responsible "for unleashing a new war in Europe", they said, "there is no rational justification for this war". They wrote that Ukraine as a country remains "close" and that it "does not pose a threat to the security" of Russia. Further they lamented that the war spells doom on scientific cooperation between the two countries as well as in the continent. They feared international isolation which may result in "scientific, cultural and technological degradation". "Having unleashed the war, Russia doomed itself to international isolation, to the position of a pariah country. This means that we, scientists, will no longer be able to do our job normally: after all, conducting scientific research is unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries." "War with Ukraine is a step to nowhere," they warned. The authors asked for the war to be revoked on an immediate basis. "We demand an immediate halt to all military operations directed against Ukraine. We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. We demand peace for our countries." Meanwhile, the military invasion ordered by Russian president Vladimir Putin on February 24, has affected Ukraine's academic activity among others, as "students and faculty had to urgently leave their places". In a statement, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, has appealed to the global academic community to support colleagues in Ukraine. "We call [on] universities, academic institutions in Europe and around the world to stand up with Ukraine against [P]utin's regime, against ruining the fundamentals of peace, security and democracy in Europe and in the world." --IANS rvt/skp/ ( 364 Words) 2022-02-27-20:22:03 (IANS)
As there is still a huge stigma surrounding the LGBTIQ+ community in China, a popular LGBTQ+ dating app, Grindr, which was taken off from the app stores of the country, has decided to tighten the privacy for the queer athletes competing in Beijing. Chinese authorities continue to tighten controls on online expression in the country where the internet regulation policies are already tightened to purge the online behaviour of the people said a media report. Recently, a famous social media app Grindr was found to be taken off from the app stores of the country. Grindr is a popular LGBTQ+ dating app that became a world success after its launch in 2009. It was found that the App is no more available on the Apple App store in China and reportedly Apple didn't pull the plug on Grindr but the owners of the app themselves citing extremity in complying with China's Personal Information Protection Law, said the report. The app was also found unavailable on the Android App stores of Tencent and Huawei as the Google Play store is not available in the nation. Grindr was initially owned by a Chinese company Kunlun Tech but was later sold to US investors in Los Angeles California in 2020. The removal of Grindr comes in the backdrop of China's revised efforts to regulate online content in the wake of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, said the report. The Cyberspace Administration of China recently announced a month-long operation to clampdown on internet rumors, pornography and illegal content. The authorities said that this campaign aims to create an auspicious, healthy and civilized internet culture and atmosphere as China enters the Lunar New Year. While homosexuality is not illegal in China, same-sex marriages have still not been accorded legal protection. As per a 2016 study by United Nations, only 5 per cent of Chinese citizens chose to 'come out' Grindr is not the first app to see the exit door in China. In 2017, another LGBTIQ+ dating app Zank was shut down after authorities accused it of hosting pornographic content. Jinping administration has shown quite an intolerance towards the LGBTIQ+ community. In July 2021, WeChat suspended many accounts that were posting about LGBTIQ+ topics. Another messaging app QQ banned the usage of the words "Gay" and "LGBTIQ+" on its platform, the media report said. International Companies in China grapple with the nation's strict regulatory framework. Apple itself has removed hundreds of apps from its China stores to comply with the local rules and laws. In December 2020, Apple took down around 46,000 gaming apps that failed to secure an operating license in China. China imposes a strict code on content moderation and censorship and all are expected to comply with it. Anything that goes against the Communist Party's ideology is not welcome in the country. Last year, authorities requested Apple to take down a Quran app, said the report. There is still a huge stigma surrounding the LGBTIQ+ community in China. In the year 2016, Chinese censors notified that movies and shows shouldn't show same-sex romance and should avoid plotlines featuring gay relationships. The basic human rights available to the people of China are too narrow. While other civilized countries are paving their way forward, Beijing is adamant about asserting its unjustified rigid values. The world is running into the internet age but the Chinese Government is still bent on its rigid ideology and beliefs, said the report. Anyhow, Grindr has decided to tighten the privacy for the queer athletes competing in Beijing. While the Beijing Winter Olympics is taking place, Grindr is taking extra measures to protect the privacy of the athlete users that are competing in China. Grindr's "explore" feature makes it easily accessible to all its users to view anyone's profile in the world. The app has disabled this "explore" feature for everyone currently in the Beijing Olympic Village to keep the athletes' profiles and sexual orientation private giving them a cover against any discrimination, persecution and harassment, the report said. While the same feature has been disabled by Grindr in some countries that criminalize homosexuality, this is the first time this feature has been disabled for the Olympics. Also, the fact that the event is taking place in China makes it noteworthy since the country has a complex environment when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. China's authoritarian regime makes the free expression of sexuality a myth, the report added. (ANI)
"The speed of the Russian advance has temporarily slowed likely as a result of acute logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance," the UK Defence Ministry said in an intelligence update on Ukraine on Twitter.

The Ministry said that Russian forces are "bypassing major Ukrainian population centres while leaving forces to encircle and isolate them."

"Overnight clashes in Kyiv are likely to have involved limited numbers of pre-positioned Russian groups," the Ministry said.

"The capture of Kyiv remains Russia's primary military objective," the Ministry added. (ANI)
"EU countries are closing the airspace for Russian airlines. Just confirmed to me from a reliable source," Matthias Deiss, a journalist working for the German ARD broadcaster, said on Twitter late on Saturday.

According to German media reports, Lufthansa, Germany's flag carrier, is suspending its flights in the Russian airspace for one week amid Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)
"Today, all units were ordered to advance in all directions in accordance with the operation's plan after Ukraine had refused to take part in the negotiation process," Russian News Agency TASS reported citing Konashenkov as saying.

According to Konashenkov, the forces of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR, LPR) continue to advance towards the positions of the Ukrainian army with the fire support of the Russian Armed Forces, Russian News Agency reported.

Earlier, on Thursday, Putin had announced a special military operation.

Putin stressed that Moscow had no plans to occupy Ukrainian territories and the goal was to demilitarize and denazify the country, TASS reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities escalating the ongoing tensions between the two countries. (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putins war with Ukraine is not going as per the plan due to Kremlins overconfidence, poor tactical planning, and shock at the fierce resistance put up by brave Ukrainians fighting for national survival, Daily Mail reported. A dramatic video shows a destroyed Russian convoy with Z-markings near Kherson in the south of the country on the third day of fighting after Ukraine's army held control of Kiev and last night successfully repelled Russian advances on the capital. Kiev's Defence Ministry has so far put Russia's losses at around 2,800 troops, 80 tanks, 516 armoured vehicles, 10 airplanes and seven helicopters. The Russian army has now been ordered to broaden its advance from all directions', after senior US defence officials claimed Russia is facing more resistance than Moscow anticipated in its invasion of Ukraine, including in its advance on Kiev, and appears to have lost some of its momentum, Daily Mail reported. However, Ukraine's military is asking people to remove the names of streets, cities and villages from road signs in their regions in order to confuse and disorient the enemy'. In a tweet, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said: "We will do everything possible to clear Ukraine of the Russian occupier as soon as possible!" Estonia's former defence chief Riho Terras has now claimed that Putin's war is not going to plan because Russia is fast running out of money and weapons, and will have to enter negotiations with Volodymyr Zelensky's government if Kiev holds off the Russians for 10 days, Daily Mail reported. Russia's tyrant has allegedly convened a meeting with the oligarchs in a bunker in the Ural Mountains, at which it is claimed that he furiously vented that he thought the war would be easy' and everything would be done in one to four days'. Citing Ukrainian intelligence sources, Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around 15 billion pounds per-day, and that they have rockets for three to four days at most, which they are using sparingly, the report said. --IANS san/arm ( 357 Words) 2022-02-26-23:08:02 (IANS)
"United States Mission to United Nations (USUN) and Albania request an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Sunday to adopt a resolution convening a special General Assembly session on the Russian invasion of Ukraine," a diplomat said.

Earlier, a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution was held on Friday (local time) condemning the Russian military action in Ukraine. The request for a Sunday session on Ukraine comes after Russia vetoed on Friday a draft UN Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion. China, India, and UAE abstained, while the remaining 11 members voted in favor.

The United States and allies are seeking as much support as possible to show Russia is internationally isolated. (ANI)
The projectile was fired eastwards and its launch was announced by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Yonhap said, without providing any further details.

Japan's coast guard warned that North Korea test-fired a projectile on Sunday morning, urging ships to exercise caution.

Kyodo reported that the projectile, fired toward the Sea of Japan and likely a ballistic missile, appears to have fallen outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.

If confirmed, the Sunday launch will become Pyongyang's eighth test since the start of this year. (ANI/Sputnik)
London [UK], February 27 (ANI/Sputnik): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that disconnecting certain Russian banks from SWIFT, a restrictive measure agreed upon by Western states this weekend, is the first step in isolating Russia financially. "We have taken decisive action tonight with our international partners to shut Russia out of the global financial system, including the important first step of ejecting Russian banks from SWIFT," Johnson said on Twitter late on Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, the United Kingdom, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and the United States agreed on additional anti-Russia sanctions over the Ukraine situation. They committed to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT system and that the Russian Central Bank is prevented from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of sanctions. The British government said that Western allies are ready to continue imposing sanctions on Russia as the latter's special military operation in Ukraine continues. A special task force will be created to ensure the implementation of the restrictive measures. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told The Sunday Times that the British government plans to sanction Russian oligarchs on a regular basis in the coming months and that people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin will have "nowhere left to hide." According to Truss, the UK Foreign Office is preparing a "hit list" of Russian oligarchs to be targeted by sanctions. Western nations have increased sanctions pressure on Russia after it launched a military operation in Ukraine following requests for help from the people's republics in Donbas that have accused Kiev of intensified shootings in recent weeks. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation was targeting the military infrastructure of Ukraine only and that the civilian population was not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)
Markiian Ryzhuk, 5, attends a rally opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 27, 2022, outside Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago's Ukrainian Village. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Zoryana Smozhanyk and her parents stood outside their cars across from the Buckingham Fountain late Saturday morning talking as they waited for a truck convoy in support of Ukraine to arrive.

Close to noon, trucks began to pull up along Columbus Drive, lining up from Jackson Drive to Roosevelt Road and parked as the Smozhanyks and hundreds of other Ukrainians and their backers who gathered to welcome them looked on.

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The event, Trucker Convoy for Ukraine, began about 8:30 a.m. in northwest suburban East Dundee. Dozens of semis rolled out about an hour later, ending up at the fountain.

Demonstrators spread out on all corners of Columbus Drive and Ida B. Wells Drive holding yellow and blue flags and signs condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin for his actions, some with harsher language than others.

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Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, igniting the largest attack on European soil since World War II. Putin has ignored widespread condemnation of his actions and threatened any interfering country with consequences you have never seen.

Stepan Nozhak, who has been a truck driver more than six years, organized the convoy as a way to stand behind Ukraines efforts to keep control of their country as Russia invades, said Nozhaks wife, Mariia Salii.

This is how we can let (the) world know what is happening in our country, Salii said. That our families are dying.

Salii rode in her husbands truck as the vehicles, also including vans and cars, drove about 40 miles into Chicago, getting honks from other motorists.

Protesters also marched Thursday and Friday in the Loop drawing attention to whats happening to their country.

Nozhak moved to the U.S. almost 9 years ago and Salii 7 years ago.

Nozhaks mother and his 16-year-old sister live in Ukraine. So does Saliis dad, she said.

Salii said shes scared when she gets a phone call from home or a text message, or when she opens a news story.

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Late Wednesday night, Salii got a text from a friend saying, There is war in Ukraine, she said.

She said it was unreal and she didnt believe it would actually happen.

I was shocked. I couldnt sleep, she said. I had panic attacks and this anxiety.

Salii worried her dad will be asked to join the front lines.

A caravan of trucks are parked for a rally to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in the 600 block of South Columbus Drive Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Chicago. The caravan started in East Dundee earlier in the day, according to organizers. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Iryna Ostafiichuks parents are in Western Ukraine where theyre not on the line of fire but they have still heard sirens and hidden in their basement.

It is definitely scary because the person who started the war, no one knows what to expect from him, said Ostafiichuk, who held a Ukrainian flag. Its just devastating to hear all the news. That our spirit, Ukraninans spirit just irritates someones demons so bad that theyre just starting a war.

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Smozhanyk was working out when she saw that her country was being attacked.

I was on a StairMaster at a gym and I saw it on the TV, and I almost fell off the StairMaster, she said. So it was not a good feeling. I had slept three hours that day. And I had a very long workday afterward. I was very shaky physically, emotionally.

Smozhanyk and her parents moved to the U.S. in 2010 after getting approved for a green card, she said. They wanted a better life for their daughter.

She has a sister and two brothers with their own families in Ukraine, along with extended cousins.

My cousin told me he was in bomb shelter and he saw smoke coming out from the shelling, Smozhanyk said.

Their family is trying to move away from the line of fire but plans to stay in Ukraine for now, she said.

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As they waited Saturday, Smozhanyk and her parents chatted with a friend theyd just met, Aleksei Kobernik, who is from Russia and was at Saturdays rally to speak up against Russias recent attacks on Ukraine.

Kobernik said he sees it as his duty to show solidarity and to say not all Russians are supportive of their president.

Kobernik, who moved to U.S. two years ago, spoke in Russian, Smozhanyk translating for him.

I wish for this to end as soon as it possibly can, Kobernik said. So as few as possible Ukrainians have to die for this.

scasanova@chicagotribune.com
Havana [Cuba], February 27 (ANI/Sputnik): US persistence in pushing forward with NATO's expansion eastward is leading to unpredictable consequences that could have been avoided, Cuba's Foreign Ministry says. "The American determination to continue the progressive expansion of NATO towards the borders of the Russian Federation has led to a scenario with implications of unpredictable scope that could have been avoided," the ministry said on Saturday. The ministry added that the recent US and NATO deployments close to the Russian borders and the delivery of weapons to Kyiv amount to a "progressive military encirclement." (ANI/Sputnik)
The new sanctions would include national measures to freeze the financial assets of Russian figures as well as new measures to be taken with European partners concerning the SWIFT interbank system, the statement said.

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday that France has agreed to supply military equipment to Kyiv as well as ban Russia from the SWIFT international banking system.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced assistance of 300 million Euros (USD 337 million) of aid and military equipment to Ukraine, reported the French daily Le Monde.

Macron also asserted that France will extend humanitarian assistance to people from Ukraine seeking shelter in neighbouring countries. (ANI)
Canberra [Australia], February 27 (ANI/Sputnik): Australia will supply weapons to Ukraine through NATO allies in Europe, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday, days after Canberra said it would only provide Kiev with "non-lethal" assistance. "We are already providing significant support in terms of non-lethal aid but I've just spoken to the Defence Minister [Peter Dutton] and we'll be seeking to provide whatever support we can for lethal aid through our NATO partners, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom," Morrison said as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald. The Australian prime minister explained that the NATO channels are the most effective way to expand the military support that his country initially announced on Friday. "They are already providing support in these areas and we will be assisting them with what they are doing," Morrison said. (ANI/Sputnik)
At least 20 people were killed and 42 others were injured in Afghanistan last week, Pajhwok Afghan News reported adding that the death toll does not include casualties caused by natural disasters.

Reports say, a security personnel opened fire on a rickshaw during a search operation in Kandahar city, killing a woman and injuring two others. Two people have killed their wives in Yahyakhel district of Paktika province and Zaranj city, the capital of Nimroz province.

Two people were killed and 27 others were injured in a clash between Pakistani and Afghan security forces in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province last week, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

A security personnel and eight members of an armed group were killed during a security operation in Panjshir province last week. Another person was also killed by security forces in Dara-i-Suf Payen district of Samangan province.

Reports say that a former government prosecutor was found dead in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province. Unidentified gunmen killed two people and wounded another in Nawa district of Helmand province. A border police soldier of the former government was also killed by unknown armed men in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar.

Unidentified gunmen killed seven vaccine administrators in Kunduz city and Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province. A man was killed by unknown armed men in Dawlatabad district of Faryab province. A man killed himself and his father and wounded four members of his family when accidentally shooting a gun while cleaning a weapon in Pachiragam district of Nangarhar province.

Meanwhile, 4764 were suffered casualties so far this year, the Afghan media outlet reported. (ANI)
"The public universities and institutes were reopened today (Saturday)," said Ahmad Taqa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) of the Taliban regime as quoted by Tolo News.

The classes of male and female students are segregated and occur at different shifts, the news portal said citing instructors and students. The students at Kabul University said that the segregation of male and female classes has affected the methods of teaching.

The students are also struggling with the problem of the unavailability of instructors to teach classes in two different shifts.

"Many of our instructors were absent. However, there were a couple of instructors," Hayatullah, a student was quoted as saying.

Students and instructors at many public universities celebrated the reopening. Badshah Zar Abadi, an instructor at Balkh University said, "The reopening of universities is great news and a new spring."

Some students also expressed concerns over possible changes in the textbooks, especially in the arts faculties.

Earlier this month, The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) had welcomed the re-opening of the universities in the warmer areas of the country from February 2. (ANI)
The move came after Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged the American businessman to provide Starlink stations in war-hit Ukraine where internet services were disrupted following military operations by Russia.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Fedorov said,"@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars -- Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space -- Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand."

Following this, Musk tweeted, "Starlink service is now active in Ukraine," adding that more terminals are en route.

The Starlink services provide access to broadband internet connections across the world. The array of Starlink satellites, operated by SpaceX, offer low-latency internet coverage in remote areas of several countries.

Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Following this, he ordered special military operations "to protect" the people in the Donbas region. (ANI)
The development comes amid news of another possible increase in petrol prices, local media reported on Sunday. Experts believe petroleum products may see another hike between Rs 8 and Rs 12 after the price of crude oil hit over $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014.

Earlier this month, the Imran Khan government had dropped a "petrol bomb" on the masses by increasing the prices of petroleum products by up to Rs 12.03 per liter.

The Russia-Ukraine crisis has also fanned concerns over supplies of key commodities including wheat and metals in an already struggling economy.

On Thursday, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) released data showing that Pakistan's Current Account Deficit (CAD) rose to an all-time high of USD 2.56 billion in the month of January 2022.

At the same time, Pakistan's debt and liabilities hit an all-time high of Rs 51.724 trillion in December 2021 with external debt rising by a staggering 20 per cent during the first half of the current fiscal (2021-22).

The Imran Khan government has been facing criticism from both the opposition and citizens over the record increase in oil prices as well as the dependency of his government on loans and bailouts. (ANI)
"The United States took the decision today to facilitate a broad range of commercial activities in Afghanistan to benefit the people there," the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a press statement.

The new relaxation issues a "General Licence 20", allowing "financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and private sector companies to engage in wide-ranging transactions and activities in Afghanistan while complying with the US sanctions."

Blinken specifically clarified that the sanctions on the Taliban regime are still in place, saying, "To be clear, sanctions on the Taliban remain in place." Today's action facilitates private companies and aid organizations to work with Afghanistan's governing institutions, he added in the official statement.

The new measures are expected to have wide implications for the Afghan economy, affecting sectors like personal and commercial banking, infrastructure development and maintenance, commercial trade, safety and maintenance operations for transportation systems, telecommunications and information transactions.

"This new licence announcement has gotten buried in Ukraine news, but it's big," said Michael Kugelman, a scholar of South Asian Affairs at Wilson Centre, Washington.

Earlier on Friday, a group of eight senior emergency experts from UN agencies and international non-governmental organizations said that more than 24 million people, which represent 59 per cent of the Afghan population, require urgent life-saving assistance.

"We stand with the people of Afghanistan as they work to rebuild their economy," Blinken said. (ANI)
Taliban members and Pakistan officials will hold a meeting on Monday at Torkham over trade flows and people's movement across the Durand Line, according to local media. Heading a high-level delegation, Commerce Adviser Razak Dawood will hold talks with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's commerce minister, Pajhwok Afghan News reported on Sunday. Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq and National Security Advisor Dr Moeed Yusuf will also accompany Dawood. This information was shared at a meeting of the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC), Pajhwok Afghan News said citing an official statement. Recently, Durand Line in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar has witnessed a fight between Talibani and Pakistani forces, leaving 20 injured and 3 killed during the scuffle. So far, 20 civilians have been injured and three killed in the incident. Taking to Twitter Asvaka News said, "Fighting has been raging in the Spin Boldak district of #Kandahar between #Taliban & #Paki forces on the #Durand Line since this afternoon. 20 civilians injured & three killed so far. Civilians have fled their homes near the Durand Line." According to the sources in Kandahar, Pakistani border guards beat an Afghan child at the Spin Boldak Gate and Afghan security forces opened fire on Pakistani border guards in the area. The incident took place afternoon on Thursday, after which the gate was closed to traffic. It added that after the incident, the army forces from the Al-Badr corps arrived at the scene and are preparing to respond to the Pakistani border guards. Differences between the Taliban and Pakistan continue to persist over the issue of the Durand Line. However, bilateral relations between Pakistan and the Taliban are turning hostile over the issue of Durand Line and cross-border "terror activities" of groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against Islamabad. Pakistan intends to bring the tribal areas near the Durand Line under its control and complete its Durand barbed wire fencing. Following deadly attacks on Pakistani troops, the Pakistani military has launched an operation along the Durand Line near Afghanistan. According to the Military analysts, Pakistan has not changed its bilateral policy and the country wants to get rid of international criticism, which has been accused of training and financing terrorism for years. (ANI)
Russia is ready to hold talks with Ukraine in Gomel, Belarus even while Ukraine continues to insist on a venue in a country not taking part in military operations against his country, news reports said on Sunday. "In line with the agreement, the Russian delegation consisting of representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and other agencies, including the presidential administration, has arrived in Belarus for talks with the Ukrainians," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday as quoted by TASS. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address released on his Telegram channel that he is ready for talks with Russia in any other country but Belarus, citing the involvement of Belarus with Russia in the ongoing conflict. "At the moment, we're saying no to Minsk. Other cities can be a place to meet. Of course, we want peace, we want to meet, we want for the war to end. Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we have suggested all that to Russia. And any other city will do... in a country, from whose territory the rockets are not flying. This is the only way that the talks can be honest and can really put an end to the war," Zelenskyy said. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had announced on Saturday that Minsk was ready to provide a venue for holding the negotiations. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday had recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Later, Putin ordered special military operations "to protect" the people in the Donbas region. Russia has been facing immense criticism, especially from the western countries over the recent actions. A number of countries including the US, UK and Germany have applied fresh rounds of sanctions on Russia. (ANI)
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China's leading automaker First Automotive Works (FAW) and leading new-energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer BYD kicked off construction of a battery production facility in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, on Saturday.

With a total investment of 13.5 billion yuan (about 2.14 billion U.S. dollars), the project is expected to meet the needs of one million electric cars and achieve an output value of more than 20 billion yuan.

BYD will strengthen cooperation with FAW to build a strategic base for power batteries in northeast China, said BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu.
A university student was reportedly arrested earlier this month for teaching Tibetians in Chamdo and is reported to have not been seen afterwards, according to Tibet Watch. Notably, Chinese authorities have banned 'informal' Tibetan language classes in many areas of Tibet that children attend outside their schools. The authorities have also warned that anyone caught violating the government's order will face 'serious legal consequences and punishment', Radio Free Asia reported citing a source. "No individual or organization is allowed to hold informal classes or workshops to teach the Tibetan language during the winter holidays when the schools are closed.This is an attempt to wipe out the Tibetan language," the source added. Choedon, who hailed from the Yamda village in Riwoche country, was detained on February 13. According to her family, the language lessons during the winter vacation in the village might have resulted in her detention, Phayul reported. Citing sources by Tibet Watch, Phayul reported that the young student has no criminal record. "Choedon was arrested by the Chinese authorities but she has not committed any wrongdoing nor does she have any criminal record. Her family is concerned about her safety as it has been more than five days since her arrest and disappearance but there is no clue about where she is being held or her conditions," added Phayul. She is currently enrolled at the Southwest Minzu University in Chengdu, it said. Choedon's sudden arrest comes amidst the ongoing imposition of restrictive language policies by the Chinese government. Last year in September, the Chinese government intensified an already biased policy, which replaced all school textbooks in Tibetan with Chinese language materials, and instructed all schools to make Chinese the official medium of instruction. Authorities have cracked down on monastic schools that teach the Tibetan language to children, like the Sengdruk Taktse middle school in Darlak County which was forced to shut down last year in June. (ANI)
This was Dolma's first official visit abroad after taking oath in November 2021, and the first in-person meeting of a leader of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) with Special Coordinator Zeya.

"The visit is to lay the groundwork for future engagements between the US Administration and CTA in resolving the Tibet issue," stated the official website of the CTA.

"Kalon briefed about the current CTA administration's firm commitment to the middle way approach and the proactive ways it is taking to resolve the Tibetan issue," it further said.

Earlier, Zeya had convened a meeting with the representative of the Dalai Lama and CTA to North America Namgyal Choedup in December 2021 after being designated as the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, the Indian embassy in Kyiv on Sunday advised the Indian diaspora to move away from conflict zones to the Western region subject to the security situation and the extant regulations. Taking to Twitter, the embassy informed that Ukraine Railways is additionally organizing emergency trains at no cost, first come basis from Kyiv. However, the schedule of the trains can be found at stations "Ukraine Railways is additionally organising emergency trains at no cost, first come basis from Kyiv. Schedule can be found at train stations. Indian diaspora is advised to move away from conflict zones to the Western region subject to security situation and the extant regulations," the Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine said today. On Saturday, the embassy in its advisory to Indian nationals stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens. "All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said today that the fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga. "Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet. Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday. Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks. (ANI)
The German traffic ministry is preparing to close German airspace to Russian planes, The New York Times reported citing a ministry spokeswoman who confirmed the news on Saturday night.

Notably, several other European Union (EU) countries have already announced the closure of their airspace for Russian planes.

Estonia, Romania, Lithuania and Latvia announced on Saturday that they will ban Russian airlines from their airspace.

"We invite all EU countries to do the same. There is no place for planes of the aggressor state in democratic skies. #StandWithUkraine," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said in a tweet.

Earlier, the UK, Poland, Moldova and the Czech Republic had also closed their airspace to Russian airlines, CNN reported.

In the early hours on Thursday, Russia launched a special military operation in the Donbas region after the recognition of Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent identities.

The Western countries have strongly condemned the Russian military operation and boosted the sanctions pressure on Moscow. (ANI)
Moscow [Russia], February 27 (ANI/Sputnik): Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have expressed deep concern over the evolving situation and armed hostilities in Ukraine amid Russia's military operation in the country. "The ASEAN Foreign Ministers are deeply concerned over the evolving situation and armed hostilities in Ukraine. We call on all relevant parties to exercise maximum restraint and make utmost efforts to pursue dialogues through all channels, including diplomatic means to contain the situation, to de-escalate tensions, and to seek peaceful resolution in accordance with international law, the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia," ASEAN foreign ministers said in a statement released Saturday. Foreign ministers also expressed the belief that "there is still room for peaceful dialogue" to prevent the further escalation of the situation in and around Ukraine. "For peace, security, and harmonious co-existence to prevail, it is the responsibility of all parties to uphold the principles of mutual respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and equal rights of all nations," the statement added. On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)
On Thursday, the Chinese embassy in Kyiv issued a notice regarding the evacuation and said that the authorities are preparing charter flights for the process, Global Times has reported.

The charter flights will be dispatched according to the safety situation and will be notified in advance, the embassy said.

Meanwhile, the embassy in Ukraine has issued two security alerts for Chinese citizens and companies in the country in one day. The embassy said that, although activities have been affected, there was no panic, Global Times added.

It also asked all Chinese nationals to monitor the evolving situation.

At present, there are about 6,000 Chinese nationals in Ukraine, mainly in Kyiv, Lvov, Kharkov, Odessa and Sumy, according to Global Times.

In the early hours on Thursday, Russia had launched a special military operation after the recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The Western countries have strongly condemned the Russian military operations and imposed severe sanctions on Moscow. (ANI)
Warsaw [Poland], February 27 (ANI/Sputnik): Over 156,000 residents of Ukraine have entered Poland since the beginning of hostilities in the country amid Russia's military operation, the Polish Border Guard said on Sunday. "Since the beginning of hostilities, the Border Guard officers have registered a total of 187,800 people at border crossings with Ukraine, including over 156,000 people in the direction of entry into Poland," the agency said in a statement. According to Warsaw, a record number of 88,400 people have been registered on the Polish-Ukrainian border over the past 24 hours, with 77,300 seeking to enter Poland. On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)
Ahead of its planned 'long march' against the misgovernance of the Imran Khan regime, the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday released a video statement listing out his agenda for the mega-protest. "The Pakistani people have been betrayed yet again. The last few years have been catastrophic for Pakistani people," a readout issued by Bilawal Bhutto said. "We march for the marginalized, for the unfairly treated, for the unheard, for the voiceless. We march for Haq-e-Hakmiat (right to self-rule). We march for Haq-e-Malkiat (right to property). We march for Haq-e-Rozgar (right to employment). We march for Haq-e-Barabri (right to equality)," the Twitter handle of PPP said while releasing the video. "We march to realize your dreams, aspirations, dignity, self-respect, and prosperity. We fight to heal the wounds inflicted by this regime, heal our society, heal our country. The people of Pakistan shall not be enslaved, they will not be defeated," PPP said further in a follow-up tweet. The main opposition parties of Pakistan, PPP and Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PMLN) had come together earlier this month and decided to carry out long marches against the Imran Khan-led country's government on February 27 and on March 23. Both the parties have agreed to use all legal, constitutional, and political options at their disposal to overthrow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. The march is expected to start tomorrow from Karachi city in the Sindh province and is expected to go all the way to Islamabad in the coming days. Meanwhile, the opposition parties in Pakistan have divulged that a no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government will likely be moved within the first half of March. Earlier this month, an anti-government opposition alliance, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), had declared that they will move a no-trust motion against the PTI government. (ANI)
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that at least four million Afghan children are expected to be affected with malnutrition, of whom 137,000 will lose their life in 2022. OCHA director Reena Ghelani, in order to assess the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, led a delegation visiting Kabul. The visit was followed by the complaint made by many Afghan citizens about the unjust distribution of UN aid. The UN delegation further warned that at least 18 million Afghans are facing food insecurity and that nine million of them are in dire need of food. "The time is now. We have no time to wait. We have to get the economy going and we need to give people hope today," Ghelani said. "We report against our target and our deliveries, and we need to be out there talking to people more and hearing their complaints--we certainly need to hear if there are problems out there and this is part of the mission that we went on," Ghelani told TOLOnews in a special interview. "...I spent most of my time and all of us... talking to Afghan people about those exact issues and hearing from them directly so that we can make sure that we are targeting correctly," she added. According to the economists, providing cash directly to the Afghan people would better help the Afghan economic system. "If the aid was provided in cash, it would help the value of the Afghan currency and would solve the cash problems in the markets," said Abdul Naseer Rishtia, a university professor. "The government should assess the aid provided by the UN. The contracts of the UN organizations should be shared (with the government) and the government must investigate it to see if the aid is provided to the people who deserve it," said Muzamil Shinwari, an economist. As millions of people are grappling with the economic crisis, earlier, the UK announced that it will co-host a UN conference on the Afghan humanitarian situation. The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated drastically since the Taliban took control of Kabul last year in mid-August. 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. (ANI)
Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday organized 'Haqooq-i-Sindh March' to rout the incumbent Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) who have been ruling the province for the last 15 years in the upcoming 2023 general elections. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, led the march at Kamoo Shaheed in Ubauro town of Ghotki district, situated along the Sindh-Punjab border, and said that the PPP had done nothing for the upliftment of Sindh and its people over the last 15 years, reported Dawn. "No public welfare programme, no development plan, no new industries and no agriculture sector development had been seen in the long rule of the PPP in Sindh," he pointed out while deploring that PPP chief ministers, ministers, lawmakers and other leaders only enjoyed powers and amassed wealth. Qureshi said that the PPP leaders exploited Sindhis and kept them deprived of their due rights. He asked people of Sindh to rise against the PPP over the excesses, reported Dawn. "Insha Allah, PTI will rout the PPP in Sindh in the 2023 general elections and form its government," he said. Shah regretted that Sindh lagged behind in the education sector as thousands of schools were lying closed and thousands more occupied by PPP-backed feudal lords, who were using them as their warehouses and for other purposes, reported Dawn. He said that thousands of ghost teachers were drawing salaries from the Sindh government and many teachers were not discharging their duties. The young generation is deprived of the right to education and livelihood. All other departments had also been ruined and plagued with corruption, he added. Besides Qureshi, the PTI parliamentary party leader Haleem Adil Sheikh, Sindh PTI president Ali Zaidi and Mir Iftikhar Loond spoke to them at different spots during the march. They said they would undertake door-to-door campaigns both in the urban and rural areas of Sindh, especially in Ghotki, Sukkur and Kandhkot-Kashmore districts in the upcoming electioneering to get the masses rid of the PPP, reported Dawn. (ANI)
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 Flash

The Kremlin said Saturday that Kiev has refused to hold talks with Moscow, causing Russian forces to resume operations in Ukraine.





"The Ukrainian side has refused to negotiate. This afternoon Russian forces have resumed their advance in accordance with the plan of the operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.





Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered a halt to military operations in light of the expected negotiations that were previously planned with Ukraine, local media reported citing Peskov.





Putin on Thursday authorized "a special military operation" in Donbass, and Ukraine confirmed that military targets across the country were under attack.





Also on Saturday, Oleksiy Arestovich, advisor to the head of Ukraine's presidential office, said Kiev refused to negotiate with Russia because the conditions Russia proposed are "unacceptable" for the country, calling those conditions as "an attempt to force us to surrender."




Poland is allowing entry of all the Indian nationals evacuating conflict-ridden Ukraine in its country without visas, said the Poland Embassy in India on Sunday. Ambassador of Poland to India, Adam Burakowski shared the information on his Twitter handle. Taking to Twitter, Burakowski said, "Poland is allowing to enter without any visa all Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine." The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under 'operation Ganga', External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday. "Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet. Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga. "The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," he said tweeted. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens. "All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read. "Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added. The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer. This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.(ANI)
The issue came to the light during a meeting held recently between car dealers/importers and officials of the excise and taxation department, reported Dawn.

The excise department had already collected Rs 1,000 from each vehicle owner at the time of registration. For 300,000 vehicles, the excise department had collected more than Rs 300 million.

Automotive Traders and Importers Association (ATIA) chief coordinator Aijaz Ahmed, who was present in the meeting, told Dawn that non-issuance of the number plates had been lingering since 2016 and become a serious problem for car buyers.

A senior excise and taxation official told Dawn that vehicles' number plates with new design had been approved and the backlog issue would be ended in March.

The Sindh government is planning to introduce a new biometric system of registration and transfer of vehicles. He said the biometric system of registration and transfer of vehicles would be introduced at a later stage soon.

Ahmed of ATIA said new number plates with Sindh's traditional Ajrak's border on top of it were coming with increased rates of Rs 1,800 instead of Rs 1,000, reported Dawn.

The existing computer system had become outdated and was advised to be replaced with a new system.

The excise officials told the meeting that a software revamping project was already under the initial phases of procurement. (ANI)
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government of dire consequences a day before the "long march" and said if Imran Khan resigns now then there would be no need to stage a protest and bring a no-confidence motion in parliament against the government. "After the removal of Imran Khan, the interim set-up would have limited responsibilities, which include carrying out electoral reforms and holding transparent elections," reported The Express Tribune. "After the ouster of [Prime Minister Imran] Khan Sahib, the next set-up will have the mandate to amend or introduce electoral reforms," said the main opposition leader while addressing a news conference at Bilawal House. "All opposition parties agree that no matter which one of them forms the government with a fresh mandate, it will have the power to get the people out of the tough times they are currently in," he added. The comments seem to bridge a "gap" between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the timing of holding fresh general elections in the country in case the opposition's anti-government agitation and no-confidence motion in parliament "succeed, reported The Express Tribune". Bilawal, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, claimed that the prime minister was "selected" through rigging and had no justification to carry on holding the post. The PPP chairman claimed that it was the incompetence of the current government that it signed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that went against the interests of the people, reported The Express Tribune. "The burden of the government's incompetence is being borne by the common man in the form of the rising prices of electricity, gas, fuel and medicines." The PPP chairman said the PTI-led government was undemocratic, but his party had adopted democratic measures to oust it. "The long march is a democratic attack on this undemocratic government." Bilawal said senior party leader Taj Haider had prepared a comprehensive report on the 2018 elections, in which it has been pointed out how the electoral process was compromised and what role was played by which institution. "We want the Election Commission [of Pakistan] to review this report and investigate it on their own before releasing it to the public," he demanded. "If the Election Commission does not address our concerns, then this report will be brought before other institutions concerned and the public." Talking about the long march, the PPP chairman said that it would be the longest one in the history of the country covering more than 2,000 kilometers. It would start from Karachi and reach Islamabad passing through 37 cities. "We will reach Lahore from Sahiwal on March 5, Gujranwala on March 6 and the last phase of the march will begin from March 8." (ANI)
Hundreds of people were stranded on Saturday days after fighting between security forces, reported The Frontier Post.

Border tensions have risen since the Taliban's return to power last year, with Pakistan alleging terrorist groups are planning attacks from Afghan soil.

The Taliban deny harbouring Pakistani terrorists and are also infuriated by a fence Islamabad is erecting along their 2,700-kilometre (1,600-mile) border, drawn up in colonial times and known as the Durand Line, reported The Frontier Post.

Each side blamed the other for Thursday's fighting at the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing.

Differences between the Taliban and Pakistan continue to persist over the issue of the Durand Line and bilateral relations between Pakistan and the Taliban are turning hostile over the issue of Durand Line and cross-border "terror activities" of groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against Islamabad.

Pakistan intends to bring the tribal areas near the Durand Line under its control and complete its Durand barbed wire fencing.

Following deadly attacks on Pakistani troops, the Pakistani military has launched an operation along the Durand Line near Afghanistan.

Notably, the Taliban have not accepted the Durand Line as the 'official' boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the United Nations Security Council will convene Sunday at 3 PM (local time) to vote on a resolution calling for a special session of the General Assembly. Notably, the United States and Albania have requested a meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday for a procedural vote to appoint a special session of the General Assembly over the events in Ukraine, a UNSC source told Sputnik. In the case of a procedural vote, the right of veto is not valid and 9 votes out of 15 members of the Security Council are required to make the decision, as per a source. The emergency special session of the UN General Assembly will be requested for Monday, the source said. As many as fifty countries have issued a joint statement saying that Russia "abused" its veto power by blocking a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution condemning the Russian military action in Ukraine. This comes after Russia on Friday vetoed a draft UN resolution on Ukraine. The joint statement, which was read aloud by the US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said this resolution was "vital and straightforward." "Fundamentally, it was about whether the countries on the Security Council - charged with maintaining international peace and security - believe in upholding the UN Charter," the statement said. Holding Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible, the signatories said that Russia's action amounts to "violation of the UN Charter." "Russia has abused its power today to veto our strong resolution. But Russia cannot veto our voices. Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people. Russia cannot veto their own people protesting this war in the streets. Russia cannot veto the UN Charter. Russia cannot, and will not, veto accountability," the statement added. "We will be taking this matter to the General Assembly, where the Russian veto does not apply and the nations of the world will continue to hold Russia accountable," it added. The vote on Russia was 11 in favour, one against, and three abstentions. India, China, and UAE abstained from voting on the draft resolution. India has abstained from the vote but New Delhi has called for immediate de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine and advocated for a diplomatic solution. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar spoke with his Hungarian and Moldovian counterparts on Sunday and discussed cooperation for the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The EAM thanked the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for aiding the evacuation of Indian Nationals from Ukraine and requested further cooperation. Talking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Called up Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto. Thankful for the evacuation support provided so far. Requested further cooperation on the Hungary-Ukraine border." Jaishankar also spoke with Moldova Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu and sought support for the entry of Indian Nationals on the Ukraine-Moldova border. "Called Foreign Minister @nicupopescu of Moldova seeking support for facilitating the entry of our nationals on the Ukraine-Moldova border. Appreciate his ready response and strong support. #TeamMEA representatives will accordingly reach there tomorrow," said Jaishankar in a separate tweet. The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday. "Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet. Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga. "The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," he said tweeted. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens. "All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read. "Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added. The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer. This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday. Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks. (ANI)
Indian Embassy in Kyiv has released a second advisory on Sunday for all the Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine and advised them not to venture out as intense fighting in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv continues. "Based on latest input, intense fighting is underway in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv. It is reiterated, Indian Nationals in these cities, and other cities wherever curfew has been applied, are NOT advised to venture towards railway stations until curfew has been lifted and considerable civilian movement is renewed," the advisory read. Russian troops have reportedly entered Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv amid fierce fighting. A viral video on social media appears to show a number of Russian light military vehicles on the streets of the city, with some footage showing vehicles on fire. In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens. "All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read. "Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation," it added. The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar spoke with his Hungarian and Moldovian counterparts on Sunday and discussed cooperation for the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The EAM thanked the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for aiding the evacuation of Indian Nationals from Ukraine and requested further cooperation. Talking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Called up Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto. Thankful for the evacuation support provided so far. Requested further cooperation on the Hungary-Ukraine border." Jaishankar also spoke with the Foreign Minister of Moldova Nicu Popescu and sought support for the entry of Indian Nationals on the Ukraine-Moldova border. EAM admired his support in the evacuation process. "Called Foreign Minister @nicupopescu of Moldova seeking support for facilitating the entry of our nationals on the Ukraine-Moldova border. Appreciate his ready response and strong support. #TeamMEA representatives will accordingly reach there tomorrow," said Jaishankar in a separate tweet. The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday. "Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet.Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga. "The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," he said tweeted. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday. Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks. (ANI)
Pakistan's opposition party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has voiced its opposition to the Aurat March, women's rights movement in Pakistan saying it was against the norms of the society as well as Islam. This comes at a time when other parties like Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which are at loggerheads, have also come together to oppose Aurat March. TLP leader Mohammad Yaqub Saifi on Saturday said the participants of the Aurat March chanted unethical slogans. He further opposed the holding of the march on the occasion of the International Women's Day on March 8, reported the Dawn. Earlier, ahead of Aurat March that coincides with International Women's Day, the federal religious affairs minister and a leading light of the JUI-F have both termed it 'un-Islamic'. "If any attempts are made for obscenity on March 8 in Islamabad, we will condemn it," Abdul Majeed Hazarvi, the chief of JUI-F Islamabad wing had warned. Their argument would have weight if backed by logic, knowledge or even plain common sense but their driver appears to preconceived, archaic notions about a woman's place in society and outright misogyny. Anyone questioning the legitimacy of the women's rights movement need not embark on a deep study of history or sociology but merely look at a few recent incidents to understand why the status quo is unacceptable, as it is patently unjust, the Dawn reported. (ANI)
China's control of the public dissent during the Beijing Winter Olympics is a testimony to the power and grip of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the country. With no news of anti-Beijing demonstrations ahead of the Winter Olympics-2022 as compared to 2008 the scenario shows the effectiveness of increasing Chinese control in mainland China, Tibet, Xinjiang and South Mongolia. the 2008-Olympics can be judged from the fact that more than 155 Tibetan youths, monks and nuns have taken to the extreme step of self-immolation. Endless demonstrations at Chinese embassies broke out in 2001 with the proposal for Beijing as the venue for the 2008-Olympics. The protests went on till the last leg of the Olympic torch's run from Athens to Beijing in 2008. However, this time around China has managed to control public dissent in every way possible. Another thing to note is that in 2008 the demonstrations were so widespread and massive that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was compelled to give up the practice of carrying the Olympic Torch through all major capitals on its way to the new venue, reported the Singapore Post. Not so much alike this time as IOC President Thomas Bach "went out of their way to shield Xi and his security apparatus from any international criticism on the human rights record of the Chinese government." In the run-up to the Winter Olympics, there was only one small demonstration by human rights activists from Europe and America during the torch ceremony at Acropolis in Greece on 18th October 2021. All of this has contributed to protecting the Chinese government image and saved the country from any adverse international publicity. Ahead of the 2008 Olympics, more than 125 public demonstrations of Tibetans were held in 54 towns and cities, most of them outside what China calls as 'Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)'. In August, the same year these events had left over a hundred Tibetans shot dead and thousands arrested. (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin placed the country's nuclear deterrent forces on a "special" alert on Sunday amid the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Putin announced the move during a meeting with Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, reported RT News. "Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. I'm speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well," Putin stated. Moreover, Ukraine has agreed to meet with a Russian delegation in Belarus, and Russians are heading to the place where the talks will be held, the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said Sunday. The talks are expected to take place in the Gomel region at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, Belta news agency reported. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the Russian delegation is ready for the talks and waiting for their Ukrainian counterparts to arrive. "As you know, President [of Belarus Alexander] Lukashenko had a phone call with President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. After that, President Lukashenko turned to the Russian side, to President [Vladimir] Putin, asking him not to recall the Russian delegation, as Ukraine signalled its willingness to come to the talks in the Gomel region," Peskov said. (ANI)
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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday said it is impossible to be completely safe as long as there is an immunization "gap" in the world, calling for stronger vaccine support for developing countries.

Wang made the remarks during a UN General Assembly high-level thematic debate titled "Galvanizing Momentum for Universal Vaccination."

Stressing the responsibilities of major countries, Wang said it is necessary to strengthen COVID-19 vaccine support for developing countries, especially African countries.

He called on all parties to improve epidemic prevention and control measures, and promote research on mutant viruses and drug development cooperation on the basis of increasing the vaccination rate.

It is necessary to effectively help developing countries strengthen public health systems, adhere to true multilateralism, and improve the global health governance system, Wang said, calling for attention to coordinating epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development.

China has so far supplied more than 2.1 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries. One in two vaccines used globally is "Made in China," Wang noted.

It is also the first to support vaccine intellectual property rights exemption and the first to transfer technology to developing countries.

China is willing to continue to work with all parties to strengthen vaccine cooperation and jointly build a community of health for all, Wang said.




The International Labour Organization (ILO) in its annual report raised "deep concerns" about China's "discriminatory" labour regulations in Xinjiang. The 870-page report, authored by a 20-member group of independent foreign experts outlined several "coercive methods" that are suggestive of forced labour, contributing to the growing body of proof of human rights violations in the province, reported The Singapore Post. The evidence for the ILO report came from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which monitors global compliance with the ILO's Fundamental Workers' Rights. The ITUC's observations on China's government's extensive and systematic use of forced labour programmes in Xinjiang and elsewhere were summarized by Al Jazeera. The ITUC estimated that 13 million ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang are targeted based on their ethnicity and religion, with Beijing justifying its policies as "poverty alleviation", "vocational training", "re-education through labour" and "de-extremification." Forced labour in or around containment or "re-education" centres, which house around 1.8 million Uyghur and other Turkic or Muslim peoples in the region, is a crucial part of China's policy. As per the ITUC, the violations occur in or near jails and enterprises throughout Xinjiang and the rest of China, reported The Singapore Post. According to the ITUC, life in "re-education centres" or camps is marked by extreme deprivation, a limitation of mobility, and physical and psychological torment. It further said that prison labour was used in cotton harvesting and textile and footwear manufacturing. The Committee observes that the Uyghur community, as well as other Turkic and Islamic minorities, are separated from conventional educational and vocational training, vocational assistance, and employment services provided to all of the other groups in the region and across the nation. As a result of this division, China's productive labour market regulations may be devised and constructed in a manner that coerces people into choosing jobs and discriminates against ethnic and religious minorities. Pictures of the institutions, which feature guard towers and high encircling walls covered with barbed wire, add to the sense of seclusion, reported The Singapore Post. ITUC claims that outside of Xinjiang, Uyghur labourers live and work under isolation, are forced to take Mandarin courses, and are unable to practise their traditions and beliefs. (ANI)
Bratislava [Slovakia], February 27 (ANI/Sputnik): Slovakia is ready to organize talks between Russia and Ukraine in Bratislava if both sides agree to it, Prime Minister Eduard Heger said Sunday. "Ukraine named Bratislava as one of the places where Russian-Ukrainian talks could take place. Slovakia is ready to do everything possible to organize such talks if there is an actual proposal," the prime minister said as aired by TA3 broadcaster. (ANI/Sputnik)
Taking to Twitter, Spokesperson of the Indian Navy, said, "Adm R Hari Kumar #CNS met Rear Adm Ramson Godwin Mwaisaka Commander Tanzania Navy on the sidelines of MILAN 2022 & held discussions on issues of mutual interest."

The biennial multilateral naval exercise Milan 22 was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt at Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

The eleventh edition of MILAN is being hosted by the Eastern Naval Command at Vishakhapatnam for the first time. The participation from Friendly Foreign Countries includes 13 ships, 39 delegations and one Maritime Patrol Aircraft. This large congregation gives significance and potency to the word 'MILAN' which means "meeting" or "confluence" in Hindi. A Special Day Cover and a movie on the MILAN exercise was released by the Chief Guest to mark the occasion.

"MILAN endeavours to promote "Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration" between like-minded Navies. This is achieved by professional interaction and experience sharing at the harbour and enhancing interoperability, including multilateral operations at sea", stated the Navy's official release.

The harbour phase of the exercise will culminate on February 28, followed by the sea phase from 1 March to 4 March.

The event was attended by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, as well as Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Chiefs of Navies, Delegation Heads of participating countries and the Commanding Officers and crew of all participating ships. (ANI)
The woman, identified as 44-year-old Xiao Huamei, originally from Yunnan province in China, in a video, was found chained by the neck to an outdoor shed, incoherent and shivering in the cold in rural eastern China. At one end, China's glittering Closing Ceremonies were taking place and on the other end there was a furore in Chinese people over the woman, a mother of eight and victim of human trafficking reported the Washington Post. She was the victim of human trafficking in Fengxian, a poor rural county in Xuzhou in the eastern province of Jiangsu. This incident prompted a kind of activism that seems rare since Chinese leader Xi Jinping came to power. The death of whistleblower Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang of covid-19 in February 2020 in China has seen such an outpouring of public anger. However such kind of public outrage has not been witnessed since then until the video went public. Over the weekend, a woman had tried to visit the chained mother, reported the Washington Post. She, in an online post, shared how she herself, upon trying to visit the chained woman was then detained, beaten and barred from using the bathroom while in police custody. The woman's case was one of the top trending topics on the microblogging site Weibo as the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics began. One viewer commented, "The ceremony really is beautiful. Will the chained woman be there? Where is she? Is she safe?" People are trying to dig up information about the chained woman. Some have set up encrypted Telegram channels to share information about the woman to the public. Others are organizing volunteers to go to Xuzhou and investigate similar cases, with the hope of rescuing abducted women. (ANI)
Alghabra made the announcement of closing the airspace to Russian aircraft in a tweet on Sunday. It comes at a time when several other European countries have also made similar announcements.

Russian-owned aircraft are banned from the airspace above Germany, the U.K., Italy, the Baltic states and others. Those policies leave much of European airspace closed to Russian planes, reported CBC.

Notably, Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot operates multiple flights per day through Canadian airspace en route to the U.S. and beyond.

According to CBC News, Russia has responded by banning commercial flights from the U.K., Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.

Following the lead of other countries, Germany will also close its airspace for the Russian planes to extend its support to Ukraine against Russia's ongoing military operations, said a media report.

In the early hours on Thursday, Russia launched a special military operation in the Donbas region after recognition of Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent identities.

The Western countries have strongly condemned the Russian military operation and boosted the sanctions pressure on Moscow. (ANI)
Embassy of India in Poland, as part of an evacuation process, gave details of a hotel for Indian citizens on Sunday and guided them to reach the location after crossing over the border. Taking to Twitter, Embassy of India in Poland, "Information for Indian citizens in Ukraine desiring to be evacuated via Poland: Once people are able to cross over the border, they should reach the below location 250 beds ready at Hotel Prezydencki, ul. Podwislocze 48, Rzeszow." Poland is allowing entry of all the Indian nationals evacuating conflict-ridden Ukraine in its country without visas, said the Poland Embassy in India on Sunday. Ambassador of Poland to India, Adam Burakowski shared the information on his Twitter handle. Taking to Twitter, Burakowski said, "Poland is allowing to enter without any visa all Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine." The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under 'operation Ganga', External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday. "Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely," Jaishankar said in a Tweet. Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary's Budapest under Operation Ganga."The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi," he said tweeted. Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. (ANI)
Member of Parliament of Ukraine Inna Sovsun on Sunday said that she hates guns, but considering the ongoing conflict with Russia, if the need arises, she would fight to ensure that no Russian enters her home, city or country. Speaking with ANI, Sovsun talked about her picture with a gun and a laptop that went viral and said, "I hate guns but I am not allowing any Russian to enter my home, city or country. If the need comes, I will fight, for now, I am doing what I can do best." "For this, I am taking training from my brother, friends and NATO to use against Russia," she added while showing her gun to ANI. Commending the resistance put forward by the citizens here, Sovsun said that they have shot over 20 Russian planes. "The Russians thought that Ukraine has a small army and would be easy to capture, but what they did not know is that every citizen here is a part of the resistance, our army is that of 40 million," she told ANI. "I am not trying to be overly optimistic here; the war is far from over. They (Russians) have been air striking some of the military bases and it is scary, but the level of resistance here is unbelievable," she added. Sovsun also informed that chemistry students in Kyiv are making some chemical conflation to blow up Russian tanks trying to enter Ukrainian cities. Briefing ANI about the situation there, the Member of Parliament said that the Russian army is very demotivated, and has no idea of why they are here. "You can actually see that they are just 18-year-old boys who were enlisted. They have been leaving tanks and armed vehicles on roadsides when they do not understand the way," she added. Terming the situation as 'complex', Sovsun said, "We are four days and three nights into the war; there have been airstrikes in Ukraine, especially here in Kyiv. The Russian plan initially was this- they were planning to just start the airstrike to confuse and scare the Ukrainians, and then enter booths on the ground from three main directions; from the South where they captured the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, the East from its northern side in Kharkiv, and the North from Belarus which is basically an independent state but is now being fully controlled by Russia." "Initially, they were planning to capture Kyiv in the first 24 hours and to do that, they wanted to capture one of the military airports 40 km north. But that plan failed," she added. Seeking India's help in the time of crisis, Sovsun said, "I do understand all the geopolitical complexities of the situation. India as the greatest and the biggest democracy in the World should be supporting democratic states. I believe all democratic states should stand for their values." Russian President Vladimir Putin placed the country's nuclear deterrent forces on a "special" alert on Sunday amid the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Putin announced the move during a meeting with Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, reported RT News. "Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. I'm speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well," Putin stated. Moreover, Ukraine has agreed to meet with a Russian delegation in Belarus, and Russians are heading to the place where the talks will be held, the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said Sunday. The talks are expected to take place in the Gomel region at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, Belta news agency reported. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the Russian delegation is ready for the talks and waiting for their Ukrainian counterparts to arrive. "As you know, President [of Belarus Alexander] Lukashenko had a phone call with President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. After that, President Lukashenko turned to the Russian side, to President [Vladimir] Putin, asking him not to recall the Russian delegation, as Ukraine signalled its willingness to come to the talks in the Gomel region," Peskov said. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on Ukraine issue on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla among others. This comes at a time when the Government of India government is evacuating Indian citizens from Ukraine under the evacuation plan titled 'Operation Ganga'. So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressed India's willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts in the wake of the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine. President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine due to Russia's military operations. The Prime Minister called for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue. PM Modi expressed his deep anguish about the loss of life and property due to the ongoing conflict. "He reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue, and expressed India's willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts," a PMO release said. PM Modi's call with the Ukraine President came two days after his telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He had appealed for an immediate cessation of violence and had called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue in his talks with Putin. The Prime Minister had also reiterated his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue. President Putin had briefed the Prime Minister about the recent developments regarding Ukraine. Notably, Russia on Friday (local time) vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Ukraine, while India, China, and UAE abstained from the vote. The vote was 11 in favour, one against, and three abstentions. India has abstained from the vote but New Delhi has called for immediate de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine and advocated for a diplomatic solution. Russia had on Monday recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhanussisk - as independent entities following which the situation escalated. (ANI)
British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis and Ukraine Ambassador to India Igor Polikha on Sunday paid tribute to people who have lost their lives in Ukraine at the Embassy of Ukraine in New Delhi. Ellis condemned Russian military operations in Ukraine and said, "British Government condemns the unjustifiable military invasion. The UK is supporting Ukraine with military support, sanctions, putting diplomatic pressure to make Russia step back from this step of reintroducing war in Europe." He said that what is going on is a full-scale invasion of a democracy by its neighbour (Russia). It is totally unjustifiable. "It is calamitous from the humanitarian point of view. Look at thousands of Indian students who are caught in conflict. The hundreds of thousands of people who are displaced, thousands of people who are dying and for what? For nothing. Maybe, what it is for is because Russian President Vladimir Putin fears what Ukraine aspires to which is openness, freedom, democracy and opportunity," said the British High Commissioner to India. He said that the UK is working together with all countries to put maximum possible pressure on President Putin and those around him to stop this "mad invasion." "We cannot allow militaristic autocracy to succeed in the 21st century. There is a huge amount of stake for Ukraine, the world as a whole, because if we allow autocracies to invade other countries, we are in a serious situation across the world," said Ellis. Regarding British help in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Ukraine, he said that 1000 UK troops have been deployed and they are giving every type of humanitarian assistance for the safety and security of Indian and other foreign nationals. Talking about reports on talks between Russia and Ukraine, the British High Commissioner said, "We always seek peace, but, it has to be one which pushes back President Putin for military adventurism. Ukraine is a sovereign, democratic and independent country. Russia has blown a hole in the basic principles of the UN Charter. India and we must preserve UN Charter of basic principles." Meanwhile, Ukraine's Ambassador to India Igor Polikha said that situation in Ukraine is very difficult and the fight is going on in many areas. "Unfortunately, the amount of casualties among the civil population is growing every hour. You could see some pictures there. It's the least of destroyed residential houses. We just took some photos," said Polikha. Regarding misinformation on the number of casualties, Ukraine's Ambassador said that some foreign embassies are repeating that its an absolutely peaceful operation, no civilians or residential are struck. Sharing his personal experience, he said, "Recently, my daughter told me that some missiles hit houses, residential buildings, just 400 metres from our home. In another case, we made some footage today from Sumy in north-eastern Ukraine, approximately 60 kilometres from the border. We were contacted today by our close relatives, they told that missile hit the house of neighbour which was absolutely destroyed, people died, there is a fire in this residential area. These are only two cases which me and my wife faced personally." "Yesterday, in the evening we launched the ceremony of the commemoration of the victims of this brutal war. Unfortunately, among them, there is a growing amount of children. We are ready to hold this commemoration ceremony every evening till the end of the war. I am trying to be optimistic that it will not last long and at last the peace will prevail," he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 signed a decree recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk. In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in the Donbas region of Ukraine after the recognition of Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent identities. (ANI)
The US on Saturday (local time) welcomed Japan's announcement to isolate Russia from the international financial system - SWIFT. "We welcome Japan's announcement today that it will stand with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States to isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies," read White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki statement. Following Japan's announcement, the entire G7 now supports disconnecting selected Russian banks from SWIFT, restrictions on the Russian Central Bank, and sanctioning key Russian leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin holding Russia accountable for the Ukrainian crisis. "Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the Government of Japan have been leaders in condemning President Putin's attack on Ukraine and we will continue working closely together to impose further severe costs and make Putin's war of choice a strategic failure," added the statement. The United States and its allies on Saturday (local time) announced to remove Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system in response to Moscow's military operation in Ukraine. "We commit to ensuring that selected Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT messaging system. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, said in a joint statement. "We commit to imposing restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions," read the statement. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the allies would stop Russia from "using its war chest," by paralysing the assets of its central bank. They also agreed to freeze its transactions and prevent the central bank from liquidating its assets. She added there would be a crackdown on so-called "golden passports" that "let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems". "We commit to ensuring that a certain number of Russian banks are removed from SWIFT. We will paralyze the assets of Russia's central bank. This will freeze its transactions," said the president of the European Commission. SWIFT is the acronym for the Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. The Belgian-based co-operative is used by thousands of financial institutions in over 200 countries, including Russia, and provides a secure messaging system to facilitate cross-border money transfers. (ANI)
RTHK: EU escalates sanctions on Russia, closes airspace

The EU on Sunday announced swingeing new sanctions against Russia over its assault on Ukraine, closing its airspace to Russian aircraft and banning Russian state media outlets broadcasting in the bloc.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, announcing the measures, also said the European Union was taking the unprecedented step of financing arms to Ukraine, and was hitting Russian ally Belarus with sanctions for facilitating the attack.

The measures come on top of sanctions von der Leyen announced a day earlier that are about to be implemented: cutting some Russian banks out of the Swift interbank messaging network, banning all transactions with Russia's central bank, and added restrictions on Russian oligarchs.

The EU has also sanctioned Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Together, the steps added up to the toughest stance the European Union has taken against a country, reflecting the bloc's horror and anger at Putin's attack on Ukraine, launched on Thursday.

"As the war in Ukraine rages on, and Ukrainians fight bravely for their country, the European Union steps up once more its support for Ukraine and the sanctions against the aggressor  Putin's Russia," von der Leyen said in a broadcast address.

She said the airspace ban would prohibit flights into or over the EU by "every Russian plane  and that includes the private jets of oligarchs".

The move against Russian state media targeted its outlets Russia Today  known as RT  and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries. She said they "will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin's war and to sow division in our Union".

Von der Leyen said the sanctions against Belarus were aimed at "the other aggressor in this war", naming the regime of strongman Alexander Lukashenko.

"We will hit Lukashenko's regime with a new package of sanctions," she said.

"We will introduce restrictive measures against their most important sectors. This will stop their exports of products from mineral fuels to tobacco, wood and timber, cement, iron and steel.

"We will also extend to Belarus the export restrictions we introduced on dual use goods for Russia."

Belarusians helping Russia's military operation would also be sanctioned, she said.

Von der Leyen said the decision to provide funding for the purchase and delivery of arms to Ukraine was "a watershed moment for our Union". (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promised on Saturday to provide more humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The secretary-general conveyed to the president the determination of the United Nations to enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine," according to a readout about the secretary-general's call with Zelensky.

The UN chief informed Zelensky that the world body "would launch on Tuesday an appeal to fund UN's humanitarian operations in Ukraine."

In an email, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, told reporters that because of the escalating situation in Ukraine, Guterres will not travel to Geneva as planned. Instead, "he will send a video message to Monday's meeting of the Human Rights Council," he added.




The European Union on Sunday (local time) said that it will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to Ukraine and also announced a slew of fresh sanctions against Russia. "We are stepping up our support for Ukraine. For the first time, the EU will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to a country under attack. We are also strengthening our sanctions against the Kremlin," tweeted Ursula von der Leyen President of the EU Commission. Leyen said that NATO allies are shutting down the EU airspace for Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft. "They won't be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU. Including the private jets of oligarchs," said President of the EU Commission. Leyen also said that they are banning Kremlin's media machine in the EU. "The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin's war. We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe," said Leyen. She also said that Belarus' leader Alexander Lukashenko will also be targeted with a new package of sanctions. "We will target the other aggressor in this war, Lukashenko's regime, with a new package of sanctions, hitting their most important sectors. All these measures come on top of the strong package presented yesterday, agreed by our international partners," said Leyen. Earlier, during a phone call with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River. "Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return, Zelensky's office wrote," The Kyiv Independent tweeted. Meanwhile, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant General Valery Zaluzhny said that they are opposing one of the largest armies in the world. "We are opposed by one of the largest armies in the world. But we are stronger! And every day our benches get stronger. In 2 days almost 100 thousand citizens were mobilized, half of them are reservists of the TRO Forces!, said Zaluzhny. "Mriya aircraft ruined in a Russian attack near Kyiv. The world's biggest cargo aircraft, Antonov An-225, was moored at the Antonov Airport in Hostomel during the recent battle. UkrOboronProm said that the aircraft may be restored for USD 3 billion at Russia's expense," tweeted The Kyiv Independent. Airlines are cancelling flights in and out of Russia and numerous countries closed airspace to Russian airlines. The US Embassy reminded US citizens that the Department of State's Travel Advisory level for Russia is at "Level 4: Do Not Travel." "I spoke today with Greek Foreign Minister @NikosDendias about our efforts to support Ukraine in resisting Russia's unbridled aggression. Greece remains a vital @NATO Ally and supporter of Ukrainian sovereignty," tweeted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio also spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and said that he has signed a resolution for the immediate disbursement of 110 million euros to the government of Kyiv. Kuleba said that what is happening now in Ukraine is a real people's war. "What is happening now in Ukraine is a real people's war. We will not fall. We will not stop or get tired. We are determined to fight back fiercely as long as it is needed to defend our land and our people," tweeted Kuleba "I told my colleague @DmytroKuleba that I have just signed a resolution for the immediate disbursement of 110 million euros to the government of Kiev, as a concrete expression of Italy's solidarity and support for a people with whom we have a fraternal relationship," tweeted Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. "As part of the strengthening of the Alliance's deterrence posture, starting from Monday the commitment of @ItalianAirForce in #Romania will be doubled. 4 additional #Eurofighters to the TF Air Black Storm in defense of #NATO airspace," he added. Moreover, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the State of Israel Naftali Bennett at the initiative of the Israeli side. Vladimir Putin briefed the Prime Minister on the course of the special military operation to defend Donbas and noted that the Russian delegation is in Gomel, Belarus, and is ready for talks with representatives from Kyiv, who have not yet seized this opportunity, thereby showing their lack of consistency, read Kremlin statement. In turn, Naftali Bennett Bennett Naftali Bennett NaftaliPrime Minister of the State of Israel offered Israel as a mediator with a view to suspend military operations. The leaders agreed to maintain Russia-Israel contacts at various levels, added the statement. (ANI)
Sharing the details of Indian Nationals stranded in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Sunday said that India is sending more people to Embassies to facilitate the evacuation process as well as in touch with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva. "The Permanent Representative in Geneva has spoken to the president of the ICRC. He added that ICRC is commencing its operations in Ukraine and India have told them that they should be cognizant of the needs of our citizens and wherever possible escort them out," Shringla said in a press conference. "We have also shared with the ICRC the location of the main areas where our communities are centred," he added. He explained the overall plan of evacuation with the help of a map and said that 2000 Indian citizens are in Kyiv, the numbers are larger but many of them have begun to move Westwards. "We have established centres along the path while moving to the border points so requesting the students to follow the advice," Shringla said. "India is also sending more people to Embassies to facilitate the evacuation process. The Foreign Secretary also shared that people should stay in shelters in conflicted areas like Sumy, Kharkiv, Odesa," he added. He stressed that two flights will be leaving tonight and tomorrow and a range of flights have already been scheduled. "With the cooperation of the Ministry of Civil Aviation we have arranged aircraft for the evacuation," he assured. He reiterated that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are doing everything possible. "India has also sent a team from Embassy in Moscow to the border areas to prepare for the eventuality of evacuation there," he added. Shringla said that India has asked for support from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and he has assured that everything possible will be done for Indian citizens. Replying to a question, of whether India could provide a neutral venue for talks between Ukraine and Russia, Shringla said, "we have been engaged with all parties and EAM is in touch with a very wide range of Interlocutors and we urge for the diplomatic path." (ANI)
The Embassy of India in Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday (local time) issued an advisory for Indians desiring to be evacuated from Ukraine via Poland. In a statement, the Embassy of India in Poland said, ten buses have been arranged, operational from February 28 onwards at Shehyni on the Ukraine border to take Indian citizens for transit entry into Poland. "These buses will be operational from 28th February, 2022 onwards and will drive through the other border checkpoints, e.g., Krakowiec and Budomierz, and will drive them to the residential accommodation arranged by the Embassy at Rszeszow, Poland. This will reduce the crowding at Shehyni and also provide Indian citizens a safe environment away from the cold," read the statement. The statement said that this facility will be paid for by the Indian government and will be provided free to Indian citizens. "Please contact Embassy Control Room, Warsaw at +48225400000 (Landline), +48795850877 (WhatsApp), +48792712511 (WhatsApp), to get yourself a seat on one of these buses," the statement said. "Please call the control room to make reservations for the buses. In case, you do not get a seat on the bus, please do not be agitated as this operation will continue till everyone is evacuated," it added. "The Embassy is also setting up tents and bringing food and water today evening at the Shehyni Border. We seek your cooperation and understanding to evacuate all of you," the statement added. (ANI)
Amid the growing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on Sunday (local time), held a meeting with G7 Foreign Ministers and discussed new "painful sanctions" to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin's war. "Meeting with @G7 foreign ministers. Partners stand ready to provide Ukraine with more practical means to defend ourselves. Defensive weapons, military equipment, and financial support for Ukraine are underway. We also discussed new painful sanctions to stop Putin's war," Kuleba wrote in a tweet. Kuleba also insisted on a full embargo for Russian oil and gas and said buying them now means "paying for the murder of Ukrainian men, women and children". "We insist on a full embargo for Russian oil and gas. Buying them now means paying for the murder of Ukrainian men, women and children. I welcome the first decisive steps by a number of European states in this regard and urge others to proceed resolutely and without delay," Kuleba tweeted. He also said that what is happening now in Ukraine is a "real people's war". "What is happening now in Ukraine is a real people's war. We will not fall. We will not stop or get tired. We are determined to fight back fiercely as long as it is needed to defend our land and our people," Kuleba tweeted. Meanwhile, Kyiv has agreed to meet with a Russian delegation in Belarus as the Western powers have imposed additional sanctions on Moscow as the military operations by Putin entered the fourth day. (ANI)
Washington [US], February 28 (ANI/Sputnik): Telegram may consider restricting news channels within messenger partially or fully in Ukraine and Russia if the conflict in Ukraine escalates, the founder of the messenger, Pavel Durov, said Sunday. "If the situation escalates, we will consider partially or fully restricting the work of Telegram channels in involved countries during the conflict," Durov said. However, later in the day, Durov said that Telegram decided not to turn off channels in Russia and Ukraine due to mass requests from users. He still advised double-checking of the news spread on the messenger. On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces. Moscow has repeatedly said that it has no plans to occupy the Ukrainian territory. However, despite this fact, many foreign countries accused Russia of invading the neighbouring country and violating its territorial integrity, and pledged to provide Kiev with additional military assistance to fight the Russian armed forces. (ANI/Sputnik)
The Central African country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has become the new hunting ground of Chinese companies in search of gold as it is not just mining nor rampant looting but a stinking Sino-Congolese scandal, said a media report. In the mining zones, people have hit the streets, prompting the Chinese Foreign Ministry to get into damage control mode, said a think tank, Policy Research Group (POREG). According to the think tank, the Chinese companies also are making a killing by collaborating with the gold smuggling networks, which use the Ruzizi River (towards Burundi), Kivu Lake (towards Rwanda) and Tanganyika Lake (towards Tanzania) for smuggling. These networks in turn contribute to supply of arms and ammunition, perpetuating the conflict in DRC and in the Great Lakes region. And the issue has become a matter of grave concern to Kinshasa. BM Global Business, Congo Blueant Mineral, Oriental Resources Congo, Yellow Water Resources, and New Oriental Mineral are amongst the Chinese companies into illegal gold mining in connivance with corrupt local leadership, the think tank said. "Their operations are reportedly protected by the Congolese Armed Forces, (FARDC)," "Their operations are reportedly protected by the Congolese Armed Forces, (FARDC)," Institut Francais des Relations Internationales, (IFRI) said in a report detailing "illegal use of minerals and forests by Chinese companies in Sud-Kivu". reported citing Institut Francais des Relations Internationales, (IFRI) as saying in a report detailing "illegal use of minerals and forests by Chinese companies in Sud-Kivu". The illegal gold mining has badly affected the people of six villages, namely Kaboge, Kitumba, Sugulu, Mbelekelo, Bakongo and Kitutu, POREG reported. Again, like elsewhere in Africa, here in Congo also, the Chinese companies are compounding human rights violations, and arbitrary arrests of critics and protesters. Result: threats, torture, confinement, extortion, illegal occupation of fields and fishing ponds, the think tank said. (ANI)
Ukraine is releasing inmates and criminal suspects with a military background so they can join the fight against Russia's "special operation" in the country, an official in Ukraine's Prosecutor General's office said on Sunday, RT reported. Moscow attacked its neighbour on Thursday, arguing it was defending the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, which broke off from eastern Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev. Ukraine condemned the move, claiming it was an act of unprovoked aggression. Service record, combat experience, and repentance are among the factors considered in each individual case, Andriy Sinyuk, a prosecutor at the Prosecutor General's office told a TV channel on Sunday. "It's a complicated issue decided at the highest level," he said, the report said. Sinyuk was quoted as saying that Sergey Torbin, a former combat veteran, was one of the inmates released. Torbin previously fought in the conflict with the DPR and LPR. He was jailed for six years and six months in 2018 for his role in the murder of civil rights activist and anti-corruption campaigner Kateryna Handziuk, RT reported. The woman was doused with acid in July 2018 on a street outside her home and died in the hospital with severe burns later that year. Sinyuk said Torbin handpicked former inmates for his squad after his early release. He added that another ex-serviceman, Dmitry Balabukha, sentenced to nine years in jail for stabbing a man to death at a bus stop after an argument in 2018, had also been released, RT reported. The Ukrainian government is actively arming civilians as Russian forces are approaching its capital. The media reported renewed fighting in Kiev's outskirts on Sunday. --IANS san/vd ( 295 Words) 2022-02-27-21:26:03 (IANS)
India on Sunday (local time) abstained from voting on a resolution to call for a special emergency session of the UN General Assembly on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This came two days after India abstained from voting on the UNSC resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, along with China and the UAE. "It is regrettable that the situation in Ukraine has worsened further since the Council last convened on this matter," said India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine. Tirumurti reiterated the call for an immediate cessation of violence and an end to all hostilities. "Them is no other choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue," he said. Tirumurti welcomed the announcement by Ukraine and the Russian delegation to hold talks at the Belarus border. "Our Prime Minister has advocated this strongly in his recent conversations with the leadership of the Russian Federation and Ukraine. In this regard, we welcome today's announcement by both sides to hold talks at the Belarus border," Tirumurti said. He further said, "The global order is anchored on international law, the UN Charter and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. We are all agreed on these principles." Tirumurti reiterated to be deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals, including a large number of Indian students, who are still stranded in Ukraine. "Our evacuation efforts have been adversely impacted by the complex and uncertain situation at the border crossings. It is important to maintain an uninterrupted and predictable movement of people. It is an urgent humanitarian necessity that must be immediately addressed," Tirumurti said. "Taking into consideration the totality of the circumstances, we have decided to ABSTAIN," he added. (ANI)
Almost five years after signing the $500 million American grant, Nepal's House of Representatives (HoR) on Sunday ratified the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact with what it said was an "interpretative declaration". A large section of Nepali society was divided over whether Nepal should adopt the American grant which is often referred to as part of US "Indo-Pacific Strategy". Mostly, the Communist parties of Nepal were opposing the MCC Compact which had led the Sher Bahadur Deuba government in a state of collapse. Earlier today, a meeting of the ruling coalition had decided to ratify the MCC agreement by including the government's answers and interpretative declaration on the questions raised in the Parliament. The interpretive declaration stated that Nepal will not be the part of US-led Indo-Pacific Strategy and Nepal will not be the part of any military alliance. According to the ruling coalition, the 11-point "interpretative declaration" includes that the parties will not consider MCC a part of US military strategy (IPS). Likewise, the parties have also said that the MCC Compact will not be above Nepal's constitution and laws. Likewise, the ruling coalition has said that MCC Compact will be taken only as financial assistance, and that the audit should be done by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Nepal. The parties have also said that they would even revert the decision on the basis of political consensus. Similar kind of grant assistance that Sri Lanka had received was rejected by Lankan authorities and it is said that at the behest of China, Colombo was forced to withdraw the MCC grant. The US government's MCC signed a $500 million compact with the Government of Nepal in September 2017 aimed at maintaining road quality, increasing the availability and reliability of electricity, and facilitating cross-border electricity trade between Nepal and India -- helping to spur investments, accelerate economic growth, and reduce poverty. This will help support Nepal to better deliver critical services to its people, ease the movement of goods around the country, and open new opportunities for private investment -- all to create sustainable development for the people of Nepal. According to MCC, strengthening the reliability of key infrastructure will put the country's economy on a firmer growth trajectory, advance stability, support regional security, and reduce poverty. An additional $130 million contribution from the government of Nepal in support of the compact -- the largest up-front partner country contribution in MCC's history -- will enable even greater impact and benefits for the Nepali people. --IANS giri/pgh ( 430 Words) 2022-02-27-21:44:01 (IANS)
Brussels [Belgium], February 28 (ANI/Xinhua): European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sunday that the EU would shut its airspace to Russian airlines in response to its "special military operation" in Ukraine since early Thursday. "We are shutting down the EU airspace for Russians," Von der Leyen said in a statement on Sunday, "We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft." "These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU," she said, adding that the ban would "apply to any plane owned, chartered or otherwise controlled by a Russian legal or natural person." "So let me be very clear. Our airspace will be closed to every Russian plane - and that includes the private jets of oligarchs," she stressed. Earlier on Sunday, France also said it would shut down its airspace to Russian airlines and Russian registered aircraft, French national airline Air France announced on its website to suspend flights to and from Russia, effective from Sunday until further notice. The airline also stated that flights between France and China, South Korea and Japan would also be temporarily suspended in order to study flight plan options enabling to avoid Russian airspace. It has prolonged the suspension of flights to Ukraine's capital Kiev until further notice, "following the shutdown of Ukrainian airspace." (ANI/Xinhua)
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Saturday that the United States is offering 350 million U.S. dollars worth of "lethal defensive" weapons to Ukraine to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian military operations.

Blinken said in a statement that U.S. President Joe Biden authorized him to decide on such a move. As such, he has authorized the Department of Defense to carry out the presidential drawdown, which will help Ukraine cope with "the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing."

The secretary said the latest sum was on top of the 60-million-dollar and 200-million-dollar immediate military aid to Ukraine that Biden delegated to him last year, bringing total U.S. security support to the Eastern European nation over the past year to more than 1 billion dollars.




(Recasts with Security Council vote on Sunday)

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Sunday to call for a rare emergency special session of the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which would be held on Monday, diplomats said.

The vote by the 15-member council is procedural so none of the five permanent council members - Russia, China, France, Britain and the United States - can wield their vetoes. The move needs nine votes in favor and is likely to pass, diplomats said.

Only 10 such emergency special sessions of the General Assembly have been convened since 1950.

The request for a session on Ukraine comes after Russia vetoed on Friday a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion. China, India and UAE abstained, while the remaining 11 members voted in favor.

The General Assembly is expected to vote on a similar resolution following several days of statements by countries in the emergency special session, diplomats said. General Assembly resolutions are non-binding but carry political weight.

The United States and allies are seeking as much support as possible to show Russia is internationally isolated.

The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution in March 2014 following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. The resolution, which declared invalid a referendum on the status of Crimea, received 100 yes votes and 11 against. Two dozen countries didn't vote and 58 abstained.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday, telling him the world body plans to "enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine," a U.N. spokesperson said.

"He informed the President that the United Nations would launch on Tuesday an appeal to fund our humanitarian operations in Ukraine," the U.N. spokesperson said in a statement.

U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Friday that more than $1 billion will be needed for aid operations in Ukraine over the next three months as hundreds of thousands of people are on the move after Russia invaded its neighbor.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
(Adds U.N. Security Council discussion on Monday)

By Josh Smith

SEOUL, Feb 27 (Reuters) - North Korea fired what could be a ballistic missile on Sunday, military officials in South Korea and Japan said, in what would be the first test since the nuclear-armed country conducted a record number of launches in January.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea had fired a suspected ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast from a location near Sunan, where Pyongyang's international airport is located. The airport has been the site of missile tests, including a pair of short-range ballistic missiles fired on Jan. 16.

The missile fired on Sunday flew to a maximum altitude of around 620 km (390 miles) and to a range of about 300 km (190 miles), the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

Analysts said the flight data did not closely match earlier tests, and suggested it could be a medium-range ballistic missile fired on a "lofted" trajectory.

"There have been frequent launches since the start of the year, and North Korea is continuing to rapidly develop ballistic missile technology," Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said in a televised statement. North Korea was threatening the security of Japan, the region and the international community, Kishi said.

The United States condemned the latest launch and called on North Korea to cease destabilising acts, but said the test did not pose an immediate threat, the U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command said.

The United States, Britain, France and three other U.N. Security Council members plan to raise the latest launch during a closed-door council meeting on Monday, diplomats said.

North Korea's previous test was on Jan. 30, when it fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile.

The largest weapon test-fired since 2017, the Hwasong-12 was reported to have flown to an altitude of about 2,000 km (1,200 miles) and a range of about 800 km (500 miles). That capped a month of mostly short-range missile launches in January.

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ELECTION LOOMING

Sunday's launch came less than two weeks ahead of South Korea's March 9 presidential election and amid fears by some in Seoul and Tokyo that North Korea may push ahead with missile development while international attention is focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"This launch comes as the international community is responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and if North Korea is making use of that situation, it is something we cannot tolerate," Kishi said.

South Korea's National Security Council convened an emergency meeting to discuss the launch, which it called "regrettable," according to a statement from the presidential Blue House.

"Launching a ballistic missile at a time when the world is making efforts to resolve the Ukraine war is never desirable for peace and stability in the world, the region and on the Korean Peninsula," the statement said.

The leading conservative candidate, Yoon Suk-Yeol, said last week that North Korea could see the Ukraine crisis as "an opportunity for launching its own provocation."

Candidates and analysts have noted that even before the invasion North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was overseeing an increase in missile tests as talks with the United States and its allies remain stalled.

"Putin's War shapes almost all geopolitics right now, and should factor somewhere in Kim's calculus - but even 'taking advantage of distraction' seems to presume too much, since (North Korea) was already testing aggressively before the war," John Delury, a professor at South Korea's Yonsei University, wrote on Twitter.

OLYMPIC LULL IN TESTING

China's representative on the Korean Peninsula, Liu Xiaoming, said on Sunday he spoke by phone with his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, and urged the United States to address North Korea's legitimate and reasonable concerns with greater attention, so as to create conditions for restarting dialogue.

"I pointed out that, under current situation, relevant parties should be cautious in words and actions, avoid stimulating each other, so as to prevent escalation of tension on the Korean Peninsula," Liu said on Twitter, without specifying when the phone conversation took place and without mentioning the latest test.

North Korea, which has close ties to China, did not test any missiles during this month's Beijing Olympics. The 2022 Winter Paralympics begin in Beijing on Friday.

Complaining of unrelenting "hostile policies" from the United States, North Korea has suggested it could resume testing its longer-range missiles or even nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang has an ambitious schedule of military modernisation, and the Kim government's strength and legitimacy have become tied to testing ever-better missiles, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

"North Korea is not going to do anyone the favour of staying quiet while the world deals with Russia's aggression against Ukraine," Easley said.

The United States has said it is open to talks with North Korea without preconditions, but Pyongyang has so far rejected those overtures, calling them insincere.

North Korea's ballistic missile launches are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions, which have imposed sanctions on the country over its missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

(Reporting by Josh Smith in Seoul; Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo, David Brunnstrom and Idrees Ali in Washington and Michelle Nichls in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Wil Dunham, Leslie Adler, William Mallard and Tom Hogue)
Nigerian citizens, Victoria and her daughter, Elvira arrive by bus to the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing February 26, 2022 in Przemysl, Poland Omar Marques/Getty Images

Thousands of African students in Ukraine found themselves trapped following Russia's invasion.

Some have said they have been discriminated against as they try to flee.

They say they have been prevented from crossing the border as Ukrainian authorities prioritize "Ukrainian people."

Reports are emerging of African students trapped in Ukraine who say they are being discriminated against as they try to flee amid Russia's invasion.

Black people are allegedly being prevented from boarding trains and buses taking people to the borders, and some are not being permitted to cross into other countries, according to sources speaking to Insider and social media reports.

Thousands of African students live in Ukraine to study medicine and other technical fields at affordable prices.

Korrine Sky, a student in Ukraine, who helped coordinate escape routes for hundreds of African students trapped in the country, told Insider that some have struggled to get on buses heading to the border.

"Some people have gone to get buses, but they're not allowing Black people basically onto the buses. They're prioritizing Ukrainians. That's what they say," Sky said.

One African student who reached the Ukraine-Poland border wrote on Twitter that Ukrainian police and army were refusing to let Africans cross.

He shared a video that showed authorities "threatening to shoot" them.

"We are currently at the Ukraine-Poland border. Their Police and Army refused to let Africans cross they only allow Ukrainian. Some have slept here for 2 days under this scorching cold weather, while many have gone back to Lviv," he wrote.

He previously said that he and other Africans had been removed from a train while trying to reach the border.

Video from the Ukraine-Polish border appears to show a large group of Black people, including a baby, waiting in the open in the nighttime cold at the border fence.

Story continues

Other similar reports have emerged on Twitter.

BBC reporter Stephanie Hegarty tweeted a similar account of a Nigerian medical student saying that Ukrainian border guards stopped Black people from crossing into Poland, saying "they have to let 'Ukrainians' through first."

Black individuals are not the only ones feeling discriminated against, as reports have emerged about Indian students in Ukraine facing similar issues at the border with Poland.

"We have been standing here in the open since midnight. It's 8.30 now, the temp has dropped to -5 C at the Ukrainian checkpost is not letting us through, other foreigners are allowed to leave," an Indian student said.

Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, thousands of people have been trying to flee to neighboring central European nations.

The head of the UN refugee agency Filippo Grandi said in a tweet this weekend that more than 50,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled their country in less than 48 hours, mostly going to Poland and Moldova.

The US has predicted the crisis could lead to up to five million people being displaced, and Poland is preparing to take in up to one million people.

Read the original article on Business Insider
PARIS (Reuters) - Air France has decided to stop all operations from and to Russia, the company said on Sunday.

"In light of the situation in the region, Air France has decided to suspend flights to and from Russia as well as the overflight of Russian airspace until further notice as from 27 February," its statement said.

The decision will also lead to flights to and from countries such as China and Japan being called off while Air France is studying alternative routes, the statement added.

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Alison Williams)
KAUNAS AIRPORT, Lithuania (Reuters) - A military aircraft carrying Norwegian troop reinforcements landed in Lithuania on Sunday, part of a wider NATO buildup in the Baltic region following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Norwegian troops - 44 soldiers from a mechanised infantry battalion - will join the alliance's enhanced forward presence battlegroup in Lithuania, deployed since 2017 in response to Russia's takeover of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.

Norwegian enforcements also include four CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, three of which were transported by a separate plane, an Ukrainian-made Antonov An-124.

"In my company I have main battle tanks, I have new CV90s, highly technological, and a lot of other vehicles," said Captain Endre Saurstroe, commander of Norwegian troops in Lithuania.

Germany also increased number of its troops in Lithuania earlier in February.

The size of NATO battlegroups in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, once ruled from Moscow but now part of the European Union, are set to almost double from 3,400 troops at the start of the year to more than 6,000 in the near future.

Ukrainian forces battled Russian troops pushing into the city of Kharkiv on Sunday on the fourth day of an invasion that has shaken Europe's long-standing security architecture.

Norwegian Defence Minister Odd Roger Enoksen said Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for the escalation.

"We take part in ensuring safety for the Lithuanians in this situation ... Putin's actions will hurt relations with Russia for a long time to come," Enoksen told Norwegian TV2.

Ignoring weeks of diplomacy and sanctions threats by Western nations seeking to avoid war, Putin has justified the invasion saying "neo-Nazis" rule Ukraine and threaten Russia's security - a charge Kyiv and Western governments reject.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas and Janis Laizans; Editing by Terje Solsvik, Nerijus Adomaitis and Raissa Kasolowsky)
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View our latest analysis for Ashmore Group

Ashmore Group's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. The last dividend was quite easily covered by Ashmore Group's earnings. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 29.4% over the next year. However, if the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 77%, meaning that most of the company's earnings are being paid out to shareholders.

Ashmore Group Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2012, the dividend has gone from UK0.14 to UK0.17. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 1.5% over that duration. Although we can't deny that the dividend has been remarkably stable in the past, the growth has been pretty muted.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Earnings has been rising at 2.9% per annum over the last five years, which admittedly is a bit slow. Growth of 2.9% may indicate that the company has limited investment opportunity so it is returning its earnings to shareholders instead. This isn't bad in itself, but unless earnings growth pick up we wouldn't expect dividends to grow either.

We Really Like Ashmore Group's Dividend

Overall, we like to see the dividend staying consistent, and we think Ashmore Group might even raise payments in the future. The company is generating plenty of cash, and the earnings also quite easily cover the distributions. If earnings do fall over the next 12 months, the dividend could be buffeted a little bit, but we don't think it should cause too much of a problem in the long term. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Ashmore Group that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Ashmore Group not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko called on Kyiv on Sunday to sit down and hold talks with Russia so that Ukraine does not lose its statehood, Russia's RIA news agency reported.

Russia said on Sunday its delegation was ready to meet Ukrainian counterparts in the Belarusian city of Gomel, but Kyiv said Belarus was complicit in the Russian invasion and could not be regarded as a neutral intermediary.

(Reporting by Alex Marrow; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Biden Administration will ask Congress for $6.4 billion dollars in economic and military aid to help Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Sunday.

Schumer said the request would be added to a spending bill expected to reach the Senate floor next week.

(Reporting by Joel Schectman; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
By Gabriel Stargardter

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday declined to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, while departing from his government's official stance at the United Nations to say Brazil would remain neutral.

Bolsonaro, a far-right populist, recently snubbed U.S. entreaties not to visit Putin in Moscow ahead of the invasion, and angered Western allies by saying he was "in solidarity with Russia," without elaborating.

On Friday, Brazil voted for a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would have denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine, despite reluctance by Bolsonaro. Russia vetoed the resolution.

At a press conference, Bolsonaro said he spoke for two hours with Putin. In a subsequent statement, the country's foreign ministry said Bolsonaro did not speak with Putin on Sunday, but was instead referring to his conversation with the Russian leader in Moscow.

In Sunday's press conference, Bolsonaro said Brazil will remain neutral in the conflict, noting Russia and Ukraine were "practically brother nations."

"We will not take sides, we will continue being neutral, and help with whatever is possible," Bolsonaro said. "A big part of Ukraine's population speaks Russian."

Asked by a reporter whether he was willing to condemn Putin's actions, he said he would wait for a final report, or see how the situation is resolved, before giving his opinion.

He added that he was against any sanctions that could bring negative repercussions for Brazil, citing Russian fertilizers which are crucial for the country's giant agribusiness sector.

Bolsonaro also said he did not think Putin's forces would carry out any mass bloodletting in Ukraine.

"A chief of state like that of Russia does not want to undertake a massacre, anywhere," he said, adding that in two southern regions of Ukraine, some 90% of the population wanted to "approximate themselves to Russia."

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In reference to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Bolsonaro said Ukrainians have "placed the hope of their nation in the hands of a comedian."

On Saturday, Bolsonaro tweeted his government would not cease in efforts to evacuate Brazilians from Ukraine.

"I ask all Brazilians in contested territory to stay firm, follow instructions and report any incidents to us. I know about the difficulties, but we won't spare any efforts to solve them," Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter.

On Sunday, Bolsonaro said his government had so far managed to remove some 70 Brazilians from Ukraine.

(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Richard Chang and Lincoln Feast)
A BP gas station in Saint-Petersburg, Russia in January 2020. Sergei Mikhailichenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

BP is dumping its 19.75% stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft after a thirty-year involvement.

The BP CEO said its business with Rosneft "simply cannot continue" following the attack on Ukraine.

The move is expected to cost BP $25 billion in non-cash charges by the end of Q1, the company said.

BP is dumping its 19.75% stake in Russia's state-backed oil giant Rosneft, citing the invasion of Ukraine as a "fundamental change" ending the 30-year business partnership.

The move will cost the British oil and gas company $25 billion in non-cash charges by the end of the first quarter, the company said in a statement. Rosneft is responsible for nearly half of BP's oil and gas reserves, Reuters reported.

"Like so many, I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine and my heart goes out to everyone affected," BP CEO Bernard Looney said in the announcement. "It has caused us to fundamentally rethink BP's position with Rosneft."

Looney will resign from Rosneft's board immediately, along with former BP group chief executive Bob Dudley.

BP chair Helge Lund said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine led the company's board to determine that its controversial involvement with Rosneft "simply cannot continue."

"The Rosneft holding is no longer aligned with BP's business and strategy and it is now the board's decision to exit BP's shareholding in Rosneft. The BP board believes these decisions are in the best long-term interests of all our shareholders," he said.

Rosneft CEO Igor Senchin was among the 10 Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the Biden Administration on Thursday.

"Elites close to Putin continue to leverage their proximity to the Russian President to pillage the Russian state, enrich themselves, and elevate their family members into some of the highest positions of power in the country at the expense of the Russian people," the US Treasury said in the sanctions announcement.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the European Union (EU) to grant Ukraine membership into the bloc.

"It is a crucial moment to close the long-standing discussion once and for all and decide on Ukraine's membership in the EU," Zelensky wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko said that 198 Ukrainians, including three children have been killed.




Premise, a San Francisco-based tech company that pays users around the world to share market research and intelligence information with companies and governments, said it suspended its activities in Ukraine on Friday out of an abundance of caution after Ukrainian officials accused it of assisting Russia.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine alleged in a Facebook post that enemies were using Premises smartphone app to collect data in the western city of Stryi and other parts of the country for the Kremlin.

Premise CEO Maury Blackman said in a statement on Friday that the accusations were unequivocally false and that the company does not work for the Russian military or government. Our company and our team worldwide strongly support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people defending themselves against this illegal act of aggression by Russia, he said.

Premise did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a separate news release also published on Friday, Blackman said that the public statement of the Ukraine Defense Ministry that has gotten circulation is incorrect.

Prior to the Russian invasion, Blackman said Premise and its customers surveyed people in Ukraine and asked them to take pictures in order to understand citizens perceptions. He said findings from those reports had been published publicly.

But Premises recent activities in Ukraine seem to have been different, according to several Twitter users appearing to be located in the country. They shared screenshots they said were from the Premise app offering Ukrainians jobs paying 30 cents for photos of damage caused by explosions and $3.25 for the location of nearby medical facilities. One Twitter user said they could not immediately comment because the area where they were was under attack. A second Twitter user did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

NBC News couldnt determine from the photos which of Premises clients may have paid for the tasks. The company has previously said that it doesnt reveal the end customer to its users. The Wall Street Journal reported that Premise was working in Ukraine on behalf of Western democracies that wanted to understand the countrys infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Launched in 2013, Premise is one of a number of research firms that reward people, frequently in developing countries, for completing small piecemeal tasks, such as answering surveys, taking pictures, and reporting the prices of goods in nearby stores. The data helps corporations understand local markets and has also frequently been used to train artificial intelligence systems.

Mary L. Gray, the co-author of Ghost Work, a book about the people who work for piecework apps like Premise, said on Twitter that its important to consider how they are treated.

If we want healthy information, we need to care about the work conditions of anyone who could be asked to perform a task mediated by platforms, she wrote.

In recent years, Premise has begun working with the U.S. military and foreign governments, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal published in June. The company said in its release that it works in more than 125 countries and in 37 languages to find data for every decision.
Update: This story was updated on March 10, 2022, with information from police on Ciera Breland Locklair's last know location.

The Carmel Police Department is asking for help finding a missing woman, according to a Facebook post on the department's page published Saturday night.

Carmel police is asking for help searching for Ciera Breland Locklair, who was last seen Friday night.

Ciera Breland Locklair's last known location was in the 10500 block of Highgate Manor Court in Johns Creek, Georgia, on Feb. 24 around 7:15 p.m., according to the Johns Creek Police Department.

Police described the 31-year-old woman as a 5-foot tall, 120-pound woman with blonde hair who was last seen wearing a black top and purple shorts.

People with information should contact Carmel Police Department at 317-571-2580.

Contact IndyStar reporter Binghui Huang at 317-385-1595 or Bhuang@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Binghuihuang

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Carmel police asks for help finding missing Indiana woman
By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Several thousand woman protested at the Russian Embassy in the Lithuanian capital on Sunday, calling on Russian women to rise up and stop the war in Ukraine.

"Today we send the message for the mothers of Russian soldiers. You can stop this war ... If only you will go to the streets and say 'we don't want this war when we don't want our children to die'," march organiser Daiva Zeimyte said.

Protester Ineta Miliniene added: "We want to ask Russian women - stop war. You can do this. You can do this because it is your children dying."

Demonstrations against the conflict have been held around the world, including in Russia, where more than 5,500 protesters have been detained since Thursday, the OVD-Info monitoring group said.

A Ukrainian presidential adviser has said 3,500 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded. Reuters was not able to verify the numbers. Western officials have said intelligence shows Russia suffering higher casualties than expected, but Russia has not released casualty figures.

Lithuania, together with its Baltic neighbours Latvia and Estonia, was ruled from Moscow until 1991. The three have since joined the European Union and NATO military alliance.

"I can't stay at home and do nothing," said Indre Gasenceviciene, bursting into tears as she spoke alongside her husband and her two children, aged 2-1/2 years and 6 months.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Alison Williams)
The shooting of a respected volunteer at a racial justice protest in Portland, Oregon, last weekend has roiled the activist community in the city, and raised fresh fears about vigilante violence and escalating extremism in America.

Authorities on Tuesday filed murder charges against 43-year-old Benjamin Smith, who police say showed up to a protest against police violence on Saturday night, yelled at demonstrators to leave, and then shot at the group. He killed 60-year-old June Knightly and wounded four others, police say.

Knightly, a longtime activist involved in racial justice protests and LGBTQ+ organizing, was known as a peacemaker who strived to keep people safe during protests. The night of her death she had been working as a traffic safety volunteer before the start of a demonstration calling for justice for Amir Locke and Daunte Wright, two Black men killed by police in Minnesota.

Knightlys friends and local advocates said the violence was predictable in Portland, which has seen far-right gatherings and chaotic and sometimes violent protests in the last year. The region also has a dark history of white supremacy and racist hate crimes despite its liberal reputation. The violence against protesters also comes three months after the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse, who was treated as a hero among extremist Republicans and far-right groups after he killed two men at an anti-racism demonstration in Wisconsin. Advocates warn of a growing threat that extremists  emboldened by Rittenhouses court victory, radicalized online, and encouraged by some Republicans  will commit more acts of violence.

Radicalized and angry

Smith confronted protesters at Portlands Normandale Park at about 8pm local time on Saturday, prosecutors say, yelling at them and demanding they leave the area. The activists told Smith to leave them alone. Instead, Smith demanded they make him leave, and aggressively approached one of them, who pushed Smith back. Moments later, he began shooting, according to court records.

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Knightly and four other people were hit. Knightly and three other women who were wounded were not directly part of the march, one surviving victim told the New York Times, but were helping reroute traffic. None of them were armed, she said, adding that the gunman called them terrorists and slurs before shooting.

The shooting ended when someone shot Smith, officials said. That individual was initially arrested, but is not facing charges and was not named in the charging documents. One surviving victim was struck in the neck and is paralyzed, another was seriously injured and paralyzed, and two others were treated at a hospital and discharged. Smith was hit in the hip and hospitalized.

Kristine Christenson, Smiths roommate, said that she and others in their apartment complex were heartbroken, but werent surprised to learn of the shooting. [Smiths] been talking about wanting to do something like this for a while, she said. As far as Im concerned, the person who fired back on Smith saved my life.

Portland police respond to the shooting near Normandale Park in northeast Portland on 19 February. Photograph: Beth Nakamura/AP

Christenson said she had lived with Smith for seven years, but had felt increasingly threatened in recent years. He made me extremely uncomfortable and unsafe in my own living space.

[Smith] got angrier and more and more rightwing over the past few years, she said in an email, adding that it appeared he had become radicalized and was slipping further and further down this alt right rabbit hole.

Christenson said she tried to keep her distance, but that she overheard him listening to rightwing content, including from far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. She said Smith wore a Kyle Rittenhouse true patriot shirt and often talked angrily about leftwing protesters, Black Lives Matter and antifa, unhoused people living on the streets and Covid restrictions.

They blamed the victims

The shooting sent shock waves through a city that has seen frequent protests since the George Floyd uprisings of 2020, and occasional clashes between anti-fascist activists and far-right protesters.

But advocates say the response from law enforcement leaders to the shooting only exacerbated concerns.

The initial statement from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) said the shooting had started with a confrontation between an armed homeowner and armed protesters.

Smith was not a homeowner and had gone to the demonstration, which was down the street from his apartment. But the narrative quickly spread in national media.

Portland police spokesperson Kevin Allen did not say why the original press release referred to a homeowner, but he said in an email that an investigation determined that was inaccurate: The use of the term was never intended to mislead anyone.

He said there was tremendous amount of pressure to release information and that the department strives to always remember the victims and their loved ones in communications.

The city later updated its statement to call Smith an armed area resident, but to advocates the mistake was part of a pattern of city leaders and law enforcement officials misrepresenting racial justice protesters and failing to address the threats of the far right, advocates said.

PPB critics point to a list of recent scandals: at one 2017 protest in Portland, federal officers allowed a member of a rightwing patriot militia-style group to help arrest an anti-fascist activist; in 2019, a lieutenant was caught exchanging friendly text messages with a rightwing leader, and later cleared of wrongdoing; in 2020, the department allegedly deployed teargas against racial justice demonstrators 300 times on 20 different days; in 2021, police leaked a false story claiming that the first Black woman to serve as a Portland city commissioner, who has been critical of the department, was a hit-and-run suspect; and earlier this year, it was revealed that Portland police training documents included a meme that mocked protesters as dirty hippies and celebrated using violence against them.

This is a pattern and practice of Portland police, said Sandy Chung, executive director of the ACLU of Oregon. This seems to be an effort by Portland police to frame the story as just a confrontation, and that somehow the people involved in providing traffic safety for the march were also culpable, when there is no evidence of that.

Related: One dead and five wounded in Portland shooting during protest in park

This is blaming victims for the harms committed against them, said Bobbin Singh, executive director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center, adding that the shooting was completely predictable and inevitable. He has since called on Portlands mayor, Ted Wheeler, to resign and for the leadership of PPB to be dismantled.

Wheeler in particular is facing intense scrutiny over comments he made in 2021 after a year of sustained protests, saying he wanted to unmask protesters committing vandalism and arson, and that it was time to hurt them a little bit.

Mayor Wheeler, the top level manager of the Portland police bureau, has not set up the systems and policies and culture where there is accountability, Chung said, and it means that our communities are less safe.

Teressa Raiford, executive director of Dont Shoot Portland, a social justice group, said the rhetoric against protesters was creating an environment that enabled violence and was meant to discourage people from marching against police brutality.

Its always denouncements of vandalism rather than denouncements of violence against people, and that hinders the progress we need to make as a society, she said of officials rhetoric. After the killing, her group canceled an art gallery show and paused outreach and mutual aid efforts, such as food distribution, due to safety concerns. We want to just keep doing the work as usual, but we need time to mourn  and were scared. We know that there are valid threats.

The mayors spokesperson referred the Guardian to Wheelers press conference on Tuesday, during which he was asked whether he regretted his past comments about making protesters hurt. He responded that he was not referring to or advocating violence, adding, If I regret anything its that I used a statement that could be used out of context for political gain.

We know that there are tensions with some members of the community and some do not feel comfortable talking to us, Allen, the police spokesperson, added. We hope that through continued dialogue, we can show that we do our work and pursue investigations without regard to political affiliation or involvement in lawful free speech activity.

It wasnt clear if Smith had a lawyer, and he could not be reached for comment.

In this 20 July 2020, file photo, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters hold their phones aloft in Portland, Oregon. Photograph: Noah Berger/AP

She was dedicated to service

Katherine Knapp, Knightlys wife, said in an email on Sunday that Knightly had always had a very strong sense of justice, which became more visceral after the killing of Michael Brown in 2014. Then watching Derek Chauvin so casually killing George Floyd with his hands in his pockets, uncaring that the entire world would be seeing it soon because he was a cop, who are so rarely held accountable for murdering anyone, but especially Black people  thats when her new lifes mission began.

But she never became cynical, and always believed there were enough good people out there to finally change things for the better, like her compatriots in [the traffic safety] motorcade, Knapp continued. More than once, she was moved to tears because they are portrayed by cops as outlaws, and by extension the media. When in reality, they are the most good-hearted, selfless people shed ever known, prepared to put their lives on the line to protect protesters and their basic right to free speech, without any acknowledgement. Yet she didnt recognize that she was describing herself, too.

Knightly, also known by the nickname T-Rex, would volunteer to help with transportation for people with disabilities during protests, Raiford said: She was a peacemaker. She would help people pull together and work through the chaos. When youre protesting, theres a lot of trauma. She could see when people were hurting and help them.

Service is the word I would use to describe her approach to the world, said Kathleen Saadat, her longtime friend in Portland. She was about taking care of people. She knew what it was like to not have a whole lot, so she had compassion for people. Saadat, 81, said Knightly loved to cook  shepherds pie was her speciality  and leaves behind a son.

Saadat said she and Knightly had long conversations about how to be most effective with activism: June was incredibly introspective. She didnt just act, she thought about what she was doing.

They didnt talk much about the dangers of protesting, but Saadat said they had a conversation acknowledging that if you decide to get out there, you accept the fact that you might be killed, adding, You dont expect it, but you accept it.
NBC

John Mulaneys induction into Saturday Night Lives famous Five-Timers Club went unremarked upon during his excellent opening monologue this week. But midway through the show, Steve Martin, Candice Bergen and recent five-timer Paul Rudd showed up in their special jackets to welcome their newest member.

Congratulations, John, and let me be the first person to say, who are you? Bergen asked.

Later, they were joined by Tina Fey and Elliott Gouldbut the biggest surprise of the night came when Conan OBrien, who spent three seasons writing for SNL but only hosted once in 2001, busted into the room after Martin complained that the club was starting to become not special.

Did somebody say not special?! OBrien asked to wild cheers from the audience. Look, John, dont listen to them. This is very, very special.

John Mulaney Opens Up About His Drug Dealer and Rehab During Hilarious SNL Monologue

Unlike Fey, who was a cast member in addition to being a writer, he explained, John and I were never supposed to be on TV Because were both hideous, right, John?

And before it was over, even though it was the middle of the show, OBrien took the sketch by the horns and delivered a line he never got to when he was writing for SNL: Live from New York, its Saturday night!

For more, listen and subscribe to The Last Laugh podcast.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is riding national momentum in the Republican Party. (Photo: John Raoux/Associated Press)

ORLANDO, Fla.  Donald Trump still rules the Republican Party, but at least some Republicans are beginning to imagine what a future might look like without him.

In conversation after conversation with attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida this week, hardcore conservatives who still worship the former president began to signal something new: They may not want him to run again in 2024.

Absolutely not! said one CPAC attendee from New Jersey, roaming Orlandos Rosen Shingle Creek hotel with a $500 silver bedazzled pistol-shaped purse. The woman didnt want to share her name for fear of being on record against Trump, even though she voted for him and still thinks hes great.

I just dont think its gonna work for the country. Its going to be a fiasco. The same bullshit we dealt with for years, she said.

Ever since he confronted his 2020 loss with cries of a rigged election, Trump has teased the possibility of a comeback, and many of his supporters at CPAC said they believe hes going to follow through. Trump spoke to a rapturous crowd at CPAC on Saturday and baited them into thinking he would challenge President Joe Biden again in two years. We did it twice and well do it again, he said, alluding to the falsehood that he beat Biden in 2020.

Trump won the conventions 2024 straw poll with 59% support in a hypothetical matchup against 18 other Republicans. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was the clear non-Trump favorite with 28%, up 7 points from last years poll, indicating that support for him is growing. Trumps support also jumped by 4 points.

But even the Trumpiest of Trump fans are beginning to have reservations about just how practical a Trump comeback would be. They emphasized the same points when it came to 2024: that Trump did great things for the country but its time to move on and that Trump could squander whatever gains the GOP makes in the midterm elections by being too polarizing and driving Democrats to the polls. These sentiments came from nearly two dozen activists, many in MAGA or anti-Biden gear, and almost every one cited DeSantis, who they love for refusing to follow pandemic best practices, as at least a top three choice for president.

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I do not recommend Trump running because it will send every liberal to the polls and it will destroy everything from top to bottom, said Peter Lee, a 52-year-old from Orlando who runs a local tea party chapter. Apparently, half the nation voted against Trump. So if Trump runs, it sends half the nation back to the polls to vote against him. Lets not do that.

In general, though, the nations preeminent conservative gathering was all about Trump. Drawing candidates, conservative celebrities, activists, journalists and political operatives, the convention was an explosion of blingy Trump-themed everything. Shirts, hats, dresses, purses, shoes, flags. Looking for every single Trump tweet in four leather-bound volumes? They had that. What about a MAGA hammock for $1,500? You came to the right  and maybe only  place for that.

Merchandise for sale at CPAC. (Photo: John Raoux/Associated Press)

Though he keeps teasing another run, Trump hasnt made his plans clear and, until he does, it essentially freezes the field for the rest of Republicans.

These people ought to be crisscrossing the country, talking at Lincoln Day dinners, and campaigning, etcetera, said Saul Anuzis, a longtime Republican strategist. And theyre not doing that because of Trumps indecision about whether or not hes going to run.

Anuzis said its not necessarily dislike for Trump thats motivating the conservative base to look beyond him for their next presidential nominee.

I think people just want to see us move on, he said. They realize that Trump was a lightening rod and that if runs hell win the nomination.

GOP speakers were given anywhere from five to 20 minutes to address the convention, and most used their speeches to stoke the culture war. Trump was a passing mention in remarks from Florida Sen. Rick Scott and North Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said he hoped Trump would run again, while Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel declared Trump the winner of the 2020 election. DeSantis didnt mention him at all.

The emerging dynamic with the Florida governor is getting under Trumps skin. At CPAC, a Republican who worked on Trumps campaign snickered at the suggestion of DeSantis overtaking Trump, bringing up how DeSantis resigned from Congress in 2018 under the cloud of an ethics investigation before becoming Floridas governor. And though Trump has privately fumed at DeSantis challenging him, some of his biggest fans are starting to welcome the idea.

I think hes the lesser of two evils, said Deborah Jarvis, a 55-year-old electronics tester from Ocala, Florida, referring to DeSantis.

Not that [Trumps] evil! I love him to death, she continued. But ... 

Dressed in matching Lets Go Brandon T-shirt and sneakers (the phrase has become shorthand for a pejorative against President Joe Biden), Jarvis said Republicans may not have to fight so hard with someone else in office. I love Trump. Ive been to Trump rallies. I was just in Texas [for a rally] a few weeks ago. But right now our focus should be 2022, she said.

John Madison, a 30-year-old delivery truck driver from Pittsburgh said he wants someone like Trump but more polished and experienced  even though the thing that Republicans liked about Trump, that he was an outsider and new to politics, cant be said for him anymore.

I want someone whos conservative like Trump, whos brash like Trump, but whos got a little bit more political experience, who can bring in all conservatives, all moderates, and not be as divisive, Madison said. Im 100% conservative, 100% Republican. But Ive talked to a lot of people  they couldnt get behind Trump, but they could get behind DeSantis.

Another woman attending CPAC with her teenage daughter said DeSantis is essentially a more likable version of Trump.

DeSantis basically has the same policies as Trump, but he just says it in a different way that the media wont attack. He almost steps in it sometimes, but thats just his personality, she said.

I just think DeSantis is the guy right now, you know? said David Thomas Roberts, who traveled from Houston to sell books at CPACs expo hall. Id be surprised if you hear differently all weekend.

Floridians may have been overly represented at CPAC, potentially giving DeSantis an advantage in the straw poll. Local Republicans who didnt want to see DeSantis run for president said they didnt want to lose him as governor. They mentioned that his wife, Casey DeSantis, has recently battled breast cancer, making it an awkward time to run for president.

David Duffey, a 57-year-old who runs a side gig making MAGA merch and said he attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally that preceded the deadly U.S. Capitol riot, wore a flag draped as a cape emblazoned with DESANTISLAND. He said he wants Trump right now for 2024, and maybe DeSantis in the future.

I mean, Ron is such a great governor, Duffey said. Hes 42 years old ... weve got other people.

Christopher Mathias contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
Columbus police were first called Friday afternoon to a residential area on the city's East Side, where 41-year-old Dalin Green was found shot dead inside a vehicle. On Saturday morning, police were dispatched to a home on the Northeast Side where Floyd W. Bacon, 34, was found dead outside from a gunshot wound.

Two men have been killed since Friday afternoon in separate incidents as gun violence continues to rage across Greater Columbus.

Columbus police were first called Friday afternoon to a residential area on the city's East Side, where 41-year-old Dalin Green was found shot dead inside a vehicle. On Saturday morning, police were dispatched to a home on the Northeast Side where Floyd W. Bacon, 34, was found dead outside from a gunshot wound.

Homicide map: Here's an updated map of where homicides have occurred in Columbus

With Bacon's and Green's deaths, 18 people have been killed as of Sunday in Columbus so far in 2022.

As the first two months of 2022 near an end, the rate of killings in Columbus has slightly dipped when compared with the previous year, the city's deadliest on record and the second consecutive year that a record number of homicides were recorded.

By the end of February in 2021, 33 people had become victims to homicide. Last year initially ended with 204 recorded homicides, but that figure grew by one last Thursday when Columbus police announced that the death of a 17-year-old in October is now being classified as a homicide.

Homicide investigations: New Columbus police website works to humanize homicide victims, help solve cases

Green was found dead when Columbus police were dispatched at 2:39 p.m. Friday to the area of Sweet Basil Drive and Tarragon Way on a report of gunshots. When they arrived, police found a fatally-wounded Green inside a vehicle that had crashed, and a Whitehall medic pronounced Green dead at 2:52 p.m.

A 34-year-old woman was also inside the vehicle but was not struck by gunfire, police said.

Homicide detectives said they are working to obtain surveillance video of the area that might provide information on any suspects behind the fatal shooting.

Fatal shooting of imam: Muslim, Somali communities call arrest in imam's death a relief, but police say more involved

The following day, Columbus police were dispatched at 11:14 a.m. Saturday on a report of a dead male lying in a back yard of a home on the 1900 block of Oakland Park Avenue, east of Cleveland Avenue. Bacon was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound, and medics arrived to pronounced Bacon dead at 11:20 a.m.

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Police have identified no suspects in either homicide.

Within the month of February, shootings raged in neighborhoods around the city and even inside and outside popular commercial businesses.

On Feb. 18, an 18-year-old man was shot and killed at a Roosters restaurant at 2454 East Dublin-Granville Road (Route 161) in the city's Northland neighborhood. And on Feb. 14, a 24-year-old man was permanently paralyzed from the waist down after police say he was the victim of an apparently random drive-by shooting as he sat inside a front window at Dick's Den, a bar and live music venue in Columbus' Old North neighborhood.

Dick's Den shooting: Shooting victim Max Williams now paralyzed from waist down, family says

Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther declared gun violence a public health crisis in mid-February and announced the formation of a coalition intended to pressure Ohio and U.S. lawmakers to take action to get illegal guns off city streets. During the Feb. 15 news conference in which Ginther announced those steps, he also indicated that a long-anticipated violence intervention strategy is expected to launch at the beginning of March.

Ginther first announced at a previous fall news conference that the city would implement the National Network for Safe Communities' Group Violence Intervention (GVI) program, which requires leaders to engage with the most-dangerous people in the city to convince them to give up their violent ways and connect them with social services.

When asked about the initiative by a Dispatch reporter at the news conference, Ginther said city leaders and community groups involved in the outreach program have met several times and are prepared to host the first so-called "call-in" with at-risk individuals as early as Tuesday.

Gun violence: Columbus mayor declares gun violence a public health crisis, forms alliance to fight illegal guns

Anyone with information on any Columbus homicide can call the city police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or report an anonymous tip to the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.

Eric Lagatta is a reporter at the Columbus Dispatch covering public safety, breaking news and social justice issues. Reach him at elagatta@dispatch.com. Follow him on Twitter

@EricLagatta

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Two men killed in gun violence since Friday in Columbus
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in his office on Capitol Hill on November 18, 2021. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

McCarthy needs to gain just a handful of seats to clinch the speaker's gavel this fall.

He'll need the full support of the contentious caucus plus newly elected Republicans.

While CPACers danced around leadership questions, veteran lawmakers mostly praised McCarthy.

ORLANDO, Florida  Republican hopefuls swarming the 2022 Conservative Action Political Action conference to try and win a spot in Congress appeared to be on different pages about who should be in charge once they get there.

Many of the aspiring candidates Insider interviewed at CPAC gushed about how much they admired leading Republicans, ranging from embattled former President Donald Trump to House GOP Conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik.

The political neophytes appeared to be less sure about House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy  the man they would, in theory, look to for guidance in a Republican-run 118th Congress. One member of this wait-and-see caucus said they were reserving judgment until they got to Washington and could ferret out a party boss "I could work with."

McCarthy, who shocked the pundit class in 2020 by gaining a dozen seats instead of suffering the double-digit loss most expected, is working to finish the job this fall by ushering in enough Republicans to wrest back control of the chamber from Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

While flipping the House would certainly get him closer to earning that long-sought promotion, having a bunch of naysayers join the ranks makes climbing the career ladder more difficult.

The California Republican dropped out of the running for speaker in 2015 amid opposition from the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, which Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio led at the time.

These days Freedom Caucus members Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, two MAGA devotees who tune out everyone except embattled former President Donald Trump, are the ones keeping McCarthy on his toes. Gaetz is currently under federal investigation for potential sex trafficking while Greene is trying to distance herself from alt-right figure Nick Fuentes after making a surprise appearance at one of his white nationalist rallies on Friday night.

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Going their own way

Leslie French, a first-time candidate running to unseat Trump impeachment supporter Republican Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler of Washington, mapped out a personal agenda that includes following up on Trump's baseless claims about widespread "election fraud" in 2020, completing Trump's wall at the southern border, and impeaching President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris "because they don't belong there."

Absent from his to-do list: checking in with McCarthy.

"I'm probably not going to seek his endorsement," French said, adding that he'd have to think on who should be speaker if Republicans reclaim control this fall.

"I'd have to see what the field of candidates are at the time," French said.

Lee Murphy, who is running for Congress in Biden's home state of Delaware, said he'd need to interview McCarthy before lending any support.

"There are a lot of people in Congress I really respect," Lee added, citing Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana. "I'd like to meet the people who are vying for that position and I certainly would like someone in that position I could work with."

Regina Mauro, a first-time candidate running to unseat Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, told Insider she agrees wholeheartedly with the small government, low tax philosophy of the Freedom Caucus.

Mauro added that she's a huge fan of Jim Jordan, but reserved the highest praise for Elise Stefanik.

House Republican Conference chair Elise Stefanik leaves a meeting of the House Republican conference at the U.S Capitol on May 18, 2021 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images

"I think she's a super power," Mauro said of the House's third highest-ranking Republican.

Garrett Barton, who is running for Congress in South Carolina, said he really likes Jordan and Republican Study Committee chairman Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, but stopped short of supporting any House leader  for now. "I don't have a dog in the fight."

Ingrid Centurion, another South Carolina with her sights set on joining Congress to, as she says, "replace RINO Nancy Mace," laughed when asked whether she was Team McCarthy.

"So many hard questions," Centurion told Insider. "When I get there I'll make these decisions."

'He has done enough'

Some Republicans already in Congress told Insider they're waiting to see McCarthy's midterm strategy before making any final decisions.

"We want to see a plan," said Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina who acknowledged McCarthy's fundraising prowess. Norman said he hoped McCarthy's developing playbook would include spending cuts, boost military pay, and clear the path for more conservative Republicans to run for office.

GOP Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee gave McCarthy high marks for keeping things together so far. And he doesn't anticipate there'll be much standing in McCarthy's way if Republicans pick up even more seats this November than they did in the last cycle.

"If we gain 20 seats, Kevin McCarthy's the speaker  and I'll be supporting him," the two-term lawmaker said. Delivering a slimmer margin of five to six seats might give skeptics additional pause, Green said, estimating that "maybe people will scratch their heads."

Six-term Republican Rep. Billy Long of Missouri, who is running for Senate this fall, said McCarthy has nothing to worry about.

"The House had zero competitive leadership races last time," Long told Insider while pressing the flesh at CPAC. "None."

Meanwhile, Jordan told Insider in an interview following a book signing at CPAC that he had no interest in mounting a leadership challenge. He instead hopes to chair the Judiciary Committee and "focus on defending the First Amendment," which guarantees the right to free speech.

"Leader McCarthy is going to be the speaker," Jordan said. "He has done enough to earn that spot."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Cumberland County health and school officials discussed the end of the pandemic Friday morning during an online video series.

The metrics are not quite where they need to be in order for the World Health Organization to declare the pandemic over, Cumberland County Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Green said during Coffee Conversations.

Coffee Conversations is an informational monthly video series hosted online by Cumberland County Schools.

During the episode, Associate Superintendent Dr. Lindsay Whitley sat down with Health Services Director Shirley Bolden and Green to discuss COVID-19 school district safety protocols and community safety protocols.

I dont think the pandemic is over yet, Green said. I think we are turning a corner into a new phase of this pandemic, one that can bring us back to some level of normalcy.

Related: Despite slight decrease in COVID cases, high transmission rate continues

She said although COVID-19 metrics are improving, the Health Department still wants the numbers to be lower.

There have been 505 COVID-19 cases in Cumberland County per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The public health mask abatement order for Cumberland County expired Feb. 20.

Just give us any updates on current COVID-19 guidance, Whitley said to Green.

We do have a new variant, it is really what we call a subvariant of our omicron variant, and so what we know about it  is that this new subvariant, which we call BA.2 or the stealth variant seems to be more contagious than the omicron variant, Green said. Its circulating at low levels right now across the United States  including North Carolina.

What are the certain protocols that I should be taking? Whitley asked Green.

Everyone age 5 and older should be vaccinated, she said.

Its not too late to get vaccinated, Green said.

The Cumberland County Board of Education recently voted on Feb. 8 to lift the mask mandate and make masks optional for students and staff.

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Mask mandate lifted: Masks will be optional in Cumberland County Schools starting Feb. 16

Bolden said the school district still encourages children and staff who are ill to wear a mask for a short period.

We do encourage everyone whos tested positive or symptomatic to wear a mask for 10 days, Bolden said.

Green added that anyone who is exposed to COVID-19 should wear a mask for 10 days.

We still want our students and our teachers and our staff to be protected, Green said. If you test positive for COVID, you are going to do your five days of isolation or if you're symptomatic, then when you come back on days six through 10, masks are still required, and thats to add that extra protection.

Federal requirements mandate that students and staff wear masks while riding on school buses or school transportation vehicles, Bolden said.

Bolden said although COVID-19 school district numbers are decreasing, numbers are still high.

There were 523 COVID-19 cases in the school district between Jan. 28 and Feb. 3; 321 COVID-19 cases between Feb.4 and Feb. 10; and 91 COVID-19 cases between Feb, 11 and Feb. 17, she said.

We have to, again, adhere to all of our mitigation strategies to ensure that were staying safe and that we are protecting our other fellow community members, she said.

The monthly video series is available on the school districts Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Health and education writer Ariana-Jasmine Castrellon can be reached at acastrellon@gannett.com or 910-486-3561.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: COVID updates: Cumberland County, NC school officials discuss policy
PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech Foreign Ministry warned against travel to Russia on Sunday and called on its citizens to leave the country given the threat of deteriorating security, especially for citizens of European Union and NATO countries.

The ministry said its citizens who are already in the country and decide to stay should take maximum precautions and have plans ready to leave in case of an emergency.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Alison Williams)
As Russian troops continue their invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly put his nuclear forces on high alert.

Since Russian military forces began invading Ukraine on Thursday, the United States and its NATO allies have imposed multiple sanctions on the country in hopes of de-escalating the invasion.

"(Vladimir) Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences," Biden said during a White House news briefing on Friday.

In response to these economic sanctions and aggressive statements by NATO powers, Putin on Sunday said he ordered his country's nuclear deterrent forces prepared for increased readiness and told his top officials to be ready for a "special regime of combat duty."

But what is "nuclear deterrence"? Here's what you should know about it, as well as nuclear capabilities of Russia and NATO allies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the National Space Centre construction site in Moscow on February 27, 2022.

THE NEWS COMES TO YOU: Get the latest updates on situation in Ukraine. Sign up here.

WHY IS RUSSIA INVADING UKRAINE?: Could this be the start of WWIII? We explain.

BACK IN THE STATES: What is the draft? And can it ever be reinstated here?

What is nuclear deterrence?

Nuclear deterrence is an ideology dating back to the Cold War used to prevent any nuclear aggression.

As the U.S. and then-Soviet Union each raced toward the creation and building of nuclear weapons, the U.S. adopted a strategy of nuclear deterrence, meaning if the Soviet Union or any nation attempted to attack, the U.S. would respond swiftly and launch an even bigger attack.

Putin is using the same strategy. The Russian president has indicated that if the U.S. and other NATO allies continue to impose heavy sanction against the Russian economy, or if they attempt to aid Ukrainian forces, Russia will be ready to respond with nuclear weaponry.

Putin had previously said any countries that "hinder us" will face "such consequences that you have never encountered in your history."

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What is DEFCON?

An acronym for Defense Ready Condition, DEFCON is what the Pentagon uses to indicate the level of threats the country faces from other nations, which then determines readiness for any potential response.

There are five levels, from DEFCON 1 to 5. DEFCON 5 is the lowest state of readiness, while DEFCON 1 is maximum readiness, meaning a nuclear war is about to begin or already has begun. Although speculation abounds, officials never publicly state which DEFCON level the country is under, for security reasons.

The U.S. has never reached DEFCON 1. The highest it's thought to have been is DEFCON 2, which reportedly occurred during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Although there is no official declaration of the country's DEFCON status, speculation about it abounds on the internet.

Russia has its own version of DEFCON, although its stages are unclear. Dmitri Alperovitch, founder of The Alperovitch Institute for Cybersecurity Studies at Johns Hopkins University and former chief technology officer of cybersecurity group CrowdStrike, said in a tweet that Russia has four levels. Putin's orders put Russia at the Elevated level, the second level similar to the U.S.

More: What is NATO? Military alliance in spotlight as Russia tries to forbid Ukraine membership

Does NATO have nuclear weapons?

NATO members have nuclear weapons, but the organization says the sole purpose of having them is for deterrence. These weapons mainly come from the U.S., which has full control of any weapons deployed in Europe.

"Should an adversary decide to attack NATO, they must not only contend with NATOs decision-making, but also make a judgment about decision-making from the leaders of the United States, United Kingdom, and France," the organization says on its website.

However, a senior Defense Department official told reporters on condition of anonymity that Russia is under no threat from the U.S. and NATO allies.

Contributing: USA TODAY staff reports

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is DEFCON? What does nuclear deterrence mean? Here's what to know
The Daily Beast

FacebookKailia Posey, the child pageant star of Toddlers & Tiaras, died by suicide, her family has said.On Monday, it was reported that Posey, who turned 16 last month, had been found dead in a car at a Birch Bay State Park, in Washington state, but no cause of death was given.On Tuesday, Poseys deeply religious family told TMZ that she had taken her own life, saying in a statement, Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous mome
European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said Sunday that "around 300,000 Ukrainian" refugees have already "come to the EU member states" and that the EU "should be prepared for millions," CNN reports.

Already, the crisis has been met with an outpouring of support.

Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds tweeted Saturday that he and his wife, Accepted actress Blake Lively, would match up to $1 million in donations to the United Nations refugee agency.

In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. They need protection. When you donate, well match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support. https://t.co/xCFL1Lptuw https://t.co/CHp48E1KLQ  Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) February 26, 2022

Celebrity chef Jose Andres has "set up mobile kitchens at the Ukraine-Poland border" to feed refugees fleeing Ukraine, The Daily Beast reported.

Governments have also offered relief funds. The Globe and Mail reported Thursday that the Canadian government will match all donations to the Canadian Red Cross by individual Canadians up to $100,000.

According to CNN, Japan has pledged around $200 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

On Friday, the White House asked Congress to approve an aid bill for Ukraine that would include $2.9 billion in "security and humanitarian assistance," according to Reuters.

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The United States and European Union have banned some Russian banks from the Swift financial system in the latest sanction against Vladimir Putins attack on Ukraine.

Western leadership, which also includes the United Kingdom and Canada, expelled Russia from the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world in a decision announced on Saturday evening.

The western nations decision to trigger the action came after the EU, which was previously split on the matter, decided to move forward with it.

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Robert O'Brien. Harmony Gerber/Getty Images

Former National Security Advisor O'Brien called Vladimir Putin a "killer" while speaking at CPAC.

O'Brien's sentiments are stark contrast to the feelings of his former boss, ex-President Trump.

Trump during his CPAC speech expressed sympathy for Ukrainians but still called Putin "smart."

Former Trump national security advisor Robert O'Brien on Saturday blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "killer," offering a starkly different opinion than his former boss, who last week described the leader's rationale for invading Ukraine as "savvy" and "genius."

While speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Florida, O'Brien  who served under the former president from 2019 to 2021  warned of the perils of Putin's leadership on the world stage, arguing that the current conflict was "a crisis the likes of which most of us born after World War II have never seen."

"Putin's conquest of Ukraine is not enough for him. Last week, he threatened the Baltic states and Finland. Putin even held out the prospect of nuclear war against any nation that opposes him," he said during his speech.

He emphasized: "Make no mistake, Putin is a killer who wants to rebuild the Russian Empire. He is not a person to be admired no matter how charming or clever he is portrayed to be."

The diplomat's choice of words mirrored that of President Joe Biden, who last year told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos that he agreed with labeling the Russian leader as a "killer," which drew a furious response from the Kremlin.

O'Brien's statement stands in sharp contrast to Trump, who on Saturday expressed sympathy for the Ukrainian people while simultaneously blaming Biden for the conflict.

"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling, an outrage and an atrocity that should have never been allowed to occur. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all," the former president said.

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He added: "When you have a weak president who is not respected by other nations, you have a very chaotic world. The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he is smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb."

At CPAC, the overwhelming sentiment among the speakers  especially lawmakers who made the trip to Orlando  was to link the root cause of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to Biden's leadership abilities.

In an interview with the Washington Examiner conducted after the CPAC speech, O'Brien said that Republican attitudes toward Russia, fueled a disappointment in Biden's response, reflect the party's continued hawkishness regarding international affairs.

"I think it's still Ronald Reagan's party, and I think 'peace through strength' and 'America First' were two sides of the same coin. President Trump used to talk about President Reagan all the time in the Oval Office," he told the publication.

During an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice  an expert on Russian foreign policy who has met with Putin on several occasions  noted the inconsistency of his behavior.

"He was always calculating and cold. But this is different. He seems erratic," she said during the interview.

She continued: "There is an ever-deepening, delusional rendering of history, it was always a kind of victimology about what had happened to them, but now it goes back to blaming Lenin for the foundation of Kyiv  in Ukraine."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has remained defiant in the face of the invasion, projecting a sense of optimism as the country fights for its very existence against Moscow.

"In every hour and place, city, and town and person  everywhere where the enemy is killing our people, our armed forces are doing everything they can to destroy the enemy," he said during a Saturday briefing.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(This February 26 story corrects pounds to dollars in third entry)

By Karin Strohecker

(Reuters) - The United States, Britain, Europe and Canada announced new sanctions on Russia on Saturday - including blocking certain lenders' access to the SWIFT international payment system - following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

Below are details on the measures proposed so far:

SWITCHING OFF SWIFT

Washington and its partners started to deploy what was widely seen as one of the harshest sanction measures: barring banks from SWIFT - a step that will stop lenders from conducting most of their financial transactions worldwide and, according to the statement, effectively curb Russian exports and imports.

The step, which will include restrictions on the central bank's international reserves, will be implemented in the coming days, the nations said in a joint statement that also vowed further action.

It was not immediately clear which Russian banks would be removed from SWIFT, but Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the move would ensure those selected were "disconnected from the international financial system" in a way that would "harm their ability to operate globally."

SWIFT is used by more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries.

BANKS & FINANCIAL FIRMS

The United States and Britain announced restrictions that, combined with previous sanctions, would in effect kick the vast majority of Russian banking assets out of both countries. New targets included Sberbank and VTB Bank, Russia's two largest lenders.

U.S. banks must sever correspondent banking ties - allowing banks to make payments between one another and move money around the globe - with Russia's largest lender, Sberbank, within 30 days.

Officials in Washington also wielded their most powerful sanctioning tool, adding VTB, Otkritie, Novikombank and Sovcombank to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list - effectively kicking them out of the U.S. financial system, banning trade with Americans and freezing their U.S. assets.

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EU leaders have agreed sanctions targeting 70% of the Russian banking market and important state-owned companies, including in defence.

Russia's large banks are deeply integrated into the global financial system and sanctions will be felt far beyond its borders. Data from the Bank for International Settlements showed European lenders hold the lion's share of the around $120 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

Britain announced it would ban Russian sovereign debt sales in London. Russia has issued $4.1 billion of sovereign debt in London since the beginning of 2020.

The coming package of EU measures 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," the bloc said. It will ban EU investors from trading in Russian state bonds.

Washington announced new restrictions on dealings in Russia sovereign debt on Tuesday. Americans - already barred from investing in Russian sovereign debt directly - will be banned from purchasing it in the secondary market after March 1.

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, President Joe Biden barred U.S. investors from buying new Russian rouble bonds over accusations of Russian election meddling.

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.

INDIVIDUALS

The U.S., the EU and Britain have already imposed asset freezes, travel bans and other curbs on Russian individuals.

Britain announced sanctions on more than 100 Russian individuals and entities, including an asset freeze and travel ban on Yelena Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank; Pyotr Fradkov, Promsvyazbank chairman; Denis Bortnikov, VTB deputy president; Kirill Shamalov, President Vladimir Putin's former son-in-law; and United Aircraft's Yury Slyusar.

Britain will also introduce legislation to limit deposits that Russian nationals can hold in UK bank accounts. The limit will be 50,000 pounds ($66,860) at British banks.

Washington sanctioned Fradkov and Bortnikov on Tuesday, as well as Vladimir Kiriyenko, the son of a former prime minister.

On Thursday, Washington targeted others close to Putin, including Sergei Ivanov, CEO of Russian state-owned diamond mining company Alrosa; Andrey Patrushev, who has served in leadership roles at Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom; and Ivan Sechin, reportedly a deputy head of a department at energy company Rosneft.

Biden said on Thursday he would consider personal sanctions on Putin, a move Moscow has said would not harm the Russian president personally but would prove "politically destructive".

The EU has already imposed sanctions on five people who were involved in a Russian parliamentary election in annexed Crimea last September, and said it would blacklist all lawmakers who voted to recognise two regions controlled by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, freeze any assets they have in the EU and ban them from travelling to the bloc.

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 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.

The U.S. on Wednesday imposed sanctions on the company in charge of building Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

CURBING TECHNOLOGY

The EU has vowed to introduce measures to crimp Russia's technological position in key areas - from high-tech components to cutting-edge software.

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Thursday it was implementing export controls that will severely restrict Russias access to semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, information security equipment, lasers, and sensors that it needs to sustain its military capabilities.

Similar measures were deployed during the Cold War, when sanctions kept the Soviet Union technologically backward and crimped economic growth.

(Reporting by Karin Strohecker and Catherine Belton in London, Michelle Price in New York, Katya Golubkova and Andrey Ostroukh in Moscow; Editing by Timothy Heritage and Leslie Adler)
A Florida man broke a beer bottle over his head, prompting a deputy who thought the popping sound was a gunshot to shoot him, the Polk County Sheriffs Office reported Saturday.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies were trying to arrest Matthew Correa, 27, when it happened, as he was a suspect in a series of crimes, including an armed robbery. Correa was in a pickup when he stood up through the sunroof with a rifle in one hand and a bottle of Busch Light in the other. He then broke the bottle over his head.

The sergeant who was behind Correa and unable to see the bottle, heard the popping noise and believed Correa had shot at his deputies, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The sergeant fired one shot at Correa, striking him in the neck.

Correa was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life threatening. No deputies were injured, the agency reported.

The bizarre chain of events began about 8:19 a.m. Saturday when Correa and a female companion went to a supermarket in Winter Haven in a white Chevy Tahoe. There, Correa stole a red Toyota pickup. The Tahoe was later found abandoned on State Road 540 east of Thornhill Road, deputies said.

At about 8:45 a.m., Correa and his companion went into a tire store near Winter Haven and asked an employee for money. When the employee said no money was there, Correa pulled a rifle out of a duffle bag, pointed the weapon at the employee and started looking for money. Correa and his companion left when a customer arrived, deputies said.

At some point Correa and his companion separated.

As deputies searched for the pair, the red pickup was seen on U.S. 17 near Cypress Gardens Boulevard. Deputies tried to stop the truck with stop sticks, but their attempts were not successful. Correa, who was behind the wheel, tried to hit a deputy with the truck, deputies said.

Correa entered the eastbound lane of State Road 540, where deputies were able to surround the truck  very close, by the way, to where the Tahoe had been abandoned.

Story continues

While in the truck, Correa pointed the rifle under his chin and told deputies to kill him. Deputies tried to de-escalate the situation, but Correa then stood up through the sunroof and held the gun in a threatening manner, a news release states.

He then dropped from the sunroof out of sight for a moment, then stood up with a rifle in one hand, and a Busch Light beer bottle in the other, which he smashed against his forehead, breaking the bottle, the news release states.

Thats when the sergeant, thinking the popping sound was a gunshot, fired at Correa.

Thank God none of our deputies were injured today, Judd said. The suspect made several bad choices this morning, including the choice that forced our sergeant to shoot him.

Deputies are still trying to learn who the female companion was and ask anyone with information to call them at (863) 298-6200 or Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS,

Correa, who faces multiple charges, has a criminal record that includes a charge of home invasion burglary, and he has spent five years in prison.

A standard review of the shooting by the sheriffs office and State Attorneys Office is under way.




H.R. McMaster, who served as former President Trump's national security adviser, said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin "got a lot more than he bargained for" when he invaded Ukraine last week.

Appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation," McMaster said Ukrainian forces have done a "tremendous" job.

"I think Putin got a lot more than he bargained for. He's in a very difficult position," McMaster told host Margaret Brennan. "And I think anything we can do obviously financially - going after his international criminal enterprise with sanctions and so forth - is important. But the support for Ukraine's ability to defend themselves is also important."

McMaster added that Putin had failed to understand that Ukraine is not an autocratic regime where a political decapitation would be effective.

"The Ukrainian people are fighting for their freedom. They're fighting for democracy. They're fighting for one another and their sovereignty, and that just doesn't go away if he's able to seize Kyiv " he said. "I don't think seizing Kyiv is in the cards in the immediate future. The next 72 hours, I think, are going to be really critical."

Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv is still under Ukrainian control as of Sunday morning. Thousands of Ukrainians, many of whom are civilians, have taken up arms to defend the nation against Russia.

McMaster also said while discussing the Biden administration's support for Ukraine that there are multiple military options available outside of the U.S. directly going to war with Russia.

According to the former White House official, efforts could be made to reopen commercial airline flights in Ukraine in order to relieve "humanitarian suffering" and maintain open land routes to neighboring countries such as Poland, Romania and Moldova.

Another option would be to resupply Ukrainians with weapons, McMaster said.
By David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - World Bank President David Malpass said on Sunday the bank may be able to provide Ukraine with more financial resources within days and that additional aid for the war-torn country will be discussed by G7 finance leaders on Tuesday.

Malpass told CBS' "Face the Nation" he was not yet considering what would happen if the Ukraine's government falls, but the bank is "doing everything we can to support the people of Ukraine."

"Right now, we have an instrument that is able to move quickly in the next few days if it's - if it's needed - and the circumstances go that way," Malpass said. "I briefed our board on Thursday and it can be added to by other countries that want to support Ukraine."

A disbursement for Ukraine within days would represent a rapid acceleration from World Bank financing options that Malpass discussed a week ago with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Malpass at that time said the bank was readying a $350 million disbursement to Ukraine that the group's board would consider by the end of March.

Malpass said he would join a virtual meeting on Tuesday of finance ministers and central bank governors from the G7 Western democracies, who will discuss other options and "can decide a lot of how much aid goes into Ukraine."

A source familiar with the G7 meeting plans said the finance leaders also will discuss the latest rounds of sanctions against Russia aimed at punishing Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. These include moves by the United States and its allies to cut key Russian banks off from the SWIFT financial transactions messaging system and impose sanctions against Russia's central bank aimed at neutralizing its $630 billion in foreign currency reserves.

Malpass also said the World Bank, along with the International Monetary Fund, was considering steps to help countries bordering Ukraine to support their intake of Ukrainian refugees, such as Romania and Moldova.

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He added that the conflict and financial sanctions against Russia would increase hardship for the Russian people as the rouble's value has fallen dramatically.

"You know, this is a tragedy right now for Ukrainians, for the neighbors of Ukraine, but also for Russians," he said. "They didn't choose war."

(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Richard Chang)
STORY: Freiburg-based charity Fathers House said their 70-hour-long journey to safety began shortly after the start of Ukraines Russian invasion and that 30 adults accompanied the children.

The head of the Ukrainian Fathers House institution, Roman Korniiko in an emotional statement thanked the city of Freiburg and the German people for saving these children alive.

According to a local Freiburg newspaper, the children will initially be put up in three refugee sites and a youth hostel where they will be looked after by psychologists, paediatricians and doctors.
By Christoph Steitz, Riham Alkousaa and Maria Sheahan

BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany signalled a U-turn in key energy policies on Sunday, floating the possibility of extending the life-spans of coal and even nuclear plants to cut dependency on Russian gas, part of a broad political rethink following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Europe's top economy has been under pressure from other Western nations to become less dependent on Russian gas, but its plans to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2030 and to shut its nuclear power plants by end-2022 have left it with few options.

In a landmark speech on Sunday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz spelled out a more radical path to ensure Germany will be able to meet rising energy supply and diversify away from Russian gas, which accounts for half of Germany's energy needs.

"The events of the past few days have shown us that responsible, forward-looking energy policy is decisive not only for our economy and the environment. It is also decisive for our security," Scholz told lawmakers in a special Bundestag session called to address the Ukraine crisis.

"We must change course to overcome our dependence on imports from individual energy suppliers," he said.

This will include building two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, one in Brunsbuettel and one in Wilhelmshaven, and raising its natural gas reserves.

These plans will likely be a boon for Germany's top utility RWE, which has been backing efforts by German LNG Terminal, a joint venture of Gasunie, Oiltanking GmbH and Vopak LNG Holding, to build an LNG terminal in Brunsbuettel.

Separately, the German government has asked RWE's smaller rival Uniper to revive plans to build an LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven, Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Sunday, after the company scrapped such plans in late 2020.

Uniper was not immediately available for comment and the Economy Ministry declined to comment.

Earlier this week Germany halted the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project, Europe's most divisive energy project after Russia formally recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

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Russia has since invaded Ukraine, prompting the West to slap further sanctions on Moscow and making the energy supply issue even more pressing.

The revamp of energy priorities comes alongside a paradigm shift in German foreign and defence policy, with Scholz also announcing a dramatic hike in military spending.

'NO TABOOS'

Germany last year embarked on an ambitious shift towards solar and wind power and Greens member Oliver Krischer on Sunday said a draft law to ensure renewables will account for 100% of Germany's power supply by 2035 already was completed.

Germany will also increase the volume of natural gas in its storage facilities by 2 billion cubic metres (bcm) via long-term options and will buy additional natural gas on world markets in coordination with the European Union, Scholz said.

Germany has 24 bcm of underground caverns of gas storage, which are currently around 30% full, according to industry group Gas Infrastructure Europe data.

Germany is also weighing whether to extend the life-span of its remaining nuclear power plants as a way to secure the country's energy supply, the country's economy minister Robert Habeck, a member of the Greens, said.

Asked by German broadcaster ARD whether he could imagine allowing nuclear plants to run longer than planned under Germany's exit plan, which foresees shutting the country's three remaining plants by the end of 2022, he said: "It is part of my ministry's tasks to answer this question ... I would not reject it on ideological grounds."

Isar 2, Emsland and Neckarwestheim 2 are the last remaining nuclear plants producing power in Germany after the country a decade ago decided to phase out the fuel in the wake of Japan's Fukushima disaster.

The three plants are owned by German energy firms E.ON, RWE and EnBW, respectively.

Habeck also said letting coal-fired power plants to run longer than planned was an option, throwing into doubt Germany's ambitious exit from coal, which is planned for 2030.

"There are no taboos on deliberations," Habeck said, adding that it was Germany's goal to ultimately choose which country will supply its energy.

"Being able to choose also means, in case of doubt, saying goodbye to Russian gas, coal or oil. And should Russia wilfully cut off this supply, then the decision has of course been made," Habeck said.

"In that case they will never be rebuilt. I think the Kremlin knows that, too."

(Reporting by Christoph Steitz, Riham Alkousaa and Maria Sheahan; Editing by Sarah Marsh, Jan Harvey, Raissa Kasolowsky and Alison Williams)
With the deadline for submitting nominating petitions now passed, 13 Sioux Falls citizens will be vying for five open seats in the April 12 election  some who've been in the race for months and others who filed minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline on Feb. 25.

While City Clerk Tom Greco gave the caveat that there's always a chance that a petition postmarked prior to the deadline could be still in the mail to the office, here are the candidates currently set to be on the ballot:

Mayor (Incumbent: Paul TenHaken)

Mayor Paul TenHaken leads a press conference on public transit updates on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at Sioux Falls City Hall.

Mayor Paul TenHaken

The incumbent mayor of Sioux Falls, TenHaken was elected in 2018 by the largest margin of victory in a mayoral race since the city began operating under a strong-mayor form of government in 1994. He announced his re-election campaign last September, saying the city needed a "steady hand at the wheel" as it continues to grow.

Taneeza Islam announces her candidacy for mayor of Sioux Falls on Tuesday, October 5, at Meldrum Park. Incumbent Mayor Paul TenHaken had already announced his campaign for reelection. Islam's statement noted she will be "the first American-Muslim who is first-generation to run for citywide office" in Sioux Falls.

Taneeza Islam

An immigration attorney and the executive director of South Dakota Voices for Peace, Islam announced her candidacy last October, envisioning an "inclusive and equitable city" once she's elected by a "historic turnout" of new voters and tacitly knocking TenHaken with comments about how she "will never complain about the pressures of the job."

David Zokaites

A staple of Sioux Falls City Council meetings public input portion, Zokaites' last run for mayor ended just four signatures short of getting on the ballot. Not this time. A critic of local government for years, Zokaites hopes to fight against what he's deemed as corruption from a seat at the dais, not in front of it.

At-Large A (Incumbent: Janet Brekke)

Councilor Janet Brekke attends a Sioux Falls City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 at Carnegie Town Hall.

Janet Brekke

Elected to the seat in 2018, Brekke is hoping for another four years as one of the council's three at-large members. The former city attorney has pushed for more transparency and questioned actions of both the council and TenHaken's administration, which has occasionally led to clashes with her fellow councilors  a potential reason why four sitting city councilors hosted a fundraiser for one of Brekke's challengers earlier this month.

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Sarah Cole, an Avera Health pediatrician, filed her candidacy for Sioux Falls City Council Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021.

Sarah Cole

An Avera Health pediatrician, Cole has said she'd like to bring her viewpoint as a single mother of two children to the council. A recent campaign fundraiser for Cole was hosted by Councilors Greg Neitzert, Christine Erickson, Marshall Selberg and Alex Jensen.

Bobbi Andera

Bobbi Andera

The first entrant into the At-Large A race, Andera is a laboratory business manager at Sanford Health who also serves on the city's public parking advisory board. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Andera has listed crime and wasted tax dollars as primary targets if elected.

At-Large B (No incumbent)

Pam Cole filed for the At-Large B seat on Jan. 10, 2022

Pam Cole

A former state legislator, Cole most recently served as the executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party for just under a year. If elected she has cited public transportation and economic growth as some of her main issues.

Rich Merkouris

Rich Merkouris

The senior pastor of King of Glory Church and president of Kingdom Capital Fund, Merkouris has said he'd like to focus on renewing core neighborhoods and investing in public spaces if elected.

Central District (Incumbent: Curt Soehl)

Councilor Curt Soehl attends a Sioux Falls City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 at Carnegie Town Hall.

Curt Soehl

The current chair of the Sioux Falls City Council, Soehl announced his run for re-election last October. As the ordinance's sponsor, Soehl was at the center of the city's mask mandate debate and was recently named as one of sixteen members of the city's 2035 Downtown Plan Advisory Committee.

City Council candidate Jim Burzynski with his wife and daughter

Jim Burzynski

A recent entrant to the race, Burzynski is an Avera pharmacist who serves on the All Saints Neighborhood Association and has cited walkability and public transportation as issues he aims to work on.

Emmett Reistroffer

Emmett Reistroffer

He's not a regular at council meetings nowadays, but as the Sioux Falls City Council and other bodies debated the rules and regulations that would govern medical marijuana last year, Reistroffer almost always made himself heard, along with his concerns that the process was too strict. His company Genesis Farms eventually received one of the five medical marijuana dispensary licenses in Sioux Falls, as well as several others across the state.

Southeastern District (No incumbent)

David Barranco and family

David Barranco

A Sioux Falls lawyer, Barranco was the first person to file to run for any council race last September. He's said he would look to build consensus if elected to the council while expanding local workforce and creating more affordable housing options. Barranco's wife  and campaign treasurer  has held several positions with the South Dakota GOP, and the couple hosted a picnic for Gov. Kristi Noem in 2018.

Cody Ingle

Cody Ingle

The board secretary and treasurer for Sioux Falls Pride, Ingle previously made an unsuccessful run for the District 6 House seat in 2020. Ingle is a "Fierce LGBTQ+ advocate" according to his bio on Twitter, where he's regularly criticized Gov. Noem  as well as Neitzert, Erickson, Selberg and Jensen for hosting a fundraiser for Sarah Cole.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Here's who will be on the ballot in Sioux Falls' April 12 election
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary would like Russia and Ukraine to sit down for peace talks as soon as possible, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Sunday, adding that about 66,000 people have fled to Hungary from Ukraine in the past few days.

"We see one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophies in our region that our generation has experienced ... the war must end," Szijjarto told reporters at the border crossing of Zahony.

Szijjarto said Hungary would also help receive some Ukrainian people who arrived at the overwhelmed Slovak border.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Class of 2021 inductees include the late Dr. Timuel Black, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Bessie Coleman and more.

With a ceremonial groundbreaking on the campus of Governors State University just outside of Chicago, school leaders extolled the mission of the Illinois Black Hall of Fame and reminded attendees about the accomplishments of Black Illinois natives and residents.

As reported by the Chicago Tribune, the celebration featured a temporary display of images of five trailblazing African Americans who will be featured in the space as the halls 2021 inaugural inductees. The photos included civil rights activists Timuel Black and Jesse Jackson, aviator Bessie Coleman, prominent public official Spencer Leak Sr. and Harold Washington, Chicagos first Black mayor.

The Halls new site is scheduled to open in June at the University Park school, where family members of the inaugural class gathered Friday among GSU and IBHOF leaders for a V.I.P. groundbreaking event.

Bessie Coleman, shown with her plane in 1922, is among the inaugural inductees in the Illinois Black Hall of Fame. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

The Class of 2021 led lives that changed the status quo, said GSU President Cheryl Green during Fridays ceremony, the Tribune reported. They blazed new trails and inspired generations to dream.

According to the Tribune, IBHOF Founder Ceola Barnes said she envisions the display, which will be housed near the main entrance of the university, as a teaching tool and making people aware of our history that they might not know about.

Barnes, who founded the African-American Ladies Legacy Foundation in 2011, said the Hall grew out of the foundations efforts which highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of Black women role models and provide mentorship to young girls, theTribune reported.

According to the Daily Journal, the space will showcase portraits of all inductees and is expected to be developed into a more formal display before the universitys annual Juneteenth gala. Within the next week, the university will announce inductees for 2022.

Black, who was announced as the Halls first inductee in February 2021 shortly after his 102nd birthday, died later that year in October. Black was a noted author, historian and activist who, according to the Tribune, assisted Washingtons successful mayoral campaign and mentored President Barack Obama.

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His wife of 40 years, Zenobia Johnson-Black, told the Tribune during Fridays ceremony: He would always say, Be prepared, so when the door opens you can walk through, but when you get through hold the door open for someone else.

Gigi Coleman, the great niece of the late Bessie Coleman, also attended the event, the Tribune reported. The elder Coleman was the first Black woman and the first woman of Native American descent to earn a pilots license.

She was a pioneer ahead of her time, Gigi told the Tribune about her aunt Bessie, who died April 30, 1926. She had the tenacity to overcome all sorts of obstacles.

To learn more about the Illinois Black Hall of Fame, click here.

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The post Illinois Black Hall of Fame ceremonial groundbreaking at Governors State University appeared first on TheGrio.
The big shareholder groups in Cyclopharm Limited (ASX:CYC) have power over the company. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. I generally like to see some degree of insider ownership, even if only a little. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb said, 'Dont tell me what you think, tell me what you have in your portfolio.

Cyclopharm is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of AU$140m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutional investors have bought into the company. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about Cyclopharm.

View our latest analysis for Cyclopharm

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Cyclopharm?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Cyclopharm. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Cyclopharm, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Our data indicates that hedge funds own 9.5% of Cyclopharm. That catches my attention because hedge funds sometimes try to influence management, or bring about changes that will create near term value for shareholders. The company's largest shareholder is Anglo Australian Christian And Charitable Fund, Endowment Arm, with ownership of 14%. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 12% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 9.9% by the third-largest shareholder. In addition, we found that James McBrayer, the CEO has 5.5% of the shares allocated to their name.

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Our research also brought to light the fact that roughly 56% of the company is controlled by the top 5 shareholders suggesting that these owners wield significant influence on the business.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time.

Insider Ownership Of Cyclopharm

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Shareholders would probably be interested to learn that insiders own shares in Cyclopharm Limited. It has a market capitalization of just AU$140m, and insiders have AU$14m worth of shares, in their own names. This shows at least some alignment, but we usually like to see larger insider holdings. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 21% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Private Equity Ownership

With an ownership of 7.1%, private equity firms are in a position to play a role in shaping corporate strategy with a focus on value creation. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 27%, of the Cyclopharm stock. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Be aware that Cyclopharm is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is a bit concerning...

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran said on Sunday it will not accept any deadline set by the West to revive its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and wants "politically motivated" claims by U.N. watchdog IAEA about Tehrans nuclear work to be dropped, Iranian state TV reported.

"We have answered the agency's (IAEA) questions or politically motivated claims ... that we think were baseless. These dossiers should be closed," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said, according to state TV's website.

Among sticking points in the indirect talks between Iran and the United States to revive the 2015 nuclear deal appear to be questions about uranium traces found by the IAEA at old but undeclared sites in Iran.

"Iran accepts no deadlines," Khatibzadeh said, in apparent reaction to media reports that the United States had set a deadline for the nuclear talks in the Austrian capital Vienna.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani will return to Vienna on Sunday evening for the talks, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Bagheri Kani, who flew to Tehran last week for consultations with Iranian officials, will "pursue the negotiations with a clear agenda aimed at resolving" the remaining issues, IRNA said.

Iran has made clear it wants an end to the oil and banking sanctions that are hurting its economy, while insisting also on the lifting of human rights and terrorism-related curbs.

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran was ready to "immediately conclude" a deal in talks to revive its 2015 nuclear accord with world powers if Western powers show real will.

Ambirabdollahin is due on Tuesday to report to the Iranian parliament on the progress of the talks, local media said.

On Friday, a senior U.S. State Department official said negotiators had made significant progress in the past week or so on reviving the deal but very tough issues remained.

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The pact was abandoned in 2018 by then-U.S. President Donald Trump, who also reimposed extensive sanctions on Iran.

The deal between Iran and world powers limited Tehran's enrichment of uranium to make it harder for it to develop material for nuclear weapons, if it chose to, in return for a lifting of international sanctions against Tehran.

Other parties to the deal - Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia - have shuttled between the two sides during the Vienna talks.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Raissa Kasolowsky)
KABUL, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's security forces arrested an arms smuggler and seized guns in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar, the government confirmed on Sunday.

The suspect, who was arrested in Samarkhel area of Nangarhar on Saturday, tried to smuggle eight U.S.-made M-16 assault rifles outside of the country, the government said in a statement.

The arrest came as a large-scale combing operation has been ongoing by Afghan security agencies in the country's national capital of Kabul and surrounding provinces since Friday.

Scores of arms and ammunition have been seized during the said operation as part of the latest preventive measures to ensure a high level of security, according to the government. 
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday his government was proceeding "with moderation and responsibility" on a conflict testing its ties to Kyiv and Moscow.

Speaking on television after a weekly cabinet meeting, Bennett made no mention of Ukrainian appeals on Israel to mediate in the crisis with Russia.

While Israel's foreign minister has censured the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Bennett has stopped short of such remarks. Israel is wary of clashing with Russia, especially over next-door Syria, where Moscow has military sway.

"We pray for the wellbeing of the citizens of Ukraine and hope that further bloodshed is prevented," Bennett said. "We are conducting ourselves with moderation and responsibility".

He said Israel is sending 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including water-purification kits, medical equipment and tents. It will arrive within days.

Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, a Bennett confidante, on Saturday told Israel's Channel 12 TV that the mediation request by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was "being attended to" but would not be drawn on the matter further.

The Russian embassy declined comment.

Israel was in touch with all sides of the conflict, senior Foreign Ministry official Gary Koren told radio station Kan.

Asked if the relatively low-key condemnation of Russia was aimed at keeping open an option of Israel serving as intermediary, he answered in the affirmative, saying: "Exactly as you described it."

Israel is home to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Russia and Ukraine. It is also mindful of the well-being of the two countries' large Jewish communities.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
MILAN (Reuters) - Italy has decided to close its airspace to Russian aircraft, the prime minister's office said on Sunday, joining a string of European countries including Britain and Germany taking the same measure in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

(Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte, writing by Gianluca Semeraro; editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati joined the Jewish Federations of North America this week to provide $20 million in humanitarian assistance to Jewish populations living in Ukraine.

The emergency campaign funds will be allocated through a few of the Jewish Federations' core partners and provide welfare where it is needed most, according to a release from the JFC Friday.

"As a Jewish community and as Cincinnatians, we have always joined together to help those most in need," said Danielle Minson, chief executive officer of the JFC. "The people of Ukraine and their loved ones here in the region need that support now and we are here for them."

How to help Ukraine: Matthew 25: Ministries shipping supplies to Ukrainian refugees impacted by invasion

Partnering groups receiving and allocating funds include the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Joint Distribution Committee, World ORT and other groups on the ground in Ukraine, read the release.

The JFC said that there are approximately 200,000 members of Ukraine's Jewish community, including close to 300 Jewish organizations dispersed over 100 towns and cities.

To help with funding for the emergency campaign, the JFC has established the Ukraine Relief fund, with 100% of donations going towards efforts to protect populations at risk. Donations to the relief fund can be made here.

Live updates from Ukraine: Zelenskyy says he's open to talks with Russia; EU support for Ukraine grows - live updates

In addition to the relief fund, another local organization, the Jewish Family Service of the Cincinnati Area, has established a Crisis in Ukraine Community Hotline to connect family and friends living in the Cincinnati area to help loved ones overseas. The hotline will be open during regular business hours and calls can be made to 513-766-3333.

According to the release, the JFS has worked for over 40 years to help Jewish emigrants from the former Soviet Union and surrounding regions to resettle in the Cincinnati area.

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"This situation is very real and very personal to our clients and coworkers with family members in Ukraine," said Liz Vogel, chief executive officer of JFS. "Many are people we helped resettle in ore region as they fled antisemitism in the former Soviet Union."

Vogel added that the hotline is "the first of many steps" that JFS will take in order to provide help for their clients.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: JFC joins $20M relief campaign to Jewish populations in Ukraine
MOSCOW  The Kremlin says Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has offered to help broker an end to fighting in Ukraine.

The Kremlin said Bennett told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a call on Sunday that Israel is ready to play mediator. It didnt say whether the Russian leader accepted the offer.

The Kremlin said Putin told Bennett that Russia has sent a delegation to Gomel in southern Belarus to conduct peace talks with Ukrainian officials, who have refused to come. Ukrainian officials described the Russian move as a manipulation, noting that Ukraine hasnt agreed to hold talks in Belarus.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the countrys readiness for peace talks but said that they cant be held in Moscows ally Belarus, which has allowed Russia to use its territory as a staging ground for the invasion that began Thursday.




A Turkish harbor pilot descends from a tanker after accompanying its captain during its passage on the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)

by Zeynep Cermen

ISTANBUL, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- As a fully-loaded oil tanker was passing through the calm yet narrow Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Rescue-7, a tugboat dwarfed by the behemoth, closely followed behind despite the fog.

The surveillance tugboat was dispatched by the Turkish Coastal Safety to guard the Bahamian-flagged tanker "Estrella" along the 30-km sinuous strait in case of any urgency until it reached the Marmara Sea.

It would take at least an hour and a half for the 229-meter long tanker to sail through. Beneath the often calm waters, a feast for the eyes among many visitors, the high currents, sharp turns and some points with merely 700 meters width put big ships at higher risks.

Recently, southbound vessels were ordered to pass through the waterway as soon as possible after maritime officials received a two-day marine warning of strong winds and heavy rains in Istanbul.

"There is no safe harbor for the ships to take shelter in the Black Sea, we have to exert more efforts to take them to the Marmara Sea as soon as possible. That's why traffic will flow from north to south all day long today," Baris Gul, chief operator of the Istanbul Ship Traffic Services, told Xinhua.

"If the vessel derails due to a malfunction, such as a mechanical or rudder failure, the tugboat will immediately intervene," Cem Savrunlu, captain of Rescue-7, said while sailing through foggy and rainy weather conditions.

As one of the busiest sea routes in the region, Bosphorus' traffic could be up to 110 passages of ships per day, requiring close monitoring and painstaking coordination from the Ship Traffic Services, a branch of the Directorate General of Coastal Safety.

"We do not allow tankers over 200 meters in length, carrying dangerous cargo, such as explosive materials, to pass through the Bosphorus at night," said Sukru Hakan Kaya, manager of the Traffic Services, at the services' coordination center.

When it comes to tankers, preventing oil spills is a top concern. "Estrella carries 110,000 tons of oil, and it is almost impossible to stop such a giant block in a risky situation from a distance, and therefore close physical contact is the best option to prevent a disaster," Savrunlu said.

Tugce Bakcepinar, second captain of Rescue-7, told Xinhua that at critical turns, the tugboat will get even closer to Estrella to allow for faster and more effective intervention.

Despite all vigilance, some mishaps remain inevitable.

In 2018, the Maltese-flagged Vitaspirit, a 225-meter long bulk carrier, crashed into a historic mansion along the Asian shores of the strait after an engine failure. The accident occurred at the narrowest point of the strait, blocking the entire traffic for hours. 

A cargo ship passes through the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)

Cem Savrunlu, captain of Rescue-7, a Turkish tugboat, sails on the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)

A Turkish coastal safety boat carries a harbor pilot to a Bahamian-flagged tanker on the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)

Baris Gul, chief operator of the Istanbul Ship Traffic Services, speaks to Xinhua in Istanbul, Turkey, Jan. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)

A cargo ship passes through the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)

A cargo ship passes through the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/shadati)
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Las Vegas police searched Sunday for suspects a day after after 14 people were shot during a party at a hookah lounge, leaving one man dead and two others critically wounded.

Detectives believe two suspects who they did not identify exchanged gunfire inside the hookah bar and fled before police arrived before dawn Saturday, police said.

Dispatchers received calls at about 3:15 a.m. about multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds after an altercation at Mannys Glow Ultra Lounge & Restaurant.

Police didnt immediately provide an update Sunday on a possible motive for the shooting, release new details or provide information about the suspects they were seeking.

The injured people were taken to University Medical Center and Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, but officials on Sunday didnt immediately provide condition updates about the 13 remaining patients. While police had described the condition of two victims on Saturday as critical, they did not disclose details about the nature of their injuries.

Authorities on Saturday characterized the shooting as an isolated incident and said there was no threat to the general public.

Police Capt. Dori Koren said the fatally shot victim will be identified by the Clark County Coroners Office.

Investigators at the scene on Saturday interviewed victims, tried to get surveillance video from neighboring businesses and looked for stray bullets and other evidence, Koren said. Crime scene analysts were trying to determine the types of guns used used in the shooting.

Hookahs are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made tobacco that comes in different flavors.
Feb. 27OLYMPIA  Washington's Legislature is debating a number of proposals to attract more people to become nurses.

Ideas under consideration include helping students repay student loans and creating nursing programs at Eastern and Western Washington universities.

"We put a lot of effort into training and helping people into the field," lead budget writer Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, said of the Senate budget proposal.

The nursing shortage and pipeline problem predate the pandemic in Washington and in past years, adjusting nursing educator salaries in community colleges was helpful, program leaders say. But they argue more is needed. In 2020, nursing programs in the Inland Northwest were not accepting even half of applicants who apply each cycle, and a recent survey of nursing union members found 49% of them were considering leaving the industry in the next few years.

One bill awaiting a vote in a state Senate fiscal committee would create a Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program. It would allow nurse educators who teach for an approved nursing program to apply for loan repayment grants.

Nurse educators must hold an advanced nursing degree.

Nurse educators who are a faculty member for an approved nursing program would qualify. The bill seeks to address an issue seen at many four-year nursing programs in the state: Nurses with advanced degrees can make way more money in the field than teaching.

An advanced degree, which is needed to teach, is also expensive.

Louise Kaplan, an associate professor at Washington State University College of Nursing and a family nurse practitioner, said the expense of graduate school is a huge barrier for those nurses interested in becoming educators.

"If you have family responsibilities or have to work, how do you balance and pay for it?" she said. "It's expensive to get a graduate degree."

The exact amounts, the required service to be eligible and penalties for those who do not complete their service obligation would be decided by the Washington Student Achievement Council.

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Sen. Emily Randall, chair of the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development committee, said Thursday the Legislature has spent extensive time this session talking about the importance of expanding the nursing workforce.

Ensuring educators are able to pay off their student loans is an important part of building the nurse pipeline and making sure educators stay on the job, Randall said.

Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Spokane, said he hopes the bill will provide adequate resources that allow nurse educators to "help us prepare the next generation."

The bill passed unanimously out of the higher education and workforce development committee. It now heads to the Senate Ways and Means committee.

Susan Stacey, chief executive of Providence Health and Services' Inland Northwest, said the nursing educator bill will help get the caregivers the state "desperately needs" into the field.

"Those are the kinds of programs that I feel are going to make a difference in increasing the number of nurses," Stacey said.

The Washington State Hospital Association supports the nurse educator loan forgiveness program, but senior director of government affairs Ashlen Strong acknowledged there's still more to be done, such as improving recruitment in rural areas and allowing more nursing students to do clinical rotations.

Improving the wages for nursing educators is also important, said Darcy Jaffe, senior vice president for safety and quality at the association.

"The reality is even with loan forgiveness for nurse educators, they are still not paid in a way that's competitive," Jaffe said.

The Washington State Nurses Association, which represents thousands of nurses statewide, supports the loan repayment bill and calls it "common-sense" legislation because of the support it gives to educators. The union is hopeful it will attract more nurse educators to the field, a statement from the association says.

Unions representing nurses and other health care workers also are advocating for legislation that would establish patient-to-staff ratios to ensure patient safety and retain staff.

This proposal has divided the hospital association and unions in what they believe will be most effective to recruit and retain health care staff.

The proposed state budgets this session don't include money for bonuses or retention, but instead focus on education and training.

Rolfes said the Senate had discussed a bill that would have provided bonuses, but there was "a lot of uncertainty" around the idea.

House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan told reporters the House budget proposal also focuses more on getting nurses into the pipeline by funding additional slots for students, financial assistance and a significant amount of new equipment. He said it was the quickest and easiest way to get nurses ready to enter the workforce.

The Senate proposal has more than $6 million in the next two years for Eastern Washington University to create a bachelor's of science in nursing program.

The House proposal does not include funding for the program at Eastern, but it has much of the same ideas for nurse education as the Senate's.

Both the Senate and the House have proposed funding to establish a master's of science in nursing program at Western Washington University, as well as funding to increase enrollment in the university's undergraduate program.

Both proposals also include funding for the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to hire 10 employees to process nursing applications to shorten the turnaround time. Last year's budget established a seven-day standard for turnaround, but the commission is currently turning licenses around in 12 days, according to the proposal.

Other proposals include one-time funding for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and community and technical colleges to purchase or upgrade lab equipment and a proposal to help community colleges increase the number of slots and graduates in their programs.

Advocates and educators agree that there are multiple approaches needed to address the state's nursing shortage, and this session's attempts likely are just some.

Kaplan said she doesn't think this year's budget will accomplish everything.

"We have to consider how to better fund graduate education so that we can have more opportunities for people to earn their graduate degrees," she said. "I think we need more scholarship funds and perhaps better supplements for tuition to be lowered."

Laurel Demkovich'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.

Arielle Dreher's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is primarily funded by the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, with additional support from Report for America and members of the Spokane community. These stories 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.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP)  Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 Saturday night for their fifth straight win.

Andrew Hammond stopped 26 shots to for Montreal to improve to 2-0-0 in two starts this season. The Canadiens' win streak follows a 10-game losing streak (0-8-2) that saw Dominique Duharme fired as coach and replaced by Martin St. Louis.

I feel like we've gotten better and better and better and we're doing it consistently now," St. Louis said. We come to work, take care of the team, play the game the right way. You're going to be in a lot of games.

Colin White scored for Ottawa in his season debut after recovering from a preseason shoulder surgery, and Matt Murray had 30 saves. The Senators have lost six of their last nine (3-5-1).

We didn't have the puck in their zone enough to give our (defensemen) a breather, Senators coach D.J. Smith said. We had bad pinches and some (players) not covering guys. ... There were a lot of things that were good, but offensively we just weren't very good.

Hammond, who spent three-plus seasons in Ottawa from 2013-17, had nine saves in the first period, 10 in the second and seven in the third.

It's natural, any time you're playing your former team you'd like to win, Hammond said. Obviously very happy that we were able to do that tonight. Just a really grinding game by us.

Lehkonen got the Canadiens on the scoreboard first for the fifth straight game as he got the rebound of Ben Chiarot's shot from the blue line and tucked it past Murray with 3:13 left in the first period.

White tied it with a power-play goal at 1:23 of the second as he got a pass from Connor Brown in the slot and quickly fired it past Hammond.

Lehkonen regained the lead for Montreal as he beat Murray on the blocker side with a slap shot from the high slot with 5:39 remaining in the middle period.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: At Winnipeg in the second of a five-game trip.

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Senators: At Tampa Bay to open a five-game trip.

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
A judge has sentenced a man convicted at trial for shooting at a law enforcement official to life in prison followed by 30 years.

Malcolm Jamal Thomas was found guilty by a jury on Feb. 16. He was charged with attempted second-degree murder of a law enforcement and one count each of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition.

Thomas, who appeared by Zoom from the Marion County Jail on Friday, was told by Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti that he qualifies as a habitual violent offender because his last conviction was within five years of this latest offense. Thomas' family members were in court.

A verdict: It took a while, but Ocala jury returns guilty verdict for man who fired shots at deputy

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Sentenced: Two-year prison terms for man and woman who shot up Shores home in 2019

The 32-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years for the possession charges, and he must serve a mandatory minimum of 10 years. For the life sentence, he must do at least the mandatory minimum of 20 years.

Thomas has 1,402 days of credit for time already served at the Marion County Jail.

Jurors believed Assistant State Attorney Sasha Kidney's argument that Thomas fired multiple shots at Deputy Alan Hewett in 2018.

Deputies said Thomas entered a crime scene area in the 7900 block of Northwest 39th Avenue Road, which is near the intersection of County Road 326 and Interstate 75. He refused to leave the area and, when pursued by Hewett, he fired shots at the deputy. The deputy was not hit or injured.

On Friday, Dunnellon defense lawyer Amanda Micallef filed a motion for a new trial, a renewed motion for a judgment of acquittal, and a motion for arrest of judgment.

Micallef said she did not receive all necessary information from the prosecution. She said one document was dated two days before Thomas' conviction, and it contained statements she didn't have time to research.

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Secondly, the lawyer said Hewett's testimony at trial was different from what was written in his report.

Third, the lawyer mentioned that the firearm found at the scene was test fired the day before trial. She called it "a significant and material change" that was not in any law enforcement reports, and no report was given to the defense before trial.

Fourth, Micallef said that during jury selection, the judge made an error when stating "that there were things about Malcolm Thomas that they would not learn." The lawyer said there was a previous ruling limiting such statements. She said the state made reference to an earlier incident.

Dropped charges played a role in handling of this case

Thomas had been charged with the shooting death of 58-year-old Pearlie Mae Thomas. Deputies went to the area to investigate the death. State Attorney's Office officials did not pursue a charge of manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition because they were unable to find an eyewitness to the incident.

Other people who were present at the shooting, including family members, said they never saw anything or were not involved.

With those dropped charges, jurors never heard the reason deputies went to the incident location in the first place. To mention that would have been prejudicial against Thomas.

The defense lawyer indicated that jurors were pressured into making a decision, even though they told the court that they were deadlocked.

No date has been set to hear her motions.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Life in prison for Florida man found guilty of shooting at law officer
Liverpool won the Carabao Cup (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)

Caoimhin Kelleher won the battle of the second-choice goalkeepers against Chelseas Kepa Arrizabalaga as Liverpool won a record ninth League Cup after an incredible penalty shoot-out.

The Irishman scored the decisive kick, with his opposite number  sent on specifically for the shoot-out with two minutes of extra time remaining  blazing over as the spot-kicks finished 11-10 after 21 of 22 efforts were perfectly dispatched.

In a thrilling and absorbing Carabao Cup final at Wembley both sides had goals ruled out for offside in normal time, Joel Matip falling foul of Virgil Van Dijks transgression and substitute Romelu Lukaku marginally straying ahead.

Extra time could not settle it and it ultimately came down to the goalkeepers, but not in the way usually imagined in a shoot-out, as Kelleher  who started after manager Jurgen Klopp kept faith with him for cup competitions  was successful from the spot and Kepa, who had barely touched the ball after coming on, was not.
OCEANSIDE, CA  Oceanside's military community will soon have a new resource with the opening of a mental health clinic from Cohen Veterans Network (CVN).

The purpose of the clinic is to meet the increasing mental health needs for post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members, and military families. This will be the second Cohen Clinic in the state as the San Diego clinic opened in 2019.

CVN's partner for these clinics is Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD),which is its current partner at the Cohen Clinic in San Diego, located in Mission Valley. Each year, VVSD provides services to more than 3,000 military veterans throughout San Diego County.



These clinics offer brief, client-centered therapy for a variety of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, adjustment issues, anger, grief and loss, family issues, transition challenges, relationship problems, and children's behavioral problems.

More than 33,000 post-9/11 veterans, nearly 40,000 active duty service members, and more than 31,000 military family members will be eligible for care at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Oceanside, according to a statement from the Cohen Veterans Network.

The Oceanside clinic, which will be located at 3609 Ocean Ranch Blvd, Ste. 120, and is expected to begin serving clients virtually in March.

The Patch reached out to Dr. Anthony Hassan, President & CEO of CVN and Akilah Templeton, CEO of VVSD to get more information about the new Oceanside clinic.

Can you tell us more about the plans for the new Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Oceanside?

"There are many factors in play these days which are negatively impacting our mental health, including the continued challenges of COVID-19 and the possibilities of future deployments. We are here to serve veterans, active duty and families throughout the entire state of California," said Dr. Anthony Hassan. "We are expanding on our proven success in San Diego and scaling up to the meet the additional need."



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"I think for everyone in our country, mental health is a real societal challenge. Trying to find access to care and getting good quality care. I think that's true for our military community where they have problems getting access to care and waiting a long time for appointments and high costs. Cohen Veterans Network is here just to make sure that mental health support is available to the military without any barriers."

"It's a sad state when people who need help can't get it and continue to suffer in silence. As a retired military mental health guy I know for military people it takes a lot for them to even make that call. So I've got to take that moment and make good use of it."

"CVN was established to fill gaps in care that exist in military communities across the country. We are a nonprofit, integrated mental health system, exclusive for the military community, which includes Veterans, Active duty, National Guard Reserves and of course their family members."

"We're so proud of the fact that half of the patients we serve are family members, so we're filling this gap in care as well for families. We've served 28,000 military to date and we're eager to save more lives, to save more families, and save more futures in Oceanside."

Homelessness is a big issue in Oceanside and a large percentage of our homeless are military or former military. Are your services set up to address the homeless issues among our military?

"Veterans Village of San Diego has a 40-year track record of providing services to homeless veterans. So this partnership was just really a match made in heaven." said Akilah Templeton. "We are a veteran-focused agency here in San Diego. We consider ourselves experts on the topic of military homelessness and while homeless individuals may not be the targeted population for CVN, we use a no wrong door approach. Certainly, a veteran who is struggling or may be at risk for homelessness, CVN is just one touch point. Our clinicians that come in contact with individuals that have those challenges are able to refer veterans to other programs in the area."

"That's the reason why the Cohen Veterans Network programs exist. There are many programs that are on the far end of the continuum. In other words, you have to be seriously persistently mentally ill, you have to be homeless down and out. You have to be in an emergency room to get attention and get the care, but what we want to do is get upstream on this problem."

"We really want to focus on the mild and moderate conditions and get upstream on all of this so that our Veterans, Military members and their families never end up homeless and desperate. But the beautiful thing is that our partner, VVSD, who operates our clinic is an expert and has the ability to treat veterans anywhere in their journey, which is fabulous."

So CVN sets up the clinic and then VVSD runs it. Is that an oversimplified explanation of how your programs work?

"Very good explanation. CVN gives VVSD and our other partners everything to operate a clinic at the highest level according to our standard operating procedures. We share the brand name. We fund them to deliver care the way we would like it to be delivered with the highest evidence. We provide training. We provide data analytics and electronic health records. VVSD is known and respected in the community and that's why we chose them to operate, not just the clinic, but in Oceanside and eventually in Los Angeles because of their local brands. So we believe community is important and we believe the scalable model that we bring has proven to be extremely effective."

You mentioned that the clinics will offer brief client-centered therapy. Can you go into more detail about what that means?

"That means that a person who is coming in has a particular challenge that would likely benefit from a short-term evidence intervention that helps them to deal with the problem as it is happening, but also equips them with coping strategies and tools they can use."

"Our average length for a client is 10 sessions across the entire network of 20 clinics. So our patients come in, they get the support they need when they need it. They get routine care, routine evidence-based care for depression, anxiety, PTSD, marital, whatever the situation, our belief is that they're going to be stronger and they're going to be better."

"This approach is much better than hanging onto people forever because then you don't have enough room at the front for new patients. So the way we're able to provide accessible care as we get people in, we get them what they need, they're feeling better and we challenge them to go out and practice what we've just shared with them. That allows us to have better access upfront."

"Most of the folks that we see benefit from that short-term therapy model. One thing that's unique about our clinic's model is we have a case manager that makes sure that when they have other things that get in the way like financial assistance or housing or other services like employment. We have someone in the clinic who can help work with them on those things outside of the therapy session."

"All of our CVN clinics have a community room that is really a community. It's a room about 1000 square feet where we host events. We have educational things like parenting and stress management. We have room for meetings. So we want the clinic to not only be a place for clinical care, but a place for convening, a place for positive and preventative activities. Because we believe that the more we can get people circling through the clinic, the more trusted, the clinic will be the word of mouth will spread."

In San Diego, the community room has been fantastic during Covid. We sort of took that concept

outdoors and put on events. So CVN is very much about staying connected to the community, we recognize that word of mouth is our largest referral source here in San Diego. So many of the folks that come to receive services at our local clinics were referred by someone who has also received services or by someone that they know."

"While we will not offer in person for the soft launch in March, but we will begin seeing clients via telehealth. We're able to give more people access to care even when we can't do face to face. In addition to providing care to those within reach of the Oceanside location, the new Cohen Clinics will also offer telehealth services state-wide to more than 655,000 potential clients. CVN Telehealth is face-to-face video therapy where the client can receive treatment from the privacy

and comfort of their own home."

"The ability to provide telehealth services is critical and a game changer, especially in southern California where we have seen the number of COVID-19 cases rise significantly in recent months. Telehealth provides a great option for veterans, service members and their families who want to stay connected to a trusted provider, regardless of location. Our partnership with CVN has helped to expand our reach and build out VVSD's continuum of care so that the entire military family has access to high-quality outpatient mental health services and supports for years to come."

"We hope to have the brick and mortar location operating by the end of summer. Otherwise, we are currently accepting referrals and we're ready to go for the opening in March."

About Cohen Veterans Network: Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a 501(c)(3) national not-for-profit philanthropic organization for post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members and their

families. CVN focuses on improving mental health outcomes, operating a network of outpatient mental health clinics in high-need communities, in which trained clinicians deliver holistic evidence-based care to treat mental health conditions. It was established in 2016 by philanthropist Steven A. Cohen with a commitment of $275 million to build the network. Learn more about CVN.

About VVSD: Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) has served all veterans since 1981 and is dedicated to "Leave No One Behind." Each year, VVSD provides services to more than 3,000 military veterans throughout San Diego County. For more information, please visit our website at www.VVSD.net.

This article originally appeared on the Oceanside-Camp Pendleton Patch
MOSCOW, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russia has closed its airspace for planes from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia, including transit flights, the country's Federal Agency for Air Transport announced Sunday.

"Due to the unfriendly decisions of the aviation authorities of Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Estonia, restrictions are being introduced on air carriers of these states and/or those registered there to operate flights to destinations on the territory of Russia, including transit flights through the airspace of Russia," it said.

The four countries earlier introduced restrictions on Russian air carriers. Russia says its response is in line with international law, the agency said in a statement.

Some European countries, including Britain, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Poland, have also decided to close their airspace to Russia. 
LANSING  A program that shares child care expenses between the state, participating employers and eligible employees has been expanded into Lenawee County.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the expansion of the MI Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program, according to a news release from the governor's office. The program now covers 59 counties in Michigan, including Lenawee, plus the city of Detroit.

In her budget recommendations, Whitmer included $2.5 million to continue support for this program that increases access to high-quality and affordable child care through a collaboration that leverages both state and business support.

"Expanding access to high-quality, affordable child care will help every kid succeed from day one and help parents get back to work knowing that their kids are safe and cared for," Whitmer said in the release. "We must continue investing in programs like Tri-Share that put Michiganders first and help us grow our economy."

The program uses agencies called "facilitator hubs" that serve as intermediaries between employers, families and child care providers, and provides overall program management.

Through Tri-Share, the cost of child care is shared equally by an eligible employee, their employer and the state of Michigan, with coordination being provided regionally by a facilitator hub.

Lenawee County's facilitator hub is Child Care Network, which is based in Ann Arbor. It also serves Branch, Genesee, Hillsdale, Jackson, Livingston, Monroe and Washtenaw counties, Annette Sobocinski, executive director of Child Care Network, said in an email.

"Employers must agree to work with Child Care Network as the facilitator hub to identify and recruit eligible employees, cover one-third of each participating employees child care costs (as a benefit), and maintain communication with Child Care Network regarding each employees continued employment and eligibility," Sobocinsk said. "The Tri-Share Child Care Project is an exciting innovation that works to support employers to offer a benefit to employees that will help with employee recruitment, retention, and reliability, and also works to support families with the cost of child care."

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Employers who are interested in participating in the Tri-Share program can get involved by contacting Child Care Network at 734-975-1840 or via email at info@childcarenetwork.org.

Employees must have incomes at or above 186% of the federal poverty level and not be eligible for the Child Development and Care Program, commonly called the child care subsidy, and must have income levels at or below 285%, according to the program's guidelines. The facilitator hubs can ask for a variance from the Michigan Women's Commission if a higher income eligibility is requested.

The Michigan Women's Commission administers the program statewide.

"Almost a year after launching Tri-Share, we're pleased to see that the program now covers nearly two-thirds of the state, and is continuing to grow tremendously with bipartisan support," Cheryl Bergman, CEO of the Michigan Women's Commission, said in the release from the governor's office. "The introduction of seven new pilot regions not only broadens the program's breadth, but also meets the needs of more working parents and the businesses that seek to employ them."

Since its launch in March of 2021, the Tri-Share program has gained momentum, garnering significant interest and a recent $800,000 investment by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to help fund further expansion, the release said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: MI Tri-Share child care subsidy program expands to Lenawee County
Michael Gove

Michael Gove has warned that the Government must do more to seize lavish UK homes owned by Vladimir Putin's allies, as ministers fast-tracked plans to publicly reveal overseas owners of British land and property.

The Housing Secretary used a specially-convened Cabinet meeting on Thursday to insist that more action was needed, after independent research suggested that 1.5billion worth of property has been bought by Russians accused of corruption or links to the Kremlin, since 2016.

As part of an initial push to address the issue, No 10 is planning to bring forward an economic crime bill as soon as next week to introduce measures including a register of the ultimate owners of overseas firms that control land and property in the UK.

Tory MPs and peers have been pushing for such a measure for several years to prevent London from becoming a "playground" for Mr Putin's allies and draft legislation was first drawn up in 2018. The register could still take a year to be brought into operation.

The emergency legislation will also contain measures to bolster the system of Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs), under which people can be ordered to reveal the source of their wealth and face having their properties seized if they cannot demonstrate that it was obtained legitimately.

'McMafia' orders to be toughened

To date, none of the so-called McMafia Orders have been obtained since the end of 2019 and UWOs have only been obtained nine times since their inception in 2018, according to the House of Commons Library.

A Government source said the reforms would give authorities "strengthened powers to investigate and prosecute those corrupt Russian elites who are laundering money and assets in the UK."

The reforms will bolster the system so that UWOs can be used against "complex ownership structures" including where properties are owned by overseas shell companies, according to government sources.

The plans also include allowing agencies to target company directors who have "some form of control" over properties and giving authorities more time to review material before taking action.

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The changes would also prevent authorities from incurring substantial legal costs if they use UWOs "reasonably" - based on the belief that a series of legal challenges have reduced the "risk appetite" for targeting kleptocrats with the measures.

A government source said: "It is time to shut down the racket of illicit money in British property. We are sending a strong signal that the UKs property market is not open to corrupt individuals and regimes laundering their money."

More kleptocrats are also expected to be targeted with direct sanctions in the coming weeks, following initial rounds of sanctions announced last week.
Reversal comes days after students sued a Missouri school boards decision to ban the popular Toni Morrison novel





A Missouri school board has reversed its decision to ban the first novel written by the late Toni Morrison.

Board members of the Wentzville, Missouri school district on Friday voted to return The Bluest Eye to library shelves, according to CNN, one month after they banned the title in a 4-3 vote. The reversal came about a week after a suit was filed in federal court.

The Bluest Eye tells the tale of a poor and abused Black girl so enamored with white beauty she longs for blue eyes.

The book was banned in January after a parent complained about depictions of incest, rape, and pedophilia, according to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of students and parents.

CANNES, FRANCE  MAY 11: Author Toni Morrison from the USA attends the Jury Photocall at the 58th International Cannes Film Festival on May 11, 2005 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images)

The ACLU filed the lawsuit on behalf of students in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The suit, which said the Morrison title was among eight critically acclaimed books removed from circulation, claimed that books by white and heterosexual authors exploring the same subject matter remained available to students.

The lawsuit noted that the board appointed a review committee that voted 8-1 against the book ban. The committee noted that, while the themes are provocative, the novel helps the reader step into and understand 1941 (pre-WWII, pre-civil rights movement), small-town Black culture in a way no textbook can do.

School boards cannot ban books because the books and their characters illustrate viewpoints different of those of school board; especially when they target books presenting the viewpoints of racial and sexual minorities, as they have done in Wentzville, Anthony Rothert, Director of Integrated Advocacy of ACLU of Missouri, said in a statement.

After the lawsuit, it took just 10 days for the board to reverse its decision.

Despite the reversal, Rothert warns that the district still has policies in place to ban books.

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Wentzvilles policies still make it easy for any community member to force any book from the shelves even when they shamelessly target books by and about communities of color, LGBTQ people and other marginalized groups, he said in a statement.

Daniel Brice, the school boards vice president, noted just because the book is available doesnt mean parents have to allow their children to read it.

I think weve brought enough attention to this book that the parents are aware that this book is going to be in the library, Brice, who voted to ban the book in January, told CNN.

School board efforts to ban books arent new and have been going on as long as public schools have existed. There have been a number of recent high-profile efforts to ban books that parents and school officials deem unacceptable for students. Authorities have gotten involved in n some cases.

A number of books that address race and gender issues have been targeted for removal across the county.

The New York Times reported that a county prosecutor in Wyoming considered charges against employees of a library for having books that included This Book is Gay.

A Tennessee school board removed Maus, a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel, because of nudity and profanity.

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The post Missouri school board drops ban on Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye appeared first on TheGrio.
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - More than 43,000 Ukrainians have fled to Romania in the three days since Russia invaded Ukraine by land, sea and air, border police data showed on Sunday.

They have entered Romania through its four land border checkpoints with Ukraine, but also through its checkpoints with Moldova, data showed. Thousands of them have already exited the country on their way to Bulgaria and Hungary.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie)
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney on Sunday criticized members of his own party.

He implied GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar were "morons" for attending an event associated with white nationalists.

"I have to think anybody that would sit down with white nationalists and speak at their conference was certainly missing a few IQ points," he said.

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney on Sunday implied that members of his own party were "morons" after they attended a Florida event associated with white nationalists.

"Look, there's no place in either political party for this white nationalism or racism. It's simply wrong," the Republican lawmaker told CNN's Dana Bash during a Sunday appearance on "State of the Union."

GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona attended the third-annual America First Political Action Conference in Orlando, which was held Friday and organized by the far-right figure Nick Fuentes.

Fuentes is known for white nationalist views, including his questioning the existence of the Holocaust, criticizing interracial marriage, and praising Jim Crow-era segregation, Insider previously reported. The Anti-Defamation League has also called Fuentes a "well-known white supremacist pundit and organizer."

Greene on Saturday defended her appearance at the conference, claiming she did not know its organizer or about his views, Insider reported.

"I do not know Nick Fuentes. I've never heard him speak. I've never seen a video. I don't know what his views are, so I'm not aligned with anything that may be controversial," Greene told reporters at CPAC, held at the same time in Orlando.

But during his CNN appearance, Romney called out Greene and Gosar by name.

"And Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar, I don't know them, but I'm reminded of that old line from the 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' movie, where one character says: 'Morons. I have got morons on my team.'"

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He continued: "And I have to think anybody that would sit down with white nationalists and speak at their conference was certainly missing a few IQ points."

As HuffPost reported, other Republican lawmakers were associated with the event, including Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers and Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who appeared in a pre-recorded video.

Arizona's Republican Gov. Doug Ducey last week defended Rogers days before she attended the event, saying she was "still better" than the Democratic opponent she defeated in 2020, Insider's John L. Dorman reported.

GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, a pariah among staunch supporters of former President Donald Trump, also chastised her colleagues for attending the evening in a tweet.

"As Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Paul Gosar speak at this white supremacist, anti-Semitic, pro-Putin event, silence by Republican Party leaders is deafening and enabling," she said. "All Americans should renounce this garbage and reject the Putin wing of the GOP now."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Motsi Mabuse and her Ukrainian dancer husband Evgenij Voznyuk have been married since 2017. (Gisela Schober/Getty Images for GALA)

Motsi Mabuse has confessed there is "nothing" she and Ukrainian husband Evgenij Voznyuk can do to help family members still stranded in the country amid Russia's invasion.

The 40-year-old Strictly Come Dancing judge updated fans and said she is still "in contact" with her in-laws, who have been holed up in bunkers in an attempt to avoid the fighting.

Read more: Clive Myrie sheds tear while reporting on Ukraine crisis

"They spend more than half the day yesterday in the bunkers," she wrote on Saturday, adding: "In Kharkiv there are heavy battles so we can't get to them! At the moment there is nothing we can do."

Mabuse later provided further detail via her Instagram Stories, writing that "every day we sleep not knowing what the news will be the next day".

We are contact with them ! The spend more than half the day yesterday in the bunkers !!! In Kharkiv there are heavy battles so we cant get to them ! At the moment there is nothing we can do . We did try to get them earlier in Germany. https://t.co/kMbXhw6xrD  Motsi Mabuse (@MOTSI_MABUSE) February 26, 2022

She added: "I am trying to not make this about me. I am in conflict as to how much I I will open my private life but I know many Ukrainian people and it's personal. It's family."

Mabuse married Voznyuk in 2017 and gave birth to their daughter the following year.

Read more: Sean Penn is in Ukraine to make documentary about invasion

The couple are among the numerous celebrities with links to Ukraine who have spoken out about the horrors caused by Russia's invasion.

Yesterday's Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City began with both teams wearing Ukraine flags in solidarity with players Oleksandr Zinchenko and Vitaliy Mykolenko.

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Powerful 



Everton and Man City united to show their support for Ukraine prior to kick-off yesterday.pic.twitter.com/1SBDZEwr18  Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 27, 2022

Zinchenko later wrote "thank you for your support" on Instagram as he offered his respect to his club for their gesture.

Earlier this week, he had said: "My country belongs to Ukrainians and no one will ever be able to appropriate it."

Read more: The Simpsons showrunner explains how show predicted Ukraine crisis

Resident Evil actor Milla Jovovich wrote on Instagram that she was "heartbroken and dumbstruck" by the fighting in Kyiv  the city where she was born in 1975.

She added: "My blood and my roots come from both Russia and Ukraine. I am torn in two as I watch the horror unfolding, the country being destroyed, families being displaced, their whole life lying in charred fragments around them."

Ashton Kutcher also wrote on Twitter that "I stand with Ukraine", in solidarity with his wife Mila Kunis who was born in the country.

Heroes and Scream 4 actor Hayden Panettiere, who formerly dated Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, wrote on Instagram that Putin was an "absolute disgrace".

Klitschko's brother Vitali is the current mayor of Kyiv and both siblings have enlisted to defend their nation.

Read more: Ukrainian president shares defiant message

Panettiere added: "This horrific moment in history sends a terrifying message: the message that in this day and age, in year 2022, its okay to violate the rights of free people and allow autocrats like Putin to take whatever they please.

"Im praying for my family and friends there and everyone whos fighting."

I stand with Ukraine  ashton kutcher (@aplusk) February 25, 2022

Elsewhere, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have pledged to match donations of up to $1m (750,000) to help refugees displaced by the conflict.

Reynolds wrote: "In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighbouring countries. They need protection. USA For UNHCR is providing it."

Ant and Dec referenced the conflict on this weekend's episode of Saturday Night Takeaway with a message before the topical quiz round, declaring there would not be questions about the events.

Ant said: "Obviously the news this week has been dominated by the terrible events in Ukraine so all of our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the situation over there."

Watch: Protests in London after Russian invasion of Ukraine
By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU (Reuters) -Nepal's parliament approved a U.S. infrastructure grant of $500 million which critics say undermines the Himalayan nation's sovereignty as protesters opposed to the proposed funds clashed with police, officials and witnesses said on Sunday.

Paliament Speaker Agni Sapkota said the aid agreement was approved by a majority vote of the Nepali lawmakers.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government aid agency, agreed in 2017 to provide the aid in a grant to fund an electricity transmission line and road improvement project.

The aid does not need to be repaid and Washington says it comes without conditions.

Major political parties, including those in the ruling coalition, were divided over whether to accept the grant.

Opponents, wary of U.S. influence, said the aid would undermine Nepal's laws and sovereignty as it will not have sufficient control over the projects.

"The agreement will bring Nepal under the security umbrella of the United States and should be rejected," Bhim Rawal, a member of the opposition Nepal Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist), had told parliament.

Finance Minister Janardan Sharma had assured deputies that the aid would not undermine Nepal's constitution and laws, it was not part of Washingtons Indo-Pacific strategy and had no military objective.

"It will promote the interest and welfare of the country and should be accepted," Mahant Thakur, a deputy of the Loktantrick Samajwadi Party, said during the debate.

Hundreds of protesters opposed to the aid clashed with police who used teargas, water cannon and rattan sticks to disperse them and stop them marching on parliament, witnesses said.

(Reporting by Gopal Sharma, editing by Ed Osmond)
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Netherlands will close its airspace to Russian aircraft from Sunday evening, the infrastructure minister said.

"There is no room in Dutch airspace for a regime that applies unnecessary and brutal violence," Mark Harbers said in a post on Twitter. "The Netherlands is therefore preparing to close its airspace to Russian aircraft this evening."

(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Scientists. JEFF PACHOUD/AFP via Getty Images

How are vaccine researchers and developers responding to COVID-19's evolution? Here's everything you need to know:

Are COVID vaccines working?

Yes  amazingly well. The vaccines have remained highly effective in preventing serious illness and death, despite the evolution of the coronavirus into more infectious, immunity-evading new variants. British data indicate that the risk of death between last July and December was 81 percent lower for people who had two doses of a COVID vaccine  including Pfizer's and Moderna's shots  and 93 percent lower for those who received a third. An unvaccinated adult is 68 times more likely to die from COVID than a boosted one. But the Omicron variant, which has more than 30 mutations in its spike proteins, has rendered vaccines less effective at preventing breakthrough infections, and recent evidence suggests boosters' protections against symptomatic infection wane after 10 weeks. The subvariant BA.2 is now spreading in at least 10 countries in Europe and Asia, and new variants are likely to emerge after that, especially since undervaccinated communities help incubate new mutations.

What about boosters?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends them for all adults, and in January it approved a fourth dose for people with severely weakened immune systems. Scientists are studying emerging data on the effectiveness of another booster, and the Food and Drug Administration said this week it is possible one will be recommended in the fall, at least for people over 65. Moderna and Pfizer are both developing Omicron-tailored vaccines, and Pfizer initially predicted its version would be available in March. But production has hit delays, and with one University of Washington model suggesting that 73 percent of Americans have some immunity to Omicron, it might not be necessary to target that variant alone  or to play catch-up with those that follow. It takes four to six months to get new batches of variant-specific vaccines ready for distribution, and new variants can spread much more quickly. "Relying on new boosters every time we have a new variant of concern," said MIT immunologist Padmini Pillai, "is not a viable strategy."

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What would work better?

Vaccine developers are now taking a variety of approaches to outpace viral evolution. The holy grail would be a pan-coronavirus vaccine, which would protect recipients against all forms of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, and possibly even against all beta-coronaviruses. That means it could fight highly deadly viruses such as SARS-CoV-1  the virus that caused the 2003 worldwide SARS outbreak  and MERS, as well as the four viruses that cause a quarter of all common colds. In December, scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research announced that their vaccine produced neutralizing antibodies against COVID and SARS in monkeys. That research team recently completed the first phase of testing on humans. Other researchers are searching for a "conserved site," a common feature that coronaviruses keep throughout their mutations and that could be targeted by a universal vaccine. Researchers at Duke have isolated an antibody that binds to both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-Cov-2.

How likely are such vaccines?

Many hurdles remain, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser, has warned that they will "take years to develop." The Norway-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has allocated $200 million for pan-coronavirus research and aims to see one distributed by 2024 or 2025. But the supply chain for vials and other vaccine equipment is under unprecedented strain, with many manufacturers prioritizing supplies for already-existing vaccines over experimental ones. And because most people now have at least some immunity via vaccines, previous infection, or both, it has become much harder for researchers to find people with no previous exposure to serve as control subjects.

What can be done in the meantime?

Developed countries will continue to promote boosters; only 28 percent of the U.S. population has had one. Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla said in January that he hopes to develop once-a-year boosters, but other experts disagree on how frequently they will be needed, or if three shots will provide lasting protection against serious illness. With under 11 percent of people in low-income countries even partially vaccinated, the World Health Organization and many virologists are urging governments and drugmakers to focus on vaccinating the rest of the world. The U.S. and other G-7 nations have fallen short of the 1.4 billion vaccines they pledged to donate by 2022, but some vaccine innovators are trying to fill in the gap. Novavax and Corbevax recently produced inexpensive vaccines that rely on recombinant protein technology to mimic spike proteins. These vaccines can be stored in regular refrigerators instead of the super-cold storage required for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, making them more easily distributed in poor, remote areas. The developers of Corbevax, Drs. Maria Elena Bottazzi and Peter Hotez of Texas' Baylor College of Medicine, were funded by $7 million in private philanthropy and are not patenting their vaccine. They are working with an Indian firm to produce 1 billion shots for developing nations. "Global vaccine equity," they wrote in a recent Scientific American article, "is the only thing that can bring the COVID pandemic to an end."

A vaccine in a nasal spray

Not all 330-plus COVID vaccines currently in development are shots. Injected vaccines generate antibodies in the blood  but don't provide much protection in the nose, which is the virus' most common entryway. So scientists are working on vaccines that can be sprayed into the nose. At least 12 such vaccines are currently in development, with one produced by India's Bharat Biotech already in a Phase 3 trial. Nasal COVID vaccines would target the source of most infections, allow patients to self-administer, and make for an attractive alternative for those who fear needles  including children. Yale immunologist Akiko Iwasaki, who led a study on nasal vaccines, predicts they'll be most useful as boosters for vaccinated people. "Then you can leverage the existing immunity," she said. "It's really like putting the guard outside the door as opposed to inside the door." If effective nasal vaccines can be developed and widely adopted, scientists say, it could dramatically reduce transmission and bring the pandemic to an end.

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Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2022 shows the main building of Bank of Russia in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The White House announced Saturday that the United States, joined by European nations and Canada, will remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, the payment system used for most international financial transactions.

This is a major move to escalate the West's economic sanctions against Moscow for its ongoing military operations in Ukraine.

The White House said in a joint statement that in concert with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain and Canada, the United States is supporting the expulsion of "selected Russian banks" from SWIFT "within the coming days," so as to "further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies."

Kicking those Russian banks out of SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide, "will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," said the statement.

In addition, restrictive measures will be imposed to "prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves" in ways that undermine the impact of the Western sanctions, said the statement.

Measures will also be taken to limit the sale of the so-called "golden passports" to prevent "wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government" from becoming citizens of the aforementioned countries and to ensure that those individuals are unable to "gain access to our financial systems."

The leaders of those countries also vowed to launch in this coming week a joint task force to enforce the implementation of the financial sanctions.

The joint statement also called on other governments to "detect and disrupt" the flow of those Russian elites' gains and deny their ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world. 

Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2022 shows the main building of Bank of Russia in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)
David Riley is co-chair of Friends of India Point Park. Sally Lapides is president of Residential Properties Ltd. Nick Cicchitelli, president of the Fox Point Neighborhood Association, and Sharon Steele, president of the Jewelry District Association, contributed to this commentary.

Over the past 20 years, 2,100 petition signers and 70 organizations have urged the state to bury the power lines on the Providence-East Providence waterfront.

Yet the massive towers and wires remain a scar across our shoreline at the head of Narragansett Bay. Other cities like Chattanooga and San Antonio buried waterfront wires decades ago, and have reaped major economic and environmental benefits. But in Providence  where attractive riverwalks welcome a million visitors a year  hulking towers and high-voltage wires despoil the Ocean States water views that 60 million people a year pass by on I-195.

National Grid, having consistently obstructed burial of the power lines, wants to erect new towers that would last another 100 years. Ironic, since this highly profitable multi-national corporation headquartered in the United Kingdom is spending $1 billion to bury power lines in British national parks.

The companys indifference about the capital regions signature natural landmark is particularly galling given its plans to leave Rhode Island, taking with it $46 million in excess profits from the offshore wind farm, characterized by the R.I. Public Utilities Commission chairman as ripping off ratepayers.

Now the Rhode Island Supreme Court is considering whether the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board did its job in ordering new overhead waterfront power lines.

It did not.

The EFSB ignored its obligations to issue findings on burials feasibility, relying entirely on infeasibility statements by attorneys lacking engineering expertise. Even National Grids engineers didnt declare it infeasible.

National Grid told the Supreme Court that burial is not feasible, even though engineers from two well-respected firms concluded that the burial project is aligned with current industry standards and is constructible. But National Grid never called them to testify at EFSB hearings.

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With no independent experts findings on record, one of the Supreme Court justices repeatedly questioned burials feasibility, finally asking: How did anyone in Gods green earth think that burial is possible?"

We urge the court to instruct the EFSB to assess qualified engineers feasibility findings, compare burials cost to its long-term benefits, and follow state law requiring that EFSB decisions will enhance the socio-economic fabric of the state and not cause unacceptable harm to the environment.

The EFSB has ignored dramatic improvements in the accuracy of horizontal directional drilling used to bury power lines, which were reported to the EFSB in 2016. It approved National Grid withdrawing $587,000 from the ratepayer burial fund to pay its engineers and attorneys to argue against burial. And it has not explained why more than half the $18 million in burial funds have earned no interest over the last 16-18 years.

The EFSB has ignored the environmental and economic benefits of burying power lines, such as increasing tourism, increasing property values, upgrading four popular waterfront parks, and enhancing recent waterfront improvements like the Newport ferry landing and Narragansett Beer pub.

National Grids proposal to run power lines along the Linear Park Bridge adjacent to I-195 would make them much more conspicuous than they are now. It would transform the linear park leading to the East Bay Bike Path into a utility corridor, making a mockery of state laws mandate that EFSB decisions must cause the least possible harm to the environments aesthetic and recreational value to the public.

Officials have virtually ignored concepts like tourism, economic development, the unique appeal of waterfronts, and the role parks play as a respite from the stresses of city life during 15 years of hearings on this case. Yet these concepts are the central concerns of other states when they order the burial of highly visible, strategically located power lines like ours.

If the Rhode Island Supreme Court does not order the EFSB to do its job, National Grid will have squandered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to rid our waterfront of its unsightly power lines. And our state government  i.e., the EFSB  will be absolved of any responsibility for leaving an industrial scar etched across the face of Providence for another 100 years.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Opinion/Riley and Lapides: Burying the Waterfront Power Lines: Why hasnt it happened?
A person accidentally shot himself at SouthPark mall in south Charlotte on Saturday, police said.

On Twitter, Medic confirmed taking a patient with serious injuries from this scene, and referred questions to police.

About 4:45 p.m., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said on Twitter that officers responding to the mall found a male suffering from a self-inflicted gun shot wound.

Police clarified the post about four minutes later, describing what happened as an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.

There is no threat to the public or search for any suspects, police said on Twitter.

CMPD did not say if the male was an adult or a minor, or where at or in the mall the incident occurred.

Clarification: An accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.  CMPD News (@CMPD) February 26, 2022

This is a developing story.
Mehmet Aslans image he titled Hardship of Life which won photo of the year at the Siena Awards 2021 (Mehmet Aslan/Siena International Photo Awards)

Turkish photographer Mehmet Aslan took an emotional image of a father playing with his five-year-old son in January 2021. It quickly became an international sensation and dramatically changed the lives of the pair and their family.

Munzir El Nezzel, the man in the picture, lost his right leg when a bomb fell as he walked through a market in Syria in 2014. And his son Mustafa was born without limbs due to a disorder caused by the medication his mother, Zeynep, had to take after being made ill by a deadly sarin gas attack during the countrys civil war.

The powerful image, showing Munzir raising Mustafa above his head while propped on crutches, was shared widely on social media after it was declared photo of the year at the Siena international photo awards in 2021.

Munzir and son Mustafa arrive with their family at the Leonardo da Vinci international airport in Fiumicino, near Rome, Italy (EPA-EFE)

Mustafa and his father quickly made headlines in Italy, prompting organisers of the Siena Awards to start a campaign to get the pair treatment and prosthetics. To date, the fundraiser has received 144,000 in donations.

Now Munzirs family is starting a new life in Italy. When the photo was taken, they were in a refugee camp in Turkey near the Syrian border. Mustafa and his father needed urgent medical help and prosthetics that werent available in Turkey.

Munzir and his son Mustafa are receiving much-needed treatment in Italy (EPA-EFE)

In January, Munzir and Mustafa, along with their mother and two little sisters, aged two and four, arrived at Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino, near Rome. The father and son have received medical help from the Vigorso di Budrio Prosthetics Centre in Bologna.

The Siena Awards organisers thanked all those who had donated to the campaign and announced: The dream of giving a better life to little Mustafa and his father Munzir goes beyond all imagination. The two protagonists of the photo that struck the whole world and made thousands of peoples hearts beat are now in Italy.

The impact of the image was felt far and wide, with Special Envoy to the UN and actor Angelina Jolie even sharing the image on her social media accounts.

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The pair have gained massive public sympathy and thousand of pounds-worth of support (EPA-EFE)

Munzir and Mustafa have now begun a new life in Italy thanks to the support they recieved (Mehmet Aslan/Siena International Photo Awards)

The pair have been treated at the Performance Centro Medico before they go to the Vigorso di Budrio Prosthetics Centre in Bologna (Performance Centro Medico)

Next comes the road of recovery for Munzir and a longer road for Mustafa, who is learning to live with artificial limbs. Despite the challenges ahead, the father and son no doubt have the support of the Italian community behind them.

You can see Mehmet Aslans photography journey with Munzir and his son Mustafa here. You can also follow the Sienna International Photo Awards here.
Police have reopened Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in St. Helena after a shooting was reported Sunday morning that injured two people, according to Beaufort County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Maj. Bob Bromage.

The shooting took place near the Penn Center, an African American cultural education center, a Beaufort County Sheriffs Office alert said. A deputy arrived around 4 a.m. after receiving a call about shots fired near a large gathering in the area, Bromage said. A person shot at the deputys car, and one bullet hit the vehicle. The deputy was not inside the car at the time.

Those involved in the shooting have been identified, but not who shot at the deputys car, Bromage said.

The two who were injured were transported to Beaufort Memorial Hospital for treatment. One of them was later transported to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

A portion of the road was shut down as police investigated.

There is no public safety threat at this time, police said in the alert. Anyone with information may call Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry at (843)554-1111

This story has been updated.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke about George Floyd when they took the stage to accept the Presidents Award Saturday night

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first award show appearance since moving to the U.S. at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday night.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received the Presidents Award for special achievement and distinguished public service, joining a prestigious list of past recipients including Colin Powell, Rihanna, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Condoleezza Rice, and LeBron James.

The couple took the stage to accept the honor and revealed Markles mother, Doria Ragland, joined them at the annual event.

Its inspiring to think about the legacy of the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed into law, Markle said during the couples acceptance speech.

Courtesy Credit BET.com

Today, we can continue that legacy by re-establishing federal voting protections in our country and fulfilling the work of civil rights giants, like the late John Lewis.

Prince Harry thanked the Black community for welcoming me so warmly, and took time to acknowledge the crisis in Ukraine during his speech.

We are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of so many illustrious awardees, he said. Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community. I also echo the immense gratitude for tonight, both for this award and this community for welcoming me so warmly.

He continued, I think its safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason. We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to.

Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex won the prestigious President's Award. The President's Award is presented in recognition of distinguished public service. #NAACPImageAwards  pic.twitter.com/BNO5VMnlo4  best of prince harry (@harrysussex_) February 27, 2022

Meghan Markle spoke of the many causes their Archewell Foundation has supported since they moved to the United States in 2020.

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I couldnt be prouder that were doing this work together. We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd. For Black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds, she said.

In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organization, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress.

(Courtesy Credit: BET.com)

The mother of two also highlighted Dr. Safiya Noble, the first recipient of the NAACP Archwell Digital Civil Rights Award, which honors those who are creating transformational change  at the intersection of social justice and technology  to advance civil and human rights.

Last night, President Johnson presented this new award to its first recipient, Dr. Safiya Noble, cofounder of the UCLA center for critical internet inquiry, a renowned scholar, author and advocate. Dr. Noble is a visionary and partner to Archewell, Markle explained.

This is the era of the digital justice movement. We are proud to partner with NAACP and each of you to translate the vital efforts of those who came before us to the modern challenges that exist ahead of usThank you so much for joining us in this work, and thank you again for this incredible honor. Truly.

TheGrio is now on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today!

The post Prince Harry, Meghan Markle honored at NAACP Image Awards: Couldnt be prouder appeared first on TheGrio.
Pope Francis has called on parents of children who identify as LGBT to "accompany" them and "not hide in an attitude of condemnation."

Speaking before a general audience Wednesday, the pontiff discussed the four dreams of St. Joseph. He remarked that "God does not promise us that we will never have fear, but that, with His help, it will not be the criterion for our decisions." Francis emphasized that "Joseph experiences fear, but God guides him through it," adding: "The power of prayer brings light to dark situations."

"At this moment, I am thinking of so many people who are crushed by the weight of life and can no longer hope and pray," he said. "I am thinking, too, of parents who are facing their children's problems: children with many illnesses, children who are sick, even with permanent illnesses  how much pain is there  parents who see different sexual orientations in their children; how to deal with this and accompany their children and not hide in an attitude of condemnation."

While the pope touched upon "so many parental problems" in his remarks, his comments advising parents to "accompany" their children who identify as LGBT received particular attention. Critics saw the comments as the latest example of mixed messaging coming from the Vatican regarding the contentious topic of human sexuality.

In a 2020 documentary, the pontiff asserted that "homosexual people have a right to be in a family." In addition to suggesting that "they are children of God and have a right to a family," he appeared to express support for the creation of a "civil union law."

Upon receiving criticism, a Vatican official insisted that the pontiff's comments were "edited" and missing "necessary contextualization." According to the Vatican Secretariat of State, "Pope Francis was referring to particular state religions, certainly not the doctrine of the church, which he has reaffirmed numerous times over the years."

Last year, several months after the controversy surrounding the pope's comments about civil unions, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a statement proclaiming that "It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage." The statement indicated that the Catholic Church cannot bless "unions between persons of the same sex" because they "exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creator's plan."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which contains all the church's teachings, teaches that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered" and "under no circumstances can they be approved." The Catechism calls on those who have same-sex attraction to practice chastity just like "all the baptized."

Additionally, the Catechism maintains that individuals who are attracted to members of the same sex "must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity" and that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided." This wording in the Catechism is very similar to the pope's encouragement to avoid an "attitude of condemnation" when it comes to individuals who identify as LGBT.

However, another action taken by the pope last month also raised eyebrows. He wrote a letter to a Catholic nun who had previously been banned by the Vatican's Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith from doing any pastoral work related to LGBT people because her ministry and efforts to reach out to the community did not accurately portray "the intrinsic evil of homosexual acts and the objective disorder of the homosexual inclination." However, the pontiff thanked the nun for her "closeness, compassion and tenderness."

In addition to his messaging on LGBT issues, Francis' stance on the Traditional Latin Mass has also angered many Catholics. Last year, the pontiff published an apostolic letter imposing restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, which many Catholic Churches across the world continue to celebrate more than a half-century after most churches began to conduct masses in the local vernacular.

Francis cited a desire for church unity when calling on bishops who lead dioceses where Traditional Latin Masses are held to set aside locations "where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the eucharistic celebration (not however in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes)." In addition to implying that church facilities could no longer hold Latin masses, the guidance instructed bishops not to allow the establishment of new groups that celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

The apostolic letter received swift backlash and more than 36,000 Catholics have signed a petition designed to "Show Pope Francis the Latin Mass will survive any suppression" in the six months since it was published. According to the Latin Mass Directory, there are currently 651 Catholic churches in the United States that celebrate at least one Traditional Latin Mass at some point during the week.

 The Christian Post
Harry and Meghan received the NAACP Presidents Award (REUTERS)

The Duke of Sussex said he and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, were brought together for a reason as the couple appeared on stage at the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards to accept the Presidents Award.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received the prestigious accolade, which recognises special achievement and distinguished public service, at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday 26 February.

Other past recipients of the honour include boxing legend Muhammad Ali, former US President Bill Clinton, Jay-Z, LeBron James and Rihanna.

Accepting the award on Saturday, Harry told attendees: I think its safe to say I come from a very different background to my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are live in person to accept the Presidents Award #NAACPImageAwards pic.twitter.com/NhRNBZWIAU  THEE Stephanie. (@qsteph) February 27, 2022

We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to confront injustice and a belief that the most overlooked are often the most important to listen to.

Meghan added: I couldnt be prouder that were doing this work together.

We are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of such illustrious awardees.

The NAACP announced on Thursday 24 February that it had selected the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to receive the award for heeding the call to social justice and joining the struggle for equity in the US and around the world.

Harry also introduced the new NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which recognises those who are creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology.

The inaugural recipient of the 20222 award is Dr Safiya Noble, an internet studies scholar and author of Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines reinforce Racism. She has received $100,000 to advance her work in her field.

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This community knows what it means to speak up for what is right and to march forward is just, Harry said.

As the fight for justice for justice still remains, its time to extend this march to the world online, a place where hate and discrimination are fueled instantly, propagated globally and felt deeply.

Meghan added: This is the era of the digital justice movement. We are proud to partner with NAACP and each of you to translate the vital efforts of those who came before us to the modern challenges that exist ahead of us.

The Duchess attended the ceremony wearing a bespoke, blue-ombre Christopher John Roers dress. She accessorised the asymmetrical gown, which featured a thigh-high split and a flowing cape, with gold Aquazzura heels in the style Celeste and earrings by Alexis Bittar.

Meanwhile, Harry opted for a smart black tuxedo by English designer Ozwald Boateng.
Former President Donald Trump is factoring into a Michigan congressional race where Republican Rep. John Moolenaar faces a primary challenge from Tom Norton, who until now had refused to submit mandatory personal financial disclosures. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Tom Norton is running in a Republican primary against Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan.

Norton acknowledged credit card "trouble" and a DUI and said he would file his financial disclosure and pay a fine.

His disclosure is not yet showing up in the Clerk of the US House's document database.

Tom Norton, a pro-Donald Trump congressional candidate mounting a Republican primary challenge to Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, had for months refused to file a federally-mandated personal financial disclosure.

"That's none of the federal government's business," Norton told Insider for an article published Thursday detailing his decision's potential civil and criminal ramifications.



Now, Norton has changed his tune. Completely.

"We're paying it, filing the financial disclosure, even though I still think it's none of the federal government's business," Norton said in a five-minute video posted to his campaign's YouTube account, in which he discussed in detail his turbulent financial history.

"This is getting filed because  and I am paying the $200 fine, so that way the liberals will stop crying," Norton said.

In response to an Insider text message asking about his change of mind regarding the disclosure, Norton said he "thought it was a rule not a law."

"When your budget is 17,000 pages, it's impossible to know every law on the books," Norton said.

A campaign spokesperson for Moolenar did not immediately return an Insider request for comment.

In his video, Norton offered numerous details about his personal finances he says will appear in his official financial disclosure.

He described himself as a "self-employed contractor" who earned $257,713 during the first year of his congressional campaign and $222,696 the second.

Norton said he owned rental property with an assessed worth of $100,000 to $120,000 that is "completely paid off."

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He also noted he maintained an E-Trade account "with some dividend stocks  it's not huge" and that he owns "some cryptocurrency."

In his early 20s, after he "got in trouble with some credit cards" and lost his job and apartment, Norton said he reformed his financial ways and has since bought a house.

"I'm the Dave Ramsey candidate," he said, referring to the financial author and radio host who preaches against debt. "I actually do pay my bills. When I talk about financial responsibility, I do it. I have gotten behind in the past, and I paid 'em  I took care of myself."

Norton acknowledged he has "a DUI from a few years ago" and that he's previously "gotten in trouble with the law" and paid fines. He didn't elaborate on the nature of the legal trouble or fines.

Norton also criticized the financial habits of President Joe Biden, Moolenaar, and politicians who use so-called "leadership political action committees," which have come under fire by government reform groups as lightly regulated slush funds for members of Congress.

Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan, walks down the House steps at the Capitol after the last vote of the week on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

What federal law says

A congressional candidate must file his or her financial disclosure, which details personal investments, debts, employment, and side income, shortly after raising or spending $5,000 in campaign cash, according to House ethics guidelines and federal law.

Norton easily surpassed that threshold early last year, raising $113,239 by the end of 2021, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The standard, US House-issued fine for a late personal financial disclosure filing is $200, payable to the US Treasury.

But a candidate who "knowingly and willfully falsifies a statement or fails to file a statement" may be subject to investigation by the Department of Justice.

While such investigations are rare, the maximum civil penalty for such an offense is $66,190, while the maximum criminal penalty is one year in federal prison plus a fine of up to the same amount, according to the federal Ethics in Government Act.

Separately, federal law, as amended by the False Statements Accountability Act of 1996, "provides for a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to five years for knowingly and willfully making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, or falsifying, concealing, or covering up a material fact" in a filing covered by the Ethics in Government Act.

A congressional candidate who refuses to file a personal financial disclosure "would find themselves in violation of the Ethics In Government Act," Jordan Libowitz, communications director for nonpartisan government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told Insider last week.

While the federal government could conceivably pursue criminal penalties against a candidate for not filing, "it is much more likely that the DOJ could, and should, pursue civil penalties," Libowitz said.

Norton's refusal to publicly reveal his personal finances follows the publication of Insider's "Conflicted Congress" project, which found that 57 members of Congress and at least 182 senior congressional aides have in recent months violated the federal Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 with late or missing financial disclosures.

As of Saturday night, Norton's financial disclosure did not yet appear within the Clerk of the US House of Representatives document database.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the specter of the use of nuclear weapons Sunday, putting the country's nuclear deterrence forces on high alert after the U.S. and its allies moved to impose stricter sanctions on the nation over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Putin cited "aggressive statements" from the North Atlantic Trade Organization (NATO) after the group issued a letter condemning Russia's "full-scale" invasion of Ukraine. The United Nations has confirmed 64 deaths among the hundreds of civilian casualties, though the number may be "considerably higher," according to the Associated Press.

The Russian president also attributed economic sanctions for the significant upping of the stakes surrounding the conflict. On Saturday, leaders of the European Union agreed to block certain Russian banks from accessing the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift), a messaging and settlement network that connects lenders around the world.

Maybe more importantly, at least the EU has vowed to paralyze Russia's central bank by blocking access to its foreign reserves. Russia currently has about $640 billion in reserves, with a sizable portion held in G7 banks.

A joint statement on the Swift decision, issued by the European Commission, U.S., U.K. and Canada, said the leaders of the western world "stand with the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people in their heroic efforts to resist Russia's invasion."

In addition to putting its nuclear arsenal on guard, Putin also threatened military action against neutral nations Sweden and Finland after they expressed a desire to join the 30-nation NATO over the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to meet for peace talks at the Belarus-Ukraine border without preconditions after initially rejecting talks in Belarus over concerns that the country was not neutral in the conflict.

Leaders of the European Union are set to meet on Sunday to begin work on implementing Swift sanctions on Russian banks. All over the world, people have been gathering to protest the invasion.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Sunday thanked Russia's special forces, singling out those who are "heroically fulfilling their military duty" in Ukraine, in a televised address that was also published on the Kremlin website.

Russian forces have attacked oil and gas facilities in Ukraine, sparking huge explosions, officials said on Sunday, as Western allies prepared new sanctions, including banishing key Russia banks from the main global payments system.

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow, editing by Andrei Khalip)
Members of parliament applaud German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his speech on the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Berlin on Sunday. (Michael Sohn / Associated Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's brazen and unprovoked assault on Ukraine is fast turning his fears of a more resolute Europe, and potentially expanded NATO alliance, into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

NATO has come together behind stiff economic sanctions against Moscow. Finland and Sweden, after decades of neutrality, have signaled a new interest in joining the alliance while more autocratic members of the defense pact have excoriated Moscow.

And in an effort to shore up Ukraine's defenses, the European Union for the first time will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday.

In short order, Europe's leading powers have shifted into a position of heightened defensiveness toward Russia.

"We have to realize that we are now faced with a new normal for our security," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday in an interview on CNN, noting the beefed-up NATO troops' presence in its eastern countries and weapons deliveries to Ukraine. "This is just the beginning of the adaptation that we need to do as a response to a much more aggressive Russia."

On Sunday in Berlin, Germany's new Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivered a rousing speech to parliament declaring that the country would spend more than 2% of its GDP on defense  Putin having accomplished what former President Trump sought for four years, and President Obama before him. Scholz also announced a special 100-billion euro fund (about $111 billion) to upgrade the country's army, a fundamental shift by Europe's most powerful nation after a long stretch of limited military spending in the decade after the European debt crisis.

Describing Russia's war on Ukraine as "a turning point in the history of our continent," Scholz told lawmakers, "it is clear that we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country."

Constanze Stelzenmuller, a Germany expert at Washington's Brookings Institution, called the speech "Germany's Nixon to China moment," a reference to then President Nixon's pivot from anti-communist hawk to taking his historic trip to China.

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Similarly, Scholz's speech was all the more significant coming from a Social Democrat, one known for fiscal austerity who came of age at the end of the Cold War, a time when many believed democracies were ascendant and would remain so.

"Many Germans mistook the fall of the Berlin Wall as a validation of their method, and they have hung on to that belief well beyond the point that it started being proven out of date otherwise by events," Stelzenmuller said. "This is the end of that illusion, and the beginning of a new era in German foreign policy, and that is really a historic moment."

Since taking office in December, Scholz, who served as finance minister to former Chancellor Angela Merkel, had seemed reluctant to take a firm stance toward Putin, given how reliant Germany's economy is on Russia. But war breaking out in Europe has in short order altered security calculations and stiffened its leaders' spines.

Scholz's speech came as the EU also announced it would bar Russian planes from EU airspace and expel Russian state-owned media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik from all 27 members of the European bloc.

The EU said its defense aid package could even include fighter jets and that member states are willing to provide them. We're not talking about just ammunition, EU's Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said. We are providing more important arms to go to a war.

"Just like President Putin has unified Ukraine against him and against Russia, President Putin has also unified the NATO alliance," former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, who also served at NATO, told SiriusXM radio.

Part of what has helped toughen resolve among European leaders like Scholz, as well as France's Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, was their realization of how blatantly Putin lied about his intentions in Ukraine. He claimed, to their faces until the last minute  and even now as his troops have mounted an amphibious assault and are sweeping into the north of Ukraine  he has no intention of invading the smaller neighbor.

"They were doing direct head of state diplomacy, and Putin lied to them," said Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, a risk assessment firm in New York.

"Putin has behaved in a staggering, outrageous fashion to rip up what the Europeans thought were kind of inviolable norms," he said. The shift among European leaders "shows that this is not about Ukraine, it's a change in the global order that we have slipped into a new Cold War with Russia."

Scholz announced last week that Germany was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, a priority for Putin, who'd sought greater control of Europe's energy resources. Saturday Berlin announced it would be sending weapons to support Ukraine, another shift in posture after Scholz's initial offering months ago of sending 5,000 helmets had been widely derided. At the same time, Europe, along with Canada and the U.S., announced an agreement to sanction Russia's central bank and to bar select Russian banks from the SWIFT international communications network used by banks around the world, a move that came about only after Germany overcame its reluctance.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine is at heart an attempt to revisit the end of the Cold War, to redress the westward drift of former Soviet republics and to regain additional territory that's been independent from Russia for 30 years. Although the conflict is just days old, the reality of Russian tanks and missiles in Ukraine has shocked Europe's leaders into action, as has Putin's sinister language stating that he is "de-Nazifying" Kyiv by attempting to oust its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish.

"In his mind, he is re-fighting World War II, which suggests that everything is possible," Stelzenmuller said. "I think that may have played a role in focusing policymakers' minds in Berlin. To hear a Russian leader talk about a peaceful sovereign country in that way was truly galvanizing."

Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said on Sunday that it was very probable that neutral Switzerland would follow the European Union on Monday in sanctioning Russia and freezing Russian assets in the Alpine country.

The leaders of Finland, which has an 830-mile land border with Russia, and Sweden indicated when the fighting began in Ukraine that they were newly inclined to consider applying for membership in NATO, the 30-nation security alliance that, under Article V of its charter, treats an attack on any member nation as an attack on all.

Moreover, their leaders have since brushed off the Russian foreign ministry's warning that their NATO membership would trigger "serious military-political consequences." Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Saturday that "weve heard this before." And Sweden's prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, said Friday that Sweden "itself, and independently, decides on our security policy line."

Along with nearly every other European nation, Sweden has also committed in recent days to sending weapons and defense materiel to Ukraine.

Even NATO member states that are hardly democratic nations, like Turkey and Hungary, have joined in the strong condemnation of Russia and efforts to fortify Ukraine's defense. On Sunday, Turkey's foreign minister officially recognized Russia's attacks on Ukraine as a "state of war" and said Ankara was implementing an international treaty allowing it to limit warships' passage through the strategic Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits.

President Biden, remarking on revived support for NATO in an interview Friday, marveled at how Putin was "producing the exact opposite effect that he intended."

Biden has worked hard to keep democratic powers together in their response to Putin. Aware that Europe is under graver danger from Russia given its geographic proximity, and its greater economic reliance on Moscow, he has waited for consensus before pushing specific sanctions measures and deferred to European leaders to announce the elements of the West's response.

That approach stands in stark contrast to his predecessor, who cozied up to Putin and bullied European leaders, even threatening to withdraw the U.S. from NATO altogether in 2018 when he felt member countries weren't taking seriously his demand that they contribute more to their defense. Trump went as far as to order home some 12,000 troops stationed in Germany, a move many national security officials saw as punitive. Biden scuttled the plan just weeks after taking office last year.

Although Putin's actions are strengthening unity across NATO and the European Union, these can still be precarious alliances with chances for a breakdown or new internal conflict. Daniel Serwer, a scholar at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies who specializes in conflict, said the longer term resolution will likely continue with a Europe riven by what he called a "plywood curtain"  not as strong as the Iron Curtain but with a clear pro-West and pro-Russia divide.

"Europe 'whole and free' will remain a Western mantra," he said. "It will not however be a serious proposition so long as Putin or someone of his ilk governs in Moscow."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
 Read the full article on Motorious

This is one of the most beautiful cars ever made, in more ways than one.

With only 36 in existence, the Ferrari 250 GTO is probably the most sought-after car to emerge from Maranello. The thought of racing such a valuable masterpiece might fill some with horror. After all, taking any vehicle on the track can be a recipe for disaster. And while this car has been squirreled away in secure garages most of its life, its going to be competing at the Velocity Invitational in mid-November.

If you arent aware, that even is being held at Laguna Seca, one of the more technically-challenging circuits in North America. Threading this through the infamous Corkscrew on the track with other cars nearby could be a heart-stopping thing to witness, but keep in mind it will be racing against other valuable classics with drivers who will also be exercising caution. However, this could easily be the most expensive ride there.

When this car was brand new, it sold for $18,000. That might sound like chump change today, but it was considering extremely expensive for its time. However, the Ferrari 250 GTO has appreciated in value considerably, with a 63 selling in a private transaction back in June of 2018 for $70 million.

Most never get within arms-length of one of these machines, but if you do I can say from experience they are far more breathtaking in person. Larry Chen of Hoonigan Autofocus did one better and was able to take a spin in this particular one along with Jeff ONeill, founder of Velocity.

Fortunately for all of us, Larry documented the experience thoroughly not only with plenty of amazing photography but also captivating video, of which Ive included both. You get to bask in the glorious note of that V12 howling and the quad exhaust burbling. Its truly a transformative experience, so I can only imagine how Larry felt by the end.

ClassicAndCollectorCars.com would like to thank American Collectors Insurance for their continued support of the collector car hobby. As the highest customer-rated classic car insurance company in the industry, American Collectors Insurance provides innovative insurance products tailored to the unique needs of fellow Collectors.

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Since 1976, American Collectors Insurance has specialized in protecting the passion of Collector enthusiasts of all types, including American muscle cars, antique/classic cars, hot rods, resto-mods, vintage cars, classic motorcycles and specialty collectibles including automobilia.



To see how much you can save on an Agreed Value insurance policy that will properly Protect Your Passion, request a free classic car insurance quote online in seconds at AmericanCollectors.com.



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From Queen Elizabeth to Kate Middleton and Princess Diana, these Barbour jackets are in every royal's spring wardrobe (Photos via Getty)

Yahoo Lifestyle Canada is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

At the end of the day, we're simple people: if we see a royal wearing a (semi) affordable brand, odds are, we're going to want it for ourselves.

The case couldn't be more true for the Buckingham Palace-approved brand Barbour. Not only have Barbour jackets been spotted on the who's-who of royals over the past 30-something years (we're talking Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and Queen Elizabeth herself) but the British heritage brand has actually earned three Royal Warrants commending its high-quality designs.

The Duchess of Cambridge in her Barbour Longshore jacket in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Pool/Max Mumby/Getty Images)

If you're looking to upgrade your spring wardrobe with one of these iconic coats, scroll below to shop some of our favourites, including the lightweight Flyweight Quilted Jacket (shop here in the U.S., here in Canada) that's been called "my new favourite jacket" by Nordstrom shoppers.

Barbour Flyweight Quilted Jacket in Navy (Photo via Nordstrom)

$200 at Nordstrom U.S.

$255 at Nordstrom Canada

The details

The British heritage brand has earned the royal seal of approval  and for good reason. With elegant diamond quilting and burnished goldtone hardware, this lightweight Barbour jacket is a spring staple for any wardrobe, royal or otherwise.

The lightweight coat features roomy snap-closure pockets at the front with enough room for your cards, phone, and keys and is available in three colours at Nordstrom U.S. and one colour at Nordstrom Canada. However, the stock is flying off the (virtual) shelves, so you'll want to act quickly if you want to take one home.

Why shoppers love it

Keeping in company with Queen Elizabeth, the Barbour brand has earned the seal of approval from Nordstrom shoppers, with users commenting the Flyweight Quilted coat is the "perfect spring jacket."

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"It's lightweight, has a good length and simple, classy styling  no overwhelming buckles, buttons, or zippers," writes one shopper. "It's hard to beat Barbour quality, and for the price, this is a deal!"

"I love this jacket. It's perfect for in-between weather. It is very light and it's really easy to pack for just a little warmth at night," says another user. "I'm 62, so even though it is a very young-looking jacket, I think it easily spans the ages!!"

Click here to sign up for Yahoo Canada's lifestyle newsletter.

It's the "perfect spring jacket," writes a third shopper. It's "not boxy, and shows off your waist."

However, one thing to note: a handful of shoppers note the jacket (and the brand, in general) runs large.

I sized up and it "fits like a glove and is very flattering and feminine," however, "it leaves very little room for anything underneath and the neck is almost too tight."

"I am normally a size 8, but I ordered up to a size 10, and I'm glad I did," writes another shopper.

To shop more jackets from royal-approved brand Barbour, check out our picks below.

Barbour Beadnell Summer Quilted Jacket (Photo via Nordstrom)

$250 at Nordstrom U.S.

$335 at Nordstrom Canada

Barbour Camilla Trench Coat (Photo via Nordstrom)

$400 at Nordstrom U.S.

$510 at Nordstrom Canada

Barbour Beadnell Waxed Cotton Jacket (Photo via Nordstrom)

$395 at Nordstrom U.S.

Barbour Summer Liddesdale Quilted Jacket (Photo via Nordstrom)

$180 at Nordstrom U.S.

Barbour Astley Quilted Coat (Photo via Nordstrom)

$350 at Nordstrom U.S.

Barbour Philippa Quilted Coat (Photo via Nordstrom)

$300 at Nordstrom U.S.

Barbour Grassmere Quilted Jacket (Photo via Nordstrom)

$300 at Nordstrom U.S.

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and sign up for our newsletter.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Sunday said the U.S. and the U.N. wont stop ramping up sanctions and penalties against Russia until the country backs down from its attacks on Ukraine.

The Russians can be assured that we will continue to put more and more sanctions as they continue to press more on the Ukrainian government, Thomas-Greenfield said on NBCs Meet the Press.

The ambassadors comments come amid the fourth day of Russias invasion into Ukraine, where fighting continues to escalate as the U.S. and its allies pile sanctions onto the Russian president and the countrys financial institutions.

The penalties have been gradually added over the last few days rather than all levied at once on Thursday when the attacks started, a move that Thomas-Greenfield said has been intentional.

We will escalate as the Russians escalate. And that's exactly what we have done, she said.

Western allies on Saturday put additional pressure on Moscow to end its military assault against Ukraine. The U.S., European Union, United Kingdom and Canada imposed new sanctions on Russias financial institutions by removing selected Russian banks from the SWIFT global banking system.

We hoped that the Russians would listen to the pressures that we were putting them under, but they didn't, so they have to continue to feel additional sanctions and additional pressures on their economy. And they will feel the pain, Thomas-Greenfield said.

The ambassador also said there are steps the United Nations can take to penalize Russias behavior. The U.N. can isolate the country, she said, both within its specialized agencies and at the upcoming meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, where Russia will be called out and their aggressions will be brought to the attention of the world.

In a separate interview Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Thomas-Greenfield said that everything is on the table in terms of taking action against Russia, including referring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Hague for a war crimes tribunal.

They have to be held accountable, whether it's in the United Nations or elsewhere, she said.
Satellite images released Sunday show a large convoy of Russian ground forces in Ivankiv, Ukraine, according to Maxar Technologies.

According to a release from Maxar, the convoy extends for more than 3.25 miles and is moving in the direction of Kyiv, which is about 40 miles from the photographed location. There are hundreds of military vehicles in the convoy, including tanks and self-propelled artillery.

Closer view shows the southern end of a ground forces convey near Ivankiv, Ukraine, Feb. 27, 2022 (Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies)

Kyivs mayor, Vitali Klitschko, told The Associated Press Sunday that Russian troops have circled the capital city, making it difficult to evacuate civilians. The mayor confirmed to the AP that nine civilians in Kyiv had been killed so far, including one child.

A senior U.S. defense official said Sunday there is no indication the Russian military has taken control of any cities, and that Ukrainians are putting up a heroic and inspiring fight to keep hold of their country.

They [Russians] continue to face a stiff resistance, said the official, adding, we continue to observe that they have experienced fuel and logistics shortages.

Maxar reports the convoy photographed in Ivankiv was also carrying fuel and logistics systems.

Maxar also released new images Sunday that reveal damage at the Antonov airport in Hostomel, Ukraine, which is about 4 miles from Kyiv.

Overview shows damaged aircraft hangar at Antonov Airport, Hostomel, Ukraine, Feb. 27, 2022 (Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies)

Black smoke was still billowing into the sky when the images were captured. The damage was caused by recent airstrikes and heavy fighting in and near the airport, according to Maxar.

Video posted to Twitter Thursday showed airstrikes at the airport, which has a runway long enough to receive all types of aircraft.

Confirmed by Ukrainian authorities. A large air assault operation with Mi-8 helicopters on Antonov International Airport in Hostomel. Interior Ministry says Russia has seized control. Very dangerous; its just 15 minutes west of the capital ring road. pic.twitter.com/JhlyVktVRC  Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 24, 2022

Kyiv Independent later reported that the Ukrainians defeated a Russian force at the airport.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday, which means the nuclear weapons are in an increased state of readiness for launch.

Were in day four, a senior U.S. defense official said of the invasion, which is early, but they have not achieved what we believe they intended to achieve by day four.

The official added the U.S. would not disclose its current nuclear alert level, but said the military is prepared at all times to defend its homeland and allies.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine Thursday after amassing more than 150,000 troops along the countrys northern, eastern and southern borders.

The United Nations Security Council called an emergency special session of the General Assembly on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which will be held Monday. Reuters reported that Russia voted against the special session, while China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained.
The leader of the Russian delegation at an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) conference on Sunday apologized for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Agence France-Presse reported.

The news agency cited three anonymous sources who were in the virtual, 195-nation meeting, which is closed to the press and the public. Politico and the Washington Post also confirmed the report.

"Let me present an apology on behalf of all Russians not able to prevent this conflict," Russia's Oleg Anisimov reportedly said at the closing plenary meeting. Those who see what is happening "fail to find any justification for the attack on Ukraine," he added.

Anisimov, a veteran climate scientist who has authored previous IPCC reports, expressed "huge admiration" for the Ukraine delegation, which has kept working even as its country is under attack from its much larger neighbor.

Participants told AFP that everyone present found Anisimov's comments moving, especially in light of the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin is known for ruthlessly punishing internal dissidents. "He knows that there is a risk for him; it was a very sincere message," said one participant.

The comments were made in Russian and simultaneously translated into English. AFP received only the translated remarks, not the original Russian.

Ukrainian tanks on a road in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

"The surprise intervention from Russias Oleg Anisimov at the closed-door meeting followed an electrifying live statement from his Ukrainian counterpart, Svitlana Krakovska, who spoke passionately about her country's plight," AFP reported.

"We will not surrender in Ukraine, and we hope the world will not surrender in building a climate-resilient future," Krakovska said in English, according to AFP's sources.

"Human-induced climate change and the war on Ukraine have the same roots  fossil fuels  and our dependence on them," she added. It is unclear what exactly she meant by that, but Russia's economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas revenues, and Europe's dependence on Russian gas has made it unwilling to extend its sanctions to cutting off Russia's ability to sell gas on the continent. If Europe did not rely on fossil fuels to generate energy, it might be able to more effectively counter Russian aggression, according to global energy market experts.

The IPCC's Working Group II, which focuses on the human impacts of climate change, is scheduled to release its report for this, the sixth, "assessment cycle," on Monday morning. Krakovska expressed disappointment that the war in Ukraine will likely overshadow it in media coverage.
RTHK: Ukraine war could displace 'over 7mn people': EU

Russia's war on Ukraine risks displacing "over seven million people", the EU commissioner for crisis management said on Sunday.

"We are witnessing what could become the largest humanitarian crisis on our European continent in many, many years," Janez Lenarcic told a media conference after a meeting of EU interior ministers focused on the flow of refugees from Ukraine.

"Currently, the expected number of displaced Ukrainians is over seven million people," he said, but cautioned he was giving only "rough estimates" from the UN because fighting prevented accurate counting.

A European Commission official later clarified that Lenarcic was giving "estimations in case the aggression continues", based on UN information.

Lenarcic said that, according to the UN, if the war continued, "there will be around 18 million Ukrainians that will be affected in humanitarian terms, be it in Ukraine proper, or in the neighbouring countries".

Lenarcic said that "the figures are big and we will have to prepare for this kind of emergency, which is of historical proportions".

According to the latest situation report from the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), issued late on Saturday, "more than 160,000 people have reportedly been internally displaced".

"Over 116,000 have been forced to flee across international borders into neighbouring European countries" based on UNHCR estimates, OCHA added.

The document said the Ukrainian government estimated that there could be "as many as five million refugees in worst-case scenario". (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A senior Hillsong leader has spoken out against an upcoming documentary that features former members and other critics of the church.

"Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed" is a three-part series that will air on Discovery Plus on 24 March.

A trailer for the documentary has already aired showing a number of people talking about their experience with the church.

Ranin Karim, a designer who says she had a months-long affair with former New York City pastor Carl Lentz, also appears in the trailer.

She can be heard saying, "It was the most toxic thing I ever had to deal with."

Lentz was fired in November 2020 over "moral failures" and admitted to marital unfaithfulness.

In addition to examining the Lentz scandal, the documentary will look into claims that the Australia-based church operates like a cult.

Hillsong Church interim global senior pastor Phil Dooley brought up the documentary during a global broadcast.

Dooley said he was saddened that some people had been hurt during their time with Hillsong but claimed that the documentary only presented part of the picture about the church.

He also questioned the motives of the documentary makers.

"Sadly, there is a documentary about our church coming out soon. Surprise, surprise. And that picture it paints is far removed from, I believe, the truth of who we are as a church," Dooley said.

"There are people who have been hurt by their experience in our church. And that saddens me. For those people, I say we are deeply sorry and we pray that you'll find healing.

"But there are also producers behind this documentary, and their purpose is not the healing of people but simply to hurt the church."

He continued, "And 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.

"And a school called Tembaletu with Xhosa speaking disabled young people who live a pretty tough life.

"And yet 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."



Reposted with permission from Christian Today
Ryan Reynolds is known for being an action hero on screen. But it turns out some of the biggest challenges the actor has battled are in his head.

Reynolds, 45, spoke with CBS Sunday Morning about his mental health struggles, which have included crushing bouts of anxiety in the past.

"I've had anxiety my whole life, really. I feel like I have two parts of my personality. One takes over when that happens," he explained.

Reynolds went on to share how, when appearing on a talk show, he'd be consumed by fear and anxiety so severe that he thought he would throw up on stage.

"When I would go out on like, Letterman, back in the day, I would always be nervous. I remember I'd be standing backstage before the curtain would open, and I would think to myself, 'I'm gonna die. I'm literally gonna die here,'" he recalled. "The curtain's gonna open, and I'm just going to be a symphony of vomit. Something horrible's going to happen.' But as soon as that curtain opens, and this happens in my work a lot too, it's like this little guy takes over, and he's like, 'I got this. You're cool."'

Reynolds says he felt better once he felt "his heart rate drop, and my breathing calm, and I just kind of go out, and I'm this different person. And I leave that interview going, 'God, I'd like to be that guy.'"

That level of stress is something Reynolds has dealt with his entire life. Growing up in Canada, things were tense around the house. He described his dad, a police officer, as a "skin-covered landmine."

"I don't want to paint this picture that it was this, like, horrible place to grow up. But it was very tense," he said. Now, Reynolds attributes that level of stress to one of the reasons why he's "perceptive" and good at his job. "I watch carefully for danger, and as an adult, that can really come in handy."

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Reynolds had the opportunity to reflect on his childhood in his latest film, Netflix's The Adam Project, which he also produces. He portrays a time-traveling fighter pilot from the future who meets his 12-year-old self. Looking back, the star says the younger version of himself would be pleased with where he ended up in adulthood.

Actor Ryan Reynolds, 45, spoke about his struggles with anxiety. (Photo: Noam Galai/WireImage)

"I think my 12-year-old self would be proud of me because I do this thing in a way that has some integrity, I like to think," said Reynolds, who has three daughters with wife Blake Lively. "A 12-year-old would look at where I'm at and [think], 'you're doing alright,' I think."

One component of his mission to live with integrity is in his work off-screen. On Saturday, the Free Guy star announced that he and Lively have pledged to match up to $1 million in aid to displaced Ukrainians. Over 368,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighboring countries, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a tweet on Sunday morning.

"In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. They need protection. When you donate, well match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support," Reynolds said in a retweet of the USA for UNHCR account.

In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. They need protection. When you donate, well match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support. https://t.co/xCFL1Lptuw https://t.co/CHp48E1KLQ  Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) February 26, 2022

Lively echoed her husband's sentiments on Instagram.

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Feb. 26By Alex Guerrero

He's only been on the job two months, but Derrick Barnes, transportation manager for Albert Lea Bus Co., has already experienced his first Bus Driver Appreciation Week, which area school districts celebrated this week.

The week-long event was something he appreciated, as he himself was a bus driver and still operates one when the company is short-handed.

"It's super important because, especially with the nationwide driver shortage in general  it's very important to recognize the employees that we have currently and make sure that they're appreciated," he said. "They're very important people that run day-to-day daily routes transporting students to and from school consistently every day, every morning as safely and efficiently as possible."

Over the week, Barnes has received donations from a number of local companies, including Taco John's, Wendy's and Kwik Trip. Albert Lea Area Schools brought over cupcakes, while individual schools provided their own treats. Not to mention all the treats laying around over the week.

Del Johnson has been with the bus company for 22 years and started after he was talked into filling out an application.

His favorite part of driving the bus is seeing the students.

"Some of the kids I'm taking to the high school now, I used to take them home in the afternoons as grade-schoolers," he said. "It's just amazing to see how they've changed over the years, how much they've progressed," he said.

Rich Chapman retired from Ventura Foods but is now a third-year driver.

"I worked with Del (at Ventura Foods) all the time, and he was driving a bus," he said. "We talked about it at work a couple times."

And because he wanted to stay busy, he decided to get a part-time job.

Like Chapman, he enjoys his interactions with students.

"The kids are great," he said. "People say they're not that way. But get them on a bus, get them on a one-on-one ... Probably 50 to 60, maybe close to 75% say thank you."

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Besides the donations, the bus company held drawings throughout the week for gift cards and other prizes. Wednesday Barnes served an egg, hash brown, sausage and bacon breakfast, as well as a lunch consisting of burgers, hot dogs, potato-pasta salad and chips.

He also wanted to thank his drivers and said he, along with Albert Lea Area Schools, appreciated them and thanked the district for everything they did over the week.

Albert Lea Bus Co., which employs around 75 drivers, operates just over 50 buses and transports around 1,500 children, also transports students attending Hollandale Christian School, St. Theodore and the Oakland Education Center.

Before taking over as transportation manager two months ago, Barnes worked at the company for just under two years as a driver.
Sen. Mitt Romney on Sunday denounced fellow Republicans who spoke at a white nationalist conference in Florida and those who have glorified Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Photo: CNN)

Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) on Sunday castigated fellow Republican lawmakers who recently spoke at a white nationalist conference in Florida, calling the event evil and likening those attending to morons.

Theres no place in either political party for this white nationalist or racism. Its simply wrong. Its, as youve indicated, speaking of evil, its evil as well, Romney told CNNs Dana Bash on State of the Union.

He went on to call out Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) for speaking at the third annual America First Political Action Conference, which was organized by white nationalist figurehead Nick Fuentes in Orlando, Florida.

Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers and Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, both Republicans, also spoke at the event in a pre-recorded video.

"It's unthinkable to me. It's almost treasonous. And it just makes me ill to see some of these people do that." - Sen. Mitt Romney reacts to pro-Putin sentiments from GOP members and some media outlets: https://t.co/S6ESuaj46b#CNNSOTUpic.twitter.com/ZPDC3bGMgI  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) February 27, 2022

I dont know them, he said of Greene and Gosar, but Im reminded of that old line from the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid movie where one character says, Morons, Ive got morons on my team. And I have to think anybody that would sit down with white nationalists and speak at their conference was certainly missing a few IQ points.

Amid Russias invasion of Ukraine, Romney was also quick and vocal with his denouncement of fellow Republicans who have sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he believes any such support is almost treasonous. He also said he hopes many of them are changing their stripes in the wake of the ongoing violence.

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How anybody in this country, which loves freedom, can side with Vladimir Putin, which is an oppressor, a dictator, he kills people. He imprisons his political opponents. He has been an adversary of America at every chance hes had. Its unthinkable to me, he said. Its almost treasonous and it just makes me ill to see some of these people do that but, of course, they do it because they think its shock value and its going to get them more eyeballs and maybe make a little more money for them or their network. Its disgusting and Im hopeful that youre seeing some of those people recognize just how wrong they were.

Romney held back in directly condemning former President Donald Trump when questioned by Bash about whether he believes Trumps past praise of Putin is treasonous. He did say: Standing up for freedom is the right thing to do in America and anything less than that, in my opinion, is unworthy of American support.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
NEW YORK CITY  Sex mayhem is driving at least one Queens resident to distraction.

For the love of God, stop these sex addicts, the 311 complainant wrote. O to the R to the G to the Y. If you know how to spell and read that is orgy.

This report of a boisterous outer-borough bacchanal is one of hundreds the citys 311 system received regarding raucous reproduction in New York City over the past year.

The citys official helpline received 277 complaints between Feb. 19, 2021, and Feb. 9, 2022, from people scorning orgies and bemoaning the sounds of moaning, according to records obtained by Patch.

Queens logged 103 complaints  the most of all the boroughs  with Manhattan second with 66, Brooklyn third with 55, Bronx fourth with 48 and Staten Island fifth with four.

The most clamorously amorous appear to partake on a seemingly quiet road of residential houses on the coast of Jamaica Bay, although some residents expressed skepticism the reports were valid.

"This cannot be real," one local told Patch on a private Facebook group message. "[Laughter emoji.]"

Yet someone logged 56 sex noise complaints for Cross Bay Boulevard against an orgy of hippies  who sometimes dress up as Freddy Krueger, Pennywise and the Easter Bunny  with an alleged fondness for the theme music of professional wrestler Velveteen Dream, data shows.

Theyre still here causing a sex mayhem, their alleged neighbor declared one morning at 6 a.m. Thought it was too cold outside for an orgy party. Doesnt stop this guy.

Patchs multiple attempts to reach the complainant for comment were unsuccessful, and several residents on the local Facebook group said the worst noises came from nearby cars.

The commercial traffic on Cross Bay Blvd is absolutely horrendous, a father of five told Patch via email.

Add to the mix with noise from motorcycles, cars with loud exhaust and sound systems, and the set of future nascar racers, living on Cross Bay seems to be overwhelming at times.

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Noise overwhelms tens of thousands of New Yorkers every month, city data show.

The city can receive as many as 75,000 noise complaints a month, with New Yorkers begging officials to silence loud music, construction, barking dogs and other city sounds.

But 311 data obtained by Patch through a Freedom of Information Act request shows the creative complaints come from those hounded by the horny.

[She] makes the bed squeak as if it's an Olympic event, complained one New Yorker.

Another reported, ceiling shaking and debris falling sex.

In Brooklyn, one complainant from Greenwood Heights boasted of their ability to sleep through chaos, but not the neighbors nightly routine.

To get a sense of how disruptive they are, Ive slept through earthquakes and fires in my life, the 17th Street resident wrote April 10 about 2:45 a.m. I couldnt sleep through this.

Complaints such as these typically go from 311 operators to local police precincts, where officers will investigate if available.

The NYPD takes all quality of life complaints seriously, police spokesperson Detective Sophia Mason assured Patch. [We] will continue to monitor and address all complaints.

Records show those NYPD probes into noisy coitus rarely reach completion.

Police logged 187 cases as unfounded or unnecessary, two were gone on arrival, 68 were ruled not crimes or referred to other agencies, and 17 complaints ended with cops reporting they were unable to enter.

As an example, police thrice marked unfounded complaints from the Financial District of incessant banging and pounding.

Sex party, a John Street resident explained on Dec. 15 about 7:25 p.m.

Sex T Party, the resident reported on Dec. 30 about 2:20 a.m.

And finally, on Jan. 8 about 3 a.m., SEX PARTY.

Data may suggest a city populated by exultant exhibitionists, but Ned Shatzer, founder of the contracting company Hush Soundproofing, contradicts this analysis with anecdotal evidence of a Los Angeles porn star with a video-stream service and a man with a girlfriend in Cobble Hill.

Both clients asked Shatzer to fix a problem they shared: I dont know if we can do this unless we soundproof," they told him.

We have many clients looking for more privacy in the bedroom, Shatzer explained. Its pretty constant.

Less performative city-dwellers are willing to give up a fair amount of New York real estate  Shatzers soundproofing services add about 3 inches of padding to oft-uninsulated apartment walls  and to pay upward of $10,000, he said.

Which may be why a Lower East Sider on Norfolk Street opted instead to call 311 for free.

Happy for their sex life, the downtown resident wrote on Dec. 17 about 9:20 p.m. Sad for my and my neighbors [sic] bleeding ears.

And why, in Brooklyn, a Bay Ridge resident complained three times of noisy crop-wielding romance on March 3, March 16 and Nov. 19.

I keep hearing a whip and him telling her, Call me daddy, the resident wrote. Being kinky is fine but the loudness is ridiculous.

The data also shows a city in tune with current events.

An East Harlem resident on 102nd Street complained of seasonally appropriate sexual activity during the yuletide season.



Some guy is singing jingle balls at the top of his voice, the Manhattan resident wrote Dec. 23 at about 11 p.m. Another person is screaming [Y]es daddy come down my chimney.

Another New Yorker appears to have found inspiration in U.S. fiscal policy.



On April 7, 2021  as taxpayers began to receive COVID-19 stimulus payments provided through the American Rescue Plan  a Bronx resident filed a sex noise complaint about 12:45 a.m.

Loud banging and moaning the neighbor complained. Heard the neighbor saying hows this STIMMY baby!

This article originally appeared on the New York City Patch
How to stay motivated to workout (Stock)

With thousands of excuses to choose from, coming up with a reason not to workout is often easier than going to the gym.

Fortunately, lack of motivation is a universal struggle when it comes to exercising - even for the people most dedicated to the gym - personal trainers.

For suggestions on how to remain dedicated to your fitness goals and get moving, we asked personal trainers how they stay motivated - and how they keep clients motivated as well.

Chris Matsui, a performance training specialist at Fusion Performance Training, told The Independent: Personally, I know that if I dont workout my body starts to fall apart and get worse.

Despite being fatigued from [insert excuse] I make it a point to go to the gym a minimum of three times a week.

He also always remembers that any exercise is good - even if it isnt your best workout.

This doesnt mean that each workout is a home run but its enough to build a sweat and make my body feel better, he said.

As for his clients, he told us that he reminds them even a short 20-30 minute workout can be impactful for your long-term goal.

Not everyone will have the time to workout 90 minutes each time, so make the best of it and do what you can until you have more free time, he advises.

Even two minutes of exercise can make a difference - as researchers from Victoria University in Australia found a two-minute high-intensity workout can be as effective as half an hour of moderate exercise.

Benji Tiger, a personal trainer at OrangeTheory in Florida, uses her physical appearance as her main motivator.

I remain motivated because I like to look a certain way, she told us. I always saw these people with incredible bodies on social media and I wanted to have a similar body.

And although she has achieved her goals, she still uses social media as a motivator to be better.

Social media is typically given a bad reputation for promoting harmful or unachievable body ideals but a 2015 study found that the social influence of online peers can actually motivate people to exercise more.

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To keep clients motivated, Tiger reminds them of how far theyve come and of their increasing strength.

If they dont feel like working out or they feel like theyve hit a plateau, I have them do a workout that they used to find difficult when they first started exercising, she said. It usually works as motivation because it is proof of their progress.

She also recommends clients find someone equally motivated who they can workout with on days they arent working with her.

It can make exercising more fun, she said.



If youve resolved to spend more time in the gym or train in the great outdoors, here are some great bits of kit to improve and track your workout. (Getty)" />



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From 9, josephjoseph.com (Joseph Joseph)" />



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From 89.95, withings.com/uk (Withings)" />

Equinox trainer Rob Arreaga told us that he stays motivated by reminding himself to be better than I was yesterday.

Even that little push is enough to get him to the gym, he told us.

And with clients, he encourages them to be their own competition.

I remind them they are fighting to be the best that they can be - and they are the only ones who can do it, he said.

When even that fails, Arreaga tells his clients to take the day off - as the occasional skipped workout is okay too.

This article was originally published in 2018
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan has called on the TV shows Russian dancers to speak out against the countrys invasion of Ukraine.

The 43-year-old took to Twitter on Sunday (27 February) to call out Strictlys Russian dancers for promoting themselves on social media without addressing the attack of Ukraine.

I dont see many of the Russian dancers I know and have even shared the Strictly dance floor with them [sic] openly speaking about the war in Ukraine, he wrote.

But [they] are still promoting themselves on social media  very disappointed.

He added: They know who they are  not 1 post about it.

Following Russias attack on Ukraine on Thursday (24 February), current Strictly head judge Shirley Ballas posted to Instagram urging the shows dancers to be sensitive and avoid promoting themselves on social media out of respect.

Dancers please, just for a few days show some sensitivity towards the suffering in Ukraine, wrote Ballas. You dont need to promote yourselves, your shows, competitions and teaching every single day

Your colleagues, students, competitors and their families are in the middle of a shocking war and need your support YOUR business can wait.

I dont see many of the Russian dancers I know and have even shared the Strictly dance floor with them openly speaking out about the war against Ukraine 

But are still promoting themselves on social media - very disappointed 



They know who they are - not 1 post about it   James Jordan (@The_JamesJordan) February 27, 2022

The 61-year-old concluded: Show some respect. We are one family.

Russian-born Katya Jones  who was partnered with Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty in the most recent season of Strictly  took to Instagram on Sunday (27 February), writing that she is praying for peace and love in the world.

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Fellow Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse has addressed the war on Twitter.

Mabuse  who is married to a Ukrainian  spoke about the difficulties she has experienced trying reach her parents-in-law, as well as her attempts to get them to safety in Germany.

Ukrainian-born Strictly professionals Nadiya Bychkova and Nikita Kuzmin have also spoken out about Russias invasion on social media.

(Rex Features)

Kuzmin  who was partnered with Tilly Ramsay in the previous series of Strictly  encouraged followers to keep sharing information about the severity of the INVASION so we can get more help.

Russia began its invasion of Ukraine early on Thursday (24 February). CCTV cameras caught Russian military vehicles rolling through border force checkpoints as ground troops crossed the Crimea border.

Vladimir Putin has placed Russias nuclear deterrence forces on high alert, citing aggressive statements by Nato leaders and economic sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

Heavy fighting is underway in Ukraines second city as Russian troops entered Kharkiv in the early hours of Sunday morning (27 February).

You can follow The Independents Russia-Ukraine liveblog here.
Chad Talbott nodded as a Lenexa police officer excused himself, heading back to the crime scene of a triple shooting that stretched across the front yard of a Lenexa home.

Nothing like this ever happens out here  pretty surprising and shocking, Talbott, 38, said Sunday of whats usually a super quiet part of town.

Two men and a woman were found with gunshot wounds early Sunday in the 8400 block of Laurelwood Street, police said. One person was declared dead at the scene. The other two individuals were taken to the hospital where they later died.

While the case is still under investigation, Lenexa police are not looking for additional suspects or people who may have been involved, officer Danny Chavez, a spokesman for the Lenexa Police Department, said.

As detectives continued to amble about the cul-de-sac Sunday morning, Talbott, standing in his driveway with a Yoda Best Dad coffee mug in hand, spent the morning trying to keep his two young children away from the windows so they wouldnt see the medical examiners van driving up to the neighbors house.

Talbotts family moved in about two years ago. He said they chose the location because of how safe and quiet it is.

Its super unfortunate and sad. We feel terrible for anybody that was involved in it, he said. Its not something youd ever expect to happen. I dont think (shootings) are going to become a trend, lets put it that way. Its just a really, really sad thing.

Neighbors said the house where the shooting unfolded belongs to a husband and wife who have owned the home for about two decades. They also said the couples youngest child, a college-age son, was at the home often.

Officers were called to the home around 1:20 a.m. Sunday. All three victims were found inside the home, police said. Two other adults were also in the home at the time, but were not involved in the shooting, Chavez said.

As of Sunday afternoon, police had yet to release the names of those who died. However, Chavez said the victims included one man in his 30, one man in his 20s, and one woman in her 20s.

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I didnt know what to think, Gage Myers, 18, said. He awoke Sunday to the police lights and large mobile command truck parked across the street from his familys home.

Myers, who watched out the front door as detectives walked from home to home talking to neighbors, said that growing up, he often played with the youngest son who lived in the home where the shooting unfolded.

Kevin Jolly, 36, who lives at the end of the street, said he was up half the night as the noise and commotion unfolded across the way.

He called the Parkhurst subdivision of about 330 homes a fantastic place with a cul-de-sac filled with great people.

Its just a sad situation, Jolly said. It seems surreal.

The deaths were the first homicides reported by Lenexa police this year. The last killing was reported in May, when police fatally shot a man they said fired first at authorities. The Johnson County District Attorney later ruled the shooting to be justified.

Before that, the last homicide recorded in Lenexa was a double stabbing in 2014, when two men were killed during a burglary.
Ken Milani

Rick Klee

Can you devote a column that will concentrate on some of the common issues that older taxpayers  people over 50  run into when completing their federal income tax returns?

 OG, email

Again, we are GUILTY of a sin of omission. Namely, most of the previous Tax Talk columns were focused on a younger demographic. Thanks to you, OG, this week's effort will provide an overview of federal income tax provisions of most interest to senior citizens. As we've done in the past, our effort will use a specific letter, S, to (hopefully) summarize tax breaks for seniors, which include  Standard deduction information; Social Security income and its taxability; Special above the line deduction; Sale of a personal residence; and Scams.

Standard deduction figures of $25,100 (Married Filing Jointly); $18,800 (Head of Household) and $12,550 (Single) are "super-sized" when a taxpayer reports that his/her age is 65 or older. For example, a MFJ couple who are both over 65 are able to tack on $2,700 (i.e, $1,350 each) to their standard deduction. The single/head of household (SHOH) taxpayer can add $1,700. If a taxpayer is legally blind they are allowed an additional $1,350 or $1,700 if they have met or crossed the 65-year old horizon. Because the standard deduction numbers are very high, less than 15 percent of all taxpayers itemize deductions.

Social Security income and its taxability involves a computation that is tiresome, tedious and tricky. There is a worksheet on page 31 of the 1040 and 1040SR Instruction booklet. If 50 percent of your social security benefit plus other income exceeds $25,000 (for SHOH) or $32,000 (for MFJ) use the worksheet to determine how much social security income is taxable. One other source of computational help is at the IRS site, Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits, which provides many useful examples from pages 3-10.

Special above-the-line deduction for cash charitable contributions applies to all taxpayers. We emphasize this write-off because it will reduce taxable income by up to $300 (SHOH) or $600 (MFJ) and is allowed in addition to the standard deduction covered earlier.

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Sale of a personal residence is a common occurrence for seniors, many who have lived a long time in their current home. We'll devote a future Tax Talk column to this timely topic.

Scams "come with the territory" when dealing with income taxes. Unfortunately, older folks are more likely to be targeted and victimized by scammers. Anecdotal evidence indicates that elder fraud goes down substantially when the senior has a trusted friend or family member who takes an interest in his/her financial matters. Phishing scams linked to COVID-19 have been a major threat during recent filing seasons. Please be alert for a continuing surge of fake emails, text messages, website and social media attempts to steal personal information.

Ken & Klee's income tax bulletin board. The credit for the Elderly or Disabled is not available to many taxpayers. Nonetheless, if your income is less than $17,500 (SHOH) or $25,000 (MFJ), we recommend you take a look at IRS Publication 524. Still available is the FREE income tax preparation service offered by the Notre Dame-Saint Mary's College Tax Assistance Program at the downtown branch of the St. Joseph County Public Library. Call 574-282-4646 and make an appointment. Further information about the TAP's service and requirements can be found at tap.nd.edu.

Rick Klee served as the tax director at the University of Notre Dame from 1998 through August 2019. A retired CPA, Klee is a graduate of Notre Dame. You can contact him at rklee@nd.edu.

Ken Milani is a professor of accountancy at Notre Dame, where he served as the faculty coordinator of the Notre Dame Tax Assistance Program. Contact him at milani.1@nd.edu. E-mail questions to either.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Tax Talk: Tax provisions that will interest senior filer
Politics and spirituality often appear contradictory with the latter regularly assumed to be a mere synonym for religion attempting to assert its influence in the public sphere.

But spirituality need not necessarily be pure of particular religious beliefs but the recognition that the metaphysical realm exists beyond our physical beings. I write not as much to make the argument of a dualism of the material and spiritual but as an exhortation for our modern cultures need to realise thus what is beyond just ourselves.

Regimes of power of which Western democracies are one of many types thrive off the birthing of a strong economy and the protection of such gains through the appropriation of wealth. Little room exists for a focus to be placed upon a higher motivating vision that strives beyond the day-to-day contemporary political economy.

In Australia, the Liberal-National Coalition government finds itself in an increasingly difficult wedge between appeasing its conservative base and implementing liberal ideals. Many now feel such Coalition has to lead with a vision and that much of the governments decision making has been reactionary without a clear underlying principled framework.

Likewise, such could potentially be said about the opposition Labor Party where its appeal among historically Catholic and religious voters has slipped in recent years as it attempts to balance its position of multiculturalism with new progressive policies often seen at odds with its more traditional base.

While the need to adhere to political party lines often is the focal point of decision making, the role and influence of spirituality should not be neglected or forgotten.

Misunderstood

Our countrys separation of Church and State while often misunderstood as being that persons of religion should not be permitted to have a voice in the public square is a unique protection that upholds the freedom for institutions of belief such as a Church to be free from direct control from the State.

Despite Australia having no official religion, the majority of our country and our politicians continue to hold an underpinning of Christian upbringings to a greater or lesser extent. The notion of service especially self-sacrificial service finds its roots in Christian principles that while maybe increasingly belittled in the mainstream media do play an underpinning to how our country is governed.

The term public servant finds its origin fundamentally in the most devout person who served not just a country but the entire world that being Jesus Christ  who gave His life for the sins of all that each one of us may have the opportunity to receive eternal life.

We cannot lose sight of the bigger picture and forsake having a vision that is beyond ourselves. The very real presence of the spiritual realm and in particular Christianity calls us to shift our focus beyond just the immediate political goals of the pursuit of power.

Hence while we as Australians perhaps and I say with a grain of salt might not be as subjected to the socio-political divide of the United States Republicans vs Democrats, nevertheless the gulf between the Right and the Left down under is not without concern, especially for how Christianity is represented.

At the outset, I must be clear that any person who may be right, left-leaning or fence-sitting can be a Christian. Ones faith while should be practised as a reflection of a Christians identity is not exclusive or bound to the labels of human political power struggles.

When Christians focus on neo-liberalism, we applaud the opportunity to be generating a strong wealthy economy but often overlook the disparities that trickle-down those who lose out. Conservatives often have been publicly pro-life and pro-family but at least by stereotype less inclined to advocate for social justice and a compassion-based approach.

On the other hand

On the other hand, the left and debatably labelled progressives who are equally passionate about their values are often seen to be the advocates for empathy and compassion on social issues. However, the articulation of the Christian faith as the backbone of such an approach is often lacking and increasingly overlooked as the origins of such social justice.

Without any intention of reducing this article to a debate between right and left-wing economics, it is important to return to the focus on the need to be self-sacrificial hence be moving beyond ones immediate desires for power and control but taking hold of the bigger picture in that others are awaiting your service.

Salvation cannot be earned through social justice, compassion or even virtue signalling, but however, one in putting their Christianity into action is called upon to practice good works as a testament to their faith. The obligation for Christians yes is to advocate for moral issues such as life and family, but we cannot forsake the pressing issues of achieving common good and social justice.

Our political class and leaders of whom many whiles would appear to be making poor witnesses for the Gospel are still indeed or at least identifying as Christians. We need to be clear in our self-sacrificial vision that while a strong economy is important, the focus isnt that we should ultimately be striving for safety and security but rather a society that is not indifferent to the struggles of our neighbours.

Mark chapter 8 verse 35 reminds us that whoever would save their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my [Christs] and the gospels will save, hence when we try to build a better world  our objective is not for materialism or power, but rather to be transforming the culture into one that disrupts our self-interest.

Often poorly articulated

Christianity despite overall having made the world a better place in the past two centuries has often been poorly articulated whether through miscommunications or the fear of backlash. When politicians fail to clearly outline their vision be it their faith or otherwise and just merely do things that come across as ad-hoc attempts to win votes, our country is not better off.

For the lack of a vision, especially one that is grounded in a Christian commitment involving Christs teachings, love, prayer, and commission  our society fails to grasp onto the true spirit of being self-sacrificial. While Church and State are separate (and it is the State that needs to reduce its encroachment on religious practice), Christians must continue to demonstrate and encourage our culture to demonstrate self-sacrifice.

Our socio-political culture ought not to be limited to the narrow focus on establishing a strong economy first as means guaranteeing safety, stability, and security, then which allows for subsequent improvements and achievement of the common good. Our primary goal should be later with the common good of others being at the top of the agenda.
Update: Police said the victims include one man in his 30, one man in his 20s, and one woman in her 20s. Police also said two other adults were at the home when the shooting unfolded, but that they were not involved or injured.

A third person has died after police found three victims suffering from gunshot wounds in a Lenexa home early Sunday, police said.

The individual was taken to an area hospital but later died from their injuries.

Lenexa police said the case is still under investigation, but that they are not looking for any additional suspects or people who may have been involved, Officer Danny Chavez, a spokesman for the Lenexa Police Department, said in an email

Officers with the department were called at about 1:20 a.m. Sunday to a shooting inside a home in the 8400 block of Laurelwood Street.

Inside the home, police found three people with gunshot wounds. One of the individuals was declared dead at the scene, Chavez said. The other two were taken to the hospital, both died.

Police have not yet released the identities of any of the three victims.

The deaths were the first homicides reported by Lenexa police this year. The last homicide was reported in May, when police fatally shot a man they said fired first at authorities. The Johnson County District Attorney later ruled the shooting to be justified.

Before that, the last killing recorded in Lenexa was a double homicide in 2014, when two men were stabbed to death during a burglary.
Many of the 7,000 U.S. troops activated Thursday in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine will join up with multinational troops as part of the NATO Response Forces first deployment in its history.

Those troops will head first to Germany, the Pentagon said, but could spread out as NATO determines where theyre most needed.

We are grateful to our allies Canada and the United States for their recent commitments to deploy an additional 7,460 troops, including an armored brigade combat team, artillery units, a naval frigate, and surveillance aircraft, to support this Alliance-wide effort, Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, both the head of U.S. European Command and the supreme allied commander of NATO in Europe, said in a Friday statement.

All told, between 10,000 and 12,000 U.S. troops have been put on heightened alert to deploy, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Military Times on Friday, though he could not be more specific, leaving roughly between 3,000 and 5,000 troops still stateside and in the queue for mobilization should more troops be committed to Europe.

The most recent, 7,000-soldier slice includes 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia, as well as some artillery and transport units.

They will be at least partially committed to the NATO Response Force, Kirby said, but those details are still being worked out.

And I dont have an exact breakdown of what is going to be going as a part of this NATO Response Force package because again, were still working our way through that, Kirby said.

Concerns grow over miscalculations with Russia as U.S. troops build up near Ukraine

To date, the U.S. has activated 14,000 troops for Europe. Half of those have mobilized unilaterally, including 4,700 82nd Airborne Division soldiers to Poland, 1,000 2nd Cavalry Regiment soldiers to Romania and 300 XVIII Airborne Corps soldiers to Germany.

Earlier this week, another 1,000 troops started moving out, including aircrew, maintainers and staff to support six Air Force F-35 strike fighters, 32 Army AH-64 Apache helicopters and 800 members of an infantry task force battalion to the Baltic states, Poland and Romania.

With the activation of the NATO Response Force, the U.S. expects to start attaching more troops to that organization, as part of a deterrence effort should Russias invasion of Ukraine threaten NATO territory.

Its a menu of options that are going to be available to national leaders, Kirby said. And again, what I can promise you is, as we get solidity on this, and more specificity, well detail that.
The story of early Topeka newspaper editor Nick Chiles, shown here, could be further documented using grant funding Topeka's city government is seeking in an effort to better understand the city's Black history and culture.

Topeka's city government is seeking grant funding in an effort to better understand the city's Black history and culture, said Bill Fiander, the city's planning and development director.

Fiander's department is applying for funding from the state's Historic Preservation Office, which would enable that department to perform a comprehensive survey documenting remaining historic and cultural resources that contributed to Black life in Topeka from territorial days to the present, Fiander said Friday.

Such grants assist communities in planning for the preservation of their historic resources, according to the website of the Kansas State Historical Society.

The proposed survey would document buildings, neighborhoods and areas formerly occupied by Topekas African-American community, including those lost to demolition, Fiander said.

More: These 11 places played key roles in Black history of Topeka

Prominent subjects for assessment would include local churches, as well as settlements created in the 1800s by former slaves known as Exodusters, he said.

The survey would also document the stories and locations of homes of prominent Black residents in Topekas history, including early Topeka newspaper editor Nick Chiles, Fiander said.

The grant would be used to hire a qualified historic preservation professional to perform the survey, he said.

The project would require in-depth interaction between the consultant, city planning staff and members of Topekas Black community to document the collective history of Black contributions within the broader context of Topekas history, Fiander said.

More: How effectively is Topeka sharing its Black history? Educators, historians share contrasting views.

The city should learn by mid-May if it has been awarded the grant, he said.

The survey will ultimately lay the contextual groundwork to qualify many properties in the city for listing on the state and/or national historic registers without the need for costly research and study, Fiander said.

Such a listing can not only be used to protect the historic integrity of a structure or area, but also to qualify for important state or federal tax incentives to help defray the cost of improvements, he said.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka's Black history, culture could be preserved with grant funding
By Alexandra Ulmer

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump condemned on Saturday Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said he was praying for Ukrainians, switching tone from his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week.

Trump's remarks at the CPAC conservative gathering in Florida came hours after the United States and allies announced sweeping new sanctions that would kick some Russian banks off the main global payments systems and limit the ability of Russia's central bank to support the rouble.

Addressing an adoring crowd at an event that touts itself as the world's largest conservative gathering, Trump used his speech to bash Democratic President Joe Biden and again hint at a possible run for president in 2024.

Trump had irked some Republican party members by describing Putin's actions in Ukraine, where cities have been pounded by Russian artillery and cruise missiles, as "genius" and "pretty savvy."

Trump expressed empathy for Ukrainians and this time praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, calling him "brave" as he stays in Kyiv, the capital.

"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all," Trump said.

Trump said that Putin took advantage of Biden's being "weak" to attack Ukraine. He also linked the invasion to the U.S. 2020 presidential election, a fixation of his, again falsely saying that fraud was to blame for Biden's victory.

"As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president," he said, to which a woman in the packed audience responded: "You are the president!"

Trump has not confirmed whether he will run for president again in 2024, but has hinted at it heavily recently and did so again on Saturday.

"On November 2024, they (Democrats) will find out like never before. We did it twice, and we'll do it again. We're going to be doing it again, a third time," Trump said.

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Democratic lawyer Marc Elias tweeted that Trump's words should trigger a "series of legal requirements related to his spend and disclosures."

Trump's fundraising operations have raised a cash pile of more than $100 million and he is criss-crossing the country holding rallies.

TRUMP BLAMES BIDEN, WORLD LEADERS

Trump also cited Russia's invasion of Georgia under George W. Bush and Crimea under Barack Obama before declaring: "I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country."

Trump did address his past praise of Putin, saying he was correct that Putin was smart because he was outfoxing world leaders and NATO. "The real problem is that our leaders are dumb, dumb. So dumb," he said.

The Democratic National Committee criticized Trump's comments. "The defeated former president took the stage at CPAC to double down on his shameless praise for Putin," it said in a statement.

In an interview released earlier on Saturday, Biden mocked Trump's comment that Putin was a "genius."

"I put as much stock in Trump saying that Putin is a genius than when he called himself a stable genius," Biden said.

Conservatives at the CPAC conference in Orlando, Florida, which ends on Sunday, have repeated the line that Putin decided to invade Ukraine because he knew Biden was "weak."

Republican politicians have broadly steered clear of lauding Putin, however, and hot-button domestic issues, such as mask mandates, have featured far more heavily than foreign policy.

Earlier on Saturday, J.D. Vance, a Republican candidate for an Ohio U.S. Senate seat, said the American political class was fixated on the Ukraine conflict to the detriment of problems closer to home, such as record crossings at the Mexican border.

"I'm sick of being told that we have to care more about people 6,000 miles away than we do people like my mom, and my grandparents, and all the kids who are affected by this crisis," said Vance, a venture capitalist and author.

(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Susan Heavey in Washington, D.C.; Writing by David MorganEditing by Leslie Adler)
Former President Donald Trump called Russia's invasion of Ukraine "an atrocity that should have never been allowed to occur," but put the blame on President Biden's administration. In his remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, the former commander in chief predicted "a major war in Europe" would erupt.

Trump, who has already endorsed over 120 local and federal Republican candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, also made a strong suggestion that he is going to run for president in 2024.

"[Democrats] are going to find out the hard way starting on November 8, and then again even more so on November 2024. They will find out like never before. We did it twice. We will do it again. We are going to be doing it again a third time," Trump said.

Trump was heavily criticized by Democrats and received lukewarm responses from some fellow Republicans for recently calling Russian President Vladimir Putin "savvy" and "smart." On Saturday, he doubled down on his comments.

"The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he's smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb," Trump said to the crowd of more than 5,000 attendees.

While Trump's first mention of Ukraine was to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "a brave man," he then used the crisis to attack Mr. Biden's policies concerning the southern border with Mexico, taking a similar stance as some other right-wing activists and Congressional candidates.

Trump, who instituted controversial initiatives, like the "Remain in Mexico" policy, said the Biden administration "has spent months obsessing over how to stop an invasion of a foreign country thousands of miles away. You can't defend western civilization if you would not be able to defend your own civilization."

He noted other instances of Russian aggression under prior presidents, and again leaned into his baseless claim of the 2020 election being stolen, saying the conflict would not have happened if he was president.

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Trump, along with many other speakers throughout the weekend, drew comparisons between the Biden administration's reaction to Russia's invasion with the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Trump also praised controversial GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was criticized for attending a white nationalist event on Friday.

"A person who is very shy does not like speaking her mind. But she does it anyway, Marjorie Taylor Greene," he said to cheers from the crowd.

Greene told CBS News at CPAC on Saturday that she didn't know Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist who founded the American First Political Action Conference, and was not aware of his views when she agreed to speak at the event.

Chair of the national GOP declined to stop and discuss @RepMTGs appearance at a white nationalist conference. pic.twitter.com/cZM1jKtRhq

 Robert Costa (@costareports) February 26, 2022

Trump also took a swipe at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for allowing Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill to pass Congress. Trump has repeatedly tried to recruit Florida Senator Rick Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, to run against McConnell for the GOP Senate leadership position. Scott has said he would not challenge McConnell for the role.

During a "Save America PAC" event prior to his CPAC remarks, Trump told the 150 in attendance that they would be "very happy" when they asked when he might be announcing a 2024 presidential bid. As first reported by the New York Times, Trump also said he knew who they "don't want as your V.P," referring to former Vice President Pence.

Trump also went out of his way to call McConnell "weak," according to two people in the room.

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Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla., on February 26, 2022. AP Photo/John Raoux

Former President Trump told Fox News Digital the Russia-Ukraine conflict could spark a "world war."

When asked by Fox, Trump was unable to offer a public message for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The former president blames Russia's aggression on President Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Former President Donald Trump in an exclusive interview on Saturday said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could potentially escalate to a "world war" and stressed that President Joe Biden's administration would have to put more pressure on Moscow than by simply issuing sanctions.

During the conversation with Fox News Digital at the site of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida, the former president said that the invasion "never should have happened."

"It is a horrible thing," he said. "But there's great bravery being shown, and I think they're doing one hell of a job  much more so than anybody would have thought possible."

When Trump was asked if had any words for Russian President Vladimir Putin, he came up blank.

"I have no message," the former president said. "I just think it's a shame that this is going on. It's something that should not be going on."

He continued: "Thousands of people, I mean, this can lead to much bigger than this one area. This could lead to a lot of other countries and can lead to world war."

Trump, who during his tenure in the White House received criticism for what many saw as an overly cozy relationship with the Russian leader, remarked further on the instability of current situation.

"You never know how it starts, in a world war," he said. "You never think a war is going to come out of it. All of a sudden, you end up in a world war."

He added: "This is a very dangerous period for our nation, for the country."

Shortly before the interview, the US, Canada, and its European allies agreed to block "selected" Russian banks from SWIFT, the dominant system for global financial transactions.

Story continues

However, Trump was less than impressed with the move.

"They're going to have to do more than just sanctions, I suspect," he said. "Putin ... he understands how to avoid sanctions, and he goes through other countries."

In the interview, the former president continued to needle Biden for the manner in which the US withdrew from Afghanistan, even though his administration laid the groundwork for the eventual exit.

"Getting out was a good thing. I had it down to two thousand soldiers," the former president said, pointing to the reduced troop levels in the country when he was in the Oval Office. "We were going to get out with strength and dignity, but to take the soldiers, the great Army out first ... and leave the Americans behind, leave other people behind, leave $85 billion worth of equipment behind."

Trump then said that Putin was watching when 180 people  including 169 Afghan citizens and 13 US service members were killed in a suicide bombing at the Kabul Airport last August.

The former president added that the Russian leader "probably came up with ideas" that he didn't have before witnessing the US withdrawal "because it was grossly incompetent."

However, when asked what he would have done had Russia invaded Ukraine on his watch, Trump had little to say.

"Well, I tell you what, I would do things, but the last thing I want to do is say it right now, because if somebody asks me that is in a position where they can utilize whatever it is I give them," Trump said. "But I certainly wouldn't want to be talking about it on television or to the media too much."

He added: "But there are things you can do that would be very powerful."

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Alexandra Ulmer

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) -Some 59% of attendees at the CPAC conservative conference in Florida want former Republican President Donald Trump to be the party's 2024 presidential candidate, according to a straw poll released on Sunday.

Underscoring the unparalleled sway Trump enjoys over the Republican base, his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, garnered 28% of votes at the Conservative Political Action Conference gathering in Orlando.

CPAC tends to draw from the more conservative wing of the Republican Party, and its polls are not necessarily a reliable predictor of the eventual nominee. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, for instance, beat out rivals in its 2016 straw poll but Trump ended up clinching the nomination.

Last year in Orlando, Trump reportedly garnered 55% of votes, more than twice as many as DeSantis, who was also a featured speaker. Trump then reportedly received 70% of votes at CPAC's summer gathering in Dallas last July.

Trump has yet to say whether he will run in 2024, although he has heavily hinted that he will and is already an important political force ahead of November's congressional elections.

Still, he is facing multiple legal investigations that could complicate a potential presidential run.

In a straw poll question that omitted Trump, DeSantis garnered 61% of votes.

Many CPAC attendees said DeSantis, a 43-year old former lawyer with three young children and a wife who has been battling breast cancer, could easily wait and run for president in 2028.

"DeSantis, we'd like to keep him as governor here. I want Trump to run and win," said CPAC attendee Tom Freeman, 66, who works at a retail company in Florida.

(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Doina Chiacu)
Journalist Emil Filtenborg was shot several times in the legs on Saturday while covering the Ukraine war (Twitter/Emil Filtenborg)

Two Daily Beast journalists were undergoing surgery on Sunday after being shot while covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Danish nationals Stefan Wiechert, 31, and Emil Filtenborg, 30, came under attack as they were driving near the town of Okhtyrka in eastern Ukraine on Saturday.

The Daily Beast reported that Mr Wiechert suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder, while Mr Filtenborg was hit multiple times in the legs by unknown gunmen.

Follow our live coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

The experienced war correspondents were able to drive their badly damaged car to get out of range of the gunfire, and made it to a nearby hospital.

Emil Filtenborg posted a photo from hospital of the gunshot wounds to his legs (Emil Filtenborg/Instagram)

Both men are in a stable condition in hospital.

We have been extremely lucky, Mr Wiechert told the Beast.

Mr Filtenborg posted a link to the Elton John song Im Still Standing on Twitter along with the words: This is kind of a lie since Im shot in both legs, but you get the joke.

Denmarks Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said his thoughts were with both the men and their families.

This is an ugly reminder of the dangers journalists in Ukraine face every day to document the horrors of the war, he wrote on Twitter.
Yesterday as I sat watching rust-coloured iron solution drip slowly through an IV and into my body, I reflected on how my life would change in the coming days and weeks. For the almost 6 months I have been pregnant, my body has simply rejected iron; and with my body already drained of nutrients by the knitting of Gods most precious of gifts, I was left with severe anaemia.

When the blood lacks iron, it can no longer produce haemoglobin, which is essential to transporting oxygen throughout the body. Over the last few months, Ive had to say no to opportunities, for the simple reason, I just dont have the capacity right now. Ive had to conserve what little energy I have for the fear that Ill find myself in a hopeless state of exhaustion, unable to fulfil the commitments I care about most. In many ways, my body has forced me from a state of joy into a state of survival. Blood without iron is blood without life.

In recent weeks, parliament made an address to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the nations apology to Australias Indigenous Peoples for the generational devastation caused by the unjust policy. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in extending his apology to the Indigenous community made a focus on forgiveness, saying,

Sorry is not the hardest word to say, the hardest is I forgive you. But I do know that the path of forgiveness does lead to healing, it does open up a huge opportunity, it does offer up release from the bondage of pain and suffering that no simple apology on its own can achieve.

As Christians, our entire identity is built on the forgiveness offered up to us by Christ on the cross, we understand this sentiment to be entirely true; yet for many Australians, Indigenous and non-indigenous alike, the Prime Ministers statement offended deeply, only fuelling outrage and hurt.

I believe Scott Morrison was sincere in his desire for healing. As a Christian man, he spoke out of the freedom of having been forgiven and redeemed by his Saviour, and having surely felt the bitter roots of unforgiveness in his own heart in the past; like so many of us, learning to forgive as we have been forgiven. As a Christian man addressing a brother, he spoke in love. As the Prime Minister addressed the nation, he spoke without sensitivity.

No one better understands the pain suffered by our Indigenous communities than God. He watched his precious children be torn away from Him by the curse of sin, submitted Himself to carry that burden, then laid himself down to be murdered all in the name of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is by His Blood that we can recognise our debts have been forgiven, and forgive others debts through the abundance of that Grace.

But what of those that dont yet know the blood of Jesus?

Before one can donate blood, a test is performed to measure their iron and haemoglobin levels. If those levels are too low, for their safety, they are deemed unfit to donate. While we hold on to the promise and prophecy of our Great South Land of the Holy Spirit, as it stands, our nation suffers from severe anaemia; an anaemia that has been inherited through the generations, the anaemia of having been bled dry by hurt, and the anaemia of having been starved of hope.

To ask forgiveness from those still living in the brokenness of generational trauma is as reckless as taking blood from a patient with a knife still in their flesh. There are those who hope to forgive, but simply have to conserve what little they have left, and those who find the proposition only drives the knife deeper. Both are suffering alike, and the onus is not theirs to take first steps.

If we as a nation, are to truly take the step toward healing the past, we as Christians have an enormous responsibility in reaching out to our Indigenous brothers and sisters whose spirits have been crushed under the weight of loss and suffering. If we are to hope for a future of new life and reconciliation, we must lead first with Jesus; His grace to heal the wounds inflicted on each of us and by each of us, and the abundance of life in His blood,only by which we have any hope of forgiveness.

The onus falls on us to offer an infusion of Gods grace into this anaemic nation, it takes us offering from the abundance of our salvation; living in active love and care towards those who have been starved of hope. The Prime Minister was right, forgiveness releases us from the bondage of pain and suffering, but it begins with the forgiveness poured out from the cross; to take this lifeless blood, and replace it with the living, healing blood of Christ.
Two former Baltimore Police detectives with the corrupt Gun Trace Task Force were released from prison last week after serving only five of their seven-year sentences, records show.

Detectives Evodio Hendrix, 37, of Randallstown and Maurice Ward, 41, of Middle River were released Feb. 16, online court records show.

It is unclear why the men were released early, but when the two were sentenced in June 2018 prosecutors asked for lesser sentences due to their extensive cooperation. Prosecutors said at the time information from the officers was being used in continuing investigations.

The officers had worked in plainclothes police units with Sgt. Wayne Jenkins before he brought them over to the Gun Trace Task Force, where they joined forces with other officers who also had been committing robberies for years.

Hendrix and Ward were remorseful at their sentencing, with Ward crying as he apologized.

The two received the lightest sentences out of the officers convicted as a result of the scandal. The government sought and received tougher sentences for Jenkins and Sgt. Thomas Allers, arguing they were supervisors who were entrusted to stop misconduct. Allers was sentenced to 15 years, and Jenkins received 25 years.

Prosecutors said members of the task force routinely violated peoples rights, stole drugs and money using the authority of their badge, and put in for overtime for hours they did not work. Though the officers were charged with a handful of specific robberies, they spoke on the witness stand of broad misconduct.

Both Hendrix and Ward took part in a robbery in which police entered a mans home without a warrant, found a safe stuffed with cash, and took half of the money. Afterward, they recorded a video pretending to open the safe for the first time to cover their tracks.

Though Ward pleaded guilty to crimes only dating to 2014, he admitted his crimes stretched back years before. Some crimes were committed with other officers, while others he committed alone.

In the safe robbery, Ward claimed his cut was so large  $20,000  that he became spooked and discarded it in a wooded area behind his home.
By David French and Megan Davies

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Western sanctions on Moscow could throw the small but lucrative Russian investment banking business that several large U.S. banks have maintained into question, lawyers said, which could deal a hit to tens of millions of dollars in fees.

Major U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase & Co, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Inc, have continued to underwrite and advise on Russian deals, often alongside the investment banking arm of state-owned VTB. VTB Capital is the largest investment bank by fees in Russia.

But U.S. sanctions placed on Thursday on VTB and Sberbank in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine make the prospect of doing so in the future difficult, lawyers said. That's only been compounded by the moves to block certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT international payment system, announced Saturday.

All the U.S. banks declined comment.

Under the U.S. sanctions, any assets of VTB, including 20 subsidiaries, that touched the U.S financial system would be frozen and U.S. persons would be prohibited from dealing with them.

The sanctions against VTB, which one lawyer said were as severe as those placed against terrorist organizations, would raise new reputation and compliance risks for banks doing business in Russia and make it impossible for U.S. banks to work with VTB on any deals, that lawyer said.

"These are very strong sanctions on the financial system," said Clay Lowery, executive vice president at the Institute of International Finance, a Washington-based bank group.

One of the lawyers who advises financial institutions said the sanctions were "a brick wall," and for banks there was now a reputation risk of dealing with Russia, even when it is not one of the sanctioned entities.

Ross Delston, a U.S. lawyer and former banking regulator, said that the moves on SWIFT would result in Russia being viewed as "radioactive" by banks in the U.S. and Europe.

Story continues

Still, some see a future for U.S. banks in Russia despite the measures.

A source familiar with one U.S. bank in Moscow said that they were working out how to apply the sanctions and recognized there would be an impact on how to conduct investment banking business. But the source added that the bank was not considering pulling out of the country.

A source close to another U.S. bank said that even if VTB could not be in deals such as IPOs or M&A, other banks could replace it - as long as those banks are not also subjected to sanctions. That source said the sanctions were not an insurmountable problem for the international banks, adding that there were other segments of the market and sources of revenue for international banks.

VTB said in a statement on Thursday that sanctions had "been a reality for us over the past few years" and the bank has "had time to learn the lessons and prepare for the most severe scenario." The bank did not respond to follow up questions.

Investment banking business in Russia has been dwindling since 2014, when the United States sanctioned Moscow for invading Crimea. But U.S. banks managed to retain a toehold in the market.

Russia accounted for 0.27% of the global fee pot last year, including advisory and underwriting fees on mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt capital markets. In 2013, Russia accounted for nearly 1% of the fee pool.

Even so, the number translates to sizeable fees. The investment banking arm of Russia's No.2 bank, VTB Capital, collected $142.9 million - or a third - of the fees earned in Russia in 2021, Refinitiv data showed.

JPMorgan was second overall with $32.8 million, Morgan Stanley fourth, generating $27.3 million, and Citigroup fifth with $22.8 million, while Goldman Sachs was seventh, generating $19.5 million.

(Reporting by David French and Megan Davies; additional reporting by Pete Schroder; Editing by Paritosh Bansal, Marguerita Choy and Diane Craft)
LONDON (Reuters) -British foreign minister Liz Truss said on Sunday there could be no talks with Russia over Ukraine while Moscow has troops in its neighbour.

Truss also said she had drawn up a "hit list" of Russian oligarchs and every few weeks the government would target their private jets, their properties and other possessions. The conflict could be protracted, she said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, under pressure over a series of parties at his Downing Street office and residence when Britain was under a strict COVID-19 lockdown, has wanted to take a lead in the West's response to the Ukraine crisis.

"Now if the Russians are serious about negotiations they need to remove their troops from Ukraine. They cannot negotiate with a gun to the head of the Ukrainians...So frankly, I don't trust these so-called efforts of negotiation," she told Sky News.

"I've compiled a hit list of oligarchs ... We are working through putting the cases together and every few weeks we will sanction new oligarchs. There will be a rolling programme of sanctions ...There will be nowhere to hide," she said.

But she said that sanctions would take time to degrade not only the Russian economy but also its "war machine".

"This could be a number of years, because what we do know is Russia have strong forces and we know that the Ukrainians are brave and they are determined to stand up for their sovereignty and territorial integrity."

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper;Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Angus MacSwan)
(Reuters) - Ukraine is grateful for the latest round of financial sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and its allies, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said in a Twitter post early on Sunday.

"Thanks to our friends ... for the commitment to remove several Russian banks from SWIFT" and for "the paralysis of the assets of the central bank of Russia," he said.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
(Reuters) - Ukraine International Airlines said on Sunday it had extended the suspension of its regular and charter flights until March 23 due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace to civilian users.

The country's biggest airline stopped operating services on Feb. 24 after Russia invaded Ukraine, targeting airports and other critical infrastructure, prompting the government in the capital Kyiv to introduce martial law and close its skies.

"Currently, passengers of cancelled flights can take advantage of the free change of flight date for an unused ticket," UIA said in a statement.

It said that reimbursement according to its rules will be possible from March 26, 2022.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Ukraine is recruiting international volunteers to carry out cyberattacks against Russia. On Saturday afternoon, Mykhailo Fedorov, the countrys digital transformation minister, took to Twitter to announce he was assembling an IT army on Telegram . There will be tasks for everyone, he said. We continue to fight on the cyber front.

As of the writing of this article, the channel has more than 26,000 subscribers. In one post, translated into English by The New York Times , the Ukrainian government urges people to use any vectors of cyber and DDoS attacks on a variety of Russian targets. In a separate post, the country calls on people to report YouTube channels posting pro-Russian content, with the hope of getting them delisted. That call to action came at around the same time YouTube said it was temporarily barring Russia Today and other Kremlin-affiliated channels from earning ad revenue on the platform.

The call for volunteers also came after Anonymous claimed responsibility for taking down multiple Russian government websites, including those belonging to the Kremlin and Ministry of Defence.

Telegram is the most popular messenger in urban Ukraine. After a decade of misleading marketing and press, most ppl there believe its an encrypted app



The reality is the opposite-TG is by default a cloud database w/ a plaintext copy of every msg everyone has ever sent/recvd. https://t.co/6eRGIyXyje  Moxie Marlinspike (@moxie) February 25, 2022
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected a Russian offer of talks in Belarus on Sunday, saying Minsk itself was complicit in the Russian invasion, but leaving the door open to negotiations in other locations.

The Kremlin said on Sunday its delegation was ready to meet Ukrainian officials in the Belarusian city of Gomel. [R4N2S105D]

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Jan Harvey)
LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said on Sunday.

The talks, the first since Russia unleashed a full scale invasion of Ukraine last week, would be held without preconditions and are the result of a phone call between Zelenskiy and the Belarusian president, Zelenskiy said.

"We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," he said in a statement.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Alison Williams)
I feel like we have come to a crossroads in our nations Christian heritage.

If the events of the past few weeks have taught me anything is that our culture is very accepting of Jesus.

Provided the message of his life, death and resurrection is reduced to little more then just love me, leave me alone and let me do whatever I want.

Anyone who stands up for biblical truth especially in this culture of political correctness knows full well that the critics will attack you fast and furious.

Then of course you will have Christian critics who will jump at you for claiming you are not being loving accepting not being Christlike in other words not being nice

But we know full well what being loving means

Now dont get me wrong there are Christians out there that are all those things the activists claim we are unloving rude mean unchristlike but they are not people that are proclaiming truth in the public squares.

In this culture we know that being loving like Jesus means to just be nice, approve everything and not offend anyone.

But you see love and truth are not mutually exclusive, both are vitally important and both must be pursued simultaneously. The most loving thing we can do is share truth because its the truth that will set you free (John Chapter 8 Verse 32), challenge lies, deception and above all challenge sin that is very offensive to this culture.

Jesus was never quiet on the issue of sin.

Take the woman caught in adultery

In the 8th chapter of the gospel of John, Jesus was teaching at the temple when the teachers of religious law and the pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

According to the mosaic law of the day they were to stone her because she had been caught in adultery, Jesus said alright but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone! (John Chapter 8 Verse 7).

Slowly the crowd started to disperse because they realised they were not without sin until it was just Jesus and the woman.

Jesus asked where are your accusers? Didnt one of them condemn you? (John Chapter 8 Verse 10)

The woman said No, Lord (John Chapter 8 Verse 11).

Jesuss responses was very profound he does not condemn us in our sin but he does not leave us there either he says Go and sin no more.

He did not say I dont either now try not to sin he says Go and sin no more.

There is an expectation that when are in Christ we turn away from whatever is causing us to sin.

He is also very confronting on the issue of sin.

He said in Matthew Chapter 12 Verse 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?

He then says A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! (Matthew Chapter 12 Verse 39)

He called people blind guides in Matthew Chapter 15 Verse 14, he even called one of his own disciples Satan who is a stumbling block to him (Matthew Chapter 16 Verse 23).

Then of course he gives this warning to us in Matthew Chapter 18 Verse 6 If anyone causes those who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

It is crystal clear how Jesus feels about people not confronting the issue of sin, sin is a cancer that separates us from God.

For God to be good he has to punish sin and he made a way through Jesus on the cross but we must never reduce that sacrifice to be certain of nothing approving of everything, in other words disguising approval of sin and calling it love. Silence is approval.

Afterword

The apostle Paul could be very forceful when it came to correcting others.

But I love the advice he gives Timothy.

And the Lords servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 1 Timothy Chapter 2 Verses 24-26

Be kind gentle, loving and accepting but never about the issue of sin, how else will people escape the trap of the devil?
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday said on his Telegram channel that he had spoken with Belarus' leader Alexander Lukashenko, after Kyiv had rejected talks in Belarus, accusing it of allowing Russian troops through its territory.

He provided no further details so far.

Russian military vehicles pushed into Ukraine's second-largest city on Sunday and explosions rocked oil and gas installations on a fourth day of fighting in the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two.

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow, editing by Andrei Khalip)




Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova on Sunday called on American businesses to cut their ties with Russia as a way of supporting her country as it fends off Russia's military invasion.

Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Markarova expressed gratitude for the support that the international community has given Ukraine so far, but said more defensive weapons and more sanctions were still needed.

Markarova said Russia needed to "clearly see that and feel" that it is not OK to attack "a sovereign country without any reason."

"I also would like to use this opportunity also to call on American business, because you know this is a full-fledged, unjust war," Markorova said.

"And I think it's time for many American businesses also to think - I know how hard it is and I know this is business interests. As the former minister of finance, I understand," she said. "But I think it's time to think about saving reputations and not cooperating with a regime that will end up in the Hague for everything they've done and they're doing now to Ukraine."

During her interview, Markarova also said countries around the world would need to take a side in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Loosely quoting Romanian-American author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, Markorova said silence during this crisis would only serve to help the oppressor - Russia.

"It's time to take sides and it's time to take [the] Ukrainian side because we are defending our home. We were peaceful, we never planned any offenses, we didn't attack anyone and we were attacked," said Markarova.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Ukraine's ambassador to Ankara, Vasyl Bodnar, said on Sunday that Turkey-made Bayraktar drones were very efficient in the country's battle against invading Russian forces.

Turkey has sold Kyiv several batches of Bayraktar TB2 drones, which it had in the past deployed against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)
(Reuters) - Missiles launched from Belarus had hit an airport in Zhytomyr in northern Ukraine on Sunday, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said.

Ukrainian and Russian officials are due to meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said earlier.

Anton Herashchenko, the adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, had earlier said that Iskander missiles were launched at Ukraine from Belarus at around 5 p.m. local time (1500 GMT).

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets, writing by Anna Pruchnicka, editing by Alexander Smith)




Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said on Sunday that she is not surprised by Russian President Vladimir Putin's apparent threats of nuclear deterrence in response to the international condemnation for invading Ukraine.

Thomas-Greenfield was asked during an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation" about Putin's order earlier Sunday to put Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert.

"It means that President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable, and we have to continue to condemn his actions in the strongest possible way," said Thomas-Greenfield.

"Our voices have been unified with the Europeans and with the world that he needs to cease his aggressive actions toward Ukraine," Thomas-Greenfield added. "And we will continue here at the United Nations and around the world to use every possible lever we have at our disposal to expose his actions."

Host Margaret Brennan also asked the ambassador whether she believes the rhetoric from Putin is "loose talk" or if there is a readiness that was cause for concern.

"I'm just hearing this from you, Margaret, but I'm not surprised at this information because Putin has tried every means possible to actually put fear in the world in terms of his action, and it just means that we have to ramp up our efforts here at the United Nations and elsewhere to hold him accountable," said Thomas-Greenfield.

In his announcement, Putin cited supposed threats from NATO for his decision to put Russia's nuclear deterrents on high alert.

"Senior officials of the leading NATO countries also allow aggressive statements against our country, therefore I order the minister of Defense and the chief of the general staff [of the Russian armed forces] to transfer the deterrence forces of the Russian army to a special mode of combat duty," Putin said, according to The Guardian.

"Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country," he added.
Ukrainians gather for





Days into the deadly Russian invasion in Ukraine, military forces and civilians alike have taken up arms to resist Moscow's invasion. As Western nations impose harsh economic sanctions on Moscow, a growing chorus of voices in the United States have questioned if Russian President Vladimir Putin underestimated Ukraine.

During an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) called Putin's logic a "miscalculation."

"Over the last couple years, Putin has been more and more isolated," Warner said. "When you are an authoritarian leader and you have less and less input and you're only hearing from people that want to say to the boss, 'Hey, we are right,' I think that leads to miscalculation. I think that is what has happened in the case of this invasion in Ukraine."

Across the aisle, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has similarly questioned Putin's rationale in launching the full-scale military invasion, given the political and economic risks.

"I wish I could share more, but for now I can say it's pretty obvious to many that something is off with Putin," Rubio said in a tweet. "He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different & significant."

"It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago," he added.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), during a Sunday appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," asserted that "Putin may well finally recognize that he made a huge error, that he badly miscalculated how hard the people of Ukraine will fight and the nature of the world's response."

And Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tweeted on Saturday that "Putin has miscalculated the will of the Ukrainian people."

Meanwhile, President Biden said over the weekend that Putin's actions were "producing the exact opposite effect that he intended," as the global community rallied to support Ukraine and isolate Russia.

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Intelligence experts and diplomats are also saying the Russian president erred in his calculations.

Former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning tweeted, "The sheer scale at which russia appears to have miscalculated going 'all in' on Ukraine cannot be overstated - as reliable information comes in and the effects hit home for everyone outside of the combat zones themselves, this is rapidly becoming a quagmire that benefits no one."

Additionally, former CIA official John McLaughlin, now a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, said that "Putin has miscalculated badly."

"Russians will be deeply ashamed of what he is doing. He needs to be more seriously worried at home than at any previous time. This means he will become more desperate and possibly more reckless. It is hard to see how this can end well for him," he added.

Michael McFaul, who was formerly the U.S. ambassador to Russia, made a similar assessment in a tweet on Saturday.

"Putin is acting like Stalin after World War II when he imposed puppet regimes in Eastern Europe. But he has grossly miscalculated, overestimating his brutal power & underestimating Ukrainian people's power," he said. "Ukrainians will never submit to Putin's imperial rule. Never."

Among the factors discussed regarding Putin's possible miscalculation is the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian now emerging as a global hero for his resistance against Russian aggression.

"Putin I think dismissed Zelensky as a clown and an idiot," said Misha Bondarenko, who was born and raised in Ukraine and now lives in New Orleans. Bondarenko moved to the United States to attend Emerson College, though some of his family members remain in Ukraine.

"I think Putin might have understood him as someone who doesn't have the guts to look at - especially dead civilians, children - and just keep fighting. I think his psychological portrait of Zelensky was someone who would give up at the first sign of trouble," Bondarenko said.

But in videos posted online in recent days, Zelensky has rallied Ukrainians to take up arms as he and other senior officials remain in the country.

"I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth," the president said.

Protesters around the world have marched for Ukraine, holding signs with messages such as "No war" in Tokyo and "Hands off Ukraine" in Berlin.

Even in Russia, protesters have gathered to oppose the invasion of Ukraine, often resulting in mass arrests and detention of those involved.

Ukraine and Russia are reportedly expected to hold peace talks on the border of Ukraine and Belarus, as some 4,300 Russian soldiers have already been lost in the fighting, according to Ukrainian officials.

"Ukrainians fight like hell," Bondarenko added. "It's kind of in the history. If you look at Ukrainian history, we fight like hell."
A veteran interpreter broke down in tears on Sunday while translating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech for a German news outlet.

In an emotional video shared on social media, the translator, who has not yet been identified, could be heard starting to choke up while interpreting Zelensky's speech for the German news service Welt.

She translated part of his speech and could be heard saying, "Russia is on the path of evil. Russia must lose its voice in the U.N."

She then started to struggle as she continued the translation.

Veteran interpreter breaks into tears translating Zelenskys speech after Ukraine survived another night pic.twitter.com/oqLBnLlDim  Ian Bateson (@ianbateson) February 27, 2022

"Ukraine, we definitely know," she said before pausing briefly and adding, "what we are defending." As she spoke, her voice began to break and she tried to calm down. Then, after a breath, she quietly said, "Sorry" and went off the air.

Zelensky spoke to the Ukrainian people on Sunday after several cities in the country were attacked by Russian forces.

"The night was hard," he said. "The people rose to defend their state, and they showed their true faces. This is terror."

"They are going to bomb our Ukrainian cities even more," the Ukrainian president added. "They are going to kill our children even more insidiously. This is an evil that has come to our land and must be destroyed."
In 1969 I escaped Oklahoma and moved to another state for college.

I was among a couple of Muskogee girls at a small Missouri college. Life was great, and where I came from rarely came up in discussion. Other girls hailed from exciting places like Chicago, or St. Louis, and cities in Indiana and Kansas.

Imagine my embarrassment when a college chum invited me to listen to a new record on her phonograph. The tune seemed to say it all about where I grew up, revealing to the world that Muskogee is a place where squares can have a ball.

Who was this guy singing about how awful it is to live in Muskogee? I was about to learn a lifes lesson and how Haggard focused on Muskogee and made music history.

Historian Hugh Foley has written that Haggard himself declared "Okie From Muskogee" a tongue-in-cheek rendition of the red, white and blue values strongly held in a small Oklahoma town.

Andrea Chancellor

Haggard had penned "Okie from Muskogee," along with his drummer, Eddie Burris. Soon, a live recording of the song was created in Muskogees Civic Center, surprisingly making my hometown famous worldwide and creating a positive image of an Okie.

In my 20s, I moved to Washington, D.C., and became immersed as a journalist covering education and politics. I was living right and being free.

For fun, I decided to step out and attend a Haggard performance.

At the concert, my husband said he was going to alert the band that a real Okie from Muskogee was seated in the audience. Please dont do this. I knew the embarrassment would come back again and surely kill me this time!

Yet, no one really cared where I called home.

As the years went by, my career took me from D.C. to Chicago and to Tulsa. By this time, I cherished the notoriety that comes with being an Okie from Muskogee.

The song is more than 50 years old now, and once it had climbed the country charts to No. 1.

Im now embarrassed about being so wrong about Merle Haggard.

In the 1990s, I was appointed to serve on the board of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (OMHF). The board is tasked to honor and recognize the contribution of Oklahoma songwriters and performers. In 1997, the now-super-star Haggard was among the first class of OMHF inductees.

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Finally, I grew up to face the music, and began to atone for years of hiding from my personal heritage. I had been an immature young lady back in those earlier days.

My task now is to pay back in every way possible for the uneasiness in my youth about Haggard.

This year the OMHF celebrates its 25th year of paying tribute to our states rich musical history, and Haggard is so much a part of that.

A plaque near the OMHF in Muskogee tells the "Okie from Muskogee" story, educating visitors about my hometown and Haggards extensive contribution.

Im so proud to be an Okie from Muskogee!

Andrea Chancellor has more than 20 years in newspaper and magazine journalism, and 20 years in corporate public relations. She serves on the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame board.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Viewpoint: How I went from a reluctant to proud Okie from Muskogee
Vermonters are quick to source their veggies from local farms in the summer and pick up their pumpkins from their nearest country store in fall.

While the frozen ground makes it hard to source food locally in the winter, there's one winter product that doesn't need to be sold fresh: tea.

If you want to curl up on your couch with a cup of Vermont-grown tea this winter, here's where and how to order your tea locally.

Lightfoot Farm

This central Vermont farm just west of Barre sells herbal teas in addition to dried flower crafts, jams and jellies, maple syrup and CBD salves. Owned by Carol Noyes, this farm has been in operation since 1988 when they primarily sold dried flowers. Flavors include Taste of Summer, Tulsi tea and Winter Immuni-Tea.

How to order

Free Verse Farm and Apothecary

Free Verse Farm sells their herbs in a variety of forms including tea, body products, herbal remedies and cooking herbs. They also sell herbs in bulk. The central Vermont farm has a store to visit if you happen to be near Chelsea If camping on an herb farm is up your alley, you can do that too at Free Verse. The farm sells 14 flavors of tea including Mint Melange, Leman Laze and Ode to Vermont.

How to order

Online store: https://shop.freeversefarm.com/s/order/29?shipping=true#19

Wholesale: freeversefarm.com/wholesale.html

Community Supported Apothecary subscriptions: https://www.freeversefarm.com/csa.html

In person: 34 Baraw Hill Road, Chelsea

Several Vermont farms sell their own locally-grown herbal tea.

Berry Meadow

This Champlain Valley farm located in Orwell is home to a herd of alpacas and a flock of sheep and sells mostly fiber arts supplies but has a side gig of tea, maple syrup and dehydrated leeks. Tea flavors include black current, elderflower, lemon balm and ginger mint.

How to order

Zach Woods Herb Farm

Jeff and Melanie Carpenter grow and sell medicinal herbs in north-central Vermont on Zack Woods Herb Farm. Tea flavors include Green Mountain Tulsi Tea, which is a green tea blend with tulsi and lemon balm, and Rejuvenation Tea which consists of nettles, peppermint, milky oats, lemon balm, raspberry leaf and calendula flower.

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How to order

Online ordering form: www.zackwoodsherbs.com/order-form

Foster Farm Botanicals

Located in East Calais, this farm sells herbal teas in addition to dried flowers, CBD products, herbal extracts, botanical powders. Tea flavors include hibiscus, elderberry, Stress Adapt and Gingerly.

How to order

More: A lavender farm in the Northeast Kingdom heralds next generation of agritourism in Vermont

Contact Urban Change Reporter Lilly St. Angelo at lstangelo@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @lilly_st_ang

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont herbal tea: Source your tea from these local farms
Feb. 27New Mexico lawmakers approved measures this month pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into raising teacher pay to mitigate what the state Public Education Department has called an educator workforce crisis.

The increases, a high priority for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham during the recent legislative session, also were lauded by attorneys representing plaintiffs in the landmark education lawsuit, Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico.

The investments will help fulfill a judge's 2018 ruling in the case requiring the state to adequately fund public schools to ensure they can provide sufficient education to certain groups of at-risk students: Native American youth, students with disabilities, low-income kids and English-language learners  a large swath of the state's public school population.

While education advocates didn't secure all the funding they had hoped for in this year's 30-day session, they said smaller appropriations awaiting the governor's signature, many overshadowed by the hefty teacher raises, also will address some long-running problems identified in the lawsuit.

Among the measures:

* $15.5 million to expand paid residency programs for people training to be teachers.

* $1.25 million in pay parity for Indigenous language and culture teachers.

* $11.5 million for teacher literacy training.

* $3 million to boost community school programs.

* $45 million for a pilot K-12 Plus program, which includes $2 million specifically allocated for tribal education departments.

Gwen Perea Warniment, deputy secretary of the Public Education Department, cited a measure ensuring Native American language and culture teachers earn the same pay as teachers in Level 1 of the state's three-tier licensing system. Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, introduced the bill as part of a suite of legislation aimed at improving education for Native students.

"How are you getting at those most closely impacted by the issue?" Warniment said. "In that way, I would say there's some pretty significant investments in educators."

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Lente said the pay parity initiative is "at the heart" of the Tribal Remedy Framework, a plan developed by tribal communities and education experts that calls for funds to be allocated directly to tribes for community-based education support, such as libraries, higher education programs and initiatives to build the Native teacher workforce.

The $35 million investment in the framework includes a boost in the Indian Education Fund, which provides money for tribal education departments and other schools providing Indigenous language and cultural instruction. Lawmakers tripled the amount for the Indian Education Fund in fiscal year 2023 to $15 million from $5 million.

Lente said the work is not done. He and others said they hope to see an overhaul of how distributions from the Indian Education Fund are made. Under the current system, which requires grant applications, communities face delays, he said.

"It creates an environment where it's almost as if we're setting those tribal education departments up to fail," Lente said.

One of the largest allocations will fund a new pilot program called K-12 Plus, which expands the existing K-5 Plus summer program for students in grades K-5 to kids in all grade levels. Districts can apply for funds to offer enrichment programs for students, with a goal of developing partnerships with local businesses and organizations to provide learning opportunities.

Rural and largely Native American districts will be prioritized for the pilot program.

Warniment hopes K-12 Plus will help close gaps in opportunities for students from low-income households.

"High-income families have the ability to provide their children [with] museums, travel, all of those things," Warniment said. "Those really support brain growth and development. There's a direct correlation between those activities and extra brain growth."

Like Lente, Warniment said there is still more work to be done. In the next legislative session, she hopes to see greater investments in school-based health centers. A bill that would have allocated $4 million more for Medicaid reimbursements for schools died this year.

Recently appointed Special Education Ombud Michelle Tregembo said she hopes to secure more funding in the future for her office, which was established by the Legislature in 2021. Tregembo provides assistance to families statewide navigating special education programs.

There's a high demand for her help. In the more than 50 days since she's taken office, she's received about 48 calls from families, she said.

Melissa Candelaria, an attorney with the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty who represents the Yazzie plaintiffs in the education lawsuit, applauded investments in teacher pay and pay parity for tribal language teachers.

But, she said, it's hard to tell how new investments will improve the education system without a long-awaited state plan for addressing the lawsuit. Plaintiffs in the Yazzie/Martinez case are seeking a plan with concrete steps, estimated funding levels, a timeline and estimations of staffing needs, she said. Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus initially said such a plan would be ready for public review in November, but that never happened.

"In the absence of a state comprehensive education plan, there really is no strategy that's targeted to meet the judge's findings directly," Candelaria said.

Warniment said the education plan will be released to the public soon; Lente and Tregembo said they've seen drafts of it in recent months.

Meanwhile, the state and plaintiffs in the Yazzie/Martinez case are still litigating the suit.

Candelaria said plaintiffs are seeking more data from the state to determine how the terms of the ruling have been satisfied.

In May, First Judicial District Judge Matthew Wilson will host a hearing on whether the state must hand over more information, ranging from the number of school-based health centers to specific categories of teacher vacancies.

"It's been nearly four years and four legislative sessions," Candelaria said. "And the state is far from meeting the needs of our students and far from the complete transformation of the education system that's ordered by the court."
North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the sea on Sunday, its neighbours said, in a resumption of weapons tests that came as the United States and its allies are focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The North Korean launch was the eighth of its kind this year and the first since Jan. 30. Some experts have said North Korea is trying to perfect its weapons technology and pressure the United States into offering concessions like sanctions relief. They say North Korea also might view the U.S. preoccupation with the Ukraine conflict as a chance to accelerate testing activity without any serious response from Washington.

Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said the North Korean missile flew about 300 kilometres at a maximum altitude of about 600 kilometres before landing off North Korea's eastern coast and outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. No damage to vessels or aircraft has been reported, he said.
A new report says dealership consolidation and repair restrictions by companies like Deere & Company are making it increasingly difficult for farmers to fix their own equipment.

Right to Repair Campaign Director Kevin OReilly and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, a consumer-advocacy group, released a report Thursday analyzing the number and location of agriculture equipment dealership chains from John Deere, Case IH, AGCO and Kubota to see how dealership consolidation affects farmers access to different dealers.

The report found dealership consolidation  in which Deere is the leader of the pack  takes away farmers choice in who they want to work with on repairs. This, paired with restrictions on who can access information and tools to fix equipment, makes it increasingly difficult for farmers to get machinery working again in a timely, cost-effective manner, according to the report.

Enacting right-to-repair rules  like those included in a bill introduced to the Illinois House of Representatives  would ensure farmers and other companies have access to the information and tools necessary to maintain their machinery, allowing farmers to find the dealership that works best for them, or fix the problem themselves, according to the advocacy groups.

Asked how Deere & Company is addressing the right-to-repair effort during its annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, CEO John May said Deere supports a customers right to safely maintain, diagnose and repair Deeres fleet of increasingly technologically-advanced and connected equipment.

However, we do not support the right to modify embedded software, May said. So were going to do everything we can to provide the tools, information and manuals needed for our customers to work on their machines.

Multiple class-action complaints have been filed against Deere, alleging the company has monopolized the repair service market with onboard computers called engine control units, of which the software and tools necessary to fix are inaccessible to farmers and non-Deere repair shops.

Deere & Company Director of Strategic Public Relations Jennifer Hartmann said the company offers parts, tools and information guides in different forms, along with remote access for technicians and systems that can alert customers of issues.

John Deere does not support the right to modify embedded software due to the risks associated with the safe operation of equipment, emissions compliance and engine performance, Hartmann said. We remain committed to providing innovative solutions that support our customers needs.

According to Thursdays report, 82% of Deeres 1,357 dealerships are part of a large chain, which include seven or more locations.

The report included interviews with farmers across the U.S., who spoke about having to drive across county and state lines to find a dealership other than the closest chain, and passing independent mechanics along the way.

Right-to-repair policies would give independent dealers and Deeres competition access to parts, software and information that would let them repair Deere equipment. The report stated that if all dealerships and mechanics took advantage of the policies, the number of repair options in Illinois would at least double.

These reforms would enable dealerships to access materials to repair all agricultural equipment, regardless of the color of the paint on the hood, David Lee with U.S. Public Interest Research Group said at a news conference.

In July 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order calling on the Federal Trade Commission to create rules that ban technology manufacturers from suing independent repair stores and impede customers in their efforts to repair their own items. A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate earlier this month would make available certain documentation, parts, software, and tools with respect to electronics-enabled implements of agriculture, and for other purposes.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Robert D. Blue Scholarship, according to a press release from State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgeralds office.

Applicants must be a current senior or graduate of any Iowa high school who plans to attend a college or university within the state, the press release stated. Awards are based on financial need, an original essay, academic achievement and recommendations.

Fitzgerald is a member of the Iowa Centennial Memorial Foundation, which funds the scholarship.

Were looking for students who exemplify greatness, he said. Aaron Eilerts is a notable example. He spent his time volunteering and giving back to those in his community before tragically losing his life when a tornado struck the Little Sioux Scout Ranch on June 11, 2008. People like Aaron who dedicate themselves to serve others are strongly encouraged to apply.

Since the scholarship was established in 1949 by Gov. Blue, it has helped hundreds of Iowa students fulfill their higher education dreams at one of Iowas 65 colleges and universities. In the last five years, 25 outstanding students were awarded the scholarship for a total of $16,000. All recipients attended various colleges and universities across the state.

Robert D. Blue Scholarship applications are only accepted online and must be submitted by May 10. To learn more and apply for a scholarship, visit rdblue.org.

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In reaction to the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, Morocco said it respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all UN member states and rejects the use of force in resolving international disputes.

The Kingdom of Morocco reiterates its attachment to the principle of non-recourse to violence in settling disputes between states and encourages all initiatives and actions aiming at finding a peaceful solution to conflicts, Moroccos foreign ministry said.

Morocco, which is following with concern the evolution of the situation between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, has mobilized its diplomats in Ukraine and neighboring countries to help Moroccans flee the country.

Russia launched on Feb 24 a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine where Russian troops are trying to capture main cities despite fierce resistance by the Ukrainian army.

The war has triggered a new refugee crisis as thousands flee the country to neighboring states.
The outbreak of war in Ukraine has put Europes energy security under a new test as Germany halted the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project with Russia, leaving few long-term gas supply options, chief among which is the Moroccan-Nigerian pipeline project.

The $11 bln Nord Stream 2 pipeline was intended to double gas flow to Germany from Russia by eschewing the Ukrainian routes.

After the German decision, former Russian president Medvedev tweeted welcome to the brave new world where Europeans are very soon going to pay 2,000 euros for 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas!

Although European officials reassure that the EU consumes 38% of Russian gas and that reserves were 30% full, the war in Ukraine cast a shadow over Europes energy security at a context where gas is key to the low-carbon goals of European economies.

Other main gas suppliers such as Qatar and Algeria said they do not have capacity to replace Russian gas in the short-term, leaving Europe vulnerable to Russian gas.

Given the risk of Russian manipulations, fewer options remain to secure European gas supply, namely a Qatari gas pipeline to Europe; the US as an alternative to Russian gas; and the Nigerian gas pipeline to Europe. When considering each of these alternatives it is necessary to take into account the geographical factor, the cost, guarantees of continuity of flow, in addition to the factor of political stability in countries of origin and transit countries.

The Moroccan-Nigerian gas pipeline remains the most realistic and economically steady.

Algeria has for decades failed to build a similar pipeline to channel Nigerian gas to the Mediterranean for security and also as a tactic to prevent competitive Nigerian gas from undermining its own and Moscows market share.

The off-shore onshore course proposed for the Nigerian-Moroccan pipeline is also conducive to enabling not only Nigerian gas to reach Europe, but also Mauritania and Senegal.

Therefore, the US and Europe should put their weight on supporting this project and ensuring that Russia does not use its ally Algeria to foil it.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had endorsed the Moroccan-Nigerian gas pipeline that will benefit regional integration and strengthen energy security of West African states, instead of the Algerian proposal of a tans-Saharan pipeline.
UPDATED, March 8, 2022, 3:20 p.m: Corrects and adds Marion Effenbeck and Jack Rickett information on location of last U.P. roundhouse.

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Sometimes unexpected pieces of history leap out of a newspapers dark corners.

Thats what happened earlier this month when a thin photo negative envelope presented itself inside one drawer of two cabinets full of old Telegraph photos.

Cody Park Steam Locomotive, it read. Oct.-Dec. 1968.

Hmm.

The first thought that came to mind  though it shouldnt have  was the miniature Cody Park Special railroad, complete with a scale-burning locomotive, that ran around North Plattes largest park from 1948 to 1958.

Wrong decades.

Besides, the engine in these negatives was much bigger.

Modern computerized scanning equipment soon revealed it as North Plattes beloved Union Pacific Challenger No. 3977, proudly displayed on Cody Parks southeast side starting on Oct. 19, 1968.

It was awaiting its retirement journey at a revered location demolished three years later: U.P.s last North Platte roundhouse.

The Telegraph presented Engine 3977s painstaking trek on its 50th anniversary, Oct. 19, 2018, through photos by North Platte teenager and future Telegraph and television photographer Pat Branigan.

A Caterpillar tractor towed the engine, its tender and a baggage car off the mainline and up North Silber Street. A dozen U.P. workers laid temporary panels of track in front of it and picked them up from behind to attach and use again.

Other North Platte railroaders used similar techniques on Feb. 21-22, 1956, to guide 1903-vintage Engine No. 480 from the mainline to its home in Memorial Park.

Union Pacific donated both locomotives rather than condemn them to the scrap heap. No. 3977 was built in June 1943 and ran the mainline from North Platte to Ogden, Utah, until its November 1961 retirement.

Our rediscovered photos of No. 3977 likely were taken on Oct. 17 or 18, 1968, based on Telegraph stories preserved on microfilm from just before and during its big move.

Six of the negatives nine images show the Challenger on track outside the roundhouse, while three show it on the Safety First turntable seen in other photo books highlighting North Plattes railroad past.

The first two roundhouses, the heart of the citys pre-Bailey Yard U.P. division point service facilities, lined the north side of the tracks east of the Jeffers Viaduct.

The original 20-stall roundhouse arose in 1867, after Jack and Daniel Casements transcontinental railroad work crews had reached the brand-new town plat in November 1866, wintered there and pushed on west to Wyoming and Utah.

Before it even went into service, it hosted a conference of Native American leaders and whites led by Gen. William T. Sherman on Sept. 19-20, 1867.

That first roundhouse, destroyed in 1881, was replaced by a 25-stall structure that served U.P. locomotives from 1882 to 1913.

The third and last roundhouse, a 28-stall version, debuted in October 1913. It sat north of West Front Street between Madison and Jefferson streets, about 15 blocks west of the Jeffers Viaduct, said retired U.P. railroaders Marion Effenbeck and Jack Rickett of North Platte.

Eighteen stalls were extended in 1926 to serve 9000-class U.P. locomotives, according to James L. Ehembergers Union Pacific Nebraska Depots and a Few Other Structures.

North Plattes final roundhouse was doomed by the establishment and growth of Bailey Yard between 1948 and 1968.

The end came in August 1971, three months after U.P. discontinued its passenger service. The roundhouse demolition was led by Anderson and Davis Wrecking Co. of Des Moines, Iowa, says North Platte historian Kaycee Anderson.

North Plattes depot stood until Nov. 1, 1973, when wrecking balls thwarted 11th-hour efforts to save it. A small park and memorial on East Front Street marks its site and honors the 1941-46 Canteen.

A huge circle east of the viaducts north side  foundation for a tall pyramid of corn stored outdoors during the winter  marks where North Platte's original roundhouse facilities once stood.

And No. 3977, one of only two 4-6-6-4 Challengers still intact, stands guard at Cody Park to remind visitors of the grand old days of steam.

The other, No. 3985, lives at the U.P. steam shops at Cheyenne, Wyoming, after its second life as an excursion locomotive from 1981 to 2010.

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A fast-moving week for west central Nebraska lawmakers saw three more of former state Sen. Mike Groenes bills taken over by other senators and two priority bills by regional senators advanced to the floor.

Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha finally emerged Friday as the new floor leader for Legislative Bill 783, Groenes measure seeking to tap Nebraskas share of federal COVID-19 aid to help Sustainable Beef LLCs $325 million financing package.

Two other lawmakers had shown interest in sponsoring LB 783, delaying the bills final reassignment, according to Speaker Mike Hilgers office.

Groene, whose resignation as District 42 senator took effect Monday, has said he was told Sustainable Beef should get between $15 million and $40 million in American Relief Plan dollars toward its North Platte meatpacking plants wastewater system.

His successor, Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, signed onto his own first bill as a co-sponsor of the Groene-originated measure (LB 788) to add more state matching funds for industrial rail parks.

Jacobson, who was sworn in Wednesday, can co-sponsor other senators 2022 bills but took office too late to introduce his own.

He also missed the deadline to name a personal priority bill, an option Groene had not exercised for 2022. Bills so designated move up the list for first-round debate if they reach the floor.

Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer has moved up from co-sponsor to chief sponsor of LB 788. LB 1065, Groenes bill to further refine his 2020 microTIF program, now is sponsored by Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne.

Meanwhile, Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson has taken on stranded Groene bills to change the ranges of Nebraskas income tax brackets (LB 1180) and boost state aid for rural schools (LB 1207).

The District 34 lawmakers decision follows senators 40-1 vote Thursday for first-round approval of a different bill (LB 939) lowering Nebraskas top individual and corporate tax rates to 5.84% apiece.

LB 1180 takes a different tack. As Groene presented it at the bills Feb. 17 public hearing, it would keep the top individual rate of 6.84% but significantly raise the point at which that highest bracket kicks in.

Current law applies the 6.84% rate to taxable income over $29,000 for single taxpayers and $58,000 for married couples. Among other changes, LB 1180 would raise the threshold to $60,000 for singles and $150,000 for couples. The effect would greatly extend the ranges of the states second-highest tax bracket of 5.01%.

LB 1207 was Groenes latest effort to reintroduce per-student foundation aid as a way to get more state help to rural and small-town schools.

A competing plan offered by Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz (LB 890) stalled Feb. 11 amid a filibuster. Friesen, who represents Nance, Merrick and Hamilton counties and part of Hall County, was among those offering amendments to LB 890.

Ten of Groenes original 2022 bills now are sponsored by other senators, while four apiece from 2021 and 2022 lack new champions.

In Unicameral committee action, Gothenburg Sen. Matt Williams bill to update his 2017 Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act (LB 1069) advanced 7-0 Thursday from the Business and Labor Committee.

Revenue Committee members voted 5-0 the same day to advance Bayard Sen. Steve Erdmans latest version of his consumption tax constitutional amendment (Legislative Resolution 264CA).

LB 1069 and LR 264CA have been named their respective authors priority bills.

Several other bills by regional lawmakers  including three introduced in 2021  advanced from committee last week but face uncertain futures because they werent named 2022 priority bills.

The advanced carryover bills are:

 Erdmans LB 165, adjusting laws for setting taxable values of damaged property, moved out of the Revenue Committee on an 8-0 vote.

The measure follows up one Erdman successfully passed in the wake of Nebraskas 2019 bomb cyclone.

A committee amendment would define significant property damage as 50% or more of a propertys taxable value.

 LB 235, a Brewer bill promoting the return of a statewide meat inspection program, won 7-0 Agriculture Committee approval.

Committee members will offer an amendment to spend $1 million apiece each of the next two fiscal years for a pilot cooperative inspection program.

 Brewer saw another of his 2021 bills (LB 512), the Critical Infrastructure Utility Worker Protection Act, advance 7-0 from the Business and Labor Committee and be named one of that panels priority bills.

The measure would provide such workers priority access to protective equipment and health services in emergencies severely threatening human health.

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Unicameral public hearings on 2022 bills wrap up this week, with the schedule including two voting-related bills originated by senators from west central Nebraska.

Committee hearing sessions start at 1:30 p.m. CT in Lincolns State Capitol, with livestream access available through the nebraskalegislature.gov website.

Lawmakers will recess after Thursday for a four-day break, then switch from morning-only sessions to all-day sessions.

Bills to require official identification documents for early voting and mail-in voter registration (Legislative Bill 1181) and alter vote-counting procedures (LB 1123) will be heard Wednesday in Room 1507 by the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.

LB 1181 is the last 2022 bill originated by former state Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte thats set for a hearing this session. Sen. John Lowe of Kearney took it over after Groene resigned last Monday.

It would require early voting ballots to include a copy of the voters current and valid photo identification or a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document.

All mail-in voter registrations would have to include one such ID method, not just those of first-time Nebraska voters.

Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard sponsors LB 1123, which would forbid counting early ballots in statewide elections until all polls have closed. They currently cant be counted earlier than 24 hours before in-person polls open on Election Day.

The Education Committee will meet in Room 1525 Tuesday to hear bills including LB 711, introduced by Venango Sen. Dan Hughes.

The measure would allow the state Board of Educational Lands and Funds to sell state school lands for economic development under certain conditions.

Heres how to watch the Legislatures activities and follow bills by using the Unicamerals website:

 Click on the Nebraska Public Media logo and look under Streaming Now or Coming Soon for the schedule of livestreamed floor debates and public hearings by committees.

Floor debate also is telecast live by Nebraska Public Media on NE-W, formerly known as NET2 (Allo Communications Channel 11 or Spectrum Channel 190 in North Platte).

 If you know the number of a legislative bill or constitutional amendment, type it under Search Current Bills to call up the measures text and related votes and documents. (For the language of current state laws, type their number or keywords under Search Laws.)

Computer users can leave comments on individual bills by clicking the appropriate spot on the main page for that bill.

If the bill hasnt yet had its public hearing, users may ask their comments to be included in the bills official hearing record. Such requests must be made by noon CT the day of the hearing.

The Unicameral website offers many other documents for understanding and following the Legislature, including its online Unicameral Update newsletter.

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Omaha and Promontory Point get all the glory when most people talk and write about the Union Pacifics portion of Americas first transcontinental railroad.

Dont remind people in Council Bluffs, Iowa  milepost zero on the original U.P. mainline.

Not until March 27, 1872  nearly three years after the Golden Spike hoopla in faraway Utah  could train travelers ride without waterborne interruption from one U.S. coast to the other.

The first U.P. trains rolled that day across the first of three Missouri River bridges to connect rail lines into Council Bluffs with the south edge of downtown Omaha.

That means the true 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroads completion takes place exactly four weeks from now.

Council Bluffs residents would go farther, pointing to President Abraham Lincolns executive order on Nov. 17, 1863, fixing the then-infant U.P.s eastern terminus as so much of the western boundary of the state of Iowa as lies between the north and south boundaries of ... the city of Omaha.

Not that it mattered right away.

There wasnt a bridge to take trains across the wide  and wildly unpredictable  Mighty Mo, Muddy Mo or whatever one chooses to call it.

U.P. Executive Vice President Thomas Durant broke ground on the Omaha side on Dec. 2, 1863. Construction westward didnt get under way in earnest until 1865.

Before Jack and Dan Casements gangs got their building supplies at end of track, their supplies typically had to cross the Missouri by boat from the Iowa side.

Except for the winter of 1867-68  when the Missouri River froze long and deep enough for U.P. crews to lay temporary track across it  they were building a transcontinental railroad in theory but not truly in fact.

The bridges location wasnt settled until March 24, 1868, when U.P. leaders chose the current site over one farther north in Council Bluffs and one south at Bellevue.

Driving of the first of 12 iron piers into the Missouris bottom started on March 12, 1869, two months before the U.P. and C.P. met at Promontory Point.

Progress dragged on the $1.7 million, iron-truss bridge. Union Pacific was cash-strapped from the Great Race to Promontory and persistent financial mismanagement that would explode into the Credit Mobilier scandal in 1873.

Work stopped in July 1869 and didnt resume for nine months. Project engineer Theophilus E. Sickels finally saw the last pier driven in March 1871.

The bridge finally opened a year later, starting south of the present-day Harrahs casino and striking Nebraska soil just east of Omahas Durham Museum (the old Union Station).

An 1877 tornado weakened its two eastern spans. A double-track bridge opened in fall 1887, with its stone piers reused for the final bridge that opened on Dec. 20, 1916.

So U.P.s milepost zero stands somewhere on that bridge?

Not quite.

Council Bluffs sued the railroad in 1874 to make it acknowledge that Lincoln had declared it the eastern terminus. The city won, and U.P. began building what would become substantial yards 1 miles east of the bridges Iowa landing.

Milepost zero, at least officially, sits near the 56-foot-tall Golden Spike Monument at 2073 Ninth Ave. in Council Bluffs.

It was dedicated during Omahas April 1939 celebration of Golden Spike Days, which had a simultaneous sequel in North Platte as both cities premiered Cecil B. DeMilles Union Pacific movie.

So Council Bluffs folks would tell you that the original Union Pacific didnt start in Omaha and end at Promontory. It started  and ended  in their town.

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Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The specter of escalating war in Europe may have overshadowed this years CPAC, but it did not haunt it. The annual conservative confab was far more focused on the threats of wokeness and being canceled than those posed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The conflict was mostly a side note at an event that catered far more to culture warriors than cold warriors, and that dynamic was on full display during Donald Trumps speech to the conference on Saturday night.

The former president has long professed a variety of complex feelings toward Russia and Ukraine. There is arguably no foreign leader for whom Trump has expressed more public admiration than Vladimir Putin, and his attempt to leverage U.S. military aid to Ukraine for political purposes prompted his first impeachment in 2019. Trump praised Putin again in an interview the day before the Russian president ordered his troops to take Ukraine, and there had been some suspense over whether Trump would celebrate Putin on Saturday night or condemn him, as the vast majority of politicians in both parties have. In true Solomonic fashion, Trump chose both options.

In his speech, the former president called Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky brave and said that we are praying for the people of Ukraine. He condemned the Russian invasion as appalling and an atrocity. Trump also called Putin smart, Americas NATO allies not so smart, and claimed Russian aggression would not have happened if there wasnt a rigged election. He even attempted to paint himself as uniquely tough on Russia, telling the crowd: Under Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under Biden, Russia invaded Ukraine. I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country.

It was a performance that left both his defenders and his detractors with talking points to wield afterward. But Trumps attention to the crisis in Europe also felt like a mere formality, let alone one he used primarily to praise himself and attack his enemies. After briefly addressing the war in Ukraine early in the speech, he proceeded with gusto onto what were clearly more energizing topics for both the speaker and audience.

It became almost a de facto 2024 stump speech, served with thick slices of red meat to the CPAC crowd. The foreign government he derided as fascist and railed against with far more enthusiasm was Justin Trudeaus in Canada. The presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee also ran through familiar right-wing talking points ranging from the need to crack down on big tech and critical race theory to preventing transgender athletes from participating in womens sports. He also, as is his wont, repeatedly griped about his loss in the 2020 election and falsely claimed he actually won.

Overall, what Trump had to say differed little from what other CPAC speakers with presidential ambitions offered up across the multiday conference. Speaking on Thursday, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who has been pegged as a likely front-runner in the event of a Trump-less field in 2024, stuck exclusively to similar themes. Even when the first-term governor described his state as a citadel of freedom for anyone chafing under authoritarian rule around the world, the regimes he condemned were Australia and Canada over their COVID policies. Throughout his speech, DeSantis emphasized his opposition to what he called Faucism, as well as wokeness, which he described as the new religion of the left.

Inside a Florida conference hall where paid admission started at $300, the CPAC lineup was filled with various anti-vaxxers and conservative celebrities who spoke about their experiences being canceled. Ukraine did pop up occasionally, and while most attendees stuck to conventional opinions on the topic, there were echoes of generational difference. On one panel, former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker compared Biden to Neville Chamberlain while first-term North Carolina congressman Madison Cawthorn insisted the days of endless wars and sending our sons and daughters overseas to die across the sea for other nations, those days are gone.

Two MAGA millennials, Ohio Senate hopeful J.D. Vance and Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, sounded the most dovish notes of any speakers. Gaetz jibed that his constituents fear Dr. Fauci far more than a modern-day incarnation of Dr. Strangelove. Most other speakers, from former national security adviser Robert OBrien to bombastic talk-radio host Sebastian Gorka, condemned Putins aggression and expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

The most eye-raising speech in Orlando over the weekend didnt even happen at CPAC. On Friday night, Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke at a nearby white-nationalist conference shortly after its audience had celebrated Putin by chanting his name. Greene gave another speech on Saturday at CPAC, where most other Republicans dodged direct questions about a sitting member of Congress appearing at an event hosted by white supremacists. In his speech on Saturday night, Trump included a shout-out to Greene and jocularly described her as very shy. Unlike his position on Ukraine, it was a situation where Trump definitely made a clear choice.
SWIFT headquarters in Belgium. Photo: James Arthur Gekiere/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. and numerous Western allies on Saturday announced a new round of economic sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, including removing key Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system  cutting them off from the rest of the world and likely crippling Russias financial sector, in addition to its ability to conduct international trade. The drastic move follows Fridays announcement of sanctions directly targeting Russian president Vladimir Putin himself, as well as a host of other sanctions targeting the Russia and its regime immediately following the invasion  neither of which resulted in Russia ceasing its unprovoked attack on its neighbor.

The move is also likely to have large ripple effects on the global economy, especially in Europe. On Thursday, President Biden said that Americas European allies hadnt yet agreed that revoking SWIFT access was necessary.

The U.S., European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., and Canada said in a joint statement that the drastic move will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen added that excluding the Russian banks from SWIFT effectively block Russian exports and imports.

In addition to removing selected Russian banks from SWIFT, the group of countries also newly announced that they were committed to targeting the Russian Central Bank to prevent it from using its international reserves to lessen the effect of sanctions; that they would act to block wealthy Russians from buying citizenship to their countries; and that a transatlantic task force was being launched to more effectively target the assets of sanctioned Russians and sanctioned Russian companies abroad.

The precise details of the sanctions, including which specific Russian banks will be targeted, are still being determined and will apparently be released Sunday. In their joint statement on Saturday, the nations also said they are prepared to take further measures to hold Russia to account for its attack on Ukraine.

U.S. officials told the Associated Press that the new measures are meant to send Russias currency into a free fall. The ruble already sank to a record low this week after the invasion began, while Russian stocks fell 33 percent.

The Belgium-based Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) operates an interbank messaging system that allows 11,000 banks and financial institutions across the globe to communicate and move billions of dollars a day. While the U.S. and its allies considered cutting off Russias SWIFT access in 2014 in response to annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, only one other country has ever been removed from the system: Iran, in 2012, as part of international sanctions targeting the country over its nuclear-weapon program.
With the new headquarters of AuburnBank opening in June, the banks president said his company is exploring potential retail and office tenants and that bank employees are looking forward to migrating to the building in the summer.

We have some negotiations and tenants that are keenly interested, said president Robert Dumas on the upcoming AuburnBank Center, which will open on the corner of East Magnolia Avenue and South Gay Street.

The building includes 46,000 square feet of office space on its second floor available for lease and will have about 5,000 square feet of leasable retail space once the center is complete. North Carolina franchise Bitty and Beaus Coffee secured a location in the northwest corner of the building and will open shortly after the building itself, Dumas said. Other leasing opportunities will be managed through Birmingham real estate firm J.H. Berry & Gilbert.

Dumas said the banks paying and receiving tellers, customer service operations and commercial, consumer and mortgage lending will be on the first floor, and the banks support functions will be on the fourth floor.

The AuburnBank Center has been in development discussions for as long as 10 years, according to Dumas, who said hes excited it be finished this year. Dumas said he sees it leading the company forward for another 50 years after the older 1964 headquarters on the site was demolished.

Dumas said the new main branch of the bank will launch within the month of the buildings completion. He said the 90,000 square feet of the AuburnBank Center will be a great upgrade for the company compared to the roughly 18,500 square feet of space in the older headquarters.

Weve been here since 1907, so we were committed to our main office remaining in downtown Auburn, because thats critically important to the vibrancy of the downtown with commerce and jobs, Dumas said. Were hopeful  that were going to create additional commerce, jobs, tax revenue and all of those things that go along in addition to pedestrian traffic.

Construction firm B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham began building the new headquarters in August 2020 after being awarded the contract to head the project. Though the firm missed its initial tentative completion of December 2021, Dumas said B.L. Harbert and AuburnBank were able to weather effects the pandemic imposed on construction materials because much of what was needed was preordered.

In the shell and core, I dont think theres been any issue with the major materials, but inside with tenant improvements there may have been a few items that were delayed, he said, noting the exterior of the building should be completed within a few weeks.

Completion of the project also means more parking space downtown, with about 40 spaces behind the AuburnBank Center for customers, clients and future tenants of the building. An additional 500 are already available through the Burton Street Parking Garage, which opened in April 2021.

One thing with this project was that we wanted to build the deck first to make sure that there was adequate parking, Dumas said. Its been a great amenity for us and the community.

Adjacent to the ongoing AuburnBank Center construction is the companys main office as well as another small building, most recently home to the Auburn House of Prayer but now serving as a project office for B.L. Harbert while the center is being built. AuburnBank, which owns both buildings, sold the land it occupies to a hotel development company, so Dumas said the buildings will be torn down to make way for the hotel once bank employees relocate to the center.

(The hotel developers) have roughly six months to do their due diligence, he said. We probably will stage in certain departments moving rather than all at one time (because) you want your IT and all your security features to be in place.

Dumas declined to name the hotel company but said he anticipates the developers will formally announce their plans later in the year. A previous press statement from AuburnBank described it as an upscale, nationally branded lifestyle hotel.

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The warnings of an imminent crisis between Russia and Ukraine started last year, ebbing and flowing with clashing information from all sides. Here's how we got here.
The US is continuing the goal of choking off funds to the uber wealthy Russians, stating US will launch a multilateral Transatlantic task force to identify, hunt down, and freeze the assets of sanctioned Russian companies and oligarchs  their yachts, their mansions, and any other ill-gotten gains that US can find and freeze under the law



This should have been done on day 1, the minute Russia stepped a toe over the border.

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This should have been done when they "annexed" Crimea. But yeah I agree.

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This coming week, we will launch a multilateral Transatlantic task force to identify, hunt down, and freeze the assets of sanctioned Russian companies and oligarchs  their yachts, their mansions, and any other ill-gotten gains that we can find and freeze under the law.  The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 26, 2022



I hope this actually hits the oligarchs where it hurts. I hope this actually hits the oligarchs where it hurts.

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cutting off their money is probably one of the few things that could turn putin's buddies against him, not that we'll get it all

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What about the Swiss banks? Isn't that where most of the ultra rich banks, not domestically?

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There are several countries that people shield assets in but, and this is just literally the base explanation because honestly an entire thesis could be written about it, but there are some incredibly large asserts held up in the States. If you remember the hullabaloo about the foreign adoption laws a couple years ago it was mostly a cover to allow those assets to be be released.

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Switzerland has frozen the bank accounts of the oligarchs and their firms since the 25th ^^

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tysm op!!

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I was watching CNN while at the gym today (because I don't have cable at home) and saw so many Polish people welcoming Ukrainian refugees. It seems like so many people in Poland are organizing and banding together to help out their neighbors and ngl, I almost started crying on the treadmill.

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same with romania, too  i think there are people at the border waiting to help, and they've waived the need for documents for people bringing their animals from ukraine (i think poland did the same thing)

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Theres even a subreddit of people volunteering and getting groups together to go to Ukraine - many of them to fight but also many who are doctors - or to post links and whatnot to donate and help the Ukrainian people. And almost everyone has been saying that the way in (for helping) or out (for safety) is through Poland because the Polish have been so helpful. Poland would most likely be Putins next target if Ukraine falls, i hope we never get to that point but if we do, I hope everyone remembers what an aid they have been.



Edited at 2022-02-27 12:33 am (UTC)

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Yes! r/volunteersforUkraine

I cried reading the posts today ppl are so brave



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My expat group on Facebook has been sending money & organizing for an organization to take pet supplies to vets in Poland that are servicing Ukrainian refugees with pets. Legit teared up seeing how many people donated.

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So I unfortunately had the displeasure of seeing stupid liberals I know SIDING WOTH RUSSIA in the effort of being anti-America. Which like fuck you. They posted some stupid political cartoon about not waking the bear that somehow implies this is all Americas fault.



Im not a patriot. Fuck America in a lot of cases but I couldnt believe what I was seeing. It made me want to throw up.

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It's possible for there to be multiple baddies in the world at one time!!



America can be a baddie for invading Iraq.



But Russia can ALSO be a baddie for invading Ukraine!!!



How are ppl unable to hold these two thoughts in their head at the same time???

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Yea that's essentially what their "logic" boils down to. USA is bad. USA and Russia are enemies, therefore Russia=good. It's the thought process of a child and it should be embarrassing.

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There are a lot of liberals who have gone so far left they have boomeranged to the right. Its fucking nuts to me. Like, lots of people are bad? And like context matters? America can be absolutely shit at a lot of things and that not impact that Russia is also shit at a lot of things?

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LOL during the elections and 2020 when covid entered the US, a lot of the really far leftists had this mentality.

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I've blocked some people on IG because of their "this is actually just American propaganda, supporting Ukraine is supporting American backed nazis" hot takes.



I'm too tired to have this conversation with 20 year old canadian gutter punk communists.

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you can't be anti-imperialist unless you hold all imperialists to the same standard.

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A bunch of leftists have had some really problematic takes about this entire situation

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Yeah my American friend has been liking tweets similar to that and others saying Zelenzky is a US puppet and is letting his people die. I'm not a particular political savvy person though so I can't argue with her.



Edited at 2022-02-27 10:03 am (UTC)

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Things seem to be going bad for Russia. Hopefully Putin continues to hurt.

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All this in an effort to shore up the support of the Russian people, as Putin's popularity had taken a hit of late.



So good to see it backfiring on him big time.

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It's almost comical how the Ukranians are absolutely kicking their shit in.

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Right. I love seeing all the old people being brave as fuck, they don't fuck around haha

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extremly annoyed with americans who can't even find ukraine on a map acting like this is a football game or something

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Yes, or the ones that are JOKING. A coworker of mine has made a couple of jokes about the situation. I told him today that he wouldnt be laughing if we were in Ukraines shoes, would he? But even saying things like that dont get through to crazy people.

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Yeah I can make jokes about almost anything, but this is no joking matter no matter how you flip it

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What are they doing?

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same omfg

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also, my friend shared a news clip today where a US reporter described ukraine as "relatively civilised"



relatively



civilised



fuck offffffff

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A lot of people just see this as entertainment. It's disturbing.

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Im also getting really annoyed at the way people are talking about Zelensky and some other stuff i saw...it just feels so inappropriate like it's okay that some things are serious. We dont have to "lighten it up to cope" or whatever the excuse always is.

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A lot of people don't realize that it's literally the biggest country in Europe after Russia.

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The thermobaric missiles/vacuum bombs Russia brought into today have me very scared for Zelenskyy and Kyiv. I'm praying that someone has given Ukraine something capable of destroying it.

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this twitter is like a amalgamation of reporters on the ground. Its preety good





@KevinRothrock





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the country i live in refused to condemn russia and pro-russia protests have been taking place this evening, i'm so furious and disappointed and frustrated



everyone i know here stands with ukraine. i live in a country that experienced war in the past 30 years, and my friends and colleagues are still living with the trauma of growing up in a warzone. there was a march in solidarity with ukraine earlier today and everyone is saying the same thing: never again. but i still feel sick about the state response and the pro-russia sentiment some people have.

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can I ask what country?

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here's an article that explains a little more:



serbia was bombed by NATO in the late 90s because of the ongoing unrest/war in ex-yugoslavija. most people i know here are firmly against russia and the invasion of ukraine, because they remember clearly what it was like to grow up in a war zone. however, the state/government will not condemn russia (because russia is serbia's biggest ally), and certain nationalist sections of the population view standing with russia as fighting against NATO/imperialism, as well as what happened to serbia in the 90s (even though the serbian military/state was a big aggressor and was committing genocide and war in other parts of the balkans, mainly bosnia and albania). it's messy, bloody, sad, and no one wins.



edited to add: so many serbian citizens who did not support milosevic or the war crimes the serbian state committed in the 90s suffered and are still suffering from the war and the NATO bombing, and there is still controversy around whether the bombing was legitimate/legal under international law. however, i am seeing certain nationalist parties and people here comparing it to what is happening in ukraine, and basically saying that ukraine deserve it, putin/russia are pushing back against NATO, and that no one cared when serbia was bombed so why should we care now? e.g. this infographic has been doing the rounds:



https://www.instagram.com/p/CaXK4Q4I50_/



and it is revisionist fucking history. the serbian state committed genocide, murders, war crimes, attempted ethnic cleansing, and wanted to take control over every other ex-yugo country that wanted to secede. i love serbia but some people here refuse to acknowledge this country's bloody history. i know the vast majority of the citizens did not support milosevic or the genocide in srebrenica etc. but to refuse to acknowledge the crimes the serbian state committed and to attempt to reframe the war as an attack on serbian sovereignty, with serbia being persecuted, is terrifying to me.



Edited at 2022-02-27 07:47 pm (UTC) of course! i live in serbiahere's an article that explains a little more: https://balkaninsight.com/2022/02/25/serbian-pro-regime-media-praise-russia-overrunning-ukraine/ serbia was bombed by NATO in the late 90s because of the ongoing unrest/war in ex-yugoslavija. most people i know here are firmly against russia and the invasion of ukraine, because they remember clearly what it was like to grow up in a war zone. however, the state/government will not condemn russia (because russia is serbia's biggest ally), and certain nationalist sections of the population view standing with russia as fighting against NATO/imperialism, as well as what happened to serbia in the 90s (even though the serbian military/state was a big aggressor and was committing genocide and war in other parts of the balkans, mainly bosnia and albania). it's messy, bloody, sad, and no one wins.edited to add: so many serbian citizens who did not support milosevic or the war crimes the serbian state committed in the 90s suffered and are still suffering from the war and the NATO bombing, and there is still controversy around whether the bombing was legitimate/legal under international law. however, i am seeing certain nationalist parties and people here comparing it to what is happening in ukraine, and basically saying that ukraine deserve it, putin/russia are pushing back against NATO, and that no one cared when serbia was bombed so why should we care now? e.g. this infographic has been doing the rounds:and it is revisionist fucking history. the serbian state committed genocide, murders, war crimes, attempted ethnic cleansing, and wanted to take control over every other ex-yugo country that wanted to secede. i love serbia but some people here refuse to acknowledge this country's bloody history. i know the vast majority of the citizens did not support milosevic or the genocide in srebrenica etc. but to refuse to acknowledge the crimes the serbian state committed and to attempt to reframe the war as an attack on serbian sovereignty, with serbia being persecuted, is terrifying to me.

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The oligarch who owns the Chelsea football team is transferring management as of today (still owns it) people suspect to keep it from being seized as an asset, I didnt realize theyre out here owning fucking teams.





Also cnn caught on live tv Russians driving around a vacuum bomb launcher. The use of that is a war crime as it will kill anyone around. Im very scared for those left in the country hes aiming to annihilate them

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abramovich's statment was a whole lot of nothing





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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10545011/amp/Chelseas-billionaire-owner-Roman-Abramovich-effectively-BARRED-living-Britain.html



Hes a horrible human and very close to Putin! Ugh. Yeah its Roman Abramovich, hes owned Chelsea for a while. And hes absolutely doing this because people have been hollering for the club to be seized, theres also this, but its from the Daily Mail:Hes a horrible human and very close to Putin!

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I think we passed the threshold of them caring about committing war crimes when they started bombing hospitals and shooting cars full of fleeing civilians.

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Chelsea's a shit plastic club.

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Elon Musk says Starlink, which provides satellite internet services, is now active in Ukraine  BNO News (@BNONews) February 26, 2022

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I don't trust anything he says. He's always looking for acclaim in these situation like when he thought he could save those kids in the cave.

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And when he handed out those fake ventilators. That was appalling.

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and when they dont work/help hell call the Ukrainian president a pedophile

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Don't you need satellite dishes on the ground to receive the signal???

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This is going to backfire. Saw a good Twitter thread about uplinks being a very dangerous way of showing your position, and citizens using technology they dont understand could get them killed. https://twitter.com/jsrailton/status/1497745011932286979?s=21

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My hotel in Moscow asked me to settle the bill early because they arent sure if credit cards are going to work once SWIFT sanctions kick in.  Raf Sanchez (@rafsanchez) February 26, 2022

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I work with a bunch of Russians and our accountant has advised them all to get an American bank account set up asap.

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I finally googled the difference between Kyiv and Kiev after seeing both on my feed and learned why I should use Kyiv

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Its super intresting how many people (myself included!) didnt know Its meant to be Kyiv, not Kiev.



Everyone has switched in less than a week.

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i think one of the first nights, reporters were pronouncing the name like 'keev' and i was like 'oh, huh? are they saying it right?" because i'd only heard it pronounced the other way. in a different broadcast later on, a reporter explained 'this is how ukrainians pronounce it, so this is how we're going to pronounce it' and since then i've made sure to pronounce it right and spell it right.





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as a ukrainian speaker, i hate this spelling tbh. the use of y to represent the letter  is super weird bc they still use y the way to represent /j/ also (that's why Zelenskyy has two y's at the end of his name) and it tells non Ukrainian's nothing about how it's supposed to be pronounced. if they're gonna do that they might as well go all out and use j like all the other roman alphabet cyrillic languages, but eh.



ftr, it's not "keev" it's more like "KIH-yeev."

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as a ukrainian speaker, i hate this spelling tbh. the ukrainian alphabet has different letters representing long and short vowel sounds. it just so happens that the ukrainian letter i pronounced like a long e (beat, sleep) and that's the sound they've gone with for the romanized alphabet. the roman letter y was for some reason chosen to represent the letter  which is a short i (big, sit) and is super weird bc they still use y the way to represent /j/ also (that's why Zelenskyy has two y's at the end of his name) and it tells non Ukrainian's nothing about how it's supposed to be pronounced. if they're gonna do that they might as well go all out and use j like all the other roman alphabet cyrillic languages, but eh. it bothers me bc if looking at it i'd think the y was a regular roman y and the name's supposed to rhyme with shiv.



ftr, it's not "keev" it's more like "KIH-yeev."



sorry for my long rant.

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Im pretty worried about how things might play overnight and I have been dreading checking the news throughout the day. I saw footage of captured Russian soldiers and so many of them are so young, some of them the same ages as my brother in law. It breaks my heart to see these young kids on both sides who probably had no idea what they were really getting in to. Young kids fighting an old crazy mans war.

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Yeah, I read an article yesterday and several of the young Russian soldiers said that they were told they were going to a training exercise, but instead were taken to Ukraine and just had to start fighting. It's just a horrific situation on multiple levels.

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Jfc. F*ck Putin.



Edited at 2022-02-27 01:26 am (UTC)

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Omfg. Wow this whole thing was really on a whim.

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in my head these kids are just another atrocity committed by putin's hands. these kids have absolutely no idea what is going on, they're not all even trained to be there. just loaded into a vehicle and driven into ukraine, handed a gun and told to fight. i'm pretty sure the soldiers surrendering, being caught away from their units, or abandoning equipment are all these kids.



there's a video online of a russian solider sitting on someone's back stoop being yelled at by people in the neighborhood telling him he didn't belong there and while yes, he doesn't, it really hit because he was crying.



there's a special circle of hell for people like putin ...

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And Russia has a conscription service; all young men have to go, they have no choice. I don't even think they're trained at all.

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Prayer for Ukraine performed by Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York pic.twitter.com/5pi2l1Olpx  Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) February 27, 2022

John Mulaneys Monologue! pic.twitter.com/STa7blLH53  Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) February 27, 2022

Subway Churro: The Musical pic.twitter.com/bxlLXnGr5l  Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) February 27, 2022

Please Dont Destroy - Good Variant pic.twitter.com/sKjFp7jxkq  Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) February 27, 2022

 Saturday Night Live began with veteran cast members Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon introducing a performance from Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York. The set was decorated with sunflowers, Ukraine's national flower, and a table with candles spelling out Kyiv, the country's capital city. This week's host John Mulaney opened the episode with new stand-up material from his current "From Scratch" tour. He touches on his intervention, breaking up with his drug dealer, and talks about the moment he first bonded with his three month old son, Malcolm. In the first sketch of the night, Mulaney played "Judge Tango", a monkey judge. The required "Mulaney New York City Musical" takes place in the subway this time, with cast member Andrew Dismukes filling in for an absent Pete Davidson (Davidson is currently working on a movie). The sketch parodies songs fromand In the latest Please Don't Destroy short, the boys imagine a world with a "good" COVID variant. Features cameos from Paul Rudd and Al Roker. Mulaney is welcomed into the Five-Timers Club by Steve Martin, Candice Bergen, Tina Fey and a totally-not-bitter Paul Rudd. Elliott Gould makes his first appearance on SNL since 1990 (he also co-starred with Mulaney on the latters failed self-titled Fox sitcom), and Conan O'Brien makes a surprising cameo to remind them all of the spirit of the Five-Timers Club. O'Brien appeared in the very first Five-Timers Club sketch in 1990 when he was just a writer on the show, and went on to have a very...complicated relationship with NBC. This is the first time he has appeared on the network in over a decade. This send-up of the classic Canadian kids showincludes lots of slime and a cast that's barely holding it together. Mulaney and Ego Nwodim reprise their characters from the 2019 "Cha Cha Slide" sketch . Since we last saw them the characters got married and are now attending a family reunion where Mulaney's characters surprises his wife with another dance.




So with that said, channingtatumhahahahahhahahhahah



Putin is getting humiliated by a man who did a Beyonce-style dance in leather pants and heels.

Legend. pic.twitter.com/AgXfjUDQHo  Troy Dougall (@DougallTroy) February 27, 2022

. Is it silly to meme and objectify the President of Ukraine? Yes. It is harmless and also providing some levity in a time of seriously dire events? Also Yes.So with that said, channingtatumhahahahahhahahhahah

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yes! I think we need to keep perspective here, no one would be talking about the Ukraine politicians if Putin didn't invade. Let's keep the ire where it's warranted.

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OMFG, this keeps getting weirder.



Had no idea they voted for a literal comedian as president.

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the president is an actor who was on a comedy TV show where he played a regular guy who gets voted to be the president. it's that weird.

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Some of the memes are cute, but some of the yaaas plunder me war daddy stanning is a bit too much for me. I get that hes giving off action movie hero vibes, and were conditioned to think thats sexy, but it feels weird given how horrible war is.



That said, Mark Wahlburg, better not decide to make/star in a movie about Zelenskyy.

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it just keeps getting more and more surreal lmao. I'm still recovering from the Dancing with the Stars footage.

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Not Beyonce-style but Kazaky, a Ukrainian boy band who did this in the 2010's. I think they were un Madonna's Girl Gone Wild video.

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https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/a-letter-to-the-western-left-from-kyiv/ Some reading material for your whataboutist / tankie-curious friends and acquaintances:

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Thanks for the link. I saw someone use the word "tankie" elsewhere and I was so very confused.

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Thank you. I honestly didnt know what a tankie was till yesterday.

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I think I despise them as much as I do the trumpers. Way to be such a fucking dipshit you cant possible accomplish any of your political objectives.

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woooowwwww they called out the New Orleans chapter of the DSA!! I stopped following a lot of New Orleans activistic orgs including the DSA for a lot of the same reasons laid out in this article. I was never a member but I took part in some of their actions during 2020 and the insistence on blaming the West and NATO solely with no mention of Putins aggression drove me away.





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So many people went onto the streets today to protest. I mean it won't change anything but the solidarity was so beautiful to see.

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Ive seen some Ukrainians on tiktok mentioning there protests and they seem to be touched by it. Most of us cant do anything about whats happening, but we can show solidarity and support in many ways.

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The Benny Hill music is cracking me up

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this unfortuantely isnt real. Its a russian tractor with a russian tank

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damn, I've seen it everywhere lol

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Blake Lively and her husband is matching donations up to 1mil for @USAforUNHCR if anyone were interested. Im donating and trying to keep hope. Thank you for making this post!!!

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TY for the info!

and loling @ and her husband

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It took me a while to remember who "her hursband" was because I can't tell Ryan Gosling and the other Ryan apart.

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I hate the pro Russian propaganda on twitter by a certain group. Makes sense they kiss Putin's ass.



I really hope someone can put an end to this but apparently Putin is sending a massive convoy. Can't someone assassinate him already. These despicable white men are sitting in their rooms while young people are dying to protect their lands. Fuck Putin.

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I wonder how much air support that convoy has because seems like drones and air strikes could take a substantial number out.

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a few man-made spike strips to fuck up the tires?

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I'm so confused by some of the pro-Russian sentiment I've seen. "Putin had security concerns so this is all America's/NATO's fault for stroking the fire."



The people of Ukraine want to join NATO. Is NATO supposed to bend over for Putin and his fear of NATO? Will this same rhetoric be used with Finland and Sweden since Putin doesn't want them to join either? I get that America is easy to point the finger at but you can tell when people shift blame and WHY they shift blame in situations like this. It's not lost on me that I've seen less of this line of thinking since Trump and his Conservative sycophants began to backtrack on their support of Putin.

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I feel bad for what's going to happen financially for regular Russian citizens tomorrow.

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Same. The Russian people don't deserve this. It's truly the actions of a few punishing the whole nation.

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Aren't there reports of Russians flocking to ATMs to try and get their money out before its too late?

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Yep, the ruble is about collapse basically. It currently is barely worth a penny.

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New satellite images show Russian ground forces  a convoy stretched out over more than three miles of road  getting closer to Ukraines capital, Kyiv. The forces include infantry fighting and supply vehicles around 40 miles northwest of Kyiv. https://t.co/3noULQ0XPz  The New York Times (@nytimes) February 27, 2022

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i wonder if he's escalating because he knows they will get more weapons soon.

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He's escalating because he thought he'd have had this wrapped up already and that the Russian-speaking Ukrainians would have welcomed him while the EU was in the corner shrugging. It's not going his way at all so he's going straight for escalating.

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i think a lot of people expected the capital to fall this weekend and it didn't. Putin thought this would've been a quick invasion and that everyone in Ukraine would be in the streets cheering for him.



Now he looks like a deranged fool to the world and to his people. The only way this ends is with his army giving it all they got or setting of a bunch of nukes to take out Ukraine other countries.

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The longer Ukraine stands, the worse it is for Putin, and it already is pretty bad. He might try to control the media and what ordinary Russians hear about the conflict, but when the body bags come back to the towns and villages, people will have questions and get really angry. There are already several stories by Russian anti-war activist groups about how young men are being tricked into this war by Russian forces.

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Wtf

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having them all so cloe together makes them very easy targets, the whole russian strategy makes no sense

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Vaclavak prave ted.  pic.twitter.com/QwITNvSnnf  Lukas Biba (@bibalukas) February 27, 2022



Czech people rallied against Putin on the largest square in Prague. The banner in right bottom corner says: Putin has a tiny dick. pic.twitter.com/C1R3PjHtII  Alex Alvarova  #  CanadianAuthor (@AlexAlvarova) February 27, 2022 Probably the largest protest/demonstration since the Velvet Revolution here in Prague

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im not ukrainian and i have no ties to ukraine, but seeing all those people out there protesting for ukraine made me so emotional. i hope the people of ukraine know most of the world is using their voices to try and stop this war.

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Gah I love Prague for so many reasons 

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FIFA announced sanctions against Russia

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They really dragged their feet 

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The sanctions are shit though. Poland's football association said they didn't accept their decision and won't play against Russia.

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just kick them out. I don't understand. They must have some of their money tied up in FIFA or something.

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not even really, they can still play but under another flag. like the olympics

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I enjoy that Poland FA immediately called FIFA out on them by being like this is shit and unacceptable. Sweden and Czech FAs following shortly after was great. Im glad those three FAs are sticking their feet in bc it puts immense pressure on FIFA

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Laura Ingraham or wte her name is a despicable human being. Fox def has ties to the Russian oligarchs right?

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Hell yeah the oligarchs are funding Fox. There was supposed to be a trucker convoy in DC during the State of the Union, and all of a sudden the funding for it dried up.hhhmmmm I wonder what happened.

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Im sorry but theres no hopes of ever being able to occupy a country full of people who just pick up mines and move them while a lit Marlboro dangles from their lips. https://t.co/fw4tzQp6rr  Danny Gold (@DGisSERIOUS) February 27, 2022

. My dude

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these replies



Walking up to the Russian border:



Excuse me, I believe you dropped this  Heidi (@bleedingblueapp) February 27, 2022 omgthese replies

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A definition of being slavic. Wikipedia should redirect to that video.

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My Polish grandma smoked while on a fucking oxygen tank. I know, I know! We tried to stop her but slavs truly dgaf.

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As a Slav, I can confirm.

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This man has balls of fucking steel wow

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Reminds me of this bad ass who kept his cigar in his mouth the whole time while he wrestled his puppy out of an alligator. and I just noticed the old man's cap OMG







Edited at 2022-02-27 11:26 pm (UTC)

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my man here in his lil jacket and jeans de-mining the roads without dropping his cig, i'd hate to meet the fighters in full gear

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You know youre an unpopular leader when Sweden is sending your enemy 5,000 anti-tank missiles.  Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) February 27, 2022

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Sweden heard that comment about NATO and said via GIPHY

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and germany is remilitarising

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+ you know you're wack when even taliban says you're overreacting

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The ways that African immigrants are getting treated at border countries is a travesty. They need to be allowed to leave Ukraine just like Ukrainians can.

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Afghani and other middle eastern countries citizens have also been facing the same issue :(

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People are really showing their asses with this invasion. Journalists crying that this is happening to 'blond and blue eyed' people in a 'civilized country'.

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Indian nationals too

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of course, all the brown and black people dont matter. its only the blonde blue eyes who do.



and my dad wonders why i always go in on white people. its because they dont care about our lives. to be shown it daily and in situations like this hurts.

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9. "To put it bluntly, these are not refugees from Syria, these are refugees from Ukraine...They're Christians, they're white. They're very similar [to us]" - explaining why Poland is accepting refugees. pic.twitter.com/UgTTAstkmt  Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) February 27, 2022

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People are being extremely weird and racist about this entire situation. I've unfollowed a ton of people for retweeting obvious lies and moronic memes.

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It's literally making me sick. I feel like the world wants to bleed our humanity and hope out of us. I alternate between feeling love and elation for the way Ukrainians are being helped, how people and countries are rallying behind them. And at the same time I feel so utterly hopeless knowing we (POC) have/will never get this kind of care because we are honestly not seen as human by almost the whole fucking world. This whiplash is pulling me into a depression.

We are used as ammunition between countries, abused and killed at borders, left to die at the ocean, held for years without an idea of release etc etc. Sorry for this, I probably need to just stop consuming the news for a bit and focus on the good people. This is just too much.

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seeing that news come out of all of this has been incredibly upsetting

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it shouldn't be surprising but it is appalling how racism is STILL prioritized over protecting people fleeing from death

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A black football player from Brazil said he had to pay a guard to go through the border otherwise they wouldn't allow him to leave.

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The racism is in full fucking force with this shit. White liberals and military personnel stating some tough guy shit like I wish I could help them! as if America wasnt doing the same exact shit to the Middle East.

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I know it's the US but I wish Fox News could be banned, as well.



OP thank you for these posts and for the links.

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They honestly should be facing sanctions of their own lmao. If only publicly siding with a genocidal maniac openly while watching it happen before our very eyes would get them fucking kicked off for good. I cant stand them.

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Honestly exactly that. And whatever most of the GOP is doing is treasonous - they should be shot at dawn.

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I will never understand how or why they are continuously allowed to be the way they are.

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I want them dead and gone.

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Despite an uncertain revenue outlook, the Department of Energy has announced it will be investing billions into keeping existing nuclear power plants open over the next few years.

The U.S. government is pumping money into nuclear energy despite the uncertain revenue outlook. While many criticize Biden for supporting an industry with such high costs when the money could be put towards developing the renewable energy sector, the state is adamant that this is a necessary move to meet net-zero targets and bridge the gap in the energy transition. The Department of Energy (DoE) has announced it will be investing billions into keeping existing nuclear power plants open over the next few years in a bid to support the U.S. aim to develop its clean energy sector. Several nuclear plants are losing too much money to stay open without government support. But the government sees this as a worthwhile investment as nuclear power is key to helping Biden meet his pledge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030. The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that came into effect in November, with a $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit Program.

Deregulation is largely blamed for nuclear power plants struggling finances, as selling power on an open market means buyers often opt for the cheapest option, typically natural gas. At present, there are 10 states with deregulated power plants. And based on the current low price of natural gas, as much as one-third of nuclear power could be lost as it simply cannot compete. This would mean a decrease from 96 gigawatts to 60 gigawatts by 2030.

While deregulation drove competition in the past, new climate change targets could mean that the government needs to change its energy strategy to push people to switch to cleaner energy sources. Under current market rules, nuclear power will remain uncompetitive as new, lower-cost energy sources arrive, such as wind and solar power. But as neither of these are as reliable in providing stable power as nuclear, the U.S. cannot give up on its power plants.

Related: U.S. To Help Uzbekistan Explore New Shale Deposits

Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm stated, U.S. nuclear power plants are essential to achieving President Bidens climate goals and DOE is committed to keeping 100% clean electricity flowing and preventing premature closures. Further, The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes this all possible by allowing us to leverage our existing clean energy infrastructure, strengthen our energy security and protect U.S. jobs. DOE is facilitating the development of next-generation technologies that can ultimately lower emissions and bolster the clean energy workforce, she said.

So, does nuclear power present a viable way to achieve net-zero? In the U.K., alongside wind and solar energy, nuclear and emerging technologies such as hydrogen are all integral parts of the governments energy transition strategy. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) explains that nuclear power can help complement and integrate the expected large shares of renewable generation by ensuring 24/7 energy supply reliability and dispatchability. The IEAE believes that maintaining nuclear energy output is therefore vital to the shift towards renewables.

While the disposal of nuclear waste continues to be a key concern for many, others are questioning the exorbitant costs related to nuclear energy production. Green energy advocates say the money being spent on keeping nuclear power plants running could be better invested in developing renewable alternatives. A report by the IDLES program at Imperial College, London suggested: Nuclear energy would need to halve in cost to warrant major new builds within a cost-optimal [net-zero] system.

But these concerns havent stopped big coal states from getting on board. Some of the historically most important coal states in the U.S. are now embracing alternative energy projects as many towns and cities across the country stand to lose huge amounts of revenue and thousands of jobs as America moves away from fossil fuels.

West Virginia recently passed a bill getting rid of a ban on nuclear plant construction that has been in place for a century. Similarly, Indiana passed a bill incentivizing the construction of nuclear plants on existing fossil fuel sites. Wyoming and Montana made similar moves during the last two years, and Missouri is looking to do the same. This suggests that many states that once staunchly opposed nuclear power are now embracing it as a means of conserving their energy industries.

This new trend is becoming known as the coal-to-energy transition. Many coal-reliant regions see it as a means of maintaining economic stability during times of uncertainty. Alice Caponiti from the U.S. Department of Energy explains, Coal and other fossil sites offer substantial value as potential sites for new nuclear plants in terms of their existing power grid and other infrastructure, ready access to water sources, and a local skilled workforce.

While many have fears about overinvestment in an industry that will continue to have much higher costs than renewable alternatives, the U.S. and several other countries see nuclear power as vital to the transition away from fossil fuels. The DoE is propping up the industry to ensure that the U.S. meets its net-zero targets over the coming decades. And now coal-dependent states are welcoming nuclear power as a means of conserving their long-standing energy industries, thereby replacing jobs, and supporting the local economy.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Swanson Russell Wins BEST OF SHOW for Fifth Consecutive Year at 2022 Nebraska Advertising Awards Swanson Russell received 27 honors at the 2022 Nebraska Advertising Awards (ADDYs), including the show's top honor, the Best of Show. This marks the agency's fifth consecutive best-of-the-best honor. The annual event, which took place February 18, showcases work from agencies and design shops across the state, and this year saw over 400+ total entries. This year, Swanson Russell accepted the following honors on behalf of their clients: (1) Best of Show: JLG (8) Gold: Arctic Cat, JLG, Minn Kota, Swanson Russell, Textron Aviation, Walls Outdoor Goods (18) Silver: Arctic Cat, Excalibur, Humminbird, JLG, Kaman, Kimber, Minn Kota, Runza, Textron Aviation, Union Bank & Trust, Visit Omaha, Walls Outdoor Goods "We are so fortunate to work with such incredible local and national brands," said Brent Schott, president at Swanson Russell. "It's an honor to see the work we do together get this kind of recognition." The Nebraska Advertising Awards are sponsored by the American Advertising Federation Nebraska (AAF Nebraska). With more than 275 professional and student members, AAF Nebraska is the unifying voice for advertising throughout Nebraska and western Iowa. To learn more, visit aafnebraska.org. Swanson Russell is a nationally recognized full-service branding, advertising and public relations agency in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. The agency partners with clients across many industries while specializing in agriculture, construction, landscape/turf, outdoor recreation and healthcare. To learn how Swanson Russell builds a Real Connection between brands and audiences, visit swansonrussell.com.
For the second time in less than a month, I got an essential infusion of hope and joy Thursday night from the folks at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

The first time it came from the luminous musical Bright Star, which I watched online from my couch in the dead of winter, when it felt as though the pandemic would never ease. I hadnt been to a live production since last fall.

This time, it was in person in the small Howard Drew Theater, where Outside Mullingar, a delightful play by John Patrick Shanley (Doubt: A Parable, Moonstruck) completely charmed a near-capacity crowd.

I couldnt have asked for a better return to the theater. The 100-minute play, directed by Susan Baer Collins, made us laugh, gently touched our hearts and left us smiling and jumping up for a standing ovation.

The play is about two lonely and quirky people who farm their families land in rural Ireland: Anthony (Chris Shonka) and Rosemary (Laura Beeghly). Anthony is painfully shy and Rosemary has tried to connect with him for years, to no avail.

Anthonys dad, Tony (Don Keelan-White), is threatening to sell the farm to a cousin. That, and an ongoing land feud between the families, make Rosemarys quest  and possibly Anthonys future  more difficult.

The story, both funny and dramatic, unfolds slowly in the hands of four talented veteran actors  including Judy Radcliff as Rosemarys mom, Aoife  until a satisfying ending that could melt the coldest of hearts.

There are several affecting moments expertly realized by the cast, especially Tonys final hours, when he explains his relationship with his wife to his son and makes sure Anthony knows he is loved. Shonka is excellent as a son whos gratified to finally know Tonys heart, and Keelan-White is amazing when, as Tony, he walks into the light toward his waiting wife.

I found myself hoping thats really what its like to pass to the next realm.

Beeghly is at turns frustrated, funny and radiant in her scenes with Shonka, and the consistently excellent Radcliff made me tear up when her character was mourning her recently deceased husband.

When the play came out in 2014, Irish reviewers panned it as too overwrought and sentimental. Critics who saw the Broadway performance, however, were more enthusiastic, and Im with them.

My friend and I marveled at the set design, wondering how it could portray several scenes with only one rotating unit. Rain and darkness played a role in the play, and the lighting and design perfectly reflected that while also portraying cozy farmhouses. Steven L. Williams, a University of Nebraska at Omaha professor and freelance designer, was responsible for both.

Michael Campbells beautiful music also deserves mention.

If youre looking for inner warmth to cut winters chill, this is the play for you. Think of it as a poetic blanket.

The Playhouse clearly is on a roll. I cant wait to see The Color Purple.

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Palmyra, Nebraska  with a population of about 570  is a village just southwest of Lincoln. Its home to the Class C Palmyra Panthers and its also the inspiration for a new paranormal novel and soon-to-be movie.

Terrell Newbys Ghost of Palmyra High, released Jan. 17, is fictional. However, it is based on paranormal activity at Palmyra High School. The schools ghost is named Willie and is said to be its former janitor. Newby interviewed faculty and staff who have experienced paranormal activity at the school. Alex, a janitor, gave one of the most chilling accounts.

He could hear keys jingling, and his vacuum cleaners plug would be pulled out, said Newby. The janitor door would be closed and open.

Another Palmyra resident felt the hair stand up on her body as something cold went through her, Newby said.

Newby used these accounts and other local stories for background research. His book follows the fictional ghost of a local navy veteran who died from a heart attack. The ghost begins terrorizing the town. His widow realizes the ghost could be her husband and tries to help him find peace.

Newby writes stories with a variety of elements so all audiences can invest in his characters. In Ghost of Palmyra High, readers will find adventure, horror and love all within its pages, while exploring purgatory ideologies and psychological dilemmas.

Theres a little bit in it for everyone, and I really want them to be entertained, to kind of take back and look at whats going on with the various characters involved, said Newby.

Newby is an entertainer at heart and fiction writing is his passion. He is from Chicago and now lives in Lincoln. Paranormal activity has always been an interest of his. At a young age, he loved reading The Hardy Boys books and continued to be inspired by the work of John Blackburn and Stephen King. He was encouraged by his colleagues to write a book, and now he is self-published.

I feel very blessed and fortunate to have the associations and colleagues that put me in this situation, said Newby.

His friend, Jonathon Stathakis, was instrumental in this book becoming a movie. Stathakis passed Ghost of Palmyra High onto Robert Engels, a Hollywood producer and writer. Engels liked it and the film adaptation began shortly after. Newby said never in his wildest dreams did he expect for his book to become a movie.

The screenplay of Ghost of Palmyra High will be finished in the next 45 days. There are serious discussions about filming the movie in Palmyra, Newby said. The goal is to shoot the film before September. He said he is anxious to see his vision come to life on set.

In the meantime, Newby is working on his second novel, Roman One, which follows a part-squirrel monkey, part-human creature. It will be released in December 2022. He plans to continue writing a book every year until he publishes about 10 to 12. His book is sold out at Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Target. E-editions can still be purchased on Amazon and at barnesandnoble.com. His next book signing will be March 30 at the Palmyra Community Center.
THURSDAY, Feb. 24, 2022 (American Heart Association News) -- Before she gave the feeling a name, Mary-Frances Winters felt it constantly. She calls it "a dull droning sound that is always present" and "an underlying syndrome of sorts that permeates my very being."

It's the exhaustion born of "the day-to-day small acts of aggression, or small acts of disrespect" a Black person endures; the endless need to prove your worth; and the constant exposure to news about injustice and violence being inflicted on people who look like you.

She calls the feeling "Black fatigue." And though the problem is not of their making, for the sake of their health, Black people need to understand and acknowledge the toll of living with racism, said Winters, a diversity and equity consultant from North Carolina. "You have to take care of yourself."

Aishia Grevenberg, a psychotherapist who lives in Las Vegas, said the idea that the cumulative effect of racial discrimination causes psychological damage is well-known. Her clients often are exhausted by it.

"It's in every area of my life, in every area of my clients' lives," she said. And "it takes on this invisible quality. Because it's always there."

It carries serious health implications.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes racism as a threat to public health. On a biological level, structural racism-based stress can lead to long-lasting damage to the body and brain, according to a 2020 American Heart Association report in the journal Circulation. It defined structural racism as "the normalization and legitimization of an array of dynamics (historical, cultural, institutional and interpersonal) that routinely advantage white people while producing cumulative and chronic adverse outcomes for people of color."

That report describes how racism harms all historically marginalized groups. It also notes that Black adults are more likely to face discrimination and the cumulative effects of racial trauma but are less likely to receive treatment for their mental health.

Racism's effect on mental health varies by person, Grevenberg said. But in the wake of George Floyd's murder at the hands of police in 2020, several of her Black clients had to take disability leave because of racial trauma triggered not just by what was happening in society, but because they were seeing racism exposed among friends and co-workers.

She and other Black therapists, in turn, were stretched to their limits as they tried to accommodate everyone who needed their help.

Winters, author of the book "Black Fatigue," emphasizes that the problem lies in the systemic and historical oppression, not the people being oppressed. "Being Black is not exhausting," she said. "Racism is exhausting."

She started her career on the path to being an executive but said her good ideas were ignored, she was passed over for promotions and told her natural hair wasn't professional. So, 38 years ago she founded her company that consults on diversity issues.

Emotional responses to discrimination can include depression, internalizing stereotypes that say you're deficient, and rage. All of these things can take a heavy toll on mental well-being.

Grevenberg said anger can be particularly corrosive because it's not possible to lash out at all the "nameless, faceless" people behind a racist system. "So the anger takes on this quality that's consuming and unending, if you lean into it."

One of her key roles in therapy is to validate her clients' experiences. Out of fear of being seen as being oversensitive on matters of race, people may start to question what they've lived through. Even if it's as blatant as a co-worker clearly trying to sabotage their work, the target of racist behavior may turn the problem inward and say, "This can't be happening, right?"

When she gives them the ability to affirm that yes, they really have been wronged, she said it gives them space to experience their feelings. They can then redefine being Black on their own terms, with confidence and pride, and without any harmful labels.

Grevenberg also tells clients it's OK to back away from the constant pursuit of perfection.

"I tell every single person I work with, 'Have a snack and take a nap,'" she said.

Black professionals often feel pressure to prove they're worthy. She and all her clients were raised with the narrative they'd have to be twice as good to be considered half as good.

That makes the simple act of rest revolutionary, she said. "Rest is a protest. Rest is a sign that says, 'I'm human.'"

Winters said solutions to Black fatigue are broader than any individual. "We need to change the system so that people don't have to protect themselves."

As an act of self-protection, though, Winters sets boundaries for herself. "Oftentimes I don't watch things that are about racism, because it's the work I do every day, and I need a reprieve." She encourages people to know "what your triggers are and step away, and don't feel guilty about stepping away."

Winters said well-meaning white friends  "aspiring allies," as she calls them  can help by being willing to address problems they see. The first step is listening. "When you're an aspiring ally, you still have quite a bit to learn. So humility, I think, is really important."

Grevenberg agrees being an ally is about providing a safe presence, someone who can validate experiences. It's important "to be present, and to be curious, and to ask questions to understand. This isn't about solving a problem. This is about being with a person you care about."

Parents can provide an early boost by sending their children positive messages about who they are, she said, and "planting those seeds of self-love" in a society where they might rarely see positive images of people who look like them.

Surrounding yourself with decor or books that celebrate Blackness works for adults, too, Grevenberg said. "We don't always acknowledge this beauty and this shared experience that we have  this amazing way we express our culture, with our hair and our clothes and in our style," much of it forged in harsh conditions.

Visual cues around homes, offices and classrooms, she said, can help validate the shared Black experience and let people "celebrate and feel that pride in this culture that is so rich, and so nuanced."

American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. If you have questions or comments about this story, please email editor@heart.org.

By Michael Merschel

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
Police believe that one suspect is responsible for a string of five armed robberies reported across the Omaha metro area Friday evening.

Three gas stations and two Family Dollar locations were robbed at gunpoint during a four-hour timespan, according to the Omaha Police Department. No suspects have been identified, but police believe all of the robberies are connected and involve the same suspect.

The incidents began at 6:34 p.m. near 30th Street and Newport Avenue at a Family Dollar location. The suspect displayed a handgun and demanded money before fleeing on foot with an unknown amount of cash, according to police.

At 7:07 p.m., a similar report was made by a Family Dollar employee at 16th and Ohio Streets, about 4 miles from the first robbery. The suspect again demanded money from the register and fled on foot with cash, according to police.

There was a two-hour lull before officers responded to a robbery call at a South Omaha Buckys about 9:30 p.m. By 10:01 p.m., another call came in from a Mega Saver at 107th and Blondo Streets, according to police. The last reported incident occurred at a Caseys on 40th and Dodge Streets about 10:37 p.m.

Police said each incident followed the same pattern: A man walked into the store, displayed a handgun, demanded money and fled on foot with cash.

Though witness descriptions differ slightly, the suspect is described as a man in his early 20s with scars on the knuckles of his right hand. He was wearing all black clothing and at times had on a black ski mask.

Police have retrieved some CCTV footage.

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Nebraska could join a growing number of states to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales taxes under a bill in the Legislature.

State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha introduced Legislative Bill 881, a two-pronged approach that he said would address criminal justice reform and gender inequities across the state. The bill would exempt menstrual hygiene products from state sales tax and would require all detention facilities in the state to provide inmates with those products for free.

Women shouldnt be taxed or upsold on products that are essential in their daily lives, McKinney told the Revenue Committee on Friday.

The bill would halt state sales tax from being applied to tampons, panty liners, menstrual cups, sanitary napkins and other similar products. According to the legal group Period Equity, which advocates for menstrual equity, Nebraska is among 27 states that still apply sales tax to menstrual products.

Similar bills have been introduced in the Nebraska Legislature in recent years but have failed to gain traction.

Scout Richters, a lawyer at the ACLU of Nebraska, spoke in support of the bill.

Menstrual products are necessities like medicine and food, which have long been exempt from sales tax, she said. The Nebraska tax code should reflect this reality.

LB 881 would also require detention facilities to supply feminine hygiene products to female inmates free of charge.

The current policy for the Nebraska Department of Corrections is to provide generic pads and tampons to inmates for free. Name-brand and other types of menstrual products are for sale in prison commissaries.

Jon Cannon, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials, spoke at the hearing in a neutral capacity. He said county jails in the state do provide menstrual products for free, but the question of whether or not these products are adequate is a separate conversation that is not addressed by the bill.

To the extent that we provide generic materials, this is in keeping with the very conservative purchasing decisions that county governments make, Cannon said. We dont buy gold-plated road graters, we dont mix diamond dust in with our gravel. And this is in keeping with that philosophy.

McKinney acknowledged the policies in state prisons and county jails, but said he wanted to ensure that the products would remain free regardless of policy changes.

I know counties and the state provide (hygiene products) free of charge, but one day (an inmate) could wake up and they could not be free, he said. Its just making sure that we put it in the statute.

No opponents spoke against LB 881 and no immediate action was taken on the bill.

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This Black History Month, students across the nation have learned about Dr. Martin Luther Kings crusades in the south, the Harlem Renaissance in New York, and that our nations first Black president was a community organizer from Chicago.

But what will school children learn about the Black history episodes that occurred right here in Nebraska.

The states very founding demonstrates a pivotal moment in the struggle for freedom. The Nebraska Territory was organized under the 1855 Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the longstanding ban on slavery in Midwest established through the 1820 Missouri Compromise. The 1855 law nullified this and gave settlers and the territorial legislature the power to decide if Nebraska would be a free or slave state under the Popular Sovereignty doctrine.

For six years, Nebraskas territorial legislature battled over the fate of slavery in the state. Only in 1861, with the coming Civil War, did lawmakers finally ban slavery, after defeating Gov. Samuel W. Blacks veto.

Nebraskas motto, Equality Before the Law is also a reflection of these tensions as the Whites only voting provision in the states constitutional charter had to be removed before Congress would grant statehood. The legislature passed a resolution to support and ratify the 14th Amendment, and in so doing guaranteed Nebraskas entrance into the Union.

The 14th Amendment and the 1866 Civil Rights Acts guaranteed equal access under the law to all Americans, and because of these provisions, homesteading became a possibility for African Americans. Following the Civil War, thousands of formerly enslaved people came to the Great Plains to work the land, prosper, and build a better life for their families. The largest and longest lasting Black homesteading community in Nebraska was Dewitty.

Located in Cherry County, in the sandhills along the South Dakota border, residents with great faith renamed the township Auspicious. While the Homestead Act of 1862 afforded settlers 160 acres, the Kincaid Act of 1904 provided citizens with a whopping 640 acres to prove up. They built sod homes, grew crops, and raised cattle to take to the Omaha stockyards. Community members established schools, a post office, a church, and on the first Sunday of August, barber R.H. Hannahs hosted a picnic.

But poor soil quality, drought, and the Great Depression made it difficult for the homesteaders to earn a living. By 1936, settlers had all sold their land away But for nearly two decades, they maintained a vibrant community.

As the 20th century progressed, African Americans shifted their gaze from rural expanses to the dynamism of urban communities. Omaha drew thousands of African Americans with steady employment in meatpacking and on the railroads. As the Black population grew, its members created a thriving community with grocery stores, professional offices, and social halls.

The citys strategic location on the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad, allowed residents to hear nationally acclaimed musicians like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and native son Preston Love, at the Dreamland and Carnation Ballrooms. Renowned athletes like Bob Gibson and Gale Sayers, both hailed from and gave back to this community.

Institutions like Mildred Browns Omaha Star and Dan Goodwins Spencer Street Barbershop have anchored the business corridor for over half-a-century, while exciting new organizations like North Omaha Information Support Everyone (NOISE) and the Union for Contemporary Arts are propelling its future. North Twenty Fourth Street remains a street of dreams.

These shining moments, however, occurred in the face of great adversity. Racial violence, gerrymandering, school segregation, interracial marriage bans, and redlining are all part of Nebraskas history, too. But these shameful, often horrific, episodes should not be allowed to dim the bright light of a community that has organized, resisted and flourished.

The African American Midwest Documentary Projects recently launched website, AfricanAmericanMidwest.com, documents these and other aspects of Nebraskas Black history, placing it in the context of the larger regional history of the African American Midwest.

As the month comes to a close, Nebraskans should look beyond. Beyond February as the only time we consider the Black American experience and beyond the oft-told narratives of where these histories happen. Within our own communities, there are stories of triumph and failure; hard work and celebration; redemption and reconciliation to inspire us all.

Black history is Nebraskas history too.

Ashley Howard is assistant professor of history and African American studies at the University of Iowa. An Omaha native, Howard is a consulting producer for the African American Midwest Documentary Project which includes the documentary website, AfricanAmericanMidwest.com, and the forthcoming public television documentary, The African American Midwest: A 400 Year Fight for Freedom.
When it comes to actually choosing the next governor of Nebraska, the states voters have the final say.

Yet in the months leading up to the May primary and November general election, its often the candidates who decide what they will talk about to those voters.

The barrage of ads on TV and the internet reflect the messages and issues that candidates and their consultants think they will benefit from pushing. So thats why we get ads about, say, illegal border crossings  even though a Nebraska governor has little to do with protecting the U.S.-Mexico border.

The problem is, candidates desire to create the most eye-catching and provocative ads can crowd out discussion of important issues that probably have more impact on Nebraskas future.

Things like keeping rural nursing homes from closing. Or deciding how to handle criminal justice reform and prison overcrowding. Or balancing school funding needs with efforts to cut property taxes.

We want to give Nebraskans a chance to weigh in on which issues they care most about. And well use that feedback to push candidates in the coming months to talk about those things before Nebraskans cast their ballots.

Today, were launching a statewide survey that asks Nebraskans to say how important they consider a range of issues. Its not a scientific poll. Nor does it explore specific policy choices, such as whether people favor building a new state prison or want to reduce prison overcrowding by, for example, changing penalties for certain offenses.

But after we hear from you, well try to get answers about how the candidates prioritize those issues  and how they would solve them.

We also will see if there are differences in how much various issues matter to different Nebraskans, since were asking respondents for some of their characteristics, such as age, gender or where they live.

You dont have to give your name. But if youre willing to have a reporter follow up with you for a possible story about your thoughts on these priorities, youll have the opportunity to leave contact info. (And just to be clear: if you do agree to be contacted to talk more about the issues, we wont use your name except in stories after a reporter talks with you. And we certainly wont share any contact information with the public.)

If youre reading this in print, you can snap a photo of the QR code at the end of this column on your smartphone, and youll be linked to the survey. Or go to: nebraskapapers.survey.fm/nebraska-citizen-survey.

Either way, we hope to hear from you. The survey will be open through March 15. Your responses will help us have a more substantive discussion about what Nebraskans want from their states next leader.
Bloomington-Normal

Galleries, museums

Some cultural institutions are open or making plans to reopen under current COVID restrictions. Check with each facility for indoor, online or outdoor programing. Open facilities have face covering, distancing and other guidelines in effect; see websites or call for details.

Angel Ambrose Fine Art Studio; 101 W. Monroe St. Suite 201, Bloomington; Open First Fridays 5-8 p.m. and by appointment; 309-825-4655; angelambrose.com.

David Davis Mansion; 1000 Monroe Drive, Bloomington; open for tours, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; groups of 10 or less; $10 per person; $100 minimum; daviddavismansion.org; 309-828-1084.

Eaton Studio Gallery; 411 N. Center St., Bloomington; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays; 5-8 p.m. First Fridays, or by appointment or ring bell; eatonstudiogallery.com; 309-828-1575.

Illinois Art Station; 101 E. Vernon Ave., Normal; Gallery open Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; illinoisartstation.org; 309-386-1019.

Inside Out: Accessible Art Gallery & Cooperative; 200 W. Monroe St., Bloomington; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; Saturday 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; by appointment Sunday-Tuesday; and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. First Friday; insideoutartcoop.org; 309-838-2160.

Jan Brandt Gallery; Normandy Village, 1100 Beach St., Building 8, Normal; by appointment; janbrandtgallery.com; 309-287-4700.

Joann Goetzinger Studio and Gallery; 313 N. Main St. Suite A, Bloomington; open first Fridays 5-8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m., also by appointment; masks and social distancing required; 309-826-1193.

Main Gallery; 404 N. Main St., Bloomington; 12-5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturdays; By chance or appointment at 309-590-6779.

McLean County Arts Center; 601 N. East St., Bloomington; open; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, 12-4 p.m. Saturday; masks and social distancing required; mcac.org; 309-829-0011.

McLean County Museum of History; 200 N. Main St., Bloomington; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sundays, until further notice; reservations at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428; mchistory.org; 309-827-0428.

Merwin and Wakeley Galleries; Illinois Wesleyan University; Bloomington; open; 12-4 p.m., Monday through Friday; 7-9 p.m., Tuesday evening; 1-4 p.m., Saturday through Sunday; iwu.edu/art/galleries; 309-556-3391.

Prairie Aviation Museum; 2929 E. Empire St., Bloomington; closed until April; prairieaviationmuseum.org; 309-663-7632.

University Galleries of Illinois State University, Normal; open; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday; 309-438-5487; galleries.illinoisstate.edu/about/visit/.

Central Illinois

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield; advance reservation required; adults $15, seniors $12, under 5 free; presidentlincoln.illinois.gov; 217-558-8844.

Art Center at Greater Livingston County Arts Council; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday; 209 W. Madison St., Pontiac; pcartcenter.com; 815-419-2472.

Contemporary Art Center of Peoria; Riverfront Arts Center, 305 S.W. Water St., Peoria; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; peoriacac.org; 309-674-6822.

Dickson Mounds Museum; 10956 N. Dickson Mounds Road, Lewistown; open, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; free; illinoisstatemuseum.org; 309-547-3721.

Illinois State Museum; 502 S. Spring St., Springfield; open, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Monday-Friday, free; illinoisstatemuseum.org; 217-782-7386.

Lincoln Heritage Museum; Lincoln Center at Lincoln College, 300 Keokuk St., Lincoln; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 1-4 p.m. Saturday, closed Sundays, Mondays and on Lincoln College breaks; $4-7; museum.lincolncollege.edu; 217-735-7399.

Peoria Art Guild; 203 Harrison St., Peoria; open; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday or by appointment; peoriaartguild.org; 309-637-2787.

Peoria Riverfront Museum; downtown riverfront Peoria; open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday and Friday; 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; and closed Sunday; adults $11, seniors, students $10, ages 3-17 $9; peoriariverfrontmuseum.org; 309-686-7000.

Simpkins Military History Museum; 605 E. Cole St., Heyworth; Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1-5 p.m.; Free admission (donations accepted); Private tours - call first; 309-319-3413; Open House, 1-5 p.m., March 19, marking 63 years of collecting military items.

Time Gallery; 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday; Closed Sunday; Clock Tower Place Building, 201 Clock Tower Drive, East Peoria; 309-467-2331.

U of I Krannert Art Museum; 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign; open; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Thursdays until 8 p.m. when classes are in session; closed Sunday and Monday; kam.illinois.edu; 217-333-1861.

Exhibits

"Community: African American Experience During Migration"; through Spring 2022; Owens Gallery; "American Verses: Terry Adkins, Mark Bradford & Kerry James Marshall"; through Spring 2022; Owens Gallery Annex; "Cinderella, Snow White & Pinocchio"; Classic Disney Art from the Collection of Steve Spain; Oberhelman Gallery; through May 8; "OP Art: Illusions from the Permanent Collection"; Experience Gallery, through May 8; "Moon"; Experience Gallery, through May 8; "Uncovered: The Ken Burns Collection"; Galleries 1 & 2; March 5-June 5; Peoria Riverfront Museum.

"Reports of a Living World"; through March 6; Illinois State Museum.

"Sacred/Supernatural: Religion, Myth and Magic in European Prints, 1450-1900"; through May 15; "To Know The Fire: Pueblo Women Potters and The Shaping of History"; through Sept. 3; "Reckless Law, Shameless Order: An Intimate Experience of Incarceration"; through April 2; U of I Krannert Art Museum.

"Work, People, Art"; Lower level gallery; through April 1, 2022; Dickson Mounds Museum.

"Kevin Standberg"; Armstrong Gallery; through April 1; "Susan Holifield"; Dolan Gallery; through April 1; "95th Annual Amateur Art Exhibition"; Brandt Gallery; March 4-April 8; McLean County Arts Center.

"Celebrating Blackness: An exhibition"; The Wakeley Gallery; "Future Spaces in Community Places"; The Merwin Gallery; both through March 3.

"Ride"; Jeff Curtis Williams; February 2022; "The Space Between Us"; John Heintzman; March 2022; Peoria Art Guild.

"Member Show"; group exhibit; open theme; through March 4; Lincoln Arts Institute.

"CAC Member Artists Biennial Exhibition"; through April 16; "Ann B. Coddington"; Feb. 25-April 9; Contemporary Art Center of Peoria.

"I love An Artist"; Rick & Melanie Picl; photography and mixed media art exhibit; through March 31; Time Gallery.

"Thickets...that which surrounds our struggles"; March 1-April 20; reception March 4, 4-8 p.m.; Eaton Studio Gallery.

"MFA Thesis Exhibitions"; March 8-April 4; University Galleries.

"2022 Honoring the Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans"; March 2022-Nov. 12; Simpkins Military History Museum.
BLOOMINGTON  An Illinois State Police trooper needed medical treatment after their squad was hit early Saturday morning in Bloomington.

A press release from ISP said it happened at 1:25 a.m. Saturday on South Prospect Road at Hall Court in Bloomington.

ISP said a District 6 trooper was stopped in a fully marked squad car with emergency lights activated while assisting the Bloomington Police Department with a drunken-driving investigation.

Troopers said a Volkswagen utility vehicle was going south on Prospect Road when it crashed into the squad car from behind. The release said the trooper was treated at an area hospital for minor injuries.

The driver of the Volkswagen was identified as 24-year-old Michael A. Tibbits, of Bloomington. ISP said he was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and cited for violating Scott's Law and other traffic laws.

In 2022, ISP said nine of their squad cars have been hit in other violations of Scott's Law, resulting in four injured troopers.

Also known as the Move Over Law, the statute requires drivers to slow down and move over for any emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with emergency or hazard lights activated. Violations are punished with a fine of $250 to $10,000 for a first offense.

In the release, Commander Cpt. Gregg Cavanaugh called on drivers to make responsible choices when behind the wheel and to avoid putting lives at risk.

"Always drive sober, pay attention and move over when you approach a stationary vehicle on the side of the road, Cavanaugh said.

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill.  A southwestern Illinois man who led a sophisticated and large-scale bank fraud scheme has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison.

The (Carbondale) Southern Illinoisan reported that 21-year-old Lagardo Wright of Fairview Heights was sentenced on Friday to 27 months in prison, spend four years on supervised release and pay more than $30,000 in restitution.

Prosecutors contended that Wright led a team of co-conspirators that found account holders who they were able to convince to turn over their online banking information in exchange for a promise that they would be paid, according to the charges.

Then, armed with that information, the team printed counterfeit checks, deposited them in the accounts of other people and then withdrew the money before the banks could discover what had happened.

According to documents from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Illinois, Wright and his team targeted at least 10 financial institutions, which suffered losses of nearly $100,000.

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NAPERVILLE  Signs with suicide prevention hotline information will soon go up in some areas of Naperville parks/trails.

A joint task force of Linden Oaks Behavioral Health, the Naperville Park District, the City of Naperville, and the forest preserve districts of DuPage and Will counties have launched "Operation Disrupt" as means to be proactive in suicide prevention.

The new program mined police and fire department record data to identify locations where suicide attempts have occurred in the past and areas where suicide attempts could occur in the future.

The Naperville Park District will initially install six signs over the next few days, park district police officer and operation coordinator Thomas Wronski said. While the signs will be in isolated areas of these parks, they are intended to be visible to passersby.

"It's important people know about this, primarily because we want people who may be contemplating (suicide) that we want to help them and we have officers who want to help," he said.

These signs will have Operation Disrupt on them, phone and online contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the Crisis Text Line contact information. In the park district's case, the signs will also read that "this area patrolled by Naperville Park District Police."

"We see this as a component (of our job) that is practical and that we can move with quickly," Wronski said.

Representatives from each of these agencies welcomed the initiative's launch in a news release.

"Suicide and deaths of despair are at epidemic levels across the United States right now," said Dr. Jerome Kaul, lead clinical therapist for Linden Oaks, in the release. The agencies partnered with Kaul on Operation Disrupt.

"It is vitally important that the mental health profession partner with law enforcement, park districts and forest preserve districts on practical measures that can be taken to disrupt suicide attempts and save lives," he added.

"After hearing about the increase in suicides among high school students, we wanted to participate in raising awareness about this serious issue and to do our part toward opening up the lines of communication related to prevention," said Forest Preserve District of Will County Police Chief/Public Safety Administrator Tracy Chapman in the release.

Wronski said along with the signs, park district officers will undergo 'in-the-moment' training to identify and assist people they may see on patrol who are suicidal or in need of assistance.

This form of training is intended to assist someone immediately, said Wronski. This could be as simple as asking someone some questions.

"This isn't training like in a school or a wider environment. This is training for police on what to do, how to spot someone in the moment in a park or trail," he said.

The park district employs three full-time and fifteen part-time officers, Wronski said. Some have crisis intervention training already, he said. The Operation Disrupt partnership makes additional tools and resources for park district officers available from Naperville police and the other partners.

In the announcement, Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said "this is a tremendous opportunity to use data and to work collaboratively to address a very serious problem that's impacting communities across the country, including our own."

"Our officers continue to respond to so many calls stemming from mental health-related crises involving youth, and this program's emphasis on data and proactive policing is an innovative way to potentially make a real impact in our community," Arres said.

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CHICAGO  They first dated 50 years ago.

But it was only late last year that Steve Watts got up the nerve to pop the question to Jeanne Gustavson.

She thought she misheard. So she made him repeat it.

"Well, of course, I'll marry you!" she told him.

Now, the couple who met so long ago while students at Loyola University Chicago but saw their love thwarted decades ago by a mother's hatred are planning their wedding, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Watts, an amputee who has had two strokes, had been living in a south suburban nursing home, thinking he'd been forgotten by the outside world.

Then, last June, he heard from Gustavson. She had tracked down her first love after 42 years apart. Eventually, she brought him back to her home outside Portland, Oregon.

They might have married long ago, when Gustavson fell in love with the tall "hunk" who was president of the Loyola German club.

At first, theirs was a secret love because Gustavson is white and Watts is Black, and Gustavson's mother thought Black people should come into their house only to clean or make repairs.

But Gustavson couldn't keep the secret. She told her mother, who she says went "ballistic."

They tried to make things work. But the demands of college life and then of trying to navigate their way in the world led to their breakup after seven years.

Each married someone else, both marriages ending in divorce.

She moved to Oregon, where she worked as a nurse and took care of her mother until her death in 2012. She retired three years ago.

Then, she decided to track down her first love, her "true love."

After Gustavson found him last year and Watts told her, "I'll follow you anywhere," they've tried to pick up where they left off.

But love is different for two people well into their retirement years.

Watts can't get out of bed and needs physical therapy every day. He relies on Gustavson and a hired caregiver for almost everything, including bathing.

"Our favorite time is napping together," she says.

At the foot of Watts' bed, a painted sign reads: "I love you more than all the stars."

He tells her one more thing is different for him now: "I love you more intensely."

Gustavson says what they have now is "more precious. We know this is it. This is forever for us. There is nothing else beyond this."

Neighbors say Gustavson used to keep mostly to herself. But now many help with meals and other chores. And they say she has come out of her shell and "giggles" constantly.

Snippets of Watts' life have come out over time. His failed marriage. His time in Germany as a German and English teacher. A spell as a paratrooper in the French Foreign Legion. And a spiral into depression after his sister died that led to homelessness in Chicago and his eventually ending up in a nursing home for 18 years.

But that's the past. Their future involves a wedding  some time in October, Gustavson says.

Tina Mattern, a neighbor, says that when they told her the news, "They were both grinning like little kids. I said, 'How are you going to fit 200 people in this room?' "

They hope to be able to ease Watts out of bed into a chair on the ground floor. It would be a tight squeeze in his bedroom.

"It's unfortunate or sad that this it's happening now and didn't happen 40 years ago," says Tony Mathis, Gustavson's brother. "But better late than never. They definitely love each other. It's great. I support it 100%."

Gustavson says she finally has forgiven her mother. And she hopes that somehow she'll be watching.

"I feel she'd be OK with it now," she says, "that she finally understands."

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The ongoing geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine will not have much impact on Ghanas petroleum products, a former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Mr Alex Mould, has said.



Therefore, he said, there should be no panic at all among stakeholders.



Instead, Mr Mould asked the government to focus on resolving the issue of high exchange rate which he believes threatens the petroleum prices more than the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.



Speaking on the Key Points with Dzifah Bampoh on TV3/3FM Saturday February 26, he said I think Ghana is not too much of a problem at this moment because oil prices are not going to spike.



Our concern should be more on the foreign exchange. We were buying foreign exchange at 6 cedis per dollar and now, it is over 7 cedis and 20 pesewas per dollar. That is what is going to increase the petroleum prices in this country.



Like I said, the forecast for 2022 was 85 dollars for Brent now, it was initially pegged at 75 dollars. So, I dont think there should not be any panic at the moment.



However government should ensure that we have supply of petroleum product. Russia supplies about 20 per cent of the gas oil in Europe and if that supply fall there will be initial dangerous spike in gassoil that is deiseal.



Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Jinapor, has asked the Government of Ghana to use the profits made from crude oil sales to cushion Ghanaians during this difficult moment.



The former Deputy Minister of Energy told TV3s Alfred Ocansey on the Business Focus progemmme that the government has made quite substantial profit from the sale of crude oil.



He said Based on what is even happening today, because of the geopolitical tension between Russia, the West vis-a-vis Ukraine, you should expect that crude oil prices will not be coming down anytime soon.



And so, what is Ghana doing? First of all, we are making a huge windfall. If you look at 61 to 100, that represents a 60 per cent jump, in terms of the revenues that we are expecting and so clearly, we are making some very huge windfall which we can use to cushion the ordinary Ghanaian.



The other issue is that if you look at taxes on petroleum products the taxes are so huge, not just the number of taxes but the rate at which they have increased them.



In 2021 we introduced what we call the energy sector recovery levy , policing levy, increased and so all those increments culminated in petroleum prices increment of about 13.6per cent instantly. So far the BOST margin has gone up about 200 per cent fuel margin has gone up about 200 per cent , it is just a plethora of taxes.



Oil prices went up on Thursday, with Brent rising above $105 a barrel for the first time since 2014 after Russias attack on Ukraine exacerbated concerns about disruptions to global energy supply, the Economic Times reported.



Oil prices are soaring with no end in sight as the news of Russias full-scale military incursion of Ukraine, immediately putting at risk up to 1 million bpd (barrels per day) of Russian crude oil exports transitioning through Ukraine and the Black Sea, said Louise Dickson, senior oil market analyst at Rystad Energy.













Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister, has entreated Ghanaians to accept the electronic levy (E-levy) to enable the government to raise the much-needed revenue for holistic development.



She said the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and other institutions were helping in educating the people about the importance of the E-levy and individuals must also help by embracing it (E-levy) for the country's socio-economic advancement.



Mad. Owusu-Banahene made the appeal when she addressed the 10th-anniversary celebration of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).



The anniversary launch was on the theme: A Decade of Academic Excellence in Energy and Natural Resources Education: Commemorating the Past, Celebrating the Presence and Shaping the Future for National Development.



It was attended by the members of the Universitys Governing Council, heads of institutions, staff, past and present students.



Mad. Owusu-Banahene said for the sustainable funding of particular government programmes such as the Free Senior High School, the acceptance of the E-levy by Ghanaians and its effective implementation by the government was more than necessary.



She commended the University for the introduction of entrepreneurship programmes to help its graduates to become job creators instead of job seekers, saying that was the kind of education the current youth of the country needed to become efficient and functionally useful after graduation.



Mad. Owusu-Banahene, therefore, suggested the addition of entrepreneurship as part of all programmes of study for every student to have a fair idea of self-employment to be able to fit into the job market after graduation.







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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Nana Ogyedom Tsetsewa I, the Mankralo of Gomoa Ogyan in the Central Region, says parents should not shy away from educating their children on sex because it is not a taboo.



Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Tema, Nana Tsetsewa said the belief of some parents that it was against the Ghanaian cultural norms to discuss sex with their children was wrong.



Sexuality education is not a taboo in our traditional system, she emphasized.



She said the inability of parents to be the first people to introduce the topic to their children had led to their seeking answers on sex from peers and other questionable sources.



According to Nana Tsetsewa, who is also an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practitioner, educating a child does not only cover reading and writing but also involved sex education and other life-related issues.



She said when children were educated on sex at home, it would enable them to take informed decisions to help reduce the high rate of teenage pregnancies.



Nana Tsetsewa said with sex education, children, especially adolescents, would strive to reach their academic and career goals instead of engaging in sexual activities at a younger age.



Children end up giving birth at a tender age which makes their dream of becoming better persons soon shattered, she said.



She urged parents, guardians, caregivers, teachers, and other stakeholders to help shape the children morally, adding that many children were going wayward due to parental neglect.



The Mankralo of Gomoa Ogyan noted that most girls might be going through some emotional and sexual-related issues but could not speak about them and urged the stakeholders, especially parents and teachers, to get close to them to unravel such problems early.



Touching on child marriages, she advised parents to desist from marrying off their young daughters at tender ages as a way of solving their financial burdens.

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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Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has invited parents and guardians of all Ghanaian nationals in war-hit Ukraine to a meeting.



A statement issued by the ministry said the meeting will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre on Tuesday 1 March.



In view of the prevailing precarious security situation in Ukraine which has necessitated the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals among others, from the country to safety, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey is cordially inviting all parents, guardians or relatives of Ghanaian nationals in Ukraine to a meeting on Tuesday March 1 at the Accra International Conference Center at 10 AM, the statement said.





Meanwhile, the ministry has appealed to Ghanaian nationals in Ukraine, who are travelling to neighbouring countries to contact the designated contact persons for assistance.



Press Release on the Contacts for the Ukraine Evacuation.pdf



Ghana steps up effort to evacuate Ghanaian students

The Akufo-Addo-led government has begun moves to evacuate Ghanaian students who are stranded in war-hit Ukraine, an official statement on Friday said.



It comes after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, with missile strikes and explosions reported near major cities and on its military infrastructure.



In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said discussions with authorities in Switzerland, Turkey, Moldova, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to assist with the smooth evacuation of Ghanaian students in Ukraine are far advanced.



Following the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, it had become challenging to airlift our compatriots from Kiev and other parts of the country. Hence the only viable means of evacuation is by land to neighbouring countries such as Moldova, Belarus, Slovakia and Hungary.



The government has put in place the necessary package to facilitate the transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical support etc to ease the burden on our compatriots, the statement said.



The Ministry through its missions in Berne, Switzerland and the Honorary Consulate in Ukraine are in touch with the Ghanaian students in Ukraine through its leaders. A list of student have been compiled to facilitate the evacuation, the statement said.









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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Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, has refuted claims by the Minority that the decision by the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, rejecting a motion for a bi-partisan committee to probe the COVID-19 expenditure, was unconstitutional.



It has come to our attention that the Minority side is creating the impression that the decision by the First Deputy Speaker was illegal and unconstitutional, he said.



We, therefore, say that if the Minority had paid attention to what we said they would have known all of us were on the same page, we were looking for a better approach in ensuring accountability and transparency in public expenditure.



Mr Afenyo-Markin said this when he addressed a press conference in Parliament to refute claims ascribed to the Minority that the ruling of Mr Osei-Owusu to a motion it tabled was illegal.



It would be recalled that the First Deputy Speaker threw out 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 disease in 2020.



He said everything relating to the motion fell under the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which was provided for under the 1992 Constitution.



Mr Afenyo-Markin also argued that the matter of investigating irregularities in public expenditure squarely fell under the Auditor General, with a clear indication under Order 187, saying; That is the way to go.



He said the basis for the Majoritys objection to the private members motion was constitutional because it was only the Auditor General who was mandated to determine irregularities in public expenditure.



Therefore, the basis of our objection is constitutional because you cannot attempt to investigate irregularities in public expenditure by setting up a bi-partisan committee, he noted.



It is only the Auditor General who is constitutionally mandated to determine irregularities in public expenditure.



Order 191 of the Rules of Parliament, was also clear that when a particular matter could not find space under the jurisdiction of any Committee of Parliament then it can set up a Special or Adhoc Committee to deal with that issue, Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Cape Coast High Court has ordered the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, Mr George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, to retract defamatory statements he made against the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) for Cape Coast, Mr Ernest Arthur, within three weeks.



The court also asked Mr Ricketts-Hagan to retract the defamatory statements through a press conference and render an apology to the MCE.



The court presided over by Justice Patience Mills-Tetteh, also charged GH100,000 general damages against the MP.



A cost of GH5000 was awarded in favour of the MCE.



The court also restrained the MP together with his assigns, agents and privies from making further defamatory comments against the MCE.



Context



The MCE on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, filed a defamation suit against the MP following what he described as defamatory comments about him by Mr Ricketts-Hagan after his confirmation as MCE.



In reference to a press conference held by Mr Ricketts-Hagan after the confirmation of Mr Arthur as MCE, the MP was alleged to have used unsavoury words to describe the MCE.



Suit



In the writ, Mr Arthur prayed the court to restrain Mr Ricketts-Hagan, his agents from further publishing defamatory statements against his person.



A statement of claim accompanying the writ of the MCE said Mr Ricketts -Hagan knew that the statements he published about him were untrue but went ahead to publish same.



Mr Arthur said in the writ that although he was successfully approved by the assembly members as MCE, the MP was bent on tarnishing his image with unprintable words.



It said the statements were made in an environment where the plaintiff (MCE) was well known and was still performing his political duties.



Mr Arthur said the statements by Mr Ricketts-Hagan which were broadcast in the media nationwide had seriously injured his reputation and brought him into public ridicule and contempt.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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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A former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Mr Alex Mould has explained how crude oil and gas supply has become the main missile in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the warfare with Ukraine as well as with most European countries and the United States of America (USA).



Mr Mould said on the Key Points with Dzifa Bampoh on TV3/3FM Saturday February 26 that Mr Putin knows that Europe is vulnerable when it comes to the reliance on gas by most European countries for economic activities especially during the peak of the winter.



The spike we saw where oil went above a hundred dollars for the first time since 2014 was just a response by circulators and traders who thought that this was going to cause supply and demand problems.



But there is excess supply in the world, Russia produces 12million barrels of oil a day, so does Saudi Arabia, they have the capacity to do that so does the USA. The USA consumes the most oil more than any country and Russia has about 4.8billion barrels a day of oil they export. Saudi Arabia and OPEC have excess capacity of almost 5 billion barrels (4.8bn barrels) of which Saudi Arabia controls half of that, 2.3 billion barrels.



So, the consensus by researchers and traders whom I have spoken to in the last week was yes, they were a little concerned about the immediate impact where you will see spike because there are issues to do with Russia not supplying gas to Europe.



But the fact of the matter is, Europe needs the gas and Europe and US say they are not putting sanctions on gas and oil in the short term. However, as we speak Europe is now receiving gas from other Asian suppliers just to ensure that Putin will not hold them, given that we are at the peak of winter.



This is where it will be felt in Europe, most people cannot switch from gas to crude oil to power their power plants, it is only Germany that has the capacity to do that. So Europe is very vulnerable as we we speak and Putin knows that, the USA also knows that and the USA recently, the Biden administration said they will not sanction Russia crude because that will harm US consumers, he said.



In a related development, Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Jinapor, has asked Ghanaians not to expect reduction in fuel prices any time soon due to the ongoing geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine.



He has asked the Government of Ghana to use the profits made from crude oil sales to cushion Ghanaians during this difficult moment.



The former Deputy Minister of Energy told TV3s Alfred Ocansey on the Business Focus progemmme that the government has made quite substantial profit from the sale of crude oil.



He said Based on what is even happening today, because of the geopolitical tension between Russia, the West vis-a-vis Ukraine, you should expect that crude oil prices will not be coming down anytime soon.



And so, what is Ghana doing? First of all, we are making a huge windfall. If you look at 61 to 100, that represents a 60 per cent jump, in terms of the revenues that we are expecting and so clearly, we are making some very huge windfall which we can use to cushion the ordinary Ghanaian.



The other issue is that if you look at taxes on petroleum products the taxes are so huge, not just the number of taxes but the rate at which they have increased them.



In 2021 we introduced what we call the energy sector recovery levy , policing levy, increased and so all those increments culminated in petroleum prices increment of about 13.6per cent instantly. So far the BOST margin has gone up about 200 per cent fuel margin has gone up about 200 per cent , it is just a plethora of taxes.



Oil prices went up on Thursday, with Brent rising above $105 a barrel for the first time since 2014 after Russias attack on Ukraine exacerbated concerns about disruptions to global energy supply, the Economic Times reported.



Oil prices are soaring with no end in sight as the news of Russias full-scale military incursion of Ukraine, immediately putting at risk up to 1 million bpd (barrels per day) of Russian crude oil exports transitioning through Ukraine and the Black Sea, said Louise Dickson, senior oil market analyst at Rystad Energy.









Source: 3news.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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